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The experiment was conducted to study the antioxidant potential among different hosts of Tinospora cordifolia. The results indicated that the among the different hosts of T. cordifolia, Ficus religiosa had highest phenol content (5.25 mg g-1), inhibition activity (52.05%) and reducing capability as compared to others. F. religiosa showed the highest antioxidant activity of 41.73 μM Fe (II) g-1. EC50 value for lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity was 0.1mg mL-1 for all the samples. EC50 value for DPPH radical scavenging activity was 0.6 mg mL-1 for F. religiosa. This results suggested that the active antioxidant compounds were higher in F. religiosa as compared to Roystonea regia. There was a direct correlation between the total polyphenols extracted and anti-oxidant activity. Among the various explants of F. religiosa, leaf explants were found to be superior for in vitro callus induction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chalcones and their synthetic analogues appear to have the same binding site of tubuline as phenstatin, combretastatin steganacin and podophylotoxin and are therefore capable to inhibit cancer cell proliferation. The phenyl rings with appropriate substitutions maintain a fixed distance between two centers of aryl rings. The two aromatic rings in these molecules are arranged like the two wings of a butterfly having certain dihedral angle between them, therefore a "butterfly model" is proposed an important structural feature responsible for their antitubulin activity. In this sequence a series of chalcones were synthesized and evaluated for in vitro cytotoxic activity against a panel of human cancer cell lines. In addition the synthetics reduced MIC of ciproloxacin up to four fold this indicates their bioavailability enhancing potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) or Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) include Autistic Disorder (commonest), Asperger's syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorders, Rett's syndrome and PDD-NOS (not otherwise specified). OBJECTIVE: Autism is an important cause of social disability and reported more often from the developed world than from the developing countries. The present study was aimed to establish the diagnosis of autism amongst children with derangements of language, communication and behavior; ascertain and treat the co-morbidities; identify underlying cause and create a sensitivity and awareness among various health care professionals. METHODS: Sixty-two of the seventy-five referred patients fulfilled the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder) criteria for autism. Evaluation included a detailed history, clinical examination, IQ assessment, Connor's scoring for hyperactivity and Fragile-X screening. Management of co-morbidities was done. A follow up of these patients was done. Parents' assessment of the child was also done. A registry for autistic children was established at the Department of Pediatrics with other major institutions of Delhi. RESULTS : The male:female ratio was 8:1 and missed diagnosis was common. Professional awareness is merited. Behavioral modification by early intervention and stimulation improved the core symptoms of autism. Important co-morbidities included mental retardation (95%), hyperactivity (53%) and seizures (10%) cases. Control of co-morbidities in these children facilitated child's periodic assessment and implementation of intervention programmes. In the registry initiated 62 patients were enrolled at AIIMS and 6 were identified from other hospitals. CONCLUSION: Autism does occur in Indian children too. Diagnosis is often missed. Capacity building among health professionals by a more structured teaching of developmental disabilities in the medical curriculum is required. The need to attend to co-morbidities and associated symptoms was clear. The initiation of the registry and beginning of networking was important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of antiretroviral therapies (ART) for treatment of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) has led to more favorable prognoses for infected individuals, including reduced HIV viral load, improved CD4 + T-cell recovery, and slower disease progression. However, ART-treated HIV+patients may have increased risk of adverse outcomes associated with chronic inflammation and immune activation. Molecules associated with chronic immune system activation and inflammatory cytokine production may be useful biomarkers of HIV pathogenesis and/or ART outcomes. We systematically identified MEDLINE-indexed articles published in the past decade investigating the association of several soluble (IL-6, CRP, MCP-1, IP-10, D-dimer, soluble CD14, and LPS) and cellular (CD28, CD38, HLA-DR, PD-1, caspase-3, IFNγ and IL-2 ELISpots) biomarkers with clinical outcomes in ART-treated HIV positive (HIV+) patients. Seventy publications were included, consisting mainly of observational studies of soluble biomarkers. One quartile elevations in baseline IL-6, CRP, and D-dimer were associated with increased risk of disease progression or death (ORs 1.8-2.4; p≤0.01) and all-cause mortality (ORs 4.1-5.3; p≤0.0001); these elevations were also associated with increased rates of IRIS (ORs 1.59-2.07; p≤0.001). Additionally, IL-6, CRP, and D-dimer levels were higher in patients who experienced a cardiovascular event than in controls (p≤0.001). The association between soluble biomarkers and quantitative assessments of HIV viral load has not been studied as thoroughly. However, several studies found an association between D-dimer and viral load. Research is lacking regarding the relationship between CD4 count and soluble biomarkers. Most studies evaluating cellular biomarkers examined their association with HIV viral load and CD4 count, but did not examine clinical outcomes. The most commonly studied cellular biomarkers were the T cell activation markers CD38 and HLA-DR. Studies suggest that CD4 and CD8 activation were increased in patients with higher HIV viral load, and that CD8 activation was higher in patients with low CD4 counts. In our review, we found that several soluble biomarkers were related to the risk of adverse clinical outcomes in ART-treated HIV+patients. More data, particularly regarding cell-associated biomarkers, is required to characterize their association with outcomes of interest, to describe causality, and to document their prognostic importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]