Direct-acting antiviral drugs against hepatitis C virus in renal transplant recipients: Is it the dawn of an interferon-free Era?

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a significant problem among hemodialysis population, especially in India where renal transplant often gets delayed in the presence of live-related donors. An acceleration of liver cirrhosis and poor renal allograft outcomes are often witnessed in allograft recipients with high viral load. Use of interferon in the postrenal transplant setting for the treatment of hepatitis C viral infection was limited to a few grave situations, fearing the precipitation of allograft rejection and poor efficacy for sustained virological remission.

Social functioning in individuals with first episode psychosis: One-year follow-up study.

Background: Improvement in social functioning is important for recovery in first episode psychosis (FEP).

Methodology: 51 individuals diagnosed with first episode psychosis were assessed for social functioning at baseline and one year follow-up.

Results: Significant improvement was seen in certain domains of social functioning measured by LSP scale such as communication and non-turbulence while no significant changes were observed in self-care and social contact.

Expiratory central airway collapse in stable COPD and during exacerbations.

Background: Tracheal obstruction resulting from expiratory tracheal deformation has been associated with respiratory symptoms and severe airway exacerbations. In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), acute exacerbations (AECOPD) create large intrathoracic pressure swings which may increase tracheal deformation. Excessive central airway collapse (ECAC) may be diagnosed when the tracheal area on expiration is less than 50% of that on inspiration.

Measured Glomerular Filtration Rate at Dialysis Initiation and Clinical Outcomes of Indian Peritoneal Dialysis Patients.

The optimal time for dialysis initiation remains controversial. Studies have failed to show better outcomes with early initiation of hemodialysis; even a few had shown increased adverse outcomes including poorer survival. Few studies have examined the same in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD).

DNA prime/protein boost vaccination elicits robust humoral response in rhesus macaques using oligomeric simian immunodeficiency virus envelope and Advax delta inulin adjuvant.

The partial success of the RV144 trial underscores the importance of envelope-specific antibody responses for an effective HIV-1 vaccine. Oligomeric HIV-1 envelope proteins delivered with a potent adjuvant are expected to elicit strong antibody responses with broad neutralization specificity. To test this hypothesis, two SIV envelope proteins were formulated with delta inulin-based adjuvant (Advax) and used to immunize nonhuman primates.

Hadamard-Transform Fluorescence Excitation-Emission-Matrix Spectroscopy.

We present a fluorescence excitation-emission-matrix spectrometer with superior data acquisition rates over previous instruments. Light from a white light emitting diode (LED) source is dispersed onto a digital micromirror array (DMA) and encoded using binary n-size Walsh functions ("barcodes"). The encoded excitation light is used to irradiate the liquid sample and its fluorescence is dispersed and detected using a conventional array spectrometer.

Zinc Acetate-Promoted Buchwald-Hartwig Couplings of Heteroaromatic Amines.

Zinc salts have been shown to promote the Buchwald-Hartwig coupling of azaindoles and azaindazoles with heteroaryl chlorides to provide the corresponding 1-aryl-1H-azaindoles and 1-aryl-1H-azaindazoles. The substrate scope and mechanistic aspects of this reaction were explored.

Pre-Replicative Repair of Oxidized Bases Maintains Fidelity in Mammalian Genomes: The Cowcatcher Role of NEIL1 DNA Glycosylase.

Genomic fidelity in the humans is continuously challenged by genotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated both endogenously during metabolic processes, and by exogenous agents. Mispairing of most ROS-induced oxidized base lesions during DNA replication induces mutations. Although bulky base adducts induced by ultraviolet light and other environmental mutagens block replicative DNA polymerases, most oxidized base lesions do not block DNA synthesis.

Newcastle Disease Virus Establishes Persistent Infection in Tumor Cells : Contribution of the Cleavage Site of Fusion Protein and Second Sialic Acid Binding Site of Hemagglutinin-Neuraminidase.

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is an oncolytic virus being developed for the treatment of cancer. Following infection of a human ovarian cancer cell line (OVCAR3) with a recombinant low-pathogenic NDV, persistent infection was established in a subset of tumor cells. Persistently infected (PI) cells exhibited resistance to superinfection with NDV and established an antiviral state, as demonstrated by upregulation of interferon and interferon-induced genes such as myxoma resistance gene 1 (Mx1) and retinoic acid-inducing gene-I (RIG-I).

Impact of Biliary Calculi on the Liver.

Introduction: Gallstone is implicated for hepatocellular injury due to chronic extra hepatic large bile duct obstruction with or without repeated episodes of cholangitis.

Aim: To study the liver changes in patients undergoing operative procedure for gallstone disease and to determine the relationship between severity of these changes with position of biliary calculus in biliary tree.

Materials And Methods: Sixty patients who underwent operative procedure for gallstone disease between October 2013 and September 2015 were evaluated.

CT Intensity Distribution Curve (Histogram) Analysis of Patients Undergoing Antiangiogenic Therapy for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the median versus mean attenuation obtained from histograms in the response assessment of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) target lesions in patients treated with vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Materials And Methods: Imaging findings of 19 patients with RCC and treated with a VEGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor that included a baseline study and at least two follow-up studies were retrospectively analyzed. Histograms of target lesions were created from ROI measurements, and mean and median lesion attenuation were obtained.

Cognitive Stimulation Therapy for Dementia: Pilot Studies of Acceptability and Feasibility of Cultural Adaptation for India.

Objective: This study aims to culturally adapt, translate, and test the feasibility and acceptability of delivering cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) for persons with mild to moderate dementia in Chennai, India.

Methods: The adaptation followed a five-stage process in accordance with the formative method for adapting psychotherapy. Focus-group discussions with experts and feedback from participants, carers, and facilitators after two consecutive pilot studies provided the basis for adaptation.

Loop Gain Predicts the Response to Upper Airway Surgery in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Study Objectives: Upper airway surgery is often recommended to treat patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who cannot tolerate continuous positive airways pressure. However, the response to surgery is variable, potentially because it does not improve the nonanatomical factors (ie, loop gain [LG] and arousal threshold) causing OSA. Measuring these traits clinically might predict responses to surgery.

Small-cell lung carcinoma and acute onset of antiglial nuclear antibody-positive limbic encephalitis.

Limbic encephalitis (LE) can present as a nonspecific manifestation preceding neoplastic disease. Having high clinical suspicion and using newer onconeural antibodies, like antiglial nuclear antibody (AGNA), can lead to an earlier diagnosis. We report a patient with AGNA-positive LE who is later diagnosed and treated for small-cell lung carcinoma.

Paraneoplastic Glomerulopathy in a Case of Collecting Duct Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Paraneoplastic glomerulopathy has been described in established cases of the solid tumors of lung, gastrointestinal system, breast, etc., and rarely in patients with Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC). Studies on secondary glomerular diseases have described a higher incidence of IgA nephropathy in patients with RCC compared to membranous glomerulopathy, which are commonly reported in malignancies of the lung and gastrointestinal tract.

Long-acting protein drugs for the treatment of ocular diseases.

Protein drugs that neutralize vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), such as aflibercept or ranibizumab, rescue vision in patients with retinal vascular diseases. Nonetheless, optimal visual outcomes require intraocular injections as frequently as every month. Here we report a method to extend the intravitreal half-life of protein drugs as an alternative to either encapsulation or chemical modifications with polymers.

The Role of Serum Fibrinogen Level in the Diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis.

Introduction: Acute appendicitis is the most common indication for emergent surgery and affects a wide range of patients at any age group. However, inspite of the presence of various imaging modalities, biochemical markers, and scoring systems the negative appendectomy rate remain high. Serum fibrinogen, an acute inflammatory mediator is usually raised in any acute inflammatory condition and the same is expected to rise in acute appendicitis, which may be used as a new inflammatory marker in the diagnosis and more importantly in decision making of management of acute appendicitis.

anticancer activity of ethanolic extracts of against colorectal carcinoma cell lines.

Background: (PN) is well known for its cytotoxic and pharmacological benefits. However, there is minimal documented evidence about its cytotoxic efficacy against colorectal carcinoma. We therefore sought to procure a precisely quantitative and qualitative result, pertaining the efficacy of an ethanolic extract of PN (EEPN) against colorectal carcinoma.

Enteric Duplication Cyst Leading to Volvulus: An Unusual Cause of Acute Intestinal Obstruction - A Case Report.

Enteric Duplication Cysts (EDC) is a rare congenital malformation, usually found in mesenteric side of Gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Generally patients present with non-specific symptoms depending on size and location of the cyst in GI tract. EDC presenting as small bowel volvulus is a rare clinical entity.

Excess mortality in persons with severe mental disorders: a multilevel intervention framework and priorities for clinical practice, policy and research agendas.

Excess mortality in persons with severe mental disorders (SMD) is a major public health challenge that warrants action. The number and scope of truly tested interventions in this area remain limited, and strategies for implementation and scaling up of programmes with a strong evidence base are scarce. Furthermore, the majority of available interventions focus on a single or an otherwise limited number of risk factors.

A genome wide association study of fast beta EEG in families of European ancestry.

Background: Differences in fast beta (20-28Hz) electroencephalogram (EEG) oscillatory activity distinguish some individuals with psychiatric and substance use disorders, suggesting that it may be a useful endophenotype for studying the genetics of disorders characterized by neural hyper-excitability. Despite the high heritability estimates provided by twin and family studies, there have been relatively few genetic studies of beta EEG, and to date only one genetic association finding has replicated (i.e.

Genetic correlates of the development of theta event related oscillations in adolescents and young adults.

The developmental trajectories of theta band (4-7Hz) event-related oscillations (EROs), a key neurophysiological constituent of the P3 response, were assessed in 2170 adolescents and young adults ages 12 to 25. The theta EROs occurring in the P3 response, important indicators of neurocognitive function, were elicited during the evaluation of task-relevant target stimuli in visual and auditory oddball tasks. Associations between the theta EROs and genotypic variants of 4 KCNJ6 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were found to vary with age, sex, scalp location, and task modality.

STUDY ON RADON CONCENTRATION AT THE WORK PLACES OF MYSURU, BENGALURU AND KOLAR DISTRICTS OF KARNATAKA STATE, SOUTH INDIA.

Concentrations of radon, thoron and their progeny inside the working place depend on the activity of radionuclides in the soil, building materials, atmospheric conditions, construction of the building, type of work and ventilation condition. Radon is a radioactive noble gas, and it is emanated from Ra present in earth crest and building material. Based on the type of work, construction of the building and ventilation condition, concentrations of radon, thoron and their progeny have been measured in 60 workplaces at 10 locations of Mysuru, Bengaluru and Kolar districts of Karnataka state using Solid-State Nuclear Track Detector technique.

Fahr's Disease with Seizure Presentation.

Fahr's disease or Fahr's syndrome is a rare neurodegenerative disorder characterized by abnormal symmetrical calcifications of the basal ganglia, thalami, sub-cortical hemispheric white matter and deep cerebellar nuclei. It can be idiopathic or associated with an endocrinopathy, frequently with parathyroid disorder. Clinical spectrum of the disease is wide ranging from neurological features like seizure, syncope, stroke like events, extra-pyramidal symptoms often combined with frontal sub-cortical pattern of behavioural dysfunction and psychiatric symptoms such as psychosis, mood disorder and dementia.

Death in dental clinic: Indian scenario.

Deaths during dental treatment or as a result of dental treatment are rare, but the unfortunate fact is that such deaths do occur. Unexpected death of a patient can be emotionally draining and even harrowing to his or her relatives. The death of a patient may bring an enormous feeling of anxiety both at the personal and professional level, stress, profound grief, damage to self-esteem, loss of self-confidence, reputation, and specter of litigation on a dental surgeon.