Assessment Of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Related Stress Using A Specific Scale Administered As An Online Mobile Application

Objective: Aim of the study was to assess the Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) related stress among pregnant women using an online mobile application based specific stress scale for GDM. Methods: This was a prospective observational study. All GDM patients who have used the Gestational Diabetes Stress Scale (GDSS)-mobile application within the study period were included (176 patients). Their total and subscale stress scores were analyzed. Results: This study found that 52.84% of the total population needed clinical attention for GDM related stress. The subscale scores revealed that 65.91% of the population needed clinical attention for emotional burden, 15.34% of the population needed clinical attention for medication-related stress, 69.89% of the population needed clinical attention for social or economical stress and 36.36% of the population needed clinical attention for health care set up related stress. Conclusion: Based upon this study we conclude that GDSS is a good invention. There existed a gap in measuring GDM related stress in pregnant women and GDSS is a solution for the same.

Urinary 8‑hydroxydeoxyguanosine as a marker of oxidative stress induced genetic toxicity in oral cancer patients.

Context: Recently, non‑communicable diseases have snatched the lead from infectious diseases in causing mortality. Of these, oral cancer accounts for a significant proportion of deaths. Every year in India significant percentage of newly diagnosed malignancy is oral cancer attributed to various reasons. Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the extent of oxidative stress and its effect on modification of DNA by urinary nucleoside 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels in oral cancer subjects. To see the relationship between the nucleoside 8‑OHdG and antioxidant capacity ferric reducing ability plasma (FRAP) in oral cancer subjects. Settings and Design: Case–control study included three groups with 60 volunteers, who were divided into 30 controls, and equal number of clinically diagnosed oral cancer male patients: (Subdivided into newly diagnosed [n = 15] and 1‑year treatment follow‑up oral cancer subjects [n = 15]). Materials and Methods: A random urine sample was used for analysis of 8‑OHdG concentration. Serum triglycerides, lipid peroxidation, protein thiols, and FRAP assay were performed by spectrophotometric technique. Statistical Analysis Used: Student’s t‑test and one‑way analysis of variance were performed for group comparison and Pearson’s correlation analysis were used. A P < 0.05 was considered the optimum level of significance. Results: The urinary 8‑OHdG and serum malondialdehyde levels were significantly elevated in newly diagnosed oral cancer subjects in their 1‑year treatment compared to the control group (P < 0.05). A significant correlation was observed between urinary 8‑OHdG and FRAP in both groups of oral cancer subjects. Conclusions: Urinary 8‑OHdG can be a useful diagnostic marker of oxidative DNA damage in oral cancer subjects.

Rapid identification of clinical mycobacterial isolates by protein profiling using matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis which is often plagued with ambiguity. It is a time consuming process requiring 4-8 weeks after culture positivity, thereby delaying therapeutic intervention. For a successful treatment and disease management, timely diagnosis is imperative. We evaluated a rapid, proteomic based technique for identification of clinical mycobacterial isolates by protein profiling using matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Materials and Methods: Freshly grown mycobacterial isolates were used. Acetonitrile/trifluoroacetic acid extraction procedure was carried out, following which cinnamic acid charged plates were subjected to identification by MALDI-TOF MS. Results: A comparative analysis of 42 clinical mycobacterial isolates using the MALDI-TOF MS and conventional techniques was carried out. Among these, 97.61% were found to corroborate with the standard methods at genus level and 85.36% were accurate till the species level. One out of 42 was not in accord with the conventional assays because MALDI-TOF MS established it as Mycobacterium tuberculosis (log (score) >2.0) and conventional methods established it to be non-tuberculous Mycobacterium. Conclusions: MALDI-TOF MS was found to be an accurate, rapid, cost effective and robust system for identification of mycobacterial species. This innovative approach holds promise for early therapeutic intervention leading to better patient care.

Cerebrovascular manifestations in scorpion sting: a case series.

Cerebrovascular manifestations are uncommon presentations of scorpion sting in the Indian subcontinent. A prospective study was carried out on 50 patients with scorpion sting referred to the Government General Hospital during the period from April 2004 to March 2005. In all the patients, detailed history, physical examination with a specific neurological examination and routine biochemical testing and fundus examination were done. Computerized Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) were done in cases with neurological deficit. All these patients also underwent a complete hematological, rheumatologic and cardiovascular work-up for stroke. Cerebrovascular involvement was noted in four patients (8%). Hemorrhagic stroke was noted in two patients (4%) and thrombotic stroke was noted in two patients (4%). The mean time of presentation of neurological symptoms was 2 days. Stroke has been a common presentation in our series (8%). Contrary to world literature, there have been no reports of cranial nerve palsies or neuromuscular involvement in our series.

Three-dimensional structure of a new form of mare lactoferrin in 70% PEG 400 at 3.8 A resolution.

Three-dimensional (3D) structure of a new form of diferric mare lactoferrin has been determined at 3.8 A resolution. The protein was crystallized in a space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with a = 80.1 A, b = 103.7 A, c = 112.2 A with a solvent content of 57%. The structure was solved by molecular replacement method using the model of native mare lactoferrin. The structure has been refined using X-PLOR to a final R-factor of 22.6% for all the data in 15.0-3.8 A resolution range. The final refined model comprises 5281 protein atoms, 2Fe3+ and 2CO3(2-) ions. The protein folds into two globular N- and C-lobes. The two lobes are further divided into two domains N1, N2 in the N-lobe and C1, C2 in the C-lobe. The overall folding of the protein is similar to that observed for the native protein. The superposition of Calpha traces of native mare lactoferrin and the present structure gives an r.m.s shift of 0.7 A. There is a slight variation in the orientation of two lobes but the domain orientations in the present structure are identical to those observed in the native mare lactoferrin.

Investigations into size heterogeneity of the alpha B-crystallin mRNA.

alpha B-crystallin is expressed in a variety of developmental, physiological and pathological conditions in a number of tissues. Based on northern blots of total RNA, the existence of at least two size classes of alpha B-crystallin mRNAs has been reported, one smaller predominant species, 0.8-0.9 kb, and the other 1.2 to 1.4 kb. This heterogeneity has been attributed to alternative upstream transcriptional initiation. We have investigated the origin of the size heterogeneity of alpha B-crystallin mRNA by using 5'-upstream-, coding- and 3'-untranslated-region probes in RNAse protection and northern blot assays. RNAse protection assays indicate that there is only one predominant initiation site as previously reported and that the second polyadenylation signal is not used in the rat gene. Importantly, northern blot data obtained with coding region-only probe shows that the size of alpha B mRNA detected in the heart and the lens is similar (0.78 kb) in poly A+ as well as in total RNA. On the other hand, in the brain and in the lung, the larger hybridizing species (1.05 kb and 1.22 kb respectively) seen in total RNA are not detected in poly A+RNA which shows a 0.95 kb species in both tissues. The 5' upstream probe (-1 to -499) produces weak hybridization patterns in the brain and the lung, similar to those obtained with coding region-only probe. The 5' probe did not show hybridization in the heart and the lens RNAs. These data suggest that upstream initiations represent a minor population of transcripts and that higher size transcripts (about 500 bp larger) actually represent non-polyadenylated RNAs that may not contribute to the generation of the actual gene product.

Serum & cerebrospinal fluid ferritin levels in children with acute leukaemia.

Serum and CSF ferritin were estimated in 35 consecutive patients of acute leukaemia at the time of admission and on induction of remission. Serum ferritin levels were significantly raised in 94 per cent patients of acute leukaemia. The mean (+/- SD) serum ferritin (314.36 +/- 158.4 micrograms/1) was significantly higher when compared with control values (P less than 0.001). Remission induction resulted in significant fall in serum ferritin values to a mean of 149 (+/- 98.7) micrograms/l (P less than 0.05). Serum ferritin is thus of value in assessing the state of remission and is a sensitive indicator of the leukaemic cell mass and the state of activity of the disease. CSF ferritin levels in acute leukaemia were comparable to normal control values. CSF ferritin did not reflect CNS involvement in acute leukaemia and therefore its value as a tumour marker of CNS infiltration is doubtful.