Anthropometric parameter-based assessment for cardiovascular disease predisposition among young Indians

AIM:To assess the predisposition for cardiovascular diseases among young Asian Indians by anthropometric data analysis.METHODS:One hundred and thirty males and 329 females aged between 15 and 26 years,attending health care check-ups at VIT University,were included in this study.Their body mass index,systolic and diastolic blood pressure,waist circumference,waist-to-hip ratio,pulse rate and pressure,along with mean arterial pressure,were measured and the data analyzed as per World Health Organization guidelines.RESULTS:Based on the analysis,54% of the male population was found to be predisposed to cardiovascular disease.Of these,approximately 40% were at highest possible risk,with greater than threshold values of body mass index,waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio.Females were found to have lower risk.Both genders showed significant correlation(P < 0.0001) between body mass index and waist circumference.Waist-to-hip ratio correlated significantly only in males with the former index whereas it correlated significantly with waist circumference in both genders.Receiver operating curve analysis,when performed,showed optimal sensitivity and specificity for body mass index and waist circumference.CONCLUSION:The above results indicate that seeds of cardiovascular disease may have been sown at a young age in Asian Indian populations.Interventional measures are advised to prevent accelerated atherosclerosis leading to premature cardiovascular disease.

Non-small cell lung carcinoma(NSCLC):Implications on molecular pathology and advances in early diagnostics and therapeutics

Continuous revision of the histologic and stage-wise classification of lung cancer by the World Health Organization (WHO) provides the foundation for therapeutic advances by promoting molecular targeted and immunotherapies and ensuring accurate diagnosis. Cancer epidemiologic data provide helpful information for cancer prevention, diagnosis, and management, supporting health-care interventions. Global cancer mortality projections from 2016 to 2060 show that cancer will overtake ischemic heart diseases (IHD) as the leading cause of death (18.9 million) immediately after 2030, surpassing non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which accounts for 85 percent of lung cancers. The clinical stage at the diagnosis is the main prognostic factor in NSCLC therapies. Advanced early diagnostic methods are essential as the initial stages of cancer show reduced mortality compared to the advanced stages. Sophisticated approaches to proper histological classification and NSCLC management have improved clinical efficiency. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and targeted molecular therapies have refined the therapeutic management of late-stage NSCLC, the specificity and sensitivity of cancer biomarkers should be improved by focusing on prospective studies, followed by their use as therapeutic tools. The liquid biopsy candidates such as circulating tumor cells (CTCs), circulating cell-free tumor DNA (cfDNA), tumor educated platelets (TEP), and extracellular vesicles (EVs) possess cancer-derived biomolecules and aid in tracing: driver mutations leading to cancer, acquired resistance caused by various generations of therapeutic agents, refractory disease, prognosis, and surveillance.

Silver nanoparticles tolerant bacteria from sewage environment

Silver nanoparticle （SNP） is a threat to soil, water and human health. Protection of environment from silver nanoparticles is a major concern. A sewage isolate, Bacillus pumilus treated with SNPs showed similar growth kinetics to that without nanoparticles. A reduction in the amount of exopolysaccharides was observed after SNPs - B. pumilus culture supernatant interaction. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy （FT-IR） peaks for the exopolysaccharides extracted from the bacterial culture supernatant and＇the interacted SNPs were almost similar. The exopolysaccharide capping of the SNPs was confirmed by UV-Visible, FT-IR and X-ray diffraction analysis. The study of bacterial exopolysaccharides capped SNPs with E. coli, S. aureus and M. luteus showed less toxicity compared to uncoated SNPs. Our studies suggested that the capping of nanopartieles by bacterially produced exopolysaccharides serve as the probable mechanism of tolerance.

Targeting secret handshakes of biological processes for novel drug development

In multicellular organisms, several biological processes control the rise and fall of life. Different cell types communicate and co-operate in response to different stimulus through cell to cell signaling and regulate biologic processes in the cell/organism. Signaling in multicellular organism has to be made very secretly so that only the target cell responds to the signal. Of all the biomolecules, nature chose mainly proteins for secret delivery of information both inside and outside the cell. During cell signaling, proteins physically interact and shake hands for transfer of secret information by a phenomenon called as protein protein interactions （PPIs）. In both, extra and intracellular signaling processes PPIs play a crucial role. PPIs involved in cellular signaling are the primary cause for cell proliferation, differentiation, movement, metabolism, death and various other biological processes not mentioned here. These secret handshakes are very specific for specific functions. Any alterations/malfunctions in particular PPIs results in diseased condition. An overview of signaling pathways and importance of PPIs in cellular function and possibilities of targeting PPIs for novel drug development are discussed in this review.

Corrigendum to ＂Silver nanoparticles tolerant bacteria from sewage environment＂

Figure 3 and the section 1.2 in the above-referenced article was published without a citation in error. The figure should have been credited as follows： Copyright 2016 Elsevier Inc. Reprinted with permission from Ravindran A, Singh A,