Age-Dependent Changes in Glutathione-S-Transferase: Correlation with Total Plasma Antioxidant Potential and Red Cell Intracellular Glutathione

The correlation between antioxidant capacity and oxidative damage during aging has been reported in several tissues in different species. Glutathione-S-transferases (GST) can metabolise endogenous and exogenous toxins and carcinogens by catalysing the conjugation of diverse electrophiles with reduced glutathione (GSH). We observe a significant (P < 0.001) increase in plasma GST activity as a function of human age (r = 0.5675). A significant (P < 0.001) positive correlation (r = 0.8979) is observed between GST activity and total plasma antioxidant potential measured as ferric reducing ability of the plasma (FRAP). GST activity and red cell intracellular GSH also show a significant positive correlation (r = 0.7014). We hypothesize that the increased activity of plasma GST is a manifestation of increased generation of ROS and a concomitant decrease in the level of plasma antioxidant capacity during aging.     

A cloud computing adoption in Indian SMEs: Scale development and validation approach

The purpose of this research article is to identify the critical success criteria/factors that affect the cloud computing adoption and examine structure, reliability and validity of the criteria in the SMEs industry. This study considers nine types of criteria/factors with fifty-one sub-criteria, which have somewhat previously been used, and creates a ranking model that offers decision makers to measure the prior implementation of cloud computing adoption. A questionnaire-based survey research was used to collect data from 110 firms belonging to the SMEs industry in India. In this paper, the data collected was analysed by an integrated approach. Firstly, an Analytic Hierarchy Process approach was applied to find the significant fact of each criterion as the assessable indices of the cloud computing adoption. Secondly, an Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis were used to examine structure, reliability and validity of the criteria. The data was tabulated in a Microsoft Excel sheet and then imported in SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20) for analysis. The findings discovered that ‘Security and Privacy’, ‘Organizational Risk’, ‘Sharing and Collaboration’, ‘Confidentiality’, and ‘Integrity’ have a major effect on the adoption of cloud computing. The research was conducted in the SMEs industry in India, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. The findings and recommendations offer cloud computing service providers as well as users with a better understanding of what affects the cloud computing adoption feature, with a relevant understanding of the current scenario. The research aided in the application of the new technology of cloud computing adoption in the SMEs industry in India through the use of a wide range of criteria. The findings also help organizations study their information technology investments when applying cloud computing.     

Association of Aberrations in One Carbon Metabolism with Intimal Medial Thickening in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

The present work was aimed to study the association of one carbon genetic variants, hyperhomocysteinemia and oxidative stress markers, i.e., serum nitrite, plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) on intimal medial thickening (IMT) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). A total number of 76 subjects from ACS Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, India were included in the study, i.e., Group I (n = 42) of T2D and Group II (n = 34) of age- and sex matched healthy controls. The glycated haemoglobin was measured by ion-exchange resin method; plasma homocysteine by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay method; serum nitrite (nitric oxide, NO), plasma MDA and GSH by spectrophotometric methods; the IMT by high frequency ultrasound. The polymorphisms of one carbon genetic variants were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and amplified fragment length polymorphism methods. Results indicate that methyltetrahydrofolate homocysteine methyl transferase (MTR) A2756G allele was found to be protective in T2D and the other variants were not significantly associated with T2D. Glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCP II) C1561T (r = 0.34; p = 0.05) and methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T (r = 0.35; 0.04) showed positive correlation with plasma homocysteine in T2D cases. In this study, MTR A2756G allele was found to be protective in T2D; GCP II C1561T and MTHFR C677T showed positive association with plasma homocysteine in T2D cases. Among all the genetic variants, MTR A2756G was found influence IMT. RFC 1 G80A and TYMS 5′-UTR 2R3R showed synergistically interact with MTR A2756G in influencing increase in IMT.     

An inexpensive microfluidic device for three-dimensional hydrodynamic focusing in imaging flow cytometry

We present design, characterization, and testing of an inexpensive, sheath-flow based microfluidic device for three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic focusing of cells in imaging flow cytometry. In contrast to other 3D sheathing devices, our device hydrodynamically focuses the cells in a single-file near the bottom wall of the microchannel that allows imaging cells with high magnification and low working distance objectives, without the need for small device dimensions. The relatively large dimensions of the microchannels enable easy fabrication using less-precise fabrication techniques, and the simplicity of the device design avoids the need for tedious alignment of various layers. We have characterized the performance of the device with 3D numerical simulations and validated these simulations with experiments of hydrodynamic focusing of a fluorescently dyed sample fluid. The simulations show that the width and the height of the 3D focused sample stream can be controlled independently by varying the heights of main and side channels of the device, and the flow rates of sample and sheath fluids. Based on simulations, we also provide useful guidelines for choosing the device dimensions and flow rates for focusing cells of a particular size. Thereafter, we demonstrate the applicability of our device for imaging a large number of RBCs using brightfield microscopy. We also discuss the choice of the region of interest and camera frame rate so as to image each cell individually in our device. The design of our microfluidic device makes it equally applicable for imaging cells of different sizes using various other imaging techniques such as phase-contrast and fluorescence microscopy.     

Diagnostic Dilemma of HbA1c Detection in Presence of a Hemoglobinopathy: A Case Report

We report a case of a diabetic, heterozygote with near normal hematology, marginally low level of hemoglobin A₂(HbA₂) having an increased level of hemoglobin F(HbF) that was pancellularly distributed among the red cells. BioRad DiaSTAT measurements gave a high glycated hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c) of 31.5% and the BioRad Variant analyzer recorded an HbA1c value which was very low, in discordance with the detected blood glucose levels. Flow cytometry and polymerization chain reaction (PCR) based studies were carried out which revealed the case to be that of the common hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (HPFH)-3, an Asian Indian mutation. Fructosamine estimation and HbA1c by Boronate affinity chromatography were able to resolve the discordant value detected and was able to confirm the diabetes status. The case would have been a diagnostic dilemma, if reported without correlation.     

A Sneak Peek into 5G Communications

The world of mobile communications is poised for yet another disruptive transformation – the introduction of 5G. It will change the way mobile phones communicate. New technologies at the device level and novel network architectures to manage them will be soon seen everywhere. This article explores what 5G is all about. It also talks briefly about the preparations underway across the globe to deploy 5G by 2020.     

A serpentine way to signaling

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 2012 has been awarded to Robert J Lefkowitz and Brian K Kobilka for their studies on G-Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs). GPCRs are receptor proteins present on the cell surface, which are involved in sensing molecules outside the cell and initiating a cellular response. They can sense a wide variety of ligands ranging from light to hormones and small peptides, triggering various physiological responses. Today we understand the molecular mechanisms by which these receptors work largely due to the contributions of Lefkowitz and Kobilka. Owing to the role of GPCRs in cell communication and involvement in various disease conditions, they are targets of over 40% of current drugs in the market. These findings have not only revealed how GPCRs work, but have also made a huge impact on the field of GPCR-associated drug discovery.     

Effect of processing parameters on the electromagnetic radiation emission during plastic deformation and crack propagation in copper-zinc alloys

INTRODUCTION The physics of plastic deformation and crack propagation at atomic level is complex but is essential for the development of new materials. This requires an understanding of the atomic level phenomena associated with the plastic deformation. In this con- text, emission of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) during plastic deformation and crack propagation in metals and alloys, and generation of transient mag- netic fields during crack initiation in ferromagnetic materials are rep…     

Managing uncertainty in the real world

In Part 1 of this article we understood the idea of a fuzzy set. We also reviewed simple operations such as fuzzy set intersection, union, and complementation, and related these to geometry. In Part 2, we extend the idea of fuzzy sets to explain how we may develop systems that reason with fuzzy sets using fuzzy logic. The idea of extending fuzzy logic to fuzzy engineering and fuzzy function approximation is explored with a working example. It is hoped that readers will be provided with enough motivation to appreciate the use of fuzzy set theory for real world applications.