HINOKITIOL-AMELIORATED DIETHYLNITROSAMINE-INDUCED HEPATOCARCINOGENESIS THROUGH ANTIOXIDANT MECHANISM IN RATS: IN VITRO AND IN VIVO STUDY

Objective: Chemoprevention seems to be the best strategy for lowering the incidence of liver cancer. Therefore, this study has been initiated to investigate the hinokitiol (HIOL) supplementation which could prevent oxidative stress induced by hepatocarcinogen, diethylnitrosamine (DEN) in rats.Methods: The biochemical parameters such as tissue damaging enzymes, namely, alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and attack-free period and enzymatic antioxidants, namely, glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and histopathological changes were estimated.Results: DEN-treated rats shows increased ALT, ALP, and AST and decreased GSH, GST, CAT, GPx, GR, and SOD activities in liver tissues. The DEN-treated group (200 mg/kg body weight single intraperitoneal injection) with phenobarbital 0.05% orally showed the severe histopathological lesions in liver tissue. Whereas, the groups received HIOL along with DEN shown a comparatively lesser damage. Here, the HIOL supplementation ameliorated the biochemical parameters as well as evoked enzymatic antioxidants in DEN-induced rats to the control values.Conclusion: The HIOL possesses potent antioxidant property, in this credence to that conception, the treatment with HIOL may prevent the development of chemical-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in rats by free radical scavenging mechanism

ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE REGARDING ANTIBIOTIC USE IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Objective: The present study was designed to investigate the public knowledge and attitude toward antibiotic use in a general population visiting thetertiary care hospital.Methods: A prospective cross-sectional survey conducted for a period of 6-month December-2013 to May-2014. Knowledge scoring was given basedon the percentage of correct responses. Data were collected using a self-prepared questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Associationof respondent's knowledge score with sex, age group, educational level, and income was analyzed by Chi-square test.Results: The results of our study showed that the level of knowledge on antibiotics use was poor in 117 (65%) of the study population who had given<50% correct response. The current study showed that there was a significant difference in knowledge between education level groups (p≤0.0001).The other responses regarding knowledge are 27.2% accepted that antibiotics are indicated for relieving pain and inflammation, 45% of participantsthought that antibiotics are the drugs indicated to reduce fever. About 76.6% of respondents had administered antibiotics without a doctor'sprescription, 44% of respondents used antibiotics with their friends and family member's suggestions. 48% of respondents keep antibiotics stockat home for future use and 79.4% of respondents keep leftover antibiotics for personal future use, 31% share their antibiotics with family memberswhen they are sick and 34% of respondents use leftover antibiotics for a respiratory illness.Conclusion: Patients, as well as healthcare professionals, have a major role to play in attaining rational antibiotic use. Antibiotic awareness campaignsand patient counseling should promote specific messages to public members from the high risk†groups, to fill up the knowledge and attitude gaps.Keywords: Antibiotic use, Self-medication, Attitude, Miss-use, Awareness, Microbial resistance

Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles from Diospyros villosa Extracts and Evaluation of Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Anti-Quorum Sensing Potential.

The biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from Diospyros villosa leaves and stem bark extracts is described. The stem bark AgNPs of D. villosa synthesized at 80 °C (S80) showed good scavenging activity with a lower IC50 value of 8.75 µg·mL-1 compared to ascorbic acid (9.58 µg·mL-1). The total phenol content of the S80 AgNPs was measured and found to be 10.22 ± 0.14 mg.g-1 gallic acid equivalence (GAE). Bacterial growth inhibition (% GI) and violacein inhibition (% VI) of 10.08% and 58.83%, respectively, was observed against C.subtsugae CV017 with leaf AgNPs synthesized at 80 °C (L80) at 80 μg·mL-1. Stem bark AgNPs synthesized at room temperature (SRT) also indicated % GI of 13.83% and % VI of 65.97% against C. subtsugae CV017 at 160 μg·mL-1. Leaf AgNPs of D. villosa synthesized at room temperature (LRT), showed % GI of 29.07% and % VI of 56.53%, respectively, against C. violaceum ATCC 12472 at 320 μg·mL-1. The L80 and SRT at 160 μg·mL-1 and LRT at 320 μg·mL-1 may be considered as potential QS inhibitors following their activity against C. subtsugae CV017 and C. violaceum ATCC 12472, respectively. Therefore, D. villosa represents a potential source of antioxidants as well as an anti-quorum sensing therapeutic candidate for the control of Gram-negative bacterial infections

Minimally invasive surgery for diabetic plantar foot ulcerations

Complications of diabetes mellitus constitute the most common indications for hospitalization and non-traumatic amputations in the USA. The most important risk factors for the development of diabetic foot ulcerations include the presence of peripheral neuropathy, vasculopathy, limited joint mobility, and pre-existing foot deformities. In our study, 500 diabetic patients treated for plantar forefoot ulcerations were enrolled in a prospective study from 2000 to 2008 at the Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil. Fifty-two patients in the study met the criteria and underwent surgical treatment consisting of percutaneous Achilles tendon lengthening to treat plantar forefoot ulcerations. The postoperative follow-up demonstrated prevention of recurrent foot ulcerations in 92% of these diabetic patients that maintained an improved foot function. In conclusion, our study supports that identification and treatment of ankle equinus in the diabetic population may potentially lead to decreased patient morbidity, including reduced risk for both reulceration, and potential lower extremity amputation

Geometry and kinematics for a spherical-base integrated parallel mechanism

Parallel mechanisms, in general, have a rigid base and a moving platform connected by several limbs. For achieving higher mobility and dexterity, more degrees of freedom are introduced to the limbs. However, very few researchers focus on changing the design of the rigid base and making it foldable and reconfigurable to improve the performance of the mechanism. Inspired by manipulating an object with a metamorphic robotic hand, this paper presents for the first time a parallel mechanism with a reconfigurable base. This novel spherical-base integrated parallel mechanism has an enlarged workspace compared with traditional parallel manipulators. Evolution and structure of the proposed parallel mechanism is introduced and the geometric constraint of the mechanism is investigated based on mechanism decomposition. Further, kinematics of the proposed mechanism is reduced to the solution of a univariate polynomial of degree 8. Moreover, screw theory based Jacobian is presented followed by the velocity analysis of the mechanism

Regulation of Anthrax Toxin-Specific Antibody Titers by Natural Killer T Cell-Derived IL-4 and IFNγ

Activation of Natural Killer-like T cells (NKT) with the CD1d ligand α-GC leads to enhanced production of anthrax toxin protective Ag (PA)-neutralizing Abs, yet the underlying mechanism for this adjuvant effect is not known. In the current study we examined the role of Th1 and Th2 type responses in NKT-mediated enhancement of antibody responses to PA. First, the contribution of IL-4 and IFNγ to the production of PA-specific toxin-neutralizing Abs was examined. By immunizing C57Bl/6 controls IL-4−/− mice and IFNγ−/− mice and performing passive serum transfer experiments, it was observed that sera containing PA-specific IgG1, IgG2b and IgG2c neutralized toxin in vitro and conferred protection in vivo. Sera containing IgG2b and IgG2c neutralized toxin in vitro but were not sufficient for protection in vivo. Sera containing IgG1 and IgG2b neutralized toxin in vitro and conferred protection in vivo. IgG1 therefore emerged as a good correlate of protection. Next, C57Bl/6 mice were immunized with PA alone or PA plus a Th2-skewing α-GC derivative known as OCH. Neutralizing PA-specific IgG1 responses were modestly enhanced by OCH in C57Bl/6 mice. Conversely, IgG2b and IgG2c were considerably enhanced in PA/OCH-immunized IL-4−/− mice but did not confer protection. Finally, bone marrow chimeras were generated such that NKT cells were unable to express IL-4 or IFNγ. NKT-derived IL-4 was required for OCH-enhanced primary IgG1 responses but not recall responses. NKT-derived IL-4 and IFNγ also influenced primary and recall IgG2b and IgG2c titers. These data suggest targeted skewing of the Th2 response by α-GC derivatives can be exploited to optimize anthrax vaccination

Search for new phenomena in final states with an energetic jet and large missing transverse momentum in pp collisions at √ s = 8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Results of a search for new phenomena in final states with an energetic jet and large missing transverse momentum are reported. The search uses 20.3 fb−1 of √ s = 8 TeV data collected in 2012 with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Events are required to have at least one jet with pT > 120 GeV and no leptons. Nine signal regions are considered with increasing missing transverse momentum requirements between Emiss T > 150 GeV and Emiss T > 700 GeV. Good agreement is observed between the number of events in data and Standard Model expectations. The results are translated into exclusion limits on models with either large extra spatial dimensions, pair production of weakly interacting dark matter candidates, or production of very light gravitinos in a gauge-mediated supersymmetric model. In addition, limits on the production of an invisibly decaying Higgs-like boson leading to similar topologies in the final state are presente

Socio-Economic Inequalities in the Use of Postnatal Care in India

OBJECTIVES: First, our objective was to estimate socio-economic inequalities in the use of postnatal care (PNC) compared with those in the use of care at birth and antenatal care. Second, we wanted to compare inequalities in the use of PNC between facility births and home births and to determine inequalities in the use of PNC among mothers with high-risk births. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Rich-poor ratios and concentration indices for maternity care were estimated using the third round of the District Level Household Survey conducted in India in 2007-08. Binary logistic regression models were used to examine the socio-economic inequalities associated with use of PNC after adjusting for relevant socio-economic and demographic characteristics. PNC for both mothers and newborns was substantially lower than the care received during pregnancy and child birth. Only 44% of mothers in India at the time of survey received any care within 48 hours after birth. Likewise, only 45% of newborns received check-up within 24 hours of birth. Mothers who had home births were significantly less likely to have received PNC than those who had facility births, with significant differences across the socio-economic strata. Moreover, the rich-poor gap in PNC use was significantly wider for mothers with birth complications. CONCLUSIONS: PNC use has been unacceptably low in India given the risks of mortality for mothers and babies shortly after birth. However, there is evidence to suggest that effective use of pregnancy and childbirth care in health facilities led to better PNC. There are also significant socio-economic inequalities in access to PNC even for those accessing facility-based care. The coverage of essential PNC is inadequate, especially for mothers from economically disadvantaged households. The findings suggest the need for strengthening PNC services to keep pace with advances in coverage for care at birth and prenatal services in India through targeted policy interventions