Conservatism and personality factors in a sample of adolescents

Relationships between Cattell High School Personality Questionaire factors and the adolescent version of the Wilson-Patterson Conservatism Scale were examined in a sample of 492 teenagers. Conservatism was significantly related to a number of personality traits in both boys and girls. Results suggest the existence of a “conservative personality.”     

Evaluation of hypoglycemic and antioxidant effect of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ocimum sanctum</Emphasis>

Ocimum sanctum leaves have been traditionally used in treatment of diabetes mellitus. Dietary supplementation of fresh tulsi leaves in a dose of 2 gm/kg BW for 30 days led to significant lowering of blood glucose levels in test group. Intake ofOcimum sanctum also led to significant increase in levels of superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione and total thiols, but marked reduction in peroxiodised lipid levels as compared to untreated control group. The leaves were found to possess both superoxide and hydroxyl free radical scavenging action. The present observations establish the efficacy ofOcimum sanctum leaves in lowering blood glucose levels and antioxidant property appears to be predominantly responsible for hypoglycemic effect.     

Study of adenosine deaminase activity in pulmonary tuberculosis and other common respiratory diseases

Tuberculosis has, in a short span of time, become a major health problem in the third world or developing countries like India. In view of this, a retrospective study was conducted to study Adenosine deaminase activity in serum and pleural fluid in patients affected with Pulmonary Tuberculosis and other common non-tubercular chronic respiratory diseases. The study was carried out on 100 patients suffering from various pulmonary disorders, between January 2002 and August 2002. Thirty-five normal healthy individuals were included as control subjects. ADA estimation was done by sensitive colorimetric method. The study revealed that the serum ADA activity was higher in patients of tuberculous pulmonary and pleural diseases and non-tuberculous pulmonary diseases than in control subjects. The mean serum ADA activity in the patients’ group was 35.5±6.93 u/l as compared to 16.20±2.85 u/l in control group, showing a highly significant (P≪0.001) difference. ADA activity was highest in tuberculous pleuropulmonary diseases. The pleural fluid ADA activity was higher in pyogenic pleural effusion than in tuberculous pleural effusion.     

Pro-oxidant and anti-oxidant status in patients of sickle cell anaemia

The role of oxidant damage to red cells in sickle cell anaemia has been of interest in recent years. Although, available reports suggest that sickle cell erythrocytes are susceptible to endogenous free radical mediated oxidant damage there remains discrepancy in the status of antioxidant enzymes and antioxidant vitamins in these patients. In view of this, 107 cases of sickle cell anaemia (36 ‘SS’ and 71 ‘AS’ pattern—as confirmed by haemoglobin electrophoresis) were subjected to analysis of malondialdehyde, ascorbic acid, superoxide dismutase and albumin. The results were compared with 54 age and sex matched healthy controls. The results indicate a marked increase in lipid peroxidation and superoxide dismutase levels in both ‘SS’ and ‘AS’ types of sickle cell anaemia as compared to controls. Although no difference was observed in the levels of albumin in these groups the levels of ascorbic acid were significantly depleted in sickle cell anaemia patients. The results are indicative of enhanced lipid peroxidation along with imbalance in the pro-oxidant and antioxidant status in patients of sickle cell anaemia.     

Comparing age-wise reference intervals for serum creatinine concentration in a “Reality check” of the recommended cut-off

An increase in the communication within the healthcare services, both nationally and internationally, has strengthened the need for harmonization of measurements and reference intervals in laboratory medicine. In the present report, the calculated reference interval for serum creatinine (sCr) levels of healthy normal individuals (n=1121) in different sex and age groups are compared with the established interval. The calculated reference interval for sCr level was 0.4–1.3 mg/dL and 0.6 to 1.3 mg/dL in the age groups of 21–40 and 41–60 years respectively. The difference between the mean sCr values in total males and total females (age range 21–60 years) was statistically significant (p<0.0001); When male and female subjects were analyzed age-group wise, the data showed a significant difference in mean sCr values (p<0.0001) in three age groups (21–30, 31–40 and 41–50 years) however, in older age group (51–60 years), the difference was non-significant (p=0.07). The reference ranges were 0.7–1.3 and 0.4–1.0 mg/dL for males and females respectively where the lower limit was 0.1–0.2 units less than that of standard limits. An increase in the mean value of sCr was observed particularly in females with an increase in age. Hence it is of interest to validate an age specific reference ranges for sCr in our population.     

Antioxidants: Basis concepts in relation to the eye

Antioxidants are a small group of substances that protect living cells from the destructive consequences of powerful oxidizing intermediates that can be formed from oxygen. Situations in which pro-oxidant mechanisms within the body are more active than the antioxidant mechanisms (oxidative stress) predispose and contribute to the pathogenesis of several ailments in various organs of the body. In the eye, pro-oxidant factors have been blamed for the causation of diseases such as age related macular degeneration and senile cataract. The role of pro-oxidants in the genesis of certain diseases is well established however, the effectivity of antioxidants provided to the body by dietary supplementation is inconclusive. In this article we provide a review on the basic concepts of antioxidant-pro-oxidant interaction in relation to its effects on the eye.     

Blood lipid peroxidation products and antioxidants in senile cataract

Lipid peroxidation products and antioxidants were estimated in either blood, serum or erythrocytes of 25 cases of early and 25 of advanced senile (50–60 years) cataract and 30 persons of age matched healthy controls. Serum lipid peroxidation products (as malondialdehyde) were significantly higher in patients with early senile (0.25±0.05 μm/dl, P<0.05) and advanced senile cataract (0.29±0.05 μm/dl, P<0.001) as compared to healthy controls (0.22±0.07 μm/dl). Erythrocyte superoxide dismutase levels were lower in patients with early senile (730±60.5 units/gm Hb) and significantly lower in advanced senile (712±50.2 units/gm Hb, P<0.05) cataract than those in healthy controls (767±59.5 units/gm Hb). Serum α-tocopherol was significantly lower (P<0.05) in only advanced senile cataract (0.69±0.08 mg/dl) but not in early senile cataract (0.75±0.08 mg/dl) when compared with healthy controls (0.75±0.09 mg/dl). There was no significant difference in the erythrocyte concentration of reduced glutathione and serum levels of total proteins, β-carotene, vitamin A, ascorbic acid, calcium, magnesium and zinc.     

Differential Expressions of p53, p53R2, hRRM2 and PBR in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Correlation with Intracellular Cholesterol

Regulation of intracellular cholesterol homeostasis exists under balance between intracellular biosynthesis and uptake from extracellular origin by cell surface transport proteins. Expected role of cholesterol on either tumor suppressor gene and/or DNA synthesis has been aimed in the present study to explore intracellular cholesterol homeostasis in CLL subjects. Higher expressions of p53R2 (p53 dependent subunit of ribonucleotide reductase) and p53 were found in lymphocytes of chronic human lymphocytic leukemia as comparison to their normal counterparts. Inverse relation was found with p53 independent R2 subunit (in human hRRM2) of ribonucleotide reductase, which was found to be decreased from its control group. More expression of peripheral type benzodiazepine receptor, a cholesterol transporter, was noticed in isolated nuclear fraction with simultaneous increase of cholesterol concentration in cytoplasmic and nuclear compartments. A parallel increase of cholesterol in cell nucleus with increased p53R2 expression shows priority of the involvement of cholesterol in the process of cell replication.     

Biochemical changes in polymorphonuclear leucocytes in patients suffering from diabetes

The microbicidal capacity of polymorphonuclear leucocytes of diabetic and control subjects was evaluated by estimating the release of lysosomal enzymes viz beta-glucuronidase, lysozyme, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, in response to a particulate stimulus-serum treated zymosan (STZ). The cells untreated and pretreated with cytochalasin B were exposed to STZ The total enzyme activities were estimated after cell lysis. The total enzyme activities were not altered in diabetic subjects as compared to control subjects. The release of lysosomal enzymes by cells pretreated with cytochalasin B was high as compared to untreated cells. The release of lysosomal enzymes from the cells isolated from diabetic patients, untreated and pretreated with cytochalasin B was reduced as compared to controls. The findings of the present study that the total lysosomal enzyme activities are normal while the release of these enzymes in response to stimulus is impaired in diabetics, suggest that the bactericidal capacity of these cells which involves phagocytosis is impaired in these patients.