Evaluation of the effects of Aegle marmelos and Punica granatum in an experimental model of gastrointestinal barrier dysfunction

Background: The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Aegle marmelos and Punica granatum in an experimental model of gastrointestinal barrier dysfunction induced by common bile duct ligation.Methods: Institutional animal ethics committee approval was obtained. Forty two Wistar rats (either sex, 150-250 gms) divided into seven groups (n=six/group), were subjected to sham operation (group 1) or bile duct ligation (groups 2-7) and treated with distilled water (groups 1 and 2); 0.75mg/kg glutamine (group 3); 0.27 g/kg and 0.54 g/kg of A. marmelos (groups 4 and 5); 3.6 g/kg and 7.2 g/kg P. granatum (groups 6 and 7) orally once daily for 10 days. On Day 11, animals were sacrificed and samples of the jejunum, ileum and mesenteric lymph nodes were obtained to study jejunal and ileal villous morphology, villous heights, jejunal mucosal sucrase enzyme activity and bacterial translocation to mesenteric lymph nodes.Results: Glutamine prevented blunting of the intestinal villi, bacterial translocation and a fall in the sucrase enzyme activity. Both the plant drugs prevented blunting of the villi (except low dose A. marmelos for ileal villi) and a fall in the villous heights (except low dose P. granatum for jejunal villi), decreased the bacterial translocation (except low dose A. marmelos), and prevented a fall in the sucrase enzyme activity when compared to the disease control. The high doses of both A. marmelos and P. granatum were comparable to glutamine for all the variables tested.Conclusions: Both A. marmelos and P. granatum maintained the gastrointestinal barrier function in this model

Celastrus paniculatus and memantine prevent alcohol dependence and improve decision making in alcohol dependent C57BL6 mice

Background: Alcohol use disorder poses a huge burden with only a handful of approved drugs. AUD is associated with impaired decision-making that leads to compulsive drinking despite negative consequences. A drug that decreases alcohol consumption as well as improves decision-making may thus prove more useful. This study was planned to evaluate the effect of two drugs, Celastrus paniculatus and memantine on alcohol preference and decision impairment in alcohol-dependent mice. Methods: In part 1, the effect of both the study drugs on alcohol consumption was studied using intermittent access model in 70 male C57BL6 mice. In part 2, effect of drugs on decision making was studied using the rodent version of Iowa gambling task. Mice were divided in seven study groups: Group 1-3: Celastrus paniculatus (140, 280, and 560 mg/kg), Group 4: memantine (25 mg/kg), Group 5: vehicle control 1 (Milk), Group 6: vehicle control 2 (normal saline) and Group 7: naltrexone(1mg/kg). Results: Percentage alcohol preference was lower in test groups i.e., Celastrus paniculatus at medium (40.90±15.18%) and high doses (31.79±7.46%) vs. milk (82.74±8.53%; p<0.05); and in memantine group (36.28±10.99%) vs. normal saline (83.27±5.51%; p<0.05). The results were not significantly different to Naltrexone (19.70±6.90%). Percentage preference to disadvantageous arms was also lower in Celastrus paniculatus, at medium (50.52±1.92%) and high doses (48.11±2.43%) compared to milk (54.47±2.73%; p<0.05) and memantine (47.45±1.67%) compared to normal saline (54.00±2.73%; p<0.05), indicating better decision-making ability in the test groups. The findings were comparable to Naltrexone group (45.43±2.52%). Conclusions: These results indicate that Celastrus paniculatus and memantine reduce alcohol consumption and improve decision making in alcohol-dependent mice

Evaluation of Mitotic Figures and Cellular and Nuclear Morphometry of Various Histopathological Grades of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Comparative study using crystal violet and Feulgen stains

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to quantitatively estimate the number of mitotic figures (MFs) and evaluate the cellular and nuclear features of various histological grades of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) using Feulgen and 1% crystal violet stains. Methods: This case-control study took place at the Dr D. Y. Patil Dental College & Hospital in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, between June and December 2016. A total of 51 samples were retrieved from the hospital archives. Of these, 15 well-differentiated, 15 moderately-differentiated and six poorly-differentiated OSCC samples formed the case group while 15 samples of normal gingival mucosa constituted the control group. Each sample was dyed using Feulgen and 1% crystal violet stains and the mitotic count, nuclear area (NA), cellular area (CA), nuclear perimeter (NP), cellular perimeter (CP) and nuclear-to-cytoplasmic (N/C) ratio was calculated using computeraided morphometry techniques. Results: The number of MFs visible per field was significantly higher in Feulgen-stained sections as compared to those stained with crystal violet (P = 0.050). In addition, the NA, NP, CA and CP values and N/C ratios of samples in the experimental group increased significantly in accordance with an increase in OSCC grade (P <0.001). Conclusion: The Feulgen stain is more reliable than 1% crystal violet in terms of the selective staining of MFs. Moreover, the findings of this study indicate that computer-based morphometric analysis is an effective tool for differentiating between various grades of OSCC. Keywords: Crystal Violet; Feulgen Stain; Mitotic Index; Image Cytometry; Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Oral Cancers

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Is Coercion Involved in the Decision-Making of Medical Students Participating in Research?: A Cross-Sectional Study

10.1353/asb.2016.0002Asian Bioethics Review8120-3

Payment for participation in clinical research: Review of proposals submitted to the ethics committees

Objective: In view of dearth of information in national and international guidelines on payment practices in research, the present study was done to find out payments for participation allowed by 3 Ethics committees (ECs) and reasons for payment. Method: This was a retrospective observational study which analysed research proposals reviewed by 2 institutional and 1 non-institutional ECs over a period of 2 years. The permission of ECs was obtained and confidentiality of data was maintained. Results: Of the 73 studies requiring payment, 89.04% were interventional and 10.96% observational. Reimbursement of travel expenses (60%) was the major reason for payment followed by inconvenience due to participation, loss of wages and time spent. The queries raised by EC in more than 50 % of studies were related to informing patients about the payment in the informed consent document. The investigators complied with the EC requirements regarding payment (15/21) and the remaining provided explanations. The median amount of payment in pharmaceutical sponsored studies was higher compared to investigator initiated studies. Higher payments were approved by ECs on case to case basis in a few studies. The ECs did not have any policy/ standard operating procedure for payment practices. Conclusion: The present study first of its kind in India, demonstrated that quantum of payment was not uniform for pharmaceutical sponsored and investigator initiated studies and payments were not considered for majority of observational studies. Travel reimbursement was the most common reason for payment. There is a need to develop guidelines for determining appropriate payment/incentives to participants for specific types of research related activities