TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH FACTORS.

The constant increase in the level of traumatic brain injuries in recent years, the frequent cases of disability and mortality associated with them require in-depth comprehensive research to study the problem on the ground, its medical, social, and economic aspects, which is very important for improving organizational measures to reduce traumatization among all age groups of the population. Objectives - to determine the presence and nature of structural damage associated with traumatic brain injury. The presence and nature of structural damage associated with traumatic brain injury. The studies included data on the treatment of victims with traumatic brain injuries from 2016 to 2020 on the basis of the Surgical Clinic of the Azerbaijan Medical University. Among the victims, men accounted for 77.9% and women 22.1%. In a prospective comparative study, after signing informed consent, 299 people of different sexes were included, of which 90 were victims with isolated TBI. The inclusion criteria for the study were as follows: victims with a verified diagnosis of TBI; age over 18; patients without concomitant somatic pathology. In a gender-comparative analysis of the revealed data, an injury combined with fractures of the bones of the extremities was recorded in 77 (81.1%) males and 18 of their female opponents, who also received TBI and accounted for 18.9%. Also high, especially in the male half of the examined injured persons, was the frequency of occurrence of TBI combinations with rib fractures and injuries of the chest organs, such injuries were registered in 41 victims, which accounted for 77.4% of all the above combined TBI. Somewhat less in both sex groups was TBI in combination with traumatic injuries of organs and tissues of the abdominal region, as well as with mixed injuries (χ2 criterion is 2.066; Df=4; p=0.724). The lowest level of TBI was observed in people under the age of 20 and older than 70 years, in other groups this figure increased sharply, reaching a maximum at the age of 20-29 and 40-49 years, and stabilized in the age groups over 49 years. The maximum number of cases associated with partial or complete loss of consciousness was recorded in persons aggravated by simultaneous traumatization of the upper or lower extremities and chest, as well as in isolated TBI.

Preliminary Dissection of Grain Yield and Related Traits at Differential Nitrogen Levels in Diverse Pre-Breeding Wheat Germplasm Through Association Mapping.

Development of nutrient efficient cultivars depends on effective identification and utilization of genetic variation. We characterized a set of 276 pre-breeding lines (PBLs) for several traits at different levels of nitrogen application. These PBLs originate from synthetic wheats and landraces. We witnessed significant variation in various traits among PBLs to different nitrogen doses. There was ~ 4-18% variation range in different agronomic traits in response to nitrogen application, with the highest variation for the biological yield (BY) and the harvest index. Among various agronomic traits measured, plant height, tiller number, and BY showed a positive correlation with nitrogen applications. GWAS analysis detected 182 marker-trait associations (MTAs) (at p-value < 0.001), out of which 8 MTAs on chromosomes 5D, 4A, 6A, 1B, and 5B explained more than 10% phenotypic variance. Out of all, 40 MTAs observed for differential nitrogen application response were contributed by the synthetic derivatives. Moreover, 20 PBLs exhibited significantly higher grain yield than checks and can be selected as potential donors for improved plant nitrogen use efficiency (pNUE).

RNA-Seq-Based Transcriptomics Study to Investigate the Genes Governing Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Indian Wheat Cultivars.

High NUE (nitrogen use efficiency) has great practical significance for sustainable crop production. Wheat is one of the main cultivated crops worldwide for human food and nutrition. However, wheat grain productivity is dependent upon cultivars with high NUE in addition to the application of nitrogen fertilizers. In order to understand the molecular mechanisms exhibiting a high NUE response, a comparative transcriptomics study was carried out through RNA-seq analysis to investigate the gene expression that regulates NUE, in root and shoot tissue of N-efficient (PBW677) and N-inefficient (703) cultivars under optimum and nitrogen (N) stress. Differentially expressed gene analysis revealed a total of 2,406 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) present in both the contrasting cultivars under N stress. The efficient genotype PBW677 had considerably more abundant DEGs with 1,653 (903 roots +750 shoots) compared to inefficient cultivar PBW703 with 753 (96 roots +657 shoots). Gene ontology enrichment and pathway analysis of these DEGs suggested that the two cultivars differed in terms of adaptive mechanism. Gene enrichment analysis revealed that among the upregulated and downregulated genes the overrepresented and underrepresented gene categories belonged to biological processes like DNA binding, response to abiotic stimulus, photosynthesis, carbon fixation, carbohydrate metabolic process, nitrogen compound metabolic process, nitrate transport, and translation in cultivar PBW677, while the enriched biological processes were nucleosome assembly, chromatin remodeling, DNA packaging, lipid transport, sulfur compound metabolic process, protein modifications, and protein folding and refolding in N inefficient cultivar PBW703. We found several transcription factors (MYB, WRKY, RING finger protein, zinc finger protein, transporters, NRT1, amino acid transporters, sugar), protein kinases, and genes involved in N absorption, transportation, and assimilation to be highly expressed in high NUE cultivar PBW677. In our study, we report 13 potential candidate genes which showed alternate gene expression in the two contrasting cultivars under study. These genes could serve as potential targets for future breeding programs.

Pyramiding of genes for grain protein content, grain quality, and rust resistance in eleven Indian bread wheat cultivars: a multi-institutional effort.

Improvement of grain protein content (GPC), loaf volume, and resistance to rusts was achieved in 11 Indian wheat cultivars that are widely grown in four different agro-climatic zones of India. This involved use of marker-assisted backcross breeding (MABB) for introgression and pyramiding of the following genes: (i) the high GPC gene Gpc-B1; (ii) HMW glutenin subunits 5 + 10 at Glu-D1 loci, and (iii) rust resistance genes, Yr36, Yr15, Lr24, and Sr24. GPC increased by 0.8 to 3.3%, although high GPC was generally associated with yield penalty. Further selection among high GPC lines allowed identification of progenies with higher GPC associated with improvement in 1000-grain weight and grain yield in the backgrounds of the following four cultivars: NI5439, UP2338, UP2382, and HUW468. The high GPC progenies (derived from NI5439) were also improved for grain quality using HMW glutenin subunits 5 + 10 at Glu-D1 loci. Similarly, progenies combining high GPC and rust resistance were obtained in the backgrounds of following five cultivars: Lok1, HD2967, PBW550, PBW621, and DBW1. The improved pre-bred lines developed following multi-institutional effort should prove a valuable source for the development of cultivars with improved nutritional quality and rust resistance in the ongoing wheat breeding programmes. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11032-022-01277-w.

Prevalence of temporal bone pneumatization in relation to temporomandibular joint - A computed tomographic study.

BACKGROUND: Pneumatic spaces represent sites of minimal resistance, facilitating the spread of various pathological processes into the joint such as tumors, infection or fractures or vice versa. Considering the clinical importance of temporomandibular joint, prevalence of pneumatic spaces of the temporal bone in relation to TMJ in the roof of the TMJ fossa; articular eminence; zygomatic process and peritubal area was determined using Computed tomography. Laterality and gender wise prevalence of pneumatic spaces around the TMJ was also assessed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 100 high-resolution CT images of adult patients subjected to CT scan for the base of skull/temporal bone were utilized. Axial, reformatted coronal and sagittal images were analyzed on a DICOM viewer for the presence and distribution of pneumatic spaces of the temporal bone around TMJ in the roof of TMJ fossa, articular eminence, zygomatic process and peritubal area. RESULTS: The extent of pneumatization of the temporal bone varied considerably. The prevalence of pneumatization of the roof of the TMJ fossa was 52%, articular eminence (12%), the root of the zygomatic process (5%) and peritubal area was 56%. Higher frequency of bilateral pneumatization was seen. No statistically significant correlation was seen in gender wise distribution of pneumatization. CONCLUSION: The present study revealed higher prevalence of pneumatization of temporal bone around TMJ. The knowledge of these air spaces is helpful for the interpretation of imaging studies and to understand the spread of pathological processes into the joint.

Distribution of glaucoma in the major religious communities of a north Indian town: a hospital survey.

INTRODUCTION: Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in India and the numbers of the patients are increasing every day. The prevalence of glaucoma depends upon various factors like racial and ethnic factors, the socioeconomic status, etc. AIM: To study the pattern of glaucoma distribution among the patients in a tertiary care hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 1500 glaucoma patients was done, who presented between 2007 and 2012 in TMMC and RC, Moradabad, U.P, India. The age and the gender distribution of glaucoma was studied along with its subtypes in different religious groups (mainly among Hindus and Muslims). RESULTS: The mean age of the glaucoma patients was 52.7 years. Glaucoma was diagnosed in 882(58.8%) Muslim and in 561(37.4%) Hindu patients. The prevalence of POAG (33.0%) was almost equal to that of PACG (32.7%). POAG was the most common type of glaucoma in males (16.8%), while PACG was very common among females (18.8%). In Hindu patients, POAG (40.8%) was the commonest form of glaucoma, while in Muslims, PACG (40.1%) was the highest form of glaucoma. CONCLUSION: Glaucoma is a major ocular disease which is prevalent in the Muslim population of the western Uttar Pradesh region.

Changes in central retinal artery blood flow after ocular warming and cooling in healthy subjects.

CONTEXT: Retinal perfusion variability impacts ocular disease and physiology. AIM: To evaluate the response of central retinal artery (CRA) blood flow to temperature alterations in 20 healthy volunteers. SETTING AND DESIGN: Non-interventional experimental human study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Baseline data recorded: Ocular surface temperature (OST) in degrees C (thermo-anemometer), CRA peak systolic velocity (PSV) and end diastolic velocity (EDV) in cm/s using Color Doppler. Ocular laterality and temperature alteration (warming by electric lamp/cooling by ice-gel pack) were randomly assigned. Primary outcomes recorded were: OST and intraocular pressure (IOP) immediately after warming or cooling and ten minutes later; CRA-PSV and EDV at three, six and nine minutes warming or cooling. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Repeated measures ANOVA. RESULTS: (n = 20; mu+/-SD): Pre-warming values were; OST: 34.5+/-1.02 degrees C, CRA-PSV: 9.3+/-2.33 cm/s, CRA-EDV: 4.6+/-1.27 cm/s. OST significantly increased by 1.96 degrees C (95% CI: 1.54 to 2.37) after warming, but returned to baseline ten minutes later. Only at three minutes, the PSV significantly rose by 1.21 cm/s (95% CI: 0.51 to 1.91). Pre-cooling values were: OST: 34.5+/-0.96 degrees C, CRA-PSV: 9.7+/-2.45 cm/s, CRA-EDV: 4.7+/-1.12 cm/s. OST significantly decreased by 2.81 degrees C (95% CI: -2.30 to -3.37) after cooling, and returned to baseline at ten minutes. There was a significant drop in CRA-PSV by 1.10 cm/s (95% CI: -2.05 to -0.15) and CRA-EDV by 0.81 (95% CI: -1.47 to -0.14) at three minutes. At six minutes both PSV (95% CI: -1.38 to -0.03) and EDV (95% CI: -1.26 to -0.02) were significantly lower. All values at ten minutes were comparable to baseline. The IOP showed insignificant alteration on warming (95% CI of difference: -0.17 to 1.57 mmHg), but was significantly lower after cooling (95% CI: -2.95 to -4.30 mm Hg). After ten minutes, IOP had returned to baseline. CONCLUSION: This study confirms that CRA flow significantly increases on warming and decreases on cooling, the latter despite a significant lowering of IOP.