Sensitivity of various skinfold sites to fat deposition in adolescent daughters and their mothers

The present study comprised of 412 adolescent daughters at a yearly intervals from age 11 through 17 years and their mothers who volunteered as subjects. All the subjects belonged to Punjabi speaking Khatri, an endogamous population residing in Delhi, India. A set of five skinfold thickness: biceps, triceps, subscapular, suprailiac and medial calf along with body weight and stature were taken on all the subjects to report the pattern of subcutaneous fat distribution and responsiveness of different skinfold sites to fat deposition with variation in total body fat content. An increase in body mass index (bmi) with age in the present sample with a concurrent increase in the grand mean thickness (GMT) is due to relative increase in fatness. All the skinfold thicknesses, indices of fatness, profile of subcutaneous fat accumulation and sensitivity of each skinfold site showed an increasing fat deposition on trunkal region than on extremities. It was noticed that subscapular site as the most sensitive site followed by triceps and biceps towards fat deposition. The differential rate of fat deposition at various sites in different age groups explains the difference in morphological feature in them

Age, Nutrition, and Bone Metabolism: Analyses of Effects Using a Short-Term In Vivo Bone Model

The preventative effects of dietary calcium, zinc, and vitamin D metabolites on the net loss of bone were assessed using rats of different ages. Biochemical changes were monitored in femurs, humeri, mandibles, scapulas, and tibias. In addition femora were sectioned into epiphyses-metaphyses and diaphyses to evaluate nutritional influences on the trabecular and cortical type bone. since measurable bone degradation due to aging and nutritional status requires long period of time, a short-term in vivo system was developed to simultaneously examine bone formation and resorption. The system consisted of subcutaneous implantation of demineralized (DB) and mineralized (MB) bone powders. There was evidence of bone formation and resorption in the DB and MB implants respectively, as assessed by marker enzyme (formation-alkaline phosphatase; resorption-acid phosphatase) activities, mineral concentrations, radioisotope incorporation, and histological studies. The results indicated that several different bone samples are required to adequately predict changes occurring in the skeletal system. The epiphysesmetaphyses of long bone is a useful sample site examining changes occurring in trabecular bone while the diaphysis can assess cortical bone status. There was decreased bone formation and resorption as assessed by alkaline and acid phosphatase activity in the MB and DB implants in the 24 month-old rats as compared to 2 month-old rats. Dietary calcium and zinc levels did not affect the overall status of the bones and implants in the aged rats. Conversely, in 2 month-old rats dietary calcium at 1.0% stimulated bone formation in the DB implant, whereas 0.2% calcium increased bone resorption in the MB implants. Furthermore, 75 ng dietary 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (l,25(OH) 2 D) per day increased resorption in MB implant and inhibited mineralization of DB implants in the young rats. Dietary zinc at 300 ppm reduced bone calcification in 2 month-old. The results of these studies indicated that neither high levels of dietary calcium, nor zinc, act as prophylaxes to counteract bone loss due to aging. The dietary use of l,25(OH) 2 D in old animals needs to be investigated further, since results in young animals are contradictory with reports in older rats

Uric acid levels in chronic kidney disease- a hospital based cross-sectional study in RIMS, Ranchi, Jharkhand

Background: Uric acid is the final end product of purine metabolism and is excreted mainly by proximal tubules of the kidney. Raised uric acid levels may lead to proximal tubular injury, endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress and intra renal inflammation in patients with normal renal function. Uric acid has been deemed as an independent risk factor for progression of CKD. Aim was to study the uric acid levels in different stages of chronic kidney disease and its association with age, sex and other co-morbidities.Methods: 140 patients of chronic kidney disease admitted in RIMS, Ranchi were included in this study and their serum uric acid level were analyzed. Uric acid level more than 7 mg/dl was considered as hyperuricemia. The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India. Informed consent was taken from every patient included in the study.Results: Median age±SD was 55±13.47 years (IQR: 45,65; Range: 19-80). Mean±SD uric acid levels in stage 3 CKD was 4.4±1.9 mg/dl, stage 4 CKD was 6.5±4.1 mg/dl, stage 5 CKD was 8.8±3.1 mg/dl (p<0.05). Females were 31.4% and males were 69.6%. Male to female ratio was 2.2:1. The prevalence of hyperuricemia was 50% in females and 66.6% in males.Conclusions: Hyperuricemia is common among CKD patients and more common among males. Uric acid levels increase with progressive decline in eGFR. Monitoring and follow-up of such patients by may lead to delay in onset and progression of complications of CKD

Relationship between nutritional status, respiratory performance and age : study among Tangkhul Naga females of Northeast India

The study aims to examine relationship between nutritional status, respiratory performance and age. Cross-sectional study was carried out among 346 Tangkhul Naga females of Northeast India, ranging in age from 20-70 years. Height, weight, body mass index (BMI), breath holding time, chest expansivity and dynamic lung function tests like forced expiratory volume in one second, force vital capacity, forced expiratory ratio and peak expiratory flow rate were studied. The results showed that both low and high BMI were associated with poor lung functions, and showed inverse relationship. Subjects with normal BMI had better respiratory efficiency as compared to underweight, overweight/obese subjects. Age plays an important role in structural and functional change. BMI and lung functions were also associated with age. BMI increased with advancing age till middle age. Values of FEV 1.0, FVC, FER, PEFR, BHT and CE declined with advancing age indicating negative association of respiratory performance with age. BMI was also independently associated with lung functions and age. Age and BMI were positively correlated, but both age and BMI has negative associations with respiratory performances. Nutritional disorder had negative impact on lung functions. Evaluating the effect of age and BMI on lung functions showed that ageing had greater impact on respiratory performance

Parent-Child Correlation for Various Indices of Adiposity in an Endogamous Indian Population

The study was conducted on 1,042 Punjabi adults and adolescent boys and girls (11–17 years) belonging to middle class families residing in Delhi, India. To study the relative influence of genetic and environmental factors on various fat measures, a set of 7 body measurements namely weight, stature and skinfold thickness at biceps, triceps, subscapular, suprailiac and medial calf measurements was taken on each subject. There was a redistribution of fat away from extremity towards the trunk, a rapid occurring process in males than in females. Increase in body mass index (BMI) with age was more pronounced in females than in males, both at adolescence and adult stage. There was an increase in grand mean thickness (GMT) calculated as mean of all five skinfold thicknesses, in adolescent girls where as in adolescent boys it fluctuated with age. The trunk/extremity ratios reflected a trend in favor of increase in trunk fat, more marked in boys than in girls. The correlations were of low magnitude, however, some skin folds displayed relatively higher value of correlation indicating that these could be determinant of adult obesity

A case of drug induced dizziness in a patient on anti-Parkinson drugs

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common age-related neurodegenerative disease, exceeded only by Alzheimer’s disease. Clinically, PD is characterized by resting tremor, rigidity (stiffness), bradykinesia (slowing), and gait dysfunction with postural instability. These are known as the classical or “cardinal” features of the disease. Levodopa remains the most effective symptomatic treatment for PD and the gold standard against which new therapies are compared. Levodopa is routinely administered in combination with a peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor to prevent its peripheral metabolism to dopamine and the development of nausea, vomiting, and orthostatic hypotension. The major concern with levodopa is that chronic levodopa treatment is associated with the development of motor complications, nausea and dizziness in the large majority of patients. We are here reporting a case of Syndopa plus (Levodopa+Carbidopa) induced dizziness in a 76 years old male patient on anti- parkinsonism treatment. The causality assessment was done by Naranjo scale. The causality of Syndopa plus in the case was “probable” as per Naranjo scale. The patient was managed by reducing the dose of Syndopa plus to the half of it’s initial dose. The case was recorded properly in adverse drug reaction reporting form and was sent to nearby ADR (adverse drug reaction) monitoring centre

Immunosuppressive drugs in renal transplantation

A kidney transplant, sometimes known as a renal transplant, is the treatment of choice for kidney failure at end stage renal disease (ESRD). The renal transplant surgery is followed by a lifetime course of immunosuppressive agents, divided into initial induction phase and later maintenance phase. It is seen that the risk of acute rejection is maximum in the initial months after transplantation (induction phase) and then reduces later (maintenance phase). In induction phase there is use of high-intensity immunosuppression immediately after transplantation, when the risk of rejection is maximum and then the dose reduced for long- term therapy. The main challenge in the renal transplantation community is long- term transplant survival. Long-term graft loss is mainly due to acute and chronic graft rejection, and also due to complications of immunosuppressive therapy. Currently, there is triple therapy as conventional immunosuppressive protocol: a calcineurin inhibitor, an antimetabolite agent, and a corticosteroid. The main aim of development of new immunosuppressive agents is not only improvement of short- term outcomes but also to increase the long- term graft survival by less nephrotoxicity, and minimal side-effects

Misplaced Trust: Measuring the Interference of Machine Learning in Human Decision-Making

ML decision-aid systems are increasingly common on the web, but their successful integration relies on people trusting them appropriately: they should use the system to fill in gaps in their ability, but recognize signals that the system might be incorrect. We measured how people's trust in ML recommendations differs by expertise and with more system information through a task-based study of 175 adults. We used two tasks that are difficult for humans: comparing large crowd sizes and identifying similar-looking animals. Our results provide three key insights: (1) People trust incorrect ML recommendations for tasks that they perform correctly the majority of the time, even if they have high prior knowledge about ML or are given information indicating the system is not confident in its prediction; (2) Four different types of system information all increased people's trust in recommendations; and (3) Math and logic skills may be as important as ML for decision-makers working with ML recommendations.Comment: 10 page

Nutritional assessment of rural children (6–12 years) of north bihar: A cross-sectional study

Objective: Malnutrition is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality among children and adolescent throughout the world. The present study was undertaken to assess the nutritional status in terms of the prevalence of stunting and thinness among rural children of North Bihar. Methods: The present community-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 1263 rural children (674 male and 589 female) with the age group of 6–12 years, during the period from January 2018 to March 2018. Age was recorded in completed year; height and weight were measured in centimeter and kilogram, respectively. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated using standard equation. Results: The nutritional status in terms of the prevalence of stunting and thinness was found to be 18.2% and 23.8%, respectively, among studied children. Stunting was significantly higher among girls (23.1%) in comparison to boys (13.9%). BMI was significantly associated with age, socioeconomic status and mother’s literacy. Conclusions: Anthropometric assessment indicates that the malnutrition is still a major problem among children (6–12 years) of North Bihar. The major factors identified for this problem is illiteracy of mother and socioeconomic status of the family