Daily compared with alternate-day levamisole in pediatric nephrotic syndrome: an open-label randomized controlled study.

Background: Levamisole is less expensive and has a better toxicity profile compared to other steroid sparing agents used in nephrotic syndrome. It has a plasma half-life of 2.0 to 5.

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody in children with nephrotic syndrome treated with levamisole: a cross-sectional cohort study.

Background: Levamisole is a commonly used steroid-sparing agent (SSA), but the reported incidence of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) positivity has been concerning.

Methods: Observational cross-sectional study wherein children aged 2 to 18 years with frequently relapsing/steroid dependent nephrotic syndrome (FRNS/SDNS) on levamisole for ≥ 12 months were tested for ANCA.

Results: A total of 210 children (33% female), median age of 7.

A novel order-separated generalized feedforward design for motion control in energy-efficient electrohydraulic system with proportional and integral feedback.

Existing feedforward, or FF, controllers are based on differentially flat models. For double-acting single-rod cylinders, more compact than the double-rod ones, flat models could be constructed either under an incompressible-flow assumption for low-pressure, slow-response applications or for a matched valve-cylinder combination. Contrasting the existing models tackling only a single nonlinear aspect like valve leakage, oil compressibility or friction, a novel FF controller, generalized for different types of valve-cylinder-pump combinations, has been developed here.

Regioselective Decarboxylative Transformations of Tetrahydro-β-carboline-1-carboxylic Acid: Reagent Controlled Selectivity toward Alkynylated or Enaminone Products.

A one-pot, regioselective decarboxylative alkynylation of tetrahydro-β-carboline-1-carboxylic acid under peroxide-free condition is reported. The reaction is highly selective for the 1-position over the 3-position of tetrahydro-β-carboline. The reaction can afford alkynylated or enaminone products depending on the reagent.

Improving acute peritoneal dialysis outcome with use of soft peritoneal dialysis catheter (Cook Mac-Loc Multipurpose Drainage catheter®) among infants < 1500 g in a low resource setting.

Background: Despite its utility, uncertainty exists on the feasibility of acute peritoneal dialysis (PD) and optimal PD catheter type for very low birth weight (VLBW < 1500 g) and extremely low birth weight (ELBW < 1000 g) infants. We hereby report our experience of acute PD among these high-risk infants and compare the outcome between stylet-based rigid catheter (SRC) and Cook Mac-Loc Multipurpose Drainage catheters® (CMMDC).

Methods: Case notes of infants < 1500 g undergoing PD between 2012 and 2021 in a network of five participating neonatal units supported by a tertiary paediatric nephrology centre in Kolkata, India, were retrospectively reviewed.

Observation of Néel-type skyrmions in acentric self-intercalated CrTe.

Transition-metal dichalcogenides intercalated with 3d-transition metals within the van der Waals (vdW) gaps have been the focus of intense investigations owing to their fascinating structural and magnetic properties. At certain concentrations the intercalated atoms form ordered superstructures that exhibit ferromagnetic or anti-ferromagnetic ordering. Here we show that the self-intercalated compound CrTe with δ ≈ 0.

Sexual dimorphism of body proportions and composition among 16-19-year-olds from South Asia (India) and Central Europe (Poland).

The purpose of this study was to assess the sexual dimorphism of body proportions and body composition among 16-19-year-olds from South Asia (India) and Central Europe (Poland). The study group consisted of the results of anthropometric measurements of 2008 youths (16-19-year-olds). 1098 of them came from Kolkata (India) and 910 from Kraków (Poland).

The pace of secular changes of body measurements of children and adolescents from Kolkata (India) in the context of socioeconomic inequalities between the sexes.

Objectives: To examine the pace of secular changes of selected body measurements and proportions of children and adolescents from Kolkata (India), between 1952-1966 and 1999-2011 in the context of differences between the sexes.

Methods: The study group consisted of 7753 children, adolescents and young adults (7-21 years of age) included in two series of studies (1952-1966 and 2005-2011). The measurements included: body height, sitting height, biacromial and biiliocristal diameters, as well as body mass.

Tunable Magnetic Antiskyrmion Size and Helical Period from Nanometers to Micrometers in a D Heusler Compound.

Skyrmions and antiskyrmions are magnetic nano-objects with distinct chiral, noncollinear spin textures that are found in various magnetic systems with crystal symmetries that give rise to specific Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya exchange vectors. These magnetic nano-objects are associated with closely related helical spin textures that can form in the same material. The skyrmion size and the period of the helix are generally considered as being determined, in large part, by the ratio of the magnitude of the Heisenberg to that of the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya exchange interaction.

Largely Suppressed Magneto-Thermal Conductivity and Enhanced Magneto-Thermoelectric Properties in PtSn.

Highly conductive topological semimetals with exotic electronic structures offer fertile ground for the investigation of the electrical and thermal transport behavior of quasiparticles. Here, we find that the layer-structured Dirac semimetal PtSn exhibits a largely suppressed thermal conductivity under a magnetic field. At low temperatures, a dramatic decrease in the thermal conductivity of PtSn by more than two orders of magnitude is obtained at 9 T.

Elliptical Bloch skyrmion chiral twins in an antiskyrmion system.

Skyrmions and antiskyrmions are distinct topological chiral spin textures that have been observed in various material systems depending on the symmetry of the crystal structure. Here we show, using Lorentz transmission electron microscopy, that arrays of skyrmions can be stabilized in a tetragonal inverse Heusler with D symmetry whose Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) otherwise supports antiskyrmions. These skyrmions can be distinguished from those previously found in several B20 systems which have only one chirality and are circular in shape.

Time trends in mid-upper-arm anthropometry from 1982 to 2011 in male children and adolescents from Kolkata, India.

The aim of this study was to investigate inter-generational changes in selected mid-upper-arm measurements of boys from Kolkata, India. The analysis was based on the anthropometric measurements of two cohorts of Bengali boys aged 7-16 from middle-class families, in 1982-83 and 2005-11. The two cohorts were compared in terms of their mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC) and mid-upper-arm area (MUAA), mid-upper-arm muscle area (MUAMA), mid-upper-arm fat area (MUAFA) and Arm Fat Index (AFI).

Observation of Magnetic Antiskyrmions in the Low Magnetization Ferrimagnet MnRhIrSn.

Recently, magnetic antiskyrmions were discovered in MnPtPdSn, an inverse tetragonal Heusler compound that is nominally a ferrimagnet, but which can only be formed with substantial Mn vacancies. The vacancies reduce considerably the compensation of the moments between the two expected antiferromagnetically coupled Mn sub-lattices so that the overall magnetization is very high and the compound is almost a "ferromagnet". Here, we report the observation of antiskyrmions in a second inverse tetragonal Heusler compound, MnRhIrSn, which can be formed stoichiometrically without any Mn vacancies and which thus exhibits a much smaller magnetization.

Intrinsic stability of magnetic anti-skyrmions in the tetragonal inverse Heusler compound MnPtPdSn.

Magnetic anti-skyrmions are one of several chiral spin textures that are of great current interest both for their topological characteristics and potential spintronic applications. Anti-skyrmions were recently observed in the inverse tetragonal Heusler material MnPtPdSn. Here we show, using Lorentz transmission electron microscopy, that anti-skyrmions are found over a wide range of temperature and magnetic fields in wedged lamellae formed from single crystals of MnPtPdSn for thicknesses ranging up to ~250 nm.

Intergenerational changes in adiposity and fat distribution from 1982 to 2011 in male children and adolescents from Kolkata (India).

Background: India, as a developing country, is subjected to numerous socioeconomic changes. They can significantly influence human development and be mirrored by the secular trends regarding the adiposity and body fat distribution.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to examine the intergenerational changes of adiposity and body fat distribution in Bengali boys, between 1982 and 2011.

Secular changes in limb lengths and proportions from 1952 to 2011 in children, adolescents, and young adults from Kolkata (India).

Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate the intergenerational changes of upper and lower limb lengths as well as the values of the upper, lower limb, and intermembral indicators of children, adolescents, and young adults from Kolkata (India) between 1952 to 1966 and 2005 to 2011.

Methods: The analysis was based on the results of anthropometric measurements of 7488 Bengali children, adolescents, and young adults. They were included in three cross-sectional surveys, carried out in 1955 to 1966, 1982 to 1983 (only males), and 2005 to 2011.

Surface states in bulk single crystal of topological semimetal CoSnS toward water oxidation.

The band inversion in topological phase matters bring exotic physical properties such as the topologically protected surface states (TSS). They strongly influence the surface electronic structures of the materials and could serve as a good platform to gain insight into the surface reactions. Here we synthesized high-quality bulk single crystals of CoSnS that naturally hosts the band structure of a topological semimetal.

Dirac Nodal Arc Semimetal PtSn : An Ideal Platform for Understanding Surface Properties and Catalysis for Hydrogen Evolution.

Conductivity, carrier mobility, and a suitable Gibbs free energy are important criteria that determine the performance of catalysts for a hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, it is a challenge to combine these factors into a single compound. Herein, we discover a superior electrocatalyst for a HER in the recently identified Dirac nodal arc semimetal PtSn .

BMI and adiposity based approach to obesity: the need for ethnic specificity. A reply to Kapoor et al. (2019).

The ethnicity of the studied group is one of the key characteristics that should be taken into consideration when analysing the problem of overweight and obesity. It is especially crucial in populations of countries such as India, where the proportion of the fat to lean mass and general adiposity are significantly different from those observed among Europeans. This can cause a higher risk of various metabolic-related diseases to appear at relatively lower absolute adiposity.

Anthropometric variations in different BMI and adiposity levels among children, adolescents and young adults in Kolkata, India.

The objective of the study was to analyse selected anthropometric features of children, adolescents and young adults from middle-class families in Kolkata, India, by BMI and adiposity categories. Standardized anthropometric measurements of 4194 individuals (1999 male and 2195 female) aged 7-21 were carried out between the years 2005 and 2011. The results were compared by BMI and adiposity categories.

Long-term changes in body proportions since 1952 to 2011 in children and adolescents from Kolkata (India).

The aim of this study was to investigate the intergenerational changes of the selected body proportions of children and adolescents from Kolkata (India). The analysis was based on anthropometric measurements of 7488 Bengali children (4222 boys and 3266 girls), aged 7-19, from the middle-class families. The cohorts from 1952-66 and 1999-2011, as well as series of boys from 1982-83, were compared in terms of body height, subischial leg length, biacromial width, biiliac width, reciprocal ponderal index (RPI), skelic index, pelvi-acromial index, shoulder-height ratio, pelvis-height ratio.

Multiferroic and Magnetoelectric Oxides: The Emerging Scenario.

Multiferroics were considered to be rare because magnetism and ferroelectricity require entirely different criteria for the materials. Several multiferroic oxides have, however, been discovered in the past few years by virtue of novel operating mechanisms, the most effective one being ferroelectricity driven by magnetism itself. Many such oxides where the magnetic and electric order parameters interact also exhibit magnetoelectric or magnetodielectric properties.

Phase transitions of AlFeO3 and GaFeO3 from the chiral orthorhombic (Pna2(1)) structure to the rhombohedral (R3c) structure.

AlFeO(3) and GaFeO(3), which crystallize in a chiral orthorhombic (Pna2(1)) structure, transform to a rhombohedral (R3c) structure when subjected to ball-milling. There is a distinct difference between the transformations of AlFeO(3) and GaFeO(3). AlFeO(3) first transforms to an orthorhombic P2(1)2(1)2(1) structure followed by its transformation to the R3c structure, while GaFeO(3) goes directly to the R3c structure.