Deep phenotyping and genomic data from a nationally representative study on dementia in India

The Harmonized Diagnostic Assessment of Dementia for the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI-DAD) is a nationally representative in-depth study of cognitive aging and dementia. We present a publicly available dataset of harmonized cognitive measures of 4,096 adults 60 years of age and older in India, collected across 18 states and union territories. Blood samples were obtained to carry out whole blood and serum-based assays. Results are included in a venous blood specimen datafile that can be linked to the Harmonized LASI-DAD dataset. A global screening array of 960 LASI-DAD respondents is also publicly available for download, in addition to neuroimaging data on 137 LASI-DAD participants. Altogether, these datasets provide comprehensive information on older adults in India that allow researchers to further understand risk factors associated with cognitive impairment and dementia.Peer reviewe

Manganese Superoxide Dismutase: Guardian of the Powerhouse

The mitochondrion is vital for many metabolic pathways in the cell, contributing all or important constituent enzymes for diverse functions such as β-oxidation of fatty acids, the urea cycle, the citric acid cycle, and ATP synthesis. The mitochondrion is also a major site of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in the cell. Aberrant production of mitochondrial ROS can have dramatic effects on cellular function, in part, due to oxidative modification of key metabolic proteins localized in the mitochondrion. The cell is equipped with myriad antioxidant enzyme systems to combat deleterious ROS production in mitochondria, with the mitochondrial antioxidant enzyme manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) acting as the chief ROS scavenging enzyme in the cell. Factors that affect the expression and/or the activity of MnSOD, resulting in diminished antioxidant capacity of the cell, can have extraordinary consequences on the overall health of the cell by altering mitochondrial metabolic function, leading to the development and progression of numerous diseases. A better understanding of the mechanisms by which MnSOD protects cells from the harmful effects of overproduction of ROS, in particular, the effects of ROS on mitochondrial metabolic enzymes, may contribute to the development of novel treatments for various diseases in which ROS are an important component

Assessing the efficacy of parenteral iron therapy in treating pregnancy anemia of mild to moderate severity: A clinical study

Background: Anemia is a clinical condition characterized by the decreased number of red blood cells or their capacity to carry oxygen needed for physiological functions. Hemoglobin (Hb) value less than 2 standard deviations, less than the median value for healthy subjects matched for pregnancy status, smoking, altitude, gender, and age. Anemia is commonly seen in pregnancy where intravenous iron has proven to be highly effective as a treatment even in cases where oral iron seems ineffective. Aim: The present study was conducted to assess the efficacy of parenteral iron therapy in treating pregnancy anemia of mild to moderate severity. Materials and methods: The present study included 120 pregnant females having confirmed diagnoses of iron deficiency anemia. All the included subjects were given 100mg Mebendazole in a dose twice daily as an anti-helminthic therapy for 3 days duration. Also, during the therapy, folic acid was given to all the subjects. Stool examination for cyst and ova, urine culture, microscopy, and routine urine examination, Renal function test (RFT) was done for all the subjects. Results: The results of the present study showed that significant changes were seen in various hematologic parameters from baseline to follow-up.&nbsp