Diagnostic Dilemma of HbA1c Detection in Presence of a Hemoglobinopathy: A Case Report

We report a case of a diabetic, heterozygote with near normal hematology, marginally low level of hemoglobin A₂(HbA₂) having an increased level of hemoglobin F(HbF) that was pancellularly distributed among the red cells. BioRad DiaSTAT measurements gave a high glycated hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c) of 31.5% and the BioRad Variant analyzer recorded an HbA1c value which was very low, in discordance with the detected blood glucose levels. Flow cytometry and polymerization chain reaction (PCR) based studies were carried out which revealed the case to be that of the common hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (HPFH)-3, an Asian Indian mutation. Fructosamine estimation and HbA1c by Boronate affinity chromatography were able to resolve the discordant value detected and was able to confirm the diabetes status. The case would have been a diagnostic dilemma, if reported without correlation.     

Systems and control engineering

To control an object means to influence its behaviour so as to achieve a desired goal. To implement this influence, engineers build various devices that incorporate several mathematical techniques. The study of these devices and their interaction with the object being controlled is the subject of this article.     

Systems and control engineering

In this part we define a number of properties of systems and describe their mathematical representation.     

From inactivity to encouragement: the contribution of Lord Elphinstone to the educational development of the Madras Presidency (1837–1842)

In light of the focus placed on English education by the colonial government, and the petition signed by 70,000 local inhabitants of the Madras Presidency, Lord John Elphinstone, the Governor, made efforts to disseminate English education during his governorship (1837–1842). Spurred on by the petition, Elphinstone wrote two fundamental educational minutes, in 1839 and 1841, and established Madras High School. Later, the School was transformed into Presidency College and became the first home of the University of Madras. Elphinstone’s planning led to the first systematic effort by the Madras government to impart English education. Subsequently, Elphinstone emphasised the dissemination of secular education and inclusion of native people in educational administration. Against this background, this paper discusses the contribution of Elphinstone to the educational development of Madras. It also questions the historiographical neglect of Elphinstone and challenges the established post-colonial discourse that the establishment of English institutions was a ‘colonialist’ imposition.     

Girls’ higher education in India on the road to inclusiveness: on track but heading where?

The scope of this paper spans from macro-level national and inter-state comparisons to more micro-level intra-state scrutiny of systemic fault-lines shaping the contours of girls’ education in India. Post independence, national level indicators have been suggestive of greater gender parity. Yet, there is more to inclusiveness of girls in Indian higher education than increasing absolute numbers or improving gender ratios. Rising female participation has coincided with a massive ‘systemic expansion’ of delivery systems and therefore, would have to be a function of this expanded availability. As a corollary, systemic skews and limitations, both qualitative and quantitative, are bound to influence how girls get incorporated into the system. This would matter not just in terms of how many access it, but also what courses do they access and where. In the course of this paper, we scan through several geographic layers of delivery systems to surface how critical systemic traits are shaping access to higher education in India, and how girls remain particularly vulnerable to them. It reveals how the progress achieved so far has spawned its own hierarchies, which do not get reflected adequately in the national level indicators. As we scale down to states, the first set of skews begins to surface in the form of inter-state disparities of access and uneven faculty-wise distributions. Moving to the next level of geographic dis-aggregation, further skews are revealed based on availability of medium of instruction; as also the guidelines of gender based affirmative action meant for improving girls’ participation that ironically end up creating their own distortions. Through a study of these multi-layered hurdles, this paper brings forth the systemic side of impediments that have remained less explored in comparison with the cultural-attitudinal biases that have plagued girls’ participation to higher education in India.     

SXP–RAL Family Filarial Protein,rWbL2, Prevents Development of DSS-Induced Acute Ulcerative Colitis

Helminthic infections lead to the release of various molecules which play an important role in modulation of the host immune system. Such filarial proteins with immunomodulatory potential can be used for therapeutic purpose in inflammatory and immune mediated diseases. In the present study, we have explored the prophylactic effect of filarial SXP–RAL family protein of Wuchereria bancrofti i.e. rWbL2 protein in DSS induced inflammatory ulcerative colitis in a mouse model. Prior treatment of rWbL2, followed by induction of colitis, showed significantly reduced disease severity as indicated by the decreased disease manifestations and improved macroscopic and microscopic inflammation. This preventive effect was found to be associated with increased release of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and decreased release of proinflammatory cytokines IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-17 by the splenocytes of treated mice. From this study, it can be envisaged that pretreatment with filarial protein, rWbL2, can prevent the establishment of ulcerative colitis in BALB/c mice. The underlying immunological mechanism may involve the up-regulation of Th2 immune response with down-regulation of Th1 response.     

Induction of IgE antibody response by the green seed extract of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vigna sinensis</Emphasis> in mice

Sensitization to ingested foods is a known fact and several food allergens have been characterized. It has been observed in our survey that the people complained of allergic symptoms after consumption of the vegetableVigna sinensis. In this study, the experiments were carried to investigate the IgE antibody response against the green seed extract of vigna sinensis in mice and found that the primary, secondary and tertiary immunization with or without adjuvant by different doses induced a significant production of IgE antibodies. The presence of IgE antibodies in the mice sera were determined by passive cutaneous anaphylaxis and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. It was also confirmed that these allergens were found to be heat resistant and shared a common epitope(s) with the other legume foods, as evidenced by the cross-reactive studies.     

Effect of Certain Antibiotics Against Filarial Parasite <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brugia malayi</Emphasis> In Vitro: Possible Role of Oxidative Stress

WHO-Tropical Disease Research scheme highlighted the need for development of new anti-filarial drugs. Certain antibiotics have recently been found effective against Wolbachia, co-existing symbiotically with filarial parasites. Inflammatory response entails oxidative mechanism to educe direct anti-microbial effect. In the present study microfilariae were maintained in vitro in medium supplemented with varying concentrations of tetracycline, doxycycline (20–100 μg/ml) or ciprofloxacin (50–250 μg/ml) separately to find out any involvement of oxidative mechanism in the anti-filarial effect of these antibiotics. Loss of motility of the microfilariae was measured after 48 h and correlated with the levels of MDA, nitric oxide and protein-carbonylation. Significant loss of microfilarial motility was recorded with increasing concentration of tetracycline and doxycycline but with ciprofloxacin the effect was not marked. Agents with high antifilarial activity revealed significant association with oxidative parameters in a dose dependent manner. The result suggests that oxidative effect might be exploited to design novel antifilarial drug candidate.