An unusual complication of percutaneous suprapubic cystostomy

Suprapubic cystostomy is a commonly performed uro-logical procedure. This case report describes a rare and unique complication which occurred due to a gaping and reflexing ureteric orifice

Immediate effect of verapamil on pulmonary functions in bronchial asthma

This article describes the immediate effect of verapamil, a calcium antagonist, on pulmonary functions in bronchial asthma. The effect of oral administration of 80 mg of verapamil or placebo was studied in a randomized double-blind manner in 30 extrinsic asthmatic subjects. No significant bronchodilator effect was observed with verapamil administration. There were no significant changes in heart rate and blood pressure after verapamil

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Is transition zone index useful in assessing bladder outflow obstruction due to benign prostatic hyperplasia?: A prospective study

BACKGROUND: Benign prostatic enlargement (BPE) is the commonest cause of bladder outlet obstruction in men above 50 years of age. Though pressure-flow study is the gold standard in establishing outlet obstruction, it is associated with definite morbidity. Several noninvasive parameters are described to diagnose outlet obstruction due to BPE and evaluate treatment efficacy. AIM: We studied the role of transitional zone index (TZI) in assessing bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) due to BPE. SETTING AND DESIGN: Prospective hospital-based cross-sectional diagnostic study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-five men aged between 50 and 77 years with untreated lower urinary tract symptoms due to BPE were studied. Patients with prostate cancer, prostatitis, active UTI urethral stricture, neurovesical dysfunction and diabetes mellitus were excluded. All patients underwent a standard assessment using the American Urological Association (AUA) symptom score, uroflow, pressure-flow (PF) study and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) estimation of TZI. Investigators undertaking PF studies and TRUS were blinded to the investigation of others. From the PF studies, Abrams Griffith (AG) number was calculated. Based on this, patients were grouped into obstructed (AG>40) and unobstructed (AG< 40) groups. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: TZI was calculated and compared with PF studies using Mann-Whitney U test, logistic regression analysis and receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC). RESULTS: The mean age was 63.2 years (SD). The mean AUA scores and peak flow rate were 16.7 and 7.5 ml/sec, respectively. Of the 35 men, 21 were obstructed and 14 were unobstructed. TZI was not significantly different between the two groups, while the differences in age, AUA symptom score, prostate volume and TZ volume were statistically significant. Logistic regression model did not show any independent effect of TZI in predicting obstruction. ROC curve showed a poor overall accuracy in diagnosing obstruction due to BPE. CONCLUSION: Age, prostate volume and TZ volume are better indicators than TZI in diagnosis of BOO secondary to BPE

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Not AvailableThe direct heritability estimates for piglet weights in pre and post weaning stages were moderate and improvement through mass selection is plausible. In the pre-weaning stage, the piglets had maximum genetic potential at birth (BW) to be exploited through direct selection. The 3 random effects, namely direct additive, maternal additive and litter permanent environmental effects had significant roles during different phases of pre-weaning growth and all must be included in the model used for formulating a breeding program. For post-weaning traits, the direct additive and permanent litter effects were the predominant factors governing the variability. The non-significance of postweaning maternal influence was as per expectation because the piglets moved away from maternal care after 8thweek of age.Not Availabl

Chronic diseases, inflammation, and spices: how are they linked?

Abstract Extensive research within the last several decades has revealed that the major risk factors for most chronic diseases are infections, obesity, alcohol, tobacco, radiation, environmental pollutants, and diet. It is now well established that these factors induce chronic diseases through induction of inflammation. However, inflammation could be either acute or chronic. Acute inflammation persists for a short duration and is the host defense against infections and allergens, whereas the chronic inflammation persists for a long time and leads to many chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, respiratory diseases, etc. Numerous lines of evidence suggest that the aforementioned risk factors induced cancer through chronic inflammation. First, transcription factors NF-κB and STAT3 that regulate expression of inflammatory gene products, have been found to be constitutively active in most cancers; second, chronic inflammation such as pancreatitis, prostatitis, hepatitis etc. leads to cancers; third, activation of NF-κB and STAT3 leads to cancer cell proliferation, survival, invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis; fourth, activation of NF-κB and STAT3 leads to resistance to chemotherapy and radiation, and hypoxia and acidic conditions activate these transcription factors. Therefore, targeting these pathways may provide opportunities for both prevention and treatment of cancer and other chronic diseases. We will discuss in this review the potential of various dietary agents such as spices and its components in the suppression of inflammatory pathways and their roles in the prevention and therapy of cancer and other chronic diseases. In fact, epidemiological studies do indicate that cancer incidence in countries such as India where spices are consumed daily is much lower (94/100,000) than those where spices are not consumed such as United States (318/100,000), suggesting the potential role of spices in cancer prevention

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Excellent and prime agricultural technologies even when as technically sound are of limited value and scope if they are not adopted and accepted by the farmers. The farmers need those technologies which increase their net returns and livelihood with keeping minimum risk and within their own purview and management practices. In the era of modernization, the traditional transfers of technology models are inadequate to the meet multiple objectives of poverty reduction, food security, competitiveness, sustainability and demand of the farming community. Keeping these points in mind, to develop and transfer location specific high income generating integrated farming system technologies and models to meet the specific client demand and emphasis on farmer’s participatory research is now gaining momentum in India and that too in North East India. Attempts have been made to integrate the desirable components of farming system research into the mainstream agricultural research so that the technologies developed are relevant, client-oriented and location specific. The Agriculture in the Manipur is complex, diverse and risk prone (CDR) and land is fragmented. Almost 80 per cent population of the region is dependent on agriculture. The farmers are resource poor and practice agriculture mostly for subsistence farming. About 85 per cent of the farmers are small and marginal but sharing only 40 per cent of the land. The hill soil is fragile and less fertile with high acidic in reaction. The crop productivity is very low mainly due to lack of resources, non-adoption of improved technologies and fragile ecosystems. Integrated farming system is a reliable way of obtaining high productivity with substantial nutrient economy for higher resource use efficiency in combination with maximum compatibility and replenishment of organic matter by way of effective recycling of organic residues/wastes etc. obtained through integration of various land- based enterprises. The modules mentioned in this book under transfer of technology and research activities organized by ICAR Research Complex for NEH region, Manipur Centre, Imphal to impart knowledge about the methodology, benefits and component selection at the farmer’s field to increase the livelihood of the resource poor farmers with limited land and other resources. In this book, we tried to cover almost all the aspects related integrated farming system from enterprise selection to integration. We hope that the book will be a valuable source of information for students, teachers, scientists, extension functionaries and policy planners.Not AvailableNot Availabl

Therapeutic potential of gambogic acid, a caged xanthone, to target cancer

Natural compounds have enormous biological and clinical activity against dreadful diseases such as cancer, as well as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders. In spite of the widespread research carried out in the field of cancer therapeutics, cancer is one of the most prevalent diseases with no perfect treatment till date. Adverse side effects and the development of chemoresistance are the imperative limiting factors associated with conventional chemotherapeutics. For this reason, there is an urgent need to find compounds that are highly safe and efficacious for the prevention and treatment of cancer. Gambogic acid (GA) is a xanthone structure extracted from the dry, brownish gamboge resin secreted from the Garcinia hanburyi tree in Southeast Asia and has inherent anti-cancer properties. In this review, the molecular mechanisms underlying the targets of GA that are liable for its effective anti-cancer activity are discussed that reveal the potential of GA as a pertinent candidate that can be appropriately developed and designed into a capable anti-cancer drug