Estimation of stature from the bony markers of proximal end of ulna.

Anthropometry is the study of the measurements of the human body in terms of the dimensions of bone, muscle and adipose tissue. Anthropometric techniques commonly used by anthropologists and adopted by medical scientists have been employed to estimate body size for over hundred years. Interest in reconstructing stature from skeletal remains dates back to the early 1800s. Human limb bones have been used for the estimation of stature in the field of forensic medicine since the 19th century. Stature was reconstructed, using the regression formulae for long bones, described by Trotter and Gleser, 1952; Stevenson, 1929; Breitinger, 1938;Telkka, 1950; Dupertuis and Hadden,1951; Keen, 1953; Genoves, 1967; Trotter and Gleser, 1977. Populations, on which these equations were based, included European-Caucasian, American-Caucasian, African-American, African, Meso-American and a heterogeneous group of Mongolians. The determination of sex and the estimation of stature from bones play an important role in identifying bodies and skeletal remains. Useful information for the estimation of stature can be obtained from sources besides the length of the long bones of the limbs. Bony markers of proximal femur such as neck-shaft angle, neck length, intertrochanteric apical axis length and vertical diameter of the head were used for reconstructing the length of the femur (Prasad et al., 1996). It was noted that none of these workers reported the use of fragmentary remains of the ulna for the estimation of stature. This may be due to the fact that the length of the ulna contributes a less accurate estimation of stature than the length of other long bones. However, in the absence of adequate remains it is worthwhile to have such an estimate rather than totally ignoring the burnt or broken fragments of the ulna when an estimate is required. OBJECTIVES: To measure bony markers at the proximal end of the ulna and to correlate these markers with its length for formulating equations to estimate length of the ulna and stature in south Indian population. METHODS: The present study deals with the computation of linear regression formulae for reconstruction of ulnar length and stature from bony fragments of upper end of the ulna. A total of 110 ulnae (right-63, left-47) were measured for this purpose. Fourteen markers at the proximal ends of 110 dry ulnae were measured with vernier calipers. Length of the ulnae was measured with osteometric board. Forty-five (45) radiographs of forearm showing both ends of ulnae of thirty (30) individuals were taken. Four markers from the proximal end of radiographs and the length of the ulnae were measured with a measuring scale. Stature of these individuals was measured with measuring rod. Statistical method Independent t-test, Regression analysis, Pearson correlation test, and stepwise method were used for this study. All analyses were carried out using SPSS version 11.5. RESULT: The data revealed non-significant bilateral variation in the measurements of the ulna. Regression equations were formulated for the estimation of length of the ulna from bony markers. Multiple linear regression equations were constructed using the stepwise method. It was shown that a single dimension for right side, the distance between the tip of the olecranon process posteriorly and the anterior-most point on the radial notch can estimate the stature of an unknown person with great accuracy. Regression equation for finding out height from the length of the ulna was also derived from radiographs of 30 individuals

Disorder-driven electronic localization and phase separation in superconducting Fe1+yTe0.5Se0.5 single crystals

We have investigated the influence of Fe-excess on the electrical transport and magnetism of Fe1+yTe0.5Se0.5 (y=0.04 and 0.09) single crystals. Both compositions exhibit resistively determined superconducting transitions (Tc) with an onset temperature of about 15 K. From the width of the superconducting transition and the magnitude of the lower critical field Hc1, it is inferred that excess of Fe suppresses superconductivity. The linear and non-linear responses of the ac-susceptibility show that the superconducting state for these compositions is inhomogeneous. A possible origin of this phase separation is a magnetic coupling between Fe-excess occupying interstitial sites in the chalcogen planes and those in the Fe-square lattice. The temperature derivative of the resistivity drho/dT in the temperature range Tc < T < Ta with Ta being the temperature of a magnetic anomaly, changes from positive to negative with increasing Fe. A log 1/T divergence of the resistivity above Tc in the sample with higher amount of Fe suggests a disorder driven electronic localization.Comment: 7 page

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND ANALGESIC ACTIVITY OF ARENGA WIGHTII GRIFF.-AN ENDEMIC PALM OF WESTERN GHATS

Objective: The present study aims to scientifically validate the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of Arenga wightii.Methods: The stem pith was excised from mature palm, sliced into small pieces, shade dried and powdered. The powder was extracted with ethanol, concentrated under reduced pressure and the crude extract was referred to as AW. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of AW was analyzed in Wistar rats and Swiss albino mice.Results: The results revealed that the ethanolic extract of the stem pith of A. wightii showed a dose dependent anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity, which was comparable to the standards, indomethacin and acetyl salicylic acid respectively.Conclusion: The results of the current study reveal that A. wightii possesses significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity.Â

CHRONIC ORAL TOXICITY STUDIES OF CRUDE ETHANOLIC EXTRACT AND ETHANOLIC FRACTION OF PELLIONIA HEYNEANA WEDD. LEAF IN WISTAR RATS

Objective: Pellionia heyneana Wedd. leaf has been used by the Cholanaikan tribe as a traditional medicine to enhance immunity and also to treat various liver ailments. However, no scientific reports are available regarding its long term toxicity studies. The objective of the present study was to investigate the chronic oral toxicity study of P. heyneana leaf.Methods: In the present study, scientific evaluation of oral toxicity of P. heyneana crude ethanolic leaf extract (PHLE) and leaf ethanolic fraction (PHEF) were carried out in Wistar rats. Animals were fed with three varying concentrations (500 mg/kg, 1000 mg/kg and 1500 mg/kg) of PHLE and PHEF for 90 d. During the study period, all the animals were closely observed for any morbidity or mortality, food and water intake, body weight etc. The effect of PHLE and PHEF on animal behaviour, metabolism, liver function, kidney function, blood glucose level, in vivo antioxidant status, haematological parameters, histopathology of internal organs etc. were evaluated after 90 d chronic toxicity study.Results: All the animals administered with PHLE/PHEF up to 1500 mg/kg dose did not show any deleterious changes in normal metabolism, histopathology of internal organs, haematological and biochemical indices.Conclusion: All these results revealed that PHLE and PHEF of P. heyneana are non toxic in long term oral administration in Wistar rats.Â

Ameliorative effect of ethanolic extract of roots of Tetracera akara (Burm. f.) Merr. on D-galactosamine induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats by downregulation of inflammatory mediators like TNFα, COX-2 and iNOS

161-171Tetracera akara, a climbing shrub locally called Nennalvalli or Pattuvalli, is an ethnomedicinal plant used by Kani tribe of Kerala to treat chronic liver disorders and inflammatory conditions.  The present study was aimed to evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of ethanolic extract of roots of Tetracera akara root on D-Galactosamine induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats. Hepatotoxicity was induced in Wistar rats by intraperitoneal injection of D-GalN (400 mg/kg in saline) in Wistar rats. Ethanolic extract of T. akara root (TA ETH) was administered to the experimental rats in varying doses of (50, 150 and 300 mg/kg/day), p. o. for 7 days. The hepatoprotective effect was evaluated by the estimation of biochemical markers of hepatic injury, anti-oxidant status of the liver by estimating hepatic catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione and malondialdehyde, gene and protein expression level of inflammatory marker genes and histopathological evaluation of experimental animals. Administration of TA ETH (150 and 300 mg/kg) significantly (P ≤0.05) restored the levels of serum bilirubin, protein and other hepatic enzymes almost comparable to the standard drug Silymarin-treated groups. The levels of antioxidant enzymes like SOD and CAT were elevated and lipid peroxidation was inhibited as evident from the reduced levels of MDA. The gene expression studies by quantitative PCR method showed that TA ETH significantly (P ≤0.05) downregulated pro inflammatory cytokines, inflammatory COX-2 genes and upregulated IL 10 gene levels in D-GalN induced liver tissue, which was further confirmed in protein estimation by ELISA method. The histopathological observations were in correlation with the biochemical findings showing the presence of normal hepatic architecture, which further evidenced the hepatoprotective effect of TA ETH. Ethanolic extract of the root of T. akara possesses significant hepatoprotective activity mainly by scavenging reactive free radicals, boosting the endogenous antioxidant system in liver and inhibiting pro-inflammatory mediator like TNF α, COX-2, iNOS and promoting the anti-inflammatory IL 10, thus substantiating the tribal claim

CDK2 regulates nuclear envelope protein dynamics and telomere attachment in mouse meiotic prophase

In most organisms, telomeres attach to the nuclear envelope at the onset of meiosis to promote the crucial processes of pairing, recombination and synapsis during prophase I. This attachment of meiotic telomeres is mediated by the specific distribution of several nuclear envelope components that interact with the attachment plates of the synaptonemal complex. We have determined by immunofluorescence and electron microscopy that the ablation of the kinase CDK2 alters the nuclear envelope in mouse spermatocytes, and that the proteins SUN1, KASH5 (also known as CCDC155) and lamin C2 show an abnormal cap-like distribution facing the centrosome. Strikingly, some telomeres are not attached to the nuclear envelope but remain at the nuclear interior where they are associated with SUN1 and with nuclear-envelope-detached vesicles. We also demonstrate that mouse testis CDK2 phosphorylates SUN1 in vitro. We propose that during mammalian prophase I the kinase CDK2 is a key factor governing the structure of the nuclear envelope and the telomere-led chromosome movements essential for homolog pairin

Wild relative of turmeric, Curcuma zanthorrhiza Roxb.- A source of edible starch

Curcuma zanthorrhiza Roxb., a wild relative of turmeric belongs to the family Zingiberaceae, is an important under exploited rhizomatous herb. Inspite of its medicinal uses, the traditional benefits extends to the isolation of starch powder from its rhizomes, and could be used as nutritional supplement like arrowroot powder. In the present study, the crude starch powder was isolated from the rhizomes of C. zanthorrhiza, was subjected to various characterization and acute oral toxicity study. The results showed that the starch recovery percentage of C. zanthorrhiza as 10.40±3.65 and the presence of the coumarin and natural colourant curcumin content on the isolated crude starch powder. Relatively very small amount of moisture, crude protein, fat, fibre, and ash content was noticed. Acute oral toxicity studies of the starch powder in Swiss Albino Mice showed non-toxic and there were no significant change in body weights, food and water consumption by the animals from all dose groups (50-6400 mg/kg bw). Observations against various physico-chemical parameters and granular morphology were also noticed. The present work substantiates the usefulness of the starch powder isolated from this wild turmeric and supports its nutritional significance and non-toxic effect. This underutilized minor tuber crop is potential in many food and non-food applications based on their physico-chemical characteristics

Wild relative of turmeric, Curcuma zanthorrhiza Roxb.- A source of edible starch

519-524Curcuma zanthorrhiza Roxb., a wild relative of turmeric belongs to the family Zingiberaceae, is an important under exploited rhizomatous herb. Inspite of its medicinal uses, the traditional benefits extends to the isolation of starch powder from its rhizomes, and could be used as nutritional supplement like arrowroot powder. In the present study, the crude starch powder was isolated from the rhizomes of C. zanthorrhiza, was subjected to various characterization and acute oral toxicity study. The results showed that the starch recovery percentage of C. zanthorrhiza as 10.40&plusmn;3.65 and the presence of the coumarin and natural colourant curcumin content on the isolated crude starch powder. Relatively very small amount of moisture, crude protein, fat, fibre, and ash content was noticed. Acute oral toxicity studies of the starch powder in Swiss Albino Mice showed non-toxic and there were no significant change in body weights, food and water consumption by the animals from all dose groups (50-6400 mg/kg bw). Observations against various physico-chemical parameters and granular morphology were also noticed. The present work substantiates the usefulness of the starch powder isolated from this wild turmeric and supports its nutritional significance and non-toxic effect. This underutilized minor tuber crop is potential in many food and non-food applications based on their physico-chemical characteristics