Radiolabeled Dendrimers as Potential PET Agents for Molecular Imaging of Tumor Angiogenesis

Introduction: Angiogenesis is a normal physiological process that plays an imperative role during tumor development. We believe that the development of a non-invasive imaging technique targeting angiogenesis can provide a better understanding of this important process. Positron emission tomography (PET) – a highly sensitive imaging technique can offer accurate degree of disease quantification. The phenomenon of enhanced permeability and retention effect (EPR effect) is now becoming the gold standard in cancer targeting drug designing. Dendrimers have the ability to exhibit EPR effect for targeted therapeutic/drug delivery approach. Therefore, molecular imaging of tumor angiogenesis using radio-labeled dendrimers is expected to broaden the possibilities for drug development

Pathogenetics of alveolar capillary dysplasia with misalignment of pulmonary veins.

Alveolar capillary dysplasia with misalignment of pulmonary veins (ACDMPV) is a lethal lung developmental disorder caused by heterozygous point mutations or genomic deletion copy-number variants (CNVs) of FOXF1 or its upstream enhancer involving fetal lung-expressed long noncoding RNA genes LINC01081 and LINC01082. Using custom-designed array comparative genomic hybridization, Sanger sequencing, whole exome sequencing (WES), and bioinformatic analyses, we studied 22 new unrelated families (20 postnatal and two prenatal) with clinically diagnosed ACDMPV. We describe novel deletion CNVs at the FOXF1 locus in 13 unrelated ACDMPV patients. Together with the previously reported cases, all 31 genomic deletions in 16q24.1, pathogenic for ACDMPV, for which parental origin was determined, arose de novo with 30 of them occurring on the maternally inherited chromosome 16, strongly implicating genomic imprinting of the FOXF1 locus in human lungs. Surprisingly, we have also identified four ACDMPV families with the pathogenic variants in the FOXF1 locus that arose on paternal chromosome 16. Interestingly, a combination of the severe cardiac defects, including hypoplastic left heart, and single umbilical artery were observed only in children with deletion CNVs involving FOXF1 and its upstream enhancer. Our data demonstrate that genomic imprinting at 16q24.1 plays an important role in variable ACDMPV manifestation likely through long-range regulation of FOXF1 expression, and may be also responsible for key phenotypic features of maternal uniparental disomy 16. Moreover, in one family, WES revealed a de novo missense variant in ESRP1, potentially implicating FGF signaling in the etiology of ACDMPV

Behaviour support in dentistry: A Delphi study to agree terminology in behaviour management

Objectives: Dental behaviour support (DBS) describes all specific techniques practiced to support patients in their experience of professional oral healthcare. DBS is roughly synonymous with behaviour management, which is an outdated concept. There is no agreed terminology to specify the techniques used to support patients who receive dental care. This lack of specificity may lead to imprecision in describing, understanding, teaching, evaluating and implementing behaviour support techniques in dentistry. Therefore, this e‐Delphi study aimed to develop a list of agreed labels and descriptions of DBS techniques used in dentistry and sort them according to underlying principles of behaviour. Methods: Following a registered protocol, a modified e‐Delphi study was applied over two rounds with a final consensus meeting. The threshold of consensus was set a priori at 75%. Agreed techniques were then categorized by four coders, according to behavioural learning theory, to sort techniques according to their mechanism of action. Results: The panel (n = 35) agreed on 42 DBS techniques from a total of 63 candidate labels and descriptions. Complete agreement was achieved regarding all labels and descriptions, while agreement was not achieved regarding distinctiveness for 17 techniques. In exploring underlying principles of learning, it became clear that multiple and differing principles may apply depending on the specific context and procedure in which the technique may be applied. Discussion: Experts agreed on what each DBS technique is, what label to use, and their description, but were less likely to agree on what distinguishes one technique from another. All techniques were describable but not comprehensively categorizable according to principles of learning. While objective consistency was not attained, greater clarity and consistency now exists. The resulting list of agreed terminology marks a significant foundation for future efforts towards understanding DBS techniques in research, education and clinical care

Nations within a nation: variations in epidemiological transition across the states of India, 1990–2016 in the Global Burden of Disease Study

18% of the world's population lives in India, and many states of India have populations similar to those of large countries. Action to effectively improve population health in India requires availability of reliable and comprehensive state-level estimates of disease burden and risk factors over time. Such comprehensive estimates have not been available so far for all major diseases and risk factors. Thus, we aimed to estimate the disease burden and risk factors in every state of India as part of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2016

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Triphenyltellurium chloride

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C18H15ClTe, contains two molecules which are in inverted orientations. The compound displays a tetrahedral geometry around the Te atom in spite of there being five electron domains. This is attributed to the fact that the lone pair is not sterically active. The dihedral angles between the three phenyl rings are 76.51 (16)/73.75 (16)/71.06 (17) and 78.60 (17)/77.67 (16)/79.11 (16)° in the two molecules. The crystal packing features eight C—H...π interactions

Prognostic and predictive significance of neutrophils lymphocytes ratio (NLR), lymphocytes monocytes ratio (LMR), Platelets lymphocytes ratio (PLR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection

Background and objectives: Pneumonia cases of unknown origin were recorded and reported by several local health facilities in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The etiological agent was identified to be the SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19. Laboratory tests reveal normal or increased total leukocyte count, reduced lymphocyte count has been seen in some severe cases. PLR between severe and non-severe cases has been studied and said to have prognostic significance. NLRis another significant indicator of detecting inflammation in routine laboratory tests among Covid-19 patients which can be utilized in the diagnosis, treatment and evaluation of prognosis. In addition to NLR, CRP levels have been found to be deranged in moderate and severe Covid-19 infections. Material and Methods: 82 laboratory confirmed Covid -19 cases, diagnosed by positive RT-PCR for SARS CoV-19 RNA on nasal/ oropharyngeal swabs were included in the study. Results: The optimal cut-off values for NLR and PLR were 4.63 and 0.167 respectively. For NLR curve, the results showed that AUC was 0.848 (95% CI, 0.766 - 0.931), the Youden index was the largest 0.543, corresponding to the best cut-off value of 4.63, the sensitivity was 0.787, and the specificity was 0. 755. Similarly, for PLR the area under the curve (AUS) was 0.772 (95% CI, 0.666 – 0.879), the Youden index was the largest 0.493, corresponding to the best cut-off value of 0.167, the sensitivity was 0.636, and the specificity was 0.857.Conclusion:The present study has re-emphasized the prognostic and predictive significance of routine hematological investigations and CRP in Covid-19 patients