Fetuin-A in association with metabolic syndrome and its components

Background: Fetuin-A also known as α-2-Heremans-Schmid glycoprotein, is a multifunctional plasma glycoprotein. In developing countries like India, the metabolic syndrome (MetS) is on an exponential rise. The factors that characterize MetS are also associated with the atherosclerotic process, in which an important role is played by serum fetuin-A levels. The aim of present study is an assessment of serum fetuin-A level and its association with other components of MetS in age matched healthy controls and MetS subjects.Methods: Total eighty (N=80) subjects (40 MetS cases and 40 age and gender matched controls) were included based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The fasting venous samples were collected to measure the fasting glucose, lipid profile, glycated hemoglobin, insulin and fetuin-A levels. The serum fetuin levels were estimated by ELISA kit.Results: The serum fetuin-A levels were significantly higher in MetS cases as compared to the control group (p value<0.001). Other components like insulin, HbA1c and HOMA-IR levels were raised in MetS compared to controls. In correlation analysis the serum fetuin-A levels were positively correlated with fasting insulin levels (r=0.36, p=0.02), fasting glucose (r=0.39, p=0.01) and triglycerides (r=0.34, p=0.03). Also, in receiver operating characteristic curve analysis the AUC for fetuin-A is 0.76 (95% CI: 0.65-0.86) was observed.Conclusions: We found that serum fetuin-A levels were strongly and independently associated with MetS. Our finding suggests that fetuin-A could be a useful marker in clinical practice in the future for the early diagnosis of MetS

IN VITRO RESPONSE BY Terminalia arjuna GENOTYPES DURING MICROPROPAGATION

Terminalia arjuna is an important tree of the medicinal and sericulture industry, commonly known as Arjun. It’s bark is rich in secondary metabolites makes this plant highly valuable in medicine industry to treat cardiovascular disease. Overexploitation due to high demand in medicine, low seed germination, limitations of the conventional method of propagation push this plant towards being endangered. To conserve germplasm of such tree species and meet the requirement in medicinal industry, some non-conventional propagation method like micropropagation has been developed. The present work highlighted the effect of three genotypes (G-1, G-2, and G-3) on tissue culture of T. arjuna situated at Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. In vitro shoot proliferation was achieved on a modified MS medium enriched with BAP + additives. Among the tested genotypes, Genotype -1 showed maximum bud break response (100%) followed by G-3 (93.33 %) and G-2 (86.66%).  Further multiplication of these shoots on modified MS medium containing BAP + NAA + additives gave 11.38±0.26 (G-1), 9.44±0.21 (G-2) and 10.22±0.32 (G-3) shoots. In vitro rooting was done by pulse treatment with IBA for 10 min prior to transfer on hormone free half strength MS medium containing 0.1% activated charcoal. Maximum in vitro rooting was obtained in G-1 (80%) followed by G-3 (71.11%) and G-2 (68.88%). In the present study, it was observed that optimum growth in all three genotypes required different doses of Plant Growth Regulator. Thus, by identifying and multiplying the best performing genotypes the gap between demand and supply of such medicinal plant can be fulfilled

Smart Third Eye with Optimum and Safe Path Detection Based On Neural Networks for Blind Persons Using Raspberry-Pi

Blindness is the condition of lacking the visual sight due to physiological or neurological factors and partial blindness is due to lack of integration in the growth of the optic nerve or visual centre of the eye. In this proposed work, a simple, cheap, friendly user, virtual eye will be designed and implemented to improve the mobility of both blind and visually impaired people in a specific area. The proposed work includes a set of ultrasonic sensors for detection, raspberry-pi tool kit for programming and implementation,earphone for speech signal, hand stick(with sensors) using neural network. The main section of this project ultrasonic sensors which are used to scan a predetermined area around blind by emitting the waves.The rejected signals received from the barriers objects are used as inputs to raspberry-pi.Raspberry-pi carry out the issued commands and then communicate the status of a given appliances or device back to the earphone using raspberry-pi as speech. Also, this concept is cheap, fast and easy to use and an innovative a ordable solution to blind and visually impaired people

Isocitrate Dehydrogenase of Helicobacter pylori Potentially Induces Humoral Immune Response in Subjects with Peptic Ulcer Disease and Gastritis

Background. H. pylori causes gastritis and peptic ulcers and is a risk factor for the development of gastric carcinoma. Many of the proteins such as urease, porins, flagellins and toxins such as lipo-polysaccharides have been identified as potential virulence factors which induce proinflammatory reaction. We report immunogenic potentials of isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICD), an important house keeping protein of H. pylori. Methodology/Principal Findings. Amino acid sequences of H. pylori ICD were subjected to in silico analysis for regions with predictably high antigenic indexes. Also, computational modelling of the H. pylori ICD as juxtaposed to the E. coli ICD was carried out to determine levels of structure similarity and the availability of surface exposed motifs, if any. The icd gene was cloned, expressed and purified to a very high homogeneity. Humoral response directed against H. pylori ICD was detected through an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 82 human subjects comprising of 58 patients with H. pylori associated gastritis or ulcer disease and 24 asymptomatic healthy controls. The H. pylori ICD elicited potentially high humoral immune response and revealed high antibody titers in sera corresponding to endoscopically-confirmed gastritis and ulcer disease subjects. However, urea-breath-test negative healthy control samples and asymptomatic control samples did not reveal any detectable immune responses. The ELISA for proinflammatory cytokine IL-8 did not exhibit any significant proinflammatory activity of ICD. Conclusions/Significance. ICD of H. pylori is an immunogen which interacts with the host immune system subsequent to a possible autolytic-release and thereby significantly elicits humoral responses in individuals with invasive H. pylori infection. However, ICD could not significantly stimulate IL8 induction in a cultured macrophage cell line (THP1) and therefore, may not be a notable proinflammatory agent

Association of syntax score with short-term outcomes among acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients undergoing primary PCI

Objective: Syntax score (SX) has emerged as a reproducible angiographic tool to quantify the extent of coronary artery disease based on location and complexity of each lesion. It has been shown to predict long-term clinical outcomes in patients with left main or multi-vessel disease and recently also in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary PCI. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the syntax score is associated with short-term cardiovascular outcomes in patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods: Syntax score was determined in 90 consecutive patients (mean age 54.2 ± 11.6) of STEMI undergoing primary PCI. Outcomes were stratified according to syntax score groups: SX low ≤15 (n = 33), SX mid 16–22 (n = 30), and SX high ≥23 (n = 27). The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality at 30 days. Secondary endpoints were nonfatal major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACE) defined as a composite of any repeat revascularization, acute coronary syndrome, and stroke at 30 days in patients discharged alive. Results: Mortality at 30 days was higher in the SX high group compared to the SX mid and SX low group (18.5% vs 3.3% p = 0.011), MACE at 30 days was higher in SX high group compared to SX mid and SX low group (48.1% vs 16.6% vs 9.1%, p = 0.001). Conclusions: The syntax score is associated with 30-day mortality in patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI. In those discharged, it is associated with risk of MACE at 30 days

MITOCHONDRIA : AS A PROTAGONIST IN NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS IN BRIEF OVERVIEW: Role of mitochondria in neurological disorders

Neurological disorders pose a great burden in general health. It is not astounding that mitochondrial malfunction emerging as a leading factor in myriad of neurological disorders. Mitochondria are extremely active cell organelles performing various functions most importantly, providing ATP to sustain cellular processes. Mitochondrial dysfunction results in altered neuronal bioenergetics, redox equilibrium and dynamics of cell and acts as focal point of pathogenesis in many human diseases including neurological disorders. Mitochondrial dynamics regulates pathways involving oxidative stress and apoptosis. Often mitochondrial division imbalance and fusion leads to mitochondrial functional impairment. Extreme variations in mitochondrial fusion causes increased mutation rate which along with increased oxidative stress can facilitate development of various neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s diseases and so on. Mitochondria has a key role in regulation of apoptosis. Mitochondrial dysfunction and mutations can have deleterious effects on neuronal functioning as neurons have high energy demand with restricted regenerative potential. Certain neuroprotective agents restores the functions of mitochondria and acts therapeutic regimens of neurodegenerative diseases

MICROPROPAGATION OF ADULT TREE OF PTEROCARPUS MARSUPIUM ROXB. USING NODAL EXPLANTS

Attempts were made for in vitro propagation of Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb., belonging to family Fabaceae, an economically important multipurpose tree. The tree is scared with noval antidiabetic properties. The tree shows poor seed germination capacity (30%) due to hard seed coat and conventional vegetative regeneration methods are a complete failure. Therefore, the propagation of this tree by tissue culture techniques is an urgent need and well justified. Nodal segments containing axillary bud from 10 years old tree of P. marsupium were evaluated for axillary shoot proliferation on Murashige and Skoog’s (MS) basal medium fortified with BAP (6–benzylaminopurine) and kinetin (Kn) singly or in combinations with auxins at different concentrations. The best shoot proliferation was obtained with 13.95 µM Kn + additives (568 µM Ascorbic acid, 260 µM Citric acid, 605 µM Ammonium sulphate and 217 µM Adenine sulphate) in MS medium where 64.44% of the axillary buds responded with development of (2.51±0.10) shoots. Multiplication of in vitro shoots were achieved on MS Medium supplemented with Kn (9.30 µM) + NAA (0.54 µM) and additives. Half strength MS medium supplemented with 4.92 µM IBA induced in vitro rooting of in vitro shoots. In vitro regenerated plantlets with well developed roots were successfully hardened in a greenhouse

A rare association of congenital melanocytic nevus and lissencephaly in childhood seizure

Dermatological and imaging evaluation of a 2-year-old male child with refractory seizures and developmental delay revealed an interesting and first of its kind association of congenital melanocytic nevus and classical lissencephaly