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Glomerulonephritis develops in about 20% patients with infective endocarditis (IE), but is mostly asymptomatic. Heavy proteinuria or derangement of kidney functions is uncommon. We report here a child with IE and proliferative glomerulonephritis who manifested as significant proteinuria that recovered on treatment with immunosupressants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Role of one-carbon transfer agents methyl donors namely folate, choline and methionine in DNA methylation has been the subject of extensive investigation. The methylation pattern of DNA is established during embryogenesis and is subsequently maintained by maintenance methylation activity of the enzyme DNA methyltransferase 1 (dnmt 1). Ionizing radiation is known to extensively damage the DNA. Folate, a water-soluble vitamin, is known to contribute towards repair of damaged DNA due to its role in synthesis of nucleotide base adenine, guanine and thymidylate. Sufficient dietary availability of methyl donors, therefore, might have ability to modify radiation effects. In the present study, modifications in levels of dnmt 1 by g-irradiation followed by methyl donor starvation were observed. Experiments showed a dose and methyl donors starvation dependent attenuation in dnmt 1 activity. Attenuation of dnmt 1 activity was most significant for diet deprived of all the three methyl donors. Ionizing radiation and methyl donor deficiency were observed to act synergistically towards inhibiting dnmt 1 activity. Present results suggested possibility of interaction among folate, methionine and choline deficiency to potentate symptoms of ionizing radiation stress. These enzymatic modifications might contribute to altered DNA methylation after chronic feeding of methyl donor free diets after gamma irradiation. These results suggest that dietary availability of methyl donors and γ-radiation stress might significantly alter the dnmt 1 profile.

The methylation pattern of DNA is established during embryogenesis and is subsequently maintained by maintenance methylation activity of the enzyme DNA methyltransferase 1 (dnmtl). The modulation of nuclear dnmtl activity in nuclear and post-nuclear supernatant fractions was studied after various time intervals in 1, 3. 5 and 7 Gy whole body γ-irradiated mice. Significant changes in enzyme activity were observed in nuclear fraction of liver at various stages after irradiation. Our results show a dose-dependent increase in nuclear dnmtl activity after 24 hours al 1 to 5 Gy, with the maximum increase in activity at 7 Gy. An attenuation of enzyme activity was observed after 48 hours, which was continued at 96 hours post-iradiation, where the activity approached subnormal levels at higher doses. The dnmtl activity was less conspicuous in supernatant fraction and no significant change in activity was observed 24 hours after irradiation. Present studies suggest the possible role of radiation as a stressor in modulating the folate dependent dnmtl activity, which in turn may affect global DNA methylation pattern.

The article offers the authors views on preparation methods and techniques for percutaneous renal biopsy in Indian children. They mention the lack of practice standards and rates of complications for the examination. An overview of the British Association of Pediatric Nephrology's (BAPN) criteria for the diagnostic test is also presented.

Abstract The purpose of the current study was to determine whether a tropical ginger derived compound 1’-acetoxychavicol acetate (ACA), suppresses skin tumor promotion in K5.Stat3C mice. In a two-week study in which wild-type (WT) and K5.Stat3C mice were co-treated with either vehicle, ACA, galanga extract, or fluocinolone acetonide (FA) and tetradecanoyl phorbol acetate (TPA), only the galanga extract and FA suppressed TPA-induced skin hyperproliferation and wet weight. None of these agents were effective at suppressing p-Tyr705Stat3 expression. However, ACA and FA showed promising inhibitory effects against skin tumorigenesis in K5.Stat3C mice. ACA also suppressed phospho-p65 NF-κB activation, suggesting a potential mechanism for its action.

Abstract Background Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) mediates focal adhesion, actin filament binding and polymerization in a variety of cells, thereby inhibiting cell movement. Phosphorylation of VASP via cAMP and cGMP dependent protein kinases releases this "brake" on cell motility. Thus, phosphorylation of VASP may be necessary for epithelial cell repair of damage from allergen-induced inflammation. Two hypotheses were examined: (1) injury from segmental allergen challenge increases VASP phosphorylation in airway epithelium in asthmatic but not nonasthmatic normal subjects, (2) regular in vivo β2-agonist use increases VASP phosphorylation in asthmatic epithelium, altering cell adhesion. Methods Bronchial epithelium was obtained from asthmatic and non-asthmatic normal subjects before and after segmental allergen challenge, and after regularly inhaled albuterol, in three separate protocols. VASP phosphorylation was examined in Western blots of epithelial samples. DNA was obtained for β2-adrenergic receptor haplotype determination. Results Although VASP phosphorylation increased, it was not significantly greater after allergen challenge in asthmatics or normals. However, VASP phosphorylation in epithelium of nonasthmatic normal subjects was double that observed in asthmatic subjects, both at baseline and after challenge. Regularly inhaled albuterol significantly increased VASP phosphorylation in asthmatic subjects in both unchallenged and antigen challenged lung segment epithelium. There was also a significant increase in epithelial cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage of the unchallenged lung segment after regular inhalation of albuterol but not of placebo. The haplotypes of the β2-adrenergic receptor did not appear to associate with increased or decreased phosphorylation of VASP. Conclusion Decreased VASP phosphorylation was observed in epithelial cells of asthmatics compared to nonasthmatic normals, despite response to β-agonist. The decreased phosphorylation does not appear to be associated with a particular β2-adrenergic receptor haplotype. The observed decrease in VASP phosphorylation suggests greater inhibition of actin reorganization which is necessary for altering attachment and migration required during epithelial repair.

Culotte stenting is an effective strategy for left main coronary artery bifurcation lesions. Increased side branch ostial restenosis is the main drawback of culotte stenting. This is due to a napkin ring or potential gap produced at the ostium of the side branch. A bench study by Toth et al 11 has shown that additional sequential kissing balloon dilation before main vessel stenting can prevent this deformity. We report immediate and short-term results of double kissing (DK) mini-culotte stenting with a 1-year angiographic follow-up. Between March 2020 and December 2022, 45 patients with distal left main (LM) disease underwent DK mini-culotte stenting at our center under optical coherence tomography guidance. Of 45 patients (male: 35 (77.77%); mean age: 63.67 ± 4.94 years), chronic coronary artery syndrome was present in 26 (57.8%) and unstable angina in the remainder. All lesions were Medina (1,1,1), (0,1,1), or (1,0,1), with a median Synergy between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery (SYNTAX) score of 28 (interquartile range 23 to 29). All procedures were technically successful with no adverse clinical events (death, myocardial infarction, or stent thrombosis). Under optical coherence tomography guidance, adequate minimal stent area of 13.28 ± 0.77 mm 2 , 8.25 ± 0.29 mm 2 , and 7.54 ± 0.45 mm 2 was achieved in LM, left anterior descending, and left circumflex, respectively. Adequate stent expansion of >80% was achieved in all cases. At the end of 1 year, the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events was 2.2%. Furthermore, restenosis of the side branch developed in 1 patient (2.2%), which was managed conservatively. DK mini-culotte stenting in the distal LM bifurcation has shown promising results and is effective in preventing side branch stent deformation and its sequelae of in-stent restenosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no competing interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The clinical and pathophysiological characteristics of coronary artery disease in very young adults are poorly described., Aims: Using optical coherence tomography (OCT), we compared culprit lesion morphology in very young adult patients (≤35 years) versus older adult patients (>60 years) with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)., Methods: Culprit lesion morphology was classified as plaque rupture, plaque erosion, or calcified nodule. Thrombus age was subclassified into acute (intraluminal thrombus with surface irregularity) or subacute (mostly mural thrombus with a smooth surface)., Results: A total of 61 patients who underwent thrombolysis within 24 hours from symptom onset were included, with 38 (59.7%) subjects ≤35 years and 23 (40.3%) subjects >60 years of age. As an underlying mechanism of STEMI thrombosis, plaque erosion was more common in very young patients (52.6% vs 21.7%; p=0.02) while plaque rupture was more common in elderly patients (65.2% vs 36.8%; p=0.03). Acute or subacute thrombus was identified in 68.9% (42/61) of patients, with red thrombus being more frequent in very young patients. In the entire patient cohort, acute thrombus was more frequent in plaque rupture compared with plaque erosion (62.0% vs 28.0%; p=0.01), whereas subacute thrombus was more common in plaque erosion versus plaque rupture (52.0% vs 10.3%; p=0.0008)., Conclusions: OCT showed that plaque erosion and plaque rupture were the most common underlying STEMI mechanisms in very young patients and older patients, respectively, and that subjects with plaque erosion had greater evidence of subacute thrombus., Competing Interests: A. Maehara reports consultant fees for Abbott, Boston Scientific, Philips, and SpectraWAVE; and speaker honoraria from Nipro. M. Matsumura reports consultant fees from Boston Scientific and Terumo. A. Qamar reports receiving institutional grant support from Novo Nordisk and NorthShore Auxiliary Research Scholar Fund; and fees for educational activities from the American College of Cardiology, Society for Vascular Medicine, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Medscape, and Clinical Exercise Physiology Association. G.S. Mintz reports honoraria from Boston Scientific, Philips, Abbott, SpectraWAVE, and Gentuity. Z.A. Ali reports institutional grant support from Abbott, Abiomed, Acist Medical Systems, Amgen, Boston Scientific, CathWorks, Canon, Conavi, HeartFlow, Inari, Medtronic, National Institute of Health, Nipro, Opsens Medical, Medis, Philips, Shockwave Medical, Siemens, SpectraWAVE, and Teleflex Inc; consultant honoraria from Abiomed, AstraZeneca, Boston Scientific, CathWorks, Opsens Medical, Philips, and Shockwave Medical; and equity in Elucid, Lifelink, SpectraWAVE, Shockwave Medical, and VitalConnect. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Background: Emergence of coronary giant pseudoaneurysm (PSA) after stent implantation is potentially catastrophic and may end up with life threatening complications if not managed promptly. There is scarcity of data in existing literature with respect to guidelines on the management of coronary PSA following stent implantation. We report the recurrence of coronary PSA following initial percutaneous management of a giant coronary PSA using multiple stent grafts., Case Presentation: A 38-year-old male who underwent primary angioplasty of the right coronary artery (RCA) about a month back, presented with dull aching precordial chest pain for the last 15 days. A repeat coronary angiography revealed giant coronary PSA in proximal to mid RCA. Considering the significantly large size of the coronary PSA with symptoms of impending rupture, the giant coronary PSA was successfully excluded by implanting three sequentially coronary stent grafts. However, after one and a half months, the patient again presented with a similar kind of dull aching chest pain. We found a recurrence of coronary PSA in a segment of the coronary artery distal to the portion excluded by stent grafts. This recurrent coronary PSA was once again successfully excluded by redeploying two more stent grafts with the help of a guide extension catheter., Conclusions: In this case, vessel wall injury as a result of aggressive post dilatation using an oversized balloon during the index procedure was the contributor to the giant coronary PSA formation. It usually appears early after the index procedure (within 4 weeks). Though the usual strategy used to exclude coronary aneurysm is by using the minimal number of stent grafts (due to the inherent increased risk of restenosis/thrombosis in stent grafts) in post angioplasty traumatic aneurysm it is prudent to exclude the entire damaged artery by placing stent grafts to prevent recurrence in segments with even minimal dilatation on initial evaluation., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: This meta-analysis introduces tele-medicine in time-sensitive conditions like stroke and the challenges hindering at-home rehabilitation. It aims to consolidate evidence supporting telerehabilitation effectiveness in post-stroke patients, with a focus on ADL, balance, mobility, and motor control., Methods: We conducted a meta-analysis using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane central databases was conducted. Inclusion criteria involved studies that employed randomized controlled trial (RCT) designs, specifically evaluating various telerehabilitation models in patients diagnosed with a stroke, excluding those with mixed etiology and non-randomized or single-arm designs. Two independent reviewers assessed study quality and bias using Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 before inclusion., Results: We included 10 studies ( n  = 417) with a predominantly male sample ( n  = 196). The mean age of the pooled sample of 8 studies was 64.87 (13.01) years. Our meta-analysis showed that telerehabilitation may have modest effects on Berg Balance Scale (SMD 0.08 [-0.23; 0.40]; p  = 0.54), and trunk impairment scale (SMD 0.26 [-1.00; 1.52]; p  = 0.05), slightly inferior effects on Barthel index (SMD -0.34 [-1.00; 0.32]; p  = 0.31), but demonstrated a favorable impact on trunk impairment (SMD -0.21 [-1.18; 0.76]; p  = 0.02)., Conclusion: We found that telerehabilitation may have modest effects on balance and mobility, and slightly inferior results in Activities of daily living but may have a positive effect on trunk impairment. However, more studies with larger cohorts are needed to confirm our results.

The role of frequently touched surfaces in the transmission of infectious diseases is well-documented, and the urgent need for effective surface technologies with antipathogen activity has been highlighted by the recent global pandemic and rise in antimicrobial resistance. Here, we have explored combinations of up to 3 different classes of compounds within a polymeric matrix to enable the fabrication of coatings with broad-spectrum activity. Compounds were either based on metals or metal oxides, namely, copper, silver, and copper oxide, essential oils, namely, cinnamaldehyde, tea tree oil, and carvacrol oil, or cationic polymers, namely, poly(ε-lysine) and poly(hexamethylene biguanide). These compounds were mixed into a polymer matrix, coated, and dried to yield durable coatings. Coatings containing up to 7.5% (w/w) of the compounds were assessed in the zone of inhibition and biofilm assays using Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa , as well as infectivity assays using human coronavirus OC43. Our data demonstrate that a selected combination of additives was able to provide a 5-log reduction in the colony-forming units of both bacteria and a 4-log reduction in viral infectivity. This simple but highly effective technology is expected to find applications in environments such as hospitals, aged care facilities, or public transport., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following competing financial interest(s): The authors declare the following competing interest: Vishek Batra, Ghian Tjandaputra and Tony Tan have a financial interest in Coatd Pty Ltd, which is seeking to commercialize anti-pathogen surface technologies., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Objectives: The persistence and outcomes following myocardial injury subsequent to coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection has not been properly elucidated. We assessed sub-clinical bi-ventricular dysfunction using speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) in post COVID-19 patients., Methods: A total of 189 subjects following recovery from COVID-19 infection were enrolled. Detailed echocardiography including STE along with clinical, hematological, biochemical and inflammatory parameters were assessed for all. Patients were divided into four groups (asymptomatic, mild, moderate and severe) based on severity of COVID-19 infection. Additionally, 90 healthy individuals were enrolled as controls. All these patients were followed up for one year following enrolment., Results: Subclinical LV and right ventricle (RV) dysfunction were seen in 58 (30.7 %) and 55 (29.1 %) patients respectively at baseline. Significant difference was observed in mean LVGLS values among the three groups (mild: -21.5 ± 2.8 %; moderate: -17 ± 7.1 %; severe: -12.1 ± 4 %; P < 0.0001). Over a year of follow-up, significant improvement in LVGLS from baseline (-19.1 ± 5.8 %) was observed (-19.9 ± 4.6 %; P < 0.0001). Similarly, RVFWS (-23.5 ± 6.3 % vs -23.8 ± 5.8 %; P = 0.03) had significant improvement from baseline to one year of follow-up. Reduced LVGLS was reported in 12 (6.3 %) subjects while impaired RVFWS was documented in 10 (5.3 %) subjects at one year of follow-up., Conclusions: Subclinical LV and RV dysfunction were seen in nearly a third of recovered COVID-19 patients. Over a year of follow-up, significant improvement in subclinical LV and RV dysfunction was noted., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Cardiological Society of India. Published by Elsevier, a division of RELX India, Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Buffalo is a dominant dairy animal in many agriculture-based economies. However, the poor reproductive efficiency (low conception rate) of the buffalo bulls constrains the realization of its full production potential. This in turn leads to economic and welfare issues, especially for the marginal farmers in such economies. The mammalian sperm surface proteins have been implicated in the regulation of survival and function of the spermatozoa in the female reproductive tract (FRT). Nonetheless, the lack of specific studies on buffalo sperm surface makes it difficult for researchers to explore and investigate the role of these proteins in the regulation of mechanisms associated with sperm protection, survival, and function. This study aimed to generate a buffalo sperm surface-specific proteomic fingerprint (LC-MS/MS) and to predict the functional roles of the identified proteins. The three treatments used to remove sperm surface protein viz. Elevated salt, phosphoinositide phospholipase C (PI-PLC) and in vitro capacitation led to the identification of N = 1,695 proteins (≥1 high-quality peptide-spectrum matches (PSMs), p < 0.05, and FDR<0.01). Almost half of these proteins (N = 873) were found to be involved in crucial processes relevant in the context of male fertility, e.g., spermatogenesis, sperm maturation and protection in the FRT, and gamete interaction or fertilization, amongst others. The extensive sperm-surface proteomic repertoire discovered in this study is unparalleled vis-à-vis the depth of identification of reproduction-specific cell-surface proteins and can provide a potential framework for further studies on the functional aspects of buffalo spermatozoa., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Batra, Dagar, Diwakar, Kumaresan, Kumar and Datta.)

Belly dancer's dyskinesia (BDD) is characterized by involuntary abdominal wall movements that are rhythmic, repetitive, and dyskinetic. The present study aims to review BDD's etiology, pathophysiology, and management. We searched six databases to locate existing reports on BDD published from 1990 to October 2023 in electronic form. A total of 47 articles containing 59 cases were found. The majority of the patients affected by BDD were female, accounting for 61.01% (36/59) of the cases. The mean and median ages were 49.8 (standard deviation: 21.85) and 52 years (range: 7-85), respectively. The BDD was unilateral in only 3.38% (2/59). The most commonly reported causes associated with BDD were 17 idiopathic, 11 drug-induced, 11 postsurgical procedures, 5 pregnancies, and 4 Vitamin B12 deficiencies. BDD is a diagnosis of exclusion, and other more common pathologies with similar presentation should be ruled out initially. Differential diagnostic reasoning should include diaphragmatic myoclonus, cardiac conditions, truncal dystonia, abdominal motor seizures, propriospinal myoclonus, and functional or psychiatric disorders., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Brain Circulation.)

Pregnancy represents a stage during which maternal physiology and homeostatic regulation undergo dramatic change and adaptation. The fundamental purpose of these adaptations is to ensure the survival of her offspring through adequate nutrient provision and an environment that is tolerant to the semi-allogenic foetus. While poor maternal diet during pregnancy is associated with perturbed maternal adaptations during pregnancy, the influence of paternal diet on maternal well-being is less clearly defined. We fed C57BL/6 male mice either a control (CD), low protein diet (LPD), a high fat/sugar Western diet (WD) or the LPD or WD supplemented with methyl donors (MD-LPD and MD-WD, respectively) for a minimum of 8 weeks prior to mating with C57BL/6 females. Mated females were culled at day 17 of gestation for the analysis of maternal metabolic, gut, cardiac and bone health. Paternal diet had minimal influences on maternal serum and hepatic metabolite levels or gut microbiota diversity. However, analysis of the maternal hepatic transcriptome revealed distinct profiles of differential gene expression in response to the diet of the father. Paternal LPD and MD-LPD resulted in differential expression of genes associated with lipid metabolism, transcription, ubiquitin conjugation and immunity in dams, while paternal WD and MD-WD modified the expression of genes associated with ubiquitin conjugation and cardiac morphology. Finally, we observed changes in maternal femur length, volume of trabecular bone, trabecular connectivity, volume of the cortical medullar cavity and thickness of the cortical bone in response to the father's diets. Our current study demonstrates that poor paternal diet at the time of mating can influence the patterns of maternal metabolism and gestation-associated adaptations to her physiology., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Purpose: Hypomagnesemia, characterized by low magnesium levels, has been implicated in the pathophysiology of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). This meta-analysis aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of hypomagnesemia prevalence in individuals with T2DM as well as its potential implications for diabetes management and complications., Methods: We conducted a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis using databases like PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and Research Gate to identify relevant studies between January 2008 and August 2023. We focused on observational studies related to serum magnesium levels and Type 2 Diabetes in individuals aged 19 and older. Newcastle Ottawa tool was used for quality assessment. A random effect meta-analysis was performed to calculate the prevalence of hypomagnesemia in T2DM., Results: We identified a total of 671 studies, and after screening 383 abstracts and full texts by two independent reviewers, we identified 19 eligible studies encompassing 4192 patients diagnosed with T2DM. The mean age was 55.4 (SD, 4.39) years with a mean HbA1C level of 8.01. The pooled prevalence of hypomagnesemia in T2DM was 32% (95% CI: 22-36%) out of 4192 cases. On subgroup analysis, the prevalence of hypomagnesemia in male and female were 19.8% and 20.1%, respectively. Geographically, Asia had the highest prevalence of hypomagnesemia with 31.9% (95% CI: 24-41.1%)., Conclusion: This meta-analysis highlights a significant prevalence of hypomagnesemia in individuals with T2DM, emphasizing the need for further investigation due to the intricate nature of the association between serum magnesium levels and T2DM., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory arthritis that typically manifests in young males and may present with extra-articular manifestations. Takayasu aortoarteritis (TA) is a large vessel vasculitis that predominantly affects young and middle-aged females. Despite the limited number of studies examining the potential association between these two diseases, we report a unique case of an individual with ankylosing spondylitis and ulcerative colitis who subsequently developed Takayasu aortoarteritis. This progression ultimately led to the development of secondary renal amyloidosis, attributed to a combination of inflammatory pathologies., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (© 2024 Indian Journal of Nephrology | Published by Scientific Scholar.)

The title compound, [Co(C 3 H 4 N 2 )(C 30 H 30 N 10 )](BF 4 ) 2 , is a five-coordinate Co II complex based on the neutral ligands tris-[(1-benzyl-triazol-4-yl)meth-yl]amine (tbta) and imidazole. It exhibits a distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometry in which the equatorial positions are occupied by the three N-atom donors from the triazole rings of the tripodal tbta ligand. The apical amine N-atom donor of tbta and the N-atom donor of the imidazole ligand occupy the axial positions of the coordination sphere. Two tetra-fluoro-borate anions provide charge balance in the crystal., (© Batra et al. 2024.)

Background: Despite significant progress in primary prevention, rates of myocardial infarction (MI) in South Asian population is alarmingly high., Objectives: We sought to compare risk factor profiles and outcomes between individuals with ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) in young (<50 years) and old (≥50 years) age groups., Methods: North India STEMI Registry (NORIN-STEMI) is a prospective observational registry of patients hospitalised with STEMI. We conducted a study of young patients (<50 years) regarding their risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD), in-hospital and 30-day mortality and compared with their older counterpart., Results: Among 5335 patients enrolled, 1752 (32.8%) were young and were 19 years younger than the older cohort. Major risk factors in young patients were physical inactivity (75.1%) and alcohol intake (67.8%). Higher prevalence of tobacco use (66.6% vs 52.4%), but lower prevalence of diabetes (16% vs 26.3%) and hypertension (18.5% vs 29.9%) were seen in young STEMI. Young patients were less likely to die both in-hospital (5.9% vs 10.0%) and at 30-days (11.1% vs 16.2%). Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 30% at admission [OR: 8.00, 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.60-13.90, P < 0.001 in-hospital, OR: 3.92, 95% CI: 2.69-5.73 at 30-days] and female sex were strongest predictors of mortality., Conclusions: Young STEMI patients constituted one-third of total cohort. Most of them were tobacco consumers with lesser prevalence of diabetes and hypertension. They were less likely to die both in-hospital and at 30 days because of earlier presentation to a health care facility and hence a relatively preserved LVEF., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Cardiological Society of India. Published by Elsevier, a division of RELX India, Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Rapid industrialization and untreated industrial effluents loaded with toxic and carcinogenic contaminants, especially dyes that discharge into environmental waters, have led to a rise in water pollution, with a substantial adverse impact on marine life and humankind. Photocatalytic techniques are one of the most successful methods that help in degradation and/or removal of such contaminants. In recent years, semiconductor quantum dots are being substituted by carbon dots (CDs) as photocatalysts, due to the ease of formation, cost-effectiveness, possible sustainability and scalability, much lower toxicity, and above all its high capacity to harvest sunlight (UV, visible, and near infrared) through electron transfer that enhances the lifetime of the photogenerated charge carriers. A better understanding between the properties of the CDs and their role in photocatalytic degradation of dyes and contaminants is required for the formation of controllable structures and adjustable outcomes. The focus of this review is on CDs and its composites as photocatalysts obtained from different sustainable green as well as chemical precursors. Apart from the synthesis, characterization, and properties of the CDs, the study also highlights the effect of different parameters on the photocatalytic properties of CDs and their composites for catalytic dye degradation mechanisms in detail. Besides the present research development in the field, potential challenges and future perspectives are also presented., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Introduction: One of the most evolutionary conserved communication systems, the Wnt signaling pathway is a major gene regulatory pathway that affects the developmental competence of oocytes and regulates most embryonic developmental processes. The present study was undertaken to modulate the canonical Wnt (Wingless/integration) signaling pathway in the poor-quality (colorless cytoplasm after Brilliant Cresyl Blue staining, BCB-) buffalo cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) to improve their in vitro maturation (IVM) and embryo production (IVEP) rates., Methods: The expression of key Wnt pathway genes was initially assessed in the good (blue cytoplasm after Brilliant Cresyl Blue staining, BCB+) and poor quality (BCB-) buffalo COCs to establish a differential activity of the Wnt pathway. The BCB- COCs were supplemented with the Wnt pathway inhibitor, Dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK1) and later subjected to IVM and IVEP along with the BCB+ and BCB- controls. The cumulus expansion index (CEI), rate of nuclear maturation (mean percentage of oocytes in the MII stage) and embryo production, and the expression of developmentally important genes were evaluated to assess the effect of Wnt pathway inhibition on the development competence of these poor-quality oocytes., Results: The Wnt pathway genes exhibited a significantly higher expression ( p  < 0.05) in the poor-quality BCB- oocytes compared to the good-quality BCB+ oocytes during the early maturation stages. The supplementation of BCB- COCs with 100 ng/mL DKK1 effectively inhibited the expression of the key mediators of the Wnt pathway (β-catenin and dishevelled homolog 1, DVL1). DKK1 supplemented BCB- COCs exhibited significantly improved cytoplasmic and nuclear maturation indices, development rates and significantly elevated expression ( p  < 0.05) of genes implicated in germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) and embryonic genome activation (EGA) vis-à-vis BCB- control COCs., Conclusion: These data indicate that inhibition of the Wnt pathway during the initial course of oocyte maturation can improve the development competence of poor-quality buffalo oocytes., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Ahuja, Batra, Kumar and Datta.)

Background: Genetic polymorphism in endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase (eNOS) are associated with occurrence of multiple cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)., Methods: This study included 300 young ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients and 300 healthy controls. STEMI patients were divided into two groups: premature coronary artery disease [CAD] (STEMI<40 years of age) and older STEMI (>40 years of age). Genetic polymorphisms in the eNOS gene (894G/T) was evaluated in both subjects and controls. Plasma levels of nitric oxide (NO) were estimated for both patients as well as controls., Results: Mean age of the study population was 49.7 ± 9.2 years with premature CAD being present in 58 (19.3 %) patients. No significant difference at genotypic (P = 0.589, odds ratio (OR) = 0.9, 95 % CI = 0.6-1.6) and allelic level (P = 0.173, OR = 1.2, 95 % CI = 0.9-1.4) was observed between STEMI patients and healthy controls. Genotype 894 TT had significantly higher frequency in STEMI patients >40 years (P = 0.047, OR: 2.5; 95 % CI = 1.0-6.0). No significant difference at genotypic (P = 0.279) and allelic level (P = 0.493) was observed between premature CAD (STEMI age <40 years) and healthy controls. NO levels (131 ± 59.6 μM vs 118.11 ± 49.96 μM; P = 0.001) was significantly higher in healthy controls as compared to STEMI patients >40 years of age (P= 0.001)., Conclusion: There was significant association of eNOS gene polymorphism Glu298Asp with STEMI patients > 40 years. However, this association was not observed in premature CAD patients. Lower levels of NO in STEMI patients >40 years suggests its potential role as a marker of CVD., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Cardiological Society of India. Published by Elsevier, a division of RELX India, Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Prior studies suggest that norepinephrine transporter (NET) and vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) mediate meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) uptake and retention in neuroblastoma tumors. We evaluated the relationship between NET and VMAT2 tumor expression and clinical response to 131 I-MIBG therapy in patients with neuroblastoma., Methods: Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to evaluate NET and VMAT2 protein expression levels on archival tumor samples (obtained at diagnosis or relapse) from patients with relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma treated with 131 I-MIBG. A composite protein expression H-score was determined by multiplying a semi-quantitative intensity value (0-3+) by the percentage of tumor cells expressing the protein., Results: Tumor samples and clinical data were available for 106 patients, of whom 28.3% had partial response (PR) or higher. NET H-score was not significantly associated with response (≥PR), though the percentage of tumor cells expressing NET was lower among responders (median 80% for ≥PR vs. 90% for 131 I-MIBG therapy in patients with relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma. Increased VMAT2 protein expression is associated with a more differentiated disease phenotype., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The objective of the present research was intended to formulate multigrain premix powder which could be utilized for the development of nutritional rich products. The multigrain premix was prepared by blending the seeds of pumpkin, jackfruit, and mango with barley, pearl millet, finger millet, sorghum, and other ingredients such as cardamom, and sugar. Before optimizing the composition of premix flour, around 8 combinations of each flour and seed powders were made to obtain the preeminent quality premix with high nutritional value. The formulation of flour was optimized on the basis of sensory analysis done by using 9-hedonic scale. The formulated multigrain premix was analysed for its nutritional and sensorial characteristics. Multigrain premix resulted in protein content of 5.35 g, carbohydrate 80.25 g, fat 6.88 g, ash 3.87 g, dietary fibres 8.67 g, calcium 73.25 mg, and iron 2.94 mg per 100 g of the mixture and many more minerals were also estimated in the given premix. Total energy was noted as 404.32 kcal. The GC-MS analysis was also performed to identify the composition of fat in terms of their saturation. Moreover, the shelf life study of multigrain premix was carried out for a period of 45 days at a temperature and relative humidity of 25 °C and 91% respectively. The overall quality of the multigrain premix was accepted in term of overall acceptability. The optimized premix was also taken for its microbiological analysis, and sensorial quality attributes to understand the shelf life study of the product when stored for longer period of time., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© Association of Food Scientists & Technologists (India) 2023. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

In pregnant animals, communication between the mother and conceptus occurs via extracellular vesicles (EVs) that carry several biomolecules such as nucleic acids (miRNAs, mRNAs), proteins, and lipids. At the time of implantation, the endometrium undergoes several morphological and physiological changes, such as angiogenesis, apoptosis, and cell proliferation regulation at the implantation site, to attain a receptive state. This study was conducted to detect pregnancy-specific miRNAs derived from extracellular vesicles in the systemic circulation of Bubalus bubalis (water buffalo) and to assess their functional significance in the modulation of endometrial primary cells. The extracellular vesicles were isolated from the blood plasma using a precipitation-based method and further characterized by various methods such as Differential light scattering, Nanoparticle tracking assay, Western blot, and transmission electron microscopy. The relative expression of the selected extracellular vesicles associated miRNAs (EV-miRNA) at different intervals (days 15, 19, 25, and 30) post artificial insemination (AI) was analyzed using RT-qPCR, and expression of miR-195-5p was found to be significantly higher (P < 0.01) in pregnant animals on day 19 post AI (implantation window) as compared to day 15 post AI. The elevated expression might indicate the involvement of this miRNA in the maternal-conceptus cross-talk occurring during the implantation period. The KEGG pathway enrichment and Gene Ontology analyses of the miR-195-5p target genes revealed that these were mostly involved in the PI3-Akt, MAPK, cell cycle, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, and mTOR signaling pathways, which are related to the regulation of cell proliferation. Transfecting the in vitro cultured cells with miR-195-5p mimic significantly suppressed (P < 0.05) the expression of its target genes such as YWHAQ, CDC27, AKT-3, FGF-7, MAPK8, SGK1, VEGFA, CACAND1, CUL2, MKNK1, and CACAN2D1. Furthermore, the downregulation of the miR-195-5p target genes was positively correlated with a significant increase in the apoptotic rate and a decrease in the proliferation. In conclusion, the current findings provide vital information on the presence of EV miR-195-5p in maternal circulation during the implantation window indicating its important role in the modulation of buffalo endometrium epithelial cells via promoting cell death. Altogether, the milieu of miR-195-5p may serve as a novel and potential molecular factor facilitating the implantation of the early embryo during the establishment of pregnancy in buffaloes. Thus, miR-195-5p may be identified as a unique circulatory EV biomarker related to establishing pregnancy in buffaloes as early as day 19 post-AI., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)