Importance of Stress Factor in Prameha

Prameha is burning problems of the decade. According to the latest data from World Health Organization, a Global estimate of 422 million adults is living with Prameha. It belongs to the category of chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Prameha more specifically Madhumeha can be correlated to the features of Diabetes mellitus. Considering the etiology of Diabetes mellitus, Stress has been found to have a prime place. It not only acts as an etiological factor but also as a triggering factor. Today stress has become an inevitable part of modern life. In today’s materialistic world, there is unhealthy competition in every field and man is compelled to act like a machine. This deteriorates the equilibrium of mind and the person comes under the influence of stress

Evolutionary origins of insulin resistance: a behavioral switch hypothesis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Insulin resistance, which can lead to a number of diseases including type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease, is believed to have evolved as an adaptation to periodic starvation. The "thrifty gene" and "thrifty phenotype" hypotheses constitute the dominant paradigm for over four decades. With an increasing understanding of the diverse effects of impairment of the insulin signaling pathway, the existing hypotheses are proving inadequate.</p> <p>Presentation of the hypothesis</p> <p>We propose a hypothesis that insulin resistance is a socio-ecological adaptation that mediates two phenotypic transitions, (i) a transition in reproductive strategy from "r" (large number of offspring with little investment in each) to "K" (smaller number of offspring with more investment in each) and (ii) a transition from "stronger to smarter" or "soldier to diplomat" i.e. from relatively more muscle dependent to brain dependent lifestyle. A common switch could have evolved for the two transitions since the appropriate environmental conditions for the two transitions are highly overlapping and interacting.</p> <p>Testing the hypothesis</p> <p>Gestational insulin resistance diverts more energy through the placenta, resulting in increased investment per offspring. On the other hand, insulin resistance is associated with reduced ovulation. The insulin signaling pathway is also related to longevity. Insulin resistance diverts more nutrients to the brain as compared to muscle. Also, hyperinsulinemia has direct positive effects on cognitive functions of the brain. The hypothesis gets support from known patterns in human clinical data and recent research on the molecular interactions in the insulin signaling pathway. Further we state many predictions of the hypothesis that can be tested experimentally or epidemiologically.</p> <p>Implications of the hypothesis</p> <p>The hypothesis can bring about a significant change in the line of treatment as well as public health policies for the control of metabolic syndrome.</p

A four stranded β-sheet structure in a designed, synthetic polypeptide

A designed four stranded β-sheet peptide has been constructed using three internal D-proline residues to nucleate β -hairpin formation

Structural analysis of peptide helices containing centrally positioned lactic acid residues

The effect of insertion of lactic acid (Lac) residues into peptide helices has been probed using specifically designed sequences. The crystal structures of 11-residue and 14-residue depsipeptides Boc-Val-Val-Ala-Leu-Val-Lac-Leu-Aib-Val-Ala-Leu-OMe (1) and Boc-Val-Ala-Leu-Aib-Val-Ala-Leu-Val-Lac-Leu-Aib-Val-Ala-Leu-OMe (3), containing centrally positioned Lac residues, have been determined. The structure of an 11-residue peptide Boc-Val-Ala-Leu-Aib-Val-Ala-Leu-Aib-Val-Ala-Leu-OMe (2), analog of a which is an amide previously determined Lac-containing depsipeptide, Boc-Val-Ala-Leu-Aib-Val-Lac-Leu-Aib-Val-Ala-Leu-OMe I. L. Karle, C. Das, and P. Balaram, Biopolymers, Vol. 59, (2001) pp. 276-289], is also reported. Peptide 1 adopts a helical fold, which is stabilized by mixture of 4→1 and 5→1 hydrogen bonds. Peptide 2 adopts a completely α-helical conformation stabilized by eight successive 5→1 hydrogen bonds. Peptide 3 appears to be predominately α-helical, with seven 5→1 hydrogen bonds and three 4→1 interaction interspersed in the sequence. In the structure of peptide 3 in addition to water molecules in the head-to-tail region, hydration at an internal segment of the helix is also observed. A comparison of five related peptide helices, containing a single Lac residue, reveals that the hydroxy acid can be comfortably accommodated at interior positions in the helix, with the closest C=O...O distances lying between 2.8 and 3.3 Å

Determination of amino acids involved in specificity and activity of ChlaDUB2

Chlamydia trachomatis is a pathogen which infects humans as a sexually transmitted disease or through ocular infection, causing ocular trachoma. Ocular trachoma is the leading cause of non-congenital blindness in developing countries. The bacteria employs the deubiquitinating enzyme ChlaDUB2 to remove ubiquitin from its inclusion membrane in order to avoid lysosomal degradation. Key amino acids involved in ubiquitin recognition and cleavage were mutated in order to probe substrate specificity and catalytic activity of ChlaDUB2. Mutants were used in fluorometry assays in order to determine how the mutations affect the ability of ChlaDUB2 to release the amino methyl coumarin (AMC) group from ubiquitin-AMC. It was found that point mutants C282A, M190A, Q275A, L333A, and a deletion mutant in which a helix (VR3) was removed all reduced deubiquitinating activity. These results indicate that the mutated residues contribute to ubiquitin binding and hence catalysis. These results lead to a better understanding of the deubiquitinating activity of ChlaDUB2

Role of proximal femur locking plate fixation in certain unstable trochanteric fractures

Background: Comminution of the lateral trochanteric wall, postero-medial communition, reverse oblique fractures, fractures involving communition of greater trochanter are unstable fractures which had poor results with the regular methods of fixation. Our aim in this study is to evaluate radiological and functional outcome at the end of one year following proximal femur locking plate fixation for certain group of unstable intertrochanteric fractures.Methods: 20 patients (14 male and 6 female patients) with per trochanteric fractures underwent proximal femur locking plate fixation in Sri Ramachandra Medical College hospital. Intertrochanteric fractures were classified according to Boyd and Griffin. Mean age of the patients was 55.2 years (26-82 years). The Schatzker & Lambert Criteria used to evaluate the functional outcome at the end of one year. Minimum follow up period was six months and maximum follow up was one year.Results: The functional outcome was assessed by Schatzker and Lambert criteria and was excellent in 8 patients; good in 6, Fair in 4 and Poor in 2.The average time to bear weight fully and walk was 6.5 weeks.Conclusions: Union was achieved in unstable, comminuted trochanteric fractures without significant complications and neck shaft angle was maintained in majority of the cases following proximal femur locking plate fixation.One of the major drawbacks of using proximal femur locking plate is that weight bearing is to be controlled and done only after radiological evidence of callus formation.

Experimental observation of extreme multistability in an electronic system of two coupled R\"{o}ssler oscillators

We report the first experimental observation of extreme multistability in a controlled laboratory investigation. Extreme multistability arises when infinitely many attractors coexist for the same set of system parameters. The behavior was predicted earlier on theoretical grounds, supported by numerical studies of models of two coupled identical or nearly identical systems. We construct and couple two analog circuits based on a modified coupled R\"{o}ssler system and demonstrate the occurrence of extreme multistability through a controlled switching to different attractor states purely through a change in initial conditions for a fixed set of system parameters. Numerical studies of the coupled model equations are in agreement with our experimental findings.Comment: to be published in Phys. Rev.