Primary cutaneous mucinous carcinoma of the scalp masquerading as a benign dermatological mass - A case report.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Primary cutaneous mucinous carcinoma (PCMC) is a rare low-grade malignant neoplasm derived from the sweat glands. Local recurrence of PCMC occurs frequently, but these lesions rarely metastasize. Due to the absence of classical demographic and clinical characteristics, PCMCs masquerade as sebaceous cyst, lipoma, pilomatrixoma, chalazion, or squamous cell carcinoma. This misdiagnosis frequently leads to incomplete surgical excision which necessitates further surgical therapy for a curative intent. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of PCMC in a 45-year-old woman which presented as a slow- growing and symptomless nodule in the scalp. After clinical evaluation, the patient had a typical surgical excision for a benign-looking lesion. Histological evaluation of the specimen confirmed a localized PCMC in the scalp with involved surgical margins. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: A thorough oncological assessment by PET-CT scan and radionuclide scintigraphy was performed. Later, a wide local excision using a gamma probe for intra-operative radionuclide localization of the tumor area and sentinel lymph nodes was done. CONCLUSION: The patient did not have any regional or distant metastases and remained stable at the time of reporting this case.

Stereoselective synthesis of alpinoid-C and its analogues and study of their cytotoxic activity against cancer cell lines.

A simple, highly efficient and stereoselective synthetic route has been developed for synthesis of alpinoid-C (1) and its analogues (2, 3 and 4) from commercially available starting materials by using Wittig olefination, Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation, Grubbs cross metathesis as key steps. All the compounds showed moderate anti-proliferative activity against human leukemia/carcinoma (U-937, THP-1, COLO-205 and HepG2) and mouse melanoma (B16-F10) cancer cell lines. Compounds 3 and 4 are found to be most potent with an IC(50) of 7.53 µM and 32.26 µM on THP-1, 11.12 µM and 7.21 µM on COLO-205 cell lines, respectively.

Iron deficiency anemia in pregnancy: intravenous versus oral route.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of intravenous iron with oral iron in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia of pregnancy. METHODS: A randomized experimental study was conducted at K. J. Somaiya Hospital involving 200 pregnant women with iron deficiency anemia. In the intravenous group iron dose was calculated from: Total iron dose required (mg) = 2.4 × weight kg × target hemoglobin - actual hemoglobin) g/dl + 500.   Target hemoglobin was set at 12 g/dl. In the oral group patients received 200 mg oral ferrous ascorbate daily. Hemoglobin and serum ferritin were reviewed at 2, 4, and 6 weeks. Paired and independent t test was applied. RESULTS: The change in hemoglobin and ferritin levels from baseline was significantly higher in the intravenous group than the oral group at each measurement (P = 0.000). CONCLUSION: Intravenous iron elevates hemoglobin and restores iron stores faster than oral iron, with no severe adverse reactions.

Stereoselective first total synthesis, confirmation of the absolute configuration and bioevaluation of botryolide-E.

A simple, first stereoselective total synthesis of botryolide-E has been described. The synthesis started from propylene oxide employing Jacobsen's hydrolytic kinetic resolution (HKR), selective epoxide opening, sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation, one pot acetonide deprotection and lactonization as key steps. Further, the synthesis confirms the absolute configuration of the natural product botryolide-E and we evaluated the biological behavior of natural product botryolide-E against a panel of bacteria and fungi. Botryolide-E exhibits significant potent activity against Staphylococcus aureus (MTCC 96) (6.25 µg/ml), good against Escherichia coli (MTCC 443) (12.5 µg/ml), Bacillus subtilis (MTCC 441) (25 µg/ml) and compound 1 exhibited good to moderate antifungal activity.

Stereoselective synthesis and biological evaluation of (R)-rugulactone, (6R)-((4R)-hydroxy-6-phenyl-hex-2-enyl)-5,6-dihydro-pyran-2-one and its 4S epimer.

A simple and highly efficient synthetic route has been developed for synthesis of (R)-rugulactone (1a), (6R)-((4R)-hydroxy-6-phenyl-hex-2-enyl)-5,6-dihydro-pyran-2-one (1b) and its 4S epimer 1c by employing proline-catalyzed alpha-aminooxylation, Sharpless epoxidation, Mitsunobu reaction as chirality introuducing steps. The antibacterial and antifungal activity of the compounds 1a, 1b and 1c were evaluated. 1a and 1b showed better antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeroginosa (MIC=12.5 microg/ml for 1a, 25 microg/ml for 1b) Klebsiella pneumonia (MIC=25 microg/ml for 1a). Compounds (1a, 1b, 1c) exhibited good to moderate antifungal activity.

Chromoblastomycosis masquerading as palmo-plantar psoriasis.

A 8-year-old boy presented with scaly plaques of both soles and left palm of 4 year duration. The plaques were well defined scaly, fissured and hyperkeratotic resembling palmo-plantar psoriasis. KOH preparation of the scrapings revealed round, brown, thickwalled bodies with planate division. Grey black, velvety folded colonies were seen in culutre on Sabouraud's dextrose agar. Lacto phenol cotton blue preparation revealed Fonsecaea pedrosoi as the cause of chromoblastomycosis.

Chiral Synthesis via Organoboranes. 47. Efficient Synthesis of Unsymmetrical Ketones and Enantiomerically Pure Spiroketals Using (+/-)-Isopinocampheyldichloroborane.

Readily prepared and stable (+/-)-isopinocampheyldichloroborane [(+/-)-IpcBCl(2)] was conveniently used for the stepwise hydroboration of two different alkenes using the in situ reduction-hydroboration protocol to give mixed trialkylboranes, IpcBR(1)R(2). Convenient elimination of alpha-pinene from these trialkylboranes by treatment with an aldehyde, RCHO, provided the borinate ester, R(1)R(2)BOCH(2)R. This intermediate was readily converted into the unsymmetrical ketones, R(1)COR(2), in high yields and purity, by an established method. This methodology was successfully applied to the synthesis of enantiomerically pure spiroketals using optically pure TBS ether protected homoallylic alcohols as the alkenes for stepwise hydroboration.