Alcoholism and Socioeconomic Status among Patients with Hepatic Encephalopathy in Association with Increased Mortality

Background

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a complex neuropsychiatric disorder indicated by a deterioration in the functioning of hepatocytes. Impaired brain function is observed in advanced alcoholic liver disease particularly manifesting as HE. The pathophysiology of alcohol-related HE remains unclear. Accordingly, this study aimed to assess alcoholism and socioeconomic status of patients with liver disease compared with stages of HE.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 62 alcoholic patients who have been consuming alcohol for more than 14 years. Patients were recruited based on the assessment of clinical symptoms and diagnosed according to the MELD and Child-Pugh scoring systems.

Findings

Descriptive statistics including demographic details and clinical features of patients were classified based on alcoholism and socioeconomic status. Patients belonging to the lower- and middle-income classes were more in number with a mean age of 46.66±10.21 and 47.14±6.36 years, respectively compared to upper-middle- and upper-income classes. The amount of alcohol intake was 116.59±45.60 in the middle class and 110.0±62.45 in the upper class.

Conclusion

Increased progression of HE leads to a rise in the mortality rate due to higher consumption of alcohol. HE is a severe complication in alcohol-related liver cirrhosis that contributes to impaired cognitive function in patients.

Perception and Attitude of First-Year Medical Students on Studying Human Anatomy Through Cadaver Dissection (Online Streaming) – A Survey Investigation

In medical colleges, cadaveric dissection is an effective anatomy teaching method. Cadaveric dissections put students at the center of learning and show structures in their natural environment. However, most students dislike autopsy dissection since it's tedious and time-consuming. Thus, our study examined first-year medical students' attitudes toward dissection to learn anatomy. After the semester, students received a 3-domain questionnaire on preparedness, attitude, and restrictions. All information was gathered and recorded anonymously using Google forms. Each domain has many questions that add up to a score that shows how well they are prepared and how far online learning can go. One hundred MBBS first-year students participated in online anatomy lessons. After online courses, consenting students completed Google feedback forms regarding their experiences, which were examined and quantified. One hundred students completed the questionnaire and provided comments. Online courses were the most fantastic method to study human anatomy in medical school, according to 97.2%. Only 32.8% of students were uneasy, utilizing visuals to illustrate the softer aspects. Students' emotions and attitudes during corpse dissection varied by gender. Online was more appealing to males than women. Students prefer online courses over image-based ones because of the flexibility of time management and seating configuration. The statistical analysis revealed significant gender-related inequalities in student opinions. Other medical students showed similar variances at various phases of the research. The online anatomy classes for AVMC&H medical students were easy and enjoyable and utilized the "steeplechase" method. Our study shows the pros and cons of online education. Trainers/instructors should examine using online live forms as an instructional tool in anatomy training and generate new anatomy-related films for formal live teaching in the medical curriculum to accomplish this goal. However, additional study is needed to determine how much online education affects student learning and training. 

Potential biomarkers of chronic kidney disease progression among kidney-derived proteins; a review

The incidence and mortality rate of kidney disease and its progression to end-stage disease have predominantly increased worldwide. Other morbid conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension, are major risk factors for kidney disease. Detection of kidney disease is difficult due to its heterogeneity and complex pathophysiology. Kidney injury and advanced stages of the disease are currently assessed by traditional biomarkers such as serum creatinine, albuminuria, proteinuria and estimated glomerular filtration rate. Numerous biomarkers derived from the kidney involved in endothelial dysfunction, inflammatory processes and tubular cell damage are potential targets for disease progression management. The review summarized potential biomarkers of chronic kidney disease (CKD) to improve patient care in various clinical practices with an increased focus on loss of kidney function.

Genetics of atrial fibrillation-an update of recent findings

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac arrhythmia and a major risk factor for stroke, heart failure, and premature death. AF has a strong genetic predisposition. This review highlights the recent findings on the genetics of AF from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and high-throughput sequencing studies. The consensus from GWAS implies that AF is both polygenic and pleiotropic in nature. With the advent of whole-genome sequencing and whole-exome sequencing, rare variants associated with AF pathogenesis have been identified. The recent studies have contributed towards better understanding of AF pathogenesis.

Identification of Atrial Fibrillation Risk Variant RS2200733 In Indian Young Adult Population.. [DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-993249/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0]

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac arrhythmia that affects millions of people. a substantial genetic contribution to AF has been identified by number of studies over the years. The SNP that is often linked with genetic predisposition to AF is rs2200733 located in the intergenic region close to PITX2 gene which is implicated in cardiac structure and function. rs2200733 is commonly observed in major global populations. Our study aimed to establish the prevalence of this important SNP among young healthy adults in order to assess the risk of genetic susceptibility which could culminate into AF later in life. The study identified a substantial frequency of rs2200733 in Indian population at 21%.

Swarna Bindu Prashana-an Ancient Approach to Improve the Infant's Immunity

Swarna bindu prashana (SBP) is a metallic medicinal preparation widely used in Ayurveda pediatrics. The main ingredients of SBP are swarna prashan (gold nanoparticle), gou ghrita (cow ghee), madhu (honey), and other medhya dravyas (drugs which enhance intellectual, memory). According to the Indian classical text, SBP has been proposed as a potent medicine for immunotherapies and vaccine development due to its indefinite size, shapes, charges, and surface functionality. In this review, we describe the plausible mechanism of SBP in dendritic cells maturation and subsequent T cell activation. But being herbo-metallic preparation, its safety and efficacy are well supported by the classical publications of Ayurveda. To conclude, SBP is an immune booster for infants against any viral disease, and it is necessary to validate its safety and efficacy through systematic methodological research.

Recent technologies enhancing the clinical utility of circulating tumor DNA

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is a promising blood based biomarker that is set to revolutionize cancer management. Non-invasive biopsy takes precedence over tissue biopsy for enabling longitudinal monitoring, providing a comprehensive profile of tumor heterogeneity and the ease of repeated sampling. Advanced genomic technologies enable real-time disease monitoring, detect minimal residual disease and recurrence at the earliest stages, the potential time points when treatment significantly reduces morbidity and mortality and enable tailored and personalized therapy. The review highlights evidence from literature that make ctDNA a potential liquid biopsy marker and the clinical utility of the recent techniques that leverage up on ctDNA.

Effects of stress hormone cortisol on the mRNA expression of myogenenin, MyoD, Myf5, PAX3 and PAX7

The present investigation was carried out to evaluate the effect of stress hormone cortisol on the myogenic markers in the C2C12 cells co-cultured with 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Co-culturing was achieved by transwell inserts with a 0.4 μm porous membrane. C2C12 and 3T3-L1 cells were grown independently on the transwell plates. After differentiation, inserts containing 3T3-L1 cells were transferred to C2C12 plates for co-culturing. 10 μg/μl of cortisol was added to the medium. After 72 h of treatment, C2C12 cells which were in the lower well were harvested for analysis. RT-PCR analysis of myogenic markers such as of myogenin, MyoD, Myf5, PAX3 and PAX7 showed a significant reduction in the mRNA expression of these myogenic markers. In addition, cortisol increased calpain activity, which led to accelerated protein degradation, which in turn reduced the myogenic rate. In conclusion, cortisol treatment reduced mRNA expression of myogenic markers in the co-cultured C2C12 cells, which is quite distinct from one dimensional mono-cultured C2C12 cells.