CYP4F2 1347 G > A & GGCX 12970 C > G polymorphisms: frequency in north Indians & their effect on dosing of acenocoumarol oral anticoagulant.

Background & Objectives: CYP4F2 and γ-glutamyl carboxylase (GGCX) have small but significant roles in the maintenance dose of coumarinic oral anticoagulants (COAs). CYP4F2 1347 G > A and GGCX 12970 C > G polymorphisms have been used in the pharmacogenetic dosing algorithms of warfarin for Caucasians and Chinese populations. India has a large population with multiple ethnic groups but there are no reports about the frequencies of these polymorphisms in north Indians.

Physical state & copy number of high risk human papillomavirus type 16 DNA in progression of cervical cancer.

Background & Objectives: High-risk human papilloma virus (HR-HPV) infection and its integration in host genome is a key event in malignant transformation of cervical cells. HPV16 being a dominant HR-HPV type, we undertook this study to analyze if viral load and physical state of the virus correlated with each other in the absence of other confounding variables and examined their potential as predictors of progressive cervical lesions.

Methods: Both, viral load and integration status of HPV16 were determined by real time URR PCR and estimation of E2:E6 ratio in a total of 130 PGMY-RLB -confirmed, monotypic HPV16-infected cervical DNA samples from biopsies of cytology-confirmed low grade (LSIL, 30) and high grade (HSIL, 30), and invasive carcinoma, (squamous cell carcinoma SCC, 70) cases.

Development of DArT markers and assessment of diversity in Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris, wilt pathogen of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.).

Background: Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris (Foc), the causal agent of Fusarium wilt of chickpea is highly variable and frequent recurrence of virulent forms have affected chickpea production and exhausted valuable genetic resources.

Less is more: selective advantages can explain the prevalent loss of biosynthetic genes in bacteria.

Bacteria that have adapted to nutrient-rich, stable environments are typically characterized by reduced genomes. The loss of biosynthetic genes frequently renders these lineages auxotroph, hinging their survival on an environmental uptake of certain metabolites. The evolutionary forces that drive this genome degradation, however, remain elusive.

Differential release kinetics of cardiac biomarkers in off-pump coronary bypass.

Background: Differential release kinetics of the cardiac biomarkers (B-type natriuretic peptide, troponin I, and creatine kinase-MB) following off-pump coronary artery bypass are not well characterized.

Methods: Biomarker levels were assessed at 6, 24, 48 h, and 1 month preoperatively, in 80 patients who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass.

Results: All biomarkers increased within 6 h of surgery.

Clinical profile of cutaneous manifestations with and without hematologic disease: A comparative study.

Aim: The aim was to study the clinical profile of cutaneous manifestations of hematologic disorders and to compare it with that of non-hematologic disorders.

Materials And Methods: Cutaneous manifestations of hematologic diseases fall in seven well-defined categories. A total of 153 outpatients with skin manifestations fitting in these categories were enrolled in a comparative study of 1-year duration.

Early and mid-term results of minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting.

Introduction: Minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting (MICABG) is a less invasive method of performing surgical revascularization. This technique coupled with use of off pump technique of surgical revascularization makes it truly less invasive. This method is highly effective even in high-risk patients.

Association of a distinct strain of hollyhock yellow vein mosaic virus and Ludwigia leaf distortion betasatellite with yellow vein mosaic disease of hollyhock (Alcea rosea) in India.

A distinct strain of hollyhock yellow vein mosaic virus (HoYVMV) and Ludwigia leaf distortion betasatellite (LuLDB) were associated with yellow vein mosaic of hollyhock. The viral DNA genome (JQ911766) and betasatellite (JQ408216) shared highest nucleotide sequence identity (89.2 %) with HoYVMV (the only available sequence in GenBank) and 92 % identity with LuLDB.

Signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs) gene polymorphisms related with susceptibility to rheumatic heart disease in north Indian population.

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is the most serious complication of heart that comprises inflammatory reactions in heart valves. Cytokines play a critical role in triggering inflammatory reactions and they activate the Janus Kinase/Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway. Altered signals of STATs play important roles in the balance between proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in inflammatory diseases.

Iodine nutrition status amongst neonates in Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh.

Iodine deficiency (ID) is an endemic health problem in Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh (HP) state. ID leads to mental retardation, deaf mutism, squint, dwarfism, spastic diplegia, neurological defects and congenital anomalies. Iodine nutrition status amongst neonates can be assessed by estimating thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH).

Paranasal sinus and retro-orbital metastasis in a case of breast carcinoma: a clinicoradiological review.

Metastatic spread from non-head and neck tumours (H&N) to the paranasal and orbital region is extremely rare. We present a case of breast cancer metastasis to the left sphenoid wing, lateral wall left orbit, lateral wall left sphenoid sinus, medial and lateral wall left maxillary sinus and left pterygoid plates. We provide an exhaustive clinicoradiological imaging with a brief literature review.

Differential Release Kinetics of Cardiac Biomarkers in Patients Undergoing Valve Replacement Surgery.

Background: Differential release kinetics of cardiac biomarkers including brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), Troponin-I, and CK-MB following valve replacement (VR) are not well characterized.

Methods And Results: We serially measured these biomarkers 24 hours prior, six hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, and one month following mitral/aortic VR in 100 patients. Baseline BNP, Tn-I, and CK-MB levels were 304.

Evaluation of retention of knowledge and skills imparted to first-year medical students through basic life support training.

Poor awareness among medical graduates about basic life support (BLS) is a matter of great concern. The presence of a trained rescuer is the key determinant of ultimate survival from life-threatening emergencies. To achieve this goal, early exposure to such life-saving skills is the right decision to foster these skills for medical students, which can be reenforced in succeeding years.

Peripheral blood and bone marrow responses under stress of cypermethrin in albino rats.

Pyrethroids, commercially available pesticides, are greatly in use these days, and thus they carry considerable chances of contaminating various ecosystems. Haematotoxicity of cypermethrin, a broadly used type II pyrethroid, has been assessed in the present study. Selected parameters included determination of total RBC count, haemoglobin concentration (Hb conc.

Effect of mitral valve replacement on reduction of left atrial size.

Introduction: asymptomatic left atrial enlargement is not uncommon in rheumatic mitral valve disease. We studied the change in size of the left atrium after mitral valve replacement.

Patients And Methods: between January and December 2005, 116 patients underwent isolated mitral valve replacement.

Idiopathic bilateral segmental pulmonary artery aneurysm.

Aneurysms of segmental pulmonary arteries are rare. They can be potentially fatal, but remain undetected in the majority of cases. A young person reported with massive hemoptysis, and a ruptured large segmental pulmonary artery aneurysm of the left lung was identified as the cause.

Hormonal profile in Indian men with premature androgenetic alopecia.

Introduction: Alopecia in male is considered as a genetically determined disorder characterized by increased level of local androgen metabolite and increase androgen receptor binding in balding areas. Frequent deviations of hormones from normal values have been reported in men diagnosed with premature androgenetic alopecia (AGA) especially for androgens, gonadotropins and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). Different studies in the past have inferred that premature baldness before the age of thirty in males could be considered equivalent to the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in female.

First Report of Fusarium acuminatum on Pigeonpea in India.

Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) is the most important protein rich grain legume crop being cultivated worldwide.

Predictors of nonstandard helmet use among San Francisco Bay-area motorcyclists.

Objective: The use of helmets that do not comply with safety standards is common in California. The objective of this study was to describe the use of these nonstandard helmets among San Francisco Bay-area (SFBA) motorcyclists and to identify personal and motorcycle characteristics that are associated with the use of nonstandard helmets.

Methods: A survey of 860 SFBA motorcyclists was conducted.

Fitness and stability of obligate cross-feeding interactions that emerge upon gene loss in bacteria.

Cross-feeding interactions, in which bacterial cells exchange costly metabolites to the benefit of both interacting partners, are very common in the microbial world. However, it generally remains unclear what maintains this type of interaction in the presence of non-cooperating types. We investigate this problem using synthetic cross-feeding interactions: by simply deleting two metabolic genes from the genome of Escherichia coli, we generated genotypes that require amino acids to grow and release other amino acids into the environment.

Diagnostic Modalities of Precancerous and Cancerous Cervical Lesions with Special Emphasis on CD31 Angiogenesis Factor as a Marker.

Objectives. To evaluate the role of angiogenesis tumor marker CD31 in the detection of precancerous and cancerous cervical lesions and to compare its efficacy with colposcopy and histopathology. Materials and Methods.

Potentiation of antioxidant effect of dietary tender cluster beans (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) by garlic (Allium sativum) in high-cholesterol-fed rats.

The antioxidant role of tender cluster beans (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba, CB), a rich source of soluble fibre, was investigated in a hypercholesterolemia-induced oxidative stress situation in rats. In the context of dietary garlic (Allium sativa) potentiating the hypocholesterolemic influence of CB, we also examined if dietary garlic enhances the antioxidant potential of CB. Groups of Wistar rats were rendered hypercholesterolemic by feeding them a 0.

Cutaneous mercury granuloma.

Cutaneous mercury granuloma is rarely encountered. Clinically it may pose difficulty in diagnosis. Here, we report a 23-year-old male presented with erythematous, nodular lesions over the forearm and anterior aspect of chest wall.

Report of a case of radiation-induced new-onset vitiligo with collective review of cases in the literature of radiation-related vitiligo.

Radiation-induced hypopigmentation consistent vitiligo has been reported in a few case reports. We report herewith a case of vitiligo at the site of radiation delivery after a lag of several months in a patient with preexisting hypothyroidism without a previous or family history of vitiligo, and review the cases reported in the literature collectively.