Assessing the Practice of Infection Control Among Dialysis Staff in Dialysis Centers in Northeast India.

Background: Chronic kidney disease patients on maintenance hemodialysis have multiple co-morbidities and high risk of infections. This study was conducted to assess the idea and practice of infection control measures in dialysis units in northeast India.

Materials And Methods: This observational descriptive study was conducted among the participants of the 5 hemodialysis technician's conference, held at Guwahati on 29 and 30 October 2022.

An Effective Framework for Protein Fold Prediction through the Fusion of Evolutionary Information and Attention Mechanism with Deep Neural Networks.

Proteins are essential for the vital functions of living organisms, playing key roles in various cellular processes. Accurate prediction of protein structures is crucial, with an important step involving the identification of the structural fold of an unknown protein by comparing its sequence to known protein folds. These known folds, particularly those experimentally validated, serve as templates for modeling the structure of the unknown protein.

Predictors of post caesarean section surgical site infection and referral pattern for caesarean section in a tribal dominant and resource constraint tertiary level health care Center of Central India.

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is the most common complication post-caesarean section, causing risks such as antibiotic resistance, prolonged hospital stay, increased costs, maternal sepsis and even death. While SSI rates in India have declined by the initiative under the National Health Mission, they remain high in resource-constrained, tribal-dominant areas like Shahdol. This study estimates SSI incidence, identifies predictors, and analysed referral patterns at Medical College, Shahdol, India.

Comparable long-term pain and disability outcomes following decompression alone versus decompression with fusion in lumbar spinal stenosis patients with high-signal facet joints.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of decompressive surgery with or without fusion in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) exhibiting high-signal facet joints, a radiological marker of potential instability.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study analysed surgeries performed by a single surgeon between January 2016 and June 2023. Eligible participants (n = 100) were adults with LSS who underwent decompression with or without fusion and were followed up using validated questionnaires to assess pain (VAS back, VAS leg) and disability (ODI, RMDQ).

Assessment of the Radiation Dose Range for Definitive Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy of Primary Breast Cancer.

Purpose: The maximal dose for partial breast irradiation (PBI) with stereotactic body radiation therapy for definitive local therapy of nonmetastatic breast cancer has not been established. Here we evaluate the maximal achievable coverage of the planning target volume suitable for PBI without violating organs-at-risk constraints.

Methods And Materials: Planning computed tomography scans of 22 patients with pulmonary or cardiac risk factors and left-sided disease in prone and supine position (sp) were obtained.

Evaluating heat and drought resilience in ancient Indian Dwarf wheat Triticum sphaerococcum Percival using stress tolerance indices.

This study is the first to characterize the ancient wheat landrace Triticum sphaerococcum for drought and heat tolerance indices. A total of 116 T. sphaerococcum accessions and 6 bread wheat cultivars were evaluated under terminal heat (late sowing) and drought (restricted irrigation) stress during the 2021-22 (CS1) and 2022-23 (CS2) cropping seasons.

Trends in shoulder and elbow procedures: declining inflation-adjusted Medicare reimbursement for hospitalizations.

Background: As the utilization of shoulder and elbow procedures increases, it is not clear whether the hospital reimbursement for these cases has proportionally increased in the United States. This study investigated trends in reimbursement for shoulder and elbow hospitalizations.

Methods: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Inpatient Utilization and Payment Public Use Files from 2015 to 2022 were retrospectively queried for all diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) (483, 507, 508, 510, 511, and 512) related to shoulder and elbow procedures, including primary and revision upper extremity arthroplasty cases.

Targeting TDP-43 Proteinopathy in hiPSC-Derived Mutated hNPCs with Mitoxantrone Drugs and miRNAs.

TDP-43 mutation-driven Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) motor neuron disease is one of the most prominent forms (approximately 97%) in cases of sporadic ALS. Dysfunctional autophagy and lysosomal function are the prime mechanisms behind ALS. Mitoxantrone (Mito), a synthetic doxorubicin analog, is an inhibitor of DNA and RNA synthesis/repair via intercalating with nitrogenous bases and inhibiting topoisomerase II.

Assessment of the Awareness of Risk Factors and Current Behavior Among Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in India: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background The burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) is compounded by serious complications, including cardiovascular and microvascular diseases, with significant healthcare costs associated with these complications. Engaging in self-care practices can enhance glycemic control and empower individuals to make informed health decisions. The present study aims to assess the existing levels of awareness and understanding of diabetes, focusing on the perception of its risk factors and associated complications.

Consensus to Reduce Withdrawal and Improve Adherence with SGLT2i: Consensus TWO SGLT2i Adherence Group.

Background: Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are a class of medications that have shown significant efficacy in regulating blood glucose levels and providing additional benefits, such as cardiorenal protection. This study aims to analyze the factors leading to nonadherence and discontinuation of SGLT2i treatment and to identify strategies that can enhance patient compliance and reduce withdrawal rates.

Materials And Methods: This consensus involved an expert committee comprising 14 leading opinion leaders, chosen for their profound expertise and experience in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) and SGLT2i therapy.

Recent Advancements in Breast Cancer Therapies and Biomarkers: Mechanisms and Clinical Significance.

Breast cancer remains a critical health concern, requiring continual innovation in treatment to improve patient outcomes. The continuous obstacles in therapy and the need for novel techniques underline the importance of making advances in this discipline. Precision medicine has emerged as a viable method, with genomic profiling and molecular subtyping allowing for targeted therapy based on distinct breast cancer subtypes.

Investigating the Inhibitory Effects of Paliperidone on RAGEs: Docking, DFT, MD Simulations, MMPBSA, MTT, Apoptosis, and Immunoblotting Studies.

Chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer are the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Receptors for Advanced Glycation End products (RAGEs) are ubiquitous factors that catalyse Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs), proteins, and lipids that become glycated from sugar ingestion. RAGEs are cell surface receptor proteins and play a broad role in mediating the effects of AGEs on cells, contributing to modifying biological macromolecules like proteins and lipids, which can cause Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generation, inflammation, and cancer.

A Situational Analysis and an Untapped Opportunity for Tackling Challenges Associated with Coverage of Tuberculosis Preventive Treatment: A Multi-Centric Study in India.

Objectives: To assesses the coverage, adherence, reasons for non-initiation and non-completion of tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT) among household child contacts (HHCC) of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB).

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted across eight sites in India. Estimated sample size was 200 per site.

Epigenetic modulation rescues neurodevelopmental deficits in Syngap1 mice.

SYNGAP1 is a Ras GTPase-activating protein that plays a crucial role during brain development and in synaptic plasticity. Sporadic heterozygous mutations in SYNGAP1 affect social and emotional behaviour observed in intellectual disability (ID) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although neurophysiological deficits have been extensively studied, the epigenetic landscape of SYNGAP1 mutation-mediated intellectual disability is unexplored.

The Association of Lipid Abnormalities with Complications in Severe Scrub Typhus.

Aim: To study abnormalities of lipids in patients suffering from severe scrub typhus and their relationship with complications.

Methods: This cohort study was conducted in patients of severe scrub typhus [immunoglobulin (IgM) positive by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)] admitted to our institute from 1 August 2020 through 31 July 2021. The lipid profile was estimated initially at the time of hospitalization.

Self-assembled Arginine-Glycine-Aspartic Acid Mimic Peptide Hydrogels as Multifunctional Biomaterials for Wound Healing.

Clinical management of nonhealing ulcers requires advanced materials that can enhance wound closure rates without relying on the release of drugs or other growth factors to obviate systemic deleterious side effects. In our previous work, we synthesized an integrin-binding cell adhesive M {Fmoc-FFβAR(K)βA-NH consisting of an RGD mimic, [R(K)], with an amide terminus}, M {Fmoc-FFβAR(K)βA-OH consisting of an RGD mimic, [R(K)], with acid terminus}, and M (Fmoc-FFβARGDβA-NH consisting of an RGD peptide, reference) with multifunctional activity. Here, we reported the synthesis, characterization, and performance of a reversed derivative, R-M (Fmoc-FFβA(K)RβA-NH consisting of an RGD mimic, [K(R)], with an amide terminus) of an antimicrobial cell adhesive peptide, M.

Safety and Efficacy of Dapagliflozin in Recurrent Ascites: A Pilot Study.

Background: In cirrhosis, activation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system leads to sodium and water retention causing ascites. Dapagliflozin, a sodium glucose linked transporter-2 inhibitor, induces natriuresis in patients with heart failure. A similar natriuretic effect may improve ascites in patients with cirrhosis.

p300/CBP KATs Are Critical for Maturation and Differentiation of Adult Neural Progenitors.

Epigenetic modifications play a pivotal role in the process of neurogenesis. Among these modifications, reversible acetylation fine-tunes gene expression for both embryonic and adult neurogenesis. The CBP/KAT3A and its paralogue p300/KAT3B are well-known lysine acetyltransferases with transcriptional coactivation ability that engage in neural plasticity and memory.

"TB drug stock planning in advance is a futile activity" health system's perceived challenges and suggested solutions pertaining to Nikshay Aushadhi portal in central India.

Background: The National TB elimination programme (NTEP) is facilitating sub-national certification of "TB Free" status with benchmarks at every 20% reduction in incidence from the baseline of 2015. Drug consumption/sale is essential criteria to claim for the award. During the certification process in 10 districts of Madhya Pradesh in 2022, it was found that Nikshay Aushadhi (a web-based supply chain management portal) entries were incomplete or vacant in most of the districts and it was observed that quarterly drug requests were not sent using Nikshay Aushadhi.

Local Structure in Crystalline, Glass and Melt States of a Hybrid Metal Halide Perovskite.

The pursuit of structure-property relationships in crystalline metal halide perovskites (MHPs) has yielded an unprecedented combination of advantageous characteristics for wide-ranging optoelectronic applications. While crystalline MHP structures are readily accessible through diffraction-based structure refinements, providing a clear view of associated long-range ordering, the local structures in more recently discovered glassy MHP states remain unexplored. Herein, we utilize a combination of Raman spectroscopy, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) and pair distribution function (PDF) analysis to investigate the coordination environment in crystalline, glass and melt states of the 2D MHP [(S)-(-)-1-(1-naphthyl)ethylammonium]PbBr.

Development and evaluation of a training program on non-communicable diseases to empower community health workers in rural India.

Objective: We developed and evaluated a training program for Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), female community health workers (CHWs) in India, on non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Methods: A 5-day training program, developed using government-approved manuals, was tested in a randomised controlled trial in the Tehri-Garhwal district. Quantitative comparisons were undertaken using Student's -test and two-way ANOVA.

Recent Advances in Positive Photoresists: Mechanisms and Fabrication.

Photoresists are fundamental materials in photolithography and are crucial for precise patterning in microelectronic devices, MEMS, and nanostructures. This paper provides an in-depth review of recent advancements in positive photoresist research and development, focusing on discussion regarding the underlying mechanisms governing their behavior, exploring innovative fabrication techniques, and highlighting the advantages of the photoresist classes discussed. The paper begins by discussing the need for the development of new photoresist technologies, highlighting issues associated with adopting extreme ultraviolet photolithography and addressing these challenges through the development of advanced positive-tone resist materials with improved patterning features, resolution, and sensitivity.

Dysregulated expression of cholesterol biosynthetic genes in Alzheimer's disease alters epigenomic signatures of hippocampal neurons.

Aging is the main risk factor of cognitive neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, with epigenome alterations as a contributing factor. Here, we compared transcriptomic/epigenomic changes in the hippocampus, modified by aging and by tauopathy, an AD-related feature. We show that the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway is severely impaired in hippocampal neurons of tauopathic but not of aged mice pointing to vulnerability of these neurons in the disease.