Structural, Thermal, Morphological, Adsorption and Catalytic Properties of Poly(BPDAH-co-ODA/PPDA)-Ag/V2O5 Nanocomposites

Thermally stable polyimides (PIs) were prepared by condensation technique at 160 ºC for 5 hours in N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) medium under N2 atmosphere both in the presence and absence of metal (Ag) and metaloxide (MO) (V2O5) nanoparticles (NPs). The synthesized polymers are characterized by Fourier Transform Infra Red (FT-IR) spectroscopy, 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-Ray (FE-SEM and EDX). The FT-IR spectrum showed a peak at 1786 cm-1 corresponding to the C=O stretching of dianhydride. The aromatic proton signals appeared between 6.7 and 7.5 ppm in the 1H-NMR spectrum of the resultant PIs. The oxydianiline (ODA) based PI with Ag NP loaded system exhibited the highest Tg value. The apparent rate constant values for the adsorption and catalytic reduction of p-nitrophenol (PNP), Cr6+ and rhodamine 6G (R6G) dye were determined with the help of UV-visible spectrophotometer. Among the catalysts, the system loaded with V2O5 NP has higher kapp values. The experimental results are critically analyzed and compared with the previously available literature values. Copyright © 2020 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

Clinical profile and triggers of migraine: an Indian perspective

Background: Primary headache disorders are among the most ubiquitous disorders affecting people worldwide. Migraine headache is one of the commonest syndromes of primary headache. There are few studies regarding clinical profile of migraine and migraine triggers in India. The objective this study was to study the gender, age distribution, frequency, severity of migraine attacks and other associated symptoms in patients presenting with migraine. To study in detail about triggers of migraine in present study population.Methods: About 222 patients who presented with history suggestive of migraine with or without aura defined according to International classification of headache disorders 2, fulfilling the study criteria were included. The study duration was fifteen months from March 2017 to May 2018. Details were collected using a proforma.Results: In this study, incidence of Migraine is higher in females (169,76%) than males (53, 24%). Majority of migraine patients were between age group of 18-29 years constituting about 77 patients (34.65%). Frequency of migraine more commonly observed was 3-4 per month was observed in 64 patients (29%) and chronic migraine was seen in 19 patients (8.4%). Migraine without aura is most common type observed in this study. Many patients had more than one trigger. More common triggers identified were sun exposure (85, 38.3%), sleep deprivation (83, 37.4%), stress (84, 37.8%) and travel (80, 36%).Conclusions: Migraine is more common in females than males with majority being in between age group of 18-29 years. Many had frequency of 3-4 episodes per month. Most had more than one trigger

Association between placental vitamin D receptor expression and cord blood vitamin D level and its effect on the birth weight of newborns

Background: Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy affects fetal growth and development. The present study explored the association between vitamin D levels in cord blood and placental vitamin D receptor expression.Methods: A total of 54 subjects with live-born singleton deliveries were included in SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Kattankulathur, India. Cord blood and placenta was obtained at the time of delivery.      Results: The mean newborn vitamin D level was 20.07 ng/mL (13-27.50). The mean of relative vitamin D receptor (VDR) expression was 1.45Ct (range 0.10-2.6). Mean comparison of cord serum 25(OH) D3 and VDR revealed significant at p<0.05 by student’s t-test. The newborn anthropometric measurement of head circumference 31.44±3.99 cm, Chest circumference 28.88±4.30 cm, Body length 45.52±8.05 cm, Birth weight 2660.61±353.27 g had significant association with mean VDR expression at p <0.05 level by student t-test analysis. Further, Pearson correlation coefficient also revealed strong positive correlation of placental VDR and cord serum vitamin D (r=0.853, p <0.05).Conclusions: The present study indicates that there was a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the south Indian newborns and the study suggested that VDR had crucial role in maternal to fetal nutrient transfer mechanism. Vitamin D status in cord blood is associated with the birth weight of newborns. Hence, Vitamin D levels during gestation may affect fetal growth and development

Correlation between maternal and neonatal blood vitamin D levels and its effect on the newborn anthropometry

Background: Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy has important implications for the new born and infant. In India, there were few data about the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in pregnancy and in new-born and its correlation. Hence, this study aim was to determine vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women and their new-borns and to assess the correlation between maternal and new born serum levels of the vitamin D3 and also to study its effect on the newborn anthropometry.Methods: This cross-sectional, hospital based study was conducted with 54 consecutive women in labour presenting with a singleton term pregnancy at a large tertiary centre in Tamilnadu, India. Data were recorded on a special form and 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 was assessed before delivery in mothers and after delivery in their infant’s umbilical cord blood.Results: The mean vitamin D levels were 20.21 ng/mL for the participants and 20.07 ng/mL for the newborns. Vitamin D severe deficiency was noted in 3 (6%), deficiency 31 (57%), insufficiency 12 (22%) and sufficiency in 8 (15%) of 54 participants whereas severe deficiency, insufficiency and sufficiency respectively, were noted in 4 (7%), 30 (56%), 11 (20%) and 9 (17%) of the newborns. Maternal vitamin D level significantly associated with socioeconomic status, term of delivery and type of delivery respectively were p=0.000, p=0.000 and p=0.038 whereas age (p=0.081), BMI (p=0.085) and parity (p=0.038) was not significant at p <0.05 level by chi-square analysis. Similarly, the new born characteristics of birth weight (p=0.000), birth length (p=0.016), head and chest circumference (p=0.001, p=0.000) exists significant association at p<0.05 level by analysis of variance (ANOVA) method and also there was a strong positive correlation between the vitamin D levels in maternal and cord blood (r=0.898; P <0.05).Conclusions: There was a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the south Indian pregnant women and their newborns. Vitamin D deficiency increased the risk of low birth weight neonate and it also had an effect on the length of the baby, head circumference and chest circumference. This public health problem needs urgent attention

Case report on tuberous sclerosis: a rare cause of seizure

We report a case of tuberous sclerosis in a 19 years old teenage patient with generalized tonic-clonic seizure. MRI brain showed linear CSF filled structure with surrounding gliosis extending from the frontal horn of right lateral ventricle to the pial surface of right frontal lobe-postoperative change. Multiple small T2/ FLAIR hyper-intensities without diffusion restriction in bilateral frontal temporal parietal and left occipital lobes, predominantly involving the cortex and sub-cortical white matter and small focus of calcification in left parietal peri-ventricular white matter. He was treated with valproic acid, sodium valproate and levetiracetam and showed prompt improvement. Epilepsy in tuberous sclerosis complex is a group of genetic disorders manifesting in childhood. Secondary causes of tuberous sclerosis should be suspected when there is abrupt onset in adulthood. The case highlights an uncommon case of epilepsy in tuberous sclerosis in young adult patient

HLA-B∗57 and Gender Influence the Occurrence of Tuberculosis in HIV Infected People of South India

Background. Substantial evidence exists for HLA and other host genetic factors being determinants of susceptibility or resistance to infectious diseases. However, very little information is available on the role of host genetic factors in HIV-TB coinfection. Hence, a longitudinal study was undertaken to investigate HLA associations in a cohort of HIV seropositive individuals with and without TB in Bangalore, South India. Methods. A cohort of 238 HIV seropositive subjects were typed for HLA-A, B, and DR by PCR-SSP and followed up for 5 years or till manifestation of Tuberculosis. HLA data of 682 HIV Negative healthy renal donors was used as control. Results. The ratio of males and females in HIV cohort was comparable (50.4% and 49.6%). But the incidence of TB was markedly lower in females (12.6%,) than males (25.6%). Further, HLA-B*57 frequency in HIV cohort was significantly higher among females without TB (21.6%, 19/88) than males (1.7%, 1/59); P = 0.0046; OR = 38. CD4 counts also were higher among females in this cohort. Conclusion. This study suggests that HIV positive women with HLA-B*57 have less occurrence of TB as compared to males

The genetic structure of south Asian populations as revealed by 650 000 SNPs

The analyses of dense marker sets covering the whole genome has revolutionised the field of (human) population genetics. Driven largely by the needs of biomedical research, these new data are helping to unveil our demographic past, exemplified by the study of mtDNA and Y-chromosome variation during the past &#8764;20 years. We have analysed (Illumina 650K SNPs) over 320 new samples from South and Central Asia and the Caucasus, together with the publicly available databases (HGDP panel and our published data set of &#8764;600 Eurasian samples) and illustrated the power of full genome analyses by addressing two specific questions. (i) What is the nature of genetic continuity and discontinuity between South Asia, Middle East and Central Asia? (ii) What are the genetic origins of the Munda speakers of India? We use principal component and structure-like analyses to reveal the structure in the genome wide SNP data. The most striking feature of the genetic structure of South Asian populations is the clear separation of the Indus valley and southern India populations. The genetic component prevalent in the latter region is marginal in the former and absent outside South Asia. By contrast, the component ubiquitous to Indus valley is also present (&#8764;30-40 %) among Indo-European speakers from Ganges valley and Dravidic speakers in southern India. Furthermore, this component can also be found in Central Asia and the Caucasus as well as in Middle East. We explored possibilities to identify the source region for this genetic component. Alternative models put the origins of Munda languages speakers either in South Asia (the Munda speakers sport exclusively autochthonous South Asian mtDNA variants) or in Southeast Asia, where the other Austro Asiatic languages have spread. Y-chromosome variation supports the latter model through sharing of hg O2a in both regions. We show that in addition to the dominant ancestry component being shared between the Indian Dravidic and Munda speakers, up to 30% of Munda speakers retain an ancestry component otherwise prevalent in East Asia. There is no widespread sign of South Asian ancestry component in Southeast Asia. This provides genomic support to the model by which Indian Austro-Asiatic populations derive from dispersal from Southeast/East Asia, followed by an extensive admixture with local Indian populations

HLA-B * 57 and Gender Influence the Occurrence of Tuberculosis in HIV Infected People of South India

Background. Substantial evidence exists for HLA and other host genetic factors being determinants of susceptibility or resistance to infectious diseases. However, very little information is available on the role of host genetic factors in HIV-TB coinfection. Hence, a longitudinal study was undertaken to investigate HLA associations in a cohort of HIV seropositive individuals with and without TB in Bangalore, South India. Methods. A cohort of 238 HIV seropositive subjects were typed for HLA-A, B, and DR by PCR-SSP and followed up for 5 years or till manifestation of Tuberculosis. HLA data of 682 HIV Negative healthy renal donors was used as control. Results. The ratio of males and females in HIV cohort was comparable (50.4% and 49.6%). But the incidence of TB was markedly lower in females (12.6%,) than males (25.6%). Further, HLA-B * 57 frequency in HIV cohort was significantly higher among females without TB (21.6%, 19/88) than males (1.7%, 1/59); P = 0.0046; OR = 38. CD4 counts also were higher among females in this cohort. Conclusion. This study suggests that HIV positive women with HLA-B * 57 have less occurrence of TB as compared to males

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis due to vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia in middle-income countries

Background: Adenovirus-based COVID-19 vaccines are extensively used in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Remarkably, cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis due to vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (CVST-VITT) have rarely been reported from LMICs. Aims: We studied the frequency, manifestations, treatment, and outcomes of CVST-VITT in LMICs. Methods: We report data from an international registry on CVST after COVID-19 vaccination. VITT was classified according to the Pavord criteria. We compared CVST-VITT cases from LMICs to cases from high-income countries (HICs). Results: Until August 2022, 228 CVST cases were reported, of which 63 were from LMICs (all middle-income countries [MICs]: Brazil, China, India, Iran, Mexico, Pakistan, Turkey). Of these 63, 32 (51%) met the VITT criteria, compared to 103 of 165 (62%) from HICs. Only 5 of the 32 (16%) CVST-VITT cases from MICs had definite VITT, mostly because anti-platelet factor 4 antibodies were often not tested. The median age was 26 (interquartile range [IQR] 20–37) versus 47 (IQR 32–58) years, and the proportion of women was 25 of 32 (78%) versus 77 of 103 (75%) in MICs versus HICs, respectively. Patients from MICs were diagnosed later than patients from HICs (1/32 [3%] vs. 65/103 [63%] diagnosed before May 2021). Clinical manifestations, including intracranial hemorrhage, were largely similar as was intravenous immunoglobulin use. In-hospital mortality was lower in MICs (7/31 [23%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 11–40]) than in HICs (44/102 [43%, 95% CI 34–53], p = 0.039). Conclusions: The number of CVST-VITT cases reported from LMICs was small despite the widespread use of adenoviral vaccines. Clinical manifestations and treatment of CVST-VITT cases were largely similar in MICs and HICs, while mortality was lower in patients from MICs.</p