Early and extended erythropoietin monotherapy after hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy: a multicentre double-blind pilot randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the feasibility of early and extended erythropoietin monotherapy after hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE). DESIGN: Double-blind pilot randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Eight neonatal units in South Asia. PATIENTS: Neonates (≥36 weeks) with moderate or severe HIE admitted between 31 December 2022 and 3 May 2023. INTERVENTIONS: Erythropoietin (500 U/kg daily) or to the placebo (sham injections using a screen) within 6 hours of birth and continued for 9 days. MRI at 2 weeks of age. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Feasibility of randomisation, drug administration and assessment of brain injury using MRI. RESULTS: Of the 154 neonates screened, 56 were eligible; 6 declined consent and 50 were recruited; 43 (86%) were inborn. Mean (SD) age at first dose was 4.4 (1.2) hours in erythropoietin and 4.1 (1.0) hours in placebo. Overall mortality at hospital discharge occurred in 5 (19%) vs 11 (46%) (p=0.06), and 3 (13%) vs 9 (40.9%) (p=0.04) among those with moderate encephalopathy in the erythropoietin and placebo groups. Moderate or severe injury to basal ganglia, white matter and cortex occurred in 5 (25%) vs 5 (38.5%); 14 (70%) vs 11 (85%); and 6 (30%) vs 2 (15.4%) in the erythropoietin and placebo group, respectively. Sinus venous thrombosis was seen in two (10%) neonates in the erythropoietin group and none in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Brain injury and mortality after moderate or severe HIE are high in South Asia. Evaluation of erythropoietin monotherapy using MRI to examine treatment effects is feasible in these settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05395195.

Cross-Sectional Study to Estimate the Prevalence of Inner-Ear Anomalies in Children With Congenital Sensorineural Hearing Loss by High-Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) Temporal Bone Scan.

Background Congenital sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is one of the most common birth defects with an incidence ratio of 1:1000 live births in India. Imaging plays an important role in the evaluation of congenital SNHL. As there is a paucity of studies in the Indian setting to determine the prevalence of inner-ear abnormalities, this study attempts to throw light on the various inner-ear anomalies that are prevalent in our setup in the Northern part of Karnataka using high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) temporal bone scan. Objectives The objectives of this study are estimation of the prevalence of inner-ear anomalies in children with congenital SNHL by employing a radiologic assessment of HRCT temporal bone scans and determination of the factors associated with the identification of these abnormalities like demographic factors and degree of hearing loss. Methods Children with congenital SNHL underwent clinical evaluation with history taking and general and ear examination. Otoacoustic emission (OAE) and brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA) measurements were obtained. A radiological assessment by HRCT temporal bone scan was done. Using the classification criteria of inner-ear malformations by Jackler and Sennaroglu as a reference, diagnostic standards were established in studying inner-ear malformations. Data were collected and entered in a Performa, which includes patient's demography, audiological findings, and radiological findings, and the results were analyzed. Data were entered into Microsoft Excel, and statistical analysis was carried out using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 27 (Released 2020; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States). Categorical variables were presented as frequency and percentage. Then the prevalence of inner-ear anomaly was estimated. Correlation between inner-ear anomaly and other factors was calculated using the Chi-square test. Results The prevalence of inner-ear anomalies identified in congenital SNHL by HRCT scan was as follows: 26.08% (12/46), 26.1% (24/92) of inner ears was anomalous, 23.9% of the cochlea was anomalous, 6.5% of the vestibule was anomalous, 5.4% of the vestibular aqueduct was anomalous, and 3.2% of the semicircular canal was anomalous. Cochlear aplasia, incomplete partition, common cavity, and cochlear hypoplasia were the anomalies found. Few cochleas had an abnormal cochlear height, though they appeared normal structurally. The dilated vestibule was the most common vestibular abnormality. There was a negative association found between the inner-ear anomaly in children with congenital SNHL who had a history of consanguineous marriage in their parents. Conclusion High-resolution temporal CT scanning could provide detailed information on the pathology of the inner ear in congenital SNHL, which can help in better planning the surgery for cochlear implantation and understanding the prognosis.

Purification and characterization of antioxidative and antimicrobial peptides from lactic-fermented sheep milk.

This study aims to identify antioxidant and antimicrobial peptides from sheep milk produced using Lactobacillus plantarum (KGL3A). It was inferred that antioxidative and antimicrobial activities increased with increasing incubation time, and antioxidative properties (ABTS assay, superoxide free radical & hydroxyl free radical scavenging activity were 34.5, 34.7, and 29.2% respectively) and antimicrobial properties against Escherichia coli, S. typhimurium, E. faecalis, & B. cereus were 11.3, 12.7, 13.3, & 12.3 mm. However, inoculation of culture at a level of 2.5% and 48 h fermentation give the highest proteolysis activities. Fermented sheep milk fractions of 3 & 10 kDa were analysed for antioxidative and antimicrobial activity, and the 10 kDa permeate showed the highest ABTS assay. The hydroxyl free radical scavenging activity was greatest in 10 kDa retentate and superoxide free radical scavenging activity was observed in 3 kDa permeate (34.7, 43.4, and 34.6%, respectively). Antimicrobial activity of 10 kDa retentate against B. cereus & E. coli (13.3 mm) was greater than 3 and 10 kDa retentate against S. typhimurium (13 mm) and 3 kDa retentate against E. faecalis (13.7 mm). The molecular weight of the protein was estimated using SDS-PAGE. On electrophoresis on a 2-D gel, 6 peptides were identified using RP-LC/MS. BIOPEP, a database for antioxidative and antimicrobial peptides, validated the antioxidative & antimicrobial activities of several peptides in sheep's milk that has been fermented. Sheep milk fermented using Lactobacillus could be considered a novel source of antioxidative and antimicrobial proteins. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-022-05493-2.

Identification of genomic loci conferring broad-spectrum resistance to multiple nematode species in exotic soybean accession PI 567305.

KEY MESSAGE: Genetic analysis identified a unique combination of major QTL for resistance to important soybean nematodes concurrently present in a single soybean accession, which has not been reported earlier. An exotic soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] accession, PI 567305, was reported to be highly resistant to three important nematode species, soybean cyst (SCN), root-knot (RKN), and reniform (RN) nematodes. However, genetic basis controlling broad-spectrum resistance in this germplasm has not been investigated. We report results of genetic analysis to identify genomic loci conferring resistance to these nematode species. A bi-parental population consisting of 242 F8-derived recombinant inbred lines (RILs) was developed from a cross of a nematode susceptible cultivar, Magellan, and resistant accession, PI 567305. The RILs were phenotyped for nematode resistance to three SCN HG types. They were genotyped using the Infinium SoySNP6K BeadChips and genotype-by-sequencing (GBS) methods in an attempt to evaluate the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of these two genotyping platforms. Genetic analysis confirmed the major QTL on chromosomes (Chrs) 10 and 18 with broad-spectrum resistance to the three nematodes present in this germplasm. Haplotype and copy number variation analyses of SCN resistance QTL indicated that PI 567305 has a different haplotype, which is associated with likely a unique SCN resistance mechanism different from Peking- or PI 88788-type resistance. The evaluations of both Infinium Beadchip- and GBS-based genotyping technologies provided comprehensive insights for researchers to choose a cost-effective and efficient platform for QTL mapping and for other genomic studies in soybeans.

Development and application of a triplex-PCR assay for rapid detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from pigs.

A triplex-PCR assay was developed and evaluated for rapid detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) recovered from various biological samples of pig. Three sets of primers were designed to target mecA, 16S rRNA and nuc genes of MRSA. The specific amplification generated three bands on agarose gel, with sizes 280 bp for mecA, 654 bp for 16S rRNA and 481 bp for nuc, respectively. A potential advantage of the PCR assay is its sensitivity with a detection limit of 102  CFU per ml of bacteria. In all, 79 MRSA isolates recovered from various samples of pigs were subjected to the amplification by the triplex-PCR assay and all the isolates yielded three bands corresponding to the three genes under this study. No false-positive amplification was observed, indicating the high specificity of the developed triplex-PCR assay. This assay will be a useful and powerful method for differentiation of MRSA from methicillin-sensitive S. aureus, coagulase-negative methicillin-resistant staphylococci and coagulase-negative methicillin-sensitive staphylococci.

Dropout from farm-based day care for people with dementia in Norway: a follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Farm-based day care services (FDCs) for people with dementia are intending to provide social relationships and meaningful activities in an agricultural landscape and offer respite for next of kin. As this requires a certain cognitive and physical functioning, it is of interest to investigate how this service contribute during the course of dementia. In this study we aim to explore the individual characteristics predicting dropout from FDC. Furthermore, we investigate whether the participants who drop out of the service continue to live at home with another day care service or if they move to a residential care facility. METHODS: The study includes 92 people with dementia attending FDCs in Norway, assessed with standardized instruments at baseline between January 2017 and January 2018. They were followed for 1 year, and dropouts from FDC during this period were mapped. The association between individual characteristics and dropout was assessed using a Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. RESULTS: Thirty-eight people stopped attending FDCs during the study. Twenty-six moved to residential care. Among the 12 who continued to live in their own homes, 9 people started in a regular day care service. Higher score on educational level and more severe dementia, as well as lower scores on social support, increased the probability of stopping FDC. CONCLUSION: FDCs appeared as a service that is stable over time for most participants, as more than two-third could use the care facility until the need of residential care. The transfers within care services and levels of care seemed to be characterized by continuity. More research on the growing population of educated older adults with dementia are warranted, to facilitate for their course of care needs. Finally, extended knowledge is needed to improve the collaboration between private and public networks, such as day care services, to improve the experience of social support for people with dementia.

Comparative Evaluation of Ion Release in Bonded and Nonbonded Stainless Steel Brackets with Use of Different Mouthwashes: An In vitro Study.

BACKGROUND: Orthodontic treatment is a long-term procedure that involves the usage of brackets and archwires which are mainly metallic in nature. This study evaluated the levels of metal ions release from bonded and nonbonded orthodontic brackets after immersion in distilled deionized water and three different types of mouthwash. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty premolar stainless steel brackets (3M, Unitek) were divided into Group A (bonded brackets) and Group B (nonbonded brackets). Each group was further subdivided into four subgroups to analyze the release of ions from three different types of mouthwash along with the control group. All the samples were incubated at 37°C for 45 days, and immersion solutions were tested in inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometer for the release of free metal ions. RESULTS: Mean ion release in the bonded bracket group was less than that of nonbonded bracket group. Ion release in control subgroup of both groups was 0.18 ± 0.08 µg/dl (A1) and 0.17 ± 0.06 µg/dl (B1); in Phos-Flur mouthwash subgroup was 0.12 ± 0.06 µg/dl (A2) and 0.13 ± 0.05 µg/dl (B2); in chlohex mouthwash subgroup was 0.13 ± 0.06 µg/dl (A3) and 0.14 ± 0.06 µg/dl (B3); in Hiora mouthwash subgroup was 0.10 ± 0.06 µg/dl (A4) and 0.12 ± 0.05 µg/dl (B4). CONCLUSIONS: The mean ion release was the highest in deionized water (control group) followed by chlohex, Phos-Flur, and Hiora in both Group A and Group B. Ion leaching from bonded brackets was less compared to nonbonded brackets in all different mouthwashes except in the control group. However, this difference was statistically insignificant (P > 0.05) between all the groups.

Potential herbs and herbal nutraceuticals: food applications and their interactions with food components.

Since ancient times, herbs have been used as natural remedies for curing many physiological disorders. Traditional medicinal literature appreciated their value as nature's gift to mankind for the healing of illnesses. Some of the herbs have also been used for culinary purposes, and few of them have been used in cheese manufacture both as coagulating agents and flavor ingredients. Scientific investigations regarding biological activity and toxicity of chemical moieties present in many herbs have been carried out over a period of time. Consequently, literature related to the use of herbs or their functional ingredients in foods and their interaction with food constituents has been appearing in recent times. This article presents the information regarding some biologically active constituents occurring in commonly used herbs, viz., alkaloids, anthraquinones, bitters, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, and essential oils, their physiological functionalities, and also the description of few herbs of importance, viz., Asparagus racemosus, Withania somnifera, Bacopa monniera, Pueraria tuberose, Emblica officinalis, Terminalia chebula, Terminalia belerica, Terminalia arjuna, and Aloe vera, in terms of their chemical composition, biological functionality, and toxicity. This article also reviews the use of herbs and their active ingredients in foods and their interactions with different food constituents.

Storage related changes in ghee-based low-fat spread.

In order to assess the shelf life of a low fat spread (LFS) based on ghee, the product with (PS) and without (CS) added 0.05 % (w/w) preservative potassium sorbate and packaged in 200 g polystyrene tubs was stored at 5 °C and evaluated for changes in sensory, physico-chemical and microbiological properties. On the basis of flavour score, the PS spread could be stored for 10 weeks without appreciable loss in quality as against the CS spread which could be stored only for 5 weeks. From the point of view of spreadability, body and texture and colour, the CS product was acceptable even after 11 weeks of storage. Use of preservative had an inhibitory effect on the development of free fatty acids (FFA) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) reactive substances. While both the products showed an increasing tendency to whey off during storage, CS wheyed off more than PS. The two spreads showed similar oiling off, which increased slightly during the storage. Microbiologically, the ghee-based low fat spreads with and without preservative was stable for 9 and 3 weeks, respectively, from the view point of yeast and mould growth; but the preservative had little effect on the total viable count. Coliforms were absent in all the samples in fresh and during storage.

An esthetic treatment outcome of orthognathic surgery and dentofacial orthopedics in class II treatment: a cephalometric study.

AIM: The main objective of any orthodontic treatment is to achieve well-established stable occlusal relationship with a definite positive change in facial profile. The purpose of this study was to determine, if such a goal is achievable for patients who could be classified as borderline surgical cases without the invasive use of the actual surgery or, with the use of the recently developed and rapidly spreading fixed functional appliance system (Forsus) and a comparison of the esthetic treatment outcome with the two systems. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve postadolescent borderline skeletal class II patients with a deficient mandible. All the patients used in the study were treated by a preadjusted edgewise appliance for presurgical decompensation with or without extractions and for postsurgical finishing and detailing. Out of the 12 patients six were treated with bilateral saggital split osteotomy (BSSO) and six were treated with fixed functional appliance (Forsus). RESULTS: The results suggested that although surgical patients had a better mandibular advancement, profile reduction, and marked improvements in soft tissue structures, the patients who had undergone fixed functional therapy also had comparable improvement in the above aspects. In the maxilla there was no change in cases treated with surgery but in case of Forsus some retraction of anterior dental segment was evident. CONCLUSION: In surgical group, class II malocclusion correction was more skeletal than dental, whereas in functional group class II malocclusion correction was more dental than skeletal. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Looking at the common surgical risks, cost-effective and postsurgical problems and patients with borderline class II malocclusion, fixed functional therapy is a valuable adjunct in the management of class II malocclusion.

Micro-marsupialization: a minimally invasive technique for mucocele in children and adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Most common lesions seen in children are mucoceles. Different techniques have been described for their treatment; however, most of them are invasive. OBJECTIVE: Aim of the study was to compare the practicability of micro-marsupialization with surgical excision in treatment of mucoceles. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A pilot study was done on 15 patients to evaluate and compare variables like lesion evolution, surgical time period, healing, complications etc. when lesions were treated with micro-marsupialization and surgical excision. RESULTS: Most of the mucoceles diagnosed in this pilot study were found in lower lip. Amongst cases that were treated with micro-marsupialization, recurrence was seen only in one case, whereas there were 3 cases of recurrence seen in surgical excision group. No statistically significant difference was found between the treatment methods used. CONCLUSION: Micro-marsupialization can be a non-invasive option to treat mucoceles in pediatric dentistry owing to its simplicity, fewer complications involved and as well that it's well-tolerated by patients.

Effect of thickness on nanostructured SnO2 thin films by spray pyrolysis as highly sensitive H2S gas sensor.

Nanostructured SnO2 thin films were prepared by spray pyrolysis technique onto glass substrates with different thickness by varying quantity of precursor solution. The structural, optical and electrical properties of these films have been studied. The crystallographic structure of the films was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD). It is found that the films are tetragonal with (110) orientation. The grain size increases with thickness. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) showed that the nanocrystalline nature of the films with porous nature. The grain size increased 14 to 29 nm with increase in film thickness. The studies on the optical properties show that the direct band gap value decreases from 3.75 to 3.50 eV. The temperature dependence of the electrical conductivity was studied. The activation energies of the films are calculated from the conductance temperature characteristics. The nanostructured SnO2 thin films were used as sensing layers for resistive gas sensors. The dependence of gas sensing properties on the thickness of SnO2 thin films was investigated. The gas response of the SnO2 thin films towards the H2S gas was determined at an operating temperature of 150 degrees C. The sensitivity towards H2S gas is strongly depending on surface morphology of the SnO2 thin films.

Impact of a modified carbonated beverage on human dental plaque and salivary pH: an in vivo study.

BACKGROUND: To assess the plaque and salivary pH changes at different time intervals in vivo after consumption of a carbonated beverage modified with sodium fluoride and calcium phosphate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four subjects aged 18-25 years were recruited and randomly assigned to three groups (group A, original drink Sprite; group B, Sprite with sodium fluoride; group C, Sprite with calcium phosphate). Collection of pooled plaque and unstimulated saliva was done before and after the drinks were consumed by the subjects at 5-, 10-, 20- and 30-minute intervals. RESULTS: The pH rise was higher with group C for plaque and group B for saliva. CONCLUSIONS: Modification of the test carbonated beverage with calcium phosphate and fluoride may exert some protective potential, especially in high caries risk candidates.

Synthesis of 2, 3-disubstituted-Quinazolin-4-(3H)-ones.

The present review covers a concise account of the synthesis of bioactive 2, 3-disubstituted-quinazoline-4(3H)-ones and the recent developments in the area of versatile quinazolinones with a special emphasis on new synthetic routes and strategies.

A comparative study of kinetic and connectionist modeling for shelf-life prediction of Basundi mix.

A ready-to-reconstitute formulation of Basundi, a popular Indian dairy dessert was subjected to storage at various temperatures (10, 25 and 40 °C) and deteriorative changes in the Basundi mix were monitored using quality indices like pH, hydroxyl methyl furfural (HMF), bulk density (BD) and insolubility index (II). The multiple regression equations and the Arrhenius functions that describe the parameters' dependence on temperature for the four physico-chemical parameters were integrated to develop mathematical models for predicting sensory quality of Basundi mix. Connectionist model using multilayer feed forward neural network with back propagation algorithm was also developed for predicting the storage life of the product employing artificial neural network (ANN) tool box of MATLAB software. The quality indices served as the input parameters whereas the output parameters were the sensorily evaluated flavour and total sensory score. A total of 140 observations were used and the prediction performance was judged on the basis of per cent root mean square error. The results obtained from the two approaches were compared. Relatively lower magnitudes of percent root mean square error for both the sensory parameters indicated that the connectionist models were better fitted than kinetic models for predicting storage life.

Evaluation of computed tomography virtual bronchoscopy in paediatric tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration.

OBJECTIVE: Virtual bronchoscopy is a noninvasive technique which provides an intraluminal view of the tracheobronchial tree. This study aimed to evaluate this technique in comparison with rigid bronchoscopy, in paediatric patients with tracheobronchial foreign bodies undetected by plain chest radiography. METHODS: Plain chest radiography was initially performed in 40 children with suspected foreign body aspiration. Computed tomography virtual bronchoscopy was performed in the 20 in whom chest radiography appeared normal. Virtual bronchoscopic images were obtained. All patients underwent rigid bronchoscopy performed by an otolaryngologist blinded to the computed tomography virtual bronchoscopy findings, within 24 hours. Virtual bronchoscopic findings were then compared with the results of rigid bronchoscopy. RESULTS: In 12 patients, foreign bodies detected by virtual bronchoscopy were confirmed by rigid bronchoscopy. In one case, a mucous plug was perceived as a foreign body on virtual bronchoscopy. In another case, a minute foreign body was missed on virtual bronchoscopy. The following parameters were calculated: sensitivity, 92.3 per cent; specificity, 85.7 per cent; validity, 90 per cent; positive likelihood ratio, 6.45; and negative likelihood ratio, 0.089. CONCLUSION: In the presence of a positive clinical diagnosis and negative chest radiography, computed tomography virtual bronchoscopy must be considered in all cases of tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration, in order to avoid needless rigid bronchoscopy. Computed tomography virtual bronchoscopy is particularly useful in screening cases of occult foreign body aspiration, as it has high sensitivity, specificity and validity.

Development of novel, alternative, facile, ecofriendly, high yield synthetic process for prazosin.

Industrial chemistry in the new millennium is widely adopting the concept of "Green chemistry" to meet the fundamental scientific challenges. Antihypertensive drugs include several of the most widely prescribed drugs like diuretics, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, and α-1 adrenoreceptor blockers. The discovery of prazosin, with very high index of α1/α2 affinity has triggered off a renaissance of interest in α1-adrenoceptor antagonist drugs for treatment of hypertension. The three reported routes for synthesis and manufacture of the α-adrenoceptor antagonist- prazosin had some disadvantages. In present study we had developed new methods for the synthesis of prazosin by using microwave. The most important aspect is the overall yield of this process was ~25 % higher than the other reported methods excluding the use of banned substances.

Relationship between molecular markers and treatment response in a retrospective cohort of Indian patients with primary carcinoma of the larynx.

p53 Mutations and over expression have been shown to predict treatment response in head and neck cancer patients. Failure of organ sparing therapy has been attributed to cisplatin and radiotherapy resistance in carcinoma of the larynx patients. In this study, we evaluate the relationships between p53 over expression/mutations, bcl(2) expression and ploidy status in a retrospective cohort of responder and non-responder carcinoma of the larynx patients. Tissue samples from 22 patients with histopathologically confirmed carcinoma of the larynx and matched for age, stage, node status and treatment regimen, were analysed from our tissue biorepository. Differences in the above molecular markers were analysed between the responders and non-responders to conventional treatment. p53 and bcl(2) over expression was checked by IHC and p53 mutation by PCR and direct sequencing. DNA ploidy and S-phase fractions were also analysed. Chi square analysis was used to identify changes in proportions of these markers in responders and non-responders and likelihood ratio test was done to determine the best predictor biological marker for treatment response. Bivariate relationships were determined between these variables using Spearman's rank correlation. Node negativity at time of diagnosis (p=0.05), p53 mutation (p=0.02) and bcl(2) negativity (p=0.05) are some of the factors that are known to influence treatment response in our study. p53 over expression, S-phase fractions and ploidy status did not seem to influence treatment response. There was a significant inverse correlation between stage of cancer (p=0.03) and node positivity (p=0.06) with bcl(2) positivity. There was an inverse correlation between mutation category to treatment response (p=0.01). The results suggest p53 mutations to be a promising marker in predicting treatment response in carcinoma of the larynx patients.