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The evolving field of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, though promising, necessitates more comprehensive imaging methods to enhance therapeutic effectiveness and track cell trafficking in patients and ex vivo. This review examines the application of PET imaging in CAR T-cell trafficking and optimizing their therapeutic impact. The application of PET imaging using various radiotracers is promising in providing evaluation of CAR T-cell interaction within the host, thereby facilitating strategies for improved patient outcomes. As this technology progresses, further innovative strategies to streamline assessments of immunotherapeutic effectiveness are anticipated.
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Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell-based immunotherapy has emerged as a path-breaking strategy for certain hematological malignancies. Assessment of the response to CAR-T therapy using quantitative imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) has been broadly investigated. However, the definitive role of PET/CT in CAR-T therapy remains to be established. [18F]FDG PET/CT has demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for differentiating patients with a partial and complete response after CAR-T therapy in lymphoma. The early therapeutic response and immune-related adverse effects such as cytokine release syndrome and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome can also be detected on [18F]FDG PET images. In otherwise asymptomatic lymphoma patients with partial response following CAR-T therapy, the only positive findings could be abnormal PET/CT results. In multiple myeloma, a negative [18F]FDG PET/CT after receiving B-cell maturation antigen-directed CAR-T therapy has been associated with a favorable prognosis. In leukemia, [18F]FDG PET/CT can detect extramedullary metastases and treatment responses after therapy. Hence, PET/CT is a valuable imaging tool for patients undergoing CAR-T therapy for pretreatment evaluation, monitoring treatment response, assessing safety, and guiding therapeutic strategies. Developing guidelines with standardized cutoff values for various PET parameters and tumor cell-specific tracers may improve the efficacy and safety of CAR-T therapy.
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Neoplasias Hematológicas , Tomografía Computarizada por Tomografía de Emisión de Positrones , Humanos , Tomografía Computarizada por Tomografía de Emisión de Positrones/métodos , Neoplasias Hematológicas/terapia , Neoplasias Hematológicas/diagnóstico por imagen , Neoplasias Hematológicas/inmunología , Inmunoterapia Adoptiva/métodos , Inmunoterapia/métodos , Receptores Quiméricos de Antígenos/uso terapéutico , Fluorodesoxiglucosa F18RESUMEN
Fever of unknown origin (FUO) continues to be a challenging diagnosis in clinical medicine. It has more than 200 known causes, including infections, autoimmune diseases, neoplasia, and other miscellaneous disorders. Despite the development of a wide range of diagnostic tools, a specific diagnostic algorithm for FUO is not yet available. However, [18F]FDG PET/CT, which yields information on cellular metabolism, in addition to details of organ anatomy, has been shown to be successful in the FUO investigation. This study highlights the uses of [18F]FDG PET/CT in diagnosing various causes of FUO. [18F]FDG PET/CT has been increasingly used to detect septic infections, sterile inflammatory processes, and malignancies, occupying a significant portion of the known causes of FUO. It has led to a more definitive identification of the etiology of FUO and accurate clinical management. However, more in-depth studies are crucial to understanding if [18F]FDG PET/CT can be used in the work-up of FUO.
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Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the medical imaging of adult patients. However, its utilization in pediatric oncology imaging remains constrained, in part due to the inherent scarcity of data associated with childhood cancers. Pediatric cancers are rare, and imaging technologies are evolving rapidly, leading to insufficient data of a particular type to effectively train these algorithms. The small market size of pediatric patients compared with adult patients could also contribute to this challenge, as market size is a driver of commercialization. This review provides an overview of the current state of AI applications for pediatric cancer imaging, including applications for medical image acquisition, processing, reconstruction, segmentation, diagnosis, staging, and treatment response monitoring. Although current developments are promising, impediments due to the diverse anatomies of growing children and nonstandardized imaging protocols have led to limited clinical translation thus far. Opportunities include leveraging reconstruction algorithms to achieve accelerated low-dose imaging and automating the generation of metric-based staging and treatment monitoring scores. Transfer learning of adult-based AI models to pediatric cancers, multiinstitutional data sharing, and ethical data privacy practices for pediatric patients with rare cancers will be keys to unlocking the full potential of AI for clinical translation and improving outcomes for these young patients.
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In this study, we introduce a synergistic approach to enhance the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signal in two-dimensional (2D) MXene through photo-irradiation and electric field modulation. Our methodology involves the integration of 2D Ti3C2Tx MXene with piezoelectric polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) polymer, resulting in the creation of a free-standing, flexible composite film. On this composite film, a thin layer of Au was deposited. Our flexible substrate was able to sense methylene blue (MB), crystal violet (CV), 4-aminothiophenol (ATP), and melamine. The SERS substrate exhibits low detection limit of 10-8 M MB with a 6.7 × 106 enhancement factor (EF). The SERS substrate enables picomolar (pM) detection sensitivity for CV molecules with an EF of 9.2 × 109. Furthermore, the introduction of photo-irradiation leads to an additional â¼3.5-fold enhancement in the SERS signal, which is attributed to the altered work function and defects. The application of mechanical force to the piezoelectric PVDF/Ti3C2Tx film results in a â¼4.5-fold boost in SERS signal due to mechanical force-induced electrical energy. The fabrication strategy employed here for producing a flexible piezoelectric PVDF/Ti3C2Tx film holds significant promise for expanding the potential application of 2D MXene in rapid, on-site sensing scenarios.
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This educational review article aims to discuss growing evidence from PET studies in the diagnosis and treatment of depression. PET has been used in depression to explore the neurotransmitters involved, the alterations in neuroreceptors, non-neuroreceptor targets (e.g., microglia and astrocytes), the severity and duration of the disease, the pharmacodynamics of various antidepressants, and neurobiological mechanisms of non-pharmacological therapies like psychotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy, and deep brain stimulation therapy, by showing changes in brain metabolism and receptor and non-receptor targets. Studies have revealed alterations in neurotransmitter systems such as serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and glutamate, which are linked to the pathophysiology of depression. Overall, PET imaging has furthered the neurobiological understanding of depression. Despite these advancements, PET findings have not yet led to significant changes in evidence-based practices. Addressing the reasons behind inconsistencies in PET imaging results, conducting large sample size studies with a more standardized methodological approach, and investigating further the genetic and neurobiological aspects of depression may better leverage PET imaging in future studies.
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Significant improvements in treatments for children with cancer have resulted in a growing population of childhood cancer survivors who may face long-term adverse outcomes. Here, we aimed to diagnose high-dose methotrexate-induced brain injury on [18F]FDG PET/MRI and correlate the results with cognitive impairment identified by neurocognitive testing in pediatric cancer survivors. Methods: In this prospective, single-center pilot study, 10 children and young adults with sarcoma (n = 5), lymphoma (n = 4), or leukemia (n = 1) underwent dedicated brain [18F]FDG PET/MRI and a 2-h expert neuropsychologic evaluation on the same day, including the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, second edition, for intellectual functioning; Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (DKEFS) for executive functioning; and Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning, second edition (WRAML), for verbal and visual memory. Using PMOD software, we measured the SUVmean, cortical thickness, mean cerebral blood flow (CBFmean), and mean apparent diffusion coefficient of 3 different cortical regions (prefrontal cortex, cingulate gyrus, and hippocampus) that are routinely involved during the above-specified neurocognitive testing. Standardized scores of different measures were converted to z scores. Pairs of multivariable regression models (one for z scores < 0 and one for z scores > 0) were fitted for each brain region, imaging measure, and test score. Heteroscedasticity regression models were used to account for heterogeneity in variances between brain regions and to adjust for clustering within patients. Results: The regression analysis showed a significant correlation between the SUVmean of the prefrontal cortex and cingulum and DKEFS-sequential tracking (DKEFS-TM4) z scores (P = 0.003 and P = 0.012, respectively). The SUVmean of the hippocampus did not correlate with DKEFS-TM4 z scores (P = 0.111). The SUVmean for any evaluated brain regions did not correlate significantly with WRAML-visual memory (WRAML-VIS) z scores. CBFmean showed a positive correlation with SUVmean (r = 0.56, P = 0.01). The CBFmean of the cingulum, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex correlated significantly with DKEFS-TM4 (all P < 0.001). In addition, the hippocampal CBFmean correlated significantly with negative WRAML-VIS z scores (P = 0.003). Conclusion: High-dose methotrexate-induced brain injury can manifest as a reduction in glucose metabolism and blood flow in specific brain areas, which can be detected with [18F]FDG PET/MRI. The SUVmean and CBFmean of the prefrontal cortex and cingulum can serve as quantitative measures for detecting executive functioning problems. Hippocampal CBFmean could also be useful for monitoring memory problems.
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Encéfalo , Supervivientes de Cáncer , Fluorodesoxiglucosa F18 , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética , Metotrexato , Tomografía de Emisión de Positrones , Humanos , Proyectos Piloto , Metotrexato/efectos adversos , Metotrexato/uso terapéutico , Masculino , Femenino , Adolescente , Niño , Adulto Joven , Encéfalo/diagnóstico por imagen , Encéfalo/efectos de los fármacos , Imagen Multimodal , Adulto , Estudios ProspectivosRESUMEN
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory disorder that commonly presents with polyarthritis but can have multisystemic involvement and complications, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. The diagnosis of RA continues to be challenging due to its varied clinical presentations. In this review article, we aim to determine the potential of PET/CT to assist in the diagnosis of RA and its complications, evaluate the therapeutic response to treatment, and predict RA remission. PET/CT has increasingly been used in the last decade to diagnose, monitor treatment response, predict remissions, and diagnose subclinical complications in RA. PET imaging with [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]-FDG) is the most commonly applied radiotracer in RA, but other tracers are also being studied. PET/CT with [18F]-FDG, [18F]-NaF, and other tracers might lead to early identification of RA and timely evidence-based clinical management, decreasing morbidity and mortality. Although PET/CT has been evolving as a promising tool for evaluating and managing RA, more evidence is required before incorporating PET/CT in the standard clinical management of RA.
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Artritis Reumatoide , Tomografía Computarizada por Tomografía de Emisión de Positrones , Humanos , Tomografía Computarizada por Tomografía de Emisión de Positrones/métodos , Fluorodesoxiglucosa F18 , Artritis Reumatoide/diagnóstico por imagen , Tomografía de Emisión de Positrones/métodos , RadiofármacosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Overweight and obesity among school-going children is an emerging public health problem in the country. The information available on the true extent of obesity and overweight among school-aged children is limited. Hence, the present study has been conducted to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among high school students in Jharkhand, India. METHODOLOGY: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 1162 students of government and private schools of Ormanjhi block, Ranchi district, from July 2022 to December 2022. A predesigned, semi-structured, pre-tested questionnaire containing different sections namely sociodemographic characteristics, and health parameters were used for the study subjects. Clinical examination and anthropometric measurements of height, weight, and waist and hip circumferences were taken using standard equipment to calculate body mass index (BMI) and central obesity (waist-hip ratio). RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight and obesity was more at 14 years of age (30.2%), among boys (18.1%), and among students practicing the Islam religion (51.1%). Moreover, the prevalence of overweight and obesity was found to be highest in private schools (66.2%), and that was statistically significant (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of overweight and obesity was found to be significant with respect to age, gender, and religion. The findings from this study would be helpful in raising awareness among students, parents, teachers, and health professionals about the influence of overweight and obesity on a child's physical, social, and psychological well-being, and this, in turn, would facilitate parents, students, and teachers in the adoption of a healthy lifestyle.
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OBJECTIVE: To estimate the global burden of stillbirths among pregnant women with the COVID-19 vaccination. DATA SOURCE: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, a literature search was carried out in PubMed, Cochrane and Scopus until February 4, 2023, with language restriction (English). STUDY SELECTION: Title-abstract screening followed by full text review was done independently by two authors, based on the research question, "What is the prevalence of stillbirths among the pregnant women vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccines?" DATA EXTRACTION: Two authors independently extracted the relevant data from every study. The third author resolved the conflicts. This study was registered in PROSPERO and followed the PRISMA guidelines. DATA ANALYSIS: A Random effects model was applied to assess the pooled estimate of stillbirths. The I2 test was used to assess the heterogeneity of the articles included in the study. For checking the publication bias, the Doi plot and the contour-enhanced funnel plot were utilized. RESULTS: The database systematic search yielded 168 articles; 11 of them were determined to be eligible for systematic review and 8 of them ended up being included for meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of stillbirth in pregnant women vaccinated against COVID-19 infection was 0.00509 (5 per 1000 live births delivered by pregnant women vaccinated against COVID-19 (95% CI: 0.00003-0.01676). Statistically significant heterogeneity was reported across studies (I2 = 98%; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The study concluded that vaccination against COVID-19 among pregnant women had a low stillbirth rate. It adds to the existing evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and can be taken during pregnancy.
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The utilization of machine learning techniques in medicine has exponentially increased over the last decades due to innovations in computer processing, algorithm development, and access to big data. Applications of machine learning techniques to neuroimaging specifically have unveiled various hidden interactions, structures, and mechanisms related to various neurological disorders. One application of interest is the imaging of Alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of progressive dementia. The diagnoses of Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment, and preclinical Alzheimer's disease have been difficult. Molecular imaging, particularly via PET scans, holds tremendous value in the imaging of Alzheimer's disease. To date, many novel algorithms have been developed with great success that leverage machine learning in the context of Alzheimer's disease. This review article provides an overview of the diverse applications of machine learning to PET imaging of Alzheimer's disease.
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Enfermedad de Alzheimer , Disfunción Cognitiva , Humanos , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/diagnóstico por imagen , Tomografía de Emisión de Positrones/métodos , Neuroimagen , Disfunción Cognitiva/diagnóstico por imagen , Aprendizaje Automático , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética , EncéfaloRESUMEN
The application of [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) as a radiotracer to detect sites of inflammation (either due to bacterial infection or primary inflammation) has led to exploring the role of PET in visualizing bacteria directly at sites of infection. However, the results from such efforts are controversial and inconclusive so far. We aimed to assess the limitations of PET as an effective modality in the diagnosis of bacterial infections. Inflammation due to bacterial infections can be visualized by using [18F]FDG-PET. However, the non-specificity of [18F]FDG makes it undesirable to visualize bacteria as the underlying cause of inflammation. Hence, more specific radiotracers that possibly bind to or accumulate in bacteria-specific receptors or enzymes are being explored. Several radiotracers, including 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluorosorbitol ([18F]FDS), 6-[18F]-fluoromaltose, [11C]para-aminobenzoic acid ([11C]PABA), radiolabeled trimethoprim (11C-TMP) and its analog fluoropropyl-trimethoprim (18F-FPTMP), other radiolabeled sugars, and antimicrobial drugs have been used to image microorganisms. Unfortunately, no progress has been made in translating the results to routine human use; feasibility and other factors have constrained their success in clinical settings. In the current article, we discuss the limitations of direct bacterial visualization with PET tracers, but emphasize the important role of [18F]FDG-PET as the only option for detecting evidence of infection.
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Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) acts as a highly impermeable barrier, presenting an impediment to the crossing of most classical drugs targeted for neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease (PD). About the nature of drugs and other potential molecules, they impose unavoidable doserestricted limitations eventually leading to the failure of therapy. However, many advancements in formulation technology and modification of delivery approaches have been successful in delivering the drug to the brain in the therapeutic window. The nose to the brain (N2B) drug delivery employing the nanoformulation, is one such emerging delivery approach, overcoming both classical drug formulation and delivery-associated limitations. This latter approach offers increased bioavailability, greater patient acceptance, lesser metabolic degradation of drugs, circumvention of BBB, ample drug loading along with the controlled release of the drugs. In N2B delivery, the intranasal (IN) route carries therapeutics firstly into the nasal cavity followed by the brain through olfactory and trigeminal nerve connections linked with nasal mucosa. The N2B delivery approach is being explored for delivering other biologicals like neuropeptides and mitochondria. Meanwhile, this N2B delivery system is associated with critical challenges consisting of mucociliary clearance, degradation by enzymes, and drug translocations by efflux mechanisms. These challenges finally culminated in the development of suitable surfacemodified nano-carriers and Focused- Ultrasound-Assisted IN as FUS-IN technique which has expanded the horizons of N2B drug delivery. Hence, nanotechnology, in collaboration with advances in the IN route of drug administration, has a diversified approach for treating PD. The present review discusses the physiology and limitation of IN delivery along with current advances in nanocarrier and technical development assisting N2B drug delivery.
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Sistemas de Liberación de Medicamentos , Nanotecnología , Mucosa Nasal , Enfermedad de Parkinson , Humanos , Enfermedad de Parkinson/terapia , Encéfalo/metabolismo , Barrera Hematoencefálica/metabolismo , Mucosa Nasal/inervación , Mucosa Nasal/metabolismoRESUMEN
The development of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) ligands labeled with radionuclides is a ground-breaking achievement in the management of prostate cancer. With the increasing use of 68Gallium-PSMA and 18F-DCFPyL (Pylarify) and their approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), other PSMA agents and their unique characteristics are also being studied. Two other PSMA agents, namely 177Lutetium-PSMA (177Lu-PSMA) and 225Actinium-PSMA (225Ac-PSMA), are currently drawing the researcher's attention mainly due to their theranostic importance. Studies focusing on the essential characteristics of these two emerging radiotracers are relatively lacking. Hence, this review article, beginning with a brief introduction, intends to provide insights on the mechanism, efficacy, adverse effects, usefulness, including theranostic implications, and limitations of these two emerging PSMA agents. The 177Lu-PSMA is commercially accessible, is well tolerated, and has been found to lower prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels while improving patients' quality of life. It also reduces pain and the requirement for analgesics and is safe for advanced diseases. However, despite its potential advantages, around one-third of patients do not respond satisfactorily to this costly treatment; it is still challenging to personalize this therapy and predict its outcome. Similarly, 225Ac is compatible with antibody-based targeting vectors, releasing four extremely hazardous high-energy emissions with a longer half-life of 10 days. It has made 225Ac-PSMA therapy useful for tumors resistant to standard treatments, with a better response than 177Lu-PSMA. Dosimetry studies show a good biochemical response without toxicity in patients with advanced metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). However, it can potentially cause significant damage to healthy tissues if not retained at the tumor site. Encapsulating radionuclides in a nano-carrier, hastening the absorption by tumor cells, and local delivery might all help reduce the harmful consequences. Both have advantages and disadvantages. The choice of PSMA agents may rely on desired qualities, cost, and convenience, among other factors. Further research is warranted in order to better understand their ideal use in clinical settings.
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Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a leading cause of death in millions of cancer patients. Lack of diagnosis at an early stage in addition to no specific guidelines for its treatment, and a higher rate of treatment- related toxicity further deteriorate the conditions. Current therapies encompass surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy according to the pattern and the stage of lung cancer. Among all, with a longlasting therapeutic action, reduced side-effects, and a higher rate of survival, therapeutic cancer vaccine is a new, improved strategy for treating NSCLC. Immunoadjuvants are usually incorporated into the therapeutic vaccines to shield the antigen against environmental and physiological harsh conditions in addition to boosting the immune potential. Conventional immunoadjuvants are often associated with an inadequate cellular response, poor target specificity, and low antigen load. Recently, inhalable polymeric nano/micro immunoadjuvants have exhibited immense potential in the development of therapeutic vaccines for the treatment of NSCLC with improved mucosal immunization. The development of polymeric micro/nano immunoadjuvants brought a new era for vaccines with increased strength and efficiency. Therefore, in the present review, we explained the potential application of micro/nano immunoadjuvants for augmenting the stability and efficacy of inhalable vaccines in the treatment of NSCLC. In addition, the role of biodegradable, biocompatible, and non-toxic polymers has also been discussed with case studies.
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Vacunas contra el Cáncer , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas , Neoplasias Pulmonares , Adyuvantes Inmunológicos/uso terapéutico , Vacunas contra el Cáncer/uso terapéutico , Carcinoma de Pulmón de Células no Pequeñas/tratamiento farmacológico , Humanos , Neoplasias Pulmonares/tratamiento farmacológico , Polímeros/uso terapéuticoRESUMEN
Bisphenol A (BPA) is noted for its adversative effects by inducing oxidative stress, carcinogenicity, neurotoxicity, inflammation, etc. However, the likely act of BPA in inducing neurodegenerative phenotypes remains elusive in the available literature. Hence, the present study was conducted to decipher the neurodegenerative potential of BPA in inducing Parkinson's disease like phenotypes in zebrafish. Zebrafish were subjected to chronic waterborne exposure to BPA for 56 days. Locomotor activities and neurobehavioral response were assessed by the NTDT (novel tank diving test), OFT (open field test), and LDPT (light-dark preference test). The oxidative stress markers and histopathological observation for pyknosis and chromatin condensation were carried out. Immunohistochemistry for activated caspase-3 and targeted proteins expression study was performed. The basic findings reveal that chronic BPA exposure significantly induces locomotor dysfunction through a significant decline in mean velocity and total distance traveled. As a measure of pyknosis and chromatin condensation, pyknotic and Hoechst positive neurons in telencephalon and diencephalon significantly increased by BPA exposure. A higher concentration of BPA adversely affects the neurobehavioral response, antioxidant status, and neuromorphology in zebrafish. Parkinson-relevant targeted protein expression viz. alpha-synuclein and LRRK2, were significantly upregulated, whereas tyrosine hydroxylase, NeuN, and Nurr1 were significantly downregulated in the zebrafish brain. As an indicator of cell death by apoptosis, the expression of activated caspase-3 was significantly increased in the BPA-exposed zebrafish brain. These basic results of the current study indicate that chronic waterborne exposure to BPA induces neuropathological manifestation leading to the development of motor dysfunction and Parkinsonism-like neurodegenerative phenotypes in zebrafish.
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Conducta Animal/efectos de los fármacos , Compuestos de Bencidrilo/efectos adversos , Encéfalo/metabolismo , Caspasa 3/metabolismo , Proteína 2 Quinasa Serina-Treonina Rica en Repeticiones de Leucina/metabolismo , Estrés Oxidativo/efectos de los fármacos , Enfermedad de Parkinson Secundaria/inducido químicamente , Enfermedad de Parkinson Secundaria/metabolismo , Fenoles/efectos adversos , Transducción de Señal/efectos de los fármacos , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua/efectos adversos , Proteínas de Pez Cebra/metabolismo , Pez Cebra/metabolismo , Animales , Antioxidantes/metabolismo , Apoptosis/efectos de los fármacos , Encéfalo/efectos de los fármacos , Femenino , Locomoción/efectos de los fármacos , Masculino , Neuronas/efectos de los fármacos , Neuronas/metabolismo , Prueba de Campo Abierto/efectos de los fármacos , Enfermedad de Parkinson Secundaria/psicología , FenotipoRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Automated blood pressure (BP) monitor is widely used to assess the blood pressure (BP) of the study subjects in community-based researches. This study aims at the detection of hypertension by automated BP device and examines the concordance and validity between automated and mercury-free LED BP devices. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the tribal state of Jharkhand in India from January 2017 to June 2017. A total of 300 study participants aged more than 18 years were enrolled in this study. BP of the patients in the sitting position was measured three times each by automated device and mercury-free LED BP device. The different sets of readings were assessed by concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) and other validity measures. RESULTS: The CCC for systolic and diastolic BP measured by automated and mercury-free LED BP is 0.88 and 0.85, respectively. The mean difference between systolic and diastolic BP by both the instruments is statistically insignificant (P > 0.05). The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of automated BP devices to predict hypertension is 96.61%, 92.21%, 75%, 99%, and 93%. The area under ROC for systolic and diastolic BP is 0.984 and 0.97, respectively with P values < 0.0001 in both the cases. CONCLUSIONS: This study concluded that the overall automated BP machine has fair degree of agreement (CCC) with a manual BP device. The validity of this monitor to screen hypertension may also be considered in field settings.
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The adsorption-desorption and leaching of flucetosulfuron, a sulfonylurea herbicide, was investigated in three Indian soils. Freundlich adsorption isotherm described the sorption mechanism of herbicide with adsorption coefficients (Kf) ranging from 17.13 to 27.99 and followed the order: Clayey loam > Loam > Sandy loam. The Kf showed positive correlation with organic carbon (OC) (r = 0.910) and clay content (r = 0.746); but, negative correlation with soil pH (r = -0.635). The adsorption isotherms were S-type suggesting that herbicide adsorption was concentration dependent and increased with increase in concentration. Desorption followed the sequence: sandy loam > clayey loam > loam . Hysteresis (H) was observed in all the three soils with H < 1. Leaching of flucetosulfuron correlated positively with the soil pH; but, negatively with the OC content. Sandy loam soil (OC- 0.40%, pH -7.25) registered lowest adsorption and highest leaching of flucetosulfuron while lowest leaching was found in the loam soil (pH - 7.89, OC - 0.65%). The leaching losses of herbicide increased with increase in the rainfall intensity. This study suggested that the soil OC content, pH and clay content played important roles in deciding the adsorption-desorption and leaching behavior of flucetosulfuron in soils.
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Herbicidas/química , Contaminantes del Suelo/química , Compuestos de Sulfonilurea/química , Adsorción , Arcilla , Herbicidas/análisis , Concentración de Iones de Hidrógeno , India , Cinética , Lluvia , Suelo/química , Contaminantes del Suelo/análisis , Compuestos de Sulfonilurea/análisisRESUMEN
This study reports the role of MAPKs (JNK, ERK, and p38), and activator protein-1 (AP-1) transcription factor in the hypobaric hypoxia induced change in lung tissue. Healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to hypobaric hypoxia for 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 120 hr. Hypoxia resulted in significant increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and decreased nitric oxide (NO), these act as signaling molecules for activation of MAPK and also contribute in development of vascular leakage (an indicator of pulmonary edema) as confirmed by histological studies. Our results confirmed JNK activation as an immediate early response (peaked at 6-48 hr), activation of ERKs (peaked at 24-72 hr) and p38 (peaked at 72-120 hr) as a secondary response to hypoxia. The MAPK pathway up regulated its downstream targets phospho c-Jun (peaked at 6-120 hr), JunB (peaked at 24-120 hr) however, decreased c-Fos, and JunD levels. DNA binding activity also confirmed activation of AP-1 transcription factor in lung tissue under hypobaric hypoxia. Further, we analyzed the proliferative and inflammatory genes regulated by different subunits of AP-1 to explore its role in vascular leakage. Increased expression of cyclin D1 (peaked at 12-72 hr) and p16 level (peaked at 48-120 hr) were correlated to the activation of c-jun, c-Fos and JunB. Administration of NFκB inhibitor caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) and SP600125 (JNK inhibitor) had no effect on increased levels of Interferon-γ (IFN-γ), Interleukin-1 (IL-1), and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α) thereby confirming the involvement of AP-1 as well as NFκB in inflammation. Expression of c-jun, c-Fos were correlated with activation of proliferative genes and JunB, Fra-1 with pro-inflammatory cytokines. In conclusion immediate response to hypobaric hypoxia induced c-Jun:c-Fos subunits of AP-1; responsible for proliferation that might cause inhomogeneous vasoconstriction leading to vascular leakage and inflammation at increased duration of hypobaric hypoxia exposure.