Pros and cons of vitamin D measurements: essential component of quality health care

Accuracy in vitamin D measurement is very important because methods used by various laboratories have no uniformities; of course it is choice of individuals but quality in care matters.  There are five different types of Vitamin D but D2 and D3 are the only types that human can use. Earlier researchers have documented that vitamin D3 is better absorbed and utilized than D2. Studies have showed that vitamin D promoting normal blood glycation, immunity, mood swing and other unusual clinical conditions. It is observed from many reports that the effectiveness of D3 provides the most benefit for the human body but there is quite variations in predictive values of different methods

SYNTHESIS AND ANTICONVULSANT ACTIVITY (CHEMO SHOCK) OF N-1(SUBSTITUTED-N-4[(4-OXO-3-PHENYL-3, 4-DIHYDRO-QUINAZOLINE-2-YLMETHYL) SEMICARBAZONES

Objective: This work is designed at finding new structure leads with potential anticonvulsant activities of 4(3H)-quinazolinone pharmacophore scaffold.Methods: A new series of 4(3H)-quinazolinone pharmacophore was designed with substituted moieties possesses different electronic environment in the hope of developing potent and safe new effective compounds. In such fashion, in this paper, we report the synthesis and anticonvulsant activity (Chemo shock) of N-1(substituted-N-4[(4-oxo-3-phenyl-3, 4-dihydro-quinazoline-2-ylmethyl) semicarbazones 3A-d (1-7), 3B-d (1-7), 3C-d (1-7), their chemical structure were characterized using IR,  H-H NMR, and elemental analysis techniques. Their anticonvulsant activity was evaluated using chemicals strychnine, thiosemicarbazide and 4-aminopyridine induced seizure models at a dose of 30, 100, 300 mg/kg unto 2 hrs tests in mice. The rotarod assay was performed in mice to evaluate the neurotoxicity of the compounds. 1Results: Compounds 3C (d-4), 3B (d-4), and 3A (d-4) were observed to be most feasible to act against glutamate receptor for anticonvulsant activity.Conclusions: The results obtained revealed that numbers of novel quinazolinone semicarbazone derivatives are effective in chemical to induce (chemo shock) model and showing good anticonvulsant activity.Keywords: Quinazolinone, Semicarbazones, Strychnine, Thiosemicarbazide, 4-aminopyridine, Anticonvulsant activity, Chemo shock

Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and obesity in the resident adults of Raipur District (Chhattisgarh state: India)

Obesity is a medical condition characterized by accumulation of excess body fat leading to negative health consequences and reduced life expectancy. The latter could be attributed to various diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus type 2, obstructive sleep apnea, certain types of cancer and osteoarthritis. The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate obesity, appraised by BMI, in the Raipur District of Chhattisgarh State, India. A multiphase stratified random sampling method was performed on 688 adults of both sexes, with mean age 34yrs ± 16, from June to September 2011. Anthropometric measurements were recorded using standard instruments (weight scale and stadiometer). BMI was calculated using the statistical software SPSS version 20.0. The results divulged 19.91% of the adults to be overweight and 57% of them as obese. Amongst the male subjects, 23.55% and 7.97 %; and in case of females, 17.47% and 8.90 % were marked as overweight and obese respectively. As evident from the results, 8.5% were obese and another 20% are being overweight which could lead to future obesity, which is significantly associated with increased likelihoods of having depressive symptoms and an array of other cardiac diseases. Thus, lifestyle and mental health status could well be monitored and evaluated in the obese and overweight subjects in order to prevent the several disorders associated with obesity

Plant extracts with antisickling propensities: a feasible succour towards sickle cell disease management- a mini review

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is known to be one of the diseases wrecking most parts of the globe without any discrimination of ethnic or racial standards. It is characterized by a variety of symptoms including, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, abdominal pains, aches and pains in the muscle. The crisis stage is characterized by severe pain in the head and whole body. In the stage of crises if the percentage of sickled erythrocytes can be some how lowered we can expect a great relief to the patient. This could also serve a major step to-words management of the SCD. Phytochemicals in the plant extracts have the therapeutic activity and is used in traditional practice by the traditional healers. Many plant extracts have been used to bring about reversal of the sickled erythrocytes in vitro.  The present communication reviews the available literature reporting anti-sickling properties of a number of plants extracts on human blood samples

Detection of substrate binding motifs for morphine biosynthetic pathway intermediates in novel wound inducible (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase of Papaver somniferum

The benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIA) comprise a large and diverse group of nitrogen-containing secondary metabolites with about 2500 compounds identified in plants. BIA biosynthesis begins with the condensation of the tyrosine derived precursors dopamine and p-hydroxyphenylacetaldehyde to (S)-norcoclaurine. Subsequent regiospecific O- and N-methylations and aromatic ring hydroxylation lead to (S)-reticuline, which is the central intermediate for almost all BIAs. For morphinan alkaloid biosynthesis, (S)-reticuline undergoes an inversion of stereochemistry to (R)-reticuline, followed by C-C phenol coupling catalyzed by a unique cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenase to yield salutaridine. The cDNA sequence of enzymes leading to (S)-reticuline, as well as those involved in the conversion of (R)-reticuline to salutaridine-7-O-acetate are already characterized. The inversion of (S)-reticuline to (R)-reticuline represent the important steps in morphine biosynthesis. Wound induced transcript accumulation in Papaver reveals a novel wound inducible EST (NCBI DbEST: GO238757) showing homology with (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase (ID: Q6WUC2) isolated from Papaver somniferum. We compare the substrate binding homology of this novel wound inducible (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase (7-OMT) using template of P. somniferum (Q6WUC2; gb|AAQ01668) as experimental control. Homology modeling with 70% identity & 85% similarity with catalytic site of template protein i.e., (Q6WUC2) short chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR), showed docking energy -69.9 and -75.8 kcal/mol with (S)-Reticuline (CID:439653) and (R)-Reticuline (CID:440586) respectively, which are comparable with experimental control binding site interaction energies. Docking of S- & R-reticuline into the active site revealed eight (F(5), E(18), W(24), C(47), F(44), P(45), C(46) and I(47) amino acids presumably responsible for the high substrate specificity of (R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase

Effect of rice husk biochar, carpet waste, farm yard manure and plant growth promoting rhizobium on the growth and yield of rice (Oryza sativa)

The present investigation was aimed for improving growth and yield of crop using waste products of differ-ent activities and also useful in ecological stability of soil environment. This objective is not only an economic option for poor farmer but also an effective strategy for increasing yield. The experiment was conducted in the organic farm-ing plot of the Institute of Agricultural Sciences, BHU, Varanasi during kharif season of rice crop in 2014. The field experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) with 10 treatments and three replications. Application of graded level of biochar, carpet waste farm yard manure (FYM) and plant growth promoting rhizobium (PGPR) was found to significantly enhance the grain and straw yield of rice by 57.70% and 56.08% over control, respectively

Feasibility of laparoscopy in management of ectopic pregnancy: experience from a tertiary care hospital

Background: Ectopic pregnancy is an important cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. For surgical management, laparoscopy is preferred option. In developing world for ruptured ectopic pregnancy laparotomy is done at most of places. In this study we have assessed feasibility of laparoscopic management in both ruptured and unruptured ectopic pregnancy.Methods: A prospective study, conducted over period of 1 year from July 2014 to July 2015 in Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. In 110 patients of ectopic pregnancy parameters studied were age and parity, symptoms, risk factors, diagnostic methods, site of ectopic, management and its outcome. Primary objective was to evaluate management outcome of ectopic pregnancy and to assess feasibility of laparoscopy in ectopic pregnancy. Ruptured ectopic pregnancy with massive hemoperitoneum were analyzed separately. Secondary objective was to study demographic characters and risk factors of ectopic pregnancy.Results: Surgical management was required in 93.6% patients, out of which 86.4% were managed laparoscopically. Unruptured ectopic pregnancy was managed successfully by laparoscopy in 96.6% (29/30) patients. Ectopic was ruptured in 73 (66.3%) cases, laparoscopy was attempted in 91.7% (67/73). In 10.4% (7/67) patients laparoscopy had to be converted to laparotomy and it was successful in 89.5%. Out of 16 patients with massive hemoperitoneum, 12(75%) were managed laparoscopically. There was no mortality.Conclusions: In most of cases laparoscopy is safe and successful. Laparoscopy is feasible in ruptured ectopic cases including selected cases with massive hemoperitoneum thus avoiding unnecessary laparotomy and associated morbidity. Timely diagnosis and management prevents mortality

Evaluation of diagnostic efficacy of hepatobiliary scintigraphy as a diagnostic procedure in pediatric practice with special reference to cholestatic jaundice

Background: The objective was to assess the diagnostic efficacy of hepatobiliary scintigraphy (Tc99 mebrofenin) in case of cholestatic jaundice in pediatric practice.Method: Study conducted on 45 cases from 0-6 yrs. of age. Out of 45 pt 20 pt excluded from study Hepatobiliary Scintigraphy (Tc99m Mebrofinin) was performed in 25 cases. Injection of Tc99m mebrofinin (1-2 mCi) IV was given to each subject. Dynamic hepatic scan was done upto initial 1 hour study and additional delayed images were taken at 4 & 24 hrs only in case of non-visualization of tracer in the intestine after initial 1 hr. study.Results: In this study hepatobiliary scintigraphy was 100% sensitive, 93.73% specific, 80% positive predictive values, 100% negative predictive value, 6.23% false positive result and virtually no false negative result for biliary atresia. Conclusion: It is concluded that Tc99m mebrofenin hepatobiliary scintigraphy has proven to be reliable noninvasive imaging modality in evaluating cholestatic jaundice in pediatric practice as it carries a high sensitive & specific value, good positive & no negative predictive value, few false positive & virtually no false negative results.