EFFECTIVENESS OF CARDIAC WALKING ON BLOOD PRESSURE AMONG PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION AT A SELECTED HOSPITAL IN KANCHEEPURAM DISTRICT

Objective: Hypertension is a multifactorial disease and it is a common disorder worldwide. This study was conducted to identify the effectiveness ofcardiac walking on blood pressure (BP) among patients with hypertension at a selected hospital in Kancheepuram district.Methods: A quasi-experimental pre- and post-test with comparison group design was chosen for this study. Using purposive sampling technique,a total of 50 samples were recruited for the study which included 25 each in study and comparison groups. Pre-test was done using a structuredinstrument that included demographic, biological, and clinical variables, and BP was measured by stethoscope and sphygmomanometer. Cardiacwalking was implemented for the study group participants whereas comparison group participants were on routine care. Post-test was done for both the study and comparison group participants. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used for the analysis.Results: The paired t-test revealed the statistically significant difference between pre- and post-test systolic and diastolic BP within the study groupparticipants at level p<0.001 whereas there was no significant difference among comparison group participants. The independent t-test unveiled thestatistically significant difference between the study and comparison group participants in BP at level p<0.001.Conclusion: These study findings implied that the simple measure cardiac walking is cost-effective to maintain the BP within normal limit for patientswith hypertension throughout their survivorship.Â

EFFECTIVENESS OF LAUGHTER THERAPY ON BLOOD PRESSURE AMONG PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION

  Objective: Hypertension is a major non-communicable disease prevailing globally. This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of laughter therapy on blood pressure among patients with hypertension at a selected hospital, in Kancheepuram District.Methods: A quantitative approach of pre-experimental one group pre- and post-test design was chosen for this study. A total of 50 samples were included in the study using purposive sampling technique. Pre-test was done using the structured instrument, and laughter therapy was implemented following which post-test was done for all the study group participants. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used for analysis.Results: The distribution of demographic variables depicted that each 17 (34%) study participants were aged from 39-42 to 43-45 years, respectively. On the count of gender, male and female study participants were equal in numbers that is each 25 (50%). The distribution of level of blood pressure in pre- and post-test disclosed that all the 50 (100%) study group participants had Stage I systolic and diastolic hypertension in the pre- test whereas in post-test 45 (90%), had pre-hypertension systolic and diastolic, only 5 (10%) had Stage I systolic and diastolic hypertension. There was a statistically significant difference between pre- and post-test systolic and diastolic blood pressure within study group participants at level p<0.001.Conclusion: This study findings implied that laughter therapy was effective to sustain the blood pressure within the optimal level among patients with hypertension

Detection of antibodies to extractable nuclear antigens by ELISA for the diagnosis of connective tissue disorders in ANA positive patients

INTRODUCTION: Autoimmune diseases occur in 3–5% of the population as a result of myriad of genetic and environmental factors that lead to altered immune reactivity. The alterations in the immune system initiated by a loss of immunological tolerance to self-antigens lead to the development of autoreactive phenomena that can be detected in the peripheral blood. OBJECTIVES: To study the different types of Extractable Nuclear Antibodies (SSA, SSB, Sm, RNP/Sm, Scl-70, JO-1) present in the study population and also find the association of different ENA subtypes in connective tissue disorders. METHODS: This study was conducted for a period of 1 year from April 2016to March 2017. The study population mainly consisted of 100 patients, attending Rheumatology department, Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital, Tirunelveli. 50 patients had signs and symptoms related to connective tissue disorders and were ANA positive. Another 50 patients had no signs and symptoms related to CTD and were ANA negative. The age group studied was 15-65 years. Both sexes were included. RESULT: Out of 100 patients tested, 28 (56%) of ANA positive patients and 3 (6 %) among control group were found to be positive for extractable nuclear antibodies by ENA screening ELISA. Among ENA positive subjects most common age group was 30-39 years that is 38.7% were in this age group. Extractable Nuclear Antibodies were found most predominantly in females (28 out of 31) 90.3% compared to males (3 out of 31) 9.7%. Among the 31 ENA positive subjects SSA was identified in 17 (54%), SSB in 6 (19%), Sm in 16 (51%), RNP/Sm in 18 (58%) , Scl-70 in 4 (12 %) patients. CONCLUSION: Autoimmune connective tissue diseases are rare group of diseases with significant impact on patient’s quality of life and socioeconomic aspects. Antinuclear antibody testing is the gold standard diagnostic tool in CTDs. But its role as disease activity and prognostic marker is less understood. This study has ventured to analyze the correlation of ENA profile with disease activity and prognosis. Antibodies against extractable nuclear antigens (ENAs) are useful diagnostic markers for various autoimmune connective tissue diseases. ELISA evaluated in this study has the advantage over the other techniques is that it enables the detection of antibodies with additional specificities. Its major advantages are its lower price and the fast and simultaneous detection of different autoantibodies in asingle serum

EFFECT OF CHEMICAL ENHANCERS ON THE RELEASE OF GLIPIZIDE IN A MATRIX DISPERSION TRANSDERMAL SYSTEM

Glipizide is one of the most commonly prescribed drugs for treatment of type 2 diabetes.   Oral therapy with Glipizide comprises problems of bioavailability fluctuations and may be associated with severe hypoglycaemia and gastric disturbances. As a potential for convenient, safe and effective antidiabetic therapy, the rationale of this study is to develop a transdermal delivery system for Glipizide in order to improve its therapeutic efficacy.  In the preparation of films, chitosan was used as polymer. Inclusion complex of glipizide with β-Cyclodextrin was formed. The role of different permeation enhancers in the formulation was also studied. The films were characterized for thickness, tensile strength, drug content, moisture uptake, moisture content, and drug release. In vivo and skin irritation studies were performed for the optimized film. Formulation F12 containing Chitosan (1.5percent w/v) and combination of permeation enhancers (Oleic acid: ethanol 1:1.5) showed the highest drug content 99.95percent and the drug release was 99.39percent in a period of 24 hours. The release data fitted into kinetic equations, yielded Higuchi plot and diffusion mechanism of drug release. The physical evaluation indicated the formation of smooth, flexible and translucent films. No skin irritation occurred on rat skin and the infrared studies showed the compatibility of the drug with the formulation excipients. The ex vivo study revealed a constant permeation of drug for long periods. The best permeation enhancer was F12 (Oleic acid: ethanol 1:1.5). The obtained results indicated the feasibility for transdermal delivery of Glipizide using Chitosan. Key words:Glipizide, Diabetes, Transdermal Drug Delivery, β-cyclodextrin, Chitosan, in vitro permeationÂ

Genetic transformation of cry1EC gene into cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) for resistance against Spodoptera litura

Cotton is the chief fibre crop of global importance. It plays a significant role in the national economy. Cotton crop is vulnerable to a number of insect species, especially to the larvae of lepidopteron pests. 60% insecticides sprayed on cotton are meant to control the damage caused by bollworm complex. Transgenic technology has become a popular option for the development of bollworm resistant cotton. Spodoptera litura is one of the notorious emerging pests in cotton. Introduction of cry1EC gene into commercial variety have very significant importance. This research work was carried out to transform chimeric δ-endotoxin Cry1EC into cotton. The tobacco cutworm (Spodoptera litura) is a polyphagous foliage insect which is susceptible to the chimeric δ-endotoxin Cry1EC. Six month-old highly friable embryogenic calli derived from cotyledonary explants of Coker 310 were used for transformation using Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404 harboring plasmid pBI101.1 carrying the marker gene neomycin phosphotransferase II (npt II) and a synthetic cry 1EC gene under a constitutive 35 S promoter. Agrobacterium treated calli were selected on MS medium containing, 50 mg/L kanamycin, 500 mg/L cefotaxime, 30 g/L maltose and 0.4% phytagel. Embryos developed on kanamycin resistant calli were maintained on the same medium till somatic embryos matured. The cotyledonary stage embryos (3 to 5 mm size) were germinated on MS basal slat with 0.1 mg/L GA3 + 1.0 mg/L IAA, 30 g/L sucrose and solidified with 0.4% phytagel. The regenerated putative transgenic plants were hardened and transferred to the transgenic green house. Transgenic plants were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of 800 bp npt II fragment, and 578 bp amplification of cry1Ec gene. Transgenic plant with single copy insertion of cry1EC was selected in T0 by southern blot hybridization. Insect bioassay using Spodoptera litura larvae of first instar stages on T0 plants showed 70% mortality. Not much data has been published on the toxicity of the endotoxins to S. litura, which is a common pest in warm and humid climates. Efforts are aimed at recovering more efficient transgenic plants through efficient transformation system and developing high resistant transgenic cotton against S. litura and will paved a way for promising future in cotton production.Keywords: Agrobacterium transformation, cry 1EC, molecular analysis, insect bioassayAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(15), pp. 1820-182

Alcoholic Stem Extract of Coscinium fenestratum Regulates Carbohydrate Metabolism and Improves Antioxidant Status in Streptozotocin–Nicotinamide Induced Diabetic Rats

Alcoholic extract of the stems of Coscinium fenestratum, a medicinal plant indigenous to India and Sri Lanka used in ayurveda and siddha medicine for treating diabetes, was studied for its carbohydrate metabolism effect and antioxidant status in streptozotocin–nicotinamide induced type 2 diabetic rats. Oral administration of C. fenestratum stem extract in graded doses caused a significant increase in enzymatic antioxidants such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione synthetase, peroxidase, and glutathione peroxidase and in the nonenzymatic antioxidants ascorbic acid, ceruloplasmin and tocopherol. Effects of alcoholic extract on glycolytic enzymes such as glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase and hexokinase showed a significant increase in their levels, whereas a significant decrease was observed in the levels of gluconeogenic enzyme, glucose-6-phosphatase and alanine aminotransferase in treated diabetic rats. Serum creatinine and urea levels also declined significantly. This investigation demonstrates significant antidiabetic activity of C. fenestratum

Risk factors for relapse in childhood steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome

Background: Nephrotic syndrome (NS) generally tends to follow a benign and chronic relapsing course. Relapses are a major problem in children with steroid sensitive NS (SSNS). Objective: To identify the risk factors for frequent relapse (FR) in the first episode childhood SSNS. Methods: This prospective study was conducted in the Government Dharmapuri Medical College Hospital, Tamil Nadu, between July 2013 and January 2016. Children aged 9 months - 12 years with a diagnosis of SSNS (first episode) who came for follow-up for at least 12 months in the pediatric nephrology clinic were included. The enrolled cases were divided into 2 groups: (1) frequent relapser (FR) and (2) infrequent relapser (IFR). 9 factors were studied as possible risk factorsfor relapse. The data collected were analyzed using Chi-square test and Student’s t-test. Results: Of 160 SSNS children, there were 92 (57.5%) cases of IFR and 68 (42.5%) cases of FR. There were 97 males (60.6%) and 63 females (39.4%) with a male to female ratio of 1.5:1. The mean age of presentation was 4.37±2.32 years. The mean time taken to achieve remission during the first episode was 1.94±1.04 weeks. The interval between remission and first relapse was 5.56±4.51 months. Incidence of infection and hypertension was 31.9% and 37.5%, respectively. Risk factors significantly associated with FR were: Time taken to achieveremission during the first episode (>14 days) (p<0.0001), mean duration of interval between remission and first relapse (within 6 months) (p<0.0001), associated infections (p<0.0001) and hypertension (p<0.0001). Age at onset, sex, serum albumin, 24 h urine protein, and azotemia did not influence the FR in our study. Conclusion: More than 14 days to achieve remission during the first episode, relapse within first 6 months, associated infections and hypertension were the factors associated with FRs