A Real-World Observational Study to Evaluate the Safety and Effectiveness of Fluticasone Furoate-Oxymetazoline Fixed Dose Combination Nasal Spray in Patients with Allergic Rhinitis

BACKGROUND

Allergic rhinitis (AR) has shown an increasing prevalence leading to a considerable medical and social burden. Nasal congestion is the cardinal symptom of AR, and the upper respiratory tract is most affected by this long-lasting ailment. Intranasal corticosteroids alleviate nasal congestion, along with other symptoms of AR, but their effect is not evident immediately. Oxymetazoline has a rapid onset of action, but its use should be limited to 3-5 days.

OBJECTIVE

The study aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the fixed-dose combination nasal spray containing fluticasone furoate and oxymetazoline hydrochloride (FF + OXY) 27.5/50 mcg once daily in patients with AR in a real-world clinical setting.

METHODS

The study was a prospective, open-label, single-arm, multicenter, real-world observational study conducted in patients with AR for a period of 28 days. Patients (n = 388) with a diagnosis of AR were treated with a combination of FF + OXY nasal spray. Total nasal symptom score (TNSS), total ocular symptom score (TOSS) and total symptom score (TSS) were documented at baseline and at the end of study period. The overall effectiveness of treatment with FF + OXY was rated by the investigators as very good/good/satisfactory/poor (4-point Likert scale) for each patient.

RESULTS

Treatment with FF + OXY resulted in significant reduction in the TNSS, TOSS and TSS, from 7.18 ± 3.38 at baseline to 0.20 ± 0.84 (p < 0.001), from 2.34 ± 2.29 at baseline to 0.09 ± 0.53 (p < 0.001), from 9.51 ± 4.94 at baseline to 0.29 ± 1.32 (p < 0.001) at 28 days respectively. With respect to effectiveness, the investigators reported very good effectiveness in 52.12% of patients. No serious adverse events were reported.

CONCLUSION

The fixed-dose combination of once-daily fluticasone furoate and oxymetazoline hydrochloride nasal spray 27.5/50 mcg was effective in relieving the nasal congestion and reduction of TNSS, TOSS and TSS in patients suffering from AR. The combination was safe and well tolerated with no rebound congestion throughout the treatment period.

Baseline findings of a multicentric ambispective cohort study (2021-2022) among hospitalised mucormycosis patients in India

In India, the incidence of mucormycosis reached high levels during 2021-2022, coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to this, we established a multicentric ambispective cohort of patients hospitalised with mucormycosis across India. In this paper, we report their baseline profile, clinical characteristics and outcomes at discharge. Patients hospitalized for mucormycosis during March-July 2021 were included. Mucormycosis was diagnosed based on mycological confirmation on direct microscopy (KOH/Calcofluor white stain), culture, histopathology, or supportive evidence from endoscopy or imaging. After consent, trained data collectors used medical records and telephonic interviews to capture data in a pre-tested structured questionnaire. At baseline, we recruited 686 patients from 26 study hospitals, of whom 72.3% were males, 78% had a prior history of diabetes, 53.2% had a history of corticosteroid treatment, and 80% were associated with COVID-19. Pain, numbness or swelling of the face were the commonest symptoms (73.3%). Liposomal Amphotericin B was the commonest drug formulation used (67.1%), and endoscopic sinus surgery was the most common surgical procedure (73.6%). At discharge, the disease was stable in 43.3%, in regression for 29.9% but 9.6% died during hospitalization. Among survivors, commonly reported disabilities included facial disfigurement (18.4%) and difficulties in chewing/swallowing (17.8%). Though the risk of mortality was only 1 in 10, the disability due to the disease was very high. This cohort study could enhance our understanding of the disease's clinical progression and help frame standard treatment guidelines.

Synthesis of carbon molecular sieves from agricultural residues: Status, challenges and prospects

Adsorption is the most promising technology used in the gas separation and purification process. The key success of this technology relies on the selection of an adsorbent. Activated carbon and zeolites are the most commonly used adsorbents in the separation of particular gas from gaseous mixtures. Activated carbon deriving from fossil and biomass-based resources has wide pore size distribution and thereby results in lower selectivity. Whereas, zeolites synthesized from natural minerals are expensive which increases the cost of the purification process. Taking this into concern, the quest for synthesizing low-cost and effective adsorbents has gained greater attention in recent years. Carbon Molecular Sieves (CMSs), are considered as an attractive alternative to replace the conventional adsorbents. Furthermore, CMSs exhibit higher selectivity and adsorption capacity, due to their narrow micropore size distribution (0.3-0.5 nm). CMSs are synthesized from any organic carbonaceous precursor with low inorganic content. Since most of the agricultural residues fall under this category, they can be used as a feedstock for CMSs production. The synthesis of CMSs involves three stages: carbonization, activation, and pore modification. In this review, physicochemical characteristics of various agricultural residues, the effects of carbonization process parameters, activation methods, and pore modification techniques adopted for producing CMSs are comprehensively discussed. The effect of deposition temperature, time, and flow rate of depositing agent on pore characteristics of CMSs is briefed. The prospects and challenges in CMSs production are also studied. The insights in this review provide guidelines for synthesizing CMSs from agro-residues.

Incidence, management and treatment outcomes of renal malignancy in a post-transplant recipient at a tertiary care centre: A 16-year experience

Introduction and Objective:

Although the incidence of malignancy in renal transplant recipients is on the rise owing to boom in the post-transplant immunosuppressive therapy, there is paucity of literature regarding their reporting and management. In this study, we report the incidence of de novo renal malignancies, post-renal transplantation at our centre over a 16-year period and discuss their management.

Methods:

All patients who underwent renal transplantation at our department between March 2004 and February 2020 were included and retrospectively reviewed. We analysed the incidence of renal malignancy both in the native kidney and the graft, histological subtype, time to and type of treatment.

Results:

A total of 376 patients underwent renal transplantation. Mean age of recipients was 48.2 and 52.15 years among those who developed cancer. 13 (2.93%) of 376 recipients developed urogenital malignancy, of whom 8 had renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in their native kidneys and 1 in the allograft. Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of renal pelvis was noted in three patients with one concomitant TCC of bladder. No treatment-related graft losses occurred in the native kidney malignancy. Patients with RCC underwent nephrectomy while TCC of renal pelvis underwent nephroureterectomy with bladder cuff excision. Transurethral resection was done for bladder tumour. All patients were followed up as per standard protocol.

Conclusion:

A rise in urological post-transplant malignancies mandates regular surveillance after renal transplantation to ensure early detection of de novo malignancies and early initiation of treatment. Goal should be to minimise adverse graft outcomes with no compromise on oncological outcomes.

Level of evidence:

Not applicable

Case Reports of Two Interesting Patients with Sea Snake Envenomation

Sea Snakes have the most potent venom among snakes known to mankind and a few species are implicated in human fatalities.1 Commonest Sea snake in the Indian Sea is Enhydrina Schistosa.2 Mortality is high in spite of therapy because of multiple complications. This is a Case report of two Fishermen who were bitten by Sea Snake and developed complications.

Functional characterization of partial recombinant goat conglutinin: Its role as innate immunity marker and use as antigen in sandwich ELISA

Conglutinin, a liver synthesized versatile innate immune marker consisting C-type lectin domain belongs to collectin superfamily of proteins. The protein, first detected in bovine serum as soluble pattern recognition receptor (PRR) has wide range of antimicrobial activities. In the present study, open reading frame (ORF) encoding neck and carbohydrate recognition domain (NCRD) of goat conglutinin gene ligated to the vector pRSET-A was expressed in E. coli BL-21(pLys) cells. The 27 kDa recombinant protein (rGCGN) purified by single step Ni⁺² -NTA affinity chromatography was found to cross-react with recombinant anti-buffalo conglutinin antibody raised in poultry. Further, it displayed calcium-dependant sugar binding activity towards yeast mannan and calcium-independent binding activity towards LPS. The mannan binding activity of rGCGN was inhibited in the presence of N-acetyl-glucosamine because of higher affinity towards this sugar. The recombinant protein was found to stimulate production of superoxide ions and hydrogen peroxide in goat neutrophils, which are instrumental in stimulating phagocytic activity of cells. When used as antigen in Sandwich ELISA, straight line (Y = 0.299x + 0.067, R² = 0.997) was observed within the concentration range of 200-1000 ng/100 μl of rGCGN. Using this equation, the native conglutinin concentration in goat sera was estimated to be 0.5-7.5 μg/ml. The results indicated that prokaryotically expressed functionally active rGCGN can be used as antigen to assess native serum conglutinin levels in Sandwich ELISA and as immunomodulator in therapeutic applications to sequester unwanted immune complexes from the circulation.

Changing paradigm in the epidemiology of Japanese encephalitis in a non-endemic region

Background & objectives

Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic disease. The JE virus (JEV) does not cause any disease among its natural hosts and transmission continues through mosquitoes belonging to Culex vishnui subgroup. This study was aimed to investigate the prevalence of JEV in mosquitoes and humans in the Thanjavur district, a non-endemic region for JE, in Tamil Nadu, by using standard available assays.

Methods

: A sero-surveillance study was conducted in Thanjavur district among the normal rural school children in the 5-12 yr age group, during the JE season (October) and post-JE season (February) from 2011 to 2013 for the detection of JEV infection. Vector abundance studies were carried out from 2011 to 2014. JE seropositivity and its association between the seasons were analysed statistically.

Results

: The occurrence of JE infection among children aged 5-12 yr was very high in the study area. The infection rates for JE in two consecutive seasons for 2011-12 and 2012-13 were 32.2 and 65.2%, respectively. The Cx. tritaeniorhynchus sp. dominated the catch, and was majorly responsible for the transmission. There was a significant difference in the human infection rate compared to the years 1991-92 and 1992-93; and a marked decrease in the cattle to pigs ratio (123 : 1) compared to the studies in 1991-93.

Interpretation & conclusion

: The study unearthed the prevailing situation of JE among children, who are at higher risk of developing the disease during the transmission season. The decrease in the cattle to pigs ratio might be the one of the reasons for increase in the JEV infection among the children population compared to 20 years before. This trend requires urgent attention as it could be prevented with effective surveillance systems and vaccines.

Evaluation and outcome of M plasty for the management of doughnut scrotum

Introduction:

Penoscrotal transposition is a rare anomaly of the external genitalia. They can be classified as complete or incomplete based on degrees of positional exchange between the penis and the scrotum. Both forms are known to be associated with hypospadias and multiple surgeries are required for complete correction. Most surgeries performed for the correction of penoscrotal transposition involve making a complete circular incision around the root of the scrotum, which often results in massive penile lymphoedema and often delays the correction of hypospadias. The M plasty technique can prevent the incidence of lymphoedema by preserving the dorsal penile skin.

Objective:

To evaluate the effectiveness of M plasty for the correction of penoscrotal transposition.

Materials and methods:

Sixteen patients underwent M plasty for incomplete penoscrotal transposition. An ‘M’-shaped incision was made at the base of the scrotum and the scrotal halves were dissected and brought down posterior and caudal to the penis and sutured primarily.

Results:

All patients showed excellent cosmetic results. There was minimal postoperative oedema with no vascular compromise to penile or scrotal skin.

Conclusion:

M plasty is an excellent technique for the correction of penoscrotal transposition. The low incidence of penile lymphoedema could be attributed to the preservation of the dorsal penile skin. This procedure provides an excellent cosmetic appearance and also allows for early correction of hypospadias.

The 2017 International Joint Working Group recommendations of the Indian College of Cardiology, the Academic College of Emergency Experts, and INDUSEM on the management of low-risk chest pain in emergency departments across India

There have been no published recommendations for the management of low-risk chest pain in emergency departments (EDs) across India. This is despite the fact that chest pain continues to be one of the most common presenting complaints in EDs. Risk stratification of patients utilizing an accelerated diagnostic protocol has been shown to decrease hospitalizations by approximately 40% with a low 30-day risk of major adverse cardiac events. The experts group of academic leaders from the Indian College of Cardiology and Academic College of Emergency Experts in India partnered with academic experts in emergency medicine and cardiology from leading institutions in the UK and USA collaborated to study the scientific evidence and make recommendations to guide emergency physicians working in EDs across India.

Seasonal abundance & role of predominant Japanese encephalitis vectors Culex tritaeniorhynchus & Cx. gelidus Theobald in Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu

Background & objectives:

Japanese encephalitis (JE) is the leading cause of viral encephalitis in Asia. The first major JE outbreak occurred in 1978 and since 1981 several outbreaks had been reported in the Cuddalore district (erstwhile South Arcot), Tamil Nadu, India. Entomological monitoring was carried out during January 2010 - March 2013, to determine the seasonal abundance and transmission dynamics of the vectors of JE virus, with emphasis on the role of Culex tritaeniorhynchus and Cx. gelidus.

Methods:

Mosquito collections were carried out fortnightly during dusk hours in three villages viz. Soundara Solapuram, Pennadam, Erappavur of Cuddalore district. Mosquitoes were collected during dusk for a period of one hour in and around the cattle sheds using oral aspirator and torch light. The collected mosquitoes were later identified and pooled to detect JE virus (JEV) infection by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results:

A total of 46,343 mosquitoes comprising of 25 species and six genera were collected. Species composition included viz, Cx. tritaeniorhynchus (46.26%), Cx. gelidus (43.12%) and other species (10.62%). A total of 17,678 specimens (403 pools) of Cx. gelidus and 14,358 specimens (309 pools) of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus were tested, of which 12 pools of Cx. gelidus and 14 pools of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus were positive for JE virus antigen. The climatic factors were negatively correlated with minimum infection rate (MIR) for both the species, except mean temperature (P<0.05) for Cx. gelidus.

Interpretation & conclusions:

High abundance of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus and Cx. gelidus was observed compared to other mosquito species in the study area. Detection of JEV antigen in the two species confirmed the maintenance of virus. Appropriate vector control measures need to be taken to reduce the vector abundance.

Evaluation, management and outcome of upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma – A five year single center experience

Aims and Objectives: To review a single centre experience in the evaluation, management and outcome of upper tract transitional cell carcinoma. Materials and Methods: We reviewed 18 cases over five years from January 2010 to October 2015 with a median follow up of 18 months. Patient characteristics including age, sex, symptoms and signs were reviewed. All patients were evaluated with ultrasound and contrast enhanced computerized tomography.  Tumour details including location, laterality, grade and stage was noted based on pathological findings.Results: The mean age of the patients included was 57 years. Most common presentation was haematuria (72%). Most common location of the tumours was renal pelvis (50%), followed by ureter (39%) and tumours in both renal pelvis and ureter in 11%. Concomitant bladder involvement was seen in 17% of the patients. Nephroureterectomy with excision of bladder cuff was the most common surgery performed (78%). 11% of the patients underwent renal sparing surgery and two other patients underwent nephroureterocystoprostatectomy. Morbidity rate was 22% and recurrence was seen in 16% of the patientsConclusion: Transitional cell carcinoma of the upper tract is a rare tumour which is known for its multicentricity and recurrence. .  Nephroureterectomy with excision of bladder cuff has been the gold standard for the management, although endosurgical and tumour sparing surgery in selected cases have proven to be equally efficacious. Tumour grade and surgical procedure performed are independent risk factors for recurrence.Asian Journal of Medical Sciences Vol. 7(3) 2016 84-88

Transplant renal artery stenosis: The impact of endovascular management and their outcomes

Introduction:

Transplant renal artery stenosis (TRAS) is a well-known vascular complication of renal transplantation. The aim of this analysis was to assess the short and midterm outcomes of endovascular therapy to salvage transplant kidney.

Methods:

We retrospectively analyzed our transplant database from 2000 to 2015. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty/stenting was done in 24 patients (22 men and two women) with significant TRAS. The mean age was 59 ± 12 years. The parameters analyzed were: Technical success, pre- and post-treatment serum creatinine and number of antihypertensive drugs before and after treatment and vessel patency on Doppler ultrasonography at 3 and 6 months.

Results:

Overall incidence of TRAS in this study was 5.06%. Incidence of TRAS following live donor transplantation was 4.68% while that in deceased donors was 11.5%. Technical success was 100%. There were no periprocedural deaths. Renal function was improved from 2.32 ± 0.5 mg/dL to 1.72 ± 0.3 mg/dL (P < 0.001) and number of antihypertensive medications after the procedure was reduced from 2.9 ± 0.7 to 2 ± 0.6 (P < 0.001) at 6 months follow-up. One patient developed restenosis within 5 months (4.2%). Clinical success at 6 months follow-up was 79.2%.

Conclusions:

Endovascular treatment of TRAS has high technical success with minimal complications. It also provides satisfactory clinical success with improvement in overall transplant renal function and renovascular hypertension in early follow-up.

Multifocal angiomyolipoma involving kidney and regional lymph nodes in patient with tuberous sclerosis complex- A Rare case with review of literature

Tuberous sclerosis complex is rare neurocutaneous syndrome involving central nervous system and lesions in skin. Tuberous sclerosis with multifocal angiomyolipoma involving kidney and lymph nodes is even rarer.Asian Journal of Medical Sciences Vol.7(2) 2015 96-99

Abstract 1404: A red-shifted fluorescent substrate for aldehyde dehydrogenase, AldeRed 588-A, for labeling viable ALDH-positive cells

Normal and cancer stem cells can be isolated based upon the enzymatic activity of aldehyde dehydrogenase I (ALDH1), a detoxifying enzyme responsible for oxidation of hazardous aldehyde byproducts. ALDH1 has been used to isolate cancer stem cells of various human malignancies including bladder, breast, cervical, colon, head and neck, liver, lung, pancreas, prostate and ovary. Currently, the ALDEFLUORTM assay which uses a fluorescent substrate is the only commercially available reagent for ALDH detection. The substrate used in this assay primarily emits in the green region of the electromagnetic spectrum (512nm). For researchers with valuable cell and transgenic animal models in which the target gene of interest has been tagged with eGFP, ALDEFLUOR therefore cannot be used. Selection of cells positive for aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity from a green fluorescent background is thus difficult with existing reagents. We now describe a red-shifted fluorescent substrate for ALDH, AldeRed 588-A, that provides additional flexibility for utilizing ALDH as a marker for stem cell and cancer stem cell isolation. The activity of AldRed 588-A was compared with the ALDEFLUOR reagent and demonstrated similar ability to fractionate ALDHpos cells in a number of cell lines tested.

Citation Format: Vi Chu, Konstantin Taganov, D Ramesh, Nick Asbrock, Martin Pomper. A red-shifted fluorescent substrate for aldehyde dehydrogenase, AldeRed 588-A, for labeling viable ALDH-positive cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1404. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1404

Blood pressure control and acceptability of perindopril and its fixed dose combinations with amlodipine or indapamide, in younger patients with hypertension

OBJECTIVE

Recent hypertension guidelines recommend initiation of treatment with a fixed dose combination of two drugs for more effective and quicker blood pressure control. Few of these have been assessed for efficacy and acceptability. This study examines the short term blood pressure control and acceptability of perindopril, with or without its fixed dose combinations (FDC) with amlodipine and Indapamide in younger patients.

METHODS

In a multicentre prospective observational study, patients with stage 1 hypertension were prescribed perindopril 4 mg per day. Those with stage 2 or 3 hypertension were prescribed a single tablet per day of 4 mg perindopril and 5 mg amlodipine (COVERSYL AM), or 4 mg perindopril and 1.25 mg indapamide (COVERSYL PLUS)for 45 days. The primary outcomes were the frequency of patients achieving blood pressure control and the adverse effect of pedal edema.

RESULTS

Of 426 patients, with a mean age of 45 years, distributed throughout India, and an average (SD) baseline systolic/diastolic blood pressure of 157.2 (13.5)/98.6 (7.4), 303 (71.1%) achieved blood pressure control. Mean (SD) SBP/DBP decreased from baseline by 26.9 (12.6), and DBP by 15.4 (7.2) mm Hg. Few patients discontinued treatment, and the frequency of cough that interfered with sleep and ankle edema was low.

CONCLUSION

In patients requiring combination antihypertensive treatment, the regimen of perindopril alone or its FDC with Indapamide or amlodipine reduces blood pressure effectively, resulting in high rates of blood pressure control over the short term, with a low frequency of side effects including cough and pedal edema.

Virilizing lipoadenoma of the adrenal gland in a pre-pubertal girl: A rare case

We report a case of a 12-year-old girl who presented with the history of hirsutism. On evaluation, she was found to have testosterone secreting adrenal gland tumor. Histopathological examination of the adrenalectomy specimen revealed a lipoadenoma.

Acute pancreatitis and development of pancreatic pseudo cyst after extra corporeal shock wave lithotripsy to a left renal calculus: A rare case with review of literature

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) is considered the standard of care for the treatment of small upper ureteric and renal calculi. A few centers have extended its use to the treatment of bile duct calculi and pancreatic calculi. The complication rates with SWL are low, resulting in its wide spread acceptance and usage. However, some of the serious complications reported in 1% of patients include acute pancreatitis, perirenal hematoma, urosepsis, venous thrombosis, biliary obstruction, bowel perforation, lung injury, rupture of aortic aneurysm and intracranial hemorrhage. To our knowledge, only six cases of acute pancreatitis or necrotizing pancreatitis following SWL have been documented in the literature. Herein, we report a rare case of acute pancreatitis and formation of a pseudo cyst following SWL for left renal pelvic calculus.

Pleomorphic undifferentiated sarcoma of urinary bladder with calcified pulmonary metastasis: A rare entity

We report the case of a 29-year-old male who presented to us with hematuria, dysuria and bilateral flank pain. On evaluation, the patient was found to have primary pleomorphic undifferentiated sarcoma of bladder with calcified pulmonary metastasis, confirmed with computerized tomography scan and immunohistochemistry.

Giant Pelvic Cocoon with Intra Prostatic Extension (Intravesical Tortoise!!!!!!!)

Giant vesical calculus is a rare clinical entity in the recent urological practice. Males are affected more than the females. We report a case of 55years old male patient non diabetic or hypertensive who presented with urinary symptoms. His biochemical parameters were within normal limits. Urine analysis and culture sensitivity showed infection. His ultrasonography revealed a giant vesical calculus with intra prostatic extension and bilateral hydroureteronephrosis and small prostate. After controlling the urinary infection with course of antibiotics, he underwent an open cystolithotomy and post-operative recovery was uneventful. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ajms.v3i4.7160 Asian Journal of Medical Science Vol.3(4) 2012 pp.47-49

Photoproduction of Hydrogen under Different Cultural Conditions by Alginate Immobilized Rhodopsedomonas palustris KU003

Rhodopsedomonas palustris KU003 was immobilized in alginate and its hydrogen producing abilities were assessed. Maximum hydrogen production took place between 120 and 144 hrs in most carbon sources. Alginate immobilization induced higher amount of hydrogen in malate-, lactate-, and succinate-containing medium in Rps. palustris. Incubation period of 120 hrs was optimum for production of hydrogen. pH 7.0±0.4 was optimum for production of hydrogen. L-glutamic acid was a good nitrogen source for production of hydrogen. Glucose and sorbitol were poorer substrates as they induced only limited amount of hydrogen. Anaerobic light induced comparatively more amount of hydrogen in the bacteria under investigation than in anaerobic dark. Thiourea was a poor nitrogen source for the production of hydrogen by Rps. palustris. Results of the above are discussed in the light of existing literature in this communication.

Stroke after multiple bee sting

Bee stings are commonly encountered worldwide. Various manifestations after bee sting have been described. Local reactions are common. Unusually, manifestations like vomiting, diarrhea, dyspnea, generalized edema, acute renal failure, hypotension and collapse may occur. Rarely vasculitis, serum sickness, neuritis and encephalitis have been described which generally develop days to weeks after a sting. We report a case of a 25-year-old male who developed left sided monoparesis and transient visual loss following multiple bee stings. Unlike the previous case reports, in our case there has been involvement of both the anterior circulation and posterior circulation territory to the brain. We report this case due to it's rarity.

Influence of Different Cultural Conditions on Photoproduction of Hydrogen by Rhodopseudomonas palustris KU003

Photoproduction of hydrogen by Rhodopseudomonas palustris KU003 under different cultural conditions with various carbon and nitrogen sources was investigated. Hydrogen production was measured using a Gas chromatograph. Malate promoted more amounts of hydrogen production under anaerobic light conditions than anaerobic dark conditions. Cumulative hydrogen production by the organism was recorded at various time intervals. Incubation period of 120 hrs was optimum for production of hydrogen. pH 7.0±0.4 was optimum for production of hydrogen. L-glutamic acid was a good nitrogen source for production of hydrogen. Growing cells produced more amount of hydrogen than resting cells. Significance of the above results in presence of existing literature is discussed.

Bioprospecting for hyper-lipid producing microalgal strains for sustainable biofuel production

Global petroleum reserves are shrinking at a fast pace, increasing the demand for alternate fuels. Microalgae have the ability to grow rapidly, and synthesize and accumulate large amounts (approximately 20-50% of dry weight) of neutral lipid stored in cytosolic lipid bodies. A successful and economically viable algae based biofuel industry mainly depends on the selection of appropriate algal strains. The main focus of bioprospecting for microalgae is to identify unique high lipid producing microalgae from different habitats. Indigenous species of microalgae with high lipid yields are especially valuable in the biofuel industry. Isolation, purification and identification of natural microalgal assemblages using conventional techniques is generally time consuming. However, the recent use of micromanipulation as a rapid isolating tool allows for a higher screening throughput. The appropriate media and growth conditions are also important for successful microalgal proliferation. Environmental parameters recorded at the sampling site are necessary to optimize in vitro growth. Identification of species generally requires a combination of morphological and genetic characterization. The selected microalgal strains are grown in upscale systems such as raceway ponds or photobireactors for biomass and lipid production. This paper reviews the recent methodologies adopted for site selection, sampling, strain selection and identification, optimization of cultural conditions for superior lipid yield for biofuel production. Energy generation routes of microalgal lipids and biomass are discussed in detail.

Host-guest interaction of L-tyrosine with beta-cyclodextrin

The inclusion complexes of beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) with L-tyrosine (L-TYN) were investigated by using spectrophotometers. The absorption and fluorescence enhancement occurs with beta-CD and L-TYN forms 1:1 inclusion complex. The unusual blue shift of hydroxyl ion in the beta-CD medium confirms OH groups present in the interior part of the beta-CD cavity and -COOH group present in the upper part of the beta-CD cavity. A mechanism is proposed to explain inclusion process. The inclusion interaction was examined and the thermodynamic parameters of inclusion process DeltaG, DeltaH and DeltaS were determined. The results indicated that the inclusion process was an exergonic and spontaneous process. Stable solid inclusion complexes were established and characterized by FT-IR, scanning electron microscope (SEM) methods.

Synthesis and characterization of photolabile derivatives of serotonin for chemical kinetic investigations of the serotonin 5-HT(3) receptor

A series of photolabile o-nitrobenzyl derivatives of serotonin (caged serotonin) were synthesized: the amine-linked serotonin derivatives N-(2-nitrobenzyl) serotonin (Bz-5HT) and N-(alpha-carboxy-2-nitrobenzyl) serotonin (N-CNB-5HT), and O-alpha-carboxy-2-nitrobenzyl) serotonin (O-CNB-5HT), which has the caging group attached to the phenolic OH group. All the derivatives released free serotonin when excited by 308-nm or 337-nm laser pulses. The time constant of serotonin release from N-CNB-5HT was 1. 2 ms, with a quantum yield of 0.08. This is too slow for rapid chemical kinetic measurements. O-CNB-5HT is suitable for transient kinetic investigations of the serotonin 5-HT(3) receptor. It released serotonin with a time constant of 16 micros and a quantum yield of 0.03. The biological properties of O-CNB-5HT were evaluated, and the applicability of the compound for kinetic studies of the 5-HT(3) receptor was demonstrated. O-CNB-5HT does not activate the 5-HT(3) receptor by itself, nor does it modulate the response of a cell when co-applied with serotonin. When irradiated with a 337-nm laser pulse, O-CNB-5HT released free serotonin that evoked 5-HT(3) receptor-mediated whole-cell currents in NIE-115 mouse neuroblastoma cells.

Synthesis and disposition of 14C-labelled 81/470, a new anthelminthic agent in rats

CDRI compound 81/470 (AH) is a new broad-spectrum anthelminthic agent under development for clinical and veterinary application. We herewith report the synthesis of 14C-labelled AH, and a study of the tissue distribution and excretion of radioactivity after administering a single 1 mg/kg p.o. or i.v. dose in young male rats. After oral administration of the dose, percent radioactivity recovered in 24-h urine, faeces and tissues were 17.9, 59.7 and 22.9 respectively. The levels were below detection limit in brain and gonads up to 24 h. In bile-duct-cannulated rats, the majority (37.8 +/- 2.8 and 43.8 +/- 6.4) of the radioactivity was excreted in the bile within 24 h of p.o. and i.v. administration, respectively. After an oral dose (1 mg/kg), the urinary excretion of radioactivity in rats was found to be approximately one-half (21 +/- 5.7, 18.3 +/- 2.1) of that obtained by i.v. administration of an equal dose (40.2 +/- 3.1 and 35 +/- 1.3), in bile-duct-intact and cannulated rats respectively.

Synthesis and characterization of a caged receptor ligand suitable for chemical kinetic investigations of the glycine receptor in the 3-microseconds time domain

Here we report the development and characterization of a new photolabile protecting group for the carboxyl group of neurotransmitters, 2-methoxy-5-nitrophenyl. The synthesis and characterization of a photolabile derivative of beta-alanine, caged beta-alanine, are described. beta-Alanine can activate the glycine receptor, a major inhibitory receptor in the mammalian central nervous system; the 2-methoxy-5-nitrophenyl derivative of beta-alanine combined with a laser-pulse photolysis method makes it possible to investigate the chemical kinetic mechanism of the receptor in the 3-microseconds time domain. The derivative is photolyzed by a laser pulse to release free beta-alanine within 3 microseconds and with a product quantum yield of 0.2. In aqueous solution in the dark and at neutral pH, the compound is more stable, by a factor of approximately of 25, than the analogous derivative of glycine [Ramesh, D., Wieboldt, R., Niu, L., Carpenter, B. K., & Hess, G. P. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90, 11074-11078]. 2-Methoxy-5-nitrophenyl-beta-alanine hydrolyzes in aqueous solution at neutral pH with a t1/2 of approximately 1.5 h. Neither the 2-methoxy-5-nitrophenyl-beta-alanine nor the 2-methoxy-5-nitrophenol photolysis side product activates, inhibits, or potentiates the response of glycine receptors in rat hippocampal neurons to glycine. Photolysis of 2-methoxy-5-nitrophenyl-beta-alanine by irradiation with a 600-ns laser pulse at 333 nm releases beta-alanine, which then activates glycine receptor-channels on neurons equilibrated with the caged compound, as detected by whole-cell current recording. Compared with the analogous derivative of glycine, in terms of quantum yield, photolysis rate, and stability, this new compound is not only a better candidate for use in chemical kinetic investigations of the glycine receptor, but can also be used in determining the location of glycine receptors in neuronal cells.

Photolabile precursors of glutamate: synthesis, photochemical properties, and activation of glutamate receptors on a microsecond time scale

Newly synthesized photolabile derivatives of glutamate, caged glutamate, that release free glutamate on a microsecond time scale after a pulse of UV laser light are described. 2-Nitrobenzyl derivatives were attached to the amino or carboxyl groups of glutamate. Substitution with a -CO2- group at the benzylic carbon accelerates the photolysis reaction when compared to -H and -CH3 substituents. gamma-O-(alpha-Carboxy-2-nitrobenzyl)glutamate is stable at neutral pH. In 100 mM phosphate buffer at pH 7.0, the compound is photolyzed at 308 nm with a quantum product yield of 0.14. The half-life of the major component of the photolytic reaction, as judged by the transient absorbance change at 430 nm, is 21 microseconds (approximately 90%); the half-life of a minor component (approximately 10%) is 0.2 ms. The amino-linked derivatives have half-lives in the millisecond region and a 4-fold lower quantum yield. The potential of the newly synthesized compound for use in rapid chemical kinetic investigations of glutamate receptors is demonstrated. (i) The caged glutamate at 1 mM concentration does not desensitize glutamate receptors in rat hippocampal neurons. (ii) Caged glutamate (1 mM) does not inhibit activation of the receptors by 50 microM glutamate. (iii) Photolysis of the compound induces rapid onset of transmembrane currents in rat hippocampal neurons.