Ayurveda considerations on Infectious diseases and their preventive measures w.s.r. to current pandemic situation

Ayurveda described term “Sankramaka Roga” for communicable diseases which mainly occurs due to the microbial transmissions. These diseases can transmit from one to anther through physical, chemical and biological means. The pathogenesis of such diseases arises due to the effect of microbial toxins inside the body. Antibiotics, lifestyle modification, immune-therapy, natural drugs, ayurveda formulations and purification measures, etc. are some approaches of various medical field which utilizes to prevent and treat Sankramaka Roga. The mass destruction of population by Sankramaka Roga termed as Janapadodhwamsa which resembles pandemic of modern science. Good immune system play vital role towards the prevention of Sankramaka Roga. Ayurveda concept of Ahara-Vihara helps greatly to boost immunity thus maintains good health status and enhances resistance against infectious diseases. This article explores Ayurveda view on Sankramaka Roga and their management through natural ways of healing

Structural stabilization of GTP-binding domains in circularly permuted GTPases: Implications for RNA binding

GTP hydrolysis by GTPases requires crucial residues embedded in a conserved G-domain as sequence motifs G1–G5. However, in some of the recently identified GTPases, the motif order is circularly permuted. All possible circular permutations were identified after artificially permuting the classical GTPases and subjecting them to profile Hidden Markov Model searches. This revealed G4–G5–G1–G2–G3 as the only possible circular permutation that can exist in nature. It was also possible to recognize a structural rationale for the absence of other permutations, which either destabilize the invariant GTPase fold or disrupt regions that provide critical residues for GTP binding and hydrolysis, such as Switch-I and Switch-II. The circular permutation relocates Switch-II to the C-terminus and leaves it unfastened, thus affecting GTP binding and hydrolysis. Stabilizing this region would require the presence of an additional domain following Switch-II. Circularly permuted GTPases (cpGTPases) conform to such a requirement and always possess an ‘anchoring’ C-terminal domain. There are four sub-families of cpGTPases, of which three possess an additional domain N-terminal to the G-domain. The biochemical function of these domains, based on available experimental reports and domain recognition analysis carried out here, are suggestive of RNA binding. The features that dictate RNA binding are unique to each subfamily. It is possible that RNA-binding modulates GTP binding or vice versa. In addition, phylogenetic analysis indicates a closer evolutionary relationship between cpGTPases and a set of universally conserved bacterial GTPases that bind the ribosome. It appears that cpGTPases are RNA-binding proteins possessing a means to relate GTP binding to RNA binding

Role of Viruddha Ahara towards Skin and Allergic Disorders; an Ayurveda Review

Viruddha Ahara is Ayurveda view of food incompatibility; Viruddha Ahara referred several types of food incompatibility including food–food interactions and food processing interactions, etc. Diet and its combinations that affects metabolism of tissue, inhibits process of tissue formation, alter physiological process of body and having opposite property, etc. are termed as Viruddha Ahara or incompatible food. The inappropriate quantity and quality of food and improper timing of meal, etc. also comes under the heading of Viruddha Ahara. With respect to concept of Viruddha Ahara Ayurveda has described different food incompatibilities i.e.; Samskar Viruddha, Samyoga Viruddha and Veerya Viruddha, etc. Viruddha ahara can triggers pathogenesis of several diseases including Visarpa, intoxication, Shukra Dhatu Dushti, rhinitis, infertility, Kustha roga and allergic disorders, etc. Present article explored role of Viruddha ahara in skin and allergic disorders

High resolution ultra sound and color Doppler in evaluation of thyroid nodule with fine needle aspiration cytology correlation

Background: Thyroid gland is the first to develop in fetal life and is largest of all the endocrine glands. It is superficial in location which helps in its excellent visualization of normal anatomy and pathologic condition by high resolution real time grey scale sonography. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usage of grey scale ultrasound and color Doppler with FNAC correlation for differentiation of benign and malignant thyroid nodule.Methods: This prospective study was carried out on sixteen patients who came to our department from period of 1 February to  31 march 2016.Grey scale ultrasound of neck  and Doppler followed by USG guided FNAC of thyroid swelling was done.Results: Out of 16 cases, 3 were malignant, 10 were benign, and 3 were indeterminate. One case was diagnosed as benign lesion on sono which came out to be malignant on pathology as follicular carcinoma. The cases were presented as hypoechoic lesion with regular margins with peripheral and internal vascularity. Due to well defined margins it was diagnosed as benign adenoma but turned out to be malignant on pathology as follicular carcinoma. Colloid goiter was most common presentation on ultrasound and it showed wide spectrum of appearance, majority being nodular with anechoic echotexture.Conclusions: High resolution grey scale ultra sound with color Doppler has emerged as initial modality of choice for evaluating the patient with thyroid enlargement

A rare cause of kyphosis with low backache - “Scheuermann’s disease”: “Osteochondritis deformans juvenilis dorsi”

An uncommon case of Scheuermann’s disease (Apprentice’s spine) is being reported for two simple reasons- firstly, to show that it is a self-limiting disease which needs only proper observation, extension exercises & extension spinal brace and secondly, it becomes a diagnostic riddle when osteolytic lesion is seen in epiphyseal plates of adjacent vertebral bodies in an adolescent. Radiology and Imaging are needed for the early and accurate diagnosis and to differentiate it from other causes of kyphosis. Hence, it stressed the need to publish this condition not only for its rarity but also for its diagnostic puzzle to differentiate it from other conditions. Here we report a case of an adolescent male of 17 years with poor posture/slouching, fatigue, mild pain in lower thoracic area of spine (low backache), stiffness and loss of flexibility with radiological and MRI findings

Fc Effector Function Contributes to the Activity of Human Anti-CTLA-4 Antibodies.

With the use of a mouse model expressing human Fc-gamma receptors (FcγRs), we demonstrated that antibodies with isotypes equivalent to ipilimumab and tremelimumab mediate intra-tumoral regulatory T (Treg) cell depletion in vivo, increasing the CD8+ to Treg cell ratio and promoting tumor rejection. Antibodies with improved FcγR binding profiles drove superior anti-tumor responses and survival. In patients with advanced melanoma, response to ipilimumab was associated with the CD16a-V158F high affinity polymorphism. Such activity only appeared relevant in the context of inflamed tumors, explaining the modest response rates observed in the clinical setting. Our data suggest that the activity of anti-CTLA-4 in inflamed tumors may be improved through enhancement of FcγR binding, whereas poorly infiltrated tumors will likely require combination approaches

Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

Vibration analysis of functionally graded materials for cylinder liner used in agricultural engine part

The engine part is one of the major sources of vibration of agricultural machinery such as a tractor. Therefore, vibration analysis of agricultural engine part will improve the engine efficiency and agricultural performance. The main objective of present work was to study the dynamic behavior of functionally graded (FG) structural material for the application as cylinder liner as agricultural engine part. The vibration analysis of functionally graded (FG) beam was performed using Finite Element Method (FEM). A typical simply-supported FG beam was modeled in COMSOL Software, where the upper portion of the beam was alumina and the lower portion was steel. The basic properties of material such as Young’s Modulus and mass density were varied along the thickness according to the power law. The boundary conditions were also modeled, and parametric study was carried out with mass density and young’s modulus. Eigen value problem was solved and in turn natural frequency and mode shapes were obtained. The frequency ratio was calculated and compared for various boundary conditions. The finding of the results indicated that when power exponent was increased from 0 to 5, the nonlinear reduction in frequency was occurred but when power exponent was increased from 5 to 10, linear reduction in frequency was occurred. Also, the increase in power exponent caused the increase in frequency for Young’s Modulus ratio of 0.25 and 0.5, decrease in frequency for Young’s Modulus ratio of 2 and 4 and no change occurred for Young’s Modulus ratio of 1. The first non-dimensional frequency for Clamped-Clamped boundary condition was comparatively more than other boundary conditions and lowest frequency is obtained for Clamped –Free boundary conditions

High resolution ultra sound and color Doppler in evaluation of thyroid nodule with fine needle aspiration cytology correlation

Background: Thyroid gland is the first to develop in fetal life and is largest of all the endocrine glands. It is superficial in location which helps in its excellent visualization of normal anatomy and pathologic condition by high resolution real time grey scale sonography. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usage of grey scale ultrasound and color Doppler with FNAC correlation for differentiation of benign and malignant thyroid nodule.Methods: This prospective study was carried out on sixteen patients who came to our department from period of 1 February to  31 march 2016.Grey scale ultrasound of neck  and Doppler followed by USG guided FNAC of thyroid swelling was done.Results: Out of 16 cases, 3 were malignant, 10 were benign, and 3 were indeterminate. One case was diagnosed as benign lesion on sono which came out to be malignant on pathology as follicular carcinoma. The cases were presented as hypoechoic lesion with regular margins with peripheral and internal vascularity. Due to well defined margins it was diagnosed as benign adenoma but turned out to be malignant on pathology as follicular carcinoma. Colloid goiter was most common presentation on ultrasound and it showed wide spectrum of appearance, majority being nodular with anechoic echotexture.Conclusions: High resolution grey scale ultra sound with color Doppler has emerged as initial modality of choice for evaluating the patient with thyroid enlargement

Chemical lumbar sympathetic plexus block in Buerger′s disease: Current scenario

Introduction: High incidences of Buerger′s disease (43-62%) in India draw our attention towards available treatment modalities in such patients. Patients with this disease are in severe pain and agony. Pain relief by any means remains first and foremost priority in such patients and if patient is able to sleep even one pain free night it is a boon for the patients. The purpose of study was to test the hypothesis that lumber sympathetic block relieves the pain of ischemic limb in Buerger′s disease. Aims and Objectives: To study the effect of chemical lumber sympathetic block on visual analog score (VAS) score and walking distance of the patients. Materials and Methods: Lumber sympathetic block was given under C-arm guidance with 17.5 cm long 22 G spinal needle at L3 and L4 level. Diagnostic block was given initially with plain bupivacaine 0.25% with two needle technique. Total seven blocks series were given in all patients. Final block was given with phenol 8%, 8 ml at L3 and L4 level. In postoperative period, VAS score was observed. Effect of block on walking distance was assessed on 3 rd day before giving next block. Statistical analysis: Software Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 11.5 was used for statistical analysis. Data were analyzed by paired t-test and P-value < 0.05 was considered as significant. Results: Both VAS and walking distance improved significantly after each successive block. Healing of ulcers of foot is also noted. Conclusion: Despite advances in treatment modalities in such patients, lumber sympathetic block is still very cost-effective, safe, and least-invasive technique in treating painful ischemic legs