Assessment of various cognitive domains in patient with obsessive-compulsive disorder

Background: OCD is often chronic disorder and causes impairment of functional efficiency. Various researchers have found that cognitive dysfunction frequently present even when mild symptoms are present. This study aimed to investigate various domains of cognitive function in patients with OCD using cross sectional design. In this study we have tried to find out the various domains of cognitive function in OCD and their relation with clinical severities. We also compared the cognitive function of patients with OCD and their control. Methods: Total 60 subjects (30 in case group and 30 in control group) were taken for study. The study subjects (OCD group) were taken from psychiatric OPD and control group from general populations. The subjects of both the groups were screened as per inclusion and exclusion criteria and the Y-BOCS, ACE –III scales were applied. Results: In the case group, 96.70% had a normal ACE-III score and 3.30% had an inconclusive score, while in the control group 100% had a normal score at ACE-III scale, on further scoring. 60% patients have moderate and 33.3% have severe score in the YBOCS scale. We have found the significant decline in total mean ACE-III scores between case and control group (p value 0.000) and decline in memory domain with severity of illness was also significant (p value 0.037). Conclusions: Decline in cognition domain of memory in patient with OCD, was significant in comparison to control group.

Nucleolar organizer regions in neoplastic and non-neoplastic epithelium of the cervix.

Argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (Ag NORs) were counted in biopsies from 203 cases of various lesions of the cervix. The mean number of Ag NORs per nucleus was significantly higher in CIN (4.05 +/- 0.04) and malignancy (5.50 +/- 0.65) as compared to squamous metaplasia (1.74 +/- 0.32) and chronic cervicitis (1.54 +/- 0.42). Adenocarcinomas had higher Ag NOR counts compared to other carcinomas. Estimation of Ag NORs can be helpful in distinguishing benign lesions from CIN and malignancy of the cervix.

Female genital tuberculosis--a retrospective clinico-pathologic study of 501 cases.

A retrospective clinico-pathological study of 501 cases of female genital tuberculosis (FGTB) observed from 1974 to 1991 was conducted. The frequency of FGTB was 1.8% in 1974 rising to 2.4% in 1982, thereafter showing a steady decline to 0.8% in 1989 and onwards. Two thirds of the patients were infertile and between 17 to 40 years of age, while 82.3% of all cases of FGTB were between 20-30 years of age. Involvement of the endometrium was noted in 99.5%, fallopian tubes in 94.7%, cervix in 81.5%, ovaries in 62.5% and vulva in 0.2% of cases. Extensive caseous lesions in the genital tract were a notable feature in elderly women 70 years of age. Staining for Acid Fast Bacilli was not found to be useful, however follow-up biopsies from endometrium and cervix in 45 cases on anti-tubercular therapy showed complete disappearance of the granulomas.

Maternal deaths--a ten-year study.

In a 10-year retrospective study of maternal deaths at RG Kar Medical College, Calcutta there were 651 maternal deaths with 410 in first 5-year period and 241 in second 5-year period. The leading causes of deaths were due to abortion, toxaemia, haemorrhage (antepartum and postpartum) and jaundice in pregnancy. Direct causes were responsible for death in 77.6% cases, indirect causes in 17.5% cases and unrelated causes in 4.9% cases. Majority (557) were unbooked and mostly multigravida (434) cases. Most of them (251) were in the age group of 20-25 years. Haemorrhage was the single most common cause to claim 188 lives. It was also noted that 155 deaths occurred within 12 hours of hospital admission.

Phospholipase A production by isolates of Salmonella species.

The incidence of intra- and extra-cellular phospholipase-A production by Salmonella isolates from human, poultry and environmental material was investigated. Nearly 17 per cent (15/90) of the strains tested produced phospholipase A. Phospholipase production was encountered in S. typhi, S. paratyphi A, S. typhimurium, S. seftenberg, S. bareilly, S. weltevredeen, S. newport, S. adelaide, S. alachua and S. gallinarum. Maximum (10/15) phospholipase producers were isolated from the human material. Phospholipase positive human isolates exhibited a high incidence of simultaneous multiple drug resistance, enterotoxigenicity and cell surface hydrophobicity.

Anti-inflammatory derivatives of indan-1-acetic acids with low gastric irritancy.

In an attempt to minimize the gastric ulcerogenicity of 6-methoxyindan-1-acetic acid and 5,6-dimethoxyindan-1-acetic acid exhibiting high anti-inflammatory activity, we synthesized their esters, amides and nitrile derivatives. It was found that the anti-inflammatory activity of ethyl esters were almost equal to those of parent acids and phenylbutazone while other derivatives were less potent. Those ethyl esters were also found to be much less ulcerogenic than phenylbutazone.

Further studies on anti-inflammatory activity of two potent indan-1-acetic acids.

The anti-inflammatory activity of 6-methoxyindan-1-acetic acid (1a) and 5,6-dimethoxyindan-1-acetic acid (1b) was evaluated in various acute, subacute and chronic models of inflammation. The results of these studies suggest that they have equal or slightly more anti-inflammatory activity than phenylbutazone, a standard anti-inflammatory drug. Of the two compounds, 5,6-dimethoxyindan-l-acetic acid appeared to be slightly more active than 6-methoxyindan-l-acetic acid.

Studies on anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activities of some indan acids.

A series of indan-1 acids were synthesized and screened for anti-inflammatory activity. All the reported compounds showed varying degrees of anti-inflammatory activity in carrageenin-induced paw oedema test. They also exhibited appreciable antipyretic and analgesic activity in various animal test models. Among these compounds 6-methoxy-indan-1-acetic acid (compound 11) and 5,6-dimethoxy-indan-1-acetic acid (compound 12) showed activity profile close to that of phenylbutazone having prolonged action and lower toxicity than the latter.