Scleromyxedema with subclinical myositis.

A 49-year-old farmer presented with papules on the face, arms, chest and back associated with sclerosis. Histopathology and PAS stain confirmed the clinical diagnosis of scleromyxedema. He also had elevated CPK levels due to myopathy.

A clinical study of psoriatic arthropathy.

Background: The incidence of uncomplicated psoriasis is 1-3% in the general population. Arthritis is found in increased frequency in psoriatic patients and its incidence is estimated to be 5-7%.

Aim: To assess the prevalence of arthritis in psoriatic patients.

Protective effect of Umbelliferone on membranous fatty acid composition in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Umbelliferone (UMB), a natural antioxidant, is benzopyrone in nature, and it is present in the fruits of golden apple and bitter orange. Earlier we evaluated and reported the effect of Umbelliferone on antidiabetic, antioxidant and antihyperlipidemic properties, and this study was designed to evaluate the effect of Umbelliferone on membrane fatty acid composition and histopathology of liver and kidney of control and streptozotocin (STZ) diabetic rats. Male albino Wistar rats (180-200 g) were made diabetic by an intraperitonial administration of STZ (40 mg/kg).

Ulcerative lupus vulgaris of face: an uncommon presentation in India.

Tuberculosis affects the population world wide, more among those living in developing countries. The incidence of tuberculosis registered an upward trend even in developed countries, with the advent of HIV infection. Cutaneous tuberculosis accounts for about 1% of cases of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis.

Spontaneous knotting of urinary catheters: clinical and experimental observations.

Urinary catheters are known to spontaneously knot inside the bladder. Approximately 40 cases of this complication have been recorded in the world literature. Clinical observation in 4 children and simulation experiments done using a balloon model are described herein.

A new test for demonstrating the action of flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) tendon.

The available tests for demonstrating the action of flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) can be used on one finger at a time. A new test is proposed which can test all the four FDS tendons simultaneously. It was administered along with other available tests on 100 uninjured hands of 50 volunteers and on seven clinical cases with FDS injury.

Laparoscopic orchiectomy for the adult impalpable testis--experiences in a rural teaching hospital.

Background: Undescended testis is a relatively common condition in boys. The standard treatment is orchiopexy. In adults, orchiopexy is done only if sufficient length can be mobilized.

Laparoscopic jejuno-jejunostomy for afferent loop stasis following truncal vagotomy with posterior gastro-jejunostomy for pyloric stenosis.

A 47-year-old man presented with epigastric pain relieved by bilious vomiting since one month. He had undergone truncal vagotomy with posterior gastrojejunostomy for benign gastric outlet obstruction 2 years ago. Endoscopy showed distension and stasis in the afferent loop, bile gastritis and esophagitis.

Metastatic rhinosporidioma in a child.

Rhinosporidiosis is a chronic granulomatous disease caused by Rhinosporidium seeberi. It commonly affects nasal mucosa and conjunctiva. Subcutaneous disease is unusual and it is often mistaken for soft-tissue sarcoma.

Krabbe disease--a case report.

Krabbe disease is an extremely rare condition with an incidence of 1 in 1,00,000 live births. It is caused by deficient activity of the Iysosomal hydrolase galactosylceramide beta-galactosidase. A 6 years old male weighing 12 kg, was brought to Rajah Muthiah Medical College and Hospital with complaints of convulsions.

Kindler syndrome.

Kindler syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder associated with skin fragility. It is characterized by blistering in infancy, photosensitivity and progressive poikiloderma. The syndrome involves the skin and mucous membrane with radiological changes.

MDT-MB therapy in paucibacillary leprosy: a clinicopathological assessment.

Background: The World Health Organization recommends treatment regimens for paucibacillary (PB) and multibacillary (MB) leprosy, which differ in their duration and components. Hence accurate classification of the disease is required. To overcome difficulties in classification Uniform Multi Drug Therapy (U-MDT) has been recommended.

Unilateral linear pansclerotic morphea affecting face and limbs.

Disabling pansclerotic morphea is a rare atrophying and sclerosing disorder of the subcutaneous tissue, muscle and bone. It is characterized by atrophy of the skin, subcutaneous fat, muscle and bone involving half of the face. In some patients the atrophic lesions extend to involve the ipsilateral or contralateral upper and lower limbs with radiological evidence of hemiatrophy.

Choice of drainage procedure in paediatric pyopericardium: a 30-year experience.

Although there is general agreement on the necessity of draining pyopericardium, debate continues as to the safe and effective method of drainage. Studies describing head-to-head comparison of various drainage procedures are very few and are disadvantaged by small numbers of cases. In this observational study, we review our 30-years experience with different techniques of pericardial drainage.

Chemopreventive effect of trans-resveratrol--a phytoalexin against colonic aberrant crypt foci and cell proliferation in 1,2-dimethylhydrazine induced colon carcinogenesis.

Prevention of cancer remains a primary need and new chemopreventive agents must be developed for this purpose. Towards this goal, a chemoprevention study was conducted to evaluate the activity of resveratrol (Res), a phytoalexin, as an inhibitor of colon carcinogenesis. Wistar male rats were divided into six groups, group 1 were control rats, group 2 were control rats that received Res (8 mg/kg body wt p.

Laparoscopy-assisted truncal vagotomy with antecolic posterior gastrojejunostomy for benign gastric outlet obstruction.

Background: The aim of this study is to highlight the role of minimally invasive surgery in the form of laparoscopy-assisted truncal vagotomy (TV) with ante-colic posterior gastrojejunostomy (PGJ) for benign gastric outlet obstruction (GOO). GOO is relatively common in southern India due to various factors. From 1994 to 2004, 762 patients with GOO were operated on (open TV with PGJ) in our center.

Modulating role of 'Saptarangi' (Casearia esculenta) on membrane bound ATPase in streptozotocin diabetic rats.

We have studied the activities of adenosine triphosphatase (Na+/K+ATPase, Mg2+ATPase, Ca2+ATPase and Total ATPase) in erythrocyte, liver, kidney and cardiac tissues of control and Casearia esculenta treated streptozotocin (STZ) diabetic rats. The activity of Na+/K+ATPase plays a central role in the regulation of intra and extra cellular homeostasis and alteration of this transport system is thought to be linked to several complications of diabetes mellitus. An Mg2+ dependent ATPase activity is responsible for controlling the energy requiring process in cells whereas Ca2+ATPase is responsible for the signal transduction pathways and membrane fluidity.

Antiperoxidative and antioxidant effects of Casearia esculenta root extract in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Oxidative stress is currently suggested to play as a pathogenesis in the development of diabetes mellitus. The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of Casearia esculenta root extract on oxidative stress-related parameters in streptozotocin (STZ) -induced diabetic rats. Antidiabetic treatment with C.

Serum gamma glutamyl transferase (γ-GT) activity in alcoholics with liver abscess and chronic alcoholics.

Gamma Glutamyl Transferase (γ-GT) is a microsomal enzyme. Its activity in serum is assayed in alcoholics with liver abscess and alcoholics without liver abscess after screening by ultrasonography. The enzyme activity in serum is increased by 334% in the patients with liver abscess compared to normal control subjects (p<0.

Comparative effects of curcumin and an analogue of curcumin in carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

We have evaluated the comparative effect of curcumin (diferuloyl methane) and its analogue [bis-1,7-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-hepta-1,6-diene-3,5-dione] (BDMC-A) on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Administration of carbon tetrachloride (3 ml/kg/week) for three months significantly (P<0.05) increased the levels of marker enzymes such as aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT).

Cutaneous larva migrans--a case report.

Cutaneous larva migrans or creeping eruption is an uncommon parasitic skin infection caused by the filariform larvae of dog or cat hook worms. We report a case of larva migrans on the anterior abdominal wall, in a 52 year old lady, who did gardening as a hobby.