Genome sequencing and assembly of Indian golden silkmoth, Antheraea assamensis Helfer (Saturniidae, Lepidoptera).

Muga silkworm (Antheraea assamensis), one of the economically important wild silkmoths, is unique among saturniid silkmoths. It is confined to the North-eastern part of India. Muga silk has the highest value among the other silks. Unlike other silkmoths, A. assamensis has a low chromosome number (n = 15), and ZZ/ZO sex chromosome system. Here, we report the first high-quality draft genome of A. assamensis, assembled by employing the Illumina and PacBio sequencing platforms. The assembled genome of A. assamensis is 501.18 Mb long, with 2697 scaffolds and an N50 of 683.23 Kb. The genome encompasses 18,385 protein-coding genes, 86.29% of which were functionally annotated. Phylogenetic analysis of A. assamensis revealed its divergence from other Antheraea species approximately 28.7 million years ago. Moreover, an investigation into detoxification-related gene families, CYP450, GST, and ABC-transporter, revealed a significant expansion in A. assamensis as compared to the Bombyx mori. This expansion is comparable to Spodoptera litura, suggesting adaptive responses linked to the polyphagous behavior observed in these insects. This study provides valuable insights into the molecular basis of evolutionary divergence and adaptations in muga silkmoth. The genome assembly reported in this study will significantly help in the functional genomics studies on A. assamensis and other Antheraea species along with comparative genomics analyses of Bombycoidea insects.

Helminth Coinfection Alters Monocyte Activation, Polarization, and Function in Latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection.

Helminth infections are known to influence T and B cell responses in latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Whether helminth infections also modulate monocyte responses in helminth-LTBI coinfection has not been fully explored. To this end, we examined the activation, polarization, and function of human monocytes isolated from individuals with LTBI with (n = 25) or without (n = 25) coincident Strongyloides stercoralis infection (S. stercoralis-positive and S. stercoralis-negative respectively). Our data reveal that the presence of S. stercoralis infection is associated with lower frequencies of monocytes expressing CD54, CD80, CD86 at baseline (absence of stimulation) and in response to mycobacterial-Ag stimulation than monocytes from S. stercoralis-negative individuals. In contrast, S. stercoralis infection was associated with higher frequencies of M2-like monocytes, as determined by expression of CD206 and CD163. Monocytes from S. stercoralis-positive individuals had a reduced capacity to phagocytose or exhibit respiratory burst activity following mycobacterial-Ag or LPS stimulation and were less capable of expression of IL-1ß, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-12 at baseline and/or following Ag stimulation compared with those without S. stercoralis infection. In addition, definitive treatment of S. stercoralis infection resulted in a significant reversal of the altered monocyte function 6 mo after anthelmintic therapy. Finally, T cells from S. stercoralis-positive individuals exhibited significantly lower activation at baseline or following mycobacterial-Ag stimulation. Therefore, our data highlight the induction of dampened monocyte activation, enhanced M2 polarization, and impaired monocyte function in helminth-LTBI coinfection. Our data also reveal a different mechanism by which helminth infection modulates immune function in LTBI.

SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence in Individuals With Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Compared With Controls.

OBJECTIVE: Data for the association between diabetes and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) susceptibility are conflicting. We aimed to evaluate this association using an analytical cross-sectional study design. METHODS: Study participants were recruited from endocrine clinics of our hospital and belonged to 3 groups: group 1 (type 1 diabetes mellitus [T1DM]), group 2 (type 2 diabetes mellitus [T2DM]), and group 3 (controls). All participants submitted blood samples for SARS-CoV-2 S1/S2 immunoglobulin G antibody test (LIAISON; DiaSorin) and were interviewed for a history of documented infection. RESULTS: We evaluated a total of 643 participants (T1DM, 149; T2DM, 160; control, 334; mean age, 37.9 ± 11.5 years). A total of 324 (50.4%) participants were seropositive for SARS-CoV-2. The seropositivity rate was significantly higher in the T1DM (55.7% vs 44.9%, P = .028) and T2DM (56.9% vs 44.9%, P = .013) groups than in the control group. The antibody levels in seropositive participants with T1DM and T2DM were not significantly different from those in seropositive controls. On multivariable analysis, low education status (odds ratio [OR], 1.41 [95% CI, 1.03-1.94]; P = .035), diabetes (OR, 1.68 [95% CI, 1.20-2.34]; P = .002), and overweight/obesity (OR, 1.52 [95% CI, 1.10-2.10]; P = .012) showed a significant association with SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity. The association between diabetes and SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity was found to further increase in participants with coexisting overweight/obesity (adjusted OR, 2.63 [95% CI, 1.54-4.47]; P < .001). CONCLUSION: SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity, assessed before the onset of the national vaccination program, was significantly higher in participants with T1DM and T2DM than in controls. The antibody response did not differ between seropositive participants with and without diabetes. These findings point toward an increased SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility for patients with diabetes, in general, without any differential effect of the diabetes type.

Temporal changes in sleep quality and knee function following primary total knee arthroplasty: a prospective study.

PURPOSE: Several patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) have been used to assess improvement in the quality of life following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, there is paucity of studies evaluating the sleep quality and knee function following TKA. The primary aim of our study was to evaluate the sleep quality and knee function in primary TKA patients using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Knee Society Score (KSS), respectively. The secondary aim was to assess the correlation between the two outcome measures over the course of first post-operative year following TKA. METHODS: One hundred sixty-eight patients (female-140/male-28) with mean age of 64.63 years (± 7.50) who underwent 168 primary unilateral TKA using a cemented posterior-stabilised implant without patella resurfacing between June 2018 and October 2018 were included in the study. Global PSQI and KSS were recorded pre-operatively and post-operatively weekly up to six weeks and at one year. Body mass index (BMI) and Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) were recorded during pre-operative assessment. RESULTS: Mean(± SD) BMI and CCI were 28.45(± 4.64) and 2.48(± 0.93), respectively. Pre-operative global PSQI of 1.98(± 0.97) increased to 13.48(± 3.36) in the first post-operative week (p < 0.001) and remained high during all the six weeks following TKA (p < 0.001), whereas at the first post-operative year, it reduced to 2.10(± 1.15) (p = 0.15). Pre-operative KSS of 52.00(± 9.98) increased to 71.67(± 6.58) and 85.49(± 4.67) at 6 weeks and the first post-operative year respectively (p < 0.001). Pre-operative global PSQI had moderate correlation with pre-operative KSS (r = 0.39) (p < 0.001). Strong correlation was noted between pre-operative global PSQI and six week post-operative KSS (r = 0.47) (p < 0.001). Low correlation was noted between pre-operative global PSQI and KSS at the first post-operative year (r = 0.10, p = 0.19) following TKA. Multiple regression analysis revealed age, CCI, and pre-operative range of motion as independent predictors of global PSQI. CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing TKA experience changes in sleep quality but report an overall improvement in knee function during the first post-operative year. Sleep quality has moderate to strong correlation with knee function in the early post-operative period beyond which there is a low correlation with knee function thereby suggesting a transient phenomenon. Hence patients undergoing TKA can be appropriately counselled regarding the variation in sleep quality in the post-operative period and reassured accordingly.

Comparative Evaluation of the Percentage of Gutta-percha Filled Areas in Canals Obturated with Different Obturation Techniques.

AIM: To evaluate the percentage of gutta-percha filled areas (PGFA) in canals obturated with guttacore system, single cone, and lateral compaction techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 60 single-rooted mandibular premolars were selected and randomly divided into three equal groups depending on the type of obturation technique used. After the obturation, the samples were marked at 2, 4, 6, and 8 mm distance from the apex and sectioned horizontally, and viewed under a stereomicroscope at 25×. The area of the canal and of the filling material was recorded, and the percentage of filling material on the canal wall was calculated. RESULTS: Guttacore showed the highest percentage of root-filled areas followed by single cone and lateral compaction techniques at 2, 4, 6, and 8 mm from the apex. CONCLUSION: None of the filling techniques used in the study was completely able to fill the root canals with gutta-percha and sealer. The guttacore system had a maximum area of root canals filled as compared to the single cone and lateral compaction system. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Root canals are mostly oval, elongated, or irregularly shaped rather than being completely round. Hence, the obturation technique that fills the maximum area of the root canal must be selected according to the given clinical circumstances.

Diminished Circulating Levels of Angiogenic Factors and Rage Ligands in Helminth-Diabetes Comorbidity and Reversal Following Anthelmintic Treatment.

BACKGROUND: Various epidemiological and experimental studies propose that helminths could play a preventive role against the progression of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). T2DM induces microvascular and large vessel complications mediated by elevated levels of angiogenic factors and soluble receptor for advanced glycation end product (RAGE) ligands. However, the interactions between helminths and host angiogenic factors and RAGE ligands are unexplored. METHODS: To assess the relationship between a soil-transmitted helminth, Strongyloides stercoralis (Ss), and T2DM, we measured plasma levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A, -C, and -D; angiopoietins 1 and 2 (Ang-1 and Ang-2); and their receptors VEGF-R1, -R2, and -R3 as well as soluble RAGE (sRAGE) and their ligands advanced glycation end products (AGEs), S100A12, and high mobility group box 1 (HMGB-1) in individuals with T2DM with or those without Ss infection. In Ss-infected individuals, we also measured the levels of aforementioned factors 6 months following anthelmintic therapy. RESULTS: Ss-infected individuals exhibited significantly decreased levels of VEGF-A, VEGF-C, VEGF-D, Ang-1, and Ang-2 and their soluble receptors VEGF-R1, -R2, and -R3, that increased following anthelmintic therapy. Likewise, Ss-infected individuals exhibited significantly decreased levels of AGEs and their ligands sRAGE, S100A12, and HMGB-1, which reversed following anthelmintic therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that Ss infection could play a beneficial role by limiting or delaying T2DM-related vascular complications.

Demographic and clinical profile of youth onset diabetes patients in India-Results from the baseline data of a clinic based registry of people with diabetes in India with young age at onset-[YDR-02].

BACKGROUND: We here report the demographic and clinical profile of the patients enrolled in the Indian Council of Medical Research funded Registry of people with diabetes in India with young age at onset (YDR) from 1 January 2000 to 31 July 2011. METHODS: The YDR registry recruits all diabetes cases (newly diagnosed or treated) reporting on or after 1 January 2000 with age of diagnosis ≤25 years, and residing within the assigned geographical area of the reporting centres. A baseline proforma was used to obtain information on demographic and clinical details at registration. RESULTS: The registry has enrolled 5546 patients (49.5% male; 50.5% female) with youth onset diabetes from 205 reporting centres linked to 8 regional collaborating centres (RCC) across India. T1DM (63.9%; n = 3545) and T2DM (25.3%; n = 1401) were the commonest variants of youth onset diabetes, though their relative proportion varied across RCCs. The mean (SD) age at diagnosis for T1DM was 12.9 (6.5) years, while that for T2DM was 21.7 (3.7) years. Nearly half the T1DM patients were registered within 6 months of the onset of disease. Most cases of T2DM (47.3%) were registered after 3 years from their date of diagnosis. 56.1% of patients had at least one episode of hospitalization at registration. CONCLUSION: The observations from YDR registry indicate the need to establish a surveillance system in India to monitor diabetes in youth, not only to understand its complex etiology and natural history but also due to its detrimental socio economic impact.

Diabetic ketoacidosis at diagnosis among youth with type 1 and type 2 diabetes: Results from SEARCH (United States) and YDR (India) registries.

BACKGROUND: There is significant global variation in the prevalence of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at diagnosis among youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D). However, data for youth with type 2 diabetes (T2D) are limited, even in developed countries. We compared the prevalence of DKA at diagnosis among individuals with T1D and T2D from the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth (SEARCH) and the Registry of Youth Onset Diabetes in India (YDR) registries. METHODS: We harmonized the SEARCH and YDR registries to the structure and terminology in the Observational Medical Outcome Partnership Common Data Model. Data used were from youth with T1D and T2D diagnosed before 20 years and newly diagnosed between 2006 and 2012 in YDR and 2009 and 2012 in SEARCH. RESULTS: There were 5366 US youth (4078 with T1D, 1288 with T2D) and 2335 Indian youth (2108 with T1D, 227 with T2D). More than one third of T1D youth enrolled in SEARCH had DKA at diagnosis which was significantly higher than in YDR (35.3% vs 28.7%, P < .0001). The burden of DKA in youth with T1D was significantly higher among younger age groups; this relationship was similar across registries (P = .4). The prevalence of DKA among T2D in SEARCH and YDR were 5.5% and 6.6% respectively (P = .4). CONCLUSIONS: There is significant burden of DKA at diagnosis with T1D among youth from United States and India, especially among the younger age groups. The reasons for this high prevalence are largely unknown but are critical to developing interventions to prevent DKA at diagnosis.

Clinical profile at diagnosis with youth-onset type 1 and type 2 diabetes in two pediatric diabetes registries: SEARCH (United States) and YDR (India).

BACKGROUND: Over the last decades, diabetes in youth has increased in both India and the United States, along with the burden of long-term complications and healthcare costs. However, there are limited standardized population-based data in contemporary youth cohorts for comparison of clinical and demographic characteristics of diabetes for both type 1 (T1D) and type 2 (T2D). METHODS: In partnership, we harmonized demographic and clinical data from the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth (SEARCH) registry in the United States and the Registry of People with Diabetes with Youth Age at Onset (YDR) in India to the structure and terminology of the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership Common Data Model. Data were from youth with T1D and T2D, aged <20 years and newly diagnosed between 2006 and 2010. We compared key characteristics across registries using χ2 tests and t-tests. RESULTS: In total, there were 9650 youth with T1D and 2406 youth with T2D from 2006 to 2012. SEARCH youth were diagnosed at younger ages than YDR youth for T1D and T2D (10.0 vs 10.5 years, P < .001 and 14.7 vs 16.1 years, P < .001, respectively). For T2D, SEARCH had a higher proportion of females and significantly lower proportion of youth of high socioeconomic status compared to YDR. For T1D and T2D, SEARCH youth had higher BMI, lower blood pressure, and lower A1c compared to YDR youth. CONCLUSIONS: These data offer insights into the demographic and clinical characteristics of diabetes in youth across the two countries. Further research is needed to better understand why these differences exist.

Treatment regimens and glycosylated hemoglobin levels in youth with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes: Data from SEARCH (United States) and YDR (India) registries.

OBJECTIVE: To compare treatment regimens and glycosylated hemoglobin (A1c) levels in Type 1 (T1D) and Type 2 diabetes (T2D) using diabetes registries from two countries-U.S. SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth (SEARCH) and Indian Registry of youth onset diabetes in India (YDR). METHODS: The SEARCH and YDR data were harmonized to the structure and terminology in the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership Common Data Model. Data used were from T1D and T2D youth diagnosed <20 years between 2006-2012 for YDR, and 2006, 2008, and 2012 for SEARCH. We compared treatment regimens and A1c levels across the two registries. RESULTS: There were 4003 T1D (SEARCH = 1899; YDR = 2104) and 611 T2D (SEARCH = 384; YDR = 227) youth. The mean A1c was higher in YDR compared to SEARCH (T1D:11.0% ± 2.9% vs 7.8% ± 1.7%, P < .001; T2D:9.9% ± 2.8% vs 7.2% ± 2.1%, P < .001). Among T1D youth in SEARCH, 65.1% were on a basal/bolus regimen, whereas in YDR, 52.8% were on once/twice daily insulin regimen. Pumps were used by 16.2% of SEARCH and 1.5% of YDR youth with T1D. Among T2D youth, in SEARCH and YDR, a majority were on metformin only (43.0% vs 30.0%), followed by insulin + any oral hypoglycemic agents (26.3% vs 13.7%) and insulin only (12.8% vs 18.9%), respectively. CONCLUSION: We found significant differences between SEARCH and YDR in treatment patterns in T1D and T2D. A1c levels were higher in YDR than SEARCH youth, for both T1D and T2D, irrespective of the regimens used. Efforts to achieve better glycemic control for youth are urgently needed to reduce the risk of long-term complications.

Comparison of the incidence of diabetes in United States and Indian youth: An international harmonization of youth diabetes registries.

OBJECTIVE: Incidence of youth-onset diabetes in India has not been well described. Comparison of incidence, across diabetes registries, has the potential to inform hypotheses for risk factors. We sought to compare the incidence of diabetes in the U.S.-based registry of youth onset diabetes (SEARCH) to the Registry of Diabetes with Young Age at Onset (YDR-Chennai and New Delhi regions) in India. METHODS: We harmonized data from both SEARCH and YDR to the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) Common Data Model. Data were from youth registered with incident diabetes (2006-2012). Denominators were from census and membership data. We calculated diabetes incidence by averaging the total cases across the entire follow-up period and dividing this by the estimated census population corresponding to the source population for case ascertainment. Incidence was calculated for each of the registries and compared by type and within age and sex categories using a 2-sided, skew-corrected inverted score test. RESULTS: Incidence of type 1 was higher in SEARCH (21.2 cases/100 000 [95% CI: 19.9, 22.5]) than YDR (4.9 cases/100 000 [95% CI: 4.3, 5.6]). Incidence of type 2 diabetes was also higher in SEARCH (5.9 cases/100 000 [95% CI: 5.3, 6.6] in SEARCH vs 0.5/cases/100 000 [95% CI: 0.3, 0.7] in YDR). The age distribution of incident type 1 diabetes cases was similar across registries, whereas type 2 diabetes incidence was higher at an earlier age in SEARCH. Sex differences existed in SEARCH only, with a higher rate of type 2 diabetes among females. CONCLUSION: The incidence of youth-onset type 1 and 2 diabetes was significantly different between registries. Additional data are needed to elucidate whether the differences observed represent diagnostic delay, differences in genetic susceptibility, or differences in distribution of risk factors.

Plasmodium vivax liver stage assay platforms using Indian clinical isolates.

BACKGROUND: Vivax malaria is associated with significant morbidity and economic loss, and constitutes the bulk of malaria cases in large parts of Asia and South America as well as recent case reports in Africa. The widespread prevalence of vivax is a challenge to global malaria elimination programmes. Vivax malaria control is particularly challenged by existence of dormant liver stage forms that are difficult to treat and are responsible for multiple relapses, growing drug resistance to the asexual blood stages and host-genetic factors that preclude use of specific drugs like primaquine capable of targeting Plasmodium vivax liver stages. Despite an obligatory liver-stage in the Plasmodium life cycle, both the difficulty in obtaining P. vivax sporozoites and the limited availability of robust host cell models permissive to P. vivax infection are responsible for the limited knowledge of hypnozoite formation biology and relapse mechanisms, as well as the limited capability to do drug screening. Although India accounts for about half of vivax malaria cases world-wide, very little is known about the vivax liver stage forms in the context of Indian clinical isolates. METHODS: To address this, methods were established to obtain infective P. vivax sporozoites from an endemic region in India and multiple assay platforms set up to detect and characterize vivax liver stage forms. Different hepatoma cell lines, including the widely used HCO4 cells, primary human hepatocytes as well as hepatocytes obtained from iPSC's generated from vivax patients and healthy donors were tested for infectivity with P. vivax sporozoites. RESULTS: Both large and small forms of vivax liver stage are detected in these assays, although the infectivity obtained in these platforms are low. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a proof of concept for detecting liver stage P. vivax and provide the first characterization of P. vivax liver stage forms from an endemic region in India.

Development of a preoperative Early Warning Scoring System to identify highly suspect COVID-19 patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is spreading at an unprecedented speed. Lack of resources to test every patient scheduled for surgery and false negative test results contribute to considerable stress to anesthesiologists, along with health risks to both caregivers and other patients. The study aimed to develop an early warning screening tool to rapidly detect 'highly suspect' among the patients scheduled for surgery. METHODS: Review of literature was conducted using terms 'coronavirus' OR 'nCoV 2019' OR 'SARS-CoV-2' OR 'COVID-19' AND 'clinical characteristics' in PUBMED and MedRxiv. Suitable articles were analysed for symptoms and investigations commonly found in COVID-19 patients. Additionally, COVID-19 patient's symptomatology and investigation profiles were obtained through a survey from 20 COVID-19 facilities in India. Based on literature evidence and the survey information, an Early Warning Scoring System was developed. RESULTS: Literature search yielded 3737 publications, of which 195 were considered relevant. Of these 195 studies, those already included in the meta-analyses were not considered for independent assessment. Based on the combined data from meta-analyses and survey, risk factors of COVID-19 disease identified were as follows: history of exposure, fever, cough, myalgias, lymphocytopaenia, elevated C-reactive protein (CRP)/lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and radiographic infiltrates. CONCLUSION: Development of this Early Warning Scoring System for preoperative screening of patients may help in identifying 'highly suspect' COVID-19 patients, alerting the physician and other healthcare workers on the need for adequate personal protection and also to implement necessary measures to prevent cross infection and contamination during the perioperative period.

Correlations between Interleukin-33 and -1α Levels in Gingival Crevicular Fluid and Plasma in Patients with Chronic or Aggressive Periodontitis and Disease-free Subjects.

Interleukin (IL)-33 is a dual-function protein that may play important roles as both a cytokine and intracellular nuclear factor. It may also function similarly to prototypical alarmin IL-1α, as an endogenous danger signal to alert innate immune system cells to tissue damage during trauma or infection, as it can be released in the extracellular space after endothelial cell damage or mechanical injury. The aim of this study was to determine possible correlations between concentrations of IL-33 and IL-1α in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and plasma obtained from healthy patients, those with chronic periodontitis (CP), and those with generalized aggressive periodontitis (GAP) patients. Forty-five patients with an age range of 20-60 years were enrolled and divided into 3 groups: Group H, 30 samples (15 GCF and 15 plasma) from 15 patients with healthy periodontium; Group CP, 30 samples from 15 patients with CP; and Group GAP, 30 samples from 15 patients with GAP. The clinical periodontal parameters investigated in all groups comprised the gingival index score, probing pocket depth, and clinical attachment level. The GCF and plasma levels of IL-33 and IL-1α were quantitated using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The mean IL-33 concentrations in GCF and plasma were highest in Group GAP, followed by Group CP, with the lowest in Group H; the difference among them was statistically significant (p<0.05). Concentration of IL-1α followed the same trend as that of IL-33 in GCF, but was lower than detection levels in plasma. The GCF and plasma concentrations of IL-33 correlated with IL-1α concentrations in GCF. Concentrations of IL-33 and IL-1α in GCF varied significantly between healthy patients and those with disease, allowing healthy patients to be distinguished from those with GAP or CP. The results of this study suggest that IL-33 offers a potential inflammatory marker of periodontal disease, similar to IL-1α.

Elevated levels of matrix metalloproteinases reflect severity and extent of disease in tuberculosis-diabetes co-morbidity and are predominantly reversed following standard anti-tuberculosis or metformin treatment.

BACKGROUND: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are considered to be key mediators of tuberculosis (TB) pathology but their role in tuberculosis - diabetes comorbidity (TB-DM) is not well understood. METHODS: To study the association of MMP levels with severity and extent of disease as well as bacterial burden in TB-DM, we examined the systemic levels of MMP-1, - 2, - 3, - 7, - 8, - 9, - 10, - 12 and - 13 in individuals with TB-DM and compared them to those with TB alone (TB) or healthy controls (HC). RESULTS: Circulating levels of MMP-1, - 2, - 3, - 7, - 10 and - 12 were significantly higher in TB-DM compared to both TB and HC and MMP -13 levels were higher in comparison to HC alone. To understand the effect of standard anti-tuberculosis therapy (ATT) on these MMP levels in TB-DM, we measured the levels of MMPs at the end of treatment (post-treatment). Our findings indicate that ATT is associated with a significant reduction in the levels of MMP-1, - 2, - 3, - 8 and - 13 post-treatment. Moreover, the levels of MMP-1, - 2, - 3, - 9 and - 12 were significantly higher in TB-DM individuals with cavitary disease and/or bilateral disease at baseline but not post-treatment. Similarly, the levels of MMP -1, - 2, - 3 and - 8 exhibited a significant positive relationship with bacterial burden and HbA1c levels at baseline but not post-treatment. Within the TB-DM group, those known to be diabetic before incident TB (KDM) exhibited significantly higher levels of MMP-1, - 2, - 10 and - 12 at baseline and of MMP-1 and -3 post-treatment compared to those newly diagnosed with DM (NDM). Finally, KDM individuals on metformin treatment exhibited significantly lower levels of MMP-1, - 2, - 3, - 7, - 9 and - 12 at baseline and of MMP-7 post-treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate that systemic MMP levels reflect baseline disease severity and extent in TB-DM, differentiate KDM from NDM and are modulated by ATT and metformin therapy.

Interleukin-34 Levels in Gingival Crevicular Fluid and Plasma in Healthy and Diseased Periodontal Tissue in Presence or Absence of Obesity: A Clinico-biochemical Study.

Interleukin (IL)-34 has recently been identified as an alternative ligand for colonystimulating factor-1 receptor and plays an important role in osteoclastogenesis. The aim of this study was to assess and compare IL-34 levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and plasma in obese individuals in the presence or absence of periodontal disease and to determine whether they showed a correlation with disease severity. Forty patients aged between 25 and 40 yr were enrolled and categorized into 4 groups: 10 non-obese patients with healthy periodontium (Group I); 10 obese patients with healthy periodontium (Group II); 10 non-obese patients with chronic periodontitis (Group III); and 10 obese patients with chronic periodontitis (Group IV). Demographic variables such as age and body mass index score were recorded and assessed, together with clinical periodontal parameters such as the gingival index, probing pocket depth, and clinical attachment level scores in all groups. The GCF and plasma levels of IL-34 were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results showed that the mean IL-34 concentrations in GCF or plasma were highest in Group IV, followed by Group III, Group II, and Group I, with the difference among them being statistically significant (p<0.05). These results suggest that obese individuals with periodontitis have higher GCF and plasma IL-34 levels than non-obese individuals with healthy periodontium. This suggests IL-34 as a potential inflammatory marker of periodontal disease and obesity.

Influence of Smoking on Interleukin-34 Levels in Gingival Crevicular Fluid and Plasma in Periodontal Health and Disease: A Clinico-biochemical Study.

Interleukin-34 (IL-34), an alternative ligand for macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor, plays an important role in osteoclastogenesis. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of smoking on IL-34 levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and plasma in individuals with healthy periodontium and chronic generalized periodontitis (CP). A total of 60 individuals ranging in age from 25 to 55 years were enrolled in the study. The participants were divided into 4 groups: Group A, 30 samples (15 GCF and 15 plasma) obtained from 15 non-smokers with healthy periodontium; Group B, 30 samples (15 GCF and 15 plasma) from 15 smokers with healthy periodontium; Group C, 30 samples (15 GCF and 15 plasma) from 15 non-smokers with CP; and Group D, 30 samples (15 GCF and 15 plasma) from 15 smokers with CP. The Gingival Index and probing depth scores, together with the Clinical Attachment Level, were assessed in each group as clinical periodontal parameters. Levels of IL-34 in GCF and plasma were quantified using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The results showed that the mean IL-34 concentrations in GCF and plasma were highest in Group D, followed by Group C, Group B, and Group A, and the difference among them was statistically significant (p<0.05). The relatively elevated IL-34 levels observed here in smokers with CP suggest that this cytokine offers a potential inflammatory marker of periodontal disease in smokers.

Correlation of crevicular fluid and serum levels of retinol-binding protein 4 and leptin in chronic periodontitis and obesity.

OBJECTIVE: Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) and leptin are both adipokines and involved in the pathophysiology of different vascular and inflammatory diseases and selectively elevated in patients with obesity. The aim of the present study was to determine and correlate the levels of RBP4 and leptin in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and serum in patients with chronic periodontitis (CP) and obesity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 70 patients with age group 25 to 45 years were divided into four groups based on gingival index (GI), probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), body mass index (BMI) and radiographic evidence of bone loss. The groups were (1) group I (non-obese periodontally healthy), (2) group II (obese periodontally healthy), (3) group III (non-obese with chronic periodontitis) and (4) group IV (obese with chronic periodontitis). The GCF and serum levels of human RBP4 and leptin were quantified using ELISA. RESULTS: An increase in RBP4 levels from group I to group IV was found in both GCF and serum. However, GCF leptin levels was found to be greatest in group II, then group I, group IV and group III showing the least while an increase in serum levels from group I to group IV was found. The GCF and serum values of the inflammatory mediator correlated with the evaluated periodontal parameters and with each other (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: RBP4 and leptin can be considered as possible GCF and serum markers of inflammatory activity in CP and obesity, which further longitudinal studies are needed.

Preparation of titanate nanosheets and nanoribbons by exfoliation of amine intercalated titanates.

Amine intercalated titanates were synthesized by direct exchange of potassium ions of K2Ti4O9 by alkyl ammonium ions of various alkyl chain lengths. These intercalated solids exfoliate well in alcohols of different alkyl chain lengths and non-polar solvents such as toluene and hexane to yield colloidal dispersions of titanate nanosheets. The longer the alkyl chain of the intercalated amine the better the exfoliation of the intercalated titanate in long chain alcohols and non-polar solvents. While non-uniform rectangular nanosheets were obtained when aggressive sonication was employed for exfoliating the solids, nanoribbons were obtained when the exfoliation was carried out by gently stirring the solids in the solvent.