Dawn of science

It was in the field of surgery that ancient Indian medical practice achieved the most.     

Snippets of physics

Electromagnetic fields carry not only energy and momentum but also angular momentum. The angular momentum of the field can lead to some curious results like the one which is described here. T Padmanabhan works at IUCAA, Pune and is interested in all areas of theoretical physics, especially those which have something to do with gravity. This is based on an article originally published by the author in Physics Education, Vol. 23, No.4, p.285, 2006.     

Snippets of physics

One of the celebrated results in black hole physics is that black holes have a temperature and they emit a thermal spectrum of radiation. Though a rigorous derivation of this result requires quantum field theory, a flavour of the essential ideas can be provided at an elementary level as indicated here. T Padmanabhan works at IUCAA, Pune and is interested in all areas of theoretical physics, especially those which have something to do with gravity. This is based on an article originally published by the author in Physics Education, Vol. 24, p.67, 2007.     

Snippets of physics

The idealized flow of fluid around a spherical body is a classic textbook problem in fluid mechanics. Interestingly enough, it leads to some curious twists and turns and conceptual conundrums. T Padmanabhan works at IUCAA, Pune and is interested in all areas of theoretical physics, especially those which have something to do with gravity.     

Association of Interleukin-6 and Myeloperoxidase with Insulin Resistance in Impaired Fasting Glucose Subjects

Impaired fasting glucose (IFG) is a high risk subclinical condition for the progression of type 2 diabetes mellitus and the hyperglycemia seen in this condition is because of the development of insulin resistance (IR). Obesity, inflammation, oxidative stress and many other factors have been implicated in development of IR in type 2 diabetes mellitus and its successive complications. Current study was aimed to ascertain the correlation of inflammation and oxidative stress markers [interleukin-6 (IL-6) and myeloperoxidase (MPO)] with IR in subjects with IFG. In this study, 80 subjects (40 IFG, 40 healthy controls) aged 25–45 years were selected based on their fasting plasma glucose (FPG) values and clinical history. Serum insulin, IL-6 and MPO were estimated by ELISA method and IR was calculated using Homeostatic Model Assessment Index 2 (HOMA 2) calculator. Pearson’s correlation coefficient and independent sample ‘t’ test were used for statistical analysis. IL-6 and MPO were found to be significantly elevated in IFG group and both correlates significantly with IR (r 0.413, r 0.645). Only MPO had significant correlation with FPG (r 0.388). In conclusion, the association of altered levels of IL-6 and MPO with IR are suggestive of a role of inflammation and oxidative stress in the initiation and progression of IR in individuals with IFG.