Regional & Topical Anaesthesia of Upper Airways

A combination of techniques are required to adequately anaesthetise upper airway structures for awake intubation . The widest coverage is provided by the inhalational technique. This technique, however, does not always provide a dense enough level of anaesthesia for all patients. Supplementation of this technique with any of the specific nerve blocks is an excellent way to accomplish efficacious anaesthesia for awake inubation. Anaesthetising upper airway is not a difficult skill to master and should be in the armamentarium of all practising anaesthetist

Yes, we have the power to end TB!

Robust efforts are essential to sustain and increase the advancements made in battling TB, as well as to tackle persistent issues that have caused the fight against the disease to be uneven. The End TB Strategy proposes that new technologies are to be developed by 2025 to encourage a quick growth in TB occurrence diminishment. This calls for a cross-sectoral focus on creating and distributing suitable medical and programmatic modernizations in a fair manner. However, many difficulties and differences still exist in the realms of research and development regarding vaccines, drugs, technical advances, and services related to TB. Therefore, priority needs to be given to overcoming these difficulties and discrepancies for a better future. On World TB Day 2023, SEAR Union, TB Alliance, the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) and Open Source Pharma Foundation (OSPF) gathered to discuss an important topic under the heading: “YES, WE HAVE THE POWER TO END TB!” With a commitment to putting the patient first and increasing their collective efforts, the organizations recognized that it is possible to make this goal a reality. The organizations involved in the discussion have declared their commitment to engaging in collaborative efforts to end TB globally. They advocate for strengthening access to TB services, controlling and preventing TB, improving surveillance and drug resistance management, and investing in research and development. Furthermore, they recognize the importance of reducing stigma and integrating patient voices in this endeavour. This Round Table serves as a framework to build on and ensure that the goal of ending TB is achievable

LMCD1/Dyxin Is a Novel Transcriptional Cofactor That Restricts GATA6 Function by Inhibiting DNA Binding

The activity of GATA factors is regulated, in part, at the level of protein-protein interactions. LIM domain proteins, first defined by the zinc finger motifs found in the Lin11, Isl-1, and Mec-3 proteins, act as coactivators of GATA function in both hematopoietic and cardiovascular tissues. We have identified a novel GATA-LIM interaction between GATA6 and LMCD1/dyxin. The LIM domains and cysteine-rich domains in LMCD1/dyxin and the carboxy-terminal zinc finger of GATA6 mediate this interaction. Expression of LMCD1/dyxin is remarkably similar to that of GATA6, with high-level expression observed in distal airway epithelium of the lung, vascular smooth muscle, and myocardium. In contrast to other GATA-LIM protein interactions, LMCD1/dyxin represses GATA6 activation of both lung and cardiac tissue-specific promoters. Electrophoretic mobility shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays show that LMCD1/dyxin represses GATA6 function by inhibiting GATA6 DNA binding. These data reveal an interaction between GATA6 and LMCD1/dyxin and demonstrate a novel mechanism through which LIM proteins can assert their role as transcriptional cofactors of GATA proteins