Arginase has been reported to reduce nitric oxide bioavailability in cardiovascular disease. However, its specific role in retinopathy has not been studied. In this study, we assessed the role of arginase in a mouse model of endotoxin-induced uveitis induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment. Measurement of arginase expression and activity in the retina revealed a significant increase in arginase activity that was associated with increases in both mRNA and protein levels of arginase (Arg)1 but not Arg2. Immunofluorescence and flow cytometry confirmed this increase in Arg1, which was localized to glia and microglia. Arg1 expression and activity were also increased in cultured Muller cells and microglia treated with LPS. To test whether arginase has a role in the development of retinal inflammation, experiments were performed in mice deficient in one copy of the Arg1 gene and both copies of the Arg2 gene or in mice treated with a selective arginase inhibitor. These studies showed that LPS-induced increases in inflammatory protein production, leukostasis, retinal damage, signs of anterior uveitis, and uncoupling of nitric oxide synthase were blocked by either knockdown or inhibition of arginase. Furthermore, the LPS-induced increase in Arg1 expression was abrogated by blocking NADPH oxidase. In conclusion, these studies suggest that LPS-induced retinal inflammation in endotoxin-induced uveitis is mediated by NADPH oxidase-dependent increases in arginase activity.

Background: Peripheral artery disease(PAD) is a major macrovascular complication of diabetes mellitus. Patients with diabetes mellitus have an increased prevalence of PAD. However, due to associated neuropathy, common symptoms such as claudication are often masked and such patients often diagnosed late when limb threatening ischemia has already set in. Arterial colour doppler ultrasonography and ankle brachial pressure index are easy, non- invasive and often underutilised tools for diagnosis of PAD.Methods: In the present study, 100 diabetic patients were enrolled to study the comparison of Ankle Brachial Pressure Index to arterial doppler USG in diagnosis of peripheral artery disease.Results: Colour duplex ultrasonography (CDU) was taken as gold standard. Ankle brachial index (ABI) was compared with it. Sensitivity of ABI was 92.50%, Specificity was 88.33%, Positive Predictive Value was 84.09% and Negative Predictive Value was 94.64% respectively.Conclusions: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is very common in patients with diabetes. ABI is a simple and very sensitive test to detect PAD early in these patients.

Background: Little is known about outcomes of patients admitted to the ICU with severe sepsis and septic shock, despite the seriousness of sepsis as a public health problem in developing countries. Understanding sepsis outcome studies is hampered by lack of an agreed severity of illness scoring system for sepsis patients. The objective of the present study is to assess and compare the validity of 3 mortality prediction models SAPS 2, APACHE II and SOFA for prediction of mortality in patients of sepsis.Methods: One hundred patients of Sepsis were selected after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Informed consent was taken from the patients or their relatives A careful and detailed history was recorded to assess the onset and duration of clinical events and the probable risk factors for the same; a detailed general physical examination was performed. Blood sampling for CBC, RFT, LFT and arterial blood gas analysis was done. SAPS 2, APACHE II and SOFA scores were calculated on the day of admission.Results: The ROC analysis shows that the best discrimination was provided by SAPS 2 score (AUROC=0.981), followed by APACHE II (AUROC=0.978) and SOFA (AUROC=0.911).Conclusions: SAPS 2 score was superior to the APACHE II and SOFA scores for predicting survival in patients with septic shock but a combination of factors must be taken in consideration to estimate the prognosis in the ICU.