Nutrition Research in India: Underweight,Stunted, or Wasted?

India has experienced dramatic economic growth in the past 2 decades accompanied by a rising burden of noncommunicable diseases, which coexists with the unfinished agenda of undernutrition. Tackling these dual challenges requires strong investment in nutrition research. We compared India's research output with another rapidly developing country (China) and an established developed country (USA). We analyzed trends for each country between the periods 2000 to 2005 and 2006 to 2010, in terms of quantity and quality of the publications. India produced 2,712 articles (1.9% of the global total) in the 2000 to 2005 period and 3,999 articles (2.1%) in the 2006 to 2010 period, and the country impact factor was 191 and 174, respectively. The contributions to the top 10 nutrition journals during 2006 to 2010 was 1%. India must increase investment in and attention towards quality nutrition research and address potential barriers to publish.     

Acute toxicity of textile dye wastewaters (untreated and treated) of Sanganer on male reproductive systems of albino rats and mice

This study reports on the toxic effects of 15-days oral administration of untreated (Influent) and treated (Effluent) textile dye wastewaters on male reproductive systems of adult Swiss albino rats (age: 85–90 days) and mice (40–50 days). Textile dye wastewaters decreased body weight (7–25%) and reproductive organ weight (testis, epididymis, prostate gland and seminal vesicle, 2–48%). Similar trends were noted for total protein (14–70%), cholesterol (14–91%) and total lipid (10–30%) content of reproductive organs and spermatozoa, and for fructose levels in seminal vesicle (18–44%). Acid phosphatase activity in prostate however, was increased (11–44%) in the wastewater-exposed animals. Histopathological studies of treated animals revealed altered spermatogenesis, with higher sperm abnormalities, reduction in sperm counts (10–59%), and altered motility (14–56%). The magnitude of these abnormalities was stronger in rats versus mice, while among treatments, it was stronger in the Influent animals. Adverse effects improved when treated rats were allowed to recover 45 days in the control condition. Only recovered Effluent rats were capable of fertilizing normal females indicating that treated wastewater was less toxic; however, in comparison to control rats, litter size and body weight gains of F₁ and F₂ generations were adversely affected. Thus, the present study has established toxicity of both untreated and treated textile dye wastewater on reproductive biology of male Albino mice and rats.     

Evaluation of chemiluminescence, toluidine blue and histopathology for detection of high risk oral precancerous lesions: A cross-sectional study

Background

Chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) is fast becoming a well established technique for easy and sensitive determination of HER2 gene status in breast cancer. However, for the chromogenic method to achieve status as a safe and reliable technique, the method needs to be validated against already known and validated FISH techniques.

Methods

Here it is reported from a comparative study where HER2 gene status obtained by HER2 CISH pharmDx? Kit was compared to HER2 gene status obtained by the FDA approved HER2 FISH pharmDx? Kit and the PathVysion HER-2 DNA probe Kit. The study included 365 formalin fixed and paraffin-embedded invasive breast cancer tissue specimens collected consecutively at a US reference laboratory.

Results

The data obtained revealed an overall HER2 status concordance of approximately 98% for comparisons of HER2 CISH pharmDx? Kit to both HER2 FISH pharmDx? Kit and PathVysion HER-2 DNA Probe Kit.

Conclusions

The concordance between results obtained using the recently FDA approved HER2 CISH pharmDx? Kit with previously FDA approved FISH techniques for HER2 gene status determination indicate that the HER2 CISH pharmDx? Kit is a reliable chromogenic alternative to fluorescence-based methods.     

Photo Essay: Retinal Changes in Type 3 Gaucher Disease

Ocular features of Gaucher disease include gaze abnormalities, corneal clouding, ocular deposits and pigmentary changes in the macula. We report the presence of bilateral fovea sparing macular deposits in a 21-year-old woman with type 3 Gaucher disease. Macular deposits occur due to glucocerebroside accumulation within histiocytes and retinal deposits might correlate with the degree of systemic infiltration.     

Spontaneous bacterial empyema in a noncirrhotic patient: an unusual scenario

Spontaneous bacterial empyema (SBEM) is infection of a preexisting pleural effusion without evidence of pneumonia. It has been reported mostly in patients with hepatic hydrothorax. Only 1 case of SBEM in a noncirrhotic patient has been reported. We present an unusual case of bilateral SBEM from Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia in a noncirrhotic patient. A 52-year-old man presented with bilateral pleuritic chest pain and dyspnea for 2 days. His medical history included congestive heart failure, hemodialysis-dependent renal failure and known bilateral pleural effusions. No ascites or hepatosplenomegaly was noticed. Bilateral pleural effusions were again present on physical examination and confirmed by a chest computed tomography scan. Cardiac medical treatment and hemodialysis failed to improve his condition. Bilateral thoracentesis revealed purulent pleural fluid that was culture-positive for Streptococcus pneumonia as were blood cultures. There was no clinical or radiographic evidence of pneumonia. The detailed clinical course, treatment and highlighted points are described.     

Role of red cell distribution width in classifying microcytic hypochromic anaemia

Red cell distribution width (RDW) is an automated laboratory determination of red cell anisocytosis. The aim of the study was to analyse the role of RDW in differentiating iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) from thalassaemia trait. There were 500 patients who were screened for the study. Selection criteria of microcytic anaemia were Hb < 13 g/dl in males, Hb < 12 g/dl in females with mean corpuscular volume (MCV) < 80fl. These cases were subjected to complete iron profile and haemoglobin chromatography for definite diagnosis. The values of RDW were analysed in all these cases to see the utility of RDW in classifying microcytic anaemia; especially differentiating iron deficiency anaemia from thalassaemia minor cases. There were 133 out of 500 cases anaemic; 105/133 cases had microcytic anaemia, of which 53 had iron deficiency anaemia, 39 were thalassaemia traits, 6 were thalassaemia major, and 7 had other haemoglobinopathies. Thirty-six cases (67.92%) out of 53 iron deficiency anaemia had increased RDW, 32.08% (n = 17) had normal RDW; 71.79% (n = 28) of thalassaemia trait had increased RDW, 28.21% (n =11) had normal RDW. Evaluation of RDW as screening test to detect microcytic anaemia had sensitivity of 71.42% and specificity of 40%, Evaluation of RDW as a screening test for IDA had sensitivity of 67.9% and specificity 25%. It was found uniform increase in RDW in all cases of microcytosis. It is concluded that RDW adds useful but limited information in classifying microcytic anaemia.     

A comparative study of insulin resistance for Saudi and Caucasian subjects across a range of glycaemic categories

AimSaudi and Caucasian subjects, matched for adiposity, and of differing glycaemic status were compared using several insulin sensitivity indices and to also to assess insulin, glucose and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) responses to intravenous glucose.MethodsSubjects with normal glucose tolerance (NGT; n = 24), impaired fasting glucose (IFG; n = 12), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT; n = 12), and type 2 diabetes (DM; n = 13) were recruited from Saudi (n = 33) and Caucasian (n = 28) populations. All had specimens taken in the context of a standard oral glucose tolerance test at their first visit and had the insulin sensitivity parameter (Si) determined by frequently-sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIVGTT) at a second visit.ResultsSaudis in the NGT and pooled glucose intolerance categories had significantly higher diastolic blood pressure (p < 0.001, p < 0.05 respectively) and HbA1c (p < 0.01, p < 0.05 respectively) compared to Caucasians. Caucasians in the NGT category had significantly higher Si, fasting and 2 h IGFBP-1 (p < 0.01, p < 0.05 and p < 0.01 respectively) compared to Saudis. Two hours following oral or intravenous glucose serum IGFBP-1 decreased to 44% (p < 0.001) and 50% (p < 0.05) of baseline levels respectively.ConclusionsOur data suggest that adult Saudis with normal glucose tolerance appear to be more insulin resistant than Caucasians matched for adiposity. In normal individuals at 2 h the IGFBP-1 level will be about half the baseline level regardless of the route of glucose administration.     

Subtype‐specific peripheral blood gene expression profiles in recent‐onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Objective

To identify differences in peripheral blood gene expression between patients with different subclasses of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and healthy controls in a multicenter study of patients with recent‐onset JIA prior to treatment with disease‐modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) or biologic agents.

Methods

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 59 healthy children and 136 patients with JIA (28 with enthesitis‐related arthritis [ERA], 42 with persistent oligoarthritis, 45 with rheumatoid factor [RF]–negative polyarthritis, and 21 with systemic disease) were isolated from whole blood. Poly(A) RNA was labeled using a commercial RNA amplification and labeling system (NuGEN Ovation), and gene expression profiles were obtained using commercial expression microarrays (Affymetrix HG‐U133 Plus 2.0).

Results

A total of 9,501 differentially expressed probe sets were identified among the JIA subtypes and controls (by analysis of variance; false discovery rate 5%). Specifically, 193, 1,036, 873, and 7,595 probe sets were different in PBMCs from the controls compared with those from the ERA, persistent oligoarthritis, RF‐negative polyarthritis, and systemic JIA patients, respectively. In patients with persistent oligoarthritis, RF‐negative polyarthritis, and systemic JIA subtypes, up‐regulation of genes associated with interleukin‐10 (IL‐10) signaling was prominent. A hemoglobin cluster was identified that was underexpressed in ERA patients but overexpressed in systemic JIA patients. The influence of JAK/STAT, ERK/MAPK, IL‐2, and B cell receptor signaling pathways was evident in patients with persistent oligoarthritis. In systemic JIA, up‐regulation of innate immune pathways, including IL‐6, Toll‐like receptor/IL‐1 receptor, and peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor signaling, were noted, along with down‐regulation of gene networks related to natural killer cells and T cells. Complement and coagulation pathways were up‐regulated in systemic JIA, with a subset of these genes being differentially expressed in other subtypes as well.

Conclusion

Expression analysis identified differentially expressed genes in PBMCs obtained early in the disease from patients with different subtypes of JIA and in healthy controls, providing evidence of immunobiologic differences between these forms of childhood arthritis.