Bioenergy sorghum stem growth regulation: intercalary meristem localization, development, and gene regulatory network analysis.

Bioenergy sorghum is a highly productive drought tolerant C4 grass that accumulates 80% of its harvestable biomass in approximately 4 m length stems. Stem internode growth is regulated by development, shading, and hormones that modulate cell proliferation in intercalary meristems (IMs). In this study, sorghum stem IMs were localized above the pulvinus at the base of elongating internodes using magnetic resonance imaging, microscopy, and transcriptome analysis. A change in cell morphology/organization occurred at the junction between the pulvinus and internode where LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARIES (SbLOB), a boundary layer gene, was expressed. Inactivation of an AGCVIII kinase in DDYM (dw2) resulted in decreased SbLOB expression, disrupted IM localization, and reduced internode cell proliferation. Transcriptome analysis identified approximately 1000 genes involved in cell proliferation, hormone signaling, and other functions selectively upregulated in the IM compared with a non-meristematic stem tissue. This cohort of genes is expressed in apical dome stem tissues before localization of the IM at the base of elongating internodes. Gene regulatory network analysis identified connections between genes involved in hormone signaling and cell proliferation. The results indicate that gibberellic acid induces accumulation of growth regulatory factors (GRFs) known to interact with ANGUSTIFOLIA (SbAN3), a master regulator of cell proliferation. GRF:AN3 was predicted to induce SbARF3/ETT expression and regulate SbAN3 expression in an auxin-dependent manner. GRFs and ARFs regulate genes involved in cytokinin and brassinosteroid signaling and cell proliferation. The results provide a molecular framework for understanding how hormone signaling regulates the expression of genes involved in cell proliferation in the stem IM.

The AGCVIII kinase Dw2 modulates cell proliferation, endomembrane trafficking, and MLG/xylan cell wall localization in elongating stem internodes of Sorghum bicolor.

Stems of bioenergy sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench.), a drought-tolerant C4 grass, contain up to 50 nodes and internodes of varying length that span 4-5 m and account for approximately 84% of harvested biomass. Stem internode growth impacts plant height and biomass accumulation and is regulated by brassinosteroid signaling, auxin transport, and gibberellin biosynthesis. In addition, an AGCVIII kinase (Dw2) regulates sorghum stem internode growth, but the underlying mechanism and signaling network are unknown. Here we provide evidence that mutation of Dw2 reduces cell proliferation in internode intercalary meristems, inhibits endocytosis, and alters the distribution of heteroxylan and mixed linkage glucan in cell walls. Phosphoproteomic analysis showed that Dw2 signaling influences the phosphorylation of proteins involved in lipid signaling (PLDδ), endomembrane trafficking, hormone, light, and receptor signaling, and photosynthesis. Together, our results show that Dw2 modulates endomembrane function and cell division during sorghum internode growth, providing insight into the regulation of monocot stem development.

The ambulatory blood pressure monitoring among obese and nonobese diabetes mellitus patients.

Background: Obesity and diabetes mellitus are two major factors related with the risk of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases. Co-existing hypertension with diabetes mellitus and obesity has poor prognosis for cardiovascular diseases. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) correlates more closely to target organ damage than clinic blood pressure. Objectives: The objective of the study is to assess and compare ABPM pattern among obese and nonobese diabetes mellitus patients. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among fifty obese and fifty nonobese diabetic patients who were classified based on their body mass index as per the WHO criterion. The clinical blood pressure measurements were measured on each subject using a digital sphygmomanometer, and 24 h ABPM was done and ABPM parameters such as dipping pattern, 24 h systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), Mean SBP, mean DBP, diurnal variability of SBP, DBP, Mean arterial pressure, pulse pressure, SD systole (Standard Deviation systole), SD diastole, white coat hypertension was derived and compared between the two groups. Results: Around 37 (74%) obese and 18 (36%) nonobese showed non dipping pattern in SBP and 28 (66.7%) of obese and 14 (33.3%) of nonobese showed a nondipping pattern in DBP and was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.001). On comparison between normotensive obese and normotensive nonobese, it was found that SBP non dipping pattern18 (67%) versus 9 (29%) and DBP nondipping pattern 12 (45%) versus 5 (16%) was statistically significant with P = 0.004, 0.016, respectively. Conclusion: Obese diabetes mellitus subjects had altered ABPM parameters and increased prevalence of nondipping status. In addition, obese diabetic patients who did not give prior history of hypertension were also found to have higher nondipping SBP and DBP patterns.

Impact of Updated 2016 ASE/EACVI VIS-À-VIS 2009 ASE Recommendation on the Prevalence of Diastolic Dysfunction and LV Filling Pressures in Patients with Preserved Ejection Fraction.

BACKGROUND: Assessment of diastolic dysfunction (DD) and left ventricular filling pressures (LVFP) by echocardiography is complex in patients with preserved ejection fraction (EF). The American Society of Echocardiography and the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (ASE/EACVI) jointly published recommendations in 2016 to simplify the diagnosis and classification of DD and the assessment of LVFP. We aimed to study the impact of the updated 2016 ASE/EACVI guidelines vis-à-vis the 2009 ASE recommendations on prevalence of DD and LVFP in patients with preserved EF. METHODS: Five hundred patients referred to the echocardiography laboratory from March 2020 to May 2020 were analyzed. Patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 50% were excluded. All patients underwent comprehensive transthoracic echocardiography. DD and LVFP were assessed by the 2016 ASE/EACVI and 2009 ASE recommendations. The concordance between the guidelines was analyzed by kappa coefficient and overall proportion of agreement. RESULTS: Mean age was 53 ± 13 years and 63.4% were men. Prevalence of DD and abnormal LVFP were significantly lower with the 2016 recommendations than with the 2009 recommendations (9.4% vs. 16.8%, p < 0.001 and 8.4% vs. 12.8%, p < 0.05). Patients with Grade 1 DD (100%) and Grade 2 DD (46.4%) were reclassified by the 2016 recommendations. Indeterminate diastolic function (9.8%) was strikingly high according to the 2016 recommendations. The concordance between the two recommendations was moderate (kappa = 0.569). The overall proportion of agreement was 85.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of DD and abnormal LV filling pressures were lower with application of the 2016 ASE/EACVI recommendations in patients with preserved EF. There was moderate agreement between the 2009 and 2016 recommendations.

Implementation and Evaluation of Virtual Anticoagulation Clinic Care to Provide Incessant Care During COVID-19 Times in an Indian Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital.

Background: COVID-19 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-II) has become a global pandemic disrupting public health services. Telemedicine has emerged as an important tool to deliver care during these situations. Patients receiving Vitamin K antagonists (VKA) require structured monitoring which has posed a challenge during this pandemic. We aimed to evaluate the impact of Virtual anticoagulation clinic (VAC), a Telehealth model on the quality of anticoagulation, adverse events, and patient satisfaction vis-a-vis standard Anticoagulation clinic (ACC) care. Materials and methods: A bidirectional cohort study was conducted in the Department of Cardiology, JSS Hospital, Mysore. Two hundred and twenty-eight patients in the VAC and 274 patients in the ACC fulfilling inclusion criteria were the subjects of the study. Telehealth tools like WhatsApp and telephone were used. Time in therapeutic range (TTR), Percentage of International normalized ratio in range (PINRR), and adverse events were analyzed and compared between the VAC group and the ACC group, between pre-COVID and COVID ACC groups, and between the VAC group and the same pre-COVID cohort. Patient satisfaction was assessed by a questionnaire at the end of 8 months. Descriptive statistics were used for the patient characteristics and inferential statistics for the comparisons between pre-VAC and VAC care. Results: The mean TTR was 75.4 ± 8.9% and 71.2 ± 13.4% in the VAC group and ACC group, respectively (p < 0.001). The mean PINRR was 66.7 ± 9.4% and 62.4 ± 10.9% in the VAC group and ACC group respectively, (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in TTR between the VAC group and the same pre-COVID cohort. The TTR differential between the pre-COVID and COVID ACC groups was significant. In either group, no major adverse events were seen. The most common tools used for data exchange were WhatsApp (83%) and SMS (17%). Seventy-four percent of patients were extremely satisfied with the overall VAC care. Conclusions: Virtual anticoagulation clinic, a telehealth model can be used as an alternative option to deliver uninterrupted anticoagulation care during pandemic times.

Assessment of Clinical Pharmacists' Assistance for Patients With Established Cardiovascular Diseases During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Insights From Southern India.

Objectives: We aimed to assess the clinical pharmacist-initiated telephone-based patient education and self-management support for patients with cardiovascular disease during the nationwide lockdown during COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A prospective single-center telephone-based cross-sectional study was conducted among patients at the Cardiology Department and its speciality clinic at a 1,800-bed tertiary care hospital in Southern India. A validated 8-item clinical pharmacist aided on-call questionnaire with two Domains was administered during and after lockdown (15 March and 8 June 2020). Clinical pharmacist-provided educational assistance on self-management practices were in accordance with the guidelines of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and World Health Organization. Comparisons was performed using sign test and association of responses were analyzed using the Goodman and Kruskal's gamma test. All the tests were two-tailed, p < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: Of the 1,080 patients, 907 consented with a response rate of (83.9%) and 574 (96.36%) patients were analyzed post-intervention. Majority of the patients were male (54.7%) and had Acute Coronary Syndrome [NSTEMI (42.10%), STEMI (33.92%) and Unstable Angina (9.86)]. The majority of subjects had at least two co-morbid conditions [(Type II Diabetes (48.33%), Hypertension (50.11%)] and were rural population (82.5%) as self-employed (43.1%) with a middle-class economy (31.6%). In the Domain-1 of checklist the awareness toward complications caused by COVID-19 in cardiovascular diseases (Z = -19.698, p = 0.000) and the importance of universal safety precautions enhanced after clinical pharmacist assistance [(Z = -8.603, p = 0.000) and (Z = -21.795, p = 0.000)]. In Domain-II of checklist there was a significant improvement in patients awareness toward fatal complications caused by COVID-19 (Z = -20.543, p = 0.000), maintenance of self-hygiene (Z = -19.287, p = 0.000), practice of universal safety precautions (Z = -16.912, p = 0.000) and self-isolation (Z = -19.545, p = 0.000). The results of our study population varied from baseline evaluation (41.7%, n = 907) to post-intervention (95%, n = 574) based on Literacy, employment status and economic status. Conclusions: The proactive role of clinical pharmacists in providing instructional services in collaboration with cardiologist during the pandemic circumstances increased patients understanding and mitigated infection exposure among patients, health care professionals and also assuring the continuity of care in patients with established cardiovascular diseases.

Study of correlation between epicardial fat thickness and severity of coronary artery disease.

Epicardial fat thickness (EFT) reflects visceral adiposity and is associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). This study aimed to assess the correlation of echocardiographic EFT with the severity of CAD and to determine the EFT cut-off to predict CAD. EFT was measured in 503 patients undergoing coronary angiogram. Mean EFT was significantly higher in the CAD group than control group (5.55 ± 1.21 mm vs 3.25 ± 1.15 mm, p < 0.0001). EFT correlated with Gensini score (r = 0.906, p < 0.001). EFT cut-off ≥ 4.75 mm had 87% sensitivity and 63% specificity for prediction of significant CAD (AUC: 0.831, p < 0.001).

Comparison of Neurocognitive Testing and the Measurement of Marinobufagenin in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Preliminary Report.

The evaluation of concussed athletes, including testing to determine if and when they may return to play, has become an important task of athletic trainers and team physicians. Currently, concussion protocols are in place, which depend largely upon assessments based upon neurocognitive testing (NCT). The authors have evaluated the use of a biomarker of brain trauma, marinobufagenin (MBG), and compared its application in concussed athletes with the performance of NTC. We found a disparity between these two testing procedures. In this communication, the findings of these comparative data are presented. We noted that athletes whose NCT evaluations had returned to baseline and who were allowed to again participate in play then showed a recurrence of elevated urinary MBG excretion. These observations raise concern as to the processes currently in effect with regard to the decision as to returning athletes to the full activity. They suggest a need for further evaluation.