The impact of skin damage due to cutaneous lupus on quality of life.

BACKGROUND: Patients with more severe cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) have a poorer quality of life (QoL). Racial and ethnic disparities have been reported in disease activity and outcomes in systemic lupus erythematosus, but similar information is not available for CLE. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of lupus-related skin damage on skin-specific QoL, and to analyse differences stratified by ethnic background. METHODS: Data collected included sex, race, diagnosis and Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus Disease Area and Severity Index (CLASI) and Skindex-29 scores. These parameters were analysed at the initial and last visits. CLASI damage scores (dyspigmentation and scarring) and activity scores were collected, grouped by ethnicity, and correlated with Skindex-29. Overall, 223 patients were analysed at baseline, with 141 completing more than one study visit. RESULTS: The majority of patients were white (63·7%), followed by African American (29·1%) and Asian American (4·0%). African American patients accounted for a disproportionate percentage of both localized (50%) and generalized discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) (49%). Median CLASI damage scores differed significantly between the African American, white and Asian American patients, at both the first (8·5, 4·0, 7·0, respectively; P < 0·0001) and last visit (10·0, 6·0, 8·5, respectively; P < 0·01). CLASI damage scores in African Americans correlated with CLASI activity scores (Spearman r = 0·45, P = 0·0003). CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant correlation between CLASI damage scores and Skindex domains overall. Individually, dyspigmentation and scarring also did not have a significant effect on QoL. Ethnic differences in patients with CLE were found: African American patients exhibited a high rate of DLE and experienced damage early in their disease course, frequently in conjunction with disease activity.

3D-QSAR study of 8-azabicyclo[3.2.1] octane analogs antagonists of cholinergic receptor.

3D-QSAR models of Comparative of Molecular Field Analysis (CoMFA) and Comparative of Molecular Similarities Indices Analysis (CoMSIA) of 20 8-azabicyclo[3.2.1] octane (potent muscarinic receptor blocker) was performed. These benztropine analogs were optimized using ligand based alignment method. The conventional ligand-based 3D-QSAR studies were performed based on the low energy conformations employing database alignment rule. The ligand-based model gave q(2) value 0.819 and 0.810 and r(2) value 0.991 and 0.988 for CoMFA and CoMSIA, respectively, and the predictive ability of the model was validated. Results indicate that the CoMFA and CoMSIA models could be reliable model which may be used in the design of novel muscarinic antagonists as leads.

Multiparametric Evaluation in Differentiating Glioma Recurrence from Treatment-Induced Necrosis Using Simultaneous 18F-FDG-PET/MRI: A Single-Institution Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Differentiating glioma recurrence from treatment-induced necrosis can be a challenge on conventional imaging. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of each functional MR imaging and PET parameter derived by using simultaneous FDG-PET/MR imaging individually and in combination in the evaluation of suspected glioma recurrence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-five treated glioma patients with 41 enhancing lesions (World Health Organization grade II = 9, III = 13, IV = 19) on MR imaging after an operation followed by radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy formed part of this study. Using PET/MR imaging, we calculated the normalized mean relative CBV, mean ADC, Cho/Cr, and maximum and mean target-to-background ratios. Statistical analysis was performed to determine the diagnostic performance of each parameter by receiver operating characteristic analysis individually and in combination with multivariate receiver operating characteristic analysis for the detection of glioma recurrence. Histopathology or clinicoradiologic follow-up was considered the criterion standard. RESULTS: Of 35 patients, 25 (30 lesions) were classified as having a recurrence and 10 (11 lesions) patients as having treatment-induced necrosis. Parameters like rCBVmean (mean relative CBV), ADCmean, Cho/Cr, and maximum and mean target-to-background ratios were statistically significant in the detection of recurrent lesions with an accuracy of 77.5%, 78.0%, 90.9%, 87.8%, and 87.8%, respectively. On multivariate receiver operating characteristic analysis, the combination of all 3 MR imaging parameters resulted in an area under the curve of 0.913 ± 0.053. Furthermore, an area under the curve of 0.935 ± 0.046 was obtained when MR imaging parameters (ADCmean and Cho/Cr) were combined with the PET parameter (mean target-to-background ratio), demonstrating an increase in diagnostic accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: Simultaneous PET/MR imaging with FDG offers correlative and synergistic multiparametric assessment of glioma recurrence with increased accuracy and clinical utility.

PHYTO-PHARMACOGNOSTICAL INVESTIGATION AND EVALUATION OF ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND SEDATIVE HYPNOTIC ACTIVITY OF THE LEAVES OF ERYTHRINA INDICA Lam.

Pharmacognostical investigations were carried out on the Erythrina indica leaves, followed by phytochemical investigation. On the methanolic extract of leaves, TLC was performed and indole alkaloids were identified with selected solvent system. The UV analysis was also performed on the components confirming the presence of the indole nucleus. Anti-inflammatory activity was carried out on albino rats. Further, anti-inflammatory activity was compared to that of the standard drug indomethacin and percent inhibition of oedema was determined. Sedative hypnotic activity was also evaluated using pentobarbital which showed mild sedation.

Phytochemical investivations of indigofera tinctoria linn leaves.

Studies of Indigofera tinctoria Linn has shows that it possesses low toxicity. Phytochemical evaluation of leaf extract of Indigofera tinctoria Linn has been carried out to characterize some constituents present therein. Qualitative analysis of the extracts showed the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoids. Five compounds have been isolated from petroleum ether extract and methanolic extract and have been characterized by U.V.IR and H1 NMR data, petroleum ether extract were also characterized by HPTLC.

Schizophrenia and season of birth.

A comparison with respect to the season of birth in 380 schizophrenic patients with 685 control subjects revealed an excess of winter births in the former by 6.1%.

Anti - inflammatory and sedative - hypnotic activity of the methanolic extract of the leaves of mentha arvensis.

Mentha arvensis Linn, a plant used as traditional medicine and in perfumery, has now been explored for its pharmacological activities as an anti-inflammatory and also as sedativehypnotic plant drug. The methanolic extract of the leaves after being processed, was taken for the pharmacological study. Anti-inflammatory activity was carried out on albino rats. Further, the activity was compared to that of a standard anti-inflammatory drug - nimesulide and the percent inhibition of oedema determined. The sedative hypnotic activity, when carried out on mice, showed the potentiation of pentobarbitone induced sleeping time. The data of average recovery time was analyzed to show the standard deviation from the mean.

Investigations of anti-viral properties on extract of pleurotus sajor caju.

Pleurotus sajor caju spawns prepared, yield fruiting bodies, Aqueous extract of these was used to test for inhibitory against Tobacco Mosaic Virus. Infectivity assay (locallesion) method was employed for the anti-viral activity. Treatments, on host plants, were distributed using half-leaf method. The results indicated that extract of the edible mushroom showed anti-viral property.

Phytochemical characterisation and anti-microbial activity of vitex negundu leaves.

Fresh leaves of vitex negundu were collected and macroscopic and microscopic characters were determined. Soxhlet extraction of the powdered leavers was carried out using petroleum ether (40:60) and chloroform. Idenitification of important phytoconstituents was carried out. Characterization by TLC showed the presence of vitexin. The processed leaf extract was tested for antimicrobial activity. The results indicated antibacterial activity of the extract.

Growth-supporting activity for Legionella pneumophila in tap water cultures and implication of hartmannellid amoebae as growth factors.

Photosynthetic cyanobacteria, heterotrophic bacteria, free-living amoebae, and ciliated protozoa may support growth of Legionella pneumophila. Studies were done with two tap water cultures (WS1 and WS2) containing L. pneumophila and associated microbiota to characterize growth-supporting activity and assess the relative importance of the microbiota in supporting multiplication of L. pneumophila. The water cultures were incubated in the dark at 35 degrees C. The growth-supporting factor(s) was separated from each culture by filtration through 1-micron-pore-size membrane filters. The retentate was then suspended in sterile tap water. Multiplication of L. pneumophila occurred when both the retentate suspension and the filtrate from either culture were inoculated into sterile tap water. L. pneumophila did not multiply in tap water inoculated with only the filtrate, even though filtration did not reduce the concentration of L. pneumophila or heterotrophic bacteria in either culture. Growth-supporting activity of the retentate suspension from WS1 was inactivated at 60 degrees C but unaffected at 0, 25, and 45 degrees C after 30-min incubations. Filtration experiments indicated that the growth-supporting factor(s) in WS1 was 2 to 5 micron in diameter. Ciliated protozoa were not detected in either culture. Hartmannellid amoebae were conclusively demonstrated in WS2 but not in WS1. L. pneumophila multiplied in tap water inoculated with the amoebae (10(3)/ml) and the 1-micron filtrate of WS2. No multiplication occurred in tap water inoculated with the filtrate only. Growth-supporting activity for L. pneumophila may be present in plumbing systems; hartmannellid amoebae appear to be important determinants of multiplication of L. pneumophila in some tap water cultures.