Search

Aims: The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of overweight, obesity and abdominal obesity and their associated factors in a large sample of urban Indian schoolchildren. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted in 5 cities in India. Height and weight were measured in 38,296 children and waist circumference was measured in 29,244 children aged 8–18 years. The prevalence was compared with respect to age, gender, type of school and city of residence. Results: The mean ± standard deviation for age was 13.3 ± 2.4 years and 18.3 ± 4.3 kg/m2 for BMI. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in 8- to 18-year-old children, respectively, was 14.4 and 2.8% by IOTF cutoffs, 14.5 and 4.8% by CDC cutoffs and 18.5 and 5.3% by WHO cutoffs. When applying the cutoffs specific for Indian ethnicity in 14- to 18-year-old children, the prevalence was higher (21.1 and 12.3%, respectively) as compared to the IOTF, WHO and CDC cutoffs. The overall prevalence of abdominal obesity in urban Indian schoolchildren was 4.5%. The prevalence of overweight and abdominal obesity was significantly higher in females than males (p < 0.001). High socioeconomic status and residing in cities with a population greater than 4 million were independently associated with overweight and abdominal obesity (p < 0.001). On extrapolating these data, more than 15 million children would currently be overweight and 4 million abdominally obese in urban India. Conclusions: There is a substantial burden of childhood obesity in India, which necessitates comprehensive urban-based campaigns for its prevention and control.

The dissociation constants for the ‘isoelectric’ reactions of the type AH+ · A + H+ (where A = 2,2′-bipyridine or 1,10-phenanthroline) have been determined in water + dimethylsulphoxide mixtures (0–90.81 wt% of DMSO) pH-metrically (using glass and calomel electrodes) and spectrophotometrically. The free energies of transfer of the H+ ion have been calculated. The ΔGto (H+) values have been found to be increasingly negative up to 80 wt% organic solvent indicating that basicity is maximum in this region beyond which the basicity decreases.

In vivo experiment has been conducted to observe the preventive role of Thuja occidentalis Linn (leaves) against 7, 12 dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary cancer. Ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and methanolic (MeOH) extracts in two doses (5 and 10 mg/kg body weight) of the plant were tested for DMBA-induced Indian Cancer Research Centre (ICRC) mice mammary carcinoma in terms of tumor weight, volume, life span, histological variation and oxidative stress against the reference drug doxorubicin using standard animal protocol. EtOAc extract (10 mg/kg body weight) of the plant exhibits reduction of tumor weight (39%), tumor volume (50%), reduced glutathione (GSH) (83%) and malignant cells compared to cancerous control group while the increase in body weight and life span in comparison with cancerous control and doxorubicin-treated group. EtOAc extract being most potent extract has been subjected to detailed chromatographic separation. The most potent chromatographic fraction exhibits the presence of flavonoidal unit. Structural elucidation of bioactive principle is in progress. It is inferred that the plant T. occidentalis (leaves) possess significant potential for phytopreventive bioefficacy against DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis.

The impact of recent advances in the chemical and genetic engineering manipulations of antibodies on radioimmunotargeting is reviewed both in relation to radioimmunoscintigraphy and radioimmunotherapy. The resulting trends are: (1) the linking of parts of the mouse/rat and human antibody molecule; (2) the creation of molecules with dual antigen or multiple antigen recognition capabilities; (3) the making of smaller and smaller antigen recognition molecules; and (4) the development of molecules with dual capabilities, e.g. antigen recognition and enzyme activity. The various methods of creating antibodies in vitro are reviewed with reference to bacteria, using phage selection and a combinatorial library, mammalian cells, yeast cells and, finally, mice containing giant yeast artificial chromosomes. The advantages and disadvantages of smaller fragments as well as of the human anti-mouse antibody (HAMA) reaction are discussed and the need for early clinical evaluation and widespread availability of the newer antibodies is emphasized. It is envisaged that these immunotechnological advances will permit the large-scale production of precisely engineered humanized antibodies, and the specificity and affinity rate constant of these antibodies can be optimized using in vitro phage selection as well as by computer modelling where the stereo chemistry of the antigen is known precisely.

Andrographis paniculata Nees, a well-known plant of Indian and Chinese traditional system of medicines, has drawn attention of researchers in recent times. An attempt was made to isolate the active principle from the plant using chromatographic methods. Andrographolide isolated from Andrographis paniculata (burm. f.) Nees (Acanthaceae) ameliorated the diabetes induced renal failure when treated for 28 days. The results demonstrated that andrographolide showed alleviation in terms of serum creatinine (54.73 %), serum urea (63.92 %), urinary proteins (32.35 %) at a dose of 90 μg/ml. The structure of the isolated compound was confirmed by various spectroscopic methods.

Radiosilver-111 and Radiogold-199 were proposed by us (1) as suitable isotopes for radioimmunotherapy in areas such as India by reason of their suitable half-lives and B-emissions (Ag-111 T1/2 = 7.45 d and Au-199 T1/2 = 3.15 d). Since silver is monovalent, it is difficult to link to conventional bifunctional chelates. We therefore explored the use of sulfur-based linkers (2). Encouraged by the Thakur and De Fulvio Technique (3) of linking technetium to disulfide groups in antibodies reduced by ascorbic acid that is eminently biocompatible, we have explored the linkage of silver to immunoglobulin reduced by ascorbic acid. The linkage of silver was assessed with stable Ag-108 using dialysis to quantify the free silver after the reaction of silver and reduced immunoglobulins in various molar ratios (1:1, 1:2, 1:5, 1:10). The silver quantity was estimated gravimetrically after precipitation as chloride. It was observed that using these molar ratios there was negligible silver efflux into the dialysate, suggesting stable linkage. We also assessed the linkage using Ag-110M as radiotracer. The comparative results with the two techniques are described.

Increasing prevalence of childhood obesity calls for comprehensive and cost-effective educative measures in developing countries such as India. School-based educative programmes greatly influence children's behaviour towards healthy living. We aimed to evaluate the impact of a school-based health and nutritional education programme on knowledge and behaviour of urban Asian Indian school children. Benchmark assessment of parents and teachers was also done. We educated 40 196 children (aged 8–18 years), 25 000 parents and 1500 teachers about health, nutrition, physical activity, non-communicable diseases and healthy cooking practices in three cities of North India. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to assess randomly selected 3128 children, 2241 parents and 841 teachers before intervention and 2329 children after intervention. Low baseline knowledge and behaviour scores were reported in 75–94 % government and 48–78 % private school children, across all age groups. A small proportion of government school children gave correct answers about protein (14–17 %), carbohydrates (25–27 %) and saturated fats (18–32 %). Private school children, parents and teachers performed significantly better than government school subjects (P P P

The lipid lowering activity of fenugreek seeds (Trigonella foenum graecum L.) was studied in 60 non-insulin dependent diabetic subjects. Isocaloric diets without and with fenugreek were given for 7 days and 24 weeks respectively. Ingestion of an experimental diet containing 25 g fenugreek seed powder resulted in a significant reduction of total cholesterol, LDL and VLDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. These results indicate the beneficial effect of fenugreek seeds in diabetic subjects.

Background: The objective was to assess the diagnostic efficacy of hepatobiliary scintigraphy (Tc 99 mebrofenin) in case of cholestatic jaundice in pediatric practice. Method: Study conducted on 45 cases from 0-6 yrs. of age. Out of 45 pt 20 pt excluded from study Hepatobiliary Scintigraphy (Tc 99m Mebrofinin) was performed in 25 cases. Injection of Tc 99m mebrofinin (1-2 mCi) IV was given to each subject. Dynamic hepatic scan was done upto initial 1 hour study and additional delayed images were taken at 4 & 24 hrs only in case of non-visualization of tracer in the intestine after initial 1 hr. study. Results: In this study hepatobiliary scintigraphy was 100% sensitive, 93.73% specific, 80% positive predictive values, 100% negative predictive value, 6.23% false positive result and virtually no false negative result for biliary atresia. Conclusion: It is concluded that Tc 99m mebrofenin hepatobiliary scintigraphy has proven to be reliable noninvasive imaging modality in evaluating cholestatic jaundice in pediatric practice as it carries a high sensitive & specific value, good positive & no negative predictive value, few false positive & virtually no false negative results.

The study was conducted in 35 cases of acute tubular necrosis of varied aetiology. Cases were divided in 2 groups, Group A--17 cases treated conservatively and Group B--18 cases managed by early haemodialysis. Criteria for early haemodialysis were blood urea120 mg% and serum creatinine7 mg%. Before starting therapy both the groups had comparable biochemical and renal parameters (p0.05). Overall mortality was lower in Group B as compared to Group A (22.2% Vs 29.4). Complication events such as uraemic encephalopathy, pulmonary oedema, haematemesis and malena, thrombophlebitis and vomiting were significantly lower in Group B (p0.05). Hospital stay was also significantly lower (p0.05) in Group B (18 +/- 2.5 days Vs 28 +/- 3 days), this can reduce the cost of treatment also.

A patient presented with hyperthyroidism and a thyroid swelling, clinically thought to be malignant. Fine-needle aspiration of the thyroid nodule revealed microfilariae of Wuchereria bancrofti. After therapy the thyroid swelling subsided and the patient became euthyroid. The possible etiologic role of microfilariae in the genesis of the thyroid tumor and hyperthyroidism is discussed.

Earlier studies described the linkage of silver to antibodies using SH groups generated by the reduction of the SS groups using ascorbic acid (1) analogous to the Thakur and DeFulvio technique for linking technetium to antibodies. This work describes the linkage of silver to IgG after introducing SH groups by coupling the IgG to 2-imino thiolane. The protein was dissolved in sodium acetate buffer pH 4.5 containing 1 mM EDTA by dialysis/gel chromatography in a concentration of 20 mg/mL. 2-Imino thiolane dissolved in Tris-HCl acetate buffer, pH 8.2, 0.2M was added to give a final dilution of 0.2 mM 2-imino thiolane. The excess of 2-imino thiolane was removed by dialysis or G-25 Sephadex gel chromatography and then the protein was reacted with silver nitrate 0.1 mM. The unreacted SH groups were blocked by adding iodoacetamide to a concentration of 5 mM. The nonprotein reagents again were removed by dialysis or gel chromatography. The thiol groups were titrated using 1.5 mM 2 2-Py-SS-Py prior to and after addition of silver. It was observed that depending on the concentration of silver, 50-80% of the SH groups were coupled to silver. Higher concentrations of silver led to insoluble precipitates and should be avoided.

The impact of recent advances in the chemical and genetic engineering manipulations of antibodies on radioimmunotargeting is reviewed both in relation to radioimmunoscintigraphy and radioimmunotherapy. The resulting trends are: (1) the linking of parts of the mouse/rat and human antibody molecule; (2) the creation of molecules with dual antigen or multiple antigen recognition capabilities; (3) the making of smaller and smaller antigen recognition molecules; and (4) the development of molecules with dual capabilities, e.g. antigen recognition and enzyme activity. The various methods of creating antibodies in vitro are reviewed with reference to bacteria, using phage selection and a combinatorial library, mammalian cells, yeast cells and, finally, mice containing giant yeast artificial chromosomes. The advantages and disadvantages of smaller fragments as well as of the human anti-mouse antibody (HAMA) reaction are discussed and the need for early clinical evaluation and widespread availability of the newer antibodies is emphasized. It is envisaged that these immunotechnological advances will permit the large-scale production of precisely engineered humanized antibodies, and the specificity and affinity rate constant of these antibodies can be optimized using in vitro phage selection as well as by computer modelling where the stereo chemistry of the antigen is known precisely.

Despite attempts to maintain asepsis, good manufacturing practices, and the use of terminal sterilization by millipore filtration, the nuclear practitioner is always worried about the possibility of endotoxin contamination. Methods, such as ion-exchange chromatography, have been tried for removing endotoxins during the preparation of radiolabeled antibodies, and so on. As suggested by Stevenson (1990), we evaluated the Issekutz technique (1) of endotoxin removal by affinity chromatography using a polymyxin cyanogen bromide (CNBr) Sepharose column. The endotoxin content of millipore filtrates of heat killed/sonicated suspensions of Pseudomonas pyocyaneus, E. coli were measured using a Sigma (St. Louis, MO) Endotoxin Assay Kit before and after filtration through such columns and compared with the results obtained using gel exclusion and ion-exchange columns of the same length and diameter. Reduction of endotoxin content to undetectable levels by the polymyxin column was observed. The use of such columns for terminal endotoxin removal analogous to terminal sterilization is advocated especially when developing a radiopharmaceutical such as radiolabeled antibodies for in house use.

Department of Chemistry, North Bengal University, Darjeeling-734 430 Manuscript received 16 November 1992, accepted 2 December 1992 Precise conductance measurements are reportedfor alkali metal chlorides and bromides, MX (M+ = Li, Na, K, Rb and Cs ; x-=CI and Br) in tetrahydrofuran (THF) + water mixtures at 25°. The limiting molar conductivity (\(\Lambda\)0 ) the associatien constant (KA) and association distance (R) in the solvent mixtures have been evaluated using the Fuoss conductance equation (1978). The analysis of data indicates that the electrolytes are almost unassociated at 0.059 mole fraction of THF, whereas at 0.143, 0.273 and 0.500 mole fraction of THF, the association was very strong. The values for alkali metal cations (anion being the same) are found to be in the order: Li+ < Na+ < K+ < Rb+ < Cs+. The results have been explained in terms of ion-solvent interactions and structural changes in the mixed solvents.

Department of Chemistry, North Bengal University, Darjeeling-734 430 Department of Chemistry, University of Kalyani. Kalyani-741 235 Manuscript received 23 March 1992, revised 24 September 1992, accepted 12 November1992 Compressibility measurements of various tetraalkylammonium halides In DMSO+water mixtures have been made at 298 K using an ultrasonic interferometer. The change in the compressibility behaviour has been discussed in the light of solvent structures and ion solvent interactions. The solvation numbers of the electrolytes have been determined The single ion solvation numbers have been determined using the 'reference electrolyte' method. The negative solvation numbers In the region 40·to 80 wt% of DMSO have been ascribed to the breakdown of the DMSO+H2O structures.

A patient presented with hyperthyroidism and a thyroid swelling, clinically thought to be malignant. Fine-needle aspiration of the thyroid nodule revealed microfilariae of Wuchereria bancrofti. After therapy the thyroid swelling subsided and the patient became euthyroid. The possible etiologic role of microfilariae in the genesis of the thyroid tumor and hyperthyroidism is discussed. Diagn. Cytopathol. 16:149-150, 1997.

Toxicological evaluation of fenugreek seeds was made in 60 NIDDM subjects in a 24 week study in which changes in body weight, clinical signs and symptoms and serum parameters such as SGOT, SGPT, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, creatinine and blood urea, together with haematological parameters, was studied. Ingestion of an experimental diet containing 25 g fenugreek seed powder resulted in no renal or hepatic toxicity, but interestingly blood urea levels were seen to decrease after week 12.

Thirty cases of viral hepatitis with and without coma and 15 normal healthy age and sex matched controls were studied for disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC). Cases of viral hepatitis with coma showed strong evidence of DIC in the form of increased plasma FDP (240 ± 190.64 dilution), diminished fibrinogen half life (48.1 ± 15.3 hours) and increased fractional catabolic rate (46.13 ± 14.7% per day) with normal Euglobulin clot lysis time and reduced fibrinogen (147.33 ± 43.5%) and platelet count (1.27 ± 0.324 lakhs/cm.). The possible role of heparin in the reversal of coagulation abnormalities have been discussed.

Department of Chemistry, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, Nadia. Manuscript received 26 September 1975 ; revised 3 April 1976 ; accepted 8 April, 1976. In order to explore the role of the solvents on the 'iso-electric reactions' of the type AH+\(\rightleftharpoons\)A +H+, the dissociation constants of 2, 2'-dipyridyl at low ionic strengths (\(\approx\)10-3M) were determined in different weight percentages of isopropanol-water mixtures (8, 16.3, 25.1, 34.3, 43.9, 54.0, 64.6, 75.8 and 87.5) and dioxane-water mixtures (10.3, 20.5, 30.6, 40.7, 50.8, 60.7, 70.6, 80.5, and 90.3) by \(p\)H-titra­tion. The present results together with values obtained from previous experiments in ethanol-water and methanol-water mixtures were discussed in terms of ion-solvent interactions and sol­vent basicity.

Department of Chemistry, North Bengal University, Darjeeling -734 - 430 Manuscript received 10 September 1987, accepted 22 December 1987 Conductance measurements have been reported for tetraalkylammonium bromides, R4NBr (R =CH3 — to C4H2-) in the concentration range 0.005-0.08 mol in dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO)+ water mixtures (20, 40, 60 and 80 wt% of DMSO) at 25°. The data have been analysed by the Finns conductance equation and the charac­teristic parameters A0, KA and Rhave been evaluated. The single ion conductances (\(λ^o_\pm\)) have been determined using the 'reference electrolyte' Bu4NBPh4. The analysis of the data indicates that the electrolytes are not associated in these solvent mixtures. The ionic Walden products have been determined and its variations with the solvent compositions discussed. The results have been explained in terms of ion - solvent inter­actions and structural changes in the solvent mixtures.

Department of Chemistry, North Bengal University, Darjeeling-784 480 Department of Chemistry, Kalyani University, Kalyani-741 286 Manuscript received 18 February 1984, revised 16 September 1984, accepted 29 April 1986 Studies on the equilibria for the reactions Fe bipy\(_3^{2+}\)+3H+ \(\rightleftharpoons\) Fe2+3Hbipy+ and Fe bipy2+\(\rightleftharpoons\)Fe2++3bipy have been determined spectrophotometrically in DMSO-water and formamide-water mixtures using the data previously reported for the reaction Hbipy+\(\rightleftharpoons\)H++bipy The results have been interpreted in terms of solvent basicity, changes in the solvent structures and ion-solvent interactions. The utility of such studies in deter­mining the free energy of transfer of cations have been stressed.

Since tubercular lesions form an important differential diagnosis in our country, tuberculoma models in mice have been created and imaged using iodine-125 radiolabelled antimycobacterial monoclonal antibodies for the aetiopathological diagnosis.