Bioavailable Vitamin D Levels in Children With First Episode Nephrotic Syndrome: A Longitudinal Study.

Objective: To estimate the levels of serum bioavailable vitamin D in children presenting with first episode nephrotic syndrome (FENS) at diagnosis and after 4 weeks of standard steroid therapy while the child is in remission, and compare the same with age-sex matched healthy controls.

Methods: We included children aged 1 month to 12 years presenting as FENS and estimated the serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D], parathormone, serum and urine vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) at diagnosis and after 4 weeks of standard steroid therapy while the child is in remission. We also included age-sex matched healthy controls for comparison.

The future of cancer treatment: combining radiotherapy with immunotherapy.

Radiotherapy (RT) and immunotherapy (IT) are the powerful tools for cancer treatment which act through the stimulation of immune response, and evidence suggest that combinatorial actions of these therapies may augment each other's beneficial effect through complex synergistic mechanisms. These molecular strategies are designed to target rapidly dividing cancer cells by either directly or indirectly inducing DNA damage. However, when cells detect DNA damage, they activate a range of signalling pathways known as the DNA damage response (DDR) to repair.

Serum Inflammatory Markers in Children with Severe Acute Malnutrition with Systemic Infections: A Case-Control Study.

Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is a major contributor to under-five mortality in developing countries such as India, where SAM children are susceptible to infections. However, there is inconsistent literature on the derangement of immune mechanisms and subsequent infection-related mounting of inflammatory responses in SAM cases compared to nutritionally-normal controls with infections. To address this, authors conducted a case-control study comparing serum inflammatory markers in 60 SAM children with systemic infections to nutritionally-normal children with infection.

Biochemical and hormonal abnormalities in adult female acne.

Background: Prevalence of adult patients with acne is increasing and women comprise majority of the cases. There is lack of data on biochemical and hormonal abnormalities in adult female acne (AFA).

Aims: To evaluate biochemical and hormonal parameters in 60 patients of AFA.

Association between the physical activity and metabolic syndrome in residents of a foot-hill area in India.

Background And Aims: Physical inactivity, has been linked to development of metabolic syndrome, which increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Aim of the study was to assess the level of physical activity and it's association with prevalence of metabolic syndrome and oxidative stress in a semiurban foothill population of India.

Methods: Participants (n = 288), >18 years of age were enrolled.

Cerebral dominance in an unusual case of Landau-Kleffner syndrome.

Landau-Kleffner syndrome (LKS) is described by the International Classification of Epileptic Syndromes since 1985 as a constellation of clinical and electrographic signs, including acquired aphasia, regression of language milestones and seizures, along with sleep-activated paroxysms on electroencephalogram which can progress to electrographic status epilepticus of sleep. In this case, a 7-year-old boy presented with an atypical history of new-onset aphasia and regression of language milestones with rare seizures. However, there was an electrographic mismatch in the form of right-sided epileptiform activity and continuous spike and wave of sleep pattern.

Nipah Virus Disease: Recent Perspective and One Health Approach.

Background: Nipah virus (NiV) first emerged in 1998 in Malaysia, causing an outbreak of respiratory illness and encephalitis in pigs. Pig-to-human transmission of NiV associated with severe febrile encephalitis was described, and it was thought to occur through close contact with infected animals. The first outbreak was reported in India in Siliguri, West Bengal in 2001 followed by Nadia, West Bengal and adjoining areas of Bangladesh in 2007, where an intermediate animal host was not identified, suggesting bat-to-human and human-to-human transmissions.

Appropriateness of Lower Waist Circumference Cutoffs for Predicting Derangement in Metabolic Parameters Among Asian Children and Adolescents: A Pilot Study.

Waist circumference (WC) >90th percentile cut-off effectively screens children for metabolic syndrome, as some specific metabolic derangements (high fasting serum levels of insulin and triglycerides) may be better associated with lower (70th percentile) waist circumference cut off. We evaluated a subset of children and adolescents found obese or overweight following the anthropometric screening in a school-based survey. Metabolic parameters (fasting insulin levels, fasting blood sugar and fasting lipid profile and blood pressure) were compared among 3 groups of obese or overweight children divided on the basis of WC percentiles (>90th, 70th-90th and <70th).

Wilson's Disease Masquerading as Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis in an Adolescent.

Wilson's disease (WD) is a rare autosomal-recessive inborn error of copper metabolism characterized by the toxic accumulation of copper in liver, brain, cornea, and other tissues. It has a variable clinical presentation. Musculoskeletal presentations are very unusual.

Study of serum vitamin D levels in men with premature androgenetic alopecia.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency had been associated with various hair loss disorders, such as telogen effluvium, alopecia areata, and female pattern hair loss. However, previous studies have not found a correlation between serum vitamin D levels and the severity of androgenetic alopecia.

Methods: A case-control study was conducted for a period of one year in a public tertiary care hospital.

Single point insulin sensitivity estimator as an index for insulin sensitivity for metabolic syndrome: A study in North Indian population.

Background: Various indices for estimating insulin sensitivity, based on glucose tolerance test and fasting insulin levels, have been devised. However, they are laborious, time-consuming, and costly. Recently, a new index, single point insulin sensitivity estimator (SPISE) based on TG, high-density lipoproteins (HDL), and body mass index (BMI) was proposed in the European population and was found comparable to gold standard test.

Study of metabolic syndrome and its risk components in patients attending tertiary care center of uttarakhand.

Metabolic syndrome is a complex of metabolic factors which includes central obesity, insulin-resistance, dyslipidemia and hypertension. Metabolic syndrome is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to know the rate of metabolic syndrome in outpatients presenting to medicine department of our hospital and their profile.

Tuberculosis and non-diabetic hyperglycemia: a challenge to public health management.

Diabetes and tuberculosis comorbidity is an emerging challenge for public health management. But the diagnostic criteria for diabetes is based on microvascular complications of diabetes and does not reflect the level of hyperglycemia which affects infectivity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Therefore the study protocols focussing on these comorbidities need to be reviewed.

Concomitant detection of biofilm and metallo-beta-lactamases production in gram-negative bacilli.

Unlabelled: Carbapenems are mainstay of treating serious multidrug resistant gram-negative biofilm-based infections. However, recent emergence of metallo-beta-lactamases (MbL) producing gram-negative bacilli in different parts of world may be related to gain of virulence factors associated with biofilm production.

Objectives: To explore the association of MbL and biofilm production in various gram-negative bacilli.

Cerebral venous thrombosis in ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative colitis has been reported to show hyper coagulation leading to peripheral and rarely central thrombosis. A 35-year-old female was admitted with chief complaints of increased frequency of bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, and weight loss for 2 months. The patient was diagnosed to have ulcerative colitis after sigmoidoscopy and biopsy and she was started on treatment.

A study on device-related infections with special reference to biofilm production and antibiotic resistance.

Background: Indwelling medical devices (IMDs) in critical patients are vulnerable to colonization by biofilm producing bacteria. Complex characteristics of bacterial biofilms promote antibiotic resistance, leading to the emergence of resistant device-related infections (DRI), which pose new challenges in their management.

Materials And Methods: The study was done on 135 hospitalized (Intensive care units) pediatric patients with IMDs (intravascular catheter, urinary catheter, and endotracheal tube) to determine the device-specific infection rates.

Bacteriological and resistance profile in isolates from diabetic patients.

Background: Diabetes mellitus has become a global epidemic illness and poses a threat for development of resistant bacterial infections.

Aim: This study was aimed to know the bacteriological and resistance profile of isolates obtained from diabetic patients.

Materials And Methods: The bacterial isolates obtained from various samples of diabetic patients admitted in medicine department in 6-month period were identified and tested for antibiotic susceptibility.

Primary pulmonary sporotrichosis in a sub-Himalayan patient.

Primary pulmonary sporotrichosis, a rare fungal disease was found in chronic alcoholic farmer from the sub-Himalayan region, an endemic mycoses area. Primary pulmonary sporotrichosis is a hidden entity, at times mimicking tuberculosis, and often under or lately diagnosed due to lack of awareness. We should consider the possibility of pulmonary sporotrichosis in patients with chronic cough and cavitary parenchymal disease, particularly in chronic alcoholics, gardeners, and forest workers.

Evaluation of TNF-α and IL-6 Levels in Obese and Non-obese Diabetics: Pre- and Postinsulin Effects.

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) mellitus is a serious implication of obesity. The effect of insulin therapy on levels of inflammatory markers among obese and non-obese diabetics has been inadequately studied.

Aim: The study aimed to analyze the preinsulin and postinsulin levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and IL-6 in nonobese and obese T2DM patients.

Glutathione peroxidase activity in obese and nonobese diabetic patients and role of hyperglycemia in oxidative stress.

Background: Both hyperglycemia and obesity are known to cause oxidative stress, which leads to many complications associated with diabetes mellitus. A large number of diabetic patients are obese. Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) is an important indicator of level of oxidative stress.