Total Phenolics,Tannins and Antioxidant Activity in Twenty Different Apple Cultivars Growing in West Himalaya,India

The present study evaluated phenolics and antioxidant activities in fully ripened fruits of 20 different apple cultivars e.g., Royal Delicious, Fanny, Gale Gala, Esopus Spitzenburg, King David, Winter Banana, Buckinghum, Super Chief, Breven, Red Fuji, Organ Spur, Tompking County, Red Gold, Golden Spur, Vance Delicious, Red Delicious, Macintosh, Rymer, Bhura Delicious, and Richa Red growing at different locations/elevations of Uttarakhand, West Himalaya, India. Total phenolics and tannins varied significantly among cultivars and the maximum content was recorded in Bhura Delicious (phenolics—3.77 mg GAE/g fw; tannins—16.47 mg TAE/g fw) as compared to others. Antioxidant activity using different in vitro assays showed highest activity in Bhura Delicious and lowest in Esopus Spitzenburg. A significant (p < 0.001) positive relationship was found between total phenolics and ABTS (r = 0.816), FRAP (r = 0.797) and DPPH (r = 0.862) assays. Phenolics and antioxidant activity exhibited significantly (p < 0.05) higher content in the peel as compared to whole fruit and flesh portion. Based on the results, it is concluded that Bhura Delicious is one of the promising sources of phenolics and antioxidant activity and, therefore, recommended for large scale plantation to harness its potential.

     

Endobronchial ultrasound

During flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FB), a solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) is sampled by means of transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA), brush, or transbronchial lung biopsy under fluoroscopy; and mediastinal lymph nodes are sampled using "blind" TBNA. Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) was developed to help visualize the lesion at the time of biopsy in order to improve the diagnostic yield. METHODS: There are two types of EBUS techniques: using a radial probe (RP) with a rotating transducer at the distal tip, which produces a 360 degrees image to the long axis of the bronchoscope; and using an EBUS bronchoscope with a linear transducer at its distal tip, producing a 50 degrees image parallel to its long axis. RESULTS: In biopsies of SPNs < 2 cm using an RP, EBUS demonstrates a higher diagnostic yield than conventional FB techniques. With mediastinal and hilar nodal stations, except for the subcarina, EBUS shows a higher yield over blind TBNA. The current procedural terminology code for EBUS is 31620, a "ZZZ" code submitted in addition to other performed procedures (31622-31638). In 2007, an estimate of physician Medicare reimbursement for EBUS is $70.49. Reimbursement is locality dependent and based on economic-exchange conversion factors. Incorporating an ultrasound image into the report substantiates the use of this technique. Limitations: The physician must learn ultrasound image interpretation and the EBUS technique, and be skilled in TBNA. Maintaining competency requires frequent performance of EBUS. CONCLUSION: EBUS-directed biopsy improves the yield over conventional FB for SPNs < 2 cm and for most mediastinal or hilar nodal stations. This reduces the need to conduct additional diagnostic procedures.     

Noncirrhotic portal fibrosis/idiopathic portal hypertension: APASL recommendations for diagnosis and treatment

The Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) Working Party on Portal Hypertension has developed consensus guidelines on the disease profile, diagnosis, and management of noncirrhotic portal fibrosis and idiopathic portal hypertension. The consensus statements, prepared and deliberated at length by the experts in this field, were presented at the annual meeting of the APASL at Kyoto in March 2007. This article includes the statements approved by the APASL along with brief backgrounds of various aspects of the disease.     

Successful Aortic Valve Replacement Surgery in a Patient with Severe Haemophilia a with Low Titre Inhibitor

Acute leukemia, secondary myelodysplasia and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria evolving from severe aplastic anemia (AA) following immunosuppressive therapy are well recognized. However, severe AA occurring after complete remission of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) has been documented only once in 2009. We report a case of 30-year-old male diagnosed with APL who achieved complete cytogenetic remission with all-trans retinoic acid based induction regimen and developed severe AA few months later during maintenance therapy.     

A novel site-II directed glycoprotein estimation ELISA to aid rabies vaccine manufacture for veterinary and human use

Although the World Health Organization recommends the use of in vitro techniques to qualify rabies vaccine lot release, very limited proposals have been made to arrive at a harmonized approach for wide scale usage. The present study proposed and evaluated the use of a novel avidin–biotin ELISA as an alternative to these in vivo tests in rabies vaccine manufacture. This assay utilized a neutralizing pan reactive monoclonal antibody (mAb) reactive with the conserved site-II of the natively folded rabies glycoprotein. Linear regression analysis of the in vitro glycoprotein estimates with the in vivo potency values, showed a good correlation (r² = 0.8) with veterinary vaccines, but a poor correlation (r² = 0.2) with human vaccines. However, we could qualitatively arrive at cut-off glycoprotein estimates from the ELISA, above which all the vaccines were declared to be protective by mouse challenge studies (>2.5 IU/dose).