Is There a Role for the Incretin System in Blood Pressure Regulation?

Incretin-based therapies are now well established for diabetes management and are among the frontline agents for control of hyperglycemia. In addition to their antihyperglycemic effects, evidence is emerging on the role of these agents on blood pressure regulation, cardioprotective and renoprotective properties. Because of the pleiotropic nature of these affects, these agents could offer significant benefits with regards to the cardiorenal metabolic complications that are part of the diabetes and obesity epidemic in the United States and worldwide. We review the various known mechanisms or pathways by which incretin based therapy exerts its regulation of blood pressure with emphasis on novel mechanisms such as inflammation/immunomodulation and oxidative stress.     

Pulmonary Embolism Response Team activation during the COVID-19 pandemic in a New York City Academic Hospital: a retrospective cohort analysis

Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis - Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with increased rates of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). Pulmonary Embolism...     

Circadian regulation of olfaction and an evolutionarily conserved,nontranscriptional marker in Caenorhabditis elegans

Circadian clocks provide a temporal structure to processes from gene expression to behavior in organisms from all phyla. Most clocks are synchronized to the environment by alternations of light and dark. However, many organisms experience only muted daily environmental cycles due to their lightless spatial niches (e.g., caves or soil). This has led to speculation that they may dispense with the daily clock. However, recent reports contradict this notion, showing various behavioral and molecular rhythms in Caenorhabditis elegans and in blind cave fish. Based on the ecology of nematodes, we applied low-amplitude temperature cycles to synchronize populations of animals through development. This entrainment regime reveals rhythms on multiple levels: in olfactory cued behavior, in RNA and protein abundance, and in the oxidation state of a broadly conserved peroxiredoxin protein. Our work links the nematode clock with that of other clock model systems; it also emphasizes the importance of daily rhythms in sensory functions that are likely to impact on organism fitness and population structure.     

Results of non-vascularised fibular grafting in gap non-union of long bones in paediatric age group

BackgroundBone defect has always been a challenge to treat for the orthopaedic surgeon. Fibular grafting is a popular method for bridging the gap in bone defects created by tumour excision, trauma or bone loss as sequelae to infection. Fibula is a popular substitute for this method because of its easy accessibility and minimal donor site morbidity. The present study is aimed at finding the results in paediatric population.Material and methods20 patients with bone defect (19 as a result of chronic osteomyelitis and one as a result of excision of a tumour) were included in the current study. The age of the patients ranged from one year to 12 years. The fibular graft was applied after freshening of bone end and fixed with K wire or plating and cancellous bone graft was also applied at both ends. The limb was immobilized in plaster till union of fibula at both ends.ResultsThe average gap was 8 cm (range 6–12 cm). Out of the twenty cases nine involved the humerus, seven in the tibia, two in radius and one each in femur and ulna. Union was achieved at both ends in 80% of the patients after the first surgery. Three out of six patients with K wire as fixation device failed and one out of fourteen patients with plate as fixation device ended in non-union. Union was achieved in these patients after revision surgery. One patient had stress fracture at distal end of the plate after weight bearing. Union occurred in this patient after plaster immobilization. Range of motion at distal and proximal joint was comparable to normal side. Superficial infection was seen in two patients and they responded to antibiotics.ConclusionNon-vascularised fibular grafting is a good option for bone defects in paediatric population provide adequate fixation and immobilization has been done.Level of evidenceLevel IV (Therapeutic).     

Quantitative determination of bioactive phenylethanoid glycosides in Clerodendrum phlomidis using HPTLC

A new validated high performance thin layer chromatographic method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of three bioactive phenylethanoid glycosides verbascoside (1), leucosceptoside A (2) and martynoside (3) in the roots of Clerodendrum phlomidis. Extraction efficiency of marker compounds was studied using normal (cold and hot), ultrasonic as well as microwave assisted extraction techniques with various solvents. Well resolved separation of marker compounds was achieved on silica gel 60F₂₅₄ plates using the mobile phase consisting of chloroform–methanol–water (7.8:2.0:0.2, v/v/v). Quantitation of marker compounds was carried out using the densitometric reflection/absorption mode at 460 nm after post-chromatographic derivatization with vanillin–sulphuric acid reagent. Method was validated for peak purity, precision, robustness and sensitivity etc., as per ICH guidelines. Report on the occurrence of phenylethanoid glycosides for the first time in C. phlomidis is of chemotaxonomic importance.     

PMP22 Gene–Associated Neuropathies: Phenotypic Spectrum in a Cohort from India

Journal of Molecular Neuroscience - Reports of spectrum of clinical manifestations in PMP22 gene–associated neuropathies (duplication/mutations) are scarce. To identify the frequency of PMP22...