Search

Background: Indoor air pollution is the presence of unwanted substances in the indoor at concentration toxic to health. According to WHO, around 3.8 million deaths occur due to indoor air pollution every year. Very few studies have addressed indoor air pollution. Thus, this study aimed at determinants of indoor air pollution and its perceived impact on health among residents. Objectives: 1. To study the determinants of indoor air pollution among residents of urban field practice area of a tertiary care hospital. 2. To study the perceived impact of indoor air pollution on health among residents of urban field practice area of a tertiary care hospital. Methodology: A community-based cross-sectional study conducted among 105 households of urban field practice area of a tertiary care hospital during August 2023 to October 2023. Data collection was done using predesigned pre tested interview schedule which consists of sociodemographic characteristics, sources of indoor air pollution, checklist of contributory factors of air pollutants and related symptoms/diseases. Results: About 45.7% households had second hand smoke in house. Smoke from the neighbourhood troubled 38% respondents. 33.3% households had IAP owing to vehicular exhausts. 75.2% houses were having absence of cross ventilation and 68.5% houses were poorly ventilated. Also, 60.9% houses reported overcrowding. About 53.3% complained of having at least one symptom of IAP. Conclusion: Majority of the households were exposed to IAP due to second hand smoke, neighborhood smoke while absence of cross ventilation accented it. Efforts to address IAP should be made to protect residents from adverse health effects.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is one of the major public health problems that affects all age groups. Usually, medical students have sedentary lifestyle owing to academic requirements and there are only limited studies on diabetes screening have been conducted among them. Thus, this study aimed to assess risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and to study association of diabetes risk with other factors among undergraduate medical students. Objectives: 1. To assess the risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus among undergraduate medical students in a tertiary care hospital. 2. To study the association of risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with other factors among undergraduate medical students. Methodology: A cross-sectional study conducted among 272 undergraduate medical students in a tertiary care hospital during July 2023 to October 2023. Data collection was done using sociodemographic questionnaire and risk for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus was assessed using Indian Diabetes Risk Score (IDRS). Results: Among 272 study participants, about 21% had moderate risk score and 1.5% had severe risk score. About 64% medical students belonged to nuclear family, 44.6% had family history of diabetes mellitus and 38% were overweight/ obese. Statistically significant association of moderate-high diabetes risk with nuclear family, positive family history of diabetes, no/mild physical activity and body mass index (BMI) was seen. Conclusion: A significant proportion of undergraduate student had moderate to high risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus found to associated with nuclear family, family history of diabetes, no or mild physical activity and overweight.

Molecular docking is one of the primary computational methods used by pharmaceutical companies to try to reduce the cost of drug discovery. A common docking technique, used for low-resolution screening or as an intermediate step, performs a three-dimensional correlation between two molecules to test for favorable interactions between them. We extend our previous work on FPGA-based docking accelerators, using reconfigurability for customization of the physical laws and geometric models that describe molecule interaction. Our approach, based on direct summation, allows straightforward combination of multiple forces and enables nonlinear force models; the latter, in particular, are incompatible with the transform-based techniques typically used. Our approach has the further advantage of supporting spatially oriented values in molecule models, as well as the detection of multiple positions representing favorable interactions. We report performance measurements on several different models of chemical behavior and show speedups of from to over a PC.

Albumen, primarily composed of ovalbumin, is a vital, nutrient-rich ingredient in the food industry. Drying is a critical step in low-water-activity albumen powder production, allowing extended shelf-life and reduced costs in handling, transportation, and storage of albumen products. Traditional drying methods, such as spray drying (SD) and hot air drying (HAD), often degrade albumen. This study explores variable frequency contact ultrasonic drying (CUD) as a novel and green alternative, operating at a central frequency of 20 kHz with sound amplitudes of 0 %, 40 %, and 60 %, and temperatures of 40 °C and 60 °C. The drying kinetics, physical, and foaming properties of CUD-dried albumen proteins were compared with those of hot-air-, spray-, and freeze-dried (FD) samples. Compared to HAD, CUD significantly enhanced the drying process, as evidenced by a 240 % increase in effective moisture diffusivity, a 66-78 % reduction in activation energy (Ea), and a 27 % reduction in drying time. Moreover, CUD maintained higher protein integrity, evident from a 24-35 % decrease in enthalpies, more β-turn and random coil structures, and increased free sulfhydryl groups. Notably, CUD at 40 °C significantly improved foaming capacity by 88 %, and at 60 °C, it enhanced foaming stability by 34 %, outperforming other drying methods. Protein solubility of CUD-albumen was improved by 10-12 % compared to HAD and was slightly better than FD. CUD-albumen showed a brighter color with a 26 % lower browning index than the HAD samples. Overall, CUD emerges as an effective and sustainable method for drying high-protein materials, ensuring high-quality albumen powders., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Introduction/aims: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) manifests with progressive motor neuron degeneration, leading to muscle weakness. Onasemnogene abeparvovec is a US Food and Drug Administration-approved gene replacement therapy for SMA. This study aimed to present short-term data of children in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) treated with onasemnogene abeparvovec, particularly in the context of children requiring invasive ventilatory support via tracheostomy., Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 60 children who received onasemnogene abeparvovec. All these children received corticosteroids. They were followed up for up to 3 months. Motor function assessments were performed before and after the gene therapy. Comprehensive clinical evaluations, including pulmonary functions, were performed at baseline and the 3-month mark., Results: Forty-three percent were male, and the mean age at the time of infusion was 29.6 months (SD ± 17.2). The mean weight was 10.1 kg (SD 2.6). All children demonstrated marked improvements in motor function within 3 months of gene therapy administration. No adverse effects attributable to corticosteroid therapy were observed. Positive clinical outcomes, including increased ventilator-free intervals, reduced antibiotic dependency, and fewer hospital admissions, were reported among children with invasive ventilation via tracheostomy., Discussion: This study demonstrates the favorable tolerability and promising responses to onasemnogene abeparvovec in invasively ventilated pediatric patients. Early improvements in motor function, as observed within 3 months post-treatment, suggest its potential as a viable therapeutic option for this vulnerable patient population., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared.

Patients with spinal muscular atrophy type 1 (SMA-1) requiring invasive ventilation can be eligible for gene therapy if they tolerate at least 8 h off ventilation per day. We aimed to assess the short-term safety and efficacy of gene therapy (onasemnogene abeparvovec; Zolgensma) on respiratory function in SMA-1 patients ventilated via tracheostomy pre-gene therapy. A prospective cohort study included 22 patients. Patients were weaned off ventilation for at least 8 h daily by optimizing ventilator settings and duration, using cough augmentation, managing excessive airway secretions, enhancing nutrition, screening for respiratory bacterial colonization, and treating infections. Gene therapy was administered at a median age of 26 (Q1: 18, Q3: 43) months with a mean follow-up period of 7.64 (SD: 6.50) months. Gene therapy was safe and effective in resolving paradoxical breathing, improving cough ability, reducing airway secretions, and enhancing CHOP-INTEND scores. The clinical assessment and management implemented pre-gene therapy were effective in safely weaning patients for at least 8 h off ventilation daily. Gene therapy at a late age was safe and effective over the short-term period; however, long-term follow-up is recommended. In conjunction with gene therapy, high-quality clinical care is beneficial and should be paired with gene therapy.

The challenge of preserving the quality of thermal-sensitive polymeric materials specifically proteins during a thermal drying process has been a subject of ongoing concern. To address this issue, we investigated the use of ultrasound contact drying (USD) under non-thermal conditions to produce functionalized pea protein powders. The study extensively examined functional and physicochemical properties of pea protein isolate (PPI) in powder forms obtained through three drying methods: USD (30 °C), spray drying (SD), and freeze drying (FD). Additionally, physical attributes such as powder flowability and color, along with morphological properties, were thoroughly studied. The results indicated that the innovative USD method produced powders of comparable quality to FD and significantly outperformed SD. Notably, the USD-PPI exhibited higher solubility across all pH levels compared to both FD-PPI and SD-PPI. Moreover, the USD-PPI samples demonstrated improved emulsifying and foaming properties, a higher percentage of random coil form (56.2 %), increased gel strength, and the highest bulk and tapped densities. Furthermore, the USD-PPI displayed a unique surface morphology with visible porosity and lumpiness. Overall, this study confirms the effectiveness of non-thermal ultrasound contact drying technology in producing superior functionalized plant protein powders, showing its potential in the fields of chemistry and sustainable materials processing., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Pea protein isolate (PPI) is a popular plant-based ingredient, typically produced through alkaline-isoelectric precipitation and thermal drying. However, high temperatures and long drying times encountered in thermal drying can denature PPI and cause loss of functionality. This study investigated the use of an innovative ultrasonic dryer (US-D) at 30 °C for drying PPI suspensions, compared to conventional hot air drying (HA-D) at 60 °C. US-D led to an increase in the drying rate and correspondingly reduced the drying time by 55 %, when compared to HA-D. The average effective moisture diffusivity in the US-D process was 325 % higher than that in the HA-D process. The resulting PPI exhibited higher solubility, emulsification, and foaming properties than HA-D PPI, with a unique surface morphology and higher surface area. This study demonstrated that drying with acoustic energy is a promising approach for producing dried plant protein ingredients with improved functional properties, reduced processing time, and increased production efficiency., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared.

Background: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe neuromuscular disorder which leads to progressive muscle degeneration and weakness. Most patients die from cardiac or respiratory failure. Gene transfer therapy offers a promising approach to treating this disorder., Objective: Given the genetic disease burden, family size, and the high consanguinity rates in the Middle East, our objective is to address current practices and challenges of DMD patient care within two countries in this region, namely the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, and to outline readiness for gene therapy., Methods: An expert panel meeting was held to discuss the DMD patient journey, disease awareness, current management of DMD, challenges faced and recommendations for improvement. Opportunities and challenges for gene therapy in both countries were also deliberated. A pre-meeting survey was conducted, and the results were used to guide the discussion during the meeting., Results: DMD awareness is poor resulting in a delay in referral and diagnosis of patients. Awareness and education initiatives, along with an interconnected referral system could improve early diagnosis. Genetic testing is available in both countries although coverage varies. Corticosteroid therapy is the standard of care however there is often a delay in treatment initiation. Patients with DMD should be diagnosed and managed by a multi-disciplinary team in centers of excellence for neuromuscular disorders. Key success factors to support the introduction of gene therapy include education and training, timely and accessible genetic testing and resolution of reimbursement and cost issues., Conclusion: There are many challenges facing the management of DMD patients in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait and most likely other countries within the Middle East. Successful introduction of gene therapy to treat DMD will require careful planning, education, capacity building and prioritization of core initiatives.

The aim of the present investigation was to fabricate and evaluate solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) of asenapine maleate (AM) to improve its oral bioavailability (BA). AM-SLNs were prepared by high speed homogenization followed by ultrasonication technique. The resultant SLNs exhibited particle size, zeta potential and entrapment efficiency of 114.3 ± 3.5 nm, -12.9 ± 3.8 mV, and 84.10% ± 2.90% respectively. In vitro release study of AM-SLNs showed 9.23% ± 2.72% and 92.09% ± 3.40% release of AM in pH 1.2 medium and phosphate buffer pH 6.8, respectively, indicating higher potential of lymphatic uptake. Cell viability study using Caco-2 cell line indicated non-toxicity of the carriers and drug. The uptake of AM-SLNs across Caco-2 cell line was time and energy dependent exhibiting clathrin-claveole mediated endocytosis transport. Cellular uptake of Coumarin loaded SLNs was effectively increased as compared to the dye solution. The pharmacokinetic results in rats showed 50.19-fold improvement in BA of AM after fabrication of SLNs. Collectively, all these findings demonstrated effectiveness of SLNs to improve therapeutic efficacy of AM in the treatment of schizophrenia.

Objective: The phenotype of seizure clustering with febrile illnesses in infancy/early childhood is well recognized. To date the only genetic epilepsy consistently associated with this phenotype is PCDH19, an X-linked disorder restricted to females, and males with mosaicism. The SMC1A gene, which encodes a structural component of the cohesin complex is also located on the X chromosome. Missense variants and small in-frame deletions of SMC1A cause approximately 5% of Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS). Recently, protein truncating mutations in SMC1A have been reported in five females, all of whom have been affected by a drug-resistant epilepsy, and severe developmental impairment. Our objective was to further delineate the phenotype of SMC1A truncation., Method: Female cases with de novo truncation mutations in SMC1A were identified from the Deciphering Developmental Disorders (DDD) study (n = 8), from postmortem testing of an affected twin (n = 1), and from clinical testing with an epilepsy gene panel (n = 1). Detailed information on the phenotype in each case was obtained., Results: Ten cases with heterozygous de novo mutations in the SMC1A gene are presented. All 10 mutations identified are predicted to result in premature truncation of the SMC1A protein. All cases are female, and none had a clinical diagnosis of CdLS. They presented with onset of epileptic seizures between <4 weeks and 28 months of age. In the majority of cases, a marked preponderance for seizures to occur in clusters was noted. Seizure clusters were associated with developmental regression. Moderate or severe developmental impairment was apparent in all cases., Significance: Truncation mutations in SMC1A cause a severe epilepsy phenotype with cluster seizures in females. These mutations are likely to be nonviable in males., (Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 International League Against Epilepsy.)

A "submicron emulsion" is an isotropic mixture of drug, lipids, and surfactants, usually with hydrophilic cosolvents and with droplet diameters ranging from 10 to 500 nm. Submicron emulsions are of increasing interest in medicine due to their kinetic stability, high solubilizing capacity, and tiny globule size. Because of these properties, they have been applied in various fields, such as personal care, cosmetics, health care, pharmaceuticals, and agrochemicals. Submicron emulsions are by far the most advanced nanoparticulate systems for the systemic delivery of biologically active agents for controlled drug delivery and targeting. They are designed mainly for pharmaceutical formulations suitable for various routes of administration like parenteral, ocular, transdermal, and oral. This review article describes the marked potential of submicron emulsions for oral drug delivery owing to their numerous advantages like reduced first pass metabolism, inhibition of P-glycoprotein efflux system, and enhanced absorption via intestinal lymphatic pathway. To overcome the limitations of liquid dosage forms, submicron emulsions can be formulated into solid dosage forms such as solid self-emulsifying systems. This article covers various types of submicron emulsions like microemulsion, nanoemulsion, and self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS), and their potential pharmaceutical applications in oral delivery with emphasis on their advantages, limitations, and advancements.

Research Question: What is the addiction problems and morbidity profile pattern of geriatric population in rural area?, Objectives: i) To study the morbidity profile of elderly. ii) To study the addiction problems among elderly., Materials and Methods: The present study was carried out at the field practice area of Rural Health and Training Center (RHTC), Paithan of Government Medical College, Aurangabad during the period of September 1, 2006 to August 31, 2007. Total elderly population according to the definition at the field practice area of RHTC, Paithan was 3128. Enlisting of the study subjects was done by systematic random sampling by using Loksabha electoral list of 2005. A sample of 20% of total elderly population was taken by including every fifth elderly from the electoral list., Study Design: Cross-sectional study., Settings: Field practice area of RHTC, Paithan of Government Medical College, Aurangabad., Participants: Elderly above 60 years of age., Sample Size: 625 which was 20% of total elderly at RHTC, Paithan., Statistical Analysis: Chi-square test., Results: a) The study found that the prevalence of addiction among males was 68.34%, the prevalence of various addictions were smoking 29.96%, alcohol 18.18%, tobacco chewing 29.29% and among females, 45.42% elderly females use to chew tobacco. b) Prevalence of cataract was 40.16%, joint pain - 23.04%, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) - 7.52%, senescent forgetfulness - 10.88%, hemorrhoids - 8.64%, benign enlargement of prostate (BEP) - 7.20% in elderly males, hearing impairment - 24.8%, hypertension - 21.6%, diabetes mellitus - 13.92%, and anemia - 8.32%.