Evaluation of the efficiency of SmartArch, copper-NiTi, and NiTi archwires in resolving mandibular anterior crowding: A double-blinded randomized controlled trial.

Background/objective: Resolution of crowding remains a chief concern for patients seeking orthodontic treatment. The choice of the initial aligning archwire is crucial for achieving treatment success. Nickel-titanium (NiTi) archwires have been the first choice since their introduction.

Loss of Hoxa5 function affects Hox gene expression in different biological contexts.

Hoxa5 plays numerous roles in development, but its downstream molecular effects are mostly unknown. We applied bulk RNA-seq assays to characterize the transcriptional impact of the loss of Hoxa5 gene function in seven different biological contexts, including developing respiratory and musculoskeletal tissues that present phenotypes in Hoxa5 mouse mutants. This global analysis revealed few common transcriptional changes, suggesting that HOXA5 acts mainly via the regulation of context-specific effectors.

Determinants of body weight changes during Ramadan fasting in India amid COVID-19: A cross-sectional study.

Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF) presents unique challenges and opportunities for public health and clinical practice, especially in populations with a high prevalence of non-communicable diseases. This study aims to investigate the impact of RIF on weight change among Indian Muslims and explore the associated demographic, dietary, and behavioral factors. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a sample of Indian Muslim adults who observed RIF.

Cardiac myxomas: causes, presentations, diagnosis, and management.

Cardiac myxomas (CM) are one of the most common benign tumors which are typical in adults with a yearly incidence of 0.5-1 case per million individuals. This review article includes discussions based on existing literature on the role of interleukin interactions in the pathophysiology of cardiac myxoma which can lead to embolic complications, aneurysms, and CNS involvement.

Enteric Fever: Diagnostic Challenges and the Importance of Early Intervention.

Enteric fever is a systemic infection caused by highly virulent serovars: Typhi and Paratyphi. Diagnosis of enteric fever is challenging due to a wide variety of clinical features which overlap with other febrile illnesses. The current diagnostic methods are limited because of the suboptimal sensitivity of conventional tests like blood culture in detecting organisms and the invasive nature of bone marrow culture.

Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome: A Literature Review.

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a premature aging condition that involves genetic mutations, resulting in debilitating phenotypic features. The present state of knowledge on the molecular pathways that contribute to the pathophysiology of HGPS and the techniques being tested  and  to combat progerin toxicity have been discussed here. Nuclear morphological abnormalities, dysregulated gene expression, DNA repair deficiencies, telomere shortening, and genomic instability are all caused by progerin accumulation, all of which impair cellular proliferative capability.

The Role of Capsule Endoscopy in Crohn's Disease: A Review.

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder with a predilection for the small bowel. Although awareness of this disorder has increased over the years, it remains a diagnostic challenge for many physicians. This is exacerbated by the rising incidence and high recurrence rate following therapy in certain individuals.

Anemia and Heart Failure: A Narrative Review.

Anemia in heart failure patients is a relatively common finding and has been linked with an increased risk of hospital admissions, morbidities, and significant mortality making its correction a significant factor in improving the quality of life and clinical outcomes in those suffering from it. This review article has discussed the multifactorial pathophysiology, including iron deficiency, longstanding inflammation, abnormal levels of human erythropoietin (Epo), and the abnormal activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) being the most significant. The diagnostic guidelines as well as research-based management modalities specifically with iron supplements and erythropoietin stimulating agents have also been discussed, although research done in this area has been limited and shown conflicting results.

Therapeutic Role of Vitamin D in Multiple Sclerosis: An Essentially Contested Concept.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated demyelinating disease of the nervous system with incredibly intricate etiopathogenesis involving numerous genetic, epigenetic, and environmental risk factors. Major environmental risk factors include ultraviolet (UV) radiation, vitamin D, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, smoking, and high body mass index (BMI). Vitamin D, in particular, can be viewed as one piece of this puzzle, with various tabs and pockets, occupying a sequential site.

Magnesium and Hypertension: Decoding Novel Anti-hypertensives.

Hypertension (HTN) is a complex multifactorial disease that is one of the most prevalent disorders in our modern world. It can lead to fatal complications like coronary artery disease (CAD) and congestive heart failure (CHF) in high-risk individuals. The silent nature of HTN also contributes to its immense caseload and, today, with a number of combinations and various antihypertensive agents, patient compliance is becoming increasingly difficult.

Rheumatoid Arthritis and Associated Lung Diseases: A Comprehensive Review.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a prevalent autoimmune disorder affecting 0.5-1% of the population in North America and Europe. Pulmonary manifestations in rheumatoid arthritis patients result in significant morbidity and mortality.

Comorbidity of Epilepsy and Depression: Associated Pathophysiology and Management.

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures. Depression may arise as a result of other mental or physical problems or as a side effect of the drugs used to treat such illnesses, or it could be caused by epilepsy-related structural abnormalities. However, physicians are hesitant to prescribe antidepressants to patients with epilepsy due to concerns about decreasing seizure thresholds and the harmful drug interactions between antidepressants and antiepileptic medicines.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Atrial Fibrillation: A Review.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is an inherited cardiological condition that exhibits various clinical symptoms. The leading cause of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with HCM is advanced diastolic dysfunction and left atrial dilatation and remodeling. In addition to the gradual symptomatic and functional decline caused by AF, there is an increased risk of thromboembolic disease and mortality, especially if there is a rapid ventricular rate or obstruction of the left ventricular outflow tract.

Relationship Between Vitamin D and Thyroid: An Enigma.

Hypothyroidism is a frequently encountered endocrine disorder in clinical practice. Besides its traditional role in bone health, vitamin D has been shown to have favorable effects in a variety of different systems due to its pleiotropic qualities and ubiquitous receptor expression. Over the years, researchers have been fascinated by the intricate molecular interplay between vitamin D and thyroid.

Role of Vitamin B12 and Folate in Metabolic Syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a collection of pathological metabolic conditions that includes insulin resistance, central or abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. It affects large populations worldwide, and its prevalence is rising exponentially. There is no specific mechanism that leads to the development of MS.

Design, parallel synthesis of Biginelli 1,4-dihydropyrimidines using PTSA as a catalyst, evaluation of anticancer activity and structure activity relationships via 3D QSAR studies.

Biginelli 1,4-dihydropyrimidines are extensively screened for their potential anticancer activity in the last decade. In this context, a series of Biginelli 1,4-dihydropyrimidines were designed and synthesised using PTSA as an efficient catalyst. The synthesised 1,4-dihydropyrimidines were screened for their anticancer activity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells by measuring cytotoxicity.

Evidence from simulation studies for selective constraints on the codon usage of the Angiosperm psbA gene.

The codon usage of the Angiosperm psbA gene is atypical for flowering plant chloroplast genes but similar to the codon usage observed in highly expressed plastid genes from some other Plantae, particularly Chlorobionta, lineages. The pattern of codon bias in these genes is suggestive of selection for a set of translationally optimal codons but the degree of bias towards these optimal codons is much weaker in the flowering plant psbA gene than in high expression plastid genes from lineages such as certain green algal groups. Two scenarios have been proposed to explain these observations.

Development and validation of UV spectrophotometric method to study stress degradation behaviour of rizatriptan benzoate.

Rizatriptan benzoate is a 5 HT 1B/1D receptor agonist which is prescribed for the treatment of migraine. In the present study new, simple, specific ultraviolet spectrophotometric method for rizatriptan benzoate was developed and validated. Forced degradation studies were carried out in acidic, alkaline and neutral pH conditions.

Design and evaluation of a novel matrix type multiple units as biphasic gastroretentive drug delivery systems.

A biphasic gastroretentive floating drug delivery system with multiple-unit mini-tablets based on gas formation technique was developed to maintain constant plasma level of a drug concentration within the therapeutic window. The system consists of loading dose as uncoated core units, and prolonged-release core units are prepared by direct compression process; the latter were coated with three successive layers, one of which is seal coat, an effervescent (sodium bicarbonate) layer, and an outer polymeric layer of polymethacrylates. The formulations were evaluated for quality control tests, and all the parameters evaluated were within the acceptable limits.

Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia in the rural setting- case reports and review.

A case report of three Omani children age ranging from one month to ten years managed in a district hospital. All three children reverted to normal sinus rhythm after I.V.

Radiotherapy-related axillary artery occlusive disease: percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting. Two case reports and review of the literature.

Radiotherapy-related axillary artery occlusive disease is a relatively rare condition. This complication is usually encountered in patients with breast carcinoma treated by radiotherapy and might be frequently concealed by the presence of lymphoedema. We discuss this rare complication of radiotherapy treatment for breast cancer and present two cases and their successful treatment by a modified percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting technique.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase polymorphisms and the risk of gestational hypertension.

Background: Evidence on the association of 5,10 methylentetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T and A1298C polymorphisms in women with gestational hypertension is inconsistent. It is also unknown whether the fetal genotype is relevant, or whether folic acid supplementation modifies this association.

Methods: The study population was composed of U.

Microsatellite instability at tetranucleotide repeats in skin and bladder cancer.

Recently, a novel form of MSI has been described that occurs only at tetranucleotide repeat markers. This has been termed elevated microsatellite instability at selected tetranucleotide repeats (EMAST). EMAST has been related to alterations of the p53 gene, and to the nature of the repeat sequence.