Anti-tremor action of C10Dichol, a peripheral acetylcholine synthesis inhibitor.

1 Anti-tremor action of decamethylene bis-(hydroxyethyl)-dimethylammonium bromide (C10Dichol), a peripheral acetylcholine synthesis inhibitor, was investigated. 2 C10Dichol inhibited tremor induced by oxotremorine, nicotine and physostigmine and afforded partial protection from physostigmine-induced mortality in mice. 3 In non-paralysing doses, C10Dichol antagonized the neuromuscular effects of oxotremorine, nicotine and physostigmine. 4 Prior administration of C10Dichol failed to prevent tremor and neuromuscular paralysis induced by harmine and arecoline. 5 In the absence of any antimuscarinic property of C10Dichol, its neuromuscular effects appeared to be casually related to its anti-tremor action. 6 This study reveals a possibility for the development of peripherally acting anti-Parkinson drugs.     

Polymerization of N-vinylearbazole with vanadium compounds. Part I. Polymerization with vanadium pentoxide and metal vanadates

Bulk polymerization of N-Vinylcarbazole (NVC) has been carried out using vanadium pentoxide as the contact catalyst. The rate of polymerizatlon has been found to depend upon catalyst to monomer ratio. A cationic mechanism has been suggested and the role of V₂O₅ surface in the polymerization has been tentatively analyzed. The π-acid characteristies of V^5⊕ ion is believed to be involved in initiating the polymerization. The effect of a number of additives on the polymerization rate has been studied, which endorses the cationic mechanism. The catalytic efficiency of a number of metal vanadates for the polymerization of NVC has also been studied. A fairly good correlation between the activity and electronegativity of the metallic moiety has been established.     

Prevalence and risk factors of asthma and wheeze in school-going children in Lucknow, North India

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of asthma and wheeze and factors associated with it in children aged 6-7 and 13-14 years. METHOD: School based, prospective survey using self/parental reporting of occurrence of asthma or wheeze on pre-designed questionnaire. RESULTS: Out of 112 schools, 17 and 15 schools were randomly selected for recruitment of subjects in age group 6-7 and 13-14 years, respectively. Prevalence of asthma and wheeze reported were 2.3% and 6.2%, respectively, in age group 6-7 years and 3.3% and 7.8%, respectively, in age group 13-14 years. On the basis of adjusted odds ratio, risk factors for wheeze or asthma were tertiary education of mother, antibiotic use in the first year of life, eating pasta or fast-food or meat once or more per week and exercise once or more/week while the protective factors were intake of vegetables once or more and fruits thrice or more per week. In univariate analysis, breastfeeding was also found to be protective. CONCLUSION: Promotion of rational use of antibiotic in first year of life, avoidance of fast food and promotion of breastfeeding and intake of fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of asthma/wheeze and should be encouraged.     

A case of chronic chest wall sinus

A 17-year-old Muslim female presented with a swelling over the chest wall underneath her left breast. The swelling was aspirated and the cytology report of the aspirated material showed it to be of pyogenic origin. An incision and drainage was done, after which the patient presented with a non-healing discharging sinus at the same site. The exact nature of the disease was known only after excising the sinus tract with the affected rib.     

A novel in situ gel for sustained drug delivery and targeting

The objective of this study was to develop a novel chitosan-glyceryl monooleate (GMO) in situ gel system for sustained drug delivery and targeting. The delivery system consisted of 3% (w/v) chitosan and 3% (w/v) GMO in 0.33M citric acid. In situ gel was formed at a biological pH. In vitro release studies were conducted in Sorensen's phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) and drugs were analyzed either by HPLC or spectrophotometry. Characterization of the gel included the effect of cross-linker, determination of diffusion coefficient and water uptake by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Mucoadhesive property of the gel was evaluated in vitro using an EZ-Tester. Incorporation of a cross-linker (glutaraldehyde) retarded the rate and extent of drug release. The in vitro release can further be sustained by replacing the free drug with drug-encapsulated microspheres. Drug release from the gel followed a matrix diffusion controlled mechanism. Inclusion of GMO enhanced the mucoadhesive property of chitosan by three- to sevenfold. This novel in situ gel system can be useful in the sustained delivery of drugs via oral as well as parenteral routes.     

High throughput mutation screening of the factor VIII gene (F8C) in hemophilia A: 37 novel mutations and genotype-phenotype correlation

Hemophilia A (HEMA) is an X-linked bleeding disorder caused by mutations in the factor VIII gene (F8C). Molecular genetic testing for the factor VIII gene is challenging due to its large size. Here we present results of high throughput mutation scanning based on Southern blot analysis and direct sequencing of all PCR amplified coding exons and the exon-intron boundaries of the factor VIII gene. The results of mutation analysis on 89 hemophiliac males showed presence of a disease-causing mutation in 80 individuals (90%, 95% CI of 82%-95%). Seven out of nine mutation-negative individuals were severe cases of hemophilia A with < 1% factor VIII protein in the blood. The correlation of phenotype with genotype as observed in this study was not absolute. This finding is supported by similar observations in the international database for hemophilia A mutations (HAMSTeRS). This issue raises the importance of genotypes at other loci that can act as modifiers for the phenotype. Thirty-four novel mutations and three novel substitutions for previously reported amino acid residues were identified in this series of 80 mutations. The mutations cover the full spectrum including rearrangements, deletions, frameshift, and point mutations. The novel missense mutations require careful evaluation. Prediction of a mutation as the disease-causing allele was made from the nature of the substitution and the degree of conservation of the mutated amino acid among species that have diverged in evolution. In some cases segregation analysis of the mutation with disease condition was performed when other family members were available.