Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a prevalent neurological illness that affects over 80% of aged adults globally in cases of dementia. Although the exact pathophysiological causes of AD remain unclear, its pathogenesis is primarily driven by several distinct biochemical alterations: (i) the accumulation of toxic Aβ plaques, (ii) the hyperphosphorylation of tau proteins, (iii) oxidative stress resulting in cell death, and (iv) an imbalance between the two main neurotransmitters, glutamate and acetylcholine (ACh). Currently, there are very few medications available and no treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Globally, diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the primary cause of chronic kidney disease. Currently, renal function is monitored indirectly using measures of serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and proteinuria. Novel urinary biomarkers utilized in the early stages of DN have been described; these indicators can be used in the early identification of the disease, which is important for initiating treatment to halt or impediment the advance of diabetic nephropathy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis perspective article explores the importance of fostering interest in gastroenterology among medical students and addressing the barriers that deter them from pursuing careers in this specialty. The paper highlights the critical role of early exposure to research, specialized electives, and mentorship in encouraging students to consider gastroenterology as a career choice. Current challenges include limited access to specialized electives and research opportunities within UK medical schools, inadequate hands-on experience, and a perceived lack of stability and control over future training pathways.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Twice-yearly subcutaneous lenacapavir has been shown to be efficacious for prevention of HIV infection in cisgender women. The efficacy of lenacapavir for preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in cisgender men, transgender women, transgender men, and gender-nonbinary persons is unclear.
Methods: In this phase 3, double-blind, randomized, active-controlled trial, we randomly assigned participants in a 2:1 ratio to receive subcutaneous lenacapavir every 26 weeks or daily oral emtricitabine-tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (F/TDF).
Indian J Psychol Med
May 2024
Psychotherapeutic developments in the management of anxiety disorders are evolving, with notable evidence in obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Third-wave therapies significantly contribute to the reduction in psychopathological symptoms and, thus, provide a positive turning point in the socio-occupational spectrum of the patient. One such third-wave approach is meta-cognitive therapy (MCT), which addresses cognitive attention syndrome (CAS) and directly prohibits ritualistic behavior, thereby decreasing the burden of symptoms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Research evidence suggests the role of the vestibular system in cognitive functions like visuospatial memory, objective memory, spatial navigation, etc. Vestibular cortices send projection to the hippocampus and to the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC); the latter houses place cells, grid cells, and head direction cells, which play a major role in the formation of a cognitive map based on inputs from the vestibular apparatus. So, the present study aimed to assess cognitive functions in vestibular disorder patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMaedica (Bucur)
September 2024
Introduction: COVID-19 was first reported in Wuhan, China, and subsequently spread worldwide. There were numerous restrictions on daily life activities, including lifestyles, social distancing, isolation and access to many forms of exercise and home confinement. All these activities have health benefits, as they enhance the immune system, which is the need of the hour during the COVID-19 pandemic.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAssessment of immune correlates of severe COVID-19 has been hampered by the low numbers of severe cases in COVID-19 vaccine efficacy (VE) trials. We assess neutralizing and binding antibody levels at 4 weeks post-Ad26.COV2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLimiting global warming requires the effective implementation of energy mitigation measures by individual countries. However, the consequences of the timing of these efforts on the technical feasibility of adhering to cumulative carbon budgets-which determines future global warming-are underexplored. Moreover, existing national studies on carbon budgets either overlook integrated sectoral interactions, path dependencies, or comprehensive demand-side strategies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSupercapacitors (SCs) are well recognized for their excessive power output and cycling stability, but they often suffer from limited energy density. A promising solution to this challenge is the hybrid supercapattery (HSC) concept, which integrates two different electrodes with disparate charge-storage systems to provide energy and power. In this work, transition-metal phosphides (TMPs), specifically a Cu-doped cobalt phosphide wrapped with an N-doped porous carbon network (CCP-NPC), were used as positive electrode materials in HSCs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMiddle East Afr J Ophthalmol
October 2024
Purpose: To identify risk factors and perioperative complications and assess postoperative visual outcome in patients of white mature cataracts undergoing phacoemulsification surgery.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 46 patients of white mature cataract undergoing phacoemulsification. Preoperatively, a detailed ocular examination was done, and anterior chamber depth (ACD) and lens thickness (LT) were measured on ultrasound biomicroscopy.
The neurons of the melanocortin system regulate feeding and energy homeostasis through a combination of electrical and endocrine mechanisms. However, the molecular basis for this functional heterogeneity is poorly understood. Here, a voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channel named KCNB1 (alias Kv2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Cancer poses a significant public health challenge in India, making it crucial to predict its future impact for effective healthcare planning. This study forecast cancer incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in India from 2022 to 2031.
Methods: We extracted age-standardized data on incidence, prevalence, DALYs, and mortality from 1990 to 2021 from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study.
Direct formic acid fuel cells (DFAFCs) stand out for portable electronic devices owing to their ease of handling, abundant fuel availability, and high theoretical open circuit potential. However, the practical application of DFAFCs is hindered by the unsatisfactory performance of electrocatalysts for the sluggish anodic formic acid oxidation reaction (FAOR). Palladium (Pd) based nanomaterials have shown promise for FAOR due to their highly selective reaction mechanism, but maintaining high electrocatalytic durability remains challenging.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: To establish normal reference values for commonly used ventricular indices - Anterior Horn Width (AHW), Ventricular Index (VI) and Thalamo-Occipital Distance (TOD)-against common variables including gestational age, birth weight and head circumference in Indian newborns.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Cranial ultrasound was performed between post-natal days 3 to 7.
Background: Thermal threshold testing (TTT) is a simple non-invasive approach for diagnosing diabetic neuropathy earlier. Conventionally the TTT is done in all four limbs and at least 6 trials are done to obtain the mean threshold, which is time consuming.
Aim: We propose to assess the validity and reliability of reduced number of trials of TTT in the lower limbs.
In this research, the visible light active performance of BiZnBO(BBZO) was significantly enhanced through the formation of a composite with few layer MoS. The resultant MoS@BBZO catalyst was employed in both photocatalysis and photodetector applications. Comprehensive structural and morphological analyses of the MoS@BBZO catalyst were conducted using x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and transmission electron microscopy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMitochondrial dysfunction and cognitive impairment are widespread phenomena among the elderly, being crucial factors that contribute to neurodegenerative diseases. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is an important regulator of cellular defense systems, including that against oxidative stress. As such, increased Nrf2 activity may serve as a strategy to avert mitochondrial dysfunction and cognitive decline.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection frequently have hypertension as a co-morbidity, which is linked to adverse outcomes. Antihypertensives may affect the outcome of COVID-19 infection.
Aim: To assess the effects of antihypertensive agents on the outcomes of COVID-19 infection.