A Study on Efficacy of Tranexamic Acid in Reducing Blood Loss in Total Hipreplacement Surgery

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess tranexamic acid effectiveness in lowering perioperative blood loss in total hip arthroplasty. Materials and Methods: Two groups with a total of sixty patients were created. tranexamic acid was administered preoperatively to patients in Group A. patients in Group B did not receive tranexamic acid. Intraoperative blood loss, preoperative, postoperative hemoglobin were monitored and documented. Results: The following observations were made: patients in the study were in the age group of 20-70 years age. Majority patients belonged to 20-50 years of age (N=45, 75%). Male to female ratio of the study population was 13:1. mean weight of the study population was 57.35 kg. Out of the various preoperative diagnosis majority of the patients were diagnosed with avascular necrosis with secondary osteoarthritis (55%). 37 patients underwent Non cemented total hip replacement, 21 underwent cemented total hip replacement and 2 patients underwent Hybrid total hip replacement. Conclusion: Intraoperative blood loss was less in tranexamic acid group compared to control group (172 ml) p value (0.001). Postoperative fall in hemoglobin was less in tranexamic acid group compared to control group (0.510 g/dl) p value (0.016)

Effects of different plant growth regulators on in vitro callus induction in physic nut (Jatropha curcus L.)

Jatropha (Jatropha curcas L.) is an oil bearing crop growing in tropical and subtropical parts of the world. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of different plant growth regulators on in vitro callus induction in physic nut (J. curcus). In the present study, it was observed that all the explants viz., leaf lamina, petioles, nodal segments and cotyledonary nodes showed good callus induction responses on various culture media thus tried. Leaf lamina and petioles showed 100.0% callus induction responses on different MS media supplemented with auxins and cytokinins alone or in combinations whereas, nodal segments and cotyledonary nodes showed maximum 89.6% and 83.9% callus induction respectively. The presence of 2, 4-D in culture media with auxins or cytokinins was essential for good callus growth. Among different explants tried, leaf lamina was the best responding explants and MS-13 media supplemented with 5×10-6 M NAA and 10-5 M 2, 4-D is the best callusing and growth supporting medium. However, the regenerative competence of the callus tissues can differ depending on the type of explants used because certain types of plant tissues have more favorable regeneration responses than others. Callus induction rate from all explant types was highest than other reports. The results obtained in the present study would facilitate the high callus induction and regeneration responses in J. curcus for its improvement using biotechnological tools

Proteomic analysis of heparin-binding proteins from human seminal plasma: a step towards identification of molecular markers of male fertility

Glycosaminoglycans, especially heparin, are involved in various cell processes such as apoptosis, cell cycle control, platelet activation, capacitation, acrosome reaction and sperm decondensation. Heparin-binding proteins (HBPs) are essential constituents of human seminal fluid, which bind to sperm lipids containing the phosphorylcholine group and mediate the fertilization process. We utilized a proteomic set-up consisting of affinity chromatography, isoelectric focusing (IEF) coupled with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF/MS) for protein analysis of human HBPs. We resolved 70 different spots on two-dimensional (2-D) gel and subsequently identified these proteins. Forty different types of proteins were identified. Functional analysis revealed that 38% of the proteins belonged to the enzyme category, 20% were involved in RNA processing and transcription, 18% in structure and transport function, and 16% in cell recognition and signal transduction. We also identified 8% of proteins with unknown functions, although their expression in seminal fluid has been documented. Proteins of seminal fluid that bind heparin may be directly involved in sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction (AR), which are the two critical steps for fertilization. This information on HBPs would be useful for identifying potential biomarkers of fertility in the near future

Isolation and identification of Concanavalin A binding glycoproteins from human seminal plasma: A step towards identification of male infertility marker proteins

Abstract. Human seminal plasma contains a large array of proteins of clinical importance which are essentially needed to maintain the reproductive physiology of spermatozoa and for successful fertilization. Thus, isolation and identification of seminal plasma proteins is of paramount significance for their biophysical characterization and functional analysis in reproductive physiological processes. In this study, we have isolated Concanavalin-A binding glycoproteins from human seminal plasma and subsequently identified them by MALDI-TOF/MS analysis. The major proteins, as identified in this study, are Aminopeptidase N, lactoferrin, prostatic acid phosphatase, zinc-alpha-2-glycoprotein, prostate specific antigen, progestagen-associated endometrial protein, Izumo sperm-egg fusion protein and prolactin inducible protein. This paper also reports preliminary studies to identify altered expression of these proteins in oligospermia and azoospermia in comparison to normospermia. In oligospermia, five proteins were found to be downregulated while in azoospermia, four proteins were downregulated and two proteins were upregulated. Thus, this study is of immense biomedical interest towards identification of potential male infertility marker proteins in seminal plasma

Identification of risk factors for malaria control by focused interventions in Ranchi district, Jharkhand, India

Background & objectives: Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand state is endemic for malaria, particularly the Bundu Primary Health Centre (PHC) is the worst affected. Therefore, a study was initiated during 2009 using remote sensing (RS) and geographical information system (GIS) to identify risk factors responsible for high endemicity in this PHC. Methods: Bundu and Angara in Ranchi district were identified as high and low malaria endemic PHCs based on epidemiological data of three years (2007–09). The habitation, streams, other water body, landform, PHC and village boundary thematic maps were prepared using IRS-P6/LISS III-IV imageries and macro level breeding sites were identified. Digital elevation model (DEM) of the PHCs was generated using Cartosat Stereo Pair images and from DEM, slope map was derived to calculate flat area. From slope, aspect map was derived to indicate direction of water flow. Length of perennial streams, area under rocky terrain and buffer zones of 250, 500 and 750 m were constructed around streams. High resolution remote sensing imageries were used to identify micro level breeding sites. Based on macro-micro breeding sites, six villages from each PHC were selected randomly having combination of different parameters representing all ecotypes. Entomological data were collected during 2010–11 in pre- and post-monsoon seasons following standard techniques and analyzed statistically. Differential analysis was attempted to comprehend socioeconomic and other determinants associated with malaria transmission. Results: The study identified eight risk factors responsible for higher malaria endemicity in Bundu in comparison to Angara PHC based on ecological, entomological, socioeconomic and other local parameters. Conclusion: Focused interventions in integrated vector management (IVM) mode are required to be carried out in the district for better management and control of disease

Febuxostat Modulates MAPK/NF- κ

Xanthine oxidase and xanthine dehydrogenase have been implicated in producing myocardial damage following reperfusion of an occluded coronary artery. We investigated and compared the effect of febuxostat and allopurinol in an experimental model of ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury with a focus on the signaling pathways involved. Male Wistar rats were orally administered vehicle (CMC) once daily (sham and IR + control), febuxostat (10 mg/kg/day; FEB10 + IR), or allopurinol (100 mg/kg/day; ALL100 + IR) for 14 days. On the 15th day, the IR-control and treatment groups were subjected to one-stage left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery ligation for 45 minutes followed by a 60-minute reperfusion. Febuxostat and allopurinol pretreatment significantly improved cardiac function and maintained morphological alterations. They also attenuated oxidative stress and apoptosis by suppressing the expression of proapoptotic proteins (Bax and caspase-3), reducing TUNEL-positive cells, and increasing the level of antiapoptotic proteins (Bcl-2). The MAPK-based molecular mechanism revealed suppression of active JNK and p38 proteins concomitant with the rise in ERK1/ERK2, a prosurvival kinase. Additionally, a reduction in the level of inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-6, and NF-κB) was also observed. The changes observed with febuxostat were remarkable in comparison with those observed with allopurinol. Febuxostat protects relatively better against IR injury than allopurinol by suppressing inflammation and apoptosis mediating the MAPK/NF-κBp65/TNF-α pathway

Optimization of the use of cellulolytic enzyme preparation for the extraction of health promoting anthocyanins from black carrot using response surface methodology

Anthocyanin-rich extracts from black carrots are being considered as a candidate replacer for the red colour in processed foods. The present investigation optimizes the extraction of anthocyanins with high phenolic content and low degradation parameters from black carrots using a cellulolytic multi-enzyme preparation known as Viscozyme. The optimized conditions for Viscozyme using a Box-Behnken design (BBD) of response surface methodology (RSM) were as follow: temperature (50.2 ◦C), extraction time (58.4 min) and enzyme concentration (0.20%). The predicted value of anthocyanins content was 1380 mg/L, which was near to the optimized experimental value of 1375 mg/L. The extracted anthocyanins based on above mentioned conditions exhibited the lowest degradation parameters such as degradation index (DI) of (0.86), browning index of (BI) (1.31) and were characterized with cyanidin 3-sinapoylxylosylglucosylgalactoside as being the most abundant. The findings clearly reveal that Viscozyme-assisted extraction (VAE) is the best approach for extracting superior quality extracts from black carrots with high anthocyanin and other phenolic component concentrations

Chemoenzymatic synthesis, nanotization and anti- aspergillus activity of optically enriched fluconazole analogues

Despite recent advances in diagnostic and therapeutic advances in antifungal research, aspergillosis still remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. One strategy to address this problem is to enhance the activity spectrum of known antifungals, and we now report the first successful application of Candida antarctica lipase (CAL) for the preparation of optically enriched fluconazole analogs. Anti-Aspergillus activity was observed for an optically enriched derivative, (-)-S-2-(2’ ,4’ -difluorophenyl)-1-hexyl-amino-3-(1‴,2‴,4‴) triazol-1‴-yl-propan-2-ol, which exhibits MIC values of 15.6 μg/mL and 7.8 μg/disc in microbroth dilution and disc diffusion assays, respectively. This compound is tolerated by mammalian erythrocytes and cell lines (A549 and U87) at concentrations of up to 1000 μg/mL. When incorporated into dextran nanoparticles, the novel, optically enriched fluconazole analog exhibited improved antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus (MIC = 1.63 μg/mL). These results not only demonstrate the ability of biocatalytic approaches to yield novel, optically enriched fluconazole derivatives but also suggest that enantiomerically pure fluconazole derivatives, and their nanotised counterparts, exhibiting anti-Aspergillus activity may have reduced toxicity