Pelvic pressure packing for intractable obstetric and gynaecological hemorrhage in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Haemorrhage is one of the most common complication of any surgery. Haemorrhage can be arterial, venous or capillary ooze. Massive haemorrhage if not timely managed may lead to fatal consequences. There are various medical and surgical methods to control haemorrhage. This study aims to achieve hemostasis with the help of pelvic pressure pack in Obstetric and Gynaecologic surgeries when standard methods are failed and to evaluate efficacy of simple and modified technique of pack preparation.Methods: This is an observational study of 11 cases conducted over a period of 4yrs. This study reports modification of standard packing techniques which overcomes some of its limitations. Here the pack was used in different gynaecologic and Obstetric cases, where intractable haemorrhage was the major problem and standard methods to control haemorrhage had failed. Here a simple foley’s catheter rolled with condom and filled with normal saline was used to prepare a pack and kept over the bleeding surface. This specific pack will adopt the shape of the body cavity it is inserted into, thereby causing pressure tamponade against bleeding surfaces. Pack was removed after 48-72 hours of insertion. Postoperative control of bleeding, patient stability and morbidity were studied.Results: The pelvic pressure pack successfully controlled bleeding in 100% of cases without any morbidity and mortality.Conclusions: In the contemporary management of post-hysterectomy or adhesiolysis induced uncontrolled pelvic bleeding and venous oozes, the pelvic pressure pack appears to be valuable and effective option, affording correction of coagulopathy and further stabilization. We believe all Obstetricians and Gynaecologists should be familiar with this simple safe and cheap potentially lifesaving technique

Poly (o-anisidine) Encapsulated K2ZrO3 Nano-core based Gelatin Nano Composites: Investigations of Optical, Thermal, Microcrystalline and Morphological Characteristics

A series of Gelatin/poly-o-anisidine coated K2ZrO3 polymer nanocomposite were fabricated by varying the poly-o-anisidine (POA) coated K2ZrO3 viz 0, 1, 2, and 4 wt% using the solvent casting method. From High-resolution transition electron microscopy (HRTEM) results it is cleared that the average size of the prepared nanoparticles and polymer coated nanoparticles are around 18-20 and 95-100 nm respectively, and the polymer coated nanoparticles are spherical in shape, and form a core shell. The phase purity and microcrystalline behavior of the prepared nano particles, POA coated nanoparticles and gelatin nanocomposites were analyzed by using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Scanning electron microscope SEM] and energy dispersive spectroscopy EDX] were employed for the analysis of the surface morphology and the elemental composition of the prepared nanoparticles and nanocomposites. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to assess the physical interactions between the components in nanocomposites. The thermal stability and effect of polymer coated nanoparticles on glass transitions temperatures were studied by using Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) respectively. From UV-Visible spectroscopy studies it is clear that, with increase in POA coated K 2ZrO (3) nanoparticles concentration from 0 to 4 wt % in a gelatin matrix, the band gap energy (E-g) value drops from 4.13 to 2.16 eV, and the refractive index rises from 1.529 to 3.25

Synthesis and characterization of stable ZnO nanoparticles using imidazolium-based ionic liquids and their applications in esterification reaction

ZnO nanoparticles have been synthesized from zinc acetate using 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate as capping agent under microwave irradiation condition in a very short period of time and characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and NH3-TPD analysis. The ZnO NPs have been used as a solid reusable acid catalyst for esterification of carboxylic acids with alcohols

Targeted Ablation of Fn14 Receptor Improves Exercise Capacity and Inhibits Neurogenic Muscle Atrophy

Skeletal muscle atrophy is a prevalent complication in multiple chronic diseases and disuse conditions. Fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14 (Fn14) is a member of the TNF receptor superfamily and a bona fide receptor of the TWEAK cytokine. Accumulating evidence suggests that Fn14 levels are increased in catabolic conditions as well as during exercise. However, the role of Fn14 in the regulation of skeletal muscle mass and function remains poorly understood. In this study, through the generation of novel skeletal muscle-specific Fn14-knockout mice, we have investigated the muscle role of Fn14 in the regulation of exercise capacity and denervation-induced muscle atrophy. Our results demonstrate that there was no difference in skeletal muscle mass between control and muscle-specific Fn14-knockout mice. Nevertheless, the deletion of Fn14 in skeletal muscle significantly improved exercise capacity and resistance to fatigue. This effect of Fn14 deletion is associated with an increased proportion of oxidative myofibers and higher capillaries number per myofiber in skeletal muscle. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that targeted deletion of Fn14 inhibits denervation-induced muscle atrophy in adult mice. Deletion of Fn14 reduced the expression of components of the ubiquitin-proteasome system and non-canonical NF-kappa B signaling in denervated skeletal muscle, as well as increased the phosphorylation of Akt kinase and FoxO3a transcription factor. Collectively, our results demonstrate that targeted inhibition of Fn14 improves exercise tolerance and inhibits denervation-induced muscle atrophy in adult mice

Protein kinases orchestrate cell cycle regulators in differentiating BeWo choriocarcinoma cells

Abstract Choriocarcinoma, a trophoblastic neoplasia, occurs in women as an incidence of abnormal pregnancy. BeWo choriocarcinoma cells derived from the abnormal placentation are a suitable model system to study the factors associated with differentiation, invasion and other cellular events as an alternative to clinical samples. Many protein kinases orchestrate the complex events of cell cycle and in case of malignancy such regulators are found to be mutated. In the present study, BeWo cells treated with forskolin (Fo) and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) were used to study the role of PKA (protein kinase A) and PKC (protein kinase C), respectively, on the expression pattern of differentiation-related genes, membrane markers, PKC isoforms and cell cycle regulators. The effect of Fo and PMA on the cell proliferation was assessed. Progressive induction of alkaline phosphatase level and formation of multinucleated differentiated cells were observed in the cells treated with Fo. Exposure of cells to Fo and PMA induced the mRNA transcripts of α-hCG, β-hCG and endoglin and down-regulates E-cadherin at mRNA and protein levels. Synergistic levels of both up- and down-regulated genes/proteins were observed when cells were treated with the combination of Fo and PMA. The mRNA levels of cyclin D1, cyclin E1, p21, Rb, p53, caspase-3 and caspase-8 decreased gradually during differentiation. Fo significantly inhibited the protein levels of PCNA, Rb, PKC-α and PMA stimulated mRNA expression of PKC-ε and PKC-δ. Further, failure in the activation of essential components of the cell cycle machinery caused G2/M phase arrest in differentiating BeWo cells

Leveraging technology-driven strategies to untangle omics big data: circumventing roadblocks in clinical facets of oral cancer

Oral cancer is one of the 19most rapidly progressing cancers associated with significant mortality, owing to its extreme degree of invasiveness and aggressive inclination. The early occurrences of this cancer can be clinically deceiving leading to a poor overall survival rate. The primary concerns from a clinical perspective include delayed diagnosis, rapid disease progression, resistance to various chemotherapeutic regimens, and aggressive metastasis, which collectively pose a substantial threat to prognosis. Conventional clinical practices observed since antiquity no longer offer the best possible options to circumvent these roadblocks. The world of current cancer research has been revolutionized with the advent of state-of-the-art technology-driven strategies that offer a ray of hope in confronting said challenges by highlighting the crucial underlying molecular mechanisms and drivers. In recent years, bioinformatics and Machine Learning (ML) techniques have enhanced the possibility of early detection, evaluation of prognosis, and individualization of therapy. This review elaborates on the application of the aforesaid techniques in unraveling potential hints from omics big data to address the complexities existing in various clinical facets of oral cancer. The first section demonstrates the utilization of omics data and ML to disentangle the impediments related to diagnosis. This includes the application of technology-based strategies to optimize early detection, classification, and staging via uncovering biomarkers and molecular signatures. Furthermore, breakthrough concepts such as salivaomics-driven non-invasive biomarker discovery and omics-complemented surgical interventions are articulated in detail. In the following part, the identification of novel disease-specific targets alongside potential therapeutic agents to confront oral cancer via omics-based methodologies is presented. Additionally, a special emphasis is placed on drug resistance, precision medicine, and drug repurposing. In the final section, we discuss the research approaches oriented toward unveiling the prognostic biomarkers and constructing prediction models to capture the metastatic potential of the tumors. Overall, we intend to provide a bird’s eye view of the various omics, bioinformatics, and ML approaches currently being used in oral cancer research through relevant case studies

Synthetic Nanoparticles for Vaccines and Immunotherapy

The immune system plays a critical role in our health. No other component of human physiology plays a decisive role in as diverse an array of maladies, from deadly diseases with which we are all familiar to equally terrible esoteric conditions: HIV, malaria, pneumococcal and influenza infections; cancer; atherosclerosis; autoimmune diseases such as lupus, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis. The importance of understanding the function of the immune system and learning how to modulate immunity to protect against or treat disease thus cannot be overstated. Fortunately, we are entering an exciting era where the science of immunology is defining pathways for the rational manipulation of the immune system at the cellular and molecular level, and this understanding is leading to dramatic advances in the clinic that are transforming the future of medicine.1,2 These initial advances are being made primarily through biologic drugs– recombinant proteins (especially antibodies) or patient-derived cell therapies– but exciting data from preclinical studies suggest that a marriage of approaches based in biotechnology with the materials science and chemistry of nanomaterials, especially nanoparticles, could enable more effective and safer immune engineering strategies. This review will examine these nanoparticle-based strategies to immune modulation in detail, and discuss the promise and outstanding challenges facing the field of immune engineering from a chemical biology/materials engineering perspectiveNational Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grants AI111860, CA174795, CA172164, AI091693, and AI095109)United States. Department of Defense (W911NF-13-D-0001 and Awards W911NF-07-D-0004

Implementation of corticosteroids in treating COVID-19 in the ISARIC WHO Clinical Characterisation Protocol UK:prospective observational cohort study

BACKGROUND: Dexamethasone was the first intervention proven to reduce mortality in patients with COVID-19 being treated in hospital. We aimed to evaluate the adoption of corticosteroids in the treatment of COVID-19 in the UK after the RECOVERY trial publication on June 16, 2020, and to identify discrepancies in care. METHODS: We did an audit of clinical implementation of corticosteroids in a prospective, observational, cohort study in 237 UK acute care hospitals between March 16, 2020, and April 14, 2021, restricted to patients aged 18 years or older with proven or high likelihood of COVID-19, who received supplementary oxygen. The primary outcome was administration of dexamethasone, prednisolone, hydrocortisone, or methylprednisolone. This study is registered with ISRCTN, ISRCTN66726260. FINDINGS: Between June 17, 2020, and April 14, 2021, 47 795 (75·2%) of 63 525 of patients on supplementary oxygen received corticosteroids, higher among patients requiring critical care than in those who received ward care (11 185 [86·6%] of 12 909 vs 36 415 [72·4%] of 50 278). Patients 50 years or older were significantly less likely to receive corticosteroids than those younger than 50 years (adjusted odds ratio 0·79 [95% CI 0·70–0·89], p=0·0001, for 70–79 years; 0·52 [0·46–0·58], p80 years), independent of patient demographics and illness severity. 84 (54·2%) of 155 pregnant women received corticosteroids. Rates of corticosteroid administration increased from 27·5% in the week before June 16, 2020, to 75–80% in January, 2021. INTERPRETATION: Implementation of corticosteroids into clinical practice in the UK for patients with COVID-19 has been successful, but not universal. Patients older than 70 years, independent of illness severity, chronic neurological disease, and dementia, were less likely to receive corticosteroids than those who were younger, as were pregnant women. This could reflect appropriate clinical decision making, but the possibility of inequitable access to life-saving care should be considered. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research and UK Medical Research Council