Role of serum Cystatin C as a marker of early nephropathy in metabolic syndrome: a case control study

Background: The metabolic syndrome (MS) has become a significant public health problem and patients with MS are at higher risk for developing renal diseases. Serum Cystatin C suggested as a sensitive endogenous marker than creatinine for slight changes in GFR could be useful marker in MS.Methods: A total of 200 subjects were included. New International Diabetes Federation (IDF) definition of MS was used as inclusion criteria. Patients excluded were those with hypo/hyperthyroidism, on glucocorticoids, statins and fibrate, malignancy, cirrhosis, active liver disease and conditions affecting abdominal girth. Serum Cystatin C, insulin, creatinine, triglycerides, high density lipoproteins-cholesterol (HDL-C), fasting glucose, Urinary microalbumin and Urinary creatinine were estimated by standard method.eGFR and HOMA-IR (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance) were calculated. The primary outcome assessed was the occurrence of early nephropathy in MS and the secondary outcome included evaluation of early nephropathy by serum Cystatin C and eGFR. Appropriate statistical test was applied by using SPSS Version 21 software.Results: Fasting insulin levels and insulin resistance were significantly raised in MS cases. eGFR (MDRD) was lower in the MS cases (72.59±8.79mL/min/1.73m2) vs non-MS (130.34±40.75 mL/min/1.73m). Urinary microalbumin levels and serum cystatin C were significantly increased in MS and the cystatin c levels showed significant positive correlation with urinary microalbumin and negative correlation with eGFR.eGFR was found to be lower in the microalbuminuric than normoalbuminuric groups.Conclusions: Serum Cystatin C levels are higher in MS and can be useful, practical, non-invasive biomarker for evaluation of early renal involvement in MS.

Climate-induced Migration in South Asia: Migration Decisions and the Gender Dimensions of Adverse Climatic Events

There is significant interest in determining the role of climate-induced shocks as a prominent driver on migration decisions of different groups of farmers in South Asia. Using data from a survey of 2,660 farm-families and focused group discussions in Bihar (India), Terai (plains) (Nepal) and coastal Bangladesh, we employed logistic regression to investigate household response towards migration and gender dimensions of adverse climatic events. The results suggest that migration decisions depend on farmers’ unique resource profiles: (a) households that use migration to improve their resilience, mostly resource rich households; (b) households that have no alternative but to migrate, mostly poor farmers; and (c) households who cannot migrate due to different socio-economic obligations, mostly farmers with intermediate level of income that also includes women, children and elderly of different income profiles. These profiles represent a spectrum with households within a profile being closer to one or the other of the profiles on either side. They are not mutually exclusive and serve as a point of departure for further research to refine key explanatory variables. Given that some members of the household pursue migration as a result of adverse climatic events, government strategies are required to mitigate risks at destinations and create opportunities for the trapped populations. Keywords: distress migration, climatic risks, extreme events, rainfall variability, gender dimensions, South Asia -------------------------------------------------- Résumé Il y a un intérêt significatif dans la détermination du rôle des chocs induits par le climat comme facteur majeur dans les décisions de migration de différents groupes de fermiers d'Asie du sud. À l'aide de données d'une enquête sur 2660 familles agricoles et en ciblant les discussions de groupes au Bihar (Inde), au Teraï (plaines) (Népal) et sur le littoral du Bangladesh, nous avons utilisé une régression logistique pour étudier la réponse des ménages par rapport à la migration et en fonction du genre dans le cas d'événements climatiques défavorables. Les résultats suggèrent que les décisions migratoires dépendent uniquement du profil des ressources du fermier: (a) les ménages qui utilisent la migration pour améliorer leur condition, généralement des ménages aisés; (b) des ménages qui n'ont pas d'autre alternative que de migrer, la plupart étant de pauvres fermiers avec un niveau de revenu intermédiaire ; et (c) des ménages qui ne peuvent pas migrer du fait d'obligations socio-économiques, la plupart étant des fermiers avec un revenu intermédiaire, incluant des femmes, des enfants et des personnes âgées avec des profils de revenus différents. Ces profils représentent un continuum où les ménages au sein d'un profil se rapprochent de l'un des profils avoisinants. Ils ne sont pas mutuellement exclusifs et servent comme point de départ pour des recherches supplémentaires dans le but de préciser des variables clés explicatives. Étant donné que quelques membres du ménage poursuivent la migration suite à des événements climatiques défavorables, des stratégies gouvernementales sont requises pour atténuer les risques aux destinations et pour créer des opportunités pour les populations piégées

An Examination of the Application of Cannabis in Therapeutic Use for Parkinson\u27s syndrome

The consequences of cannabis usage on Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson\u27s disease (PD) are still substantially uncertain despite recognizing that Cannabis was used for thousands of years as a medication. The evaluation of cannabis usage PD and MS, and a comparison of cannabis users\u27 and non-users\u27 self-reported assessments of neurological impairment were primary goals of this research. The survey contained standardized questions to collect information on demographics and Cannabis use questionnaires to evaluate participants\u27 physical activity levels, neurological function, and weariness. Linear regression, Hierarchical Regression, and ANCOVA analysis of variance were employed in research. Were 900 respondents in a final data set. Cannabis consumers today were younger and less inclined to be considered fat. Regarding Emotional Variability, Cognitive Function, and Fatigue, cannabis users reported decreased degrees of disability. Cannabis may benefit PD and MS patients\u27 Emotional Variability, Cognitive Function, Fatigue, and Physiological Weight. PD and MS patients\u27 cannabis use: long-term advantages and downsides, and determining if these relationships are causal, more research is required to utilize longitudinally and clinically measured assessments among these domains

Assessment of impacts of climate change on rice and wheat in the Indo-Gangetic plains

In this paper, the climate change scenarios of A2 and B2 for 2070-2100 time scale (denoted as 2080) for several key locations of India and its impact on rice and wheat crops based on regional climate model (PRECIS) were described. The PRECIS projects an increase in temperature over most parts of India especially in the IGP (Indo-Gangetic Plains), the region that presently experiences relatively low temperatures. Extreme high temperature episodes and rainfall intensity days are projected to become more frequent and the monsoon rainfall is also projected to increase. Rabi (mid Nov-March) season is likely to experience higher increase in temperature which could impact and hence become threat to the crops which really require low temperature for their growth. Climatic variability is also projected to increase in both A2 and B2 scenarios. All these projected changes are likely to reduce the wheat and rice yields in Indo-Gangetic plains of India. It is likely that there will be more number of years with low yields occurs towards the end of the century. Such yield reductions in rice and wheat crops due to climate change are mediated through reduction in crop duration, grain number and grain filling duration. The yield loss will be more in A2 scenario compared to B2. These quantitative estimates still have uncertainties associated with them, largely due to uncertainties in climate change projections, future technology growth, availability of inputs such as water for irrigation, changes in crop management and genotype. These projections nevertheless provide a direction of likely change in crop productivity in future climate change scenarios

Towards climate-smart agricultural policies and investments in Telangana

This briefing note summarizes the key findings of the “Scaling up climate-smart agriculture in the Telangana State” project, carried out by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics and partners, between 1st January 2016 and 31st December 2017

Demographic and Clinical Profiles of Parkinson's Disease in India:Observations from a Nation-Wide Multicenter Study

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) phenotype may vary with genetic, ethno-geographic, cultural, and environmental factors.OBJECTIVES: The aim was to develop a clinical database of PD in India and assess the influence of age-at-onset (AAO), gender, and motor subtype on the clinical profile of PD.METHODS: A cross-sectional study of PD was conducted across 18 Indian hospitals. Standardized assessments were performed by movement disorder specialists. Data were collected using uniform questionnaires during the recruitment visit. A total of 3300 age- and gender-matched case-control pairs were analyzed for environmental exposures, habits, and co-morbidities.RESULTS: We recruited 7918 PD cases with a mean AAO of 54.2 ± 11.8 years and a median disease duration of 5 years (interquartile range: 2-9). Subgroup analyses based on AAO, gender, and motor phenotype revealed significant differences in motor and non-motor symptoms, exposures, habits, and co-morbidities. Except coffee consumption, previously known associations were observed for exposure to insecticides/pesticides/fungicides (odds ratio [OR]: 1.67), head injury (OR: 3.11), coffee consumption (OR: 1.73), diabetes (OR: 1.48), hypertension (OR: 1.73), and smoking (OR: 0.74) in the Indian population.CONCLUSIONS: This large pan-Indian study highlights the clinical characteristics, environmental exposures, habits, and comorbid diseases associated with PD, which were broadly similar to those observed in European populations. The earlier AAO in Indian PD patients suggests a potentially higher genetic risk, warranting further investigation. A nationwide, community-based, epidemiological study is needed to achieve a comprehensive understanding of all risk factors for PD in India and to validate the risk factors identified in this hospital-based study. © 2025 The Author(s). Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.</p

Common variants in CLDN2 and MORC4 genes confer disease susceptibility in patients with chronic pancreatitis

A recent Genome-wide Association Study (GWAS) identified association with variants in X-linked CLDN2 and MORC4 and PRSS1-PRSS2 loci with Chronic Pancreatitis (CP) in North American patients of European ancestry. We selected 9 variants from the reported GWAS and replicated the association with CP in Indian patients by genotyping 1807 unrelated Indians of Indo-European ethnicity, including 519 patients with CP and 1288 controls. The etiology of CP was idiopathic in 83.62% and alcoholic in 16.38% of 519 patients. Our study confirmed a significant association of 2 variants in CLDN2 gene (rs4409525—OR 1.71, P = 1.38 x 10-09; rs12008279—OR 1.56, P = 1.53 x 10-04) and 2 variants in MORC4 gene (rs12688220—OR 1.72, P = 9.20 x 10-09; rs6622126—OR 1.75, P = 4.04x10-05) in Indian patients with CP. We also found significant association at PRSS1-PRSS2 locus (OR 0.60; P = 9.92 x 10-06) and SAMD12-TNFRSF11B (OR 0.49, 95% CI [0.31–0.78], P = 0.0027). A variant in the gene MORC4 (rs12688220) showed significant interaction with alcohol (OR for homozygous and heterozygous risk allele -14.62 and 1.51 respectively, P = 0.0068) suggesting gene-environment interaction. A combined analysis of the genes CLDN2 and MORC4 based on an effective risk allele score revealed a higher percentage of individuals homozygous for the risk allele in CP cases with 5.09 fold enhanced risk in individuals with 7 or more effective risk alleles compared with individuals with 3 or less risk alleles (P = 1.88 x 10-14). Genetic variants in CLDN2 and MORC4 genes were associated with CP in Indian patients

Global wheat production with 1.5 and 2.0°C above pre‐industrial warming

Efforts to limit global warming to below 2°C in relation to the pre‐industrial level are under way, in accordance with the 2015 Paris Agreement. However, most impact research on agriculture to date has focused on impacts of warming >2°C on mean crop yields, and many previous studies did not focus sufficiently on extreme events and yield interannual variability. Here, with the latest climate scenarios from the Half a degree Additional warming, Prognosis and Projected Impacts (HAPPI) project, we evaluated the impacts of the 2015 Paris Agreement range of global warming (1.5 and 2.0°C warming above the pre‐industrial period) on global wheat production and local yield variability. A multi‐crop and multi‐climate model ensemble over a global network of sites developed by the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP) for Wheat was used to represent major rainfed and irrigated wheat cropping systems. Results show that projected global wheat production will change by −2.3% to 7.0% under the 1.5°C scenario and −2.4% to 10.5% under the 2.0°C scenario, compared to a baseline of 1980–2010, when considering changes in local temperature, rainfall, and global atmospheric CO2 concentration, but no changes in management or wheat cultivars. The projected impact on wheat production varies spatially; a larger increase is projected for temperate high rainfall regions than for moderate hot low rainfall and irrigated regions. Grain yields in warmer regions are more likely to be reduced than in cooler regions. Despite mostly positive impacts on global average grain yields, the frequency of extremely low yields (bottom 5 percentile of baseline distribution) and yield inter‐annual variability will increase under both warming scenarios for some of the hot growing locations, including locations from the second largest global wheat producer—India, which supplies more than 14% of global wheat. The projected global impact of warming <2°C on wheat production is therefore not evenly distributed and will affect regional food security across the globe as well as food prices and trade

Similar estimates of temperature impacts on global wheat yield by three independent methods

The potential impact of global temperature change on global crop yield has recently been assessed with different methods. Here we show that grid-based and point-based simulations and statistical regressions (from historic records), without deliberate adaptation or CO2 fertilization effects, produce similar estimates of temperature impact on wheat yields at global and national scales. With a 1 °C global temperature increase, global wheat yield is projected to decline between 4.1% and 6.4%. Projected relative temperature impacts from different methods were similar for major wheat-producing countries China, India, USA and France, but less so for Russia. Point-based and grid-based simulations, and to some extent the statistical regressions, were consistent in projecting that warmer regions are likely to suffer more yield loss with increasing temperature than cooler regions. By forming a multi-method ensemble, it was possible to quantify ‘method uncertainty’ in addition to model uncertainty. This significantly improves confidence in estimates of climate impacts on global food security.<br/