Artificial Intelligence-Based Portable Bioelectronics Platform for SARS-CoV-2 Diagnosis with Multi-nucleotide Probe Assay for Clinical Decisions.

In the context of the recent pandemic, the necessity of inexpensive and easily accessible rapid-test kits is well understood and need not be stressed further. In light of this, we report a multi-nucleotide probe-based diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 using a bioelectronics platform, comprising low-cost chemiresistive biochips, a portable electronic readout, and an Android application for data acquisition with machine-learning-based decision making. The platform performs the desired diagnosis from standard nasopharyngeal and/or oral swabs (both on extracted and non-extracted RNA samples) without amplifying the viral load. Being a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction-free hybridization assay, the proposed approach offers inexpensive, fast (time-to-result: ≤ 30 min), and early diagnosis, as opposed to most of the existing SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis protocols recommended by the WHO. For the extracted RNA samples, the assay accounts for 87 and 95.2% test accuracies, using a heuristic approach and a machine-learning-based classification method, respectively. In case of the non-extracted RNA samples, 95.6% decision accuracy is achieved using the heuristic approach, with the machine-learning-based best-fit model producing 100% accuracy. Furthermore, the availability of the handheld readout and the Android application-based simple user interface facilitates easy accessibility and portable applications. Besides, by eliminating viral RNA extraction from samples as a pre-requisite for specific detection, the proposed approach presents itself as an ideal candidate for point-of-care SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis.

Functional evaluation of a monotreme-specific antimicrobial protein, EchAMP, against experimentally induced mastitis in transgenic mice.

EchAMP, the tenth most abundant transcript expressed in the mammary gland of echidna, has in vitro broad-spectrum antibacterial effects. However, the effects of EchAMP on mastitis, a condition where inflammation is triggered following mammary gland infection, has not been investigated. To investigate the impact of EchAMP against mastitis, EchAMP transgenic mice were generated. In antibacterial assays, the whey fractions of milk from transgenic mice significantly reduced growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa compared with whey fractions from wildtype mice. Furthermore, a mastitis model created by infecting mammary gland with these four bacterial strains displayed a significant reduction in bacterial load in transgenic mice injected with S. aureus and B. subtilis. On further confirmation, histomorphologic analysis showed absence of necrosis and cell infiltration in the mammary glands of transgenic mice. To understand the role of EchAMP against inflammation, we employed an LPS-injected mastitis mouse model. LPS is known to induce phopshorylation of NF-κB and MAPK pathways, which in turn activate downstream proinflammatory signaling mediators, to promote inflammation. In LPS-treated EchAMP transgenic mice, phosphorylation levels of NF-κB, p38 and ERK1/2 were significantly downregulated. Furthermore, in mammary gland of transgenic mice, there was a significant downregulation of mRNA levels of proinflammatory cytokines, namely TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1ß. Taken together, these data suggest that EchAMP has an antiinflammatory response and is effective against S. aureus and B. subtilis. We suggest that EchAMP may be a potential prophylactic protein against mastitis in dairy animals by expressing this gene in their mammary gland.

Poverty and Community-Acquired Antimicrobial Resistance with Extended-Spectrum ß-Lactamase-Producing Organisms, Hyderabad, India.

The decreasing effectiveness of antimicrobial agents is a global public health threat, yet risk factors for community-acquired antimicrobial resistance (CA-AMR) in low-income settings have not been clearly elucidated. Our aim was to identify risk factors for CA-AMR with extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL)-producing organisms among urban-dwelling women in India. We collected microbiological and survey data in an observational study of primigravidae women in a public hospital in Hyderabad, India. We analyzed the data using multivariate logistic and linear regression and found that 7% of 1,836 women had bacteriuria; 48% of isolates were ESBL-producing organisms. Women in the bottom 50th percentile of income distribution were more likely to have bacteriuria (adjusted odds ratio 1.44, 95% CI 0.99-2.10) and significantly more likely to have bacteriuria with ESBL-producing organisms (adjusted odds ratio 2.04, 95% CI 1.17-3.54). Nonparametric analyses demonstrated a negative relationship between the prevalence of ESBL and income.

Clinical Audits to Identify Medication Errors in a Healthcare Facility.

Background: Medication errors have serious effects on patient care and it is important to detect them instantly in order to reduce clinical practice errors and prevent their adverse outcomes. Even though error reporting techniques are less expensive, there may be considerable impediments for a nurse to notify an error due to the obvious possibility of negative repercussions. Study aims: The present study was undertaken to determine the incidence of medication errors, with identifying their common types, and the effect of clinical audits. Materials and methods: Records are maintained by the hospital quality assurance department, according to National Accreditation Board of Hospitals (NABH) standards, from January 2018 to December 2019. This data was collected by the authors and analyzed for the percentage of medication errors which included prescription errors and medicine dispensing errors. Results:In this study, the incidence of medication errors was 2.82, 1.43, 2.09, 1.70, 4.97, 3.96, 1.38, 1.53, 1.71, 1.80, 1.41, and 0.54 in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December 2018, respectively, versus 2.64, 0.91, 0, 0.81, 1.11, 1.20, 2.50, 2.75, 1.91, 1.44, 1.14 and 1.91 during the same months of 2019, respectively. Conclusion:Although medication errors occur frequently, they are rarely reported. In order to accurately assess the contributing factors and take preventative action to make sure they do not recur in the future, reporting is essential.

Performance of Carbapenemase Nordmann-Poirel, Modified Carbapenem Inactivation, and EDTA Carbapenem Inactivation Methods for Detecting Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolates.

Infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) are a major threat to public health. Timely detection of CRKP will help treat patients with appropriate antibiotics. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the carbapenemase Nordmann-Poirel (CarbaNP), modified carbapenem inactivation (mCIM), and EDTA carbapenem inactivation (eCIM) methods for the detection of CRKP. We compared the results of the three assays with that of real-time PCR. In total, 195 K. pneumoniae isolates, including 150 carbapenem-resistant and 45 carbapenem-susceptible isolates, were investigated. Carbapenem-resistance genes, such as blaKPC, blaNDM, blaVIM, blaIMP, and blaOXA-48-like, were identified using real-time PCR. Among the 150 CRKP isolates, 94 (62.7%) were positive for blaNDM, 29 (19.3%) were positive for blaOXA-48-like, and 27 (18%) were positive for both blaNDM and blaOXA-48-like. For detecting CRKP isolates, CarbaNP, mCIM, and eCIM showed 96.0%, 95.4%, and 96.7% sensitivity, respectively, and all three methods showed 100% specificity. All three phenotypic confirmatory tests are reliable for identifying CRKP, easy to perform, cost-effective, and can be incorporated with routine antibiotic susceptibility testing.

Metabolic syndrome - cardiac structure and functional analysis by echocardiography; a cross sectional comparative study.

OBJECTIVES: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a collection of metabolic disorders including hyperglycemia, hypertension and dyslipidemia. The outcome of metabolic syndrome depends on structural changes in heart like increased left atrial size or increased left ventricular mass. This study was done to determine the echocardiography abnormalities in metabolic syndrome. METHODS: After obtaining informed consent, 75 subjects with metabolic syndrome and 75 controls were included in the study. 2D echo/M mode examination was performed for all. Aortic root, left atrial size, left atrial volume, septal wall thickness during systole (SWs) and diastole (SWd), posterior wall thickness during systole (PWs) and diastole (PWd), left ventricle dimension during systole (LVDs) and diastole (LVDd), and ejection fraction were measured. The values were compared between the groups. RESULTS: After adjustment for age, sex, smoking, alcohol and BMI; left ventricular diameter in systole and diastole was significantly more than controls (p<0.001); HR of 1.29 (95% CI 1.13-1.46), 1.29 (95% CI 1.15-1.45) respectively. Left ventricular mass and left atrial volume were increased significantly in subjects with metabolic syndrome (p<0.001); HR were 1.06 (95% CI 1.03-1.08), 1.13 (95% CI 1.06-1.19) respectively. Ejection fraction was low normal in subjects with metabolic syndrome compared to controls (p<0.05); HR 0.90 (95% CI 0.83-0.98). CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac abnormalities were common in subjects with metabolic syndrome, predominantly affecting the left ventricular mass, diameter and left atrial volume. Early life style modifications are essential to prevent these complications.

Genomic architecture of autism spectrum disorder in Qatar: The BARAKA-Qatar Study.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by impaired social and communication skills, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors. The prevalence of ASD among children in Qatar was recently estimated to be 1.1%, though the genetic architecture underlying ASD both in Qatar and the greater Middle East has been largely unexplored. Here, we describe the first genomic data release from the BARAKA-Qatar Study-a nationwide program building a broadly consented biorepository of individuals with ASD and their families available for sample and data sharing and multi-omics research. METHODS: In this first release, we present a comprehensive analysis of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data of the first 100 families (372 individuals), investigating the genetic architecture, including single-nucleotide variants (SNVs), copy number variants (CNVs), tandem repeat expansions (TREs), as well as mitochondrial DNA variants (mtDNA) segregating with ASD in local families. RESULTS: Overall, we identify potentially pathogenic variants in known genes or regions in 27 out of 100 families (27%), of which 11 variants (40.7%) were classified as pathogenic or likely-pathogenic based on American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) guidelines. Dominant variants, including de novo and inherited, contributed to 15 (55.6%) of these families, consisting of SNVs/indels (66.7%), CNVs (13.3%), TREs (13.3%), and mtDNA variants (6.7%). Moreover, homozygous variants were found in 7 families (25.9%), with a sixfold increase in homozygous burden in consanguineous versus non-consanguineous families (13.6% and 1.8%, respectively). Furthermore, 28 novel ASD candidate genes were identified in 20 families, 23 of which had recurrent hits in MSSNG and SSC cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: This study illustrates the value of ASD studies in under-represented populations and the importance of WGS as a comprehensive tool for establishing a molecular diagnosis for families with ASD. Moreover, it uncovers a significant role for recessive variation in ASD architecture in consanguineous settings and provides a unique resource of Middle Eastern genomes for future research to the global ASD community.

Detection of Metallo Beta-Lactamase (MBL) Producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a Tertiary Care Hospital, Ghanpur, Medchal, India.

Introduction:Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a leading cause of nosocomial infections and is especially prevalent among patients with burn wounds, cystic fibrosis, acute leukemia, organ transplants and intravenous-drug addiction. Acquired metallo-â-lactamases (MBLs) are carbapenemases which require zinc in the active site and are predominantly produced by P. aeruginosa. They belong to Ambler's class B and Bush-Jacoby Medeiros Group 3 and hydrolyse virtually all â-lactam agents, including the carbapenems. In India, only blaVIM and NDM-1 have been reported in P. aeruginosa. Metallo beta-lactamases have recently emerged as one of the most worrisome resistance mechanisms owing to their capacity to hydrolyse all beta-lactams, including carbapenems. Aims and objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence and resistance patterns of MBL-producing P. aeruginosa in a tertiary care hospital of Ghanpur, Medchal, India, and to compare the effectiveness of two different methods of screening and detecting MBL-producing P. aeruginosa in order to formulate a policy of empirical therapy and to take preventive measures in hospital settings. Methodology: In the present study, 60 isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were obtained from various clinical specimens, including pus, urine, burns, wound, sputum, pleural fluid, and CSF, which were taken from inpatients and outpatients admitted to MIMS, Ghanpur, India. The study period was from January 2017 to July 2018. The microbial isolates were studied for the detection of the prevalence of MBL production, including their antibiogram. Results:Of the 60 Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates, 12 were Imipenem resistant, of which nine were MBL producers. Most isolates (14) were collected in the age group of 21-30 years, followed by that of 31-40 years (13) and 1-10 years (2). Of the total number of samples, 40 strains were isolated in male subjects, with a male-female ratio of 2:1. Total wound swabs accounted for 40% of the studied specimens, followed by ear swabs (20%) and sputum samples (18.3%). Wound swabs also included most Imipenem-resistant isolates (41.6%). Metallo beta-lactamase producers accounted for 75% of all carbapenem-resistant isolates, using the combined disc method and E-test. By comparison, DDST retrieved 41% of Pseudomonas MBL producers. Isolates were 100% sensitive to Polymyxin-B and showed a 44.4% sensitivity to Piperacillin/Tazobactam, followed by 22.2% for Amikacin and Tobramycin and 11.1% for Ciprofloxacin and Gentamicin. Conclusion:The study found a relatively high prevalence of Pseudomonas MBL producers (9/60) with 100% Polymyxin susceptibility. Hence, our results warn against an expected high use of Polymyxins in clinical settings. Additionally, the study supports the use of E-tests, CDST and DDST for the screening of Pseudomonas MBL producers in regions where PCR detection cannot be performed.

Vector-Borne Diseases amidst COVID-19 Pandemic in India - A Mini-Review.

Introduction:Vector-borne diseases are infections caused by parasites, viruses and bacteria and transmitted by vectors, which are usually insects. A greater risk of diseases such as dengue, malaria, seasonal influenza, leptospirosis, chikungunya, enteric fever, etc co-exist in COVID-19 cases. This poses challenges in clinical and laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19, which may affect clinical management and patient outcomes. Methodology: Several databases, including PubMed, Scopus, DOAJ, and EMBASE, were reviewed using the keywords vector-borne infections in India amidst COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 23 articles and WHO and National website for vector-borne diseases was found. Review:For many decades, vector-borne diseases have been a major health burden for both underdeveloped and developing countries, including India. With better preparedness, the threat of climate change on vector-borne diseases may be negated. Rains during monsoon increase not only the risk of vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya but also that of food- and water-borne diseases as well as other skin infections. A greater risk of diseases such as dengue, malaria, seasonal influenza, leptospirosis, chikungunya, enteric fever, etc co-exists in COVID-19 cases. This poses challenges in clinical and laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19, which may affect clinical management and patient outcomes (3). Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, a sudden outbreak of Zika virus infection was reported at the beginning of July 2021 in the districts of Kerala, from where it started, spreading to the neighboring states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, India. Conclusions:With better preparedness, the threat of climate change on vector-borne diseases may be negated. Designing and strengthening an intervention strategy for environmental sanitation, regular cleaning of living houses, and keeping personal hygiene shall be considered. Risk assessment is crucial to optimize surveillance, preventative measures (vector control), and resource allocation (medical supplies).

Integrating Artificial Intelligence for Clinical and Laboratory Diagnosis - a Review.

Introduction: The development of medical artificial intelligence (AI) is related to programs intended to help clinicians formulate diagnoses, make therapeutic decisions and predict outcomes. It is bringing a paradigm shift to healthcare, powered by the increasing availability of healthcare data and rapid progress in analytical techniques (1). Artificial intelligence techniques include machine learning methods for structured data, such as classical support vector machines and neural networks, modern deep learning (DL), and natural language processing for unstructured data. Methodology:More than 50 articles were reviewed and 41 of them were shortlisted. The review was based on a literature search in PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases. Review:Laboratory medicine incorporates new technologies to aid in clinical decision-making, disease monitoring, and patient safety. Clinical microbiology informatics is progressively using AI. Genomic information from isolated bacteria, metagenomic microbial results from original specimens, mass spectra recorded from grown bacterial isolates and large digital photographs are examples of enormous datasets in clinical microbiology that may be used to build AI diagnoses. Conclusion:Technological innovation in healthcare is accelerating and has become increasingly interwoven with our daily lives and medical practices such as smart health trackers and diagnostic algorithms.

Nipah amidst Covid-19 Pandemic, another Re-Emerging Infectious Disease of Pandemic Potential - a Narrative Review.

Introduction: Nipah virus (NiV) was reported for the first time from the Kampung Sungai Nipah village of Malaysia in 1998. Since then, there have been multiple outbreaks, all of them in South- and South-East Asia. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), up to 75% of Nipah infections were proven to be fatal. Nipah virus belongs to the group of Biosafety Level-4 pathogen associated with high case fatality rate (40-75%). Methodology:According to the PRISMA guidelines for 2020, we searched in four medical databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, EMBASE and Scopus) and selected relevant studies from the past twenty years till November 2021. Review:Nipah virus was first detected in Malaysia's Kampung Sungai Nipah in 1998. By May 1999, the Malaysia Ministry of Health in association with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported a total of 258 cases with a case fatality rate of almost 40%. Nipah in Kozhikode:Experts from the Pune Institute and Bhopal's National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases had collected Bat samples from Pazhoor in Chathamangalam gram panchayat (where a 12-year-old died due to Nipah infection on September 5 carried antibodies of the virus). All Indian outbreaks have seen person-to-person transmission. The virus found in Kerala differed from those two variants in terms of genetic structure. It also differed by 1.96% from the Bangladesh variant. The difference with the Malaysian variant was 8.42%. While PCR is the most sensitive technique for diagnosing active NiV infection, NiV-specific IgM ELISA offers a serological option when PCR is not available. Conclusions:Understanding the fruit bat ecology, NiV illness seasonality, and the transmission risk of various intermediate species requires a One Health approach. The danger of reintroduction into animal or human populations cannot be handled without a thorough understanding of the wildlife reservoir.

Zika, Nipah and Kala-azar: Emerging lethal infectious diseases amid COVID-19 as an escalating public health threat in South India.

As of 6 June 2022, a sum 25,782 of active cases and 524,701 deaths due to Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) have been recorded in India. Stewing in the flares of the pandemic, Kerala is entwined in the wrath of multiple emerging infectious diseases. India, a home to 1.3 billion people, recently faced a devastating second wave of COVID-19 during May of 2021, with a ruckus of chronic shortage of medicine, oxygen supplies, ventilators, besides, being challenged by secondary infections and chronic health ailments. The state of Kerala, alone contributes to 50% COVID-19 caseload, besides, recent simultaneous outbreaks of Zika Virus Disease (ZVD), Nipah Virus Disease (NiVD) and Kala-azar (black fever) on July 8, September 5 and 8, 2021 respectively. Syndemicity and a high case fatality rates of these highly contagious diseases coupled with post infection sequelae, overwhelm the already fragile healthcare system. Thus, these lethal infectious diseases along with an anticipated third wave of COVID-19 pose a serious public health threat in and around South India. With this narrative review, we aim to discuss the challenges that the emergence of intersecting outbreaks of Zika, Nipah, Kala-azar presents with, in the nation, amidst the global pandemic of COVID-19 and provide recommendations so as to help alleviate the situation. The syndemicity of COVID-19 with other infectious diseases, calls for adequate surveillance and monitoring of diseases' outbreaks. To avoid the worst situations like pandemic, the health ministry, public and private health stakeholders in India should strengthen the public healthcare delivery system and providence of quick medical facilities to control the rate of mortality and morbidity during outbreaks.

COVID-19 and Dementia; Hard to Forget Yet Haunting Forgetfulness!

The current pandemic has affected almost everyone worldwide. Although the majority of people survive the illness, bad cognitive repercussions might last a long time, resulting in a lower quality of life and disability, particularly in severe cases. We tried to understand and bring together the various possible mechanisms leading to dementia in COVID-19. The link between COVID-19 and dementia will help public health workers plan and allocate resources to provide better care for a community suffering from sickness and improve quality of life. A conceptual framework for care of infected people in the older age group and care of dementia people is proposed.

Blood Culture Contamination Rate as a Quality Indicator - a Prospective Observational Study.

Introduction: Blood culture test is the gold standard test to diagnose bloodstream infections, but contamination is the main problem in this valuable test. False positive results in blood cultures are mainly due to contamination that occurs mostly during pre-analytical procedures like sample collection and sometimes during sample processing. Materials and method:Our prospective observational study was undertaken at St. Theresa Hospital, Hyderabad, India, during January 2020-June 2020. Blood cultures received from inpatient departments (IPD) and outpatient departments (OPD) are included. Sample size: The contamination rate was calculated by dividing the total number of contaminated blood cultures by the total number of cultures multiplied by 100. Results:Blood culture contamination rate is 2.4%, which is within the limit as per the standard guideline. Conclusion:Contamination occurred mainly due to improper disinfection of the skin and environmental contamination.

Association of Serum Magnesium with Insulin Indices in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Introduction: Magnesium has a direct impact on glucose metabolism since it is a cofactor for numerous energy-metabolizing enzymes. Hypomagnesemia has been linked to poor glycemic control and a range of diabetes-related long-term complications. This study aimed to assess the association between blood magnesium levels and insulin sensitivity indices in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Material and methods:Two hundred newly diagnosed T2DM patients aged over 40 years were recruited after excluding those with a history of heart failure, kidney illness, liver disease, hypothyroidism, ascites, pregnancy, tumors, and complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis. Fasting glucose, serum magnesium, serum insulin, serum urea and creatinine were measured. Patients were divided into two groups based on their serum magnesium levels. Results:There were no age or sex differences between the subjects of the two groups. Participants in the group with low magnesium had significantly high fasting blood sugar (FBS), postprandial blood sugar (PPBS), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), serum insulin, homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (P < 0.001). The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed significant associations with PPBS [odds ratio (OR) 0.98 (95% CI 0.97-0.99)], HbA1c [OR 0.05 (95% CI=0.005-0.55)] and creatinine [OR 0.004 (95% CI=0.00-0.074)]. Correlation statistics showed a negative correlation between magnesium and PPBS (r =-0.204), HOMA-IR (r = -0.819) and creatinine (r = -0.151). Conclusion:Serum magnesium levels have a negative correlation with FBS and PPBS, as well as HOMA-IR. It may well be essential to include serum magnesium level as a regular assessment in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Risk Assessment of COVID-19 Infection among the Elderly Population.

Introduction:Elderly patients are susceptible to COVID-19 infection. They usually present with atypical symptoms and multiple organ dysfunction. The poor outcome in elderly patients is due to multiple comorbidities, declining functional status, and frailty. This study aimed to assess the risk profile of COVID-19 infection in the elderly population. Materials and methods:Patients aged 60 years and above with COVID-19 positive by RT-PCR were included in the study. Patients' demographic data, co-morbidities and severity of illness, complete hemogram, blood sugar, renal, liver function test, lactate dehydrogenase, interleukin-6, ferritin, D-dimer were noted. Patients' outcome in terms of survival was observed. Results:The total count, neutrophil lymphocyte ratio, ESR, urea, creatinine, interleukin 6, D-dimer, and blood sugar value were significantly associated with non-survival even after adjustment for age and gender. Complications such as acute kidney injury (AKI), renal failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome, multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (MODS), and World Health Organization (WHO) severity were also associated with non-survival before and after adjustment for age and gender. On Cox regression survival analysis, . three co-morbidities had hazard ratio (HR) of 54.36 [95% CI 3.66 to 807.01], WHO severity had HR of 31.09 [95% CI 1.31 to 738.22], MODS had HR of 16.97 [95% CI 2.86 to 100.39], creatinine had HR of 8.44 [95% CI 1.99 to 35.77], AKI had HR of 6.71 [95% CI 1.11 to 40.56]. Conclusion:In elderly patients with COVID-19 infection, the presence of at least three co-morbidities, severity of infection by WHO criteria and presence of complications such as MODS, elevated creatinine and AKI were predictors of the survival rate and mortality.

Wdr13 and streptozotocin-induced diabetes.

Type I diabetes, though contributes to only 5-10% of total diabetes cases, is a rising concern in today's world. Our previous studies have shown that the absence of WDR13 in mouse results in pancreatic ß-cell hyper-proliferation. Also, amelioration of the diabetic phenotype on introgression of Wdr13-null (Wdr13-/0) mutation in genetically diabetic mice (Leprdb/db) [type II diabetes] was observed. It was thus, interesting to see the role of WDR13 in streptozotocin-mediated diabetes in mice, a model for type I diabetes. Wdr13-/0 mice along with its wild type (Wdr13+/0 mice) littermates were administered streptozotocin intraperitoneally for 5 consecutive days. Blood glucose levels and body weights of these mice were monitored for subsequent 5 weeks and then they were sacrificed for physiological and histological analyses. Results showed that Wdr13-/0 mice exhibited higher serum insulin levels, better glucose clearance and significantly higher number of proliferating ß-cells; reiterating the finding that absence of WDR13 helps in ß-cell hyper-proliferation and recovery from diabetes; further underscoring WDR13 as a key target molecule for diabetes treatment/amelioration.

Cytogenetic investigations in couples with repeated miscarriages and malformed children: report of a novel insertion.

Recurrent miscarriage and the birth of a malformed child continue to be challenging problems for the patient and clinician. Often, cytogenetic studies have an important role in the evaluation of couples with a poor obstetric history. The present study deals with analysis of chromosome abnormalities in 2150 couples from India, and is the largest group ever reported in the literature. The observed incidence of chromosomal rearrangements in these couples was 3.5%. Apart from reciprocal, Robertsonian, inversions, a unique case of chromosome insertion was identified, which is perhaps only the second report in literature. Minor chromosome variants such as inv(9),inv(Y),9qh+, D/G variants were observed in 108 subjects. Cytogenetic studies should be performed for all couples with repeated miscarriages and bad obstetric history, and in cases of detected chromosomal aberration, the patient should be counselled individually according to the type of anomaly.