HIV with Juvenile Dermatomyositis

Dermatomyositis with HIV infection has been very rarely reported. The authors report an 8-y-old boy who presented with skin rashes and edema, muscle weakness and polymicrobial infection along with mild immunosupression. Diagnosis of dermatomyositis was established by raised enzymes, suggestive MRI and muscle biopsy findings. Child responded to systemic steroids and low dose weekly methotrexate.     

A novel DPP IV-resistant C-terminally extended glucagon analogue exhibits weight-lowering and diabetes-protective effects in high-fat-fed mice mediated through glucagon and GLP-1 receptor activation

Aims/hypothesis

Modification of the structure of glucagon could provide useful compounds for the potential treatment of obesity-related diabetes.

Methods

This study evaluated N-acetyl-glucagon, (d-Ser²)glucagon and an analogue of (d-Ser²)glucagon with the addition of nine amino acids from the C-terminal of exendin(1-39), namely (d-Ser²)glucagon-exe.

Results

All analogues were resistant to dipeptidyl peptidase IV degradation. N-Acetyl-glucagon lacked acute insulinotropic effects in BRIN BD11 cells, whereas (d-Ser²)glucagon and (d-Ser²)glucagon-exe evoked significant (p?d-Ser²)glucagon-exe stimulated cAMP production (p?GLP-1-receptor (GLP-1R)-transfected cells but not in glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide-receptor-transfected cells. In normal mice, N-acetyl-glucagon and (d-Ser²)glucagon retained glucagon-like effects of increasing (p?d-Ser²)glucagon-exe was devoid of hyperglycaemic actions but substantially (p?d-Ser²)glucagon-exe reduced the glycaemic excursion (p?p?d-Ser²)glucagon-exe. Twice-daily administration of (d-Ser²)glucagon-exe to high-fat-fed mice for 28 days significantly (p?p?p?2 consumption and locomotor activity were (p?p?p?p?p?Conclusions/interpretation This study emphasises the potential of (d-Ser²)glucagon-exe for the treatment of obesity-related diabetes.     

Reserpine modulates neurotransmitter release to extend lifespan and alleviate age-dependent Aβ proteotoxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans

Aging is a debilitating process often associated with chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD occurs at a very high incidence posing a huge burden to the society. Model organisms such as C. elegans become essential to understand aging or lifespan extension - the etiology, molecular mechanism and identification of new drugs against age associated diseases. The AD model, manifesting Aβ proteotoxicity, in C. elegans is well established and has provided valuable insights. Earlier, we have reported that Reserpine, an FDA-approved antihypertensive drug, increases C. elegans lifespan with a high quality of life and ameliorates Aβ toxicity in C. elegans. But reserpine does not seem to act through the known lifespan extension pathways or inhibition of its known target, vesicular monoamine transporter, VMAT. Reserpine's mode of action and the pathways it activates are not known. Here, we have evaluated the presynaptic neurotransmitter(s) release pathway and identified acetylcholine (ACh) as the crucial player for reserpine's action. The corroborating evidences are: i) lack of lifespan extension in the ACh loss of function (hypomorphic) - synthesis (cha-1) and transport (unc-17) mutants; ii) mitigation of chronic aldicarb effect; iii) lifespan extension in dopamine (cat-2) and dopamine and serotonin (bas-1) biosynthetic mutants; iv) no rescue from exogenous serotonin induced paralysis in the AD model worms; upon reserpine treatment. Thus, modulation of acetylcholine is essential for reserpine's action.     

Syndromic versus nonsyndromic atlantoaxial dislocation: do clinico-radiological differences have a bearing on management?

Background

This prospective study attempts to study the clinico-radiological differences between patients with syndromic AAD (SAAD), non-syndromic AAD (NSAAD), and AAD with Klippel–Feil anomaly (AADKFA) that may impact management.

Methods

In 46 patients with AAD [SAAD (including Morquio, Down, Larson and Marshall syndrome and achondroplasia; n?=?6); NSAAD(n?=?20); and, AADKFS (n?=?20)], myelopathy was graded as mild (n?=?17, 37 %), moderate (15, 32.5 %) or severe (14, 30.5 %) based on Japanese Orthopaedic Association Score modified for Indian patients (mJOAS). Basilar invagination (BI), basal angle, odontoid hypoplasia, facet-joint angle, effective canal diameter, Ishihara curvature index, and angle of retroversion of odontoid and vertebral artery (VA) variations were also studied.

Statistics

Clinico-radiological differences were assessed by Fisher’s exact test, and mean craniometric values by Kruskal–Wallis test (p value ≤?0.05 significant)

Results

Incidence of irreducible AAD in SAAD (n?=?0), NSA AD (11.55 %) and AADKFS (n?=?18.90 %) showed significant difference (p?=?0.01). High incidence of kyphoscoliosis (83 %) and odontoid hypoplasia (83 %) in SAAD, and assimilated atlas and BI in NSAAD and AADKFA groups were found. In AADKFA, effective canal diameter was significantly reduced(p?=?0.017) with increased Ishihara index and increased angle of odontoid retroversion; 61 % patients had VA variations. Thirty-five patients underwent single-stage transoral decompression with posterior fusion (for irreducible AAD) or direct posterior stabilization (for reducible AAD). Postoperative mJOAS evaluation often revealed persistent residual myelopathy despite clinical improvement.

Conclusions

Myelopathy is induced by recurrent cord trauma due to reducible AAD in SAAD, and compromised cervicomedullary canal diameter in NSAAD and AADKFA. SAAD in children may be missed due to incomplete odontoid ossification or coexisting angular deformities. In AADKFA, decisions regarding vertebral levels to be included in posterior stabilization should take into consideration intact intervening motion segments and compensatory cervical hyperlordosis. Following VA injury, endovascular primary vessel occlusion/stenting across pseudoaneurysm preempts delayed rehemorrhage.     

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic and national lockdown on ocular trauma at a tertiary eye care institute

Purpose:To evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the national lockdown on the demographic and clinical profile of patients presenting with ocular trauma.Methods:In this retrospective, hospital-based, comparative analysis, patients presenting to the emergency department with ocular trauma in the following COVID-19 period (March 25, 2020 to July 31, 2020) were compared with patients in the pre-COVID-19 period (March 25, 2019 to July 31, 2019).Results:Overall, 242 patients (COVID-19 period: 71 and pre-COVID-19 period: 171) presented with ocular trauma. The mean age of the patients in COVID-19 and pre-COVID-19 periods were 26.7 ± 17.3 and 34.1 ± 20.3 years, respectively (P = 0.008). A majority of patients (68.6%) in both groups were from the rural background. Home-related injuries were common in the COVID-19 period (78.8%) as compared to pre-COVID-19 period (36.4%) (P < 0.0001). Iron particles (29.5%) were the common inflicting agents in the COVID-19 period while it was plant leaves (25.5%) in the pre-COVID-19 period. The most common ocular diagnosis was open globe injury (40.8%) in the COVID-19 period and microbial keratitis (47.9%) in the pre-COVID-19 period. Surgical intervention was required in 46.4% of patients in the COVID-19 period and 32.1% of patients in the pre-COVID-19 period (P = 0.034).Conclusion:During the COVID-19 period, there was a significant decline in the number of patients presenting with ocular trauma. In this period, a majority of patients sustained ocular trauma in home-settings. About half the patients required surgical intervention which was most commonly rendered in the form of primary wound repair.     

Bio-nanoparticle assembly: a potent on-site biolarvicidal agent against mosquito vectors

Background: Vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, yellow fever, encephalitis and filariasis are considered serious human health concerns in the field of medical entomology. Controlling the population of mosquito vectors is one of the best strategies for combating such vector-borne diseases. However, the use of synthetic insecticides for longer periods of time increases mosquito resistance to the insecticides. Recently, the search for new environmentally friendly and efficient insecticides has attracted major attention globally. With the evolution of material sciences, researchers have reported the effective control of such diseases using various sustainable resources. The present investigation demonstrates a potent on-site biolarvicidal agent against different mosquito vectors such as Aedes albopictus, Anopheles stephensi and Culex quinquefasciatus. Methods: Stable and photo-induced colloidal silver nanoparticles were generated via the surface functionalization of the root extract of Cyprus rotundas. Characterizations of the nanoparticles were performed using assorted techniques, such as UV-visible spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, DLS and HRTEM. The bioefficacy of the synthesized nanoparticles was investigated against different species of mosquito larvae through the evaluation of their life history trait studies, fecundity and hatchability rate of the treated larvae. Histopathological and polymerase chain reaction-random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analyses of the treated larvae were also examined to establish the cellular damage. Results: The synthesized nanoparticles showed remarkable larvicidal activity against mosquito larvae in a very low concentration range (0.001–1.00) mg L⁻¹. The histopathological study confirmed that the present nanoparticles could easily enter the cuticle membrane of mosquito larvae and subsequently obliterate their complete intestinal system. Furthermore, RAPD analysis of the treated larvae could assess the damage of the DNA banding pattern. Conclusion: The present work demonstrates a potent biolarvicidal agent using sustainable bioresources of the aqueous Cyprus rotundas root extract. The results showed that the synthesized nanoparticles were stable under different physiological conditions such as temperature and photo-induced oxidation. The effectiveness of these materials against mosquito larvae was quantified at very low dose concentrations. The present biolarvicidal agent can be considered as an environmentally benign material to control the mosquito vectors with an immense potential for on-site field applications.

The present work demonstrates a potent and stable biolarvicidal agent using sustainable bioresources. The synthesized nanomaterials can control the mosquito vectors at a very low concentration range (0.01–1.00 mg L⁻¹) for on-site field applications.     

Green synthesis of copper nanoparticles from an extract of Jatropha curcas leaves: characterization,optical properties,CT-DNA binding and photocatalytic activity

The green synthesis of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) using a leaf extract from Jatropha curcas (JC) has been documented in our present research work. The existence of flavonoids, tannins, glycosides, and alkaloids was confirmed by the phytochemical analysis of the plant extract and these chemicals can be used as reducing, stabilizing and capping agents. After six months, the JC-CuNPs were found to be stable without any evidence of agglomeration. The JC-CuNPs were characterised by XRD, FT-IR, SEM, TEM and UV-vis spectrophotometry. The average particle and crystal sizes of the JC-CuNPs were found to be 10 ± 1 and 12 ± 1 nm, respectively. The SPR peaks were found at 266 and 337 nm, measured using electronic spectroscopy, and the calculated optical band gap was found to be 3.6 eV at 337 nm, indicating the semiconductor behaviour of the JC-CuNPs. JC-CuNPs have potential photocatalytic activity against methylene blue (MB) compared with other dyes in the presence of sunlight and the rate constant (k) value is 2.30 × 10⁻⁴ s⁻¹. The JC-CuNPs also have a binding property with CT-DNA through an intercalation mode and the binding constant (K_b) is 1.024 × 10² M⁻¹.

The green synthesis of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) using a leaf extract from Jatropha curcas (JC) has been documented in our present research work.