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Cancer stem cell marker CD44 is a cell-surface glycoprotein which is involved in various cellular functions such as cell–cell interactions, cell adhesion, haematopoiesis and tumour metastasis. The CD44 gene transcription is partly activated by beta-catenin and Wnt signalling pathway, the later pathway being linked to tumour development. However, the role of CD44 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is not well understood. We investigated the expression of CD44 in peripheral circulation, tumour tissues of oral cancer patients and oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines by ELISA and quantitative (q)-RTPCR. Relative CD44s mRNA expression was significantly higher in peripheral circulation (p = 0.04), tumour tissues (p = 0.049) and in oral cancer cell lines (SCC4, SCC25 p = 0.02, SCC9 p = 0.03). Circulating CD44total protein levels were also significantly (p < 0.001) higher in OSCC patients that positively correlated with increasing tumour load and loco-regional spread of the tumour. The circulating tumour stem cell marker CD44 appears to be a potent indicator of tumour progression and may be useful for developing suitable therapeutics strategies for patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common (90%) types of oral carcinomas in the world. It is the 2nd most common and 3rd deadliest cancer in India. The lack of early detection marker is one of the major causes of worst prognosis. The vimentin belongs to intermediate filament family proteins which plays significant role in maintaining cellular integrity. Over-expression of vimentin has been widely reported in many epithelial cancers however the information regarding its prevalence in the oral cancers still needs further scientific intervention. The expression level of circulating vimentin protein in serum samples (n = 30) of oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF), OSCC patients and healthy controls were measured by performing ELISA. The serum level of vimentin was significantly higher in OSMF (p < 0.01) and OSCC (p < 0.003) patients as compared to healthy subjects. The circulating vimentin levels showed a gradual increase with increasing disease status (normal < OSMF < OSCC). Circulatory levels of vimentin may ba useful indicator of disease progression and as a suitable target for therapeutic intervention of oral submucous fibrosis and oral carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precision agriculture is crucial for ensuring food security in a growing global population. Nutrients, their presence, concentration, and effectiveness, are key components in data-driven agriculture. Assessing macro and micro-nutrients, as well as factors such as water and pH, helps determine soil fertility, which is vital for supporting healthy plant growth and high crop yields. Insufficient soil nutrient assessment during continuous cropping can threaten long-term agricultural viability. Soil nutrients need to be measured and replenished after each harvest for optimal yield. However, existing soil testing procedures are expensive and time-consuming. The proposed research aims to assess soil nutrient levels, specifically nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, to provide critical information and guidance on restoring optimal soil fertility. In this research, a novel chip-level colorimeter is fabricated to detect the N and P elements of soil onto a handheld colorimeter or spectrophotometer. Chemical reaction with soil solution generates color in the presence of nutrients, which are then quantitatively measured using sensors. The test samples are collected from various farmlands, and the results are validated with laboratory analysis of samples using spectrophotometers used in laboratories. ANOVA test has been performed in which F value > 1 in our study indicates statistically significant differences between the group means. The alternate hypothesis, which proposes the presence of significant differences between the groups, is supported by the data. The device created in this paper has crucial potential in terms of environmental and biological applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTs), is an effective and widely recommended treatment for tuberculosis (TB). The antibiotics used in DOTs, are immunotoxic and impair effector T cells, increasing the risk of re-infections and reactivation. Multiple reports suggest that addition of immune-modulators along with antibiotics improves the effectiveness of TB treatment. Therefore, drugs with both antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties are desirable. N1-(Adamantan-2-yl)-N2-[(2E)-3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dien-1-yl]ethane-1,2-diamine (SQ109) is an asymmetric diamine derivative of adamantane, that targets Mycobacterial membrane protein Large 3 (MmpL3). SQ109 dissipates the transmembrane electrochemical proton-gradient necessary for cell-wall biosynthesis and bacterial activity. Here, we examined the effects of SQ109 on host-immune responses using a murine TB model. Our results suggest the pro-inflammatory nature of SQ109, which instigates M1-macrophage polarization and induces protective pro-inflammatory cytokines through the p38-MAPK pathway. SQ109 also promotes Th1 and Th17-immune responses that inhibit the bacillary burden in a murine model of TB. These findings put forth SQ109 as a potential-adjunct to TB antibiotic therapy. The adamantine derivative SQ109 induces protective pro-inflammatory cytokines and promotes Th1 and Th17-immune responses that inhibit bacterial burden in a tuberculosis mouse model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Renal resistive index is a recognised and early indicator of type II diabetes mellitus-related cardiovascular risk as well as diabetic nephropathy. Aim: To determine the relationship between resistive index and estimated glomerular filtration rate of subjects with diabetic nephropathy and to determine the frequency of occurrence of high resistive index in subjects with diabetic nephropathy. Material and methods: The present cross sectional study entitled to study the correlation of renal resistive index and estimated glomerular filtration rate in diabetic nephropathy was conducted on 50 patients of type 2 diabetes mellitus with the diabetic nephropathy with reduced renal function (stage G1-G5), attending outdoor department or admitted in Medicine Department of Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, attached to Government Medical College, Amritsar. Results: Out of 50 patients, females comprise 22 (44%) and males 28 (56%). The mean egfr in patients with RI <0.7 was 28.5 and in patients with >0.7 was 20.1. The difference was significant (P< 0.05). The mean RI in patients with CKD stage 2 was 0.65, in patients with stage 3was 0.69, in patients with stage 4 was 0.74 and in patients with stage 5 was 0.78. A significant difference was observed (P< 0.05). Conclusion: Renal RI could be a useful complementary test for the evaluation of functional alterations in renal hemodynamics in the early stages of diabetic nephropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Ipsilateral Hip and Femoral Shaft Fractures Treated With Intramedullary Nails" by M. Shantharam Shetty and colleagues.

Introduction: Two aspects of the smile: the Smile Arc (SA) and Buccal Corridors (BC) have been the interest of the orthodontist in recent years. Aim: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the influence of the smile arc and buccal corridors on facial attractiveness as evaluated by orthodontists, general dentists and laymen. Materials and Methods: Two subjects (one male & one female) were selected from the regional population fulfilling the criteria of an ideal smile arc and ideal buccal corridors. Frontal smile view photographs of these subjects were taken and modified by using adobe photoshop 7.0 to create combination of three smile arc variance and three buccal corridors variations respectively which were shown to 25 orthodontists, 25 general dentists & 25 laymen, to rate the facial attractiveness of each image on a rating scale. Results: All the three groups (laypersons, dentists and orthodontists) showed significant difference in ratings, indicating that they had different perceptions on the facial attractiveness. Conclusion: Orthodontists were more precise in discerning the smile arc and buccal corridors compared to dentists and laypersons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]