Introduction: 

Tuberculosis remains the number one killer infectious disease affecting adults in the developing countries. The risk of developing active TB is greatest in patients with altered host cellular immunity, including extremes of age, malnutrition, cancer, immunosuppressive therapy, HIV infection, end-stage renal disease, and diabetes. Tuberculosis is considered as one of the most important infectious disease. It results in change in serum levels of many micronutrients in the immune system and metabolism. The aim of this study to estimate and compare serum Magnesium level, serum Zinc level and serum A/G ratio between pulmonary tuberculosis patients and normal subjects.

Pain is a subjective experience; it is a direct response to an untoward event associated with injury and inflammation. Sydnone derivatives have been synthesized with biological interest and reported to possess a wide spectrum of biological and pharmacological activities like antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic, antitumor, antiarthritic and antioxidant properties. Rat tail flick method was adopted to study the analgesic activity of various test compounds. Aspirin as standard drug was used for comparison of analgesic activity. The animals were tested for the tail flick response at 30, 60 and 90 minutes after drug administration. A cut off time of 8 seconds was fixed to avoid injury to the animal. Mesoionic compound no’s 3, 6, 8 and 9 were evaluated for analgesic activity. The percentage protection for mesoionic test compound no’s 3, 6, 8 and 9 were 50, 0, 0 & 33.33 % in comparison to 83.33 % in aspirin group. In addition these mesoionic test compounds were also evaluated for ulcerogenic potential. Mesoionic test compound no’s 8 and 9 showed far lesser gastric damage compared to standard drug phenylbutazone. 

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an Auto immune disease and multigenic disease in which organs and cells undergo damage mediated by tissue-binding autoantibodies and immune complexes. [1] 90% of patients are women of child bearing years.  Prevalence of SLE is 4250/100,000 have been reported with female predominance varying from 4:1 before puberty to 8:1 after puberty. Most common clinical manifestations are systemic (95%): fatigue, fever, malaise, weight loss and musculoskeletal features (95%) and cutaneous manifestations - photosensitivity and rash (70 - 80%) and less common clinical manifestations are renal (30 - 40%), occular (15%), Thrombosis (15%). The diagnosis of SLE is typically based on the revised (1997) criteria of American College of Rheumatic Association (ACR). [2] Anti dsDNA antibodies are highly specific for SLE but they are present only in 70% of cases. [3] Manson et al. found high avidity anti dsDNA antibodies in only 13 out of their 16 patients and recommended antinucleosome antibodies to further increase diagnostic specificity. [4] Min et al. in a prospective study of 129 patients with SLE found little or no anti dsDNA reactivity in 25 cases during the course of their disease.  Among these antinucleosome antibodies were present in 15 patients, 8 patients with anti dsDNA negative SLE had renal disease and all these cases had antinucleosome antibodies.[5]  We report a rare case of Renal involvement in SLE with absence of rash.

Background: 

Background: 

Objectives: 

Introduction: 

Background: 

Critically ill newborns are at greater risk of developing ARF. Non-oliguric renal failure is becoming increasingly recognized in newborns. Acute renal failure is best prevented; hitherto, early recognition and appropriate treatment could be life saving in some instances. The present study was carried out to determine the incidence, clinical features, etiology and outcome of oliguric and non-oliguric renal failure in sick newborns admitted in neonatal unit, pediatric hospital, Bikaner. Consecutive 100 hospital born & 100 out born sick newborns admitted in pediatric neonatal unit, S. P. Medical College, Bikaner were studied. Incidence of ARF was 17.5% in hospitalized sick newborns. Incidence of functional Renal Failure was 37.14%, while 62.86% cases were of Intrinsic Renal Failure. Incidence of non-oliguric renal failure (54.55%) was more than oliguric renal failure (45.45%). Mean urine output in oliguric newborn was 0.60014 ml/kg/hr while in non oliguric was 1.920.63 ml/kg/hr (p<0.01). Non oliguric ARF cases had lower mean serum urea level (103.77 58.25) as compared to oliguric ARF (146.9583.23)(p<0.01). Other renal indices were comparable in both oliguric non oliguric groups. The case fatality ratio was similar in non oliguric ARF (25%) as compared to oliguric (50%). Mortality was higher in preterm, LBW babies, advanced age at the time of diagnosis, outborn and intrinsic renal failure cases. Neonatal septicemia was leading cause of mortality (47.62%) followed by NEC, shock, RDS/pneumonia and perinatal asphyxia. An obvious implication of our study is that the habit of monitoring only urine volume as an index of renal function may be seriously misleading.  

This is an attempt to evaluate the bioavailability of β-sitosterol in rat plasma using Highperformance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The developed HPLC with ultraviolet detection has been applied to predict the pharmacokinetic parameters of β-sitosterol after oral administration at a dose of 20 mg / kg bw to male albino Wistar rats (n=6), blood samples were collected at different time intervals (0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 and 48 h). Separation was achieved on Eclipse XDB-C18 column (200 x 4.6 mm) using methanol: acetonitrile (30 : 70, v/v) as a mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.0 ml / min and data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). From the calibration curve, the amount of β-sitosterol was calculated. The retention time of β-sitosterol in plasma sample was 2.95. The oral administration of β-sitosterol at a dose of 20 mg/ kg bw produced significantly different pharmacokinetic parameters in Tmax, Cmax, halflife (t1/2), area under curve (AUC) and elimination rate constant (P<0.05). The pharmacokinetic study of plant sterols could improve the ability to illustrate their bioavailability, understand the mechanism of drug action and help to promote the drug development phase. 

Ribbonfish, Lepturacanthus savala is one of the important fish caught off the Konkan coast of Maharashtra, India. The reproductive biology of this fish was studied from February 2012 to March 2013. The study showed that L. savala exhibited two spawning peaks annually along the Ratnagiri coast from March to May and October to December. GSI showed wide variations between sexes and it was higher for female throughout the sampling period. Higher GSI for females during March (3.7448) and November (3.9850) and for males, during April (1.3277) and November (1.4590), also confirmed the two spawning peaks. The overall male: female ratio in the catches was found to be 1:1.3. There was an overall predominance of females in all the months during the present study. The fecundity of L. savala ranged from 1,421 to 25,535 eggs with an average of 12757.68 eggs and the fecundity increased with increasing length. 

Chitosan (CS) was prepared from crab shells using the same chemical process as described for the other crustacean species, with minor adjustments in the treatment conditions. The influence of modifications of the CS production process on the physiochemical and functional properties of the CS obtained was examined. For instance, changing the sequence of DC for the production of crab chitosan affected its properties. DCMPA resulted in an increase in yield (53%) and lower DD (23.63%). Though out the study, DMCPA treatment showed no changes in physicochemical and functional properties were noticed. DMPCA resulted in an increase in solubility (87.21%) and emulsion capacity (10.27%). Compared to shrimp CS (selected as an example of CS from a different crustacean source) .The physicochemical and functional properties of the prepared crab CSs were enhanced, compared to control and commercial samples, by varying the processing step sequence. 

Poly-N-Vinyl Pyrrolidone (PVP) with molecular formula (C6H9NO) x, of molecular weight 40,000 is a water soluble polymer, is a highly biocompatible polyactamide homopolymer. PVP is taken as an important component is firstly converted into it oxime derivative. PVP is treated with hydroxylamine hydrochloride (NH2OH.HCl) in alkaline medium to facilitate smooth reaction. Spectroscopic characterization of the PVP-Oxime molecule is carried by Fourier Transmission IR Spectra, 1H NMR Spectra, UV-VIS Spectrophotometer. The IR vibration frequencies of PVPOxime show the presence of side chains as poly vinyl chain. 1H NMR Spectra infers the presence of oxime group in the molecule. At 0.001% concentration of PVP-Oxime absorbance of UV-Vis spectra is studied. Physico-chemical characterization of the PVP-Oxime molecule is studied by sophisticated Analytical instrument Survismeter. It includes Viscosity, Surface tension, Friccohesity, interaction between the molecules, volumetric interaction in bulk and in thin films. The 0.001%, 0.0005%, 0.00025%, 0.000125%, 0.0000625% samples of different concentration of PVP-Oxime in aqueous media are studied for adhesive, cohesive, frictional forces, Wetting and De-wetting effects. The supramolecule can be extensively applied as an adsorbent surfaces for many bio-physicochemical phenomena. The surface morphology of the Poly-N-Vinyl Pyrrolidone and its Oxime molecules are studied by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) techniques. The porosity and the nanostructure surface properties of the molecule can be studied. Thus the  physico-chemical and structural Characterization of the PVP and PVP-Oxime nano particles reveals us the Physical, Chemical and biological activities of the molecule making it more applicable in broad areas of medicinal chemistry, Bio-physical Engineering, Drug chemistry as nano bio-chips, biosensors, drug loading and drug delivery systems, etc.

This paper is concerned on implementation of Single Phase Matrix Converter (SPMC) as a direct AC- AC converter subjected to passive load conditions. In this paper, the switching spikes that could develop due to the presence of inductive load can be eliminated by providing a current path. The output voltage is synthesized using well-known sinusoidal pulse width modulation (SPWM) technique. The SPMC circuit requires four bidirectional switches which are capable of blocking both forward and reverse voltage, conducting current in both the directions. The feasibility of proposed topology is verified by using MATLAB SIMULINK and the results of the study are presented. 

Cooch Behar district is a land of many perennial rivers. According to the Kochbihar Royal history „Baniadaha‟ river is a distributary of river Torsa and this channel was the navigational route between Bhetaguri and Bangladesh. But at present, like all other rivers of foothills of North Bengal, it is in critical stage of decay. On the basis of field investigation it has been found that the consequent decay of the channel is due mainly to unscientific discharge of domestic waste, construction of unauthorized culverts and bridges across the river, damping of garbage by the encroachers, rapid sedimentation at the off-take point and the embankments construction activities have finally tolled death knell of the „Baniadaha‟. It ultimately turned into a paleo channel for the south-eastern part of Cooch Behar district. At many places the course has totally dried up. The decay of Baniadaha is now considered to be the main cause for water logging and various types of water borne diseases in the surrounding area of this river. The waterway is already gasping for life with the continuous interruption of human beings causing almost total degeneration of the channel.  The present study endeavors to examine the different causes and consequences of the decay of the Baniadaha channel from its off-take at Boro Atharokotha (26⁰18‟39.08” N, 89⁰ 25‟22.77” E) from the parent river Torsa to confluence at the Dharla River in Bangladesh (25⁰56‟11.44” N, 89⁰31‟49.77” E) and suggests suitable remedial measures for its revival.

Morphometric and meristic characters of Leiognathus splendens off Ratnagiri coast have been studied and the relationships of morphometric characters with standard length were  established.  The  fishes  ranged  between 6.1  to  12.5  cm. in  Total  length  (TL.) The morphometric equations  for  the  samples  collected  along  the Ratnagiri coast were FL = 0.4479 + 0.8354 TL, SL = 0.148767 + 0.765447 TL, UO = 0.2709 + 0.0579 TL, UG’= -0.0538 + 0.2562 TL, OO’= 0.2041 + 0.0767 TL, Eg = 0.1642 + 0.0337 TL, DD= 0.4677 + 0.4103 TL, Ph= 0.1559 + 0.1622 TL, Vh= 0.2566 + 0.0828 TL, AA = 0.2566 + 0.0828 TL, UD = 0.1082 + 0.3757 TL, UPh = -0. 0456 + 0.2691 TL, UVh = 0.0179 + 0.2976 TL, UA = -0.3444 + 0.4626 TL, h = 0.3595 + 0.3958TL, Ch = 0.6506 + 0.1656 TL, Dh = 0.1469 + 0.1600 TL, Ah= 0.4778 + 0.1015TL. In the present study the various morphometric ratios of the fishes were studied and ratios are observed such as, The Fork  length  is 113.68-120 times in standard length, Snout length 11.5713.33 times in standard length, Orbital diameter 10.52-11.11 times in standard length, Gretest pupil diameter is 6.31-8.88 in standard length, Head length is 34.0-37.77 in standard length, Dorsal fin base 57.89-62 in standard length, Ventral fin length is 13.33 -14.73 times in standard length, Anal fin base is 47.36-48.88 times in standard length, Pre dorsal length is 42.10-44.44 times in standard length, Pre pelvic length is 37.77-40 times in standard length, Pre anal length is 46.66-54.73 times in standard length, Pre pectoral length is 35.55-35.78 times in standard length, Dorsal height is 22.10-24.44 times in standard length, Anal height is 21.05-22.22 times in standard length, Body depth is 55.55-56.84 times in standard length, Pectoral fin length is 26.3126.66 times in standard length and Caudal fin length is 31.57-33.33 times in standard length. The meristic characters such as number of dorsal fin spine varied from 8,16 Anal fin vary from 3, 14. gill rakers are of lower limb 18 to 24, and upper limb 5 to 7 in numbers. Pyloric cacae is measured about 30 to 40 in numbers, ribs are 7 in numbers, scales on the lateral line is 45-65 in numbers, vertebrae 10+14=24 in numbers.