Urinary tract injuries during obstetric intervention

A retrospective case record review of obstetric urinary tract injury in the Grampian region from 1976 to 1993 identified 16 cases of bladder injury (0.1 per 1000 deliveries, 1.4 per 1000 caesarean sections and four cases of ureteric injury (0.03 per 1000 deliveries, 0.27 per 1000 caesarean sections). Diagnosis of bladder injury was immediate, but of ureteric injury often delayed. Although the injury rates are lower than previously reported and previously reported risk factors not confirmed, this audit has resulted in guidelines for junior staff, compliance with which will be monitored, and every case of urinary tract injury will be reviewed.     

Sequence analysis of the large polymerase (L) protein of the US strain of avian metapneumovirus indicates a close resemblance to that of the human metapneumovirus

The complete nucleotide sequence of the large polymerase (L) protein of the avian metapneumovirus subgroup C strain Colorado was determined. The L protein gene of avian pneumovirus Colorado isolate (APV-C) was 6173 nucleotides in length from the gene-start to the gene-end and encoded a polypeptide of 2005 amino acids in length. The length of the L protein of APV-C was exactly the same as that of human metapneumovirus (hMPV) and one amino acid longer than the L protein of APV subgroup A. The L protein of APV-C showed 80% amino acid identity with the L protein of hMPV, but only 64% amino acid identity with the L protein of APV-A. The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences were compared with the corresponding sequences of eleven other paramyxoviruses. All six domains characteristic of paramyxovirus L proteins were also observed in the L protein of APV-C. All the polymerase core motifs in domain III were conserved to nearly 100% in the metapneumoviruses. Similarly, the putative ATP-binding motif in domain VI was completely conserved among the metapneumoviruses and differed in length, by one intermediate residue, from other paramyxoviruses. Phylogenetic analysis of the different L proteins also revealed a closer relationship between APV-C and hMPV.     

Evaluating the Effect of Tideglusib-Loaded Bioactive Glass Nanoparticles as a Potential Dentine Regenerative Material

Dental pulp treatment is the least intrusive procedure currently available for preserving the vitality of the pulp. Several studies are underway to improve the bioactivity of pulp capping materials. Tideglusib isa potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and a regenerative drug developed against Alzheimer’s disease and has been shown to be effective in the treatment of dental cavities. However, its bioactive properties encapsulated within the nanoparticles as a component of pulp capping material are largely unknown. In this study, tideglusib-loaded bioactive glass nanoparticles were synthesized (tideglusib-BgNPs) and mixed at various concentrations into the calcium silicate cement to testits physiomechanical and bioactivitiescompared with biodentine (control). The calcium silicate cement with 10wgt% tideglusib-BgNPs showed comparable physiomechanical properties to that of biodentine. Additionally, the assessment of cytotoxicity and bioactivity (cell proliferation, wound healing, and cell migration assays) showed increased bioactivity in terms of better wound healing, increased proliferation, and better migration of human dental pulp stem cells than biodentine. These findings suggest new opportunities to use tideglusib-BgNPs in pulp therapy.     

Antiparkinson drug--Mucuna pruriens shows antioxidant and metal chelating activity

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder for which no neurorestorative therapeutic treatment is currently available. Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease. The ancient Indian medical system, Ayurveda, traditionally uses Mucuna pruriens to treat Parkinson's disease. In our earlier studies, Mucuna pruriens has been shown to possess antiparkinson and neuroprotective effects in animal models of Parkinson's disease. The antioxidant activity of Mucuna pruriens was demonstrated by its ability to scavenge DPPH radicals, ABTS radicals and reactive oxygen species. Mucuna pruriens significantly inhibited the oxidation of lipids and deoxyribose sugar. Mucuna pruriens exhibited divalent iron chelating activity and did not show any genotoxic/mutagenic effect on the plasmid DNA. These results suggest that the neuroprotective and neurorestorative effect of Mucuna pruriens may be related to its antioxidant activity independent of the symptomatic effect. In addition, the drug appears to be therapeutically safe in the treatment of patients with Parkinson's disease.     

Strategies That Facilitate Extraction-Free SARS-CoV-2 Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented global demand for in vitro diagnostic reagents. Supply shortages and hoarding have impacted testing capacity which has led to inefficient COVID-19 case identification and transmission control, predominantly in developing countries. Traditionally, RNA extraction is a prerequisite for conducting SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT); however, simplified methods of sample processing have been successful at bypassing typical nucleic acid extraction steps, enabling extraction-free SARS-CoV-2 NAAT workflows. These methods involve chemical and physical approaches that are inexpensive and easily accessible alternatives to overcome extraction kit supply shortages, while offering acceptable test performance. Here we provide an overview of three main sample preparation strategies that have been shown to facilitate extraction-free SARS-CoV-2 NAATs.     

Association of rs11643718 SLC12A3 and rs741301 ELMO1 Variants with Diabetic Nephropathy in South Indian Population

This study reports on the association of genetic variants selected from previous genome‐wide association studies for type 2 diabetic nephropathy in south Indians. Eight variants were genotyped in 601 type 2 diabetic subjects without nephropathy (DM) and 583 type 2 diabetic subjects with nephropathy (DN) by MassARRAY. The minor allele frequencies of rs11643718 SLC12A3 variant and rs741301 ELMO1 variant were significantly different between DM and DN groups (P = 0.029 and 0.016, respectively). A combined analysis showed that the subjects carrying the risk genotypes of both these variants (GG of rs11643718 + AG/AA of rs741301) had a significant association with DN with an odds ratio [adjusted for age, sex, Body Mass Index (BMI), HbA1c, and systolic Blood Pressure (BP)] of 1.73 (1.30–2.30, P = 1.72 × 10^–4) as compared to subjects carrying all other genotype combinations. This is the first study to report a significant association of the SLC12A3 rs11643718 and ELMO1 rs741301 (Single nucleotide Polymorphism) SNPs with diabetic nephropathy in south Indians.     

Molecular Epidemiology of Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 Virus among Humans and Swine,Sri Lanka

After multiple discrete introductions of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus into Sri Lanka, the virus was transmitted among humans, then swine. The spread of virus between geographically distant swine farms is consistent with virus dispersal associated with a vehicle used for swine transportation, although this remains unproven.