Nails: diagnostic clue to genodermatoses.

Nails are cutaneous appendages mostly involved in mechanical functions. However, nails may reflect presence of various systemic disorders evidenced by alteration of their shape, size, color or texture. Genodermatoses are multisystem disorders with cutaneous involvement.

Ameliorative effects of Panax quinquefolium on experimentally induced reflux oesophagitis in rats.

Background & Objectives: Reflux oesophagitis (RE), is one of the most prevalent chronic gastrointestinal disorders commonly referred to as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and requires long term therapy. The present study was designed to investigate the protective effects of Panax quinquefolium (PQ), administered with variable doses, on experimentally induced reflux oesophagitis (RE) in rats.

Methods: Forty two female Sprague-Dawley (180-220 g) rats were randomly divided to receive standardized root powder of PQ (50-200mg/kg, po), standard anti-reflux (omeprazole, 5 mg/kg, ip) and anti-oxidant (α-tocopherol, 16 mg/kg, po).

Brain region specific monoamine and oxidative changes during restraint stress.

Background And Purpose: Stress-induced central effects are regulated by brain neurotransmitters, glucocorticoids and oxidative processes. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the simultaneous alterations in the monoamine and antioxidant systems in selected brain regions (frontal cortex, striatum and hippocampus) at 1 hour (h) and 24h following the exposure of restraint stress (RS), to understand their initial response and possible crosstalk.

Methods And Results: RS (150 min immobilization) significantly increased the dopamine levels in the frontal cortex and decreased them in the striatum and hippocampus, with selective increase of dopamine metabolites both in the 1h and 24h RS groups compared to control values.

Novel Ocimumoside A and B as anti-stress agents: modulation of brain monoamines and antioxidant systems in chronic unpredictable stress model in rats.

Therapies targeting central stress mechanisms are fundamental for the development of successful treatment strategies. Ocimum sanctum (OS) is an Indian medicinal plant traditionally used for the treatment of various stress-related conditions. Previously, we have isolated and characterized three OS compounds; Ocimarin, Ocimumoside A and Ocimumoside B.

Carnosic acid modulates Akt/IKK/NF-κB signaling by PP2A and induces intrinsic and extrinsic pathway mediated apoptosis in human prostate carcinoma PC-3 cells.

This study investigates the efficacy of carnosic acid (CA), a polyphenolic diterpene, isolated from the plant rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis), on androgen-independent human prostate cancer PC-3 cells. CA induced anti-proliferative effects in PC-3 cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, which was due to apoptotic induction as evident from flow-cytometry, DNA laddering and TUNEL assay. Apoptosis was associated with the activation of caspase-8, -9, -3 and -7, increase in Bax:Bcl-2 ratio, release of cytochrome-c and decrease in expression of inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) family of proteins.

The physiology of human defecation.

Human defecation involves integrated and coordinated sensorimotor functions, orchestrated by central, spinal, peripheral (somatic and visceral), and enteric neural activities, acting on a morphologically intact gastrointestinal tract (including the final common path, the pelvic floor, and anal sphincters). The multiple factors that ultimately result in defecation are best appreciated by describing four temporally and physiologically fairly distinct phases. This article details our current understanding of normal defecation, including recent advances, but importantly identifies those areas where knowledge or consensus is still lacking.

Immunohistochemistry: relevance in dermatology.

Use of immunohistochemical technique is increasing in diagnosing various diseases. In many situations it may not be possible to differentiate entities with overlapping clinical and histopathological features. Immunostaining of cellular antigens is immensely helpful in such cases.

Ultrafast dynamics of the excited states of 1-(p-nitrophenyl)-2-(hydroxymethyl)pyrrolidine.

The dynamics of the excited states of 1-(p-nitrophenyl)-2-(hydroxymethyl)pyrrolidine (p-NPP) has been investigated using the subpicosecond transient absorption spectroscopic technique in different kinds of solvents. Following photoexcitation using 400 nm light, conformational relaxation via twisting of the nitro group, internal conversion (IC) and the intersystem crossing (ISC) processes have been established to be the three major relaxation pathways responsible for the ultrafast deactivation of the excited singlet (S(1)) state. Although the nitro-twisting process has been observed in all kinds of solvents, the relative probability of the occurrence of the other two processes has been found to be extremely sensitive to solvent polarity, because of alteration of the relative energies of the S(1) and the triplet (T(n)) states.

Gas chromatography-full scan mass spectrometry determination of traces of chemical warfare agents and their impurities in air samples by inlet based thermal desorption of sorbent tubes.

A sensitive gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) based analytical method was developed for detection of the chemical warfare agents (CWA) and related compounds in air/vapor samples. The method uses a Tenax TA packed GC liner as an air/vapor sampling tube and Programmable Temperature-Vaporization (PTV) GC inlet as the thermal desorber. This approach eliminates secondary focusing step and allows transfer of desorbed analytes as sharp bands directly to the head of GC column.

Comparative evaluation of forced swim test and tail suspension test as models of negative symptom of schizophrenia in rodents.

Previous studies have shown that the administration of NMDA antagonist can induce negative symptoms of schizophrenia which can be tested through the enhanced immobility observed in the forced swim test (FST). In the present study, we have compared the effects of acute as well as chronic administration of a noncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist, ketamine on FST, and another behaviour despair model, tail suspension test (TST). Our observations suggest that chronic ketamine administration induced a state of enhanced immobility in FST, but such findings were not replicated in the TST model.

Childhood vitiligo.

Childhood vitiligo is often encountered in dermatological practice. When present in infancy or early childhood, various nevoid and hereditary disorders are to be differentiated. In many cases, familial aggregation of the disease is seen and other autoimmune disorders may be associated.

Evaluation of the antipsychotic potential of Panax quinquefolium in ketamine induced experimental psychosis model in mice.

The search for novel pharmacotherapy from medicinal plants for psychiatric illnesses has progressed significantly from the past few decades and their therapeutic potential has been assessed in a variety of animal models. The aim of our study was to screen one such plant, Panax quinquefolium (PQ), with significant neuroactive properties for its antipsychotic potential. A graded dose study with PQ at 12.

The impact of functional constipation on quality of life of middle-aged Black Americans: a prospective case-control study.

Purpose: To quantify the impact of constipation on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Black Americans.

Methods: Case-control design. Black subjects referred for colon cancer screening with a Bristol Stool Score of 3-5 for >75% of bowel movements served as controls.

Gastroprotective effect of anti-cancer compound rohitukine: possible role of gastrin antagonism and H(+) K (+)-ATPase inhibition.

The present study was designed to evaluate the anti-ulcerogenic properties of an alkaloid chromane, rohitukine from Dysoxylum binectariferum. Anti-ulcer potential of rohitukine was assessed in cold restrained, pyloric ligated and ethanol induced ulcers in rats. In addition, rohitukine was tested in vitro for H(+) K(+)-ATPase inhibitory activity in gastric microsomes.

Analysing the role of COX-2 in acute oesophagitis and in melatonin-exerted protection against experimental reflux oesophagitis in rats.

Objectives: Cyclooxygenase(COX)-2 is implicated in variety of pathophysiological processes, although its role in acute reflux oesophagitis is debatable. This study was designed to evaluate the role of COX-2 during oesophagitis and in melatonin-elicited protection in rats.

Methods: Reflux oesophagitis was induced in rats by ligating the pyloric end and the limiting ridge of the stomach for 5 h.

Discovery of safe and orally effective 4-aminoquinaldine analogues as apoptotic inducers with activity against experimental visceral leishmaniasis.

Novel antileishmanials are urgently required to overcome emergence of drug resistance, cytotoxic effects, and difficulties in oral delivery. Toward this, we investigated a series of novel 4-aminoquinaldine derivatives, a new class of molecules, as potential antileishmanials. 4-Aminoquinaldine derivatives presented inhibitory effects on L.

Laparoscopic heminephrectomy of a horseshoe kidney.

Minimally invasive surgery has revolutionized surgery for urologic disorders, and laparoscopic procedures have become widely available for several different ablative and reconstructive operations. Laparoscopic heminephrectomy in patients with horseshoe kidney can be a technically challenging procedure due to aberrant vessels, functional parenchyma in the isthmus, and abnormal location. We report the management of a case of symptomatic nonfunctioning left moiety of a horseshoe kidney with emphasis on its surgical technique combined with a review of the literature.

Neuroprotective and anti-stress effect of A68930 in acute and chronic unpredictable stress model in rats.

The neurorescuing effect of A68930 (a potent selective D(1) agonist) and its role on the regulation of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis have been investigated. Acute (AS) and chronic unpredictable (CUS) stress models were used to evaluate the effect of A68930 on HPA-axis regulation in relation to the change in the fiber density and number of immunoreactive (ir) neurons of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in the dopamine (DA) and GR rich brain regions in rats. CUS caused a significant decrease in the number of TH ir neurons in the striatum, medial forebrain bundle, ventral tegmental area and substansia nigra and GR in the cortex, striatum and hippocampus as compared to the non-stress controls (NS).

Sir-2.1 modulates 'calorie-restriction-mediated' prevention of neurodegeneration in Caenorhabditis elegans: implications for Parkinson's disease.

The phenomenon of aging is known to modulate many disease conditions including neurodegenerative ailments like Parkinson's disease (PD) which is characterized by selective loss of dopaminergic neurons. Recent studies have reported on such effects, as calorie restriction, in modulating aging in living systems. We reason that PD, being an age-associated neurodegenerative disease might be modulated by interventions like calorie restriction.

Light microscopy of the hair: a simple tool to "untangle" hair disorders.

Light microscopy of the hair forms an important bedside clinical tool for the diagnosis of various disorders affecting the hair. Hair abnormalities can be seen in the primary diseases affecting the hair or as a secondary involvement of hair in diseases affecting the scalp. Hair abnormalities also form a part of various genodermatoses and syndromes.

Dispersive derivatization liquid-liquid extraction of degradation products/precursors of mustards and V-agents from aqueous samples.

A new derivatization and extraction technique termed as dispersive derivatization liquid-liquid extraction (DDLLE) speeds up the analysis process by removing the requirement for drying of the sample. The derivatization process takes place at the interface between the analyte containing aqueous phase and derivatization agent laden organic phase. The organic phase is highly dispersed using disperser solvent so that the total surface area is large.

18β-glycyrrhetinic acid induces apoptosis through modulation of Akt/FOXO3a/Bim pathway in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells.

Triterpenes found in plants display a multitude of biological activities, including anti-tumor properties. The present study investigates the effect of 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid (GRA) a pentacyclic triterpenoid of the β-amyrin type, isolated from the root of Licorice (Glycyrrhizza glabra) on human breast cancer cells, MCF-7. GRA showed potent inhibitory effects on MCF-7 proliferation in a concentration- and time-dependent manner without affecting immortalized normal mammary epithelial cell line (MCF-10A).

Anti-ulcerogenic and in vitro antioxidant activities of Lagenaria breviflora (LB) whole fruit ethanolic extract in laboratory animals.

Background: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the anti-ulcer and antioxidant activities of the ethanol extract of Lagenaria breviflora (EELB) whole fruit in laboratory rats.

Methods: The anti-ulcer property of the ethanolic extract of the whole fruit of Lagenaria breviflora (LB) was assessed using the cold-restraint stress-induced (CRU) gastric ulcer, pyloric ligation-induced (PL) gastric ulcer, aspirin-induced (ASP) gastric ulcer and alcohol-induced (AL) gastric ulcer models. The scavenging activity of the LB extract was examined with 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH), Nitric oxide, Hydroxyl radical and Superoxide anion scavenging models.

Cutaneous disorders in 500 diabetic patients attending diabetic clinic.

Background: The metabolic complications and pathologic changes that occur in diabetes mellitus (DM) influence the occurrence of various dermatoses.

Aim: To study the impact of control of diabetes on the pattern of cutaneous disorders.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study of patients attending diabetic clinic in a tertiary care hospital.