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The current study placed an intense emphasis on the excess discharge of agrobased industrial effluent and the use of plant extract antimicrobials to inhibit the growth of pathogens in crop plants. An effluent (treated and untreated) from the marigold flower processing industry has been identified for the presence of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, and a total of 18 in treated effluent and 23 in untreated effluent were found using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A total of 13 classes were identified, which include carboxylic acid, phenols, esters, alkanes, alkenes, alcohols, cyanide, heterocyclic, flavonoids, aldehydes, polycyclic aromatic, cycloalkanes, and cycloalkenes. A principal component analysis with varimax rotation was applied to discern the abundance of identified compounds under each class. An in vitro antifungal bioassay was conducted using effluents at three different concentrations against plant pathogens (Alternaria alter nata, Sclerotium rolfsii, Rhizoctonia solani, Pythium aphanidermata, Fusarium oxysporum, and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides). The study proved that treated and untreated effluents clearly inhibited the growth of fungal pathogens by 10 to 32% and 37 to 92%, respectively. The findings suggest that marigold flower effluent can be a promising resource for developing new plant protection methods that are effective against pathogenic fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Byline: Leena. Raveendra, Belliappa. Pemmanda, Amrutha. Subramanya, Umashankar. Nagaraju Cutaneous metastasis in a zosteriform pattern is a very rare entity being reported only in 63 patients worldwide. Cutaneous metastases usually [...]

Wound healing is a multifaceted process. Restoration of the epithelium may occur either by migration of activated epithelial keratinocytes from the adjoining epithelium or by centrifugal migration of putative stem cells found in the bulge region of the hair follicle. Dermal collagen and glycosaminoglycans also play a key role in laying down the scaffold for vascular in-growth and population of the matrix with host fibroblasts. Despite the availability of a wide range of treatment modalities, chronic nonhealing leg ulcers remain a therapeutic challenge and cause significant patient morbidity. Hence, there is a further need to develop novel techniques which would be effective, safe, easily available, and affordable for the patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acne is a common problem in adolescent children and has a considerable impact on their quality of life (QoL). Aims: The impact of acne on QoL in Indian adolescent patients remains undocumented. The study was undertaken to detect the impact of acne vulgaris in adolescents on the QoL using two questionnaires: the Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) and the Cardiff Acne Disability Index (CADI). Materials and Methods: This was a hospital-based, prospective, cross-sectional, prestructured, questionnaire-based study done on 140 consenting individuals, who attended the Acne Clinic of our Dermatology Outpatient Department. Acne vulgaris was graded using simple grading system. QoL was measured using a combination of skin disease-specific (CDLQI) and acne-specific (CADI) questionnaires. Results: The study population included 140 cases with a female:male ratio of 1.5:1. Comedones (123, 87.9%) were the most common type of lesion. Grade I acne was the most common clinical type (76.4%). There was a statistically significant difference between acne severity and gender. The overall mean CDLQI score (7.21 of maximum 30) and the overall mean CADI score (4.8 of maximum 15) were low, indicating a mild impairment of QoL among adolescents. Statistically significant association was noted between CDLQI and CADI scores and grade of acne. There was no statistically significant association noted between CDLQI and CADI scores and gender. Conclusion: Although acne had an impact on patient's QoL, it was less severe in our study. The CDLQI and CADI questionnaires represent simple and reliable instruments for the assessment of QoL among adolescents and should be incorporated when managing acne patients to provide better and appropriate care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections among previously healthy persons in community settings (without exposure to healthcare facilities) has been noted recently. Limited studies have been carried out from India in an exclusive pediatric population on MRSA in community-acquired pyoderma. Aims: The objective of this study was to evaluate different types of primary pyoderma in children caused by S. aureus and to determine the incidence of MRSA in community-acquired primary pyoderma in children. Materials and Methods: Children aged ≤16 years with pyoderma caused by S. aureus who attended camps conducted in schools around Bengaluru were inducted. They were evaluated for a variety of skin infections which were cultured and analyzed for antimicrobial susceptibilities. Swabs from the anterior nares were also collected from each patient. Results: Of the total 372 children with pyoderma caused by S. aureus studied, 232 were boys and 140 were girls. Impetigo contagiosum (47%) was the most common form of pyoderma, followed by ecthyma (19.9%) and folliculitis (18.5%). The most common site involved was face in 48.4% patients, followed by legs in 32.5% patients. MRSA was isolated in 6.5% patients. Nasal colonization with S. aureus was observed in 59.7% patients. Conclusion: MRSA in community-acquired pyoderma in children was 6.5% and nasal colonization with S. aureus was 59.7% in our study. High resistance to commonly used antimicrobials in methicillin-sensitive S. aureus was also observed. Judicious use of antimicrobials is essential to control the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultraviolet light has a wide spectrum of effects on human skin depending on the wavelength. Ultraviolet light often used for therapy of psoriasis comprises of electromagnetic spectrum ranging from 200nm - 400nm. Phototherapy of psoriasis is frequently used in combination regimens to achieve higher clearance rates, longer disease-free intervals, and to reduce the patient's cumulative radiation dose thereby lowering the carcinogenic risk. Phototherapy may be combined with topical or systemic agents. Topical agents most commonly used are anthralin, tar, vitamin D analogues and tazarotene. Among systemic agents, retinoids are the most widely used. Ultraviolet B wavelengths in the range of 300-313nm is more efficacious than conventional broad-band UV-B [Philips TL 40W/12 lamp] and causes greater remission of psoriatic lesions. 311nm narrow-band UV-B (TL-01) phototherapy is more effective and probably has no greater risk than conventional UV-B (TL-12) phototherapy in the treatment of psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important nosocomial pathogen. It can also cause community-acquired infections. Indian reports about MRSA in community-acquired infections are rare. To evaluate the rate of MRSA in community-acquired pyoderma and the nasal colonisation with S. aureus in such patients. Two hundred and fifty patients with community-acquired pyoderma, who attended outreach camps around Mangalore, south India between January 2000 and July 2001, were studied. Swabs collected from the skin lesions and anterior nares were inoculated onto blood agar and MacConkey's agar. Antimicrobial sensitivity testing was performed using Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion, agar dilution, and agar screen. Of 250 pyoderma cases, S. aureus was isolated from 202 (80.8%) patients. Twenty-two (10.9%) S. aureus isolates were methicillin resistant, 179 (88.6%) were resistant to penicillin, and 114 (56.4%) were resistant to erythromycin. S. aureus colonization in the anterior nares was observed in 136 (54.4%) cases, 11.8% of which were MRSA. Antibiograms of clinical isolates of S. aureus matched with nasal isolates in 99 (49%) cases. The emergence of MRSA in the community is a warning. A high nasal carriage rate may contribute to recurrent pyoderma. A correct antimicrobial policy and the avoidance of inappropriate antimicrobial usage are mandatory to reduce the spread of MRSA in the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]