Household carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations in a large African city: An unquantified public health burden?

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas produced by incomplete combustion of carbon-based fuels that is linked to mortality and morbidity. Household air pollution from burning fuels on poorly ventilated stoves can lead to high concentrations of CO in homes. There are few datasets available on household concentrations of CO in urban areas of sub-Saharan African countries. CO was measured every minute over 24 h in a sample of homes in Nairobi, Kenya. Data on household characteristics were gathered by questionnaire. Metrics of exposure were summarised and analysis of temporal changes in concentration was performed. Continuous 24-h data were available from 138 homes. The mean (SD), median (IQR) and maximum 24-h CO concentration was 4.9 (6.4), 2.8 (1.0-6.3) and 44 ppm, respectively. 50% of homes had detectable CO concentrations for 847 min (14h07m) or longer during the 24-h period, and 9% of homes would have activated a CO-alarm operating to European specifications. An association between a metric of total CO exposure and self-reported exposure to vapours >15 h per week was identified, however this were not statistically significant after adjustment for the multiple comparisons performed. Mean concentrations were broadly similar in homes from a more affluent area and an informal settlement. A model of typical exposure suggests that cooking is likely to be responsible for approximately 60% of the CO exposure of Nairobi schoolchildren. Household CO concentrations are substantial in Nairobi, Kenya, despite most homes using gas or liquid fuels. Concentrations tend to be highest during the evening, probably associated with periods of cooking. Household air pollution from cooking is the main source of CO exposure of Nairobi schoolchildren. The public health impacts of long-term CO exposure in cities in sub-Saharan Africa may be considerable and should be studied further.

Insights for disease modeling from single-cell transcriptomics of iPSC-derived Ngn2-induced neurons and astrocytes across differentiation time and co-culture

BACKGROUND

Trans-differentiation of human-induced pluripotent stem cells into neurons via Ngn2-induction (hiPSC-N) has become an efficient system to quickly generate neurons a likely significant advance for disease modeling and in vitro assay development. Recent single-cell interrogation of Ngn2-induced neurons, however, has revealed some similarities to unexpected neuronal lineages. Similarly, a straightforward method to generate hiPSC-derived astrocytes (hiPSC-A) for the study of neuropsychiatric disorders has also been described.

RESULTS

Here, we examine the homogeneity and similarity of hiPSC-N and hiPSC-A to their in vivo counterparts, the impact of different lengths of time post Ngn2 induction on hiPSC-N (15 or 21 days), and the impact of hiPSC-N/hiPSC-A co-culture. Leveraging the wealth of existing public single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) data in Ngn2-induced neurons and in vivo data from the developing brain, we provide perspectives on the lineage origins and maturation of hiPSC-N and hiPSC-A. While induction protocols in different labs produce consistent cell type profiles, both hiPSC-N and hiPSC-A show significant heterogeneity and similarity to multiple in vivo cell fates, and both more precisely approximate their in vivo counterparts when co-cultured. Gene expression data from the hiPSC-N show enrichment of genes linked to schizophrenia (SZ) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) as has been previously shown for neural stem cells and neurons. These overrepresentations of disease genes are strongest in our system at early times (day 15) in Ngn2-induction/maturation of neurons, when we also observe the greatest similarity to early in vivo excitatory neurons. We have assembled this new scRNA-seq data along with the public data explored here as an integrated biologist-friendly web-resource for researchers seeking to understand this system more deeply: https://nemoanalytics.org/p?l=DasEtAlNGN2&g=NES .

CONCLUSIONS

While overall we support the use of the investigated cellular models for the study of neuropsychiatric disease, we also identify important limitations. We hope that this work will contribute to understanding and optimizing cellular modeling for complex brain disorders.

Evaluation of Postoperative Complications Following Modified Coronally Advanced Flap as Root Coverage Procedure - A Prospective Clinical Study

BACKGROUND

Root coverage procedures are very technique sensitive and require patients' compliance for successful treatment outcomes. Post operative complications can influence patients' acceptance of treatment and compromise further periodontal maintenance.

AIM

The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and severity of complications after a modified coronally advanced flap procedure.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

A total of 78 modified coronally advanced flap procedures were performed in 42 patients for root coverage. Duration of surgical procedure, history of smoking, gender, and age were recorded for each patient. A questionnaire was given to every patient to fill in at first post operative week regarding their experience of postoperative pain, swelling, and bleeding.

RESULTS

Pain and duration of surgery had a correlation (OR: 1.05, P < 0.05). Post operative bleeding was significantly correlated with duration of surgery (OR: 1.03, P < 0.05). Current smokers experienced post operative swelling (P < 0.05). However, post operative pain in current smokers was not significantly different (P > 0.05) as compared to nonsmokers. Descriptive statistics were expressed as mean and standard deviations. Odd's ratio was obtained to evaluate risk indicators for moderate to severe types of complications. P < 0.05 was considered as significant.

CONCLUSIONS

The duration of the surgery, long duration, and the presence of smoking can increase the frequency and severity of post operative complications.

Assessment of Kidney Function among the Employees of Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College and Hospital

The kidney carries out a variety of physiological processes, including the excretion of nitrogenous waste products, maintenance of fluid, electrolyte, acid-base, and mineral homeostasis, regulation of blood pressure, as well as the synthesis and release of erythropoietin and other endocrine substances. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) can lead to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. CKD has a long period of asymptomatic stage. The symptoms of CKD usually present at the advanced stage of the disease. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a potentially fatal that impacts various physiological systems. This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the Department of Physiology in collaboration with the Department of Nephrology, Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital (SMAGOMC&H), from July 2022 to June 2023 to observe the status of kidney function among the employees of SMAGOMC&H, Bangladesh. The study population consisted of all willingly participating volunteers working at SMAGOMC&H between the ages of 18 and 59 years. Participants with acute illness, malignancy, pregnancy, diagnosed case of CKD, and history of kidney transplant were excluded from the study. A thorough history was taken, and a physical examination was done. Serum creatinine, and spot urine albumin creatinine ratio (ACR) of each participant were measured. eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) was estimated by using NKF (National Kidney Foundation) eGFR calculator app. A Semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Most of the participants were between 50-59 years (46.0%). The mean age of these study subjects was 45.25±10.08 years. The mean serum creatinine level was 0.85±0.18 mg/dl, the mean eGFR was 102.92±16.21 ml/min/1.73m² and the mean urinary ACR was 27.44±12.48 mg/gm found in this study. Out of the total participants, 16.5% were at stage 1 CKD, 6.5% were at stage 2 CKD and 2.5% were at stage 3 CKD, according to eGFR by CKD-EPI (Chronic kidney disease epidemiology collaboration) equation. Seventy five percent (75.0%) of the participants had normal to mildly increased ACR and 25.0% had moderately increased ACR. Pearson's correlation test revealed a significant negative correlation of eGFR with age, serum creatinine, and urinary ACR (p<0.001). This study revealed that 16.5%, 6.5% and 2.5% of the study participants were at CKD stage 1, stage 2, and stage 3, respectively. Assessment of renal function can help early identification of CKD in apparently healthy asymptomatic subjects.

Comparison of Engineered Liver 3D Models and the Role of Oxygenation for Patient-Derived Tumor Cells and Immortalized Cell Lines Cocultured with Tumor Stroma in the Detection of Hepatotoxins

In metabolically active tumors, responses of cells to drugs are heavily influenced by oxygen availability via the surrounding vasculature alongside the extracellular matrix signaling. The objective of this study is to investigate hepatotoxicity by replicating critical features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This includes replicating 3D structures, metabolic activities, and tumor-specific markers. The internal environment of spheroids comprised of cancerous human patient-derived hepatocytes using microparticles is modulated to enhance the oxygenation state and recreate cell-extracellular matrix interactions. Furthermore, the role of hepatic stellate cells in maintaining hepatocyte survival and function is explored and hepatocytes from two cellular sources (immortalized and patient-derived) to create four formulations with and without microparticles are utilized. To investigate drug-induced changes in metabolism and apoptosis in liver cells, coculture spheroids with and without microparticles are exposed to three hepatotoxic drugs. The use of microparticles increases levels of apoptotic markers in both liver models under drug treatments. This coincides with reduced levels of anti-apoptotic proteins and increased levels of pro-apoptotic proteins. Moreover, cells from different origins undergo apoptosis through distinct apoptotic pathways in response to identical drugs. This 3D microphysiological system offers a viable tool for liver cancer research to investigate mechanisms of apoptosis under different microenvironmental conditions.

Designing the stripe-ordered cuprate phase diagram through uniaxial-stress

The ability to efficiently control charge and spin in the cuprate high-temperature superconductors is crucial for fundamental research and underpins technological development. Here, we explore the tunability of magnetism, superconductivity, and crystal structure in the stripe phase of the cuprate La[Formula: see text]Ba[Formula: see text]CuO[Formula: see text], with [Formula: see text] = 0.115 and 0.135, by employing temperature-dependent (down to 400 mK) muon-spin rotation and AC susceptibility, as well as X-ray scattering experiments under compressive uniaxial stress in the CuO[Formula: see text] plane. A sixfold increase of the three-dimensional (3D) superconducting critical temperature [Formula: see text] and a full recovery of the 3D phase coherence is observed in both samples with the application of extremely low uniaxial stress of [Formula: see text]0.1 GPa. This finding demonstrates the removal of the well-known 1/8-anomaly of cuprates by uniaxial stress. On the other hand, the spin-stripe order temperature as well as the magnetic fraction at 400 mK show only a modest decrease under stress. Moreover, the onset temperatures of 3D superconductivity and spin-stripe order are very similar in the large stress regime. However, strain produces an inhomogeneous suppression of the spin-stripe order at elevated temperatures. Namely, a substantial decrease of the magnetic volume fraction and a full suppression of the low-temperature tetragonal structure is found under stress, which is a necessary condition for the development of the 3D superconducting phase with optimal [Formula: see text]. Our results evidence a remarkable cooperation between the long-range static spin-stripe order and the underlying crystalline order with the three-dimensional fully coherent superconductivity. Overall, these results suggest that the stripe- and the SC order may have a common physical mechanism.

Breast-to-brain metastasis is exacerbated with chemotherapy through blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier and induces Alzheimer's-like pathology

Control of breast-to-brain metastasis remains an urgent unmet clinical need. While chemotherapies are essential in reducing systemic tumor burden, they have been shown to promote non-brain metastatic invasiveness and drug-driven neurocognitive deficits through the formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), independently. Now, in this study, we investigated the effect of chemotherapy on brain metastatic progression and promoting tumor-mediated NFT. Results show chemotherapies increase brain-barrier permeability and facilitate enhanced tumor infiltration, particularly through the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB). This is attributed to increased expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) which, in turn, mediates loss of Claudin-6 within the choroid plexus cells of the BCSFB. Importantly, increased MMP9 activity in the choroid epithelium following chemotherapy results in cleavage and release of Tau from breast cancer cells. This cleaved Tau forms tumor-derived NFT that further destabilize the BCSFB. Our results underline for the first time the importance of the BCSFB as a vulnerable point of entry for brain-seeking tumor cells post-chemotherapy and indicate that tumor cells themselves contribute to Alzheimer's-like tauopathy.

Hidden magnetism uncovered in a charge ordered bilayer kagome material ScV6Sn6

Charge ordered kagome lattices have been demonstrated to be intriguing platforms for studying the intertwining of topology, correlation, and magnetism. The recently discovered charge ordered kagome material ScV6Sn6 does not feature a magnetic groundstate or excitations, thus it is often regarded as a conventional paramagnet. Here, using advanced muon-spin rotation spectroscopy, we uncover an unexpected hidden magnetism of the charge order. We observe an enhancement of the internal field width sensed by the muon ensemble, which takes place within the charge ordered state. More importantly, the muon spin relaxation rate below the charge ordering temperature is substantially enhanced by applying an external magnetic field. Taken together with the hidden magnetism found in AV3Sb5 (A = K, Rb, Cs) and FeGe kagome systems, our results suggest ubiqitous time-reversal symmetry-breaking in charge ordered kagome lattices.

Diagnostic Dilemma of Frozen Shoulder in Post CABG Patient: A Case Report

Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, is a condition featured by stiffness and pain in shoulder joint. In this report, we present a case of 58 years old diabetic male patient with the history of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) 06 months back. He presented with persistent right shoulder pain for 05 months. Clinical examinations reveal restriction of the right shoulder joint movement in all directions and wasting of the right supraspinatus, infraspinatus and trapezius muscles. Both active and passive range of motions was restricted with painful right shoulder joint. Pain free abduction range was about 40 degrees in right shoulder. Plain X-ray of right shoulder joint and other relevant investigations show normal findings. Considering the clinical and laboratory findings decision was taken to treat the patient with exercise, pain killer and ultrasound therapy which were found to be optimistic.

Influence of surface viscosities on the electrodeformation of a prolate viscous drop

Contaminants and other agents are often present at the interface between two fluids, giving rise to rheological properties such as surface shear and dilatational viscosities. The dynamics of viscous drops with interfacial viscosities has attracted greater interest in recent years, due to the influence of surface rheology on deformation and the surrounding flows. We investigate the effects of shear and dilatational viscosities on the electro-deformation of a viscous drop using the Taylor-Melcher leaky dielectric model. We use a large deformation analysis to derive an ordinary differential equation for the drop shape. Our model elucidates the contributions of each force to the overall deformation of the drop and reveals a rich range of dynamic behaviors that show the effects of surface viscosities and their dependence on rheological and electrical properties of the system. We also examine the physical mechanisms underlying the observed behaviors by analyzing the surface dilatation and surface deformation.

In situ uniaxial pressure cell for x-ray and neutron scattering experiments

We present an in situ uniaxial pressure device optimized for small angle x-ray and neutron scattering experiments at low-temperatures and high magnetic fields. A stepper motor generates force, which is transmitted to the sample via a rod with an integrated transducer that continuously monitors the force. The device has been designed to generate forces up to 200 N in both compressive and tensile configurations, and a feedback control allows operating the system in a continuous-pressure mode as the temperature is changed. The uniaxial pressure device can be used for various instruments and multiple cryostats through simple and exchangeable adapters. It is compatible with multiple sample holders, which can be easily changed depending on the sample properties and the desired experiment and allow rapid sample changes.

Local spectroscopic evidence for a nodeless magnetic kagome superconductor CeRu2

We report muon spin rotation (µSR) experiments on the microscopic properties of superconductivity and magnetism in the kagome superconductor CeRu₂withTc≃5 K. From the measurements of the temperature-dependent magnetic penetration depthλ, the superconducting order parameter exhibits nodeless pairing, which fits best to an anisotropics-wave gap symmetry. We further show that theTc/λ^-2ratio is comparable to that of unconventional superconductors. Furthermore, the powerful combination of zero-field (ZF)-µSR and high-fieldµSR has been used to uncover magnetic responses across three characteristic temperatures, identified asT1∗≃110 K,T2∗≃65 K, andT3∗≃40 K. Our experiments classify CeRu₂as an exceedingly rare nodeless magnetic kagome superconductor.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Secondary Hyperparathyroidism among CKD Patients and Correlation with Different Laboratory Parameters

Hyperthyroidism is one of the major complications in CKD patients who results in a number of metabolic disorders and contributes to morbidity and mortality. The objective of the study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors for secondary hyperparathyroidism among CKD patients as well as its correlation with different laboratory parameters. This was a cross-sectional study conducted among the admitted CKD patients of Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, Sylhet, Bangladesh from January 2019 to December 2019. Following recruitment, clinical parameters were extracted from the patients' medical records. Afterward, blood sample blood was collected to measure the biochemical parameters and serum parathyroid hormone levels. A binary logistic regression model was used to assess the factors associated with hyperparathyroidism. The mean±SD serum PTH in all CKD patients was 215.04±168.15 pg/ml. The overall prevalence of secondary hyperparathyroidism among CKD patients was 75.0% (32.0% in stage 3, 88.0% in stage 4 and 93.0% in stage 5 CKD). Serum PTH levels had a significant positive correlation with serum creatinine and serum phosphate levels and a significant negative correlation with serum albumin and serum calcium levels. However, only female sex was revealed as a significant risk factor in the adjusted regression model (aOR 0.26, 95% CI 0.07-0.98 for male sex compared to female sex). As the prevalence of secondary hyperparathyroidism increases in advanced stages of CKD, early detection and management of CKD are crucial to prevent metabolic disorders that could trigger the development of this complication.

Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Diagnostic Tests: A Glimpse

Mass testing for COVID-19 infection is one of the core measures in tackling the global spread of the disease. Testing is vital to diagnose and estimate cases, attack rates and case fatality rates- critical data for policy-making. As COVID-19 continues to spread globally, the demand for more extensive laboratory testing and innovative technology increases. However, countries around the world have been struggling to keep up pace with the worldwide demand to expand testing strategy. The pandemic evolves, so does our knowledge and understanding of diagnostic tests of COVID-19. Here we aim to review major challenges related to COVID-19 diagnostic tests and future development. So, the ongoing urgency and demand for tests would certainly steer the rapid uptake of novel techniques, which in turn would boost our understanding of diagnostic tests for COVID-19.

Post-COVID-19 HSV encephalitis: a review

BACKGROUND

Herpes simplex virus encephalitis (HSVE) is one of the most common infectious causes of sporadic encephalitis. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been associated with immune dysregulation of the host that might increase the risk of infections like HSVE following SARS-CoV-2 infection. There is paucity of literature on post COVID-19 HSVE. This study was conducted with the aim of analyzing the clinical presentation, brain imaging, and outcome of patients presenting with HSVE within 6 weeks of COVID-19 and providing a comprehensive review on the possible mechanisms of post-COVID-19 HSVE.

METHODS

This observational study included patients who had laboratory-confirmed HSVE (type 1 or type 2) and a history of COVID-19 within the previous 6 weeks. Patients were followed up for 3 months.

RESULTS

Eight patients were included and all of them had type 1 HSVE. The mean latency of onset of neurological symptoms from being diagnosed with COVID-19 is 23.87 days and a majority of the patients have received injectable steroids with a mean duration of 6.5 days. Behavioral abnormality was the commonest neurological presentation and typical brain imaging involved T2 FLAIR hyperintensities of the medial temporal lobes. All patients received intravenous acyclovir 10 mg/kg every eight hourly for atleast 14 days. One patient with concomitant rhinocerebral mucormycosis succumbed while the majority had a complete recovery.

CONCLUSION

Possible immune dysregulation in COVID-19 may increase the susceptibility of HSVE in patients with a history of recent SARS-CoV-2 infection. The clinical manifestations and laboratory findings of HSVE in such patients are similar to typical HSVE.

Generation of Oxygenating Fluorinated Methacrylamide Chitosan Microparticles to Increase Cell Survival and Function in Large Liver Spheroids

Despite advances in the development of complex culture technologies, the utility, survival, and function of large 3D cell aggregates, or spheroids, are impeded by mass transport limitations. The incorporation of engineered microparticles into these cell aggregates offers a promising approach to increase spheroid integrity through the creation of extracellular spaces to improve mass transport. In this study, we describe the formation of uniform oxygenating fluorinated methacrylamide chitosan (MACF) microparticles via a T-shaped microfluidic device, which when incorporated into spheroids increased extracellular spacing and enhanced oxygen transport via perfluorocarbon substitutions. The addition of MACF microparticles into large liver cell spheroids supported the formation of stable and large spheroids (>500 μm in diameter) made of a heterogeneous population of immortalized human hepatoma (HepG2) and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) (4 HepG2/1 HSC), especially at a 150:1 ratio of cells to microparticles. Further, as confirmed by the albumin, urea, and CYP3A4 secretion amounts into the culture media, biological functionality was maintained over 10 days due to the incorporation of MACF microparticles as compared to controls without microparticles. Importantly, we demonstrated the utility of fluorinated microparticles in reducing the number of hypoxic cells within the core regions of spheroids, while also promoting the diffusion of other small molecules in and out of these 3D in vitro models.

Assessment of prescribing pattern of drugs and completeness of prescriptions as per the World Health Organization prescribing indicators in various Indian tertiary care centers: A multicentric study by Rational Use of Medicines Centers-Indian Council of Medical Research network under National Virtual Centre Clinical Pharmacology activity

OBJECTIVE

The rational use of medicines as per the World Health Organization (WHO) should be practiced globally. However, data regarding the completeness of the prescriptions and their rational use is lacking from developing countries like India. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the prescribing patterns of drugs and completeness of prescriptions as per WHO core drug use and complementary indicators to provide real-life examples for the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) online prescribing skill course for medical graduates.

METHODS

Prescriptions of the patients, fulfilling inclusion criteria, attending Outpatient Departments of various specialties of tertiary care hospitals, were collected by thirteen ICMR Rational use of medicines centers located in tertiary care hospitals, throughout India. Prescriptions were evaluated for rational use of medicines according to the WHO guidelines and for appropriateness as per standard treatment guidelines using a common protocol approved by local Ethics committees.

RESULTS

Among 4838 prescriptions, an average of about three drugs (3.34) was prescribed to the patients per prescription. Polypharmacy was noted in 83.05% of prescriptions. Generic drugs were prescribed in 47.58% of the prescriptions. Further, antimicrobials were prescribed in 17.63% of the prescriptions and only 4.98% of prescriptions were with injectables. During the prescription evaluation, 38.65% of the prescriptions were incomplete due to multiple omissions such as dose, duration, and formulation.

CONCLUSION

Most of the parameters in the present study were out of the range of WHO-recommended prescribing indicators. Therefore, effective intervention program, like training, for the promotion of rational drug use practice was recommended to improve the prescribing pattern of drugs and the quality of prescriptions all over the country.

The eye of the tongue sole Cynoglossus bilineatus (Lacepède, 1802) (Teleostei: Pleuronectiformes)

We report the ocular features of the tongue sole, Cynoglossus bilineatus (Lacepède, 1802), a marine, bottom-dwelling flatfish. In this species, both eyes are located juxtaposed on the same side of the flat head. Histology revealed the sclera to be fibrous (collagenous) in nature. The choroid possesses the choriocapillaris, and adjacent to it, 3-4 rows of iridophores with stacks of cytoplasmic platelets. No choroidal gland is present. The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) contains scanty melanin granules. Its vitread half is modified into a dense tapetum with lipid spheres (about 0.34 μm in diameter). In juveniles, the tapetal spheres arise by budding from the smooth endoplasmic reticulum of the RPE. There are blood vessels within the retina; the vitreal vessels penetrate the retina and ramify close to the level of the outer limiting membrane. The vessels are capillaries in nature. The photoreceptor layer contains abundant rods, and twin cones and single cones, being arranged into square mosaics. The optic disc is non-pleated and shows pan- cytokeratin immunopositivity, which is related to the bundled cytokeratin filaments detected in astrocytes by electron microscopy. The retinal tapetum and choroidal iridophores help the species to live in a muddy bottom having dim-light environment. The lack of a choroidal gland, hypoxic aquatic condition and presence of a dense retinal tapetum (that limits O₂ transport to the photoreceptors) appear to have favored the proliferation of vitreal vessels within the retina in this species. The fibrous sclera has probably arisen to provide structural support to the eye in migration from the lateral to the dorsal aspect of the head during larval metamorphosis.

Λ_{c}^{+} Production and Baryon-to-Meson Ratios in pp and p-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV at the LHC

The prompt production of the charm baryon Λ_{c}^{+} and the Λ_{c}^{+}/D^{0} production ratios were measured at midrapidity with the ALICE detector in pp and p-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV. These new measurements show a clear decrease of the Λ_{c}^{+}/D^{0} ratio with increasing transverse momentum (p_{T}) in both collision systems in the range 2<p_{T}<12  GeV/c, exhibiting similarities with the light-flavor baryon-to-meson ratios p/π and Λ/K_{S}^{0}. At low p_{T}, predictions that include additional color-reconnection mechanisms beyond the leading-color approximation, assume the existence of additional higher-mass charm-baryon states, or include hadronization via coalescence can describe the data, while predictions driven by charm-quark fragmentation processes measured in e^{+}e^{-} and e^{-}p collisions significantly underestimate the data. The results presented in this Letter provide significant evidence that the established assumption of universality (colliding-system independence) of parton-to-hadron fragmentation is not sufficient to describe charm-baryon production in hadronic collisions at LHC energies.

Use of Elastic Stain Technique to Detect Histologically Occult Vascular Invasion in Resected Colorectal Carcinomas at Danbury Hospital

Introduction/Objective

Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) represents a leading cause of cancer related death in the western world and is by far the most common malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract. Vascular invasion (VI), in particular extramural VI by tumor is recognized as a feature of colorectal cancer progression, and the latter is an independent prognostic indicator of disease recurrence and survival in colorectal carcinoma. The purpose of this study is to detect VI in resected colorectal tumor samples and compare sensitivity of elastic staining to routine H&E staining at Danbury Hospital.

Methods/Case Report

A total of 50 colorectal cancer specimens from segmental colon resection or endoscopic polypectomy performed at Danbury Hospital over a 3-year period were included. Histologic sections of each tumor were assessed for the presence of VI by routine H&E staining. Superficial recuts of each tumor were subjected to elastic Von Giesen staining and reassessed for the presence of vascular invasion. Sensitivity of routine H&E staining for the detection of VI was calculated with elastic stain serving as the “gold standard”.

Results (if a Case Study enter NA)

In this study, VI by carcinoma was identified by H&E stain and/or elastic stain in 17 (34%) out of 50 cases. H&E stain and elastic stain detected VI in 12 (24%) and 16 (32%) out of 50 cases, respectively. There was a single case for which H&E stain showed vascular invasion that was not confirmed by elastic stain, representing a false negative for the H&E technique. Elastic staining detected VI in 5 cases for which the corresponding H&E stain was falsely negative for VI. Overall, vascular invasion status (absent or present) was concordant in 44 (88 %) of the 50 cases. With elastic stain deemed the “gold standard” for VI detection, the sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value of H&E stain were found to be 68.7%, 97.0%, 86.8%, and 91.6%, respectively.

Conclusion

Although H & E staining of colorectal carcinoma tissue sections have a very good specificity and positive predictive value for the detection of VI, this technique suffers from a suboptimal sensitivity. For these reasons, we agree with previously published literature reports that the use of elastic stain as a supplement to H & E staining should be strongly considered for the proper evaluation and prognostication of colorectal carcinoma specimens.

157 Non-Surgical Management of an Acute Isolated Volar Dislocation of the Distal Radio-Ulnar Joint

Isolated distal radio-ulnar joint dislocations are rare and commonly missed on radiographs. A young male presented with severe pain and deformity of the left wrist, following a collision whilst playing rugby. This was easily diagnosed using plain radiographs, and the initial attempted reduction methods in the Emergency Department failed. The patient was subsequently anaesthetised in theatre, yet reduction by an accepted method of palmar to dorsal pressure over the interosseous membrane with simultaneous distraction of the wrist failed. A further attempt to manipulate the dislocated ulnar head was successful, with the same force applied whilst the wrist was maximally flexed and pronated – thereby avoiding an open reduction. The patient was asymptomatic at final follow-up, over one year later. This technique has not previously been described in the literature and may be used in similar injuries in the future.

Growth Hormone Dynamics among Children with Mixed Gonadal Dysgenesis (45,X/46,XY)

Context

Learn the growth hormone dynamics and discuss the issues of growth hormone therapy in subjects with 45,X/46XY.

Objective

To study the growth hormone dynamics in children with 45,X/46,XY karyotyping and mixed gonadal dysgenesis (MGD).

Design

Descriptive clinical study.

Participants

Five subjects with karyotype 45,X / 46,XY with or without genital ambiguity and somatic features of SHOX haploinsufficiency.

Interventions

Growth hormone dynamic study and gonadectomy.

Main outcome

IGF-1, peak GH levels, Turner's stigmata and histology of gonadal tissue.

Results

Five cases of MGD with both male and female phenotype were studies. IGF-1 levels and GH levels showed both features of growth hormone deficiency and growth hormone insensitivity. One study subject has gonadal germ cell tumour (dysgerminoma). We discuss here the issues regarding the GH therapy in MGD subjects.

Conclusion

Growth deceleration in MGD subjects is partly due to defective growth hormone secretion and partly due to growth hormone insensitivity. MGD subjects are at high risk for occurrence of gonadal tumours. Gonadectomy or biopsy of underlying dysgenetic gonads is essential prior GH therapy. Close surveillance for second neoplasm is to be considered in subjects with history of gonadal tumors prior starting GH for short stature.

Erratum: Azimuthal Anisotropy at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider: The First and Fourth Harmonics [Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 062301 (2004)]

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.92.062301.

Soft-Dielectron Excess in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A measurement of dielectron production in proton-proton (pp) collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV, recorded with the ALICE detector at the CERN LHC, is presented in this Letter. The data set was recorded with a reduced magnetic solenoid field. This enables the investigation of a kinematic domain at low dielectron (ee) invariant mass m_{ee} and pair transverse momentum p_{T,ee} that was previously inaccessible at the LHC. The cross section for dielectron production is studied as a function of m_{ee}, p_{T,ee}, and event multiplicity dN_{ch}/dη. The expected dielectron rate from hadron decays, called hadronic cocktail, utilizes a parametrization of the measured η/π^{0} ratio in pp and proton-nucleus collisions, assuming that this ratio shows no strong dependence on collision energy at low transverse momentum. Comparison of the measured dielectron yield to the hadronic cocktail at 0.15<m_{ee}<0.6  GeV/c^{2} and for p_{T,ee}<0.4  GeV/c indicates an enhancement of soft dielectrons, reminiscent of the "anomalous" soft-photon and soft-dilepton excess in hadron-hadron collisions reported by several experiments under different experimental conditions. The enhancement factor over the hadronic cocktail amounts to 1.61±0.13(stat)±0.17(syst,data)±0.34(syst,cocktail) in the ALICE acceptance. Acceptance-corrected excess spectra in m_{ee} and p_{T,ee} are extracted and compared with calculations of dielectron production from hadronic bremsstrahlung and thermal radiation within a hadronic many-body approach.

Targeted delivery of cytotoxic proteins to prostate cancer via conjugation to small molecule urea-based PSMA inhibitors

Prostate cancer cells are characterized by a remarkably low proliferative rate and the production of high levels of prostate-specific proteases. Protein-based toxins are attractive candidates for prostate cancer therapy because they kill cells via proliferation-independent mechanisms. However, the non-specific cytotoxicity of these potent cytotoxins must be redirected to avoid toxicity to normal tissues. Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) is membrane-bound carboxypeptidase that is highly expressed by prostate cancer cells. Potent dipeptide PSMA inhibitors have been developed that can selectively deliver and concentrate imaging agents within prostate cancer cells based on continuous PSMA internalization and endosomal cycling. On this basis, we conjugated a PSMA inhibitor to the apoptosis-inducing human protease Granzyme B and the potent Pseudomonas exotoxin protein toxin fragment, PE35. We assessed selective PSMA binding and entrance into tumor cell to induce cell death. We demonstrated these agents selectively bound to PSMA and became internalized. PSMA-targeted PE35 toxin was selectively toxic to PSMA producing cells in vitro. Intratumoral and intravenous administration of this toxin produced marked tumor killing of PSMA-producing xenografts with minimal host toxicity. These studies demonstrate that urea-based PSMA inhibitors represent a simpler, less expensive alternative to antibodies as a means to deliver cytotoxic proteins to prostate cancer cells.

Green tea leaves extract with low concentration of EGCG can provide health benefits without causing renal damage

Green tea or its concentrated extract is coveted for its health promoting catechin-like polyphenols, especially epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). However, its amicable efficacy is now being doubted considering the recent occurrence of several cases of hepato- and nephrotoxicity, after the ingestion of EGCG-fortified (≥85–90%) nutritional supplements. Therefore, the current study was carried out to ascertain the effect of green tea leaves extract (GTE), having low EGCG content (73.8%), on liver and kidney functions of male Wistar rats using various in vivo experiments and in vitro radical scavenging activity. In terms of acute toxicity, GTE was observed to be safe when delivered at a dosage of 2000 mg kg−1 body weight (BW). Oral delivery of GTE for 28 days at a concentration of 200 mg kg−1 BW/day did not trigger sub-acute toxicity to the liver and kidneys, as per serum biochemical analyses and histopathological examination. In contrast, GTE counteracted the effects of carbon tetrachloride (a potent hepato-degenerative compound) on the liver. Furthermore, increase in high-density lipoprotein―cholesterol with concomitant lowering of serum triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein―cholesterol were noticed in GTE-treated rats. These findings suggest that low EGCG containing GTE, with appreciable antioxidant activity (IC50 = 53.18–71.28 μg mL−1), can serve as a hepatoprotective, hypolipidemic, and hypocholesterolemic ingredient.

Ayurvedic Balarista ameliorate anti-arthritic activity in adjuvant induced arthritic rats by inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Balarista is a fermented ayurvedic liquid preparation recommended as a good therapy for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. In the present investigation, the anti-arthritic activity of in-house Balarista formulation and marketed M1, M2, M3 and M4 Balarista formulations at the dose of 2.31 ml/kg were studied on Complete Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritic rat model.

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

Measurement of paw diameter, arthritic index, arthritic score, and body weight were made to assess the anti-arthritic activity. Alterations in hematological and biochemical parameters were carried out to ascertain the disease progression. The inflammatory mediators (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) were measured by the ELISA method. The oxidative stress parameters were evaluated in tissues of joint, liver, spleen and kidney. The histological and radiological changes in the ankle joint of rats were also studied.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

Administration of in-house and marketed formulations exhibited significant anti-arthritic activity by reducing all the arthritic parameters. The anomalous alterations in hematological and biochemical parameters were remarkably restored. The expression level of serum pro-inflammatory cytokines was significantly suppressed in treated animals. The oxidative stress, indicated by an increase in lipid peroxidation, decreased in antioxidant enzyme i.e. superoxide dismutase and catalase along with non-enzymatic reduced glutathione in tissues, were strongly counteracted by the formulation. Abnormal changes in arthritic ankle joints shown by X-ray and histological examination were significantly protected by the formulation. The present study suggests that the administration of in-house and marketed Balarista formulations have produced a significant anti-arthritic effect by inhibiting free radicals and inflammatory cytokines.

Elliptic Flow of Electrons from Beauty-Hadron Decays in Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

The elliptic flow of electrons from beauty hadron decays at midrapidity (|y|<0.8) is measured in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The azimuthal distribution of the particles produced in the collisions can be parametrized with a Fourier expansion, in which the second harmonic coefficient represents the elliptic flow, v_{2}. The v_{2} coefficient of electrons from beauty hadron decays is measured for the first time in the transverse momentum (p_{T}) range 1.3-6  GeV/c in the centrality class 30%-50%. The measurement of electrons from beauty-hadron decays exploits their larger mean proper decay length cτ≈500  μm compared to that of charm hadrons and most of the other background sources. The v_{2} of electrons from beauty hadron decays at midrapidity is found to be positive with a significance of 3.75  σ. The results provide insights into the degree of thermalization of beauty quarks in the medium. A model assuming full thermalization of beauty quarks is strongly disfavored by the measurement at high p_{T}, but is in agreement with the results at low p_{T}. Transport models including substantial interactions of beauty quarks with an expanding strongly interacting medium describe the measurement within uncertainties.

Pandemic Now and Then: A Historical Perspective of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions Adopted In Covid-19

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), first reported in Wuhan, China is now a major global health threat - a pandemic. Public health control measures are the cornerstones in the fight against COVID-19 in the absence of an effective vaccine or proven treatment. The aim of this review was to explore the historical use case of various public health measures adopted today to tackle COVID-19 spread. Although our knowledge about this novel coronavirus transmission is evolving over time, the fundamental non-pharmaceutical interventions e.g., handwashing, wearing a mask, physical distancing, isolation, quarantine and border control which are adopted globally at present are not new. This review highlighted that historically and religiously similar approaches were practised in the medieval past for controlling disease outbreaks. The successful implementation of the public health control measures largely depends on health systems resilience, community engagement and changes in population behaviour. Combined global efforts are essential to strengthen health systems, improve the capability of research and transparent information sharing with both public and international bodies to combat the pandemic.

Screening of Polymer-Based Drug Delivery Vehicles Targeting Folate Receptors in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

PURPOSE

To compare cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of fluorescein (FL)-labeled polyethylene glycols (PEGs) carrying 2 folate groups (targeted delivery vehicles [TDVs]) to non-PEGylated molecules with 1 or 2 folate groups.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Three PEGylated TDVs and 2 non-PEGylated folic acid (FA)-fluorescein (FL) conjugates (FA-FL and FA-FL-FA) were synthesized. Two triple-negative breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231and MDA-MB-468) were cultured to 70% confluency and incubated for 2 h in a folate-depleted medium. Folate receptor (FR) expression was confirmed by immunocytochemistry. Cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of compounds were measured by flow cytometry. Intracellular localization was confirmed using confocal microscopy.

RESULTS

MDA-MB-231 demonstrated 40% more FR staining than MD-MB-468. Intracellular localization of the 2 non-PEGylated molecules (FA-FL and FA-FL-FA) and the 3 PEGylated TDVs was confirmed with confocal microscopy. Cellular uptake was independent of concentration for FA-FL, but there was 26.8% more cytotoxicity at 30 μg/mL compared with no treatment (P ≤ .05). Uptake was > 90% for FA-FL-FA at 10 μg/mL and 30 μg/mL without significant cytotoxicity (P ≤ .005). Cellular uptake was > 80% for all TDVs. The molecule containing monodispersed PEG with M_n = 1,000 g/mol had the highest uptake in both cell lines without cytotoxicity. Maximum toxicity was demonstrated by the molecule containing PEG_2,000 only at the highest dose of 30 μg/mL (8.66% ± 3.94% cytotoxicity; cut-off was 20%).

CONCLUSIONS

The molecule containing monodispersed PEG with M_n = 1,000 g/mol and 2 FA targeting groups demonstrated better targetability and cellular uptake as a TDV.

Measurement of the Low-Energy Antideuteron Inelastic Cross Section

In this Letter, we report the first measurement of the inelastic cross section for antideuteron-nucleus interactions at low particle momenta, covering a range of 0.3≤p<4  GeV/c. The measurement is carried out using p-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon pair of sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV, recorded with the ALICE detector at the CERN LHC and utilizing the detector material as an absorber for antideuterons and antiprotons. The extracted raw primary antiparticle-to-particle ratios are compared to the results from detailed ALICE simulations based on the geant4 toolkit for the propagation of (anti)particles through the detector material. The analysis of the raw primary (anti)proton spectra serves as a benchmark for this study, since their hadronic interaction cross sections are well constrained experimentally. The first measurement of the inelastic cross section for antideuteron-nucleus interactions averaged over the ALICE detector material with atomic mass numbers ⟨A⟩=17.4 and 31.8 is obtained. The measured inelastic cross section points to a possible excess with respect to the Glauber model parametrization used in geant4 in the lowest momentum interval of 0.3≤p<0.47  GeV/c up to a factor 2.1. This result is relevant for the understanding of antimatter propagation and the contributions to antinuclei production from cosmic ray interactions within the interstellar medium. In addition, the momentum range covered by this measurement is of particular importance to evaluate signal predictions for indirect dark-matter searches.

Drying of citrus grandis (pomelo) fruit juice using block freeze concentration and spray drying

Pomelo fruit juice is concentrated using two different techniques, i.e. block freeze concentration (BFC) and thermal concentration (TC), and both concentrates were spray dried separately to observe the effects of two different concentration techniques on the physicochemical properties of the spray dried powder. BFC juice had comparatively better values of retention of acidity, colour, vitamin C, DPPH● scavenging activity, total phenolic content (TPC), and total sugar content than TC juice. The powder obtained from the combination of BFC and spray drying had better retention of vitamin C (121.17 mg/100 g), colour, and exhibited higher DPPH● scavenging activity than TC spray dried powder. The physical parameters including solubility index, bulk density, and hygroscopicity were significantly higher in BFC spray dried powder. BFC was observed as an efficient concentration technique in comparison to TC as a pretreatment to produce spray dried powder with a better retention of bioactive components and powder flow properties.

Using Uniaxial Stress to Probe the Relationship between Competing Superconducting States in a Cuprate with Spin-stripe Order

We report muon spin rotation and magnetic susceptibility experiments on in-plane stress effects on the static spin-stripe order and superconductivity in the cuprate system La_{2-x}Ba_{x}CuO_{4} with x=0.115. An extremely low uniaxial stress of ∼0.1  GPa induces a substantial decrease in the magnetic volume fraction and a dramatic rise in the onset of 3D superconductivity, from ∼10 to 32 K; however, the onset of at-least-2D superconductivity is much less sensitive to stress. These results show not only that large-volume-fraction spin-stripe order is anticorrelated with 3D superconducting coherence but also that these states are energetically very finely balanced. Moreover, the onset temperatures of 3D superconductivity and spin-stripe order are very similar in the large stress regime. These results strongly suggest a similar pairing mechanism for spin-stripe order and the spatially modulated 2D and uniform 3D superconducting orders, imposing an important constraint on theoretical models.

Probing the Effects of Strong Electromagnetic Fields with Charge-Dependent Directed Flow in Pb-Pb Collisions at the LHC

The first measurement at the LHC of charge-dependent directed flow (v_{1}) relative to the spectator plane is presented for Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV. Results are reported for charged hadrons and D^{0} mesons for the transverse momentum intervals p_{T}>0.2  GeV/c and 3<p_{T}<6  GeV/c in the 5%-40% and 10%-40% centrality classes, respectively. The difference between the positively and negatively charged hadron v_{1} has a positive slope as a function of pseudorapidity η, dΔv_{1}/dη=[1.68±0.49(stat)±0.41(syst)]×10^{-4}. The same measurement for D^{0} and D[over ¯]^{0} mesons yields a positive value dΔv_{1}/dη=[4.9±1.7(stat)±0.6(syst)]×10^{-1}, which is about 3 orders of magnitude larger than the one of the charged hadrons. These measurements can provide new insights into the effects of the strong electromagnetic field and the initial tilt of matter created in noncentral heavy ion collisions on the dynamics of light (u, d, and s) and heavy (c) quarks. The large difference between the observed Δv_{1} of charged hadrons and D^{0} mesons may reflect different sensitivity of the charm and light quarks to the early time dynamics of a heavy ion collision. These observations challenge some recent theoretical calculations, which predicted a negative and an order of magnitude smaller value of dΔv_{1}/dη for both light flavor and charmed hadrons.

Evidence of Spin-Orbital Angular Momentum Interactions in Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions

The first evidence of spin alignment of vector mesons (K^{*0} and ϕ) in heavy-ion collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is reported. The spin density matrix element ρ_{00} is measured at midrapidity (|y|<0.5) in Pb-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy (sqrt[s_{NN}]) of 2.76 TeV with the ALICE detector. ρ_{00} values are found to be less than 1/3 (1/3 implies no spin alignment) at low transverse momentum (p_{T}<2  GeV/c) for K^{*0} and ϕ at a level of 3σ and 2σ, respectively. No significant spin alignment is observed for the K_{S}^{0} meson (spin=0) in Pb-Pb collisions and for the vector mesons in pp collisions. The measured spin alignment is unexpectedly large but qualitatively consistent with the expectation from models which attribute it to a polarization of quarks in the presence of angular momentum in heavy-ion collisions and a subsequent hadronization by the process of recombination.

Scattering Studies with Low-Energy Kaon-Proton Femtoscopy in Proton-Proton Collisions at the LHC

The study of the strength and behavior of the antikaon-nucleon (K[over ¯]N) interaction constitutes one of the key focuses of the strangeness sector in low-energy quantum chromodynamics (QCD). In this Letter a unique high-precision measurement of the strong interaction between kaons and protons, close and above the kinematic threshold, is presented. The femtoscopic measurements of the correlation function at low pair-frame relative momentum of (K^{+}p⊕K^{-}p[over ¯]) and (K^{-}p⊕K^{+}p[over ¯]) pairs measured in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=5, 7, and 13 TeV are reported. A structure observed around a relative momentum of 58  MeV/c in the measured correlation function of (K^{-}p⊕K^{+}p[over ¯]) with a significance of 4.4σ constitutes the first experimental evidence for the opening of the (K[over ¯]^{0}n⊕K^{0}n[over ¯]) isospin breaking channel due to the mass difference between charged and neutral kaons. The measured correlation functions have been compared to Jülich and Kyoto models in addition to the Coulomb potential. The high-precision data at low relative momenta presented in this work prove femtoscopy to be a powerful complementary tool to scattering experiments and provide new constraints above the K[over ¯]N threshold for low-energy QCD chiral models.