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Biomedical subjects

A Grover

Publications and source records attributed to A Grover.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Ethnic differences in expression of susceptibility marker(s) in rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease patients.

The ability of monoclonal antibodies (MAb) against a human B lymphocyte alloantigen has been suggested to discriminate between rheumatic fever "susceptible" individuals and persons with a lower risk of developing RF. However, while such MAb have been reported to identify a majority of RF/RHD patients in some populations, a reduced discriminatory ability has been observed in others. Antigenic variation in the RF marker(s) may exist among ethnic groups which reduce the discriminatory ability of these monoclonal antibodies. We developed MAb using B lymphocytes from RF patients of North Indian ethnic origin. In this same population we compared the new MAb (PGI/MN II) with a previously described MAb of Caucasian ethnic origin (D8/17). In three groups: acute rheumatic fever patients (no evidence of previous attacks of rheumatic fever), patients with chronic rheumatic heart disease and normal controls from the same population, we found a greater discriminating ability of PGI/MNII MAb to identify Indian RF/RHD patients than with the D8/17 MAb. Further, sixty percent of 142 siblings of the RF/RHD patients were "positive" when tested with PGI/MN II. The data from these studies suggest that before such MAb can be used for identification of RF "susceptibles" in public health programs, variation among ethnic populations must be assessed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Distribution patterns of 104 kDa stress-associated protein in rice.

A 104 kDa protein (SAP 104) accumulates in rice seedlings in response to several abiotic stress conditions and immunological homologues of rice SAP 104 have been detected in several monocot and dicot species, as also Neurospora crassa, a fungus. In this report, we show that the amino acid sequence of a tryptic peptide generated from purified SAP 104 bears significant homology with an ATP-binding domain of the HSP 100 family proteins of Arabidopsis thaliana and Glycine max. It is further shown that differential uninduced and induced (by high-temperature stress) levels of this protein are accumulated in various organs of the mature rice plant grown under field conditions. Significant uninduced levels of this protein were in particular found in developing and mature rice grains. Seeds/grains of several other plant genera (i.e. Triticum aestivum, Zea mays, Brassica juncea) were also found to contain high uninduced levels of SAP 104. Importantly, the levels of uninduced SAP 104 in rice grains were found to decline during the seed germination phase: after two days of germination, this protein was undetectable in tissues representing pooled sample of seeds and just-emerged seedlings. Tissue print-immunoblotting analysis has indicated that in seeds high levels of this protein are specifically present in the embryo portion.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Pregnancy and congenital heart disease--maternal and fetal outcome.

Two hundred and seventy five pregnancies in patients with congenital heart disease during 1980-1996 were analyzed retrospectively. Maternal and perinatal outcome was compared in 251 pregnancies of women with acyanotic and 24 pregnancies of women with cyanotic heart disease. Congenital heart disease was diagnosed during the index pregnancy in 26.1% of patients and the majority (88.4%) were in NYHA classes 1 and 2. Atrial septal defect (27.7%) was the most common lesion in women with acyanotic heart disease and the majority with cyanotic heart disease had Eisenmenger syndrome, 13 of 21 (61.9%). Sixty pregnancies occurred in patients with surgically corrected lesions (acyanotic, 56; cyanotic, 4). The incidences of abortions (8.3%), stillbirths (13.6%) and small for gestational age (SGA) (36.4%) were higher in cyanotic heart disease compared to acyanotic heart disease (stillbirth, 0.8%; SGA, 6.9%). There was a statistically significant difference in mean maternal age, mean gestational age and mean birth-weight in the surgically corrected and noncorrected lesions in both acyanotic and cyanotic heart disease. There was 1 maternal death in a woman with Eisenmenger syndrome.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

An easy method for detection of rheumatic antigen(s) in rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease patients by dot-ELISA.

BACKGROUND: Various monoclonal antibodies developed against human B cell alloantigen have different positivity in different population groups around the world. Thus, monoclonal antibody D8/17, found to be 100% specific for rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease (RF/RHD) patients from New York, identified only 62% to 68% in the north Indian population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A battery of monoclonal antibodies against B cell alloantigen was developed in Indian RF/RHD patients. A total of 50 patients and 25 controls were studied. RESULTS: These antibodies, named PG-12A, -13A and -20A, demonstrate more specificity in north Indian patients. In dot-ELISA, these antibodies correctly show the presence of the marker in 84% of RHD and 90% of recurrence of rheumatic activity patients. CONCLUSIONS: It is suggested that different alloantigens are expressed in the north Indian population. This standardized dot-ELISA is low cost and simple to use, and has a very high percentage of sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value for this population.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1996

Characterization of pyruvate decarboxylase genes from rice.

The pdc1 gene encoding pyruvate decarboxylase has been isolated and sequenced from an IR54 rice genomic library. In contrast to a previously isolated intron-less rice genomic pdc, pRgpdc3, this gene contains five intervening introns in the coding region and corresponds to a cDNA clone, pRcpdc1, isolated from an IR54-cDNA library constructed from anaerobically-induced mRNAs. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence of this gene with that of the rice pdc2 and pdc3 showed 88% and 89% similarity, and 78% and 79% identity, respectively. Southern blots indicated that more than three genes constitute the pdc gene family in rice. pdc1 is highly inducible under anaerobic conditions. Rice pdc2 is also inducible by anoxia but to a much lesser extent than pdc1.

Aerobiosis↗
PubMed1996

Isolation and subcloning of chitinase clone from chickpea genomic library.

Chickpea genomic library constructed earlier in phage lambda (EMBL-3) was screened for the presence of chitinase clone using tobacco chitinase cDNA as a probe. Positive clones obtained by primary screening of plaques (2 x 10(6)) were ascertained by secondary and tertiary screening. Presence of chitinase insert in the positive clones obtained, was further confirmed by restricting phage DNA with Sal I and then doing southern with tobacco chitinase. The insert band was eluted out and subcloned in puc 19 plasmid.

Chitinases↗
PubMed1995

Immunological evidence for accumulation of two high-molecular-weight (104 and 90 kDa) HSPs in response to different stresses in rice and in response to high temperature stress in diverse plant genera.

Rice seedlings accumulate stainable amounts of the 104 and 90 kDa polypeptides in response to high temperature stress. We have purified and raised highly specific polyclonal antisera against both of these polypeptides. In western blotting experiments, we find that these proteins are accumulated to different extents in rice seedlings subjected to salinity (NaCl), water stress, low-temperature stress and exogenous abscisic acid application. These proteins also accumulated when rice seedlings grown in pots under natural conditions were subjected to water stress by withholding watering. Seedlings of Triticum aestivum, Sorghum bicolor, Pisum sativum, Zea mays, Brassica juncea and mycelium of Neurospora crassa showed accumulation of the immunological homologues of both the 104 and the 90 kDa polypeptides, in response to high-temperature stress. We have earlier shown that shoots of rice seedlings exposed to heat shock accumulate a 110 kDa polypeptide which is an immunological homologue of the yeast HSP 104 (Singla and Grover, Plant Mol Biol 22: 1177-1180, 1993). Employing anti-rice HSP 104 antibodies and anti-yeast HSP 104 antibodies together, we provide evidence that rice HSP 104 is different from the earlier characterized rice HSP 110.

Adaptation, Biological↗
PubMed1995

The importance of early patency after acute myocardial infarction.

The importance of achieving rapid patency of the infarct-related artery during acute myocardial infarction has become well recognized. Early, sustained patency of the infarct-related vessel correlates with improved left ventricular function, better in-hospital outcomes, and lower mortality. Various strategies designed to improve early patency, including "prehospital" thrombolysis, use of an accelerated recombinant tissue plasminogen activator regimen, and immediate angioplasty have been studied. This paper reviews the importance of achieving early patency, the various strategies employed, and the evidence for their efficacy. Future directions in treatment of acute myocardial infarction are touched upon briefly.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary↗
PubMed1995

Insulin attenuates norepinephrine-induced venoconstriction. An ultrasonographic study.

To directly assess insulin-related venomotor changes objectively and quantitatively, we used a modified ultrasonographic technique to measure venous diameter. Ten healthy men and women were studied by use of an Acuson 128 XP ultrasonograph with a linear 7.5-MHz ultrasonographic transducer (sensitivity, +/- 0.1 mm). Venous diameter was measured with the arm kept at 30 degrees elevation and with a pneumatic cuff above the elbow inflated at 40 mm Hg for the last 2 minutes of each 5-minute observation period. Norepinephrine was infused at incremental concentrations of 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 ng/min (75, 150, 300, and 600 pmol/min, respectively) for 5 minutes each. Maximal venoconstriction was achieved by the dose of 100 ng/min norepinephrine, which was then combined with insulin doses of 8, 16, 24, and 32 microU/min (60, 120, 180, and 230 fmol/min, respectively) for 5 minutes each. In six different subjects, methylene blue, an inhibitor of guanylate cyclase, was infused simultaneously with 32 microU/min insulin and 100 ng/min norepinephrine. Mean resting diameter of the vein (1.8 +/- 0.6 mm [mean +/- SD]) increased (to 3.0 +/- 1.0 mm) after cuff inflation. Incremental doses of norepinephrine caused highly reproducible dose-dependent decrease in venous diameter (to 1.8 +/- 0.6 mm, P < .001). Incremental doses of insulin, when combined with the maximum dose of norepinephrine, caused highly reproducible dose-dependent increases in mean venous diameter (P < .001) compared with norepinephrine alone. Methylene blue, which had no independent effect on venous diameter, inhibited the venodilator effect of insulin (P < .05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Country watch. India.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1993

Antibodies raised against yeast HSP 104 cross-react with a heat- and abscisic acid-regulated polypeptide in rice.

Antibodies raised against yeast heat shock protein (HSP) 104 recognized a heat-inducible polypeptide with a molecular mass of 110 kDa in shoot tissue of young rice seedlings. Root tissue of the same age showed no immuno-reaction with yeast HSP 104 antibodies. The 110 kDa polypeptide of rice was also shown to be abscisic acid-inducible in young seedlings. Though this polypeptide was seen to be constitutively present in the flag leaf of 90-day-old field-grown plant, it was not much affected by either heat shock or abscisic acid in this case.

Abscisic Acid↗
PubMed1993

Infective endocarditis in children: profile in a developing country.

With the object of studying the profile of infective endocarditis in Indian children younger than 16 years of age, a retrospective study of 37 patients with infective endocarditis admitted to this hospital between January 1984 and December 1990 was carried out. There were 26 boys and 11 girls (aged 2-16 years (mean (SD) 10.3 (3.8)). Eighteen (48.6%) patients had underlying congenital heart disease, 13 (35.1%) had associated rheumatic heart disease whilst the remaining six had no pre-existing heart disease. All six patients with a normal heart and infective endocarditis had preceding extra-cardiac bacterial illnesses (epididymitis and orchitis in one, pneumonia in five). Blood cultures were positive in only 16 (43.2%): Staphylococcus aureus was grown in nine, Streptococcus viridans in six and Candida albicans in one. Sixteen (43.2%) of the 37 patients died owing to worsening cardiovascular haemodynamics, uncontrolled septicaemia and our inability to offer emergency surgery. The profile of infective endocarditis in developing countries is different from that in Europe and the United States of America, and the disease carries a very high mortality.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Pregnancy in association with mitral valve prolapse.

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is considered to be the most common valvular heart lesion in adult females of reproductive age. Our report reviews the obstetrical performance and outcome of 34 pregnancies in 15 women with MVP. In 12 (80%) patients cardiac lesion was suspected due to enigmatic dyspnoea and palpitation during antenatal period. Four mothers required propranolol for cardiac arrhythmias. However, all of them tolerated pregnancy and labour well. Four pregnancies (11.8%) ended in spontaneous abortion and 1 mother had intrauterine fetal death due to severe pregnancy-induced hypertension. There were 25 (73.5%) term and 3 (8.8%) preterm neonates without congenital abnormality. One preterm neonate had tracheo-oesophageal fistula and died 6 hours after corrective surgery. The mean birth weight of 2.8 kg was appropriate for mean gestation of 38.5 weeks when compared to the Institute's reference neonatal weight curve. Infective endocarditis prophylaxis was recommended in cases having mitral regurgitation and complicated delivery. Awareness of this common cardiac lesion, thorough cardiovascular examination during pregnancy, early detection and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias if any, are the essential steps to prevent rare but dreaded maternal complications.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Epidemiology of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in a rural community in northern India.

The epidemiology of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in a rural community (total population 114,610) in northern India was studied by setting up a registry based on primary health care centres. Health workers and schoolteachers were trained to identify suspected patients in school and village surveys (121 villages). Medical specialists screened 5-15-year-olds (n = 31,200). The population was followed up for 3 years (from March 1988 to March 1991). All suspected and registered cases were investigated by serial echocardiography and Doppler ultrasonography at a tertiary care centre. A total of 102 cases were confirmed to have rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease (prevalence, 0.09%); 66 were aged 5-15 years (prevalence, 0.21%). A total of 48 patients (24 males, 24 females; mean age, 12.11 +/- 3.7 years) were diagnosed to have a possible first attack of rheumatic fever (incidence, 0.54 per 1000 per year). Arthritis was observed in 36 (75%) and carditis in 18 (37.5%) of cases. Prolapse of the anterior mitral leaflet into the left atrium occurred in 5 (22%) cases with carditis. Mitral regurgitation was observed in all 18 cases of carditis; over the period of observation it disappeared in three cases and progressed to mitral stenosis in a further three. A total of 22 patients (11 males, 11 females; mean age, 19.41 +/- 8.1 years) were registered as rheumatic fever recurrences, and 32 patients (18 females, 14 males; mean age, 22.1 +/- 10.1 years) had chronic rheumatic heart disease. Of those with recurrences, 9 (41%) had carditis and 11 (50%) had arthritis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Active infective endocarditis observed in an Indian hospital 1981-1991.

Clinical data from 186 patients (133 males and 53 females) with 190 episodes of infective endocarditis (IE) occurring between January 1981 and July 1991 were studied retrospectively at a large referral hospital in Northern India with the intention of highlighting certain essential differences from those reported in the West. The mean age was much lower (25 +/- SD 12 years, range 2 to 75 years). Rheumatic heart disease was the most frequent underlying heart lesion accounting for 79 patients (42%). This was followed by congenital heart disease in 62 (33%) and normal valve endocarditis in 17 (9%). Twenty-four patients had either aortic regurgitation (n = 15) or mitral regurgitation (n = 9) of uncertain etiology. Prosthetic valve infection and mitral valve prolapse were present in only 2 patients each. A definite predisposing factor could be identified in only 28 patients (15%). Postabortal sepsis and sepsis related to childbirth accounted for 6 and 5 cases, respectively. Only 1 patient had history of intravenous drug abuse. Two-dimensional echocardiography showed vegetations in 121 patients (64%). Blood cultures were positive in only 87 (47%), with a total of 90 microbial isolates. Commonest infecting organisms were staphylococci (37 cases) and streptococci (34 cases). Except for a significantly higher number of patients with neurologic complications in the culture-negative group, there were no differences between patients with culture-positive and culture-negative IE. Of the 190 episodes of IE, the patients had received antibiotics before admission in 110 (58%) instances. A significantly greater number of culture-negative patients had received antibiotics than did culture-positive patients (87 vs 23, p < 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗