The kinase ATR controls meiotic crossover distribution at the genome scale in Arabidopsis.

Meiotic crossover, i.e., the reciprocal exchange of chromosome fragments during meiosis, is a key driver of genetic diversity. Crossover is initiated by the formation of programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). While the role of ATAXIA-TELANGIECTASIA AND RAD3-RELATED (ATR) kinase in DNA damage signaling is well-known, its impact on crossover formation remains understudied. Here, using measurements of recombination at chromosomal intervals and genome-wide crossover mapping, we showed that ATR inactivation in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) leads to dramatic crossover redistribution, with an increase in crossover frequency in chromosome arms and a decrease in pericentromeres. These global changes in crossover placement were not caused by alterations in DSB numbers, which we demonstrated by analyzing phosphorylated H2A.X foci in zygonema. Using the seed-typing technique, we found that hotspot usage remains mainly unchanged in atr mutants compared to wild-type individuals. Moreover, atr showed no change in the number of crossovers caused by two independent pathways, which implies no effect on crossover pathway choice. Analyses of genetic interaction indicate that while the effects of atr are independent of MMS AND UV SENSITIVE81 (MUS81), ZIPPER1 (ZYP1), FANCONI ANEMIA COMPLEMENTATION GROUP M (FANCM) and D2 (FANCD2), the underlying mechanism may be similar between ATR and FANCD2. This study extends our understanding of ATR's role in meiosis, uncovering functions in regulating crossover distribution.

Estimation of the crop evapotranspiration for Udham Singh Nagar district using modified Priestley-Taylor model and Landsat imagery.

The main challenges for utilizing daily evapotranspiration (ET) estimation in the study area revolve around the need for accurate and reliable data inputs, as well as the interpretation of ET dynamics within the context of local agricultural practices and environmental conditions. Factors such as cloud cover, atmospheric aerosols, and variations in land cover pose challenges to the precise estimation of ET from remote sensing data. This research aimed to utilize Landsat 8 and 9 datasets from the 2022-23 period in the Udham Singh Nagar district to apply the modified Priestley-Taylor (MPT) model for estimating ET. An average ET was estimated 1.33, 1.57, 1.70, 2.99, and 3.20 mm day-1 with 0.29, 0.33, 0.41, 0.69, and 1.03 standard deviation for December, January, February, March, and April month, respectively. In the validation phase, a strong correlation was found between the evaporative fraction derived from MPT and that observed by lysimeter, with R2 = 0.71, mean biased error = 0.04 mm day-1, root mean squared error = 0.62 mm day-1 and agreement index of 0.914. These results collectively support the effectiveness of the MPT model in accurately estimating ET across Udham Singh Nagar district. In essence, this research not only confirms the MPT model's capability in ET estimation but also offers detailed insights into the spatial and temporal fluctuations of energy fluxes and daily ET rates.

Active surveillance and associated epidemiological risk factors of caprine paratuberculosis in selected district of Odisha, India.

Caprine paratuberculosis (PTB) is a progressive, debilitating and production-limiting disease that causes significant economic losses and raises public health concerns. The goal was to study active surveillance and associated epidemiological risk factors of caprine PTB in selected district of Odisha, India. The 818 goats of various ages, sexes and breeds were randomly screened in ten different districts for a year based on history, clinical signs and fecal smear examination using the Ziehl-Neelsen stain, yielding an overall prevalence of 38.75%, with clinical and sub-clinical PTB at 8.06 and 30.68%, respectively. A molecular tool, IS900 polymerase chain reaction, was also used to confirm the disease. With Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) bacilli and endoparasite infections, the majority of affected goats (69.08%) were low shedders. Puri coastal district had the highest prevalence (52.29%) followed by Sambalpur (48.61%), while Khordha had the lowest prevalence (26.41%). Caprine PTB was more common in goats over 2 years old (51.23%), in the Ganjam breed (42.30%), in females (39.17%) and in goats housed on earthen floors (55.83%) according to chi-square analysis. The current study concluded that higher (30.68%) observations of subclinical PTB were cause of real concern due to its insidious spread as well as its zoonotic significance with potential human consequences, which requires immediate attention at all levels. Because of the public health importance of this hidden killer disease, the current findings would be useful in developing a roadmap for implementing prevention and control policies, prompting provision for adequate funding with elaborative research.

Assessment of Severity of Substance use for Outcomes Research and Treatment (ASSORT): A substance use severity scale developed and validated across six tertiary care centers in India.

Background and Aims: Assessment of the severity of substance use disorders (SUDs) in a culture-sensitive manner can help gauge the current condition of the substance user and assess change with time. The present study aimed to develop a scale for the assessment of the severity of SUDs in the Indian clinical context. Methods: Based upon the review of literature on previously available instruments and a consultative meeting of experts, a clinician-rated scale was developed that finally comprised 41 items. A briefer 5-item scale with current and lifetime versions was also developed. The scales were applied to patients with SUDs at six different clinical sites. Results: The instrument was applied to 720 patients (98.2% males, mean age: 34.6 years). The Cronbach's alpha of the full scale was 0.852. The inter-rater reliability Pearson correlation coefficient of the full-scale was r = 0.821 (P < 0.001), and the intra-class correlation coefficient single measure was 0.800 (95% confidence interval: 0.724-0.956). A four-factor solution was suggested to be the most tenable. The mean application duration of the full scale was 13.4 minutes, and that of the briefer version was 2 minutes. Conclusion: This validated scale could be a potentially useful assessment measure for the severity of SUDs in the Indian context. The utility lies in the simplicity of administration and scoring and the balance between brevity and thorough assessment.

A species-independent indirect-ELISA for detection of antibodies to the non-structural protein 2B of foot-and-mouth disease virus.

Diagnostic assays that are able to detect foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus infection in the vaccinated population are essential tools in the progressive control pathway for the FMD. However, testing of serum samples using a single diagnostic assay may not completely substantiate freedom from the virus infection. Therefore, viral non-structural proteins (NSPs)-based various serological assays have been developed for the detection of FMD infection. Nevertheless, the NSPs-based ELISAs have been developed in the indirect-ELISA format, thereby necessitating the use of species-specific conjugated secondary-antibodies for the detection of anti-NSP antibodies in various FMD-susceptible species. Therefore, this study presents a novel recombinant 2B-NSP-based indirect ELISA, employing HRP-conjugated protein-A/G detection system which can detect anti-NSPs antibodies from multiple FMD-susceptible species in a single ELISA platform. Recombinant 2B (r2B) protein was expressed as His-SUMO tagged protein in the E. Coli cells and purified using NI-NTA affinity column chromatography. Using the r2B protein and HRP-conjugated protein A/G, an indirect ELISA was developed and validated for the detection of anti-2B antibodies in serum samples collected from multiple FMD-susceptible animal species with known FMD status. Further, a resampling based statistical technique has been reported for determination of optimal cut-off value for the diagnostic assay. Through this technique, the optimal cut-off of 44 percentage of positivity value was determined for the assay. At this optimal cut-off value, the developed diagnostic assay provided diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy, positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV) of 92.35 %, 98.41 %, 95.21 %, 98.58 %, and 91.67 %, respectively. The assay was validated further by analyzing random serum samples collected across multi-locations in India. The assay can be used as a single platform for testing serum samples from different species of FMDV-susceptible animals and will be useful for NSP-based serosurveillance of FMDV.

Description of Nomophobia Among College Students: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.

Background: Nomophobia is a situational phobia evoked by unavailability of smart phone or the thought of the possibility of not having it, not being able to use it and losing it. Currently used instruments for assessment of severity of nomophobia offers challenges of administration and have limited applicability in the Indian setting. Therefore, this study was aimed to depict and understand the lived experience of college students with nomophobia and making sense of it. Methods: This interpretative phenomenological analysis research design study was carried out on 17 undergraduate students belonging to different academic streams including Science, Social science and Commerce from the three study sites situated in different locations of India. An in-depth interview guide was prepared. The students who scored more than 90 on nomophobia questionnaire (NMP-Q Questionnaire) were included in the study. The data was recorded in audio and video format, it was transcribed, and translated from Hindi to English language. Coding was done and the theme were extracted. Results: The findings identified six superordinate themes: Digital Obsession, Digital Compulsion, Approval Motivation, Digital Intensement, Digital Well-being and Insight. Conclusion: The lived experiences of the students with nomophobia had explicitly shown a strong inclination towards the smartphone. They also focused on some of the significant aids provided by the smartphone. Further the intensive use of the smartphone was posing major challenges to the students when they were away from it.

FDG PET in Neurological Manifestations of COVID-19.

ABSTRACT: Both the central and peripheral nervous systems can be affected in COVID-19. Although MRI is the primary investigative tool for neurological imaging, FDG PET may show additional areas of involvement in the brain in the form of regional hypometabolism or hypermetabolism, secondary to synaptic dysfunction and electrical or glial activation. We present a case series of 4 patients who had neurological symptoms attributable to COVID-19 infection with abnormalities in the brain FDG PET scan.

Comparative efficacy of family mediated intervention versus early intensive behavioural intervention on symptom domains in children with autism spectrum disorder: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Family Mediated Intervention (FMI) and Early Intensive Behavioural Intervention (EIBI) are found to be standard of care for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Comparison of their efficacy were assessed using ISAA as primary outcome measure. METHODS: This study was a parallel arm, open label, randomized active- controlled non-inferiority clinical trial. 50 Children diagnosed with ASD were randomized into FMI and EIBI groups. Clinical status was checked by using Indian scale for assessment of autism (ISAA), Oro- motor and sensory profile at baseline, after three and six months. RESULTS: Difference between change in mean ISAA score between FMI and EIBI group at the end of 6 months as per protocol (PP) analysis was -7.23 (CI=-18.41, 3.94), which was within pre-defined clinically relevant non-inferiority (NI) margin of - 24. FMI was found to be non-inferior to EIBI at the end of 6 months as the lower bound of 95% CI (-18.41) for ISAA score was higher than NI margin. ISAA scores were found to be statistically lower in both FMI and EIBI groups at the end point compared to baseline which indicated improvement in symptom severity. CONCLUSION: FMI was non-inferior to EIBI as therapy for children with ASD at the end of six months. Finding also indicated longer duration of treatment is required for FMI to be superior. FMI can be recommended for children with ASD in view of improved ISAA scores reported in our study. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: CTRI/2020/08/027099 (Registered with Clinical Trials Registry- India).

Organ-delimited gene regulatory networks provide high accuracy in candidate transcription factor selection across diverse processes.

Organ-specific gene expression datasets that include hundreds to thousands of experiments allow the reconstruction of organ-level gene regulatory networks (GRNs). However, creating such datasets is greatly hampered by the requirements of extensive and tedious manual curation. Here, we trained a supervised classification model that can accurately classify the organ-of-origin for a plant transcriptome. This K-Nearest Neighbor-based multiclass classifier was used to create organ-specific gene expression datasets for the leaf, root, shoot, flower, and seed in Arabidopsis thaliana. A GRN inference approach was used to determine the: i. influential transcription factors (TFs) in each organ and, ii. most influential TFs for specific biological processes in that organ. These genome-wide, organ-delimited GRNs (OD-GRNs), recalled many known regulators of organ development and processes operating in those organs. Importantly, many previously unknown TF regulators were uncovered as potential regulators of these processes. As a proof-of-concept, we focused on experimentally validating the predicted TF regulators of lipid biosynthesis in seeds, an important food and biofuel trait. Of the top 20 predicted TFs, eight are known regulators of seed oil content, e.g., WRI1, LEC1, FUS3. Importantly, we validated our prediction of MybS2, TGA4, SPL12, AGL18, and DiV2 as regulators of seed lipid biosynthesis. We elucidated the molecular mechanism of MybS2 and show that it induces purple acid phosphatase family genes and lipid synthesis genes to enhance seed lipid content. This general approach has the potential to be extended to any species with sufficiently large gene expression datasets to find unique regulators of any trait-of-interest.

Gallstone-Associated Histopathological Changes in Liver: A Prospective Observational Study.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES: To assess the effect of gallstone disease on liver parenchyma and the prevalence and extent of liver pathology in cholelithiasis in our population at the Department of General Surgery, Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Science (IGIMS), Patna. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The present prospective observational study was conducted on 100 either-sex patients scheduled for open or laparoscopic cholecystectomy. In all the patients, laboratory and radiological investigations were performed. An undamaged portion of the liver edge around the gallbladder fossa was selected and held by atraumatic forceps. Using sharp scissors, around 1 cm of the liver edge was taken out and sent for histopathological examination. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 39.28 ± 13.73 years. The majority of patients were females (69%). Pain was the predominant clinical feature in 51% of the patients, followed by vomiting (21%), nausea (18%), and indigestion (10%). In 36% of cases, the liver histology was abnormal, including steatosis, fibrosis, cholestasis, portal tract infiltration, and lobular parenchymal infiltration. A significant association was found between the duration of symptoms and abnormal histology findings (P<0.0001). CONCLUSION: Gallstone disease is associated with notable alterations in liver histology, and these changes tend to be more prevalent in individuals with a prolonged duration of symptoms.

Psychometric properties and factor structure of the suicidal narrative inventory in major depression: A multicentric evaluation.

BACKGROUND: The Suicidal Narrative Inventory (SNI) is a 38-item self-report measure developed to assess elements of the suicidal narrative, a subacute, predominantly cognitive, presuicidal construct. Our objectives were to assess the factor structure, validity, and reliability of the SNI-38 among adults with major depressive disorder (MDD). METHODS: Using a cross-sectional design, we administered the Hindi version of the SNI along with other self-report measures to adults with MDD, recruited from 24 tertiary care hospitals across India. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to assess the factor structure of SNI-38. Reliability (internal consistency) was assessed using Cronbach's alpha (α). Convergent, discriminant, and criterion validity of the SNI-38 were tested by comparing it against other appropriate measures. RESULTS: We collected usable responses from 654 Hindi-speaking participants (Mean age = 36.9 ± 11.9 years, 50.2% female). The eight-factor solution of the SNI showed good model fit indices (χ2[637] = 3345.58, p <.001, CFI =.98, and RMSEA =.08). Internal consistencies for the SNI subscale scores were good to excellent, α ranging from .73 to.92. While most subscales significantly converged with other measures, associations were comparatively weaker and inconsistent for the 'thwarted belongingness' and 'goal reengagement' subscales. CONCLUSION: Consistent with prior data, our study confirmed an eight-factor solution and demonstrated adequate psychometric properties for the Hindi version of the SNI-38 in our sample. These findings provide empirical support for the use of SNI to assess the suicidal narrative among Indian adults with MDD.

Giant electrostriction-like response from defective non-ferroelectric epitaxial BaTiO3 integrated on Si (100).

Lead-free, silicon compatible materials showing large electromechanical responses comparable to, or better than conventional relaxor ferroelectrics, are desirable for various nanoelectromechanical devices and applications. Defect-engineered electrostriction has recently been gaining popularity to obtain enhanced electromechanical responses at sub 100 Hz frequencies. Here, we report record values of electrostrictive strain coefficients (M31) at frequencies as large as 5 kHz (1.04×10-14 m2/V2 at 1 kHz, and 3.87×10-15 m2/V2 at 5 kHz) using A-site and oxygen-deficient barium titanate thin-films, epitaxially integrated onto Si. The effect is robust and retained upon cycling upto 6 million times. Our perovskite films are non-ferroelectric, exhibit a different symmetry compared to stoichiometric BaTiO3 and are characterized by twin boundaries and nano polar-like regions. We show that the dielectric relaxation arising from the defect-induced features correlates well with the observed giant electrostriction-like response. These films show large coefficient of thermal expansion (2.36 × 10-5/K), which along with the giant M31 implies a considerable increase in the lattice anharmonicity induced by the defects. Our work provides a crucial step forward towards formulating guidelines to engineer large electromechanical responses even at higher frequencies in lead-free thin films.

Relationship between emotional intelligence and resilience among surgical residents.

Background and Objective: Surgical residents face many challenges and stressors during their training. Some residents can cope better with such difficult situations, whereas others experience burnout and anxiety. Emotional intelligence (EI) and resilience are personality traits that may be associated with a better response to adverse situations. Methodology: A cross-sectional analytical study using validated questionnaires the Schutte Self-report EI Test (SSEIT) and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-25) was conducted to assess EI and resilience among the participants. Data were collected through the hard copies of the questionnaires, compiled using Microsoft Excel and analyzed using SPSS version 26. P < 0.5 was considered significant. The scores of EI and resilience were compared to evaluate the relationship between them. Results: A correlation analysis was performed between EI and resilience by comparing the scores obtained from SSEIT and CD-RISC. Our analysis revealed a strong positive correlation between EI and resilience (r = 0.59, P < 0.0001). Conclusion: Based on our results, we can say that EI and resilience are positively correlated. This means that an emotionally intelligent person should exhibit a resilient behavior.

Résumé Contexte et objectif: Les résidents en chirurgie sont confrontés à de nombreux défis et facteurs de stress au cours de leur formation. Certains résidents peuvent mieux faire face à des situations aussi difficiles, tandis que d'autres souffrent d'épuisement professionnel et d'anxiété. L'intelligence émotionnelle (IE) et la résilience sont des traits de personnalité qui peuvent être associés à une meilleure réponse aux situations défavorables. Méthodologie: Une étude analytique transversale utilisant des questionnaires validés, le Schutte Self-report EI Test (SSEIT) et l'échelle de résilience de Connor-Davidson (CD-RISC-25) a été menée pour évaluer l'IE et la résilience parmi les participants. Les données ont été collectées au moyen de copies papier des questionnaires, compilées à l'aide de Microsoft Excel et analysées à l'aide de SPSS version 26. P <0,5 a été considéré comme significatif. Les scores d'IE et de résilience ont été comparés pour évaluer la relation entre eux. Résultats: Une analyse de corrélation a été réalisée entre l'IE et la résilience en comparant les scores obtenus de SSEIT et CD-RISC. Notre analyse a révélé une forte corrélation positive entre l'IE et la résilience (r = 0,59, P < 0,0001). Conclusion: Sur la base de nos résultats, nous pouvons affirmer que l'IE et la résilience sont positivement corrélées. Cela signifie qu'une personne émotionnellement intelligente doit faire preuve d'un comportement résilient. Mots-clés: Comparisme, échelle de résilience de Connor-Davidson, test d'intelligence émotionnelle, quotient intelligent, carrière chirurgicale, résidents en chirurgie.

Factor structure, reliability, and validity of the revised Suicide Crisis Inventory in major depression: A multicentric Indian study.

BACKGROUND: The revised Suicide Crisis Inventory (SCI)-2 is a self-report measure to assess the suicide crisis syndrome (SCS). We aimed to assess the factor structure, reliability, and validity of SCI-2 among adults with major depression. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional design, between November 2021 and August 2022, the Hindi SCI-2, along with other self-report measures, was administered to Indian adult respondents clinically diagnosed with major depression across 24 centers in India. Confirmatory factor analysis was carried out to test the factor structure of SCI-2. Additionally, convergent, discriminant, and criterion validity were tested using bivariate or biserial correlations, as appropriate. RESULTS: We obtained responses from 654 participants (Mean age = 36.9 ± 11.9 years, 50.2 % female). The SCI-2 fit both a one-factor (χ2[1769] = 14,150.74, p < .001, CFI = 0.98, RMSEA = 0.10), and five-factor solution (χ2[1759] = 13,130.83, p < .001,CFI = 0.98, RMSEA = 0.10) with the five-factor solution providing a significantly better fit. Internal consistencies of the SCI-2 total and subscale scores ranged from good to excellent. Most subscales significantly converged with each other and with other relevant measures although these associations were weak for thwarted belongingness and goal reengagement subscales. Small to moderate associations were noted in support of discriminant and criterion validity. LIMITATIONS: We could not assess the predictive validity of SCI-2 for suicidal behaviors. CONCLUSION: Consistent with prior data, the Hindi SCI-2 fit a five-factor solution and showed good psychometric properties. These findings support the use of SCI-2 to assess SCS among Indian adults with major depression.

PROBLEMATIC USE OF SMARTPHONE AND NOMOPHOBIA AMONG MEDICAL AND NURSING UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS OF A TERTIARY CARE REFERRAL HOSPITAL IN INDIA AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH QUALITY OF LIFE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL OBSERVATIONAL STUDY.

BACKGROUND: Overuse of smartphone amongst today's young generation has assumed an epidemic proportion. Assessment of severity of Nomophobia and Smartphone use related problems is important as it can help to ascertain the current adverse consequences of Smartphone problematic use. The study aims to assess the association between smartphone dependence, nomophobia and quality of life in undergraduate medical and nursing students in a tertiary care referral hospital cum medical institution in India. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 437 medical and nursing undergraduate students, which involved assessing their dependence for smartphone and nomophobia using the Test for Mobile Phone dependence (TMD) questionnaire brief version and Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q) respectively. RESULTS: The average hours spent on smartphone per day for the study population was 3.2 hours. Smartphone dependence was found in 12% of study participants. Nearly 50% in each batch had moderate degree of nomophobia and around 13-15% had severe nomophobia. Both smartphone dependence and nomophobia were significantly associated with each other and had significant associations with poorer quality of life in the medical and nursing students. Preclinical medical students scored higher in all the domains of Smartphone dependence and nomophobia questionnaire and were associated with poor quality of life compared to other batches. CONCLUSION: Excessive smartphone use is associated with poorer quality of life in medical and nursing students. More studies in future are required that will involve various age groups and other educational streams which willadd up to the existing knowledge on technology addiction.

Observation of a quality improvement initiative to contextually adapt and use Robson classification in real time to collect data around CS delivery and to develop strategies to reduce CS rate.

The rising trend in caesarean section (CS) rate is a global concern and, in this hospital too, it rose from 21.5% in 2010 to 32.6% in 2018. The team followed the point of care quality improvement methodology and conducted a series of Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles to contextually modify and adapt Robson classification into the existing workflow to improve the process of documentation and data collection for CS in the first 6 months (January 2019-June 2019) and then to use these data to develop strategies to reduce CS rate below 30% in the next 18 months.To evaluate the impact of developed strategies, the team plotted the data on Statistical Process Control (XmR) chart. The baseline mean CS rate was 32.6%. The team observed a shift in the CS rate data twice, between April 2020 and December 2020 and between August 2021 and February 2021 with the mean 27.8% and 28.9%, respectively. October 2021 onwards, the team also observed a sustained reduction in the CS rate in women undergoing CS who had one previous CS. The mean CS rate reduced from 94% to 86%.The reductions in the CS rate were not sustained and followed by an increase again. The project highlighted the complexity of the factors related to CS delivery and the multidimensional barriers of sustaining the reduction in the CS rate. This is a well-sustained ongoing QI intervention and the team is further working on identifying the underlying factors to improve the efficacy of the interventions to sustain the reduction in the CS rate.This hospital represents the general population of North India seeking care in public healthcare facilities. Therefore, despite being a single-centre study, the population served and interpretations drawn from this study are generalisable to other hospitals with similar settings.

Role of vascular endothelial growth factor in tuberculous meningitis: A prospective study from a tertiary care center in North India.

INTRODUCTION: The status of vascular endothelial-derived growth factor (VEGF) in the pathogenesis of tuberculous meningitis (TBM) remains far from clear. We prospectively evaluated the role of serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) VEGF in TBM. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective study was conducted at a tertiary care center in North India from January 2018 to June 2019. Consecutive drug-naive patients (n = 82) of TBM diagnosed on the basis of modified Ahuja's criteria were included in the study. The results were compared with 49 control subjects (n = 49). Serum and CSF VEGF were done in all the cases and controls. Follow-up serum VEGF levels were done in 34 patients after 3 months of completion of antitubercular therapy. The VEGF levels were estimated using the human VEGF enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. RESULTS: The mean age was 29.9 ± 13.1 years. The study group consisted of 33 (40.2%) men and 49 (59.8%) women. BACTEC MGIT960 was positive in 15 (18%) patients while multiplex tuberculosis polymerase chain reaction was positive in 73 (89%) patients. Levels of VEGF in serum and CSF of TBM patients were not elevated when compared to controls. There was no association between final outcome in TBM and decrease in serum levels of VEGF at follow-up. CONCLUSION: VEGF may not be playing a significant role in the pathogenesis of TBM. Future studies with larger sample size may clarify the status of VEGF further in TBM.