Serum apolipoproteins in the patients of myocardial infarction in different age groups

The level of serum cholesterol (Ch), serum-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc), serum-low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc), serum very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDLc), Triglyceride (Tg), Apolipoprotein A-1, B and ratio of Apolipoprotein A1/B were observed in 151 survivors of myocardial infarction in different age groups. A significant increase was found in the level of triglyceride, LDLc, apolipoprotein-B and a significant decrease in apolipoprotein-A1 and the ratio of apolipoprotein A1/B. No significant alteration was found in serum cholesterol, HDLc except in the age group of 31–40 years and 41–50 years and VLDLc. Thus, serum Apo A-1 and Apo-B may be considerably better markers for coronary artery disease than traditional lipid parameters.     

Effect of <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-Thyroxine on Micronuclei Frequency in Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes in Clinical and Experimental Conditions

The aim was to study the genotoxic effect of high concentration of thyroxine (T₄) in vivo in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of the patients suffering from thyroid disorders. The effect was compared by performing in vitro experiments with addition of increasing concentration of T₄ (0.125–1 µM) in whole blood samples from healthy donors. Cytokinesis-blocked micronuclei (CBMN) assay method was used to assess the DNA damage in the PBL. The study included 104 patients which were grouped as control (n = 49), hyperthyroid (n = 31) and hypothyroid (n = 24). A significant increase in micronuclei (MN) frequency was observed in hyperthyroid patients when compared with the hypothyroid and euthyroid group thereby suggesting increased genotoxicity in hyperthyroidism (p < 0.001). A significant increase in MN frequency was observed at T₄ concentration of 0.5 µM and above when compared to lower T₄ concentrations (0.125 and 0.25 µM) and basal in in vitro experiments (p = 0.000). The results indicate that the T₄ in normal concentration does not exhibit the genotoxic effect, as observed in both the in vivo and in vitro experiments. The toxicity of T₄ increases at and above 0.5 μM concentration in vitro. Therefore acute T₄ overdose should be handled promptly and effectively so as to avoid the possible genotoxic effect of high concentration of T₄ in vivo.     

Place of salivary β glucuronidase activity in head & neck cancers

Salivary β-glucuronidase activity was studied in 20 healthy subjects without habits and 10 with habits, 38 untreated patients of advanced head and neck cancer and 21 patients after treatment either after surgery or radiation. Salivary β-glucuronidase activity was elevated in untreated cases of head and neck cancer (p<0.001), with a fall in the activity after treatment. The post operative fall in the activity of salivary β-glucuronidase activity was highly significant (p<0.001) as compared to post radiation. This test can be utilized in the diagnosis and also for monitoring the course of the disease.     

A citation-based document retrieval system for finding research expertise

Current citation-based document retrieval systems generally offer only limited search facilities, such as author search. In order to facilitate more advanced search functions, we have developed a significantly improved system that employs two novel techniques: Context-based Cluster Analysis (CCA) and Context-based Ontology Generation frAmework (COGA). CCA aims to extract relevant information from clusters originally obtained from disparate clustering methods by building relationships between them. The built relationships are then represented as formal context using the Formal Concept Analysis (FCA) technique. COGA aims to generate ontology from clusters relationship built by CCA. By combining these two techniques, we are able to perform ontology learning from a citation database using clustering results. We have implemented the improved system and have demonstrated its use for finding research domain expertise. We have also conducted performance evaluation on the system and the results are encouraging.     

Some biochemical markers in various neoplasms: A multivariate analysis

The analysis of biochemical parameters in 162 patients with various neoplastic disorders along with 50 normal subjects showed significant rise in serum alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase as compared to normal subjects. 21 patients with other monoclonal gammopathies which include infection and immunological diseases were also studied. Parameters such as serum calcium, uric acid, total protein, albumin and globulin were also analyzed in 42 (26%) cases of multiple myeloma, 27 (17%) cases of gastro-intestinal malignancies, 22 (14%) cases of urogenital malignancies, 11 (6%) cases of carcinoma breast, 4 (2%) cases of bone tumors, 21 (12%) cases of other monoclonal gammopathies, including 7 (4%) cases of infection and 14 (8%) cases of immunological diseases. The results indicate use of enzymes alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase in neoplastic disorders.     

Unusual changes in colostrum composition in lactating Indian women having medical complications during pregnancy—A pilot study

Colostrum, the mammary secretion during first 2–4 days of lactation, provides all the essential components of nutrition and passive immunity required by the newborn. Pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH), glucose intolerance and anaemia are common medical complications observed during pregnancy in Indian women and their effects were studied on the composition of colostrum collected within 24 hours of delivery from lactating women included in the study. PIH during pregnancy significantly decreased colostrum IgA and total proteins, but showed a significant increase in K⁺ levels, where as women with glucose intolerance showed a significant decrease in total lipids and lactose and an increase in Na⁺ levels in colostrum compared to normal controls. The group with anaemia also showed a significant decrease in colostrum IgA and total protein levels when compared with the control group. Awareness about the changes that occur in the composition of colostrum during complicated pregnancies can be an important and useful tool for preventive and protective paediatrics.     

Information Economy and Changing Occupational Structure in Singapore

Using population census data since 1921, this article traces changes in employment and occupational structure in Singapore in the past 80 years. This is a follow-up to an earlier paper by Kuo and Chen (1987) that reported the nascent formation of the information society in Singapore till the 1980s. It also makes an assessment of the role of proactive government policies in directing industrial restructuring and occupational changes in this city-state. It is found that the long-term growing trend in information-related occupations has been in tandem and supportive of industrial changes in Singapore. One more wave of growth of information producers (and certainly, innovators) and information distributors is expected in the next couple of decades. The momentum has started, and competition from regional countries similarly aspiring to be information and knowledge economies will quicken the pace. The government has initiated fundamental changes in the educational system to meet the challenges of the knowledge-based economy. The small city-state has also long adopted an adaptive philosophy to be responsive to the ever-changing environment, either in technology or in regional politics. Based on the trend analysis, it is expected that the emergent information society will graduate into full status when Singapore attains a developed country status in the forthcoming decades.     

A preliminary report on the role of yoga asanas on oxidative stress in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus

Nineteen subjects of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) between the age group of 30–60 yrs were studied to see the effect of specific yoga asanas on fasting and postprandial blood glucose (FBG, PPG), serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA₁) in addition to drug treatment and diet control. The duration of diabetes ranged from 1–10 years. Patients with renal, cardiac and proliferative retinal diseases were excluded from the study. The same patients served as their own control. Subjects were called in the morning to the cardio-respiratory laboratory and were given training by a yoga expert. Yoga asanas included Suryanamskar, Tadasan, TriKonasan, Padmasan, Pranayam, Paschimottanasan, Ardhmatsyendrasan, Pavanmukthasan, Sarpasan and Shavasan. The asanas were done every day for 40 days for 30–40 min. FBG, PPG, serum MDA and HbA₁ were estimated before and after 40 days of yoga asanas regimen. Significant reduction was seen in FBG from 220 mg/dl to 162 mg/dl, PPG from 311 mg/dl to 255 mg/dl, MDA from 6 nmol/l to 3 nmol/l and HbA₁, from 8.8% to 6.4%. Subjects felt better and were relieved of their stresses and had an improvement in their day to day performance. The decrease was statistically significant (p<0.0001 for FBG and PPG, p<0.001 for MDA and for HbA₁).