WRKY Transcription Factors: Molecular Regulation and Stress Responses in Plants

Plants in their natural habitat have to face multiple stresses simultaneously. Evolutionary adaptation of developmental, physiological and biochemical parameters give advantage over a single window of stress but not multiple. On the other hand transcription factors like WRKY can regulate diverse responses through a complicated network of genes. So molecular orchestration of WRKYs in plant may provide the most anticipated outcome of simultaneous multiple responses. Activation or repression through W-box and W-box like sequences is regulated at transcriptional, translational and domain level. Because of the tight regulation involved in specific recognition and binding of WRKYs to downstream promoters, they have become promising candidate for crop improvement. Epigenetic, retrograde and proteasome mediated regulation enable WRKYs to attain the dynamic cellular homeostatic reprograming. Overexpression of several WRKYs face the paradox of having several beneficial affects but with some unwanted traits. These overexpression-associated undesirable phenotypes need to be identified and removed for proper growth, development and yeild. Taken together, we have highlighted the diverse regulation and multiple stress response of WRKYs in plants along with the future prospects in this field of research

Study on epidemiology of endometriosis in North East India

Background: Endometriosis is the presence of endometrial glands and/or stroma outside the uterus, predominantly in   reproductive age. The prevalence is around 10% in women of reproductive age and is caused by combination of multiple genetic and environmental factors. Characterization of endometriosis can be learnt from epidemiological factors of the patients which influence on disease development and thus helpful in clinical diagnosis. Histological pictures after surgery may vary considerably and sometimes over diagnosis of the disease is not uncommon. The purpose of the study was to study the epidemiology of endometriosis in North East population of India and correlation of clinical and histopathological diagnosis. Methods: It was a hospital based observational descriptive study carried out in Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, AMCH, Dibrugarh, Assam, India.  Detailed history and clinical presentations were elicited and relevant investigations were done. Operative findings and biopsy reports were correlated. All the findings were tabulated and statistically analyzed. Results: Women in age group 30-39 years (48.31%) with mean BMI of 24.44±4.06 kg/m2, nulliparous (31.46%) or para 1(33.71%) formed the majority of study population. Majority had early age at menarche (11.45±1.24), irregular cycles, shorter cycle length, longer duration of flow. Majority (79.78%) had dysmenorrhea followed by dyspareunia (59.55%). Only 62.92% had biopsy proven endometriosis. Conclusions: Epidemiological factors and clinical presentations guide in diagnosing endometriosis and should be given importance. Clinical diagnosis of endometriosis may not always correlate with histopathologic diagnosis and many other pathologies mimic endometriosis

Role of serum CA 19-9 as a tumor marker in TCC bladder

Background: There is a dearth of reliable blood and urine markers for transitional cell carcinoma of urinary bladder. CA 19-9 is a well-known marker for gastrointestinal malignancies and is being investigated for other malignancies including carcinoma bladder. In this prospective study, we evaluated the role of serum CA 19-9 as a tumor marker and correlated its level with tumor grade and stage.Methods: One hundred and fifteen patients with transitional cell carcinoma of urinary bladder and 69 healthy volunteers, as controls were included in the study. Preoperative blood sample was analysed for level of CA 19-9 using ELISA kit (normal - 0 U/ml to 37U/ml) and were correlated with grade and TNM stage of tumor.Results: The range of the control group is 2-38U/ml (mean: 17.67±9.68U/ml); TCC group is 1-94U/ml (mean: 37.12±31.52U/ml) (p=0.304). When CA 19-9 level >37IU/ml was taken as cut-off for a positive test, sensitivity of detecting T3 disease, T4 disease, MIBC, presence of node and high grade tumour were 80%, 75%, 70.3%, 78% and 57.8% respectively. However, there was a statistically significant increase in levels of CA19-9 in relation to higher grade (<0.001), presence of muscle invasion (<0.001), T stage (<0.001) and N stage (<0.001).Conclusions: Serum CA19-9 is almost invariably raised in patients with high grade and invasive disease. Thus, it has a place as a prognostic marker rather than as a diagnostic tool due to its low sensitivity for TCC bladder

Evaluation of the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership Green Social Prescribing Funding Programme

A growing body of evidence shows health, wellbeing and ecosystem benefits of investment in Green Social Prescribing. West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership funded nine Green Social Prescribing pilot projects, with the aim of supporting and improving mental health and wellbeing among vulnerable local population groups. The results showed that target groups were reached through the projects and evidence of improved health and wellbeing outcomes among users and a postive impact on the local environment. The projects successfully delivered person centred care, strong leadership and high likelihood of continuation of the projects. Barriers included bureacratic challenges and difficulties relating to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. Future funding could targed a wider user group and offer practical, insitutional and narrative support. The projects demonstrated the importance of codesign in evaluation design

G-CSF Prevents the Progression of Structural Disintegration of White Matter Tracts in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Pilot Trial

Background: The hematopoietic protein Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) has neuroprotective and regenerative properties. The G-CSF receptor is expressed by motoneurons, and G-CSF protects cultured motoneuronal cells from apoptosis. It therefore appears as an attractive and feasible drug candidate for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The current pilot study was performed to determine whether treatment with G-CSF in ALS patients is feasible.Methods: Ten patients with definite ALS were entered into a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial. Patients received either 10 mu g/kg BW G-CSF or placebo subcutaneously for the first 10 days and from day 20 to 25 of the study. Clinical outcome was assessed by changes in the ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS), a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery, and by examining hand activities of daily living over the course of the study (100 days). The total number of adverse events (AE) and treatment-related AEs, discontinuation due to treatment-related AEs, laboratory parameters including leukocyte, erythrocyte, and platelet count, as well as vital signs were examined as safety endpoints. Furthermore, we explored potential effects of G-CSF on structural cerebral abnormalities on the basis of voxel-wise statistics of Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), brain volumetry, and voxel-based morphometry.Results: Treatment was well-tolerated. No significant differences were found between groups in clinical tests and brain volumetry from baseline to day 100. However, DTI analysis revealed significant reductions of fractional anisotropy (FA) encompassing diffuse areas of the brain when patients were compared to controls. On longitudinal analysis, the placebo group showed significant greater and more widespread decline in FA than the ALS patients treated with G-CSF.Conclusions: Subcutaneous G-CSF treatment in ALS patients appears as feasible approach. Although exploratory analysis of clinical data showed no significant effect, DTI measurements suggest that the widespread and progressive microstructural neural damage in ALS can be modulated by G-CSF treatment. These findings may carry significant implications for further clinical trials on ALS using growth factors

Does improving maternal knowledge of vaccines impact infant immunization rates? A community-based randomized-controlled trial in Karachi, Pakistan

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In Pakistan, only 59-73% of children 12-23 months of age are fully immunized. This randomized, controlled trial was conducted to assess the impact of a low-literacy immunization promotion educational intervention for mothers living in low-income communities of Karachi on infant immunization completion rates.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Three hundred and sixty-six mother-infant pairs, with infants aged <b>≤ </b>6 weeks, were enrolled and randomized into either the intervention or control arm between August - November 2008. The intervention, administered by trained community health workers, consisted of three targeted pictorial messages regarding vaccines. The control group received general health promotion messages based on Pakistan's Lady Health Worker program curriculum. Assessment of DPT/Hepatitis B vaccine completion (3 doses) was conducted 4-months after enrollment. A Poisson regression model was used to estimate effect of the intervention. The multivariable Poisson regression model included maternal education, paternal occupation, ownership of home, cooking fuel used at home, place of residence, the child's immunization status at enrollment, and mother's perception about the impact of immunization on child's health.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Baseline characteristics among the two groups were similar. At 4 month assessment, among 179 mother-infant pairs in the intervention group, 129 (72.1%) had received all 3 doses of DPT/Hepatitis B vaccine, whereas in the control group 92/178 (51.7%) had received all 3 doses. Multivariable analysis revealed a significant improvement of 39% (adjusted RR = 1.39; 95% CI: 1.06-1.81) in DPT-3/Hepatitis B completion rates in the intervention group.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A simple educational intervention designed for low-literate populations, improved DPT-3/Hepatitis B vaccine completion rates by 39%. These findings have important implications for improving routine immunization rates in Pakistan.</p

Betel nut and tobacco chewing; potential risk factors of cancer of oesophagus in Assam, India

Cancer of the oesophagus is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in males in Assam, in north-eastern India, and ranks second for females. The chewing of betel nut, with or without tobacco and prepared in various ways, is a common practice in the region and a case–control study has been designed to study the pattern of risk associated with different ways of preparing and chewing the nuts. 358 newly diagnosed male patients and 144 female have been interviewed together with 2 control subjects for each case chosen at random from among the attendants who accompanied patients to hospital. There were significant trends in risk ratios associated with the frequency of chewing each day, with the duration of chewing in years and with the age at which the habit was started that were apparent for both males and females and which remained significant after allowance was made for other known risk factors, notably tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption. The adjusted ratios, in comparison with non-chewers, were 13.3 M and 5.7 F for chewing more than 20 times a day, 10.6 M and 7.2 F for persons who had chewed for more than 20 years and 10.3 M and 5.3 F for those who had started before the age of 20. Among the different combinations of ingredients that were chewed the adjusted odds ratios were highest for those who had been using fermented betel nut with any form of tobacco (7.1 M and 3.6 F). The risk associated with tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption, which are high in some parts of the world, were less in Assam than those associated with the chewing of betel nut. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer.co

Altered patterns of cortical activation in ALS patients during attention and cognitive response inhibition tasks

Since amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can be accompanied by executive dysfunction, it is hypothesised that ALS patients will have impaired performance on tests of cognitive inhibition. We predicted that ALS patients would show patterns of abnormal activation in extramotor regions when performing tests requiring the inhibition of prepotent responses (the Stroop effect) and the inhibition of prior negatively primed responses (the negative priming effect) when compared to healthy controls. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure activation during a sparse sequence block design paradigm investigating the Stroop and negative priming effects in 14 ALS patients and 8 healthy age- and IQ-matched controls. Behavioural measures of performance were collected. Both groups’ reaction times (RTs) reflected the Stroop effect during scanning. The ALS and control groups did not differ significantly for any of the behavioural measures but did show significant differences in cerebral activation during both tasks. The ALS group showed increased activation predominantly in the left middle temporal gyrus (BA 20/21), left superior temporal gyrus (BA 22) and left anterior cingulate gyrus (BA 32). Neither group’s RT data showed clear evidence of a negative priming effect. However the ALS group showed decreased activation, relative to controls, particularly in the left cingulate gyrus (BA 23/24), left precentral gyrus (BA 4/6) and left medial frontal gyrus (BA 6). Greater cerebral activation in the ALS group accompanying the performance of the Stroop effect and areas of decreased activation during the negative priming comparison suggest altered inhibitory processing in ALS, consistent with other evidence of executive dysfunction in ALS. The current findings require further exploration in a larger study