The emergence of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as a global pandemic has resulted in the loss of many lives and a significant decline in global economic losses. Thus, for a large country like India, ...there is a need to comprehend the dynamics of COVID-19 in a clustered way.
To evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 according to age, gender, and preexisting comorbidity. Patients with COVID-19 were categorized according to comorbidity, and the data over a 2-year period (1 January 2020 to 31 January 2022) were considered to analyze the impact of comorbidity on severe COVID-19 outcomes.
For different age/gender groups, the distribution of COVID-19 positive, hospitalized, and mortality cases was estimated. The impact of comorbidity was assessed by computing incidence rate (IR), odds ratio (OR), and proportion analysis.
The results indicated that COVID-19 caused an exponential growth in mortality. In patients over the age of 50, the mortality rate was found to be very high, ~80%. Moreover, based on the estimation of OR, it can be inferred that age and various preexisting comorbidities were found to be predictors of severe COVID-19 outcomes. The strongest risk factors for COVID-19 mortality were preexisting comorbidities like diabetes (OR: 2.39; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.31-2.47;
< 0.0001), hypertension (OR: 2.31; 95% CI: 2.23-2.39;
< 0.0001), and heart disease (OR: 2.19; 95% CI: 2.08-2.30;
< 0.0001). The proportion of fatal cases among patients positive for COVID-19 increased with the number of comorbidities.
This study concluded that elderly patients with preexisting comorbidities were at an increased risk of COVID-19 mortality. Patients in the elderly age group with underlying medical conditions are recommended for preventive medical care or medical resources and vaccination against COVID-19.
Lung malignancy is a major worldwide issue that occurs due to the dysregulation of various growth factors. Lung cancer has no apparent signs in the early stages, which makes it harder to catch it in ...time and leads to a higher fatality rate. So, the goal of this work was to create and analyze a novel chemical molecule called 4-nitro acetophenone thiosemicarbazone (4-NAPTSc) against the lung cancer cell line A549 and human non-tumorigenic lung epithelial cell line BAES-2B. The ligand was synthesized by refluxing the reaction mixture of 4-nitro acetophenone and thiosemicarbazide and was further characterized by UV, FTIR, and
H and
C NMR and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) study. Cytotoxicity assay/MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl))2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) was used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of the compound. Epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR), polo-like kinase-1 (PLK1), and vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFR) were chosen as the target proteins for molecular docking to find potential ligand binding sites and inhibit their function. A novel yellow-colored crystalline solid has been synthesized. 4-NAPTSc had an IC
of 2.93 μg/mL against the A549 lung cancer cells. When the dosage is increased from 5 to 15 μg/mL along with time, the cell viability falls. Docking results showed that the compound binds with the targeted proteins' amino acid residues, and the likeness profile of the compound is also favorable. This study reveals that the compound has the potential for further investigation and can be used in multitargeted cancer therapies.
Background & objectives: India has been reporting the cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) since January 30, 2020. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) formulated and established ...laboratory surveillance for COVID-19. In this study, an analysis of the surveillance data was done to describe the testing performance and descriptive epidemiology of COVID-19 cases by time, place and person.
Methods: The data were extracted from January 22 to April 30, 2020. The frequencies of testing performance were described over time and by place. We described cases by time (epidemic curve by date of specimen collection; seven-day moving average), place (area map) and person (attack rate by age, sex and contact status), and trends were represented along with public health measures and events.
Results: Between January 22 and April 30, 2020, a total of 1,021,518 individuals were tested for severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Testing increased from about 250 individuals per day in the beginning of March to 50,000 specimens per day by the end of April 2020. Overall, 40,184 (3.9%) tests were reported positive. The proportion of positive cases was highest among symptomatic and asymptomatic contacts, 2-3-fold higher than among those with severe acute respiratory infection, or those with an international travel history or healthcare workers. The attack rate (per million) by age was highest among those aged 50-69 yr (63.3) and was lowest among those under 10 yr (6.1). The attack rate was higher among males (41.6) than females (24.3). The secondary attack rate was 6.0 per cent. Overall, 99.0 per cent of 736 districts reported testing and 71.1 per cent reported COVID-19 cases.
Interpretation & conclusions: The coverage and frequency of ICMR's laboratory surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 improved over time. COVID-19 was reported from most parts of India, and the attack rate was more among men and the elderly and common among close contacts. Analysis of the data indicates that for further insight, additional surveillance tools and strategies at the national and sub-national levels are needed.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Dy
-doped CaY
Al
SiO
phosphors were prepared using the sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy analyses (EDS) ...were used to analyse the crystal structure, morphology, and elemental composition of the prepared samples. The luminescence behaviour of the sample was investigated using photoluminescence (PL) and thermoluminescence (TL) techniques. The prepared CaY
Al
SiO
:xDy
phosphor showed a characteristic blue and yellow emission at ~480 and 583 nm, respectively, with an excitation wavelength of 350 nm. The most intense PL emission was found for a 4 mol% doping concentration of Dy
ions. The CIE diagram of the phosphor showed bluish-white colour emission. For TL studies, the prepared phosphors were irradiated with a
Co γ (gamma) source and the TL glow curve of the CaY
Al
SiO
:0.04Dy
phosphor showed three overlapped peaks. For the Gaussian peaks, Chen's peak shape method was applied to determine the kinetic parameters of the samples.
Aim
To evaluate the morphology and associated cardiovascular abnormalities in patients with juxtaposition of atrial appendages (JAA) on multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) angiography.
Materials ...and Methods
We performed the retrospective study at a tertiary referral center to identify patients diagnosed with JAA on MDCT angiography using dual‐source CT scanner between January 2014 and April 2021. The various imaging abnormalities evaluated included the type of JAA, morphological and positional classification of JAA, atrial situs, cardiac position, atrioventricular and ventriculoarterial connections, great vessel relationship, and other associated cardiovascular anomalies.
Results
We identified 129 patients with JAA. Left‐sided juxtaposition was seen in 124 (96.1%) patients while right‐sided juxtaposition was seen in 5 (3.9%) patients. Among patients with left‐sided juxtaposition, frequent cardiovascular associations included outflow tract malformations (100%), hypoplastic right ventricle (40.3%), tricuspid atresia (32.2%), and right‐sided heart (19.4%). The most frequent outflow tract malformation was double outlet right ventricle (DORV; 60.5%) followed by transposition of great arteries (20.1%) and transposed aorta with pulmonary atresia (18.5%). In patients with right‐sided juxtaposition, outflow tract malformation was seen in three (60%) patients with one (20%) patient each showing DORV, transposed aorta with pulmonary atresia, and tetralogy of Fallot, respectively.
Conclusion
The identification of JAA on MDCT angiography suggests coexistence of various complex congenital heart diseases, especially outflow tract malformations. A meticulous search is imperative to identify this anomaly before interventional or surgical procedures to avoid complications.
Aim
The present study sought to study the imaging associations of left atrioventricular valve (mitral) atresia and patent aortic root in patients with isomerism of atrial appendages as detected on ...multidetector computed tomography (CT) angiography
Materials and Methods
The CT angiography studies performed at a tertiary medical center from January 2014 to December 2021 were retrospectively evaluated to identify patients with left atrioventricular valve atresia and patent aortic root with isometric atrial chambers. The morphology of the atrial appendage and extent of pectinate muscles was used to identify the type of isomeric atrial chambers. A comprehensive assessment of discordant arrangement of organs and the variations in venoatrial connections was done.
Results
Left atrioventricular valve atresia in the presence of patent aortic root and isomeric atrial appendages was identified in eight patients (four males). The mean age at diagnosis was 7 years. Right isomerism of the atrial appendages was seen in five patients while three patients had left isomerism. Disharmonious patterns of abdominal visceral arrangement were seen in two patients. Atrial and ventricular septal defects were seen in all patients. The most common pattern of ventricular arterial connection was DORV (double outlet right ventricle) (n = 4). While five patients had normally related great arteries, three had aorta anterior to the pulmonary trunk. Right ventricular outflow obstruction was seen in seven patients. Right aortic arch with mirror image branching was seen in four patients. Coronary artery anomalies were seen in four patients.
Conclusions
The presence of left atrioventricular valve atresia and patent aortic root with isomeric atrial appendages is a rare congenital anomaly frequently associated with anomalous systemic and pulmonary drainage, conotruncal anomalies, and right ventricular outflow obstruction. Hence, comprehensive CT‐based evaluation is indispensable in providing detailed anatomy and aids in presurgical planning.
AIM: To analyze choroidal parameters in eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME) treated with intravitreal Ozurdex.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty eyes of 14 patients were included in this prospective ...study. Optical coherence tomography images were obtained before and 8-10 weeks after intravitreal Ozurdex injection; binarized and subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and choroidal vascularity index (CVI) were calculated.
RESULTS: Mean SFCT (treatment naïve; 242.22 ± 32.87 reduced to 218.10 ± 22.10, P = 0.158 and previously treated; 330.4 ± 56.72 reduced to 328.93 ± 50.55, P = 0.833) and mean CVI (treatment naïve; 0.64 ± 0.03 changed to 0.65 ± 0.04, P = 0.583 and previously treated; 0.65 ± 0.05 reduced to 0.64 ± 0.03, P = 0.208) showed no significant change.
CONCLUSION: Intravitreal Ozurdex showed no significant effects on SFCT and CVI in eyes with DME over short term. Larger studies with longer follow-up may allow a better understanding.
The immense applications of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO
2
NPs) in consumer products have raised concerns about their health effects especially because TiO
2
NPs can interact with various ...biomolecules. Out of these, proteins are more prone to alterations owing to their dynamic nature. Different protein conformers co-exist in cellular systems, and studying the interaction of protein conformers with nanoparticles becomes crucial for mechanistic understanding and therapeutic applications of TiO
2
NPs. In the present study, the effect of TiO
2
NPs on native, unfolded, and misfolded luciferase has been investigated. TiO
2
NPs were found to destabilize native luciferase, interfere with the spontaneous refolding of unfolded luciferase, and promote luciferase misfolding; however, minor structural alterations were observed indicating weak interactions between the TiO
2
NPs and luciferase. Morphological analysis of TiO
2
NPs showed an average size of 24.57 ± 4.94 nm that increased to 50.52 ± 16.71 nm upon adsorption of luciferase on to TiO
2
NPs. This study provides an understanding on the implication of nanoparticle-protein interaction on structural and conformational changes in various protein conformers.
India aims to eliminate rubella and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) by 2023. We conducted serosurveys among pregnant women to monitor the trend of rubella immunity and estimate the CRS burden in ...India following a nationwide measles and rubella vaccination campaign.
We surveyed pregnant women at 13 sentinel sites across India from Aug to Oct 2022 to estimate seroprevalence of rubella IgG antibodies. Using age-specific seroprevalence data from serosurveys conducted during 2017/2019 (prior to and during the vaccination campaign) and 2022 surveys (after the vaccination campaign), we developed force of infection (FOI) models and estimated incidence and burden of CRS.
In 2022, rubella seroprevalence was 85.2% (95% CI: 84.0, 86.2). Among 10 sites which participated in both rounds of serosurveys, the seroprevalence was not different between the two periods (pooled prevalence during 2017/2019: 83.5%, 95% CI: 82.1, 84.8; prevalence during 2022: 85.1%, 95% CI: 83.8, 86.3). The estimated annual incidence of CRS during 2017/2019 in India was 218.3 (95% CI: 209.7, 226.5) per 100, 000 livebirths, resulting in 47,120 (95% CI: 45,260, 48,875) cases of CRS every year. After measles-rubella (MR) vaccination campaign, the estimated incidence of CRS declined to 5.3 (95% CI: 0, 21.2) per 100,000 livebirths, resulting in 1141 (95% CI: 0, 4,569) cases of CRS during the post MR-vaccination campaign period.
The incidence of CRS in India has substantially decreased following the nationwide MR vaccination campaign. About 15% of women in childbearing age in India lack immunity to rubella and hence susceptible to rubella infection. Since there are no routine rubella vaccination opportunities for this age group under the national immunization program, it is imperative to maintain high rates of rubella vaccination among children to prevent rubella virus exposure among women of childbearing age susceptible for rubella.
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