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Background: This study investigates the association of advanced glycation index (AGI), a simple assay to detect advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) in serum, with severity of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in type 2 diabetic subjects., Methods: The study included 188 type 2 diabetic subjects without DR, 153 subjects with nonproliferative DR, 41 subjects with proliferative DR, and 188 control participants. Serum levels of AGEs were monitored with a spectrofluorimeter by recording Maillard-specific fluorescence., Results: AGI values increased with severity of DR (analysis of variance, P<.0001). Among diabetic subjects, AGI (mean+/-S.E.) was higher among subjects with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR; 6.7+/-0.1 U) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR; 9.1+/-0.3 U) than among subjects without DR (P<.0001). By arranging the levels of serum AGI in quartiles, the proportion of PDR subjects increased with increasing AGI values, with maximum subjects in the last quartile (trend chi(2)=60.239, P<.0001). AGI was associated with NPDR even after adjusting for age, gender, duration of diabetes, and glycated hemoglobin [odds ratio (OR)=1.33; 95% confidence interval (95% CI)=1.12-1.57; P=.001]. Similarly, AGI showed a significant association with PDR even after adjusting for various risk factors (OR=2.47; 95% CI=1.75-3.47; P<.0001). Receiver-operating-characteristics curve analysis revealed that the threshold level of 8.07 U had a 78% sensitivity, an 83.6% specificity, and an 86.1% accuracy for detecting PDR., Conclusion: AGI showed a significant association with the severity of DR and, hence, could be used as a prognostic tool to predict the development and progression of DR.

Aims: To determine risk factors for diabetic retinopathy (DR) in an urban South Indian Type 2 diabetic population., Methods: The Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study is a large cross-sectional study conducted in Chennai, South India. A total of 1736 Type 2 diabetic subjects were recruited for this study, which included 1382 known diabetic subjects (90.4% response rate) and 354 randomly selected, newly detected diabetic subjects diagnosed by oral glucose tolerance test. All subjects underwent four-field stereo retinal colour photography, graded by the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study protocol., Results: Of the 1736 Type 2 diabetic subjects photographed, photographs could be graded in 1715 subjects. Stepwise ordinal logistic regression analysis revealed that male gender (P = 0.041), duration of diabetes (P < 0.0001), glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c); P < 0.0001), macroalbuminuria (P = 0.0002) and insulin therapy (P = 0.0001) were significantly associated with severity of DR. The risk for developing DR was 7.7 times (95% confidence interval 4.71-12.48, P < 0.0001) for elevated postprandial plasma glucose levels compared with 4.2 times (95% confidence interval 2.78-6.34, P < 0.0001) for elevated fasting plasma glucose when the fourth quartile values were compared with the first quartile glucose values., Conclusions: In South Indian Type 2 diabetic subjects, duration of diabetes, HbA1c, male gender, macroalbuminuria and insulin therapy were independent risk factors for severity of DR. Postprandial hyperglycaemia indicated a higher risk for DR compared with elevated fasting plasma glucose levels.

Indian red scorpion (Mesobuthus tamulus; MBT) envenomation produces various cardio-respiratory abnormalities including cardiac dysrhythmias. The underlying cell signaling pathways for the cardiac dysrhythmias produced by MBT venom are not known. The present study was therefore conducted to delineate the second messenger signaling pathways involved in MBT venom-induced atrial rhythm changes. The effects of venom and various antagonists were examined on spontaneously beating rat right atrial preparations in vitro. The MBT-venom produced an increase (35%), a decrease (45%) and again an increase (50%) in rate at 0.03, 0.3 and 3.0 microg/ml of venom, respectively. On the other hand, force of contraction exhibited a concentration-dependent rise (up to 40%) at all concentrations of venom. Pretreatment with atropine (0.3 microM) blocked the decrease in atrial rate at 0.3 microg/ml concentration of venom while no such blockade was seen in force of contraction. Submaximal concentration of ACh (0.1 nM) decreased the atrial rate by 25%. In the presence of MBT venom (0.3 microg/ml), ACh-induced fall in atrial rate was enhanced. The venom-induced fall in atrial rate and augmentation of ACh response were blocked by pertussis toxin (PTx; a Gi-inhibitor) or methylene blue (a G-cyclase inhibitor). The results indicate that the decrease in atrial rate produced by venom is mediated muscarinic by receptors via Gi-guanylyl cyclase mediated cell signaling pathways.

Role of estrogen on cardiac dysrhythmia produced by Indian red scorpion (Mesobuthus tamulus) venom was examined using rat right atrial preparations in vitro. In females, the M. tamulus venom produced an increase, a decrease and an increase in rate at 0.03, 0.3 and 3 microg/ml of venom, respectively, producing N-shaped response curve, whereas no such response pattern was observed in males. Force of contraction in females was increased at all the concentrations of the venom, while in males the increase was seen only at 3 microg/ml. Castration of male rats did not alter the venom response to female type, while 'estrogenisation of castrated male rats' (pseudofemales) produced a response similar to females. Tamoxifen reversed the venom-induced responses both in females and pseudofemales. Further in females, the venom action at 0.3 microg/ml was blocked by atropine. Response at this concentration was also blocked by pertussis toxin and methylene blue. Results suggest that the cholinergic component of venom response is modulated by estrogen receptors via G(i)-protein-guanylyl cyclase mechanism.

Purpose: To assess the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in type 2 diabetic subjects in urban India using four-field stereo color photography., Methods: The Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study (CURES) is a population-based study conducted on a representative population of Chennai (formerly Madras) city in South India. Individuals > or =20 years in age (n = 26,001) were screened for diabetes. Of the 1529 known diabetic subjects, 1382 (90.4%) participated in the study. Subjects with newly detected diabetes (n = 354) by the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) also consented to participate in the study. All the subjects underwent four-field stereo color photography, and retinopathy was graded in the color fundus photographs according to Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) criteria., Results: The overall prevalence of DR in the population was 17.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 15.8-19.5), which included 20.8% (95% CI: 18.7-23.1) in known diabetic subjects and 5.1% (95% CI: 3.1-8.0) in subjects with newly detected diabetes. The prevalence of DR was significantly higher in men than in women (21.3% vs. 14.6%; P < 0.0001) and among subjects with proteinuria (P = 0.002). Logistic regression analysis showed that for every 5-year increase in the duration of diabetes, the risk for DR increased 1.89-fold (95% CI: 1.679-2.135; P < 0.0001). For every 2% elevation of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), the risk for DR increased by a factor of 1.7 (95% CI: 1.545-1.980; P < 0.0001)., Conclusions: This study shows that the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy is lower in urban South Indians than in other ethnic groups. However, due to the large number of diabetic subjects, DR is likely to pose a public health burden in India; hence, routine retinal examination is mandatory to detect DR in the early stages.

Influence of finger millet and kodo millet on rat dermal wound healing was assessed by making a 4 cm2 (2 x 2 cm) excision wound on the shaven back of rats under ether anesthesia. Finger millet or kodo millet flour (300 mg) as aqueous paste was applied topically once daily for 16 days. The granulation tissue formed on day 4, 8 and 12 was used to estimate some biochemical parameters like protein, DNA, collagen and lipid peroxides. There was significant increase in protein and collagen contents and decrease in lipid peroxides. Biophysical parameters like rate of contraction and number of days for epithelialization were also studied. Rate of contraction was 88-90% in kodo millet and finger millet treated rats in comparison to 75% in untreated rats. The number of days for complete closure of wounds was lower for finger millet (13 days) and kodo millet (14 days) treated rats in comparison to untreated (16 days) rats. The results implicate a possible therapeutical role for finger millet and kodo millet in accelerating the process of wound healing.