Antiepileptic drugs and bone metabolism

Anti-epileptic medications encompass a wide range of drugs including anticonvulsants, benzodiazepines, enzyme inducers or inhibitors, with a variety effects, including induction of cytochrome P450 and other enzyme, which may lead to catabolism of vitamin D and hypocalcemia and other effects that may significantly effect the risk for low bone mass and fractures. With the current estimates of 50 million people worldwide with epilepsy together with the rapid increase in utilization of these medications for other indications, bone disease associated with the use of anti-epileptic medications is emerging as a serious health threat for millions of people. Nevertheless, it usually goes unrecognized and untreated. In this review we discuss the pathophysiologic mechanisms of bone disease associated with anti-epileptic use, including effect of anti-epileptic agents on bone turnover and fracture risk, highlighting various strategies for prevention of bone loss and associated fractures a rapidly increasing vulnerable population

Detection of NPM1 exon 12 mutations and FLT3 – internal tandem duplications by high resolution melting analysis in normal karyotype acute myeloid leukemia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Molecular characterisation of normal karyotype acute myeloid leukemia (NK-AML) allows prognostic stratification and potentially can alter treatment choices and pathways. Approximately 45–60% of patients with NK-AML carry <it>NPM1 </it>gene mutations and are associated with a favourable clinical outcome when <it>FLT3</it>-internal tandem duplications (ITD) are absent. High resolution melting (HRM) is a novel screening method that enables rapid identification of mutation positive DNA samples.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We developed HRM assays to detect <it>NPM1 </it>mutations and <it>FLT3</it>-ITD and tested diagnostic samples from 44 NK-AML patients. Eight were <it>NPM1 </it>mutation positive only, 4 were both <it>NPM1 </it>mutation and <it>FLT3</it>-ITD positive and 4 were <it>FLT3</it>-ITD positive only. A novel point mutation Y572C (c.1715A>G) in exon 14 of <it>FLT3 </it>was also detected. In the group with <it>de novo </it>NK-AML, 40% (12/29) were <it>NPM1 </it>mutation positive whereas <it>NPM1 </it>mutations were observed in 20% (3/15) of secondary NK-AML cases. Sequencing was performed and demonstrated 100% concordance with the HRM results.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>HRM is a rapid and efficient method of screening NK-AML samples for both novel and known <it>NPM1 </it>and <it>FLT3 </it>mutations. <it>NPM1 </it>mutations can be observed in both primary and secondary NK-AML cases.</p

Secure Biomedical Document Protection Framework to Ensure Privacy Through Blockchain

In the recent health care era, biomedical documents play a crucial role, and they contain much evidence-based documentation associated with many stakeholders data. Protecting those confidential research documents is more difficult and effective, and a significant process in the medical-based research domain. Those bio-documentation related to health care and other relevant community-valued data are suggested by medical professionals and processed. Many traditional security mechanisms such as akteonline and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) are used to protect the biomedical documents as they consider the problem of non-repudiation and data integrity related to the retrieval and storage of documents. Thus, there is a need for a comprehensive framework that improves protection in terms of cost and response time related to biomedical documents. In this research work, blockchain-based biomedical document protection framework (BBDPF) is proposed, which includes blockchain-based biomedical data protection (BBDP) and blockchain-based biomedical data retrieval (BBDR) algorithms. BBDP and BBDR algorithms provide consistency on the data to prevent data modification and interception of confidential data with proper data validation. Both the algorithms have strong cryptographic mechanisms to withstand post-quantum security risks, ensuring the integrity of biomedical document retrieval and non-deny of data retrieval transactions. In the performance analysis, Ethereum blockchain infrastructure is deployed BBDPF and smart contracts using Solidity language. In the performance analysis, request time and searching time are determined based on the number of request to ensure data integrity, non-repudiation, and smart contracts for the proposed hybrid model as it gets increased gradually. A modified prototype is built with a web-based interface to prove the concept and evaluate the proposed framework. The experimental results revealed that the proposed framework renders data integrity, non-repudiation, and support for smart contracts with Query Notary Service, MedRec, MedShare, and Medlock

Seed protectants for healthy exports

Dry formulations of three insecticides (chlorpyriphos, fenvalerate and carbaryl) were compared for their efficacy against rice moth, Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton) and groundnut bruchid Caryedon serratus Oliver, in the context of identifying a suitable alternative to aldrin. Fenvalerate 4 g/kg seed showed quick action and killed all the Corcyra eggs, and Caryedon grubs and adults, within 48 h. Chlorpyriphos and carbaryl were less effective, although the former showed high persistency. Fenvalerate and carbaryl were significantly superior to a range of rates of chlorpyriphos up to 180 DAT, and were on par with aldrin. For seed exports that require storage of 60 days or more, chlorpyriphos could be used as an effective replacement for aldrin. The chemicals tested hid no deleterious effects on seed viability of pearl millet and groundnut up to 180 days at ambient temperature during storag

Amelioration of experimental rheumatoid arthritis by selected ultra-diluted preparations by down regulating increased expression of TNF-α &amp; IL-6

The current work explored the inhibitory effect of selected homeopathic drugs, in experimental models of inflammation and CFA-induced arthritis. Twelve groups of animals were made, each containing 6 animals. The selected homeopathic drugs (causticum, calcarea, medorrhinum, mercurius, formica, proteus, silica, sulphur, thuja), placebo and standard drug, Indomethacin. In CFA model, treatment groups and the reference drug were administered daily for a period of 21 days. Dysfunction in joints was evaluated by parameters such as joint diameter, expression of inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-6). Findings of the study revealed that on CFA administration, there is a significant (p&lt;0.01) increase in joint diameter in all the tested animals. On day 3, we found highest increase in the joint diameter in all treatment groups. Medorrhinum, silica, sulphur showed significant (p&lt;0.01) decrease in joint diameter on day 21. Significant (p&lt;0.05) reduction in paw edema was observed at 5 hours post carrageenan administration. IHC of NF-kB in CFA treated group revealed presence of vacuoles, infiltration of inflammatory cells. However, prominent reversal of joint damage was seen in homeopathic drugs (medorrhinum, silica, sulphur) and indomethacin. Study inferred that the homeopathic drugs (medorrhinum, silica, sulphur) and indomethacin were found to be potent in ameliorating inflammation

Effect of Phosphine and Methyl Bromide Fumigation of Different Life Stages of Peanut Bruchid, Caryedon serratus Olivier

To ensure seed quality, peanut seeds received for export by the Plant Quarantine Unit of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) were subjected to phosphine and methyl bromide fumigation. Effective control of eggs, larvae, and adults of Caryedon serratus Olivier was achieved with methyl bromide vacuum fumigation (16 g/m3 for 4 h exposure). Under normal atmospheric pressure (NAP), phosphine fumigation @ 0.5,1.0, and 2.0 g a.I./m3 for 24, and also with 0.25 g a.l. for 72 h gave effective control of eggs and larvae. Ph~phlne (1.0 g a.l./40 kg burlap bag) with bruchld Infested pods for 120 h resulted in 100% larval and 93% adult mortality. Both the fumigants did not impair the viability of peanut seeds. A dosage of 16 g/m3 of methyl bromide for 4 h under vacuum or 0.25 g a.l./m3 of phosphine for 72 h under NAP or placing 1.0 g a.l. of ph~phlne in dry pods stored in 40 kg burlap bag covered with polythene sheets for 120 h can satisfy the seed health requirements

Effect of phosphine and methyl bromide fumigation on eggs and larvae of rise moth corcyra cephalonica s. a common stored grain pest

Among the insect pests that attack stored groundnut, rice moth Corcyra ~ephalonica Stainton is most important- It is polyphagous in nature and cosmopolitan in distribution. .Its ability to develop at low humidities ( < 20 "/, RH) may account for its prevalence in the semi-arid tropics (SAT) over other stored product lep.idopterous pests (Dick, 1987)- The irifestation in groundnut results in both qualitative and quantitative losses. C. cephalonica is the most co.mrnon insect pest, often encountered during the visual examination of seed samples meant for export. Though this species is cosn~opolitan in distribution and has attained economic importance in several crops, very limited work has been done with respect to its control by fumigation. Hence this study was undertaken to evolve effective, easy, and economic fumigation schedule to control this pest to ensure better sanitation of outgoing seed

An ethnomedicinal survey of traditionally used medicinal plants from Charkhi Dadri district, Haryana: an attempt towards documentation and preservation of ethnic knowledge

Medicinal plants have remained an integral source of therapeutics for primary healthcare since antiquity. The information pertaining to usage of plants is either inherited from elders or acquired through trials or the experience of others but is not documented frequently. South Haryana is one such rich storehouse of ethnomedicinal knowledge. Hence, ethnomedicinally important plants from Charkhi Dadri district of Haryana state were documented in the present study. The data was collected through field surveys and in-depth interviews organized in the fields during the years 2018-19. Factor of informant consensus was also calculated. A total of 90 ethnomedicinal plants were identified, belonging to 41 families and 79 genera. Majority of plants were herbs (47.7%), followed by trees (30%). Leguminosae (10%) represented the maximum number of plants, followed by Solanaceae (6.6% each) and Amaranthaceae, Lamiaceae and Poaceae (5.5% each). A total of 64 ailments were reported to be treated traditionally by ethnomedicinal plants in the area. The most commonly treated diseases were menorrhagia, skin boils, typhoid, diabetes, piles and diarrhoea. It was observed that the majority of plants were used freshly to extract juice, followed by powder and decoction and rarely as tea or oil forms. The present study provides comprehensive ethnomedicinal data including vernacular and botanical names, names of the family, mode of preparation, administration and dosage of plant drugs and diseases treated. It was concluded that this region still possesses numerous useful ethnomedicinal knowledge and may contribute to further herbal drug development programs