Alkaline Phosphatase: The Poor Man's iPTH - An Affordable Approach to Bone Health Assessment.

This review delves into relatively less discussed role of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) as an accessible alternative to intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) in the context of bone health assessment, particularly focussing on its potential boon for underprivileged individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in South Asia. The financial constraints faced by this demographic often hinder regular monitoring of iPTH levels. ALP emerges as a promising surrogate, offering a cost-effective and practical solution for bone health evaluation in resource-constrained settings.

Assessment of Hydration Status Using Conventional Method and Salivary Osmolarity as a Point-of-care Tool.

Dehydration is a well-known problem worldwide, and its assessment can be challenging due to confusing physical signs. The most effective way to assess hydration status is through the costly stable isotope methodology, but this approach has practical limitations. More commonly accepted and utilized indicators of hydration status are hematological and urinary parameters. However, hematological markers require invasive methods, and urinary markers have varying degrees of success in tracking hydration changes. While alterations in body weight can serve as a means of promptly evaluating hydration status, various factors such as food consumption, fluid intake, fecal losses, and urine production can impact these changes. Researchers have turned their attention to saliva as a potential marker and point-of-care (POC) testing to address the limitations of existing biomarkers. Saliva is appealing due to its easy collection process and similarities to extracellular fluid in terms of water and ion concentrations. Recent studies have shown that saliva flow rate, osmolarity/osmolality, and total protein concentration can effectively monitor changes in body mass during acute dehydration. Misdiagnosing dehydration can have severe clinical consequences, leading to morbidity and even mortality. This narrative review focuses on recognizing the significance of hydration assessment, monitoring, and the potential of salivary osmolarity (SOSM) as an assessment tool. Healthcare professionals can improve their practices and interventions to optimize hydration and promote overall wellness using such tools.

Dialysis Distress.

This communication conceptualizes and characterizes the phenomenon of dialysis distress, commonly encountered in persons living with end stage kidney disease on dialysis. Dialysis distress can be defined as an emotional state, marked by extreme apprehension, anxiety, despair and/or dejection, due to a perceived inability to cope with the challenges and demands of living with dialysis. This concept can be extrapolated to persons who undergo renal replacement therapy such as renal transplant. Dialysis distress should be identified in a timely manner, and managed using appropriate support, counselling and education, delivered in an empathic manner.

Predictors of functional impairment and mortality in patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

INTRODUCTION: Numerous factors impact the mortality and functional abilities of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) receiving maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). We aimed to determine the mortality rate at 1 year of MHD, identify predictors of mortality, and assess functional impairments concerning activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental ADL (IADL). METHODS: Our study was prospective, observational cohort study that enrolled patients receiving MHD. We collected demographic, clinical, and laboratory data. We also assessed ADLs and IADLs for daily performance. RESULTS: Our study included 167 patients with a mean age of 51.6 ± 13.1 years, and 56.9% were male. Of these, 80 (47.9%) were diabetic, and 145 (86.8%) were hypertensive. The mortality rate after 1 year of MHD was 10.8%, and cardiovascular causes accounted for over 70% of total deaths. Sudden cardiac death was the most frequent cause (38.9%), followed by cardiogenic shock (22.2%). Older age and low parathormone levels (<300 pg/mL) were significantly associated with higher mortality rates. Mean ADL and IADL scores were 4.5 ± 1.3 and 6.3 ± 2.7, respectively. Eighteen (10.8%) and 56 (33.5%) patients had low ADL and IADL scores, respectively. Although statistically insignificant, a higher proportion of non-survivors exhibited low IADL and ADL scores. Older age, longer diabetes duration, and higher BMI levels were significantly associated with lower IADL scores. CONCLUSIONS: Older age and suppressed PTH levels are predictors of mortality in ESRD patients receiving MHD. These patients require regular follow-ups to rule out cardiovascular morbidity. Functional impairment is prevalent but remains underdiagnosed in MHD patients. It should be monitored regularly to improve quality of life in ESRD.

Indian TrANslational GlomerulonephrItis BioLogy nEtwork (I-TANGIBLE): Design and Methods.

Background and Aim: Primary glomerular disease accounts for one-sixth of all chronic kidney diseases (CKDs) in India. We remain limited in our ability to effectively treat these conditions because of lack of understanding of the disease mechanisms and lack of predictors to identify the clinical course and therapeutic responsiveness. We propose to develop a network of investigators in glomerular diseases, collect information in a systematic fashion to understand the clinical outcomes, answer translational research questions better, and identify and recruit patients for clinical trials. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective, observational study. The Indian TrANslational GlomerulonephrItis BioLogy nEtwork (I-TANGIBLE) cohort will enroll patients (>18 years) with biopsy-proven minimal change disease (MCD), focal segmental glomerulonephritis (FSGS), membranous nephropathy (MN), IgA nephropathy (IgAN), or membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) (immune complex- and complement-mediated), with first biopsy taken within 2 years of enrollment. Patients with estimated glomerular filtration (eGFR) rate <15 ml/min/1.73 m2 for >3 months at the time of screening, kidney transplant or bone marrow transplant recipients, patients with active malignancy, and patients with active hepatitis B/C replication or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-I/II will be excluded. Clinical details including history, medication history and details, and family history will be obtained. Consenting patient's blood and urine samples will be collected and stored, aligned to their clinical follow-up. Expected Outcomes: The network will allow accurate ascertainment of disease burden of glomerular diseases across study sites, establishment of the treatment pattern of common glomerular diseases, investigation of medium- and long-term outcomes (remission, relapse, rate of eGFR decline), and building a suitable infrastructure to carry out clinical trials in primary glomerular disease.

COVID and depression among stratified population groups: a narrative review.

The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted and infiltrated every aspect of our lives. Successive lockdowns, social distancing measures, and reduction in economic activity have developed a new way of living and, in many cases, tend to lead to depression. The initial strict lockdown for about 3 months and eventually for a few more months has imposed greater challenges on children and adolescents in terms of psychological problems and psychiatric disorders. Regardless of their viral infection status, many people have been affected by the psychosocial changes associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. In the present review, we have attempted to evaluate the impact of COVID on the mental health of people from different age groups and occupations. The present review has highlighted the need for taking effective measures by the stakeholder to cope with depression among human population groups worldwide.

Prognostic Value of Lymph Node Density in Node-Positive Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Lymph node status is an important prognostic factor in head and neck cancer. The purpose of this study is to investigate the prognostic value of lymph node density (LND) in node-positive oral cavity cancer patients who received surgery plus adjuvant radiotherapy. From January 2008 to December 2013, a total of 61 oral cavity squamous cell cancer patients who had positive lymph node and received surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy were analysed. LND was calculated for each patient. The endpoints were 5-year overall survival (OS) and 5-year disease-free survival. All patients were followed for a period of 5 years. Mean 5-year overall survival for cases with LND of ≤ 0.05 was 56.1 ± 11.6 months, whereas mean 5-year overall survival for cases with LND > 0.05 was 40.0 ± 21.6 months. Log rank is 0.04 95% CI = 53.4-65. Mean 5-year disease-free survival for cases with LND of ≤ 0.05 was 50.5 ± 15.8 months, whereas mean disease-free survival for cases with LND > 0.05 was 15.8 ± 22.9 months. Log rank 0.03 95% CI = 43.3-57.6. Nodal status, disease stage and lymph node density were found to be significant predictors of prognosis in univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, only lymph node density is found to be the predictor of prognosis. LND is an important prognosis factor for 5-year OS and 5-year DFS in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.

A Review on Photocatalysis Used For Wastewater Treatment: Dye Degradation.

Water pollution is a global issue as a consequence of rapid industrialization and urbanization. Organic compounds which are generated from various industries produce problematic pollutants in water. Recently, metal oxide (TiO2, SnO2, CeO2, ZrO2, WO3, and ZnO)-based semiconductors have been explored as excellent photocatalysts in order to degrade organic pollutants in wastewater. However, their photocatalytic performance is limited due to their high band gap (UV range) and recombination time of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. Strategies for improving the performance of these metal oxides in the fields of photocatalysis are discussed. To improve their photocatalytic activity, researchers have investigated the concept of doping, formation of nanocomposites and core-shell nanostructures of metal oxides. Rare-earth doped metal oxides have the advantage of interacting with functional groups quickly because of the 4f empty orbitals. More precisely, in this review, in-depth procedures for synthesizing rare earth doped metal oxides and nonocomposites, their efficiency towards organic pollutants degradation and sources have been discussed. The major goal of this review article is to propose high-performing, cost-effective combined tactics with prospective benefits for future industrial applications solutions.

Urinary Tract Infection in Renal Transplant Recipients: Incidence, Microbiological Profile and Predisposing Factors in India.

Renal transplant recipients (RTR) commonly encounter urinary tract infection (UTI) as the prevalent bacterial infection. In our geographical area, one-fourth of RTRs are susceptible to UTI during the post-transplant period. The improvement in surgical techniques and increased immunosuppression have enhanced graft survival. However, the subsequent escalation of infectious complications is concerning. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the frequency, predisposing factors, and microbiological characteristics of UTI among RTR.

Analysing the Impact of Social Media on Students' Academic Performance: A Comparative Study of Extraversion and Introversion Personality.

The advent of technology in education has seen a revolutionary change in the teaching-learning process. Social media is one such invention which has a major impact on students' academic performance. This research analyzed the impact of social media on the academic performance of extraversion and introversion personality students. Further, the comparative study between these two personalities will be analysed on education level (postgraduate and undergraduate) and gender (male and female). The research was initiated by identifying the factors of social media impacting students' academic performance. Thereafter, the scale was developed, validated and tested for reliability in the Indian context. Data were collected from 408 students segregated into 202 males and 206 females. Two hundred and thirty-four students are enrolled in postgraduation courses, whereas 174 are registered in the undergraduate programme. One-way ANOVA has been employed to compare the extraversion and introversion students of different education levels and gender. A significant difference is identified between extraversion and introversion students for the impact of social media on their academic performance.

Visual and refractive outcomes of new intraocular lens implantation after cataract surgery.

To report the visual and refractive outcomes of new aspheric hydrophobic acrylic monofocal intraocular lens (IOL). Retrospective case series. This study included eyes of patients who underwent routine cataract surgery for uncomplicated age-related cataract with implantation of a Aktis SP (NS-60YG; Nidek Co. Ltd., Japan) IOL and attended regular follow ups at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 12 months. At each post-operative visit, ophthalmological evaluation included measurement Uncorrected (UCVA) and Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), contrast sensitivity, posterior capsular opacification (PCO), optical aberrations, analysis of point spread function (PSF) and modulation transfer function (MTF). The study included 2102 eyes of 1358 patients aged 45 to 75 years (mean age 62.6 years ± 5.6 SD). The mean preoperative BCVA was 0.56 ± 0.26 logMAR. At 1 year follow up, the mean postoperative UCVA and BCVA were 0.11 ± 0.09 and 0.02 ± 0.03 logMAR, respectively. At the end of 6 months, around 1487 (93%) eyes had BCVA of 20/20 and better than 20/30 in 100% of the eyes. Mild posterior capsule opacification (PCO) was observed in 56 patients, but none required Nd YAG laser capsulotomy. There was reduction in ocular spherical aberration and Higher order aberrations (HOAs) as compared to pre operative. This explains better contrast sensitivity obtained by MTF and PSF values. The study shows that the Aktis SP IOL is safe, effective, and stable lens that could be inserted through 2.2 mm incision with satisfactory visual and refractive outcomes, even in late post-operative period.