Antral and duodenal disaccharidases in patients of duodenal ulcer and non-ulcer dyspepsia

Duodenal ulcer is a common disease and is considered acid-peptic disease. Duodenal ulcer patients are known to have higher incidence of antral gastritis and duodentitis than general population. Thus one can expect some alteration in the enzyme products of mucosal cells of antrum and duodenum in this condition. The present study was planned in 30 patients of duodenal ulcer and 30 of non-ulcer dyspepsia. After overnight fast, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was done using forward viewing fibreoptic endoscope. Two pairs of biopsies were taken from the antrum and two from the descending duodenum using standard biopsy forceps. One pair of biopsy from each site was taken in 10% formal saline for histopathological examination. One pair of biopsies from each site was collected in saline for the measurement of disaccharidases by Dahlquist method. Activities of lactase, sucrase and maltase were significantly higher in descending duodenum mucosa as compared to antral mucosa in both groups. Activities of these enzymes in antrum and duodenum of both groups did not differ significantly. No significant difference was found in disaccharidases in antrum and descending duodenum in patients with or without histological gastritis. This study suggests that the disaccharidases do not change in antrum and duodenum of ulcer patients as compared to the patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia.     

Role of bilirubin, vitamin C and ceruloplasmin as antioxidants in coronary artery disease [CAD]

A study has been carried out on 250 CAD patients to see how the serum levels of three antioxidants i.e., Vitamin C, Bilirubin and Ceruloplasmin are related to the CAD risk factors and characteristics in these patients. The number of severe category CAD patients declined by 7–18% with increasing serum levels of the three antioxidants and, triple vessel disease declined by 14–20%. A decline of 39% in Myocardial Infarction (MI) occurred with increasing serum Ceruloplasmin. Serum Ceruloplasmin was significantly lower in the MI group compared to the non MI group CAD patients. There was a steady and a significant decline in the mean values of serum levels of cholesterol, Triglyceride, VLDL cholesterol along with BMI with increasing serum level. The study indicates that with increasing serum levels of the three antioxidants studied, the % MI along with % Triple vessel disease and severity of CAD goes down suggesting that the modifiable risk factors have to be suitably modified in order to maintain a reasonably high level of these antioxidants, as the risk factors are inversely related to the serum antioxidant levels.     

No Evidence for Mutations that Deregulate GARS–AIRS–GART Protein Levels in Children with Down Syndrome

GARS–AIRS–GART is crucial in studies of Down syndrome (DS)-related mental retardation due to its chromosomal location (21q22.1), involvement in de novo purine biosynthesis and over-expression in fetal DS brain postmortem samples. GARS–AIRS–GART regions important for structure–function were screened for mutations that might alter protein levels in DS patients. Mutation screening relied on multiplex/singleplex PCR-based amplification of genomic targets followed by amplicon size determination/fingerprinting. Serum protein samples were resolved by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotted with a GARS–AIRS–GART monoclonal antibody. No variation in amplicon size/fingerprints was observed in regions encoding the ATP-binding, active site residues of GARS, the structurally important glycine-rich loops of AIRS, substrate-binding, flexible and folate-binding loops of GART or the poly-adenylation signal sequences. The de novo occurrence or inheritance of large insertion/deletion/rearrangement-type mutations is therefore excluded. Immunoblots show presence of GARS–AIRS–GART protein in all patient samples, with no change in expression levels with respect to either sex or developmental age.     

The coaxial cable

This article illustrates the interplay between topology and analysis in the context of an everyday example. We describe how topology governs the transmission of TV signals through a cable. This example helps us to understand some of the mathematical ideas contained in an earlier article by V Pati inResonance. A number of steps are left as exercises so that the reader can actively participate in the exposition.     

Understanding the investigation-stage overrepresentation of First Nations children in the child welfare system: An analysis of the First Nations component of the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect 2008

Objectives

The overrepresentation of Aboriginal children in child welfare systems in the U.S., Canada, and Australia is well documented, but limited attention has been paid to investigation-stage disproportionality. This paper examines the overrepresentation of First Nations (the largest of three federally recognized Aboriginal groups in Canada) children, focusing on three questions: (1) What is the level/nature of First Nations overrepresentation at the investigation stage? (2) What is known about the source of referrals in child welfare investigations involving First Nations children? (3) What risk factors and child functioning concerns are identified for investigated First Nations children and families?

Methods

The First Nations Component of the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (FNCIS-2008) was designed to address limitations in existing Aboriginal child welfare data: it sampled one quarter of the Aboriginally governed child welfare agencies that conduct investigations in Canada, gathered data on over 3,000 investigations involving First Nations children, and incorporated weights designed for analysis of First Nations data. Bivariate analyses are used to compare investigations involving First Nations and non-Aboriginal children.

Results

The rate of investigations for First Nations children living in the areas served by sampled agencies was 4.2 times that for non-Aboriginal children; investigation-stage overrepresentation was compounded by each short term case disposition examined. A higher proportion of First Nations than non-Aboriginal investigations involved non-professional referrals, a pattern consistent with disparities in access to alternative services. Workers expressed concerns about multiple caregiver risk factor concerns for more than ½ of investigated First Nations families and, with the exception of “health issues”, identified every caregiver/household risk factor examined in a greater percentage of First Nations than non-Aboriginal households.

Conclusions

It would be extremely difficult to reduce First Nations overrepresentation at later decision points without addressing overrepresentation at the investigation-stage. Despite the serious needs of investigated First Nations families, alternatives to traditional child protection responses may be appropriate in many cases. If First Nations overrepresentation is to be reduced, child welfare agencies must be equipped to provide supports needed to help families address factors such as poverty, substance abuse, domestic violence, and lack of social supports.     

More educated and more equal? A comparative analysis of female education and employment in Japan,China and India

This paper attempts to explore the connections between expanding female education and the participation of women in paid employment in Japan, China and India, three of Asia's largest economies. Analysis based on existing data and literature shows that despite the large expansion in educational access in these countries in the last half century, women have lacked egalitarian labour market opportunities. A combination of social discouragement and individual choice largely explains the withdrawal, non-participation or intermittent female presence in the labour force, notwithstanding increased educational access. In taking stock of these issues and debates across these countries, it is argued that the parallel experiences of women in these countries can be traced back to persistent gender norms which, amongst other things, imply the centrality of marriage and non-market unpaid labour for women. The paper argues that there is a need for gender-sensitive public policy in order for increased education to translate to labour market gains for women, leading to sustainable development outcomes.