Acanthocheilonema viteae in Mastomys coucha : Combination Effect of An Immunostimulator (CDRI compound 86/448) and Antifilarial agents on Establishment of Infection

Effect of two antifilarials ivermectin (microfilaricidal) and CDRI Comp. 82/437 (macrofilaricidal) in combination with immunostimulator (CDRI Comp. 86/448) was evaluated on establishment of Acanthocheilonema viteae infection in Mastomys coucha. The immunostimulator along with the antifilarials was administered on single occasion (Day 0 of larval exposure). Immunostimulator when given in combination with macrofilaricidal agent (82/437), revealed significantly less percentage of worm recovery over untreated control as well as over treated (with either immunostimulator or antifilarial alone) infected controls. It is, thus surmised that establishment of filarial infection is affected by immunostimulant along with antifilarial agent

Androgen receptor status predicts response to chemotherapy, not risk of breast cancer in Indian women

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Considerably little is known about the biological role and clinical significance of androgen receptor expression in breast cancer. The objectives of this study were to characterize <it>AR</it>-CAG repeat genotypes in a cohort of women with breast cancer and to determine the influence of AR on response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and clinical outcome.</p> <p>Materials and methods</p> <p>Genotyping of the <it>AR </it>CAG repeat region was done on 70 patients and 80 healthy aged- matched female controls. To assess response to NACT, tissue samples from 30 LABC cases were evaluated quantitatively by real time for AR mRNA expression. The clinical response was correlated with both the pre and post chemotherapy AR expression. The CAG alleles did not show differences between cases and controls when the mean of short, long and average length of both CAG alleles was considered. However, analysis when done defining short allele as CAGn < 20 (AR1) and the long as CAGn ≥ 20 (AR2), risk was found associated with AR2 allele with marginal significance (P = 0.09). Stratification by age of onset, FH, stage, grade ER and AR status failed to reveal any association with breast cancer risk. Genotype carriers with ≥20 CAGn showed decrease of AR mRNA expression although significance could not be established (P = 0.47). Tumours in responders had the higher AR mRNA expression levels in pre neo-adjuvant chemotherapy condition (p < 0.02) which got reduced after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and the difference was found to be significant (P = 0.014).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Although, expansion of the CAGn in the <it>AR </it>gene doesn't show any major effect on breast cancer risk, patients with positive AR expression, pre neoadjuvant chemotherapy, were found to be good responders and a decrease in mRNA level of <it>AR </it>gene related to the chemotherapy-induced apoptosis could serve as an important independent predictor of response to NACT.</p

Molecular characterization of a Y-derived marker chromosome and identification of indels in the DYS1 region in a patient with stigmata of Turner syndrome

Presence of the Y chromosome in human female and its absence in the male is an abnormal condition, implying a spectrum of genetic abnormalities. In this communication, we describe studies conducted on a 17-year-old patient (HK-459) with stigmata of Turner syndrome. We analysed the hormonal profile of the subject, chromosomal constitution and DNA for the five different loci encompassing both the arms of the Y chromosome. Chromosomal analysis showed mosaicism containing 45,X/46,X,+mar but no Y chromosome. The X chromosome and all the autosomes of the patient and her parents were normal. The Southern analysis of the patient's genomic DNA with probes specific to DYZ1 locus did not detect the corresponding Y-specific signal. Similarly, primers RG4, RG7 and PABY, corresponding to SRY gene and pseudoautosomal boundary regions respectively, failed to generate Y-specific amplicons. However, primers DYZ3 and DYS1, representing centromeric heterochromatic and euchromatic regions respectively, on the long arm of the Y chromosome uncovered Y-specific signals in the patient and her mother. Sequence analysis of DYS1-specific (710 bp) amplicon from the patient, both of her parents and two normal males showed insertion/deletion mutation in the patient. It is inferred that the Y-derived marker chromosome in the patient is of maternal origin and had undergone post-zygotic mutational events. The possible prognostic implications of this combined approach in the patient(s) with stigmata of Turner syndrome are discussed here

Source of acetylcholine in the frog's heart on stimulation of the vagus nerve

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Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) as Sustainable Technology — Challenges and Perspectives

In sustainable treatment of wastewater, in addition to treatment performance, other aspects viz. energy utilization, recycling of wastewater and social issues also play vital role in evaluation of the sustainability. It is useful for achieving zero liquid discharge from industries. Soil biotechnology (SBT) is a type of biological treatment that plays major part in zero liquid discharge (ZLD) technology. ZLD is used for conversion of organic matter present in wastes into various grades of products for soil application and turns wastewater to cleaner water in the presence of selective geophagus earthworms, bacterial culture and formulated soil. SBT reduces the level of various pollutants in industrial wastewater viz. biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, ammonium nitrate, phosphates, nitrogen, suspended solids, odour, colour and other undesired organisms. This review briefly discusses the need for sustainable development in treatment of wastewater. It also provides an updated scientific literature on zero liquid discharge systems in industries including challenges and perspective

Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) as Sustainable Technology — Challenges and Perspectives

508-514In sustainable treatment of wastewater, in addition to treatment performance, other aspects viz. energy utilization, recycling of wastewater and social issues also play vital role in evaluation of the sustainability. It is useful for achieving zero liquid discharge from industries. Soil biotechnology (SBT) is a type of biological treatment that plays major part in zero liquid discharge (ZLD) technology. ZLD is used for conversion of organic matter present in wastes into various grades of products for soil application and turns wastewater to cleaner water in the presence of selective geophagus earthworms, bacterial culture and formulated soil. SBT reduces the level of various pollutants in industrial wastewater viz. biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, ammonium nitrate, phosphates, nitrogen, suspended solids, odour, colour and other undesired organisms. This review briefly discusses the need for sustainable development in treatment of wastewater. It also provides an updated scientific literature on zero liquid discharge systems in industries including challenges and perspectives

Isolated colostomy site recurrence in rectal cancer-two cases with review of literature

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Colostomy site carcinomas are rare with only eight cases reported in the world literature. Various etiological factors like adenoma-cancer sequence, bile acids, recurrent and persistent physical damage at the colostomy site by faecal matter due to associated stomal stenosis have been considered responsible. Two such cases are being reported and in both cases there was no evidence of any local recurrence in the pelvis or liver and distant metastasis. Both patients had received adjuvant chemotherapy following surgery.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>First case was a 30-year-old male that had reported with large bowel obstruction due to an obstructing ulcero-proliferative growth (poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma) at the colostomy site after abdomino-perineal resection, performed for low rectal cancer six years previously. Wide local excision with microscopically free margins was performed with a satisfactory outcome. Four years later he presented with massive malignant ascites, cachexia and multiple liver metastasis and succumbed to his disease.</p> <p>Second case was a 47-year-old male that presented with acute large bowel obstruction due to an annular growth (well differentiated adenocarcinoma) in the upper rectum. He was managed by Hartmann's operation and the sigmoid colostomy was closed six months later. Five years following closure of colostomy, he presented with two parietal masses at the previous colostomy site scar, which, on fine needle aspiration cytology were found to be well-differentiated adenocarcinomas of colorectal type. Surgery in the form of wide local resection with free margins was performed. He presented again after five years with recurrence along the previous surgery scar and an incisional hernia and was managed by wide local excision along with hernioplasty. Follow-up of nine years following first surgery is satisfactory.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Colostomy site/scar recurrence of rectal carcinoma is rare and could be due to various etiological factors, although the exact causative mechanism is not known. Surgery with microscopically free margins is recommended in the absence of metastatic disease. Stenosis of the stoma is considered as one of the most important contributory factors and should be followed carefully.</p

The expression of mismatched repair genes and their correlation with clinicopathological parameters and response to neo-adjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer

BACKGROUND: The DNA mismatch repair (MMR) pathway is an important post-replicative repair process. It is involved in the maintenance of genomic stability and MMR genes have therefore been named the proofreaders of replicating DNA. These genes repair the replicative errors of DNA and are thus imperative for genomic stability. The MMR genes have been found to be involved in promoting cytotoxicity, apoptosis, p53 phosphorylation and cell cycle arrest following exposure to exogenous DNA damaging agents. Loss of MMR function prevents the correction of replicative errors leading to instability of the genome, and can be detected by polymorphisms in micro satellites (1–6 nucleotide repeat sequences scattered in whole of the genome). This phenomenon, known as micro satellite instability (MSI), is a hallmark of MMR dysfunction and can be used as a marker of MMR dysfunction in colorectal and other malignancies. An alternative method for detection of MMR dysfunction is to test the expression of protein products of the MMR genes by immunohistochemistry (IHC), as mutations in these genes lead to reduced or absent expression of their gene products. Correlation between loss of MMR function and clinical, histopathological, behavioral parameters of the tumor and its response to chemotherapy in breast cancers may be of value in predicting tumor behavior and response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is an integral part of multimodal therapy for locally advanced breast cancer and predicting response may help in tailoring regimens in patients for optimum response. MATERIALS: After approval by the IRB(Institutional Review Board) and ethical committee of the hospital, 31 cases of locally advanced breast carcinoma (LABC) were studied to assess the correlation between MMR dysfunction, clinicopathological parameters and objective clinical response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy using immunohistochemistry. The immunohistochemical analysis for four MMR protein products -MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 and PMS2 was done in the pre NACT trucut biopsy specimen and after three cycles of NACT with C AF (cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, 5-fluorouracil) regimen, in the modified radical mastectomy specimen. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There was no significant correlation observed between expression of MMR proteins and age, family history, tumor size or histological type. However there was a statistically significant negative correlation between MLH1, MSH2 expression and histological grade. There was also a negative correlation observed between PMS2 expression after neo-adjuvant chemotherapy and clinical response. Cases with high post NACT expression of PMS2 were poor responders to chemotherapy. MSH6 was the most frequently altered MMR gene, with a negativity rate of 48% and the patients with high expression responded poorly to NACT. The study highlights the possible role of MMR expression in predicting aggressive tumor behavior (histological grade) and response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with LABC

Assessment of macrofilaricidal activity of leaf extracts of Terminalia sp. against bovine filarial parasite Setaria cervi

Antifilarial potential of three medicinal plants namely, Terminalia bellerica, Terminalia chebula and Terminalia catappa was explored using Setaria cervi, a bovine filarial parasite at concentrations of 2.5, 5 and 10 mg/ml. Amongst all the extracts, methanol extract of T. bellerica showed highest macrofilaricidal activity i.e. 84.63 ± 1.11 at 10 mg/ml in MTT reduction assay with IC50 value of 2.7 mg/ml. which was better than the standard DEC i.e. 79.22 ± 3.1% at 10 mg/ml with IC50 value 2.84 mg/ml. Other plant extracts showed mild in vitro macrofilaricidal activity. T. bellerica methanol extract exhibited significant GST activity of 18.86 ± 0.21 and 12.83 ± 0.03 μM/ml/min at 5 and 10 mg/ml with percentage inhibition value of 73.96% and 82.29% respectively. DEC showed GST activity value of 40.03 ± 4.14 and 21.48 ± 6.44 μM/ml/min with percentage inhibition value of 21.76% and 58.01% at 5 and 10 mg/ml respectively. Thus, methanol extract of leaves of T. bellerica exhibited highly significant antifilarial potential and needs detailed analysis. Keywords: Setaria cervi, DEC (diethylcarbamazine) macrofilaricidal, MTT reduction, GST (glutathione-S-transferase) inhibitio