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Biomedical subjects

A K Sharma

Publications and source records attributed to A K Sharma.

At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources

Pattern of childhood trauma. Indian perspective.

Although infectious diseases are still the chief cause of death in children in a developing country like ours, but a definite increase in incident and related mortality due to trauma has been noted in the last decade. The problems relating to pediatric trauma are peculiar to our setup and differ considerably to the severe multiple organ trauma met with in the high velocity vehicular accidents, seen in developed Western countries. The present study identifies patterns of childhood trauma from our region. It comprises 2100 patients admitted over a 3 years period to Pediatric Surgical Unit. Cranial injuries were the most commonly encountered injuries followed by the abdominal and skeletal injuries. Fall from the house roofs is the commonest mode of injury, although road traffic accidents are also recognized to be on the increase. The overall mortality was 7.7%; its chief determinant being the presence of severe head injury. A few important epidemiological factors involved were identified.

Abdominal Injuries↗

Immunotherapy with Mycobacterium w vaccine decreases the incidence and severity of type 2 (ENL) reactions.

Immunotherapy with Mycobacterium w (M.w) vaccine was given to 45 patients with multibacillary (MB) leprosy; 41 similarly classified patients served as controls. All patients received standard multidrug therapy (MDT). Incidence, severity and frequency of type 2 (ENL) reactional episodes were monitored in both groups in a follow-up extending up to 4 years. Reactions were seen in fewer vaccinated (10/37) BL and LL patients than in the control group (12/34). A total of 20 episodes were recorded in the vaccine group as against 29 in the controls, 75% of reactions were mild in vaccinated and 51.72% were mild in the control group patients, and 3 patients in the control group had more than 3 reactional episodes. None of the vaccinated patients showed this. No additional incidence of neuritis were seen among vaccinated individuals during reactional episodes.

Bacterial Vaccines↗

Overlap between Majewski and hydrolethalus syndromes: a report of two cases.

We present 2 unrelated fetuses with manifestations of both the hydrolethalus syndrome and the short rib-polydactyly syndrome, type Majewski. It is proposed that cases of hydrolethalus syndrome with short limbs constitute a separate type of lethal osteochondrodysplasia mimicking short rib-polydactyly syndromes.

Adult↗

Chemical investigation and anti-inflammatory activity of Vitex negundo seeds.

The CHCl3 extract of the defatted seeds of Vitex negundo exhibited anti-inflammatory activity and yielded four triterpenoids: 3 beta-acetoxyolean-12-en-27-oic acid [1], 2 alpha, 3 alpha-dihydroxyoleana-5,12-dien-28-oic acid [2], 2 beta,3 alpha-diacetoxyoleana-5,12-dien-28-oic acid [3], and 2 alpha,3 beta-diacetoxy-18-hydroxyoleana-5,12-dien-28-oic acid [5]. This is the first report of the isolation of compounds 2, 3, and 5 from a natural source.

Animals↗

Production of Forskolin in in vitro Cultures of Coleus forskohlii.

Shoot tip culture, root organ suspension, and callus culture producing roots were established from shoot tip, root tip, and hypocotyl segments, respectively, on Murashige and Skoog's and White's basal media with or without growth regulators. Forskolin was identified by TLC and HPLC in 60 days old shoot differentiating culture, 30 days old micropropagated plants, and root organ suspension but not in rhizogenic callus. Shoot differentiating culture established in the presence or absence of BAP revealed more or less similar amounts of forskolin as that of the micropropagated plants. Root organ suspension showed traces of forskolin production.

Journal Article↗

Skin epidermal thickness and vascular density in type 1 diabetes.

Epidermal skin thickness and vascular density were assessed in skin biopsies obtained from the dorsum of the foot in 28 Type 1 diabetic patients and 17 normal control subjects, matched for age. Epidermal skin thickness did not differ significantly between control subjects (74 +/- 4 (+/- SE) microns) and diabetic patients (78 +/- 4 microns). It was not related to the duration of diabetes and presence of complications. Neither small (capillary) nor large (arteriole/venule) vessel densities differed significantly between control subjects (59 +/- 6 mm-2 and 19 +/- 2 mm-2) and diabetic patients (65 +/- 4 mm-2 and 22 +/- 3 mm-2). Vessel densities were unrelated to the duration of diabetes and presence of complications.

Adult↗

Endoneurial capillary abnormalities in mild human diabetic neuropathy.

Microvascular factors have been implicated in the pathogenesis of human diabetic neuropathy. The extent of microangiopathy was assessed in 15 diabetic patients with clinically mild neuropathy and compared with eight age matched control subjects. Endoneurial capillary density was reduced (p less than 0.04) and correlated significantly with reduced myelinated fibre density (p less than 0.01). Both basement membrane area (p less than 0.0001) and endothelial cell profile number per capillary (p less than 0.002) were significantly increased in diabetic patients and correlated significantly with both neurophysiological and neuropathological measures of neuropathic severity. There was no evidence of endothelial cell hypertrophy as assessed by either cross sectional endothelial cell area or a reduction in luminal size. Furthermore, the percentage of closed vessels did not differ between diabetic patients and control subjects and failed to relate to measures of neuropathic severity. It was concluded that microvascular abnormalities are prominent in patients with clinically mild human diabetic neuropathy, and that these data provide further support for the role of endoneurial capillary disease in the development of this condition.

Adolescent↗

Mitral valve prolapse: two dimensional echocardiography reveals a high prevalence in three to twelve year old children.

The prevalence of mitral valve prolapse (MVP) appears to be age related, MVP being commoner in children as compared to adults. This suggests that asymptomatic MVP may be most frequent in children who are very young. In this study, to better define the prevalence of MVP in young children, we used two dimensional echocardiography and prospectively surveyed 213 healthy urban school children between 3 and 12 years of age. MVP was diagnosed when prolapse of mitral leaflet/s was demonstrated by both two-dimensional and M-mode echocardiography at parasternal long-axis views. Overall, MVP was found in 28 of 213 (13.1%) children. MVP was similarly prevalent in all age groups studied (3-5.9 years: 13 of 83 (13.5%); 6-8.9 years: 9 of 71 (11.2%); and 9-12 years: 6 of 31 (16.2%) children; Chi square = 0.57, p greater than 0.5). Univariate analysis showed that the prevalence of MVP was independent of sex, birth weight, resting heart rate and systolic or diastolic blood pressure. A mid systolic murmur was present in 50.6% of the children although it correlated with echocardiographic diagnosis of MVP in only 39.3%. The left ventricular size or wall thickness and mitral EF and DE slopes were similar in children either with or without MVP. Our results indicate that asymptomatic MVP is frequent in children upto 12 years of age. As a diagnostic test of MVP, presence of apical systolic murmur is considerably inferior to echocardiography. No morphological left ventricular correlates were identified in MVP.

Age Factors↗

Incorporation of BrdU in a DNA fragment may affect protein-DNA interactions in a site-dependent manner.

DNA in which BrdU has been randomly incorporated is used to identify specific DNA-binding proteins. We show here that the location of BrdU incorporation in a DNA fragment can significantly affect specific protein-DNA interactions and thereby identification of DNA-binding proteins. We suggest that a radioactive labeled unmodified DNA, rather than BrdU-incorporated DNA, be used for identifying DNA-binding proteins by UV cross-linking.

Base Sequence↗