Association of Sex Hormones and Androgens with Disease Activity in Premenopausal Females with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Background: Gonadal sex hormone dysfunction is frequently reported in patients with Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The relationship of these hormones with disease activity is still not clear and whether the hormone imbalance leads to increased severity of RA is not well studied in this part of the world. The present study aimed to elucidate this fact. Methods: It was a cross-sectional observational study performed in 80 premenopausal females with definite RA at a tertiary care hospital in New Delhi, India over one year. Patients were subjected to investigations as per the protocol and a fasting venous blood sample for hormone levels was collected in the follicular phase of their menstrual cycle. Results: A statistically significant correlation by linear logistic regression analysis was found between disease activity (as measured by DAS28) and serum progesterone, FSH, and prolactin, while serum testosterone and DHEAS showed an inverse relationship with disease activity. Low s. prolactin, and s. FSH as well as high s. testosterone and s. DHEAS were found to be associated with target clinical goals in RA (ie, remission and low disease activity). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, serum prolactin showed a direct association. (p=0.016, OR= 1.009. C.I.= 1.0021.017) and serum testosterone were found to have an inverse relationship (p=0.002, OR= 0.017, C.I.=0.001-0.237) with disease activity in this group of individuals. Conclusion: Serum levels of sex hormones may be helpful in predicting disease activity among patients with RA, and in future, may be used to guide treatment of severe refractory disease, unresponsive to conventional treatment with DMARDs, especially in resource-poor settings.

Synthetic, structural, and biochemical studies of organotin(IV) with Schiff bases having nitrogen and sulphur donor ligands.

Three bidentate Schiff bases having nitrogen and sulphur donor sequences were prepared by condensing S-benzyldithiocarbazate (NH(2)NHCS(2)CH(2)C(6)H(5)) with heterocyclic aldehydes. The reaction of diphenyltin dichloride with Schiff bases leads to the formation of a new series of organotin(IV) complexes. An attempt has been made to prove their structures on the basis of elemental analyses, conductance measurements, molecular weights determinations, UV, infrared, and multinuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H, (13)C, and (119)Sn) spectral studies. Organotin(IV) complexes were five- and six-coordinate. Schiff bases and their corresponding organotin complexes have also been screened for their antibacterial and antifungal activities and found to be quite active in this respect.

Synthetic and spectroscopic characterization of organotin(IV) complexes of biologically active Schiff bases derived from sulpha drugs.

A number of diorganotin(IV) complexes with Schiffbase have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, conductance measurements, molecular weight determinations, infrared, electronic and multinuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H, (13)C and (119)Sn NMR) spectral data. The molar conductivity data shows non-electrolytic nature of complexes. The bidentate nature of the ligands is inferred from IR and NMR spectral studies. The antimicrobial activities of the ligands and their tin complexes have been screened in vitro against the organism Escherichia coli; Staphylococus aureus, Prouteus mirabilis, Bacillus thurengiensis, Penicillium co.,sogenum, Aspergillus niger and Fusarium oxysporum.

Effect of some ultraviolet light absorbers on photo-stabilization of azadirachtin-A.

The effect of photo-stabilization of Azadirachtin-A (Aza-A) was examined when exposed to sunlight and ultraviolet light in the presence of four structurally different ultraviolet stabilizers namely 4-aminobenzoic acid, 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone, 4,4'-dihydroxybenzophenone and phenyl salicylate. The percentages of Aza-A recovered at different time intervals from slides exposed to different light conditions with and without UV stabilizers as well as kinetic studies indicated that the addition of phenyl salicylate in methanolic solution of Aza-A (in 1:1 mole ratio) provides the best photo-stabilization of Aza-A molecule among the four UV stabilizers studied.

Radon estimation in some Indian tobacco, tea and tooth powder using CR-39 nuclear track detector.

Radon contents in some samples of tobacco, tea and tooth powder have been estimated using CR-39 solid state nuclear track detectors. The Radon content in tobacco has been found to vary from 14.06 +/- 1.4 to 89.91 +/- 3.3 mBq/l. The Radon content in tea and tooth powder has been found to vary from 27.38 +/- 1.8 to 41.81 +/- 2.2 mBq/l and 26.27 +/- 1.4 to 413 +/- 6.0 mBq/l respectively. The present investigations are useful from the health hazards point of view.