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Biomedical subjects

A Chatterjee

Publications and source records attributed to A Chatterjee.

467 records · Page 26Linked to original sources
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Cyproterone acetate: I. Microquantity releasing device of cyproterone acetate and its failure in inducing functional sterility in male rats.

Prasad and his coworkers emphasized that microquantities of cyproterone acetate (CPA) when continuously available developed functional sterility in male rats by interfering the epididymal physiology. In our experimental rats either 2 or 3 capsules containing CPA as per the specification of Prasad were implanted subcutaneously and left for 300 and 250 days, respectively. Fertility test was made every month and it was observed that all the experimental animals were able to impregnate female rats throughout the experiment. Excepting the epididymis the weight of testes and other accessory glands did not differ from the controls in the animals which had 2 CPA capsules for 300 days; On the other hand, the animals which received 3 CPA capsules for 250 days showed significant reduction in weight of all the acessory glands including the testes.

Animals↗
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Seminal vesicles and its importance in the regulation of male fertility.

During experimental studies on the physiological significance of accessory sex glands, it was documented that excision of prostate in rats did not affect fecundity; conversely, surgical removal of seminal vesicles or its plasma consistently made the animals infertile. However, fertility of the plasma-removed animals was found to return to normalcy after 3 weeks following the surgical manipulation. Human chorionic gonadotropin or testosterone treatment starting immediately after surgical manipulation of the vesicular plasma retained fertility throughout the test period. The importance of seminal vesicular plasma in terms of male fertility has been discussed.

Animals↗
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Characterization of parvalbumin cDNA clones and gene expression in normal and dystrophic mice of strain 129 ReJ.

Parvalbumin is a calcium-binding protein found in fast-twitch skeletal muscles and selected cells in the brain. In several dystrophic mutants in the mouse, the parvalbumin content of skeletal muscles and brain is reduced and this deficiency appears to correlate with the inability of these mice to handle enhanced calcium uptake associated with the dystrophic process. In this study, two overlapping cDNA clones of 392 and 1268 base pairs were isolated from a mouse cDNA library in lambda gt11, characterized, and used as probes to study the involvement of the parvalbumin gene and its expression in various tissues of dystrophic mice of strain 129 ReJ. Southern blot analyses of restriction fragments of genomic DNA from normal and dystrophic mice indicate the same number and size of parvalbumin-specific gene fragments observed by other researchers, suggesting that the size of the Pva gene is the same in both normal and dystrophic mice of strain 129 ReJ. Northern blot analyses of total RNA from hind-limb muscles using cloned parvalbumin cDNA as probes revealed an abundant 800-nucleotide mRNA with lesser amounts of a 1000-nucleotide mRNA transcript in both normal and dystrophic mice of strain 129 ReJ. The amount of these mRNAs was reduced by 65-77% in dystrophic muscles preparations and was similar to the levels of beta-actin mRNA in these animals. These results suggest that parvalbumin gene expression is not down regulated in dystrophic mice of strain 129 ReJ.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Identification of a 60-kD antigen associated with malignant growth of human breast tissue.

Antisera against a novel 60-kD antigen (P60) were developed using immunomasking strategy which shows malignant growth-related expression in human breast cancer tissue. Cell adhesion assay in the presence of P60 antibody clearly indicates a role for P60 directly or indirectly in adhesion of tumor cells to extracellular matrix protein vitronectin. These results indicate that P60 could be a potential marker to distinguish benign from malignant growth of human breast tissue, and that P60 could be an integrin or a non-integrin receptor, or a receptor-related protein to vitronectin.

Animals↗
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Effect of an elliptical optical zone on outcome of photoastigmatic refractive keratectomy.

BACKGROUND: This study presents the effect of an elliptical optical zone on the accuracy of correction of astigmatism in patients undergoing photorefractive astigmatic keratectomy (PARK) for myopic astigmatism. METHODS: We reviewed a consecutive case series of 102 eyes that underwent PARK with a Nidek EC-5000 excimer laser by a single surgeon. Group A consisted of 50 eyes treated using a circular optical zone of 6.5 mm x 6.5 mm with a 7.5-mm x 7.5-mm transition zone. Group B consisted of 52 eyes treated using an elliptical optical zone of 5.5 mm x 6.5 mm with a 6.5-mm x 7.5-mm transition zone. Refraction was measured preoperatively and postoperatively, and vector analysis was used to study the change in astigmatism induced by surgery. RESULTS: Mean correction index improved from 75% in Group A to 100% in Group B. Mean angle of error was reduced from 15.8 degrees in Group A to 7.5 degrees in Group B. Hyperopic shift was reduced from +0.70 D in Group A to +0.20 D in Group B. CONCLUSIONS: Excimer laser photorefractive astigmatic keratectomy using an elliptical optical zone improved the correction index for astigmatic change and reduced the mean angle of error. An elliptical optical zone is more effective than the circular optical zone for the treatment of astigmatism in patients with compound myopic astigmatism.

Astigmatism↗
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Interface between drug use and sex work in Manipur.

BACKGROUND: In India, drug use is seen predominantly as a problem among men. This study attempts to address the interface between drug use and sex work among women drug users in Manipur and the prevalence of HIV, hepatitis B and other sexually transmitted infections in them. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey was conducted between April and October 1997 at the time of an ethnic clash in imphal, the capital of Manipur. Sixty-nine women drug users were interviewed through street-based outreach workers; 38 women (55%) were injecting drug users. Data were generated with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire on sociodemography, drug use practice and health issues after obtaining informed consent from the participants. Subsequently, consent was also obtained from 60 respondents for collecting blood for unlinked anonymous tests for HIV and hepatitis B surface antigen. Clinical examination for reproductive tract infections, offered to all the study participants, generated data on sexually transmitted diseases. RESULTS: The prevalence of HIV infection in injecting drug users was 57% (20/35) compared to 20% (5/25) among non-injecting drug users (p = 0.001), although the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen was similar in the two groups, 48% v. 56%, respectively. Eighty per cent of the respondents, many of whom migrated following the ethnic clash, reported having sex with non-regular partners, two-thirds reported sex in exchange for money or drugs. Eighty-one per cent (29/36) of women who agreed to have a clinical examination had abnormal vaginal discharge, of which 10 had endocervical discharge. The presence of infection was confirmed in only 24% of those with vaginal discharge--4 had bacterial vaginosis and 3 trichomoniasis. CONCLUSION: Environmental interventions to reduce civil unrest and forced migration have an important role to play in HIV containment. The high rate of HIV infection, and the probability of a high rate of sexually transmitted infections in women drug users suggests that a targeted intervention in this population group is a public health need. An innovative outreach strategy should be designed for effective implementation of interventions among women injecting drug users and non-injecting drug users who operate from the streets as sex workers to support their drug habit as well as livelihood.

Adolescent↗
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Communicating health.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
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Thermal stability of DNA interacting with furazolidone and Cu(II) ions.

Furazolidone, on complexing with DNA, led to its thermal stabilization. The increase in transition temperature of DNA (delta Tm) increased linearly with % A--T content. Increasing concentration of Cu(II) ions progressively lowered the transition temperature of DNA, but Cu(II) ions were not equally effective in lowering the transition temperature of furazolidone-DNA complex. When equimolar amounts of Cu(II) ions and furazolidone were used, the stabilisation effects of furazolidone prevailed over the destabilisation effect of Cu(II) ions.

Animals↗
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Prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody among hospital admitted patients in Manipal.

184 indoor patients suffering from various hepatic as well as non-hepatic disorders admitted in Kasturba Medical College & Hospital, Manipal during the year 1989 were studied for the presence of HBs Ag and anti HBs by ELISA. As viral hepatitis specially hepatitis B is a major public health problem in all parts of the world, this type of study will give an idea about the preponderance of hepatitis infection among hospital admitted patients.

Adolescent↗
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Pacing in children and adolescents.

Sixty patients aged 5-16 years underwent implantation of permanent pacemaker and were followed up for 3-11 years. All these patients presented with syncope or symptomatic bradyarrhythmias; two also had congestive cardiac failure in addition, which was ameliorated by pacemaker implantation. A majority of the patients (48) had congenital complete heart block. 8 patients presented with sick sinus syndrome; 4 patients presented with post operative chronic complete heart block. Transvenous endocardial electrode was used in 54 cases and epicardial pacing was done in 6 cases. A majority (55) of the patients received VVI pacemakers; AV sequential pacemakers were implanted in 5 cases. On follow up, the children returned to normal activity and their psychological well being was striking. Reoperation had to be done in 35 cases, a majority being due to over stretching of electrodes (15) and battery exhaustion (12). Two patients died, one due to bacterial endocarditis and the other succumbed to sudden death during vigorous physical activity. Major problems of pacing in children are that veins are often too thin and delicate for electrode insertion, and of the child's growth that stretches the lead system. The problems of pulse generator size and longevity have been partly overcome by introduction of newer models that are small and programmable.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A cross-sectional study on factors including HIV testing and counselling determining unsafe injecting practices among injecting drug users of Manipur.

In India, a steep increase in the prevalence of HIV (0% to 50% within six months) among the IDUs has been reported in Manipur, a north eastern state in 1990. In spite of large scale intervention program like educational campaign and widespread voluntary HIV testing in this state, the infection has quickly spread to the heterosexual population at large. The determinants of risk taking behaviors like sharing of unclean needle among the IDU population has been explored in this paper. A cross sectional study has been carried out among all of the 488 IDUs who attended any detoxification centers and prison during last two years at Imphal, the capital city of this state. Self reported behaviors based on the pre-scheduled interview were recorded and participation rate was satisfactory. The data was compared to a similar survey carried out by us in 1990. Although there has been decline in risk behavior among the IDUs, a logistic regression analysis reveals that unsafe needle sharing behavior is not influenced by the knowledge on HIV transmission, educational status or history of HIV testing or serostatus of the individual. The limitation of cross sectional nature of the study, bias due to collection of data in prison, self reported behavior, possible differences with street samples of the addict are discussed.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗
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Cardiac tumours: an observational study.

We studied 38 patients with cardiac tumours. Of these, 30 had primary cardiac tumours while the rest had secondary tumours. The commonest manifestations in patients with primary tumours were exertional breathlessness (23), fever (9), mitral diastolic murmur (15), loud pulmonary component of the second heart sound (16), and mitral systolic murmur (21). Left atrial myxoma was the commonest diagnosis (24) followed by left ventricular leiomyoma (2), right atrial myxoma (2, one with RA and RV both), RV myxoma (1), and left ventricular haemangioma (1). The commonest modes of presentation of secondary cardiac tumours were atrial extrasystoles (5) and pericardial friction rub (4). Histopathological reports revealed bronchogenic carcinoma (4), breast carcinoma (2), seminoma of the testis (1) and lymphoma (1). The unexpectedly low number of secondary cardiac tumours in this series is attributed to the lack of routine autopsy studies in our institute.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hypertension in the young in eastern India.

Three hundred and forty-one young hypertensives in the age group of 18-30 years were evaluated over a 7-year period. Essential hypertension constituted the single largest group (35.8%). Renal pathology was the most common cause of secondary hypertension (26.4%). Congenital coarctation of the aorta and endocrine causes accounted for 14.1 percent and 3.2 percent cases of secondary hypertension, respectively. A strikingly high incidence of nonspecific aortoarteritis (20.1%) was a distinguishing feature amongst secondary causes. Aortoarteritis was the commonest cause of renal artery stenosis. Renal angioplasty was performed in 11 patients with refractory hypertension. Forty percent of the patients achieved post-angioplasty control of blood pressure without drugs; in 25 percent, the blood pressure became easier to control. Restenosis was detected in 4 cases over 18-24 months of follow-up.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Reuse of pacemaker.

Implantation of a permanent pacemaker is an expensive proposition for the poor patients of our country. Many patients on permanent pacemaker die prematurely due to diseases or conditions not related to pacemaker function. The purpose of this study was to reuse these pacemakers after thorough cleansing and proper sterilisation in other suitable patients and compare the efficiency of the reused pacemakers with that of newly implanted ones. Between April 1979 and April 1992, 642 patients implanted with reused pacemakers were studied. The study population consisted of patients ranging in age from 15-85 years and included patients of both sexes (M:F = 4:1). The mean period of follow-up was 7.5 +/- 5.6 years. Removal and reimplantation of the pulse generators was carried out after obtaining the State Government's approval, informed consent of the donors, relatives and recipients. The functional status of the pulse generators was tested by a "pacing system analyser". The clinical indications for reuse were chronic complete heart block, symptomatic bifascicular heart block, sick sinus syndrome and chronic complete heart block with congestive heart failure, in decreasing order of frequency. In terms of morbidity and mortality, the efficacy of reused pacemakers was highly comparable with that of newly implanted ones. The infection rate in cases of reuse from dead patients was comparable to that in cases of new implantation. However, pacemakers reused in the same patient showed a high rate of infection. With the aid of newer generations of antimicrobials, infection when matched with efficacy and economy (of reuse) does not seem to be a major factor against pacemaker reuse.

Adolescent↗