Serum 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D, Calcium,Phosphorus and Alkaline Phosphatase Levels In Healthy Adults Above the age of 20 Living in Potheri Village of Kancheepuram District , Tamilnadu.

Medical fraternity believed that Vitamin D deficiency is rare in southern part of tropical country like India. This study is aimed to determine the serum vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase levels in healthy subjects around Potheri, kancheepuram district of Tamilnadu. Total of 81 subjects above the age of 20, out of which 50 males and 31 females were recruited for the study. Institutional ethical committee clearance was obtained. After getting informed consent from each subject, a preformed questionnaire containing the details about socioeconomic status, religion, dietary habits , sun light exposure and skin color were filled. Venous blood was drawn to test vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase levels in the serum. Among 81 subjects, 73.91% had Vitamin D deficiency. Serum Vitamin D was not significantly correlated with serum phosphorus, serum alkaline phosphatase, skin color and living condition. But there exists positive correlation between serum calcium, sun light exposure with Vitamin D levels whereas socio economic status had a negative correlation. Adequate sun light exposure, fortification of food and oral intake of 800IU-1000IU Vitamin D daily are the best options to combat the Vitamin D deficiency.

A Unique Human Rotavirus (non vaccine) G9P4 Genotype Infection in a Child with Gastroenteritis.

Group A Rotaviruses with serotypes G1-G4 and G9 are the common Rotavirus types of clinical importance. This study aimed at determining the different Rotavirus genotypes in stool sample of children below 5 years. A total of 300 children with acute gastroenteritis were tested for group specific VP6 antigen of group A Rotaviruses by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay. 47 of these samples were positive for Rotavirus antigen. Out of these, 20 positive samples were subjected to Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction for genotyping. The identified genotypes were G9P8, G1P8, G2P4, G9P4 (non-vaccine genotype), G1P6, and G1 (P types not identified in 5 samples).

Effect of aspirin on serum lipoprotein profile in rats subjected to myocardial stress by isoproterenol.

The effect of isoproterenol on the levels of serum lipoprotein profile were studied in rats. Rats were treated with isoproterenol (200 mg/100 g body weight, sc twice at an interval of 24 hr) for 2 days. Aspirin was administered orally 1.2 mg/100 g body weight, daily for 60 days. Isoproterenol treated rats showed decrease in the activities of hepatic and extrahepatic lipoprotein lipase. HDL cholesterol level was found to be decreased, significantly with increase in LDL cholesterol in isoproterenol treated rats. Aspirin treated rats showed marked reversal of these metabolic changes. The lipoprotein changes were minimum in rats treated with both aspirin and isoproterenol.

Health effects of consanguinity in Pondicherry.

Of 1000 pregnant women studied, consanguinity was observed in 30.8%, with a higher frequency among women from rural areas, and among Hindus. In the consanguineous group, first cousin marriages were present in 47.4%, and uncle niece marriages in 23.4% of women. Coefficient of inbreeding was highest in Harijans (0.0258), followed by non-Brahmins (0.0220) and Brahmins (0.0204). Fertility was not influenced by consanguinity. There was a significantly higher rate of still births and infant mortality in consanguineous matings as compared with non-consanguineous. Total morbidity was higher in the consanguineous group as compared with the non-consanguineous (p less than 0.01), especially that due to neonatal infections and jaundice. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of congenital malformations, chromosomal and genetic disorders between the two groups, although the number of abnormal births in this group was small.