Family Medicine

Environmental air irritants including nanosized carbon black (nCB) can drive systemic inflammation, promoting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and emphysema development. The let-7 microRNA ( Mirlet7 miRNA) family is associated with IL-17-driven T cell inflammation, a canonical signature of lung inflammation. Recent evidence suggests the Mirlet7 family is downregulated in patients with COPD, however, whether this repression conveys a functional consequence on emphysema pathology has not been elucidated...

BACKGROUND: Substance use continues to remain a public health issue for youths in the United States. Black youths living in urban communities are at a heightened risk of poor outcomes associated with substance use and misuse due to exposure to stressors in their neighborhoods, racial discrimination, and lack of prevention education programs specifically targeting Black youths. Many Black youths, especially those who live in urban communities, do not have access to culturally tailored interventions, leaving a critical gap in prevention...

Ferulago angulata is a medicinal herb from the Apiaceae family known for its antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and neuroprotective properties. This study aimed to assess the effects of F. angulata extract on neurobehavioral and biochemical parameters in scopolamine-induced amnesic rats. Fifty-six male Wistar rats were divided into seven groups and orally treated with F. angulata extract (100, 200, 400 mg/kg) and Rivastigmine (1.5 mg/kg) for 10 days. Starting on the sixth day of treatment, the Morris water maze behavioral study was conducted to evaluate cognitive function, with scopolamine administered 30 min before training...

SYNTAXIN-11 (STX11) is a SNARE protein that mediates the fusion of cytotoxic granules with the plasma membrane at the immunological synapses of CD8 T or NK cells. Autosomal recessive inheritance of deleterious STX11 variants impairs cytotoxic granule exocytosis, causing familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis type 4 (FHL-4). In several FHL-4 patients, we also observed hypogammaglobulinemia, elevated frequencies of naive B cells, and increased double-negative DN2:DN1 B cell ratios, indicating a hitherto unrecognized role of STX11 in humoral immunity...

β-Phenylalanine derivatives (β-PAD) represent a structural family of therapeutic interest, either as components of drugs or as starting materials for access to key compounds. As scaffolds for medicinal chemistry work, β-PAD offer the advantage of great diversity and modularity, a chiral pseudopeptidic character that opens up the capacity to be recognized by natural systems, and greater stability than natural α-amino acids. Nevertheless, their synthesis remains a challenge in drug discovery and numerous methods have been devoted to their preparation...

BACKGROUND: Preterm infants (born before 37 weeks' gestation) are often unable to co-ordinate sucking, swallowing, and breathing for oral feeding because of their immaturity. In such cases, initial nutrition is provided by orogastric or nasogastric tube feeding. Feeding intolerance is common and can delay attainment of full enteral and sucking feeds, prolonging the need for nutritional support and the hospital stay. Smell and taste play an important role in the activation of physiological pre-absorptive processes that contribute to food digestion and absorption...

BACKGROUND: The sirtuin family is well recognized for its crucial involvement in various cellular processes. Nevertheless, studies on its role in the human endometrium are limited. This study aimed to explore the expression and localization of the sirtuin family in the human endometrium, focusing on sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) and its potential role in the oxidative imbalance of the endometrium in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: Endometrial specimens were collected from both patients with PCOS and controls undergoing hysteroscopy at the Center for Reproductive Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, from July to August 2015 and used for cell culture...

BACKGROUND: Timely outpatient follow-up and readmission after discharge are common quality indicators in psychiatric care, but their association varies in previous research. We aimed to examine whether the impact of outpatient follow-up and other factors on readmission risk evolves over time in people with non-affective psychotic disorder (NAP). METHODS: The Finnish Quality of Care Register includes all people diagnosed with NAP since January 2010. Here, we followed patients with a hospital discharge between 2017 and 2021 until readmission, death, or up to 365 days...

INTRODUCTION: Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. is a perennial herb in the Compositae family, often employed in traditional Chinese medicine due to its medicinal value. The planting of C. morifolium faces the challenges of continuous cropping, and intercropping is able to somewhat overcome the obstacles of continuous cropping. METHODS: In our study, we designed two different C. morifolium -maize intercropping patterns, including C. morifolium -maize narrow-wide row planting (IS) and C...

Pet acquisition purportedly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic with individuals acquiring pets during periods of social isolation. Families with children experienced unique challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, balancing childcare, remote schooling, and other needs and therefore patterns of pet acquisition and loss may differ from the broader population. The goal of this study was to understand patterns of pet ownership within families with adolescents during the pandemic to help identify areas for improved support and programmatic recommendations...

OBJECTIVES: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological condition that affects social communication and causes repetitive behavior. Autistic children often have comorbidities such as epilepsy. Although the co-occurrence of epilepsy and ASD is frequent, the genetic basis for this association is not fully understood. Many cases of ASD and epilepsy remain unresolved without a molecular diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to determine the molecular diagnostic yield in two Saudi families with a single affected offspring with both ASD and epilepsy using whole-exome sequencing (WES)...

BACKGROUND: Prior research capturing pharmacists' perspectives on the discharge process has shown that their involvement is essential. Given the multidisciplinary nature of the hospital environment, it is important to understand the perspectives of nonpharmacist health care providers. OBJECTIVES: To explore the perspectives of nonpharmacist health care providers concerning current discharge practices, components of an effective discharge plan, and perceived barriers to an optimal discharge, and to explore their expectations of pharmacists at discharge...

BACKGROUND: In many countries, the consent of family members is required for organ donation from brain-dead patients who are potential candidates for organ donation. In this regard, knowing the factors affecting family members' decision for organ donation can help improve the conditions. This qualitative study aimed to identify the factors affecting family members' decision-making regarding donation of brain-dead patients' organs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This research applied qualitative research by focusing on the content analysis approach...

BACKGROUND: Health promotion (HP) is one of the key skills that every general practitioner (GP) should have, according to The World Organization of Family Doctors, but for several reasons, his practice remains insufficient. However, a gap would exist between the GPs' knowledge and their practices about HP. The aims of our study were to explore GPs' perceptions, knowledge, and practices in Morocco about HP and identify their barriers and needs to best practice HP actions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A qualitative case study was conducted among GPs, via semi-structured interviews following an interview guide...

BACKGROUND: Legalization of assisted dying is progressively expanding worldwide. In Canada, the Medical Assistance in Dying Act became law in 2016. As assisted dying regulations evolve worldwide, comprehending its subjective impact and broader consequences, especially on family members, becomes pivotal for shaping practice, policy, and training. AIM: The goal of this study is to understand the experience of family caregivers on the assisted dying procedure day. DESIGN: Qualitative, thematic analysis, research using semi-structured interviews...

Ectopia lentis has a myriad of causes, with Marfan's syndrome and homocystinuria being well-known causes. Here, we report two siblings with ectopia lentis and tall stature presenting with a diagnostic challenge. How to cite this article : Hussain SJ, Amalnath D, Kasthuri N, et al. Familial Ectopia Lentis: Looking Beyond Marfan's Syndrome. J Assoc Physicians India 2023;71(11):94-95.

Despite advances in treatment strategies, colorectal cancer (CRC) continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality, with mounting evidence a close link between immune system dysfunctions issued. Interleukin-2 receptor gamma (IL-2RG) plays a pivotal role as a common subunit receptor in the IL-2 family cytokines and activates the JAK-STAT pathway. This study delves into the role of Interleukin-2 receptor gamma (IL-2RG) within the tumor microenvironment and investigates potential microRNAs (miRNAs) that directly inhibit IL-2RG, aiming to discern their impact on CRC clinical outcomes...

BACKGROUND: Cell cycle protein-dependent kinase inhibitor protein 3 (CDKN3), as a member of the protein kinase family, has been demonstrated to exhibit oncogenic properties in several tumors. However, there are no pan-carcinogenic analyses for CDKN3. METHODS: Using bioinformatics tools such as The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the UCSC Xena database, a comprehensive pan-cancer analysis of CDKN3 was conducted. The inverstigation encompassed the examination of CDKN3 function actoss 33 different kinds of tumors, as well as the exploration of gene expressions, survival prognosis status, clinical significance, DNA methylation, immune infiltration, and associated signal pathways...

BACKGROUND: Noncombustible nicotine or tobacco product (NNTP) use, and cigarette smoking are associated with a high likelihood of unhealthy weight control behaviors (UWCBs) among adolescents. However, no study has addressed the differences in UWCBs among non-users, single users of combustible cigarettes (CCs) or NNTPs and dual users. This study compared the frequencies of weight control behaviors according to the status of CC and NNTP use among Korean adolescents. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of 25,094 adolescents who had attempted to reduce or maintain their body weight during the past 30 days, using data from the 15th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2019...

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is notable among infectious diseases for its distinctive impact, which has halted millions of livelihoods owing to strict social distancing rules and lockdowns. Consequently, millions of individuals have turned to online sources, particularly social media, to remain informed about the virus. The transition to digital sources has resulted in an abundance of information, including both accurate and misleading or false content being shared and consumed on online platforms, contributing to what is commonly referred to as an "infodemic...