Development of a decentralized cohort for studying post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 in India in the Data4life Study.

BACKGROUND: Decentralized, digital health studies can provide real-world evidence of the lasting effects of COVID-19 on physical, socioeconomic, psychological, and social determinant factors of health in India. Existing research cohorts, however, are small and were not designed for longitudinal collection of comprehensive data from India's diverse population. Data4Life is a nationwide, digitally enabled, health research initiative to examine the post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 across individuals, communities, and regions. Data4Life seeks to build an ethnically and geographically diverse population of at least 100,000 participants in India. METHODS: Here we discuss the feasibility of developing a completely decentralized COVID-19 cohort in India through qualitative analysis of data collection procedures, participant characteristics, participant perspectives on recruitment and reported study motivation. RESULTS: As of June 13th, 2022, more than 6,000 participants from 17 Indian states completed baseline surveys. Friend and family referral were identified as the most common recruitment method (64.8%) across all demographic groups. Helping family and friends was the primary reason reported for joining the study (61.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary findings support the use of digital technology for rapid enrollment and data collection to develop large health research cohorts in India. This demonstrates the potential for expansion of digitally enabled health research in India. These findings also outline the value of person-to-person recruitment strategies when conducting digital health research in modern-day India. Qualitative analysis reveals opportunities to increase diversity and retention in real time. It also informs strategies for improving participant experiences in the current Data4Life initiative and future studies.

Due to the vast geographical size and ethnic diversity of the population, India represents a huge challenge for conducting research studies. The Data4Life study was set up to understand if digital tools can be an effective way to study long-term effects of COVID-19 across India. We studied different ways of collecting the relevant information from participants, the background of each participant, reasons, and motivation of each participant for joining the study. The results showed that friend and family referrals were the most common recruitment reason. Helping family and friends was reported as the main motivation for joining the study. Overall, the findings support the use of digital tools as an effective recruitment method for research studies in India.

A simple and effective method for the accurate extraction of kinetic parameters using differential Tafel plots.

The practice of estimating the transfer coefficient ([Formula: see text]) and the exchange current ([Formula: see text]) by arbitrarily placing a straight line on Tafel plots has led to high variance in these parameters between different research groups. Generating Tafel plots by finding kinetic current, [Formula: see text] from the conventional mass transfer correction method does not guarantee an accurate estimation of the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. This is because a substantial difference in values of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] can arise from only minor deviations in the calculated values of [Formula: see text]. These minor deviations are often not easy to recognise in polarisation curves and Tafel plots. Recalling the IUPAC definition of [Formula: see text] , the Tafel plots can be alternatively represented as differential Tafel plots (DTPs) by taking the first order differential of Tafel plots with respect to overpotential. Without further complex processing of the existing raw data, many crucial observations can be made from DTP which is otherwise very difficult to observe from Tafel plots. These for example include a) many perfectly looking experimental linear Tafel plots (R2 > 0.999) can give rise to incorrect kinetic parameters b) substantial differences in values of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] can arise when the limiting current ([Formula: see text]) is just off by 5% while performing the mass transfer correction c) irrespective of the magnitude of the double layer charging current ([Formula: see text]), the Tafel plots can still get significantly skewed when the ratio of [Formula: see text] is small. Hence, in order to determine accurate values of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], we show how the DTP approach can be applied to experimental polarisation curves having well defined [Formula: see text], poorly defined [Formula: see text] and no [Formula: see text] at all.

The Evolution of Photoperiod-Insensitive Flowering in Sorghum, A Genomic Model for Panicoid Grasses.

Of central importance in adapting plants of tropical origin to temperate cultivation has been selection of daylength-neutral genotypes that flower early in the temperate summer and take full advantage of its long days. A cross between tropical and temperate sorghums [Sorghum propinquum (Kunth) Hitchc.×S. bicolor (L.) Moench], revealed a quantitative trait locus (QTL), FlrAvgD1, accounting for 85.7% of variation in flowering time under long days. Fine-scale genetic mapping placed FlrAvgD1 on chromosome 6 within the physically largest centiMorgan in the genome. Forward genetic data from "converted" sorghums validated the QTL. Association genetic evidence from a diversity panel delineated the QTL to a 10-kb interval containing only one annotated gene, Sb06g012260, that was shown by reverse genetics to complement a recessive allele. Sb06g012260 (SbFT12) contains a phosphatidylethanolamine-binding (PEBP) protein domain characteristic of members of the "FT" family of flowering genes acting as a floral suppressor. Sb06g012260 appears to have evolved ∼40 Ma in a panicoid ancestor after divergence from oryzoid and pooid lineages. A species-specific Sb06g012260 mutation may have contributed to spread to temperate regions by S. halepense ("Johnsongrass"), one of the world's most widespread invasives. Alternative alleles for another family member, Sb02g029725 (SbFT6), mapping near another flowering QTL, also showed highly significant association with photoperiod response index (P = 1.53×10 (-) (6)). The evolution of Sb06g012260 adds to evidence that single gene duplicates play large roles in important environmental adaptations. Increased knowledge of Sb06g012260 opens new doors to improvement of sorghum and other grain and cellulosic biomass crops.

Risk stratification of T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia patients based on gene expression, mutations and copy number variation.

Gene expression, copy number variations (CNV), mutations and survival were studied to delineate TCRγδ+T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) as a distinct subgroup from TCRαß+T-ALL. Gene Ontology analysis showed that differential regulation of genes involved in pathways for leukemogenesis, apoptosis, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and antigen processing/presentation may offer a survival benefit to TCRγδ+T-ALL patients. Genes involved in disease biology and having equal expression in both the subgroups, were further analysed for mutations and CNV using droplet digital PCR. TCRγδ+T-ALL patients exhibited differential level of mutations for NOTCH1 and IKZF3; however BRAF mutations were detected at equal levels in both the subgroups. Although TCRγδ+T-ALL patients with these mutations demonstrated improved disease-free survival (DFS) as compared TCRαß+T-ALL patients, it was not statistically significant. Patients with homozygous deletion of CDKN2A/CDKN2B showed poor DFS in each subgroup. TCRγδ+T-ALL patients with wild type/heterozygous deletion of CDKN2A/CDKN2B possess significantly better DFS over TCRαß+T-ALL patients (p=0.017 and 0.045, respectively). Thus, the present study has for the first time demonstrated TCRγδ clonality and CDKN2A/CDKN2B CNV together as potential prognostic markers in management of T-ALL. Further understanding the functional significance of differentially regulated genes in T-ALL patients would aid in designing risk based treatment strategies in subset specific manner.