Cytokine Gene Polymorphism in Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome Children

The pathogenesis of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome is not completely understood. We postulate that cytokine gene polymorphisms may influence susceptibility or clinical course in Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome. Polymorphisms of IL-4, IL-6, and TNF-α cytokines were investigated in 150 children with Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome and 569 healthy controls by using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. On comparing patient with controls strong association were found for IL-6, TNF-α and IL-4 at allelic level (IL-6-G174C (G vs. C): P = <0.001; OR = 6.33, TNF-α-G308A (G vs. A): P = <0.001; OR = 1.99, IL-4-C590T (C vs. T): P = 0.048; OR = 1.38). Further when SR group was compared with SS group significant association was found at genotypic level in all the studied genetic polymorphisms. Studied cytokine gene polymorphisms may influence susceptibility to idiopathic nephrotic syndrome and might affect steroid response in INS patients.     

Glycosylated haemoglobin-a diagnostic tool in pregnant diabetics

Blood samples of 40 pregnant women were analysed for glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and blood sugar. The patients were followed up till delivery and their obstetric outcome was analysed in conjunction with the glycaemic profile and the level of glycosylated haemoglobin. Group I comprising the normal pregnant women showed a mean HbA1c of 6.23% at 20–40 weeks of gestation. In contrast the diabetic pregnant women (group II) at the same gestation demonstrated an HbA1c of 9.4%. Further group IIA of gestational diabetic women showed an HbA1c of 8.97% and group IIB comprising the overt diabetics had HbA1c of 9.86%. The mother who delivered a congenitally malformed child had an elevated HbA1c of 10.4% during pregnancy. Seven cases of macrosomia were reported and the mean HbA1c of their mothers at 20–40 weeks of gestation was found to be 9.91%. Six mothers delivered infants who developed respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) soon after birth and all these six had elevated HbA1c with a mean of 8.9%. Abortions were also associated with elevated HbA1c of 10.3% antenatally. One case of still birth was reported and the mother demonstrated an elevated glycosylated haemoglobin during pregnancy. An HbA1c of 10% or more was associated with abortion, still-birth, or congenitally malformed babies.     

Lipoprotein (a) levels in alcohol drinking and alcohol non-drinking coronary artery disease patients

This study examines the role of alcohol drinking on lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels in angiographically assessed coronary artery disease patients. A lower Lp (a) level was noted in the alcohol drinking group as compared to the alcohol non-drinking group.     

Effects of Vicarious Racism Exposure via the Media on College Students of Color: Exploring Affect and Substance Use

Given the potential negative effects of vicarious racism, we sought to examine the impact of vicarious racism via the media on college students of color. Using a sample of 217 college students of color, we analyzed positive and negative affect and craving for alcohol and marijuana before and after exposure to media stimuli. Split‐plot analysis of variance results revealed a statistically significant interaction effect between time and group for negative affect, but not cravings for substances.     

Monocyte HLADR and Immune Dysregulation Index as Biomarkers for COVID-19 Severity and Mortality

Immune dysregulation in COVID-19 is the major causal factor associated with disease progression and mortality. Role of monocyte HLA-DR (mHLA-DR), neutrophil CD64 (nCD64) and Immune dysregulation index (IDI) were studied in COVID-19 patients for assessing severity and outcome. Results were compared with other laboratory parameters. Antibody bound per cell for mHLA-DR, nCD64 and IDI were measured in 100 COVID-19 patients by flow cytometry within 12 h of hospital admission. Thirty healthy controls (HC) were included. Clinical and laboratory parameters like C - reactive protein (CRP), Procalcitonin (PCT), Absolute Lymphocyte count (ALC), Absolute Neutrophil count (ANC) and Neutrophil to Lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were recorded. Patients were followed up until recovery with discharge or death. Parameters from 54 mild (MCOV-19), 46 severe (SCOV-19) and 30 HC were analysed. mHLA-DR revealed significant and graded down regulation in MCOV-19 and SCOV-19 as compared to HC whereas IDI was lowest in HC with increasing values in MCOV-19 and SCOV-19. For diagnostic discrimination of MCOV-19 and SCOV-19, IDI revealed highest AUC (0.99). All three immune parameters revealed significant difference between survivors (n = 78) and non-survivors (n = 22). mHLA-DR < 7010 and IDI > 12 had significant association with mortality. Four best performing parameters to identify patients with SCOV-19 at higher risk of mortality were IDI, NLR, ALC and PCT. mHLA-DR and IDI, in addition to NLR and ALC at admission and during hospital stay can be utilized for patient triaging, monitoring, early intervention, and mortality prediction. IDI reported for the first time in this study, appears most promising. Immune monitoring of ‘in hospital’ cases may provide optimized treatment options.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12291-022-01087-z.     

The Value of Applied Research: Retrieval Practice Improves Classroom Learning and Recommendations from a Teacher, a Principal, and a Scientist

Over the course of a 5-year applied research project with more than 1,400 middle school students, evidence from a number of studies revealed that retrieval practice in authentic classroom settings improves long-term learning (Agarwal et al. 2009; McDaniel et al., Journal of Educational Psychology 103:399–414, 2011; McDaniel et al. 2012; Roediger et al., Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied 17:382–395, 2011a). Retrieval practice, or the use of quizzes and exams to engage and enhance retrieval processes, has been widely established as an effective strategy for facilitating learning in laboratory settings (e.g., Roediger et al. 2011c). In this article, we review recent findings from applied research that demonstrate that retrieval practice enhances long-term classroom learning, delayed quizzes are particularly potent for retention, quizzes benefit students’ transfer to novel quiz items, and quizzes with feedback improve students’ learning and metacognitive awareness. In addition to generating evidence to support retrieval-based learning, these applied research studies also enhanced the professional development of the teachers, administrators, and scientists involved in the project. In this article, it is our hope that by sharing what we have learned from a variety of perspectives, applied scientific research in K-12 classrooms will continue to be explored and generated at local, state, and national levels, improving student learning and educational decision-making.     

Retrieval Practice Consistently Benefits Student Learning: a Systematic Review of Applied Research in Schools and Classrooms

Given the growing interest in retrieval practice among educators, it is valuable to know when retrieval practice does and does not improve student learning—particularly for educators who have limited classroom time and resources. In this literature review, we developed a narrow operational definition for “classroom research” compared to previous reviews of the literature. We screened nearly 2000 abstracts and systematically coded 50 experiments to establish a clearer picture of benefits from retrieval practice in real world educational settings. Our review yielded 49 effect sizes and a total n?=?5374, the majority of which (57%) revealed medium or large benefits from retrieval practice. We found that retrieval practice improved learning for a variety of education levels, content areas, experimental designs, final test delays, retrieval and final test formats, and timing of retrieval practice and feedback; however, only 6% of experiments were conducted in non-WEIRD countries. Based on our review of the literature, we make eight recommendations for future research and provide educators with a better understanding of the robust benefits of retrieval practice across a range of school and classroom settings.

     

Effect of latent iron deficiency on GABA and glutamate neuroreceptors in rat brain

Eight weeks of latent iron deficiency in weaned female rats of Sprague Dawley strain maintained on experimental low-iron diet (18–20 mg/kg) did not significantly change the gross body, weight and tissue weights of brain and liver. Packed cell volume (PCV) and hemoglobin concentration remained unaltered. However, non-heme iron content in liver and brain decreased significantly (p<0.001). The activities of glutamate dehydrogenase, glutamic acid decarboxylase, and GABA-transaminase (GABA-T) in brain decreased by 15%, 11.4% and 25.7% respectively. However, this decrease was not statistically significant. Binding of³H Muscimol at pH 7.5 and 1 mg protein/assay increased by 143% (p<0.001) in synaptic vesicular membranes from iron-deficient rats as compared to the controls.³H glutamate binding to the synaptic vesicles was also carried out under similar condition. However, the L-glutamate binding was reduced by 63% in the vesicular membranes of iron deficient animals. These studies indicate that iron plays important functional role in both excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors.     

An Evaluation of the Point-of-Care Analyzer,i-Smart 30, for Measurement of Electrolytes

Analytical functioning of a point-of-care analyzer, i-Smart 30 (i-sens: Seoul, South Korea), for electrolyte quantification was investigated at Sant Parmanand Hospital, a tertiary-care hospital in Delhi, India. Samples that were received for electrolyte assay were assayed, double-blinded for their Na and K level using the arterial blood gas analyzer, the ABL 555 (Radiometer, Copenhagen) and the i-Smart 30 electrolyte analyzer. There was satisfactory correlation between the results obtained with the two analyzers with an encouraging bias, standard deviation and the 95 % limits of agreement between the data generated for Na and K levels. The performance of the i-Smart 30 would be satisfactory during the point-of-care measurements of Na and K levels in emergency rooms and clinical laboratories with inadequate infrastructure only if its day-to-day performance was monitored to ensure reliability of the generated reports.