Study of renal functions in metabolic syndrome and its correlation with various parameters

Background: Metabolic syndrome includes a constellation of various metabolic abnormalities that have been associated with cardiovascular disease, stroke and all-cause mortality in the general population. It has now been established that it is also associated with renal dysfunction. This study was done to assess renal function in metabolic syndrome in Indian population as well as its correlation with different parameters of the metabolic syndrome.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a university hospital from 2014 - 2015. Renal functions were studied in 100 obese individuals, 50 with and 50 without metabolic syndrome after informed consent and the results were analysed.Results: 100 obese individuals, 50 with and 50 without metabolic syndrome were compared. All underwent a physical examination and relevant investigations. All parameters of renal function showed significant derangement in cases as compared to controls. 38 patients (76%) among the cases (N=50) of metabolic syndrome had altered renal functions versus 9 patients (18%) among controls (n=50). Individually, there was a significant correlation of altered renal function (reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate eGFR and presence of microalbuminuria) with fasting blood glucose and systolic blood pressure (p=0.001), diastolic pressure (p=0.003) and triglyceride levels (p=0.036). High density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels did not show a significant correlation.Conclusions: Obese individuals with metabolic syndrome have significant derangement of renal functions as compared to those without metabolic syndrome. Most parameters of the syndrome are also independently associated with alteration of renal functions

The effect of some ecological factors on the intestinal parasite loads of the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) in Southern India

Some ecological factors that might potentially influence intestinal parasite loads in the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus Linn.) were investigated in the Nilgiris, southern India. Fresh dung samples from identified animals were analysed, and the number of eggs/g of dung used as an index of parasite load. Comparisons across seasons and habitats revealed that parasite loads were significantly higher during the dry season than the wet season, but were not different between the dry-deciduous and dry-thorn forests in either season. After accounting for the effect of age on body condition, there was no correlation between body condition, assessed visually using morphological criteria, and parasite load in either season. Individuals of different elephant herds were not characterized by distinct parasite communities in either season. When intra-individual variation was examined, samples collected from the same individual within a day differed significantly in egg densities, while the temporal variation over several weeks or months (within a season) was much less. Egg densities within dung piles were uniform, enabling a simpler collection method henceforth

DNA methylation at the mu-1 opioid receptor gene (OPRM1) promoter predicts preoperative, acute, and chronic postsurgical pain after spine fusion.

INTRODUCTION:The perioperative pain experience shows great interindividual variability and is difficult to predict. The mu-1 opioid receptor gene (OPRM1) is known to play an important role in opioid-pain pathways. Since deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methylation is a potent repressor of gene expression, DNA methylation was evaluated at the OPRM1 promoter, as a predictor of preoperative, acute, and chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP). METHODS:A prospective observational cohort study was conducted in 133 adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis undergoing spine fusion under standard protocols. Data regarding pain, opioid consumption, anxiety, and catastrophizing (using validated questionnaires) were collected before and 2-3 months postsurgery. Outcomes evaluated were preoperative pain, acute postoperative pain (area under curve [AUC] for pain scores over 48 hours), and CPSP (numerical rating scale >3/10 at 2-3 months postsurgery). Blood samples collected preoperatively were analyzed for DNA methylation by pyrosequencing of 22 CpG sites at the OPRM1 gene promoter. The association of each pain outcome with the methylation percentage of each CpG site was assessed using multivariable regression, adjusting for significant (P<0.05) nongenetic variables. RESULTS:Majority (83%) of the patients reported no pain preoperatively, while CPSP occurred in 36% of the subjects (44/121). Regression on dichotomized preoperative pain outcome showed association with methylation at six CpG sites (1, 3, 4, 9, 11, and 17) (P<0.05). Methylation at CpG sites 4, 17, and 18 was associated with higher AUC after adjusting for opioid consumption and preoperative pain score (P<0.05). After adjusting for postoperative opioid consumption and preoperative pain score, methylation at CpG sites 13 and 22 was associated with CPSP (P<0.05). DISCUSSION:Novel CPSP biomarkers were identified in an active regulatory region of the OPRM1 gene that binds multiple transcription factors. Inhibition of binding by DNA methylation potentially decreases the OPRM1 gene expression, leading to a decreased response to endogenous and exogenous opioids, and an increased pain experience

Analysing Turnaround Time in Laboratory - A Key Performance Indicator

Background: Turnaround time (TAT) is one of the key indicators of performance of a laboratory. Laboratories define it as the time from the receipt of sample/ specimen to the reporting. A fast TAT helps clinicians in making early diagnosis.Aim: To determine the turnaround time (TAT) of the biochemistry laboratory with evaluation of the contribution of pre-analytical and analytical phase to the total TAT.Results: A total of 399 samples were analysed from three outpatient departments. Average pre-analytical turnaround time contribution was found to be higher as compared to the analytical time. Excess workload and delay in pneumatic shoot were the main causes of delay in pre-analytical phase.Conclusion: Improved turnaround time is the key to clinicians’ and patients’ better satisfaction with the laboratory. It can be attained by minimising the bottlenecks within the process

Reliability Based Priority Allocation of Contingencies in a Complex Power System Network

Power system network consists ofsynchronous generators, transmission lines, shunt capacitors, transformers and loads. The reliability of a complete system depends on individual components reliability performance. Reliability study of a network deals with the interruptions of network. The failure of components depends on whether conditions, ageing effects, other components failure and parameter limit violation. The effect of failure on reliability performance of a system is different for every contingency. The only probability of a failure of a component does not decide the severity of failure on the power system but also depends on the rating of component. In this paper, the state probability and severity index due to the failure of each component of a thirty bus interconnected power system network is calculated and then the reliability performance based priority of contingency is investigated

SK2 channels are required for function and long-term survival of efferent synapses on mammalian outer hair cells

Cochlear hair cells use SK2 currents to shape responses to cholinergic efferent feedback from the brain. Using SK2-/- mice, we demonstrate that, in addition to their previously defined role in modulating hair cell membrane potentials, SK2 channels are necessary for long-term survival of olivocochlear fibers and synapses. Loss of the SK2 gene also results in loss of electrically driven olivocochlear effects in vivo, and down regulation of ryanodine receptors involved in calcium-induced calcium release, the main inducer of nAChR evoked SK2 activity. Generation of double-null mice lacking both the α10 nAChR gene, loss of which results in hypertrophied olivocochlear terminals, and the SK2 gene, recapitulates the SK2-/- synaptic phenotype and gene expression, and also leads to down regulation of α9 nAChR gene expression. The data suggest a hierarchy of activity necessary to maintain early olivocochlear synapses at their targets, with SK2 serving an epistatic, upstream, role to the nAChRs.Fil: Murthy, Vidya. Tufts University; Estados UnidosFil: Maison, Stéphane F.. Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary; Estados Unidos. Harvard Medical School; Estados UnidosFil: Taranda, Julian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; Argentina. Tufts University; Estados UnidosFil: Haque, Nadeem. University of Notre Dame; Estados UnidosFil: Bond, Chris T.. Oregon Health Sciences University; Estados UnidosFil: Elgoyhen, Ana Belen. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; ArgentinaFil: Adelman, John P.. Oregon Health Sciences University; Estados UnidosFil: Liberman, M. Charles. Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary; Estados Unidos. Harvard Medical School; Estados UnidosFil: Vetter, Douglas E.. Tufts University; Estados Unido

Structure of a bacterial type IV secretion core complex at subnanometre resolution

Type IV secretion (T4S) systems are able to transport DNAs and/or proteins through the membranes of bacteria. They form large multiprotein complexes consisting of 12 proteins termed VirB1-11 and VirD4. VirB7, 9 and 10 assemble into a 1.07 MegaDalton membrane-spanning core complex (CC), around which all other components assemble. This complex is made of two parts, the O-layer inserted in the outer membrane and the I-layer inserted in the inner membrane. While the structure of the O-layer has been solved by X-ray crystallography, there is no detailed structural information on the I-layer. Using high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy and molecular modelling combined with biochemical approaches, we determined the I-layer structure and located its various components in the electron density. Our results provide new structural insights on the CC, from which the essential features of T4S system mechanisms can be derived

Prognosis of Diabetes Mellitus using Machine Learning Techniques

Diabetes mellitus is a condition caused due to increase in blood glucose level. More than 90% of people are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes disease,T2D is a fast-growing, chronic disease caused by the imbalance in insulin function. Diabetes is a now the leading cause of heart disease, stroke, blindness, non-traumatic limb amputations and end-stage renal failure. Early detection may take a step towards keeping diabetes patients healthy and it also reduces the risk of such serious complications. Nowadays, the application of Machine learning in the medical field is gradually increasing. This can aid in improving the classification system used for disease diagnosis, that assist medical experts in detecting the fatal diseases at an early stage. This paper presents a performance comparison of the machine learning algorithms in diabetes detection. Techniques like SVM, Random forest, Gradient Boosting, Navie Bayes, Logistic regressionand KNN are used in this work

CLOZAPINE-INDUCED DIABETIC KETOACIDOSIS: A CASE REPORT

 The objective of this study was to report a case of a person with psychiatric illness treated with clozapine presented with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). A clinical monitoring was done on a 38-year-old Indian man affected by schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type presented with DKA after 3 months of clozapine therapy (250 mg/day). After treatment of DKA and discontinuation of clozapine, the patient improved symptomatically, his blood sugar levels normalized and insulin requirements also decreased. This report thus highlights that clinicians should be vigilant about the potential risk of new-onset diabetes and DKA in patients taking clozapine and utilize appropriate clinical and laboratory monitoring early in the course of treatment to prevent serious adverse effects