Study of fingerprint classification and their gender distribution among South Indian population

Identification of an individual plays a vital part of any medicolegal investigation. Fingerprint is considered to be the most accurate and reliable indicator in identification.The present study was conducted on 500 South Indian subjects to determine the individuality and the predominant fingerprint pattern among South Indian population. Two-hundred and fifty males and 250 females of South Indian origin were included for this study and rolled prints were taken from all the 10 digits and the same were stored on a proforma.The most frequent fingerprint pattern was ulnar loop in the total population, as well as in the sex wise distribution.     

Serial circulating vasopressin levels in children with septic shock.

BACKGROUND: Septic shock is an important cause of death in pediatric intensive care units. Initial evaluations have shown that vasopressin may have a role in catecholamine refractory shock in adults. It is important to determine whether children with septic shock have deficiency of vasopressin. This will help in defining the role of vasopressin in septic shock. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Pediatric intensive care unit of a tertiary care hospital in north India. PATIENTS: Patients were children with septic shock, and controls were children with sepsis but no shock. STUDY DESIGN: Vasopressin levels in plasma were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for children with septic shock at diagnosis (baseline) and thereafter at 24, 48, and 96 hrs to determine the time trends. The baseline vasopressin values for children with septic shock were compared with those for children without shock. RESULTS: The median (95% confidence interval) vasopressin level at baseline in children with septic shock was 116 (63.3-130.7) pg/mL, and in children with sepsis but no shock it was 106 (61.7-131.77) pg/mL. The median value for survivors was 76 (44.6-130.9) pg/mL, and for nonsurvivors, 118 (81.7-259) pg/mL (p = .16). The serial values also did not show any significant changes; the values at 24 hrs (n = 17), 48 hrs (n = 16), and 96 hrs (n = 15) were 105 (76.1-125.9), 105 (41.4-155.5), and 109.5 (54.9-154.8) pg/mL, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study suggest that vasopressin levels are elevated in children with septic shock and that serial values up to 96 hrs do not show any decline.     

Embracing Technology for Capacity Building in Mental Health: New Path,Newer Challenges

Psychiatric Quarterly - Technology driven capacity building initiatives are the way to break the barrier of shortage of mental health human resources in India. This new path, while is a welcome...     

Complement C3 isoforms in Austrelaps superbus

Complement C3 plays a pivotal role in both classical and alternate pathways. Lower organisms (urochordates and fishes) have multiple isoforms whereas higher organisms have a single C3 gene. In cobras, a closely related protein cobra venom factor (CVF) is expressed in their venom gland. We have recently shown that Austrelaps superbus contains two isoforms (AVF-1 and AVF-2) of CVF-like proteins in the venom gland. To understand the origin of these proteins and their similarity to C3 protein, we examined C3-like proteins in the liver. Here we describe the complete cDNA sequences of two isoforms (AsC3-1 and AsC3-2) of complement C3 found in A. superbus liver. This is the first report of molecular isoforms of C3 in a reptilian organism. These isoforms display the overall domain structure of complement C3 proteins. Real-time quantitative analysis shows that there is a 144-fold difference in their mRNA expression levels. We also demonstrate by Southern blot experiments that the venom gland isoforms (AVF-1 and AVF-2) and the liver isoforms (AsC3-1 and AsC3-2) are the products of four individual genes. The putative promoter regions of these four genes are highly similar ( approximately 99% identical) to each other. These genes represent a unique case where despite being identical at the genomic level, exhibit tissue specificity and differential gene regulation. These genes offer a system to identify the tissue-specific regulatory proteins that are responsible for the constitutive expression of complement C3 in liver and inducible expression of AVF genes in the venom gland of A. superbus.     

Hepatoprotective Activity of Vitex trifolia against Carbon Tetrachloride-induced Hepatic Damage

Aqueous and ethanol extracts of leaf of Vitex trifolia was investigated for hepatoprotective activity against carbon tetrachloride induced liver damage. To assess the hepatoprotective activity of the extracts, various biochemical parameters viz., total bilirubin, total protein, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase and alkaline phosphatase activities were determined. Results of the serum biochemical estimations revealed significant reduction in total bilirubin and serum marker enzymes and increase in total protein in the animals treated with ethanol and aqueous extracts. However significant rise in these serum enzymes and decrease in total protein level was noticed in CCl4 treated group indicating the hepatic damage. The hepatoprotective activity is also supported by histological studies of liver tissue. Histology of the liver tissue treated with ethanol and aqueous extracts showed normal hepatic architecture with few fatty lobules. Hence the present study revealed that Vitex trifolia could afford significant protection against CCl₄ induced hepatocellular injury.     

Pseutarin C,a prothrombin activator from Pseudonaja textilis venom: its structural and functional similarity to mammalian coagulation factor Xa-Va complex

Several snake venoms contain procoagulant proteins that can activate prothrombin. We have purified pseutarin C, a prothrombin activator from the venom of the Australian brown snake (Pseudonaja textilis). It converts prothrombin to thrombin by cleaving both the peptide bonds Arg(274)-Thr(275) and Arg(323)-Ile(324), similar to mammalian factor Xa. It is a protein complex (approximately 250 Kd) consisting of an enzymatic and a non- enzymatic subunit. These subunits were separated by reverse phase HPLC and their interactions with bovine factor Xa and factor Va were studied. The enzymatic subunit of pseutarin C has an approximately 13 fold higher affinity for bovine factor Va (K(d) of 11.4 nM for pseutarin C enzymatic subunit--bovine factor Va interaction as compared to a K(d) of 147.4 nM for the bovine factor Xa-Va interaction). The non-enzymatic component, however, was unable to activate bovine factor Xa. N-terminal sequence analysis of the catalytic subunit of pseutarin C showed approximately 60% homology to mammalian factor Xa and approximately 78% homology to trocarin, a group D prothrombin activator from Tropidechis carinatus venom. Structural information for the non-enzymatic subunit of pseutarin C was obtained by amino terminal sequencing of several internal peptides. The sequence data obtained indicates that the non-enzymatic subunit of pseutarin C has similar domain architecture like the mammalian factor Va and the overall homology is approximately 55%. Thus pseutarin C is the first venom procoagulant protein that is structurally and functionally similar to mammalian factor Xa-Va complex.