Incidence and Potential Co-Morbidities in Facial Pigmentary Demarcation Lines in Indian Populations

Background: The most noticeable part of human body is face. The obvious boundaries on the skin known as Pigmentary Demarcation Lines (PDL) found over face and have clear borders of abrupt transition between more hyper-pigmented skin and areas of normal skin pigmentation due to differences in melanocyte distribution that may be influenced by multiple factors. Facial pigmentary demarcation lines (PDL) directly reflect on patient’s physical appearance and self-image as they may contribute to dysmorphism and even central to depressive illness in susceptible individuals posing cosmetic concern for the patient and a challenge for dermatologist. Therefore, it is important for early identification and management of facial skin disorders. Until now, nine different types of PDLs have been described which are designated as Type A to I of which Type F to H PDLs are most common on the face. Etiology involving the whole spectrum of PDL continues to be an enigma and needs further research among Indian population. Materials and Methods: Total 304 patients between 15 to 75 years of age range were included in study lead between May 2018 to May 2020 after thorough examination for inclusion and exclusion criteria, informed consent and Ethics committee approval. Statistical analysis was done using descriptive and inferential statistical approach using Chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test and p value was calculated and considered to be significant if \u3c0.05. Results: Out of 304 study subjects the frequency of facial PDL type H (50.65%) was most common than type G (29.60%) and type F (19.73%) with male predisposition (79.60%) with agricultural occupations (59.86%) than females and with significant family history from father (41.44%). Most of the present study subjects were of Fitzpatrick skin type IV (50.01%) with hyper-pigmented macules (12.5%) and shown unilateral PDL symmetry (58.22%) with sharp PDL line margins (81.25%). The most common aggravating factor was prolonged exposure to sun light (56.90%) and most of (25.98%) the subjects experienced periorbital melanosis at different times. Diabetes (38.15%) and hypertension (29.60%) were the most common co morbidities observed in study subjects. Using Fishers exact test, p value was calculated and it was found to be highly significant (p=0.003). Conclusion: Present study pronounces the incidence of facial PDL (types F-H) are sharply common especially amongst the males who are in agricultural occupations with prolonged sun exposure and with other co morbidities like diabetes, hypertension and tuberculosis. In females the prevalent type was Type H PDL during and after pregnancy. The agricultural occupations with prolonged sun exposure, diabetes, hypertension, tuberculosis and positive paternal family history were shown strong correlation with facial PDL among Indian population irrespective of gender and it was found to be highly significant (p=0.003)

A Clinical Study of Venereal and Non Venereal Genital Dermatoses in Women

Background: Any genital lesion or related symptoms are erroneously considered to be sexually transmitted as it is the most covered regions of the body and seems truly to be a forgotten pelvic organ it is the significant and important group of dermatological conditions may be associated with considerable morbidity, discomfort, and embarrassment. The most common conditions seen in a Dermatology Clinic are vulvar dermatoses, which comprise of lichen sclerosis, lichen planus, vulvar eczema, and psoriasis. Other conditions such as vulvar pain syndromes, vulvar disorders associated with systemic diseases, and blistering diseases are also seen. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive study of 102 patients aged \u3e 18 years attending outpatient department of Dermatology and Venerology, Santosh Medical College & Hospital, NCR, Delhi, India presenting with symptoms and signs of vulvar dermatoses were included after detailed history & examination, results were tabulated and analyzed by SPSS software. Results: At present study population the prevalent type of dermatoses was found to be Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus (LSEA) with the incidence of 26.47% (27 cases). MC symptom was the white discharge per vagina (WDPV) with the prevalence of 92.15% (94 cases) followed by 84.31% (86 cases) of vulvar itching with the age of patients ranged from 19 to 65 years with mean of 49.22 years. The total subjects were with disease span of 3 months to 7 years with mean DLQI of 8.62. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of diagnosing vulvar dermatoses and established strong correlation between vulvar dermatosis in various listed clinical conditions and it also underlines that there is more prevalence of vulvar dermatoses than sexually transmitted diseases

Health information management practices in informal caregiving: An artifacts analysis and implications for IT design

Introduction Unpaid informal caregivers of adult care recipients, including persons with dementia, experience multiple unmet information needs and information management challenges. Objectives To understand the current personal health information management (PHIM) practices in informal caregiving for adults with and without dementia. Methods Semi-structured interviews were performed with ten informal caregivers—half of whom were caring for persons with dementia—and four formal caregivers at an adult day service. Interviews centered on a paper-based tool distributed by the day service, the CARE Kit, permitting an artifacts analysis of the tools used by participants for PHIM. Qualitative thematic analysis was applied to interview data. Results Caregivers’ PHIM practices aimed to support daily care management and decision-making on behalf of care recipients, through: 1) information acquisition and integration across multiple sources and records; 2) information maintenance, updating, and use over time; and 3) information sharing and communication with healthcare professionals and other family caregivers. Participants reported advantages and challenges of their PHIM practices and tools, including fitting PHIM into their daily lives, managing PHIM-related cognitive workload, the functionality of PHIM tools, and the dynamic, longitudinal nature of PHIM. Conclusion The study produced a number of implications for caregiver health information management information technology (CHIM IT), based on findings about the nature of caregivers’ practices for managing information for adult care recipients. We present CHIM IT requirements related to privacy and security, customization and flexibility, ease of use, credibility and sensitivity, situation awareness, information integration, delegation and shared use, updating and maintenance, archiving and versioning, communication, agency and information access, and validation

Broadening the genetic base of grain legumes through pre-breeding using wild species

Grain legumes such as pigeonpea [(Cajanus cajan (L.) Mill sp.)] and chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) are the primary sources of dietary protein especially for vegetarian human population worldwide. Genetic enhancement in these crops is not adequate due to their narrow genetic base. Further, the production and productivity of these crops is adversely affected by different biotic and abiotic stresses and high levels of resistance/tolerance for these stresses is not available in the cultivated genepool. This necessitates the utilization of new and diverse source of variations to broaden the genetic base of crop cultivars and to improve the genetic gain of these crops

Research translation to inform national health policies: learning from multiple perspectives in Uganda

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Research and evidence can have an impact on policy and practice, resulting in positive outcomes. However, research translation is a complex, dynamic and non-linear process. Although universities in Africa play a major role in generating research evidence, their strategic approaches to influence health policies and decision making are weak. This study was conducted with the aim of understanding the process of translating research into policy in order to guide the strategic direction of Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MakCHS) and similar institutions in their quest to influence health outcomes nationally and globally.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A case study approach using 30 in-depth interviews with stakeholders involved in two HIV prevention research project was purposively selected. The study sought to analyze the research-to-policy discourses for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) and safe male circumcision (SMC). The analysis sought to identify entry points, strengths and challenges for research-to-policy processes by interviewing three major groups of stakeholders in Uganda – researchers (8), policy makers (12) and media practitioners (12).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among the factors that facilitated PMTCT policy uptake and continued implementation were: shared platforms for learning and decision making among stakeholders, implementation pilots to assess feasibility of intervention, the emerging of agencies to undertake operations research and the high visibility of policy benefits to child survival. In contrast, SMC policy processes were stalled for over two years after the findings of the Uganda study was made public. Among other factors, policy makers demanded additional research to assess implementation feasibility of SMC within ordinary health system context. High level leaders also publicly contested the SMC evidence and the underlying values and messages – a situation that reduced the coalition of policy champions.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study shows that effective translation of PMTCT and SMC research results demanded a “360 degree” approach to assembling additional evidence to inform the implementation feasibility for these two HIV prevention interventions. MakCHS and similar institutions should prioritize implementation research to guide the policy processes about the feasibility of implementing new and effective innovations (e.g. PMTCT or SMC) at a large scale in contexts that may be different from the research environments.</p

ApoB100/LDLR-/- Hypercholesterolaemic Mice as a Model for Mild Cognitive Impairment and Neuronal Damage

Recent clinical findings support the notion that the progressive deterioration of cholesterol homeostasis is a central player in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Epidemiological studies suggest that high midlife plasma total cholesterol levels are associated with an increased risk of AD. This paper reports the plasma cholesterol concentrations, cognitive performance, locomotor activity and neuropathological signs in a murine model (transgenic mice expressing apoB100 but knockout for the LDL receptor [LDLR]) of human familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH). From birth, these animals have markedly elevated LDL-cholesterol and apolipoprotein B100 (apoB100) levels. These transgenic mice were confirmed to have higher plasma cholesterol concentrations than wild-type mice, an effect potentiated by aging. Further, 3-month-old transgenic mice showed cholesterol (total and fractions) concentrations considerably higher than those of 18-month-old wild-type mice. The hypercholesterolaemia of the transgenic mice was associated with a clear locomotor deficit (as determined by rotarod, grip strength and open field testing) and impairment of the episodic-like memory (determined by the integrated memory test). This decline in locomotor activity and cognitive status was associated with neuritic dystrophy and/or the disorganization of the neuronal microtubule network, plus an increase in astrogliosis and lipid peroxidation in the brain regions associated with AD, such as the motor and lateral entorhinal cortex, the amygdaloid basal nucleus, and the hippocampus. Aortic atherosclerotic lesions were positively correlated with age, although potentiated by the transgenic genotype, while cerebral β-amyloidosis was positively correlated with genetic background rather than with age. These findings confirm hypercholesterolaemia as a key biomarker for monitoring mild cognitive impairment, and shows these transgenic mice can be used as a model for cognitive and psycho-motor decline

Pre-breeding for genetic enhancement of grain legumes

Grain legumes such as chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) millsp) play an important role in ensuring food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture. Due to narrow genetic base, genetic enhancement in grain legumes is not adequate and the crops are prone to biotic (pests and diseases) adn abiotic (drought, water-logging, salinity, heat and cold) stresses