Non enzymatic glycosylation of IgG and their urinary excretion in patients with diabetic nephropathy

Diabetic nephropathy is a major cause of end stage renal disease. Increased excretion of albumin has widely been recognized as an early manifestation of diabetic nephropathy particularly in subjects with diabetes mellitus. However, certain other proteins besides albumin may be excreted in high amount during early phase of diabetic nephropathy. The serum and urinary IgG, Glycosylated hemoglobin, fructosamine and glycosylated IgG were evaluated in the present study. Thirty-two patients of Type 2 Diabetes without any complications, thirty-one patients of Type 2 Diabetes with nephropathy, twenty-six patients of non-diabetic nephropathy and forty normal healthy individuals were enrolled in this study. Subjects were grouped based on their serum creatinine level. Serum IgG, glycosylation of IgG and urinary IgG excretion were increased significantly in diabetic patients compared to healthy controls, which were further increased significantly in chronic renal failure patients with respect to the clinical stage of nephropathy. A positive correlation was observed between glycosylation of IgG and IgG excretion (R²=0.5995, 0.7114 respectively) in diabetic patients without any complications and diabetic nephropathy patients only, suggesting a significant role of IgG glycosylation in the vascular clearances of IgG during diabetic nephropathy.     

The relationship between future goals and achievement goal orientations: An intrinsic–extrinsic motivation perspective

This research aimed to study the relationships between students’ future goals (FGs) and their immediate achievement goal orientations (AGOs) among 5733 Singaporean secondary school students (M age = 14.18, SD = 1.26; 53% boys). To this end, we hypothesized that the relationships between like valenced FGs and AGOs (both intrinsic or both extrinsic) will be stronger than those of opposite valenced FGs and AGOs (intrinsic–extrinsic) and tested two alternative models: Model A positing the prediction of AGOs by FGs and Model B positing the prediction of FGs by AGOs. Structural equation modeling showed the heuristic superiority of Model B in which intrinsic FGs (career-, society-, and family-oriented) were more strongly related to mastery-approach goal orientation than to performance-approach goal orientation and extrinsic FGs (fame- and wealth-oriented) were more strongly related to performance-approach goal orientation than to mastery-approach goal orientation. The findings suggest that, to enhance school motivation, teachers should encourage students to adopt intrinsic AGOs and FGs.     

Biomimetic designs inspired by seashells

This article explains some interesting aspects of the mechanical behaviour of seashells. Their unique brick-mortar architecture makes them tougher and stronger than their constituents. Pearly layers in seashells, also known as nacreous layers, have an order of magnitude higher toughness than most ceramics. Replication of these features of seashells in synthetic ceramics can have immediate practical applications; for example, design of lightweight, efficient and cost-effective armour.     

Correlation of Brain Biomarker Neuron Specific Enolase (NSE) with Degree of Disability and Neurological Worsening in Cerebrovascular Stroke

Stroke is the third major cause of death and foremost cause of disability worldwide. Cerebrovascular stroke remains largely a clinical diagnosis. The use of biomarkers in diagnosing stroke and assessing prognosis is an emerging and rapidly evolving field. The study aimed to investigate the predictive value of neurobiochemical marker of brain damage (neuron-specific enolase [NSE]) with respect to degree of disability at the time of admission and neurological worsening in acute ischemic stroke patients. We investigated 150 patients with cerebrovascular stroke who were admitted within 72 h of onset of stroke in the Department of Neurology at SAIMS. Venous blood samples were taken after admission and NSE was analyzed by solid enzyme linked immunosorbent assay using Analyzer and microplate reader from Biored: Code 680. In all patients, the neurological status was evaluated by a standardized neurological examination and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale on admission and on day 7. Serum NSE concentration was found to significantly correlate with both degree of disability and neurological worsening in acute ischemic stroke cases in the present study. The maximum serum NSE level within 72 h of admission was significantly higher in patients with greater degree of disability at the time of admission. Serum NSE levels were also found to be significantly elevated in patients with bad neurological outcome. Our study showed that serum NSE has high predictive value for determining severity and early neurobehavioral outcome after acute stroke.     

基于筛选安全的共低积累基因型评价空心菜对镉和硝酸盐积累的变异（英文）

目的:筛选镉-硝酸盐共低积累空心菜基因型,并研究降低空心菜重金属含量,提高营养品质的农艺措施。创新点:首次筛选得到镉-硝酸盐共低积累空心菜基因型,并研究空心菜可食部污染物、矿质元素和营养指标之间的相关性,提出进一步降低空心菜可食部镉和硝酸盐含量的农艺措施。方法:共38个空心菜基因型收集于世界各地,种植在连作了7年的中度镉-硝酸盐复合污染土壤上(Cd1.10 mg/kg,NO_3~-235.2 mg/kg),4周后收获。用HNO_3-HClO_4(体积比5:1)消煮,电感耦合等离子体质谱仪(ICP-MS)测定各种金属元素,水杨酸-硫酸比色法测定硝酸盐含量,钒钼黄比色法测定磷含量,2,6-二氯靛酚滴定法测定维生素C含量,乙醇-丙酮(体积比2:1)比色法测定叶绿素含量。结论:本试验筛选得到镉-硝酸盐共低积累空心菜基因型4个(Cd0.71 mg/kg DW,NO_3~-3100 mg/kgFW),分别是JXDY、GZQL、XGDB和B888,可以在中轻度镉-硝酸盐复合污染土壤上安全生产。空心菜地上部镉与铅、锌含量呈正相关,而这3种元素均与磷量呈负相关。这些结果表明镉、铅和锌通过相同的途径被空心菜吸收,可以同时被治理。增加磷肥供应率可以抑制复合污染土壤中的镉和硝酸盐向空心菜可食部的转移。     

Glial cells: The other cells of the nervous system

Carl Ludwig Schleich (1859–1922) was an anaesthetist and a surgeon who for the first time emphasized the role of neuroglia in brain function. In an era that was dominated by the idea that neurons alone were functional units of the nervous system and that glial cells were a mere glue holding neurons in place, Schleich insisted that glia had a prominent functional role to play. He suggested that interactions between neurons and glia were so strong that it is necessary to consider brain as a neuron-glia system whose performance is dependent on both the cell types. Today Carl Ludwig Schleich is considered the forgotten ancestor to a new breed of neurobiologists, the gliologists, who specialize in working on these neglected cells of the nervous system. Though outnumbering the neurons and occupying almost half the volume of the brain, glial cells have been given little importance in textbooks of neurobiology and are very often cursorily mentioned in discussions related to brain function. Glial cells deserve a better deal, for over the years a lot of evidence has accumulated to prove that they perform a wide spectrum of functions. This is the first of a series of articles that aims to update students on what is known about glia today. It provides an overview of the various types of glia and their origins. The following articles will deal with each of the glial sub-types and their functions.