New trends in cannabis potency in USA and Europe during the last decade (2008–2017)

European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience - Through the potency monitoring program at the University of Mississippi supported by National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a total of...     

The Influence of Stroke Location on Cognitive and Mood Impairment. A Voxel-Based Lesion-Symptom Mapping Study

Background and purpose: The role of stroke location as a determinant of mood and cognitive symptoms is still a matter of debate. The aim of this study was to identify the predictive value of ischemic stroke location, on a voxel basis, for mood and cognitive outcome. Materials and methods: A prospective monocentric study including patients with a supratentorial ischemic stroke was conducted. A 3 Tesla brain MRI was performed at baseline. Mood and cognition were assessed using Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HAD), apathy inventory (AI), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment scale subscores, performed at 3 months poststroke. Statistical maps of ischemic stroke location associated with 3 months mood and cognitive scores were obtained using a voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping approach (Brunner and Munzel test). Significant voxels (false discovery rate [FDR] corrected-P < .01) were identified using the standard Montreal Neurological Institute-152 space template. Results: Two hundred and sixty-five nonsevere stroke patients were included (64% men, mean age 66 ± 14, median National Institute of Health Stroke Score 3, interquartile range 2-6). Ischemic stroke location was not associated with HAD or AI scores. Language, abstraction, and delayed recall performances were mainly associated with left-side hemispheric lesions. Lesions in both hemispheres were associated with lower performances in visuospatial and executive functions, naming, attention, and orientation. Conclusion: Ischemic stroke location does not predict mood outcome at 3 months but is a determinant of cognitive outcome in specific domains.     

Oral itraconazole for the treatment of severe seborrhoeic dermatitis

Background:

Seborrheic dermatitis (SD) is an inflammatory skin disorder in which colonies of Malassezia furfur have been found in affected areas.

Aim:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of itraconazole in the treatment of severe SD.

Materials and Methods:

Itraconazole was given to 30 patients of SD in a dose of 100 mg twice daily for 1 week followed by 200 mg/day for first 2 days of the following 2 months. The response was noted on day 15, 30, 60, and 90. The clinical response was graded as markedly effective, effective, or ineffective.

Results:

Clinical improvement (evaluated as markedly effective or effective) was observed in 83.3% cases.

Conclusion:

The anti-inflammatory activity of oral itraconazole suggests that it should be the first-line therapy in severe SD.     

Psoriasis in children: an insight

Onset of psoriasis in childhood is quite common. Chronicity, inflammation and hyperproliferation are the cardinal features by which the condition establishes its uniqueness. Clearance of disease may be farfetched in most patients and relapse is frequent. Early recognition and management of psoriasis in children and adolescents is vital in therapy in children.     

Predictors of quitting tobacco--results of a worksite tobacco cessation service program among factory workers in Mumbai, India

Background: Tobacco cessation would provide the most immediate benefits of tobacco control to prevent tobacco related disease morbidity and mortality. Methods: A tobacco cessation program involving individual and group behavior therapy was implemented in three stages at a worksite. Tobacco quit rates were assessed at the end of each contact session. Results: Out of the 291 tobacco users identified, 224 participated in the tobacco cessation interventions. At the end of three interventions, 38 (17%) users had successfully quit tobacco use. Presence of clinical oral pre-cancer lesion was found to be associated with quitting (p =0.02 ). Also tobacco users with oral pre-cancer lesions were around three times more likely to quit than those with no lesions (OR= 2.70 95% C.I= 1.20 - 6.05). Conclusion: Cost effective multi-pronged tobacco cessation approaches, inbuilt into other occupational health and welfare activities, are acceptable and feasible to achieve long term sustainable tobacco cessation programs at worksites.     

Genetic variants associated with arsenic susceptibility: study of purine nucleoside phosphorylase, arsenic (+3) methyltransferase, and glutathione S-transferase omega genes

BACKGROUND: Individual variability in arsenic metabolism may underlie individual susceptibility toward arsenic-induced skin lesions and skin cancer. Metabolism of arsenic proceeds through sequential reduction and oxidative methylation being mediated by the following genes: purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP), arsenic (+3) methyltransferase (As3MT), glutathione S-transferase omega 1 (GSTO1), and omega 2 (GSTO2). PNP functions as arsenate reductase; As3MT methylates inorganic arsenic and its metabolites; and both GSTO1 and GSTO2 reduce the metabolites. Alteration in functions of these gene products may lead to arsenic-specific disease manifestations. OBJECTIVES: To find any probable association between arsenicism and the exonic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the above-mentioned arsenic-metabolizing genes, we screened all the exons in those genes in an arsenic-exposed population. METHODS: Using polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, we screened the exons in 25 cases (individuals with arsenic-induced skin lesions) and 25 controls (individuals without arsenic-induced skin lesions), both groups drinking similar arsenic-contaminated water. The exonic SNPs identified were further genotyped in a total of 428 genetically unrelated individuals (229 cases and 199 controls) for association study. RESULTS: Among four candidate genes, PNP, As3MT, GSTO1, and GSTO2, we found that distribution of three exonic polymorphisms, His20His, Gly51Ser, and Pro57Pro of PNP, was associated with arsenicism. Genotypes having the minor alleles were significantly overrepresented in the case group: odds ratio (OR) = 1.69 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.08-2.66] for His20His; OR = 1.66 [95% CI, 1.04-2.64] for Gly51Ser; and OR = 1.67 [95% CI, 1.05-2.66] for Pro57Pro. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the three PNP variants render individuals susceptible toward developing arsenic-induced skin lesions.     

Cytology versus HPV testing for the detection of high-grade cervical lesions in women found positive on visual inspection in Mumbai, India

Objective

To compare the utility of cytology and HPV testing in women from Mumbai, India, suspected of having cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) on visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), Lugol's iodine (VILI), or both.

Method

The sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of these tests for the detection of CIN 2 and/or 3 were evaluated in this cross-sectional study with 756 women suspected of having CIN on visual inspection.

Results

There were 25 women with CIN 2, 20 with CIN 3, and 21 with invasive cancer. The sensitivity to detect CIN 3 lesions was 85.0% (95% CI, 62.1-96.8) and 70.0% (95% CI, 45.7-88.1) for cytology testing at the ASCUS and LSIL thresholds, respectively, and it was 89.5% (95% CI, 66.9-98.7) for HPV testing. The specificity to detect CIN 3 lesions was 94.5% (95% CI, 92.5-96.1) and 96.1% (95% CI, 94.4-97.5) for cytology testing at the ASCUS and LSIL thresholds, and it was 91.1% (95% CI, 88.5-93.2) for HPV testing.

Conclusion

Cytology and HPV testing were both found to be accurate triaging methods for women suspected of having CIN on visual inspection, especially for those with CIN 3 lesions.