Oxidative stress and antioxidant status in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia

Chronic myeloid leukemia is a myeloproliferative disorder with a unique rearrangement, the Philadelphia chromosome. Oxidative stress, a pervasive condition of an increased number of reactive oxygen species, is now recognized to be prominent feature of various diseases and their progression. Thus antioxidants, which control the oxidative stress state, represent a major line of defense regulating overall true state of health. The relationship between antioxidants status and levels of well-known markers of oxidative stress that are measured as lipid peroxides and oxidized proteins reflect better health indices and postures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of oxidative stress in pathophysiology of Chronic myeloid leukemia by measuring the circulating plasma lipid peroxide levels in terms of malonyldialdehyde, total lipid hydroperoxide and oxidized proteins as protein carbonyl whereas antioxidant status were estimated in terms of reduced glutathione and total thiol in plasma of Chronic myeloid leukemia patients. The present study included 47 Chronic myeloid leukemia patients and 20 age-and sex-matched healthy subjects. Out of 47 Chronic myeloid leukemia patients, 31 were in chronic phase (CML-CP) and 16 in accelerated phase (CML-AP). The median age of Chronic myeloid leukemia patients was 33 years and that of controls was 32 years. Oxidative stress and antioxidant status in plasma were evaluated by spectrophotometric procedures. There was a significant increase (p<0.05) in plasma malonyldialdehyde, total lipid hydroperoxide and protein carbonyl levels in Chronic myeloid leukemia patients as compared to healthy subjects. Our results also showed that plasma malonyldialdehyde and protein carbonyl levels were markedly elevated (p<0.05) in both chronic phase (CML-CP) and accelerated phase (CML-AP) as compared to healthy volunteers. Antioxidant status was found to be significantly decreased (p<0.05) in Chronic myeloid leukemia patients and its phases as compared to healthy participants. It could be concluded that oxidative stress may be associated with the pathophysiology of Chronic myeloid leukemia.     

Liberalization, outward orientation and in-house R&D activity of multinational and local firms: A quantitative exploration for Indian manufacturing

In an increasingly globalizing and knowledge-based world economy, the declining importance of R&D activity in India is a matter of concern. This paper analyzes the determinants of R&D behaviour of Indian enterprises over the 1990s in the context of the reforms of 1991 and their impact on the R&D behaviour of MNE affiliates and local enterprises. The analysis suggests that although average levels of spending have fallen, increased competition due to liberalization seems to have pushed local firms to rationalize their R&D activity and make it more efficient. Also, R&D spending seems to rise more than proportionally with firm size after a certain threshold level has been reached. The analysis brings out differences in the nature of R&D activity of MNE affiliates and local firms. Local firms direct their R&D activity primarily towards the assimilation of imported technology, and to providing a backup to their outward expansion via exports and FDI. MNE affiliates, on the other hand, focus on exploiting the advantages of India as an R&D platform for their parents. The paper is concluded with some policy implications of the findings.     

逃跑的女孩

Ru Yun and San Hua were best friends. They had been the best of friends for almost half their lives, at about fifteen years of age. They went to the same school, took the same bus and shared the same interests. They were always together like a pair of Siamese twins. Nothing could separate them, not even their studies or their parents,     

High-throughput sorting of drops in microfluidic chips using electric capacitance

We analyze a recently introduced approach for the sorting of aqueous drops with biological content immersed in oil, using a microfluidic chip that combines the functionality of electrowetting with the high throughput of two-phase flow microfluidics. In this electrostatic sorter, three co-planar electrodes covered by a thin dielectric layer are placed directly below the fluidic channel. Switching the potential of the central electrode creates an electrical guide that leads the drop to the desired outlet. The generated force, which deflects the drop, can be tuned via the voltage. The working principle is based on a contrast in conductivity between the drop and the continuous phase, which ensures successful operation even for drops of highly conductive biological media like phosphate buffered saline. Moreover, since the electric field does not penetrate the drop, its content is protected from electrical currents and Joule heating. A simple capacitive model allows quantitative prediction of the electrostatic forces exerted on drops. The maximum achievable sorting rate is determined by a competition between electrostatic and hydrodynamic forces. Sorting speeds up to 1200 per second are demonstrated for conductive drops of 160 pl in low viscosity oil.     

Iron deficiency and anemia in vegetarian mothers and their newborns

Blood haemoglobin, serum iron, iron binding capacity, transferrin saturation and ferritin levels were determined in two groups of mothers as well as their cords—strict vegetarians (lactovegetarians) and non-vegetarians (omnivores), closely comparable in age, weight, parity and gestation period but differing in their diet and food habits. All these parameters, except total iron binding capacity, were found to be significantly lower in vegetarian mothers and their cords as compared to nonvegetarian mothers and their cords, respectively, despite receiving supplemental iron for six months. Further, there was a greater incidence of anemia and iron deficiency in mothers consuming only vegetarian diet. Moreover, a significant correlation existed between mother's ferritin to cord ferritin confirming that maternal iron deficiency does affect neonatal iron status. All these observations suggest that strict vegetarian mothers as well as their newborns have a greater incidence and risk of anemia and iron deficiency.     

Evaluation of C4b as an adjunct marker in symptomatic RT-PCR negative Covid-19 cases

IntroductionDetecting low viral load has been a challenge in this pandemic, which has led to its escalated transmission. Complement activation has been implicated in pathogenesis of Covid-19 infection. Thus, evaluation of complement activation in suspected Covid-19 infection may help to detect infection and limit false negative cases thus limiting transmission of infection. We speculate that measuring C4b, produced from an activated complement system due to the presence of Covid-19 may help in its detection, even when the viral titers are low.MethodsPlasma C4b levels of symptomatic RT-PCR positive patients (cases, n = 40); symptomatic RT-PCR negative patients (n = 35) and asymptomatic RT-PCR negative controls (n = 40) were evaluated. Plasma C5b-9, IL-6, D-dimer and C1-Inhibitor (C1-INH) were also measured in cases and controls. ELISA kits were used for all measurements. Statistical analyses were carried out using Stata, version 12 (Stata Corp., Texas, USA).ResultsC4b levels were found to be significantly increased in RT-PCR positive patients as compared to asymptomatic RT-PCR negative controls. RT-PCR negative but symptomatic patients still showed increased C4b levels. The significantly higher levels of C4b in cases with a cut-off value of ≥ 116 ng/ml with optimum sensitivity and specificity of 80% and 52% respectively is indicative of its possible use as an adjunct marker. Increased levels of D-dimer, IL6, along with decreased levels of C1-INH were found in cases compared to controls. Whereas, C5b-9 levels were not significantly raised in cases.ConclusionsThe results of our study suggests that plasma C4b may help to detect infection in false negative cases of RT-PCR that escape detection owing to low viral load. However, to confirm it a large-scale study is needed.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12291-022-01033-z.     

Impact and Sustainability of E-Government Services in Developing Countries: Lessons Learned from Tamil Nadu, India

We find that the presence of village Internet facilities, offering government to citizen services, is positively associated with the rate at which the villagers obtain some of these services. In a study of a rural Internet project in India, we identify a positive correlation for two such Internet services: obtaining birth certificates for children and applications for old age pensions. Both these government services are of considerable social and economic value to the citizens. Villagers report that the Internet based services saved them time, money, and effort compared with obtaining the services directly from the government office. We also find that these services can reduce corruption in the delivery of these services. After over one year of successful operation, however, the e-government program was not able to maintain the necessary level of local political and administrative support to remain institutionally viable. As government officers shifted from the region, or grew to find the program a threat, the e-government services faltered. We argue that this failure was due to a variety of Critical Failure Factors. We end with a simple sustainability failure model. In summary, we propose that the e-government program failed to be politically and institutionally sustainable due to people, management, cultural, and structural factors     

Effect of integrating IoT courses at the freshman level on learning attitude and behaviour in the classroom

Education and Information Technologies - As a technology the effect of the Internet of Things (IoT) is so strong that it has changed the way of living. The transition is also apparent in the field...     

Pop the pills without bitterness

Masking the bitter taste of drugs is a potential tool for the improvement of patient compliance, which in turn decides the commercial success of the product. To improve the palatability of a pharmaceutical product, many techniques have been developed, which have not only improved the taste of the product, but also the stability of the drug in the formulation and performance of the product. This article is an attempt to review strategies, technologies and tools that are used by pharmaceutical scientists for taste-masking.     

Dynamic and spatial representation of web movements and navigational patterns through the use of navigational paths as data

Solving real-world problems is an effective learning activity that promotes meaningful learning in formal educational settings. Problems can be classified as being either well structured or ill structured. Internet information search approaches have an influential role to play in the successful performance of problem solving. A better understanding of how students differentially model information search strategies and movements in tackling well- and ill-structured problems is essential for creating engaging problem-solving environments for students. Static measures, such as the number of accessed nodes or links, or the number of times particular web browser function buttons are clicked, are limited in their ability to analyze attributes of information search patterns. A more dynamic and spatial representation of web movements and navigational patterns can be realized through the use of navigational paths as data. The two path-specific structural metrics that can be used to assess network-based navigational paths in relation to the structuredness of the problem-solving task are compactness and stratum. These metrics are, respectively, the indicators of the connectedness and linearity of network-based structures defining students’ online navigational visitations during the problem-solving sessions. This study explored the relevance and utility of these two metrics in analyzing the navigational movements of learners in seeking out electronic information to accomplish successful problem solving. The outcome findings of this study show that well- and ill-structured problems demand different cognitive and information seeking navigational approaches. The differing values of the two path metrics in analyzing the search movements organized by students in attending to well- and ill-structured problems were a direct result of the contrasting patterns of navigational path movements. The search patterns associated with well-structured problem solving tended to be more linear and less connected, whereas those related to ill-structured problem solving were more distributed and inter-connected.