Cost implication for management of psychiatric illnesses in
Pakistan: role of alternate, religious and formal practices.
Amin A. Muhammad Gadit
Abstract
The aim of the study is to compare the
cost of psychotropics with the alternate medications, the difference
in consultation rates among psychiatrists and alternate
practitioners and suggest away by which the psychiatric service as
well as psychotropics may become more affordable. This study
demonstrates the inclination of majority of the patient population
approaching alternate practitioners for the mental health care and
prefers alternate medications over the FDA approved psychotropics.
It is also evident the cost of alternate medications and
consultation charges by alternate practitioners is much lower as
compared to psychotropics and psychiatrists. The country needs an
effective strategy in order to address this problem.
Full Article
Comparison of Blastomyces dermatitidis Yeast Phase Lysate Antigens for
Their Use as Diagnostic Reagents in the Competitive Inhibition ELISA for
the Detection of Blastomycosis
Jack F. Shurley and Gene M. Scalarone
Abstract
Competitive binding inhibition enzyme linked immunosorbent assays
(ELISA) were used to detect Blastomyces dermatitidis antigens in urine
specimens from dogs with blastomycosis. Sera from rabbits previously
immunized with B. dermatitidis killed whole yeast cells were used as the
primary antibody as well as for positive controls in the competitive
ELISA. This study was
performed to evaluate six different B. dermatitidis yeast lysates for
their efficacy as reagents in
the
competitive ELISA. One hundred and seventy urine specimens were assayed
from dogs
residing within endemic regions of the United States. The level of
antigen detection ranged from
92.86 to 46.47% and indicates that one isolate may be a good candidate
as a reagent with the
Blastomyces dermatitidis
is a dimorphic fungus that invades the lungs via inhalation
of conidia. The acute pulmonary disease blastomycosis
results after a temperature-induced conversion to a yeast
form. Although much about the factors that contribute to
the pathogenicity of B. dermatitidis strains
remains unknown, the presence of the cell surface antigens
BAD1 and α-(1,3)-glucan have been implicated as possible
virulence factors in previous research. The purpose of this
study was to utilize monoclonal antibodies to detect BAD1
and α-(1,3)-glucan in yeast cell lysates produced from six
different B. dermatitidis strains using an indirect
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Each lysate’s ability to
bind anti-B. dermatitidis polyclonal rabbit serum was
also measured. The six B. dermatitidis isolates were
capable of binding all three antibody preparations and
exhibited mean residual absorbance values ranging from
1.301-1.802 for the detection of BAD1 and 0.031-0.199 for
the detection of α-(1,3)-glucan. Antigen detection
utilizing rabbit serum yielded mean residual absorbance
values ranging from 0.847-1.470. The data from this study
provide insight into the use of BAD1 and α-(1,3)-glucan
detection as diagnostic tools for establishing the presence
of B. dermatitidis
.
Full Article
Development of a
Classification Scheme using a Secondary and Tertiary Amino Acid Analysis
of Azoreductase Gene
K. J.
Abraham, G. H. John
Abstract
Azo dyes are metabolized to colorless aromatic amines by
azoreductases. Genes coding for the azoreductase enzymes
have been cloned and characterized in a number of bacteria.
Primary amino acid sequence analysis of several azoreductase
genes showed less identity, making classification difficult.
We have made the first attempt to classify azoreductase
genes based on secondary and tertiary structure. A web based
program Deep View/Swiss Pdb Viewer was used in this study to
predict secondary and tertiary structure based on its amino
acid sequence and detect structural similarities and
differences between species. Azoreductases from six
bacterial species were analyzed for secondary and tertiary
protein structures. It was determined that Enterococcus
faecalis was very distinct and different from the
others. The others showed very similar 3D images indicating
that these azoreductase enzymes belonged to the same family
Full
Article
DNA Footprinting: Hitherto Unaddressed
Problems
C. S. Delmonte
Abstract
Footprinting is the
process of identifying the specific sites on DNA to which a molecule,
usually a protein or group of proteins, is bound. The technique was
described at least as long ago as 1974
1 but it
remains central
to a very wide range of
study today. Recent research reports making use of footprinting describe
the passage of RNA polymerase in real time along DNA in nucleosomes
2 , the
binding sites of autoantibodies to double-stranded DNA 3 , the binding
of acomponent protein from
the RNA polymerase complex
4 , the
binding of a specific thyroid hormone receptor 5 ,specific
genetic interference by double-stranded RNA
6 , a study
of archaeal chromatin 7 , the binding of
sequence-specific
transcription factors
8,9 , the
destabilisation of a nucleosome position 10 , transitions in the
heterochromatin of plant
subtelomeres
11 ,
methylation-dependent chromatin fiber compaction 12 , the role of
histone H3 in the
transcription of chromatin
13 , the
interaction of a platinum anticancer drug with nucleosomal
DNA
14 , and the
attentuation of charge transport by nucleosome formation 15.From
the research protocols, the local winding periodicities of nucleosomal
DNA can best be determined usingdeoxyribonuclease 1 (DNAse
1) but not by micrococcal nuclease (MN), while the translational
position of nucleosomes along a specimen of DNA can best be determined
by MN but not by DNAse 1.The theory behind these particular uses and
modes of operation of MN and DNAse 1 has never been explained.Papers
report the cleavage patterns of naked DNA in solution which all show a
10bp periodicity corresponding to the pitch of the double helix It has
never been explained why such a periodicity should be observed at all
when the cylindrically symmetrical, random sequence, double helix
suspended in solution can be approached by a general endonuclease from
any side. A continuous series of cuts at each base pair might be
expected from a solution.Until
there is a clear understanding of how both the general endonucleases
cleave naked DNA in solution only every 10bp, why MN is preferred to
DNAse 1 for the identification of nucleosome position, and why DNAse 1
is preferred to MN for identifying rotational twist on a nucleosome
core, there is a risk that the understanding of the modus operandi of
more complex systems on DNA will be poorly understood.This paper
attempts to address these issues.
Full Article
Abstract
In
5-20% of patients with peptic ulcer disease, antibacterial agents
used to eradicate
Helicobacter pylori
from the
gut fail to eradicate the bacteria due to low concentrations of
antibacterial agents at the
residence of
H. pylori
in the gastric mucosa. The purpose of this study was to assess the
influence of
omeprazole, olive oil
and body position on the pharmacokinetics of amoxicillin and
metronidazole. In a randomized controlled animal model study,
amoxicillin (50-mg/kg) was administered orally to two groups of
rabbits (n=8 in each group) in which a group had previously received
2-mg/kg omeprazole and 10-ml/kg of olive oil orally, and restrained
on their left lateral position while the other group serving as
control received 10-ml/kg of water. Another two groups of rabbits
(n=8 in each group) were treated in a similar manner except that
each rabbit received metronidazole (30-mg/kg) instead of
amoxicillin.
The plasma levels of the
medicines were monitored over 12 hr and pharmacokinetic parameters
were then determined using noncompartment model. The Cmax
(μg/ml),
tmax
(hr), k (μg/hr),
t½ (hr), and AUC0-∝ (μg.hr/ml)
of amoxicillin were
6.67±4.82, 3.99±2.3,
1.37±0.42, 0.51±1.64 and 44.13±18.92, respectively while the values
for
metronidazole were 4.41±8.97, 4.01±2.64, 0.73±0.52, 0.94±1.32 and
28.65±24.62. Unlike metronidazole,
significant reduction in the mean Cmax
(P=0.004) and AUC0-∝ (P=0.018)
were observed in
the pharmacokinetic
profiles of amoxicillin following administration of olive oil and
omeprazole while lying on the left lateral position. It is concluded
that the administration of olive oil and omeprazole, while lying in
the left lateral position, reduces the absorption rate of both
amoxicillin and metronidazole in rabbits. The implication is that
patients lying on their left lateral position that are being treated
with omeprazole may not
eat meals containing high amount of olive oil as it can adversely
alter the pharmacokinetics of antibiotics and increase bacterial
resistance. Full
Article
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, Drug Metabolism and Untoward Health
Effects
Dennis K. Flaherty
Abstract
Adverse drug
reactions and therapeutic treatment failures are major problems. These
untoward health effects often occur because single nucleotide
polymorphisms (SNPs) affect the absorption and metabolism of drugs.
Although there has been significant progress in defining the effect of
SNPs on drug metabolism and treatment failures, there is less
information on SNPs and adverse drug reactions. To fully understand the
relationship between SNPs and untoward health effects there is a need
for more detailed information on overlapping and redundant enzyme
substrates, and polymorphisms in drug transporters or Phase I and II
metabolic enzymes.
Full Article
Black Swiss Mice as a New Animal Model for Mania: A Preliminary
Study
Katie M. Hiscock, Jessica A. Linde, Haim Einat
Abstract
The lack of
animal models for mania and bipolar disorder hinders research of
this devastating disorder. The need for new models in the field is
great and one possible approach for model development is to utilize
strain differences. In this context, the present study compares the
behavior of Black Swiss mice (BS) and C57BL/6 mice (C57). Studied
behaviors include performance in the black/white box, sweet solution
consumption and responses to low and high doses of amphetamine. This
study further tests the response of the two strains to the
prototypic mood stabilizer lithium. Results indicate that compared
with C57 mice, BS mice are risk takers, show increased reward
seeking behavior and have a stronger response to psychostimulants,
behaviors strongly associated with mania. Moreover, the BS mice were
less responsive to the treatment-like effects of lithium. It is
therefore suggested that the combined phenotype of BS mice that
emerges from the different tests may model manic-like behavior and
that pending further validation, the BS mice strain may be a
practical new model for mania.
Full Article
Characterization of the S-benzyldithiocarbazate effects on cell
proliferation and oncogene expression in human breast cancer cells
Pike-See Cheah, King-Hwa Ling, Karen Anne Crouse, Rozita Rosli
Abstract
A synthetic
dithiocarbazone derivative, namely S-benzyldithiocarbazate (SBDTC)
was synthesized in-house. Cytotoxic effects of this compound were
investigated using human breast cancer cell line, MCF-7. These
compounds are considered inhibitors of ribonucleotide reductase, an
essential enzyme for cellular replication and hence play a role in
cancer progression. SBDTC demonstrated cytotoxic and anti-proliferative
effects in the MCF-7 cell line at an EC50 of 6.62μg/ml whereas
tamoxifen showed an EC50 of 5.61μg/ml. In addition, the SBDTC also
induced apoptosis by DNA fragmentation at the EC50 value. Molecular
analysis revealed the
selective ability of SBDTC in suppressing the expression of
oncogenes C-FOS and C-ERBB-2 but not the BCL-2
or C-MYC in the MCF-7 cell line, hence shedding some light on
its mechanism of action at the molecular level. Based on these
results, SBDTC has demonstrated a potential as an anti-cancer
compound. However, further in vivo study should be carried
out to investigate the possible cytotoxic effects against normal
tissues.
Full Article
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