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Introduction: The incidence of Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) in the young population has begun to rise. There is not enough data regarding the characteristics of young patients with ACS. Aim: To evaluate risk factors, clinical and angiographic profile of young patients with ACS. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted from December 2017 to December 2020 at SSWH, Burdwan Medical College and Hospital, Burdwan, West Bengal, Kolkata, India among 100 patients. Patients with ACS and aged ≤45 years were enrolled in the study. Patients were divided into two groups: patients with and without obstructive Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). Clinical parameters and coronary angiography data were collected and analysed. The p-value

Objectives: The presentation and outcomes of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) during COVID times (June 2020 to Dec 2020) were compared with the historical control during the same period in 2019. Methods: Data of 4806 consecutive patients of acute HF admitted in 22 centres in the country were collected during this period. The admission patterns, aetiology, outcomes, prescription of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) and interventions were analysed in this retrospective study. Results: Admissions for acute heart failure during the pandemic period in 2020 decreased by 20% compared to the corresponding six-month period in 2019, with numbers dropping from 2675 to 2131. However, no difference in the epidemiology was seen. The mean age of presentation in 2019 was 61.75 (±13.7) years, and 59.97 (±14.6) years in 2020. There was a significant decrease in the mean age of presentation (p = 0.001). Also. the proportion of male patients decreased significantly from 68.67% to 65.84% (p = 0.037). The in-hospital mortality for acute heart failure did not differ significantly between 2019 and 2020 (4.19% and 4.,97%) respectively (p = 0.19). The proportion of patients with HFrEF did not change in 2020 compared to 2019 (76.82% vs 75.74%, respectively). The average duration of hospital stay was 6.5 days. Conclusion: The outcomes of ADHF patients admitted during the Covid pandemic did not differ significantly. The length of hospital stay remained the same. The study highlighted the sub-optimal use of GDMT, though slightly improving over the last few years.

Objective: To find out differences in the presentation, management and outcomes of COVID-19 infected STEMI patients compared to age and sex-matched non-infected STEMI patients treated during the same period. Methods: This was a retrospective multicentre observational registry in which we collected data of COVID-19 positive STEMI patients from selected tertiary care hospitals across India. For every COVID-19 positive STEMI patient, two age and sex-matched COVID-19 negative STEMI patients were enrolled as control. The primary endpoint was a composite of in-hospital mortality, re-infarction, heart failure, and stroke. Results: 410 COVID-19 positive STEMI cases were compared with 799 COVID-19 negative STEMI cases. The composite of death/reinfarction/stroke/heart failure was significantly higher among the COVID-19 positive STEMI patients compared with COVID-19 negative STEMI cases (27.1% vs 20.7% p value = 0.01); though mortality rate did not differ significantly (8.0% vs 5.8% p value = 0.13). Significantly lower proportion of COVID-19 positive STEMI patients received reperfusion treatment and primary PCI (60.7% vs 71.1% p value=< 0.001 and 15.4% vs 23.4% p value = 0.001 respectively). Rate of systematic early PCI (pharmaco-invasive treatment) was significantly lower in the COVID-19 positive group compared with COVID-19 negative group. There was no difference in the prevalence of high thrombus burden (14.5% and 12.0% p value = 0.55 among COVID-19 positive and negative patients respectively) Conclusions: In this large registry of STEMI patients, we did not find significant excess in in-hospital mortality among COVID-19 co-infected patients compared with non-infected patients despite lower rate of primary PCI and reperfusion treatment, though composite of in-hospital mortality, re-infarction, stroke and heart failure was higher.

Effluents containing dyes from different industrial sectors pose a serious threat to the environment. Different physicochemical strategies are being carried out in industry to reduce the toxicity of dye-containing waste so that dye-mixed wastewater can be further utilized in agriculture or irrigation purposes in water-scarce areas. But those techniques are economically not feasible. There is an alternative mechanism present in biological systems that are biocatalysts which is eco-friendly, low cost, and sustainable. Lignin peroxidase, Laccase, Manganese peroxidase are oxidoreductase classes of enzymes with the ligninolytic ability and are potential biocatalysts for the degradation of environmental toxicants like dyes. Besides ligninolytic enzymes, cellulase, pectinase are also powerful candidates for dye decolourization. Most interestingly these biocatalysts are found in a variety of microbial monoculture as well as in mixed microbial consortia. The consortia are able to reduce the organic load of dye-containing industrial effluent at a higher rate rather than the monoculture. This article critically reviews the efficacy of lignocellulolytic enzymes in dye decolourization by both monoculture and consortia approaches. In addition, this review discusses the genetically and metabolically engineered microbial systems that contribute to dye decolourization as well as put forward some future approaches for the enhancement of dye removal efficacy.

The current scientific studies have shown that extensive quantities of synthetic pigments are used worldwide in diverse industries. Synthetic pigments have shown enormous toxicity issues compared to natural colorants and dyes in current industrial usage. Diverse microbial communities, including fungi, bacteria, archaea, and yeast are current biopigment producers. However, the aforementioned biopigments are expensive, least efficient, and less eco-friendly to attain industrial sustainability. Thus, algae-based bio pigments are one of the best natural resources to meet today’s challenges. Algal pigments increase the product’s marketability and carry multiple therapeutic properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective actions. These multidimensional qualities of algal pigments have piqued the interest of the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and nutraceutical industries resulting in most potential implementation. Thus, a paradigm shift requires identifying potential algal communities having a higher biopigment-producing ability for future manufacturing and commercialization as a sustainable way forward. Hence, the current study has been designed for effective isolation and screening of algal isolates (i.e. DS1, DS2, DS3, DS4, DS5) from a different region of sundarban water resources concerning the investigation of algal pigments (i.e. chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b and carotenoid). In a nutshell, the current study shows that DS2 isolate produces a significant quantity of carotenoid (9.729 mg/g DCW), chlorophyll a (7.872 mg/g DCW), and chlorophyll b (7.176 mg/g DCW) amongst all isolates. Hence, the present study reveals that DS2 algal isolates might be a potential predecessor of biopigment production, having pivotal applications in food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and nutraceutical industries in the near future.

The present research work was carried out on isolating lignocellulolytic enzyme-producing natural bacterial isolates of the Sundarban Mangrove ecosystem in West Bengal, India. Multiple bacterial isolations and qualitative as well as quantitative screening of the isolates was conducted by selective media plates and dye decolorization assay. Growth characterization of the top three isolates, namely GD1, GD2, and GD3, was determined in both nutrient broth and selective media. GD1 showed laccase activity in ABTS plate and decolorized congo red, malachite green, and methylene blue by 64.82%, 47.69%, and 33.33%, respectively, which is the inherent property of laccase. Along with the maximum laccase activity (9.72U/L), it also showed a little amount of cellulase (5.8U/ml) and pectinase (0.55U/ml) activity in the enzyme assay. GD2 showed maximum cellulase activity (6.56U/ml) with only 3.3% degradation of congo red and 39.43% degradation of malachite green. Like GD1, GD2 also bears 5.6U/L laccase and 0.12U/ml pectinase enzyme activity. The last isolate, GD3 specialized in pectinase production and having 4.4U/ml enzyme activity, degraded congo red by 66.75% and malachite green by 54.26%.All isolates showed activity between 30° and 37°C, and pH ranges from 4.5 to 7. The outcomes of this research will be useful in the fiber industry like jute or banana, dye industry, pulp-paper industry, and textile industry for waste remediation, recycling, and fiber modification.

Abstract Supramolecular assembly can be used to fabricate complex functional materials by organizing simple building blocks. However, it is difficult to control the hierarchical assembly across multiple length scales. The correlation of a supramolecular gel network and a pre‐gelling aggregate will help to understand how a molecular‐level assembly is translated into a higher order. Here, a functional dipeptide 2NapFF is used that can assemble in different micellar structures at high pH by varying the counterion. Replacing the counterions with a divalent calcium salt results in a cross‐linked gel network, or an interesting analog “gel noodles.” The physical properties of the gel noodles can be varied by choosing specific micellar assemblies as the pre‐gel. The mechanical rigidity of the gel networks is compared by nanoindentation and tensile testing, and the pattern to the structures of the micelles observed by small‐angle X‐ray scattering is correlated. The supramolecular assembly can be fine‐tuned by using different micelles as the pre‐gel without affecting the inherent gel‐state properties.

Right ventricular (RV) pacing is associated with a reduction in left ventricular (LV) systolic function, thought to be mediated by pacing-induced ventricular dyssynchrony. The prevalence of heart failure after RV pacing is reported to range from 31±3%. We studied 60 subjects with high-grade atrioventricular block and Complete Heart Block (CHB) scheduled to undergo right ventricular apical pacing. 2D echocardiography was done at baseline, 1 month and 12 months. Pacing-induced cardiomyopathy was defined as a reduction in LVEF to

Introduction: Cardiovascular disorders have long been considered as one of the leading causes of mortality in India, which when presented with concurrent Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) infection becomes even more fatal. Evidence suggests that COVID-19 affects the cardiovascular system by causing exuberant cytokinaemia, which results in endothelial inflammation and microvascular thrombosis, leading to multiorgan failure. Aim: To analyse the outcome of the asymptomatic COVID-19 patients presenting with cardiac angina during the second wave of COVID-19 in India. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective data analysis of asymptomatic COVID-19 patients hospitalised with angina was conducted between April 2021 to June 2021 at Bardhhaman Medical College and Hospital located at Bardhdhaman district of West Bengal, India. A total of 1235 patients underwent all regular biochemical, haematological and cardiac investigations after undergoing test for COVID-19 test. Data was retrospectively collected. The outcome of these patients was analysed. Estimation of mean, standard deviation, percentage, p-value (from Pearson’s correlation) was performed to establish the aim of the study. Results: Seventy six out of 1235 patients tested positive for asymptomatic COVID-19. The mean age of this study population was 55.075±10.95 years, of which were 55 male and 21 female. Hypertension was the most prevalent co-morbidity followed by diabetes, 73 (96%) presented with chest pain. A total of 47(62%) of these 76 patients had ST Elevated Myocardial Infarction (STEMI). Eleven (14.4%) underwent Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) whereas 36 (47.3%) underwent fibrinolytic therapy with tenecteplase, followed by secondary PCI in 27 (75%) of them. Rest 29 (38%) were medically managed for unstable angina. Mortality rate was as low as 6.5%. Age and comorbidity were the contributing factors for STEMI among asymptomatic COVID-19 patients. Conclusion: The results indicate that age and comorbidity are the factors, which lead to death or increases the life risk among patients with asymptomatic COVID-19. In this study, we have established that for the current patient population STEMI and age are negatively corelated. Medical management with thrombolytic agent became a lot more accepted in this scenario. PCI still remains the gold standard to treat myocardial infarction. It is recommended that there should be an ICMR guided protocol for the management of such cases with the concurrent COVID-19.

The nature of functional groups and their relative position and orientation play an important role in tuning the gelation properties of stimuli-responsive supramolecular gels. In this work, we synthesized and characterized mono-/bis-pyridyl-N-oxide compounds of N-(4-pyridyl)nicotinamide (L1–L3). The gelation properties of these N-oxide compounds were compared with the reported isomeric counterpart mono-/bis-pyridyl-N-oxide compounds of N-(4-pyridyl)isonicotinamide. Hydrogels obtained with L1 and L3 were thermally and mechanically more stable than the corresponding isomeric counterparts. The surface morphology of the xerogels of di-N-oxides (L3 and diNO) obtained from the water was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which revealed that the relative position of N-oxide moieties did not have a prominent effect on the gel morphology. The solid-state structural analysis was performed using single-crystal X-ray diffraction to understand the key mechanism in gel formation. The versatile nature of N-oxide moieties makes these gels highly responsive toward an external stimulus, and the stimuli-responsive behavior of the gels in water and aqueous mixtures was studied in the presence of various salts. We studied the effect of various salts on the gelation behavior of the hydrogels, and the results indicated that the salts could induce gelation in L1 and L3 below the minimum gelator concentration of the gelators. The mechanical properties were evaluated by rheological experiments, indicating that the modified compounds displayed enhanced gel strength in most cases. Interestingly, cadmium chloride formed supergelator at a very low concentration (0.7 wt% of L3), and robust hydrogels were obtained at higher concentrations of L3. These results show that the relative position of N-oxide moieties is crucial for the effective interaction of the gelator with salts/ions resulting in LMWGs with tunable properties.

Background and Objectives: Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt (VPS) and Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy (ETV) are both gold standard procedures to reduce intracranial pressure (ICP) in patients with obstructive hydrocephalus, which often results in papilledema. This comparative study was carried out at the Department of Neurosurgery of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital to compare the efficacy of VPS and ETV in the resolution of papilledema in 18 patients with obstructive hydrocephalus. Materials and Methods: The success of CSF diversion was evaluated by a decrease in retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and modified Frisen grading of papilledema at the same time. The statistical analyses were carried out by using paired sample t test and the Spearman’s correlation coefficient test. The level of significance (p value) was set at Results: After 7 days, both VPS and ETV were able to reduce RNFL thickness of both eyes with a p value = 0.016 (right eye) and 0.003 (left eye) in group A (VPS) and with a p value p value > 0.05. Further, the inter-group comparison between VPS and ETV showed no difference in decreasing RNFL thickness and modified Frisen grading (p value = 0.56). Conclusion: VPS and ETV procedures both appear very efficient in treating obstructive hydrocephalus, which in turn reduces papilledema in these patients. This paper is preliminary and requires further work.

Introduction: The incidence of Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) in the young population has begun to rise. There is not enough data regarding the characteristics of young patients with ACS. Aim: To evaluate risk factors, clinical and angiographic profile of young patients with ACS. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted from December 2017 to December 2020 at SSWH, Burdwan Medical College and Hospital, Burdwan, West Bengal, Kolkata, India among 100 patients. Patients with ACS and aged =45 years were enrolled in the study. Patients were divided into two groups: patients with and without obstructive Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). Clinical parameters and coronary angiography data were collected and analysed. The p-value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 37.42±5.18 years, and 82 (82%) participants were male. Smoking was the most common risk factor observed in 71 (71%) of the study population, and the majority of these patients had obstructive CAD. The young population suffered more with a high incidence of ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI), with 37 (56.06%) had Anterior Wall Myocardial Infarction (AWMI). When analysed angiographically, Obstructive CAD was most commonly found 82 (82%); among those with obstructive CAD, Single-vessel diseases were predominant in 47 (47%) individuals. The percentage of stable angina was significantly higher among patients with obstructive CAD (53.6%) compared to non obstructive CAD (11.1%), (p=0.001). Conclusion: Two leading risk factors, smoking, and tobacco, were significantly associated with the onset of young ACS. The prevalence of single-vessel disease was higher in young patients with ACS compared to double and triple-vessel disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of the present study was to assess the deficiency of vitamin B12 in the patients of type 2 diabetes mellitus with peripheral neuropathy and its correlation. Methods: The participants for the present study were recruited from patients with T2DM seen in the South Eastern Railway Central Hospital, Kolkata. The study was conducted for two years. Results: Patients with diabetic neuropathy were older as majority had age between 61-70 years (55.40%) compared to those without neuropathy (majority had age between 51-60 years; 39.80%). The sex distribution between group was significantly different as revealed by the highly significant p value of <0.001. 9.60% of the patients with diabetes neuropathy had vitamin B 12 deficiency compared to control group (1.20%). Diabetes neuropathy patients had mean Vitamin B12 (471.33±168.992), diabetes with no neuropathy patients (479.11±208.121). Subjects in control group had higher Vitamin B12 level compared to remaining two groups. Conclusion: Vitamin B12 deficiency is highly prevalent, especially in patients with diabetic neuropathy. In this study an inverse correlation was found between diabetic neuropathy and the plasma level of vitamin B12. The association between diabetic neuropathy and Vitamin B12 deficiency is of great importance, since diabetic or prediabetic patients diagnosed with diabetic neuropathy may have neuropathy due to vitamin B12 deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]