P66shc and its downstream Eps8 and Rac1 proteins are upregulated in esophageal cancers

Members of Shc (src homology and collagen homology) family, p46shc, p52shc, p66shc have known to be related to cell proliferation and carcinogenesis. Whereas p46shc and p52shc drive the reaction forward, the role of p66shc in cancers remains to be understood clearly. Hence, their expression in cancers needs to be evaluated carefully so that Shc analysis may provide prognostic information in the development of carcinogenesis. In the present study, the expression of p66shc and its associate targets namely Eps8 (epidermal pathway substrate 8), Rac1 (ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate1) and Grb2 (growth factor receptor bound protein 2) were examined in fresh tissue specimens from patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and esophageal adenocarcinoma using western blot analysis. A thorough analysis of both esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma showed p66shc expression to be significantly higher in both types of carcinomas as compared to the controls. The controls of adenocarcinoma show a higher basal expression level of p66shc as compared to the controls of squamous cell carcinoma. The expression level of downstream targets of p66shc i.e., eps8 and rac1 was also found to be consistently higher in human esophageal carcinomas, and hence correlated positively with p66shc expression. However the expression of grb2 was found to be equal in both esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. The above results suggest that the pathway operated by p66shc in cancers does not involve the participation of Ras and Grb2 as downstream targets instead it operates the pathway involving Eps8 and Rac1 proteins. From the results it is also suggestive that p66shc may have a role in the regulation of esophageal carcinomas and represents a possible mechanism of signaling for the development of squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of esophagus

Biology and Bio-Intensive Management of White Grub in Kashmir.

Random survey was carried out throughout the valley for species composition of chafer beetles from March 2004 to September 2005. In all twenty two species of white grub beetles were recorded comprising of 7, 7, 4, 1, 2 and 1 species from sub families Melolonthinae, Rutelinae, Dynastinae, Cetoniinae, Sericinae and Geotrupinae, respectively. Studies on light traps, host tree collection and feeding preference of chafer beetles were carried out in two ecosystems i.e. orchard and golf course during the year 2004 and 2005.The pooled data for the two years on light trap (LT) and host tree (HT) collections in orchard ecosystem recorded 15 species, Adoretus simplex was found most abundant (30.58%) followed by Holotrichia longipennis (19.23%), with an over all LT: HT ratio of 1: 1.11. On the basis of LT and HT attraction in Royal Spring Golf Course Srinagar, 16 species were recorded during two years and Heteronychus robustus was found predominant (41.80%) followed by H. longipennis (15.35%) with an over all LT:HT ratio of 1:2.20. Host plant preference of H. robustus was studied at Royal Spring Golf Course on 16 hosts during the year 2005. Raspberry and chestnut were extremely preferred hosts while as walnut, oak (evergreen) and robinia were found highly preferred, preferred and moderately preferred hosts, respectively on the basis of average number of beetles/branch/night/tree. In vitro studies on host food preference (intake) of H. robustus showed raspberry and chestnut as very high food intake, walnut as high food intake, oak (deciduous) as good food intake and cypress as low food intake hosts, respectively on the basis of per cent food consumption. Host plant preference of Adoretus simplex in orchard ecosystem was studied on 9 host plants during the year 2005. Chestnut, black raspberry, grape and rose were found extremely preferred, highly preferred, preferred and moderately preferred hosts, respectively on the basis of average number of beetles/branch/night/tree. In vitro studies on host food preference of Adoretus simplex showed chestnut, walnut, oak (deciduous), apple and rose as very high, high, good, low and very low food intake hosts, respectively on the basis of per cent food consumption. Among different colour regimes of light traps, black light showed significantly highest attraction of adult chafers followed by fluorescent and red light recording 37.90, 28.81 and 16.14 beetles/trap/season, respectively. The height of traps showed a significant effect on the attraction of adult beetles and highest attraction was recorded at 100 cm height (36.33 beetles/trap/season) followed by 50 cm (31.95 beetles/trap/season) which did not differ significantly from each other. However, the attraction was significantly lower at 200 cm height (14.57 beetles/trap/season). The biology of predominant specie of chaffer beetle (H. robustus) was studied in vitro which showed a single annual generation completing the life cycle in 315-364 days. The egg stage lasted for 8-12 days, grub period for 288-326 days and pupal period 19-26 days. The susceptibility of white grubs to different entomopathogens and an insecticide, chlorpyriphos 20 EC were evaluated under field conditions at RSGC Srinagar during the year 2004 and 2005. The pooled data recorded Beauveria bassiana (local strain at 1x1012 spores/ml) as the most promising treatment followed by Metarrhizium anisopliae (local strain at 1x1012 spores/ml), recording mortality of 92.19% and 79.23%, respectively 30 days after the treatment. Chlorpyriphos 20 EC (4 litre/hectare) recorded 72.15% mortality, the third effective treatment after Beauveria bassiana and Metarrhizium anisopliae

Prophylactic use of intraoperative Nor-epinephrine infusion vs. bolus doses of Ephedrine and Phenylephrine in patients undergoing colorectal surgery under combined general and epidural anaesthesia for enhanced recovery after surgery. (ERAS)

Introduction: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) has become an important focus of perioperative management after colorectal surgery. Maintenance of arterial blood pressure during combined general and epidural anesthesia is essential for organ perfusion and has been found as an important prognostic factor for enhanced postoperative recovery. Aim: To compare Norepinephrine infusion with ephedrine / phenylephrine boluses to maintain stable blood pressure and enhance postoperative recovery. Methods: Patients with physical status ASA I and II of either sex admitted for colorectal surgery were randomized into two groups. Group A: Nor-epinephrine group and Group B: Ephedrine/Phenylephrine group. After induction of general anesthesia Group A patients received norepinephrine infusion at a dose to keep mean arterial pressure (MAP) more than or equal to 80 mmHg after epidural anesthesia was activated with 10 ml of 0.25% ropivacaine whereas Group B patients received Ephedrine / Phenylephrine stat doses in case of hypotension (MAP < 80 mmHg) during intraoperative period. Intraoperative hemodynamics and fluid input output were recorded in both groups. Post operative hemodynamics, renal function, oral feeding and early mobilization were compared in both the groups as indicators of enhanced recovery. Results: Prophylactic use of Norepinephrine infusion in patients undergoing colorectal surgery under combined epidural and general anesthesia was found to produce more stable intraoperative blood pressure compared to the use of ephedrine/phenylephrine boluses. Fluid requirement in group A during the procedure was less as compared to group B and the urine output during intraoperative period was better in patients receiving nor epinephrine infusion . Postoperative complications were lower in patients receiving norepinephrine infusion. Conclusion: Prophylactic use of nor epinephrine infusion to prevent intraoperative hypotension in patients undergoing colorectal surgery under combined epidural and general anesthesia was found to produce more stable intraoperative blood pressure and better postoperative course

Gastric Cancer in Young Patients

Aim. The aim of this study was to see the clinical, pathological, and demographic profile of young patients with stomach carcinoma besides association with p53. Patients and Methods. Prospective study of young patients with stomach carcinoma from January 2005 to December 2009. A total of 50 patients with age less than 40 years were studied. Results. Male female ratio was 1 : 1.08 in young patients and 2.5 : 1 in older patients. A positive family history of stomach cancer in the first degree relatives was present in 10% of young patients. Resection was possible only in 50% young patients. 26% young patients underwent only palliative gastrojejunostomy. The most common operation was lower partial gastrectomy in 68%. Amongst the intraoperative findings peritoneal metastasis was seen in 17.4% in young patients. 50% young patients presented in stage IV as per AJCC classification (P value .004; sig.). None of the patients presented as stage 1 disease in young group. Conclusion. Early detection of stomach carcinoma is very important in all patients but in young patients it is of paramount importance

Pyogenic liver abscess: Changing patterns in approach

AIM: To define optimum management of the pyogenic liver abscess and assess new trends in treatment

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Not Availablet In this study, the genetic relatedness of 82 walnut genotypes adapted to the North Western Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir, India was analyzed by combination of 13 SSR and 20 RAPD primers. A high level of genetic diversity was observed within populations with the number of alleles per locus ranging from one to five in case of SSR primers and two to six in case of RAPD primers, the proportion of polymorphic loci was 100 %, and similarity ranged from 12 % to 79 % with an average of 49 %. Dendrogram showed that all the accessions formed four main clusters with various degree of subclustering within the clusters. These results have implications for walnut breeding and conservation.Not Availabl