Emotion Processing Deficit in Euthymic Bipolar Disorder: A Potential Endophenotype

Background: Emotion processing deficits have been described in patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and are considered one of the core cognitive abnormalities in BD with endophenotype potential. However, the literature on specific impairments in emotion processing cognitive strategies (directive/cortical/higher versus intuitive/limbic/lower) in euthymic adult BD patients and healthy first-degree relatives/high-risk (HR) subjects in comparison with healthy controls (HCs) is sparse. Methods: We examined facial emotion recognition deficits (FERD) in BD (N = 30), HR (N = 21), and HC (N = 30) matched for age (years), years of education, and sex using computer-administered face emotions–Matching And Labeling Task (eMALT). Results: The three groups were significantly different based on labeling accuracy scores for fear and anger (FA) (P \u3c 0.001) and sad and disgust (SD) (P \u3c 0.001). On post-hoc analysis, HR subjects exhibited a significant deficit in the labeling accuracy of FA facial emotions (P \u3c 0.001) compared to HC. The BD group was found to have significant differences in all FA (P = 0.004) and SD (P = 0.003) emotion matching as well as FA (P = 0.001) and SD (P \u3c 0.001) emotion labeling accuracy scores. Conclusions: BD in remission exhibits FERD in general, whereas specific labeling deficits of fear and anger emotions, indicating impaired directive higher order aspect of emotion processing, were demonstrated in HR subjects. This appears to be a potential endophenotype. These deficits could underlie the pathogenesis in BD, with possible frontolimbic circuitry impairment. They may have potential implications in functional recovery and prognosis of BD

A cross-sectional investigation of regional patterns of diet and cardio-metabolic risk in India

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The role of diet in India's rapidly progressing chronic disease epidemic is unclear; moreover, diet may vary considerably across North-South regions.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The India Health Study was a multicenter study of men and women aged 35-69, who provided diet, lifestyle, and medical histories, as well as blood pressure, fasting blood, urine, and anthropometric measurements. In each region (Delhi, n = 824; Mumbai, n = 743; Trivandrum, n = 2,247), we identified two dietary patterns with factor analysis. In multiple logistic regression models adjusted for age, gender, education, income, marital status, religion, physical activity, tobacco, alcohol, and total energy intake, we investigated associations between regional dietary patterns and abdominal adiposity, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Across the regions, more than 80% of the participants met the criteria for abdominal adiposity and 10 to 28% of participants were considered diabetic. In Delhi, the "fruit and dairy" dietary pattern was positively associated with abdominal adiposity [highest versus lowest tertile, multivariate-adjusted OR and 95% CI: 2.32 (1.03-5.23); P_trend= 0.008] and hypertension [2.20 (1.47-3.31); P_trend< 0.0001]. In Trivandrum, the "pulses and rice" pattern was inversely related to diabetes [0.70 (0.51-0.95); P_trend= 0.03] and the "snacks and sweets" pattern was positively associated with abdominal adiposity [2.05 (1.34-3.14); P_trend= 0.03]. In Mumbai, the "fruit and vegetable" pattern was inversely associated with hypertension [0.63 (0.40-0.99); P_trend= 0.05] and the "snack and meat" pattern appeared to be positively associated with abdominal adiposity.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Cardio-metabolic risk factors were highly prevalent in this population. Across all regions, we found little evidence of a Westernized diet; however, dietary patterns characterized by animal products, fried snacks, or sweets appeared to be positively associated with abdominal adiposity. Conversely, more traditional diets in the Southern regions were inversely related to diabetes and hypertension. Continued investigation of diet, as well as other environmental and biological factors, will be needed to better understand the risk profile in this population and potential means of prevention.</p

Multi-center feasibility study evaluating recruitment, variability in risk factors and biomarkers for a diet and cancer cohort in India

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>India's population exhibits diverse dietary habits and chronic disease patterns. Nutritional epidemiologic studies in India are primarily of cross-sectional or case-control design and subject to biases, including differential recall of past diet. The aim of this feasibility study was to evaluate whether a diet-focused cohort study of cancer could be established in India, providing insight into potentially unique diet and lifestyle exposures.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Field staff contacted 7,064 households within three regions of India (New Delhi, Mumbai, and Trivandrum) and found 4,671 eligible adults aged 35-69 years. Participants completed interviewer-administered questionnaires (demographic, diet history, physical activity, medical/reproductive history, tobacco/alcohol use, and occupational history), and staff collected biological samples (blood, urine, and toenail clippings), anthropometric measurements (weight, standing and sitting height; waist, hip, and thigh circumference; triceps, sub-scapula and supra-patella skin fold), and blood pressure measurements.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Eighty-eight percent of eligible subjects completed all questionnaires and 67% provided biological samples. Unique protein sources by region were fish in Trivandrum, dairy in New Delhi, and pulses (legumes) in Mumbai. Consumption of meat, alcohol, fast food, and soft drinks was scarce in all three regions. A large percentage of the participants were centrally obese and had elevated blood glucose levels. New Delhi participants were also the least physically active and had elevated lipids levels, suggesting a high prevalence of metabolic syndrome.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A high percentage of participants complied with study procedures including biological sample collection. Epidemiologic expertise and sufficient infrastructure exists at these three sites in India to successfully carry out a modest sized population-based study; however, we identified some potential problems in conducting a cohort study, such as limited number of facilities to handle biological samples.</p

Clinicopathological correlation of endometrial hyperplasias with progesterone receptor expression in DUB

BACKGROUND: Progesterone receptor (PR) is widely studied for its role in diagnosis and treatment of endometrial hyperplasia. Dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) is a common gynecological presentation of these precancerous lesions. AIM: To study PR immunoreactivity of endometrial hyperplasias diagnosed in DUB patients and its association with other parameters such as patient age, parity, and presenting symptoms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included endometrial samples of 40 DUB patients diagnosed as endometrial hyperplasia in the Department of Pathology, J.J.M.M.C, Davangere, between June 2019 and November 2020. PR expression was assessed using Allred score. Categorical data were represented as frequencies and percentages, whereas Chi-square test was used to know associations between variables with P < 0.05 which was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The most common presenting complaint was menorrhagia (26), followed by dysmenorrhea (6), polymenorrhea (4), metrorrhagia (3), and postmenopausal bleeding (1). Most patients belonged to the age group of 40–49 years (52.5%), which included perimenopausal age followed by premenopausal 30–39 years (30%). There was a strong association between parity and PR score (P < 0.001) indicating an increase in the score with parity. PR expression was variable from very poor immunoreactivity (Allred score 3) to rich immunoreactivity (Allred score 7 and 8). This variability was seen with endometrial hyperplasia without atypia. Rich immunoreactivity was also seen in the endometrial hyperplasia with atypia but comparatively lesser than compared to without atypia. CONCLUSION: Variability of PR expression of endometrial hyperplasia points toward other factors that may have influenced this variability, which is increased with parity

Induction of colon and cervical cancer cell death by cinnamic acid derivatives is mediated through the inhibition of Histone Deacetylases (HDAC)

<div><p>Recent studies from our group and many others have shown the ability of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors for retarding the growth of carcinomas of cervix, colon and rectum in vitro. A search for naturally occurring HDAC inhibitors continues due to the adverse effects associated with known HDAC inhibitors like SAHA and TSA. Therefore in the current study, naturally occurring cinnamic acids derivatives were screened for HDAC inhibitory effect using in silico docking method which identified cinnamic acids as potential candidates. Cinnamic acids (CA) are naturally occurring phenolic compounds known to exhibit anticancer properties. However, it is not clearly known whether the anticancer properties of CA derivatives are due to the inhibition of oncogenic HDACs, if so how the efficacy varies among various CA derivatives. Hence, the HDAC inhibitory potential of CA derivatives containing increasing number of hydroxylic groups or methoxy moieties was determined using Discovery Studio software and the most potent CA derivatives tested ex vivo (biochemical assay) as well as in vitro (using cell based assay). Among CA derivatives tested, dihydroxy cinnamic acid (DHCA, commonly known as caffeic acid) exhibited better interactions with HDAC2 (compared to other isoforms) in silico and inhibited its activity ex vivo as well as in vitro. Targeted reduction of HDAC activity using DHCA induced death of cancer cells by (a) generating reactive oxygen species, (b) arresting cells in S and G2/M phases; and (c) induction of caspase-3 mediated apoptosis. In conclusion, we demonstrated that DHCA inhibited cancer cell growth by binding to HDAC followed by the induction of apoptosis.</p></div

Docking energy and c-docker interactions of CA derivatives with HDAC at TSA binding site.

<p>Docking energy and c-docker interactions of CA derivatives with HDAC at TSA binding site.</p

Common- and IUPAC name of CA derivatives.

<p>Common- and IUPAC name of CA derivatives.</p

100μg of protein collected from DHCA treated (250, 750 and 1500μM) and untreated HCT-116 cells (48h) were subjected to western blot for estimation of p21 expression.

<p>The data revealed that DHCA induced the expression of tumor suppressor gene p21 and thus could inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells. The protein bands were quantified using image-J software and fold increase in expression plotted.</p