A sequential, exploratory, mixed-methods approach for development and validation of a context-specific knowledge, attitude and practice questionnaire on micronutrients for literate mothers of school-age children.

Objective: To develop and validate a context-specific comprehensive knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) questionnaire for literate mothers on factors affecting micronutrient status of 6-10-year-old children.

Design: Sequential exploratory mixed-methods study using focus group discussions (FGD) and psychometric validation.

Setting: Seven randomly selected villages with >500 households with three to five family members each, in Ghatkesar sub-district, Medchal district, Telangana state, India.

Lipid metabolism and intracellular bacterial virulence: key to next-generation therapeutics.

Lipid metabolism is thought to play a key role in the pathogenicity of several intracellular bacteria. Bacterial lipolytic enzymes hydrolyze lipids from the host cell to release free fatty acids which are used as an energy source and building blocks for the synthesis of cell envelope and also to modulate host immune responses. In this review, we discussed the role of lipid metabolism and lipolytic enzymes in the life cycle and virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other intracellular bacteria.

Correlation of pesticide exposure from dietary intake and bio-monitoring: The different sex and socio-economic study of children.

Exposure to organophosphorus pesticides was assessed though bio-monitoring of urinary dialkyl phosphate metabolites to characterize children's exposure to pesticides. No reports have been found which evaluate exposure of pesticides among adolescents of different sexes. The primary objective was to develop a coupled exposure-dose modeling approach that can be used to determine the metabolite concentrations.

Cell envelope lipids in the pathophysiology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is an intracellular bacterium that persists and replicates inside macrophages. The bacterium possesses an unusual lipid-rich cell envelope that provides a hydrophobic impermeable barrier against many environmental stressors and allows it to survive extremely hostile intracellular surroundings. Since the lipid-rich envelope is crucial for M.

Understanding pluripotency under folic acid deficiency using embryonic stem cells as an in vitro model.

Innumerable studies have been carried out by people to trace out those elements, find out the mechanisms that are vital to the maintenance of stemness. Amongst them, the one which is gaining importance in the recent past is the metabolism of stem cells, especially One carbon metabolism. Being associated directly or indirectly, with DNA and Histone methylation, One carbon metabolism has an important role to play as far as epigenetic regulation of stemness is concerned.

α-lipoic acid inhibits oxidative stress in testis and attenuates testicular toxicity in rats exposed to carbimazole during embryonic period.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the probable protective effect of α-lipoic acid against testicular toxicity in rats exposed to carbimazole during the embryonic period. Time-mated pregnant rats were exposed to carbimazole from the embryonic days 9-21. After completion of the gestation period, all the rats were allowed to deliver pups and weaned.

Hypolipidemic Effect of Red Gram (Cajanus cajan L.) Prebiotic Oligosaccharides in Wistar NIN Rats.

The hypolipidemic effect of red gram prebiotics of raffinose family oligosaccharides was studied in Wistar National Institute of Nutrition male rat strain. The study consisted of 36 rats randomly divided into three groups of 12 rats each. For 16 weeks, Group I was fed with the control diet; Group II was fed with a diet containing 3% standard raffinose as the reference group; Group III received the diet containing 3% red gram prebiotics.

Maternal Magnesium Restriction Elevates Glucocorticoid Stress and Inflammation in the Placenta and Fetus of WNIN Rat Dams.

Magnesium plays a major role in many vital functions in the body. We reported earlier that maternal magnesium restriction altered body composition, fat metabolism, and insulin resistance in WNIN rat offspring and was associated with increased glucocorticoid stress in the offspring in their later life. We hypothesize that increased glucocorticoid stress and inflammation which originate in Mg restricted rat dams is transmitted through placenta to the fetus and underlie the metabolic disturbances in the later life of the offspring.

Reversal of endothelial dysfunction in aorta of streptozotocin-nicotinamide-induced type-2 diabetic rats by S-Allylcysteine.

Dietary measures and plant-based therapies as prescribed by native systems of medicine have gained attraction among diabetics with claims of efficacy. The present study investigated the effects of S-Allylcysteine (SAC) on body weight gain, glucose, insulin, insulin resistance, and nitric oxide synthase in plasma and argininosuccinate synthase (AS) and argininosuccinate lyase (ASL), lipid peroxides and antioxidant enzymes in aorta of control and streptozotocin-nicotinamide (STZ-NA)-induced diabetic rats. Changes in body weight, glucose, insulin, insulin resistance, and antioxidant profiles of aorta and mRNA expressions of nitric oxide synthase, AS, and ASL were observed in experimental rats.

Transcriptome profiling of visceral adipose tissue in a novel obese rat model, WNIN/Ob & its comparison with other animal models.

Background & Objectives: Adipose tissue dysfunction in obesity is linked to the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. We studied the differential gene expression in retroperitoneal adipose tissue of a novel obese rat model, WNIN/Ob, to understand the possible underlying transcriptional changes involved in the development of obesity and associatedcomorbidities in this model.

Methods: Four month old, male WNIN/Ob lean and obese rats were taken, blood was collected and tissues were dissected.

The PPE2 protein of Mycobacterium tuberculosis translocates to host nucleus and inhibits nitric oxide production.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes tuberculosis, is one of the most successful pathogens of humans. It has evolved several adaptive skills and evasion mechanisms to hijack the immunologically educated host to suit its intracellular lifestyle. Here, we show that one of the unique PPE family member proteins of M.

Effects of fisetin on hyperhomocysteinemia-induced experimental endothelial dysfunction and vascular dementia.

This study was designed to investigate the effects of fisetin (FST) on hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy)-induced experimental endothelial dysfunction (ED) and vascular dementia (VaD) in rats. Wistar rats were randomly divided into 8 groups: control, vehicle control, l-methionine, FST (5, 10, and 25 mg/kg, p.o.

Comparative evaluation of nephroprotective potential of resveratrol and piperine on nephrotic BALB/c mice.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the nephroprotective potential of resveratrol and piperine at same dose on cationic bovine serum albumin (cBSA) induced immune complex glomerulonephritis (ICGN) in BALB/c mice.

Materials And Methods: Female BALB/c mice were divided into five groups. Group I served as normal control (complete Freund's adjuvant + Saline).

Impact of a novel synbiotic supplementation during gestation and lactation on immune responses in the Swiss albino mice offspring.

Background: Prebiotics from various regularly consumed cereals and novel substrates are currently being utilised as functional foods. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of synbiotic, formulated with prebiotic extracted from natural resources like green gram (Vigna radiata) along with probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) in modulating immune responses in the offspring when supplemented during gestation and lactation.

Results: Synbiotic supplementation was effective in improving cell mediated immunity and humoral immunity among F0 dams.

Influence of socioeconomic aspects on lymphatic filariasis: A case-control study in Andhra Pradesh, India.

Background & Objectives: Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a major public health problem in India. The objective of the study was to assess the impact of socioeconomic conditions on LF in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, India.

Methods: A survey was carried out from 2004 to 2007 during which, an epidemiological and socioeconomic data were collected and analysed.

Hesperidin, a citrus flavonoid, protects against l-methionine-induced hyperhomocysteinemia by abrogation of oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction and neurotoxicity in Wistar rats.

Context: Hesperidin (HSP), a flavanoglycone found in citrus fruits, has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties.

Objective: This study evaluates the protective effect of HSP on l-methionine-induced hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) in rats.

Materials And Methods: Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into seven groups as DMSO, l-methionine, HSP (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg), HSP-per se (100 mg/kg) and donepezil (0.

Effects of S-Allylcysteine on Biomarkers of the Polyol Pathway in Rats with Type 2 Diabetes.

Objectives: We evaluated the effects of S-allylcysteine (SAC) on biomarkers of the polyol pathway in streptozotocin-nicotinamide (STZ-NA)-induced diabetes in rats.

Methods: Diabetes was induced in male albino Wistar rats by intraperitoneal administration of STZ (55 mg kg bw) and NA (110 mg kg bw). SAC (150 mg kg bw) was orally administered to the rats with diabetes for 45 days to assess its effects on blood glucose, insulin, insulin resistance, glycated hemoglobin, aldose reductase (AR), sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH), sorbitol, fructose, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), hydroperoxide, hemoglobin and glutathione (GSH).

Developmental neurotoxicity of monocrotophos and lead is linked to thyroid disruption.

Aim: A role of thyroid disruption in developmental neurotoxicity of monocrotophos (MCP) and lead is studied.

Materials And Methods: A total of 24 female rats after conception were randomized into four groups of six each and treated as follows: Group I - Sham was administered distilled water orally. Group II - A positive control was administered methyl methimazole at 0.

PE11, a PE/PPE family protein of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is involved in cell wall remodeling and virulence.

The role of the unique proline-glutamic acid (PE)/proline-proline-glutamic acid (PPE) family of proteins in the pathophysiology and virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is not clearly understood. One of the PE family proteins, PE11 (LipX or Rv1169c), specific to pathogenic mycobacteria is found to be over-expressed during infection of macrophages and in active TB patients. In this study, we report that M.

Evaluation of the relative accuracy of anthropometric indicators to assess body fatness as measured by air displacement plethysmography in Indian women.

Objective: To assess the relative accuracy of anthropometric indicators of body fatness or adiposity as compared to the percent fat measured by air displacement plethysmography in Indian women with normal body mass index (BMI).

Methods: Percent body fat was assessed using the BodPod in 58 women, aged 30-56 years. The relative accuracy of anthropometric indicators of body fatness like BMI, waist-stature-ratio (WSR), waist-thigh-ratio (WTR), waist-hip-ratio (WHR), and circumferences at arm, neck, chest, waist, hip, and thigh were tested using an ROC curve analysis.

Identification of dietary patterns by factor analysis and study of the relationship with nutritional status of rural adolescents using factor scores.

Study was undertaken to know food and nutrient consumption patterns and their relationship with nutritional status among rural adolescents in Orissa. It was a Community based cross sectional study, conducted at district level in the State of Orissa. Data on 686 adolescent boys and 689 adolescent girls were utilized.

PTEN and p16 genes as epigenetic biomarkers in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC): a study on south Indian population.

Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) and p16INK4a (p16) genes are tumor suppressor genes, associated with epigenetic alterations. PTEN and p16 promoter hypermethylation is a major epigenetic silencing mechanism leading to cancer. The cooperation between PTEN and p16 in pathogenesis of cancers suggest that their combination might be considered as potential molecular marker for specific subgroups of patients.