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Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a life-threatening condition often resulting from obesity and other pathologies. The present study assesses the nephroprotective effect of Cinnamaldehyde against high-fat diet (HFD) obesity-associated nephropathy in rodents. The molecular docking analysis on AMPK & NF-kB was carried out to identify possible targets of Cinnamaldehyde. In preclinical study, 4-week-old C57BL/6 mice (18-20 gm) were fed a conventional diet or HFD for 12 weeks After the fifth week of HFD intervention, mice were divided into six groups (n=10): vehicle group; HFD group; HFD+CA (20 mg/kg); HFD+CA (40 mg/kg); HFD+Orlistat (10 mg/kg); and CA Perse (40 mg/kg) treated orally for 49 days. On day 84, mice were fasted overnight, and urine and blood were collected for various biochemical analyses. Animals were sacrificed, and kidneys were removed for histopathology and immunohistochemistry. studies showed strong binding of Cinnamaldehyde with AMPK and NF-kB. Cinnamaldehyde showed a significant ( <0.001) decrease in BW, BMI, blood glucose, leptin, insulin, HOMA-IR, total cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, albumin, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-β in serum and urinary albumin. It also produced a significant ( <0.001) reduction in KIM-1, type-IV collagen, IL-18, and NGAL urinary levels. Further, it produced a significant (P<0.001) increase in urine creatinine, serum adiponectin, and kidney SOD, GSH, GST, and GPx. Immunohistology indicated suppressed NF-kB and activated AMPK/ACC pathways. Histopathology showed improvement in glomerular inflammation, tubular injury, and degeneration in kidney tissue. Cinnamaldehyde significantly protects against obesity-associated nephropathy in C57BL/6 mice by HFD via modulating the AMPK/ACC and NF-kB pathways.

The objective of the study was to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on India’s economy. The analysis focused on several economic metrics, including stock market prices, the rupee’s value in relation to the US dollar, economic activity, the unemployment rate, and the rate of inflation. Contrary to popular belief, the results demonstrate that during the first wave (25 March 2020 to 16 September 2020), the increasing number of cases had a beneficial influence on economic activity and a negative impact on the unemployment rate. The second wave, which lasted from 15 March 2021 to 17 July 2021, was considerably stronger and demonstrated how confirmed instances had a significant detrimental impact on inflation rates and stock values. Contrary to expectations, the third wave (December 28, 2021, to January 30, 2022) was found to be less intense. Overall, the report shows how the pandemic affected India’s economy during each of the three waves and notes that there have been encouraging signs of recovery during the return to normalcy phase. The government, scholars, policymakers, and economists will find this study useful in understanding how the COVID-19 Pandemic affected the Indian economy and in coming up with ideas for future risk mitigation measures. First published online 26 August 2024

To identify preoperative factors associated with an increased risk of postoperative pneumonia and subsequently develop and validate a risk calculator. The American College of Surgeons’ National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, a multicenter, prospective data set (2007-2008) was used. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. The 2007 data set (N=211,410) served as the training set, and the 2008 data set (N=257,385) served as the validation set. In the training set, 3825 patients (1.8%) experienced postoperative pneumonia. Patients who experienced postoperative pneumonia had a significantly higher 30-day mortality (17.0% vs 1.5%; P<.001). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, 7 preoperative predictors of postoperative pneumonia were identified: age, American Society of Anesthesiologists class, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dependent functional status, preoperative sepsis, smoking before operation, and type of operation. The risk model based on the training data set was subsequently validated on the validation data set, with model performance being very similar (C statistic: 0.860 and 0.855, respectively). The high C statistic indicates excellent predictive performance. The risk model was used to develop an interactive risk calculator. Preoperative variables associated with an increased risk of postoperative pneumonia include age, American Society of Anesthesiologists class, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dependent functional status, preoperative sepsis, smoking before operation, and type of operation. The validated risk calculator provides a risk estimate for postoperative pneumonia and is anticipated to aid in surgical decision making and informed patient consent.

This study unravels the transmission of volatility spillovers between NIFTY 50 spot prices and the options market, addressing a significant gap in existing studies. It captures how market connectedness evolved during the pre-COVID, COVID and post-COVID periods, offering fresh insights into price discovery and risk management during systemic shocks. The analysis applies the Dynamic Conditional Correlation-GARCH (DCC-GARCH) model to examine volatility spillovers and assess dynamic connectedness between NIFTY 50 spot prices and options. Furthermore, the Baruník and Krehlík (2018) and Diebold and Yilmaz (2012) models are employed for variance decomposition, providing insights into time-frequency connectedness and offering a detailed view of spillover effects across different time horizons. The findings reveal volatility spillovers between the NIFTY index and option markets across various moneyness levels (ATM, ITM, and OTM) during pre-COVID, COVID and post-COVID periods. The results show persistent long-run spillovers but no significant short-term effects. ATM and ITM options emerge as key volatility transmitters, while the NIFTY index acts as a net absorber, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis. A sharp rise in market connectedness is observed during COVID, which remained elevated in the subsequent period. The results hold important implications for option pricing, hedging and regulation. Persistent long-term spillovers emphasize the importance of models that account for time-varying risk across different moneyness levels. The surge in connectedness during the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the need for dynamic hedging strategies and stronger regulatory oversight, particularly in emerging markets. This study is among the first to analyze volatility spillovers between NIFTY 50 and the options market, with a specific focus on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Purpose: To analyze the impact of ophthalmic webinars on the resident's learning experience during the COVID-19 pandemic (CP). Methods: This cross-sectional nationwide study was carried out for 1 month during CP and included a total of 382 ophthalmic residents. A questionnaire was sent through various social media platforms. Results: Residents expressed a decline in their clinical exposure (74%; 220), thesis work (58%; 218), and acquisition of the knowledge and skills (42.5%; 161) during CP. Benefits of webinars as perceived by the residents included gain in additional knowledge (77%; 286), feedback on queries (56%; 209), access to multiple speakers (50%; 191), and topics (30%; 110). Nearly 75% (291) of residents endorsed webinars as good to the very good academic tool, and 54% (202) preferred to continue attending webinars in the post-CP phase. However, connectivity/download/data issues (54%; 200) followed by loss of personal touch (53%; 188), lengthy or irrelevant topic (37%; 134), and poor transmission quality (33%; 121) were major deterrents against the webinar. Conclusion: The current study generated overall mixed responses from the ophthalmic postgraduate residents in favor of webinars. In the present format, webinars bear enormous potentials to supplement the traditional learning tools by providing uninterrupted learning experiences. However, they are still limited by their pedagogical and technical issues.

Background: Dentin hypersensitivity results when patent tubules are exposed to pain-inducing external stimuli. Aim: This study aims to compare the effects of two desensitizing dentifrices containing NovaMin and arginine on dentinal tubule occlusion with and without citric acid challenge in vitro using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Materials and Methods: Forty dentin discs were randomly divided into Groups I and II containing twenty specimens each, treated with NovaMin and arginine-containing dentifrices, respectively. Groups I and II were divided into subgroups A and B where IA and IIA underwent CLSM analysis to determine the percentage of tubule occlusion while IB and IIB underwent 0.3% citric acid challenge and CLSM analysis. A novel grading system was devised to categorize tubule occlusion. Results: In Group II, the percentage of occluded tubules was highest for IIA (72.25% +- 10.57%) and least for IIB (42.55% +- 8.65%) having statistical significance (P < 0.0005). In Group I, the difference between IA (49.9% +- 12.96%) and IB (43.15% +- 12.43%) was statistically insignificant (P = 0.249). On the comparison between IB and IIB statistically indifferent result was obtained (P = 0.901), whereas the difference between IA and IIA was statistically significant (P < 0.001). The results of grading system were for IA 50% of samples belonged to Grade 2, for IIA 60% - Grade 3, and for IB 70% and for IIB 90% - Grade 2. Conclusion: Dentinal tubule occlusion with arginine-containing dentifrice was significantly higher than NovaMin. However, it could not resist citric acid challenge as effectively as NovaMin. The effects of NovaMin were more sustainable as compared to arginine-containing dentifrice, thus proving to be a better desensitizing agent.

Maternal morbidity and mortality in India continue to be high in populations and places with limited access to quality health services. Major barriers include out of pocket expenditure, lack of autonomy and information around maternal health services and weak implementation of pro-poor policies. Addressing demand-side barriers and enablers is critical to improving healthcare uptake and healthcare adherence along the pregnancy-postnatal continuum. This paper describes three well known operational spaces, maternal health financing, digital health, and self-care interventions within the Indian context including pro-poor maternal health policies, mobile health ecosystems and networks, and self-care opportunities that promote women's knowledge, choice, self-efficacy, and autonomy. These are expanded on to identify additional opportunities to improve access to MH services. Finally, the authors describe a new digital health intervention using a chat-based digital support system that has the potential to reduce barriers that women face in seeking and receiving quality MH services in Assam and elsewhere. Future work on how to implement such a combined approach need to account for multiple contextual factors, including understanding the nature and success of national pro-poor MH policies in each state, how the public and private health systems function and interact, social determinants of health as well as engaging women in the process to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes.

Background: The formation of reactive oxygen species by oral polymorphonuclear leukocytes (oPMNs) is amplified in smokers with chronic periodontitis (CP) causing tissue damage which can be measured by quantifying levels of malondialdehyde (MDA). Objective: To quantify and compare the impact of smoking status on oPMN and MDA in individuals with CP before and after scaling and root planing (SRP). Materials and Methods: Sixty individuals were divided into four groups, namely, periodontally healthy (Group A), current smokers with CP (Group B), former smokers with CP (Group C), and nonsmokers with CP (Group D). Parameters assessed were bleeding on probing (BOP), gingival index (GI), probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment level, gingival recession, periodontal inflamed surface area, salivary MDA, and oPMN at baseline and 6 and 12 weeks after SRP. Results: Increased PPD (P = 0.01) and decreased GI (P = 0.021) was noted in Group B as compared to C and D at baseline. Periodontal intervention caused a greater resolution of inflammation in Groups C and D as compared to B as noted from the GI and BOP. A reduction in MDA (P = 0.074) was noted in Groups C and D as compared to B, and oPMN levels were higher (P = 0.009) in Group C and D as compared to B. Conclusion: Greater periodontal destruction is seen in current smokers than former and nonsmokers with CP. MDA can be considered as a reliable biomarker for oxidative stress as it directly correlates with the oPMN levels.

Purpose The devastating acute COVID-19 epidemic crippled the global economy in 2020. Within a month of the COVID-19 epidemic, every industry saw its stock prices plummet the most. Ending the COVID-19 pandemic will need equitable access to safe and effective vaccinations. This study aims to look at the link between COVID-19 vaccination and the stock markets for health and pharmaceutical sector. Design/methodology/approach The researchers used a mean-adjusted return model and event research approach to figure out how the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine affects health and pharmaceutical sector stock market returns. Findings The evidence-based outcome indicates that immunisation announcement affects health and pharmaceutical company returns. Furthermore, the study concludes that the health and pharmaceutical industry is inefficient for a short period of time, but after 41 days, the sector absorbs the noisy information. Originality/value Since the outbreak, the development of COVID-19 vaccines has been a key focus of shareholders and investors. This study is unique in that it investigates the effect of the first dosage of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination on equity returns in the health and pharmaceutical industries, and it is likely to make a substantial contribution to the capital market literature on event methodology.

A high specific capacity conducting reduced graphene oxide nanosulfur nanocomposite (RGOSNC) cathode is synthesized via deposition of nanosulfur on graphene oxide (GO) through the hydrothermal treatment in the presence of multifaceted ethylenediamine (EDA) for improving the performance of lithium‐sulfur battery (LiSB). The maximum utilization of active material (sulfur) is facilitated by the attachment of nanosulfur to GO via EDA, and further, optimum reduction of GO into conducting, porous and interconnected RGO is performed via hydrothermal treatment in the available solution having residual EDA. Therefore, GO is reduced in highly conducting RGO without the use of any external reducing agent; minimizing the chance of impurity in the synthesized RGOSNC. A three‐dimensional interconnected porous conducting architecture with nitrogen (heteroatom) doping in RGO of RGOSNC with conductivity ∼1.83 S/cm assists easy electron transportation through conducting RGO network and stabilizes intermediate polysulfide to prevent loss of active material during the electrochemical performance. The synthesized RGOSNC cathode material delivers high initial specific capacities 1448 and 1040 mAh/g at 0.1 and 0.5 C, respectively. Prepared LiSB maintains ∼741 mAh/g retention over 100 cycles at 0.5 C with excellent Coulombic efficiency (∼99%).