Negative modulation of alkaline phosphatase and creatine kinase by homobrassinolide

Homobrassinolide is a plant hormone implicated in plant growth and development. Its effect on animal metabolism was less known to date. We have investigated its effect on the marker enzymes such as alkaline phosphatase and creatine kinase in selected rat tissues-brain, heart, liver, kidney, skeletal muscle and testis. Homobrassinolide was administered (66 and 330ng/ Kg body weight) intradermally in male albino wistar strain rats and changes in alkaline phosphatase and creatine kinase activities were measured. An overall reduction in both the enzyme activities occurred within 2hr of administration with few exceptions. The reaction rate constants for the enzyme activities were in the order 10-7 mM/min for alkaline phosphatase and 10-3 mM/min for creatine kinase. Time course studies indicated a decrease in enzyme activities as a function of time. Elevated hemoglobin content correlated with rise in erythrocyte number. Blood glucose level decreased by a percentage of 15.7 and 21.7 compared to control with the administration of 10μg and 50μg homobrassinolide respectively. Serum cholesterol content showed 15% decrease and 25% increase compared to control following 10μg and 50μg homobrassinolide administration. We conclude that homobrassinolide inhibited both the enzymes in the tissues and produced erythrocytosis, leukocytosis and hypoglycemia, while cellular phosphorylation status remained principally affected by this oxysterol in rat. Even though the physiological and pathological significance of these observations is not clear, it is suggested that 28-HB enriched diets may not be appropriate for higher energy related work activities.Keywords: Alkaline phosphatase; Creatine kinase; Homobrassinolide; Oxysterol; Phosphorylation; Rate constant

14- POINT DEMING PHILOSOPHY AND MANAGERS†: AN APPRAISAL

Managers in the present competitive world have to face tough competition to survive and sustain themselves in their area of operation. There are various Institutions offering MBA degree courses but the worth of these degree holders is a matter of suspicion. When they have to deal with practical situations, at times they might be troubled because what they actually did learn in their classes and from papers may not provide them with the right wisdom of timely usage of learned matter. Also, there are philosophies put forth by various Quality Gurus which these managers have seen in black and white when they were students but how many have made a practical concern and consideration over those is again a doubtful affair. This study thus try to identify the opinion of present generation managers about the applicability of 14- point philosophy laid down by the Father of Quality Management, Dr. W. Edward Deming. This is basically a research paper done after conducting an opinion survey among managers in general without looking into their area of operation

Negative modulation of alkaline phosphatase and creatine kinase by homobrassinolide

Homobrassinolide is a plant hormone implicated in plant growth and development. Its effect on animal metabolism was less known to date. We have investigated its effect on the marker enzymes such as alkaline phosphatase and creatine kinase in selected rat tissues-brain, heart, liver, kidney, skeletal muscle and testis. Homobrassinolide was administered (66 and 330ng/ Kg body weight) intradermally in male albino wistar strain rats and changes in alkaline phosphatase and creatine kinase activities were measured. An overall reduction in both the enzyme activities occurred within 2hr of administration with few exceptions. The reaction rate constants for the enzyme activities were in the order 10-7 mM/min for alkaline phosphatase and 10-3 mM/min for creatine kinase. Time course studies indicated a decrease in enzyme activities as a function of time. Elevated hemoglobin content correlated with rise in erythrocyte number. Blood glucose level decreased by a percentage of 15.7 and 21.7 compared to control with the administration of 10μg and 50μg homobrassinolide respectively. Serum cholesterol content showed 15% decrease and 25% increase compared to control following 10μg and 50μg homobrassinolide administration. We conclude that homobrassinolide inhibited both the enzymes in the tissues and produced erythrocytosis, leukocytosis and hypoglycemia, while cellular phosphorylation status remained principally affected by this oxysterol in rat. Even though the physiological and pathological significance of these observations is not clear, it is suggested that 28-HB enriched diets may not be appropriate for higher energy related work activities.Keywords: Alkaline phosphatase; Creatine kinase; Homobrassinolide; Oxysterol; Phosphorylation; Rate constant

Ayurvedic perspective of water, its pollution and purification

According to Ayurveda water is considered as one among the Panchamahabhootas and Prana/life of the entire universe. The 5000 year old classics, of India like Sushruta Samhita and Charaka Samhita have analyzed the issues related to water its pollution, causes, effects, its impacts on the body and universe, and the measures to purify the polluted water and also the prevention of water pollution. Even several thousands of years before, the great sages of India had envisaged the issue of water pollution, its hazardous effect on health, community and environment and the measures to purify them. A lion share of these organic methods of purification still remains virgin to the field of researches. A combination of one or more of these measures when applied in a systematic manner can sometimes be more effective than the most advanced chemical methods of purification. For that this holistic science and its treasures are to be explored and unveiled to its best

Asymptomatic bacteriuria among antenatal women attending a tertiary care hospital in Kanchipuram: evaluation of screening tests and antibiotic susceptibility pattern

Background: Asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) occurring in pregnant women can lead onto complications like acute pyelonephritis, hypertensive disease of pregnancy, premature delivery and intrauterine growth retardation if untreated.Methods: The present study aims to estimate the occurrence of asymptomatic bacteriuria in antenatal women and to study the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the isolates. The Gram staining, pus cell count and culture was performed for 120 urine samples. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was done by Kirby Baeur disk diffusion method. MRSA (Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and ESBL (Extended spectrum Beta Lactamases) producers were identified by Standard guidelines. The   sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive values and positive predictive values of Gram staining and pus cell count was calculated.Results: Out of the 120 samples 14 (11.66%) were positive for asymptomatic bacteriuria. The Gram staining showed specificity and negative predictive value of 95.2% and 98.1% respectively. Pus cell count showed a specificity and negative predictive value of 96.29% and 98.11% respectively. Escherichia coli were the predominant species isolated 5 (35.7%). Among the gram negative bacteria, amikacin and nitrofurantoin showed a susceptibility of 90% and 80% each. All the staphylococcus aureus isolates showed 100% sensitivity for nitrofurantoin.  Two Klebsiella spp and one Escherichia coli isolate were identified as ESBL producers. Among the S. aureus isolates 3 were identified as Methicillin resistant (MRSA).Conclusions: Urine culture should be performed for all pregnant women irrespective of the symptoms and should be treated promptly to prevent the complications arising out of ASB.

Relationship of APOA5, PPARγ and HL gene variants with serial changes in childhood body mass index and coronary artery disease risk factors in young adulthood

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Triglycerides is an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD) and is especially important in Indians because of high prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia in this population. Both genetic and environmental factors determine triglyceride levels. In a birth cohort from India, hypertriglyceridemia was found in 41% of men and 11% of women. Subjects who had high triglycerides had more rapid body mass index (BMI) or weight gain than rest of the cohort throughout infancy, childhood and adolescence. We analysed polymorphisms in <it>APOA5</it>, hepatic lipase and <it>PPARγ</it> genes and investigated their association with birth weight and serial changes in BMI.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Polymorphisms in <it>APOA5</it> (-1131T > C, S19W), <it>PPARγ</it> (Pro12Ala) and hepatic lipase (-514C > T) were studied by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by restriction digestion in 1492 subjects from the New Delhi Birth Cohort (NDBC). We assessed whether these polymorphisms influence lipid and other variables and serial changes in BMI, both individually and together.</p> <p>The risk allele of <it>APOA5</it> (-1131C) resulted in 23.6 mg/dl higher triglycerides as compared to normal allele (P < 0.001). Risk allele of HL (-514T) was associated with significantly higher HDL2 levels (P = 0.002). Except for the marginal association of <it>PPARγ</it> Pro12Ala variation with a lower conditional weight at 6 months, (P = 0.020) and A<it>POA5</it> S19W with a higher conditional BMI at 11 yrs of age (P = 0.030), none of the other associations between the gene polymorphisms and serial changes in body mass index from birth to young adulthood were significant.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The promoter polymorphism in <it>APOA5</it> was associated with raised serum triglycerides and that of HL with raised HDL2 levels. None of the polymorphisms had any significant relationship with birth weight or serial changes in anthropometry from birth to adulthood in this cohort.</p

3D SIMULATION STUDIES AND OPTIMIZATION OF MAGNETIC HOLES OF HTS-ECRIS FOR IMPROVING THE EXTRACTION EFFICIENCY AND INTENSITIES OF HIGHLY CHARGED IONS

Abstract 3D simulation studies using RADIA code have been performed to optimise the magnetic holes in the high temperature superconducting electron cyclotron resonance (HTS-ECRIS) ion source for improving the extraction efficiency and intensities of highly charged ions. The magnetic field improvements using simple techniques like optimisation of iron regions is found to be economical. The extraction efficiency can be increased three-fold in the case of a hexapole magnet depending on the level of the uniformity of the fields in the high and low regions. This technique further minimises localized heating of the plasma chamber walls which can improve the vacuum conditions in an ECR ion source. For superconducting sources where the x-ray heat load poses severe problems during operation, such a reduction of heating load is of great significance. The typical triangular pattern of the plasma impact observed on the plasma electrode of HTS ECRIS at various tuning conditions are reproduced by the simulations. Details of the simulations and experimental results will be presented

Effect of temperature and time delay in centrifugation on stability of select biomarkers of nutrition and non-communicable diseases in blood samples

Introduction: Preanalytical conditions are critical for blood sample integrity and poses challenge in surveys involving biochemical measurements. A cross sectional study was conducted to assess the stability of select biomarkers at conditions that mimic field situations in surveys. Material and methods: Blood from 420 volunteers was exposed to 2 – 8 °C, room temperature (RT), 22 – 30 °C and > 30 °C for 30 min, 6 hours, 12 hours and 24 hours prior to centrifugation. After different exposures, whole blood (N = 35) was used to assess stability of haemoglobin, HbA1c and erythrocyte folate; serum (N = 35) for assessing stability of ferritin, C-reactive protein (CRP), vitamins B12, A and D, zinc, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), tryglicerides, albumin, total protein and creatinine; and plasma (N = 35) was used for glucose. The mean % deviation of the analytes was compared with the total change limit (TCL), computed from analytical and intra-individual imprecision. Values that were within the TCL were deemed to be stable. Result: Creatinine (mean % deviation 14.6, TCL 5.9), haemoglobin (16.4%, TCL 4.4) and folate (33.6%, TCL 22.6) were unstable after 12 hours at 22- 30°C, a temperature at which other analytes were stable. Creatinine was unstable even at RT for 12 hours (mean % deviation: 10.4). Albumin, CRP, glucose, cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides, vitamins B12 and A, sTfR and HbA1c were stable at all studied conditions. Conclusion: All analytes other than creatinine, folate and haemoglobin can be reliably estimated in blood samples exposed to 22-30°C for 12 hours in community-based studies

A cross-sectional investigation of regional patterns of diet and cardio-metabolic risk in India

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The role of diet in India's rapidly progressing chronic disease epidemic is unclear; moreover, diet may vary considerably across North-South regions.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The India Health Study was a multicenter study of men and women aged 35-69, who provided diet, lifestyle, and medical histories, as well as blood pressure, fasting blood, urine, and anthropometric measurements. In each region (Delhi, n = 824; Mumbai, n = 743; Trivandrum, n = 2,247), we identified two dietary patterns with factor analysis. In multiple logistic regression models adjusted for age, gender, education, income, marital status, religion, physical activity, tobacco, alcohol, and total energy intake, we investigated associations between regional dietary patterns and abdominal adiposity, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Across the regions, more than 80% of the participants met the criteria for abdominal adiposity and 10 to 28% of participants were considered diabetic. In Delhi, the "fruit and dairy" dietary pattern was positively associated with abdominal adiposity [highest versus lowest tertile, multivariate-adjusted OR and 95% CI: 2.32 (1.03-5.23); P_trend= 0.008] and hypertension [2.20 (1.47-3.31); P_trend< 0.0001]. In Trivandrum, the "pulses and rice" pattern was inversely related to diabetes [0.70 (0.51-0.95); P_trend= 0.03] and the "snacks and sweets" pattern was positively associated with abdominal adiposity [2.05 (1.34-3.14); P_trend= 0.03]. In Mumbai, the "fruit and vegetable" pattern was inversely associated with hypertension [0.63 (0.40-0.99); P_trend= 0.05] and the "snack and meat" pattern appeared to be positively associated with abdominal adiposity.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Cardio-metabolic risk factors were highly prevalent in this population. Across all regions, we found little evidence of a Westernized diet; however, dietary patterns characterized by animal products, fried snacks, or sweets appeared to be positively associated with abdominal adiposity. Conversely, more traditional diets in the Southern regions were inversely related to diabetes and hypertension. Continued investigation of diet, as well as other environmental and biological factors, will be needed to better understand the risk profile in this population and potential means of prevention.</p