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

Whether Credit Kuznets Curve Exists in Rural India?: A panel household data analysis from 2001 to 2012

Improving access of low-cost credit to farmers is an important public policy for increasing agricultural production in developing countries. It improves liquidity in rural areas and also supports for expansion of non-farm sector activities in the economy. However, the relationship between access to credit and households’ income and asset has not yet been properly understood in the literature. Therefore, using 500 panel form of rural household data in India from 2001 to 2011, we have analyzed relationship between credit and household income using kuznets curve framework. We test a hypothesis that “household credit behaves like a Kuznets curve.” Our empirical results clearly suggest that debt of a rural household exhibits an inverted U-shaped relationship with income of a household. That is, income elasticity of debt is not constant across the household but it varies with the income level of household, resulting in a non-linear relationship. The household income also determines consumption. If access to credit (level of credit) of a household is also determined by income of the household, then it raises a serious doubt on validity of consumption smoothening hypothesis in developing countries where credit rationing is widespread. The credit has important role in smoothening level of consumption of a household even though household income fluctuates year to year. The study finding has huge policy implications on designing credit policy and in understanding permanent income and consumption of rural household

Socio-economic and scientific impact created by whitefly-transmitted, plant- virus disease resistant tomato varieties in Southern India

Research carried out to assess the impact of open-pollinated Tomato leaf curl virus (ToLCV)-resistant tomatoes and hybrids on the livelihoods of resource-poor farmers in Southern India is described and discussed. Three high-yielding ToLCV-resistant tomato varieties were developed initially using conventional breeding and screening techniques involving inoculation by ToLCV-viruliferous whitefly, Bemisia tabaci. In 2003 and 2004, respectively, these varieties were released officially by the Karnataka State Seed Committee and the Indian Ministry of Agriculture through notification in the Gazette of India. From 2003 to 2005, eleven seed companies bought breeder seed of the ToLCV-resistant varieties and used them to begin breeding F1 hybrids from them. Socio-economic studies carried out to assess the benefits obtained from growing the ToLCV-resistant varieties found that farmers could gain up to 10 times the profit by growing the ToLCV-resistant varieties compared to the pre-existing ToLCV-susceptible varieties. Adoption of ToLCV-resistant tomatoes was also associated with reduced pesticide use. Extra income from tomato sales was prioritised by farmers to pay for children’s education, better nutrition and medicines. In a joint effort with the commercial seed sector in India, a promotional field day was organised in 2007. As well as the three ToLCV-resistant varieties, 62 ToLCV-resistant hybrid tomatoes were exhibited during a farmer-field day by 17 commercial seed companies and several public institutes. Tomatoes with ToLCV-resistance are now grown widely in South India and seeds of the three open-pollinated varieties have been distributed to more than 12 countries. In 2007, a conservative estimate of the financial-benefit to cost of the research ratio was already more than 837:1