STUDY DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of interlaminar fusion and short segment pedicle screw fixation on thoracolumbar vertebral injuries for preventing pain and post-traumatic kyphosis. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: The treatment of thoracolumbar injuries continues to be one of the most controversial areas in spine care. The main aim of surgical treatment is to decompress the spinal cord or nerve roots, realign the spine, and correct or prevent post-traumatic kyphosis. We evaluated the outcome of interlaminar fusion along with posterior decompression and short segment pedicle screw fixation in patients with thoracolumbar fractures with neurological deficit. METHODS: Twenty-two patients with traumatic thoracolumbar vertebral injuries and neurological deficit underwent short segment pedicle screw fixation above and below the fractured vertebrae, posterior decompression, and interlaminar fusion using a bone graft. RESULTS: All patients were followed up for 12 months postoperatively. The average operative time and blood loss was 142 minutes and 214 mL, respectively. Of the 22 patients, 14 recovered completely. Of the nine patients with American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grade A disease, two improved by 1 grade, whereas one each improved by grades 2, 3, and 4, and four did not recover. Radiologically, vertebral kyphosis angle improved from 20.91 preoperatively to 15.73 postoperatively, sagittal index improved from 24.77 to 18.73, the sagittal plane kyphosis angle improved from 17.45 to 11.41, regional angle kyphosis improved from 14.73 to 10.14, the superior inferior end plate angle from 16.14 to 13.00, and mean anterior body compression improved from 36.26 to 27.64 postoperatively. No implant failed and no patient had neurological deterioration. CONCLUSIONS: Short segment pedicle screw fixation with posterior decompression and interlaminar fusion provided considerable reduction in kyphosis, restored the vertebral height of patients with thoracolumbar vertebral injuries and neurological deficit, and prevented development of delayed kyphotic deformity.
Clinical Study ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Decompression* ; Humans ; Kyphosis ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Operative Time ; Pedicle Screws* ; Prospective Studies ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Injuries ; Spine ; Transplants

Bilateral distal anterior cerebral artery (DACA) aneurysms also called “kissing aneurysms” or “mirror aneurysm” are extremely rare, accounting for only 0.2% of all intracranial aneurysms. There have only been a few examples of mirror DACA aneurysms reported in the literature. Here, we report a rare case of mirror DACA aneurysm in a middle aged female with its successful clipping. Patient was admitted with severe headache and altered sensorium. Computed tomography (CT) head was suggestive of anterior inter-hemispheric hematoma. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was done which was suggestive of two distal anterior cerebral artery aneurysms located at same anatomical position. It was treated through microsurgical clipping. Mirror image DACA aneurysms are rare occurrence. All patients with ruptured DACA aneurysms should have angiography with 3D reconstruction studies. This aids in determining the aneurysm’s morphology and planning treatment accordingly.

Kombucha tea (KT) is a popular health beverage and is used as an alternative therapy. KT is prepared by placing the kombucha culture in solution of tea and sugar and allowing to ferment. The inoculum is a fungus consisting of symbiotic colony of yeast and bacteria. KT is consumed in several countries and is believed to have prophylactic and therapeutic benefits in a wide variety of ailments, viz., intestinal disorders, arthritis, ageing and stimulation of immunological system. Though KT is used in several parts of the world its beneficial effects and adverse effects have not been scientifically evaluated. Since there are no animal toxicological data on KT, subacute oral toxicity study was carried out. Five groups of rats were maintained: (a) control group given tap water orally, (b) KT given 2 ml/kg orally, (c) plain tea (PT) given 2 ml/kg orally, (d) KT given in drinking water, 1% (v/v) and (e) PT given in drinking water, 1% (v/v). The rats were given this treatment daily for a period of 90 days. Weekly records of weight, feed intake, water intake and general behaviour were monitored. There was no significant difference in the growth of the animals as evidenced by the progressive body weight change. The organ to body weight ratio and histological evaluation did not show any toxic signs. The haematological and biochemical variables were within the clinical limits. The study indicates that rats fed KT for 90 days showed no toxic effects.

We report an important observation that the surface conductivity of antibody layer immobilized on polylysine-coated glass substrate decreases upon the formation of complex with their specific antigens. This change in conductivity has been observed for both monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. The conductance of monoclonal mouse IgG immobilized on polylysine-coated glass substrate changed from 1.02x10(-8) ohm(-1) to 1.41x10(-11) ohm(-1) at 10 V when complex is formed due to the specific biomolecular interactions with rabbit anti-mouse IgG F(ab')(2). Similar behavior was observed when the same set up was tested in two clinical assays: (1) anti-Leishmania antigen polyclonal antibodies taken from Kala Azar positive patient serum interacting with Leishmania promastigote antigen, and (2) anti-p21 polyclonal antibodies interacting with p21 antigen. The proposed concept can represent a new immunodiagnostic technique and may have wide ranging applications in biosensors and nanobiotechnology too.
Animals ; Antigen-Antibody Complex ; analysis ; Biosensing Techniques ; Electric Conductivity ; Humans ; Immunoassay ; methods ; Rabbits

Berberis petiolaris Wall. ex G. Don, an unexplored medicinal plant belonging to the family Berberidaceae, is a large deciduous shrub found in Western Himalaya between 1800-3000 m. Chemical profiling of fruit, leaf, root and stem was done by direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry followed by multivariate analysis for discrimination among the plant parts. The bioactive compounds, including magnoflorine, berberine, jatrorrhizine, thalifendine/berberrubine, demethyleneberberine, reticuline, 8-oxoberberine, N-methyltetrahydroberberine, tetrahydropalmatine, tetrahydroberberine and palmatine, were identified by their exact mass measurement and the corresponding molecular formula of each compound. A comparative study of distribution pattern for all these bioactive alkaloids showed qualitative and quantitative variations in different parts of B. petiolaris. Principal component analysis clearly dis-criminated each part of B. petiolaris plant.

Aim: Isolation, dark field detection and microscopic agglutination test (MAT) are considered ―gold standard‖ tests for diagnosis of Leptospirosis. Several PCR assays are reported but very few have been evaluated for detection of Leptospirosis. Therefore, this study was undertaken. This study aims to design and standardize polymerase chain reaction (PCR) -based DNA sequencing technique for the detection of pathogenic Leptospira from peripheral blood of patients clinically diagnosed with septicemia. Methodology and Results: Two hundred and seven (207) blood samples from patients were diagnosed with septicemia which includes 100 bacterial (other than Leptospira) culture positive and 107 bacterial culture negative samples were studied. Primers for Nested PCR targeting LipL32 gene of Leptospira interrogans were designed and the specificity of primers was tested against serum samples positive/negative by either MAT or dark field microscopy. PCR amplified products were further confirmed by DNA sequencing. The standardized nPCR was sensitive and specific to Leptospira interrogans. Twenty-one (21%) out of 100 culture positive blood samples, three (2.8%) out of 107 culture negative samples showed nPCR positivity and were confirmed as Leptospira interrogans by DNA sequencing (p<0.001). A sensitive nPCR specific to Leptospira interrogans was developed. Conclusion, significance and impact of study: The p value (<0.001) signifies that Leptospira is commonly associated with other bacteria circulating in blood indicating that a decreased immune status is created primarily by a bacterium with enhanced possibility of development of Leptospiral infection probably be of an endogenous origin.

Aims: The present investigation was undertaken in order to isolate bacteria from eighteen different water samples collected from three different sectors of ‘Chilika’ lagoon of India and to study the resistance against ten different antibiotics viz., norfloxacin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, neomycin, nalidixic acid, ofloxacin, chloramphenicol, nitrofurantoin, streptomycin and amoxicillin as well as their serological implications. Methodology and Results: Four different pathogenic bacteria species viz., Shigella dysenteriae, Streptococcus lactis, Bacillus cereus and Klebsiella pneumoniae were isolated which showed a wide range of sensitivity to norfloxacin,tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin and nitrofurantoin. S. dysenteriae was sensitive to streptomycin where as other isolates were found to be resistant. Agarose gel electrophoresis failed to reveal plasmid DNA band indicating that the observed resistance was perhaps encoded by nucleotide sequences harboured on the chromosomal DNA. Bacterial isolates were used as antigen for the production of polyclonal antibodies in rabbits. Conclusion, significance and impact of study:All the isolates exhibited strong antigenic character with specific serological relationship which can be implicated towards development of novel and pharmaceutically effective antibacterial products.

One of the most potent rodenticides is 2-fluoroacetamide (2-FA). Toxicity of this chemical is well documented. However, its inhalation toxicity data is not available in the literature. Hence, acute inhalation toxicity study was carried out by exposing male and female rats to aerosols of 2-FA at different concentrations for 4 h in a dynamically operated whole body inhalation exposure chamber. During and after the inhalation exposure the rats were less active, and showed mild tremors and convulsions. At higher concentrations the rats died after 2-3 days. The estimated 4-h LC50 for male and female rats was 136.6 and 144.5 mg·m-3 respectively. Exposure to 0.7 LC50 for 4 h duration showed an increase in the liver weight of male and female rats 7 days after exposure. Various haematological and biochemical variables determined were within the normal limits. However, histological findings showed injured lung as indicated by desquamation and necrosis of the epithelium of the respiratory tract. Marked hypertrophy of hepatocytes displaying strong acidophilic granulated cytoplasm was observed. Focal dilatation of renal proximal tubules in kidney with cytoplasmic vacuolation, and irregularly placed pyknotic nuclei were seen. The present study shows that 2-FA is a highly toxic chemical through the inhalation route based on the LC50 value. Consequently necessary precautions should be taken during its handling.

Complex craniovertebral junction (CVJ) defects account for a considerable proportion of CVJ diseases. Given the heavily assimilated C1, an unfavorable C1–C2 joint orientation, an overriding C2 superior facet, a low-hanging occiput, and an abnormal vertebral artery course with a high-riding vertebral artery, placement of C1 lateral mass screws might be difficult. To address this, a novel technique for placing C1 lateral mass screws that avoid vertebral artery injury, low-hanging occiput, and overriding C2 superior facet was developed in this study. This approach enables firm fixation of C1–C2 even in difficult situations where the placement of the C1 lateral mass is challenging.

OBJECTIVETo find out the anticancer effect of Indigofera aspalathoides (I. aspalathoides) on 20-methylcholanthrene induced fibrosarcoma in rats.

METHODSFibrosarcoma was induced in Wistar strain male albino rats by 20-methylcholanthrene. Intraperitoneous (i.p.) administration of 250 mg/kg body weight/day of aqueous extract of I. aspalathoides for 30 d effectively suppressed chemically induced tumors. Parameters such as body weight, liver and kidney weight, tumor weight, mean survival time, behavioral changes, blood glucose, blood glycogen and marker enzymes such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), acid phosphatase (ACP) and 5'-nucleiotidase (5'-NT) in serum, liver and kidney and lipid profiles such as total cholesterol, phospholipids, free fatty acids in liver and kidney of control and experimental animals were studied.

RESULTSFibrosarcoma bearing animals were ferocious and anxious. The mean survival time was found to increase after the treatment. The body weights were significantly decreased (P<0.001) in group II fibrosarcoma animals which steadily increased after the treatment with I. aspalathoides. The liver and kidney weights were significantly increased whereas the tumor weights decreased as compared to the weights in untreated fibrosarcoma bearing rats. The blood glucose and the liver and kidney glycogen levels were found to decrease significantly (P<0.001) in group II animals. Elevated activities of marker enzymes were observed in serum, liver and kidney of fibrosarcoma bearing Group II animals which were normalize after I. aspalathoides treatment. In the liver and kidney of Group II animals the total cholesterol increased whereas the phospholipids and free fatty acid levels decreased (P<0.001) which were normalized after treatment.

CONCLUSIONSThe treatment by I. aspalathoides on fibrosarcoma bearing rats has improved the levels of various parameters indicating its antiproliferative and anticancer activity.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Chemoprevention ; Fibrosarcoma ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Indigofera ; chemistry ; Kidney ; drug effects ; pathology ; Liver ; drug effects ; pathology ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; chemically induced ; pathology ; prevention & control ; Male ; Methylcholanthrene ; Phytotherapy ; methods ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Seeds ; chemistry