cgSSR marker-based genome-wide association study identified genomic regions for panicle characters and yield in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

BACKGROUND: To improve production efficiency, positive alleles corresponding to yield-related attributes must be accumulated in a single elite background. We designed and used cgSSR markers, which are superior to random SSR markers in genome-wide association study, to identify genomic regions that contribute to panicle characters and grain yield in this study. RESULTS: As evidenced by the high polymorphic information content value and gene diversity coefficient, the new cgSSR markers were determined to be highly informative. These cgSSR markers were employed to generate genotype data for an association panel evaluated for four panicle characters and grain yield over three seasons. For five traits, 17 significant marker-trait associations on six chromosomes were discovered. The percentage of phenotypic variance that could be explained ranged from 4% to 13%. Unrelated gene-derived markers had a strong association with target traits as well. CONCLUSION: Trait-associated cgSSR markers derived from corresponding or related genes ensure their utility in direct allele selection, while other linked markers aid in allele selection indirectly by altering the phenotype of interest. Through a marker-assisted breeding approach, these marker-trait associations can be leveraged to accumulate favourable alleles for yield enhancement in rice. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Genetic diversity and population genetic structure analysis of an extensive collection of wild and cultivated Vigna accessions.

Vigna is a large, pan-tropic and highly variable group of the legumes family which is known for its > 10 cultivated species having significant commercial value for their nutritious grains and multifarious uses. The wild vignas are considered a reservoir of numerous useful traits which can be deployed for introgression of resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, seed quality and enhanced survival capability in extreme environments. Nonetheless, for their effective utilization through introgression breeding information on their genetic diversity, population structure and crossability is imperative. Keeping this in view, the present experiment was undertaken with 119 accessions including 99 wild Vigna accessions belonging to 19 species and 18 cultivated genotypes of Vigna and 2 of Phaseolus. Total 102 polymorphic SSRs were deployed to characterize the material at molecular level which produced 1758 alleles. The genotypes were grouped into four major clusters which were further sub-divided in nine sub-clusters. Interestingly, all cultivated species shared a single cluster while no such similarities were observed for the wild accessions as these were distributed in different groups of sub-clusters. The co-dominant allelic data of 114 accessions were then utilized for obtaining status of the accessions and their hybrid forms. The model-based population structure analysis categorized 114 accessions of Vigna into 6 genetically distinct sub-populations (K = 6) following admixture-model based simulation with varying levels of admixture. 91 (79.82%) accessions resembled their hierarchy and 23 (20.18%) accessions were observed as the admixture forms. Maximum number of accessions (25) were grouped in sub-population (SP) 6 and the least accessions were grouped in SP3 and SP5 (11 each). The population genetic structure, therefore, supported genetic diversity analysis and provided an insight into the genetic lineage of these species which will help in effective use of germplasm for development of cultivars following selective prebreeding activities.

Design, synthesis, spectral characterization and molecular docking studies of novel pyranoquinolinyl dihydropyridine carboxylates as potential antibacterial agents including Vibrio cholerae with minimal cytotoxity towards fibroblast cell line (L-929).

Novel pyranoquinolinyl dihydropyridine carboxylate (PDC) derivatives were designed by incorporating the multi-drug resistance modulating effects of 1,4 dihydropyridines along with potential antibacterial activity of quinolines in the molecular design. The designed PDC derivatives were synthesized by multi-step synthesis involving Michael addition, reduction followed by inverse electro demand Diels-Alder reaction to produce pyranoquinolinyl dihydropyridine carboxylates in good yields. All the PDC derivatives were characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, FT-IR, Mass spectral and CHN analysis. The Quinolinyl dihydropyridine carboxylate derivatives were evaluated for in vitro antibacterial activity by agar well diffusion method. Molecular docking studies revealed that the exo diethyl 4-(4aR,5S,10bR)-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-3,4,4a,5,6,10b-hexahydro-2H-pyrano[3,2-c]quinolin-8-yl)-2,6-dimethyl-1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate diastereomer (5c) forms four hydrogen bonds with the cell wall protein of vibrio cholerae in comparison to the endo diethyl 4-((4aR,5R,10bR)-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-3,4,4a,5,6,10b-hexahydro-2H-pyrano[3,2-c]quinolin-8-yl)-2,6-dimethyl-1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate diastereomer (4c) which forms two hydrogen bonds with the cell wall protein of vibrio cholerae and hence leading to better anchorage, enhanced gold score and relatively good antibacterial activity for the exo PDC derivatives. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the active compounds was evaluated by macro dilution method. The mechanism of antibacterial action of the PDC derivatives was investigated by SEM studies. The cytotoxicity of PDC derivatives were evaluated against fibroblast cells (L-929).

The first target specific, highly diastereoselective synthesis, design and characterization of pyranoquinolinyl acrylic acid diastereomers as potential α-glucosidase inhibitors.

In the present investigation we report the first target specific, highly diastereoselective synthesis of new class of pyranoquinolinyl/furoquinolinyl-acrylic acid diastereomers and evaluation of their invitro α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. All the products were thoroughly characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, FT-IR, Mass spectral and CHN analysis. A highly diastereoselective target specific route of synthesis for the biologically active diastereomers were developed by usingchiral catalyst Europium tris[3-heptafluoropropylhydroxyl methylene]-(-)-camphorate (A) or Europiumtris[3-(trifluoromethyl)hydroxylmethylene]-(+)-camphorate (B). It was found that among a set of 4 diastereomeric products obtained, exodiasteromers of pyranoquinolinyl acrylic acid adducts exhibited relatively high α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The newly synthesized compounds exhibited IC50 values in the range of (0.40 ±â€¯0.02-30.3 ±â€¯0.84 µM) as compared to standard acarbose (IC50 = 0.65 ±â€¯0.02 µM). It was found that compounds 11a, 11c, 11d and 12d were found to be more active than standard acarbose. It was also found that unsubstituted compound (11a) or compounds with chlorine or methoxy substituent (11c, 11d, 12d) showed potential α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. However a reversal in activity was observed with Nitro substituent (11b, 13b) wherein the endodiastereomers were found to be more active than exodiastereomers. Molecular docking studies were used for design of the compound and understand the mode of binding between the compound and target enzyme. A plausible mechanism for the diastereoselective synthesis was also proposed.

Potential of pyrethroid-synergised pyrethrum on stored product insects and implications for use as prophylactic sprays.

The study was conducted to evaluate the synergistic effects of 2% pyrethrum extract with synthetic pyrethroids on the mortality of stored product insects. Contact toxicity was performed at variable concentrations observing mortality at 12, 24 and 48 h durations. The results of the present study indicated that, pyrethrum + deltamethrin combination (25:1 ratio) was effective on the adults of Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) and Tribolium castaneum (Herbst). On the other hand, pyrethrum + cypermethrin combination proved effective against Sitophilus oryzae (L.). The efficacy of the tested combination showed reasonable increase in mortality response in treated insects over increasing exposures. At 48 h, 450 ppm pyrethrum + deltamethrin combination induced 25, 90 and 97% mortalities in S. oryzae, T. castaneum and R. dominica adults; while, pyrethrum-cypermethrin combination recorded 75, 45 and 75% mortalities respectively. On the other hand, it was observed that, among the pyrethrum alone treatments i.e. at 300, 450 and 600 ppm concentrations, maximum mortality (62.5%) was observed in S. oryzae exposed to 600 ppm pyrethrum for 48 h. The effective LC50 concentrations for pyrethrum (600 ppm) + deltamethrin combination was estimated to be as 0.1987 and 0.7039 µl/cm2 for R. dominica and T. castaneum adults respectively. Contrastingly, for treatments with S. oryzae, a LC50 value of 0.8673 µl/cm2 was recorded for pyrethrum (600 ppm) + cypermethrin mixture. This investigation strengthens the fact that pyrethrum along with pyrethroids is effective against storage insect pests which can be promisingly a safer insecticidal combination.

Evaluating the Influence of Acute and Chronic Orofacial Pains on the Overall Comprehensive Quality of Life.

Background Orofacial discomfort refers to various disorders that affect the mouth, jaws, and face. These conditions may substantially influence a person's quality of life (QoL). This kind of pain may be categorised into two primary classifications: acute and chronic. Acute orofacial pain (OFP) usually occurs suddenly and lasts for a short period. It is commonly caused by specific factors such as dental treatments, traumas, or infections. Hence, this study aimed to assess the influence of acute and chronic orofacial discomfort on the overall QoL. Methodology This research used a convenience sample to gather data from the five groups. It was conducted as a cross-sectional study. Four categories of OFP syndromes were utilised: temporomandibular disorders (TMDs), atypical dental pain (ADP), trigeminal neuralgia (TN), and persistent dentoalveolar pain disorder (PDAP). In addition, a control group consisting of individuals who did not experience any discomfort was also included in the study. Participants received a standardised explanation of the questionnaires utilised, and in most instances, they completed them at the clinic under the supervision of one of the investigators. Results The correlations between each version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) were statistically significant (p < 0.001), with correlation values ranging from 0.92 to 0.97. When comparing the occurrence of OHIP items across the four pain types, we identified 18 variations that exceeded the 35% prevalence threshold we established for identifying important items that frequently occur out of the 315 comparisons. The question "Have you had a painful aching in your mouth?" showed a low frequency in patients with TN, TMD, and ADP but a significant prevalence in patients with PDAP (90%). This difference in prevalence across pain types was the biggest seen. The question that seemed to distinguish between the pain categories most effectively was "Have you experienced a toothache?" This question had a high occurrence in PDAP (65%) and ADP (60%), perhaps allowing for differentiating these two diseases from TN and TMD. The highest prevalence differences, over 30%, were most often seen when PDAP was included as one of the disorders being compared. ADP had the fewest variances, over 30%, occurring just seven times. Conclusion Both acute and chronic OFPs have a major negative influence on QoL, but they affect it differently and to differing extents. Injury-related acute pain obviously poses rapid and severe restrictions on physical function and causes temporary psychological distress and temporary social exclusion. On the other hand, chronic pain for the patient always implies being locked in a physical world that does not allow him or her to bypass physical limitations, psychological disorders remain constant, and isolation from other people persists for life.

Evaluation of cytocompatibility and cell proliferation of electrospun chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol/montmorillonite clay scaffold with l929 cell lines in skin regeneration activity and in silico molecular docking studies.

The present investigation describes the development of a novel Chitosan/Polyvinyl Alcohol/Montmorillonite Clay (CS/PVA/MMT) scaffold by adopting an electrospinning method, and their biocompatibility was evaluated in vitro with L929 fibroblast cell line to ascertain its use in wound healing applications. The fabricated scaffold was characterized using analytical techniques. FT-IR measurement exhibited the existence of relevant functional groups and XRD implies scaffolds' amorphous nature. The scaffold's morphology and pore diameter were assessed using TEM and SEM. The pore diameter of the as-prepared scaffold was approximately 125 nm. The antimicrobial assay of the scaffold was evaluated against selected pathogens which demonstrated higher antimicrobial efficacy. The scavenging activity tested using the DPPH assay showed remarkable scavenging capability. The wound healing properties were tested through the Cytotoxicity assay conducted on the L929 assay which proved the scaffold to be a suitable material for cell proliferation. Also, a Molecular docking investigation was carried out for CS/PVA/MMT ligand using human neutrophil elastase (HNE) 1H1B protein as a receptor in the CB-Dock server. Studies conducted in silico revealed strong interaction and high binding energy ratings of CS/PVA/MMT ligand with key residues of human neutrophil elastase (HNE) 1H1B proteins that help in tissue regeneration activity.

Assessment of prevalence of dry eye among medical students using ocular surface disease index questionnaire - Is COVID-19 to be really blamed?

Purpose: An undergraduate research conducted during the pre-covid times, to highlight the importance of screen time and its association with dry eye in medical students. The aim was to study the prevalence of dry eye among medical students using the ocular surface index (OSDI) questionnaire. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. This study was conducted among medical students using an OSDI questionnaire in the pre-covid times. Based on the pilot study, the minimum sample size calculated was 245. A total of 310 medical students participated in the study. These medical students answered the OSDI questionnaire. The OSDI score was used to categorize students with dry eye as mild (13-22 points), moderate (23-32 points), and severe (33-100 points). In addition, the associations between the OSDI score and possible risk factors such as gender, contact lens/spectacle wear, laptop/mobile usage, and duration of exposure to air conditioners were also studied. Results: The analysis of the study revealed that out of 310 students, dry eye was seen in 143 (46.1%) and severe dry eyes were seen in 50 (16.1%). A high OSDI score (>13 points) was associated with the usage of a laptop/mobile for more than 6 h in 40 (52.6%) (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The prevalence of dry eye among medical students was 46.1% in the present study. Longer duration of usage of visual display units (laptop/mobile) was the only factor that showed a statistically significant association with dry eye in our study.

Perspectives of Health Care Personnel on the Benefits of Bronchiolitis Interventions.

OBJECTIVES: Many interventions in bronchiolitis are low-value or poorly studied. Inpatient bronchiolitis management is multidisciplinary, with varying degrees of registered nurse (RN) and respiratory therapist (RT) autonomy. Understanding the perceived benefit of interventions for frontline health care personnel may facilitate deimplementation efforts. Our objective was to examine perceptions surrounding the benefit of common inpatient bronchiolitis interventions. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of inpatient pediatric RNs, RTs, and physicians/licensed practitioners (P/LPs) (eg, advanced-practice practitioners) from May to December of 2021 at 9 university-affiliated and 2 community hospitals. A clinical vignette preceded a series of inpatient bronchiolitis management questions. RESULTS: A total of 331 surveys were analyzed with a completion rate of 71.9%: 76.5% for RNs, 57.4% for RTs, and 71.2% for P/LPs. Approximately 54% of RNs and 45% of RTs compared with 2% of P/LPs believe albuterol would be "extremely or somewhat likely" to improve work of breathing (P < .001). Similarly, 52% of RNs, 32% of RTs, and 23% of P/LPs thought initiating or escalating oxygen in the absence of hypoxemia was likely to improve work of breathing (P < .001). Similar differences in perceived benefit were observed for steroids, nebulized hypertonic saline, and deep suctioning, but not superficial nasal suctioning. Hospital type (community versus university-affiliated) did not impact the magnitude of these differences. CONCLUSIONS: Variation exists in the perceived benefit of several low-value or poorly studied bronchiolitis interventions among health care personnel, with RNs/RTs generally perceiving higher benefit. Deimplementation, educational, and quality improvement efforts should be designed with an interprofessional framework.

Set-Up Errors, Organ Motion, Tumour Regression and its Implications on Internal Target Volume-Planning Target Volume During Cervical Cancer Radiotherapy: Results From a Prospective Study.

AIMS: Uterocervical motions and organ filling during cervical cancer conformal radiotherapy is complex. This prospective, observational study investigated set-up margins (clinical target vo, ume [CTV] to planning target volume [PTV]) for pelvic nodal CTV and internal margin (CTV to internal target volume [ITV]) expansions for uterocervical movements during cervical cancer radiotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During cervical cancer radiotherapy, a daily kilovoltage, cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan was acquired. Bony anatomy-based rigid co-registration and matching to vessels/pelvic nodal region was carried out to document shifts, errors (systematic and random) and to calculate CTV to PTV margins. Subsequently, soft-tissue matching was carried out at the mid-cervical region and uterine fundus to record shifts, errors and to calculate CTV to ITV margins. RESULTS: In 67 patients, 1380 CBCT scans were analysed. The mean (±standard deviation) couch shifts for CTV pelvic nodal region in all directions were within 4.5-5.3 mm, systematic and random errors 3.0-3.6 mm and set-up margins of within 10 mm (except anterior margin 10.3 mm). For the mid-cervical region, mean shifts were 4.5-5.5 mm, systematic and random errors 2-4 mm amounting to <10 mm internal margins (CTV-ITV for cervix) and for uterine fundus mean (±standard deviation) shifts were larger in the superior direction (12.1 mm) but 4.0-7.5 mm in other directions, systematic and random errors 2-7 mm amounting to anisotropic margins in various directions (10 mm in anterior-posterior and lateral directions, 12-20 mm in superior-inferior directions) (CTV-ITV for uterine fundus). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests anisotropic CTV to ITV and CTV to PTV margins for cervical cancer radiotherapy.

Mental Health Emergency Department Visits by Children Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: To describe pediatric mental health emergency department (ED) visit rates and visit characteristics before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of ED visits by children 5-17 years old with a primary mental health diagnosis from March 2018 to February 2021 at a 10-hospital health system and a children's hospital in the Chicago area. We compared demographic and clinical characteristics of children with mental health ED visits before and during the pandemic. We conducted an interrupted time series analysis to determine changes in visit rates. RESULTS: We identified 8,127 pediatric mental health ED visits (58.5% female, 54.3% White, Not Hispanic/Latino and 42.4% age 13-15). During the pandemic, visits for suicide or self-injury increased 6.69% (95% CI 4.73, 8.65), and visits for disruptive, impulse control, conduct disorders increased 1.94% (95% CI 0.85, 3.03). Mental health ED visits by children with existing mental health diagnoses increased 2.29% (95% CI 0.34, 4.25). Mental health ED visits that resulted in medical admission increased 4.32% (95% CI 3.11, 5.53). The proportion of mental health ED visits at community hospitals increased by 5.49% (95% CI 3.31, 7.67). Mental health ED visit rates increased at the onset of the pandemic (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] 1.27, 95% CI 1.06, 1.50), followed by a monthly increase thereafter (aIRR 1.04, 95% CI 1.02, 1.06). CONCLUSION: Mental health ED visit rates by children increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Changes in mental health ED visit characteristics during the pandemic may inform interventions to improve children's mental health.

Topical 0.1% Nepafenac versus 0.09% Bromfenac Eye Drops for Inflammation after Laser Peripheral Iridotomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE: To assess the safety and efficacy of 0.1% nepafenac versus 0.09% bromfenac eye drops in controlling inflammation after neodymium yttrium-aluminum-garnet (YAG) laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI). DESIGN: Single-masked, single-center, randomized controlled trial. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and sixty eyes of patients with primary angle-closure suspect (PACS) and primary angle closure (PAC) undergoing bilateral LPI. METHODS: Patients were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive 0.1% nepafenac thrice daily or 0.09% bromfenac eye drops twice daily for 2 weeks after neodymium YAG LPI. Assessment was performed by masked investigators at 2 weeks after LPI. A Glaucoma Symptom Scale (GSS) questionnaire was administered both at baseline and 2 weeks after LPI. Subjective comfort scores to the study medications were assessed on the basis of a Likert scale at 2 weeks after LPI. In patients with bilateral PACS or PAC, the right eye was analyzed, and in asymmetrical disease (i.e., when one eye had PACS and the other eye had PAC), the eye with PAC was analyzed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome (end point) was uncontrolled inflammation, defined as symptomatic inflammation within 1 week after LPI, the presence of anterior chamber cells at 2 weeks, or rebound inflammation after medication discontinuation. The secondary outcome was patient-reported comfort levels with study medications based on the GSS and Likert scale. RESULTS: At 2 weeks after LPI, 7 patients (6 with PACS and 1 with PAC) in the nepafenac group and 2 patients with PACS in the bromfenac group achieved the primary end point, without a difference between the medication groups (P = 0.09). Post-LPI burning, smarting, and stinging was more common in the bromfenac group (P = 0.01), which also had a higher comfort score on the Likert scale (P = 0.004). The need for repeat LPI was comparable (10.0% in the nepafenac group vs. 15.4% in the bromfenac group; P = 0.22). A multivariate analysis revealed that a greater number of laser shots was associated with the need for repeat LPI (odds ratio, 1.05; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-1.10; P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Topical 0.09% bromfenac is noninferior to 0.1% nepafenac in controlling inflammation after LPI in eyes with PACS and PAC. Nepafenac may be associated with higher patient-reported comfort.

Association mapping for important agronomic traits in wild and cultivated Vigna species using cross-species and cross-genera simple sequence repeat markers.

The genus Vigna is an agronomically important taxon, with many of its species inhabiting a wide range of environments and offering numerous useful genes for the improvement of the cultivated types. The present study aimed to detect the genomic regions associated with yield-attributing traits by genome-wide association mapping. A diverse panel of 98 wild and cultivated Vigna accessions (acc.) belonging to 13 different species was evaluated for yield and related traits during the kharif season of 2017 and 2018. The panel was also genotyped using 92 cross-genera and cross-species simple sequence repeat markers to study the population genetic structure and useful market-trait associations. The PCA and trait correlation established relationships amongst the traits during both seasons while 100-seed weight (HSW) had a positive correlation with pod length (PL), and days to first flowering (DFF) with days to maturity (DM). The population genetic structure analysis grouped different acc. into three genetically distinct sub-populations with SP-1 comprising 34 acc., SP-2 (24 acc.), and SP-3 (33 acc.) and one admixture group (7 acc.). Mixed linear model analysis revealed an association of 13 markers, namely, VR018, VR039, VR022, CEDG033, GMES0337, MBSSR008, CEDG220, VM27, CP1225, CP08695, CEDG100, CEDG008, and CEDG096A with nine traits. Seven of the aforementioned markers, namely, VR018 for plant height (PH) and terminal leaflet length (TLL), VR022 for HSW and pod length (PL), CEDG033 for DFF and DM, MBSSR008 for DFF and DM, CP1225 for CC at 30 days (CC30), DFF and DM, CEDG100 for PH and terminal leaflet length (TLL), and CEDG096A for CC30 and chlorophyll content at 45 days were associated with multiple traits. The marker CEDG100, associated with HSW, PH, and TLL, is co-localized in gene-encoding histone-lysine N-methyltransferase ATX5. Similarly, VR22, associated with PL and HSW, is co-located in gene-encoding SHOOT GRAVITROPISM 5 in mungbean. These associations may be highly useful for marker-assisted genetic improvement of mungbean and other related Vigna species.

Nutritional evaluation and utilisation of quality protein maize, Nityashree hybrid maize, and normal maize in broiler chickens.

Three experiments were conducted to determine the apparent metabolisable energy, apparent digestible amino acid values, and utilisation of three maize varities in chickens: quality protein maize (QPM), hybrid maize Nityashree (HMN) and normal maize (NM). There was no significant difference in the apparent metabolisable energy (AME) content amongst the three varieties of maize. Lysine and threonine digestibilities were significantly higher in QPM compared to either HMN or NM. No difference in the digestibilities of other amino acids occurred among the three different maize varieties. There was no difference between diets containing NM or HMN for body weight gain (21 and 40 d of age) and overall feed conversion ratio (0-40 d), but values were significantly higher for QPM (and Lys-supplemented NM) diets. The relative weights of dressed meat yield and giblets were unaffected by dietary replacement of NM with QPM, HMN, or Lys supplementation of the NM diet. However, abdominal fat content decreased and breast meat yield increased with both dietary replacement of NM with QPM and Lys supplementation of the NM diet. The concentration of protein in serum was significantly increased by dietary replacement of NM with QPM. Adding Lys to the NM based diet significantly increased the Ca concentration in serum compared with NM or HMN diets. However, the highest concentration of Ca in serum was found in the QPM diet. The concentration of total cholesterol in serum significantly decreased by either replacing NM with QPM or adding Lys to the NM based diet, compared with the NM diet. These results suggested that the feeding value of quality protein maize was superior to normal maize, while the feeding value of hybrid maize Nityashree was similar to that of normal maize.

Assessment of awareness of diabetic retinopathy among the diabetics attending the peripheral diabetic clinics in melaka, malaysia.

In view of the alarming increase in the incidence of diabetes mellitus in Malaysia, we conducted a study to assess the awareness of complications of diabetes among the diabetics attending the peripheral clinics in Melaka. The study period was from January 2007 to December 2007. 351 patients were included in the study. 79.8% were aware of the complications of diabetes mellitus and 87.2% were aware that diabetes can affect the eyes. However, only 50% of the patients underwent an ophthalmological evaluation. Although awareness was good, the motivation to undergo the assessment was poor.

Incidence, Treatment and Outcomes of Cervical Cancer in Low- and Middle-income Countries.

Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in developing nations. It has had a tremendous impact on the lifetime of millions of women over the last century and continues to do so. In this collaborative clinicians' review, we highlight the incidence, treatment and clinical outcomes of cervical cancer in low-income (LICs) and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) across Asia, South America, South Africa and Eastern Europe. With the cervical cancer burden and locally advanced cancers being high, the majority of LICs/LMICs have been striving to adhere to optimal evaluation and treatment guidelines. However, the huge gap in resource availability, rural versus urban disparity and access to resources have led to poor compliance to evaluation, treatment and post-treatment rehabilitation. To mitigate the overwhelming numbers, various treatment strategies like neoadjuvant chemotherapy, hypofractionation radiation schedules (both external and brachytherapy) have been attempted with no major success. Also, the compliance to concurrent chemoradiation in various regions is a major challenge. With the burden of advanced cancers, the lack of palliative care services and their integration in cancer care is still a reality.

Subjective and objective measures of the patient experience before, during, and after intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections.

Purpose: To assess patient experience of intravitreal injections using vital-signs, visual-experience, pain-rating and emotional response during intravitreal anti-VEGF injections. Methods: A prospective observational study of patient experience of intravitreal anti-VEGF injections done following metrics were collected pre-injection, during injection, and post-injection: pain assessment using visual analog score, fear-response rating, visual-experience questionnaire, and vital-signs. Results: A total of one-hundred-and-seventy-four patients undergoing intravitreal anti-VEGF injections for retinal pathologies were included in the study. Mean age was 58.8 ± 10.4 years in <5 injection group (n = 133) and 59.02 ± 9.0 years in ≥5 injection group (n = 41) (P = 0.90).During injection, 90.2% of patients in <5 injection group reported moderate or severe pain compared to 78% of patients in ≥5 injection group. In pre and post-injection phases, mild-to-moderate pain was reported in both groups (P = <0.001). Ninety-two (52.9%) patients reported having a mild frightening experience. There was no statistical significance in patients assessment of fear with respect to age, sex, or number of injections. The Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) during and following injection ((SBP 171.7 ± 21.1,150.8 ± 16.2) procedures was significantly higher in cases with <5 injections when comparing to cases with >5 injections (SBP 159.7 ± 26.4, 143.2 ± 17.0) (P = 0.003), (P = 0.011). DBP, heart rate, pulse rate measurements were similar among patients in all phases of the study. Conclusion: We report a large sample size with comprehensive assessments of the patient experience. Higher pain ratings in the <5 injection group, the increase in the SBP in the pre-and during injection phases, and the overall rating of mild-to-moderate fear during the procedure.

A novel human CRYGD mutation in a juvenile autosomal dominant cataract.

PURPOSE: Identification of causal mutation in the crystallin, connexin, and paired box gene 6 (PAX6) genes associated with childhood cataract in patients from India. METHODS: In this study, forty eight members from seventeen families and 148 sporadic cases of childhood cataract were evaluated. Clinical and ophthalmologic examinations were performed on available affected and unaffected family members. Samples of genomic DNA were PCR amplified to screen for mutations in the candidate genes viz., alpha-A crystallin (CRYAA), beta- B2 crystallin (CRYBB2), gamma-A crystallin (CRYGA), gamma-B crystallin (CRYGB), gamma-C crystallin (CRYGC), gamma-D crystallin (CRYGD), gap junction alpha-3 (GJA3), gap junction alpha-8 (GJA8), and PAX6 based on polymerase chain reaction and single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis. Samples showing any band mobility shift were subjected to bidirectional sequencing to confirm the variation. Co-segregation of the observed change with the disease phenotype was further tested by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) for the appropriate restriction site. RESULTS: DNA sequencing analysis of CRYAA, CRYBB2, CRYGA-D, GJA3, GJA8, and PAX6 of the affected members of a family (C-35) showed a novel heterozygous missense mutation C>A at position 229 in CRYGD in three affected members of family C-35 with anterior polar coronary cataract. This variation C229A substitution created a novel restriction site for AluI and resulted in a substitution of highly conserved arginine at position 77 by serine (R77S). AluI restriction site analysis confirmed the transversion mutation. Analysis of the available unaffected members of the family (C-35) and 100 unrelated control subjects (200 chromosomes) of the same ethnic background did not show R77S variation. Data generated using ProtScale and PyMOL programs revealed that the mutation altered the stability and solvent-accessibility of the CRYGD protein. CONCLUSIONS: We describe here a family having anterior polar coronary cataract that co-segregates with the novel allele R77S of CRYGD in all the affected members. The same was found to be absent in the ethnically matched controls (n=100) studied. Interestingly the residue Arg has been frequently implicated in four missense (R15C, R15S, R37S, and R59H) and in one truncation mutation (R140X) of CRYGD. In two of the reported mutations Arg residues have been replaced with Serine. This finding further expands the mutation spectrum of CRYGD in association with childhood cataract and demonstrates a possible mechanism of cataractogenesis. Screening of other familial (n=48) and sporadic (n=148) cases of childhood cataract, did not reveal any previously reported or novel mutation in the candidate genes screened.

Evaluation of gingival melanin pigmentation in pediatric population- An observational study.

AIM: The aim of this study is to evaluate the gingival melanin pigmentation in the Indian pediatric population. The aim of this study is to find any association between age and melanin distribution, age and intensity of melanin distribution, sex and melanin distribution, sex and intensity of melanin distribution, skin tone and melanin distribution, skin tone and intensity of melanin distribution and finally the association between melanin distribution and intensity. BACKGROUND: Pigmentation on the interdental papilla, attached and marginal gingiva is commonly found in various races across the world. There is lack of literature for documentation of the same in the pediatric population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Intensity of melanin pigmentation was observed by the gingival melanin pigmentation index (class 1- class 6) as given by Ponnaiyan et al. This cross-sectional, observational study was conducted in the Institution. 100 children were selected from the age group of 1-12 years of age. The association between the various parameters were verified using Chi square test. RESULTS: With the findings of the present study, it can be concluded that the distribution of melanin pigmentation is not affected by age, sex and skin color. The intensity of melanin pigmentation is not affected by age and sex. The skin colour can be used as a predictor to know the intensity of melanin pigmentation in both anteriors and posteriors.

Molecular assessment of genetic diversity in mung bean germplasm.

RAPD profiles were used to identify the extent of diversity among 54 accessions of mung bean that included both improved and local land races. Out of the 40 primers screened, seven primers generated 174 amplification products with an average of 24.85 bands per primer. The RAPD profiles were analysed for Jaccard's similarity coefficients that was found to be in the range from 0 to 0.48, indicating the presence of wide range of genetic diversity at molecular level. Cluster analysis was carried out based on distances (1-similarity coefficient) using neighbour-joining method in Free Tree package. The dendrogram resolved all the accessions into two major clusters, I (with 11 accessions) and II (with 43 accessions). However, the cluster was further divided into four subclusters (II A with six, II B with nine, II C with 15 and II D with 13 accessions). The distribution of the accessions in different clusters and subclusters appears to be related to their performance in field conditions for 10 morphological traits that were scored. This study indicated that the RAPD profiles provide an easy and simple technique for preliminary genetic diversity assessment of mung bean accessions that may reflect morphological trait differences among them.