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Lantana (Lantana camara Linn) is a noxious weed that grows in many tropical and subtropical parts of the world. Ingestion of lantana foliage by grazing animals causes cholestasis and hepatotoxicity. Both ruminants and nonruminant animals such as guinea pigs, rabbits, and female rats are susceptible to the hepatotoxic action of lantana toxins. The hepatotoxins are pentacyclic triterpenoids called lantadenes. Molecular structure of lantadenes has been determined. Green unripe fruits of the plant are toxic to humans. Lantana spp. exert allelopathic action on the neighboring vegetation. The allelochemicals have been identified as phenolics, with umbelliferone, methylcoumarin, and salicylic acid being the most phytotoxic. In addition to phenolics, a recent report indicates lantadene A and B as more potent allelochemicals. Management of lantana toxicosis in animals is achieved by drenching with activated charcoal and supportive therapy. Recent reports on the bilirubin clearance effect of Chinese herbal tea Yin Zhi Huang (decoction of the plant Yin Chin, Artemisia capillaries, and three other herbs) or its active ingredient 6,7-dimethylesculetin, in jaundice are very exciting and warrant investigations on its, possible, ameliorative effects in lantana intoxicated animals. Research is being conducted on new drug discovery based on natural products in different parts of the lantana plant.

Background:Breast carcinoma is the most common malignancy globally. Cytological evaluation in breast lesions is largely subjective. Gradual progression of cells from normal to invasive involves nuclear changes that need to be viewed objectively.Aims:This study aims to apply nuclear morphometry on cytological breast aspirates. It evaluates its utility in differentiating benign vs. malignant lesions and correlates it with cytologic grading in malignant cases.Setting and Design:Nuclear morphometric parameters of malignant and benign cases were compared. Parameters of malignant cases were correlated with cytologic grading.Materials and Methods:Cytology was used to categorize aspirates from breast lumps into malignant (53 cases) and benign (29 cases). One hundred cells per case in both groups were mapped on DEBEL Cytoscan and six geometrical and three textural parameters obtained were compared. In malignant cases, morphometry was correlated with Robinson’s cytologic grading, which was further correlated in tissue sections (45 cases) with modified Scarff-Bloom-Richardson histologic grading.Statistical Analysis:Students “t”-test was applied for comparison between benign and malignant cases. One-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni’s post hoc comparison was applied to compare the three cytologic grades. Results were considered significant when P<0.05.Results:Nuclear morphometry successfully differentiated between benign and malignant aspirates and correlated significantly with cytologic grades. Morphometry was especially useful in the diagnosis of atypical ductal hyperplasia and ductal carcinoma in situ. Useful parameters were mean nuclear area, long axis, short axis and total run length. Cytohistologic correlation was 83.3%, 88.9% and 88.9% for cytological grades 1, 2 and 3 respectively.Conclusions:Nuclear morphometry was thus a useful objective tool in the evaluation of breast masses.

We examined 974 samples (304 coriander, 212 mint, 258 carrot, and 200 radish) collected from vegetable vendors in two cities, Bareilly (n = 832) and Kanpur (n = 142), in northern India during the early summer season in 2004. Salmonella was isolated from 35 samples (9 coriander, 5 mint, 10 radish, and 11 carrot) while Escherichia coli was detected in 181 samples (67 coriander, 44 mint, 36 carrot, and 34 radish). None of the E. coli belonged to the O:157 serogroup. Five Salmonella isolates from samples collected at Kanpur (3 coriander and 2 mint) belonged to 4 different serovars of S. enterica ssp. enterica-S. Mons, S. Rottenest, S. Saintpaul, and S. Weltevreden. Thirty Salmonella isolates from samples collected at Bareilly (11 carrot, 10 radish, 6 coriander, and 3 mint) belonged to 7 serovars-S. Anatum, S. Bsilla, S. Newport, S. Saintpaul, S. Teko, S. Virchow, and S. Weltevreden. The majority (82.9%) of Salmonella isolates were multidrug resistant. One quarter of the isolates were resistant to >or=10 antibiotics. Based on antibiotic resistance patterns, 35 isolates could be classified into 23 resistotypes. None of the 35 isolates was resistant to streptomycin and ceftriaxone, while >80% were resistant to sulfamethoxazole, nalidixic acid, and kanamycin. Resistance to imipenem (>20%) and amikacin (>30%) was also common. The correlation between presence of Salmonella and E. coli on raw vegetables was not significant (p = 0.13).

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Background:Transthoracic fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is an established and safe technique for diagnosis of thoracic mass lesions. Computed tomography (CT) scan depicts clear anatomical details and provides access to any area of the body. It is, however, expensive and the needle is not passed in real time. Ultrasound is cheaper, radiation free, and allows real time monitoring. Its limitations are obscurement of lesions by aerated lung, smaller, deep seated, and cavitary lesions.Aims:This study aims to compare sensitivity and specificity of CT scan and ultrasonography (USG) in thoracic FNAC.Materials and Methods:The study was conducted on patients who presented with thoracic mass lesions in lungs, mediastinum, hilar lymph nodes, thoracic vertebrae, paraspinal soft tissue, and pleura. One hundred and twenty patients were studied. Only those cases in which sonographic guidance was not possible were taken up for CT guided FNAC. The lesions were assigned to benign and malignant categories and into specific diagnoses where possible. Biopsy correlation was available in 113 cases. Patients were lost to follow-up in five lung and two mediastinal masses.Statistical Analysis:Statistical tests applied included diagnostic tests for sensitivity and specificity.Results:An accuracy of 70.8% was found for image guided FNACs with a sensitivity and specificity of 92.2% and 100%, respectively. CT had a sensitivity of 93.2% and specificity of 100%. For USG guidance, the same was 91.3% and 100%, respectively.Conclusions:Precision of USG and CT scan is comparable for guidance in FNAC from thoracic mass lesions.

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