Rett Syndrome: A Case Report.

Rett Syndrome (RS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder in which girls are predominantly affected, transmitted as an X linked dominant inheritance and caused by mutation in MECP2 gene. The basic presentation in RS is regression of previously acquired developmental milestones, lack of social interaction skills and acquired microcephaly after a certain age, which starts in early months of infancy. It is frequently misdiagnosed as autism, cerebral palsy or nonspecific developmental delay and is relatively frequent cause of delayed development in girls. Diagnosis is mainly clinical after excluding the neurodegenerative and other causes of delayed milestones. The chromosomal analysis, confirmatory tool for diagnosis is available in limited centers. The treatment is mainly speech therapy and counseling though few pharmacological agents have been tried with little response. A ten years age girl presented with the history of seizures, regression of speech and delayed motor milestones in our out patient clinic which was subsequently diagnosed as Rett Syndrome.

Hypertension among cotton textile workers.

The present cross sectional study on prevalence of hypertension was carried out among 514 cotton textile workers of Shri Bapurao Deshmukh Sut Gimi, Wardha. Using standard guidelines for measuring blood pressure and standard criteria for diagnosis of hypertension, 20.2% of the subjects were found to have raised systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure. The prevalence of hypertension was significantly higher among persons aged 35 years or more, in the present occupation for 10 years or more and those working in more noisy department.

Photophysical and photobiological properties of 3-carbethoxypsoralen.

3-Carbethoxypsoralen (3-CP), a linear tricyclic psoralen, known for its photoreaction with DNA to form monofunctional cyclobutane adducts with pyrimidine bases, was found to produce a highly reactive cytotoxic species, singlet oxygen (1O2) to a greater extent than several other linear psoralens such as psoralen, 8-MOP, 5-MOP or angular psoralens (angelicin). 3-CP also produced superoxide radicals (O2-.) at a rate slower than psoralens in the following order:psoralen > angelicin > 3-CP > 8-MOP > 5-MOP. 1O2 produced by photoactivated 3-CP was found to oxidize tyrosine and Dopa to Dopachrome, and subsequently their conversion to melanin. It also induced photooxidation of 2'-deoxyguanosine. Reactive oxygen species produced by 3-CP also induced lipid peroxidation. The rate of dopachrome formation to promote its conversion to melanin and lipid peroxidation by 3-CP and other linear and angular psoralens and hematoporphyrin derivatives may be related to their skin photosensitizing ability and the rate of 1O2 production. Topically applied 3-CP on hairless mice exposed to UVA radiation was found to be a nonphotocarcinogenic agent in contrast to 8-MOP, which under similar conditions produced a 70% tumour yield (squamous cell carcinoma) in 65 weeks. 3-CP was observed to be a photolabile compound and was converted to a dihydro-form as previously reported by other investigators. The photoconversion of 3-CP to 4',5'-dihydro-3-CP was enhanced under N2, whereas, under O2 atmosphere, lesser degree of photoconversion was observed, thus, indicating that reduction takes place via an anoxic or Type I mechanism. The significance of these observations are discussed in relation to the skin photosensitizing, nonphotocarcinogenic, and photochemotherapeutic potential of 3-CP.

Effects of plant extract Centella asiatica (Linn.) on cold restraint stress ulcer in rats.

Extract of C. asiatica (Linn.) inhibited significantly gastric ulceration induced by cold and restraint stress (CRS) in Charles-Foster rats, Antiulcer activity of plant extract was compared with famotidine (H2-antagonist) and sodium valproate (anti-epileptic). Plant extract, formotidine and sodium valproate showed a dose dependent reduction of gastric ulceration. Plant extract increased brain GABA level which was also dose dependent. Pretreatment with bicuculline methiodide (specific GABAA-antagonist) at the dose level of 0.5 mg/kg im, reversed the antiulcerogenic activity of both plant extract and sodium valproate. Bicuculline as such did not induce gastric ulceration in normal rat.