Association between aortic sclerosis and coronary artery disease

Background: Although there is a recognized link between cardiovascular hazards and coronary artery disease (CAD), it is still unknown whether aortic sclerosis and CAD are linked.Objective: This study aimed to check whether if there is a link between aortic sclerosis and the existence and severity of coronary artery disease .Patients and methods: 204 individuals were enrolled in the study, transthoracic echocardiographic, and coronary angiography were done. Aortic leaflets were tested for the amount of thickness in the short axis view. The involvement of coronary arteries represented by the gensini score and the association between aortic valve sclerosis score and the degree and severity of coronary affection was investigated using the Gensini score.Results: The individuals were divided into 2 groups grounded on the severity of aortic valve sclerosis. Group A (GP A) included patients with aortic valve sclerosis (AVS) ≥ 2 and group B (GP B) included patients with AVS < 2. In GP A, the right coronary cusp was the most afflicted one, whereas the LAD was the most affected in coronaries. The degree and severity of CAD were more significant in GP A, as evidenced by a higher Gensini score value of 39.27 versus 28.84 in GP B.Conclusion: AVS has been found to be correlated with the presence and severity of CAD and could be used as a potential surrogate marker for the illness

Influence of Effective Microorganisms on Qualities of Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) Grown on Tropical Loam Soil

The use of Effective Microorganism (EM) consortium along with compost may overcome the harmful effects caused by chemical fertilizer while improving the nutritional quality of crops. The study aimed to determining the influence of compost inoculated with EM on the nutritional qualities of tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) grown in tropical loam soil.  Four sets of treated loamy soils was experimented. The treatments were the compost without EM (C); compost containing effective microorganisms (EM); compost containing effective microorganisms with chicken manure (CEM) and urea as mineral fertilizer (M). Tomatoes were harvested randomly after matured and kept in plastic bag and immediately transferred to the laboratory for analysis of beta-carotene, vitamin C and brix contents.  The results shows that tomatoes planted with EM inoculated compost have relatively higher level of β-Carotene (7.76µg/100g), Brix (4.9%), and vitamin C (77.55mg/100g) compared with those from mineral 4.01µg/100g, 4.8%, and 3.83mg/100g respectively. This is likely reflect the efficiency of organic nature decomposition of EM compost over mineral fertilizers. We may therefore conclude that EM compost can be applied to supersede chemical fertilizer to promote sustainable and environmentally friendly tomatoes agriculture. Keywords: Beta-carotene, Brix, Compost, Effective microorganisms, Vitamin C

Corneal nerves in health and disease

The cornea is the most sensitive structure in the human body. Corneal nerves adapt to maintain transparency and contribute to corneal health by mediating tear secretion and protective reflexes and provide trophic support to epithelial and stromal cells. The nerves destined for the cornea travel from the trigeminal ganglion in a complex and coordinated manner to terminate between and within corneal epithelial cells with which they are intricately integrated in a relationship of mutual support involving neurotrophins and neuromediators. The nerve terminals/receptors carry sensory impulses generated by mechanical, pain, cold and chemical stimuli. Modern imaging modalities have revealed a range of structural abnormalities such as attrition of nerves in neurotrophic keratopathy and post-penetrating keratoplasty; hyper-regeneration in keratoconus; decrease of sub-basal plexus with increased stromal nerves in bullous keratopathy and changes such as thickening, tortuosity, coiling and looping in a host of conditions including post corneal surgery. Functionally, symptoms of hyperaesthesia, pain, hypoaesthesia and anaesthesia dominate. Morphology and function do not always correlate. Symptoms can dominate in the absence of any visible nerve pathology and vice-versa. Sensory and trophic functions too can be dissociated with pre-ganglionic lesions causing sensory loss despite preservation of the sub-basal nerve plexus and minimal neurotrophic keratopathy. Structural and/or functional nerve anomalies can be induced by corneal pathology and conversely, nerve pathology can drive inflammation and corneal pathology. Improvements in accuracy of assessing sensory function and imaging nerves in vivo will reveal more information on the cause and effect relationship between corneal nerves and corneal diseases

Sensitivity, specificity of biochemical markers for early prediction of endothelial dysfunction in atherosclerotic obese subjects

Background: The obesity increased incidence of diabetes, hypertension and atherosclerosis and rate of morbidity and mortality. The main cause of atherosclerosis is endothelial dysfunction and formation of foam cells and macrophage that lead to unfavorable complications. This study evaluated specific biomarkers for endothelial dysfunction as sensitive indices for early predication of atherosclerosis in obese subjects. Study Design: One hundred fifty male age and sex matching were included in the current study divided into three groups according to body mass index (BMI): Control (BMI ≤ 22), obese (BMI> 28) and obese with atherosclerosis (BMI> 28). Fasting serum was subjected for determination of adhesion molecules, sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, E-selectin, oxo-LDL and 8-iso-PGF2α by ELISA technique. Results: Data obtained showed that, a significant elevation of serum inflammatory markers CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α and adhesion molecules sICAM-1 (p<0.001) with sensitivity 96%, sVCAM-1 (p <0.01) with sensitivity 92%, E-selectin (p<0.001) with sensitivity 94%, oxo-LDL (p <0.05) and 8-iso-PGF2α (p < 0.001) with sensitivity 97% in obese with atherosclerosis compared with obese and control. Conclusion: The levels of serum adhesion molecules contributed in the pathogenesis of endothelial dysfunction can be used as sensitive biomarkers for early prediction of atherosclerosis in obese subjects. Keywords: Obesity; atherosclerosis; endothelial dysfunction

Validation of tuna Potential Fishing Zone advisories of Lakshadweep with a note on tuna habitat preferences and biology

Validation of tuna Potential Fishing Zone advisories of Lakshadweep with a note on tuna habitat preferences and biolog

Indian tuna fishery - production trend during yesteryears and scope for the future

Fishery for tuna and tuna like fishes in the country has been in vogue from time immemorial and presently involves fishery by coastal based fleets of varying specifications with different craft-gear combinations and longline fishery by large oceanic fishing vessels. The former undertakes short duration fishing trips and exploit mainly surface tunas in the outer shelf and adjacent oceanic waters. The tuna landings though nominal during 1950-2005, registered a continuous increase over the years from a minimum of 848 t (1951) to 46,334 t (2000). With the introduction of targeted fishing for oceanic tunas during 2005-‘06, the landings improved and reached the maximum of 129,801 t in 2008. The fishery was supported by nine species, five coastal/neritic species and four oceanic species. Coastal tunas formed 57% of the tuna catch during 2006-’10 and was represented by the little tuna (Euthynnus affinis), frigate tuna (Auxis thazard), bullet tuna (Auxis rochei), longtail tuna (Thunnus tonggol) and bonito (Sarda orientalis). The oceanic species, which formed 43% of tuna catch, were yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares), skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis), dogtooth tuna (Gymnosarda unicolor) and bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus). Information collected from different sources suggested that longliners operating in Indian EEZ and adjacent international waters caught around 87,000 t of tuna annually during 2006-'10. Catch was supported by three species dominated by yellowfin tuna and small proportion of big-eye and dogtooth tuna. Since fishery by coastal based units restricted to small areas and share of the catch by longliners from EEZ are not clearly known, systematic assessment of tuna stock in Indian EEZ is very difficult. However, the evaluation of the fishery scenario indicated only limited scope for improving tuna production from certain areas of coastal waters; whereas enormous scope remain for increasing tuna production from the oceanic waters of EEZ. However, since tunas being straddling resources shared by several nations, exploitation at one area will influence the fishery in other areas

Fishery, biology and stock structure of skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus, 1758) exploited from Indian waters

Global catches of skipjack tuna have been steadily increasing since 1951, reaching a peak in 2009 at 25, 99,681 t (Fig.1). Most of the catches were reported from the fishing areas 71, 51, 61 and 34 (FA0, 2011). Globally skipjack tuna is caught at the surface, mostly with purse seines and pole and lines and to a small extent by gillnets, troll lines and longlines. Gears like purse-seine and very long gillnets enabled few nations to augment their production, whereas traditional pole and line nations suffered heavily