Search

IntroductionAn immobile patient cannot be weighed on a stand-on weighing machine, i.e., a bathroom scale. They have to get weighed while lying, which is not easy. The main objective of this research is to design a medical apparatus that measures the patient's weight in a lying condition. To achieve this the apparatus is designed as a stretcher to carry the patient in and around the hospital.MethodsThe stretcher has four load cells to measure the patient's weight; it can bear a weight of 500 kg and has a self-weight of 20 kg. A Microcontroller unit (MCU) is embedded into the apparatus to weigh the patient lying on it. The stretcher comprises the top frame, middle frame, and base frame. The top frame can be detached and mounted back to the middle frame; this will help the medical personnel shift the patients from a medical bed. The middle frame is a plate structure where the four load cells are mounted at the corners of the lower plate. The upper plate functions as a pressure plate on the load cell. The base plate has four heavy-duty wheels that can bear the load. The middle frame and base frame, together, form a single structure, giving mobility to the structure. A control panel is employed with reset, tare, and on-off buttons to control the embedded platform. The LCD panel on the side of the apparatus shows the weight when the patient is placed on top of the apparatus.Results and discussionA prototype trolley equipped with a wireless data logging system was tested on 10 healthy participants. The device accurately measured weight within ±50 g across a scale range of 2–140 kg, with data captured every 30 s over a 5-min testing period. Wireless communication was successfully demonstrated over a 100-m range. The important add-on feature of this work is the apparatus is connected to the internet, transforming it into an IoT-based medical device.

This study elucidates how doctoral students perceive the challenges and impediments of their doctoral programs. In this study, the demands of doctoral programs are characterized as challenges that stimulate students’ potential and hindrances that threaten their well-being. Thirty-five full-time PhD students at various stages of their programme participated in semi-structured interviews as part of a qualitative study. The thematic analysis investigated students’ challenges and hindrances in their programs. Qualitative research identified three themes under challenge and hindrance demands: institutional, supervisory, and personal. The study developed six propositions based on transactional stress theory regarding challenge and hindrance demands. These propositions assist supervisors and doctorate educators in explaining the challenge and hindrance demands framework in a doctoral program context. Demands, such as ambiguity in doctoral research roles, inadequate resources for doctoral programs, and interpersonal conflict, threaten the well-being of doctoral students. Challenge demands such as workload, role responsibility, and role complexity support students’ potential growth and well-being. Furthermore, the present study offers three recommendations for enhancing the doctoral program: establishing an approachable institutional ecosystem, emphasizing the vital role of supervisors, and fostering work-life balance among students.

Background: Overweight and obesity is the most common co-morbidity and disease modifier of asthma; it has been associated with increased risk of asthma exacerbations, worse respiratory symptoms and poor asthma control. The objective of study was to determine the relation of body mass index (BMI) with the level of asthma control and to study the clinical presentation and spirometric profile of asthma patients from different BMI groups. Materials and methods: The descriptive prospective study done among confirmed asthmatic patients who were attending the Department of Pulmonary Medicine, outpatient department (OPD) and inpatient department (IPD). The study was demographic, clinical and spirometric parameters in asthmatic patients who were on optimal pharmacotherapy among different BMI categories. Results: Total 144 diagnosed asthma patients were included; the overall mean age of the study group was 34.27 ± 11.7 years and the majority of patients 50 (34.72%) were between 18-27 years of age group. Moderate asthma (FEV1 60-79) was observed to be the most common in all BMI groups. The severe asthma (FEV1 30kg/m2 in asthma patients (p=0.27). Conclusions: The poor control of asthma was significantly frequent in the overweight and obese BMI group, regardless of the findings of no differences in spirometry. Our results suggest that obese individuals with asthma show a higher incidence of one-year follow-up hospitalization due to exacerbation symptoms than non-obese individuals.

Background: Fluorine-18 (isotope)-Fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography computed tomography (F-18-FDG PET/CT) as a non-invasive method could predict driver mutation status in pulmonary adenocarcinoma. Aim: To assess whether F-18 FDG PET/CT can differentiate between positive and negative driver mutation status of pulmonary adenocarcinoma. Settings and Design: Hundred biopsy proven, untreated pulmonary adenocarcinoma patients tested for EGFR and ALK gene mutations underwent staging F-18 FDG PET/CT scan at our institute. Methods and Material: Metabolic parameters like SUVmax of the primary (pSUVmax), SULpeak, SUVmean, Metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) of primary lesion, SUVmax of the most avid metastatic regional lymph node (nSUVmax) and extra thoracic metastasis (mSUVmax) and average SUVmax of the primary lesion, regional nodal metastasis and extra thoracic metastasis were calculated. Statistical Analysis Used: The independent sample ‘T’ test and Mann-Whitney U test were used for analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the cut-off value of pSUVmax for predicting ALK mutation status. Results: Fourty one patients showed EGFR mutations, 14 showed ALK rearrangements and 45 were wild-type. Patients with ALK rearrangements showed a lower pSUVmax, SULpeak, SUVmean and TLG compared to wild type patients. ROC curve analysis showed a pSUVmax cutoff of < 11.0 yielding an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.709. Patients with EGFR mutations showed a lower mSUVmax, MTV, and TLG compared to wild type. Conclusions: FDG- PET/CT can be a useful non- invasive tool if tumor tissue is not available, although genetic testing continues to be the gold standard.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder with high prevalence in the community but highly underreported. It is also seen that a significant number of cases with OSA are associated with various comorbidities. The study objective was to estimate and assess the specific type and proportion of various comorbidities seen in association with OSA and association of severity of OSA with comorbidities. Methods: The study was a hospital-based descriptive study of 85 patients with OSA. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data and Chi-square test was done to find out the association. Results: The most common comorbidity associated with OSA was obesity (60%). Around half of the patients (49.4%) had severe OSA based on Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) scores. Statistically significant association was seen between presence of comorbidities, like diabetes and hypertension, and risk of OSA based on the snoring, tiredness, observed apnea, blood pressure (S.T.O.P) questionnaire. Conclusions: In our study, a significant proportion (73%) of patients with OSA had associated comorbidities at the time of initial diagnosis. This indicates a delayed diagnosis as OSA is diagnosed only after multiple and irreversible comorbidities have developed. A majority (49%) had a severe OSA on initial presentation. This combination of multiple comorbidities and severe OSA at the time on diagnosis is reflective of a huge problem that is peculiar to OSA at large at a community level.

The tertiary and quaternary structures of many proteins are stabilized by strong covalent forces, of which disulfide bonds are the most well known. A new type of intramolecular and intermolecular covalent bond has been recently reported, consisting of the Lys and Cys side-chains linked by an oxygen atom (NOS). These post-translational modifications are widely distributed amongst proteins, and are formed under oxidative conditions. Similar linkages are observed during antibiotic biosynthesis, where hydroxylamine intermediates are tethered to the sulfur of enzyme active site Cys residues. These linkages open the way to understanding protein structure and function, give new insights into enzyme catalysis and natural product biosynthesis, and offer new strategies for drug design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human somatic angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is a key zinc metallopeptidase that plays a pivotal role in the renin--angiotensin--aldosterone system (RAAS) by regulating blood pressure and electrolyte balance. Inhibition of ACE is a cornerstone in the management of hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and renal disorders. Recent advances in structural biology techniques have provided invaluable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying ACE inhibition, facilitating the design and development of more effective therapeutic agents. This review focuses on the latest advancements in elucidating the structural basis for ACE inhibition. High-resolution crystallographic studies of minimally glycosylated individual domains of ACE have revealed intricate molecular details of the ACE catalytic Nand C-domains, and their detailed interactions with clinically relevant and newly designed domain-specific inhibitors. In addition, the recently elucidated structure of the glycosylated form of full-length ACE by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has shed light on the mechanism of ACE dimerization and revealed continuous conformational changes which occur prior to ligand binding. In addition to these experimental techniques, computational approaches have also played a pivotal role in elucidating the structural basis for ACE inhibition. Molecular dynamics simulations and computational docking studies have provided atomic details of inhibitor binding kinetics and energetics, facilitating the rational design of novel ACE inhibitors with improved potency and selectivity. Furthermore, computational analysis of the motions observed by cryo-EM allowed the identification of allosteric binding sites on ACE. This affords new opportunities for the development of next-generation allosteric inhibitors with enhanced pharmacological properties. Overall, the insights highlighted in this review could enable the rational design of novel ACE inhibitors with improved efficacy and safety profiles, ultimately leading to better therapeutic outcomes for patients with hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dexterity is the coordination of hands and fingers with the eyes. Existing unilateral movements and dexterity tests use wearable devices for recording hand assessment. It is understandable that whenever some wired devices tag hands, the patient tends to be more conscious, which may not reflect the actual outcome. In this paper, using the finger-tap counter and loop-wire test, an attempt is made to evaluate unilateral movements and dexterity in adults of different age groups without using any wearable device. The test timings are recorded automatically with the help of the ATmega328p microcontroller and transferred to the clinician wirelessly via Bluetooth communication. Healthy 30 subjects between the age range (20–35, 36–50, 51–65, 66–80) were tested for finger-tap counter and loop-wire tests. The experiment is also tested for dominant and non-dominant hands for the same subjects. In this experiment, the result shows as the age increases, the trend in the assessment completion time and number of failures during the performance of the test increases. Female groups can perform both tests quicker than male groups with fewer errors irrespective of age group.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder with high prevalence in the community but highly underreported. It is also seen that a significant number of cases with OSA are associated with various comorbidities. The study objective was to estimate and assess the specific type and proportion of various comorbidities seen in association with OSA and association of severity of OSA with comorbidities. Methods: The study was a hospital-based descriptive study of 85 patients with OSA. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data and Chi-square test was done to find out the association. Results: The most common comorbidity associated with OSA was obesity (60%). Around half of the patients (49.4%) had severe OSA based on Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) scores. Statistically significant association was seen between presence of comorbidities, like diabetes and hypertension, and risk of OSA based on the snoring, tiredness, observed apnea, blood pressure (S.T.O.P) questionnaire. Conclusions: In our study, a significant proportion (73%) of patients with OSA had associated comorbidities at the time of initial diagnosis. This indicates a delayed diagnosis as OSA is diagnosed only after multiple and irreversible comorbidities have developed. A majority (49%) had a severe OSA on initial presentation. This combination of multiple comorbidities and severe OSA at the time on diagnosis is reflective of a huge problem that is peculiar to OSA at large at a community level.

The accumulation of the small 42‐residue long peptide amyloid‐β (Aβ) has been proposed as a major trigger for the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Within the brain, the concentration of Aβ peptide is tightly controlled through production and clearance mechanisms. Substantial experimental evidence now shows that reduced levels of Aβ clearance are present in individuals living with AD. This accumulation of Aβ can lead to the formation of large aggregated amyloid plaques—one of two detectable hallmarks of the disease. Aβ‐degrading enzymes (ADEs) are major players in the clearance of Aβ. Stimulating ADE activity or expression, in order to compensate for the decreased clearance in the AD phenotype, provides a promising therapeutic target. It has been reported in mice that upregulation of ADEs can reduce the levels of Aβ peptide and amyloid plaques—in some cases, this led to improved cognitive function. Among several known ADEs, neprilysin (NEP), endothelin‐converting enzyme‐1 (ECE‐1), insulin degrading enzyme (IDE) and angiotensin‐1 converting enzyme (ACE) from the zinc metalloprotease family have been identified as important. These ADEs have the capacity to digest soluble Aβ which, in turn, cannot form the toxic oligomeric species. While they are known for their amyloid degradation, they exhibit complexity through promiscuous nature and a broad range of substrates that they can degrade. This review highlights current structural and functional understanding of these key ADEs, giving some insight into the molecular interactions that leads to the hydrolysis of peptide substrates, the crucial tasks performed by them and the potential for therapeutic use in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategic cortical lesions involving the hand motor cortex (HMC) presenting acutely as distal upper limb pure motor weakness certainly do need to be differentiated on clinical grounds from “pseudoperipheral palsy.” This rare phenotype can imitate peripheral motor nerve deficits and should not be easily overlooked. The? isolated “central hand and finger weakness” presenting as an acute onset of varying combinations such as pseudomedian, pseudoradial, and/or pseudoulnar nerve palsy is intriguing to the novice. In literature, this phenotype has been reported solely to result from cortical cerebral infarction and documented to occur in

Abstract Purpose Biomethane is an environment-friendly, economic, and alternative energy resource for a clean and green future. In the present study, we have evaluated the biomethanation potential of acetate-utilizing methanogenic culture (AUMC) and gelatin-enriched mixed culture (GEMC) with Clostridium acetobutylicum NCIM 2841 (GEMC-CA.) on gelatin as a sole carbon and nitrogen source. Methods We conducted experiments for examining the specific-methanogenic activity of these cultures in the metabolic assay media containing 1% gelatin. The produced methane and consumed gelatin were quantified by standard experimental methods. Exchange metabolites produced by these cultures were qualitatively analyzed by mass spectrometry. Results Results of our study show that the growth-associated amino acid catabolism partially or completely supported the methanogenesis of these defined cultures. AUMC and GEMC found to be suitable for enhanced methanogenic activity on gelatin but a rapid degradation of amino acid was attributed by GEMC-CA. The ammonia released from these cultures was directly proportional to gelatin degradation. Mass spectral data analysis identified some key exchange metabolites from acidogenic culture and methanogenic culture for confirming the growth-associated methanogenesis. Conclusion The biomethanation potential of these cultures on gelatin is coupled with the Stickland reactions-directed methanogenesis in a syntrophic manner. The present study provides the importance for the development of a starter culture for the biomethanation of protein-based industrial wastes in effective ways.