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Ground improvement is an important requirement in today's construction industry as landreclamation is becoming increasingly popular. The stone column technique is a very efficient method of improving the strength parameters of soil like bearing capacity and reducing consolidation settlement. Soil reinforcement can be an ideal solution for the improvement of clay. Out of other conventional methods, stone columns are effectively being used for ground improvement, particularly for the construction of flexible structures such as road embankments, oil storage tanks, etc on soft soils. It offers a much more economical and sustainable alternative to piling and deep foundation solutions. This report investigates thequalitative and quantitative improvement of individual load capacity of stone columns by varying the diameterof stone columns through laboratory model tests conducted on stone columns installed in clay beds prepared in controlled conditions in a large-scale testing tank. The results from the load tests indicated the performance of a smaller diameter stone column is superior to that of a bigger diameter stone column and the stone grit used to Promote the vertical drainage function of the column by acting as a good filter.

Objectives: Surgical site infections (SSIs) remain a common and global problem that contributes to significant morbidity and mortality, prolongs hospital stay, and consequently increases health-care costs. Bacterial resistances pose a challenge and complicated the SSI treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the bacterial profile and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of isolates among patients diagnosed with surgical site infection. Methods: Patients who underwent either elective or emergency surgical procedures were enrolled in this study. For those who developed surgical site infections, specimens from the surgical site were collected and processed at the microbiology laboratory at the tertiary health-care center, Ahmedabad. Results: Out of the 5003 patients, 34 developed SSI. In our study, 37 bacteria were isolated from 34 samples subjected to culture. Thirty-two samples showed monomicrobial growth and two showed polymicrobial growth. Among them, 14 (38%) were Gram-positive cocci, out of which 12 (85.7%) were Staphylococcus aureus and 2 (14.3%) were Enterococci spp. and 23 (62%) were Gram-negative bacilli, there were 21 (91.3%) enterobacteriaceae, out of which 5 (23.8%) were Escherichia coli, 1 (4.8%) were Proteus mirabilis, 15 (71.4%) Klebsiella spp. and 02 (8.7%) non-fermenters of which Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. Conclusions: Gram-negative bacteria were the most dominant isolates from surgical sites in the study area. Among them, Klebsiella spp. were the most common bacteria isolated from surgical site specimens. In our study, there is high antibiotic resistance observed which raises serious concerns and mandates strict antibiotic policy as well as antimicrobial stewardship.

Bronchiolitis is the most common lower respiratory infectious disease in infants presenting with cough and/or wheeze and occurs most frequently in the winter months. Treatment of bronchiolitis by means of nebulization with inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilator such as salbutamol or ipratropium bromide considered an effective method. Usually, 0.9% normal saline used together with the medications mentioned above. However, there are studies showing that 3% hypertonic saline might be a better choice compared with the normal saline. Objective: Our main aim of this study is to determine the improvement of patient’s condition by comparing the length of hospital stay and improvement in clinical severity score (CS score) in infants with moderate bronchiolitis nebulized with 3% hypertonic saline or 0.9% saline. Methods: 124 patients were arranged randomly to nebulize either 3% hypertonic saline with salbutamol plus budesonide (Group 1) or 0.9% saline with salbutamol plus budesonide (Group 2) three times per day until conditions were stable enough for discharge (with a CS score below 3). We recorded the SC scores of each patient before and after the first nebulization every day. Outcomes, considered mainly as ①differences in the length of hospital stay from admission to time taken to reach CS score < 3; ②the change in CS score after the first nebulization every day. A P value

PDF file, 2386K, The effect of BIIB021 on the mRNA transcript of various KSHV genes were given in this file.

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PDF file, 77K, The list of qRT-PCR primer sequences used in this study were given in this file.

Supplementary Data from X-Linked Ectodermal Dysplasia Receptor Is Downregulated in Breast Cancer via Promoter Methylation

Purpose: The X-linked ectodermal dysplasia receptor (XEDAR) is a novel receptor of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family that binds to ectodysplasin-A2 (EDA-A2) and induces cell death. The purpose of this study was to determine the tumor-suppressive potential of XEDAR in the development of breast cancer.Experimental Design: We analyzed the expression of XEDAR in breast cancer cell lines and tumor samples using quantitative real-time PCR analysis and immunoblotting. We analyzed the human XEDAR gene promoter for the presence of any CpG island and examined its methylation status using methylation-specific real-time PCR. We examined the effect of 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine on the expression of XEDAR and sensitivity to EDA-A2–induced apoptosis in breast cancer cell lines.Results: Expression of XEDAR, but not EDA-A2, was downregulated in most tumorigenic breast cancer cell lines and tumor samples. Loss of XEDAR expression correlated with the hypermethylation of its promoter. Ectopic expression of XEDAR in MDA-MB-231 cells resulted in significant induction of apoptosis and reduction in colony formation. Treatment with 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine restored XEDAR expression in breast cancer cell lines with methylated XEDAR promoter and sensitized them to EDA-A2–induced cell death.Conclusions: Our results suggest that XEDAR expression is downregulated in most breast cancers via promoter methylation, which may contribute to accelerated tumor development by blocking EDA-A2–induced cell death. XEDAR may represent a novel breast tumor suppressor gene, and restoration of its expression by treatment with DNA demethylating agents may represent an attractive approach for the treatment of breast cancer. Clin Cancer Res; 16(4); 1140–8

PDF file, 3187K, The densitometric analysis of blots from figure 4B is given in this file.

PDF file, 985K, Effect of BIIB021 on the effect of lytic proteins (RTA and vIL-6)induced by TPA in BC-1 and BC-3 cells were given in this file.

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Background The Argus II Retinal Prosthesis (Second Sight Medical Products, California) was developed to enhance visual outcomes in patients with degenerative retinal diseases. The primary objective of this study was to describe changes in vision-related quality of life based on patient responses to the National Eye Institutes Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25) over a two-year postoperative period. The secondary objective was to assess a relationship between subjective NEI VFQ-25 scores and objective functional vision outcomes. Methods Five patients who were fitted with the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis due to profound retinal dystrophy were assessed in this study. The NEI VFQ-25 was given to patients prior to implantation, at month 12, and month 24 post-implantation. Functional vision data and images from each visit were extracted from the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis Post-Approval Study. Data analysis was completed on IBM SPSS. Results Between Month 0 and Month 24, there was a significant increase in VFQ score in the ‘Social Functioning’ subscale (p s = 0.745, p s = 0.778, p s = 0.541, p s = 0.581, p s = 0.527, p

The Ponseti method has revolutionized clubfoot treatment. Though completely neglected clubfeet are now rare, partially or incompletely and improperly treated feet are not uncommon. Relapses after successful correction may occur due to non-compliance with bracing. In scarred soft tissues due to previous surgery, soft tissue distraction using external fixation helps achieve correction. The Ilizarov fixator permits us to follow the Ponseti protocol, using correction methods that may either be constrained or unconstrained by hinges. Applying force vectors perpendicular to the moment arm allows us to correct the еquinus without damaging the ankle joint. All of the above is possible when the talus is round. Full correction of the deformity is possible. However, longterm follow-up of these patients has revealed stiffness of the ankle setting and frequently with tibio-talar osteophytes anteriorly. They are probably a reaction to excessive pressure developed in the joint due to the tight soft tissues. Hence the author has now added a mild shortening of the tibia and fibula to reduce soft tissue tension, rather than resorting to further soft tissue releases through scarred tissues. This allows faster correction with the Ponseti-Ilizarov protocol and allows good ankle range of motion to persist.

Background The Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System (Second Sight Medical Products, Sylmar, California) is an epiretinal prosthesis that serves to provide useful vision to people who are affected by retinal degenerative diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP). The purpose of this study was to analyze postoperative movement of the electrode array. Methods Five patients diagnosed with profound retinal dystrophy who have undergone implantation of retinal prosthesis at Stony Brook University Hospital. Fundoscopy was performed at postoperative month 1 (M1), month 3 (M3), month 6 (M6), month 12 (M12), and month 24 (M24) visits. Fundoscopy was extracted and analyzed via NIH ImageJ. Data analysis was completed using IBM SPSS. Various lengths and angles were measured each postoperative month using ImageJ. Results There was no significant change in distance between the optic disc and the surgical handle (length AB) over the two-year span (F = 0.196, p = 0.705). There was a significant change in distance of length AB over time between patients between M3 and M6 (p = 0.025). A repeated measures ANOVA revealed that there was statistically significant change of the optic disc-tack-surgical handle angle (𝛾) (M1 to M24) (F = 3.527, p = 0.030). There was no significant change in angle 𝜟 (the angle to the horizontal of the image), angle 𝜶 (tack-optic disc-surgical handle), and angle 𝜷 (optic-disc-surgical handle-tack). Conclusion Our results demonstrate that there may be postoperative movement of the retinal prosthesis over time, as a statistically significant downward rotation is reported over the 2 years span. It is important, moving forward, to further study this movement and to take into consideration such movement when designing retinal implants. It is important to note that this study is limited by the small sample size, and therefore, the conclusions drawn are limited.

SETTING: Nepal Mediciti Hospital, Bhainsepati, Lalitpur, NepalOBJECTIVES: To determine antimicrobial resistance patterns, and the number and proportion of multidrug-resistant (MDR-) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR-) cases among all patients with Acinetobacter isolates between September 2018 and September 2019.DESIGN: This was a hospital laboratory-based, cross-sectional studyRESULTS: Acinetobacter spp. (n = 364) were more common in respiratory (n = 172, 47.3%) and invasive samples such as blood, body fluids (n = 95, 26.1%). Sensitivity to AWaRe (Access, Watch and Reserve) Group antibiotics (tigecycline, polymyxin B, colistin) remained high. MDR (resistance to at least three classes of antimicrobial agents) (n = 110, 30.2%) and XDR (MDR plus carbapenem) (n = 87, 23.9%) isolates were most common in the Watch Group of antibiotics and found in respectively 99 (31.0%) and 78 (24.5%) patients (n = 319). Infected patients were more likely to be aged >40 years (n = 196, 61.4%) or inpatients (n = 191, 59.9%); 76 (23.8%) patients had an unfavourable outcome, including death (n = 59, 18.5%).CONCLUSION: A significant proportion of MDR and XDR isolates was found; nearly one patient in five died. Robust hospital infection prevention and control measures (particularly for respiratory and invasive procedures) and routine surveillance are needed to reduce infections and decrease the mortality rate. Tigecycline, polymyxin B and colistin should be cautiously used only in MDR and XDR cases.

Recent studies have shown that microtransplant (MST) could improve outcome of patients with elderly acute myeloid leukemia (EAML). To further standardize the MST therapy and improve outcomes in EAML patients, based on analysis of the literature on MST, especially MST with EAML from January 1st, 2011 to November 30th, 2022, the International Microtransplant Interest Group provides recommendations and considerations for MST in the treatment of EAML. Four major issues related to MST for treating EAML were addressed: therapeutic principle of MST (1), candidates for MST (2), induction chemotherapy regimens (3), and post-remission therapy based on MST (4). Others included donor screening, infusion of donor cells, laboratory examinations, and complications of treatment.

Background Equity, diversity, and inclusion remain a challenge in the healthcare workforce. This study explored the current gender and racial/ethnic trends in academic pediatric positions across the United States. Methodology The pediatric faculty self-reported data by the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) Faculty Roster from 2007 to 2020 were analyzed. The races were classified as White (non-Hispanic), Asian, Hispanic, Black (non-Hispanic), Multiple races (including both non-Hispanic and Hispanic), Others, and Unknown. Gender was categorized as male and female. Results The results showed that Asian, Black (non-Hispanic), and Hispanic academic pediatricians increased in full professor, associate professor, and assistant professor positions and decreased in instructor positions from 2007 to 2020. Black (non-Hispanic) academic pediatricians relatively decreased 5.5% in chairperson positions. Women increased in full professor, associate professor, instructor, and chairperson positions; however, relatively decreased 1.8% in assistant professor positions. Men and White (non-Hispanic) academic pediatricians relatively decreased 10.5% and 16%, respectively, in all academic ranks. Women, Asian, Black (non-Hispanic), Hispanic, and Other races were underrepresented in tenured, on-track (tenure-eligible), and not-on-track (tenure-eligible) positions. Conclusions Women and underrepresented minorities in medicine (URiM) physicians continue to remain significantly underrepresented in academic pediatric faculty positions and tenured track positions. There is a dire need to adapt multifaceted strategies to increase the engagement of women and URiM in academic pediatrics.

In this retrospective, multicenter study of 261 eyes (259 patients), patients who underwent rhegmatogenous retinal detachment repair during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) post-lockdown period experienced an additional 22-day delay, leading to significantly more epiretinal membrane and proliferative vitreoretinopathy and lower single-surgery anatomic success rates. During lockdown, perfluoropropane gas was used more commonly, and pneumatic retinopexy was used more commonly in COVID-19-positive patients.

Introduction The gender and racial profile of the pediatric population in the United States (US) is more diverse than that of the pediatricians that cater to their healthcare needs. Gender and racial diversity remains limited among pediatric residents and fellows, faculty, and leadership. Our study objectives were to explore the gender and racial disparity among pediatric residents in the US. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) database. The database encompassed all residents in US pediatrics residency programs from 2007 to 2021, categorizing them into White (non-Hispanic), Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, African American/Black (non-Hispanic), Native American/Alaskan, others (races not included in the mentioned categories), and unknown. Gender was grouped into male, female, and not reported. Results From 2011 to 2021, the greatest increase in relative change (%) was seen for Asian or Pacific Islander (+58.42%), followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (+45.24%), White (non-Hispanic) (+43.37%), and Hispanic (+42.18%) races. The Native American/Alaskan relatively decreased 50%. The representation of female residents relatively increased by 13.27% as compared to the relative increase of male residents (+14.77%) from 2007 to 2021. Conclusion It is imperative to have a healthcare workforce that is representative of the existing communities in the US in terms of race, ethnicity, and gender to provide culturally sensitive care to the diverse patient population of the US.

Introduction Initially, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination was started in India for the elderly above 60 years of age. Adults with any comorbidity have been gradually included in the vaccination drive. It is empirical to gain insight into the satisfaction of these beneficiaries with the vaccination as it may act as an influencing factor for receiving the vaccine. Materials and methods This was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out at the COVID-19 vaccination clinic of the Government Medical College and Hospital, Nagpur, among individuals above 60 years of age and those from 45 to 60 years of age with comorbidity. The survey tool was a predesigned structured questionnaire that had close-ended questions on various aspects of awareness about the COVID-19 vaccines and their satisfaction with the immunization center. Interviews were conducted by two interviewers on each day. Data were analyzed using open software Epi Info (CDC, Atlanta, Georgia). The chi-square test was applied as a test of significance. Results A total of 290 subjects participated in the study. The majority had correct knowledge about COVID-19 vaccination and appropriate COVID-19 behavior after vaccination. Fever and body ache were known to most of the subjects as adverse effects following immunization. Social media was the most common source of knowledge. The majority of the subjects were satisfied with the services provided at the vaccination center, but there was no difference as per age, gender, or residential status of the subjects. Conclusion Despite mixed rumors about the COVID-19 vaccine, the majority of the study subjects were well satisfied with the vaccination. They were apparently having fair awareness about the vaccine.

The present study aimed to explore a new source of montmorillonite and to develop an extraction and purification protocol for its isolation from raw clay samples acquired from the Koh-e-Suleiman mountain range in Pakistan. The process involved the collection of raw clay from the source, identification and quantification of montmorillonite. Granulometric extraction and purification protocols increased the montmorillonite content from 21.8–25.1% in the raw clay to 90.1–93.9% after small-scale extraction and 85.33–89.33% on a larger scale. A techno-economic analysis highlighted the practicality and economic benefits of large-scale extraction for industrial applications. This study highlights the existence of a substantial new source of this valuable clay which is currently used across multiple industries including construction, pottery making, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and engineering. It is intuitively expected that the large-scale extraction of the material will improve the economic condition of the region by providing employment opportunities to locals and may be a valuable resource for export.

Introduction: Prior to the introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), the presence of BCR-ABL1 conferred a poor prognosis in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). We published in 2017 in Br J Haematology our analysis comparing the survival of Ph-Positive (Ph+) and Ph-negative ALL during the period when TKIs were universally available in the United States for Ph+ ALL using a Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Database analysis. Despite using TKIs, we have continued to remain reliant on cytotoxic chemotherapy regimens and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HSCT) to achieve the best long-term outcomes. However, with the introduction of more potent TKIs and other novel agents, as well as better methods for monitoring minimal/measurable residual disease (MRD) the best approach is yet to be determined. In this study we present data from our institution with incorporation of TKIs in our modified USC ALL pediatric-based regimen without pegaspargase (PEG) (Table 1). Methods: This retrospective, single institution chart review included adults aged >18 with newly diagnosed Ph+ ALL between 2016 and 2020. Primary objectives were Overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) at 3 years for Ph+ ALL patients and secondary objectives were rates of complete remission/complete remission with incomplete recovery (CR/CRi), minimal residual disease (MRD) by flow cytometry and presence of BCR-ABL1 fusion transcript by real time polymerase chain reaction. Descriptive statistics of patients were reported and evaluated using Fisher's exact test. OS and EFS were reported through Kaplan Meier curves and Log-rank tests. Two-sided p value ≤0.05 was significant. RESULTS: 26 Ph+ ALL patients were identified. Median age at diagnosis was 42.5 years, with 42.3% males and 57.7% females. Median BMI was 31.1 kg/m 2, 42.3% had hepatic steatosis and 34.6% had CNS disease pre-induction. After induction 1, 91.3% of patients achieved CR/CRi, 8.7% were refractory, and 64.3% were MRD flow negative with 24% of patients with undetectable BCR-ABL1. After induction 2, 94.1% had achieved CR/CRi, 64.3% were MRD flow negative with 44.4% of patients with undetectable BCR-ABL1. After consolidation I, 78.6% were MRD flow negative. 50% of patients had received blinatumomab for MRD flow positivity early in the course and 34.6% underwent allo-HSCT. Of note, 65.4% of patients received Dasatinib only and 30.8% received at least 2 TKIs. Overall, 11.5% had known relapse, 12.5% died. 3-year OS was 83.3% and 3-year EFS was 86.6% (Table 2). When survival was stratified by transplant status, 3-year OS with allo-HSCT was 100% versus 70% without allo-HSCT (p=0.15) and 3-year EFS with allo-HSCT was 100% compared to 77.9% without allo-HSCT (Table 3). CONCLUSIONS: The use of the modified USC ALL regimen without PEG for the treatment of newly diagnosed Ph+ ALL combined with TKI at our institution led to an excellent 3-year OS (83.3%) and 3-year EFS (86.6%). All patients received TKI, half of the patients received blinatumomab and at least one third received allo-HSCT which likely led to higher OS even without PEG. We also observed a trend towards improved OS in recipients of allo-HSCT compared to patients who did not receive allo-HSCT (100% vs. 70%, p=0.15) although statistically not significant, it highlights the role of allo-HSCT in the management of Ph+ ALL patients. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Chaudhary: TCR2: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Celldex: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Moderna: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Pancella: Consultancy; Oncotartis: Consultancy; Athelas: Consultancy, Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company; Angeles Therapeutics: Current holder of individual stocks in a privately-held company, Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Founder, Patents & Royalties: Cell therapy ; Allogene: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Douer: Adaptive: Current holder of individual stocks in a privately-held company, Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company, Speakers Bureau; Jazz: Consultancy; Servier: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau. Yaghmour: Agios: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; BMS: Speakers Bureau; Alexion: Speakers Bureau; Astellas: Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Jazz: Speakers Bureau.

Background: Haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation (haplo-HCT) has emerged as a popular alternative to traditional HLA-matched hematopoietic cell transplant. The major advancement of haplo-HCT has increased donor availability to many patients in need, therefore investigating the factors that may affect outcomes is necessary to improve overall survival and reduce transplant-related mortality. Data regarding optimal dose of CD34 cells, CD3 cells and CD34/CD3 ratio used during haplo-HCT to ensure favorable outcomes with post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) is lacking. Previously we have reported improved outcomes using CD34 cells limited to 7x10^6 cells/kg or less. In this report we are presenting an updated analysis including outcomes related to CD34/CD3 ratio used during haplo-HCT. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed adult patients at USC Norris Cancer Hospital who received haplo-HCT from 2014 to 2020. The primary endpoint assessed was 1-year GVHD-free/relapse-free survival (GRFS). Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), 1-year transplant related mortality (TRM) and incidence of acute and chronic GVHD. Kaplan Meier survival curves and log-rank tests were used to evaluate 1-year GRFS and OS with CD34 cell dose ≥ 7x10^6 cells/kg and < 7x10^6 cells/kg; CD3 cell dose < 2.5x10^8 cells/kg and ≥ 2.5x10^8 cells/kg; and CD34/CD3 ratio 3-5 and >5. Results: 103 adult haplo-HCT recipients were reviewed with 55.3% male and 44.7% female. The age range was 21-71 years old (median = 51), and a majority of patients were Hispanic (62%). The most common underlying hematologic disorders included AML (40.8%), ALL (34.1%), and MDS/MPN (13.6 %). 41.7% patients with leukemia were in CR1, 55% were CR2/CR3 and 78% were MRD negative by flow cytometry prior to transplant. 73% received myeloablative conditioning and 83.5% received peripheral blood stem cells. Median CD34 dose, CD3 dose and CD34/CD3 ratio were 6.1 x10^6cells/kg, 2.27 x10^8 cells/kg and 3.2 respectively. Median time to recovery of neutrophil, platelets, and lymphocyte was 17, 24, and 124 days respectively. Incidence of 1-year GRFS was 43.7%. 1-year TRM was 13.6% and rate of aGVHD and cGVHD was 42.7% (n = 44) and 35.9% (n = 37) respectively. There was no difference in 1-year GRFS and OS when multiple dose levels of CD34 cells and CD3 cells were compared. Although when dichotomized, a CD34 cell dose of ≥ 7x10^6 cells/kg compared to < 7x10^6 cells/kg showed higher dose had significant improvement in 1- year overall survival (p-value=0.01) but no statistical difference in 1 year GRFS (p value=0.24). CD3 cell dose < 2.5 x 10^8 cells/kg trended towards worse 1-Year GRFS compared to ≥ 2.5 x 10^8 cells/kg (43.9% compared to 58.6%; p-value 0.075), similarly CD3 dose of < 2.5x10^8 cells/kg showed a lower 1-year OS compared to > 2.5x10^8 cells/kg but was not statistically significant (78.7% compared to 89.4%; p-value 0.092). 1-year GRFS and OS did not show statistical difference at CD34:CD3 ratios of < 2, 2-3, 3-5 and > 5, although on cox regression analysis the HR for 1-year GRFS was 2.92 (95% CI 1.21-7.05) in patients with CD34:CD3 > 5 as compared to reference of < 2 (p-value 0.017). Multivariate regression also showed CD3 cell doses of 2-3x10^8 cells/kg and >3 x 10^8 cells/kg were associated with worse 1-year GRFS with HR of 0.43 and 0.40 and p-value of 0.041 and 0.048 respectively when compared to reference of < 1x10^8 CD3 cells/kg. Discussion: Our results demonstrate 43.7% survived 1 year compared with reports of 24-35%. The OS was significantly better in the CD34 dose > 7x10^6 cells/kg. CD3 2x10^8 cells/kg was associated with inferior 1-year GRFS. Conversely, higher CD34/CD3 ratio >5 was associated with increased 1-year GRFS. Thus, our findings indicate that along with improvement in OS by using >7x10^6 CD34 cells/kg, lower CD 3 cell dose 5 can improve 1-year GRFS in patients receiving haplo-HCT. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Chaudhary: Angeles Therapeutics: Current holder of individual stocks in a privately-held company, Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Founder, Patents & Royalties: Cell therapy ; Athelas: Consultancy, Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company; Oncotartis: Consultancy; Pancella: Consultancy; Moderna: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Celldex: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; TCR2: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Allogene: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Yaghmour: Jazz: Consultancy, Honoraria; Astellas: Consultancy; Takeda: Consultancy; Incyte: Consultancy.

Background Concordance or husband wife agreement on various factors like sleep, substance use, dietary supplement use, and diseases like obesity and hypertension has been extensively studied worldwide. But the data regarding concordance of stress among married couples in India is lacking. Objective The prime objective of this study was to find out proportion of concordance of stress among married couples in Nagpur, Central India. Methods This was a community based cross sectional study conducted in an urban area of Nagpur. 260 couples in whom both husband and wife were of the age 30 years or more were included. Stress among couples was assessed by Presumptive stressful life events scale (PSLES). Results 82.3% concordance of stress was observed. Getting married, birth of daughter, death of close family member, illness of family member, gain of new family member and going on pleasure trip or pilgrimage were most common events reported by both spouses. Pregnancy of wife was the most common event reported by husbands. Four husbands reported death of spouse as a life event. None of the spouses reported extra marital relation of spouse and conflict over dowry as life time events. Conclusions Concordance of stress was very high among couples. This suggests role of shared marital environmental factors, which could affect stress concordance among couples.

Cytotoxicity assays are essential for the testing and development of novel immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. We recently described a novel cytotoxicity assay, termed the Matador assay, which was based on marine luciferases and their engineered derivatives. In this study, we describe the development of a new cytotoxicity assay termed ‘Matador-Glo assay’ which takes advantage of a thermostable variant of Click Beetle Luciferase (Luc146-1H2). Matador-Glo assay utilizes Luc146-1H2 and D-luciferin as the luciferase-substrate pair for luminescence detection. The assay involves ectopic over-expression of Luc146-1H2 in the cytosol of target cells of interest. Upon damage to the membrane integrity, the Luc146-1H2 is either released from the dead and dying cells or its activity is preferentially measured in dead and dying cells. We demonstrate that this assay is simple, fast, specific, sensitive, cost-efficient, and not labor-intensive. We further demonstrate that the Matador-Glo assay can be combined with the marine luciferase-based Matador assay to develop a dual luciferase assay for cell death detection. Finally, we demonstrate that the Luc146-1H2 expressing target cells can also be used for in vivo bioluminescence imaging applications.

Fall Armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, is a polyphagous pest capable of feeding over 80 plant species and was indigenous to the Western Hemisphere. Within a span of 4 years, FAW has established itself throughout most of the regions in Africa and Asia causing significant losses in maize production. Owing to its revamped distribution range, it would be prudent to analyze the ensuing genetic changes and study the emerging phylogeographic patterns across the world. In this regard, we would like to provide a current snapshot of genetic diversity of FAW in India 2 years after the initial introduction and compare it with the worldwide diversity in order to trace the origins and evolutionary trajectories of FAW in India. We have investigated around 190 FAW samples from different regions in India for strain identity and polymorphism analysis on the basis of partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene sequences. Apart from the ancestral rice and corn strain haplotype, our study demonstrates the presence of 14 more haplotypes unique to India at a haplotype diversity of 0.356. We were also able to record inter-strain hybrid haplotypes of rice and corn strains in India. Regional heterogeneity within Indian populations seems to be quite low representative of extensive migration of FAW within India. Distribution analysis of pairwise differences and rejection of neutrality tests suggest that the FAW population in India might be undergoing expansion. Our data is consistent with the findings suggesting a recent and common origin for invasive FAW populations in Asia and Africa, and does not indicate multiple introductions to India. This study reports the highest genetic diversity for Indian FAW populations to date and will be useful to track the subsequent evolution of FAW in India. The findings would have important ramifications for FAW behavior and composition throughout the world.

Introduction: COVID-19 has several overlapping phases. Treatment has focused on the late stage of the disease in hospital. Yet, the continuation of the pandemic is by propagation of the disease in outpatients. The current public health strategy relies solely on vaccines to prevent disease. Areas Covered: We searched the major national registries, pubmed.org, and the preprint servers for all ongoing, completed and published trial results with subject numbers of 100 or more on, and used a targeted search to find announcements of unpublished trial results. As of 2/15/2021, we found 111 publications reporting findings in human studies on 14 classes of agents, and on 9 vaccines. There were 62 randomized controlled studies, the rest retrospective observational analyses. Only 21 publications dealt with outpatient care, the rest all in hospitalized patients. Remdesivir and convalescent plasma have emergency use authorization for hospitalized patients in the U.S.A. There is also support for glucocorticoid treatment of the COVID-19 respiratory distress syndrome. Monoclonal antibodies are authorized for outpatients, but the supply is inadequate to treat all at time of diagnosis. Favipiravir, ivermectin, and interferons are approved in certain countries Expert Opinion: Worldwide vaccination is now underway. Vaccines and antibodies are highly antigen specific and new variants are appearing. There is a need for treatment of outpatients who contract the disease, in addition to mass immunization. We call on public health authorities to authorize treatments with known low risk and potential benefit for use in parallel with mass immunization.

COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, continues to be a major health problem since its first description in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Multiple drugs have been tried to date in the treatment of COVID-19. Critical to treatment of COVID-19 and advancing therapeutics is an appreciation of the multiple stages of this disease and the importance of timing for investigation and use of various agents. We considered articles related to COVID-19 indexed on PubMed published January 1, 2020-November 15, 2020, and considered papers on the medRxiv preprint server. We identified relevant stages of COVID-19 including three periods: pre-exposure, incubation, and detectable viral replication; and five phases: the viral symptom phase, the early inflammatory phase, the secondary infection phase, the multisystem inflammatory phase, and the tail phase. This common terminology should serve as a framework to guide when COVID-19 therapeutics being studied or currently in use is likely to provide benefit rather than harm. (AIDS Rev. 2021;22:40-47)

A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate seroprevalence and virus prevalence of the H9 subtype of avian influenza virus in non-vaccinated broiler farms of dense poultry-populated districts, Lahore and Sheikhupura of Punjab-Pakistan. A convenient sampling method was adopted for collection of blood (n=500) and oropharyngeal swab (n=500) samples from 25 broiler farms of each district for hemagglutination inhibition assay and RT-PCR test, respectively. Proportional estimates were calculated using R software and overall seroprevalence of H9 was estimated at 36.3% (95% CI 33.3-39), with no significant difference (p>0.05) between Lahore (37.2 %, 95% CI=31.2-39.59) and Sheikhupura (35.4%, 95% CI= 29.64-39.76). RT-PCR identified 2% (4/200) pool level viral prevalence. None of the farms from Lahore districts were RT-PCR positive for H9. Simple logistic regression followed by multivariable analysis, identified the presence of foot bath/dipping area at the entrance (OR=0.7, 95% CI=0.52-0.93) and availability of rubber shoes for visitors (OR=0.36, 95% CI 0.26-0.48) as protective factors. History of respiratory signs (OR=1.51, 95%=CI 1.12-2.04), history of sudden death in past flocks (OR=3.26, 95% CI=2.41-4.41), and birds previously infected with avian influenza virus (OR=1.33, 95% CI=1-1.76) were significant risk factors. Negligence in preventive measures at farms level was associated with the spread of H9 infection between the farms. To control future outbreaks, biosecurity and continuous monitoring of non-vaccinated flocks are suggested.

Background:-The word “hernia” derived from Latin term meaning “a rupture”[1]. A hernia is defined as an area of weakness or complete disruption of fibromuscular tissue of body wall can pass through or herniate through defect[1]. In all ventral abdominal hernias, Inguinal hernia is the most common. Inguinal hernia repair is common in surgical practice. In past, the repair was pure open tissue repair which was changed to open prosthetic mesh repair. Laparoscopic groin hernia repair was first performed by Ger in 1979[1]. The laparoscopic approach to hernia repair has since evolved into common and effective procedure.Methods:-The presented study is a prospective, open labelled, randomized, comparative study during a period from May-2017 to March-2019. After taking written consent from the patients were randomly allocated to two groups. Group A, Open hernioplasty were operated with open tension free Lichtenstein’s hernioplasty. Group B, laparoscopic hernioplasty were operated with Transabdominal Preperitoneal(TAPP) repair. Those patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria are included in study. The mode of presentation, surgical treatment and postoperative complications were all evaluated and compared.Results:-During the study there were no major life threatening complications were reported in either group. The postoperative pain and need of analgesics, presence of surgical site infections were more in Open hernioplasty group compared to laparoscopy group. The time taken for return to routine daily activities and work was earlier in patients treated with laparoscopy compared to open surgery and good cosmetic results.Conclusions:-Laparoscopic hernia repair has better, evolving & effective procedure in recent days compared to open hernia repair in terms of less postoperative complications, early recovery with good cosmetic results.

Original article /paper A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN OPEN INGUINAL HERNIA REPAIR AND LAPAROSCOPIC INGUINAL HERNIA REPAIR

Patient selection for critical care admission must balance patient safety with optimal resource allocation. This study aimed to determine the relationship between critical care admission, and postoperative mortality after abdominal surgery.This prespecified secondary analysis of a multicentre, prospective, observational study included consecutive patients enrolled in the DISCOVER study from UK and Republic of Ireland undergoing major gastrointestinal and liver surgery between October and December 2014. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Multivariate logistic regression was used to explore associations between critical care admission (planned and unplanned) and mortality, and inter-centre variation in critical care admission after emergency laparotomy.Of 4529 patients included, 37.8% (n=1713) underwent planned critical care admissions from theatre. Some 3.1% (n=86/2816) admitted to ward-level care subsequently underwent unplanned critical care admission. Overall 30-day mortality was 2.9% (n=133/4519), and the risk-adjusted association between 30-day mortality and critical care admission was higher in unplanned [odds ratio (OR): 8.65, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.51-19.97) than planned admissions (OR: 2.32, 95% CI: 1.43-3.85). Some 26.7% of patients (n=1210/4529) underwent emergency laparotomies. After adjustment, 49.3% (95% CI: 46.8-51.9%, P0.001) were predicted to have planned critical care admissions, with 7% (n=10/145) of centres outside the 95% CI.After risk adjustment, no 30-day survival benefit was identified for either planned or unplanned postoperative admissions to critical care within this cohort. This likely represents appropriate admission of the highest-risk patients. Planned admissions in selected, intermediate-risk patients may present a strategy to mitigate the risk of unplanned admission. Substantial inter-centre variation exists in planned critical care admissions after emergency laparotomies.