Analysis of avian-biodiversity in rural wetland environs in Panipat district in Haryana, India

The present study has observed 67 species of wetland birds, belonging to, 10 orders and 18 families from rural wetland Environs in Panipat district located at a distance of 90 KMs north of Delhi on National Highway No.1 (29.39°N 76.97°E) in Haryana, India. Out of 67 species, 35 species were winter migrants, 18 residents, 10 local migrants and four species were summer migrants. Peculiar species of birds recorded in Panipat rural ponds are Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala, White-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus, Asian openbill- Stork Anastomusoscitans, Lesser Adjutant Stork Leptoptilos javanicus, Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus, Oriental White Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus, Black Ibis Pseudibis papillosa, Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus, Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia, Brahminy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea, Comb Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos, Tufted Pochard Aythya fuligula and Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus. On the other hand, familiar species include amongst others, Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus, Common Coot Fulica atra, Northern Shoveller Anas clypeata, Northern Pintail Anas acuta, Common Teal Anas crecca, Common Pochard Aythya ferina, Gadwall Anas strepera and Lesser-whistling Duck Dendrocygna javanica etc. Longest stay during winter season was demonstrated by birds like Northern Shoveller, Northern Pintail, Bar-headed Goose, Greylag Goose and Rudy Shelduck, whereas shortest winter sojourn was observed in case of Mallard, Eurasian Wigeon and Common Pochard. It is interesting to note that migratory birds like Northern Shoveller, Northern Pintail, Common Teal, Bar-headed Goose, Tufted Pochard, and Common Pochard come to Panipat rural ponds from very far off places like Central Russia, Caspian USSR, Siberia, Ladhakh and Central Asia, West and Central Asia and Siberia respectively

High TNF-α and low Il-2 producing t cells characterize active disease in Takayasu's arteritis

We have investigated intracellular production by T cells and plasma levels of TNF- α, IL-2 and IFN-γ in 12 active and 10 inactive Takayasu's arteritis (TA) patients and 12 healthy controls. The active TA compared to inactive TA and controls had higher TNF-α (52.7 ± 22.3% vs. 32.9 ± 14.2% and 35.2 ± 14.5%, respectively; P = 0. 020), lower IL-2 (19.6 ± 13.2% vs. 36.1 ± 10.1% and 31.2 ± 10.3%, respectively; P = 0.010) and comparable IFN-γ (38.6 ± 13.9% vs. 34.2 ± 12.4% and 34.9 ± 11.1%, respectively; P = 0.581) producing CD3+ T cells. There was no difference in the plasma levels of the cytokines between active TA, inactive TA and controls (TNF-α: 79.1 ± 94.5 vs. 72.9 ± 120.0 and 9.5 ± 6.7 pg/ml, P = 0.110; IL-2: 4.3 ± 4.8 vs. 6.6 ± 4.7 and 8.6 ± 4.5 pg/ml, P = 0.094 and IFN-γ: 10.1 ± 11.3 vs. 8.8 ± 8.7 and 8.2 ± 6.5 pg/ml, P = 0.871, respectively). The data show an important role of these high TNF-α and low IL-2 producing T cells in TA

Recurrent pneumothorax developing during chemotherapy in a patient with miliary tuberculosis

Despite the fact that miliary tuberculosis is frequently seen, associated pneumothorax developing during antitubercular chemotherapy for miliary tuberculosis is rare. Pneumothorax is potentially life threatening in association with miliary tuberculosis; and its symptoms may be masked by those of miliary tuberculosis, leading to avoidable delay in the diagnosis of pneumothorax. Here we describe a 24-year-old female patient developing recurrent pneumothorax while on antitubercular chemotherapy for miliary tuberculosis

Recurrent pneumothorax developing during chemotherapy in a patient with miliary tuberculosis

Despite the fact that miliary tuberculosis is frequently seen, associated pneumothorax developing during antitubercular chemotherapy for miliary tuberculosis is rare. Pneumothorax is potentially life threatening in association with miliary tuberculosis; and its symptoms may be masked by those of miliary tuberculosis, leading to avoidable delay in the diagnosis of pneumothorax. Here we describe a 24-year-old female patient developing recurrent pneumothorax while on antitubercular chemotherapy for miliary tuberculosis

Trans-Blood Brain Barrier Delivery of Dopamine-Loaded Nanoparticles Reverses Functional Deficits in Parkinsonian Rats

Sustained and safe delivery of dopamine across the blood brain barrier (BBB) is a major hurdle for successful therapy in Parkinson’s disease (PD), a neurodegenerative disorder. Therefore, in the present study we designed neurotransmitter dopamine-loaded PLGA nanoparticles (DA NPs) to deliver dopamine to the brain. These nanoparticles slowly and constantly released dopamine, showed reduced clearance of dopamine in plasma, reduced quinone adduct formation, and decreased dopamine autoxidation. DA NPs were internalized in dopaminergic SH-SY5Y cells and dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and striatum, regions affected in PD. Treatment with DA NPs did not cause reduction in cell viability and morphological deterioration in SH-SY5Y, as compared to bulk dopamine-treated cells, which showed reduced viability. Herein, we report that these NPs were able to cross the BBB and capillary endothelium in the striatum and substantia nigra in a 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced rat model of PD. Systemic intravenous administration of DA NPs caused significantly increased levels of dopamine and its metabolites and reduced dopamine-D2 receptor supersensitivity in the striatum of parkinsonian rats. Further, DA NPs significantly recovered neurobehavioral abnormalities in 6-OHDA-induced parkinsonian rats. Dopamine delivered through NPs did not cause additional generation of ROS, dopaminergic neuron degeneration, and ultrastructural changes in the striatum and substantia nigra as compared to 6-OHDA-lesioned rats. Interestingly, dopamine delivery through nanoformulation neither caused alterations in the heart rate and blood pressure nor showed any abrupt pathological change in the brain and other peripheral organs. These results suggest that NPs delivered dopamine into the brain, reduced dopamine autoxidation-mediated toxicity, and ultimately reversed neurochemical and neurobehavioral deficits in parkinsonian rats

The "Woundosome" Concept and Its Impact on Procedural Outcomes in Patients With Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia

This editorial assembles endovascular specialists from diverse clinical backgrounds and nationalities with a global call to address key challenges to enhance revascularization in chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) patients.- Dedicated below-the-ankle (BTA) angiography and revascularization is underutilized in ischemic foot treatment. Existing guidelines do not address comprehensive BTA vessel analysis. CLTI trials also often lack data on in-line arterial flow to the ischemic lesion and BTA vessel evaluation, hindering outcome assessment.- Dedicated multi-planar angiographic evaluation of the distal microcirculation is key: Direct arterial flow or good-quality collaterals are crucial in influencing wound healing and need to be assessed diligently to the level of the distal ischemic wound territory, termed “woundosome.”- An important primary emphasis of future trials should be on validating technologies and strategies for assessing tissue perfusion before, during, and after revascularization undertaken to heal tissue loss in CLTI patients. This will allow determination of a potentially significant delta in tissue perfusion prior to and following intervention at the “woundosome” level. Once changes in arterial perfusion have been identified as positively correlated to wound healing, these could serve as a much-needed novel primary technical outcome measure for patients with tissue loss undergoing surgical, hybrid, or endovascular revascularization