Methotrexate Induced Lung Injury in a Patient with Primary CNS Lymphoma: a Case Report

Methotrexate is an antimetabolite commonly used in clinical practice for a variety of indications ranging from rheumatoid arthritis and other connective tissue disorders to high dose regimens in many malignancies. This folate antagonist has got a spectrum of toxicities among which gastrointestinal effects predominate. Lung injury is a well described but rare event and has been reported most often in patients who have been on long term oral therapy for rheumatic disorders. Acute lung injury in a patient receiving a high dose regimen for haematological malignancies has not been reported previously. We present one such case of methotrexate related acute lung injury in a patient of primary CNS lymphoma receiving high dose methotrexate

Bilateral Schizencephaly Type II

BackgroundSchizencephaly is one of the most severe forms of neuronal migration defects and is an extremely rare cause of seizure disorder. Case detailsWe report a case of bilateral schizencephaly (Type II) presenting as seizure disorder since birth. DiscussionThis case is rare because of the relatively benign features compared to other reported cases. ConclusionCompared to other cases, this patient has normal cognitive and motor functioning. Given the scant literature on schizencephaly in India’s paediatric population, this case highlights the possibility of a very rare entity associated with seizures. MRI can detect this condition.

Insights into salt tolerance of mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czern & Coss): A metabolomics perspective

Salt stress is one of the key abiotic factor which leads to reduced global agricultural productions through negatively impacting the growth and development of crops. Indian mustard (Brassica juncea), the most important cruciferous crop with significant nutritional and medicinal values, is majorly affected by salt stress. In this study, we explored the global metabolomic response of two Indian mustard genotypes, CS 60 and CS 245–2–80–7 grown under salt stress for different time periods to unleash the role of differentially accumulated metabolites and relevant metabolic pathways involved in the salt tolerance mechanism. A total of 608 known compounds were detected from 4119 metabolites using DionexUltiMate® 3000 Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatographic System combined with “Q Exactive™ Plus Orbitrap™ Mass Spectrometer (UHPLC-MS/MS) analysis, from which 111 significantly altered metabolites in both genotypes were selected based on t-test and VIP score values. Using MetPa from MetaboAnalyst 5.0 platform, metabolic pathways with significant impact values were considered to be involved in the salt tolerance mechanism. Increased accumulation of metabolites and detected relevant pathways majorly regulating the anti-oxidant defense system gives CS 60, a high yielding variety, an edge against the genotype CS 245–2–80–7, which might be the chief tolerance mechanism to withstand salt stress

Skeletal Muscle Atrophy: Potential Therapeutic Agents and Their Mechanisms of Action

Over the last two decades, new insights into the etiology of skeletal muscle wasting/atrophy under diverse clinical settings including denervation, AIDS, cancer, diabetes, and chronic heart failure have been reported in the literature. However, the treatment of skeletal muscle wasting remains an unresolved challenge to this day. About nineteen potential drugs that can regulate loss of muscle mass have been reported in the literature. This paper reviews the mechanisms of action of all these drugs by broadly classifying them into six different categories. Mechanistic data of these drugs illustrate that they regulate skeletal muscle loss either by down-regulating myostatin, cyclooxygenase2, pro-inflammatory cytokines mediated catabolic wasting or by up-regulating cyclic AMP, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1α, growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor1, phosphatidylinositide 3-kinases/protein kinase B(Akt) mediated anabolic pathways. So far, five major proteolytic systems that regulate loss of muscle mass have been identified, but the majority of these drugs control only two or three proteolytic systems. In addition to their beneficial effect on restoring the muscle loss, many of these drugs show some level of toxicity and unwanted side effects such as dizziness, hypertension, and constipation. Therefore, further research is needed to understand and develop treatment strategies for muscle wasting. For successful management of skeletal muscle wasting either therapeutic agent which regulates all five known proteolytic systems or new molecular targets/proteolytic systems must be identified

Study of MSMR retrieved data using map generation and representation methodology over Rajasthan, India

279-284The microwave radiometer MSMR (Multi-frequency Scanning Microwave Radiometer) data available in the months of June 1999-2001 have been studied. These data have been represented on the map of Rajasthan. The map has been generated using layered approach. The data available at 6.6 GHz for both horizontal and vertical polarization have been used for this study. The brightness temperature TB within 150 km diameter circle is displayed on the map of Rajasthan at the longitude and latitude obtained from the data set. The longitudes and latitudes are grouped in three zones A, B and C, depending on the geophysical parameters of the different sites

A method for calibration of space borne passive microwave sensors using a desert area

285-290A new method is suggested in this paper, for on-flight calibration of passive sensors, using a desert area, from satellite data obtained over a uniform terrain. The satellite data of OCEANSAT I MSMR payload operating at 6.6 GHz in both horizontal and vertical polarization and having look angle of 49.7 have been used for the present study

Oral subchronic exposure to silver nanoparticles causes renal damage through apoptotic impairment and necrotic cell death

<p>Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are one of the most widely used nanomaterials. Following oral exposure, AgNPs can accumulate in various organs including kidneys where they show gender specific accumulation. There is limited information on their effect on renal system following long-term animal exposure especially at the ultramicroscopic and molecular level. In this study, we have assessed the effect of 60 days oral AgNPs treatment on kidneys of female Wistar rats at doses of 50 ppm and 200 ppm that are below previously reported lowest observed adverse effect level (LOAEL). AgNPs treatment led to decrease in kidney weight and some loss of renal function as seen by increased levels of serum creatinine and early toxicity markers such as KIM-1, clusterin and osteopontin. We also observed significant mitochondrial damage, loss of brush border membranes, pronounced swelling of podocytes and degeneration of their foot processes using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). These symptoms are similar to those seen in nephrotic syndrome and ‘Minimal change disease’ of kidney where few changes are visible under light microscopy but significant ultrastructural damage is observed. Prolonged treatment of AgNPs also led to the activation of cell proliferative, survival and proinflammatory factors (Akt/mTOR, JNK/Stat and Erk/NF-κB pathways and IL1β, MIP2, IFN-γ, TNF-α and RANTES) and dysfunction of normal apoptotic pathway. Our study shows how long term AgNPs exposure may promote ultrastructural damage to kidney causing inflammation and expression of cell survival factors. These changes, in the long term, could lead to inhibition of the beneficial apoptotic pathway and promotion of necrotic cell death in kidneys.</p