Utility of "Acanthosis Nigricans" and "Skin Tags" as a screening tool for risk of developing noncommunicable diseases: A cross-sectional study at a health facility in Lucknow (India).

Context: Over the past three decades, there has been a significant rise in the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) globally, accompanied by a relative decline in communicable diseases. Aims: With this background, the research was planned to determine the prevalence of acanthosis nigricans (AN) or skin tags (STs) in the study population and to examine the relationship between the presence of AN and ST with commonly used indicators such as waist-to-height ratio (W/Ht.), Indian Diabetes Risk Score (IDRS), and body mass index for predicting the risk of NCDs. Settings and Design: This cross-sectional study was done at a health facility in Lucknow (India). Methodology: Consecutive sampling was employed to select 152 apparently healthy adults as the participants. Data collection involved administering a questionnaire and conducting anthropometry using standardized methods. Visual inspection was conducted to identify AN or ST on the common sites. Statistical Analysis Used: Data entry was done in Microsoft Office Excel, followed by data analysis using SPSS. To test the association between variables "significance of difference of mean," Chi-square test, logistic regression analysis, and estimation of Kohen's kappa were used. A "P" value was considered statistically significant at <0.05 level. The sensitivity and specificity of AN and ST were also estimated in predicting the risk of NCDs. Results: The prevalence of AN was 19.08% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 12.76%-25.40%), while the prevalence of STs was 28.29% (95% CI = 21.05%-35.53%). AN showed a sensitivity of 22.4% and specificity of 96.3% with W/Ht. ratio as the standard, and a sensitivity of 26.44% and specificity of 90.77% with IDRS as the standard. ST exhibited a sensitivity of 32.0% and specificity of 88.89% with W/Ht. ratio as the standard, and a sensitivity of 37.93% and specificity of 84.62% with IDRS as the standard. Conclusion: AN and ST can be used as simple and time-saving tools in screening protocols for (NCDs). Further research is desirable to validate the findings.

Résumé Contexte: Au cours des trois dernières décennies, il y a eu une augmentation significative de la prévalence des maladies non transmissibles (MNT) à l'échelle mondiale, accompagnée d'un déclin relatif des maladies transmissibles. Objectifs: Dans ce contexte, la recherche était prévue pour déterminer la prévalence de l'acanthose nigricans (AN) ou des acrochordons (ST) dans la population étudiée et pour examiner la relation entre la présence d'AN et de ST avec des indicateurs couramment utilisés tels que la taille. rapport taille (W/Ht.), score de risque de diabète indien (IDRS) et indice de masse corporelle pour prédire le risque de MNT. Paramètres et conception: cette étude transversale a été réalisée dans un établissement de santé à Lucknow (Inde). Méthodologie: Un échantillonnage consécutif a été utilisé pour sélectionner 152 adultes apparemment en bonne santé comme participants. La collecte de données impliquait l'administration d'un questionnaire et la réalisation d'anthropométries à l'aide de méthodes standardisées. Une inspection visuelle a été réalisée pour identifier AN ou ST sur les sites communs. Analyse statistique utilisée: La saisie des données a été effectuée dans Microsoft Office Excel, suivie d'une analyse des données à l'aide de SPSS. Pour tester l'association entre les variables " signification de la différence de moyenne ", le test du chi carré, l'analyse de régression logistique et l'estimation du kappa de Kohen ont été utilisés. Une valeur " P " a été considérée comme statistiquement significative au niveau < 0,05. La sensibilité et la spécificité de l'AN et du ST ont également été estimées pour prédire le risque de MNT. Résultats: La prévalence de l'AN était de 19,08 % (intervalle de confiance à 95 % [IC] = 12,76 % à 25,40 %), tandis que la prévalence des ST était de 28,29 % (IC à 95 % = 21,05 % à 35,53 %). AN a montré une sensibilité de 22,4 % et une spécificité de 96,3 % avec W/Ht. ratio comme standard, et une sensibilité de 26,44 % et une spécificité de 90,77 % avec IDRS comme standard. ST présentait une sensibilité de 32,0 % et une spécificité de 88,89 % avec W/Ht. ratio comme standard, et une sensibilité de 37,93 % et une spécificité de 84,62 % avec IDRS comme standard. Conclusion: AN et ST peuvent être utilisés comme des outils simples et permettant de gagner du temps dans les protocoles de dépistage des (MNT). Des recherches plus approfondies sont souhaitables pour valider les résultats. Mots-clés: diagnostic d'Acanthosis nigricans, dépistage des maladies non transmissibles, diagnostic des acrochordons.

Knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding COVID-19: A cross-sectional study among rural population in a northern Indian District.

BACKGROUND: First case of COVID-19 was reported in December 2019 and within a timespan of few months, it has become a pandemic. It has created havoc globally and India is no exception. Globally, it is emphasized that preventive measures play an important role in controlling the rapid spread of COVID-19. In India, 68% of population is rural and this population is going to play a crucial role in the containment of the pandemic. Realizing the key position of rural population in COVID control, this study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices of rural population about the disease. METHOD AND MATERIAL: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted on patients and their relatives from 1st April, 2020 to 31st May, 2020. A total of 372 participants hailing from rural areas were enrolled. RESULTS: Most common source of information for the participants was through television (54.8%) and radio (49.2%). Only 77% claimed that they were using face mask and 72% claimed to be following social distancing. A large (60%) proportion of the participants did not know that COVID-19 could spread from asymptomatic patients. Education of participants was a key determinant for use of social distancing and face mask as a preventive tool. With increasing age, the practice of social distancing and the use of face mask were decreasing in our study. CONCLUSION: Television/Radio channels form an important source of information and need to be used more effectively to educate the people about the disease and create awareness about effective preventive measures. People need to be educated about the role of asymptomatic carriers in spreading the disease.

Chanzyme TRPM7 Mediates the Ca2+ Influx Essential for Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Toll-Like Receptor 4 Endocytosis and Macrophage Activation.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) sense pathogen-associated molecular patterns to activate the production of inflammatory mediators. TLR4 recognizes lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and drives the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, often contributing to sepsis. We report that transient receptor potential melastatin-like 7 (TRPM7), a non-selective but Ca2+-conducting ion channel, mediates the cytosolic Ca2+ elevations essential for LPS-induced macrophage activation. LPS triggered TRPM7-dependent Ca2+ elevations essential for TLR4 endocytosis and the subsequent activation of the transcription factor IRF3. In a parallel pathway, the Ca2+ signaling initiated by TRPM7 was also essential for the nuclear translocation of NFκB. Consequently, TRPM7-deficient macrophages exhibited major deficits in the LPS-induced transcriptional programs in that they failed to produce IL-1ß and other key pro-inflammatory cytokines. In accord with these defects, mice with myeloid-specific deletion of Trpm7 are protected from LPS-induced peritonitis. Our study highlights the importance of Ca2+ signaling in macrophage activation and identifies the ion channel TRPM7 as a central component of TLR4 signaling.