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Background: rs4340ID polymorphism of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) correlates with serum ACE levels in many known cancers. This study analyzed ACE rs4340 ID polymorphism in lung cancer (LC) in older patients of North India and correlated it with addiction status. Methods: The study enrolled all subjects aged 60 years and above with 154 LC and 205 healthy controls. Genotyping was done by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and validated by sequencing of 10% of the sample. Statistical analysis was done by SPSS Statistics 21. Results: Genotype II was observed to have a significant 2.21-fold increased risk of LC as compared to the DD genotype and 3.43-folds enhanced risk with interaction of I allele with tobacco consumption habits as compared to D allele in LC was seen. Conclusion: The risk of LC was higher with II genotype as compared to DD genotype. Interactive effect showed that I allele with tobacco habits may increase the risk of LC.
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Humans , Renal Dialysis/instrumentation , Equipment Reuse/standards , Kidneys, Artificial , Steam , Detergents , Membranes, ArtificialABSTRACT
Primary adenocarcinoma of cervix constitute about 7-15% of all cervical cancer. Clear cell carcinoma, a form of cervical adenocarcinoma is a very rare tumor constituting only 4% of cervical carcinoma. Risk factor and pathogenesis of this disease are not exactly revealed. Intrauterine exposure to diethylstilbestrol and associated non-steroidal estrogen during pregnancy before 18 weeks is the only risk factor. Here we report an unusual case of clear cell carcinoma of cervix presented with bilateral pleural effusion, cytology of which shows adenocarcinoma. This is a rare case since patient had no history of diethylstilbestrol exposure and presented with bilateral pleural effusion. This is the first described case report of clear cell carcinoma of cervix with upfront malignant pleural effusion.
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Background. The prevalence of diabetes in India is rising. It is also occurring at a younger age. Ulcers on the foot in patients with diabetes are a common cause of amputations and are largely preventable. We assessed the awareness of foot care among patients with diabetes attending a tertiary care hospital in northern India and whether this varied with the level of healthcare availed, i.e. primary, secondary or tertiary. Methods. A scored questionnaire was designed based on foot care practices advised by the American Diabetes Association as part of the national diabetes education programme. It was administered to 400 patients and a total foot care score was calculated and correlated with various variables. Results. Only 50 of 400 patients (12.5%) had received previous foot care advice from healthcare professionals, and 193 (48.2%), 28 (7%) and 179 (44.8 %) patients were being taken care of by primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare systems, respectively. Almost one-quarter of patients were uneducated. The mean foot care score in all three groups was 5 of a maximum of 14, which was poor. Conclusion. The awareness of foot care among people with diabetes is low among those attending all levels of healthcare: primary, secondary and tertiary. It is necessary to educate people about foot care, lack of which will lead to a huge financial and health burden due to preventable complications of diabetes.
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Introduction: Somatic mutation in the exon 14 of Janus Kinase 2 gene is an established diagnostic marker in bcr-abl negative myeloproliferative neoplasms, especially primary idiopathic myelofi brosis (PIMF). Aim: Our primary aim was to fi nd out the correlation between the JAK2V617F mutational status and the clinico-hematologic characteristics, as well as the international prognostic scoring system (IPSS) scoring of patients with PIMF. Materials and Methods: Clinical and hematologic features were reviewed for 68 patients with primary idiopathic myelofi brosis (PIMF). JAK2V617F mutation status was analyzed by amplifi cation refractory mutation screening-polymerase chain reaction. The patients were further stratifi ed into low, intermediate-1, intermediate-2 and high-risk groups on the basis of IPSS scoring. Results: The JAK2V617F mutation was detected in 58.8% patients. Univariate analysis of variables at presentation identifi ed that JAK2V617F negative patients were signifi cantly associated with more severe anemia (P = 0.045), younger age (P = 0.008), higher transfusion requirement (P = 0.017), and thrombocytopenia (P = 0.015). Patients who were homozygous for JAK2V617F mutation were associated with thrombocytosis (P = 0.014) and also had higher median total leucocyte count (P = 0.20) than the other groups. No signifi cant correlation was detected between JAK2V617F mutational status and the presence of constitutional symptoms, spleen size, grade of bone marrow fi brosis or prognostic risk stratifi cation of the PIMF patients. Conclusion: The variations in the prognostic implication of PIMF patients with mutation status as stated by various publications worldwide, reinstates the need for larger prospective studies using standardized JAK2V617F quantifi cation methods as well as estimation of other newer molecular markers to develop deeper insight into various molecular alterations involving PIMF patients in India as well as worldwide.
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Objective : The objective of the study was to observe the effect of controlled breathing exercises including Sudarshan Kriya (SK) and Prana-Yoga (PY) on the psycho-physiological status. Methods : The study group included 60 healthy volunteers (M:30, F:30) in the age group of 18 to 30 years (21.3±3.2 yrs), randomly divided in to three groups of 20 subjects each – (1) The SK group (2) the PY group and the (3) Control group. The psycho-physiological data was collected at the following four time interventions: Baseline, 6th, 60th and the 150th day. Psychological assessment was done using questionnaires and for the autonomic tone quantification Heart Rate Variability (HRV) analysis was done using the standard lead II electrocardiogram recordings. In a post-hoc analysis each group was further sub divided in to the following two patterns, based on the baseline values of normalized Low Frequency (LF) power (cutoff 64 ms2) : (i) Pattern A-Subjects with low level LF power, and (ii) Pattern B- subjects with high level LF power. Results : The stress management skills have shown significant increase in SK group but not in PY and Control group. Subjects of SK, PY, and control group showed significant increase in LF value and LF:HF ratio for pattern A and significant decrease for pattern B. Plotted LF value for pattern A & B in SK and PY practitioners showed convergence, coming to a mean value over the period of 150 days.The LF:HF ratio curve plotted over time for pattern A & B showed convergence in SK group only. No such convergence in LF value & LF/HF ratio for pattern A & B was seen in control group. Conclusion : In conclusion, Sudarshan Kriya positively modifies stress coping behavior and initiates appropriate balance in cardiac autonomic tone.
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Rhythmic sound or music is known to improve cognition in animals and humans. We wanted to evaluate the effects of prenatal repetitive music stimulation on the remodelling of the auditory cortex and visual Wulst in chicks. Fertilized eggs (0 day) of white leghorn chicken (Gallus domesticus) during incubation were exposed either to music or no sound from embryonic day 10 until hatching. Auditory and visual perceptual learning and synaptic plasticity, as evident by synaptophysin and PSD-95 expression, were done at posthatch days (PH) 1, 2 and 3. The number of responders was significantly higher in the music stimulated group as compared to controls at PH1 in both auditory and visual preference tests. The stimulated chicks took significantly lesser time to enter and spent more time in the maternal area in both preference tests. A significantly higher expression of synaptophysin and PSD-95 was observed in the stimulated group in comparison to control at PH1-3 both in the auditory cortex and visual Wulst. A significant inter-hemispheric and gender-based difference in expression was also found in all groups. These results suggest facilitation of postnatal perceptual behaviour and synaptic plasticity in both auditory and visual systems following prenatal stimulation with complex rhythmic music.