C-Reactive Protein and Uric Acid Levels in Patients with Psoriasis

Serum CRP and uric acid levels were estimated in twenty-five patients with psoriasis (group III) before and after 12 weeks of treatment. Results were compared with a group of 25 normal subjects (group I) and a group of 25 patients of various skin diseases other than psoriatic lesion (group II). Mean value for CRP was found to be increased by more than 20 folds in patients with psoriasis, which was subsequently reduced to nearly 50% of the initial value after 12 weeks of treatment. These patients also showed hyperuricemia. Nearly 25% of these patients also exhibited arthritis. It is thus suggested that both CRP and uric acid levels should be monitored in patients with psoriasis.     

Extra Pulmonary Tuberculosis: A Diagnostic Dilemma

Tuberculosis remains a major public health problem globally, with India being one of the high burden countries. The common causative agent is Mycobacterium tuberculosis but in developing countries M. bovis is reported as a potential human pathogen. Almost 20% of all reported cases of tuberculosis are of extra pulmonary form of disease. Diagnosis of extra pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) is not always possible with conventional methods, due to the long time required and the paucibacillary nature of samples; hence the need of rapid molecular methods. A prospective study was conducted on 300 patients of EPTB over a period of 5 years. These patients were suspected cases of tubercular meningitis, tubercular ascites and tubercular lymphadenitis. Samples analyzed were cerebrospinal fluid, ascitic fluid and lymph node fine needle aspirate. A two step PCR targeting hup B gene was used. Clinical response to anti tubercular therapy (ATT) was taken as positive (gold standard). PCR for hup B gene was positive in 147 samples out of 155 ATT responders. Of these 85.71% were infected with M. tuberculosis, 9.52% with M. bovis alone and 4.76% showed co infection with both M.tb and M. bovis. The sensitivity and specificity of PCR was 90.32 and 94.48% respectively.     

Effect of Lecithin on <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">d</Emphasis>-Galactosamine Induced Hepatotoxicity Through Mitochondrial Pathway Involving Bcl-2 and Bax

Twenty four Wistar strain albino rats were used for the investigations. Lecithin 50 and 100 mg/kg b wt was administered for 1 week by oral route. Liver damage was induced by intra peritoneal administration of 400 mg/kg b wt d-galactosamine on the last day. At the end of the study animals were sacrificed and liver enzyme levels, histopathology, mitochondrial integrity, expression of p53, Bax and Bcl-2 mRNA levels were studied. Increases in the liver enzyme levels by d-GalN were significantly inhibited by pretreatment with lecithin. Histopathological observation further confirmed the hepatoprotective effect of lecithin. In addition, the disruption of mitochondrial membrane, up regulation of Bax and down regulation of Bcl-2 mRNA levels in the liver of d-GalN intoxicated rats were effectively prevented by pretreatment with lecithin. The results of the present study validate our conviction that d-GalN causes hepatic damage via mitochondrial pathway involving Bax and Bcl-2.     

Serum and tissue levels of zinc,copper, magnesium and retinol in prostatic neoplasms

Zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg) and retinol levels were studied in serum and tissue of the patients with prostatic carcinoma (Ca), benign hyperplasia (BHP) and control subjects. Zinc and retinol levels were low in both serum and tissues of patients with carcinoma, while in BHP, both zinc and retinol level were decreased. Copper levels were high in serum and tissues of both BHP as well as carcinoma patients. Magnesium levels were elevated in both serum and tissues of cancerous patients. The results indicate that Zn, Cu, and Mg metabolism is disturbed in malignancy.     

Circadian periodicity of plasma lipid peroxides and anti-oxidant enzymes in pulmonary tuberculosis

The circadian periodicity of plasma lipid peroxide levels and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were studied in 50 clinically, bacteriologically and radiologically proven fresh cases of pulmonary tuberculosis (age: 21–45 years) and 60 age-matched healthy volunteers with diurnal activity from 06∶00 to about 22∶00 and nocturnal rest. A marked circadian variation in plasma lipid peroxide level was recorded in healthy subjects and pulmonary tuberculosis patients with significant amplitude and acrophase around 16∶21 and 17∶12 respectively. The acrophase tended to be delayed in tuberculosis patients. Furthermore, a statistically significant circadian rhythm was found in SOD, CAT and GPx activities in normal volunteers and pulmonary tuberculopsis patients. SOD and CAT enzyme activity was noted to be maximum at 06∶00 and minimum at 00∶00 in tuberculosis patients. The circadian acrophase for GPx activity was recorded at 16∶15 in normals and around 22∶45 in patients. Moreover, the activity was found to be decreased at all sampling hours during 24-hours sleep-awake period in patients in comparison to healthy counterparts. The MESOR and circadian amplitude also decreased markedly. The decreased activity of measured antioxidant enzymes in pulmonary tuberculosis patients could probably be associated with oxidative stress and/or decreased anti-oxidant defensive mechanism in such patients.     

Effect of yoga training on plasma lipid profile,R.B.C. membrane lipid peroxidation and Na+K+ ATPase activity in patients of essential hypertension

We conducted a controlled study on effect of selected yoga practive in the control and management of 50 cases of essential hypertension and equal number of healthy (nonhypertensive) controls. Free radical cellular damage is considered to be the underlying common biological factor in essential hypertension. We, therefore, investigated lipid profile lipid peroxidation and Na⁺K⁺ ATPase activities of plasma membrane of subjects with essential hypertension. It was found that hypertensive subjects had an elevated lipid peroxidation and decreased Na⁺K⁺ ATPase activity in plasma membrane as compared to normotensive healthy controls, the specific yoga training protocol which was administered not only helped to decrease blood pressure but also retard the progression of ceellular damage due to free radicals.     

Circadian rhythms

Over the series of articles on circadian rhythms, we saw that living organisms exhibit daily rhythms in multiple behaviours and physiological processes. Although some rhythms may be passive responses to 24 h environmental cycles, many are regulated by endogenous-rhythmgenerating machinery called circadian clocks. We have introduced the concept of circadian clocks, their organization and the underlying molecular mechanisms. In this article, we will dwell upon one of the most fundamental questions pertaining to circadian clocks, ‘Why do we have them?’. The aim of this article is not to provide answers, but to discuss the efforts and strategies used to address this question and critically evaluate explanations proposed till date.     

Crossing a nonlinear resonance

The idea of adiabatic invariance is presented in the context of simple classical mechanical models. The adiabatic invariant jumps across the separatrix — an attempt has been made to bring out the basic ideas underlying the Melnikov-Arnold integral. This becomes important as soon as a perturbation to a regular, stable system makes it dynamically unstable.     

Landmark discoveries in neurosciences

The study of the basis of mental phenomena or the mind has always intrigued humans. Our current understanding of the functioning of the brain is the result of insightful research by many scientists, which has led to a detailed knowledge of brain structure and how this structure makes it possible for the mind to emerge from it.     

Counseling and Family Therapy in India: Evolving Professions in a Rapidly Developing Nation

Outpatient counseling is a relatively new concept and form of clinical practice in India. This article provides an overview of the need for and current status of counseling and family therapy in India. Examples of training programs are presented, and future prospects for the counseling and family therapy professions are highlighted. The authors discuss therapeutic issues that clinicians may need to consider when working with Indian clients, as well as some of the potential barriers to counseling individuals, couples, and families in or from the Indian subcontinent. The future of these professions looks bright and parallels India’s rapid development as a nation.