Fahr's Disease and Hypoparathyroidism - A Missing Link.

Fahr's disease is an idiopathic basal ganglia calcification with autosomal dominant inheritance. Prior to diagnosing Fahr's disease based on computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, one should rule out hypoparathyroidism (HP), and pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP). Treatments of these conditions are entirely different.

Galantamine tethered hydrogel as a novel therapeutic target for streptozotocin-induced Alzheimer's disease in Wistar rats.

Amyloid-β (Aβ) plaque formation, neuronal cell death, and cognitive impairment are the unique symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD). No single step remedy is available to treat AD, so the present study aimed to improve the drugability and minimize the abnormal behavioral and biochemical activities in streptozotocin (STZ) induced AD experimental Wistar rats. In particular, we explored the utilization of methacrylated gelatin (GelMA), which is a biopolymeric hydrogel that mimics the natural tissue environment.

"Congruency the ART of Being Real" - 46XY DSD Due to 5 α Reductase Deficiency - Challenges in Decision Making.

Disorders of sexual development (DSDs) are heterogenous group of disorders characterized by discrepancy in chromosomal, gonadal, and phenotypic sex. DSD is a Medico-Social Emergency. 5 α reductase type 2 deficiency is one of the rare causes of 46 XY DSD.

Novel Mutations in β- Gene in Indian Patients With Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

Background: Heart failure is a hallmark of severe hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Several mutations in the gene lead to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Recently, causative mutations in the gene have also been detected in DCM from different populations.

A congenital syphilitic child to an adequately treated syphilitic mother.

A mentally ill antenatal mother of 34 weeks gestation was diagnosed as a case of latent syphilis of unknown duration and was treated adequately with benzathine penicillin. One month after last dose of penicillin she delivered a male baby without any clinical or radiological evidence of syphilis, but reactive RPR in 1:64 dilution. Baby was treated as per CDC guidelines.

Temporal Clustering of Antiglomerular Basement Membrane Disease in COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Series.

Anti-glomerular basement membrane disease (anti-GBM) affects mainly kidneys and lungs. It requires aggressive immunosuppressive treatment. Since the emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), there has been an increased number of new cases of anti-GBM disease presenting as rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN).

Demographic profile of COVID-19 positive mothers & their outcome in government Rajaji hospital, Madurai, Tamilnadu - A cross sectional Study.

Background: COVID-19 is a new pandemic disease. This disease course and its effect on pregnancy is little known due to limited available data. The objective of this study was to describe the demographic profile of COVID-19 positive mothers admitted in Government Rajaji hospital, Madurai in terms of time, place and person and to assess the general and pregnancy outcome of study population.

Rodenticide ingestion is an important cause of acute hepatotoxicity in Tamil Nadu, southern India.

Background And Aim: Though rodenticidal hepatotoxicity is reported from India, there is no systematic study to assess its magnitude. This study aimed to assess exposure to rodenticide as a risk factor for acute hepatotoxicity in Tamil Nadu, India.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed acute hepatotoxicity caused by ingestion of hepatotoxin or potentially hepatotoxic drug overdose across 15 hospitals in 6 districts of Tamil Nadu from 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2019.

Effectiveness of isoniazid preventive therapy on incidence of tuberculosis among HIV-infected adults in programme setting.

Background & Objectives: As India and other developing countries are scaling up isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) for people living with HIV (PLHIV) in their national programmes, we studied the feasibility and performance of IPT in terms of treatment adherence, outcome and post-treatment effect when given under programmatic settings.

Methods: A multicentre, prospective pilot study was initiated among adults living with HIV on isoniazid 300 mg with pyridoxine 50 mg after ruling out active tuberculosis (TB). Symptom review and counselling were done monthly during IPT and for six-month post-IPT.

Analysing the possibility of utilizing CBCT radiomics as an independent modality: a phantom study.

Aim: To verify if computed tomography (CT) radiomics were reproducible by cone beam CT (CBCT) radiomics by using Catphan® 504.

Materials And Methods: Catphan® 504 was imaged   using the default IGRT OBI  CBCT   imaging protocols and CT scanner. Seven known density image regions of the phantom were segmented and image feature was extracted by Imaging Biomarker Explorer (IBEX) software.

Nephrocalcinosis: An interesting case.

We report primary hyperoxaluria (PH) type 1 in a young female who presented with a history of right nephrectomy for recurrent renal calculi and pyelonephritis. Genetic study showed it to be a variant of AGXT gene mutation classical of PH type 1.

Clinical Outcomes among Asymptomatic or Mildly Symptomatic COVID-19 Patients in an Isolation Facility in Chennai, India.

Globally, India has reported the third highest number of COVID-19 cases. Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu state, witnessed a huge surge in COVID-19 cases, resulting in the establishment of isolation facilities named COVID Care Center (CCC). In our study, we describe the demographic, epidemiological, and clinical characteristics; clinical progression; and outcome of 1,263 asymptomatic/mildly symptomatic COVID-19 patients isolated in one such CCC between May 4, 2020 and June 4, 2020.

Intussusception after Rotavirus Vaccine Introduction in India.

Background: A three-dose, oral rotavirus vaccine (Rotavac) was introduced in the universal immunization program in India in 2016. A prelicensure trial involving 6799 infants was not large enough to detect a small increased risk of intussusception. Postmarketing surveillance data would be useful in assessing whether the risk of intussusception would be similar to the risk seen with different rotavirus vaccines used in other countries.

Association of HLA-DRB1 Alleles with Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease: A Meta-analysis.

Background: Rheumatic fever (RF) and its sequel rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is an autoimmune disease caused by an abnormal host immune response to group A streptococcus (GAS) infection. The HLA class II molecules are entailed in immune-mediated infectious, inflammatory, and autoimmune diseases including RHD. However, HLA class II genes are reported to be associated with RF/RHD across different populations with a very little consistency.

Characteristics of paradoxical tuberculosis-associated immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome and its influence on tuberculosis treatment outcomes in persons living with HIV.

Objective: The influence of tuberculosis (TB)-immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) on TB treatment outcomes and its risk factors were investigated among people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and co-infected with TB.

Methods: Newly diagnosed, culture-confirmed, pulmonary TB patients with HIV and enrolled in a clinical trial (NCT00933790) were retrospectively analysed for IRIS occurrence. Risk factors and TB outcomes (up to 18 months after initiation of anti-TB treatment [ATT]) were compared between people who experienced IRIS (IRIS group) and those who did not (non-IRIS group).

4-month moxifloxacin containing regimens in the treatment of patients with sputum-positive pulmonary tuberculosis in South India - a randomised clinical trial.

Background: Shortening tuberculosis (TB) treatment duration is a research priority. We tested the efficacy and safety of 3- and 4-month regimens containing moxifloxacin in a randomised clinical trial in pulmonary TB (PTB) patients in South India.

Methods: New, sputum-positive, adult, HIV-negative, non-diabetic PTB patients were randomised to 3- or 4-month moxifloxacin regimens [moxifloxacin (M), isoniazid (H), rifampicin (R), pyrazinamide (Z) and ethambutol (E)] or to a control regimen (2H R Z E /4R H ) [C].

Eruptive Lichen Planus, a Marker of Metabolic Syndrome.

Background: Chronic inflammatory diseases take an important place in dermatology and their effects range from mild itching to grave metabolic complications. In psoriasis, association with metabolic syndrome (MS) has been proved in many studies. Chronic inflammation is a trigger of MS, and in turn, the components of MS, namely obesity and dyslipidemia, promote a pro-inflammatory milieu.

Association of CTLA-4 and CD28 Gene Polymorphisms with Type 1 Diabetes in South Indian Population.

Each functional gene illustrates the complexity of genetic predisposition to disease; however, it is difficult to bring out these traits with reference to autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes (T1D). To find out the genetic contribution of CTLA-4 + 49A/G, CTLA-4 -318C/T and CD28 + 17T/C polymorphisms toward T1D, the present study was performed with 124 T1D patients, 54 siblings and 125 parents including 39 trios in South Indian population. The association and linkage of CTLA-4 + 49A/G, CTLA-4 -318C/T and CD28 + 17T/C polymorphisms with T1D were analyzed and transmission disequilibrium test was performed.

Mitochondrial genome variations in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a structural heart disease with strong genetic background. The aim of this study was to assess the role of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variations and haplogroups in Indian DCM patients. Whole mtDNA analysis of 221 DCM patients revealed 48 novel, 42 disease-associated and 97 private variations.

Organic Leaf Extract Mediated Inorganic Rare Earth La₂O₃ Nanocrystals Formation.

Development of sustainable synthesis of La₂O₃ nanocrystals formation employing leaf extract was explored. The obtained nanocrystals were analyzed employing XRD, Raman, PL, FTIR, XPS and TEM characterizations. With increasing incubation and aging, the transformation of La(OH)₃ to LaOOH and metal ellagate complex formation to La₂O₃ nanocrystals formation was observed.

Lack of Association Between TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-10 Gene Polymorphisms and Rheumatic Heart Disease in South Indian Population.

Background: Proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of immune mediated inflammatory diseases including rheumatic heart disease (RHD). Polymorphisms in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (IFN)-γ, and interleukin (IL)-10 genes influence the differential cytokine expression as well as the pathogenesis of various inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Objective: The aim of the study is to investigate the association between TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-10 gene polymorphisms and RHD in South Indian population.

Gene rs13266634 C/T Polymorphism in Children with Type 1 Diabetes in Tamil Nadu, India.

Objective: Zinc transporter 8 (ZnT8) is a multi-transmembrane protein situated in the insulin secretory granule of the islets of β-cells and is identified as a novel auto-antigen in type 1 diabetes (T1D). The gene coding for ZnT8, solute carrier family 30 member 8 () is located on chromosome 8q24.11.