In this study we have analysed the elemental composition of fine particulate matter (PM
2.5
) to examine the seasonal changes and sources of the elements in Delhi, India from January, 2017 to ...December, 2021. During the entire sampling period, 19 elements (Al, Fe, Ti, Cu, Zn, Cr, Ni, As, Mo, Cl, P, S, K, Pb, Na, Mg, Ca, Mn, and Br) of PM
2.5
were identified by Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer. The higher annual mean concentrations of S (2.29 µg m
-3
), Cl (2.26 µg m
-3
), K (2.05 µg m
-3
), Ca (0.96 µg m
-3
) and Fe (0.93 µg m
-3
) were recorded during post-monsoon season followed by Zn > Pb > Al > Na > Cu > Ti > As > Cr > Mo > Br > Mg > Ni > Mn > and P. The annual mean concentrations of elemental composition of PM
2.5
accounted for 10% of PM
2.5
(pooled estimate of 5 year). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified the five main sources crustal/soil/road dust, combustion (BB + FFC), vehicular emissions (VE), industrial emissions (IE) and mixed source (Ti, Cr and Mo rich-source) of PM
2.5
in Delhi, India.
In agriculture, search for biopolymer derived materials are in high demand to replace the synthetic agrochemicals. In the present investigation, the efficacy of Cu-chitosan nanoparticles (NPs) to ...boost defense responses against Curvularia leaf spot (CLS) disease of maize and plant growth promotry activity were evaluated. Cu-chitosan NPs treated plants showed significant defense response through higher activities of antioxidant (superoxide dismutase and peroxidase) and defense enzymes (polyphenol oxidase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase). Significant control of CLS disease of maize was recorded at 0.04 to 0.16% of Cu-chitosan NPs treatments in pot and 0.12 to 0.16% of NPs treatments in field condition. Further, NPs treatments exhibited growth promotry effect in terms of plant height, stem diameter, root length, root number and chlorophyll content in pot experiments. In field experiment, plant height, ear length, ear weight/plot, grain yield/plot and 100 grain weight were enhanced in NPs treatments. Disease control and enhancement of plant growth was further enlightened through Cu release profile of Cu-chitosan NPs. This is an important development in agriculture nanomaterial research where biodegradable Cu-chitosan NPs are better compatible with biological control as NPs "mimic" the natural elicitation of the plant defense and antioxidant system for disease protection and sustainable growth.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) worldwide continues to increase, in particular in India. Early T2DM diagnosis followed by appropriate management will result in more cardiovascular event free life ...years. However, knowledge of the cardiovascular profile of newly diagnosed T2DM patients is still limited. The aim of this study was to understand the extent of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk of newly diagnosed T2DM patients in India.
A cross sectional observational study was conducted to evaluate clinical laboratory and socio-demographic parameters of 5,080 newly diagnosed T2DM patients (48.3 ± 12.8 years of age; 36.7% female). In addition, we determined their cardiovascular risk according to the guidelines of the Lipid Association of India (LAI) and the criteria of the QRISK3 score.
Of the newly T2DM diagnosed patients in India 2,007(39.5%) were classified as "High risk" and 3,073 (60.5%) were classified as "Very high risk" based on LAI criteria. On average, patients had 1.7 ± 0.9 major atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk factors. Low HDL-C value was the most frequent major risk (2,823; 55.6%) followed by high age (2,502; 49.3%), hypertension (2,141; 42.1%), smoking/tobacco use (1,078; 21.2%) and chronic kidney disease stage 3b or higher (568; 11.2%). In addition, 4,192 (82.5%) patients appeared to have at least one cholesterol abnormality and, if the latest LAI recommendations are applied, 96.5% (4,902) presented with lipid values above recommended targets. Based on the QRISK3 calculation Indian diabetes patients had an average CVD risk of 15.3 ± 12.3%, (12.2 ± 10.1 vs. 17.1 ± 13.5 p<0.001 for females and males, respectively).
Newly diagnosed Indian T2DM patients are at high ASCVD risk. Our data therefore support the notion that further extension of nationwide ASCVD risk identification programs and prevention strategies to reduce the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases are warranted.
To identify the emotional and motivational processes that reinstate palatable food intake following removal of high-fat diet (HFD) and associated neuroadaptations tied to neurochemical and ...behavioural changes underlying dopaminergic function.
Adult male C57Bl6 mice were placed on a HFD (58% kcal fat) or ingredient-matched, low-fat diet (LFD; 11% kcal fat) for 6 weeks. At the end of diet-regimen mice were either maintained on their respective diets, or HFD and LFD were replaced with normal chow (withdrawal). Effort-based operant responding for sucrose and high-fat food rewards was measured along with basal and stress-induced corticosterone levels and anxiety (elevated-plus maze). Protein levels for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), corticosterone releasing factor type 1 receptor (CRF-R1), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), phospho-CREB (pCREB) and ΔFosB (truncated splice variant of FosB) were assessed in the amygdala, nucleus accumbens (NAc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA) via western immunoblotting.
Six weeks of HFD resulting in significant weight gain elicited sucrose anhedonia, anxiety-like behaviour and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis (HPA) hypersensitivity to stress. Withdrawal from HFD but not LFD-potentiated anxiety and basal corticosterone levels and enhanced motivation for sucrose and high-fat food rewards. Chronic high-fat feeding reduced CRF-R1 and increased BDNF and pCREB protein levels in the amygdala and reduced TH and increased ΔFosB protein in NAc and VTA. Heightened palatable food reward in mice withdrawn from HFD coincided with increased BDNF protein levels in NAc and decreased TH and pCREB expression in the amygdala.
Anhedonia, anxiety and sensitivity to stressors develops during the course of HFD and may have a key role in a vicious cycle that perpetuates high-fat feeding and the development of obesity. Removal of HFD enhances stress responses and heightens vulnerability for palatable foods by increasing food-motivated behaviour. Lasting changes in dopamine and plasticity-related signals in reward circuitry may promote negative emotional states, overeating and palatable food relapse.
The frequency in which His bundle pacing can correct left bundle branch block patterns in an unselected heart failure population is not known, and no prospective trials comparing BiV-CRT versus His ...bundle pacing in lieu of a left ventricular lead for CRT (His-CRT) have been performed to date. The His-SYNC (His Bundle Pacing versus Coronary Sinus Pacing for Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy) pilot trial was an investigator-initiated, prospective, randomized controlled trial that aimed to assess the feasibility and efficacy of His-CRT as a first-line strategy compared with BiV-CRT. Among 41 patients enrolled (64 ± 13 years of age, 38% women, LVEF 28%, 65% with coronary artery disease, QRS width 168 ± 18 ms left bundle branch block pattern = 35, right bundle branch block = 2, paced = 3), 21 were randomized to His-CRT and 20 to BiV-CRT.
Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) using biventricular pacing (BVP) is effective in patients with heart failure, bundle branch block (BBB), or right ventricular pacing. Permanent His-bundle ...pacing (HBP) has been reported as an alternative option for CRT.
The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and outcomes of HBP in CRT eligible or failed patients.
HBP was attempted as a rescue strategy in patients with failed left ventricular lead or nonresponse to BVP (group I), or as a primary strategy in patients with AV block, BBB, or high ventricular pacing burden as an alternative to BVP (group II) in patients with indications for CRT. Implant characteristics, New York Heart Association functional class, and echocardiographic data were assessed in follow-up.
HBP was successful in 95 of 106 patients (90%): 30 in group I and 65 in group II. Mean age was 71 ± 12 years and 30% were female, with BBB in 45%, paced rhythm in 39%, and AV block in 16%. His capture and BBB correction thresholds were 1.4 ± 0.9 V and 2.0 ± 1.2 V at 1 ms, respectively. During mean follow-up of 14 months, both groups demonstrated significant narrowing of QRS from 157 ± 33 ms to 117 ± 18 ms (P = .0001), increase in left ventricular ejection fraction from 30% ± 10% to 43% ± 13% (P = .0001), and improvement in New York Heart Association functional class from 2.8 ± 0.5 to 1.8 ± 0.6 (P = .0001) with HBP. Lead-related complications occurred in 7 patients.
Permanent HBP is a promising alternative for CRT. HBP may be considered as a rescue strategy for failed BVP and may be a reasonable primary alternative to BVP for CRT.
The impact of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in pregnant women and their neonates is an area of research interest nowadays. To date, there is limited knowledge about SARS‐CoV‐2 prevalence, maternal and ...perinatal outcomes of pregnant women at term in middle‐ and low‐income countries. In the present retro‐prospective study, medical records of pregnant women admitted for delivery were reviewed from the largest Covid‐19 dedicated Shri Maharaja Gulab Singh (SMGS) maternity hospital. The SARS‐CoV‐2 screening was carried out for all pregnant women admitted for delivery using RT‐PCR. All neonates born from SARS‐CoV‐2‐positive mothers were isolated and tested for SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Most of the pregnant women (90.6%) were asymptomatic at the time of admission with a low prevalence (3.4%) of SARS‐CoV‐2. A higher rate of asymptomatic prevalence (86.1%) was found among SARS‐CoV‐2‐positive pregnant women. On the basis of the RT‐PCR result (negative vs. positive), statistically significant differences were found for maternal characteristics, such as mean gestational age (37.5 ± 2.2 vs. 36.6 ± 3.3), medical comorbidity (2.9% vs. 7.4%), and maternal outcomes like the C‐section rate (29.8% vs. 58.3%), preterm delivery (14.6% vs. 28.3), and neonatal outcomes like mean birth weight (2840 ± 450 vs. 2600 ± 600), low Apgar score (2.7% vs. 6.48%), and fetal distress (10.9% vs. 22.2%) among SARS‐CoV‐2 negative and positive cases, respectively. No neonate from SARS‐CoV‐2‐positive pregnant women was found to be positive for SARS‐CoV‐2 infection.
Highlights
SARS‐CoV‐2 infection has deleterious effects on maternal characteristics
obstetric complications
maternal and perinatal outcomes among pregnant women admitted for delivery
Recent developments in heterogeneous nanocatalysis have illustrated the great strides metal nanoparticles (NPs) have made due to their several significant features. However, the major lingering ...challenge has been their deactivation in organic reactions by migration‐coalescence largely due to their high surface energy. In this context, various supports materials have been designed to overcome the stability issues for metal NPs. Furthermore, the activity and selectivity could be simultaneously enhanced by taking advantage of the synergy between the metal NPs and the support material, like abundantly available inexpensive polystyrene resins (PSR). Herein, the recent developments on PSR‐supported catalysts are deliberated for assorted organic reactions conducted under sustainable conditions. The salient advantageous attributes of nanocatalyst‐adorned PSR are discussed in terms of their activity, recyclability, stability and selectivity for various organic transformations. Further, the enduring challenges associated with the PSR‐supported nanocatalysts and future perspectives for further developments are explicated.
Polystyrene resins‐ The enhancement in activity and selectivity could be concurrently attained by exploiting the synergy between the metal NPs and the support material, like abundant and inexpensive polystyrene resins (PSR). Developments on PSR‐supported catalysts are deliberated for assorted organic reactions conducted under sustainable conditions wherein their unique attributes are discussed in terms of activity, recyclability, stability, and selectivity for various organic transformations including the enduring challenges and future perspectives for further developments.
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