β-diketonate versus β-ketoiminate:the importance of a ferrocenyl moiety on improving the anticancer potency

Herein we present a library of fully characterized beta-diketonate and beta-ketoiminate compounds that are functionalized with a ferrocenyl moiety. Their cytotoxic potential has been determined by screening against human breast adenocarcinomas (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231), human colorectal carcinoma p53 wild type (HCT116 p53(+/+)) and normal human prostate (PNT2) cell lines. The ferrocenyl beta-diketonate compounds are more than 18 times more cytotoxic than the ferrocenyl beta-ketoiminate analogues. Against MCF-7, compounds functionalized at the meta position are up to nine times more cytotoxic than when functionalized at the para position. The ferrocenyl beta-diketonate compounds have increased selectivity towards MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, with several complexes having selectivity index (SI) values that are more than nine times (MCF-7) and more than six times (MDA-MB-231) that of carboplatin. The stability of these compounds in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and dimethylformamide (DMF) has been assessed by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry studies, and the compounds show no oxidation of the iron center from Fe-II to Fe-III. Cytotoxicity screening was performed in both DMSO and DMF, with no significant differences observedin their potency

Homoeopathy

Homoeopathy is a system of treating patients using very low dose preparations according to the principle: "like should be cured with like". This paper summarises the research evidence presented in a recent issue of Effective Health Care on the effectiveness of homoeopathy. Increasing numbers of patients are seeking information on complementary medicines from NHS health professionals. Results of a 1998 survey of use and expenditure on complementary medicine in England suggested that 28% of respondents had either visited a complementary therapist or had purchased an over the counter herbal or homoeopathic remedy in the past year. From this survey it was estimated that there could be over 470 000 recent users of homoeopathic remedies in England

Maternal parameters in lower segment caesarean section: a comparative study of the effects of spinal anaesthetic agents

Background: With bupivacaine, intrathecal opioids are widely used in spinal anaesthesia for LSCS. We wanted to study the effects of intrathecal opioids on maternal parameters.Methods: With 20 patients in each group, the study was done in 40 patients posted for LSCS. One group received only bupivacaine and another group received intrathecal fentanyl and bupivacaine. Maternal parameters related to sensory block, motor block and analgesia were recorded.Results: Intrathecal fentanyl prolonged analgesia and reduced the duration of motor blockade.Conclusions: Fentanyl is a good adjuvant for intrathecal bupivacaine in LSCS

Can perioperative haemodynamics and opioid requirement in Abdominal Hysterectomy be influenced by a premedication drug?

Background: Abdominal hysterectomy is a common surgery, usually done under Spinal anaesthesia. It would be greater if a premedication oral drug were available to reduce the perioperative use of opioids. The aim of the study was to find out whether gabapentin can reduce the perioperative dose of tramadol but without affecting perioperative haemodynamics.Methods: This is a randomized double blinded controlled study. Patients undergoing Abdominal hysterectomy under Spinal anaesthesia were divided into two groups. One group was given gabapentin and another was given placebo as premedication drugs. Perioperative haemodynamics were monitored. Perioperative requirement of tramadol injection was estimated.Results: No significant changes were noted in perioperative haemodynamics. Perioperative requirement of tramadol was reduced in gabapentin group.Conclusions: Gabapentin does not affect perioperative haemodynamics. Gabapentin reduces perioperative requirement of tramadol

Local pre-processing for node classification in networks : application in protein-protein interaction

Network modelling provides an increasingly popular conceptualisation in a wide range of domains, including the analysis of protein structure. Typical approaches to analysis model parameter values at nodes within the network. The spherical locality around a node provides a microenvironment that can be used to characterise an area of a network rather than a particular point within it. Microenvironments that centre on the nodes in a protein chain can be used to quantify parameters that are related to protein functionality. They also permit particular patterns of such parameters in node-centred microenvironments to be used to locate sites of particular interest. This paper evaluates an approach to index generation that seeks to rapidly construct microenvironment data. The results show that index generation performs best when the radius of microenvironments matches the granularity of the index. Results are presented to show that such microenvironments improve the utility of protein chain parameters in classifying the structural characteristics of nodes using both support vector machines and neural networks