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30
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May , 2014 Volume No.: 34 Issue No.: 01
Contents
Message from GNIPST
Letter to the Editor
News Update
Health awareness
Disease Outbreak News
Forth Coming Events
Drugs Update
Campus News
Students Section
Editors Note
Archive



Vision
TO GROW AS A CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN THE FIELD OF
PHARMACEUTICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE
EDITOR: Soumya Bhattacharya
GURU NANAK INSTITUTE OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY

GNIPST Photo Gallery
For your comments/contributionOR
For Back-Issues,
mailto:gnipstbulletin@gmail.com

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MESSAGE FROM GNIPST
GNIPST BULLETIN is the official publication of Guru Nanak
Institute of Pharmaceutical Science & Technology. All the
members of GNIPST are proud to publish the 34
th
Volume of
GNIPST BULLETIN. Over the last three years this bulletin
updating readers with different scientific, cultural or sports
activities of this prestigious institute and promoting knowledge of
recent development in Pharmaceutical and Biological Sciences.
Students section is informing readers about some curious facts of
drug discovery, science, sports and other relevant fields. We look
forward to seeing your submission and welcome comments and
ideas you may have.


NEWS UPDATE
Learning early in life may help keep brain cells
alive (27
th
May, 2014)
Researchers report that the massive proliferation of new brain
cells most likely helps young animals leave the protectiveness of
their mothers and face dangers, challenges and opportunities of
adulthood. "It's not that learning makes more cells," "It's that the
process of learning keeps new cells alive that are already present at
the time of the learning experience." Since the process of
producing new brain cells on a cellular level is similar in animals,
including humans, ensuring that adolescent children learn at
optimal levels is critical.
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Physical activity helps maintain mobility in older
adults (27
th
May, 2014)
Results from a new University of Florida study shows daily
moderate physical activity may mean the difference between
seniors being able to keep up everyday activities or becoming
housebound. In fact, moderate physical activity helped aging
adults maintain their ability to walk at a rate 18 percent higher
than older adults who did not exercise.
'Virtual human' shows that stiff arteries can
explain cause of high blood pressure (20
th
May, 2014)
High blood pressure is highly age-related and affects more than 1
billion people worldwide. But doctors can't fully explain the cause
of 90 per cent of all cases. A computer model of a "virtual human"
suggests that stiff arteries alone are enough to cause high blood
pressure. High blood pressure is a major source of morbidity and
mortality, because it makes individuals more prone to heart
failure, stroke and kidney disease. When blood pressure travels
down the aorta from the heart, a special group of cells in the aortic
wall, called baroreceptors, sense the pressure in this stretch of the
aortic wall and send signals with this information to the nervous
system. If the blood pressure is too high, these cells send stronger
signals and the body is able to lower blood pressure. However, if
the aorta gets stiffer, as typically happens with age, this stretch of
the aorta is not as sensitive as it once was in measuring blood
pressure. Thus, although a person's blood pressure may have
increased, the baroreceptors do not signal as intensively as they
should and the body does not get the message to lower blood
pressure. With the stiffening of the wall that follows aging, these
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sensors become less able to send signals that reflect the actual
blood pressure. With the use of existing experimental data and
models of the aging human aorta, the researchers were able to
show quantitatively how the stiffening of the aorta with age
causes the baroreceptors to misinform the central nervous system
about blood pressure, thus preventing the system from
downregulating blood pressure. The model predictions were
compared with data from the Nord-Trndelag Health Study
(HUNT2), which is composed of information on the health history
of 74,000 people, including blood sample collection from 65,000
people.


Clinical trial reaffirms diet beverages play
positive role in weight loss (27
th
May, 2014)
A new study confirms that drinking diet beverages can help people
lose weight. "This study clearly demonstrates that diet beverages
can in fact help people lose weight, directly countering myths in
recent years that suggest the opposite effect -- weight gain." The
12-week clinical study of 303 participants is the first prospective,
randomized clinical trial to directly compare the effects of water
and diet beverages on weight loss within a behavioral weight loss
program. Conducted simultaneously by researchers at the
University of Colorado Anschutz Center for Health and Wellness
in Aurora and Temple University's Center for Obesity Research
and Education in Philadelphia, the study shows that subjects who
consumed diet beverages lost an average of 13 pounds -- 44 percent
more than the control group, which lost an average of 9 pounds.
More than half of the participants in the diet beverage group -- 64
percent -- lost at least five percent of their body weight, compared
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with only 43 percent of the control group. Losing just five percent
of body weight has been shown to significantly improve health,
including lowering the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure
and type 2 diabetes.

Sylvant is First FDA-Approved Drug for
Multicentric Castlemans Disease (April, 2014)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
has approved Janssen Biotechs Sylvant(siltuximab), an orphan
drug for patients with multicentric Castlemans disease (MCD).
MCD is a rare disorder resembling cancer of the lymph nodes
(lymphoma). Sylvant is an interleukin-6 (IL-6) antagonist that
blocks a protein to help slow abnormal growth of immune cells.
In clinical trials, a tumor response was seen in 34 percent of 79
participants treated with Sylvant and best supportive care (BSC),
but no participant treated with placebo and BSC had a tumor
response. Sylvant is used in patients who do not have HIV or
human herpes virus 8.
Pfizer Announces Approval of Over-the-Counter
Nexium 24HR (April, 2014)
The mega-blockbuster Nexium (esomeprazole magnesium) has
been approved for over-the-counter (OTC) use by the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration (FDA). The newly marketed OTC -
Nexium 24HR - is a proton pump inhibitor used for
gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), otherwise known
as heartburn. The prescription product Nexium is indicated for
treatment of erosive esophagitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease
(GERD) and for use in eradication of H. pylori to reduce the risk of
duodenal (intestinal) ulcer recurrence. Nexium reaped in over $6
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billion in 2013 and has long been ranked in the top 5 drugs by
sales.
GSKs Tanzeum Approved: A Once-Weekly
Injection for Type 2 Diabetes (April, 2014)
Tanzeum (albiglutide) is a newly approved glucagon-like peptide-
1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, a hormone that helps normalize blood
sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. Tanzeum is given by
subcutaneous (under the skin) injection, and, as with most
diabetes treatments, is to be used alongside diet and exercise. The
safety and effectiveness of Tanzeum was shown in eight clinical
trials involving over 2,000 participants with type 2 diabetes.
Tanzeum was studied alone and in use with other type 2 diabetes
treatments, including metformin, glimepiride, pioglitazone, and
insulin. Byetta and Victoza are other drugs in the same class as
Tanzeum.
Low-Power Laser May Trigger Tooth Repair (28
th
May,
2014)
Researchers report that a low-power laser can trigger stem cells in
the body to repair teeth in mice. The laser prompted dental stem
cells to form dentin, the hard material that is similar to bone and
provides most of a tooth's structure. This type of laser therapy may
also prove useful in other cases that require tissue regeneration,
such as wound healing and bone repair, according to the
researchers.

For detail mail to editor





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HEALTH AWARENESS
SECONDHAND SMOKE A SERIOUS PROBLEM
Secondhand smoke is a mixture of gases and fine particles that
includes:
Smoke from a burning tobacco product such as a cigarette, cigar,
or pipe
Smoke that has been exhaled or breathed out by the person or
people smoking
More than 7,000 chemicals, including hundreds that are toxic and
about 70 that can cause cancer.

Most exposure to secondhand smoke occurs in homes and
workplaces. Secondhand smoke exposure also continues to occur
in public places such as restaurants, bars, and casinos, as well as
multiunit housing and vehicles.
Eliminating smoking in indoor spaces is the only way to fully
protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke exposure.
Separating smokers from nonsmokers within the same air
space, cleaning the air, opening windows, and ventilating
buildings does not eliminate secondhand smoke exposure.
Since 1964, 2.5 million nonsmokers have died from exposure
to secondhand smoke.

Health effect on children

Ear infections
More frequent and severe asthma attacks
Respiratory symptoms (e.g., coughing, sneezing, shortness of
breath)
Respiratory infections (i.e., bronchitis, pneumonia)
A greater risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
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In U.S. children aged 18 months or younger, secondhand smoke
exposure is responsible for:
An estimated 150,000300,000 new cases of bronchitis and
pneumonia annually
Approximately 7,50015,000 hospitalizations annually
Health effect on adults
In adults who have never smoked, secondhand smoke can
cause cardiovascular disease and lung cancer.
Cardiovascular Disease
For nonsmokers, breathing secondhand smoke has immediate
harmful effects on the cardiovascular system that can increase the
risk for heart attack. People who already have heart disease are at
especially high risk.
Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke increase their
heart disease risk by
2530%.
It is estimated that secondhand smoke exposure caused nearly
34,000 heart disease deaths annually (during 20052009) among
adult nonsmokers in the United States.
Stroke is caused by exposure to secondhand smoke.

Cancer

Secondhand smoke (SHS) is classified as a known human
carcinogen (cancer-causing agent) by the US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), the US National Toxicology Program,
and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC a
branch of the World Health Organization).
Tobacco smoke is a mixture of gases and particles. It contains
more than 7,000 chemical compounds. More than 250 of these
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chemicals are known to be harmful, and at least 69 are known to
cause cancer.
SHS has been linked to lung cancer. There is also some evidence
suggesting it might be linked to lymphoma, leukemia, and brain
tumors in children, and cancers of the larynx (voice box), pharynx
(throat), nasal sinuses, brain, bladder, rectum, stomach, and breast
in adults.
IARC reported in 2009 that parents who smoked before and
during pregnancy were more likely to have a child with
hepatoblastoma. This rare liver cancer is thought to start while the
child is still in the uterus. Compared with non-smoking parents,
the risk was about twice as high if only one parent smoked, but
nearly 5 times higher when both parents smoked.
Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or
work increase their lung cancer risk by 2030%.
Secondhand smoke exposure causes an estimated more than 7,300
lung cancer deaths annually (for 20052009) among adult
nonsmokers in the United States.
Secondhand smoke and breast cancer
Whether SHS increases the risk of breast cancer is an issue thats
still being studied. Both mainstream and SHS have about 20
chemicals that, in high concentrations, cause breast cancer in
rodents. And we know that in humans, chemicals from tobacco
smoke reach breast tissue and can be found in breast milk.
One reason the link between SHS and breast cancer risk in human
studies is uncertain is because breast cancer risk has not clearly
been shown to be increased in active smokers. One possible
explanation for this is that tobacco smoke might have different
effects on breast cancer risk in smokers compared to those who
are exposed to SHS.
A report from the California Environmental Protection Agency in
2005 concluded that the evidence regarding SHS and breast cancer
is consistent with a causal association in younger women. This
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means SHS acts as if it could be a cause of breast cancer in these
women. The 2006 US Surgeon Generals report, The Health
Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke, sums it up by
saying that there is suggestive but not sufficient evidence of a
link.
Research is still being done, but women should be told that this
possible link to breast cancer is yet another reason to avoid being
around SHS.
There is no risk-free level of secondhand smoke exposure; even
brief exposure can be harmful to health.

Smoke-free laws can reduce the risk of heart disease and lung
cancer among nonsmokers.
When a nonsmoker breathes in secondhand smoke, the body
begins to metabolize or break down the nicotine that was in the
smoke. During this process, a nicotine byproduct called cotinine is
created. Exposure to nicotine and secondhand smoke can be
measured by testing saliva, urine, or blood for the presence of
cotinine.

Many in the United States Continue to be Exposed to
Secondhand Smoke
An estimated 88 million nonsmokers in the United States were
exposed to secondhand smoke in 20072008.
Children are at particular risk for exposure to secondhand smoke:
53.6% of young children (aged 311 years) were exposed to
secondhand smoke in 20072008.
While only 5.4% of adult nonsmokers in the United States lived
with someone who smoked inside their home, 18.2% of children
(aged 311 years) lived with someone who smoked inside their
home in 20072008.
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Among children who live in homes in which no one smokes inside,
those who live in multiunit housing have 45% higher cotinine
levels compared to those who live in detached homes.
Today about half of the children between ages 3 and 18 in the U.S.
are exposed to cigarette smoke regularly, either at home or in
places such as restaurants that still allow smoking.

(Based on CDC facts)



DISEASE OUTBREAK NEWS
Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9)
virus
(28
th
May, 2014)
On 26 May 2014, the National Health and Family Planning
Commission (NHFPC) of China notified WHO of 3 additional
laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian
influenza A(H7N9) virus. Read more


FORTHCOMING EVENTS
5
th
International Conference on Stem Cells and Cancer
,2014,JNU Convention Centre, New Delhi,India from 8-10
November.2014
World no tobacco day,2014 on 31
st
May,2014

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DRUGS UPDATES

FDA approves Dalvance to treat skin infections
(23
rd
May, 2014)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Dalvance
(dalbavancin), a new antibacterial drug used to treat adults with
skin infections. Dalvance is intended to treat acute bacterial skin
and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) caused by certain
susceptible bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus(including
methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant strains)
andStreptococcus pyogenes. The treatment is administered
intravenously. Read more

CAMPUS NEWS
Reminiscence, 2014(GNIPST Reunion) was held in College
campus on 2
nd
February,2014.
1
st
Annual Sports of GNIPST was held on 3
rd
February,2014 in
College campus ground.
An industrial tour and biodiversity tour was conducted in Sikkim
for B.Pharm and B.Sc. students under the supervision of Mr. Asis
Bala, Ms. Jeentara Begum and Ms. Moumita Chowdhury.
B.Pharm 3
rd
year won the GNIPST Football Champions trophy,
2013. B.Pharm 3
rd
year won the final match 1-0 against B.Pharm 2
nd

year. Deep Chakraborty was the only scorer of the final.
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Students of GNIPST organized pre puja celebration programme,
Saaranya on 7
th
October, 2013 in college Auditorium.
GNIPST organized a garment distribution programme on 28
th

September, 2013 at Dakshineswar Kali Temple and Adyapith,
Kolkata. On this remarkable event about hundred people have
received garments. More than hundred students and most of the
faculties participated on that day with lot of enthusiasm.
GNIPST celebrated World Heart Day (29
th
September) and
Pharmacists Day (25
th
September) on 25
th
and 26
th
September,
2013 in GNIPST Auditorium. A seminar on Violence against
woman and female foeticide was held on GNIPST Auditorium on
25
th
September organized by JABALA Action Research
Organization. On 26
th
September an intra-college Oral and Poster
presentation competition related to World Pharmacists day and
Heart day was held in GNIPST. Ms. Purbali Chakraborty of
B.Pharm 4
th
year won the first prize in Oral Presentation. The
winner of Poster presentation was the group of Ms. Utsa Sinha,
Mr. Koushik Saha and Mr. Niladri Banerjee (B.Pharm 4
th
year).
A good number of students have participated in both the
competition with their valuable views.




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STUDENTS SECTION
WHO CAN ANSWER FIRST????
Which consumer product was invented by
T.T.Pond in 1846?
Which FMCG product was introduced by Lever
Brothers in 1895?

Answer of Previous Issues Questions:
A) Lakm Cosmetics B) L'Oral

Identify the famous brothers



Answer of Previous Issues Image:
Chhanda Gayen

Congratulation
Subhodeep Sengupta(2013 Pass Out) for your right answer of the
previous issues students section questions
Send your thoughts/
Quiz/Puzzles/games/write-ups or any other
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contributions for Students Section& answers of
this Section at gnipstbulletin@gmail.com





EDITORS NOTE
I am proud to publish the 1
st
issue of 34
th
Volume of GNIPST
BULLETIN. GNIPST BULLETIN now connected globally
through facebook account GNIPST bulletin
I want to convey my thanks to all the GNIPST members and the
readers for their valuable comments, encouragement and supports.
I am thankful to Dr. Abhijit Sengupta, Director of GNIPST for
his valuable advice and encouragement. Special thanks to Dr.
Prerona Saha , Mr. Debabrata Ghosh Dastidar and Mrs.
Jeenatara Begum for their kind co-operation and technical
supports. An important part of the improvement of the bulletin is
the contribution of the readers. You are invited to send in your
write ups, notes, critiques or any kind of contribution for the
forthcoming special and regular issue.



ARCHIVE
Teachers day was celebrated on 5
th
September, 2013 by the
students of GNIPST in GNIPST Auditorium.
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Azalea (exotic flower ) , the fresher welcome programme for
newcomers of GNIPST in the session 2013-14 was held on 8
th

August in GNIPST Auditorium.
One day seminar cum teachers development programme for
school teachers on the theme of Recent Trends of Life Sciences
in Higher Education organized by GNIPST held on 29
th
June,
2013 at GNIPST auditorium. The programme was inaugurated by
Prof . Asit Guha, Director of JIS Group, Mr. U.S. Mukherjee, Dy
Director of JIS Group and Dr. Abhijit Sengupta, Director cum
Principal of GNIPST with lamp lighting. The programme started
with an opening song performed by the B.Pharm students of this
institute. The seminar consists of a series of lectures, video
presentations and poster session. On the pre lunch session 4
lectures were given by Dr. Lopamudra Dutta, Mr. Debabrata
Ghosh Dastidar, Ms. Swati Nandy and Ms. Tamalika Chakraborty
respectively. On their presentation the speakers enlighten the
recent development of Pharmacy, Genetics and Microbiology and
their correlation with Life Sciences. On the post lunch session, Ms.
Saini Setua and Ms. Sanchari Bhattacharjee explained the recent
development and career opportunities in Biotechnology and
Hospital Management. The programme was concluded with
valedictory session and certificate distribution.
About 50 Higher secondary school teachers from different
schools of Kolkata and North& South 24 Parganas district of
West Bengal participated in this programme. A good interactive
session between participants and speakers was observed in the
seminar. The seminar was a great success with the effort of
faculties, staffs and students of our Institute. It was a unique
discussion platform for school teachers and professional of the
emerging and newer branches of Life Science.

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The general body meeting of APTI, Bengal Branch has been
conducted at GNIPST on 15
th
June, 2012. The program started
with a nice presentation by Dr. Pulok Kr. Mukherjee, School of
Natural Products, JU on the skill to write a good manuscript for
publication in impact journals. It was followed by nearly two hour
long discussion among more than thirty participants on different
aspects of pharmacy education. Five nonmember participants
applied for membership on that very day.
GNIPST is now approved by AICTE and affiliated to WBUT for
conducting the two years post graduate course (M.Pharm) in
PHARMACOLOGY. The approved number of seat is 18.
The number of seats in B.Pharm. has been increased from 60 to
120.
AICTE has sanctioned a release of grant under Research
Promotion Scheme (RPS) during the financial year 2012-13to
GNIPST as per the details below:
a. Beneficiary Institution: Guru Nanak Institution of Pharmaceutical
Science & Technology.
b. Principal Investigator: Dr. LopamudraDutta.
c. Grant-in-aid sanctioned:Rs. 16,25000/- only
d. Approved duration: 3 years
e. Title of the project: Screening and identification of potential
medicinal plant of Purulia & Bankura districts of West Bengal
with respect to diseases such as diabetes, rheumatism, Jaundice,
hypertension and developing biotechnological tools for enhancing
bioactive molecules in these plants.
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