Differential Expression of Glutathione s-Transferase Enzyme in Different Life Stages of Various Insecticide-Resistant Strains of Anopheles Stephensi: A Malaria Vector

Background & objectives: Interest in insect glutathione s-transferases (GSTs) has primarily focused on their role in insecticide resistance. These play an important role in biotransformation and detoxification of many different xenobiotic and endogenous substances including insecticides. The GST activity among 10 laboratory selected insecticide resistant and susceptible/control strains of Anopheles stephensi was compared using the substrates 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB). The difference in the GST activities of different life stages of diverse insecticide resistant strains was compared and presented.Methods: About 100 larvae, pupae, adult males, adult females and eggs (100 μg in total weight) were collected and used for the experiment. The extracts were prepared from each of the insecticide-resistant strains and control. Protein contents of the enzyme homogenate and GST activities were determined.Results: Deltamethrin and cyfluthrin-resistant strains of An. stephensi showed significantly higher GST activity. Larvae and pupae of DDT-resistant strain showed peak GST activity followed by the propoxur-resistant strain. On contrary, the GST activity was found in reduced quantity in alphamethrin, bifenthrin, carbofuran and chloropyrifos resistant strains. Adults of either sexes showed higher GST activity in mosquito strain resistant to organophosphate group of insecticides namely, temephos and chloropyrifos. Interpretation & conclusion: The GST activity was closely associated with almost all of the insecticides used in the study, strengthening the fact that one of the mechanisms associated with resistance includes an increase of GST activity. This comparative data on GST activity in An. stephensi can be useful database to identify possible underlying mechanisms governing insecticide-resistance by GSTs

A Comparative Study Between Alcoholics of Koraga Community, Alcoholics of General Population and Healthy Controls for Antioxidant Markers and Liver Function Parameters

Objectives: It is well established that long-term alcohol consumption leads to liver cirrhosis and other related disorders. Sufficient work has been done on biochemical markers of liver damage and antioxidant status of chronic alcoholics in general population. In the current study chronic alcoholics from a community called Koraga are analysed for the same parameters in a view to assess the extent of liver damage as compared to healthy controls and other alcoholics. Methods: Serum and urine samples from Koraga alcoholics (n=28), general alcoholics (n=30) and healthy controls (n=31) were analysed for liver function parameters and antioxidant markers. Liver function parameters were determined by automated analyzer. Markers of antioxidant status were estimated spectrophotometrically. The data was analysed using SPSS version 16.0. Results: There was significant increase in serum AST, serum ALT, serum GST and urine GST in both general and Koraga alcoholics when compared to healthy controls (p<0.0001). Serum ALT, serum GST and urine GST activity was significantly higher in general alcoholics when compared to Koraga alcoholics (p<0.001). Serum and urine total thiol levels were significantly lower in general alcoholics when compared to healthy controls and Koraga alcoholics (p<0.0001). We have observed no difference in total thiols level between healthy controls and Koraga alcoholics, in fact, there was significant increase in urine total thiols level in Koraga alcoholics compared to healthy controls (p<0.001). On Pearson’s correlation serum AST, serum ALT correlated positively with serum and urine GST (p<0.0001) and negatively with serum total thiols (p<0.0001). Serum GST correlated negatively with serum total thiols (p<0.0001). Conclusion: Results of our study possibly indicate that the extent of alcohol induced liver damage in Koraga subjects is comparatively lower than general alcoholics, even though the alcohol consumption is found to be higher in them. There may be some mechanism that is rendering them resistant to alcoholic liver damage which needs to be explored through further studies at molecular level

Acute aortic syndromes in India: the need for a nationwide program to increase awareness

Acute aortic dissection is a rare, but potentially life-threatening and time-critical condition that is frequently misdiagnosed. Therefore, its prompt and proper diagnosis is vital to increase a patient's chance of survival and to prevent grievous complications. Raising awareness and educating the general population and healthcare professionals about an aortic dissection is mandatory, for early diagnosis and improving the chances of survival.Thoracic Surger

Fetus papyraceous: a case report of preterm premature rupture of membrane with adherent placenta

Fetus papyraceous is a rare condition and is associated with obstetric complications. Antenatal diagnosis of this condition aids in follow-up care of co twin(s) as well as to predict future obstetric complications. In this report, we describe a case of fetus papyraceous identified after the manual removal of adherent placenta

i-Car: An Intelligent and Interactive Interface for Driver Assistance System

The aim of the present research was to reduce accidents by assisting the driver in various aspects of driving such as lane detection, pedestrian and car detection, driver drowsiness detection and rear view parking assistance. The methodology combines the computer vision techniques with pattern recognition, feature extraction, machine learning, object recognition, human computer interaction and parallel processing in a nutshell. The proposed system provides robust extraction of lane markings in various types and alerts the driver attempting to drift from the lane. It also detects the pedestrians and cars which are at a vulnerable distance to be hit by the vehicle and alarms the driver well ahead of time. The system uses eye closure based decision algorithm to detect driver drowsiness in all conditions and also warns by interactive voice early enough to avoid the accidents. It also assists the driver while reversing the vehicle, by providing a clear view of his blind spot areas. Computer vision algorithms like Hough’s Transform, Canny Edge detection and HAAR classifiers were applied to meet the objectives. The integrated module was analyzed and tested in different terrains and various lighting condition to produce an accurate and robust real-time assistance system (Sivaraman et al., 2014). iCar is an innovative prototype in the Information Technology with minimum hardware like low cost webcams. It emerged as an Interactive Technology with an interactive audio, visual, touch and touch-less interfaces. These can assist to avoid accidents in the world by intelligently ignoring certain hardware sensors like IR, UV, Acoustic, Proximity and mechanical devices like costlier LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) fitted in Google Car. Present research findings outperform the state of the art research like CalTech (Aly et al., 1997). Attempts of depth sensing even using Microsoft Kinect could be ignored by the present technology, the iCar.Keywords: iCar; Canny Edge detection; HAAR Classifier; Probabilistic Hough’s; Transfor

A Cytogenetic Photomap from Ovarian Nurse Cell Polytene Chromosome of Anopheles Stephensi (Diptera: Culicidae) : A Comparative Study

Polytene chromosome banding patterns have long been used to infer the degree of relatedness among taxa and as a standard reference for locating genes, pufs, and inversion breakpoints of unique gene arrangements. Chromosome comparisons between the species over the time have shown organizational changes in patterns which have resulted in adaptive advantages. An attempt has been made to prepare chromosome map from the ovarian nurse cell of Anopheles (Cellia) stephensi Liston, and to re-evaluate the physical map of this species. The photomaps prepared, were compared with other available maps of the past for the same species. The images of the polytene chromosomes have been straightened and divided by numbered divisions and lettered subdivisions. Tentative inversion breakpoints occurring naturally and that recorded from diferent insecticide resistant strains of An. stephensi is described in the present map. Some of the re-arrangements acquired have been highlighted in the paper in view to provide an overview of the importance of cytogenetic maps to Anopheles biology and the concept of chromosome evolution

A rare case of a ruptured ovarian pregnancy

Ovarian pregnancy is a rare type of extrauterine pregnancy accounting for 1 to 3% of all extrauterine pregnancies. We report a rare case of a ruptured ovarian pregnancy. A 22 year old, gravida 2 para 1 living 1 was admitted with amenorrhea of 4 weeks and 6 days with chief complaints of severe acute lower abdomen pain. Urine pregnancy test was positive. Ultrasonogram pelvis revealed left sided ruptured adnexal mass with moderated hemoperitoneum. Laparotomy was performed and a diagnosis of ruptured ovarian pregnancy was made. Biopsy of the mass was taken which confirmed the diagnosis. Although ovarian pregnancy is rare, in any case of a ruptured ectopic pregnancy where the tubes are found to be normal on laparotomy, an ovarian pregnancy must be ruled out. Early detection and prompt diagnosis can preserve the future fertility of the woman

Fetal Brain Transplantation in Kainic Acid Lesioned Caudate Nucleus of Adult Rats

This study confirmed that bilateral kainie acid (KA) injection at the caudate produces aphagia and adipsia in rats. The reduction in food and water intake was fatal after a higher dosage of the drug. To test the effect of transplantation on. the mortality, rate, KA was first injected in the left caudate, in one set of rats. After a gap of three days, fetal striatal tissue was unilaterally transplanted at this lesioned site, along with a second injection of KA in the right caudate. Successful transplantation, as ascertained morphologically, did not significantly alter the mortality rate. The morphometric study revealed that the neurons of the transplant were larger in size, and their numerical density lower than those of the caudate of normal rats. Only very few neurons of the transplant developed functional connectivity with the host, as demonstrated by electrophysiological studies