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The Glu298Asp polymorphism of NOS3 associates with CSFP.

Uncertainty about Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and resulting lockdown caused widespread panic, stress, and anxiety. Yoga is a known practice that reduces stress and anxiety and may enhance immunity. This study aimed to (1) investigate that including Yoga in daily routine is beneficial for physical and mental health, and (2) to evaluate lifestyle of Yoga practitioners that may be instrumental in coping with stress associated with lockdown. This is a pan-India cross-sectional survey study, which was conducted during the lockdown. A self-rated scale, COVID Health Assessment Scale (CHAS), was designed by 11 experts in 3 Delphi rounds (Content valid ratio = 0.85) to evaluate the physical health, mental health, lifestyle, and coping skills of the individuals. The survey was made available digitally using Google forms and collected 23,760 CHAS responses. There were 23,290 valid responses (98%). After the study's inclusion and exclusion criteria of yogic practices, the respondents were categorized into the Yoga (n = 9,840) and Non-Yoga (n = 3,377) groups, who actively practiced Yoga during the lockdown in India. The statistical analyses were performed running logistic and multinomial regression and calculating odds ratio estimation using R software version 4.0.0. The non-Yoga group was more likely to use substances and unhealthy food and less likely to have good quality sleep. Yoga practitioners reported good physical ability and endurance. Yoga group also showed less anxiety, stress, fear, and having better coping strategies than the non-Yoga group. The Yoga group displayed striking and superior ability to cope with stress and anxiety associated with lockdown and COVID-19. In the Yoga group, participants performing meditation reportedly had relatively better mental health. Yoga may lead to risk reduction of COVID-19 by decreasing stress and improving immunity if specific yoga protocols are implemented through a global public health initiative.

BackgroundIncidence rate of acute myocardial infarction (MI) has increased in younger population over the years. The young patients have a different risk profile, presentation, and prognosis than the elderly. Hence, it is essential to understand the risk factors in young patients for proper treatment.MethodsApolipoprotein E (ApoE) polymorphism and biochemicals such as total cholesterol, serum triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1), apolipoprotein B (ApoB), lipoprotein(a), insulin, interleukin-6, homocysteine, fibrinogen, and highly sensitive C-reactive protein were investigated in very young MI (yMI patients; age ≤ 35 years; n = 125), in old MI (oMI patients; age >35 and < 80 years; n = 111), and healthy controls (age ≤35 years; n = 103).ResultsHDL-C was significantly lower in yMI patients than in controls (p = 2.63E-04) and oMI patients (p = 1.29E-05). ApoA1 was also lowest in yMI patients, but significant only in comparison to controls (p = 2.62E.04). The yMI group had the highest ratios of total cholesterol:HDL-C (p = 0.027 in yMI patients versus controls and p = 0.018 in yMI patients versus oMI patients), LDL-C:HDL-C (p = 0.002 in yMI patients versus controls and p = 0.005 in yMI patients versus oMI patients), and ApoB:ApoA1 (p = 8.75E-05 in yMI patients versus controls and p > 0.05 in yMI patients versus oMI patients). No significant pattern of ApoE polymorphisms was observed.ConclusionThe lower level of HDL-C and ApoA1 and higher ratios of total cholesterol:HDL-C, LDL-C:HDL-C, and ApoB:ApoA1 are risk factors for MI in young patients.

ObjectivesFrom the first description by Leo Kanner [1], autism has been an enigmatic neurobehavioral phenomenon. The new genetic/genomic technologies of the past decade have not been as productive as originally anticipated in unveiling the mysteries of autism. The specific etiology of the majority of cases of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is unknown, although numerous genetic/genomic variants and alterations of diverse cellular functions have been reported. Prompted by this failure, we have investigated whether the metabolomics approach might yield results which could simultaneously lead to a blood-based screening/diagnostic test and to treatment options. Methods Plasma samples from a clinically well-defined cohort of 100 male individuals, ages 2-16+ years, with ASD and 32 age-matched typically developing (TD) controls were subjected to global metabolomic analysis. ResultsWe have identified more than 25 plasma metabolites among the approximately 650 metabolites analyzed, representing over 70 biochemical pathways, that can discriminate children with ASD as young as 2 years from children that are developing typically. The discriminating power was greatest in the 2-10 year age group and weaker in older age groups. The initial findings were validated in a second cohort of 83 children, males and females, ages 2-10 years, with ASD and 76 age and gender-matched TD children. The discriminant metabolites were associated with several key biochemical pathways suggestive of potential contributions of increased oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation and immune dysregulation in ASD. Further, targeted quantitative analysis of a subset of discriminating metabolites using tandem mass spectrometry provided a reliable laboratory method to detect children with ASD. Conclusion Metabolic profiling appears to be a robust technique to identify children with ASD ages 2-10 years and provides insights into the altered metabolic pathways in ASD, which could lead to treatment strategies. ObjectivesTo uncover novel traits associated with nicotine and alcohol use genetics, we performed a phenome-wide association study in a large multi-ethnic cohort. Methods We investigated 7,688 African-Americans (AFR), 1,133 Asian-Americans (ASN), 14,081 European-Americans (EUR), and 3,492 Hispanic-Americans (HISP) from the Women's Health Initiative, analyzing risk alleles located in the CHRNA5-CHRNA3 locus (rs8034191, rs1051730, rs12914385, rs2036527, and rs16969968) for nicotine-related traits and ADH1B (rs1229984 and rs2066702) and ALDH2 (rs671) for alcohol-related traits with respect to anthropometric characteristics, dietary habits, social status, psychological circumstances, reproductive history, health conditions, and nicotine-and alcohol-related traits. ResultsThe investigated loci resulted associated with novel traits: rs1229984 were associated with family income (p=4.1*10 −12 ), having a pet (p=6.5*10 −11 ), partner education (p=1.8*10 −10 ), "usually expect the best" (p=2.4*10 −7), "felt calm and peaceful" (p=2.6*10 ), and num...

Introduction: Evidence-based information about cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of biomarkers in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is limited. Methods: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), optineurin (OPTN), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), angiogenin (ANG), and TAR DNA-binding protein (TDP-43) were quantified by enzyme-linked immunoassay in the CSF of 54 patients with sporadic ALS and 32 controls in a case-control study design.

These results do not suggest an important role for the T594M variant of the ENaC gene contributing to either the development or severity of hypertension in subjects of Indo-Aryan ancestry.

Background: Many factors including genetic and environmental are responsible for the incidence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, its pathogenesis has not been clearly elucidated yet. Objective: This study aimed to estimate the Age-Related Maculopathy Susceptibility 2 (ARMS2), Collagen type VIII Alpha 1 chain (COL8A1), Rad 51 paralog(RAD51B), and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) protein levels in serum of AMD and control participants and to further investigate their correlation to understand AMD pathogenesis. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, 31 healthy control and 57 AMD patients were recruited from Advanced Eye Centre, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India. A blood sample was taken and serum was isolated from it. ELISA(enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay)was used for the estimation of proteins in the serum of patients. Results: ARMS2 and COL8A1 levels were significantly elevated in the AMD group than in the control group. The highest levels of ARMS2, COL8A1, and VEGF proteins were recorded for the wet AMD sub-group. The study results endorsed significant positive correlation between these following molecules; ARMS2 and COL8A1 (r=0.933, p<0.0001), ARMS2 and RAD51B (r=0.704, p<0.0001), ARMS2 and VEGF (r=0.925, p<0.0001), COL8A1 and RAD51B (r=0.736, p<0.0001), COL8A1 and VEGF (r=0.879, p<0.0001),and RAD51B and VEGF (r=0.691, p<0.0001). Conclusion: The ARMS2 and COL8A1 levels were significantly higher and RAD51B was significantly lower in the AMD group than controls. Also, a significant statistical correlation was detected between these molecules, indicating that their interaction may be involved in the pathogenesis of AMD.