North Indian Subjects Research Articles

Balancing your mind and gut: Exploring the influence of sleep and gut health on emotional well-being

BACKGROUND: The relationship between the mind, gut, and sleep is not static and requires proper harmony for optimal emotional health. Recent evidence suggests that gut health is a key player in regulating mental and physical health via bidirectional communication between the brain and gut. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional comparative study was undertaken on 200 participants aged 25-40 years old for two months at a tertiary care hospital. A community-based method was used to select the participants from in and around Pune. The survey was conducted online with the help of a self-designed well-structured detailed questionnaire that included a demographic profile, medical history, history of sleep pattern, gut health status, emotional well-being status about gut and sleep physiology, and lifestyle-related issues and problems was administered to all the study participants. RESULTS: A statistically significant correlation was observed between the duration of sleep; and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms including heartburn (P=0.03) constipation (P=0.03), bloating (P=0.04), and indigestion (P=0.051). Specific GI symptoms as mentioned above were found to affect the study participants' emotional well-being significantly. Regular physical exercise demonstrated a significant correlation with an increased duration of sleep (P=0.003). Consumption of tobacco, alcohol; smoking, and consumption of stimulants like tea, coffee, and coke showed a significant effect on both the duration and quality of sleep (P=0.004). Gut and sleep disturbances were more common in north Indian subjects as compared to south Indian subjects (P=0.003). The upper socioeconomic population had more GI; sleep and emotional disturbances as compared to the lower socioeconomic study subjects (P=0.002). CONCLUSION: The relationship between sleep patterns, emotional well-being gut health is bidirectional. Prioritizing good sleep hygiene, managing stress through mindfulness or relaxation techniques, and maintaining a balanced diet that supports gut health are crucial steps in promoting overall well-being.

Cephalometric Analysis of Maxillary Sinus for Gender Determination Using Lateral Cephalogram: A Novel Retrospective Study in the North Indian Population.

Underlying disorders of the maxillary sinus (MS), including a history of sinus surgeries, chronic sinusitis, or congenital anomalies can potentially impact sinus function and structure, necessitating careful evaluation and management. Moreover, intact sinuses are crucial in gender determination in forensic anthropology. The present study was undertaken to check the accuracy and reliability of MS in gender determination using morphometric parameters. This retrospective study was carried out on 74 lateral cephalograms (37 males and 37 females) aged between 18 to 50 years from the North Indian population. The MS area was measured using a NewTom CBCT machine (NewTom,Imola, Italy) with slicer software. The anatomical landmarks for the sinus were identified, and the area was calculated in square millimeters (mm2). In terms of surface area, females had a mean of 13,210.40 mm2 with a standard error of 713.46. Males, however, exhibited a higher mean surface area of 18,713.82 mm2, but with a significantly larger standard error of 3,371.70. The difference in MS area between males and females was statistically significant (p<0.01). In the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.77, suggesting good discriminative ability. The MS area on lateral cephalograms shows significant sexual dimorphism. Overall, the findings suggest that the MS surface area can be a useful anatomical feature for distinguishing between male and female North Indian subjects, given the statistically significant difference and the good discriminative performance indicated by the ROC curve analysis.

Morphometry of radial head: A guide for radial head prosthesis

Introduction: Radial head fractures constitute one-third of all elbow fractures and 20% of all trauma cases. The head, being the key element is very important for maintaining stability and biomechanics of the humeroradial joint. Treatment of radial head fractures involves fixation or replacement with radial head prosthesis. However, the designing of prosthesis requires accurate knowledge of morphometry of proximal radius for a specific population to restore normal joint mechanics and joint morphometry. Henceforth, this study was carried out to determine dimensions of radial head in the North Indian subjects. Materials and methods: The present observational study was conducted on one hundred dry adult human radii with an intact upper end. The parameters included Anteroposterior diameter of radial head (APD), Transverse diameter of radial head (TD), Medial height of radial head (MH], Lateral height of radial head (LH), Anterior height of radial head (AH), Posterior height of radial head (PH), Depth of superior articular facet (D), Surface area of head of radius (SA), Volume of head of radius (VOL), Ventral curve (VC), Dorsal curve (DC), Lateral curve (LC) and Circumference of the head (C). The side dimorphism was noted for any statistically significant side dimorphism. Results: The morphometry of radial head revealed that the APD, TD were lesser by 2mm to 3mm as compared with western studies. The VC and the PC in the western studies were lesser by 0.4mm and 0.6mm respectively as compared to the current study. Conclusions: These parameters are of importance for orthopaedic surgeons in the treatment of fractures of the upper radius, where a radial head implant or prosthesis is required. Accurately matched prosthesis in accordance with the size of head will reduce postoperative complications and result in better operative outcome. Keywords: Radial head, Radial head prosthesis, Morphometry, Humororadial joint

Evaluation of cortisol level in saliva of patient undergoing orthodontic treatment

Objective: To Evaluate cortisol level before and after insertion of orthodontic appliances at different time interval among the subjects, females, males and in between both the groups on comparison. Materials and Methods: Total number of 20 north Indian subjects of the age group between 15 and 30 years were randomly selected for the study after meeting the study criteria and samples were collected before bonding (T0), 1 hour after bonding (T1) and 4-6 weeks after bonding (T2). The method of analysis used for the study is chemiluminescence assay (CLIA). Evaluation of cortisol level was done using immunoassay kits. Result: There was a significant decrease in serum cortisol from pre-operative to 1 hour and 4 weeks and same for the males group and female group. There is no significant difference in the level of saliva cortisol on comparison in between male and female group. Conclusions: Fixed orthodontic appliances did show a significant effect on salivary parameters in our study that was saliva cortisol level which was related to inflammation or stress.

Effect of metformin on serum vitamin B12 and red blood cell indices in North Indian subjects with diabetes mellitus

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) affecting almost half a billion people worldwide and India is amongst the top ten countries of adults with diabetes. Metformin, the first-line therapy for diabetes, is associated with vitamin B12 malabsorption and subsequently, the development of vitamin B12 deficiency/insufficiency could manifest severe complications like neuropathy or anemia in the future. This study evaluated the effect of metformin on vitamin B12 and RBC indices in the North Indian population.Methods:This study was executed at a tertiary care hospital. 35 T2DM (type 2 DM) participants with ongoing metformin therapy were compared with 27 T2DM participants without metformin therapy. Participants were recruited from outpatient after diagnosis as per American diabetes association (ADA) criteria.Results: Metformin-treated participants had significantly low hemoglobin (t=2.096, df=60, 0.0403) compared to untreated participants. Similarly, MCHC was significantly lower in the metformin group (mean=33.28 gm/dl) compared to non-metformin group (mean=34.53 gm/dl) (t=2.745, df=60, p=0.0080). Moreover, there was a strong negative correlation (r=-0.4613, p=0.0053) among vitamin B12 and MCV in metformin group. There was no statistically significant correlation between vitamin B12 and RBC indices (MCV, MCH, MCHC) in the non-metformin group. Analyzing contingency table (Fisher’s exact test), we found no major difference (p=0.2002) between two groups of vitamin B12 with an odds ratio of 2.026 (95% CI=0.7366 to 5.633). Unpaired t test also confirmed insignificancy (t=0.04077, df=60, p=0.9676).Conclusions:Strong negative correlation was observed between vitamin B12 and MCV. Despite the insignificant difference of vitamin B12 between metformin and non-metformin groups, significantly low MCHC was found in metformin-treated participants.

Volumetric MRI Evaluation of Pituitary Gland in North Indian Subjects with Non-diseased Pituitary: Setting the Standards for Normative Data

Introduction The pituitary gland, also called the master gland, was first described by a Belgian scientist Andreas Vesalius in 1543. Pituitary gland is the engine of normal human physiology and its size and volume changes normally during various physiological stages as well as in various pathological processes, so it becomes imperative to have a normal reference value for a particular population to differentiate the normal and pathological pituitary gland. It is a tiny endocrine gland and is found in sella turcica (meaning Turkish Saddle) of sphenoid. Our study was designed to obtain standardized reference values for the volumes of pituitary gland among North Indian population to analyze the potential diagnostic values of pituitary gland volumetric variation with respect to age and gender. The volume of the pituitary gland was measured using a thin section three dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with a section thickness of 1 mm. Methods The study was conducted between 2018-21 on patients with non-diseased pituitary by performing T1-multiplanar sequence and calculating pituitary volume by using Di chiro &amp; Nelson formula. MRI was performed on a Siemens 3 Tesla MRI scanner unit. High resolution Multiplanar-T1 Weighted images were obtained with following parameters: Slice thickness: 1 mm, Acquisition plane: Sagittal &amp; Coronal TR 1180 MS, TE 4.4 MS, Flip angle: 15 degrees, Matrix size: 256 × 256, FOV: 24 × 24 cm. Volume = 0.52 × Depth in Sagittal Plane × Height in Sagittal Plane × Width in Coronal Plane Results There were 152 patients included in the study. The mean age of participants was 43.50 years. Age group of 20-30 years comprised the maximum number of patient’s .The overall mean pituitary volume was 277.96 mm3 and in males the mean pituitary was 267.74 mm3 while in females the mean volume was 288.74 mm3. The largest pituitary gland volumes were 401.94 mm3 and 369.86 mm3 in females and males respectively in 10–20-year group while 319.18 mm3 and 360.49 mm3 in females and males respectively in 20-30 years age group. Beyond 70 years and children age group less than 10 years showed the smallest pituitary. Mean pituitary depth was 9.40 mm. Mean pituitary width was 8.81 mm.

A CBCT Based Evaluation of The Varying Location of Mandibular Canal and Mental Foramen: An Original Research Study

Background and Aim: Iatrogenic injuries to inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) are a well known complication of implant placement, osteotomies and other surgical procedures. This study was at attempted to determine the most common position of the mental foramen and to estimate difference in position of mental foramen, occurrence of anterior loop and to evaluate the variation in the location of mandibular canal using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) radiographs. Materials &amp; Methods: A total of 205 north Indian subjects were selected during a period of two years. Formerly exposed CBCT images of the selected subjects were studied by ‘iCAT Vision’ and ‘Anatomage’ Software. Measurements from the mandibular canal to the root apices of the first premolar, second premolar, first molar and second molar were obtained. Likewise the distance from the inferior alveolar canal to the buccal cortical plate (BCP) and lingual cortical plates (LCP) were also studied. The estimation of the horizontal and vertical positioning of mental foramen on the CBCT images was also done on both sides. Other inter-related dimensional parameters were also studied comprehensively. The incidence of Anterior Loop (AL) was also assessed and comparisons were done among both sides of the jaw and gender. Statistical Analysis and Results: A total of 205 subjects comprising of 108 (52.7%) males and 97 (47.3%) female participated in the study. The Unpaired t-test showed a statistically significant difference among males and females in the measurements of IAC. Among males Linear, Perpendicular and Anterior loop pattern was seen in 64 (59.3%), 34 (31.4%) and 10 (9.3%) subjects respectively. Among males prevalence of right sided anterior loop (Mental Foramen) was 10 (30.3%), left sided anterior loop was 10 (30.3%). The Unpaired t-test showed a statistically non-significant difference among males and females. (p&gt;0.5) Anterior loop was seen on 17 (51.5%) occasions on the right side and 16 (48.5%) occasions on the left side. The Pearson’s Chi-square test showed a statistically non-significant difference among the genders on the right side. Conclusion: The most common configurations alveolar canal was the linear pattern followed by perpendicular pattern. Most frequent location of mental foramen was in continuity with second premolar in both the left and right sides as well as in both the genders. The anterior loop was the least common pattern of inferior alveolar canal.

SNA and SNB measurements: A comparative assessment between measurements in conventional 2D cephalogram and 3D cone-beam computed tomography-generated values

Background: The aim of the investigation was to clearly locate subspinale (point A) and supramentale (point B) on three-dimensional (3D) cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images and to compare the angular and linear measurements that are dependent on these anatomic landmarks with two-dimensional (2D) manual and digital cephalometric tracings. Materials and Methods: A sample of 30 North Indian subjects between 13 and 22 years of age who required CBCT imaging for treatment planning was taken. For each patient, standardized film and digital cephalograms were taken. Standardized head positioning was done for CBCT imaging. The following four groups were evaluated for statistical analysis: Group 1: Dolphin, Group 2: CBCT, Group 3: Manual tracing 1, and Group 4: Manual tracing 2. Analysis of variance was applied to find out the differences in parameters among groups. Results: The results showed that the differences between most of the measurements derived from the landmarks identified on film and digital 2D cephalometric radiographs compared with CBCT-derived cephalograms were statistically significant. Point A, which is difficult to locate on 2D cephalograms, could be identified and measured accurately and more reliably on 3D CBCT-generated cephalograms. Conclusion: 3D CBCT-generated cephalograms can be successfully used for accurate and reliable cephalometric analyses.

Photographic Evaluation, Analysis and Comparison of Aesthetically Pleasing Smiles: A Prospective Study.

To evaluate the differences in aesthetically pleasing smiles and compare the smile arc parameters in males and females by dental specialists using photographs. The study was conducted on 500 North Indian subjects (Indo-Aryan race; 212 males and 288 females) aged 17-25 years (mean age, males=21.1 years; females=23.4 years), with reasonably pleasing smiles. The facial photographs were taken using a DSLR camera. The standardized photographs were shown to 30 judges for evaluation and rated using the visual analog scale. The smiles were categorized into attractive, fair, and average. The quantification of the smile characteristics was done by using an objective method that involved identifying consonant and non-consonant smiles. The association between smile arc and smile attractiveness was significant (p=0.018) in females. The buccal corridor width was higher among those with fair to attractive smiles as compared with those with an average smile (p=0.018). Most subjects with an attractive smile had a smile arc parallel to the upper lip as compared with most subjects with a fair or average smile who did not have the smile arc in parallel (p=0.006). Most females were in the fair to attractive category whereas most males were in the average to fair category. The buccal corridor width was found to be higher among those with a fair to attractive smile as compared with those with an average smile. There was an association between smile arc and smile attractiveness in females.

Papillary Trunk Bifurcation Angles as Major Determinants of Ocular Perfusion: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Notable work has been done by Cecile and Murray in as early as 1926, on the structural and topological aspects of vasculature based on the concept that blood vessel size and arrangement is such that it provides blood flow with minimum energy loss. In the theoretical analysis of arterial networks, the existence of geometric optimisation for enabling functional adequacy has long been suggested, but observational studies have not yet fully corroborated these theories. Data on branching or bifurcation angles of retinal microvasculature is not only insufficient but also inconclusive. Aim: Attending to this gap in information, we compared the central retinal artery (CRA) branching angles of known diabetics with healthy subjects and explored their possible role in determining the circulatory adequacy of human retina. Methods: This study was done on North Indian subjects attending retina clinics of prominent tertiary centers of north India during 2019 through 2020. Fundus images were acquired through convenience sampling from 860 consecutive eyes of 430 subjects. Fluorescein fundus angiography was followed up for diabetics. CRA branching angles from digitalized fundus photographs of known diabetics and healthy subjects was analyzed through semi-automated digital image management tool and the readings were clinically correlated to note the occurrence and severity of retinopathic perfusion defects was Results: We found marked differences between CRA branching angles among diabetics and healthy subjects and a significant correlation between branching anless and the occurrence and severity of retinopathic perfusion defects. Discussion and Conclusion: The orientation of retinal blood vessels on the fundus plane is not merely ‘a matter of chance’ in the anatomic chronicle of the human body; rather, it has biological heralds and functional consequences. Direction, branching, angles; all determine the efficacy and abundance of blood flow in the human retina that hold indispensible relevance for optimal vision and might be subtle indicators of micro vascular damage in disease states. This study has elucidated retinal vascular geometrics of healthy and diseased Indians, a knowledge that can improve our understanding of ‘abnormal features’ and ‘natural variants’ in retinal vascular architecture. In this study, we quantified the ‘structural factors’ behind perfusion defects of the Diabetic retina.

Promoter Hypermethylation of LATS2 Gene in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) Among North Indian Population.

Large Tumor Suppressor (LATS2) gene are Tumor Suppressor gene, linked with epigenetic modifications. LATS2 promoter hypermethylation is an important epigenetic silencing mechanism leading to cancer. Cancer is the most common, vicious and dangerously increasing diseases of the world today, associated with high morbidity and mortality. Oral cancers (OC) are the blazing universal dilemma and is the sixth most frequent cancer observed in Indian population. Tobacco consumption is the main cause of the increase in OSCC. The association between LATS2 in the pathogenesis of cancers propose that their combination might be studied as a possible molecular marker for particular subgroups of patients. Therefore, the present study tried to investigate whether LATS2 promoter methylation was associated with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in North Indian subjects. DNA methylation quantitative studies of LATS2 Tumor Suppressor genes were performed by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP). 38 out of 70 patients (55 %) were found to be methylated for LATS2 gene, a statistically significant result was obtained (p-value < 0.005) for LATS2 genes. The results suggest that epigenetic changes may be related to the down-regulation of LATS2 expression. It can be concluded that LATS2 gene plays a significant role in the diagnosis of cancer and provide a better alternative as a diagnostic biomarker. Our data infer that a low LATS2 expression due to methylation may contribute to the cancer progression and could be useful for the diagnosis of OSCC. Therefore, investigation of promoter methylation in such genes may provide a biomarker which may prove to be useful in early detection of Oral Cancer.

Association of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and norepinephrine transporter (NET) genes polymorphism with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Genetic factors in combination with environmental factors play a critical role in the development type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) which is growing as an epidemic globally. In present study we aim to assess the association of eNOS (G894T, rs1799983) and NET (G1287A, rs5569) genes polymorphism with T2DM. A case-control study including a total of 400 North Indian subjects (200 T2DM cases and 200 controls) was performed using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) approach to analyze genetic polymorphism. Alleles/genotype frequencies between cases and controls were compared using χ2 and Student's t-tests. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated by logistic regression to assess the relative association between disease and genotypes. In case of NET gene, GG (P = 0.002 in T2DM males, 0.053 in overall T2DM cases) genotype and G allele (P = 0.003 in T2DM males, 0.027 in overall T2DM cases) were found to be a positive risk factors and AG genotype (P = 0.012 in T2DM males) and A allele (P = 0.003 in T2DM males, P = 0.027 in overall T2DM cases) as negative risk factor for T2DM. No association of eNOS gene polymorphism was found with T2DM (P values of all genotypes and alleles were greater than 0.05). NET gene polymorphism might be associated with the risk of T2DM whereas; eNOS gene polymorphism do not confer any risk of T2DM in North Indian Ethnic group. It is hoped that understanding genetic causes of T2DM will lead to earlier diagnosis, preventive measures and more effective and specific treatment.

Lack of association between lysyl oxidase-like 1 polymorphism in pseudoexfoliation syndrome and pseudoexfoliation glaucoma in North Indian population.

Pseudoexfoliation syndrome is commonly associated with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma. The two nonsynonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms rs1048661 (R141L) and rs3825942 (G153D) within exon 1 of LOXL1 gene have been found to confer risk of pseudoexfoliation syndrome and pseudoexfoliation glaucoma in different geographical populations. This study aims to find association between two nonsynonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms with pseudoexfoliation syndrome and pseudoexfoliation glaucoma in North Indian population. North Indian subjects clinically diagnosed with pseudoexfoliation syndrome/pseudoexfoliation glaucoma and normal age-matched control were enrolled in the study. Genomic DNA was extracted and the two single-nucleotide polymorphisms of LOXL1 gene were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction and sequencing. The association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms with pseudoexfoliation syndrome/pseudoexfoliation glaucoma was evaluated by chi-square test. A total of 30 pseudoexfoliation glaucoma, 27 pseudoexfoliation syndrome and 61 control subjects were enrolled in the study. Patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome and pseudoexfoliation glaucoma did not show any genetic association with either single-nucleotide polymorphism rs1048661 or rs3825942. The study shows lack of association between LOXL1 single-nucleotide polymorphisms and pseudoexfoliation in North Indian population.

Waist-thigh Ratio: A Surrogate Marker for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Asian North Indian Patients.

Introduction:Diabetes is a major world-wide healthcare problem. Cost effective markers for screening and diagnosis of T2DM are the need of the day especially in developing and under-developed countries. Simple anthropometric measurements may help us in identifying individuals likely to have diabetes.Material and Methods:Data from 1055 North-Indian subjects was analysed.Results:Out of several anthropometric measurements studied, Waist-Thigh ratio (WTR) correlated significantly and positively with all three measures of diabetes i.e. FPG, RPG and PPG. (P < .0001) suggesting that it is the best predictor of diabetes. Subjects with diabetes had greater WTR (mean 2.088) than those without (mean1.842). (P < .0001). A thresh-hold effect was evident at a cut-off WTR of 2.3. Out of those subjects who were diagnosed to have diabetes by AACE/AHA guidelines, 82% had WTR greater than this value (P < 0.001).Conclusion:WTR may prove to be a simple and inexpensive marker for detecting Type 2 diabetes. Larger studies are required to develop population norms.

Association of mitochondrial copy number variation and T16189C polymorphism with colorectal cancer in North Indian population.

Globally, colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer. Genetic instability leading to cancer development is one of the major causes for development of cancer. Alterations in mitochondrial genome, that is, mutations, single-nucleotide polymorphisms, and copy number variations are known to contribute in cancer development. The aim of our study was to investigate association of mitochondrial T16189C polymorphism and copy number variation with colorectal cancer in North Indian population. DNA isolated from peripheral blood of 126 colorectal cancer patients and 114 healthy North Indian subjects was analyzed for T16189C polymorphism and half of them for mitochondrial copy number variation. Genotyping was done using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism, and copy number variation was estimated using real-time polymerase chain reaction, numbers of mitochondrial copies and found to be significantly higher in colorectal cancer patients than healthy controls (88 (58-154), p = 0.001). In the regression analysis, increased mitochondrial copy number variation was associated with risk of colorectal cancer (odds ratio = 2.885, 95% confidence interval = 1.3-6.358). However, T16189C polymorphism was found to be significantly associated with the risk of rectal cancer (odds ratio = 5.213, p = 0.001) and non-significantly with colon cancer (odds ratio = 0.867, p = 0.791). Also, false-positive report probability analysis was done to validate the significant findings. Our results here indicate that mitochondrial copy number variation may be playing an important role in the development of colorectal cancer, and detection of mitochondrial copy number variation can be used as a biomarker for predicting the risk of colorectal cancer in North Indian subjects.

Study of IL4-590C/T and IL6-174G/C Gene Polymorphisms in Type 2 Diabetic Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease in North Indian Population.

To explore the associations between potential functional promoter polymorphisms in pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory (IL-4(-590C/T) and IL-6(-174G/C) cytokine genes, and kidney dysfunction in North Indian type 2 diabetic subjects with chronic kidney disease. A total of 150 subjects aged 25-75 year were included in this study. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and serum creatinine were estimated. PCR was performed to analyse genotype distribution in IL-4 (-590T/C) and IL-6 (-174G/C) among healthy, type 2 diabetic patients with or without CKD. The genotype distributions were determined by Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. CKD patients showed lower GFR (59.36 ± 1.33 ml/min/1.73 m2 ) and higher serum creatinine (1.93 ± 0.99% mg) level in comparison to diabetic patients without CKD and healthy subjects. Genotypic distribution of the different genotypes among the study groups in IL-4 gene was genotype CC = 30, TC = 12, and TT = 8 in CKD patients. In type 2 diabetic patients without CKD, genotype distribution was CC = 38, TC = 10, and TT = 2. In healthy subjects, distribution of genotype was CC = 35, TC = 14, and TT = 1. The distribution of different genotype among the study groups for IL-6 gene was GG = 27, GC = 20, and CC = 3 in healthy subjects; GG = 28, GC = 19, and CC = 3 in diabetic patients without CKD and GG = 38, GC = 11, and CC = 1 in diabetic patients with CKD. There was no significant difference in the distribution of genotype frequencies between healthy subjects and diabetic patients without CKD but a significant difference was found in diabetic patients with CKD. The functional promoter polymorphisms IL4-590C/T and IL6-174G/C, which affect the IL-4 and IL-6 levels in north Indian subjects, were associated with kidney dysfunction and CKD. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 1803-1809, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Association of IL-10 gene (-1082A>G, -819C>T and -592C>A) polymorphism and its serum level with metabolic syndrome of north Indian subjects.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is an inflammatory disorder, in which various cytokines play important role in tilting balance towards disease state. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is an important antiinflammatory cytokine, but its genetic polymorphisms and serum levels in Indian MetS subjects are unknown. Three IL-10 gene polymorphisms (-1082A>G (rs1800896), -819C>T (rs1800872) and -592C>A (rs1800871)) were genotyped with PCR-RFLP in MetS subjects (n = 384) and age/sex matched control subjects (n = 386). Serum IL-10 was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum IL-10 level was significantly low in MetS subject and significantly correlated with clinicobiochemical parameters of MetS. Of three investigated promoter polymorphisms, IL-10 -819C> T and -592C>A were significantly associated with risk of MetS. The mutant alleles -819T and -592A of IL-10 gene polymorphism were significantly higher in MetS subjects compared to controls. Of the four different haplotypes obtained, common ACC haplotype and rare GTA haplotype of IL-10 polymorphisms were associated with MetS. The mean of fasting insulin and HOMA-IR were significantly different between the genotypes of both -819 C>T and -592C>A polymorphisms of IL-10 in MetS subjects. These results suggested that polymorphisms in IL-10 gene (-819C>T and -592C>A), haplotypes (ACC and GTA) and serum level are significantly associated with risk of MetS. IL- 10 -819C>T and -592C>A polymorphic variants are also significantly associated with insulin level and homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance in north Indian MetS subjects.

“World-History,” “Itihāsa,” and Memory: Rabindranath Tagore's Musical Program in the Age of Nationalism

This essay attempts an exploration of the historical and historiographical implications of the interplay of individual, local, “national,” and global forms of memory in the music of Rabindranath Tagore. Produced at a time of crises in the Indian postcolonial subjectivity, this music offers a critique of the Eurocentric discourses of “World-history” and nationalism, by invoking alternative Indian discourses of“Itihāsa”and“samāj”. At the same time, Tagore departs from the contemporary Hindu cultural nationalist revivalist approach of the tradition of North Indian (Hindustani) classical music and subjects it to a creative regenerative endeavor by reconnecting the tradition with its original subaltern roots. Skeptical of several kinds of homogeneous impulses, this music offers an alternative idea of universalism that is as much human as a specific civilizational concept. Tagore's musical program thus offers an aesthetic blueprint of a more inclusive indigenous modernity in the subcontinent.

Genetic association of NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1*2) polymorphism with NQO1 levels and risk of diabetic nephropathy.

NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) catalyzes reactions having a cyto-protective effect against redox cycling and oxidative stress. A single base polymorphism (C/T) at nucleotide 609 of the NQO1 gene impairs the stability and function of its protein. Its role in the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN) has not been deciphered. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the association of NQO1*2 (rs1800566) polymorphism with plasma NQO1 levels and DN. This study screened 600 participants including healthy controls (HC), type 2 diabetes mellitus without complications (T2DM) and diabetic nephropathy (DN): 200 each for studying NQO1*2 gene polymorphism using the PCR-RFLP. Plasma NQO1 levels were measured by ELISA. Analysis of variance and logistic regression were used to evaluate the association of NQO1 polymorphism with plasma NQO1 levels and DN. The allelic frequencies of NQO1*1/NQO1*2 were 0.88/0.12 in HC, 0.765/0.235 in T2DM and 0.65/0.35 in DN. Carriers of the NQO1*2 allele had significantly lower plasma NQO1 levels (p<0.05) and revealed higher risk towards the development of DN (OR=1.717, p=0.010). NQO1*2 SNP is a functional polymorphism having a significant effect on NQO1 levels. Our results indicate that NQO1*2 genotype may increase susceptibility to DN in north Indian subjects with T2DM.

SUMO4 163 G>A variation is associated with kidney disease in Indian subjects with type 2 diabetes.

Genetic susceptibility probably plays a role in the development and/or progression of diabetic kidney disease. Small ubiquitin-related modifier 4 (SUMO4) mRNA is expressed in human kidney. Substitution of methionine with valine at codon 55 (M55V) of SUMO4 gene induces higher nuclear factor-kB activity, which is known to mediate the development of kidney disease in individuals with diabetes. We investigated the association between the SUMO4 M55V (rs237025, c.163 G>A) and kidney disease in north Indian subjects with diabetes. A case-control analysis was performed using genomic DNA samples from 216 diabetic patients without nephropathy (DM) and 201 diabetic with nephropathy (DN). The SUMO4 c.163 G>A polymorphism was genotyped using polymerase chain reaction amplification followed by restriction digestion. The duration of diabetes was significantly greater in DN. The genotypic and allelic frequencies were different in DM and DN groups: GG genotype was significantly more frequent in DN as compared to DM (p = 0.018, OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.1-2.7). Similarly the G allele was more frequent in DN compared to DM (p = 0.017, OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1-1.8). This study suggests that SUMO4 c.163 G>A polymorphism is associated with the susceptibility to diabetic nephropathy in north Indian subjects with type 2 diabetes.