Effect of duration of sodium valproate therapy on bone mineral density and vitamin D levels.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of prolonged sodium valproate use on bone mineral density (BMD) and Vitamin D levels in pediatric epilepsy patients. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study conducted at the Epilepsy Clinic of Niloufer Hospital, Hyderabad, India, 50 pediatric patients (aged 4-10 years) were recruited. The cohort comprised 30 epilepsy patients on sodium valproate treatment (cases) and 20 healthy siblings without epilepsy or valproate use (controls). BMD was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry to measure height-adjusted total body less head Z-scores (TBLH Z-scores), and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were measured. Statistical analysis included independent samples t-tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, and Pearson correlation, with a preliminary power analysis ensuring adequate sample size. RESULTS: Cases exhibited significantly lower BMD TBLH Z-scores (Mean = -1.543) compared to controls (Mean = 0.515, p <.001) and reduced Vitamin D levels (Mean = 9.17 for cases vs. 27.80 for controls, p <.001). A negative correlation was observed between the duration of sodium valproate use and both BMD Z-scores (r = -0.626, p <.001) and Vitamin D levels (r = -0.707, p <.001). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest a significant negative impact of prolonged sodium valproate use on both bone density and Vitamin D levels in pediatric patients. These results underscore the importance of monitoring and managing bone health in children receiving long-term sodium valproate therapy.

Enhanced biodegradation of perfluorooctanoic acid in a dual biocatalyzed microbial electrosynthesis system.

The toxic perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is widely spread in terrestrial and aquatic habitats owing to its resistance to conventional degradation processes. Advanced techniques to degrade PFOA requires drastic conditions with high energy cost. In this study, we investigated PFOA biodegradation in a simple dual biocatalyzed microbial electrosynthesis system (MES). Different PFOA loadings (1, 5, and 10 ppm) were tested and a biodegradation of 91% was observed within 120 h. Propionate production improved and short-carbon-chain PFOA intermediates were detected, which confirmed PFOA biodegradation. However, the current density decreased, indicating an inhibitory effect of PFOA. High-throughput biofilm analysis revealed that PFOA regulated the microbial flora. Microbial community analysis showed enrichment of the more resilient and PFOA adaptive microbes, including Methanosarcina and Petrimonas. Our study promotes the potential use of dual biocatalyzed MES system as an environment-friendly and inexpensive method to remediate PFOA and provides a new direction for bioremediation research.

Enhanced bio-electrochemical performance of microbially catalysed anode and cathode in a microbial electrosynthesis system.

Most bio-electrochemical systems (BESs) use biotic/abiotic electrode combinations, with platinum-based abiotic electrodes being the most common. However, the non-renewability, cost, and poisonous nature of such electrode systems based on noble metals are major bottlenecks in BES commercialisation. Microbial electrosynthesis (MES), which is a sustainable energy platform that simultaneously treats wastewater and produces chemical commodities, also faces the same problem. In this study, a dual bio-catalysed MES system with a biotic anode and cathode (MES-D) was tested and compared with a biotic cathode/abiotic anode system (MES-S). Different bio-electrochemical tests revealed improved BES performance in MES-D, with a 3.9-fold improvement in current density compared to that of MES-S. Volatile fatty acid (VFA) generation also increased 3.2-, 4.1-, and 1.8-fold in MES-D compared with that in MES-S for acetate, propionate, and butyrate, respectively. The improved performance of MES-D could be attributed to the microbial metabolism at the bioanode, which generated additional electrons, as well as accumulative VFA production by both the bioanode and biocathode chambers. Microbial community analysis revealed the enrichment of electroactive bacteria such as Proteobacteria (60%), Bacteroidetes (67%), and Firmicutes + Proteobacteria + Bacteroidetes (75%) on the MES-S cathode and MES-D cathode and anode, respectively. These results signify the potential of combined bioanode/biocathode BESs such as MES for application in improving energy and chemical commodity production.

Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism and its association with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in patients with Graves disease in an Egyptian population: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To study the association of vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms (BsmI, ApaI, and TaqI) with susceptibility to Graves disease (GD) in Egyptian patients and their correlation with serum levels of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3]. METHODS: The current study consisted of 90 patients with GD (65 women and 25 men), with ages ranging from 25 to 55 years. A control group of 55 healthy euthyroid subjects (40 women and 15 men) with matched ages were included in the study. Genotyping was performed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Serum levels of 1,25(OH)2D3 were measured with use of radioimmunoassay in the patients and the control subjects. RESULTS: The distribution of genotype frequencies differed significantly between patients with GD and control subjects (BsmI: χ² = 10.627, P = .004; ApaI: χ² = 12.581, P = .001; TaqI: χ² = 9.591, P = .008). We found overexpression of the VDR BsmI "bb" (odds ratio, 2.360; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11 to 4.996), ApaI "aa" (odds ratio, 2.785; 95% CI, 1.116 to 6.933), and TaqI "TT" (odds ratio, 3.047; 95% CI, 1.478 to 6.283) genotypes in patients with GD in comparison with control subjects. In contrast, no correlation was observed with respect to the 1,25(OH)2D3 levels with BsmI, ApaI, and TaqI genotypes (P>.05) on the analysis of variance test. CONCLUSION: These data suggested that BsmI, ApaI, and TaqI polymorphisms in the VDR gene were associated with susceptibility to GD, whereas BsmI, ApaI, and TaqI polymorphisms were not associated with serum levels of 1,25(OH)2D3.