Genistein,a potent inhibitor of secretory phospholipase A<Subscript>2</Subscript>: a new insight in down regulation of inflammation

Objectives  

Some of the legumes, spices and medicinal herbs rich in genistein are known for their anti-inflammatory properties. Anti-inflammatory property of these herbs is determined by subjecting secretory phospholipase A₂ (sPLA₂) inhibition, a key enzyme in the inflammatory reactions by genistein.     

The project to understand and research preterm pregnancy outcomes and stillbirths in South Asia (PURPOSe): a protocol of a prospective,cohort study of causes of mortality among preterm births and stillbirths

Background

In South Asia, where most stillbirths and neonatal deaths occur, much remains unknown about the causes of these deaths. About one-third of neonatal deaths are attributed to prematurity, yet the specific conditions which cause these deaths are often unclear as is the etiology of stillbirths. In low-resource settings, most women are not routinely tested for infections and autopsy is rare.

Methods

This prospective, cohort study will be conducted in hospitals in Davengere, India and Karachi, Pakistan. All women who deliver either a stillbirth or a preterm birth at one of the hospitals will be eligible for enrollment. With consent, the participant and, when applicable, her offspring, will be followed to 28-days post-delivery. A series of research tests will be conducted to determine infection and presence of other conditions which may contribute to the death. In addition, all routine clinical investigations will be documented. For both stillbirths and preterm neonates who die ≤ 28 days, with consent, a standard autopsy as well as minimally invasive tissue sampling will be conducted. Finally, an expert panel will review all available data for stillbirths and neonatal deaths to determine the primary and contributing causes of death using pre-specified guidance.

Conclusion

This will be among the first studies to prospectively obtain detailed information on causes of stillbirth and preterm neonatal death in low-resource settings in Asia. Determining the primary causes of death will be important to inform strategies most likely to reduce the high mortality rates in South Asia.

Trial registration

Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03438110) Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI/2018/03/012281).

     

Ovarian tumor expression of an oviductal protein in the hen: a model for human serous ovarian adenocarcinoma

OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that ovarian tumors without oviductal involvement would not express the oviductal protein ovalbumin, the major protein found in the magnum of the hen's oviduct. METHODS: On the basis of gross visual examination, tissues samples were removed from hens determined to have ovarian tumors and were processed, embedded in paraffin, sectioned, mounted on glass slides, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Ovarian tumors and other peritoneal lesions were evaluated histologically. Paraffin sections of ovarian and oviductal tissue were deparaffinized and evaluated for the protein expression of ovalbumin, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and progesterone receptor (PR). RESULTS: Hens with ovarian adenocarcinoma without (n = 10) or with (n = 6) oviductal involvement were positive for ovalbumin in the ovary. Ovary sections from normal hens (n = 9) were negative, and oviductal sections from normal hens (n = 3) were positive for ovalbumin. Expression of PCNA protein was abundant in all ovarian tumors (16 of 16). Oviductal epithelial cells strongly expressed PCNA protein. Expression of PR was observed in 9 of 14 ovarian tumors. CONCLUSION: The presence of ovalbumin in ovarian tumors in the absence of any oviductal involvement suggests that ovarian tumors dedifferentiate during the disease process and thereby resemble serous-type ovarian tumors in women.     

Improved first trimester maternal iodine status with preconception supplementation: The Women First Trial

Maternal iodine (I) status is critical in embryonic and foetal development. We examined the effect of preconception iodine supplementation on maternal iodine status and on birth outcomes. Non‐pregnant women in Guatemala, India and Pakistan (n ~ 100 per arm per site) were randomized ≥ 3 months prior to conception to one of three intervention arms: a multimicronutrient‐fortified lipid‐based nutrient supplement containing 250‐μg I per day started immediately after randomization (Arm 1), the same supplement started at ~12 weeks gestation (Arm 2) and no intervention supplement (Arm 3). Urinary I (μg/L) to creatinine (mg/dl) ratios (I/Cr) were determined at 12 weeks for Arm 1 versus Arm 2 (before supplement started) and 34 weeks for all arms. Generalized linear models were used to assess the relationship of I/Cr with arm and with newborn anthropometry. At 12 weeks gestation, adjusted mean I/Cr (μg/g) for all sites combined was significantly higher for Arm 1 versus Arm 2: (203 [95% CI: 189, 217] vs. 163 [95% CI: 152, 175], p < 0.0001). Overall adjusted prevalence of I/Cr < 150 μg/g was also lower in Arm 1 versus Arm 2: 32% (95% CI: 26%, 38%) versus 43% (95% CI: 37%, 49%) (p = 0.0052). At 34 weeks, adjusted mean I/Cr for Arm 1 (235, 95% CI: 220, 252) and Arm 2 (254, 95% CI: 238, 272) did not differ significantly but were significantly higher than Arm 3 (200, 95% CI: 184, 218) (p < 0.0001). Nominally significant positive associations were observed between I/Cr at 12 weeks and birth length and head circumference z‐scores (p = 0.028 and p = 0.005, respectively). These findings support the importance of first trimester iodine status and suggest need for preconception supplementation beyond salt iodization alone.     

Cysteine proteases from the Asclepiadaceae plants latex exhibited thrombin and plasmin like activities

In the present study we evaluated the presence of cysteine protease from the latex of four plants Asclepias curassavica L., Calotropis gigantea R.Br., Pergularia extensa R.Br. and Cynanchum puciflorum R.Br. belongs to the family Asclepiadaceae. Cysteine proteases from these plants latex exhibited both thrombin and plasmin like activities. Latex enzyme fraction in a concentration dependent manner induced the formation of clot in citrated blood plasma. Direct incubation of fibrinogen with latex enzyme fraction resulted in the formation of fibrin clot similar to thrombin enzyme. However prolonged incubation resulted in degradation of the formed fibrin clot suggesting plasmin like activity. Latex enzyme fraction preferentially hydrolyzed Aα and Bβ chains of fibrinogen to form fibrin clot. Latex enzyme fraction also hydrolyzed the subunits of fully cross linked fibrin efficiently, the order of hydrolysis was α-polymer > α-chains > β-chain and γ–γ dimer. Cysteine proteases from all the four Asclepiadaceae plants latex exhibited similar action on fibrinogen and fibrin. This study scientifically validate the use of plant latex in stop bleeding and wound healing by traditional healers all over the world.     

Aneurysmal circumflex aortic arch

Circumflex aortic arch aneurysm is a rare condition. We report a 9-year-old female with this anomaly who underwent resection of the aneurysmal segment and reconstruction of aortic arch anterior to trachea under cardiopulmonary bypass and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. The patient was completely relieved of dysphagia and recovered without any cardiac or neurological sequelae.     

Sheehan's syndrome: Newer advances

Sheehan's syndrome (SS) is postpartum hypopituitarism caused by necrosis of the pituitary gland. It is usually the result of severe hypotension or shock caused by massive hemorrhage during or after delivery. Patients with SS have varying degrees of anterior pituitary hormone deficiency. Its frequency is decreasing worldwide and it is a rare cause of hypopituitarism in developed countries owing to advances in obstetric care. However, it is still frequent in underdeveloped and developing countries. SS often evolves slowly and hence is diagnosed late. History of postpartum hemorrhage, failure to lactate and cessation of menses are important clues to the diagnosis. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are important to reduce morbidity and mortality of the patients.     

Factors contributing to deletion within Mungbean yellow mosaic virus partial dimers in binary vectors used for agroinoculation

Mungbean yellow mosaic virus-Vigna (MYMV) sequences cloned as partial dimers within the T-DNA of a binary vector were deleted at a high frequency upon conjugal mobilization from Escherichia coli into Agrobacterium tumefaciens. This deletion involving the genome-length viral DNA did not occur when the binary plasmid was inside E. coli and when the binary plasmid was introduced into Agrobacterium by electroporation. Deletions occurred in both DNA A and DNA B partial dimers. A minimum of 500-nt continuity on either side of the nonanucleotide in the duplicated common region is required for deletion. A. tumefaciens cells in which deletion was complete, grew as larger colonies reflecting a growth advantage. The small, slow-growing colonies eventually lost the genome-length viral sequences after a few more cycles of growth. Partial dimers in binary plasmids pGA472 and pBin19 with RK2 replicon underwent deletion while those in pPZP with pVS1 replicon did not undergo deletion. Deletion was observed in A. tumefaciens strains C58, A136, A348 and A281 with C58 chromosome background, but not in Ach5 and T37. Interestingly, deletion did not occur in A. tumefaciens strain AGL1 with a recA mutation in C58 chromosome, implying a clear role for recombination in deletion. These observations suggest the choice of Agrobacterium strains and binary vectors for agroinoculation of geminiviruses.     

Comparative study on plant latex proteases and their involvement in hemostasis: a special emphasis on clot inducing and dissolving properties

In the present study we compared the clot inducing and dissolving properties of Calotropis gigantea R. Br. (Asclepiadaceae), Synadenium grantii Hook. f. (Euphorbiaceae) and Wrightia tinctoria R. Br. (Apocynaceae) latex extracts. All the three latex extracts hydrolyzed casein, fibrinogen and crude fibrin dose-dependently. The proteolytic action on fibrinogen subunity was in the order of Aalpha > Bbeta > gamma. All extracts exhibited procoagulant activity as assayed by re-calcification time. However, thrombin like activity is restricted to C. gigantea. In addition, the extracts dose-dependently hydrolyzed blood and plasma clots. Furthermore, the hydrolyzing pattern of fibrin in the plasma clot was substantiated by SDS-PAGE. The extracts hydrolyzed all the subunits (alpha polymer, alpha-chains, gamma-gamma dimer and beta-chain) of fibrin efficiently. Both fibrinogenolytic and fibrinolytic activity potency of the extracts were in the order of C. gigantea > S. grantii > W. tinctoria. Among the three latices, C. gigantea is toxic with a minimum hemorrhagic dose (MHD) of > 75 microg, whereas S. grantii and W. tinctoria latex extracts were non-toxic and did not induce any hemorrhagic effect at the tested dose (> 200 microg). The proteolytic activity of C. gigantea latex extract on different substrates was inhibited by IAA. On the other hand, the proteolytic activities of S. grantii and W. tinctoria were inhibited by PMSF. Thus, this study provides the basis for the probable action of plant latex proteases to stop bleeding and effect wound healing as exploited in folk medicine.