Intracranial fungal granuloma: analysis of 40 patients and review of the literature.

Objective: To describe the characteristics of patients diagnosed with intracranial fungal granuloma (IFG) in the largest reported series to date (to our knowledge).

Methods: A 22-year retrospective, multi-institutional review of 40 patients, aged 16 to 62 years (mean, 40.2 years), was performed in patients with histopathologically confirmed IFG.

Primary central nervous system lymphoma--a hospital based study of incidence and clinicopathological features from India (1980-2003).

Over the last two decades, an increase in the incidence of PCNSL cases has been reported in the West, both among immunosuppressed and immunocompetent patients. The present study was undertaken to assess the trend of incidence of PCNSL cases in India. To the best of our knowledge, only a single such report is available from India.

Cysticercal chronic basal arachnoiditis with infarcts, mimicking tuberculous pathology in endemic areas.

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is the most common of the parasitic diseases affecting the CNS, with protean clinical manifestations. Stroke as a complication of NCC occurs in a very small percentage of cases, mostly involving small perforating vessels while major intracranial vessel involvement is extremely rare. The present report involves two autopsied cases of chronic cysticercal basal arachnoiditis causing large arterial territory infarcts and, in the second case, a hypothalamic mass.

Subependymal giant cell astrocytoma--a clinicopathological study of 23 cases with special emphasis on histogenesis.

Subependymal giant cell astrocytomas (SEGAs) are relatively rare tumors but occur commonly in the setting of the familial syndrome of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). In view of its varied morphology, i.e.

Inflammatory fibroid polyp of jejunum causing jejuno-jejunal intussusception.

Intussusceptions originating in the jejunum are rare. We report a 20-year-old woman who had a chronic jejuno-jejunal intussusception due to an inflammatory fibroid polyp manifesting in the post-partum period as peritonitis. Resection-anastomosis of the intussuscepted segment was done.

Cryptococcosis in the immunocompromised host with special reference to AIDS.

Cryptococcosis is increasing because of an ever rising population of immunocompromised individuals especially those with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Cryptococcal infection of the central nervous system (CNS) were diagnosed in 149 cases over a period of 19.5 years (January 1978-June 1998).

Hashimoto's encephalopathy: an unusual cause of seizures in the intensive care unit.

Objective: To present a case study of Hashimoto's encephalopathy.

Design: Case report.

Setting: Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, Nottingham University Hospital, UK.

Simple, sensitive and rapid LC-MS/MS method for the quantitation of cerivastatin in human plasma--application to pharmacokinetic studies.

A simple and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for estimation of cerivastatin (I) in human plasma, a potent hydroxy-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitor. The analyte and internal standard (atorvastatin, II) were extracted by liquid/liquid extraction with diethyl ether/dichloromethane (70/30, v/v). The chromatographic separation was performed on reverse phase Xterra ODS column with a mobile phase of water/acetonitrile (30/70, v/v) with 0.

Discovery of ultrahigh-T spinel-garnet granulite with pure CO2 fluid inclusions from the Altay orogenic belt, NW China.

We first report discovery of the spinel-garnet-orthopyroxene granulite with pure CO2 fluid inclusions from the Fuyun region of the late Paleozoic Altay orogenic belt in Central Asia, NW China. The rock is characterized by an assemblage of garnet, orthopyroxene, spinel, cordierite, biotite, plagioclase and quartz. Symplectites of orthopyroxene and spinel, and orthopyroxene and cordierite indicate decompression under UHT conditions.

Spinal cord infarction due to a self-inflicted needle stick injury.

Study Design: Case report.

Objective: To report a case of spinal cord infarction after a self-inflicted needle stick injury, following an injection of heroin into the cord.

Setting: National spinal injury unit in a Scottish University teaching hospital, Glasgow, UK.

Non-stimulant medications in the treatment of ADHD.

Background: Stimulants are the first-line medication in the psychopharmacological treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, 10 to 30% of all children and adults with ADHD either do not respond to or do not tolerate treatment with stimulants.

Objective: To describe alternative treatment approaches with various non-stimulant agents, especially atomoxetine.

Quantitation of tadalafil in human plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization.

A simple, rapid, sensitive and specific liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for quantitation of tadalafil (I) in human plasma, a new selective, reversible phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor. The analyte and internal standard (sildenafil, II) were extracted by liquid-liquid extraction with diethyl ether/dichloromethane (70/30, v/v) using a Glas-Col Multi-Pulse Vortexer. The chromatographic separation was performed on reverse phase Xterra MS C18 column with a mobile phase of 10mM ammonium formate/acetonitrile (10/90, v/v, pH adjusted to 3.

Simple, sensitive and rapid liquid chromatographic/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric method for the quantification of lacidipine in human plasma.

A simple, sensitive and rapid liquid chromatographic/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric method was developed and validated for the quantification of lacidipine in human plasma using its structural analogue, amlodipine, as internal standard (IS). The method involves a simple single-step liquid-liquid extraction with tert-butyl methyl ether. The analyte was chromatographed on an Xterra MS C(18) reversed-phase chromatographic column by isocratic elution with 20 mM ammonium acetate buffer-acetonitrile (10:90, v/v; pH 6) and analyzed by mass spectrometry in the multiple reaction monitoring mode.

Selective and rapid liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assay of dutasteride in human plasma.

A simple, rapid, sensitive and specific liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for quantification of dutasteride (I), a potent and the first specific dual inhibitor of 5alpha-reductase, in human plasma. The analyte and internal standard (finasteride (II)) were extracted by liquid-liquid extraction with diethyl ether/dichloromethane (70/30, v/v) using a Glas-Col Multi-Pulse Vortexer. The chromatographic separation was performed on a reverse phase Xterra MS C18 column with a mobile phase of 10 mM ammonium formate/acetonitrile (15/85, v/v, pH adjusted to 3.

Subarachnoid spread of germinoma mimicking tuberculous meningitis.

A case of pineal germinaoma spreading along the basal subarachnoid space, clinically and macroscopically at autopsy, resembling tuberculous basal arachnoiditis is reported. Need to carry out CSF cytology of even hemorrhagic CSF is stressed, to diagnose the condition.

Social impairment in Hyperkinetic Disorder - relationship to psychopathology and environmental stressors.

Background: There is paucity of information concerning social impairment in children and adolescents referred to mental health services.

Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the association of social impairment, psychopathology and environmental stressors in Hyperkinetic Disorder (HKD) and to determine the frequency of pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) symptoms in HKD.

Method: 'Item sheets' about children and adolescents seen in child and adolescent mental health between 1992 and 2001 (n = 3644) were used to extract nine psychopathology domains, two social impairment subtypes and nine environmental stressors.

Enhancement of biogas production from solid substrates using different techniques--a review.

Biogas, a clean and renewable form of energy could very well substitute (especially in the rural sector) for conventional sources of energy (fossil fuels, oil, etc.) which are causing ecological-environmental problems and at the same time depleting at a faster rate. Despite its numerous advantages, the potential of biogas technology could not be fully harnessed or tapped as certain constraints are also associated with it.

Subependymal giant cell astrocytoma: a clinicopathological study of 23 cases with special emphasis on proliferative markers and expression of p53 and retinoblastoma gene proteins.

Aims: To gain a better insight into the biological behaviour of subependymal giant cell astrocytoma (SEGA), tumour suppressor gene protein expression and various proliferative indices were studied in these tumours and correlated with histological features and clinical outcome.

Methods: We studied 23 cases of SEGA, 19 from our own Institute and four from the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurological Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India. Immunohistochemical staining for various glial and neuronal markers, proliferative markers (MIB-1, Topoisomerase II alpha PCNA) and tumour suppressor gene protein expression of p53 and retinoblastoma (Rb) were performed.

Are there gender-specific neural substrates of route learning from different perspectives?

Psychological studies have demonstrated sex differences in performance and tactics for route learning. Route information can be encoded in different ways, such as the survey perspective (as in maps) and the route perspective (as we experience the world). Here we show, using functional magnetic resonance imaging, that men and women use the same brain areas to learn routes from both perspectives, and that the observed sex differences in route learning are not due to differences in the parts of the brain being used.

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis: a clinicopathological study.

We report the clinical, electrophysiological, radiological and morphological features in a series of 12 patients of histopathologically confirmed cases (infantile, juvenile and adult onset) of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) observed from 1979 to 1998 at National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore (South India). The commonest type of NCL was juvenile (n = 8, 67%) while infantile and adult forms were two each (n = 2, 16.8%).

Liquid chromatography-negative ion electrospray tandem mass spectrometry method for the quantification of tacrolimus in human plasma and its bioanalytical applications.

A simple, rapid, novel and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for quantification of tacrolimus (I) in human plasma, a narrow therapeutic index, potent macrolide immunosuppressive drug. The analyte and internal standard (tamsulosin (II)) were extracted by liquid-liquid extraction with t-butylmethylether using a Glas-Col Multi-Pulse Vortexer. The chromatographic separation was performed on reverse phase Xterra ODS column with a mobile phase of 99% methanol and 1% 10mM ammonium acetate buffer.

Infliximab in the treatment of ulcerative colitis with toxic megacolon.

Toxic megacolon is a gastrointestinal emergency requiring prompt management to avoid fatal outcome. Although a majority of patients respond to conservative treatment, those not responding have been treated with intravenous cyclosporine or emergency surgery. Infliximab has been tried in patients with severe steroid-refractory ulcerative colitis.

Combined primary fibrosarcoma--malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the breast: a case report.

Malignant mesenchymal tumours of the breast are relatively rare tumours that have yet to receive universal approval in terms of terminology. With classification based on histogenesis rapidly gaining acceptance, we present a case with histological features of both fibrosarcoma and malignant fibrous histiocytoma, with the former predominating. An unusual finding was the presence of large areas with haemangiopericytomatous appearance.