Clinico-Biochemical indexing of calcium urolithiasis on the basis of urinary citrate to calcium ratio and inhibition of mineralisation of urinary stone forming minerals by human urine

Urinary citric acid and calcium levels have been estimated in the urine of 20 normal healthy persons as well as 12 urinary stone patients. Inhibition efficiency of these urine samples towards the mineralisation of urinary stone forming minerals, viz., calcium phosphate, oxalate or carbonate, has been studied in an experimental model. Statistical correlation of the above data has been made by computing the coefficient of determination and unexplained variance. Clinico-biochemical indexing of calcium urolithiasis risk factor has been attempted in the light of the data.     

Method evaluation of an enzymatic method for serum creatinine

Selecting the correct method for routine analysis by ‘method evaluation’ is an important component of quality assurance. It is a step-wise procedure that evaluates various analytical parameters like accuracy, precision etc of the given method. Finally reference intervals are established for selected population. We evaluated an enzymatic method for serum creatinine. The results show that it is an acceptable method based on the above mentioned criteria.     

On the geometry of the smallest circle enclosing a finite set of points

A number of numerical codes have been written for the problem of finding the circle of smallest radius in the Euclidean plane that encloses a finite set P of points, but these do not give much insight into the geometry of this circle. We investigate geometric properties of the minimal circle that may be useful in the theoretical analysis of applications. We show that a circle C enclosing P is minimal if and only if it is rigid in the sense that it cannot be translated while still enclosing P. We show that the center of the minimal circle is in the convex hull of P. We use this rigidity result and an analysis of the case of three points to find sharp estimates on the diameter of the minimal circle in terms of the diameter of P.     

Hypocholesterolemic and hepatoprotective effects of flaxseed chutney: Evidence from animal studies

Rats fed with hypercholesterolemic diet showed a significant increase in serum total—cholesterol, liver homogenate total-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and changed LDL-cholesterol, and HDL/LDL ratio in comparison to control. Flaxseedchutney (FC) supplemented diet (15%, w/w) was found to be more effective in restoring lipid profile changes in rats fed with cholesterol, (1.0%). The activities of serum marker enzymes glutamate oxaloacetate transminase (GOT), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were elevated significantly in carbon tetrachloride induced rats. Administration of flaxseedchutney (15%, w/w) resulted in depletion of serum marker enzymes and exhibited recoupment thus showing significant hepatoprotective effect. It was observed that flaxseedchutney supplemented diet could lower the serum cholesterol and as a potential source of antioxidants it could exert protection against hepatotoxic damage induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) in rats.     

Maintaining the reversibility of foldings: Making the ethics (politics) of information technology visible

This paper will address the question of the morality of technology. I believe this is an important question for our contemporary society in which technology, especially information technology, is increasingly becoming the default mode of social ordering. I want to suggest that the conventional manner of conceptualising the morality of technology is inadequate – even dangerous. The conventional view of technology is that technology represents technical means to achieve social ends. Thus, the moral problem of technology, from this perspective, is the way in which the given technical means are applied to particular (good or bad) social ends. In opposition to this I want to suggest that the assumed separation, of this approach, between technical means and social ends are inappropriate. It only serves to hide the most important political and ethical dimensions of technology. I want to suggest that the morality of technology is much more embedded and implicit than such a view would suggest. In order to critique this approach I will draw on phenomenology and the more recent work of Bruno Latour. With these intellectual resources in mind I will propose disclosive ethics as a way to make the morality of technology visible. I will give a brief account of this approach and show how it might guide our␣understanding of the ethics and politics of technology by considering two examples of contemporary information technology: search engines and plagiarism detection systems.     

Alkaptonuric ochronosis: Report of a case and brief review

Alkaptonuria, a metabolic disorder characterized by a triad of homogentisic aciduria, arthritis and ochronosis is one of the first conditions in the charter of group of inborn errors of metabolism proposed to have Mendelian recessive inheritance. It is due to the deficiency of the enzyme homogentisic acid oxidase which catalyzes the conversion of homogentisic acid to maleylacetoacetic acid in the catabolism of tyrosine. Homogentisic acid thus accumulates in cells and body fluids and its oxidized polymers bind to collagen, leading to progressive deposition of grey to bluish black pigment resulting in degenerative changes in cartilage, intervertebral disc and other connective tissues, leading to arthritis which is the only disabling effect in an affected older individual. However the diagnosis can be made in neonates when blackish stain is noticed in an unwashed diaper. Alkaptonuria is treated symptomatically, surgical intervention necessitates in advanced stages, treatment with ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and dietary restrictions of food containing phenylalanine and tyrosine have proved to be successful in alleviating the symptoms.