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Background and Objectives: Rate of blood transfusion is considerably low in transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). We follow type and crossmatch (TC) policy in TURP. The objective was to assess the suitability of TC policy along with the impact of preoperative (preop) prostate weight and hemoglobin (Hb) on the pattern of blood ordering (whether demand for TC was sent or not). Methods: Retrospective analysis of TURP patients was done from 2014 to 2017. Patients were divided into 2 groups on the basis of whether the demand for TC was sent or not. The age, preop prostate weight and preop Hb of patients where demand for TC sent was compared with patients where TC demand was not sent. Crossmatch to transfusion ratio (Crossmatch to transfusion ratio C/T ratio), Transfusion probability (%T) and Transfusion index (TI) were calculated. Results: Among the total 92 TURP patients, 42.4% (39/92) had TC samples sent preoperatively. Only three patients (3.2%, 3/92) required transfusion intraoperatively. CT ratio was 23.6, %T was 7.6% and TI was 0.07. Preop prostate weight and Hb were significantly higher and lower, respectively, for the group where request for TC was sent. Transfusion probability was also higher for this group. Conclusion: The blood utilization indices show the inadequate utilization of blood and that TC policy is unnecessary. Type and screen policy can be used for patients with large prostate and/or low Hb while type and hold would be appropriate for rest of the patients. Change in pretransfusion policy would reduce workforce and reagent wastage along with efficient inventory management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation was carried out to study gut content and accompanying digestive enzyme profiles of the three carp species, golden mahseer Tor putitora, snow trout Schizothorax richardsonii and hill trout Barilius barila. The fishes were captured from the River Ladhiya, Champawat district, Uttarakhand, northern India. The digestive tract length was on average 1.8 and 2.3 times longer than the body, while members of Bacillariophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Cyanophyceae and Zygnematophyceae made up 95.15% and 99.63% of gut content in the golden mahseer and snow trout, respectively. In hill trout, the digestive tract being only half the body length, gut content was insects (72.73%), eggs of aquatic organisms (22.73%) and nematodes (4.55%). Estimated gut enzyme activities demonstrated that amylase activity was significantly ( P < 0.05) higher in golden mahseer and snow trout compared to hill trout, while total protease, trypsin and chymotrypsin activities were all significantly ( P < 0.05) higher in the hill trout compared to other species. A strong co-relation was found among relative gut length, food composition and digestive enzyme activities of each species. This may guide the future formulation of feed to these important species of carps kept in farm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The present study aimed to evaluate association of genetic variants on drug response and therapy optimization parameters in patients treated with first-line antiepileptic drugs ( AEDs). Genetic variants from ion channels, their functionally related genes, and synaptic vesicle cycle ( SVC) genes with a potential role in epilepsy pathophysiology were thus prioritized. Methods A total of 12 genes from ion channels and related gene set and seven genes from SVC comprising 155 SNPs were genotyped and evaluated with drug response, dose levels, and drug levels in 408 patients with epilepsy. Results Both GABRA1 and SCN1A variants showed haplotypic and diplotypic associations in response to phenytoin ( PHT). Diplotype analysis of GABRA1 variants revealed association of rs12658835|rs7735530 ( AG/ AG) ( P-valuecorrected = 0.034, OR = 3.75, 95% CI = 1.36-11.05) and rs12658835|rs7735530|rs7732641|rs2279020 ( AGCA/ AGCA) ( P-valuecorrected = 0.035, OR = 2.48, 95% CI = 0.96-6.41) with recurrent seizures. SCN1A haplotype rs6432860|rs3812718 ( AC: P-valuecorrected = 0.022, OR = 2.72, 95% CI = 1.39-5.35) and diplotype ( AC/ AC: P-valuecorrected = 0.034, OR = 6.42, 95% CI = 1.10-65.76) were further observed to be associated with recurrent seizures. With respect to therapy optimization parameters, we observed significantly lower dose-adjusted drug levels at maximum dose of PHT in patients carrying AC/ AC diplotype ( P-value = 0.021). Conclusion The results further substantiate the role of GABRA1 in PHT mode of action and contribution of SCN1A in response and therapy optimization with PHT monotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vertical profiles of aerosol backscatter coefficient and depolarization ratio, obtained from the Cloud–Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) satellite, were studied in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) region over North India (21–30° N and 72–90° E), covering the highly polluted Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) for one-year period from December 2011 to November 2012. An enhanced aerosol layer was observed between 15 and 18 km altitude, in the vicinity of tropopause, with a broad layer depth of about 2 km. The aerosol layer showed strong seasonal, monthly as well as day and night time variability, with a peak value of backscatter coefficient during monsoon season (∼5.54 × 10 −3 sr −1 in September). The corresponding depolarization ratio indicates anisotropic (non-spherical) nature of particles. The aerosol layer was found to be highly linked with the variability in tropopause height, showing a positive correlation between tropopause height and the height of maximum backscatter coefficient (correlation coefficient of 0.8). However, it was found to be negatively correlated with the integrated backscatter coefficient (IBC), with a correlation coefficient of 0.3. We further analyzed outgoing long-wave radiation (OLR) data during the study period to investigate the link between the observed enhanced aerosol layer in the UTLS region and prevailing deep convective activities over the study region. Low values of OLR during monsoon (about 214 W m −2 ) indicate the occurrence of deep convection over this region, which may cause a large-scale circulation-driven vertical transport of boundary-layer pollution into the atmosphere of UTLS region. Results may have potential implications for better understanding and assessing the chemical and radiative impacts of these aerosols in the tropical UTLS region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study the clinical profile and mutation spectrum of Hunter syndrome. Methods: Evaluation of 18 cases of Hunter syndrome from 17 families was done. Mutation analysis of Iduronate sulfatase (IDS) gene was done in 9 families, and mothers of four affected children with no family history Results: Joint contracture, hepatomegaly and radiological changes were present in all children. 6 (33%) children had normal cognitive function at presentation. Point mutations were identified in all the 9 families for whom mutation analysis was done. Among 4 mothers tested from families without any family history, 2 (50%) were found to be carriers. Conclusion: Accurate etiological diagnosis by mutation analysis of IDS gene is important in Hunter syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objective: Transthyretin (TTR) has been associated with spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) by several independent case reports. Coexistence of TTR and SCA mutations, overlapping clinical symptoms as well as altered levels of TTR in SCA patients suggest a correlation between TTR and SCA. To our knowledge, no large cohort based study has been attempted to examine the association of SCA with polymorphism in TTR gene. Here, we chose to investigate TTR variations in SCA patients (n=266) and controls (n=192) of North Indian ethnicity. Methods: We sequenced the exons including exon-intron boundaries of TTR gene in 55 patients and 55 controls. We observed four variations which were further genotyped by single base extension method (SNaPshot) in a larger cohort (SCA patients n=211 and controls n=137). Results: A novel synonymous variation c.372 C>G in exon 4 was detected in heterozygous condition in one control sample. We found nominal association for rs1800458 (Gly6Ser), with SCA (p-value < 0.05) which did not remain after Bonferroni correction for multiple tests. Pairwise linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis revealed no LD between studied SNPs. Further, we employed two-marker sliding window analysis and observed a weak association of haplotype AT of rs1800458 and rs1667251 with SCA patients (p-value <0.05) which was not retained after Bonferroni correction. Conclusion: Our data suggests no association of genetic variations of TTR in SCA pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]