Hypocholesterolemic effect of the hypoglycaemic principle of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) seeds

A potent hypoglycaemic principle was isolated by us earlier from the seeds of fenugreek. We have now investigated its hypocholesterolemic effect. Hypercholesterolemia was induced in two groups of rabbits (5 each) by feeding orally cholesterol 100 mg/kg/day for one week. From 8th day group I animals (controls) received the same dose of cholesterol for 4 more weeks. Group II animals (treated) were given along with the same dose of cholesterol fenugreek principle at 50 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks. Fenugreek principle not only prevented the elevation of serum cholesterol, (LDL+VLDL)c, triacylglycerols and the ratios of total cholesterol/HDLc and (LDL+VLDL)c/HDLc, but also brought down most of these values. Blood glucose levels were normal. The study shows that the same hypoglycaemic principle has hypocholesterolemic effect also.     

Effect of ocimum flavonoids as a radioprotector on the erythrocyte antioxidants in oral cancer

Flavonoids extracted from the leaves of Indian holy basil, Ocimum sanctum showed promising results as radioprotector in rodents. Hence it was thought pertinent to analyze the antioxidants of erythrocytes in oral cancer patients who were concurrently treated with radiation and ocimum flavonoids. Oral cancer patients consisted of 2 groups. Group A (n=17) received radiation alone while Group B(n=17) received radiation and ocimum flavonoids(OF). Samples of heparinised blood were collected prior to treatment, 15 and 30 days respectively after treatment. Blood from normal healthy volunteers were taken as controls (n=25). Erythrocytes were analyzed for the antioxidants viz. glutathione, glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase by the standard methods. Results of analysis indicated that erythrocytes from cancer patients (Group A and B) had significantly high glutathione levels before as well as after treatment compared to controls. It was observed that Group B which received OF showed a significant reduction in glutathione levels in comparison with Group A. All the other parameters showed no statistical significant changes. Results of the study suggest that erythrocytes from cancer patients responded to oxidative stress by elevating glutathione levels, while a decrease in glutathione levels observed in Group B, could be due to the free radical scavenging effect of OF, sparing the glutathione. However OF did not seem to exert its effect on other antioxidants of erythrocytes.     

Feature selection for face recognition: a memetic algorithmic approach

The eigenface method that uses principal component analysis （PCA） has been the standard and popular method used in face recognition. This paper presents a PCA - memetic algorithm （PCA-MA） approach for feature selection. PCA has been extended by MAs where the former was used for feature extraction/dimensionality reduction and the latter exploited for feature selection. Simulations were performed over ORL and YaleB face databases using Euclidean norm as the classifier. It was found that as far as the recognition rate is concerned, PCA-MA completely outperforms the eigenface method. We compared the performance of PCA extended with genetic algorithm （PCA-GA） with our proposed PCA-MA method. The results also clearly established the supremacy of the PCA-MA method over the PCA-GA method. We further extended linear discriminant analysis （LDA） and kernel principal component analysis （KPCA） approaches with the MA and observed significant improvement in recognition rate with fewer features. This paper also compares the performance of PCA-MA, LDA-MA and KPCA-MA approaches.     

A novel approach for part family formation using K-means algorithm

The reconfigurable manufacturing system （RMS） is the next step in manufacturing, allowing the production of any quantity of highly customized and complex parts together with the benefits of mass production. In RMSs, parts are grouped into families, each of which requires a specific system configuration. Initially system is configured to produce the first family of parts. Once it is finished, the system will be reconfigured in order to produce the second family, and so forth. The effectiveness of a RMS depends on the formation of the optimum set of part families addressing various recon figurability issues. The aim of this work is to establish a methodology for grouping parts into families for effective working of RMS. The methodology carried out in two phases. In the first phase, the correlation matrix is used as similarity coefficient matrix. In the second phase, agglomerative hier archical Kmeans algorithm is used for the parts family for mation resulting in an optimum set of part families for reconfigurable manufacturing system.     

Antidiabetic Effect of GII Compound Purified from Fenugreek (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Trigonella foenum graecum</Emphasis> Linn) Seeds in Diabetic Rabbits

Aim is to study the antidiabetic effect of a compound GII purified earlier from the water extract of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) seeds by Murthy and his colleagues (patented in India and USA) in diabetic rabbits. Diabetes was induced in rabbits by injecting 80 mg/kg bw of alloxan intravenously into rabiits. Rabbits were subdivided into subdiabetic [fasting blood sugar (FBG) up to 120 mg/dl with abnormal glucose tolerance in glucose tolerance test (GTT)], moderately diabetic (FBG below 250 mg/dl) and severely diabetic (FBG above 250 mg/dl). Blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) were estimated by procedures in the kits of Stangen Immunodiagnostics, Mumbai using, respectively, glucose oxidase method and absorbance at 415 nm. Serum insulin was estimated by the ELISA method as described in the kit of Boehringer Mannheim Immunodiagnostics, Mumbai, India. GII was found to improve blood glucose utilization in GTT and reduced FBG and HbA1C. In the present communication detailed studies were carried out with GII in the subdiabetic, moderately diabetic and severely diabetic rabbits. GII at a dose of 50 mg/kg bw per day brought down the elevated FBG levels in the untreated subdiabetic (FBG 96.6 ± 7 mg/dl), moderately diabetic (150.1 ± 14 mg/dl) and severely diabetic rabbits (427 ± 46 mg/dl) to normal in 12, 15 and 28 days of treatment. It improved serum HbA1C and insulin levels also in these rabbits. Intermittent therapy once a week for 6 weeks with GII at the same dose brought down the FBG values to normal in the subdiabetic (FBG 96.0 ± 2 mg/dl) and in the moderately diabetic rabbits to 133.0 ± 12 mg/dl. After stopping therapy of the subdiabetic and moderately diabetic rabbits whose FBG values came to normal after treatment with GII 50 mg/kg bw, the values remained normal for 1 week and showed a tendency to increase only after 15 days. If these animal studies are applicable to humans these results indicate that a diabetic person need not take GII daily when once the FBG value comes to normal or near to normal. Patients might be able to take GII only when the FBG value shows tendency to increase. So, intermittent therapy is possible with the potent product GII of the fenugreek seeds which is of a great advantage.     

A note on the converse of Lagrange’s theorem

In this section of Resonance, we invite readers to pose questions likely to be raised in a classroom situation. We may suggest strategies for dealing with them, or invite responses, or both. ??Classroom?? is equally a forum for raising broader issues and sharing personal experiences and viewpoints on matters related to teaching and learning science.     

Antidyslipidemic and antioxidant activities of different fractions of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Terminalia arjuna</Emphasis> stem bark

Terminalia arjuna (T. arjuna) stem bark was successively extracted with petroleum ether (A), solvent ether (B), ethanol (C) and water (D). The lipid lowering activity of these four fractions A, B, C, and D was evaluatedin vivo in two models viz., triton WR-1339 induced hyperlipemia in rats as well as fructose rich high fat diet (HFD) fed diabetic- dyslipidemic hamsters. Hyperlipidemia induced by triton caused marked increase in the plasma levels of total cholesterol (Tc), triglyceride (Tg) and phospholipids (PL) in rats. After treament withT. arjuna fractions A, B, C, and D at the doses of 250 mg/kg per oral (p.o.),only the ethanolic fraction (C) exerted significant lipid lowering effect as assessed by reversal of plasma levels of Tc, Tg and PL in hyperlipidemic rats. In another experiment, feeding with HFD produced marked dyslipidemia as observed by increased levels of plasma Tc, Tg, glucose (Glu), glycerol (Gly) and free fatty acids (FFA) in hamsters. After treatment withT. arjuna fractions at the doses of 250 mg/kg p.o. only two fraction (B and C) could exert significant lowering in the plasma levels of lipids and Glu. in dyslipidemic hamsters.In vitro experimentT. arjuna fractions at tested concentrations (50–500 μg/ml) inhibited the oxidative degradation of lipids in human low density lipoprotein and rat liver microsomes induced by metal ions. These fractions when tested against generation of oxygen free radicals at the concentrations (50–500 μg/ml), counteracted the formation of superoxide anions (O⁻²) and hydrodyl radicals (OH) in non enzymic test systems. The efficacy ofT. arjuna fractions as antidyslipidemic and antioxidant agents was found, fraction C> fraction B> fraction A.     

Serum and platelet sialic acid in acute myocardial infarction

Blood samples from 39 patients with acute myocardial infarction and 15 healthy controls were analysed for serum and platelet sialic acid. Serum sialic acid levels in patients with acute myocardial infarction were significantly higher than controls (mean 2.7±0.46 μmol/ml Vs. 1.91±0.17 μmol/ml respectively). Levels of serum orosomucoid, an acute phase reactant, containing sialic acid, were also higher in these patients, suggesting a possible non-specific mechanism of increase in serum sialic acid concentration. In contrast, platelets contained significantly less sialic acid in patients with acute myocardial infarction than control (26.73±1.57 nmol/mg protein and 31.97±2.68 nmol/mg protein respectively).     

Enhancement of myeloperoxidase activity in WBCS in oral cancer patients treated with Granulocyte Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF)—A pilot study

In a pilot study with five oral cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT) three were given Granulocyte Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF) as a protective agent to reduce the mucosal inflammation during radiotherapy. The myeloperoxidase (MPO) enzyme activity in WBC was quantitated. The three patients showed a significant increase in the MPO activity when compared with two untreated controls indicating the efficacy of GM-CSF as a protective agent. It is suggested that further detailed studies with larger number of patients would be useful.