Prenatal diagnosis of congenital high airway obstruction syndrome: our experience from a tertiary care center

Congenital high airway obstruction syndrome (CHAOS) is an extremely rare and life-threatening condition. It occurs due to obstruction in fetal respiratory tract and is characterized by typical ultrasonographic findings. Risk of recurrence is low, so antenatal diagnosis can help in counselling regarding risk of recurrence. A retrospective record review of all cases referred to our institution for antenatal ultrasound over a period of 5 years from January, 2014 to December, 2018 was done. Cases diagnosed as CHAOS were reviewed in detail regarding the radiological findings, information regarding delivery, fetal karyotype and postnatal/ fetal examination. Between the period of 2014 to 2018 three fetuses with CHAOS were identified. All of them had characteristic radiological features. Two of them were associated with hydrops and one fetus had oligohydramnios. All the pregnancies were terminated after antenatal diagnosis. Amniocentesis was done in 2 out of 3 cases and fetal karyotype was found to be normal. Fetal autopsy was done in one case and site of upper airway obstruction was identified. Confirmation of diagnosis by antenatal ultrasound and if possible, by post-mortem examination is essential for providing estimation of risk of recurrence to the family and genetic counselling

Discourse Analysis in the ESL Classroom

This article attempts a user-friendly definition of discourse analysis. By defining it in this manner, the authors hope to encourage teachers to use it in their ESL classrooms. To this end, they suggest certain concrete measures that bring discourse analysis into the ESL classroom

Recurrent miscarriage in North Indian population: a study of association of polymorphisms in genes coding for the natural killer: cell receptor natural killer group 2, member D and its ligand MHC class I chain-related protein A

Background: The objective of this present study was to investigate the possible association of natural killer group (NKG) receptors gene polymorphisms and MHC class I chain-related protein A (MICA) gene polymorphism with recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA).Methods: Three single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) in NKG2D gene (rs2255336, rs2617160 and rs2617170) and one SNP in MICA gene (MICA129) rs1051792 were assessed in 100 controls and 100 patients employing polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and agarose gel electrophoresis.Results: NKG2D (rs2617160) and MICA 129 (rs1051792) variants are associated with RSA risk in North Indian women.Conclusions: The NKG2D and MICA129 gene polymorphisms may influence the success of pregnancy in North Indian women population

SOIL HEALTH STATUS OF SELECT VILLAGE OF DISTRICT SONIPAT, HARYANA AND WAY FORWARD

Soil health and fertility are the basis for gaining sustainable profit through higher productivity by the farmers. Using optimal doses of fertilizers and cropping pattern as per the scientific recommendations is the first step towards sustainable farming. Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the most important component in maintaining soil quality because of its role in improving physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil. Organic matter is an important source of nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur. Soil Health card is a Government of India's scheme promoted by the Department of Agriculture & Co-operation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, apart from giving the health index of soil, will also indicate fertilizer recommendations and soil amendment required for the farm. Under Govt. of Haryana sanctioned Soil Health Card project, ARF carried out the fertility status study of 3000 acres of land of village Baroda Mor, block Mundlana, Tehsil Gohana, Sonipat, Haryana and distribute the cards well before the harvesting of Rabi crop with proper recommendation on dosage of appropriate fertilizer as per deficiency of essential nutrient parameter. View Article DOI: 10.47856/ijaast.2021.v08i6.00

Inhibition of HIV-1 gene expression by Ciclopirox and Deferiprone, drugs that prevent hypusination of eukaryotic initiation factor 5A

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF5A has been implicated in HIV-1 replication. This protein contains the apparently unique amino acid hypusine that is formed by the post-translational modification of a lysine residue catalyzed by deoxyhypusine synthase and deoxyhypusine hydroxylase (DOHH). DOHH activity is inhibited by two clinically used drugs, the topical fungicide ciclopirox and the systemic medicinal iron chelator deferiprone. Deferiprone has been reported to inhibit HIV-1 replication in tissue culture.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Ciclopirox and deferiprone blocked HIV-1 replication in PBMCs. To examine the underlying mechanisms, we investigated the action of the drugs on eIF5A modification and HIV-1 gene expression in model systems. At early times after drug exposure, both drugs inhibited substrate binding to DOHH and prevented the formation of mature eIF5A. Viral gene expression from HIV-1 molecular clones was suppressed at the RNA level independently of all viral genes. The inhibition was specific for the viral promoter and occurred at the level of HIV-1 transcription initiation. Partial knockdown of eIF5A-1 by siRNA led to inhibition of HIV-1 gene expression that was non-additive with drug action. These data support the importance of eIF5A and hypusine formation in HIV-1 gene expression.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>At clinically relevant concentrations, two widely used drugs blocked HIV-1 replication <it>ex vivo</it>. They specifically inhibited expression from the HIV-1 promoter at the level of transcription initiation. Both drugs interfered with the hydroxylation step in the hypusine modification of eIF5A. These results have profound implications for the potential therapeutic use of these drugs as antiretrovirals and for the development of optimized analogs.</p

New genetic loci link adipose and insulin biology to body fat distribution.

Body fat distribution is a heritable trait and a well-established predictor of adverse metabolic outcomes, independent of overall adiposity. To increase our understanding of the genetic basis of body fat distribution and its molecular links to cardiometabolic traits, here we conduct genome-wide association meta-analyses of traits related to waist and hip circumferences in up to 224,459 individuals. We identify 49 loci (33 new) associated with waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for body mass index (BMI), and an additional 19 loci newly associated with related waist and hip circumference measures (P < 5 × 10(-8)). In total, 20 of the 49 waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for BMI loci show significant sexual dimorphism, 19 of which display a stronger effect in women. The identified loci were enriched for genes expressed in adipose tissue and for putative regulatory elements in adipocytes. Pathway analyses implicated adipogenesis, angiogenesis, transcriptional regulation and insulin resistance as processes affecting fat distribution, providing insight into potential pathophysiological mechanisms