Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to A K Sharma.
This report describes a newborn with respiratory distress, waxing and waning left lung hyperinflation, and pulmonary hemorrhage. This atypical presentation of congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation of the lung has not been previously reported, posed a major diagnostic problem, and delayed potentially lifesaving surgery.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Auxotypes and penicillin sensitivity of 102 strains of N. gonorrhoeae were studied. Ten distinct auxotypes on the basis of growth requirement to seven amino acids were observed. The commonest pattern seen was zero auxotype (33.3%), followed by auxotype requiring proline (18.6%). MIC of 72 (71.5%) strains ranged from < 0.003 IU/ml to 0.062 IU/ml of benzyl penicillin. MIC of the other 30 (29.5%) strains was found to be > or = 0.125 IU/ml, indicating penicillin resistance. None of the strains were penicillinase producers. A case of reinfection was also detected on the basis of change in auxotype pattern.
Electron beams from an accelerator appear to originate from a point away from the vacuum window designated as virtual source. Virtual source to isocenter distances are determined experimentally by measurements in a polystyrene phantom with inverse square law method. Corrections required for percentage depth dose are also determined. Results of our study are compared with that of other investigators.
Immunotherapeutic trials with Mycobacterium w (M. w.) on multibacillary patients are in progress at two large hospitals in New Delhi. A total of 380 patients so far have been inducted into the trial. The histopathological profile of the initial 87 patients (52 in the vaccine group, 35 in the control group) who have now completed 2 years of treatment are presented in this report. The vaccine group received multidrug therapy (MDT) and eight intradermal injections of M. w. every 3 months; the control group had MDT with starch injections as a placebo. Skin biopsies were taken at induction and thereafter at every 6 months. The results show a significantly higher proportion of biopsies with histopathological upgrading and/or clearance of dermal granuloma among the vaccinated cases. The number of patients becoming bacteriologically negative was higher in the vaccine group. There was no increase in the degree of neural inflammation in the biopsies showing upgrading. The lepromin site biopsy in patients who converted to positivity after vaccination showed epithelioid cell granulomas as did the biopsies from the nodules developing at the vaccination sites. The histopathological observations confirm the additional immunotherapeutic effect of M. w. used along with standard MDT therapy.
Two hundred and seventy five cases were evaluated bronchoscopically for various respiratory conditions. In 140 cases, a foreign body and in 30 cases mucus plug was removed. In 47 cases there was inflammation of the tracheobronchial tree. Forty patients with empyema thoracis were evaluated bronchoscopically because of persistence of bronchopleural fistula or continued pus discharge from intercostal tubes not responding to the routine treatment. The purpose of the article is to stress the therapeutic as well as diagnostic aspect of bronchoscopy for various respiratory conditions in pediatric age group.
Using gel retardation and photocrosslinking experiments, we have identified proteins of about 53 kDa in size in both rat glioma (C6) and cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cell extracts which bind to the negative regulatory region of JV virus (JCV) early promoter. The glial cell protein binds to its cognate promoter element with lesser affinity when compared to the protein present in HeLa cells. Further, these proteins interacted differentially to an oligonucleotide, containing the neighboring cis-acting domain, which is recognized by nuclear factor 1 (NF1). These findings suggest that the interactions of the 53 kDa HeLa protein may contribute to the negative regulation of JCV early promoter in HeLA cells.
Congenital intraluminal esophageal diaphragm causing complete obstruction is a rare anomaly. By esophagoscopy, a complete membranous diaphragm was demonstrated, perforated, and excised. In the English language literature, this case represents the first report of an isolated membranous atresia at the lower end of the esophagus. A brief review of the world literature and the classification of membranous atresia of the esophagus is discussed.
Quantitative light and electronmicroscopical morphometric techniques were used to determine the effect of pancreatic islet transplantation on experimental diabetic neuropathy. Groups of STZ-diabetic rats were given islet transplants at 3 weeks after diabetes onset (prevention) and at 6 months after diabetes onset (reversal). Comparisons were made with onset controls, age-matched non-diabetic controls and untreated diabetic controls 6 months later (n = 8 for all groups). Euglycaemia and normal levels of glycosylated haemoglobin were achieved in both groups of diabetics after islet transplantation. Loss of body weight in diabetic animals was prevented by early islet transplantation, but was only partially reversed following delayed islet transplantation. Normal growth of myelinated fibres and axons during development was retarded in untreated diabetics, but was normal in rats given islet transplants soon after the onset of diabetes (cross-sectional perimeter and area). Diabetics transplanted with islets after a delay had myelinated fibres and axons with diminished calibre. Teased fibre preparations of nerves from diabetics which had received islet transplants showed no excess of abnormalities. This study has shown that the development of certain structural abnormalities of peripheral nerve fibres is prevented in diabetic rats which receive transplants of islets of Langerhans soon after the onset of diabetes. However, once established abnormal fibre morphology can not be completely ameliorated merely by achieving and sustaining euglycaemia through delayed islet transplantation.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
An alcoholic extract of whole plant Boerhaavia diffusa given orally exhibited hepatoprotective activity against experimentally induced carbon tetrachloride hepatotoxicity in rats and mice. The extract also produced an increase in normal bile flow in rats suggesting a strong choleretic activity. The extract does not show any signs of toxicity up to an oral dose of 2 g/kg in mice.
The morphological findings in sural nerve biopsy specimens from 15 diabetic patients with mild neuropathy were compared with control biopsies from eight non-neuropathic, non-diabetic subjects, and correlations were sought with electrophysiological studies and quantitative sensory tests for vibration, thermal, and current perception thresholds. Myelinated fibre density was reduced compared with control biopsies (4042 +/- 2090 (+/- SD) vs 6800 +/- 1100 mm-2; p less than 0.01). A strong correlation existed between myelinated fibre density and sural sensory conduction velocity (r = 0.84, p less than 0.001), sural action potential amplitude (r = 0.74, p less than 0.001), peroneal motor conduction velocity (r = 0.58, p less than 0.02), and median sensory amplitude (r = 0.64, p less than 0.01) but there was no correlation between myelinated fibre density and any quantitative sensory test. We conclude that conventional electrophysiological tests in the lower limb are reliable surrogate measures for structural abnormalities in early diabetic neuropathy.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Fast protein liquid chromatography was effectively applied to analyse the folding mechanism of gamma-II-crystallin from calf eye-lens. The protein undergoes a bimodal folding/unfolding transition, according to a three-state model: N in equilibrium I in equilibrium D where N, I, and D stand for the native, intermediate and denatured states (R. Rudolph, R. Siebendritt, G. Nesslauer, A.K. Sharma & R. Jaenicke (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87, 4625-4629). Using Superose 12 HR 10/30, the intermediate with the N-terminal domain intact, and the C-terminal domain unfolded, could be separated from the native protein. The N----I transition is sufficiently slow to allow kinetic measurements, following the variation of the respective peak-heights during denaturation/renaturation. The corresponding relaxation times are in agreement with kinetic data based on the change in fluorescence emission accompanying the N in equilibrium I transition.
Immunotherapy with Mycobacterium w was given, in addition to standard multidrug therapy (MDT) to a lepromatous leprosy (LL) patient with a bacteriological index (BI) of 6. After 15 months of treatment this patient attained bacteriological negativity and clinical inactivity. Histopathologically the patient upgraded to borderline-tuberculoid at 12 months, and at 15 months showed features of nonspecific infiltration in the dermis. The rapid immunological upgrading seen in the patient is highlighted in this paper.