Females With Axial Spondyloarthritis Have Longer Diagnostic Delay and Higher Burden of the Disease. Results From the International Map of Axial Spondyloarthritis (IMAS).

Background: To assess gender differences in a large sample of patients included in the International Map of Axial Spondyloarthritis (IMAS) study from around the globe.

Method: IMAS is a cross-sectional online survey (2017-2022) of 5557 unselected axSpA patients from 27 countries. The current analysis assessed differences between males and females for: sociodemographic, health behaviors, disease characteristics, patient-reported outcomes, mental comorbidities, and treatments.

Do patients with axial spondyloarthritis with active disease suffer from greater disease burden and work impairment? Results from the International Map of Axial Spondyloarthritis (IMAS).

Background: To assess the prevalence of clinically active disease in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and its associated factors in a large global sample of patients from the International Map of Axial Spondyloarthritis (IMAS) study.

Methods: IMAS is a cross-sectional online survey (2017-2022) of 5557 axSpA patients. Patients were divided between those with active disease (BASDAI ≥4) and without active disease (BASDAI <4).

Factors Associated with Poor Mental Health in Patients with Axial Spondyloarthritis: Results from the International Map of Axial Spondyloarthritis (IMAS).

Background: This study aims to assess the prevalence of poor mental health in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and its associated factors in a large sample of patients from the International Map of Axial Spondyloarthritis (IMAS) study from around the globe.

Methods: IMAS is a cross-sectional online survey (2017-2022) that includes 5557 unselected patients with axSpA worldwide. Mental health was evaluated by the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and the cut-off point for poor mental health was set at 3.

International Map of Axial Spondyloarthritis (IMAS): results from the perspective of 5557 patients from 27 countries around the globe.

Background: The International Map of Axial Spondyloarthritis (IMAS) is a global initiative aimed to assess the impact and burden of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and identify the unmet needs from the patient's perspective.

Method: IMAS is a collaboration between the Axial Spondyloarthritis International Federation (ASIF), the University of Seville, Novartis Pharma AG and steered by a scientific committee. IMAS collected information through an online cross-sectional survey (2017-2022) from unselected patients with axSpA from Europe, Asia, North America, Latin America and Africa who completed a comprehensive questionnaire containing over 120 items.

Regional Differences in Diagnosis Journey and Healthcare Utilization: Results from the International Map of Axial Spondyloarthritis (IMAS).

Introduction: To assess differences in the diagnosis journey and access to care in a large sample of patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) from around the world, included in the International Map of Axial Spondyloarthritis (IMAS).

Methods: IMAS was a cross-sectional online survey (2017-2022) of 5557 unselected patients with axSpA from 27 countries. Across five worldwide geographic regions, the patient journey until diagnosis and healthcare utilization in the last 12 months prior to survey were evaluated.

Regional differences in clinical phenotype of axial spondyloarthritis: results from the International Map of Axial Spondyloarthritis (IMAS).

Objectives: To explore differences in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) clinical phenotype around the world in a large sample of patients included in the International Map of Axial Spondyloarthritis (IMAS).

Method: IMAS was a cross-sectional online survey (2017-2022) of 5557 unselected axSpA patients from 27 countries. We analysed across five geographic regions the age at symptom onset, diagnostic delay, gender, HLA-B27, family history, extra-musculoskeletal manifestations, presence of comorbidities, disease activity (BASDAI), level of spinal stiffness and treatments.

eIF4E phosphorylation recruits β-catenin to mRNA cap and promotes Wnt pathway translation in dentate gyrus LTP maintenance.

The mRNA cap-binding protein, eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E), is crucial for translation and regulated by Ser209 phosphorylation. However, the biochemical and physiological role of eIF4E phosphorylation in translational control of long-term synaptic plasticity is unknown. We demonstrate that phospho-ablated Knockin mice are profoundly impaired in dentate gyrus LTP maintenance , whereas basal perforant path-evoked transmission and LTP induction are intact.

Arc self-association and formation of virus-like capsids are mediated by an N-terminal helical coil motif.

Activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc) is a protein interaction hub with diverse roles in intracellular neuronal signaling, and important functions in neuronal synaptic plasticity, memory, and postnatal cortical development. Arc has homology to retroviral Gag protein and is capable of self-assembly into virus-like capsids implicated in the intercellular transfer of RNA. However, the molecular basis of Arc self-association and capsid formation is largely unknown.

Analytical and Clinical Evaluation of an Immunoassay for Estimating Immunogenicity of Infliximab and Etanercept in Indian Population.

Background / Objectives: Biologic anti-TNFs in India have improved the patient management. Significant proportions of patients lose response over time or do not respond. Possible explanations are suboptimal trough anti-TNFa concentrations or antibodies to anti-TNFs.

Cold Vs. Heat After Exercise-Is There a Clear Winner for Muscle Soreness.

Because of the differences in the exercise type, temperature, and timing of the use of cold and heat after exercise in different studies, there is no clear conclusion as to the efficacy of either modality on reducing delayed onset muscle soreness. One hundred subjects at similar fitness levels were examined. They accomplished leg squats for 15 minutes and heat and cold were applied after or 24 hours after exercise using ThermaCare heat or cold wraps.

Development of a normative framework for disaster relief: learning from colonial famine histories in India.

Contemporary academic debates on the history of the colonial Famine Codes in India--also considered to be the first coded and institutionalised normative frameworks for natural disaster response on the continent--generally are based on one of two perspectives. The first focuses on their economic rationale, whereas the second underlines that they constitute an anti-famine contract between the colonial masters and the people of India. This paper demonstrates that both of these viewpoints are limited in scope and that they simplify the nature of governance instituted through famine response practices in Colonial India.

The effect of acute administration of vitamin D on micro vascular endothelial function in Caucasians and South Asian Indians.

Background: Vitamin D is a modulator of the immune system. There is some limited evidence that it also increases local blood flow in response to stress.

Material And Methods: In the present study, we examined 20 age matched subjects; 10 whom were from India and 10 Caucasians from the United States.

Therapeutic options for systemic sclerosis.

Systemic sclerosis is a uncommon connective tissue disorder characterized by vascular damage, immune cell activation and fibrogenesis. Each of these components may respond to different therapies. Therefore, a combination strategy treating all three processes is more likely to control the disease than single agent therapy.

Leprosy & gangrene: a rare association; role of anti phospholipid antibodies.

Background: Leprosy still remains an important public health problem for many parts of the world. An association of gangrene with leprosy is a rare one & can have a number of causative mechanisms. We present a case with Leprosy & gangrene with positive anti phopholipid antibody titers.

Use of the Internet as a resource of health information by patients: a clinic-based study in the Indian population.

Background: There is abundant literature documenting that the Internet is fast changing the way patients access health-related information, learn about their illnesses, and make healthcare-related decisions. However, there is hardly any data regarding Indian patients accessing health-related information available on the Internet.

Aims: To determine patients' use of the Internet as a medical information resource and to determine their experience, their perceptions of the quality and reliability of the information available.

Pamidronate--a promising new candidate for the management of spondyloarthropathy.

Bisphosphonate group of agents are known for their anti-bone resorptive properties. However, recently their anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritis properties have come to light. Clinical trials of their use in spondyloarthropathy are showing promising results, especially in patients with shorter disease duration.

Health information on the internet: patient empowerment or patient deceit?

Internet is the biggest medical library in the world. It has transformed the way many health seekers find health information. Seekers on net have exponentially increased from 54 million in 1998 to 110 million in 2002 (U.

Identification of tobacco-derived compounds in human pancreatic juice.

Cancer of the pancreas is the fourth leading cause of cancer mortality in the USA with an estimated 28 900 deaths in 2001. Several factors have been implicated in the etiology of this disease. However, at present, only cigarette smoking has been positively associated with pancreatic cancer.

Determination of 3-nitrotyrosine by high-pressure liquid chromatography with a dual-mode electrochemical detector.

3-Nitrotyrosine, a product of tyrosine nitration, is useful as a marker for the generation of reactive nitrogen oxide species with short half-lives such as peroxynitrite. A reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatographic method using a dual-mode electrochemical detector in series with a photodiode array detector has been developed to determine the levels of 3-nitrotyrosine in biological samples. The principle of this method involves reduction of 3-nitrotyrosine at an upstream gold amalgam electrode and oxidation of the resulting product(s) at a downstream glassy carbon electrode.

A metabolite of the tobacco-specific lung carcinogen 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone in the urine of hospital workers exposed to environmental tobacco smoke.

We analyzed the urine of nonsmoking hospital workers exposed to environmental tobacco smoke for [4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)but-1-yl]-beta-O-D-glucosiduronic acid (NNAL-Gluc), a metabolite of the tobacco-specific lung carcinogen 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone. Samples were collected three times on a single day from nine workers. Quantitative analysis was carried out by combined gas chromatography-nitrosamine-selective detection.

Differences in the urinary metabolites of the tobacco-specific lung carcinogen 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone in black and white smokers.

Incidence and mortality rates for lung cancer in the United States are significantly greater in blacks than in whites. This disparity cannot be explained by differences in smoking behavior. We hypothesize that the observed racial differences in risk may be due to differences in the metabolic activation or detoxification of the tobacco-specific lung carcinogen 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK).