Pre-clinical toxicity & immunobiological evaluation of DNA rabies vaccine & combination rabies vaccine in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

Background & Objectives: Pre-clinical toxicology evaluation of biotechnology products is a challenge to the toxicologist. The present investigation is an attempt to evaluate the safety profile of the first indigenously developed recombinant DNA anti-rabies vaccine [DRV (100 μg)] and combination rabies vaccine [CRV (100 μg DRV and 1.25 IU of cell culture-derived inactivated rabies virus vaccine)], which are intended for clinical use by intramuscular route in Rhesus monkeys.

Effectiveness of zinc supplementation to full term normal infants: a community based double blind, randomized, controlled, clinical trial.

Unlabelled: The study was aimed to test whether zinc supplementation, if initiated early, can prevent stunting and promote optimum body composition in full term infants. For this, full term pregnant women from low income urban community were enrolled and were followed-up for 24 months postpartum. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated from maternal weight and height that were collected one month after delivery.

Effect of maternal undernutrition on human foetal pancreas morphology in second trimester of pregnancy.

Background & Objectives: Maternal undernutrition and hyperglycaemia during pregnancy, as well as foetal undernutrition affecting the development of foetal endocrine pancreas structure and function, especially that of β-cells is well known. This study was undertaken to look into the changes in pancreatic islets morphology of aborted normal human foetuses (16-20 wk old) of undernourished and adequately nourished mothers.

Methods: Foetuses were collected over a 24 month period from medically terminated pregnancies of six undernourished mothers (BMI <18.

A study of the geographical clustering of districts in Uttar Pradesh using nutritional anthropometric data of preschool children.

Background & Objectives: Worldwide variations in human growth and its genetic and environmental factors have been described. In this study, an attempt was made to assess the morphological differences and similarities among under 5 year children of rural areas of Uttar Pradesh State in India, and to determine differences or similarities of body size among children living in diverse regions.

Methods: For this purpose, a cross-sectional district nutrition profile study conducted during 2002-2003 was used.

Factors Associated with Use of Latex Condom-Compatible Lubricants by Men Who Have Sex with Men in India: Implications for HIV Prevention.

We examined the prevalence and type of rectal lubricants use and factors associated with exclusive use of latex-condom compatible lubricants (water-based lubricants) among men who have sex with men (MSM) using data from a large-scale cross-sectional survey conducted in 2009/10 in three Indian states. Using time-location cluster sampling, 3880 MSM were recruited from cruising sites. We used multiple logistic regression to assess the association between type of lubricants used and sociodemographic and programmatic indicators.

Dose-dependent effect in the inhibition of oxidative stress and anticlastogenic potential of ginger in STZ induced diabetic rats.

Ginger is an important medicinal herb has numerous bioactive components and is used in the management, control and/or treatment of diseases including diabetes mellitus. The present study was undertaken to see the dose-response effect of ginger and evaluate the possible protective effects of dietary ginger on oxidative stress and genotoxicity induced by streptozotocin (STZ) diabetic rats. Inbred male Wistar/NIN rats of 8-9 weeks old were treated with 30 mg/kg of STZ.

Cluster-randomized trial on complementary and responsive feeding education to caregivers found improved dietary intake, growth and development among rural Indian toddlers.

Inadequate feeding and care may contribute to high rates of stunting and underweight among children in rural families in India. This cluster-randomized trial tested the hypothesis that teaching caregivers appropriate complementary feeding and strategies for how to feed and play responsively through home-visits would increase children's dietary intake, growth and development compared with home-visit-complementary feeding education alone or routine care. Sixty villages in Andhra Pradesh were randomized into three groups of 20 villages with 200 mother-infant dyads in each group.

Prevalence of & knowledge, attitude & practices towards HIV & sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among female sex workers (FSWs) in Andhra Pradesh.

Background & Objectives: As part of the baseline survey carried out during 2005-06, biological and behavioural data were generated on about 3200 female sex workers (FSWs), from eight districts of Andhra Pradesh (AP), India. This study describes the relationship between socio-demographic and behavioural factors with consistent condom use (CCU) and HIV among FSWs in AP.

Methods: A cross-sectional community-based study was conducted among female sex workers (FSW) in eight districts of Andhra Pradesh, India, using conventional cluster sampling and time-location cluster sampling.

Perceived stress, life events & coping among higher secondary students of Hyderabad, India: a pilot study.

Background & Objectives: Psychosocial stressors leading to allostatic load need to be explored further as these have great scope for early intervention. Stress studies done in India are mostly based on sources of stress and objective measures of stress. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to assess stress appraisal among students (16-17 yr) and to identify institution-specific differences (Private vs.

Enhanced neogenic potential of Panc-1 cells supplemented with human umbilical cord blood serum--An alternative to FCS.

The promise(s) of using Fetal Calf Serum (FCS) as a supplement for the maintenance of cell cultures has been well documented. However, FCS forms the xenogenic source for any human derived cells/organ and limits its application. Recently, the usage of human umbilical cord blood serum (hUCBS) for maintenance of mesenchymal cells has been supportive.

Pyridoxal 5' phosphate protects islets against streptozotocin-induced beta-cell dysfunction--in vitro and in vivo.

Administration of pyridoxal 5' phosphate (PLP) has demonstrated beneficial effects in the management of diabetes, albeit the mechanism(s) are not clearly understood. The present study addressed the islet-cell function(s) in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice both in vitro and in vivo. Primary islet cells primed with or without PLP (5 mmol/L) were treated with STZ (2 mmol/L) and were measured for cell viability, insulin secretion, free radicals and mRNA of Insulin and Pdx1.

Lead and essential trace element levels in school children: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Nutritional status is thought to modulate susceptibility to lead (Pb) toxicity. The type and nature of these interactions needs to be investigated.

Aim: To assess the prevalence of sub-clinical Pb toxicity (defined by ≥ 10 μ_rm;g/dL blood levels) and trace element deficiencies (Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu) and Magnesium (Mg)) and to find out their possible relationship, if any.

Prevalence of clinical and sub-clinical vitamin A deficiency among rural preschool children of West Bengal, India.

A community based cross-sectional study was carried out in rural areas of West Bengal with the aim to assess the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency (VAD) among rural preschool children. Clinical examination was carried out on 9,228 children for the signs and symptoms of VAD and a sub-sample of 590 children were covered for the estimation of blood vitamin A levels using dried blood spot (DBS) method. The prevalence of Bitot's spots was 0.

The effect of fat intake and antihypertensive drug therapy on serum lipid profile: a cross-sectional survey of serum lipids in male and female hypertensives.

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of betablocker with diuretics therapy on serum cholesterol and high density lipoprotein (HDL-C) lipids in cross-sectional data (age, sex, weight, and body mass index (BMI), smoking/alcoholic consumption) and supplemented vegetarian low-fat diet with daily low fat energy intake, salt intake, duration of drug therapy, and serum protein as effective measures of lowering blood pressure among hypertensives in both males and females. Hypertensive patients on betablocker and/or thiazide therapy were compared in cross-section study with their age, blood pressure, fat intake, serum lipid profile, BMI, and serum albumin in males and females. Dietary fat intake and serum lipid profile were income related.

Iron content, bioavailability & factors affecting iron status of Indians.

Repeated surveys have shown that the magnitude of nutritional anaemia is of public health concern in India. Though reduced intake of iron is a major aetiological factor, low intake or an imbalance in the consumption of other haematopoietic nutrients, their utilization; increased nutrient loss and/or demand also contribute to nutritional anaemia. In India, cereals and millets form the bulk of the dietaries and are major sources of non-haeme iron.

Thiamine reduces tissue lead levels in rats: mechanism of interaction.

Lead (Pb) toxicity has been a serious concern in industrialized societies because of its association with functional deficits in nervous, haematopoietic and renal systems. Several studies have shown beneficial effects of thiamine on Pb toxicity. It is speculated that Pb chelation by thiamine may be a possible mechanism.

Prevalence of anaemia among rural pre-school children of West Bengal, India.

Background: Micronutrient malnutrition is a major public health nutritional problem in India, and iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) continues to be a major nutritional problem of public health significance, affecting all physiological groups, of which rural pre-school children are the most vulnerable.

Aim: The main aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of anaemia among rural pre-school children.

Subjects And Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out in rural areas of West Bengal State during 2002-2003.

Clinical and sub-clinical vitamin A deficiency among rural pre-school children of Maharashtra, India.

Background: Although a national vitamin A prophylaxis programme has been in operation for more than three decades, vitamin A deficiency (VAD) continues to be a major nutritional problem of public health significance in India.

Aim: The present study was carried out with the aim of assessing the prevalence of clinical and sub-clinical VAD among rural pre-school children.

Subjects And Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out in rural areas of Maharashtra State during 2002-2003.

Effect of dietary ligands and food matrices on zinc uptake in Caco-2 cells: implications in assessing zinc bioavailability.

The kinetics, depletion/repletion of zinc, and effects of dietary ligands/food matrices on (65)Zn uptake was studied in Caco-2 cells. The uptake of zinc showed a saturable and nonsaturable component, depending upon the media zinc concentrations. Intracellular depletion increased zinc uptake, whereas zinc loading did not.

Impact of feeding polyunsaturated fatty acids on cholesterol metabolism of dyslipidemic obese rats of WNIN/GR-Ob strain.

Dietary fatty acids are known to play an important role in the development as well as prevention of dyslipidemia. In this study, we evaluated the impact of feeding polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) for a period of 4 months on various aspects of cholesterol metabolism in genetically obese mutant rats of WNIN/GR-Ob strain. Based on their phenotype, lean and obese rats were divided into two groups, A and B respectively, and further subdivided depending on the type of dietary fat.

Ferric reductase activity of low molecular weight human milk fraction is associated with enhanced iron solubility and uptake in Caco-2 cells.

It is known that the fractional absorption of extrinsic iron from human milk is higher in infants and adults. A low molecular weight milk fraction has been proposed to increase the bioavailability of iron from human milk. Nevertheless, the mechanisms remained elusive.

Vitamin A regulates obesity in WNIN/Ob obese rat; independent of stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1.

Stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1), an important enzyme involved in monounsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis is a key player in energy homeostasis. Here, we tested the impact of vitamin A on hepatic and adipose tissue SCD1 expression and adiposity per se, using an obese mutant rat strain namely, WNIN/Ob developed at National Center for Laboratory Animal Sciences of National Institute of Nutrition, India. Seven months-old 24 male lean and obese rats of WNIN/Ob strain were divided into two groups; each group was subdivided into two subgroups having 6 lean and 6 obese rats and received diets containing either 2.

Dietary habits and effect of two different educational tools on nutrition knowledge of school going adolescent girls in Hyderabad, India.

Objectives: To assess dietary habits and nutrition knowledge levels of the adolescent girls from different schools and to study the efficacy of two different nutrition education tools in improving their nutrition knowledge in the classroom setting.

Design: Purposive sampling technique was adapted for selecting the subjects in the study.

Setting: Four secondary schools in Hyderabad, India.

DNA fingerprinting and phylogenetic analysis of WNIN rat strain and its obese mutants using microsatellite markers.

Wistar is the oldest rat strain to be introduced in biomedical research, and various stocks of this strain are maintained in laboratories across the globe. The Wistar strain maintained in our facilities is 85 years old and is not typed genetically so far. Recently, two obese mutant rat strains evolved from this stock, one with euglycemia and the other with impaired glucose tolerance.