Echocardiologic evaluation and follow-up of cardiovascular complications in children with scorpion sting in coastal South India.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Scorpion stings are a common emergency in India and many other tropical countries. In India, the red scorpions are more prevalent, and their venom is more likely to cause myocardial dysfunctions. There are very few studies conducted on this problem. The following study was done in Andhra Pradesh and aimed to identify cardiovascular complications of scorpion stings in children with a follow-up of 6 months. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Children admitted with scorpion sting in a tertiary care hospital between December 2009 and November 2010 and followed-up till May 2011. RESULTS: Scorpion stings account for 1 in every 36 admissions. Maximum cases were in 0-3 years age group. Electrocardiogram changes were seen in 76% cases and myocarditis in 42% cases. Echocardiography revealed decreased ejection fraction (EF), transient mitral regurgitation and wall motion abnormalities were observed. Average EF improved from 16% on day 1 to 47.94% and 59% on day 5 and 14 respectively, which was highly statistically significant. By the end of 1 month, all the survivors had normal EF and no residual cardiac dysfunction was observed at 6 months. CONCLUSION: Scorpion stings, a common and fatal medical emergency in India, produce echocardiographic changes without any long term residual damage on myocardial activity.

Impact of Sn-doping on the optoelectronic properties of zinc oxide crystal: DFT approach.

This study aims to provide a concise overview of the behavior exhibited by Sn-doped ZnO crystals using a computational technique known as density functional theory (DFT). The influence of Sn doping on the electronic, structural, and optical properties of ZnO have been explored. Specifically, the wavelength dependent refractive index, extinction coefficient, reflectance, and absorption coefficient, along with electronic band gap structure of the Sn doped ZnO has been examined and analyzed. In addition, X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns have been obtained to investigate the structural characteristics of Sn-doped ZnO crystals with varying concentrations of Sn dopant atoms. The incorporation of tin (Sn) into zinc oxide (ZnO) has been observed to significantly impact the opto-electronic properties of the material. This effect can be attributed to the improved electronic band structure and optical characteristics resulting from the tin doping. Furthermore, the controllable structural and optical characteristics of tin-doped zinc oxide will facilitate the development of various light-sensitive devices. Moreover, the impact of Sn doping on the optoelectronic properties of ZnO is thoroughly investigated and documented.

A study of the prognostic significance of platelet distribution width, mean platelet volume, and plateletcrit in cerebral venous sinus thrombosis.

Objectives: Platelets play a key role in thrombus formation and propagation and are thus implicated in the pathogenesis and morbidity of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). A whole blood count can be used to objectively measure platelet function through platelet indices, namely, platelet distribution width (PDW), mean platelet volume (MPV), and plateletcrit. This study examined how platelet indices (PDW,MPV, and plateletcrit) affect the CVST severity and functional outcome. Materials and Methods: In this prospective, longitudinal, and observational study, 66 patients with CVST from a tertiary care referral center were enrolled. A complete blood count including platelet indices was obtained using an automated hematology analyzer. Patients with and without parenchymal abnormalities on brain imaging were classified as having severe and non-severe CVST, respectively. The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was used to examine functional outcomes at admission and after 90 days. The patients were categorized into low mRS (0-1) and high mRS (2-6) functional groups. Results: The patients with severe CVST were older (P < 0.05) and exhibited abnormally large PDW (P < 0.05) which were statistically significant. Severe CSVT also had poor functional outcome score both at admission (P < 0.05) and 90 days later (P < 0.05) which were statistically significant. Multiple logistic regression analysis concluded age and PDW as the independent predictors of severe CVST (P < 0.05). In receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, a cutoff value of 16.5 for PDW could predict CVST severity (P < 0.05). Patients with high mRS scores at admission had significantly larger PDW. At 90 days, no association was noted between PDW and mRS scores. MPV and plateletcrit levels were similar in both the severe and non-severe CVST groups and exerted no effect on functional outcomes. PDW was significantly and inversely related to plateletcrit (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Severe CVST and PDW had a positive correlation. During the early phases of admission, PDW levels above a particular threshold were associated with poor functional outcomes; however, no such association was observed after 90 days. MPV and plateletcrit exerted no effect on CVST severity and prognosis.

Pollution characteristics and ecological risks of trace elements in PM2.5 over three COALESCE network sites - Bhopal, Mesra, and Mysuru, India.

Time-synchronized, 24 h integrated PM2.5 trace element (TE) measurements made as a part of the COALESCE project (Venkataraman et al., 2020) at Bhopal, Mesra, and Mysore during all of 2019 were analyzed in this study. The concentrations of 15 key elements ranged between 0.05 ng m-3 and 50 µg m-3 across the study sites. Pronounced seasonal variation of elements from multiple source classes showed that the crustal origin elements (Al, Si, Fe, Ti, and Ca) peaked during the pre-monsoon season, while the anthropogenic activities driven element (P, S, K, V, Mn, Cu, Zn, and Pb) concentrations increased during the winter and post-monsoon seasons. Spearman correlation coupled with hierarchical clustering separated the matrix of elements into three common clusters at all sites, corresponding to crustal sources, combustion and biomass burning emissions, and industrial/non-exhaust vehicular emissions, respectively. Furthermore, episodes of metal pollution throughout the year were examined using characteristic radar charts of TEs to identify the association between TE sources and poor air quality. For example, maximum metal pollution in Bhopal occurred during the post-monsoon season, attributable to biomass burning, dust storms, industrial and non-exhaust vehicular emissions. Finally, an ecological risk assessment revealed that the risk index was higher than the threshold value of 600 for all heavy metals at all sites. Pb, Cu, and Zn were the top contributors to 'extremely high risk' amongst all heavy metals. Overall, the results show that although TE concentrations at all three locations were much lower than in other urban locations in India, the risk from heavy metals to the ecosystem (and likely to human health) cannot be ignored. The findings warrant a full source apportionment of fine PM to better identify TE-rich source contributions and future studies to examine the atmospheric processing and eco-system uptake of TEs.

A Multi-centric retrospective study into the epidemiological distribution of breast cancer patients in India.

BACKGROUND: A multicentric private hospital-based retrospective study was conducted to understand the epidemiology of breast cancer in terms of demographics and clinical characteristics (staging and hormone receptor status) at the time of diagnosis. METHODS: The data for 5,688 female breast cancer patients were collected from the hospital and clinical records of four study centres. All statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel 2016 and R software. Survival was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log-rank test. A P value of <.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The mean and median age of the study population was 52.6 (± 12.4) years and 53.0 (range 51-54 across the four centers) years, respectively. About 68% of patients were in the age category of 41 65 years, 17.6% were <40 years old among whom 23.4% of patients reported a positive family history. Most of the patients (66.3%) were diagnosed at an early stage (Stage I and II). The 3-year OS probability was 100%, 97.5%, 94.1%, and 74.7% for TNM Stages I, II, III, and IV, respectively. The 3-year RFS was 95.7%, 95.5%, 84.5%, and 49% for TNM Stages I, II, III, and IV, respectively. CONCLUSION: The present study highlights the epidemiological distribution of breast cancer patients. It emphasizes the importance of disease awareness among the urban and educated female population as most patients were diagnosed at earlier stages and demonstrated higher OS and RFS than reported in government registries.

Traits and selection strategies to improve root systems and water uptake in water-limited wheat crops.

Wheat yields globally will depend increasingly on good management to conserve rainfall and new varieties that use water efficiently for grain production. Here we propose an approach for developing new varieties to make better use of deep stored water. We focus on water-limited wheat production in the summer-dominant rainfall regions of India and Australia, but the approach is generally applicable to other environments and root-based constraints. Use of stored deep water is valuable because it is more predictable than variable in-season rainfall and can be measured prior to sowing. Further, this moisture is converted into grain with twice the efficiently of in-season rainfall since it is taken up later in crop growth during the grain-filling period when the roots reach deeper layers. We propose that wheat varieties with a deeper root system, a redistribution of branch root density from the surface to depth, and with greater radial hydraulic conductivity at depth would have higher yields in rainfed systems where crops rely on deep water for grain fill. Developing selection systems for mature root system traits is challenging as there are limited high-throughput phenotyping methods for roots in the field, and there is a risk that traits selected in the lab on young plants will not translate into mature root system traits in the field. We give an example of a breeding programme that combines laboratory and field phenotyping with proof of concept evaluation of the trait at the beginning of the selection programme. This would greatly enhance confidence in a high-throughput laboratory or field screen, and avoid investment in screens without yield value. This approach requires careful selection of field sites and years that allow expression of deep roots and increased yield. It also requires careful selection and crossing of germplasm to allow comparison of root expression among genotypes that are similar for other traits, especially flowering time and disease and toxicity resistances. Such a programme with field and laboratory evaluation at the outset will speed up delivery of varieties with improved root systems for higher yield.

Tracing the predominant sources of carbon in PM2.5 using δ13C values together with OC/EC and select inorganic ions over two COALESCE locations.

As part of the COALESCE (Carbonaceous Aerosol Emissions, Source apportionment and Climate Impacts) campaign, ambient PM2.5 was collected at two regional sites (Bhopal and Mysuru) in India during 2019. We utilized organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC) and water-soluble inorganic ions together with δ13C values, to better understand total carbon (TC) sources at these locations. The annual average δ13C values (-26.2 ± 0.6‰) at Mysuru and Bhopal (-26.6 ± 0.6‰) were comparable. However, at Mysuru, except during winter, day-to-day variability was much lower (narrow range of -26.8 to -26.0‰) than that at Bhopal (range: -28.1 to -24.7‰), suggesting that TC was contributed by few sources, likely dominated by vehicular emissions. Seasonal average δ13C values at Bhopal increased slightly (-25.8 ± 0.5‰) during the winter (Jan-Feb) and decreased (-27.0 ± 0.3‰) during the monsoon (Jun-Sep) season compared to the annual average. The decrease in δ13C values during the monsoon season was likely driven by enhanced secondary organic aerosol formation. Further, based on MODIS derived fire spots and back trajectories, we infered that the δ13C values (-27.5 to -26.0‰) in Bhopal during the post-monsoon season (Oct-Dec) were indicative of dominant biomass burning contributions. The inorganic ions/TC ratio during this season suggested that biomass burning aerosol was aged and may have been transported from crop residue burning in the Indo-Gangetic plains. At Mysuru, like the trend at Bhopal, the δ13C values during the monsoon season were lower than those during the winter season. Finally, δ13C values were input to a Bayesian model-MixSIAR to demonstrate the usefulness of such models in apportioning TC. In its simplest implementation, the model separated TC sources into fossil fuel emissions and non-fossil fuel sources . Fossil fuel combustion emissions accounted for 47 ± 19% and 62 ± 22% of the TC at Bhopal and Mysuru, respectively.

Comparative evaluation of the effect of decontamination protocol on the shear bond strength of eighth generation bonding agent to contaminated dentin: an in vitro study.

INTRODUCTION: This in vitro study aims to evaluate and compare the effect of decontamination protocol - based on sodium hypochlorite - NaOCl, as a decontaminating agent, followed by the application of a collagen cross-linking agent like sodium ascorbate or Proanthocyanidin on the shear bond strength of eighth generation bonding agent to contaminated dentin (saliva, blood and blood followed by hemostatic agent). METHODS: The buccal surfaces of extracted premolars were flattened to expose the dentine. The teeth were then randomly divided into 3 groups based on the contaminant used (saliva, blood and blood followed by hemostatic agent). Decontamination protocol was carried out with sodium hypochlorite followed by application of either of the two collagen cross-linking agents (sodium ascorbate/proanthocyanidin) in each group. FuturaBond DC (eighth generation) bonding agent was used to bond composite to dentin surfaces which was subjected to shear bond strength testing. Data was analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey test. RESULTS: All the groups (contaminated with saliva, blood, or hemostatic agent) showed a decrease in shear bond strength of composite resin to dentin. The shear bond strength of composite resin to dentin was least affected by contamination with saliva followed by contamination with blood and was most affected by contamination with a hemostatic agent.The decontamination protocol carried out showed that the combination of NaOCl and Proanthocyanidin improved the shear bond strength of composite to dentin significantly more than the combination of NaOCl and sodium ascorbate or of sodium hypochlorite used alone.

Mapping genomic regions of moisture deficit stress tolerance using backcross inbred lines in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Identification of markers associated with major physiological and yield component traits under moisture deficit stress conditions in preferred donor lines paves the way for marker-assisted selection (MAS). In the present study, a set of 183 backcross inbred lines (BILs) derived from the cross HD2733/2*C306 were genotyped using 35K Axiom genotyping array and SSR markers. The multi-trait, multi-location field phenotyping of BILs was done at three locations covering two major wheat growing zones of India, north-western plains zone (NWPZ) and central zone (CZ) under varying moisture regimes. A linkage map was constructed using 705 SNPs and 86 SSR polymorphic markers. A total of 43 genomic regions and QTL × QTL epistatic interactions were identified for 14 physiological and yield component traits, including NDVI, chlorophyll content, CT, CL, PH, GWPS, TGW and GY. Chromosomes 2A, 5D, 5A and 4B harbors greater number of QTLs for these traits. Seven Stable QTLs were identified across environment for DH (QDh.iari_6D), GWPS (QGWPS.iari_5B), PH (QPh.iari_4B-2, QPh.iari_4B-3) and NDVI (QNdvi1.iari_5D, QNdvi3.iari_5A). Nine genomic regions identified carrying major QTLs for CL, NDVI, RWC, FLA, PH, TGW and biomass explaining 10.32-28.35% of the phenotypic variance. The co-segregation of QTLs of physiological traits with yield component traits indicate the pleiotropic effects and their usefulness in the breeding programme. Our findings will be useful in dissecting genetic nature and marker-assisted selection for moisture deficit stress tolerance in wheat.

Genome-Wide Association Studies in Diverse Spring Wheat Panel for Stripe, Stem, and Leaf Rust Resistance.

Among several important wheat foliar diseases, Stripe rust (YR), Leaf rust (LR), and Stem rust (SR) have always been an issue of concern to the farmers and wheat breeders. Evolution of virulent pathotypes of these rusts has posed frequent threats to an epidemic. Pyramiding rust-resistant genes are the most economical and environment-friendly approach in postponing this inevitable threat. To achieve durable long term resistance against the three rusts, an attempt in this study was made searching for novel sources of resistant alleles in a panel of 483 spring wheat genotypes. This is a unique and comprehensive study where evaluation of a diverse panel comprising wheat germplasm from various categories and adapted to different wheat agro-climatic zones was challenged with 18 pathotypes of the three rusts with simultaneous screening in field conditions. The panel was genotyped using 35K SNP array and evaluated for each rust at two locations for two consecutive crop seasons. High heritability estimates of disease response were observed between environments for each rust type. A significant effect of population structure in the panel was visible in the disease response. Using a compressed mixed linear model approach, 25 genomic regions were found associated with resistance for at least two rusts. Out of these, seven were associated with all the three rusts on chromosome groups 1 and 6 along with 2B. For resistance against YR, LR, and SR, there were 16, 18, and 27 QTL (quantitative trait loci) identified respectively, associated at least in two out of four environments. Several of these regions got annotated with resistance associated genes viz. NB-LRR, E3-ubiquitin protein ligase, ABC transporter protein, etc. Alien introgressed (on 1B and 3D) and pleiotropic (on 7D) resistance genes were captured in seedling and adult plant disease responses, respectively. The present study demonstrates the use of genome-wide association for identification of a large number of favorable alleles for leaf, stripe, and stem rust resistance for broadening the genetic base. Quick conversion of these QTL into user-friendly markers will accelerate the deployment of these resistance loci in wheat breeding programs.

Prevalence of impacted third molars among orthodontic patients in different malocclusions.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the prevalence and pattern of third molar impaction and missing third molars in patients over 18 years in different anteroposterior skeletal patterns among central Indian populations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study reviewed 357 orthopantomograms of patients attending the Government College of Dentistry, Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Patients were evaluated to determine the prevalence of third molar impaction, angulation, and level of eruption in Class I, Class II, and Class III patients using Winter's classification to determine angulation of third molars and Pell and Gregory classification for level of impaction. RESULTS: Out of 357 patients, 187 (52.3%) were present with at least one impacted teeth. The third molar impaction was most commonly present in Class II malocclusion (60.65%). Overall, the most common angulation of impaction in both genders was the mesioangular (39%), and the most common level of impaction in both arches was Level B. In Class I, Class II and Class III malocclusion vertical angulation was the most common finding in the maxillary arch and mesioangular angulation in the mandibular arch. No significant association was observed between different types of malocclusion and third molar impaction (P > 0.4648). CONCLUSION: This study found that almost half of the adult patients above 18 years had at least one impacted third molar. The anteroposterior relationship does not have any significant role for the third molar impaction.

Assessment of digital literacy and use of smart phones among Central Indian dental students.

OBJECTIVES: Education has largely been digitalized. More so, for professional education, keeping updated in this fast paced world has become a necessary requisite and dentistry has not been left untouched. This cross sectional questionnaire based study aimed to assess the digital literacy and smartphone usage amongst the 260 Central Indian dental students including their perspicacity about smartphone/internet usage for learning purposes. The students' attitude for implementation of digital technology in study programs/education system was also evaluated. METHODS: The questionnaire was distributed among total 260 dental students from different dental institutes of Central India. The data was collected and analyzed using SPSS software. RESULTS: Out of 260 students, 250 were internet users, out of which 56% had internet access all time. 94.23% students owned a smartphone. 46.53% (114/245) students had some app related to the dentistry in their smartphone device. The commonest site for surfing related to knowledge seeking was google scholar (72%) followed by Pubmed and others. Nearly 80% dental students believed that social media helps them in their professional course studies. Post graduate students showed statistitically significant difference from undergraduates and interns in terms of knowledge of keywords, dental apps and reading research journals. 89.23% students were keen for implementation of e-learning in their curriculum. CONCLUSION: This study reflects willingness of dental students to adopt digital revolution in dental education which in turn may present an opportunity for educators and policy makers to modify educational methods and thereby advance student's current learning approaches.

Dual or multi-targeting inhibitors: The next generation anticancer agents.

Dual-targeting/Multi-targeting of oncoproteins by a single drug molecule represents an efficient, logical and alternative approach to drug combinations. An increasing interest in this approach is indicated by a steady upsurge in the number of articles on targeting dual/multi proteins published in the last 5 years. Combining different inhibitors that destiny specific single target is the standard treatment for cancer. A new generation of dual or multi-targeting drugs is emerging, where a single chemical entity can act on multiple molecular targets. Dual/Multi-targeting agents are beneficial for solving limited efficiencies, poor safety and resistant profiles of an individual target. Designing dual/multi-target inhibitors with predefined biological profiles present a challenge. The latest advances in bioinformatic tools and the availability of detailed structural information of target proteins have shown a way of discovering multi-targeting molecules. This neoteric artifice that amalgamates the molecular docking of small molecules with protein-based common pharmacophore to design multi-targeting inhibitors is gaining great importance in anticancer drug discovery. Current review focus on the discoveries of dual targeting agents in cancer therapy using rational, computational, proteomic, bioinformatics and polypharmacological approach that enables the discovery and rational design of effective and safe multi-target anticancer agents.

Beta-adrenergic axis and heart disease.

Beta-adrenergic receptors (beta-ARs) belong to a large family of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that form the interface between the sympathetic nervous system and the cardiovascular system. The beta-AR signal system is one of the most powerful regulators of cardiac function, mediated by the effects of the sympathetic transmitters epinephrine and norepinephrine. In a number of cardiac diseases, however, the biology of beta-AR signaling pathways is altered dramatically. Here we discuss the role of beta-AR signaling in the normal and abnormal heart and how the use of genetically engineered mouse models has helped in our understanding of the pathophysiology of cardiac disease.

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease presenting as brainstem encephalitis with secondary blepharospasm.

Central nervous system involvement in Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease is a very rare clinical manifestation. We report a 15-year-old girl who presented to us with fever, drowsiness, neck swellings, and involuntary closure of both eyelids of 2 days duration. Magnetic resonance imaging brain showed T2-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery hyperintensities in dorsal midbrain and pons. Cervical lymph node fine-needle aspiration cytology was suggestive of Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease. Blepharospasm secondary to infectious etiology is rare. Positron emission computed tomography brain showed increased focal uptake in anterior cingulate gyrus which can be the site of origin of blepharospasm. The patient was managed with steroids and trihexyphenidyl with significant recovery. Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease is a rare disease which has to be considered as one of the differential diagnosis in a case of acute encephalopathy with cervical lymphadenopathy.

Wheats developed for high yield on stored soil moisture have deep vigorous root systems.

Many rainfed wheat production systems are reliant on stored soil water for some or all of their water inputs. Selection and breeding for root traits could result in a yield benefit; however, breeding for root traits has traditionally been avoided due to the difficulty of phenotyping mature root systems, limited understanding of root system development and function, and the strong influence of environmental conditions on the phenotype of the mature root system. This paper outlines an international field selection program for beneficial root traits at maturity using soil coring in India and Australia. In the rainfed areas of India, wheat is sown at the end of the monsoon into hot soils with a quickly receding soil water profile; in season water inputs are minimal. We hypothesised that wheat selected and bred for high yield under these conditions would have deep, vigorous root systems, allowing them to access and utilise the stored soil water at depth around anthesis and grain-filling when surface layers were dry. The Indian trials resulted in 49 lines being sent to Australia for phenotyping. These lines were ranked against 41 high yielding Australian lines. Variation was observed for deep root traits e.g. in eastern Australia in 2012, maximum depth ranged from 118.8 to 146.3cm. There was significant variation for root traits between sites and years, however, several Indian genotypes were identified that consistently ranked highly across sites and years for deep rooting traits.

Cardiac overexpression of a G(q) inhibitor blocks induction of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase activity in in vivo pressure overload.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the cellular signals that initiate cardiac hypertrophy is of critical importance in identifying the pathways that mediate heart failure. The family of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), including the extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs), c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 MAPKs, may play specific roles in myocardial growth and function. METHODS AND RESULTS: To determine the mechanism of activation of MAPK pathways during the development of cardiac hypertrophy, we evaluated the induction of MAPK activity after aortic constriction in wild-type and in 2 types of cardiac gene-targeted mice: one overexpressing a carboxyl-terminal peptide of Galpha(q) that inhibits G(q)-mediated signaling (TG GqI mouse) and another overexpressing a carboxyl-terminal peptide of beta-adrenergic receptor kinase-1 that inhibits Gbetagamma signaling (TG betaARKct mouse). Wild-type mice with pressure overload showed an acute induction of JNK, followed by the induction of p38/p38beta at 3 days and ERK at 7 days. Both JNK and p38 activity remained elevated at 7 days after banding. In TG GqI mice, hypertrophy was significantly attenuated, and induction of ERK and JNK activity was abolished, whereas the induction of p38 and p38beta was robust, but delayed. By contrast, all 3 MAPK pathways were activated by aortic constriction in the TG betaARKct hearts, suggesting a role for Galpha(q), but not Gbetagamma. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these data show that the induction of ERK and JNK activity in in vivo pressure-overload hypertrophy is mediated through the stimulation of G(q)-coupled receptors and that non-G(q)-mediated pathways are recruited to activate p38 and p38beta.

Synergistic roles of bone morphogenetic protein 15 and growth differentiation factor 9 in ovarian function.

Knockout mouse technology has been used over the last decade to define the essential roles of ovarian-expressed genes and uncover genetic interactions. In particular, we have used this technology to study the function of multiple members of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily including inhibins, activins, and growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF-9 or Gdf9). Knockout mice lacking GDF-9 are infertile due to a block in folliculogenesis at the primary follicle stage. In addition, recombinant GDF-9 regulates multiple cumulus granulosa cell functions in the periovulatory period including hyaluronic acid synthesis and cumulus expansion. We have also cloned an oocyte-specific homolog of GDF-9 from mice and humans, which is termed bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP-15 or Bmp15). To define the function of BMP-15 in mice, we generated embryonic stem cells and knockout mice, which have a null mutation in this X-linked gene. Male chimeric and Bmp15 null mice are normal and fertile. In contrast to Bmp15 null males and Gdf9 knockout females, Bmp15 null females (Bmp15(-/-)) are subfertile and usually have minimal ovarian histopathological defects, but demonstrate decreased ovulation and fertilization rates. To further decipher possible direct or indirect genetic interactions between GDF-9 and BMP-15, we have generated double mutant mice lacking one or both alleles of these related homologs. Double homozygote females (Bmp15(-/-)Gdf9(-/-)) display oocyte loss and cysts and resemble Gdf9(-/-) mutants. In contrast, Bmp15(-/-)Gdf9(+/-) female mice have more severe fertility defects than Bmp15(-/-) females, which appear to be due to abnormalities in ovarian folliculogenesis, cumulus cell physiology, and fertilization. Thus, the dosage of intact Bmp15 and Gdf9 alleles directly influences the destiny of the oocyte during folliculogenesis and in the periovulatory period. These studies have important implications for human fertility control and the maintenance of fertility and normal ovarian physiology.

Oral health status and awareness among tuberculosis patients in an Indian population.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge and awareness regarding oral health problems of tuberculosis patients are lacking among patients, physicians, as well as dental practitioners. AIM: This study aimed to assess the oral health status and awareness among the tuberculosis patients in an Indian population. METHODS: Study sample comprised of 210 tuberculosis patients and 210 nontuberculosis subjects. The tuberculosis patients were categorized into new patients (group A), previously treated (group B), and drug-resistant tuberculosis patients (group C). History of present problem and awareness about oral health was noted. Periodontal health status was ascertained using Community Periodontal Index (CPI). Other oral findings were also recorded. RESULTS: The results were analyzed statistically. 62.9% of total tuberculosis patients had one or more oral problems. Most common problem was tooth pain (34%). CPI score was significantly higher (p<0.05) for tuberculosis patients (2.94) than in control group (1.34). Mean CPI score for groups A, B, and C patients was 2.83, 2.91, and 3.09, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study suggests awareness of oral health status and oral manifestations of tuberculosis among physicians and dental professionals.

Correlation between EGFR Gene Mutations and Lung Cancer: a Hospital-Based Study.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is one of the targeted molecular markers in many cancers including lung malignancies. Gefitinib and erlotinib are two available therapeutics that act as specific inhibitors of tyrosine kinase (TK) domains. We performed a case-control study with formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks (FFPE) from tissue biopsies of 167 non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) patients and 167 healthy controls. The tissue biopsies were studied for mutations in exons 18-21 of the EGFR gene. This study was performed using PCR followed by DNA sequencing. We identified 63 mutations in 33 men and 30 women. Mutations were detected in exon 19 (delE746-A750, delE746-T751, delL747-E749, delL747-P753, delL747-T751) in 32 patients, exon 20 (S786I, T790M) in 16, and exon 21 (L858R) in 15. No mutations were observed in exon 18. The 63 patients with EFGR mutations were considered for upfront therapy with oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) drugs and have responded well to therapy over the last 15 months. The control patients had no mutations in any of the exons studied. The advent of EGFR TKI therapy has provided a powerful new treatment modality for patients diagnosed with NSCLC. The study emphasizes the frequency of EGFR mutations in NSCLC patients and its role as an important predictive marker for response to oral TKI in the south Indian population.