Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is characterized by glucose intolerance during pregnancy, resulting from insulin resistance, and is associated with increased maternal and neonatal risks. Inflammasomes play a critical role in GDM pathophysiology by driving immune dysregulation and chronic inflammation. This study aimed to identify inflammasome-related genes, which may serve as potential diagnostic markers and contribute to GDM pathogenesis. RNA sequencing datasets from the GEO were merged and analysed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The key genes identified by LASSO logistic regression, random forest, Boruta, and SVM-RFE algorithms were superimposed with genes related to inflammasomes. In addition, the CIBERSORT algorithm was used to analyse the immune characteristics of GDM. The expression of inflammasome-related genes was validated in the clinical samples by qPCR and correlated with clinical parameters. PANX1 was identified as a key inflammasome-associated gene, with its diagnostic potential confirmed by ROC curve analysis with an AUC of 93.75%. CIBERSORT and correlation analyses confirmed a significant association between PANX1 expression and immune cell infiltration. qPCR validation using placental samples from GDM and control subjects revealed elevated PANX1 expression in GDM. Furthermore, a significant correlation was observed between PANX1 expression and levels of glucose, HbA1c, and HOMA-IR, suggesting that elevated PANX1 may be associated with metabolic dysregulation in GDM. This study highlights PANX1 as a novel diagnostic biomarker and a therapeutic target in GDM pathophysiology.
Introduction: Stroke is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with ischemic stroke accounting for the majority of cases. Serum ferritin, an iron-storage protein and acute-phase reactant, has been implicated in inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which play important roles in ischemic brain injury. This study was conducted to assess the association between serum ferritin levels and stroke severity among participants with acute ischemic stroke, using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Materials and Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among 106 participants with acute ischemic stroke admitted to a tertiary care teaching hospital. Participants aged more than 45 years, presenting within 48 hours of stroke onset and confirmed by neuroimaging, were included. After obtaining informed consent, demographic details, clinical history, vascular and lifestyle-related risk factors, and laboratory parameters were recorded. Stroke severity was assessed using the NIHSS score. Serum ferritin levels were measured and correlated with stroke severity and lipid profile parameters. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, independent samples t-test, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Results: The majority of participants were males and belonged to the 51–70 years age group. Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, smoking, and alcohol consumption were common risk factors. Most participants had moderately severe neurological impairment based on NIHSS classification. Serum ferritin levels increased significantly with increasing stroke severity (p < 0.001). Higher serum ferritin levels and NIHSS scores were significantly associated with smoking, alcohol consumption, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia. Serum ferritin showed positive correlations with total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol, and a negative correlation with HDL cholesterol. Conclusion: Elevated serum ferritin levels were significantly associated with increased stroke severity in acute ischemic stroke. Serum ferritin may serve as a useful biomarker of stroke severity and inflammatory burden.
Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess knowledge, attitudes, practices, and barriers toward research participation among medical undergraduates. Materials and Methods: After a pilot study with 20 participants, a cross-sectional study with 220 medical undergraduate students from all academic years was conducted using a validated digital questionnaire. The demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude, research experience, barriers, and facilitators for conduct of research were assessed. Data were collected, analyzed and presented as descriptive statistics, and significance was checked using the Chi-square test. Results: Students scored highest on knowledge of regulatory approval (89.5%) and informed consent (87.3%), while observational study designs were weakest (72.7%). Attitudes were broadly positive, yet only 17.7% had ever taken part in a research project. Time constraints (74.1%), poor awareness of opportunities (70%), and low personal interest (67.7%) were the top barriers cited. Faculty mentorship was identified as the most valuable facilitator. Conclusion: There is a clear and troubling gap between what students know about research, how they look at it, and what they do. Addressing this disparity necessitates intentional and structured efforts at the institutional level, as mere awareness is insufficient to achieve meaningful progress.
