Yellow nail syndrome

Yellow nail syndrome is an extremely rare syndrome, mainly in people over 50 years of age, occurring both systemically and in isolation and requiring the most careful collection of anamnesis, since this condition has a close relationship with respiratory diseases, malignant neoplasms of internal organs and rheumatoid arthritis. Moreover, this rare disease is not sufficiently studied to fully understand its pathogenesis and effective treatment. Patients pay attention to the yellow color of the nails, associated with the deposition of melanin, bile pigments and hemosiderin in the submarginal space, slowing down the growth and thickening of the nail. It should be noted that the change in the nail plates can be observed long before the other clinical manifestations of this syndrome are detected, and probably this can in some cases serve as a harbinger of incipient changes in the lung tissue, neoplasms and changes in the lymphatic vessels. In this regard, it is extremely important to clearly differentiate this condition and refer patients to related specialists for verification of the diagnosis and further treatment.

Gall stones and hypothyroidism: a double jeopardy

Background: Gall stones are one of the frequent biliary pathologies in the biliary system. Gall stones are deposition of bile pigments, cholesterol and calcium salts in the form of hard crystalline mass in the gall bladder. Saturation of bile in gall bladder, bile stasis due to sphincter of Oddi dysfunction, biliary sludge and change in chemical disproportion of bile are all risk factors for gall stone development. Thyroid disorders are also a very common endocrine pathology. On the Oddi sphincter, thyroid hormone receptors are present, and thyroxine has a strong relaxing effect on the sphincter. Hypothyroidism reduces the gall bladder contractility and causes lipid metabolism alteration which leads to biliary stasis. These promote the gall stone formation.Methods: A single centre cross-sectional study, was done among 86 patients diagnosed with cholelithiasis clinically and confirmed by ultrasonography. All patients were subjected to thyroid profile test, liver function test, fasting lipid profile test. Patients with a history of hypothyroidism were excluded from the study.Results: Among 86 study subjects, 29 (33.7%) of study subjects had hypothyroidism, out of which 21 (24.4%) had subclinical hypothyroidism, 8 (9.3%) had clinical hypothyroidism. Of the remaining subjects 4 (4.7%) were hyperthyroid and 53 (61.6%) were Euthyroid. A total of 24 subjects had dyslipidaemia of which (15) 62.5% had clinical and sub clinical hypothyroidism (p<0.001).Conclusions: In the evolution of Gall stones in hypothyroid patients, decreased liver cholesterol metabolism, decreased bile emptying and decreased Oddi relaxation sphincter play a role. In our study there was a strong association between hypothyroidism and gall stones. Hypothyroid patients also had abnormal total cholesterol, triglycerides and ALP levels.

An Ayurvedic approach in the management of Koshta-Shakharshita Kamala with special reference to Hepatocellular Jaundice: A Case study

Modern lifestyle and advanced technology have given life easier, but this has led to many diseases. In advanced lifestyle irregular eating habits, eating unhealthy foods and eating spicy fast food has become a fashion and alcohol consumption is increasing day by day. All of these factors lead to different disorders. Kamala is one among the diseases which are caused due to excessive intake of sour food, alcohol, unhealthy food and when a person with Panduroga continues intake of Pittakara Aahara then he may develop Kamala. According to modern science, Kamala can be correlated with Jaundice. Clinically the Jaundice is a sign of an ongoing disease process with common signs and symptoms like yellowish discolourations of the skin, mucous membranes, the eyes, urine etc. It is characterized by increase deposition of bile pigments in body fluids and tissues. It is perceptible only when the bilirubin level and its conjugates exceeds 1.5 mg/ 100ml plasma. Here is the case study of a patient who appeared to Parul Ayurved Hospital with the history of oedema over the bilateral lower limbs, heaviness in abdomen and chest region in the last 1 year, fever since 4-5 months and yellowish discolourations of eyes, nails and urine are present. In the present study, the patient was treated with Ayurvedic treatments i.e. Virechana Karma and Shamana Chikitsa.

A Transcriptomic Approach to the Metabolism of Tetrapyrrolic Photosensitizers in a Marine Annelid

The past decade has seen growing interest in marine natural pigments for biotechnological applications. One of the most abundant classes of biological pigments is the tetrapyrroles, which are prized targets due their photodynamic properties; porphyrins are the best known examples of this group. Many animal porphyrinoids and other tetrapyrroles are produced through heme metabolic pathways, the best known of which are the bile pigments biliverdin and bilirubin. Eulalia is a marine Polychaeta characterized by its bright green coloration resulting from a remarkably wide range of greenish and yellowish tetrapyrroles, some of which have promising photodynamic properties. The present study combined metabolomics based on HPLC-DAD with RNA-seq transcriptomics to investigate the molecular pathways of porphyrinoid metabolism by comparing the worm’s proboscis and epidermis, which display distinct pigmentation patterns. The results showed that pigments are endogenous and seemingly heme-derived. The worm possesses homologs in both organs for genes encoding enzymes involved in heme metabolism such as ALAD, FECH, UROS, and PPOX. However, the findings also indicate that variants of the canonical enzymes of the heme biosynthesis pathway can be species- and organ-specific. These differences between molecular networks contribute to explain not only the differential pigmentation patterns between organs, but also the worm’s variety of novel endogenous tetrapyrrolic compounds.

Significance of Heme and Heme Degradation in the Pathogenesis of Acute Lung and Inflammatory Disorders

The heme molecule serves as an essential prosthetic group for oxygen transport and storage proteins, as well for cellular metabolic enzyme activities, including those involved in mitochondrial respiration, xenobiotic metabolism, and antioxidant responses. Dysfunction in both heme synthesis and degradation pathways can promote human disease. Heme is a pro-oxidant via iron catalysis that can induce cytotoxicity and injury to the vascular endothelium. Additionally, heme can modulate inflammatory and immune system functions. Thus, the synthesis, utilization and turnover of heme are by necessity tightly regulated. The microsomal heme oxygenase (HO) system degrades heme to carbon monoxide (CO), iron, and biliverdin-IXα, that latter which is converted to bilirubin-IXα by biliverdin reductase. Heme degradation by heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is linked to cytoprotection via heme removal, as well as by activity-dependent end-product generation (i.e., bile pigments and CO), and other potential mechanisms. Therapeutic strategies targeting the heme/HO-1 pathway, including therapeutic modulation of heme levels, elevation (or inhibition) of HO-1 protein and activity, and application of CO donor compounds or gas show potential in inflammatory conditions including sepsis and pulmonary diseases.

A Study of the Clinico-Haematological Profile and Therapeutic Management of Acute Babesiosis in A Cross-Bred Jersey Cow

Babesiosis is a tick-borne disease caused by protozoans of the genus Babesia. It causes haemolytic anaemia, fever, and occasionally hemoglobinuria, as well as death. A cross-bred jersey cow, aged 6 years, was brought to the Government Veterinary Hospital in Cheruthuruthy with symptoms of fever, anorexia, passing coffee-colored urine, and low milk yield. Babesia spp. is found in all the cows after blood smears were examined. Although their sensitivity and specificity are reduced, microscopy detection methods are still the cheapest and fastest methods for identifying Babesia parasites. Hb, PCV, and TEC levels were found to be lower in haematological studies. Hyperglycemia, hyperbilirubinemia, BUN, AST, and hypoprotienemia were discovered in the blood. Haemoglobin, glucose, and bile pigments were found in the urine. The cow was successfully treated with diminazene aceturate (Berenil) at 2.5 mg/kg body weight in conjunction with supportive treatment.

Near-Infrared Emitting Dual-Stimuli-Responsive Carbon Dots from Endogenous Bile Pigments

Carbon dots are biocompatible nanoparticles suitable for a variety of biomedical applications. Careful selection of carbon dot precursors and surface modification techniques has allowed for the development of carbon dots...

Descriptive Pathological Study of Avian Schistosomes Infection in Whooper Swans (Cygnus cygnus) in Japan

Cercarial dermatitis, or Swimmer’s itch, is one of the emerging diseases caused by the cercariae of water-borne schistosomes, mainly Trichobilharzia spp. Since the zoonotic potential of Allobilharzia visceralis is still unknown, studies on this schistosome would be helpful to add knowledge on its possible role in causing human infections. In the present study, 54 whooper swans (Cygnus cygnus) from rescue/rehabilitation centers in Honshu, Japan, were necropsied to identify the cause of death. Grossly, 33 (61.11%) swans were severely emaciated and 23 (42.59%) had multiple reddened areas throughout the length of the intestine with no worms detected in the internal organs. Microscopically, adult schistosomes were found in the lumen of the mesenteric, serosal, portal, and testicular veins, in the capillaries of the intestinal lamina propria, and in the sinusoids of the adrenal gland, spleen, and liver of 23 (42.59%) swans. Hypertrophy of veins containing adult worms was identified in 15 (27.77%) swans, and vascular lumen obliteration was observed in 8 (14.81%) swans. Mild to severe villous atrophy and superficial enteritis were observed in 8 birds (14.81%), whereas bile pigments and hemosiderin were detected in the livers of 14 (25.92%) and 18 (33.33%) swans, respectively. In three swans (5.55%), schistosome parasites were found in the subcapsular veins of the testes. The schistosomes in the present study were assumed to be A. visceralis based on the microscopical and histological evidence of adult schistosomes found in the lumen of veins as well as the infection pathology, which was very similar to the schistosome-induced pathology previously reported in swans infected by A. visceralis in Europe and Australia. The swans examined herein most likely died from obstructive phlebitis associated with A. visceralis, but further molecular confirmation is required for identification of this species. However, the present study does not provide new data on the zoonotic potential, but only on the pathogenic potential of this schistosome in swans. Furthermore, our study provides a novel contribution to the description of the pathological effects of avian schistosomes infection in whooper swans in Japan.