Serum magnesium levels in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus and its relation with microvascular complications of diabetes

Background: Prevalence of hypomagnesaemia is significantly higher in diabetic patients with microvascular complications compared to diabetics with no microvascular complications. The aim of this study is to measure levels of serum magnesium in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus and study its association with the presenting microvascular complications.Methods: This was hospital based, one year cross-sectional study carried out in Department of Medicine, IGMC Shimla in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus. Total 53 patients were enrolled in this study who presented in medicine OPD or admitted in medicine ward.Results: Serum Magnesium value of the patients ranged from 1.20-3.0 mg/dl with mean value of 1.9±0.3 mg/dl. Fourteen patients (26.4%) had hypomagnesaemia. A total of 34 (64.2%) patients presented with complications of diabetes in which proteinuria was present in 34 (64.2%), retinopathy in 4 (7.5%) and neuropathy in 1 (1.9%). Fourteen (41.2%) patients with hypomagnesaemia presented with complications of diabetes (p value=0.003). 34 (64.2%) patients presented with proteinuria out of which 14 (41.2%) patients had hypomagnesaemia while 20 (58.8%) had normomagnesaemia (p=0.03). One (1.9%) patient had neuropathy and hypomagnesaemia was also present in this patient (p=0.6). Four patients (7.5%) presented with retinopathy out of which 3 (5.7%) had hypomagnesaemia while 1 (1.9%) had normomagnesaemia.Conclusions: Hypomagnesaemia is associated with microvascular complications of diabetes. Also there is statistically significant relationship between proteinuria and hypomagnesaemia in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus

Label-free surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy-linked immunosensor assay (SLISA) for environmental surveillance

The contamination of the environment, accidental or intentional, in particular with chemical toxins such as industrial chemicals and chemical warfare agents has increased public fear. There is a critical requirement for the continuous detection of toxins present at very low levels in the environment. Indeed, some ultra-sensitive analytical techniques already exist, for example chromatography and mass spectroscopy, which are approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency for the detection of toxins. However, these techniques are limited to the detection of known toxins. Cellular expression of genomic and proteomic biomarkers in response to toxins allows monitoring of known as well as unknown toxins using Polymerase Chain Reaction and Enzyme Linked Immunosensor Assays. However, these molecular assays allow only the endpoint (extracellular) detection and use labels such as fluorometric, colorimetric and radioactive, which increase chances of uncertainty in detection. Additionally, they are time, labor and cost intensive. These technical limitations are unfavorable towards the development of a biosensor technology for continuous detection of toxins. Federal agencies including the Departments of Homeland Security, Agriculture, Defense and others have urged the development of a detect-to-protect class of advanced biosensors, which enable environmental surveillance of toxins in resource-limited settings. In this study a Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) immunosensor, aka a SERS-linked immunosensor assay (SLISA), has been developed. Colloidal silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were used to design a flexible SERS immunosensor. The SLISA proof-of-concept biosensor was validated by the measurement of a dose dependent expression of RAD54 and HSP70 proteins in response to H2O2 and UV. A prototype microchip, best suited for SERS acquisition, was fabricated using an on-chip SLISA to detect RAD54 expression in response to H2O2. A dose-response relationship between H2O2 and RAD54 is established and correlated with EPA databases, which are established for human health risk assessment in the events of chemical exposure. SLISA outperformed ELISA by allowing RISE (rapid, inexpensive, simple and effective) detection of proteins within 2 hours and 3 steps. It did not require any label and provided qualitative information on antigen-antibody binding. SLISA can easily be translated to a portable assay using a handheld Raman spectrometer and it can be used in resource-limited settings. Additionally, this is the first report to deliver Ag NPs using TATHA2, a fusogenic peptide with cell permeability and endosomal rupture release properties, for rapid and high levels of Ag NPs uptake into yeast without significant toxicity, prerequisites for the development of the first intracellular SERS immunosensor

Security Algorithms for Cloud Computing

AbstractWith growing awareness and concerns regards to Cloud Computing and Information Security, there is growing awareness and usage of Security Algorithms into data systems and processes. This paper presents a brief overview and comparison of Cryptographic algorithms, with an emphasis on Symmetric algorithms which should be used for Cloud based applications and services that require data and link encryption. In this paper we review Symmetric and Asymmetric algorithms with emphasis on Symmetric Algorithms for security consideration on which one should be used for Cloud based applications and services that require data and link encryption

Formulation and evaluation of fast dissolving tablet of aceclofenac

Fast disintegrating drug delivery system offers a solution for these patients having difficulty in swallowing tablets/ capsules etc. Aceclofenac (anti-inflammatory and analgesic) was selected as the model drug. The poor aqueous solubility of the drug results in variable dissolution rate and hence poor bioavailability. In the present study, an attempt had been made to prepare fast dissolving tablets of the drug using various super disintegrates sodium starch glycolate following by direct compression technique. The tablets were evaluated for hardness, friability, weight variation, disintegration time, water absorption ratio and wetting time, in vitro dissolution studies. All the formulation showed disintegration time in range of 12.2 to 27.5 second along with rapid in vitro dissolution. It was concluded that the fast dissolving tablets of the poor soluble drug can be made by direct compression technique using selective super disintegrantes showing enhanced dissolution, taste masking and hence better patient compliance and effective therapy.Keywords: Aceclofenac; Fast disintegrating; Superdisintegrants; Taste maskin

Formulation and evaluation of fast dissolving tablet of aceclofenac

Fast disintegrating drug delivery system offers a solution for these patients having difficulty in swallowing tablets/ capsules etc. Aceclofenac (anti-inflammatory and analgesic) was selected as the model drug. The poor aqueous solubility of the drug results in variable dissolution rate and hence poor bioavailability. In the present study, an attempt had been made to prepare fast dissolving tablets of the drug using various super disintegrates sodium starch glycolate following by direct compression technique. The tablets were evaluated for hardness, friability, weight variation, disintegration time, water absorption ratio and wetting time, in vitro dissolution studies. All the formulation showed disintegration time in range of 12.2 to 27.5 second along with rapid in vitro dissolution. It was concluded that the fast dissolving tablets of the poor soluble drug can be made by direct compression technique using selective super disintegrantes showing enhanced dissolution, taste masking and hence better patient compliance and effective therapy.Keywords: Aceclofenac; Fast disintegrating; Superdisintegrants; Taste maskin

Unravelling the potential of susceptibility genes in plant disease management: Present status and future prospects

The increasing global population requires an equivalent increase in food production to meet the global food demand. Crop production is challenged by various biotic and abiotic stresses, which decrease crop yield and production. Thus, proper disease management for crops ensures global food security. Various chemical, physical, and biological disease control methods have been devised and used for plant protection. However, due to the low efficiency of these methods, modern research has shifted to genetic engineering approaches. The recent advances in molecular techniques have revealed the molecular mechanisms controlling the plant’s innate immune system and plant-pathogen interactions. Earlier studies revealed that the pathogens utilize the susceptibility (S) genes in hosts for their sustainability and disease development. The resistance achieved by suppressing the S genes expression provides resistance against pathogens. Exploiting S genes for imparting/enhancing disease resistance would offer a more durable and effective alternative to conventional disease control methods. Therefore, the present review highlights the potential of this novel tool for inducing disease resistance in plants

Performance of Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) hybrids for yield and quality traits

Twenty-eight F1 combinations of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) obtained from half-diallel cross along with eight diverse parents were evaluated in a field study to elucidate the information on the extent of mean performance of various horticultural traits. The analysis revealed that all the genotypes possessed wide spectrum of variability and showed significant differences for parents and hybrids for the traits studied. For parents UHF CHI 13 (216.20), UHF CHI 15 (193.80), UHF CHI 5 (139.00) and for hybrids H1 (182.60), H9 (181.40) and H7 (172.80) hold highest fruit count per plant. The parents UHF CHI 5 (1047.13 g), UHF CHI 15 (949.62 g) and UHF CHI 7 (912.61 g) and cross combinations H17 (1535.10 g), H8 (1320.00), H6 (1229.76) and H18 (967.60) recorded the high ripe fruit yield per plant. As for earliness, parents UHF CHI 5 (43.33), UHF CHI 11 (45.00), UHF CHI 7 (45.33) and hybrids H27 (42.67), H26 (43.00) and UH28 (43.00) took minimum days for flowering. For pungency UHF CHI 12 (0.28 %), UHF CHI 13 (0.26 %), DKC-8 (0.24 %) and H23 (0.33 %), H5 (0.31 %), H26 (0.26 %) recorded high capsaicin content

Perspectives in consumer-oriented breeding for potatoes in India

Potato has become an integral part of human diets world over and is consumed alone or with wide variety of other vegetables. Consumer preference of the regions varies and is dependent upon market specifications, variety; tuber appearance, size, shape, colour; absence of disease or tubers defects; texture and flavour of cooked potatoes. Breeding for consumer preference related traits is integral part of the varietal development efforts world over and thus helps to write the success story of a variety evolved.In recent years there has been a surge in the consumer awareness in India, with consumers becoming more conscious about the food, its nutritional valueand its use. The desired products fetch higher premium prices in the market. A potato is not merely a potato anymore in recent times, but a commodity having varied uses, with each user having a specific requirement. In view of the above, it becomes pertinent to delineate the various consumer-oriented breeding objectives for potato, based on its use. Indian consumer-based profiles of potato have been proposed, based on recent overview and prevailing Indian scenario for orientingspecific breeding programmes, guiding consumers and seed producers to breed, consume and multiply the variety of their choice and formulation of selection indices for genotype screening

Analysis of genetic and epigenetic variation in in vitro propagated potato somatic hybrid by AFLP and MSAP marker

Background: Genetic and epigenetic changes (DNA methylation) were examined in the tissue-culture propagated interspecific potato somatic hybrids between dihaploid Solanum tuberosum and S. pinnatisectum . Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP) were applied to detect the genetic and epigenetic changes, respectively in the somatic hybrids mother plants (1st cycle) and their regenerants (30th cycles sub-cultured). Results: To detect genetic changes, eight AFLP primer combinations yielded a total of 329 scorable bands of which 49 bands were polymorphic in both mother plants and regenerants. None of the scorable bands were observed in term of loss of original band of mother plant or gain of novel band in their regenerants. AFLP profiles and their cluster analysis based on the Jaccard\u2019s similarity coefficient revealed 100% genetic similarity among the mother plant and their regenerants. On the other hand, to analyze epigenetic changes, eight MSAP primer pair combinations detected a few DNA methylation patterns in the mother plants (0 to 3.4%) and their regenerants (3.2 to 8.5%). Out of total 2320 MSAP sites in the mother plants, 2287 (98.6%) unmethylated, 21 (0.9%) fully methylated and 12 (0.5%) hemi-methylated, and out of total 2494 MSAP sites in their regenerants, 2357 (94.5%) unmethylated, 79 (3.1%) fully methylated and 58 (2.3%) hemi-methylated sites were amplified. Conclusion: The study concluded that no genetic variations were observed among the somatic hybrids mother plants and their regenerants by eight AFLP markers. However, minimum epigenetic variations among the samples were detected ranged from 0 to 3.4% (mother plants) and 3.2 to 8.5% (regenerants) during the tissue culture process

Investigation of ac-magnetic field stimulated nanoelectroporation of magneto-electric nano-drug-carrier inside CNS cells

In this research, we demonstrate cell uptake of magneto-electric nanoparticles (MENPs) through nanoelectroporation (NEP) using alternating current (ac)-magnetic field stimulation. Uptake of MENPs was confirmed using focused-ion-beam assisted transmission electron microscopy (FIB-TEM) and validated by a numerical simulation model. The NEP was performed in microglial (MG) brain cells, which are highly sensitive for neuro-viral infection and were selected as target for nano-neuro-therapeutics. When the ac-magnetic field optimized (60 Oe at 1?kHz), MENPs were taken up by MG cells without affecting cell health (viability?\u3e?92%). FIB-TEM analysis of porated MG cells confirmed the non-agglomerated distribution of MENPs inside the cell and no loss of their elemental and crystalline characteristics. The presented NEP method can be adopted as a part of future nanotherapeutics and nanoneurosurgery strategies where a high uptake of a nanomedicine is required for effective and timely treatment of brain diseases