High-throughput diagnostic markers for foliar fungal disease resistance and high oleic acid content in groundnut.

BACKGROUND: Foliar diseases namely late leaf spot (LLS) and leaf rust (LR) reduce yield and deteriorate fodder quality in groundnut. Also the high oleic acid content has emerged as one of the most important traits for industries and consumers due to its increased shelf life and health benefits. RESULTS: Genetic mapping combined with pooled sequencing approaches identified candidate resistance genes (LLSR1 and LLSR2 for LLS and LR1 for LR) for both foliar fungal diseases. The LLS-A02 locus housed LLSR1 gene for LLS resistance, while, LLS-A03 housed LLSR2 and LR1 genes for LLS and LR resistance, respectively. A total of 49 KASPs markers were developed from the genomic regions of important disease resistance genes, such as NBS-LRR, purple acid phosphatase, pentatricopeptide repeat-containing protein, and serine/threonine-protein phosphatase. Among the 49 KASP markers, 41 KASPs were validated successfully on a validation panel of contrasting germplasm and breeding lines. Of the 41 validated KASPs, 39 KASPs were designed for rust and LLS resistance, while two KASPs were developed using fatty acid desaturase (FAD) genes to control high oleic acid levels. These validated KASP markers have been extensively used by various groundnut breeding programs across the world which led to development of thousands of advanced breeding lines and few of them also released for commercial cultivation. CONCLUSION: In this study, high-throughput and cost-effective KASP assays were developed, validated and successfully deployed to improve the resistance against foliar fungal diseases and oleic acid in groundnut. So far deployment of allele-specific and KASP diagnostic markers facilitated development and release of two rust- and LLS-resistant varieties and five high-oleic acid groundnut varieties in India. These validated markers provide opportunities for routine deployment in groundnut breeding programs.

Immunohistochemical analysis of chronic and recurrent dermatophytosis.

BACKGROUND: Dermatophytosis has assumed epidemic proportions with rising resistance, recalcitrance and recurrence, especially in tropical regions. While various factors contribute to high prevalence worldwide, yet little is known about the interactions between host defence mechanisms and dermatophytes, particularly in chronic and recalcitrant dermatophytosis. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to compare the population of various immune cells in specimens of chronic recurrent dermatophytosis and those with acute superficial dermatophytosis. METHODS: We investigated the density of various immune cells-Langerhans cells (CD1a+), macrophages (CD68+), dermal dendrocytes (Factor XIIIa+) in the skin of chronic dermatophytosis patients and those with successfully resolved lesions (controls). RESULTS: Langerhans cells were significantly decreased in the epidermis of patients, both in affected and unaffected areas in comparison with controls. In the dermis, however, no differences in the density of immune cells (macrophages and fibroblasts) were observed. LIMITATIONS: The limited sample size and immune cells evaluated could be expanded further in future research. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the decreased number of Langerhans cells could be a potential risk factor for the development of chronic and recurrent dermatophytosis.

Clinico-mycological validation of dermatophytosis severity score and its correlation with patient-reported outcome measures.

BACKGROUND: Dermatophytosis impacts a significant portion of the global population. Recent shifts in the disease's presentation, severity and response to treatment, primarily due to emerging drug resistance, underscore the need for reliable assessment tools. The Dermatophytosis Severity Score (DSS) aims to standardise the evaluation of the disease's severity and monitor therapeutic responses. METHODS: In a cross-sectional pilot study, 25 adults with clinically diagnosed dermatophytosis were evaluated using the DSS. The study also aimed to establish the correlation of DSS with different stages of treatment, dermatophyte species and patient-reported outcomes. Participants were recruited from a dermatology outpatient clinic, and the DSS was applied at baseline, Weeks 4 and 8. The validity and reliability of the DSS were assessed using statistical measures, including Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The study comprised of a near-equal distribution of male (52%) and female (48%) patients, primarily within the age group of 20-39 years. A high recurrence rate of dermatophytosis (60%) was noted, and more than half of the patients (56%) had used topical steroids before presentation. The mean DSS significantly decreased from baseline to the final visit, mirroring the substantial reduction in the 5D itch scale and Dermatology Life Quality Index, with strong positive correlations observed between these measures. CONCLUSION: The DSS demonstrated high inter-rater reliability and internal consistency, indicating its utility as a reliable clinical tool for assessing dermatophytosis severity. The strong correlation of DSS with itch intensity and quality of life validates its role in patient-centered care. Continued use and further validation of the DSS are recommended to enhance dermatophytosis management and treatment outcomes.

Dermatophytoses Severity Score - A novel point-of-care scoring tool to assess the severity of dermatophytosis.

The rising prevalence of dermatophytosis in tropical countries coupled with drug resistance necessitates an objective scoring system to define the severity, monitor therapeutic response and predict prognoses. We attempted to establish and validate a new scoring system - Dermatophytoses Severity Score (DSS), for dermatophytoses affecting non-glabrous skin. A consensus group was convened to develop an objective and reproducible scoring system to describe the extent and severity of dermatophytosis of 200 consecutive patients with dermatophytosis. A second assessment entailed independent DSS scoring of the same patients by dermatologists and residents who were not part of the consensus group. The main outcome measured was index reliability, assessed in two steps, between the observers. A two-step assessment and DSS grading of 200 consecutive patients with clinically diagnosed dermatophytoses showed high reliability (Cronbach's α test and intraclass correlation coefficient). The DSS has demonstrated high reliability, and it could serve as a novel, reproducible and objective scoring tool for dermatophytosis.

Genome-wide structural and functional features of single nucleotide polymorphisms revealed from the whole genome resequencing of 179 accessions of Arachis.

Peanut being an important food, oilseed and fodder crop worldwide, its genetic improvement currently relies on genomics-assisted breeding (GAB). Since the level of marker polymorphism is limited in peanut, the availability of a large number of DNA markers is the prerequisite for GAB. Therefore, we detected 4,309,724 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the whole genome re-sequencing (WGRS) data of 178 peanut accessions along with the reference genome sequence of Tifrunner. SNPs were analyzed for their structural and functional features to conclude on their utility and employability in genetic and genomic studies. ISATGR278-18, a synthetic amphidiploid, showed the highest number of SNPs (2,505,266), while PI_628538 recorded the lowest number (19,058) of SNPs. A03 showed the highest number of SNPs, while B08 recorded the lowest number of SNPs. The number of accessions required to record 50% of the total SNPs varied from 11 to 13 across the chromosomes. The rate of transitions was more than that of transversions. Among the various chromosomal contexts, intergenic and intronic regions carried more SNPs than the exonic regions. SNP impact analysis indicated 2488 SNPs with high impact due to gain of stop codons, variations in splice acceptors and splice donors, and loss of start codons. Of the 4,309,723 SNPs, 46,087 had the highest polymorphic information content (PIC) of 0.375. As an illustration of application, the drought-tolerant accession C76-16 was compared with A72 (an accession with high-stress rating) to identify 637,833 SNPs, of which 418 had high impact substitutions. Overall, these structural and functional features of the SNPs will be of immense importance for their utility in genetic and genomic studies in peanut.

A Randomized Controlled Trial on the Efficacy of Integrated Yoga on Pregnancy Outcome.

Physiological and biochemical changes occur in pregnancy to nurture the developing fetus. Pregnancy-related experience is unique to every woman. Pregnancy symptoms and complications can range from mild to severe. Many women can lower their risk by performing different therapies. In this context, the present study targets to evaluate the efficacy of integrated yoga consisting of (asanas and pranayama) on pregnancy to reduce the risk of complications. This study is a prospective randomized controlled single-blinded trial with parallel arms: the intervention arm received specific integrated yoga therapy; the control arm received routine standard care from 18 to 22 weeks of gestation until delivery. The incidence of preeclampsia and preterm delivery was lower in the intervention arm. Women in the intervention arm delivered at higher gestational age. Apgar scores and birth weights of neonates were significantly higher in the intervention arm. The findings suggest that yoga is a safe and effective intervention during pregnancy to reduce or prevent pregnancy-related complications. However, further randomized controlled trials are needed to provide firmer evidence regarding the utility and validity of yoga intervention during pregnancy.

MIC and Upper Limit of Wild-Type Distribution for 13 Antifungal Agents against a Trichophyton mentagrophytes-Trichophyton interdigitale Complex of Indian Origin.

Dermatophytosis due to the Trichophyton mentagrophytes-Trichophyton interdigitale complex is being increasingly reported across India. Reports of therapeutic failure have surfaced recently, but there are no clinical break points (CBP) or epidemiological cutoffs (ECVs) available to guide the treatment of dermatophytosis. In this study, a total of 498 isolates of the T. mentagrophytes-interdigitale complex were collected from six medical centers over a period of five years (2014 to 2018). Antifungal susceptibility testing of the isolates was carried out for itraconazole, fluconazole, ketoconazole, voriconazole, luliconazole, sertaconazole, miconazole, clotrimazole, terbinafine, amorolfine, naftifine, ciclopirox olamine, and griseofulvin. The MICs (in mg/liter) comprising >95% of the modeled populations were as follows: 0.06 for miconazole, luliconazole, and amorolfine; 0.25 for voriconazole; 0.5 for itraconazole, ketoconazole, and ciclopirox olamine; 1 for clotrimazole and sertaconazole; 8 for terbinafine; 16 for naftifine; 32 for fluconazole; and 64 for griseofulvin. A high percentage of isolates above the upper limit of the wild-type MIC (UL-WT) were observed for miconazole (29%), luliconazole (13.9%), terbinafine (11.4%), naftifine (5.2%), and voriconazole (4.8%), while they were low for itraconazole (0.2%). Since the MICs of itraconazole were low against the T. mentagrophytes-interdigitale complex, this could be considered the choice of first-line treatment. The F397L mutation in the squalene epoxidase (SE) gene was observed in 77.1% of isolates with a terbinafine MIC of ≥1 mg/liter, but no mutation was detected in isolates with a terbinafine MIC of <1 mg/liter. In the absence of CBPs, evaluation of the UL-WT may be beneficial for managing dermatophytosis and monitoring the emergence of isolates with reduced susceptibility.

Genome-based trait prediction in multi- environment breeding trials in groundnut.

KEY MESSAGE: Comparative assessment identified naïve interaction model, and naïve and informed interaction GS models suitable for achieving higher prediction accuracy in groundnut keeping in mind the high genotype × environment interaction for complex traits. Genomic selection (GS) can be an efficient and cost-effective breeding approach which captures both small- and large-effect genetic factors and therefore promises to achieve higher genetic gains for complex traits such as yield and oil content in groundnut. A training population was constituted with 340 elite lines followed by genotyping with 58 K 'Axiom_Arachis' SNP array and phenotyping for key agronomic traits at three locations in India. Four GS models were tested using three different random cross-validation schemes (CV0, CV1 and CV2). These models are: (1) model 1 (M1 = E + L) which includes the main effects of environment (E) and line (L); (2) model 2 (M2 = E + L + G) which includes the main effects of markers (G) in addition to E and L; (3) model 3 (M3 = E + L + G + GE), a naïve interaction model; and (4) model 4 (E + L + G + LE + GE), a naïve and informed interaction model. Prediction accuracy estimated for four models indicated clear advantage of the inclusion of marker information which was reflected in better prediction accuracy achieved with models M2, M3 and M4 as compared to M1 model. High prediction accuracies (> 0.600) were observed for days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, hundred seed weight, oleic acid, rust@90 days, rust@105 days and late leaf spot@90 days, while medium prediction accuracies (0.400-0.600) were obtained for pods/plant, shelling  %, and total yield/plant. Assessment of comparative prediction accuracy for different GS models to perform selection for untested genotypes, and unobserved and unevaluated environments provided greater insights on potential application of GS breeding in groundnut.

Translational genomics for achieving higher genetic gains in groundnut.

KEY MESSAGE: Groundnut has entered now in post-genome era enriched with optimum genomic and genetic resources to facilitate faster trait dissection, gene discovery and accelerated genetic improvement for developing climate-smart varieties. Cultivated groundnut or peanut (Arachis hypogaea), an allopolyploid oilseed crop with a large and complex genome, is one of the most nutritious food. This crop is grown in more than 100 countries, and the low productivity has remained the biggest challenge in the semiarid tropics. Recently, the groundnut research community has witnessed fast progress and achieved several key milestones in genomics research including genome sequence assemblies of wild diploid progenitors, wild tetraploid and both the subspecies of cultivated tetraploids, resequencing of diverse germplasm lines, genome-wide transcriptome atlas and cost-effective high and low-density genotyping assays. These genomic resources have enabled high-resolution trait mapping by using germplasm diversity panels and multi-parent genetic populations leading to precise gene discovery and diagnostic marker development. Furthermore, development and deployment of diagnostic markers have facilitated screening early generation populations as well as marker-assisted backcrossing breeding leading to development and commercialization of some molecular breeding products in groundnut. Several new genomics applications/technologies such as genomic selection, speed breeding, mid-density genotyping assay and genome editing are in pipeline. The integration of these new technologies hold great promise for developing climate-smart, high yielding and more nutritious groundnut varieties in the post-genome era.

Remusatia vivipara lectin and Sclerotium rolfsii lectin interfere with the development and gall formation activity of Meloidogyne incognita in transgenic tomato.

Root knot nematodes are serious threats to growth and yield of solaneous crops including tomato. In this study, a binary vector carrying Remusatia vivipara (rvl1) and Sclerotium rolfsii (srl1) lectin genes were introduced independently into Lycopersicon esculentum cv. Pusa Ruby via Agrobacterium tumefaciens for resistance against root knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita. In total, one hundred and one rvl1 and srl1-transformed plants exhibiting kanamycin resistance were confirmed to carry transgenes as detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with 4.59% transformation efficiency. Genetic analysis of T1 progeny confirmed Mendelian segregation of the introduced genes. Three events each of rvl1 and srl1 transgenic tomato were randomly selected for further confirmation by Southern and TAIL-PCR analyses. All three events of srl1 transgenics showed single copy transgene, whereas two rvl1 transgenic events showed single copy of transgene, while remaining event showed two copies of transgenes. Site of integration obtained for rvl1 and srl1 transgenic events by TAIL-PCR revealed that all the three events of rvl1 and srl1 transgenics differed for their site of integration and insertion sites did not contain any predicted gene. Moreover, expression of the rvl1 and srl1 transgenes was detected by haemagglutination assay in all three events of rvl1 and srl1, but not in non-transgenic tomato plant. Homozygous progenies of these events were grown and inoculated with M. incognita. Development and reproduction of M. incognita was severely affected in transgenic tomato plants expressing RVL1 and SRL1 exhibiting the high levels of resistance compared to non-transgenic plants. Therefore, these transgenic lines demonstrate a promising potential for variety development of tomato lines with enhanced resistance against M. incognita.

QTL-seq approach identified genomic regions and diagnostic markers for rust and late leaf spot resistance in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.).

Rust and late leaf spot (LLS) are the two major foliar fungal diseases in groundnut, and their co-occurrence leads to significant yield loss in addition to the deterioration of fodder quality. To identify candidate genomic regions controlling resistance to rust and LLS, whole-genome resequencing (WGRS)-based approach referred as 'QTL-seq' was deployed. A total of 231.67 Gb raw and 192.10 Gb of clean sequence data were generated through WGRS of resistant parent and the resistant and susceptible bulks for rust and LLS. Sequence analysis of bulks for rust and LLS with reference-guided resistant parent assembly identified 3136 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for rust and 66 SNPs for LLS with the read depth of ≥7 in the identified genomic region on pseudomolecule A03. Detailed analysis identified 30 nonsynonymous SNPs affecting 25 candidate genes for rust resistance, while 14 intronic and three synonymous SNPs affecting nine candidate genes for LLS resistance. Subsequently, allele-specific diagnostic markers were identified for three SNPs for rust resistance and one SNP for LLS resistance. Genotyping of one RIL population (TAG 24 × GPBD 4) with these four diagnostic markers revealed higher phenotypic variation for these two diseases. These results suggest usefulness of QTL-seq approach in precise and rapid identification of candidate genomic regions and development of diagnostic markers for breeding applications.

Transepidermal Water Loss in Neonates: Baseline Values Using a Closed-Chamber System.

BACKGROUND: Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) is the normal, constitutive loss of water vapor from the skin in the absence of sweat gland activity. It is regarded as one of the most important parameters for characterizing skin barrier function, and the values are dependent on multiple variables. The objective of this study was to evaluate TEWL in neonates using a closed- chamber system, and determine if there is a variation of TEWL with the mode of delivery, pre-term birth, low birthweight or phototherapy. METHODS: This prospective study was conducted in 104 healthy neonates, 30 neonates in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and 40 adults using a noninvasive, closed- chamber system (VapoMeter™). RESULTS: A statistically significant difference in TEWL was noted between newborns and adults. No remarkable difference in TEWL was seen between boys or men and girls or women or those born via normal vaginal birth and caesarean section, but TEWL was significantly higher in preterm and low birthweight neonates. Significantly higher TEWL was noted from the antecubital fossa of the neonates who received phototherapy when compared with six other sites. CONCLUSIONS: The closed- chamber system is an acceptable alternative to the more widely used open-chamber system. The higher mean TEWL in neonates suggests that the epidermal barrier is still adapting to extrauterine life, making newborn skin more sensitive and requiring appropriate, age adapted care.

Assessing intake of spices by pattern of spice use, frequency of consumption and portion size of spices consumed from routinely prepared dishes in southern India.

BACKGROUND: Measurement of dietary intake of spices is gaining significance because of recognition of their health promoting benefits as well as its use for risk assessment of contaminant exposures. Estimating intake of spices at the individual level, presents several challenges since various spices are used as an integrated part of a prepared food and consumed in amounts much smaller than other dietary components. The objective of the present study is to assess intake of spices at the household and individual level on the basis of pattern of spice use and portion size of spice consumed from routinely prepared dishes in Hyderabad city in Southern India. METHODS: The study was conducted in 100 households in urban areas of Hyderabad city in India with the help of a spice intake questionnaire that was prepared to collect information on the pattern of spice use, frequency, and quantity of spice consumption of 17 spices routinely used in Indian cuisine. The quantity of spice intake was assessed by measuring portion size of spice consumed from the quantity of i) spices added in routinely prepared dishes and ii) the prepared dish consumed by an individual. RESULTS: Based on the type of dish prepared and frequency of preparing the dishes, 11 out of 17 spices were found to be consumed by more than 50% of the households. Maximum number of spices was consumed at weekly frequencies. Red chillies and turmeric were the most frequently consumed spices by 100% of the households. The mean total intake of spices was observed to be higher through dishes consumed daily (10.4 g/portion) than from those consumed at weekly or monthly frequencies. Highest portion size intake was observed for chillies (mean 3.0 g; range 0.05-20.2 g) and lowest for nutmeg (mean 0.14 g; range 0.02-0.64 g) and mace (mean 0.21 g; range: 0.02-0.6 g). CONCLUSIONS: The study suggested that assessment of intake of spices varies with frequency of use of spices and type of dish consumed. Portion size estimations of spices consumed and the frequency of consumption of the spice containing dishes facilitates in quantifying spice intake at the individual level.

Efficacy and safety of itolizumab, a novel anti-CD6 monoclonal antibody, in patients with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis: results of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, phase-III study.

BACKGROUND: Itolizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody to CD6, is a novel therapeutic agent evaluated in chronic plaque psoriasis. OBJECTIVE: We sought to assess the safety and efficacy of itolizumab in moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis. METHODS: A total of 225 patients were randomized (2:2:1) to 2 different itolizumab arms (A or B; A = 4-week loading dose of 0.4 mg/kg/wk followed by 1.6 mg/kg every 2 weeks; B = 1.6/mg every 2 weeks) or placebo. At week 12, the placebo arm was switched to 1.6 mg/kg itolizumab every 2 weeks. The primary end point was the proportion of patients with at least 75% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score at week 12. RESULTS: At week 12, 27.0% in arm A (P = .0172 vs placebo), 36.4% in B (P = .0043 vs placebo), and 2.3% in the placebo arm had at least 75% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score. At week 28, the proportion with at least 75% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score was comparable: 46.1%, 45.5%, and 41.9% for A, B, and placebo, respectively. In weeks 1 to 12, the incidence of all adverse events was comparable across arms (A, 43%; B, 38%; placebo, 47%) and the incidence of infections was not greater than placebo (11.1%, 8.9%, and 18.6% for A, B, and placebo). LIMITATIONS: No active comparator is a limitation. CONCLUSIONS: Itolizumab is an effective and well-tolerated novel biological therapy in moderate to severe psoriasis.

Bridging the Gap: Comparing Patient-Clinician Views on Treatment Goals and Communication in the Management of Atopic Dermatitis Within the Asia-Pacific Region.

INTRODUCTION: It remains unclear how patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and clinicians perceive the level of patient-clinician communication and if there could be potential lapses. This cross-sectional study aims to compare perspectives between patients with AD and dermatologists regarding communication and treatment expectations in Asia. METHODS: Moderate-to-severe patients with AD and practicing dermatologists were recruited from eight Asia-Pacific territories, including Mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. Patients and dermatologists completed separate surveys designed to elicit their expectations regarding AD management, and their perceived level of patient-clinician communication. Patients were also asked about their treatment satisfaction and whether they prefer additional treatment beyond what was prescribed. Demographic information and responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study was reviewed by the institutional review board in each territory, and all participants provided informed consent. RESULTS: A total of 1103 patients and 271 dermatologists completed the surveys. Both patients and dermatologists were largely aligned in their top treatment goals in AD management. However, greater proportions of patients prioritized the prevention of exacerbation (78.0% versus 47.2%), minimization of treatment adverse effects (46.4% versus 9.1%), and improvement in mental health (16.0% versus 4.9%), compared with dermatologists. Although patient-clinician communication was observed to be generally good, 10.9% of patients reported dissatisfaction with communication in AD management. The majority of patients were either "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with their latest acute AD treatment, but 65.5% of patients still desired additional treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This multinational study has provided insights on the perspectives of Asian patients and dermatologists in treatment goals, AD management, and communication. In general, both patients and dermatologists were aligned in treatment goals and there was satisfactory patient-clinician communication in most aspects. However, potential areas of improvement have been identified to further enhance patient-centered care.

Quality of Life and Burden of Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis in Adult Patients Within the Asia-Pacific Region: A Cross-sectional Survey.

INTRODUCTION: The burden of atopic dermatitis (AD) is significant, with a substantial impact on quality of life (QoL). This cross-sectional study aimed to ascertain the burden of AD, its impact on QoL, and associated costs. METHODS: Patients with moderate-to-severe AD were enrolled from eight territories, namely Hong Kong, India, Japan, Mainland China, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. After screening was performed and informed consent was obtained, eligible participants were asked to provide responses on their AD symptoms, severity, treatment, and out-of-pocket costs via an online survey. QoL was assessed using EQ-5D-5L and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), while productivity loss was quantified using the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) questionnaire. Data from completed submissions were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study was reviewed by the institutional review board in each territory. RESULTS: Median age of enrolled patients (N = 1103) was 41.0 years (interquartile range, IQR 16.0). The majority of patients reported that their head/neck, trunk, upper limbs, and lower limbs were affected during a flare. Topical (74.2%) and oral steroids (58.7%) were frequently prescribed to manage AD. Common atopic comorbidities were allergic urticaria (64.2%), allergic rhinitis (61.8%), and allergic conjunctivitis (51.5%). Median DLQI score was 13.0 (IQR 11.0), while median EQ-5D-5L (based on China value set) score was 0.8 (IQR 0.4); 87.2% and 77.2% of patients reported pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression on the EQ-5D-5L domains, respectively. Median total annual costs associated with AD were USD 10,128.52 (IQR 12,963.26) per patient, with indirect costs being the largest component. Findings from WPAI indicated that presenteeism is a major contributor to productivity loss. CONCLUSION: This multinational survey study showed that AD is associated with substantial QoL impairment and economic burden among Asian adult patients with moderate-to-severe AD. To alleviate burden of AD, clinicians should be more proactive in managing other concomitant conditions including psychological issues, and advocate for increased reimbursement for AD treatments.

Management of Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis in Adults: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Dermatologists Within the Asia-Pacific Region.

INTRODUCTION: Limited evidence is available on real-world management of atopic dermatitis (AD) among Asian adults. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess current approaches in AD diagnosis and management in Asia. METHODS: Practising dermatologists regularly treating patients with moderate-to-severe AD were recruited from eight Asia-Pacific territories, namely Mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. A survey was administered to eligible dermatologists after screening and taking informed consent. Data from fully completed submissions were analysed using descriptive statistics. The study was reviewed by the institutional review board in each territory. RESULTS: Data from 271 dermatologists were included for analysis. About one-third (31.7%) reported that they referred to the Hanifin and Rajka criteria during diagnosis. The majority of dermatologists used clinical impression when assessing AD severity and treatment response. Reduction of eczema and pruritus was the primary treatment objective when managing both acute (98.1%) and chronic (69.1%) AD. More than half of dermatologists preferred adding systemic anti-inflammatory medication for patients who did not respond to maximized topical treatment, while 43.6% would switch to another systemic medication for those failing to respond to maximized systemic treatment. Topical corticosteroids were frequently selected by dermatologists. For systemic therapies, oral corticosteroids were most frequently used, followed by cyclosporin and dupilumab. Narrow-band ultraviolet B was the most common phototherapy reported (84.9%). There was considerable variation in estimated average and maximum durations of therapies used to treat AD. CONCLUSION: This study has provided insights on the real-world management of moderate-to-severe AD in the Asia-Pacific region. The diverse approaches in diagnosis and treatment highlight the multifactorial nature of AD, reliance on clinical judgement, and importance of personalized care. To improve outcomes in patients with AD, it will be crucial to develop biomarkers for diagnosis, reduce subjectivity in assessment, as well as promote access to newer and effective therapies.

Corrosion inhibition study of 6061 aluminium alloy in the presence of ethyl 5-methyl-1-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazole-4-carboxylate (NTE) in hydrochloric acid.

The inhibitory effect of an ethyl 5-methyl-1-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazole-4-carboxylate (NTE) was investigated on the corrosion of Al (AA6061) alloy at different temperatures (303-333 K) by Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), and weight loss techniques. It was found that NTE molecules protect the aluminium against corrosion and its ability increases with increasing concentrations, and temperature resulting in better inhibitory performance. At all concentrations and temperature ranges, NTE exhibited mixed inhibitor action and complied with the Langmuir isotherm. At 100 ppm and 333 K, NTE demonstrated the highest inhibition efficiency (94%). The EIS results and the PDP results had a good level of concordance. A suitable mechanism for the corrosion prevention of AA6061 alloy was proposed. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to confirm the adsorption of an inhibitor onto the aluminium alloy surface. The electrochemical results were validated by morphological examination, which demonstrated that NTE prevents uniform corrosion of aluminium alloy in acid chloride solutions. The activation energy and thermodynamic parameters were computed, and the results were discussed.

Low-dose Oral Minoxidil in the Treatment of Alopecia: Evidence and Experience-based Consensus Statement of Indian Experts.

Alopecia is a highly prevalent condition worldwide including in India. There are different types of alopecia with differing etiology, presentation, and hence treatment. Androgenetic alopecia represents the most common form of hair loss affecting male as well as female population termed as male and female pattern hair loss, respectively. Several treatment options are available for the treatment of alopecia with often unsatisfactory results resulting in psychological distress among such patients. Topical minoxidil is known to be effective in the treatment of alopecia. However, oral minoxidil is not currently approved for the treatment of alopecia. This expert consensus is prepared to provide guidance to the clinicians regarding the use of oral minoxidil in the treatment of alopecia. Extensive literature review was performed to prepare the draft consensus which was then revised based on the suggestions and comments from the experts. The final draft was circulated to the experts for review and approval. This consensus document provides overview of evidence related to oral minoxidil and consensus from the experts for its use in the treatment of minoxidil.