Volume 4, Issue 1, 2011

Sushil Lakra
 

AgNOR (Argyrophilic nuclear organizers regions) technique is simple, rapid, inexpensive and can be performed on formalin fixed, paraffin- embedded tissue including archival material. Therefore, unlike most available ‘proliferation’ techniques, it does not require special processing of tissue. When a set of observers and laboratory become familiar with the technique, counting of AgNOR should be included as one of the techniques in routine diagnosis along with Haematoxylin and Eosin staining in deciding the distinction between normal brain tissue and case of definite low grade astrocytoma. Therefore, if AgNOR is used in concert with clinical information and routine light microscopy, the AgNOR technique may prove adjunct in pathological distinction between normal brain tissue showing gliosis and low grade astrocytoma and distinction between benign and malignant tumors. The conclusion drawn from the present study is that the AgNOR technique can be used to distinguish between normal and benign lesions, benign and malignant lesions, and low versus high grade malignant lesions. Full Article

Easy data template, analysis and presentation tools for complex multiparametric animal cell culture studies. 

Maddaly Ravi, Sai Keerthana, Madhumitha Haridoss, Shwethaa Raghunathan, Sowmya Thanikachalam

Cell culture experiments are important for biological education and research. Standardization of optimal conditions to obtain 3 Dimensional aggregates of a cell line was performed which involved studying the effects of several parameters with various combinations of the variables. Data records, analysis and interpretations become voluminous and complex with increasing variables. To simplify and semi automate this process, an excel sheet and a single table format was designed to represent the results of various combinations of the variables studied. These formats can be effectively used for science education and research as a methodology by all working with cell cultures. Full Article

Insulin Stimulative and Anti-Oxidative Effects of Persea americana Fruit Extract on Streptozotocin Induced Hyperglycemic Rats.

Mahadeva Rao, Mainul Haque, Atif Amin Baig

The insulin stimulative and antioxidative effect of Persea americana fruits extract were evaluated in streptozotocin (STZ). The ethanolic extract of P.americana at a concentration of 300mg/kg body weight/rat/day was orally administered to STZ-induced hyperglycemic rats for a period of 30 days. The elevated levels of blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, blood urea, and serum creatinine in the hyperglycemic rats reverted back to near normal after treatment with the avocado fruit extract. Similarly significant decreases in the levels of plasma insulin and the hemoglobin were elevated to near normal after treatment with fruit extract, suggesting the insulin stimulative effect of P.americana fruit. Determination of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), hydroperoxides, and both enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant evidenced the antioxidative potential of the extract of avocado fruit, which in turn may be responsible for its hypoglycemic potential. Alterations observed in the activities of pathophysiological enzymes such as serum aspartate transaminase (AST), serum alanine transaminase (ALT), and serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in the serum of control and experimental groups of rats revealed the tissue protective nature of Persea americana fruits in comparison with glyclazide, the standard reference drug.

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