Evaluation of anti-tumor efficacy of injectable Centchroman in mice bearing Ehrlich ascites carcinoma.

Anti-tumor efficacy of Centchroman formulated as niosomes and gel implant was evaluated in Swiss albino mice bearing Ehrlich ascites carcinoma at 10 mg/kg body weight dose given subcutaneously. Median day of death, percentage increase in host life span and changes in body weight were studied. Centchroman significantly (P < 0.05) increased the median day of death both in free and formulated systems. Also, injectable formulations exhibited a significant (P < 0.05) increase in host life span compared to free drug, hence, enhanced anti-tumor efficacy against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma.     

Poverty and resistance to family planning

Nonacceptors of family planning in the area covered by the Government Maternity Hospital, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India, were analyzed. Among the 3901 eligible couples in the area, 3314 (85%) were nonacceptors. Among those with fewer than 2 children, more than 93% were nonacceptros; among those with 3, 84%; among those with 4 or 5 children, 71%. Even after 6 children 69% refused contraception. Most were poor, illiterate, and were either ignorant of any method or had doubts about the method. These people dream of 2 meals a day and live in unsanitary conditions. If a child is born, there is no guarantee it will live. In such situations, an extra child makes little difference in living conditions and after 3 or 4 years can actually make a contribution to the family. To get more nonacceptors to increase their interest in smaller families, basic changes must be made in economic conditions, education, health care, and old age insurance and pensions. Until a certain threshold level of social and economic development is reached, there will not be a sustained drop in the birthrate.     

Inhibition of motility of hamster spermatozoa by protein tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Genistein, tyrphostin and piceatannol, which are specific inhibitors of protein tyrosine kinase, were screened for their effects on the motility of intact and demembranated hamster spermatozoa. Of the three inhibitors only piceatannol inhibited the motility of intact spermatozoa. None of the inhibitors had any inhibitory effect on the reactivation of motility of demembranated hamster spermatozoa. Taken together these results indicated that a protein tyrosine kinase associated with the membrane of hamster spermatozoa was probably involved in sustenance of hamster sperm motility. Therefore in the present study a membrane-associated protein tyrosine kinase was purified from a detergent-soluble extract of plasma membranes of mature hamster spermatozoa. The purification involved cation exchange chromatography on fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) followed by affinity chromatography either on an antiphosphotyrosine antibody agarose or poly glu-tyr agarose column. The pure protein tyrosine kinase had an apparent molecular mass of 45 kDa. The enzyme was not inhibited by genistein or herbimycin but was inhibited by piceatannol. This is the first report on the purification of a sperm plasma membrane-associated protein tyrosine kinase, an enzyme which has also been implicated in hamster sperm motility.     

Prophylactic Amnioinfusion During Labour Complicated by Meconium

EDITORIAL COMMENT: This study of amnioinfusion during labour complicated by the known passage of meconium shows that the technique seems clinically worthwhile, even in a centre without facilities for electronic fetal heart monitoring or scalp blood pH and blood gas analysis. The series is small and more data from larger studies is required to test the conclusions reported by the authors.
Summary: A prospective study to see the safety and efficacy of transcervical amnioinfusion in labour complicated by meconium-stained amniotic fluid (MSAF) was carried out in a teaching hospital with limited resources. Fifty patients in labour with meconium-stained amniotic fluid and fulfilling the inclusion criteria (vertex presentation, gestational age of 36 weeks or more, no medical or obstetrical complications and normal fetal heart rate at time of inclusion) were taken for the study; 25 patients received amnioinfusion. The control group received only supportive therapy. Labour outcome was compared in the 2 groups. The incidence of Caesarean section was seen to be decreased but neonatal parameters showed no significant difference in the amnioinfusion group.     

Cellular and molecular mechanisms in the development of a cleft lip and/or cleft palate; insights from zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Human cleft lip and/or palate (CLP) are immediately recognizable congenital abnormalities of the face. Lip and palate develop from facial primordia through the coordinated activities of ectodermal epithelium and neural crest cells (NCCs) derived from ectomesenchyme tissue. Subtle changes in the regulatory mechanisms of NCC or ectodermal epithelial cells can result in CLP. Genetic and environmental contributions or a combination of both play a significant role in the progression of CLP. Model organisms provide us with a wealth of information in understanding the pathophysiology and genetic etiology of this complex disease. Small teleost, zebrafish (Danio rerio) is one of the popular model in craniofacial developmental biology. The short generation time and large number of optically transparent, easily manipulated embryos increase the value of zebrafish to identify novel candidate genes and gene regulatory networks underlying craniofacial development. In addition, it is widely used to identify the mechanisms of environmental teratogens and in therapeutic drug screening. Here, we discuss the value of zebrafish as a model to understand epithelial and NCC induced ectomesenchymal cell activities during early palate morphogenesis and robustness of the zebrafish in modern research on identifying the genetic and environmental etiological factors of CLP.     

Comparison of the flow characteristics of irrigants with standard and Max‐i‐Probe needles

The objectives of this study were to determine the direction and pattern of flow of irrigating solutions inside simulated root canals with different irrigation needles; and to determine whether different needle designs increase the likelihood of irrigating solution passing through the apical foramen. Two types of needles were compared: a standard needle with a bevel and an open end, and a needle with a side opening and closed rounded tip. Observations of irrigant flow within the canals indicated that the side‐venting needle can be dangerous if the needle gauge is small and it reaches the full length of the canal, since this allowed irrigants to flow into the periapical area. With the standard needle, the fluid did not go beyond the tip of the needle when minimal irrigating pressure was employed. As the size of canal increased, the fluid did not extrude beyond the tip of both needles. However, if the needles bound in the canals, then the fluid was forced away from the needle tip, and the pressure applied to the syringe was directly proportional to the distance the fluid flowed away from the needle tip. Both side‐venting and standard needles can be used for irrigation safely and effectively if a dynamic irrigation technique (moving the needle up and down inside the canals while irrigating) is employed.