Methotrexate versus hydroxycarbamide (hydroxyurea) as a weekly dose to treat moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis: a comparative study.

Background: Literature is replete with reports on the therapeutic efficacy and toxicity of methotrexate or hydroxycarbamide for treating chronic plaque psoriasis but no comparative study on their efficacy/safety has been carried out. While methotrexate has long been used in weekly doses in the treatment of psoriasis, the efficacy of hydroxycarbamide as a weekly therapy remains universally unexplored.

Methods: Two groups of 15 patients each having moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis were given weekly doses of methotrexate (15-20 mg/week) or hydroxycarbamide (3-4.

Orthonormal polynomials in wavefront analysis: analytical solution.

Zernike circle polynomials are in widespread use for wavefront analysis because of their orthogonality over a circular pupil and their representation of balanced classical aberrations. In recent papers, we derived closed-form polynomials that are orthonormal over a hexagonal pupil, such as the hexagonal segments of a large mirror. We extend our work to elliptical, rectangular, and square pupils.

Comparative efficacy of intralesional sodium stibogluconate (SSG) alone and its combination with intramuscular SSG to treat localized cutaneous leishmaniasis: Results of a pilot study.

Background: Intralesional sodium stibogluconate (SSG) has become first line therapy for localized cutaneous leishmaniasis (LCL).

Aims: This study compares the efficacy of intralesional SSG given alone with that of intralesional SSG combined with intramuscular SSG.

Methods: Thirty-two patients aged between 5-56 years were included in the study.

A new focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Himachal Pradesh (India).

This paper highlights a new focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in the temperate area of Himachal Pradesh (India), a previously non-endemic area. In this hospital-based study, 38 new cases of CL, acquired indigenously have been detected from 1988-2000. Of these, 26 were from Kinnaur district and 12 from adjoining areas of bordering districts situated along the river: Satluj.

Cutaneous sporotrichosis of face: polymorphism and reactivation after intralesional triamcinolone.

Cutaneous sporotrichosis, a subcutaneous mycotic infection is caused by the saprophytic, dimorphic fungus Sporothrix schenckii. It commonly presents as lymphocutaneous or fixed cutaneous lesions involving the upper extremities with facial lesions being seen more often in children. The lesions are polymorphic.

Degradation of an image by Gaussian longitudinal motion.

The effect of random longitudinal motion of an image is discussed. Numerical results are given for systems with circular and annular pupils. It is shown that, for a given value of the image motion, the time-averaged Strehl ratio is larger for a larger value of the obscuration ratio of an annular pupil.

Therapeutic options for cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis occurs worldwide in both old and new world countries with their own endemic foci. Many of those infected often experience a delay in diagnosis and inappropriate treatment.

Objectives: To review the literature in terms of the various treatment options described for cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Immune mediated hemolysis in visceral leishmaniasis.

Anemia in visceral leishmaniasis is a usual manifestation; however, Coombs positive hemolytic anemia has been infrequently reported. In this brief communication, we report occurrence of immune hemolytic anemia in a young child with visceral leishmaniasis. She was successfully treated with liposomal amphotericin.

Synthesis and evaluation of 4/5-hydroxy-2,3-diaryl(substituted)-cyclopent-2-en-1-ones as cis-restricted analogues of combretastatin A-4 as novel anticancer agents.

A new series of 2,3-diaryl-4/5-hydroxy-cyclopent-2-en-1-one analogues replacing the cis double bond of combretastatin A-4 (CA-4) by 4/5-hydroxy cyclopentenone moieties was designed and synthesized. The analogues displayed potent cytotoxic activity (IC50<1 microg/mL) against a panel of human cancer cell lines and endothelial cells. The most potent analogues 11 and 42 belonging to the 5-hydroxy cyclopentenone class were further evaluated for their mechanism of action.

Combined treatment with temozolomide and methoxyamine: blocking apurininc/pyrimidinic site repair coupled with targeting topoisomerase IIalpha.

Purpose: Methoxyamine has been shown to potentiate the cytotoxic effect of temozolomide both in vitro and in human tumor xenograft models. We postulate that the enhanced cytotoxicity is mediated by methoxyamine-bound apurininc/pyrimidinic (MX-AP) site, a key lesion formed by the combination of temozolomide and methoxyamine. When located within topoisomerase IIalpha (topo II) cleavage sites in DNA, MX-AP sites act as dual lethal targets, not only functionally disrupting the base excision repair (BER) pathway but also potentially poisoning topo II.

Comparison of the clinical behavior of newly diagnosed stages II-IV low-grade serous carcinoma of the ovary with that of serous ovarian tumors of low malignant potential that recur as low-grade serous carcinoma.

Background: Serous ovarian tumors of low malignant potential (STLMP) frequently coexist with low-grade serous carcinoma of the ovary (LGSC) and, when they recur, frequently do so as LGSC. The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of patients with these two tumor types.

Methods: All patients with stages II-IV LGSC (group 1) or with STLMP that recurred as LGSC (group 2) seen at our institution from 1973 to 2003 were identified, and demographic data were obtained.

Cutaneous sarcoidosis: clinical profile of 23 Indian patients.

Background: Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disease of undetermined etiology. Indian studies on cutaneous sarcoidosis are not many and mainly comprise case reports.

Aims: This retrospective study was carried out to assess the clinical profile of sarcoidosis patients presenting with cutaneous lesions.

Epidemiology of a new focus of localized cutaneous leishmaniasis in Himachal Pradesh.

A new focus of localised cutaneous leishmaniasis has emerged along the Satluj River valley in the mountainous region of north west Himachal Pradesh. The main endemic region extends from Pooh subdivision of Kinnaur district to Kumarsain subdivision of Shimla district with adjoining Nirmand subdivision of Kullu District comprising 86 villages. The climate of the affected areas varies from temperate to subtropical.

Recovery of older patients undergoing ambulatory anaesthesia with isoflurane or sevoflurane.

Background: Delayed recovery of cognitive function is a well-recognized phenomenon in older patients. The potential for the volatile anaesthetic used to contribute to alterations in postoperative cognitive function in older patients following minor surgical procedures has not been determined. We compared emergence from isoflurane and sevoflurane anaesthesia in older surgical patients undergoing urological procedures of short duration.

Nonrecursive determination of orthonormal polynomials with matrix formulation.

A general theoretical approach has been developed for the determination of orthonormal polynomials over any integrable domain, such as a hexagon. This approach is better than the classical Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization process because it is nonrecursvie and can be performed rapidly with matrix transformations. The determination of the orthonormal hexagonal polynomials is demonstrated as an example of the matrix approach.

Zernike annular polynomials and atmospheric turbulence.

Imaging through atmospheric turbulence by systems with annular pupils is discussed using the Zernike annular polynomials. Fourier transforms of these polynomials are derived analytically to facilitate the calculation of variance and covariance of the aberration coefficients. Zernike annular shape functions are derived and used to calculate the Strehl ratio and the residual phase structure and mutual coherence functions when a certain number of modes are corrected using, say, a deformable mirror.

Transgenic mice carrying the H258N mutation in the gene encoding the beta-subunit of phosphodiesterase-6 (PDE6B) provide a model for human congenital stationary night blindness.

Mutations in the beta-subunit of cGMP-phosphodiesterase (PDE6beta) can lead to either progressive retinal disease, such as human retinitis pigmentosa (RP), or stationary disease, such as congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB). Individuals with CSNB in the Rambusch pedigree were found to carry the H258N allele of PDE6B (MIM# 180072); a similar mutation was not found in RP patients. This report describes an individual carrying the H258N allele, who presented with generalized retinal dysfunction affecting the rod system and a locus of dysfunction at the rod-bipolar interface.

Orthonormal polynomials for hexagonal pupils.

The problem of determining the orthonormal polynomials for hexagonal pupils by the Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization of Zernike circle polynomials is revisited, and closed-form expressions for the hexagonal polynomials are given. We show how the orthonormal coefficients are related to the corresponding Zernike coefficients for a hexagonal pupil and emphasize that it is the former that should be used for any quantitative wavefront analysis for such a pupil.

Erythema nodosum leprosum and HIV infection: A therapeutic experience.

The relationship between leprosy and HIV infection is not yet fully understood, as not much is known about the natural history of the co-infected patients. The matter has become more confusing because of conflicting reports. Type-1 lepra reactions and neuritis appear to be severe and more frequent among them.

Sweet's syndrome from an Indian perspective: a report of four cases and review of the literature.

Background: Sweet's syndrome or acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis is not frequently reported from India. Four patients fulfilling clinico-pathologic criteria for Sweet's syndrome seen during May-August 2002 prompted us to review reports on Indian patients from the indexed literature.

Methods: A PubMed and IndMed search for Sweet's syndrome revealed 11 reports appearing between 1985-2002 documenting 12 patients.