The Group Decision-Making Using Pythagorean Fuzzy Entropy and the Complex Proportional Assessment.

The Pythagorean fuzzy sets conveniently capture unreliable, ambiguous, and uncertain information, especially in problems involving multiple and opposing criteria. Pythagorean fuzzy sets are one of the popular generalizations of the intuitionistic fuzzy sets. They are instrumental in expressing and managing hesitant under uncertain environments, so they have been involved extensively in a diversity of scientific fields. This paper proposes a new Pythagorean entropy for Multi-Criteria Decision-Analysis (MCDA) problems. The entropy measures the fuzziness of two fuzzy sets and has an influential position in fuzzy functions. The more comprehensive the entropy, the more inadequate the ambiguity, so the decision-making established on entropy is beneficial. The COmplex PRoportional ASsessment (COPRAS) method is used to tackle uncertainty issues in MCDA and considers the singularity of one alternative over the rest of them. This can be enforced to maximize and minimize relevant criteria in an assessment where multiple opposing criteria are considered. Using the Pythagorean sets, we represent a decisional problem solution by using the COPRAS approach and the new Entropy measure.

Targeting oxidative stress through antioxidants in diabetes mellitus.

The myriad of complications associated with diabetes is closely linked with the generation of reactive species or free radicals leading to oxidative and nitrosative stress. Increased oxidative stress is an important cause and result of diabetes and it is thought to underlie the cellular changes that lead to diabetic complications. The whole cause and effect form a vicious circle, underlying many layers of potential therapeutics in its research. In this regards, this review outlines the briefs about the correlation of type 2 diabetes and oxidative (or nitrosative) stress and also compiles the potentiality of various antioxidants that are being or can be used for alleviating the oxidative stress. Since the complications are like a knit matrix of numerous deteriorating mechanisms, a single antioxidant therapeutic approach cannot be an answer. Therefore, it is important to develop new fixed-dose combinations of effective antioxidants that target key reactive oxygen (or nitrogen)-producing sources, mimic endogenous antioxidants and scavenge the reactive species generated balancing the pro and antioxidant cycle. This review focuses on the preclinical and clinical trial data with therapeutic antioxidants in type 2 diabetes along with a brief focus on success and failures of antioxidant-based therapy.

Use of Topical Rapamycin in Facial Angiofibromas in Indian Skin Type.

INTRODUCTION: Facial angiofibromas (FA) are the most visible cutaneous manifestations in patients with tuberous sclerosis (TS), often resulting in stigmatization of the affected individuals. Recent studies have suggested that topical rapamycin may be an effective treatment for angiofibromas. AIM: To study the safety and efficacy of topical rapamycin in treatment of FA in Type IV-VI skin type. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five female patients with FA were included in the study, four of whom had TS, whereas one had isolated angiofibromas without systemic involvement. The age of the patients varied from 6 to 44 years. After baseline evaluation, they were advised to apply topical rapamycin (0.1-1%) in white soft paraffin base twice daily. Follow-up varied from 1 month to 6 months and is ongoing. RESULTS: A sustained improvement was observed with respect to erythema, size as well as extent of the lesions as early as within 2 weeks of starting treatment. No side effects were observed. A correlation between duration of angiofibromas and effectiveness of treatment was noted. CONCLUSION: Topical rapamycin appears to be a safe and effective alternative to surgical or laser-based treatments in patients with FA. This treatment shows potential to be a first-line management for FA and appears safe to start in early childhood.

A Study of Hair Follicular Transplantation as a Treatment Option for Vitiligo.

BACKGROUND: Repigmentation of vitiligo is closely related to hair follicles. Hence, replenishing melanocytes in vitiliginous patches utilizing undifferentiated stem cells of the hair follicles using follicular unit transplantation (FUT) is a possible treatment option. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY: To study the efficacy of FUT in cases of segmental/stabilized vitiligo as a treatment option for leukotrichia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty patients with 63 lesions of stable vitiligo over nonglabrous areas were treated with follicular unit grafts. Reduction in the size of vitiligo patches as well as improvement in the associated leukotrichia were evaluated using subjective and objective assessments. RESULTS: Of the 63 patches, good to excellent response was seen in 39 (61.9%), fair in 16 (25.4%), and poor in eight (12.7%) lesions. No repigmentation was seen in two (4.8%) lesions. The mean improvement seen was 61.17%. Excellent color match was observed in 44 lesions (69.8%). Repigmentation of the depigmented hairs occurred in 11 out of 46 patients with associated leukotrichia. CONCLUSION: FUT is a safe and effective method for treating localized and segmental vitiligo, especially on hairy parts of the skin. Though labor intensive, it was found to be associated with a quick patient recovery time, very low morbidity, and good color match.

Follicular unit extraction as a therapeutic option for vitiligo.

Follicular unit extraction (FUE) is a surgical procedure, which can be used to transplant follicular units into vitiliginous areas. Such follicular unit transplant has been recently used to repigment stable vitiligo patches. FUE was done for a 12-year-old female with a stable vitiligo patch with leukotrichia on the eyebrow. Repigmentation was noted in 6 weeks and complete pigmentation seen at 12 weeks. Leukotrichia resolved over a period of 6 months. No recurrence was noted at the end of 6 months follow-up with excellent colour match. This case is presented to highlight the simplicity, safety and effectiveness of FUE in stable vitiligo patches with leukotrichia.