Chlamydia pneumoniae antibodies in various subtypes of ischemic stroke in Indian patients

BACKGROUND: As infections occur more frequently in developing countries, we carried out this prospective case-control study, to establish the association, if any, between C. pneumoniae antibodies and ischemic stroke particularly in relation to its subtypes. DESIGN: Antibodies (IgG and IgA) to C. pneumoniae in serum were measured by microimmunofluorescence test in 200 consecutive ischemic stroke patients and 200 age and sex matched controls. RESULTS: Seventy two out of 200 ischemic stroke patients (36%) had positive C. pneumoniae antibodies (IgG or IgA), compared to 35 out of 200 controls (17.5%) (p<0.0001). IgG antibody was positive in 64/200 (32%) ischemic stroke patients, compared to 34/200(17%) controls (p<0.0001) and IgA was positive in 20/200(10%) ischemic stroke patients compared to 1/200(0.5%) controls (p<0.0001). Logistic regression analysis showed statistically significant association between C. pneumoniae antibody positivity and ischemic stroke, thereby establishing it as an independent risk factor. Prevalence of C. pneumoniae antibodies was significantly higher in all stroke subtypes (except the stroke of undetermined etiology) compared to controls. CONCLUSION: Significant and independent association was found between C. pneumoniae antibodies and ischemic stroke in this sample of south Indian population. The association was found in all ischemic stroke subtypes, except stroke of undetermined etiology.     

Preliminary open trial of interpersonal counseling for subsyndromal depression following miscarriage

Miscarriage occurs in 10-20% of clinically recognized pregnancies and is associated with two- to fourfold increases in depressive symptoms. No counseling programs for depressed miscarrying women have been manualized or evaluated for safety and efficacy. We investigated whether depressive symptoms decline substantially among miscarrying women receiving one to six weekly sessions of manualized, telephone-administered interpersonal counseling (IPC), a variant of interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) in an open trial. Depressive symptom levels were measured with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale. Of 65 women evaluated, 24 were study eligible; 17 consented to participate. Change in symptom levels was evaluated by comparing baseline to postintervention CES-D scores in an intention to treat (ITT) sample (n=17) and a completer subsample (n=9). The latter sample comprised women reevaluated postintervention. In the ITT sample, the CES-D mean score declined from 25.4 to 18.8 [mean within-subject change=6.6, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.4-11.6]; in the completer subsample, it declined from 23.6 to 11.2 (mean within-subject change=12.3, 95% CI=4.0-20.7). Findings from this small open trial suggest that IPC decreases depressive symptoms after miscarriage. A randomized, controlled trial of IPC's safety and efficacy with depressed miscarrying women is warranted.     

Identification and molecular characterization of two recurrent missense mutations in the RS1 gene in two families with X-linked retinoschisis from North India

X-linked retinoschisis (XLR) is a rare medical condition that involves in the splitting of neurosensory layers and the impairment of vision in the retina. In majority of the XLR cases, pathogenic variants in Retinoschisin 1 (RS1) gene have been implicated in males with an early age of onset during early childhood. In the present study, we have recruited two North Indian families having multiple affected male members, who were diagnosed with XLR. The entire protein-coding region of RS1 was screened by PCR-Sanger sequencing and two recurrent pathogenic variants (p.I81N and p.R102Q) were unraveled. The in vitro study of these variants demonstrated the aggregation of mutant RS1 within the endoplasmic reticulum. Furthermore, mutant forms of this protein showed significant intracellular retention, which was evident by the absence of retinoschisin protein fractions in the extracellular media. These inferences were also supported by extensive bioinformatics analysis of the mutants, which showed dramatic conformational changes in the local structure of retinoschisin. Thus, our study suggests that the identified pathogenic variants interfere with proper protein folding, leading to anomalous structural changes ultimately resulting in intracellular retention of retinoschisin within the retina.     

Quality of life in female cancer survivors: is it related to ovarian reserve?

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to assess the quality-of-life scores and possible association with measures of ovarian reserve in female cancer survivors compared to healthy controls of similar age.

Methods

In this prospective cohort study, fifty-nine cancer survivors aged 16–39 years and 66 healthy, similarly aged unexposed women were recruited at the University of Pennsylvania. The primary outcome measures are the generic and cancer-specific domain scores on the Quality of Life in Adult Cancer Survivors (QLACS) instrument, early follicular phase serum hormones, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), inhibin B (INH), anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), and ovarian ultrasound measurements [ovarian volume and antral follicle count (AFC)].

Results

Cancer survivors had significantly higher total and cancer-specific domain scores compared to unexposed participants. Serum AMH, INH, ovarian volume, and AFC were lower while serum FSH was higher in cancer survivors. Although survivors exhibited diminished ovarian reserve, these markers were not independently associated with total QLACS score. Cancer survivors with irregular menstrual function were found to have lower quality-of-life (QOL) scores than those with regular cycles.

Conclusions

We found that QOL appears to be significantly impaired in cancer survivors compared to controls, even when remote from initial cancer diagnosis. In addition, our study suggests that reproductive aging contributes to QOL in the setting of irregular menses and likely profound impairment of ovarian function.     

Acute and chronic inflammation studies of Strobilanthes callosus leaves extract on rat model

Aim

To assess the protective efficacy of Strobilanthes callosus against the acute and chronic inflammation on rat model.

Methods

Inflammation was induced by carrageen and Freund’s complete adjuvant in plantar surface of the rats. The ethanol, chloroform and petroleum ether extracts in three divided doses (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) were administered orally. Diclofenac sodium (10 mg/kg), prednisolone (5 mg/kg) and methotrexate (0.5 mg/kg) were used as standard. The statistical significance between means was analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey’s multiple comparison test. A p <0.005 was considered as statistically significant.

Results

Pet. ether (200 and 400 mg/kg) and ethanol extract (100 and 400 mg/kg) showed statistically significant (p < 0.001) effect in analgesic activity. In a carrageen-induced model, only pet. ether extract (100 and 400 mg/kg) confirmed statistically significant effect (p < 0.001) at every interval (four in all) of 1 h. In Freund’s adjuvant model, Pet ether and ethanol extract (200 and 400 mg/kg) have shown statistically significant effect (p < 0.001) and in case of chloroform extract only single dose (400 mg/kg) were observed statistically significant results considered to be anti-arthritic effects. The histopathology pictures showed there was positive inhibition of arthritis at a certain level in different groups compared to positive control group.

Conclusion

Pet. ether and ethanol extracts of S. callosus were observed to have a promising efficacy against acute and chronic inflammation.     

Design, synthesis, and anticonvulsant evaluation of some novel 1, 3 benzothiazol-2-yl hydrazones/acetohydrazones

A series of 2-[2-(substituted)hydrazinyl]-1,3-benzothiazole and 2-(1,3-benzothiazol-2-ylsulfanyl)-N′-(substituted)acetohydrazide were designed and synthesized keeping in view the structural requirement of pharmacophore and evaluated for anticonvulsant activity and neurotoxicity. The anticonvulsant activity of the titled compounds was assessed using the 6?Hz psychomotor seizure test. The most active compound of the series was 2-(1,3-benzothiazol-2-ylsulfanyl)-N′-[4-(4-bromophenoxy)benzylidene]acetohydrazide BT 15, which showed 75% protection (3/4, 1.0?h) and 50% protection (2/4, 0.5?h) at a dose of 100?mg/kg in mice. A computational study was carried out for calculation of pharmacophore pattern and prediction of pharmacokinetic properties. Titled compounds have also exhibited good binding properties with epilepsy molecular targets such as GABA (A) alpha-1, glutamate, GABA (A) delta receptors and Na/H exchanger, in Lamarckian genetic algorithm-based flexible docking studies.     

Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of newer indole semicarbazones

A series of 1-(2-Oxo-2-phenyl-ethyl)-2-phenyl-1H-indole-3yl)methylene) semicarbazone derivatives (4a–g and 6a–c) were synthesized by the condensation of derivatives of 1-(2-Oxo-2-phenyl-ethyl)-2-phenyl-1H-indole-3-carbaldehyde and semicarbazide in ethanol under microwave irradiation procedure. Both conventional and microwave-irradiated syntheses have been carried out to compare their yields and reaction time. The structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed by spectral data. The antimicrobial activities of the synthesized compounds were screened using broth dilution method. Among all the screened compounds some of the compounds exerted good antifungal activity against C. albicans and C. rugosa. All the compounds exhibited moderate activity against bacteria such as B. subtilis, S. aureus, S. epidermidis, E. coli, P. aeoginosa, and K. pneumoniae.     

The Moving Target: A Geographic Index of Relative Wellbeing

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have been widely used by health planners and professionals to map and describe disease occurrence, spread, and exposure. Increasingly, GIS is being used to measure accessibility to health services in order to better manage scarce resources and to ensure equity and accountability. We argue that health planners can use readily available census data to understand the demands and needs of particular population by identifying key indicators that have a direct or indirect impact on individual health and community well-being. We present an Index of Relative Wellbeing, a weighted basket of 10 key variables from the Census that can be used to describe the health status of a particular census area. Health planners can use this index within a GIS to conduct spatial and temporal analyses. Our research demonstrates that the spatial distribution of health inequalities can be carefully documented and be directly used in the policymaking arena.