Influence of light on serum cholesterol levels in complete (by birth) blind people

Background: With blindness normal stimulation of the hypothalamic pituitary axis is reduced. The serum cholesterol is frequently increased the upper limit of normal it is unclear whether the effect is due to complete absence of light, HPA axis function reduction or diurnal variation of melatonin levels.Methods: A self-administered questionnaire ascertained lifestyle characteristics, including alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, diabetes mellitus and dietary habits. Inclusion criteria: 50 complete blindness persons (by birth), healthy adults, Age group between 30-50 years. Exclusion area: age 50, alcoholic, liver diseases, kidney diseases, diabetes mellitus, thyroid diseases.Results: A total No of 100 cases were studied by dividing them into two groups controls 50 and cases 50. The results so obtain were compared with 50 healthy controls (excluded consumed alcoholic, liver diseases, kidney diseases, diabetes mellitus, thyroid diseases.). Statistical evaluation was carried out to confirm any deviation from the normal values. The mean serum cholesterol of Cases (298.28±26.82) is having higher level as compared to the mean value of controls (153.38±11.79). This increase is statistically highly significant (<0.0001).Conclusions: It has been shown from this study with blindness normal stimulation of the HPA is reduced consequently the serum cholesterol is frequently increased the concentration may exceed the upper limit of normal. On this basis we observed increases the upper limit of the cholesterol levels in blind healthy people than subjects with normal healthy light perception

Estimation of serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, gamma-glutamyl transferase and cholesterol levels in prolonged (30 years) daily consumption coffee in people

Background: Although prolonged (30years) coffee consumption has been associated with reduced or increased frequency of liver (SGOT, SGPT, GGT) enzymes and cholesterol levels, it is unclear whether the effect is from coffee or caffeine.Methods: A self-administered questionnaire ascertained lifestyle characteristics, including alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, Diabetes mellitus and Dietary habits. As for drinking habit, examinees were first asked about their current drinking frequency (none, 1-2 times/ week, or almost daily) past or current smokers about the number of cigarettes smoked per day and the duration of smoking in years. As regards coffee, examinees were asked their usual daily intake in cups.Results: A total No of 200 cases were studied by dividing them into two group’s controls and cases. The results so obtain were compared with 50 healthy controls (not to consumed caffeine contained things that include nor coffee, tea, any type of cola’s). Statistical evaluation was carried out to confirm any deviation from the normal values. In men the mean serum SGOT, SGPT, GGT and cholesterol of cases is having higher level as compared to the mean value of controls. This increase is statistically highly significant (SGOT<0.0001, SGPT=0.045, GGT=0.0043, cholesterol<0.0001). In women’s the mean serum SGOT, SGPT, GGT and cholesterol of Cases is having higher level as compared to the mean value of Controls. This increase is statistically significant (SGOT< 0.05, SGPT=0.0319, GGT <0.0001, cholesterol: <0.0001).Conclusion: It has been shown from this study that prolonged daily consumption of coffee in many people it results increasing of levels of serum concentrations of the SGOT, SGPT, GGT and Cholesterol. It is observed that liver enzymes and cholesterol could be a target for caffeine or other components of coffee.

Changes in bacterial profile during amebiasis: demonstration of anaerobic bacteria in ALA pus samples

Little is known about the changes in gut resident flora during amebic colitis and amebic liver abscess (ALA) caused by Entamoeba histolytica infection. Fecal samples from ALA patients, from healthy E. histolytica negative and positive (asymptomatic) individuals, and from pre- and post-metronidazole-treated healthy volunteers and pus samples from ALA patients were tested for the presence of various bacterial genera using 16S rRNA-based primers. Statistically significant reduction in lactobacillus due to E. histolytica infection was observed in asymptomatic individuals and ALA patients. On the other hand, reduction in bacteroides, bifidobacterium, and clostridium in the same samples was due to metronidazole treatment. Two anaerobic genera, viz. bacteroides and peptostreptococcus, were detected in ALA pus samples, and this observation is unprecedented. In addition, PCR revealed metronidazole resistance genes in fecal and pus samples of metronidazole-treated individuals. Re-examination of the ameba-bacterium relationship in amebiasis is suggested

Serum butyrylcholinesterase in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a biochemical and bioinformatics approach

BACKGROUND: Butyrylcholinesterase is an enzyme that may serve as a marker of metabolic syndrome. We (a) measured its level in persons with diabetes mellitus, (b) constructed a family tree of the enzyme using nucleotide sequences downloaded from NCBI. Butyrylcholinesterase was estimated colorimetrically using a commercially available kit (Randox Lab, UK). Phylogenetic trees were constructed by distance method (Fitch and Margoliash method) and by maximum parsimony method. RESULTS: There was a negative correlation between serum total cholesterol and butyrylcholinesterase (-0.407; p < 0.05) and between serum LDL cholesterol and butyrylcholinesterase (-0.435; p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant correlation among the other biochemical parameters. In the evolutionary tree construction both methods gave similar trees, except for an inversion in the position of Sus scrofa (M62778) and Oryctolagus cuniculus (M62779) between Fitch and Margoliash, and maximum parsimony methods. CONCLUSION: The level of butyrylcholinesterase enzyme was inversely related to serum cholesterol; dendrogram showed that the structures from evolutionarily close species were placed near each other

A nutrigenetic approach to investigate the relationship between metabolic traits and vitamin D status in an Asian Indian population

Studies in Asian Indians have examined the association of metabolic traits with vitamin D status. However, findings have been quite inconsistent. Hence, we aimed to explore the relationship between metabolic traits and 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations. We investigate whether this relationship was modified by lifestyle factors using a nutrigenetic approach in 545 Asian Indians randomly selected from the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study (219 normal glucose tolerant individuals, 151 with pre-diabetes and 175 individuals with type 2 diabetes). A metabolic genetic risk score (GRS) was developed using five common metabolic disease-related genetic variants. There was a significant interaction between metabolic GRS and carbohydrate intake (energy%) on 25(OH)D (Pinteraction = 0.047). Individuals consuming a low carbohydrate diet (≤62%) and those having lesser number of metabolic risk alleles (GRS ≤ 1) had significantly higher levels of 25(OH)D (p = 0.033). Conversely, individuals consuming a high carbohydrate diet despite having lesser number of risk alleles did not show a significant increase in 25(OH)D (p = 0.662). In summary, our findings show that individuals carrying a smaller number of metabolic risk alleles are likely to have higher 25(OH)D levels if they consume a low carbohydrate diet. These data support the current dietary carbohydrate recommendations of 50%–60% energy suggesting that reduced metabolic genetic risk increases 25(OH)D

Anesthesia Management in an Edentulous Patient with Huge Parotid Tumour: Case Report

Huge head and neck tumors are known to cause difficult ventilation and difficult intubation. Edentulous mouth can result in difficult mask ventilation. Head and neck tumor resections can also present hemodynamic challenge, due to their proximity to large vessels. We herein report a clinical case of difficult ventilation due to large parotid tumor in an edentulous patient

Evidence for the association between FTO gene variants and vitamin B12 concentrations in an Asian Indian population

Background Low vitamin B12 concentrations have been associated with major clinical outcomes, including adiposity, in Indian populations. The Fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) is an established obesity-susceptibility locus; however, it remains unknown whether it influences vitamin B12 status. Hence, we investigated the association of two previously studied FTO polymorphisms with vitamin B12 concentrations and metabolic disease-related outcomes and examined whether these associations were modified by dietary factors and physical activity. Methods A total of 176 individuals with type 2 diabetes, 152 with pre-diabetes, and 220 normal glucose-tolerant individuals were randomly selected from the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study. Anthropometric, clinical, and biochemical investigations, which included body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, vitamin B12, homocysteine, and folic acid were measured. A validated food frequency questionnaire was used for dietary assessment and self-reported physical activity measures were collected. An unweighted genetic risk score (GRS) was calculated for two FTO single-nucleotide polymorphisms (rs8050136 and rs2388405) by summation of the number of risk alleles for obesity. Interaction analyses were performed by including the interaction terms in the regression model. Results The GRS was significantly associated with increased BMI (P = 0.009) and risk of obesity (P = 0.023). Individuals carrying more than one risk allele for the GRS had 13.13% lower vitamin B12 concentrations, compared to individuals carrying zero risk alleles (P = 0.018). No associations between the GRS and folic acid and homocysteine concentrations were observed. Furthermore, no statistically significant GRS-diet or GRS-physical activity interactions with vitamin B12, folic acid, homocysteine or metabolic-disease outcomes were observed. Conclusion The study shows for the first time that a genetic risk score using two FTO SNPs is associated with lower vitamin B12 concentrations; however, we did not identify any evidence for the influence of lifestyle factors on this association. Further replication studies in larger cohorts are warranted to investigate the association between the GRS and vitamin B12 concentrations

Assessing village-level carbon balance due to greenhouse gas mitigation interventions using EX-ACT model

Under National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) project, a range of climate smart agricultural practices were evaluated with on-farm demonstrations during 2011–2013 in eight climatically vulnerable villages of Andhra Pradesh, India. Proven climate smart practices viz residue recycling, soil, water and nutrient management, afforestation and feeding + breeding practices in livestock were implemented in annual and perennial crops, irrigated rice, horticulture, fodder, forestry and livestock. An EX-ante carbon-balance tool (EX-ACT) developed by the FAO was used with a combination of various climate smart interventions to know the mitigation potentials in eight climatically vulnerable villages of Andhra Pradesh, India. Based on our observations, EX-ACT model had shown that these practices were effective to mitigate CO2 emissions apart from enhancing soil productivity. In Nacharam, Yagantipalli, Sirusuwada and Matsyapuri villages, climate smart practices implemented in annual crops along with crop residue recycling, crop and water management practices resulted in negative carbon (C) balance by −16,410, −8851, −7271 and −6125 t CO2 e, respectively. The EX-ACT model predicted positive carbon balance with irrigated module in the rice-growing villages of Sirusuwada and Matsyapuri villages. The negative values suggest a sink, and positive values a source for CO2 emissions. In Chamaluru village, although there were CO2 emissions (source) due to livestock and non-forest and land use changes, there was a carbon sink due to other activities as predicted by the model. The results suggested that various climatic smart practices at the village level were successful in creating net sink of CO2 emissions (t CO2 e)