ESTIMATION OF HEMOGLOBIN A1C USING THE COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT MEASURES IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF DIABETES

  Objective: Diabetes is a metabolic disorder occurring either due to the inadequate secretion of insulin or ineffective utilization of insulin by the body. The study was aimed to identify the variations of the complete blood count (CBC) parameters among the diabetic and normal individuals and to derive an empirical formula to estimate hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) of an individual using CBC parameters.Methods: A total of 83 subjects (mean age: 52.8±9.0 years) involved in the study, among which 39 (mean age: 49.1±8.8 years) were normal and 44 (mean age: 56±7.8 years) were diabetic. The blood was drawn from the participants and was subjected to CBC analysis using automated hematology analyzer. The stepwise linear regression model was used to determine the empirical formula to estimate HbA1c using the CBC parameters. The Student's t-test was performed to identify the group differences.Results: A negative correlation was observed for Hb (r=−0.35**, p<0.001) and packed cell volume (PCV) (r=−0.23**, p<0.05) against HbA1c. The CBC parameters Hb, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, PCV, red blood cells count, mean corpuscular volume, and mean corpuscular Hb exhibited a statistically significant difference at the level (p<0.05) between the normal and diabetic groups. The empirically derived formula yielded sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy measures of 91%, 49%, 67%, 83%, and 71%, respectively, in diagnosing diabetes based on the estimated HbA1c.Conclusion: The empirical formula derived to estimate HbA1c could be useful in the prediction of diabetes with an appreciable accuracy

Basal Cell Adenocarcinoma in the Tongue: An Unusual Presentation

We present a case of basal cell adenocarcinoma (BCAC) in the tongue in a 65-year old male. This is an extremely rare presentation. BCAC generally occurs in the parotid gland and rarely involves the minor salivary glands. Few cases have been reported in literature with a variable presentation. The biopsy was formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded. The sections were stained with routine Hematoxylin and Eosin. Immunohistochemistry was performed. Hematoxylin and eosin staining showed tumour composed of variable sized and shaped, nests and sheets of basaloid epithelial cells having hyperchromatic to vesicular nuclei. Immunohistochemistry was positive for Pancytokeratin, Epithelial membrane antigen and p53. The clinicopathological features and the cellular immunophenotype addressed the diagnosis towards BCAC of the tongue. The goal of this report is to increase awareness of this rare disease and to review and discuss the differential diagnosis and important considerations in treatment

Impact of Electron-Electron Spin Interaction on Electron Spin Relaxation of Nitroxide Diradicals and Tetraradical in Glassy Solvents Between 10 and 300 K

To determine the impact of electron-electron spin-spin interactions on electron spin relaxation rates, 1/T1 and 1/Tm were measured for nitroxide monoradical, diradical, and tetraradical derivatives of 1,3-alternate calix[4]arenes, for two pegylated high-spin nitroxide diradicals, and for an azine-linked nitroxide diradical. The synthesis and characterization by SQUID (superconducting quantum interference device) magnetometry of one of the high-spin diradicals, in which nitroxides are conformationally constrained to be coplanar with the m-phenylene unit, is reported. The interspin distances ranged from about 5-9 Å, and the magnitude of the exchange interaction ranged from \u3e150 to \u3e0.1 K. 1/T1 and 1/Tm were measured by long-pulse saturation recovery, three-pulse inversion recovery, and two-pulse echo decay at X-band (9.5 GHz) and Q-band (35 GHz). For a diradical with interspin distance about 9 Å, relaxation rates were only slightly faster than for a monoradical with analogous structure. For interspin distances of about 5-6 Å, relaxation rates in glassy solvents up to 300 K increased in the order monoradical \u3c diradical \u3c tetraradical. Modulation of electron-electron interaction enhanced relaxation via the direct, Raman, and local mode processes. The largest differences in 1/T1 were observed below 10 K, where the direct process dominates. For the three diradicals with comparable magnitude of dipolar interaction, 1/Tm and 1/T1 were faster for the molecules with more flexible structures. Relaxation rates were faster in the less rigid low-polarity sucrose octaacetate glass than in the more rigid 4:1 toluene/chloroform or in hydrogen-bonded glycerol glasses, which highlights the impact of motion on relaxation

A Spirocyclohexyl Nitroxide Amino Acid Spin Label for Pulsed EPR Distance Measurements

Site-directed spin labeling (SDSL) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy offer accurate, sensitive tools for the characterization of structure and function of macromolecules and their assemblies. A new rigid spin label, spirocyclohexyl nitroxide α-amino acid and its N-(9- fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl) (Fmoc) derivative, has been synthesized that exhibit slow enough spin echo dephasing to permit accurate distance measurements by pulse EPR at temperatures up to 125 K in 1:1 water:glycerol and at higher temperatures in matrices with higher glass transition temperatures. Distance measurements in the liquid nitrogen temperature range are less expensive than those that require liquid helium, which will greatly facilitate applications of pulsed EPR to the study of structure and conformation for peptides and proteins

A Spirocyclohexyl Nitroxide Amino Acid Spin Label for Pulsed EPR Distance Measurements

Site-directed spin labeling (SDSL) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy offer accurate, sensitive tools for the characterization of structure and function of macromolecules and their assemblies. A new rigid spin label, spirocyclohexyl nitroxide α-amino acid and its N-(9- fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl) (Fmoc) derivative, has been synthesized that exhibit slow enough spin echo dephasing to permit accurate distance measurements by pulse EPR at temperatures up to 125 K in 1:1 water:glycerol and at higher temperatures in matrices with higher glass transition temperatures. Distance measurements in the liquid nitrogen temperature range are less expensive than those that require liquid helium, which will greatly facilitate applications of pulsed EPR to the study of structure and conformation for peptides and proteins

PRODUCTION OF BIODIESEL FROM NON EDIBLE CEIBA PENTANDRA SEED OIL HAVING HIGH FFA CONTENT

ABSTRACT Recently, most of the biodiesel is produced from edible oils using methanol and an alkaline catalyst. However, large amount of non edible oils are available in India. Often the non edible oil contain high amounts of free fatty acids(FFA), which quickly react with the alkaline catalyst to produce soap then slow down the separation of the ester and glycerin. In the present study, high free fatty acid (14.71%) Ceiba pentandra seed oil was used as a source for biodiesel production. A two-step transesterification process is developed to convert the high FFA oils to its mono-esters. The first step reduces the acid value of the oil to less than 2mg KOH/g of oil using the acid catalyst (H2SO4) and methanol. The second step, alkaline catalyzed transesterification process converts the products of the first step to its mono-esters and glycerol. The reaction parameters such as molar ratio, catalyst concentration, reaction temperature and reaction time were optimized for production of Ceiba pentandra oil methyl ester are analyzed. The two-step esterification procedure converts of crude Ceiba pentandra oil to its methyl esters. The yield of methyl esters from Ceiba pentandra oil under the optimal condition was 92-93%. The viscosity of biodiesel oil is nearer to that of diesel and the calorific value is less than that of diesel because of their oxygen content. The important properties of biodiesel such as density, flash point, fire point and cetane number are found out and compared with that of diesel. This study supports the biodiesel production from nonedible Ceiba pentandra seed oil as a viable alternative to the diesel fuel

Application of nanotechnology in antimicrobial finishing of biomedical textiles

In recent years, the antimicrobial nanofinishing of biomedical textiles has become a very active, high-growth research field, assuming great importance among all available material surface modifications in the textile industry. This review offers the opportunity to update and critically discuss the latest advances and applications in this field. The survey suggests an emerging new paradigm in the production and distribution of nanoparticles for biomedical textile applications based on non-toxic renewable biopolymers such as chitosan, alginate and starch. Moreover, a relationship among metal and metal oxide nanoparticle (NP) size, its concentration on the fabric, and the antimicrobial activity exists, allowing the optimization of antimicrobial functionality.Andrea Zille (C2011-UMINHO-2C2T-01) acknowledges funding from Programa Compromisso para a Ciencia 2008, Portugal

Rapid-Scan EPR of Immobilized Nitroxides

X-band electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of immobilized nitroxides were obtained by rapid scan at 293 K. Scan widths were 155 G with 13.4 kHz scan frequency for 14N-perdeuterated tempone and for T4 lysozyme doubly spin labeled with an iodoacetamide spirocyclohexyl nitroxide and 100 G with 20.9 kHz scan frequency for 15N-perdeuterated tempone. These wide scans were made possible by modifications to our rapid-scan driver, scan coils made of Litz wire, and the placement of highly conducting aluminum plates on the poles of a Bruker 10 magnet to reduce resistive losses in the magnet pole faces. For the same data acquisition time, the signal-to-noise for the rapid-scan absorption spectra was about an order of magnitude higher than for continuous wave first-derivative spectra recorded with modulation amplitudes that do not broaden the lineshapes

Rapid-Scan EPR of Immobilized Nitroxides

X-band electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of immobilized nitroxides were obtained by rapid scan at 293 K. Scan widths were 155 G with 13.4 kHz scan frequency for 14N-perdeuterated tempone and for T4 lysozyme doubly spin labeled with an iodoacetamide spirocyclohexyl nitroxide and 100 G with 20.9 kHz scan frequency for 15N-perdeuterated tempone. These wide scans were made possible by modifications to our rapid-scan driver, scan coils made of Litz wire, and the placement of highly conducting aluminum plates on the poles of a Bruker 10 magnet to reduce resistive losses in the magnet pole faces. For the same data acquisition time, the signal-to-noise for the rapid-scan absorption spectra was about an order of magnitude higher than for continuous wave first-derivative spectra recorded with modulation amplitudes that do not broaden the lineshapes