HIGH-FAT DIET-INDUCED OXIDATIVE STRESS AND ITS IMPACT ON METABOLIC SYNDROME: A REVIEW

ABSTRACTEnvironmental factors such as high saturated fat content in a diet affect pro- and antioxidative balances in metabolic tissues. High-dietary fat intakepromotes the development of obesity and metabolic disorders in humans and rodents as a result of disproportion between energy intake and energyexpenditure. The dreaded events of high-fat diet (HFD) are obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular anarchy, Type II diabetes,infertility, and even cancer. HFD - induced systemic oxidative stress insults an imbalance between oxidants derivatives production and antioxidantsdefenses. Reactive oxygen species are mostly reasoned to be detrimental for health. Many evidences regarding HFD - elicited oxidative stress gatheredover the past few years based on established correlations of biomarkers or end-products of free-radical-mediated oxidative stress. The hypothesisthat oxidative stress plays a prodigious role in the development of metabolic disorders, especially insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, cardiovasculardisease or hepatic steatosis, and steatohepatitis. In this review, we elucidated the mechanistic links between HFD - induced oxidative stress and itsimpact on metabolic complications development.Keywords: Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, Complications, High-fat diet, Metabolic syndrome, Oxidative stress

Effects of yoga in modifying blood pressure in patients of type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background: The incidence of diabetes mellitus is increasing with the increase in unhealthy dietary habits, physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyle. Hypertension complicated with diabetes further aggravates the problem. Yoga has been found to be helpful in delaying the progression and complications of the disease. The present study was undertaken with an aim to evaluate the effect of yoga in modifying blood pressure in patients of diabetes mellitus.Methods: Thirty patients of diabetes mellitus who were known case of hypertension were taken and their fasting and post-prandial blood glucose levels, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and waist circumference were analysed before and after ninety days of yoga in the department of physiology and biochemistry.Results: Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, waist circumference and fasting and post-prandial blood glucose level showed significant reduction (p value <0.05).Conclusions: This study emphasizes the importance of yoga in the control and management of type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension

Oncogenic human papilloma virus and cervical pre-cancerous lesions in brothel-based sex workers in India

Summary: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in brothel-based sex workers of West Bengal, Eastern India, to determine their oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) status and the presence of pre-cancerous lesions. A total of 229 sex workers from three districts of West Bengal participated in the study. All the study participants were interviewed with the aid of a pre-tested questionnaire to determine their sociodemographics, risk behaviour and risk perceptions after obtaining informed verbal consent. The interview was followed by collection of cervical cells from all participants using a disposable vaginal speculum and cervical cytobrush. Oncogenic HPV DNA was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A simultaneous Papanicolaou test (‘Pap smear’) was performed to detect cervical cytological abnormalities. Overall, the prevalence of oncogenic HPV was found to be 25% (58/229) among the studied population. A subset (n = 112) of the sample was tested separately to determine the existence and magnitude of HPV genotypes 16 and 18. The results showed that genotype 16 was prevalent in 10% (11/112), genotype 18 in 7% (8/112) and both genotype 16 and 18 in 7% (8/112). The HPV prevalence rate showed a decreasing trend with age, being 71.4% in the 10–19 years age group, 32.3% in the 20–29 years age group, 18.3% in the 30–39 years age group and 2.5% in the ≥40 years age group (statistically significant differences, P ≤ 0.00001). Considering the duration of sex work, oncogenic HPV prevalence was found to be 55% (n = 21) and 19% (n = 35) in sex workers with a sex working duration of ≤1 year and >1 year, respectively. This difference was found to be statistically significant both by univariate and multivariate analysis. In this study, it was observed that sex workers with an average number of daily clients of six or more had an HPV prevalence of 67% (n = 6), those with four to five clients had a prevalence of 45% (n = 9), those with two to three clients had a prevalence of 30% (n = 34) and those with one or less clients had a prevalence of 10% (n = 9) (statistically significant differences, P = 0.00003). Multivariate analysis showed a statistical association only with a duration of sex work of ≤1 year [odds ratio (OR) = 3.3; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4–7.6] and daily income of Rupees (Rp) ≥101 (OR = 2.5; 95% CI 1.3–5). Regarding pre-cancerous lesions, 2 of 229 sex workers showed the presence of a low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion along with high-risk HPV. Thus, 1% of the studied population suffer from a pre-cancerous lesion caused by high-risk HPV. This study concludes that young sex workers are particularly vulnerable to high-risk HPV, similar to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The observation of older sex workers relatively free from HPV supports the view of acquired immunity against HPV, which needs to be studied in-depth further. There is a need for a suitable community-based intervention programme targeted towards sex workers, with special reference to younger sex workers, for control and prevention of HPV and cervical cancer. Vaccination against HPV for newly entrant sex workers may be an important component for a successful intervention programme. Keywords: Human papillomavirus, Oncogenic HPV, Sex workers, India, Risk factors, Cervicitis, Cervical pre-cancerous lesion, ST

ICON-P – A double-blind evaluation of quality improvements with individualized CONstraints from low-cost knowledge-based radiation therapy planning in prostate cancer

Purpose: /Objective(S)A low-cost, prior knowledge-based individualized dose-constraint generator for organs-at-risk has been developed for prostate cancer radiation therapy (RT) planning. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the feasibility and improvements in organs-at-risk (OAR) doses in prostate cancer RT planning using this tool served on a web application. Materials And Methods: A set of previously treated prostate cancer cases planned and treated with generic constraints were replanned using individualized dose constraints derived from a library of cases with similar volumes of target, OAR, and overlap regions and served on the web-based application. The goal was to assess the reduction in mean dose, specified dose volumes (V59Gy, V56Gy, V53Gy, V47Gy, and V40Gy), and generalized equivalent uniform dose (gEUD) to the rectum and bladder. Planners and assessors were blinded to the initial achieved doses and penalties. Sample size estimation was based on improvement in V53Gy for the rectum and bladder with a paired evaluation. Results: Twenty-four patients were replanned. All the plans had a PTV D95 of at least 97% of the prescribed dose. The individualized OAR constraints could be met for 87.5% of patients for all dose levels. The mean dose, V59Gy, V53Gy, and V47Gy for the bladder was reduced by 7.5 Gy, 1.12%, 5.51%, and 10.53% respectively. Similarly for the rectum, the mean dose, V59Gy, V53Gy, V47Gy and was reduced by 5.5 Gy, 4.34%, 6.97%, and 11.61% respectively. All dose reductions were statistically significant. The gEUD of the bladder was reduced by 2.47 Gy (p < 0.001) and the rectum by 3.21 Gy (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Treatment planning based on individualized dose constraints served on a web application is feasible and leads to improvement at clinically important dose volumes in prostate cancer RT planning. This application can be served publicly for improvements in RT plan quality