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Early-onset dementia is defined as dementia occurring prior to the age of 65. Given its impact on physical, mental, and socioeconomic well-being, it is crucial to identify modifiable risk factors. Here, we report a 43-year-old man with early-onset dementia associated with elevated lipoprotein (a) and a missense variant in the DNAJC5 gene. He presented to the hospital with memory loss and multiple cerebrovascular infarcts. Eight months prior, an MRI revealed small acute and subacute infarcts involving the left PCA for which he was treated with antiplatelet agents and a statin. Three months later, he was readmitted for progressive memory loss. CT imaging showed evolving and new infarcts compared to prior scans. A cardiac echocardiogram excluded thrombus and PFO, and he was diagnosed with early vascular dementia. He was readmitted again 5 months later with additional evaluation revealing multifocal moderate to severe stenosis and irregularities involving the bilateral ICA and bilateral PCAs. MRI showed more pronounced infarcts compared to a previous MRI as well as new infarcts. CSF studies, VDRL, RF, ANA, ANCA, homocysteine, and MMA levels were normal. Lipoprotein (a) was found to be markedly elevated, and genetic testing revealed a missense variant of the DNAJC5 gene, the mutation of which is associated with ceroid lipofuscinosis. In conclusion, in patients with early-onset dementia and evidence of accelerated atherosclerosis, it is reasonable to measure Lp(a) and consider testing for variants in genes such as DNAJC5 and others, particularly when disease severity appears unexplained by known risk factors or circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medical research at undergraduate level has been given poor importance in developing countries including India. Less incentives, poor resources, lack of benefits has all been the reason for curbing the research interests of the students. Objective: This research was done to understand if medical students perceived research to be important at an undergraduate level, to understand the reasons for doing research and the benefits obtained from research. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Material and Methods: Questionnaires were distributed to medical students studying in second, third, fourth and fifth years in the MBBS course at an undergraduate medical conference and a medical college. Questions were so designed to verify student's ideas on research, their research involvement and their reasons for conducting research. The answers were tabulated, data analyzed and statistics were made based on their answers. Statistical Analysis: Frequency and percentage. Results: Out of the given sample, it was seen that though only 20.9% of the students had credited publications, 81.7% of the students admitted to research being essential to understanding and changing their perception of medicine. Only 38.3% of the sample found research to be cumbersome. 24.3% of the students were involved in research purely for the purpose of acquiring knowledge, 18.3% were pursuing interest in the field and a meager 1.7% were doing research to improve their curriculum vitae. Conclusion : These results are in conformance with other studies from elsewhere that shows decreased Indian medical student's engagement in researches, compared to those from developed countries, but on par with those from the developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objective of this observational study is to determine the changes in the circulating immune cells as a predictor of outcomes in patients who have survived cancer. Materials and Methods: A peripheral blood immune-profile evaluation was performed in all the survivors of cancer (n = 66) during their visit to the hospital for regular follow-up and thereafter followed up for two consecutive years for any morbidity or mortality. The changes in hematological and biochemical parameters were evaluated in all the patients. The frequency of circulating lymphocyte cell population i.e., CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ lymphocytes were analyzed using flow cytometry in the peripheral blood of the patients. The variability in the circulating lymphocytes was correlated with tumor relapse and overall survival (OS). Results: In the study, 47 of the 66 patients with cancer survived at the end of 2 years observation time period, while 19 patients died due to infection related complications and not due to tumor relapse. A significant reduction in the neutrophil (P < 0.0001) and lymphocyte (P < 0.0001) counts were observed in patients who succumbed to the illness within 2 years when compared to the cohorts that were surviving. A statistically significant reduction in the absolute lymphocyte counts (P < 0.004), absolute CD3 (P < 0.0001), CD4 (P < 0.002), and CD8 (P < 0.04) were observed in the deceased group compared to the surviving group. CD4/CD8 ratios between both live and deceased groups did not show any significant difference. Conclusion: This preliminary observational study indicates a correlation of circulatory lymphocytes to OS in survivors of cancer and that it could be a predictive marker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]