tors [SSRIs], tricyclic antidepressants [TCAs]) have not been effective in reducing AMPH/MA use. CONCLUSIONS No pharmacotherapy yielded convincing results for the treatment of AMPH/MA dependence; mostly studies were underpowered and had low treatment completion rates. However, there were positive signals from several agents that warrant further investigation in larger scale studies; agonist therapies show promise. Common outcome measures should include change in use days. Future research must address the heterogeneity of AMPH/MA dependence (e.g. coexisting conditions, severity of disorder, differences between MA and AMPH dependence) and the role of psychosocial intervention.Matrixins play a major role in tissue regeneration and also in various patho-physiological processes. Discovery of matrix metallo proteins (MMPs) and their detailed structural and functional analysis would lead to the development of numerous potent synthetic inhibitors of matrixins to treat certain diseases. In the present investigation, a marine cephalopod- Octopus sp. collected from Cochin, in the south western Indian Ocean was used as animal model for purification of matrixins. The measurements, count, indices and other morphometric characters were noted down before assessing the presence of matrixins in the crude extract of Octopus samples. Purification of matrixins was carried out employing gel filtration chromatography and the purified matrixins was confirmed by gelatin zymogram. The purity of the protein was checked by both native and SDS-PAGE. The studies have provided clear indications of production of MMPs or matrixins with gelatinolytic activity in Octopus sp.BACKGROUND Moderately severe acute pancreatitis (MSAP) and severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) are associated with organ failure (OF), which can be lethal. AIMS This study determined the factors that predict the severity of AP at admission in elderly patients. METHODS In this retrospective study, the data from elderly patients (> 60 years of age) admitted within 72 h of onset of symptoms without OF were collected. These data at admission were analyzed and correlated with the severity of AP. To identify the factors associated with more serious AP (i.e. MSAP and SAP), patients were divided into mild acute pancreatitis (MAP) and MSAP + SAP groups. RESULTS A total of 198 patients [MAP group (n = 135) and MSAP + SAP group (n = 63)] were included. Biliary disease was the most common etiology.  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/estradiol-benzoate.html  Respiratory failure was the most common OF. Logistic regression analyses indicated that idiopathic etiology (odds ratio [OR] 3.029, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.017-9.022, p = 0.047), pre-existing pulmonary disease (OR 7.104, CI 1.750-28.84, p = 0.006), increased hematocrit level (OR 3.717, 95%CI 1.372-10.070, p = 0.010), serum calcium (OR 0.023, 95%CI 0.001-0.371, p = 0.008), serum glucose (OR 1.157, 95%CI 1.031-1.299, p = 0.013), arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) (OR 0.914, 95%CI 0.874-0.956, p  less then  0.001), and pleural effusion (OR 4.979, 95%CI 1.863-13.303, p = 0.001) were independent predictors of more serious AP. CONCLUSION This study found that idiopathic etiology, pre-existing pulmonary diseases, increased hematocrit level or pleural effusion, higher serum glucose, and lower serum calcium or PaO2 at the time of admission independently correlated with more serious AP in the elderly patients.The objective of the present study is to review current evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of probiotics for preterm infants in India. A systematic review of RCTs of probiotics for preterm infants in India was conducted using Cochrane methodology and PRISMA guidelines. Fixed effects model was used for meta-analysis. Nine RCTs (n = 1514) were included. Meta-analysis showed reduced risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) ≥ Stage II Risk ratio (RR) 0.36 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.20, 0.66], p = 0.0009, (9 RCTs), late onset sepsis [RR 0.56 (95% CI 0.45, 0.71), p  less then  0.00001, (7 RCTs)] and mortality [RR 0.62 (95% CI 0.41, 0.95, p = 0.03 (8 RCTs)] in the probiotic group. Probiotics also reduced the time to full feeds [Mean difference (MD) -4.09 d (95% CI -4.52, -3.65), p  less then  0.00001, 5 RCTs] and duration of hospital stay [Fixed effects model (FEM) MD -2.00 d (95% CI -2.46, -1.53), p  less then  0.00001, 6 RCTs]. Current evidence from RCTs supports probiotic supplementation for optimizing outcomes of preterm infants in India.BACKGROUND AND AIM In patients with liver disease, etiology and body mass index (BMI) affects controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) assessment using FibroScan. We aimed to assess the performance characteristics of CAP for hepatic steatosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) stratified into obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) and non-obese (BMI less then  30 kg/m2) subgroups. METHODS In this prospective study, 219 consecutive adult NAFLD patients, with an available FibroScan value (liver stiffness measurement-[LSM] and CAP) and liver biopsy, were included. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used for assessment of the CAP cut-off values predicting different stages of hepatic steatosis. RESULTS The mean ± standard deviation age of patients was 39.7 ± 10.5 years, 116 (53%) were males, and median (interquartile range) BMI was 31.8 (25.7-43.8) kg/m2. One hundred (45.7%) and 119 (54.3%) patients were non-obese and obese, respectively. The median values of CAP and LSM were significantly higher among obese patients as compared with the non-obese ones 333 (304-368) vs. 320 (296-345) dB/m, p = 0.002 and 8.3 (6.1-11.4) vs. 6.6 (5.7-10.3) kPa, p = 0.012, respectively. Among non-obese NAFLD, optimal CAP cut-off values for steatosis (S) ≥ S1, ≥ S2, and ≥ S3 were 275 dB/m, 319 dB/m, and 337 dB/m, respectively. The corresponding CAP values among obese patients were higher as 285 dB/m, 340 dB/m, and 355 dB/m, respectively. BMI independently predicted CAP on multivariate analysis. The discordance of 2-grades between CAP and biopsy measured steatosis was seen in 13% in non-obese and 19.3% in obese NAFLD. CAP overestimated steatosis more often than underestimating it, with a higher proportion in obese NAFLD. CONCLUSION In patients with NAFLD, interpretation of CAP requires consideration of BMI.