Frequency of Heterotic Hybrids in Relation to Parental Genetic Divergence and General Combining Ability in Dolichos Bean

Though F₁ hybrids are not the immediate cultivar option, development of heterotic F₁ hybrids is relevant from view point of deriving pure lines, the only cultivar choice in dolichos bean, a predominantly self-pollinated grain legume crop species. Heterotic F₁ generates a high frequency of productive derivatives in F₃ and later generations as compared to non-heterotic F₁. The criteria such as combining ability and genetic diversity between parents are being commonly used to develop heterotic hybrids. In this context, an investigation was carried out at University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, India, to test the predictability of frequency of heterotic hybrids based on parental gca effects and genetic diversity in dolichos bean. The 48 F₁ hybrids generated by crossing 12 lines and 4 testers were evaluated along with their parents for 6 quantitative characters. The overall gca status (high and low) of each parent and overall sca and heterotic status (high and low) of each hybrid for 6 characters were determined. Based on overall gca status and genetic divergence of parents, the hybrids were grouped into different classes. The hybrids involving parents contrasting for overall gca status and/or those involving parents with intermediate genetic divergence were more frequently heterotic than those involving comparable gca status with extreme genetic divergence. Thus, there exists a limit to parental divergence for the occurrence of heterosis. It is hence, desirable to involve parents with intermediate genetic divergence and contrasting gca effects to recover higher frequencies of heterotic hybrids for economic traits in dolichos bean.     

Magnesium in treatment of acute myocardial infarction

Magnesium has properties of myocardial cytoprotection, the pathophysiological explanations of which in acute myocardial infarction include prevention of arrhythmia, antiplatelet effect, prevention of reperfusion injury, and coronary vasodilation. Although several studies have evaluated the role of magnesium administration in patients with acute myocardium infarction, the clinical impact of such a therapy in this condition has been controversial, largely as a result of conflicting data from randomized controlled trials. The data available to date do not favor the routine administration of intravenous magnesium in patients with myocardial infarction, but this should not preclude magnesium administration to replenish low serum magnesium concentrations or use of magnesium sulfate for treatment of torsade de pointes in patients with myocardial infarction.     

Left main coronary artery aneurysm

Left main coronary artery aneurysm is rare finding at coronary angiography. We report a case of a large left main coronary artery aneurysm in a 59-year-old male who had cardiac catheterization for effort angina and inducible myocardial ischemia.     

Impact of Intracranial Pressure Monitor–Guided Therapy on Neurologic Outcome After Spontaneous Nontraumatic Intracranial Hemorrhage

Objectives: Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitors have been used in some patients with spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) to provide information to guide treatment without clear evidence for its use in this population. We assessed the impact of ICP monitor placement, including external ventricular drains and intraparenchymal monitors, on neurologic outcome in this population.Materials and MethodsIn this secondary analysis of the Minimally Invasive Surgery Plus Alteplase for Intracerebral Hemorrhage Evacuation III trial, the primary outcome was poor outcome (modified Rankin Scale score 4-6) and the secondary outcome was death, at 1 year from onset. We compared outcomes in patients with or without an ICP monitor using unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models. The analyses were repeated in a balanced cohort created with propensity score matching.ResultsSeventy patients underwent ICP monitor placement and 424 did not. Poor outcome was seen in 77.1% of patients in the ICP-monitor subgroup compared with 53.8% in the no-monitor subgroup (p<0.001). Of patients in the ICP-monitor subgroup, 31.4% died, compared with 21.0% in the no-monitor subgroup (p=0.053). In multivariate models, ICP monitor placement was associated with a >2-fold greater risk of poor outcome (odds ratio 2.76, 95% CI 1.30–5.85, p=0.008), but not with death (p=0.652). Our findings remained consistent in the propensity score-matched cohort.ConclusionThese results question whether ICP monitor–guided therapy in patients with spontaneous nontraumatic ICH improves outcome. Further work is required to define the causal pathway and improve identification of patients that might benefit from invasive ICP monitoring.     

Ultrasonographic estimation of fetal gestational age by fetal kidney length

Introduction: Fetal kidney length vs biparietal diameter (BPD) and femur length (FL) were comparatively evaluated and the role of fetal kidney length in estimating gestational age was determined in the second and third trimesters. Materials and methods: The study was carried out on 199 women with singleton uncomplicated pregnancies attending the outdoor patient department (OPD) for routine ultrasound fetal biometry. Fetal kidney length was measured biweekly, between 18 weeks and 38 weeks of gestation. Linear regression models for estimation of gestational age were derived from biometric indices (BPD and FL) and kidney length. Result: The earliest age at which fetal kidney could be seen sonographically was the 18th week of gestation with the mean kidney length of 12 ± 1.31 mm. The mean sonographic kidney length at the 38th week of gestation was 40.4 ± 1.71 mm, indicating that the mean fetal kidney length increases as pregnancy progresses from 18 weeks to 38 weeks of gestation. Conclusion: The best linear regression model for estimating fetal gestational age is femur length, kidney length, and biparietal diameter in that order, with standard error of ±3.85 days, ±8.04 days, and ±8.75 days, respectively.     

Arcuate sign—fibular head avulsion fracture and associated injuries in the pediatric and adolescent population

Emergency Radiology - To describe the first “arcuate sign” case series in the pediatric population, radiologic features of the associated injuries, management, and how they compare with...     

Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Organ Donation Among People Seeking Healthcare in Tertiary Care Centers of Coastal South India

Background:

Organ transplantation is the most preferred treatment modality for end-stage organ diseases. The need for the transplants is higher than the availability. Prerequisites for the success of transplantation program include awareness and positive attitudes.

Aim:

To assess the perceptions and attitudes of the people seeking health care in tertiary care centers towards organ donation in Mangalore, India.

Settings and Design:

This cross-sectional study included 863 people seeking general healthcare as outpatients.

Materials and Methods:

Face to face interviews were carried out using pretested tools which included the socio demographic data. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 11.5.

Results:

Overall, 59.6% participants showed the willingness to donate organs. Females (64.1%) and participants from upper socio economic status (62.7%) had higher willingness rates for organ donations. Hindus (63.6%) and Christians (63.3%) had higher willingness rates for organ donations than Muslims (38.2%). Also, 23.7% participants showed willingness to donate eyes and 33.6% wished to donate any organ after death. Most of the participants (67%) were aware that money should not be accepted for donating organs, and 58.1% were aware that it is an offence to accept any benefit for organ donations. Forty percent participants had perceived risks associated with organ donation. Regarding donor cards, 42.3% of the participants knew about it and 3.7% already possessed it.

Conclusion:

It is apparent from the study that though there was high level of awareness about organ donation, a high proportion of the participants did not have positive attitudes towards organ donation.     

Validation of a simple resazurin-based promastigote assay for the routine monitoring of miltefosine susceptibility in clinical isolates of Leishmania donovani

Simple, cost-effective approach for routine surveillance of parasite susceptibility to antileishmanial drug miltefosine (MIL) is highly desirable for controlling emergence of drug resistance in visceral leishmaniasis (VL). We validated a simple resazurin-based fluorimetric assay using promastigotes to track natural MIL tolerance in Leishmania donovani parasites from VL cases (n?=?17) against standard amastigote assay, in two different labs in India. The inter-stage MIL susceptibility correlated strongly (r?=?0.70, p?=?0.0018) using J774.A.1 macrophage cell line-based amastigote assay and fluorescence-based resazurin assay for promastigotes. Investigation of inter-stage MIL susceptibility for the same set of clinical isolates in another lab also showed a strong correlation (r?=?0.72, p?=?0.0012) using mouse peritoneal macrophages for amastigote assay and resazurin-based alamar blue assay for promastigotes. Additionally, parasites from post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) lesions (n?=?7, r?=?0.78, p?=?0.046) and MIL-induced parasites (r?=?0.92, p?=?0.0001; n?=?3) also exhibited a strongly correlated inter-stage miltefosine susceptibility. Thus, our results support the utility of resazurin assay as a simplified biological tool for MIL susceptibility monitoring in clinical isolates from MIL-treated VL/PKDL patients.