ABSTRACT
Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity with dyslipidemia as an important contributing risk factor. Objective of the study was to determine whether there is an association between maternal lipid profile and the cord blood lipid profile of their newborns.Methods: This was a hospital-based Cross-sectional study on 60 mothers and their respective newborns (30 term and 30 preterm) conducted in Yenepoya medical college hospital from August to November 2019. Umbilical cord blood samples from the newborns were collected after birth and the mother's venous blood was collected in the fasting state (8hrs of fasting) before delivery. The levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL and VLDL were determined in mothers and their newborns by an enzymatic colorimetric method. Data obtained was analyzed by the SSPS software 23.0 version and Pearson's correlation was done.Results: There was a significant correlation between the mean concentration of maternal Triglycerides and the Triglycerides and HDL levels of neonates (p-value <0.05).Conclusions: There was a significant association of cord blood and maternal lipid profile, hence changes in maternal lipid levels might influence the lipid levels in the cord blood of newborns.
ABSTRACT
Background & objectives: Prediabetes is associated with increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). In participants with prediabetes, the effects of exercise and metformin were evaluated on high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), surrogate markers of atherosclerosis and CVD compared with standard care. Methods: In a pilot randomized control trial, the participants were randomized in to three arms: standard care (STD), intensive lifestyle modification (ILSM) or ILSM and metformin (ILSM+Met) and followed up for six months. Monitoring of ILSM was done by a trained healthcare facilitator. hsCRP, CIMT and other relevant parameters were measured before and after intervention. Results: A total of 103 participants were randomized into three arms and followed up for six months. At six months, there was a reduction from baseline in weight and fasting blood sugar (FBS) (P <0.01) in all three arms and a reduction in haemoglobin A1c (P =0.03) only in the ILSM+Met arm. The differences in hsCRP over six months within the STD, ILSM and ILSM+Met arms were ?0.12 (95% confidence interval, ?1.81, 2.08), ?0.58 (?2.64, 0.43) and ?0.11 (?1.84, 1.56), respectively. There was no difference in hsCRP, CIMT (right) or CIMT (left) between the three arms at six months. Interpretation & conclusions: There was a reduction in weight and FBS from baseline in all three arms. There was, however, no difference seen in hsCRP and CIMT in the two intervention arms compared to standard care. Larger studies with long-term follow up need to be done to detect differences in risk markers for CVD in prediabetes.
ABSTRACT
Background & objectives: Mesencymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from foetal tissues present a multipotent progenitor cell source for application in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The present study was carried out to derive foetal mesenchymal stem cells from ovine source and analyze their differentiation to osteogenic linage to serve as an animal model to predict human applications. Methods: Isolation and culture of sheep foetal bone marrow cells were done and uniform clonally derived MSC population was collected. The cells were characterized using cytochemical, immunophenotyping, biochemical and molecular analyses. The cells with defined characteristics were differentiated into osteogenic lineages and analysis for differentiated cell types was done. The cells were analyzed for cell surface marker expression and the gene expression in undifferentiated and differentiated osteoblast was checked by reverse transcriptase PCR (RT PCR) analysis and confirmed by sequencing using genetic analyzer. Results: Ovine foetal samples were processed to obtain mononuclear (MNC) cells which on culture showed spindle morphology, a characteristic oval body with the flattened ends. MSC population CD45-/CD14- was cultured by limiting dilution to arrive at uniform spindle morphology cells and colony forming units. The cells were shown to be positive for surface markers such as CD44, CD54, integrinβ1, and intracellular collagen type I/III and fibronectin. The osteogenically induced MSCs were analyzed for alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and mineral deposition. The undifferentiated MSCs expressed RAB3B, candidate marker for stemness in MSCs. The osteogenically induced and uninduced MSCs expressed collagen type I and MMP13 gene in osteogenic induced cells. Interpretation & conclusions: The protocol for isolation of ovine foetal bone marrow derived MSCs was simple to perform, and the cultural method of obtaining pure spindle morphology cells was established. Criteria proposed for defining MSCs by this study includes the cell adherence to culture plates, specific surface protein profiles and differentiation to osteogenic lineage. The MSCs and osteogenic differentiated cells in this ovine animal model may serve as a large source for stem cell applications in regenerative medical therapies.
ABSTRACT
The H1N1 2009 influenza pandemic took the health care workers by surprise in spite of warning about influenza pandemic. Influenza A virus has the ability to overcome immunity from previous infections through the acquisition of genetic changes by shift or drift. Thus, understanding the evolution of the viruses in human is important for the surveillance and the selection of vaccine strains. A total of 23 pandemic A/H1N1 2009 viral HA gene sequences were downloaded from NCBI submitted during March and May 2010 by NIV and were analysed. Along with that the vaccine strain A/California/07/2009 was also downloaded from NCBI. All the sequences were used to analyse the evolution of the haemagglutinin (HA) by phylogenetic analysis. The HA gene could be divided into four groups with shift from 1 to lV revealing that the HA genes of the influenza A viruses evolved in a sequential way, in comparison to vaccine strain A/California/07/2009. Amino acid sequence analysis of the HA genes of the A/H1N1 2009 isolates, revealed mutations at positions 100, 220 and additional mutations in different positions 114, 171, 179, 190, 208, 219, 222, 239, 240, 247, 251, 260 and 285 .The mutations identified showed the adaptation of the new virus to the host that could lead to genetic changes inherent to the virus resulting in a reassortant which could be catastrophic, hence continuous monitoring of strains is mandatory.