Influence of Bcl-1 Gene Polymorphism of Glucocorticoid Receptor Gene (NR3C1, rs41423247) on Blood Pressure,Glucose in Northern Indians

Glucocorticoids and its receptor are known to be involved in the dysregulation of hormone and lipid levels. Therefore, we evaluated the association of Bcl1 gene polymorphism of glucocorticoids receptor (GCR) gene variant with hormone and lipid levels in Northern Indians obese. A total of 435 obese and non-obese age matched subjects were included in the case–control study. Lipid and hormonal levels were estimated using standard protocols. Analysis of +646 C>G NR3C1 gene polymorphism was done using PCR–RFLP. The frequencies of GR Bcl1, C>G genotypes and alleles did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) between obese and non-obese. The +646 G allele carriers had higher waist to hip ratio, blood pressure, insulin and glucose levels than non-carriers in obese subjects while diastolic blood pressure and glucose in non-obese. The NR3C1, +646 C>G polymorphism did not associate with obesity. However, the GG genotype may modulate blood pressure, blood glucose and hormonal levels in northern Indians.     

Interrelationship Between Procalcitonin and Organ Failure in Sepsis

Sepsis suffers from lack of specific clinical symptoms which contribute to one of the major causes of mortality. In the present study, our aim was to evaluate the role of a recent biomarker Procalcitonin (PCT) in predicting organ dysfunction. 71 patients admitted with sepsis were included in the study. PCT levels were measured at 0, 24, 72 h and 7th day and sequential organ failure assessment score (SOFA) scores were calculated. PCT levels significantly decreased (p < 0.001) in 89.3 % of surviving patients, whereas, in 60 % non surviving patients the PCT level increased significantly (p < 0.001). A significant positive correlation between PCT and SOFA score was observed in survivors at each hour. These observations indicate that PCT concentration is significantly associated with severity of multi organ dysfunction and also helps in determining the prognosis of septic patients.     

The completeness theorem of Gödel

In Part 1¹ of the article, we introduced the basic notions and techniques of mathematical logic. In this part, we present the completeness theorem of first order logic proved first by Gödel in 1929. We give a sketch of the proof due to Henkin.     

Erythrocyte aldehyde dehydrogenase activity in alcoholics and non-alcoholics and its value as a Biochemical marker in alcoholism

Erythrocyte aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity in a normal reference population from North India was determined from results of 22 healthy subjects (12 male and 10 female). We compared these data with results of 19 alcoholic patients (13 male and 6 female). The mean erythrocyte ALDH activity of male and female alcohol abusers was 16.2% and 20.9% lower than the mean values for healthy subjects, respectively (P<0.001 and <0.01). It is proposed that erythrocyte ALDH activity may be a useful clinical chemical marker of alcohol abuse and alcoholism.     

Study of apolipoproteinc3 Sstl polymorphism in healthy volunteers from Northern India

Several studies including a small case-control (hypertriglyceridemic/normotriglyceridemic individuals) study by us revealed close association between rare S2 allele ofAPOC3 Sstl polymorphism and hypertriglyceridemia. With the understanding that Asian Indians are highly vulnerable to the adverse effects of hypertriglyceridemia, we extended the investigation and studied the frequency distribution of this polymorphism in 216 healthy volunteers from Northern plains of India. We found that more than 50% of the study population had one or two S2 allele. This may suggest that a larger fraction of this population is genetically predisposed to hypertriglyceridemia.     

Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene polymorphism and obesity: A pilot study from north India

The main adverse consequences of excess bodyweight are cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, and several cancers, IL-1Ra serum concentration has been reported earlier to increase in human obesity and it is therefore assumed that the polymorphism of IL-1Ra may influence cytokine production. We designed this study to investigate whether the IL-1Ra polymorphism was associated with obesity. A total number of 103 individuals; 19 lean (BMI<25 Kg/m²), 51 overweight (BMI 25–29.9 Kg/m²) and 33 obese (BMI≥30.0 Kg/m²) were enrolled in this study. Genotyping was performed using a polymerase chain reaction PCR amplification of the intron-2 fragment harboring a variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) nucleotide sequences 86 pb of tandem repeat. The PCR products were separated on 2% agarose gel. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software (version 11.5). We found no significant difference in genotype and allele frequencies between the three groups; lean vs. overweight and lean vs. obese (p=0.323; 0.202; 0.123 and 0.068 resp). However, an increased risk for obesity had a propensity to be higher in those having genotype II/II. This genotype has been reported to be a ‘high producer’ of IL-1Ra. Although no statistically significant relationship between IL-1Ra polymorphism and BMI was observed, however, a trend towards an increase of allele^*II in overweight and obese group was observed. This may suggest that IL-1Ra appears to be induced by inflammatory stimuli as well as obesity-associated factors. This is relatively a pilot study: but nevertheless, may assist in identifying the pathophysiological cause for obesity.     

Reversal of haemodialysis induced hypertriacylgycerolemia by L-carnitine

A 24 week follow-up study on lipid change following maintenance haemodialysis (MHD) in 25 chronic renal failure (CRF) patients revealed significantly raised serum Triacylglycerol (TAG) levels in these cases (P<0.001), while cholesterol and HDL-Cholesterol did not show any significant change, the extent of increase was 10.5±3.6% after 12 weeks and 23.0±5.8% after 24 weeks. Corresponding increase in CRF patients treated conservatively, without haemodialysis, were 3.1±1.2% and 7.2±2.7% at these intervals. Subsequent oral administration of L-Carnitine (5mg/kg body weight twice a day) for three weeks brought about a significant reversal of elevated serum TAG level in MDH group as well as in the conservatively treated group (P≤0.05). It is concluded that the haemodialysis induced Hyper-Triacylglycerolemia of CRF patients is revertible by Carnitine replenishment. Even the concomitant increase in conservatively treated group is revertible by carnitine administration.