MICROALBUMINURIA IN SUBCLINICAL TARGET ORGAN DAMAGE AND ITS CORRELATION TO CREATININE CLEARANCE RATIO IN HYPERTENSION

Background: Target organ damage takes place early in course of hypertension. But, despite this, the disease remains inadequately controlled in majority of patients partly because of its asymptomatic nature. With incidence of hypertension on the rise, there have not been adequate studies in our country linking hypertensive target organ damage with microalbuminuria and creatinine clearance especially in asymptomatic patients. Aims: To find the relationship between microalbuminuria and reduced creatinine clearance with subclinical target organ damage in asymptomatic primary hypertensive patients. Material & Methods: 60 hypertensive patients were evaluated for mild renal dysfunction defined as 24 hour urine albumin (UA) > 30 mg/d and/or Creatinine Clearance (CCR) < 60 ml/min/1.73m2.Target organ damage evaluated were retinopathy (direct fundoscopy) and Left ventricular hypertrophy (2D ECHO). Results: There was significant association between microalbuminuria (30 %) and reduced creatinine clearance (38%) with target organ damage i.e. left ventricular hypertrophy [p < 0.001 & p 0.001 respectively] and hypertensive retinopathy [p 0.005 & p 0.03 respectively]. Patients with urine microalbumin had 30 times risk [95% CI: 3.6-253,p 0.001] and those with reduced creatinine clearance had 5.9 times the risk [95% CI: 1.7-19.4, p 0.0035] of developing target organ damage. But when present together the risk increased to 39.4 times [95% CI: 2.2-703, p 0.0124]. Conclusions: Results show that a reduction in creatinine clearance and/or presence of microalbuminuria is a marker of subclinical organ damage in patients with primary hypertension. Microalbuminuria showed better association with target organ damage than reduced creatinine clearance. KEYWORDS: Microalbuminuria; Mild renal dysfunction; Primary hypertension; Subclinical; Retinopathy; Target organ damage

MICROALBUMINURIA IN SUBCLINICAL TARGET ORGAN DAMAGE AND ITS CORRELATION TO CREATININE CLEARANCE RATIO IN HYPERTENSION

Background: Target organ damage takes place early in course of hypertension. But, despite this, the disease remains inadequately controlled in majority of patients partly because of its asymptomatic nature. With incidence of hypertension on the rise, there have not been adequate studies in our country linking hypertensive target organ damage with microalbuminuria and creatinine clearance especially in asymptomatic patients. Aims: To find the relationship between microalbuminuria and reduced creatinine clearance with subclinical target organ damage in asymptomatic primary hypertensive patients. Material & Methods: 60 hypertensive patients were evaluated for mild renal dysfunction defined as 24 hour urine albumin (UA) > 30 mg/d and/or Creatinine Clearance (CCR) < 60 ml/min/1.73m2.Target organ damage evaluated were retinopathy (direct fundoscopy) and Left ventricular hypertrophy (2D ECHO). Results: There was significant association between microalbuminuria (30 %) and reduced creatinine clearance (38%) with target organ damage i.e. left ventricular hypertrophy [p < 0.001 & p 0.001 respectively] and hypertensive retinopathy [p 0.005 & p 0.03 respectively]. Patients with urine microalbumin had 30 times risk [95% CI: 3.6-253,p 0.001] and those with reduced creatinine clearance had 5.9 times the risk [95% CI: 1.7-19.4, p 0.0035] of developing target organ damage. But when present together the risk increased to 39.4 times [95% CI: 2.2-703, p 0.0124]. Conclusions: Results show that a reduction in creatinine clearance and/or presence of microalbuminuria is a marker of subclinical organ damage in patients with primary hypertension. Microalbuminuria showed better association with target organ damage than reduced creatinine clearance. KEYWORDS: Microalbuminuria; Mild renal dysfunction; Primary hypertension; Subclinical; Retinopathy; Target organ damage

Investigation of Impact Energy Absorption of AA6061 and Composites: Role of Post-Aging Cooling Methods

Al6061 and its composites are widely employed in applications requiring high strength and impact resistance. Heat treatment, particularly ageing, is a well-established method for enhancing the mechanical properties of these composites. However, the influence of post-ageing cooling methods on the impact energy absorption capacity of Al6061 and its composites remains inadequately understood. This investigation aims to examine the impact energy absorption of Al6061 and its composites after ageing at 460°C for 2 hours, employing different cooling methods, including furnace cooling, air cooling, and water cooling. The composites were produced using the stir casting technique with varying weight fractions of graphite and SiC particles based on Taguchi's design of experiments. Charpy impact tests were conducted using a specialised testing machine. The results reveal that the impact energy absorption capacity of the composites is influenced by the cooling method employed after the ageing treatment. Furnace cooling demonstrated the highest impact energy absorption capacity compared to the other cooling methods, exhibiting a 28% increase compared to the monolithic aluminium alloy. Furthermore, it was observed that the impact energy absorption capacity of the composites did not improve with an increase in the weight fraction of SiC particles, while the addition of graphite negatively impacted the absorption capacity

Investigation of Impact Energy Absorption of AA6061 and Composites: Role of Post-Aging Cooling Methods

Al6061 and its composites are widely employed in applications requiring high strength and impact resistance. Heat treatment, particularly ageing, is a well-established method for enhancing the mechanical properties of these composites. However, the influence of post-ageing cooling methods on the impact energy absorption capacity of Al6061 and its composites remains inadequately understood. This investigation aims to examine the impact energy absorption of Al6061 and its composites after ageing at 460°C for 2 hours, employing different cooling methods, including furnace cooling, air cooling, and water cooling. The composites were produced using the stir casting technique with varying weight fractions of graphite and SiC particles based on Taguchi's design of experiments. Charpy impact tests were conducted using a specialised testing machine. The results reveal that the impact energy absorption capacity of the composites is influenced by the cooling method employed after the ageing treatment. Furnace cooling demonstrated the highest impact energy absorption capacity compared to the other cooling methods, exhibiting a 28% increase compared to the monolithic aluminium alloy. Furthermore, it was observed that the impact energy absorption capacity of the composites did not improve with an increase in the weight fraction of SiC particles, while the addition of graphite negatively impacted the absorption capacity

Mining of gene-based SNPs from publicly available ESTs and their conversion to cost-effective genotyping assay in sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) are the commonest type of nucleotide variation distributed throughout the genome and have enormous potential to saturate genetic maps. However, their identification is constrained by the huge investment required for their detection. In this study, we used publicly available EST (Expressed Sequence Tag) sequences to identify SNPs in Sorghum bicolor. A total of 12,421 putative SNPs were identified from 2,921 contiguous transcripts leading to an average SNP interval of one putative SNP for every 275.26 bp. The proportion of transition type mutations (0.598) was larger than transversion types conforming to biological expectations. In order to demonstrate the utility of the SNPs for development of markers with relatively cheap assays, we experimentally validated SNPs using Single Strand Conformation Polymorphism (SSCP) technique in sorghum accessions, which are used as parents for development mapping populations. Genotyping these parents of mapping populations with SSCP markers showed up to 33% polymorphism in the markers suggesting that the SNPs can be used as potential resource for S. bicolor crop improvement programs

Resequencing of 429 chickpea accessions from 45 countries provides insights into genome diversity, domestication and agronomic traits

We report a map of 4.97 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms of the chickpea from whole-genome resequencing of 429 lines sampled from 45 countries. We identified 122 candidate regions with 204 genes under selection during chickpea breeding. Our data suggest the Eastern Mediterranean as the primary center of origin and migration route of chickpea from the Mediterranean/Fertile Crescent to Central Asia, and probably in parallel from Central Asia to East Africa (Ethiopia) and South Asia (India). Genome-wide association studies identified 262 markers and several candidate genes for 13 traits. Our study establishes a foundation for large-scale characterization of germplasm and population genomics, and a resource for trait dissection, accelerating genetic gains in future chickpea breeding

A Study of Clinical and Biochemical Profile of Adrenal Insufficiency in AIDS Patients

ABSTRACT Most common and clinically relevant endocrine organ dysfunction in AIDS patients is that of adrenal cortex. But, adrenal insufficiency (AI) is seldom diagnosed in clinical practice because symptoms do not appear until more than 90% of the gland has been destroyed and symptoms suggestive of adrenal insufficiency are not uncommon in patients of AIDS without AI. There is lack of studies to look for characteristic features in such group, which can raise a suspicion and lead us to do biochemical evaluation, to detect early HPA axis involvement, to prolong as well as improve quality of life. Fifty HIV seropositive patients were selected, detailed history, clinical examination and biochemical parameters were recorded. Their basal cortisol and 30-min, 60-min, post synacthen test were performed, based on which the patients were grouped as AIDS with AI (AIDS-Ab) and AIDS without AI (AIDS-N) .The clinical feature and laboratory findings of these two groups were compared and interpreted using Chi square test as a test of significance and for comparison of laboratory data the Mann Whitney was used. In our study, in comparison to AIDS-N, AIDS-Ab patients had more frequency of weakness, weight loss, fever, gastrointestinal disturbances like nausea, vomiting. They also had lower range of CD4 count, hypoglycemia, high ESR, eosinophilia, hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, low Na/K ratio. In AIDS patients, symptoms like significant weight loss, low CD4 count, not on ART, hypoglycemia, increased ESR, hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, low Na/K ratio, low basal plasma cortisol levels as seen in the present study, should direct us in suspecting the risk of patient going for AI. In such patients stimulation tests could be done to confirm AI. The importance of early detection becomes clear from the fact that AI adds to the mortality of AIDS patient, and also early intervention in such patients prolongs as well as adds quality to life