Blood pressure in rural and urban adult healthy females of Jat Sikh community in Punjab, North India: an epidemiologic profile

Blood pressure readings were collected from 1042 adult females of rural and urban Jat Sikh community of Punjab, a north Indian State. Anthropometric measurements like height, weight and skinfold thickness were also collected. The difference between rural and urban females in systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressure was found to be statistically significant. All anthropometric variables and age have a significant positive association with blood pressure. The effects of anthropometric variables on blood pressure were assessed simultaneously through stepwise multiple regression analysis. All 'F' ratios have been found highly significant (p < 0.001) among both rural and urban female population.     

Genetic analysis of fragile X-syndrome

Fragile X-syndrome is the most common inherited cause of mental retardation. The key clinical features of the fragile X-syndrome in males are mental retardation, a long face with large everted ears and large testes. The disorder is associated with a visible fragile site at Xq27.3 at FMR-1 loucs with the amplification of (CGC) n repeat sequence. The early diagnosis of affected individuals are carriers who are not aware of their high risk of having an affected child is important for proper management and counselling.     

Inbreeding and congenital heart diseases in a North Indian population

The study was performed in six mohallahs (colonies) of Aligarh City (North India). All six mohallahs are predominantly inhabited by Qureshi (meat sellers, a highly endogamous group) Muslims. A total of 1721 infants and children up to the age of 6 years were examined to determine the incidence of congenital heart diseases (CHD) in relation to the degree of consanguinity of the parents. Around 43% of the subjects were the offspring of consanguineous marriages including second-cousin, first-cousin-once-removed and first-cousin. A higher percentage of CUD was found in the offspring of consanguineous marriages: about 3.37% out of 741 children as compared to 1.22% in 980 offspring of non-consanguineous marriages, whereas in the first-cousin offspring, the percentage of CHD rose to 4.41%. The differences were found to be statistically significant. The present study suggests a genetic influence and also casts doubt on the applicability of a polygenic threshold model to all forms of cardiac malformation.     

Inbreeding depression and intelligence quotient among north Indian children

This study presents the assessment of inbreeding depression on the intelligence quotient among north Indian Muslim Children of school age. The Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-R)-74 was given to the children in both groups (50 each non-inbred and inbred of the first-cousin status), aged 6 to 11 years and from the same socio-economic status. The change of the mean follows genetic theory; however, the nature of the change in variance seems to be somewhat different.     

Trend of blood pressure in north Indian children

In the summer of 899 School Children (473 boys and 426 girls) aged 6-11 years in Aligarh district, Northern part of India were measured of blood pressure, height and weight. Systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressure have a strong positive correlation with age, height and weight (P < 0.001). There is no significant difference in SBP, DBP and MBP among the boys and girls of corresponding age. Inspite of sample fluctuation weight has shown a strong correlation with blood pressure (P < 0.001) among both sexes in any of the age groups.     

Effect of inbreeding on Wechsler intelligence test scores among North Indian children

The effects of inbreeding in humans on the intelligence has been investigated in the present study of offspring of second cousin matings (F=0.0156, n=138 male, 132 female), first cousins once removed (F=0.03125, n=148 male, 138 female), first cousins (F=0.0625, n=161 male, 151 female), and unrelated (F=0, n=194 male, 182 female) among North Indian Muslims. The Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-R)-74 was given to the children in the both groups. An overall significant (p<0.001) reduction of means has been observed in inbred series. The results of this study confirm the appreciable inbreeding depression especially among the offspring of first cousins.