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The study was conducted at Paithan taluka of Aurangabad district during October 2012-September 2013 to identify existing bee flora and to determine honey flow and dearth period to develop the floral calendar. The flowering plants were visited and observed for the presence of honey bees and their foraging activities. Plants were reported as bee foraging species when at least three honey bees had visited the flowers within the period of 10 minutes. The result revealed that 63 plant species were useful to honeybees as source of food, out of which 41 were wild and 22 were agro-horticultural plants. The identified flora was further grouped into nectar, pollen and both nectar and pollen supplying plants. Out of 41 wild bee plant species, 17 were nectar producing, 4 were pollen producing and 20 were both nectar and pollen producing. Results also revealed that out of 22 agriculture bee plant species, 6 were nectar producing, 5 were pollen producing and 11 were both nectar and pollen producing. Mid-October to mid-December was identified as honey flow period of the year, having number of flowering plants. Mid-May to mid-August was the critical dearth period with few flowering plants. Based on the availability of flora, major characteristics of these plant species, utility status and flowering duration, the bee floral calendar was developed for Paithan taluka of Aurangabad district. The result indicated that the area has rich bee flora and is suitable for commercial bee keeping. Paithan taluka has four honey bee species, viz., Apis dorsata, A. cerana indica, A.florea and A. mellifera. Among these, A. florea and A. dorsata were dominant bee species, whereas A. mellifera was introduced species and only few colonies of A. cerana indica were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laparoscopic surgery is a recent advance in the field of gynecological surgery. There are innumerable reports in literature on its advantages and disadvantages. However, problems faced by the surgical pathologist during grossing and histopathological reporting of these morcellated specimens have never been discussed before. We present our experience and the difficulties faced by a gynecologic pathologist (first author) and try to provide some clues for their solution. Materials and Methods: Sample size was 153 consecutive laparoscopic specimens, which varied from in toto uterus with cervix, fibroid or ovarian cyst to morcellated specimens. 153 non-laparoscopic gynecologic specimens constituted controls; 34.0% were ovarian cystectomies and remaining 66.0% were hysterectomies, myomectomies and salpingectomies, of which 36.6% were morcellated, rest were in toto. Result: Contents were not seen in majority of the ovarian cystectomies. Many more sections were taken in morcellated specimens, as compared to controls, for identification of endometrium, endocervix and ectocervix. Even then, in occasional cases identification was not possible. Congested bits in morcellated specimens interpreted as endometrium on grossing turned out to be parametrial tissue. Ectocervix could be identified as soft tissue bits covered by whitish membrane. Identification of transformation zone of the cervix was not possible in any of the morcellated hysterectomy specimens. Conclusion: The advantage of laparoscopic gynecological surgery to the patient need not prove to be so for surgical pathologist. The present study does not discourage gynecologists from performing laparoscopic surgeries but wishes to highlight the surgical pathologist′s problems and limitations.

Cerebellar disorders associated with HIV infection are typically the result of discrete cerebellar involvement resulting from opportunistic infections like toxoplasmosis and JC virus or CNS lymphoma. Isolated cerebellar degeneration in an HIV patient is not so common. It can be result of primary HIV related degeneration or due to a novel form of JC virus infection, which selectively affects granular cell layer of cerebellum. This new entity has been named as JC virus granule cell neuronopathy. We present two cases of pancerebellar syndrome in HIV infected patients. The first patient presented with asymmetric onset progressive pan cerebellar syndrome, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed mild cerebellar atrophy and T2 weighted hyperintensities in cerebellar white matter suggestive of progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy (PML). The second patient had sub-acute onset rapidly progressive pan- cerebellar syndrome with slow saccades. MRI demonstrated isolated cerebellar atrophy without any white matter changes. The CD4 count was 225/cmm, genetic workup for SCA 2 was negative and no other etiology was found. We propose isolated cerebellar degeneration in HIV infected patients is due to either HIV per'se or a of JC virus infection, which is distinct from PML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a rare autoimmune disorder in a physician's practice, commonly presenting in young females. It is rare for SLE to present at a late age. Though SLE is idiopathic, sometimes it can present as an adverse reaction to drugs. Quite a few drugs are implicated in this process. However, there are no reports of levetiracetam causing SLE. Here, we present a case of 62-year-old female presenting with SLE after consumption of levetiracetam for 1 year for her epilepsy. Erythematosus rash was her main symptom. This was associated with a strong positivity of antinuclear antibody. The symptoms remitted completely after the discontinuation of levetiracetam, suggesting them to be because of drug-induced lupus (DIL). DIL differs from SLE in being mild, affecting atypical age groups and resolving completely on withdrawal of the drug., Competing Interests: No conflict of interests declared

Background: Nearly one-third of patients don't achieve seizure control with existing antiepileptic drugs. Brivaracetam (BRV) is a new member of the racetam class of drug, designed to selectively target SV2A, with binding affinity 15- to 30-fold greater than that of levetiracetam., Objective: This pooled analysis reports efficacy and tolerability data of adjunct BRV (50, 100, and 200 mg/day) compared with placebo in Indian patients with uncontrolled focal epilepsy., Methods: Data of 104 patients (aged 16-80 years) from 2 studies (N01252 and N01358) were pooled for this analysis. The studies comprised an 8-week prospective baseline period, and a 12-week treatment period. The study endpoints included median percent reduction from baseline in focal seizure frequency/28-days, ≥50% responder rate, and seizure freedom (all seizure types). The safety analysis included treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs)., Results: The efficacy population comprised 101 patients. In the Indian sub-group population, median percent reduction from baseline in focal seizure frequency/28-days was greater in the BRV dose groups: 39.7% (p = 0.00868), 46.8% (p = 0.00180) and 48.2% (p = 0.05224), for BRV 50, 100, 200 mg/day, respectively, compared with 20.6% for placebo. Responder rates (≥50%) were 38.1%, 45.7%, and 45.5% for BRV 50, 100, and 200 mg/day, respectively, compared with 11.7% for placebo. Complete seizure freedom was reported by 4.8% (1/21) and 2.9% (1/35) of patients on BRV50 and 100 mg/day, respectively, and none out of the 11 and 34 patients on BRV200 mg/day and placebo, respectively. In the safety population (n = 104), most commonly reported TEAEs (reported by ≥5% of patients taking brivaracetam) were headache and cough; most TEAEs were mild or moderate in intensity., Conclusion: This pooled analysis has provided evidence that adjunct brivaracetam, was effective and well-tolerated in Indian patients with uncontrolled focal epilepsy., Competing Interests: None