Role of oxidative stress while controlling iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy - Indian scenario

Iron Deficiency anemia ranks 9^th among 26 diseases with highest burden. Asia bears 71% of this global burden. Adverse maternal and birth outcome associated with hemoglobin status renders the issue worth attention. Indian scenario has worsened over the period despite continuous international and national efforts. This indicates some lacunae in the approach and strategies applied. Various reports state that even with maximum effort to increase outreach and monitoring for adherence to Iron schedule, consumer’s compliance remains abysmally low. Recent studies has pointed out biological basis of side effects (gastrointestinal complains and systemic events) as raised oxidative stress for which iron is the key catalyst. Up till now the only target of research has been to raise hemoglobin of pregnant women above 11gm/dl. With the reports of pregnancy specific morbidities i.e. hemorrhage and septicemia with low hemoglobin, eclampsia, small for gestation age, gestational diabetes with higher ranges of hemoglobin, alarm is raised to define optimum range. Use of oxidative stress as biochemical marker with different doses and schedules has been defined because India lack information for its own population upon oxidative stress status when iron is supplemented as per current guidelines. Studies done in India and abroad have defined that too much and too less, both may raise oxidative stress and studies of this sort may provide biochemical scale for optimization. This review therefore has evaluated currently available Indian research and reports to understand the need of future research area. Important findings from other countries have been incorporated for comparison.     

Effect of ethanolic leaf extract of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trianthema portulacastrum</Emphasis> L. On aflatoxin induced hepatic damage in rats

The aim of this study was to investigate the ethanolic leaf extract of Trianthema portulacastrum L. (Family: Aizoaceae) on aflatoxin induced hepatic damage in rats. Aflatoxin intoxication in rats significantly (p < 0.001) elevated the levels of serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and total bilirubin, which indicated acute hepatocellular damage and biliary obstruction. Ethanolic leaf extract of T. portulacastrum showed dose dependent decrease in the levels of SGPT, SGOT, ALP and total bilirubin. Minimum effective dose of extract was found to be 100 mg/kg body weight. Results obtained from histopathological studies also supported hepatoprotective activity against aflatoxin-induced hepatotoxicity. Thus the study demonstrates that T. portulacastrum possess antihepatotoxic effect against aflatoxin.     

The effect of flap parameters on fluid rectification in a microfluidic diode

We have studied the effect of flap parameters on fluid rectification in a microfluidic diode. We use Navier-Stokes equations and arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian formulation to obtain dynamics of fluid flow and motion of the flap. The flap opens during forward flow and seals against a stopper during reverse flow. This allows flow in the forward direction and prevents it in the reverse direction. The rectifier is fluidic analog to a semiconductor diode in function because it rectifies fluid flow. Velocity-pressure (V-P) curves analog to the current-voltage (I-V) curves of the electronic diode has been obtained. The effect of the flap parameters, such as length, thickness, and Young's modulus has been found out. The transient response of the flap and fluid flow under oscillating pressure driven flow has also been obtained.     

Role of plasma amino acids and gaba in alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease-a pilot study

Alcohol appears to affect brain function, primarily by interfering with the action of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and other neurotransmitters. As alcohol is mainly metabolized in the liver, therefore we undertook this pilot study to monitor the patterns of changes in plasma amino-acid concentrations due to alcoholic and nonalcohol fatty liver disease and their relation with plasma GABA level. Plasma amino-acid concentrations were measured in 25 alcoholic liver disease (ALD) patients, 18 non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients, and 24 age and sex matched control subjects by HPLC. GABA concentration was elevated, while isoleucine and leucine levels reduced significantly in ALD patients compared to the control subjects. Methionine and phenylalanine levels elevated and valine content reduced significantly in ALD patients compared to other two groups, and GABA level was significantly correlated with methionine and phenylalanine. Plasma concentration of lysine was significantly reduced in both groups of liver disease patients compared to the control group, but was not correlated with GABA level. Glycine and tyrosine levels reduced significantly in NAFLD patients compared to other two groups and were significantly correlated with GABA. Interestingly, though amino acids such as alanine, histidine, proline and serine were not affected by liver diseases, but were significantly correlated with GABA level. This pilot study indicated that alcoholic liver disease presented a more deranged plasma amino acid pattern than nonalcoholic, and the amino acid imbalances. More studies are necessary to identify the role of any particular amino acid on brain function and on neurotransmitter(s).     

Altered maternal thyroid function: Effect of L-carnitine supplementation on fetal and neonatal myocardial free fatty acid oxidation,in vitro

Effect of L-carnitine supplementation on myocardial free fatty acid oxidation,in vitro, in offsprings born of hypothyroid and hyperthyroid mothers was studied in rats. L-carnitine supplementation stimulated myocardial fatty acid oxidation during gestational period in offspring born of control and hyperthyroid mothers. In contrast L-carnitine supplementation induced stimulation in myocardial fatty acid oxidation was very less in fetuses born of hypothyroid mothers. However, in neonates born of hypothyroid mothers L-carnitine stimulated myocardial fatty acid oxidation to a great extent. The results suggested that during maternal hypothyroidism low availability of thyroid hormones to fetuses through maternal circulation and availability of less carnitine to neonates due to hypolactation might be responsible for decreased myocardial free fatty acid utilization. In neonates born of hypothyroid mothers and with cardiac energy insufficiency parenteral carnitine supplementation might be of great help to prevent mortality and morbidity of such offsprings.     

A Pilot Study on COVID-19 Positive Subjects: An Excerpt of Post-Infection-Pro-Diabetic Disposition & Related Consequences in Correlation to Hepato-Pancreatic Bio-Markers,Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines and Other Risk Factors

COVID-19, a global pandemic that led to increased morbidity and mortality worldwide since its outcome at the end of the year 2019. A newly discovered variant of severe acute respiratory distress syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) was the arbitrator for spreading the syndrome by droplet transmission causing multi-organ failure in many occasions. A post-infection-pro-diabetic disposition was found evident in this study with the persistence of hepato-pancreatic aberrations in respect of reference range of tissue specific bio-markers in hospital admitted COVID-19 cases. The results of this study show that hyperglycemia is a risk factor in precipitating disease oriented complications to the patients with COVID-19 disease. A post-infection follow- up on glycemic-index and related complexities is a vital need to the COVID-19 infected convalescent subjects. Implementation of guidelines on social measure and awareness of anti-viral interventions may be the only way to prevent COVID-19 transmission.     

A Pilot Study on Blood Components in COVID-19 Affected Subjects: A Correlation to UPR Signalling and ER-Stress

AbstractThe endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the site for protein synthesis, its folding and secretion. An intricate set of signalling pathways, called UPR pathways, have been evolved by ER in mammalian cells, to allow the cell to respond the presence of misfolded proteins within the ER. Breaching of these signalling systems by disease oriented accumulation of unfolded proteins may develop cellular stress. The aim of this study is to explore whether COVID-19 infection is responsible for developing this kind of endoplasmic reticulum related stress (ER-stress). ER-stress was evaluated by checking the expression of ER-stress markers e.g. PERK (adapting) and TRAF2 (alarming). ER-stress was correlated to several blood parameters viz. IgG, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, leukocytes, lymphocytes, RBC, haemoglobin and PaO₂/FiO₂ ratio (ratio of arterial oxygen partial pressure to fractional inspired oxygen) in COVID-19 affected subjects. COVID-19 infection was found to be a state of protein homeostasis (proteostasis) collapse. Changes in IgG levels showed very poor immune response by the infected subjects. At the initial phase of the disease, pro-inflammatory cytokine levels were high and anti-inflammatory cytokines levels were low; though they were partly compromised at later phase of the disease. Total leukocyte concentration increased over the period of time; while percentage of lymphocytes were dropped. No significant changes were observed in cases of RBC counts and haemoglobin (Hb) levels. Both RBC and Hb were maintained at their normal range. In mildly stressed group, PaO₂/FiO₂ ratio (oxygenation status) was in the higher side of normal range; whereas in other two groups the ratio was in respiratory distress syndrome mode. Virus could induce mild to severe ER-stress, which could be the cause of cellular death and systemic dysfunction introducing fatal consequences.Graphical AbstractSchematic representation of SARS-CoV-2 infection and related consequences.     

Rethinking saving: Indian ceremonial gifts as relational and reproductive saving

ABSTRACT

Economic anthropology has long advocated a broader vision of savings than that proposed by economists. This article extends this redefinitional effort by examining ceremonial gifts in India and arguing that they are a specific form of savings. Rural households, including those at the bottom of the pyramid, do save, in the sense of storing, accumulating and circulating value. But this takes place via particular forms of mediation that allow savers to forge or maintain social and emotional relations, to keep control over value – what matters in people’s lives – and over spaces and their own future. We propose terming these practices relational and reproductive saving, insofar as their main objective is to sustain life across generations. By contrast, trying to encourage saving via bank mediation may dispossess populations of control over their wealth, their socialisation, their territories and their time. In an increasingly financialised world of evermore aggressive policies to push people into financial inclusion, the social, symbolic, cultural and political aspects of diverse forms of financial mediation deserve our full attention.