Prevalence of normal weight obesity in young adults of Western Uttar Pradesh – A community-based study

Background: Obesity is described as a build-up of abnormal or excessive fat that risks life. A body mass index (BMI) is a screening tool for overweight and obesity. For a long time, BMI has been used as a marker to measure obesity. However, a significant limitation of using BMI is its failure to differentiate between a high body fat content and preserved or increased lean mass, especially in patients or subjects with a BMI <30 kg/m2. Normal weight obese (NWO) is such individuals who have high fat content but a normal BMI. To identify such individuals and to save them from morbidity associated with obesity, this study was carried out. Aims and Objectives: The objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence of NWO in healthy young adults (aged between 18 and 30 years) and to suggest the methods of primary prevention for obesity. Materials and Methods: In this observational cross-sectional study, the 324 subjects were selected randomly from the residents, students, and employees of Swami Vivekananda Subharti University. Subjects were chosen according to the study’s inclusion and exclusion criteria and also, based on the self-structure questionnaire. A general and systemic examination was carried out. The body composition of these subjects was done by bioelectric impedance analyzer BODY STAT QUAD SCAN 4000. Data were analysis using R-software (1.25 version), and unpaired t-test was applied. P < 0.05 was taken as significant in this study. Results: The prevalence of NWO in males was found to be 24.6% and females to be 13.4%. The body composition parameters of NWO and NWNO differed significantly. Conclusion: The increase rate of NWO is reason for concern and routine screening of body composition parameters should be done at health setups to identify that these NWO individuals and timely interventions can be made.

Study of Antioxidant Enzymes, MDA and Lipid Profile in Cerebral Malaria.

Cerebral malaria (CM) is the most important complication of falciparum malaria. However, its pathophysiology is not understood. Malaria infection is accompanied by increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the malaria parasites are sensitive to oxidative damage. So, we conducted a case-control study to estimate antioxidant activity, lipid peroxidation in 36 patients with CM. In present study, catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH) and lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA) were increased significantly and superoxide dismutase (SOD) was decreased significantly in CM patients at the time of admission with respect to control group. After treatment, SOD activity was increased and MDA level was decreased; rest of the parameters did not show any significant change. So, the antioxidant enzyme has a prognostic role in CM.

The prevalence of nursing caries in Davangere preschool children and its relationship with feeding practices and socioeconomic status of the family.

The aim of the present study was to find the prevalence of nursing caries in Davangere preschool children and its relationship with feeding practices and socioeconomic status of the family. Materials and Methods: A total of 813 children aged 2-6 years were screened for the present study from randomly selected three kindergarten schools each from Government, Government aided, and private managements. Clinical examination was done inside the respective schools. At the time of examination, a proforma was filled for each child comprising of DFS index. The questionnaire by Winter et al. was modified and used in this study. The completed proformas were statistically analyzed to find if any correlation existed between the nursing caries to the feeding practices and socioeconomic status of the family. Results: Duration of breastfeeding increases the number of children with nursing caries and the mean DFS. There is a strong and significant relationship between the severity of nursing caries and the degree of feeding abuse. Children from low socioeconomic status have increased early childhood caries. Conclusion: The prevalence of nursing caries was 19.2% in Davangere preschool population. Nursing caries were more in children who were taking a feeding bottle to bed at night and were increasingly seen in large families and lower socioeconomic groups.

Enhancement of catalytic activity of enzymes by heating in anhydrous organic solvents: 3D structure of a modified serine proteinase at high resolution.

For the first time, it is demonstrated that exposure of an enzyme to anhydrous organic solvents at optimized high temperature enhances its catalytic power through local changes at the binding region. Six enzymes, namely, proteinase K, wheat germ acid phosphatase, alpha-amylase, beta-glucosidase, chymotrypsin and trypsin were exposed to acetonitrile at 70 degrees C for three hr. The activities of these enzymes were found to be considerably enhanced. In order to understand the basis of this change in the activity of these enzymes, proteinase K was analyzed in detail using X-ray diffraction method. The overall structure of the enzyme was found to be similar to the native structure in aqueous environment. The hydrogen bonding system of the catalytic triad remained intact after the treatment. However, the water structure in the substrate binding site underwent some rearrangement as some of the water molecules were either displaced or completely absent. The most striking observation concerning the water structure was the complete deletion of the water molecule which occupied the position at the so-called oxyanion hole in the active site of the native enzyme. Three acetonitrile molecules were found in the present structure. All the acetonitrile molecules were located in the recognition site. Interlinked through water molecules, the sites occupied by acetonitrile molecules were independent of water molecules. The acetonitrile molecules are involved in extensive interactions with the protein atoms. The methyl group of one of the acetonitrile molecules (CCN1) interacts simultaneously with the hydrophobic side chains of Leu 96, Ile 107 and Leu 133. The development of such a hydrophobic environment at the recognition site introduced a striking conformation change in Ile 107 by rotating its side chain about C alpha-C beta bond by 180 degrees to bring about the delta-methyl group within the range of attractive van der Waals interactions with the methyl group of CCN1. A similar change had earlier been observed in proteinase K when it was complexed to a substrate analogue, lactoferrin fragment.