Stronger inflammatory/cytotoxic T cell response in women identified by microarray analysis

Women develop chronic inflammatory autoimmune diseases like lupus more often than men. The mechanisms causing the increased susceptibility are incompletely understood, although estrogen is believed to contribute. Chronic immune stimulation characterizes many autoimmune disorders. We hypothesized that repeated stimulation may cause a different T cell immune response in women than men. Microarray approaches were used to compare gene expression in T cells from healthy men and women with and without repeated stimulation. Four days following a single stimulation only 25% of the differentially expressed, gender-biased genes were expressed at higher levels in the women. In contrast, following restimulation 72% were more highly expressed in women. Immune response genes were significantly over-represented among the genes upregulated in women, and among the immune response genes, the inflammatory/cytotoxic effector genes interferon gamma (IFNG), lymphotoxin beta (LTB), granzyme A (GZMA), interleukin-12 receptor beta2 (IL12RB2), and granulysin (GNLY) were among those overexpressed to the greatest degree. In contrast, IL17A was the only effector gene more highly expressed in men. Estrogen response elements were identified in the promoters of half of the overexpressed immune genes in women, and in <10% of the male biased genes. The differential expression of inflammatory/cytotoxic effector molecules in restimulated female T cells may contribute to the differences in autoimmune diseases between women and men

A Framework for Devanagari Script-based Captcha

Human Interactive Proofs (HIPs) are automatic reverse Turing tests designed to distinguish between various groups of users. Completely Automatic Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart (CAPTCHA) is a HIP system that distinguish between humans and malicious computer programs. Many CAPTCHAs have been proposed in the literature that text-graphical based, audio-based, puzzle-based and mathematical questions-based. The design and implementation of CAPTCHAs fall in the realm of Artificial Intelligence. We aim to utilize CAPTCHAs as a tool to improve the security of Internet based applications. In this paper we present a framework for a text-based CAPTCHA based on Devanagari script which can exploit the difference in the reading proficiency between humans and computer programs. Our selection of Devanagari script-based CAPTCHA is based on the fact that it is used by a large number of Indian languages including Hindi which is the third most spoken language. There is potential for an exponential rise in the applications that are likely to be developed in that script thereby making it easy to secure Indian language based applications.Comment: 10 pages, 8 Figures, CCSEA 2011 - First International Conference, Chennai, July 15-17, 201

Traditional Knowledge on few Medicinal Plants of Biligirirangana Hill, Karnataka, India

Biligirirangana hills (BR Hills) is located in Yelandur taluk, Chamarajanagar District, Western Ghats towards Tamilnadu. The ethno botanical plant survey was executed for the documentation of therapeutic plants. The tribal people have the inborn knowledge about the medicinal plants and their use. In this presentstudy, we have selected 90 plant species belonging to 48 families out of which 38 plant species are herbs, 16 shrubs, 27 treesand 9 climbers were identified with their appropriate information and reported in this paper with their medicinal uses according to tribal communities to cure different ailments. The most common illness treated by the traditional healers are jaundice, diabetes, asthma, fever, cold, cough, digestive problems, piles, paralysis, skin problems, diarrhoea, haemorrhage, kidney problem, gastrointestinal disorders etc

Study of the weights of human heart and liver in relation with age, gender and body height

Background: Normal weight of organ is one of the most important indicators to discern between normal and abnormal in the departments of Anatomy, Pathology also as in clinical medicine. Objective of the study was to examine the normal adult internal organ weights and their relationship with age, gender, body height.Methods: The present study included 100 autopsy cases from the mortuary of Osmania General Hospital, Hyderabad from May 2012 to September 2013. The subjects were selected as per inclusion and exclusion criteria to avoid variations arising out of pathology. The ages ranged from 10 to 60 years and out of which 29 were females and 71 were males. The organs studied were heart and liver.Results: The weight of organs with mean+standard deviation (SD) was represented for males and females respectively; heart 294+48 / 287+44gms, liver 1404 + 191/ 1283+ 169gms.Conclusions: A positive relationship was found between organ weight with age and body height in both males and females. Organ weights in males were comparatively higher than females

Profile of serious adverse drug events in a tertiary care hospital of South India - a five years experience

Background: Adverse drug event (ADE) is said to be serious, when it is life-threatening, leads to hospitalization, disability, congenital anomaly, death or requires intervention to prevent permanent impairment or damage. The present study aimed to determine the pattern, causality, preventability of serious ADEs.Methods: This retrospective study was carried out to profile serious ADEs reported from Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute to Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) Monitoring Centre, under Pharmacovigilance Programme of India from 2012 to 2016. Patient demographics, clinical and drug data, details of the ADE, onset time, causal drug details, outcome and severity were collected as per CDSCO form. Causality was assessed by WHO-ADR probability scale, preventability by modified Schumock and Thornton scale.Results: A total of 809 ADEs were reported, of which 50 (6.18%) were serious in nature. Male preponderance (74%) was observed, with 42% among patients aged 20-40 years. 56% of serious ADEs were reported from department of Dermatology. Steven Johnson Syndrome (SJS) (20%) contributed for most of the ADEs. Antiepileptics caused maximum number of serious ADEs (32%). 76% of the ADEs were found to be ‘probable’ and 4% were definitely preventable. 56% of them was life threatening and 86% required intensive interventions. 16% patients experienced serious ADEs during hospital stay.Conclusions: Serious ADEs constituted 6.18% of all ADEs reported. SJS was commonly seen with antimicrobials and hepatotoxicity with ATT. Antiepileptics and ATT contributed for majority of them. This study highlights the importance of monitoring and timely management of serious ADEs to commonly prescribed medications

A study on development of ear ossicles from prenatal to postnatal life of humans

Background: Malleus, incus and stapes are the three ear ossicles present in middle ear. The auditory ossicles of the middle ear have a fundamental role in transmission of sound. The aim of this study was to determine development of ear ossicles from prenatal to postnatal life which will be of great help for an ENT surgeon who should be well conversant with the anatomical details of middle ear prior to undertake reconstruction procedures for the improvement of sound conduction in conductive deafness.Methods: The study was conducted in 25 foetuses and 25 adult ossicles after removal from temporal bones of embalmed cadavers. Vernier caliperse was used to measure different morphometric parameters to study growth and development of ossicles.Results: Malleus: The average length of Malleus varies from 4 to 7.24mm in foetuses and adults respectively. The length of the anterior process was variable and some of the processes were quite long. Incus: The incus had minimum morphological variations in the ossicles. Its length ranges from 4.97-6.94mm. Stapes: The stapes had maximum morphological variations in the ossicles. The variations of stapes were in the neck, the cruses and the foot plate. The variations seen in stapes were no neck, a short or a long neck. The cruses of the stapes had symmetry or asymmetry. Length varies from 2.45-3.8mm.Conclusions: Ossicles at 20 weeks of prenatal life were cartilagenous, and at 24 weeks they were ossified and surrounded by mesenchyme. Postnatal changes were minimal. These parameters of Ossicles will help in designing of implants and treating hearing loss

Gestational age assessment of neonates using foot and hand length measurements: a cross sectional tertiary care centre study

Background: Gestational age of neonates computed based on Naegele’s formula, ultrasound, or using modified New Ballard score (NBS) is limited in the community setup due to illiteracy, accessibility and expertise. Hence there should be alternative technique which can be done even by inexperienced health care staff and in rural communities. Objective of current study was to find out the correlation of foot and hand length with gestational age among neonates.Methods: A cross sectional study including 200 neonates and their foot length, hand length, birth weight was recorded. Gestational age assessment was done using modified NBS. Correlation among various study parameters was done using Pearson’s correlation coefficient.Results: Of the 200 neonates studied, the mean foot length was 7.1±0.46 cm with a range of 4-8.5 cm. The mean hand length was 6.0±0.71 cm with a range of 3.8-7.4 cm. The mean foot and hand length of term neonates was higher than preterm neonates. The mean foot and hand length of normal weight neonates was higher than Low birth weight neonates.Conclusions: Foot and hand length is a simple, quick and reliable measurement which can be used as a proxy measurement to gestational age assessment. It can be easily measured by traditional birth attendants in the community

A comparative study of probiotic, prokinetic based triple therapy with USFDA regimen in the eradication of Helicobacter pylori in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection has been associated with peptic ulcer disease, gastric carcinoma and gastric mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. Its eradication is important and current regimens are associated with antibiotic resistance, side effects and poor patient compliance. Probiotics supplementation can overcome the above problem and additions of prokinetics improve dyspepsia symptoms and thereby improve patient compliance. So the aim of the study was to compare efficacy and safety of standard United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) regimen with probiotic, prokinetic based novel regimen.Methods: 100 patients diagnosed with H. pylori infection were randomly assigned into two eradication regimen groups viz., group A and group B. Group A received standard USFDA regimen, amoxicillin 1 gm, lansoprazole 30 mg and clarithromycin 500 mg twice a day for 2 weeks and group B received a probiotic and prokinetic itopride 50 mg thrice daily, pantoprazole 40 mg, amoxicillin 1 gm and clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily for 2 weeks. Patients with Rapid Urease Test (RUT) and histopathology reports negative for H. pylori were considered as eradicated and then the percentage of eradication rate in both groups was compared.Results: H. pylori eradication rates were more in group B compared to group A (84% vs 70%, p =0.096 at 95% CI). The occurrence of side effects was less in group B compared to group A (30% vs 46%, p= 0.099). Diarrhoea was statistically less in group B compared to group A (p< 0.05).Conclusions: Probiotics supplementation increases eradication rates of anti H. pylori therapy and improves tolerability by reducing side effects especially diarrhoea. Prokinetics and probiotic based novel regimen improved dyspepsia symptoms and patient compliance

Stromelysin-1 Regulates Adipogenesis during Mammary Gland Involution

The matrix metalloproteinase MMP-3/stromelysin-1 (Str1) is highly expressed during mammary gland involution induced by weaning. During involution, programmed cell death of the secretory epithelium takes place concomitant with the repopulation of the mammary fat pad with adipocytes. In this study, we have used a genetic approach to determine the role of Str1 during mammary involution. Although Str1 has been shown to induce unscheduled apoptosis when expressed ectopically during late pregnancy (Alexander, C.M., E.W. Howard, M.J. Bissell, and Z. Werb. 1996. J. Cell Biol. 135:1669–1677), we found that during post-lactational involution, mammary glands from transgenic mice that overexpress the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases, TIMP-1 (TO), or mice carrying a targeted mutation in Str1 showed accelerated differentiation and hypertrophy of adipocytes, while epithelial apoptosis was unaffected. These data suggest that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) do not induce unscheduled epithelial cell death after weaning, but instead alter the stromal microenvironment. We used adipogenic 3T3-L1 cells as a cell culture model to test the function of MMPs during adipocyte differentiation. Fibroblastic 3T3-L1 progenitor cells expressed very low levels of MMPs or TIMPs. The transcription of a number of MMP and TIMP mRNAs [Str1, MT1-MMP, (MMP-14) collagenase-3 (MMP-13), gelatinase A (MMP-2), and TIMP-1, -2 and -3] was induced in committed preadipocytes, but only differentiated adipocytes expressed an activated MMP, gelatinase A. The addition of MMP inhibitors (GM 6001 and TIMP-1) dramatically accelerated the accumulation of lipid during differentiation. We conclude that MMPs, especially Str1, determine the rate of adipocyte differentiation during involutive mammary gland remodeling