Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Das

Publications and source records attributed to A Das.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Placebo-controlled immunotherapy with Cocos nucifera pollen extract.

The effectiveness of Cocos nucifera pollen extract immunotherapy (CPE-IT) was studied in 96 patients allergic to C. nucifera pollen. A placebo-controlled study was performed at random for a period of 6-12 months. The clinical status of the patients measured by the symptom-medication scores demonstrated that C. nucifera pollen-allergic patients had significant (p < 0.005) clinical improvement after CPE-IT in comparison to placebo treatment. Serological study resulted a significant reduction (p < 0.001) of specific IgE and significant elevation (p < 0.01) of specific IgG in post-therapeutic patients' sera which were correlated significantly (r = 0.45, p < 0.001); the changes of the above immunoglobulin levels in the placebo-treated patients were nonsignificant. However, there was no correlation between symptom-medication scores and changes in specific serum IgE or IgG levels.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

The protein phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid induces defects in cytokinesis and organellar genome segregation in Trypanosoma brucei.

Mitosis and cytokinesis are events that are highly coordinated in most eukaryotic cell cycles. African trypanosomes possess a single mitochondrion and must additionally coordinate the organellar division cycle. Here we report that okadaic acid, a potent and specific inhibitor of protein phosphatases PP1and PP2A, uncouples these cycles in living trypanosomes. Cell cycle analysis of treated cells revealed elevated DNA content. Microscopic examination indicated that okadaic acid treatment yielded multinucleate cells with a single mitochondrial network indicating these cells have undergone mitosis but failed to complete cytokinesis. Immunofluorescence analysis of 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine incorporation demonstrated that the mitochondrial DNA was replicated but did not segregate. The dose response curve for inhibition of the normal cell cycle paralleled that for the in vitro inhibition of protein phosphatase activities with IC50s of approximately 20 nM okadaic acid. These results suggest the involvement of a PP1/PP2A-like activity in coordinating mitosis, mitochondrial DNA division and cytokinesis in trypanosomes.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Community based survey of STD/HIV infection among commercial sex-workers in Calcutta (India). Part-III: Clinical findings of sexually transmitted diseases (STD).

On physical examination of 418 sex workers, 202 (48.32 per cent) were found to have vaginal discharge, which was found to be most common among younger age class. Endocervical pus, genital ulcer, and swelling of inguinal lymph glands were observed in 13.16, 6.22 and 1.91 per cent of the sex workers respectively. Clinically 16.51, 15.31, 11.96 and 4.78 per cent were found to suffer from candidiasis, trichomoniasis, cervicitis and syphilis respectively.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Community based survey of STD/HIV infection among commercial sex workers in Calcutta (India). Part-IV: Sexually transmitted diseases and related risk factors.

Community based survey on a sample of commercial sex workers in one red light area of Calcutta, was carried out to determine prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) including HIV infection and related risk factors. An alarmingly high prevalence of STDs (80.56 per cent) but low HIV-seropositivity (1.13 per cent) was observed. Candida albicans, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Trichomonas vaginalis were detected in 23.24, 13.24 and 11.11 per cent of genital specimens respectively. BY TPHA test 62.97 per cent of the sera were reactive for Treponema pallidum. Duration in the profession of sex workers was found to have an association with seropositivity for syphilis. Prevalence of HIV infection might be low at present, but conditions were highly favourable for rapid spread of infection.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Some hitherto unreported findings on the extragenital effects of progesterone in human females--a clinical study.

40 women suffering from 'dysfunctional uterine bleeding' (DUB) were treated by progesterone (P) and signs and symptoms of 'extragenital effects' of P were noted. In addition to the previous ones reported from this laboratory, a new crop of effects, which, as far as we are aware of, have never been reported in the literature, were found and included: (i) Changes in the frequency of EEG waves, (ii) changes in the ECG (iii) changes in psychoanalytical scoring. Further (iv) with most of the parametres, the intensity of the changes showed considerable waning with passage time, despite the fact that the subjects were still receiving P. Blood P levels similarly fell considerably in the initial phase of the therapy, but recovered to some extent afterwards, despite the continuance of P therapy.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1994

Community based survey of STD/HIV infection among commercial sexworkers in Calcutta (India). Part I. Some social features of commercial sexworkers.

A community based sample survey of sexually transmitted diseases and Human Immuno deficiency Virus infection was carried out among commercial sex workers of a red-light area in Calcutta. In this paper socio-demographic aspects of sex workers are discussed. For the survey, 450 sex workers were selected by random sampling method. Among the sex workers surveyed, 84.89 per cent were in the age group 15-29 years. Lowest age was 13 years and mean age was 23.12 years. Large number of sex workers were from Nepal (15.11 per cent) and Bangladesh (11.78 per cent). About 38 per cent were from three districts of West Bengal bordering Bangladesh. About 84.44 per cent of the sex workers were illiterate. Extreme poverty forced 49.10 per cent to choose this profession and family disturbances led 21.56 per cent to this profession. Almost all sex workers (448) had addiction, alcohol being taken regularly by 81.11 per cent. Number of clients of sex workers varied from 2 to 10, average being 3. About 67.33 per cent gave history of pregnancy, 46 per cent had abortion and 41.11 per cent had living children. About 27.11 per cent took precaution against pregnancy regularly. Use of oral pills was found to be the most common practice against pregnancy (13.65 per cent), followed by ligation (11.56 per cent). Only 1.11 per cent reported that their clients used condom regularly.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Community based survey of STD/HIV infection among commercial sex-workers in Calcutta (India). Part II. Sexual behaviour, knowledge and attitude towards STD.

A community based sample survey of STD/HIV infections was carried out among 450 commercial sex workers, (CSW) of one red light area in Calcutta. In this paper, sexual practices of sex workers, their knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and practice of preventive and curative measures against STDs, is described. Vaginal intercourse was the usual sexual practice. But as many as 74.44 per cent also practised oral sex. About 82.67 per cent had the practice of washing external genitalia with antiseptic solution after sexual intercourse. About 69.11 per cent of sex workers were aware of sexually transmitted diseases and 30.67 per cent had knowledge about AIDS. About 70.22 per cent had symptoms related to genital tract during one year preceding the survey and 34 per cent of sex workers took medical treatment during last one month.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Total bladder replacement by detubularised sigmoid colon segment.

A preliminary report of 3 cases of carcinoma bladder is presented in whom, after radical cystoprostatectomy, a low pressure neobladder is created from detubularised pelvic colon, with subsequent colo-urethral anastomosis. In selected cases, this is a feasible procedure with good patient acceptance as the normal body image is maintained. Also the low pressure neobladder ensures protection to the upper urinary tract from backpressure damage.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

En bloc capsulectomy in the diagnosis and treatment of refractory, chronic, recurrent pseudophakic endophthalmitis.

Anterior chamber and vitreous aspiration may fail to isolate a microorganism in chronic pseudophakic endophthalmitis. In some eyes, obtaining a portion of the central posterior lens capsule may assist in determining the infectious etiology of the endophthalmitis. We describe a technique by which the entire lens capsule and its internal contents are removed and cultured. This surgical method facilitated the isolation and eradication of the causative pathogen in a patient with chronic recurrent pseudophakic endophthalmitis that was diagnostically and therapeutically refractory to previous vitrectomy, posterior capsulectomy, and intravitreal antibiotic injection.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Identification of several rod loci and cloning of the rodD locus of Streptococcus mutans.

Previous work has shown that Streptococcus mutans is normally a short rod or a sphere, depending on its environment. This paper describes two distinct genetic approaches used to identify multiple loci and isolate one locus, rodD, controlling S. mutans rod shape. The first method involved isolation of a group of rod- mutants caused by transposon Tn916 insertion, and analysis of the inactivated genes by Southern hybridization. The second method involved mutagenesis via a shotgun insertion-duplication technique, isolation of a rod- mutant, and cloning the intact rod locus, employing an integration shuttle plasmid, pVA891. These approaches have led to the identification of multiple rod loci involved in determining the rod shape of S. mutans, and also cloning of one rod locus, rodD. The cloning strategy may also be useful for cloning other streptococcal genes which cannot be detected by their expression in Escherichia coli.

Blotting, Southern↗
PubMed1993

F0 and F1 parts of ATP synthases from Clostridium thermoautotrophicum and Escherichia coli are not functionally compatible.

F1-stripped membrane vesicles from Clostridium thermoautotrophicum and Escherichia coli were reconstituted with F1-ATPases from both bacteria. Reconstituted F1F0-ATPase complexes were catalytically active, i.e. capable of hydrolyzing ATP. Homologous-type ATPase complexes having F0 and F1 parts of ATP synthases from the same origin were DCCD sensitive and supported ATP-driven enhancement of anilinonaphthalene sulfonate (ANS) fluorescence. Hybrid-type ATPase complexes having F0 and F1 parts of ATP synthases from different origins were neither DCCD sensitive nor did they support ATP-driven enhancement of ANS fluorescence. Analyzing these results it has been demonstrated that the F0 and F1 parts of ATP synthases of these two bacteria are not functionally compatible.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1993

Hsp90 chaperonins possess ATPase activity and bind heat shock transcription factors and peptidyl prolyl isomerases.

Heat shock proteins of the 82-90 kDa class (hsp82 and hsp90) are abundant, conserved, and ubiquitous from prokaryotes to eukaryotes. Although proposed to be chaperones, they had not been reported to possess enzymatic activity until our recent observation that pure trypanosomatid hsp83 had potent ATPase activity (Nadeau, K., Sullivan, M., Engman, D., and Walsh, C. T. (1992) Protein Sci. 1, 970-979). We have now purified the hsp90 homolog from Escherichia coli (HtpG) and from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (hsp82) to homogeneity and observe ATPase activity with kcat values of 3 min-1 and 140 min-1. In addition, examinations of purified rat hsp90 and human hsp90 detect ATPase activity with a kcat of 0.6 min-1 and 10 min-1. Each of these hsp90s undergoes autophosphorylation on serine or threonine residues. In prokaryotes and eukaryotes, the induction of hsps during heat shock is controlled, respectively, by the binding of an alternate sigma 32 or a transcriptional activator (heat shock factor or HSF) at heat shock promoter elements. Here we show that E. coli HtpG immobilized to Affi-Gel beads selectively retains sigma 32 while the yeast hsp90 and rat hsp90 retain HSF. The peptidyl prolyl isomerase hsp59 of the FK506 binding class is known to bind to hsp90. We also detect binding of the other family of PPIases, the cyclophilins, to immobilized hsp90, consistent with a functional convergence of protein foldases.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗