Spectrum of COVID-19 induced liver injury: A review report

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused changes in the global health system, causing significant setbacks in healthcare systems worldwide. This pandemic has also shown resilience, flexibility, and creativity in reacting to the tragedy. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection targets most of the respiratory tract, resulting in a severe sickness called acute respiratory distress syndrome that may be fatal in some individuals. Although the lung is the primary organ targeted by COVID-19 viruses, the clinical aspect of the disease is varied and ranges from asymptomatic to respiratory failure. However, due to an unorganized immune response and several affected mechanisms, the liver may also experience liver cell injury, ischemic liver dysfunction, and drug-induced liver injury, which can result in respiratory failure because of the immune system's disordered response and other compromised processes that can end in multisystem organ failure. Patients with liver cirrhosis or those who have impaired immune systems may be more likely than other groups to experience worse results from the SARS-CoV-2 infection. We thus intend to examine the pathogenesis, current therapy, and consequences of liver damage concerning COVID-19.

Challenges in Emerging Vaccines and Future Promising Candidates against SARS-CoV-2 Variants

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) virus has evolved into variants with varied infectivity. Vaccines developed against COVID-19 infection have boosted immunity, but there is still uncertainty on how long the immunity from natural infection or vaccination will last. The present study attempts to outline the present level of information about the contagiousness and spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants of interest and variants of concern (VOCs). The keywords like COVID-19 vaccine types, VOCs, universal vaccines, bivalent, and other relevant terms were searched in NCBI, Science Direct, and WHO databases to review the published literature. The review provides an integrative discussion on the current state of knowledge on the type of vaccines developed against SARS-CoV-2, the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines concerning the VOCs, and prospects of novel universal, chimeric, and bivalent mRNA vaccines efficacy to fend off existing variants and other emerging coronaviruses. Genomic variation can be quite significant, as seen by the notable differences in impact, transmission rate, morbidity, and death during several human coronavirus outbreaks. Therefore, understanding the amount and characteristics of coronavirus genetic diversity in historical and contemporary strains can help researchers get an edge over upcoming variants.

Analyses of Elaeocarpus sphaericus Extract for Antioxidant, Antiproliferative and Gene Repression Activities against HIF-1α and VEGF

The study presents antioxidant, phytochemical, anti-proliferative, and gene repression activities against Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1) alpha and Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) of Elaeocarpus sphaericus extract. Elaeocarpus sphaericus dried and crushed plant leaves were extracted using water and methanol by ASE (Accelerated Solvent Extraction) method. Total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were used to measure the extracts' phytochemical activity (TFC). Antioxidant potential of the extracts was measured through DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and TRP. Methanolic extract of the leaves of E. sphaericus has shown a higher amount of TPC (94.666±4.040 mg/gm GAE) and TFC value (172.33±3.21 mg/gm RE). The antioxidant properties of extracts in the yeast model (Drug Rescue assay) showed promising results. Ascorbic acid, gallic acid, hesperidin, and quercetin were found in the aqueous and methanolic extracts of E. sphaericus at varying amounts, according to a densiometric chromatogram generated by HPTLC analysis. Methanolic extract of E. sphaericus (10 mg/ml) has shown good antimicrobial potential against all bacterial strains used in the study except E. coli. The anticancer activity of the extract in HeLa cell lines ranged from 77.94±1.03 % to 66.85±1.95 %, while it ranged from 52.83±2.57 % to 5.44 % in Vero cell lines at varying concentration (1000 μg/ml-31.2 μg/ml). A promising effect of extract was observed on the expression activity of HIF-1 and VEGF gene through RT-PCR assay.

Acculturation and Dental Care-Related Anxiety: An Exploratory Assessment from the Hispanic Community Health Study / Study of Latinos

This study aimed to determine the associations between acculturation, dental anxiety, and dental utilization among Hispanics/Latinos living in the US. A proxy measure of dental anxiety was available for 7539 adults who had not visited a dentist within the last year. All completed the Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (SASH). Bivariate logistic regression and adjusted multivariable logistic regression analysis were conducted. Approximately 22% of the sample was dentally anxious. Dental anxiety was significantly associated with SASH language scale score (OR 1.09, 95%CI 1.02, 1.18, p = 0.04), years in US (OR 1.53, 95%CI 1.23, 1.91, p < 0.0001), and preferred Spanish language (OR 1.30, 95%CI 1.05, 1.63, p = 0.0192); lower acculturation corresponded to higher dental anxiety. Adjusting for sex, age, education, income, insurance, and oral health status, level of acculturation was associated with dental anxiety (AOR 0.87, 95%CI 0.75, 0.91, p = 0.009), but neither were associated with utilization. Acculturation may be an important predictor of dental anxiety for Hispanics/Latinos living in the US.

Distribution, geochemical behavior, and risk assessment of arsenic in different floodplain aquifers of middle Gangetic basin, India

The present study interprets the distribution and geochemical behavior of As in groundwaters of different regions along the floodplains of Ganga river (Varanasi, Ghazipur, Ballia), Ghaghara river (Lakhimpur Kheri, Gonda, Basti), and Rapti river (Balrampur, Shrawasti) in the middle Gangetic basin, India for risk assessment (non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic). The concentration of As in groundwaters of these floodplains ranged from 0.12 to 348 μg/L (mean 24 μg/L), with around ~ 37% of groundwater samples exceeding the WHO limit of 10 μg/L in drinking water. Highest As concentration (348 μg/L) was recorded in groundwater samples from Ballia (Ganga Floodplains), where 50% of the samples had As > 10 μg/L in groundwater. In the study area, a relatively higher mean concentration was recorded in deep wells (28.5 μg/L) compared to shallow wells (20 μg/L). Most of the high As-groundwaters were associated with the high Fe, bicarbonate and low nitrate and sulfate concentrations indicating the release of As via reductive dissolution of Fe oxyhydroxides. The saturation index values of the Fe minerals such as goethite, hematite, ferrihydrite, and siderite showed the oversaturation to near equilibrium in groundwater, suggesting that these mineral phases may act as source/sink of As in the aquifers of the study area. The health risk assessment results revealed that a large number of people in the study area were prone to carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks due to daily consumption of As-polluted groundwater. The highest risks were estimated for the aquifers of Ganga floodplains, as indicated by their mean HQ (41.47) and CR (0.0142) values.

Evaluation of New Alkasite Based Restorative Material for Restoring Non- Carious Cervical Lesions- Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Two different restoration materials, an alkasite-based resin composite and a resinmodified glass ionomer cement were used to assess restoration of non-carious cervical dental lesions. This split mouth randomized controlled trial included 40 patients. After randomization both sides of the dental arch were restored with either an alkasite-based (Cention N, Ivoclar Vivadent) or a resin-modified glass ionomer cement (Voco GmbH) restoration. The placed fillings were evaluated by blinded additional operators 1, 6 months and 1 year after to the USPHS criteria (retention, marginal integrity and discoloration, anatomical form and secondary caries). Data were analyzed using Kendall's Coefficient of Concordance test and Chi-square tests using SPSS software (SPSS Inc., Version 20) (P=0.05). As for retention and anatomic form both materials performed similar after one month. However, the retention and anatomic form for alkasite based restorative Cention showed significantly better results after 6 months (p=0.013/p=0.003) and one year (p=0.026/p=0.008). The resin modified glass ionomer restoration showed higher discoloration after 6 months (p=0.025) and one year (p=0.018), while Cention performed better regarding marginal integrity at all time intervals. No secondary caries occurred. Alkasite based restorative materials displayed superior technical, mechanical and aesthetical performance in a follow-up period of one year and can therefore be recommended as an alternative to resin-modified glass ionomer cements.

The mitochondrial genomes of two Pre-historic Hunter Gatherers in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is an island in the Indian Ocean connected by the sea routes of the Western and Eastern worlds. Although settlements of anatomically modern humans date back to 48,000 years, to date there is no genetic information on pre-historic individuals in Sri Lanka. We report here the first complete mitochondrial sequences for Mesolithic hunter-gatherers from two cave sites. The mitochondrial haplogroups of pre-historic individuals were M18a and M35a. Pre-historic mitochondrial lineage M18a was found at a low prevalence among Sinhalese, Sri Lankan Tamils, and Sri Lankan Indian Tamil in the Sri Lankan population, whereas M35a lineage was observed across all Sri Lankan populations with a comparatively higher frequency among the Sinhalese. Both haplogroups are Indian derived and observed in the South Asian region and rarely outside the region.

Investigating the Performance of a Zinc Oxide Impregnated Polyvinyl Alcohol-Based Low-Cost Cation Exchange Membrane in Microbial Fuel Cells

The current study investigated the development and application of lithium (Li)-doped zinc oxide (ZnO)-impregnated polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) proton exchange membrane separator in a single chambered microbial fuel cell (MFC). Physiochemical analysis was performed via FT-IR, XRD, TEM, and AC impedance analysis to characterize thus synthesized Li-doped ZnO. PVA-ZnO-Li with 2.0% Li incorporation showed higher power generation in MFC. Using coulombic efficiency and current density, the impact of oxygen crossing on the membrane cathode assembly (MCA) area was evaluated. Different amounts of Li were incorporated into the membrane to optimize its electrochemical behavior and to increase proton conductivity while reducing biofouling. When acetate wastewater was treated in MFC using a PVA-ZnO-Li-based MCA, the maximum power density of 6.3 W/m³ was achieved. These observations strongly support our hypothesis that PVA-ZnO-Li can be an efficient and affordable separator for MFC.

Prevalence of pre-perimetric primary open angle glaucoma in hypertensives of North India

Background

Systemic hypertension is alleged to increase the risk of glaucoma. As clinically Primary Open angle Glaucoma (POAG) is diagnosed only after approximately 40% of ganglion cell loss has occurred, therefore this study was commenced with an aim to determine the prevalence of pre-perimetric glaucomatous damage and its association with systemic hypertension using optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Materials and Methods

A total of 680 study participants were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Among them 340 patients were of systemic hypertension (Group 1) and 340 patients without hypertension (Group 2). All patients underwent detailed history, ocular and systemic examination including slit lamp examination, fundus examination by +90 D lens, Humphrey field analyser for field charting and OCT for nerve fiber analysis. For glaucomatous nerve damage.

Results

Group 1 and Group 2 had Male: Female ratio of 1:8 and 1:9, respectively (P = 0.809). Maximum participants 48.8% and 54.4% in Group 1 and Group 2, respectively, were in age group 50-59 years. Statistically significant difference was seen in the percentage of pre-perimetric glaucomatous patients between the two groups (P < 0.001). On OCT analysis between pre-perimetric glaucomatous eyes and healthy eyes significant difference in thickness was seen in temporal inner macula, inferior outer macula, temporal outer macula, superior outer macula and nasal outer macula. Significant difference in volume was seen for inferior temporal and nasal outer macula (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

In hypertensives, glaucomatous optic nerve damage starts much earlier before the obvious clinical signs of POAG appear, as compared to normotensive individuals.

Evaluation of prognostic risk models for postoperative pulmonary complications in adult patients undergoing major abdominal surgery: a systematic review and international external validation cohort study

BACKGROUND

Stratifying risk of postoperative pulmonary complications after major abdominal surgery allows clinicians to modify risk through targeted interventions and enhanced monitoring. In this study, we aimed to identify and validate prognostic models against a new consensus definition of postoperative pulmonary complications.

METHODS

We did a systematic review and international external validation cohort study. The systematic review was done in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We searched MEDLINE and Embase on March 1, 2020, for articles published in English that reported on risk prediction models for postoperative pulmonary complications following abdominal surgery. External validation of existing models was done within a prospective international cohort study of adult patients (≥18 years) undergoing major abdominal surgery. Data were collected between Jan 1, 2019, and April 30, 2019, in the UK, Ireland, and Australia. Discriminative ability and prognostic accuracy summary statistics were compared between models for the 30-day postoperative pulmonary complication rate as defined by the Standardised Endpoints in Perioperative Medicine Core Outcome Measures in Perioperative and Anaesthetic Care (StEP-COMPAC). Model performance was compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROCC).

FINDINGS

In total, we identified 2903 records from our literature search; of which, 2514 (86·6%) unique records were screened, 121 (4·8%) of 2514 full texts were assessed for eligibility, and 29 unique prognostic models were identified. Nine (31·0%) of 29 models had score development reported only, 19 (65·5%) had undergone internal validation, and only four (13·8%) had been externally validated. Data to validate six eligible models were collected in the international external validation cohort study. Data from 11 591 patients were available, with an overall postoperative pulmonary complication rate of 7·8% (n=903). None of the six models showed good discrimination (defined as AUROCC ≥0·70) for identifying postoperative pulmonary complications, with the Assess Respiratory Risk in Surgical Patients in Catalonia score showing the best discrimination (AUROCC 0·700 [95% CI 0·683-0·717]).

INTERPRETATION

In the pre-COVID-19 pandemic data, variability in the risk of pulmonary complications (StEP-COMPAC definition) following major abdominal surgery was poorly described by existing prognostication tools. To improve surgical safety during the COVID-19 pandemic recovery and beyond, novel risk stratification tools are required.

FUNDING

British Journal of Surgery Society.

Evaluating Trust in the Patient-Dentist Relationship: A Mixed-Method Study

BACKGROUND

The objective of this article was to understand the trust of study participants in dental providers and trust-building practices used by dentists to establish and maintain trust with their patients.

METHODS

This study used a concurrent cross-sectional mixed-methods design to measure the participants' trust in their dental providers. An 11-item Dental Trust Scale (DTS) questionnaire was administered to 150 White, Black, and Hispanic study participants. In addition, the research team conducted semistructured interviews with 7 dentists in order to understand their perspectives related to patient trust. The internal consistency of the DTS was tested using Cronbach's α. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were run to test the association between the DTS mean score and individual participant factors. Qualitative information from interviews was analyzed using a thematic analysis approach.

RESULTS

The overall mean score of dental trust for the entire sample was 3.4. The DTS had good internal consistency (α = 0.93). Overall, dental trust was significantly higher in participants who had a regular dentist (F = 8.74, P = 0.003). The qualitative data were grouped under these key thematic categories: the importance of trust, building trust, and trust in treatment planning. Qualitative analysis also showed that the 2 main trust-building tools used by dentists were communication and understanding the patient's lifestyle or social determinants of health.

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT

This study provides insight into the dentist-patient relationship. It increases our understanding of levels of dental trust among patients and examines methods used by the dentist to build trust. The outcomes of this study can be considered by dentists in their everyday practice as they seek to build trust with their patients.

MMP-9 Levels and NaOCl Lavage in Randomized Trial on Direct Pulp Capping

Outcome expectations of direct pulp capping in carious teeth are obscured by a clinically unknown infiltration and breakdown of the dental pulp tissue. Histologic studies showed that this soft tissue breakdown is related to the innate immune system. We hypothesized 1) that a neutrophil biomarker could predict the outcome of direct pulp capping and 2) that using sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) as a lavage solution to remove necrotized infected pulp tissue could improve it. In this randomized trial in mature posterior teeth causing no or mild discomfort with carious pulpal exposures, pulpal fluid was collected to assess neutrophil gelatinase (matrix metalloproteinase 9 [MMP-9]) per total protein (TP) levels as a predictive local biomarker. Subsequently, the dentin-pulp wound was randomly washed with a 2.5% NaOCl or a physiologic saline solution (1:1 allocation), capped with mineral trioxide aggregate, and the tooth was immediately restored with a resin-based composite restoration. Ninety-six patients were included, and 84 individuals could be followed up to treatment failure or clinically confirmed pulp survival after a minimum of 1 y. The entire data were fitted to a Cox proportional hazards model to assess the influence of the observational variables MMP-9/TP and discomfort with the randomized lavage treatment on pulp survival. The Kaplan-Meier pulp survival rates after 1 y were 55% for saline and 89% for NaOCl lavage. The inflammatory state of the pulp tissue as reflected by MMP-9/TP levels and NaOCl lavage had a highly significant (P < 0.001 and P = 0.004, respectively) impact on pulp survival, while mild preoperative discomfort did not. In conclusion, MMP-9/TP showed great promise as a predictive local biomarker, and NaOCl lavage considerably improved the survival time of cariously exposed and directly capped pulps.

Posttranslational modifications of α-conotoxins: sulfotyrosine and C-terminal amidation stabilise structures and increase acetylcholine receptor binding

Conotoxins are peptides found in the venoms of marine cone snails. They are typically highly structured and stable and have potent activities at nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, which make them valuable research tools and promising lead molecules for drug development. Many conotoxins are also highly modified with posttranslational modifications such as proline hydroxylation, glutamic acid gamma-carboxylation, tyrosine sulfation and C-terminal amidation, amongst others. The role of these posttranslational modifications is poorly understood, and it is unclear whether the modifications interact directly with the binding site, alter conotoxin structure, or both. Here we synthesised a set of twelve conotoxin variants bearing posttranslational modifications in the form of native sulfotyrosine and C-terminal amidation and show that these two modifications in combination increase their activity at nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and binding to soluble acetylcholine binding proteins, respectively. We then rationalise how these functional differences between variants might arise from stabilization of the three-dimensional structures and interactions with the binding sites, using high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance data. This study demonstrates that posttranslational modifications can modulate interactions between a ligand and receptor by a combination of structural and binding alterations. A deeper mechanistic understanding of the role of posttranslational modifications in structure-activity relationships is essential for understanding receptor biology and could help to guide structure-based drug design.

COVID-19: PERVASIVENESS OF COMORBIDITIES WITH EMPHASIS ON CANCER, PATHOGENESIS AND PALLIATIVE CARE MEASURES

In retrospection and review of the available literature, cancer patients are regarded as highly susceptible to the incidence of the ongoing ‘COVID-19’ pandemic. Other comorbidities including hypertension, diabetes, kidney problems, high cholesterol are found to be having severe effects on COVID-19 related mortality. Reports associating these diseases with COVID-19 must be carefully elucidated not just because these comorbidities induce severity in COVID-19 patients but also as several other factors increase the risk of occurrence of this pandemic. From vigorous screening to advance researches regarding this association as well as the still elusive mechanism of its pathogenesis, from clinical management to implementation of national and international guidelines, from adopting a dynamic approach to tackle the co-infection to having resourceful hospitals and medical care facilities, a structured and methodical proposition involved in the development of therapeutic strategies promise a better approach to target COVID-19.

Computational guided approach for drug repurposing against SARS-CoV-2

Background: In the current SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, drug repositioning emerges as a promising approach to develop efficient therapeutics in comparison to de novo drug development. The present investigation screened 130 US FDA-approved drugs including hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory tract infections (RTI), antibiotics and antiviral drugs for their inhibitory potential against SARS-CoV-2. Materials & methods: The molecular drug targets against SARS-CoV-2 proteins were determined by the iGEMDOCK computational docking tool. The protein homology models were generated through SWISS Model workspace. The pharmacokinetics of all the ligands was determined by ADMET analysis. Results: The study identified 15 potent drugs exhibiting significant inhibitory potential against SARS-CoV-2. Conclusion: Our investigation has identified possible repurposed drug candidates to improve the current modus operandi of the treatment given to COVID-19 patients.

Oral Health of African Immigrants: A participatory approach to needs assessment

OBJECTIVE

Dental care service use is lower in the immigrant population in the US, with the African immigrant population increasing at a much higher rate. We aimed to evaluate the barriers faced by the African immigrant community through a participatory needs assessment approach.

METHODS

Photovoice, a qualitative research method was used to collect the data. Thirty participants were recruited from community events, churches, and African community-serving organizations. Participants took photographs related to oral health research questions. Focus groups were conducted with the participants to discuss the clicked pictures. The focus group data were transcribed and analyzed using an inductive and thematic approach using Atlas Ti®.

RESULTS

The response rate was 90% and six focus groups were conducted. Focus group data demonstrated participants' knowledge of good oral health and preventive oral behaviors; physical, financial and psychosocial barriers to accessing dental care; and cultural and social beliefs of the community. The participants had good knowledge about oral hygiene habits and dietary factors impacting the oral health of their community. Several barriers including, lack of perceived oral health needs, transportation, time, insurance, fear, and trust were identified that prevent them to access dental care.

CONCLUSION

Further research is warranted to understand the cultural norms and perceived needs of the African immigrant community. Increasing our understanding of such knowledge can support in improving the cultural competency of the oral health workforce.

Hyaluronate-functionalized hydroxyapatite nanoparticles laden with methotrexate and teriflunomide for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune inflammatory disorder is currently incurable. Methotrexate and Teriflunomide are routinely prescribed drugs but their uses are limited due to severe hepatotoxicity. Hyaluronic acid (HYA) is a targeting ligand for CD44 receptors overexpressed on inflamed macrophages. The present investigation aimed at design and fabrication of HYA coated hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (HA-NPs) loaded with Methotrexate (MTX) and Teriflunomide (TEF) (HAMT-NPs) to form HYA-HAMT-NPs for the treatment of RA. HYA-HAMT-NPs showed the nanoscale size of 274.9 ± 64 nm along with a zeta potential value of -26.80 ± 6.08 mV. FTIR spectra of HYA and HYA-HAMT-NPs proved the coating of HYA on HYA-HAMT-NPs. HYA-HAMT-NPs showed less cell viability compared to drugs on RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. A biodistribution study by gamma scintigraphy imaging further strengthened the results by revealing significantly higher (p<0.05) percentage radioactivity (76.76%) of HYA-HAMT-NPs in the synovial region. The results obtained by pharmacodynamic studies ensured the better efficacy of HYA-HAMT-NPs in preventing disease progression and promoting articular regeneration. Under hepatotoxicity evaluation, liver histopathology and liver enzyme assay revealed ~29% hepatotoxicity was reduced by HYA-HAMT-NPs when compared to conventional FOLITRAX-10 and AUBAGIO oral treatments. Overall, the results suggest that HYA-HAMT-NP is a promising delivery system to avoid drug-induced hepatotoxicity in RA.

Mitochondrial diversity of Yoruba and Fulani chickens: A biodiversity reservoir in Nigeria

Poultry are the most widely distributed type of livestock in Nigeria. Indigenous chickens are extremely common throughout the country. Indeed, approximately 83 million chickens are raised in extensive systems and 60 million in semi-intensive systems. To provide the first comprehensive overview of the maternal lineages in Southwest Nigeria, we analyzed 96 mitochondrial DNA control region sequences from 2 indigenous chicken ecotypes: Fulani and Yoruba. All samples belonged to the most frequent haplogroup (E) in Africa and Europe and showed noticeably low haplotype diversity. Although only 11 different haplotypes were detected, with 2 of them never found before in Nigeria, the presence of unique sequences among our indigenous samples testified to their status as an important genetic resource to be preserved. Furthermore, a total of 7,868 published sequences were included in the comparative analysis, which revealed an east-west geographic pattern of haplogroup distribution and led to the conclusion that the gene flow from Southeastern Asia mainly involved one mitochondrial clade. Moreover, owing to the extensive genetic intermixing among Nigerian chickens, conservation efforts are required to safeguard the extant mitochondrial variability in these indigenous ecotypes and establish future improvement and selection programs.

A high-spin ground-state donor-acceptor conjugated polymer

Interest in high-spin organic materials is driven by opportunities to enable far-reaching fundamental science and develop technologies that integrate light element spin, magnetic, and quantum functionalities. Although extensively studied, the intrinsic instability of these materials complicates synthesis and precludes an understanding of how fundamental properties associated with the nature of the chemical bond and electron pairing in organic materials systems manifest in practical applications. Here, we demonstrate a conjugated polymer semiconductor, based on alternating cyclopentadithiophene and thiadiazoloquinoxaline units, that is a ground-state triplet in its neutral form. Electron paramagnetic resonance and magnetic susceptibility measurements are consistent with a high-to-low spin energy gap of 9.30 × 10^-3 kcal mol^-1. The strongly correlated electronic structure, very narrow bandgap, intramolecular ferromagnetic coupling, high electrical conductivity, solution processability, and robust stability open access to a broad variety of technologically relevant applications once thought of as beyond the current scope of organic semiconductors.

Pathway to care among psychiatric patients attending a Tertiary care hospital in Kathmandu Valley

Introduction: Mental illness accounts for 14% of all disability adjusted life years (DALYs) lost worldwide and is one of the major contributors to the global burden of disease. In spite of this much of burden and disability there is a huge gap between the treatment and help seeking behavior. Though, the mental illness is a common problem, due to stigma and lack of knowledge they prefer to visit alternative sources like faith healers, traditional practitioners and quacks. Very few of them seek psychiatrists help. So, this pathway to care study aims to provide some descriptive insight into the pathways to care among the psychiatric patients attending the tertiary care hospital in Kathmandu valley. Material and Method: A cross-sectional study among 66 patients seeking psychiatric outpatient services in Kist medical College, Imadole, Lalitpur, Nepal which is a Teriatry hospital from the period of 1st August – 31st October, 2018. Semi structured proforma developed by department of Psychiatry which covered the socio-demographic profile and WHO (1987) collaborative “pathway study” encounter form as a guiding tool was used to collect the data. Results: Out of 66 enrolled patients, 60.6% were in the age group of 21-40. Almost equal proportion of male (51.5%) and female (48.5%) visited psychiatric services. Majority of the patients were married (81.8%), Chhetri (25.8%) by caste and Hindu (81.8%) by religion. Majority of the patients were from outside valley (51.5), educated upto primary level (31.8%) and housewife by occupation (28.8%). The most common diagnosis was Depression (16.7%) and Alcohol Dependence syndrome (16.7%). Majority (45.5 %) of the patients had visited faith healer before visiting to Psychiatrists. 57.6 % patient visited psychiatrists within 2.5 months duration and majority of them were initiated to visit psychiatrists by family members/ relatives. Conclusion: Faith healers were the most common first contact for psychiatric patients. Despite of that majority of the patients had visited psychiatrists within 2.5 months duration. In most of the cases family members/ relatives were the one to initiate for psychiatric consultation.

Emerging Role of CD44 Receptor as a Potential Target in Disease Diagnosis: A Patent Review

BACKGROUND

The CD44 receptor is a cell surface glycoprotein, which mediates many physiological and pathological activities. Its key role is to provide defence against inflammatory reactions by cellular transmigration and cell signalling. In pathological conditions, it gives destructive outcomes by mediating migration of pathogenic cells to vital organs resulting in tissue and organ damage. It binds to several ligands principally the hyaluronan.

OBJECTIVE

This review explores CD44 structure, functions, and its potential as a disease indicator and therapeutic target.

METHOD

From a thorough literature review on the CD44 receptor, several patents of targeting approaches have been identified and herewith reviewed which recommend CD44-binding proteins, CD44-binding antibodies, antibody fragments, pharmaceutical compositions, as well as nucleic acids as a targeting moiety.

RESULT

Applicability of CD44 overexpression and its targeting has now been extensively utilized in the disease diagnosis and real-time bio imaging of pathologic cells.

CONCLUSION

A thorough understanding of CD44-receptor structure, expression and diverse functions towards different cell types would offer an opportunity to develop better therapeutic approaches in the near future by overcoming all the shortcomings of toxicity and efficacy. The present review includes recent patents of CD44 receptor targeting approaches that have been presented in the different agencies: European (EP), US, and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and a general analysis of the future developments and trends in this emerging area.

Calibration of a multi-anvil high-pressure apparatus to simulate planetary interior conditions

This paper presents the setup and pressure calibration of an 800-ton multi-anvil apparatus installed at the Vrije Universiteit (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) to simulate pressure-temperature conditions in planetary interiors. This high-pressure device can expose cubic millimeter sized samples to near-hydrostatic pressures up to ~ 10 GPa and temperatures exceeding 2100 °C. The apparatus is part of the Distributed Planetary Simulation Facility (DPSF) of the EU Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure, and significantly extends the pressure-temperature range that is available through international access to this facility.

Elucidation of diversity among F1 hybrids to examine heterosis and genetic inheritance for horticultural traits and ToLCV resistance in tomato

Genetic diversity during prebreeding or postbreeding programme, is the key pillar to characterize the valuable traits and gene of interest. Whereas, superior or inferior heterotic performance of F₁ depend on the diverse nature of their pedigree. Therefore, the aim of this study was to see the diversity between the interspecific crosses and effect of heterosis, and inheritance for the morphological traits and ToLCV resistance. All the 24 F₁ interspecific crosses were classified into four clusters on the basis of morphological traitsas well as simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Among the F₁ hybrids, 23 were grouped into clusters II, III and IV with different phylogeny, while PBC×EC 521080 was individual with cluster I. On the basis of visual observation of fruit colour, deep red and green colours in the crosses of S. pimpinellifolium (EC 521080) and S. habrochaites (EC 520061) exhibited dominant effects. In context of heterosis breeding, the crosses which were made using Solanum pimpinellifolium (EC 521080), S. chmielewskii (EC 520049) and S.cerasiforme (EC 528372) were better for yield capacity and the crosses of S. habrochaites (EC 520061) exhibited low and negative heterosis for ToLCV resistance. The F₁ progenies were segregated in various Mendelian ratio as follows 3:1, 1:2:1, 1:3, 13:3, 15:1, 12:3:1 and 9:6:1 for ToLCV disease reaction of incidence, plant growth habit and fruit colour appearance, respectively. Therefore, these interspecific crosses can be utilized for developing high yield, impressive fruit colour combiners and resistant hybrids/varieties of tomato.

[A study of recombinant human sestrin 1 and sestrin 2 proteins produced in a prokaryotic system]

Sestrins are highly conserved stress-inducible proteins capable of suppressing the production of ROS and signalling through mTORC1. Here we report a study of human sestrin1 (sesn1) and sestrin2 (sesn2) proteins produced in a pET28^(+) vector based prokaryotic system. Mass spectrometry analysis, western blot and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of affinity purified sesn1 and sesn2 proteins confirmed their identity; biophysical characteristics were observed using circular dichroism (CD) showing that sesn1 and sesn2 have a predominant α-helical structure. Here we describe a simple, one step purification process to purify a large amount of sestrin proteins with significant yield. Further study of recombinant human sestrins may further facilitate the understanding of their roles in eukaryotic cells.

Maternal Factors Associated with Early Childhood Caries in Urban Latino Children

The objective of this investigation was to describe maternal psychosocial, behavioral, and acculturation factors associated with early childhood caries in a sample of urban Latino mother-child dyads. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 100 mothers whose children (under the age of 6 y) were patients at the Dental Center at Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora, Colorado. All children participating in the study received an oral examination to measure decayed, missing, filled, surfaces (dmfs). Participating mothers were given the option to sign the consent form and complete the survey in English or Spanish, according to their preferred language. The survey used demographic, behavioral, knowledge, and several psychosocial variables. Bivariate analysis was conducted with dmfs as a dependent variable. The associations between independent variables and dmfs were modeled using negative binomial regression. Mean ± SD dmfs for the entire sample was about 11 ± 16.85. The mothers who spoke Spanish had children with significantly (P = 0.046) higher dmfs scores (15.2) compared to mothers who spoke English (7.56). Preference of Spanish language was significantly associated with self-efficacy (P = 0.0043), oral health knowledge (P = 0.0024), and 3 subscales of the health belief model: perceived severity (P = 0.057), perceived barriers (P = 0.0002), and perceived susceptibility (P = 0.008). Both in the univariate and the multivariate models, oral health behavior and preferential use of Spanish remained significantly associated with higher dmfs scores. Results of this study demonstrate that maternal oral health behaviors and preferred language are significant factors associated with early childhood caries in urban Latino children. Knowledge Transfer Statement: Results of this study indicate that maternal oral health behaviors and the level of acculturation are significantly associated with caries in urban Latino children. Caries prevention efforts in this population could use this information to tailor oral health messaging according to the level of acculturation in mothers.

Stress, Anxiety, and Immunomodulation: A Pharmacological Analysis

Stress and stressful events are common occurrences in our daily lives and such aversive situations bring about complex changes in the biological system. Such stress responses influence the brain and behavior, neuroendocrine and immune systems, and these responses orchestrate to increase or decrease the ability of the organism to cope with such stressors. The brain via expression of complex behavioral paradigms controls peripheral responses to stress and a bidirectional link exists in the modulation of stress effects. Anxiety is a common neurobehavioral correlate of a variety of stressors, and both acute and chronic stress exposure could precipitate anxiety disorders. Psychoneuroimmunology involves interactions between the brain and the immune system, and it is now being increasingly recognized that the immune system could contribute to the neurobehavioral responses to stress. Studies have shown that the brain and its complex neurotransmitter networks could influence immune function, and there could be a possible link between anxiogenesis and immunomodulation during stress. Physiological and pharmacological data have highlighted this concept, and the present review gives an overview of the relationship between stress, anxiety, and immune responsiveness.

Cellular and molecular mechanisms of action of polyherbal preparation UNIM-352 in experimental models of bronchial asthma

Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways and pharmacotherapy is dependent on anti-inflammatory and bronchodilator agents. However, adverse effects of these agents on chronic administration and sometimes non-responsiveness to these drugs have prompted the search for viable alternatives from medicinal plant sources. UNIM-352 is a polyherbal preparation traditionally used in the Unani system of Indian medicine for the treatment of bronchial asthma. The present study defines the possible cellular and molecular mechanisms of action of UNIM-352 in experimental models of bronchial asthma and validates the observed therapeutically beneficial effects. Wistar rats were immunized and challenged with ovalbumin, and blood and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid were assayed for cytological and biochemical markers. UNIM-352 (200 and 400 mg/kg) markedly reduced the eosinophil and neutrophil counts in both blood and BAL compared to control. The polyherbal agent also attenuated the levels of TNF-α, IL-4, GM-CSF and NF-κB whereas histone deacetylase (HDAC) levels were elevated, in both blood and BAL fluid. All effects of UNIM-352 were comparable with the standard drug, prednisolone. The results demonstrated possible cellular and molecular mechanisms of UNIM-352 and thus explain its beneficial effects in bronchial asthma.

Biochemical characterization and pharmacognostic evaluation of purified catechins in green tea (Camellia sinensis) cultivars of India

Green tea (GT) is derived from the leaves of Camellia sinensis implicated in a wide range of health attributes. In the present comprehensive study, methanolic, acetone and aqueous extract of leaves of C. sinensis var. sinensis [Kashmir (KW), Uttarakhand (IP & PN)] and C. sinensis var. assamica (Assam, AT) were explored for their phytoconstituents. Solvent extracts of GT cultivars showed rich presence of phytoconstituents in comparison with aqueous extracts. The methanolic extract of AT and acetone extract of KW showed highest total phenol content (18.32 ± 0.357 mg of GAE equivalent/g of sample) and total flavonoid content (29.25 ± 0.015 mg of catechin equivalent/g of sample), respectively. All the cultivars revealed higher free radical scavenging activity in the range of 73.80 ± 0.152 to 82.40 ± 0.004 % confirming antioxidant potentials. The HPLC analysis of purified residue procured from solvent partitioning depicted AT with highest concentration of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) i.e., 154.7 ± 4.949 mg/g followed by Kashmir and Uttarakhand GT cultivars. The present study revealed that Assam GT could be a potent herbal candidate with multiple nutraceutical applications. However, significant investigation of the cultivars is to be done to further explore the EGCg-dependent activity of GT for herbal drug development.

Genetic analysis to identify good combiners for ToLCV resistance and yield components in tomato using interspecific hybridization

The interspecific hybridization for tomato leaf curl virus (ToLCV) resistance was carried out among 10 genetically diverse tomato genotypes (diversified by 50 SSR markers). Among the 10 parents, four susceptible cultivars of Solanum lycopersicum were crossed with six resistant wilds, such as S. pimpinellifolium, S. habrochaites, S. chemielewskii, S. ceraseforme, S. peruvianum and S. chilense in a line x tester mating design. All the 24 hybrids and their parents were grown in the field and glasshouse conditions to determine the general-combining abilities (GCA) and specific-combining abilities (SCA). The variances due to SCA and GCA showed both additive and nonadditive gene effects. Based on GCA estimates, EC-520061 and WIR-5032 were good general combiners while based on SCA estimates, PBC x EC-520061 and PBC x EC-521080 were best specific combiners for coefficient of infection and fruit yield per plant in both the environments. These lines could be selected and utilized in ToLCV resistance and high yield breeding programme for improving the traits.

Continuous theta-burst rTMS over primary somatosensory cortex modulates tactile perception on the hand

OBJECTIVE

Theta-burst stimulation (TBS) over the primary somatosensory cortex (SI) alters cortical excitability, and in its intermittent form (iTBS) improves tactile spatial acuity. The effects of continuous TBS (cTBS) on tactile acuity remain unknown. The present study examined the influence of cTBS over SI on temporal and spatial tactile acuity on the contralateral hand.

METHODS

In separate experiments, temporal discrimination threshold (TDT) and spatial amplitude discrimination threshold (SDT) were obtained from the right hand before and for up to 34 min following real and sham cTBS (600 pulses) over left-hemisphere SI.

RESULTS

CTBS reduced temporal and spatial tactile acuity for up to 18 min following real cTBS. Tactile acuity was unaltered in the groups receiving sham cTBS.

CONCLUSIONS

CTBS over SI impairs both temporal and spatial domains of tactile acuity for a similar duration.

SIGNIFICANCE

CTBS over SI appears to decrease neural activity within targeted cortex and has potential utility in reducing excessive sensory processing.

Human papillomavirus infection in Barrett's oesophagus in the UK: an infrequent event

BACKGROUND

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has been reported in squamous cell carcinomas of the oesophagus and has been recently described in Barrett's oesophagus, a premalignant condition which may give rise to oesophageal adenocarcinoma.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate HPV infection in Barrett's oesophagus in a UK population.

STUDY DESIGN

DNA was extracted from 73 Barrett's oesophagus biopsies and examined for the presence of DNA for 14 high risk (HR) and 6 low risk (LR) HPV types.

RESULTS

HPV DNA was present in only 1 of 73 samples; genotyping indicated this was a high risk type 51 infection.

CONCLUSIONS

HPV infection appears unlikely to be a significant factor in the aetiology of Barrett's oesophagus in the UK.

Intestinal parasitosis among subjects undergoing cataract surgery at the eye camps in rural hilly areas of Nepal

Present study investigated the intestinal parasitosis among 221 subjects undergoing cataract surgery (M: 129 and F: 92; aged 13-86 years) at the eye camps in three rural hilly districts (Ramechhap, Sindhupalchok and Dhading) in 2006. Stool samples collected in clean, dry, screw capped plastic containers were examined locally by direct smear technique and anti-parasitic drugs were distributed to parasite positive subjects. The remaining stool samples were fixed with 10% formal-saline, transported to Shi-Gan Health Foundation/Nat'l Inst of Trop Med and Public Health Research, Kathmandu and re-examined by formal-ether sedimentation technique. A total of 148 samples (66.9%) were positive for some kind of intestinal parasites (F: 68.5% and M: 65.9%; P > 0.05). Ramechhap (Manthali) and Sindhupalchok (Chautara) had higher positive rate (71.8% and 70.7%, respectively) than in Dhading (Salyantar) (60.0%) (P > 0.05). Tibeto-Burman (indigenous nationalities) ethnic group had highest positive rate (70.1%) compared with Indo-Aryan (64.7%) and Dalits (57.7%). Subjects without toilet (latrine) had marginally higher positive rate (69.7%) than those having toilet at their home (65.5) (P> 0 .05). Age was independent of positive rate. Vegetarians had marginally higher parasitic infection rate compared to their non-vegetarian counterparts. Helminths were more common than protozoa. Overall, hookworm was the commonest parasite detected. However, Ascaris was common in Dhading District. Entamoeba histolytica was most common among protozoa and was followed by Cyclospora and others.