Rotula aquatica. Lour-A Review on Medicinal uses Phytochemistry and Pharmacological actions

Rotula aquatic Lour is an important medicinal herb in Ayurvedic system of medicine. The plant occurs as a small branched shrub that grows characteristically among rocks and trailing over pebbles in stream beds, belonging to the family Boraginaceae and widely distributed throughout India. It is commonly called as Pasanabheda in Ayurveda. As only few studies are done on this plant, the comprehensive review presenting here will summarize regarding its Phytochemical and Pharmacological activities with the help of available and update information. Various studies indicated the antiurolithiatic, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anthelmintic properties of Rotula aquatica. Although the information are very encouraging and revealed some of the constituents of the plant like polyphenols and tannins as important therapeutically agents. The herb should be studied more extensively to confirm these results and reveal other potential therapeutic effects. Various traditional claims of the plant are still remain to be validated scientifically. Clinical trials for the reported preclinical studies should be performed urgently to further validate the claims on human

Efficient deletion of microRNAs using CRISPR/Cas9 with dual guide RNAs

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNAs that play crucial roles in gene regulation, exerting post-transcriptional silencing, thereby influencing cellular function, development, and disease. Traditional loss-of-function methods for studying miRNA functions, such as miRNA inhibitors and sponges, present limitations in terms of specificity, transient effects, and off-target effects. Similarly, CRISPR/Cas9-based editing of miRNAs using single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) also has limitations in terms of design space for generating effective gRNAs. In this study, we introduce a novel approach that utilizes CRISPR/Cas9 with dual guide RNAs (dgRNAs) for the rapid and efficient generation of short deletions within miRNA genomic regions. Through the expression of dgRNAs through single-copy lentiviral integration, this approach achieves over a 90% downregulation of targeted miRNAs within a week. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of various parameters influencing efficient deletion formation. In addition, we employed doxycycline (Dox)-inducible expression of Cas9 from the AAVS1 locus, enabling homogeneous, temporal, and stage-specific editing during cellular differentiation. Compared to miRNA inhibitory methods, the dgRNA-based approach offers higher specificity, allowing for the deletion of individual miRNAs with similar seed sequences, without affecting other miRNAs. Due to the increased design space, the dgRNA-based approach provides greater flexibility in gRNA design compared to the sgRNA-based approach. We successfully applied this approach in two human cell lines, demonstrating its applicability for studying the mechanisms of human erythropoiesis and pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) biology and differentiation. Efficient deletion of miR-451 and miR-144 resulted in blockage of erythroid differentiation, and the deletion of miR-23a and miR-27a significantly affected iPSC survival. We have validated the highly efficient deletion of genomic regions by editing protein-coding genes, resulting in a significant impact on protein expression. This protocol has the potential to be extended to delete multiple miRNAs within miRNA clusters, allowing for future investigations into the cooperative effects of the cluster members on cellular functions. The protocol utilizing dgRNAs for miRNA deletion can be employed to generate efficient pooled libraries for high-throughput comprehensive analysis of miRNAs involved in different biological processes

Global age-sex-specific mortality, life expectancy, and population estimates in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations, 1950–2021, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic: a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Background: Estimates of demographic metrics are crucial to assess levels and trends of population health outcomes. The profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on populations worldwide has underscored the need for timely estimates to understand this unprecedented event within the context of long-term population health trends. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 provides new demographic estimates for 204 countries and territories and 811 additional subnational locations from 1950 to 2021, with a particular emphasis on changes in mortality and life expectancy that occurred during the 2020–21 COVID-19 pandemic period. Methods: 22 223 data sources from vital registration, sample registration, surveys, censuses, and other sources were used to estimate mortality, with a subset of these sources used exclusively to estimate excess mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2026 data sources were used for population estimation. Additional sources were used to estimate migration; the effects of the HIV epidemic; and demographic discontinuities due to conflicts, famines, natural disasters, and pandemics, which are used as inputs for estimating mortality and population. Spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression (ST-GPR) was used to generate under-5 mortality rates, which synthesised 30 763 location-years of vital registration and sample registration data, 1365 surveys and censuses, and 80 other sources. ST-GPR was also used to estimate adult mortality (between ages 15 and 59 years) based on information from 31 642 location-years of vital registration and sample registration data, 355 surveys and censuses, and 24 other sources. Estimates of child and adult mortality rates were then used to generate life tables with a relational model life table system. For countries with large HIV epidemics, life tables were adjusted using independent estimates of HIV-specific mortality generated via an epidemiological analysis of HIV prevalence surveys, antenatal clinic serosurveillance, and other data sources. Excess mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 was determined by subtracting observed all-cause mortality (adjusted for late registration and mortality anomalies) from the mortality expected in the absence of the pandemic. Expected mortality was calculated based on historical trends using an ensemble of models. In location-years where all-cause mortality data were unavailable, we estimated excess mortality rates using a regression model with covariates pertaining to the pandemic. Population size was computed using a Bayesian hierarchical cohort component model. Life expectancy was calculated using age-specific mortality rates and standard demographic methods. Uncertainty intervals (UIs) were calculated for every metric using the 25th and 975th ordered values from a 1000-draw posterior distribution. Findings: Global all-cause mortality followed two distinct patterns over the study period: age-standardised mortality rates declined between 1950 and 2019 (a 62·8% [95% UI 60·5–65·1] decline), and increased during the COVID-19 pandemic period (2020–21; 5·1% [0·9–9·6] increase). In contrast with the overall reverse in mortality trends during the pandemic period, child mortality continued to decline, with 4·66 million (3·98–5·50) global deaths in children younger than 5 years in 2021 compared with 5·21 million (4·50–6·01) in 2019. An estimated 131 million (126–137) people died globally from all causes in 2020 and 2021 combined, of which 15·9 million (14·7–17·2) were due to the COVID-19 pandemic (measured by excess mortality, which includes deaths directly due to SARS-CoV-2 infection and those indirectly due to other social, economic, or behavioural changes associated with the pandemic). Excess mortality rates exceeded 150 deaths per 100 000 population during at least one year of the pandemic in 80 countries and territories, whereas 20 nations had a negative excess mortality rate in 2020 or 2021, indicating that all-cause mortality in these countries was lower during the pandemic than expected based on historical trends. Between 1950 and 2021, global life expectancy at birth increased by 22·7 years (20·8–24·8), from 49·0 years (46·7–51·3) to 71·7 years (70·9–72·5). Global life expectancy at birth declined by 1·6 years (1·0–2·2) between 2019 and 2021, reversing historical trends. An increase in life expectancy was only observed in 32 (15·7%) of 204 countries and territories between 2019 and 2021. The global population reached 7·89 billion (7·67–8·13) people in 2021, by which time 56 of 204 countries and territories had peaked and subsequently populations have declined. The largest proportion of population growth between 2020 and 2021 was in sub-Saharan Africa (39·5% [28·4–52·7]) and south Asia (26·3% [9·0–44·7]). From 2000 to 2021, the ratio of the population aged 65 years and older to the population aged younger than 15 years increased in 188 (92·2%) of 204 nations. Interpretation: Global adult mortality rates markedly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, reversing past decreasing trends, while child mortality rates continued to decline, albeit more slowly than in earlier years. Although COVID-19 had a substantial impact on many demographic indicators during the first 2 years of the pandemic, overall global health progress over the 72 years evaluated has been profound, with considerable improvements in mortality and life expectancy. Additionally, we observed a deceleration of global population growth since 2017, despite steady or increasing growth in lower-income countries, combined with a continued global shift of population age structures towards older ages. These demographic changes will likely present future challenges to health systems, economies, and societies. The comprehensive demographic estimates reported here will enable researchers, policy makers, health practitioners, and other key stakeholders to better understand and address the profound changes that have occurred in the global health landscape following the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic, and longer-term trends beyond the pandemic

Autopsies on foreign nationals – Practical problems and solutions

In view of increased immigration, incidents of deaths outside the deceased’s own country are on the rise. The death of a foreign national involves an array of legal formalities. Also a spectrum of queries and concerns may be raised by the authorities as well as the relatives regarding various aspects related to the death. It is especially true when the postmortem reports are kept in abeyance for want of reports of ancillary autopsy investigations. All these issues could make autopsy on foreign nationals, a thorn in the autopsy surgeon’s flesh. An attempt is made to draw attention towards the difficulties which can arise in such a scenario through one such case involving death of a foreign national, autopsied at our center

Taxonomical Study and Diversity of Rotifers in Chikkadevarayana Canal of Cauvery River, Karnataka, India

The study was undertaken to assess the diversity and taxonomical observations of rotifers in Chikkadevaraya canal (CDC). The investigation revealed that 27 species belonging to 15 genera and 9 families coming under 3 orders and 2 classes, were observed, photographed and also identified up to species level and are reported for the first time in this region. Among 22 genera of rotifers, the maximum of 11 species belonged to family Brachionidae followed by 5 species from family Lecanidae, 2 species of Euchlanidae, Collurellidae, Notommatidae and Philodinidae respectively. One species each from family Trichocercidae, Testudinellidae and Filinidae. The genus Brachionus, Keratella and Euchlanis was found in all the five sampling points. Euchlanis dialata was abundant while Macrotrachela quadricornifera was found to be least. Species abundance was higher at Gandehosahalli followed by Darsaguppe, Kannalu, Edmuri and lowest in Pandavapura sampling stations. Shannon�s diversity was also found to be highest at Gandehosahalli (2.63) while low in Pandavapura (1.78). The samples of water were used to conduct physico-chemical parameters like temperature, electrical conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, total alkalinity, total hardness, chlorides, total solids, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, sulphate, phosphate and nitrate etc. Statistical interpretations of data were presented based on correlation analysis. The population of rotifes were positively correlated with pH, total alkalinity, hardness and negativly correlated with total suspended solids and total solids of water sample

Lipoid proteinosis: A review with two case reports

Lipoid proteinosis (LP) is a rare autosomal recessive genodermatoses characterized by deposition of amorphous hyaline material in different parts of the body, especially the skin, mucous membranes of the upper aerodigestive tract, and internal organs. Oral cavity is most extensively affected area by the disease. This paper reports two classic cases of LP with oral manifestations but without a history of consanguinity along with a concise review of the literature on the disease

Fatal cardiac tamponade following road traffic accident

Cardiac tamponade following blunt trauma results from cardiac rupture, leading to death even before the patient can receive medical attention. In such cases, the collected fluid (blood) in the pericardium inhibits the diastolic filling compressing the myocardium resulting in obstructive shock. We are reporting the case report of a 30-year-old male who was brought dead to the hospital with a history of road traffic accidents. The investigating officer informed that the deceased driver was not wearing a seat belt. Autopsy findings showed fresh blood clots of 600 g in the pericardial sac with rupture of the left ventricular wall of the heart. There were contusions on the anterior aspect of the vertebrae corresponding to the heart level. Although it is impossible to prevent all the cases of cardiac tamponade, we can avoid the ones resulting from trauma. This case intends to stress the importance of wearing a seat belt while driving a car to prevent fatal injuries

Grievous Temporal and Occipital Injury Caused by a Bear Attack

Bear attacks are reported from nearly every part of the world. The chance of a human encountering a bear increases as the remote bear territory diminishes. The sloth bear is one of the three species of bears found in India, which inhabits the forests of India and its neighboring countries. Here we describe a teenager who came to us with a critical injury involving the face, temporal and occipital bones inflicted by a sloth bear attack. He underwent a temporal exploration, facial nerve decompression, pinna reconstruction, and occipital bone repair to save him from fatality