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Background Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most frequently diagnosed skin cancer and the most common malignancy in humans. Different morphological subtypes of BCC are associated with a low or high risk of recurrence and aggressiveness, but the underlying biology of how the individual subtypes arise remains largely unknown. As the majority of BCCs appear to arise from mutations in the same pathway, we hypothesized that BCC development, growth and invasive potential is also influenced by the tumour microenvironment and, in particular, by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and the factors they secrete. Objectives To characterize the stroma of the different BCC subtypes with a focus on CAF populations. Methods To investigate the stromal features of the different BCC subtypes, we used laser capture microdissection (LCM) followed by RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). Fifteen BCC samples from five different 'pure' subtypes (i.e. superficial, nodular, micronodular, sclerosing and basosquamous; n = 3 each) were selected and included in the analysis. Healthy skin was used as a control (n = 6). The results were confirmed by immunohistochemistry (IHC). We validated our findings in two independent public single-cell RNA-Seq (scRNA-Seq) datasets and by RNAscope. Results The stroma of the different BCC subtypes were found to have distinct gene expression signatures. Nodular and micronodular appeared to have the most similar signatures, while superficial and sclerosing the most different. By comparing low- and high-risk BCC subtypes, we found that COL10A1 is overexpressed in the stroma of sclerosing/infiltrative and basosquamous but not in micronodular high-risk subtypes. Those findings were confirmed by IHC in 93 different BCC and 13 healthy skin samples. Moreover, scRNA-Seq analysis of BCCs from two independent datasets found that the COL10A1 -expressing population of cells is associated with the stroma adjacent to infiltrative BCC and shows extracellular matrix remodelling features. Conclusions We identified COL10A1 as a marker of high-risk BCC, in particular of the sclerosing/infiltrative and basosquamous subtypes. We demonstrated at the single-cell level that COL10A1 is expressed by a specific CAF population associated with the stroma of infiltrative BCC. This opens up new, tailored treatment options, and suggests COL10A1 as a new prognostic biomarker for BCC progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusions The prevalence of overweight and obesity and an unhealthy diet and lifestyle are the key causes of rising diabetes burden in India. Bariatric surgery is gaining popularity in India as a favored approach to manage obesity and its accompanying comorbidities. Despite this, there is a scarcity of Indian studies evaluating dietary intake. Our goal was to analyse the dietary intake of Indian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who have undergone laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) or duodeno‐jejunal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy (DJB‐SG) or surgeries.The longitudinal observational study included 64 T2DM patients (32 in each procedure) enrolled through purposive sampling. The patients underwent surgery (LSG or DJB‐SG procedure) between January 2017 and July 2019. Dietary data was collected at baseline and postsurgery (12 months) using a 24‐h dietary recall method for 2 days (one working and one holiday).The total sample consisted of 27 (42.2%) females and 37 (57.8%) males. The mean age was 46.8 years. At 12 months, the follow‐up for the LSG and DJB‐SG procedures was 100% and 78%, respectively. In the short term, a significant reduction was seen in weight, body mass index and haemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) in both surgical groups. The two procedures were comparable with respect to weight loss but improvement in glycaemia was higher in the DJB‐SG group. The dietary intake (food groups and nutrients) was similar in the two surgical groups at baseline and 12 months postsurgery. Dietary intake assessment showed significant reduction in calorie dense foods (cereals, roots and tubers, fats and oils, table sugar, and biscuits) in both surgical groups. Among nutrients, intake of energy, fats, carbohydrates, dietary fibre, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate and iron were reduced significantly in both procedures. Vitamin D (84.4% patients in LSG group and 81.3% patients in DJB‐SG) and iron (62.5% patients in LSG group and 68.8% patients in DJB‐SG) were commonly prevalent nutritional deficiencies at baseline and were significantly reduced at 12 months.In the short term, bariatric surgery resulted in weight loss and improvement in glycaemia. Bariatric surgery does significantly affect dietary intake leading to nutritional deficiencies. Therefore, patients should be recommended vitamin and mineral supplements and regular patient education and counselling by a trained bariatric dietitian to prevent nutritional deficiencies and maintain nutritional status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The smartphone has become a popular device, especially among young adults, with its significance highlighted during the COVID-19 lockdownwhen online classes became necessary for college students. This research aimed to evaluate the prevalence of smartphone use and its impact on healthrelated behaviors reported by college-going students in North India. Due to the pandemic, data collection was conducted through a Google form, and a questionnaire was used to gather information on various parameters. The Food Frequency Questionnaire assessed the frequency of food group consumption, while the validated Smartphone Addiction Scale--Shorter Version measured smartphone addiction. A total of 142 participants aged 18 to 24 years, including 59% female and 41% male participants from Delhi-NCR, were recruited using convenience sampling. The findings revealed a smartphone addiction prevalence of 41%. Statistically significant associations were found between smartphone use and sleep quality (p < .001), body mass index status (p = .016), and sedentary behavior (p < .001). Notably, smartphone screen time (p < .001) and stress levels (p = .028) correlated significantly with smartphone addiction based on the Smartphone Addiction Scale--Short Version score. This study highlights the significant prevalence of smartphone addiction (41%) among college students, which is associatedwithadverseeffectsonsleepquality, physical activity, and stress levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The management of pregnant women with diabetes is a critical aspect of prenatal care, necessitating vigilant monitoring and individualized decision-making to ensure the best possible fetal and maternal outcomes. Ultrasonographic estimation of fetal weight has become an indispensable tool in obstetric practice,offering a non –invasive means to assess fetal growth and well-being. Ultrasound plays a crucial role in managing pregnancies complicated by diabetes. In particular, ultrasound can accurately estimate fetal weight, which helps in determining the optimal timing and mode for delivery. Association between estimated fetal weight and fetal outcomes is also crucial for optimizing prenatal care and delivery management. OBJECTIVE: To Correlate between ultrasonographic estimated fetal weight and mode of delivery in nulliparous diabetic pregnant women with fetal outcome. METHODS: Our study was a time bound, hospital based and cross-sectional observational study done in the Department of Radio-diagnosis, M.G.M. Medical College and M.Y. Hospital Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India. During Obstetric Ultrasound, Fetal weight was recorded with gestational age of more than 34 weeks. Post delivery, fetal outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: Out of total 104 pregnant nulliparous diabetic women, majority 46 (44.2%) of patients belonged to the age group of 25-30 years of age. The mean age group of patients was 25.83 ± 2.6 years. Among the 104 pregnant women, the majority of 51 (49%) women underwent cesarean section delivery, while 45 (43%) women had normal vaginal delivery and a smaller subset of 8 (7.6%) women underwent instrumental delivery. majority of 60 (57.6%) fetuses were considered as appropriate for gestational age, 35 (33.6%) patients were considered large for gestational age and 9 patients (9.6%) assmall for gestational age. The correlation between ultrasonographic estimated fetal weight and mode of delivery was noticeable in diabetic nulliparous pregnant women. CONCLUSION: We found that that utilizing ultrasound for estimating fetal weight may lead to an increased likelihood of cesarean delivery. Thus, ultrasound can accurately estimate fetal weight, which helps in determining mode for delivery and also provides detailed information about fetal growth patterns and potential abnormalities which allows for timely interventions reducing the adverse effects of maternal diabetes on pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The functions of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are primarily mediated and modulated by three families of proteins: the heterotrimeric G proteins, the G-protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs) and the arrestins. G proteins mediate activation of second-messenger-generating enzymes and other effectors, GRKs phosphorylate activated receptors, and arrestins subsequently bind phosphorylated receptors and cause receptor desensitization. Arrestins activated by interaction with phosphorylated receptors can also mediate G-protein-independent signalling by serving as adaptors to link receptors to numerous signalling pathways. Despite their central role in regulation and signalling of GPCRs, a structural understanding of β-arrestin activation and interaction with GPCRs is still lacking. Here we report the crystal structure of β-arrestin-1 (also called arrestin-2) in complex with a fully phosphorylated 29-amino-acid carboxy-terminal peptide derived from the human V2 vasopressin receptor (V2Rpp). This peptide has previously been shown to functionally and conformationally activate β-arrestin-1 (ref. 5). To capture this active conformation, we used a conformationally selective synthetic antibody fragment (Fab30) that recognizes the phosphopeptide-activated state of β-arrestin-1. The structure of the β-arrestin-1-V2Rpp-Fab30 complex shows marked conformational differences in β-arrestin-1 compared to its inactive conformation. These include rotation of the amino- and carboxy-terminal domains relative to each other, and a major reorientation of the 'lariat loop' implicated in maintaining the inactive state of β-arrestin-1. These results reveal, at high resolution, a receptor-interacting interface on β-arrestin, and they indicate a potentially general molecular mechanism for activation of these multifunctional signalling and regulatory proteins.

Introduction: Continuous stimulation of thyroid gland occurs during pregnancy in order to meet the demands of growing foetus. This might result in variations in thyroid gland morphology which may be misdiagnosed if not assessed accurately. Ultrasonography can measure these variations during pregnancy in the form of change in volume, echotexture, nodularity etc. Aim: To compare the thyroid volume and nodules using ultrasound, amongst different trimesters of pregnancy and with non pregnant women of similar age and find the correlation with different factors. Materials and Methods: A time-bound, hospital-based, crosssectional observational study was done in the Department of Radiodiagnosis, Maharaja Yeshwantrao (MY) Hospital, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India, from April 2021 to August 2022 on 240 patients. All subjects were divided into groups of 60 women each, which included non pregnant women in group 1 and pregnant women during each trimester in rest three groups, as group 2, 3 and 4, respectively. Thyroid volume and nodules were measured in each group. The descriptive data was calculated using mean and standard deviation and then compared using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test. Linear regression analysis was also used to assess the correlation. Results: Most 125 (52%) of the women belonged to the younger age group i.e., 21-25 years. Majority i.e., 114 (47.5%) of pregnant women were primigravida. Mean total thyroid volume in non pregnant group, 1st trimester group, 2nd trimester group and in 3rd trimester group were 5.44±0.82 mL, 5.85±0.64 mL, 6.25±0.67 mL and 7.24±1.16 mL, respectively, with up to 24% increase of thyroid volume during the course of pregnancy (p-value=0.001). Thyroid nodule incidence was 12.2% in pregnant women and 5% in non pregnant women. Conclusion: With pregnancy, there is an increase in thyroid gland size along with a small increase in thyroid nodularity. Also, the interplay of a few factors such as Body Mass Index (BMI), parity, age etc., was noted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: A significant proportion of survivors from COVID-19 infection have shown residual pulmonary abnormalities including lung fibrosis which if not managed at appropriate time can cause disastrous effects, even requiring lung transplantation in few patients. Aims: To evaluate the usefulness of Mean CT Severity Score of initial scans done during acute illness in predicting Post-COVID Syndrome. Settings and Design: A prospective observational study was conducted in a tertiary care centre comprising of 2000 patients, among which 650 patients showed residual lung abnormalities. Methods and Material: HRCT Scan was performed to calculate Mean CT Severity Score during acute illness and after an interval period of 1 month, 3 months and 6 months respectively to detect residual lung abnormalities. Statistical analysis used: SPSS software used for calculation of mean and standard deviation. A chi-square test was used for the comparison of categorical variables. (P-value <0.05, significant) Results-At cut off score of 7 of Mean CT Severity Score calculated at initial scan, high sensitivity and specificity of Mean CT Severity Score was found in predicting Post Covid Syndrome. Moreover, the study found significant association between the lesions including ground-glass opacities, reticular opacities and consolidation separately with high initial CTSS score with their persistence in post COVID follow up scan. (P value- <0.001) Conclusion - Mean CT Severity Score can act as an effective parameter in predicting long term pulmonary outcome of COVID-19 illness and can guide towards appropriate management of the patient's allowing intervention at an early stage in post-COVID syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are critically regulated by β- arrestins, which not only desensitize G-protein signalling but also initiate a G-protein-independent wave of signalling (1-5). A recent surge of structural data on a number of GPCRs, including the b2 adrenergic receptor ([β.sub.2]AR)-G-protein complex, has provided novel insights into the structural basis of receptor activation (6-11). However, complementary information has been lacking on the recruitment of β-arrestins to activated GPCRs, primarily owing to challenges in obtaining stable receptor-β-arrestin complexes for structural studies. Here we devised a strategy for forming and purifying a functional human [β.sub.2]AR-β- arrestin-1 complex that allowed us to visualize its architecture by single-particle negative-stain electron microscopy and to characterize the interactions between [β.sub.2]AR and β-arrestin 1 using hydrogendeuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) and chemical crosslinking. Electron microscopy two-dimensional averages and threedimensional reconstructions reveal bimodal binding of β-arrestin 1 to the [β.sub.2]AR, involving two separate sets of interactions, one with the phosphorylated carboxy terminus of the receptor and the other with its seven-transmembrane core. Areas of reduced HDX together with identification of crosslinked residues suggest engagement of the finger loop of β-arrestin 1 with the seven-transmembrane core of the receptor. In contrast, focal areas of raised HDX levels indicate regions of increased dynamics in both the N and C domains of barrestin 1 when coupled to the [β.sub.2]AR. A molecular model of the [β.sub.2]ARβ-arrestin signalling complex was made by docking activated β-arrestin 1 and [β.sub.2]AR crystal structures into the electron microscopy map densities with constraints provided by HDX-MS and crosslinking, allowing us to obtain valuable insights into the overall architecture of a receptor-arrestin complex. The dynamic and structural information presented here provides a framework for better understanding the basis of GPCR regulation by arrestins., To facilitate the isolation of a stable [β.sub.2]AR-β-arrestin complex, we used a modified [β.sub.2]AR construct with its C terminus replaced by that of the arginine vasopressin type 2 receptor (AVP[R.sub.2]). [...]

Breast cancer among women is second leading cause of death and is one of the dreadful diseases. For manual detection through mammograms, not all general hospitals have the facilities required. So, for early detection, computerised automatic diagnosis system should be developed. We have used machine learning for solving this problem. We have used machine learning classifiers to make a model which will predict whether the person has breast cancer or not using Wisconsin Diagnostic Breast Cancer (WBCD) dataset from UCI repository. In the healthcare domain, accuracy of the system is the main concern. One false prediction can lead to someone's death. So, for reaching the maximum accuracy, we tried comparing efficiency and effectiveness of different classifier algorithms available in machine learning. For the ease of use, we have integrated machine learning model with web application using flask and firebase database where user should enter the values of 30 features and he will get to know whether the person has breast cancer or not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Recurrence is the most common problem with pterygium excision. Various adjunctive methods have been described to decrease the recurrence rate of pterygium. Mitomycin C (MMC) and limbal Conjunctival Autograft (CAG) are most commonly used methods to reduce its recurrence. Aim: To compare the recurrence rate of pterygium and the complications with MMC eyedrops after bare sclera pterygium excision versus sutureless and glue free CAG. Materials and Methods: Total 104 eyes were divided into two groups (A and B) of 52 eyes each. Group A patients underwent bare sclera excision of pterygium followed by 0.01% MMC eye drops BD (twice a day) for five days and Group B patients had sutureless and glue free CAG using oozing blood as tissue adhesive after pterygium excision. The patients were followed-up postoperatively on day 1, day 3, day 7, one month, three months, six months and one year. All the patients were examined for recurrence and complications. Statistical analysis was done by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16 and student’s t-test was applied for comparison. Results: A total of 104 eyes of 92 patients were divided into two groups (A and B) of 52 each. The mean age of Group A was around 45 year and group B was around 43 years and the difference was statistically insignificant (p>0.05). Total three patients had recurrence in one year of follow-up in group A, out of which first case appeared before the end of 1st month, second before the completion of 3rd month and the third case at the last follow-up. In group B only one case presented with recurrence at 6th month follow-up. The difference between the recurrences in both the groups was statistically insignificant (p>0.05). Short term complications were observed in five patients in group A. One patient had corneal thinning; one had scleral thinning, two patients presented with avascular sclera and one patient with granuloma. In group B, 18 patients with graft retraction, eight with graft oedema, five with sub-conjunctival graft haemorrhage and one with granuloma were observed. All these complications resolved by the time. Long term complications were not observed in any patient of both the groups. Conclusion: This study concluded that the use of MMC eye drops (0.01%) BD or glue free and sutureless CAG after pterygium excision is safe and effective treatment modalities for pterygium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Institutional Repositories (IRs) are established mainly to provide access to information resources which are otherwise not easily accessible in digital format. Many institutions across the world and particularly in India have successfully developed their own IRs but have not attempted to assess their importance and impact on the Users. This study conveys the findings of the survey conducted at research centric CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) laboratories of India to determine the scientists' and research scholars' preference for publishing their research materials; to measure the impact of IRs on their scholarly practices and to recommend future changes for inviting more participation in an IR. The study deduced that 'Peer- Review scholarly Journals' are preferred medium for publishing research content and 'Increase in the access to grey literature' is the most significant impact of IR on respondents. The findings of this research paper provide insight to the IR managers and administrators of low-deposit and low-usage repositories about the contributors' apprehensions. The study will also help them to define and adopt policies that will eventually enhance their IRs visibility and impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]