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Biomedical subjects

A Roy

Publications and source records attributed to A Roy.

At least 595 records · Page 33Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Increased urinary-free cortisol outputs in diabetic patients.

We previously reported that diabetic patients show evidence of dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. To extend this work, we examined urinary-free cortisol (UFC) outputs in diabetic patients and whether or not they relate to diabetic complications. We compared a group of 35 insulin-dependent diabetic outpatients with a group of 32 normal controls for 24-h UFC outputs and examined the patients for relationship between UFC outputs and diabetic complications. Diabetic patients had significantly greater 24-h UFC outputs than controls. There was a significant positive correlation between 24-h UFC outputs and duration of diabetes. There were trends for patients with either diabetic retinopathy or diabetic cardiovascular complications to have higher 24-h UFC outputs than patients without these complications. These results further show that diabetic patients have mild dysregulation of the HPA axis. This dysregulation is related to longer duration of diabetes. A larger sample is needed to examine further for a relationship to diabetic complications.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Quantitative analysis of children's microactivity patterns: The Minnesota Children's Pesticide Exposure Study.

The National Human Exposure Assessment Survey (NHEXAS)/Minnesota Children's Pesticide Exposure Study (MNCPES) was a population-based study designed to characterize children's exposure to residential pesticides and to evaluate the contribution of residential and children's activities to children's exposure. Families of 168 children were surveyed for residential use of pesticides and children's activities. From these homes, families of 102 children between the ages of 3 and 13 years participated in a week-long intensive exposure study. Of the 102 children, 19 children were videotaped for four consecutive hours in their normal daily activities. The survey responses indicated that the youngest children were more likely to exhibit behaviors that would foster exposure to environmental contaminants. Comparison of questionnaire responses indicated that the videotaped subsample was representative of the exposure study population. The microactivities of the videotaped children that might contribute to their exposure via ingestion or dermal routes were quantified. Hand-to-mouth and object-to-mouth activities were observed most frequently among the youngest children. The youngest children were also most likely to be barefoot both indoors and outside. Gender differences were found in mouthing behavior and the proportion of observed time spent outdoors.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Alterations of the P16 gene in uterine cervical carcinoma from Indian patients.

In our analysis, alterations in the P16 tumor suppressor gene were seen in 33% (15/46) of sampled uterine cervical lesions. Among the alterations, mutations in P16 were detected in 15% (7/46) of the samples. One mutation occurred at intron 1/exon 2 splice junction. All the other mutations were in exon 2 with three of them as silent mutations. The promoter hypermethylation and homozygous deletion of P16 gene were detected in 6.5% (3/46) and 8.7% (4/46) of the samples respectively. Loss of heterozygosity and microsatellite size alterations at the P16 locus were seen in 17% (8/46) of the samples. HPV16/18 infection was detected in 76% (35/46) of the samples. But no association was found between P16 alterations and HPV infection. Thus, it seems that P16 inactivation may be associated with the development of some uterine cervical carcinoma.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Environmental copper: its dynamics and human exposure issues.

This article provides an overview of the environmental patterns and dynamics of copper from the perspective of issues that affect our ability to examine current human exposures. It presents selected summary information on the levels of copper found in various media and exposure pathways from a variety of information sources, and discusses the breadth and the limitations of this information. The analysis presented focuses on the ability to provide quantitative values for both external metrics of exposures (microenvironmental levels) and internal biological markers of exposure. The status of the current information on environmental copper is placed within a conceptual framework that can be used to identify data gaps, assess the utility of current biological markers of exposure, and examine the need for systematic and consistent data-gathering studies to improve our ability to complete exposure assessments. A primary concern is the exposure to copper through potable water supplies; this is considered within a framework that examines copper levels and distribution in food, soil, air and sediments, as well as the levels found in biological media such as urine, blood, and hair. An existing water consumption model for copper and associated exposure factors is briefly discussed. This type of model will eventually be valuable within a total exposure analysis modeling framework that can consider and prioritize exposures from multiple routes and differentiate levels of concern for both excesses and deficiencies in exposure, an important issue, since copper is an essential nutrient. Finally, this review attempts to examine the needs for better information using as a basis the concerns briefly mentioned in the recent NRC report "Copper in Drinking Water" (National Research Council, 2000).

Copper↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Gastric compliance, sensation, and the relaxation response to a nitric oxide donor in health and reflux oesophagitis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The gastric fundus affects afferent control of lower oesophageal sphincter function. Nitric oxide is an important relaxant of the fundus. We postulated that gastric distensibility, compliance and nitric oxide sensitivity may be altered in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD). METHODS: 9 patients with erosive oesophagitis (6 males; median age 55 years) and 16 healthy controls (9 males; median age 36 years) were studied fasting with a gastric barostat. Minimal distending pressure (MDP) and gastric compliance (Deltav/Deltap) were determined by increasing intrabag pressure in 2-mm Hg increments. The pressures required to produce initial sensation and maximum tolerated sensation were recorded. With the intrabag pressure set at MDP +2 mm Hg, 500 microg sublingual glyceryl trinitrate was administered and the percentage change in intrabag volume from initial volume recorded. RESULTS: The MDP was significantly greater in patients than controls (7.5 vs. 6.7 mm Hg median; p = 0.02). Gastric compliance was similar in both groups (57.8 vs. 67.2 ml/mm Hg; p = 0.4). There was no difference between groups in the pressure at first intragastric sensation (11.2 vs. 10.3 mm Hg above MDP; p = 0.5) or in the maximal tolerated pressure (15.8 vs. 14.3 mm Hg above MDP; p = 0.2). The proportional change in gastric volume from baseline in response to glyceryl trinitrate was smaller in patients than controls (66 (3-200) vs. 120 (26-1,053)%; p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Gastric MDP may be altered in GERD, but gastric compliance and sensitivity to distension are normal. Major gastric relaxation occurs in response to a nitric oxide donor, but this appears to be diminished in patients with GERD. Upper gut nitrinergic mechanisms may be altered in oesophageal reflux disease.

Administration, Sublingual↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Personality variables in depressed patients and normal controls.

Depressed patients (n = 46) were compared with normal controls (n = 42) for their scores on 7 personality variables measured on 4 personality questionnaires. The scores of the depressed patients obtained during the index depressive episode were significantly higher for introversion, neuroticism, and hostility, and significantly lower for self-esteem, than those of controls. Similarly, a subset of the female depressed patients studied when in remission and euthymic also had significantly higher socres than female controls for neuroticism and hostility, with a trend for significantly lower self-esteem scores. There were no significant differences on any of the 7 personality variables measured between depressed patients, with and without melancholia, or between patients with either unipolar or bipolar depression.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Somatosensory evoked potentials associated with thermal activation of type II Adelta mechanoheat nociceptive afferents.

We evaluated evoked potentials (EPs) to noxious contact heat pulses delivered to hairy skin of healthy adults. Heat pulses from an adapting temperature of 34 degrees C to a target temperature of 52 degrees C, produced two scalp positive waves. The first peaked at 44 degrees to 45 degrees C (approximately 500 ms following stimulus onset), while the second peaked approximately 300 ms following the 52 degrees C heat pulse (approximately 1 s after stimulus onset). The first positive wave was absent from an adapting temperature of 39 degrees C, suggesting loss of synchronized activation of warm and/or low threshold mechanothermal afferents. The second EP was observed following stimulation from both adapting temperatures and was associated with subjective report of first pain. Latency difference of the pain EP from arm and leg were consistent with conduction in Adelta nociceptive afferents (approximately 10/ms). EPs to painful contact thermal stimuli may be of value in the evaluation of small fiber peripheral neuropathies and assessment of altered pain states.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Esophageal and gastric dysmotility in non ulcer dyspepsia.

BACKGROUND: The pathophysiology of non ulcer dyspepsia is poorly understood. Data on gastrointestinal motility alterations in this condition in the Indian population are scanty. We studied esophageal and gastric motility in patients with non ulcer dyspepsia. METHODS: 58 consecutive patients with non ulcer dyspepsia (according to the Rome criteria) were studied; 10 healthy volunteers were studied as controls. Esophageal transit of solid and liquid boluses (in all patients) and solid-phase gastric emptying (in 20 patients) were studied using scintigraphic techniques. RESULTS: Delayed esophageal transit and delayed gastric emptying were observed in 32 (55%) and 9 (45%) patients, respectively. Delay of both esophageal and gastric transit was found in 5 patients. Mean (SD) esophageal transit for liquid bolus was significantly delayed in patients (9.3 [3.7] s) compared to controls (7.0 [2.0] s; p < 0.01). Mean (SD) gastric emptying time (T50) was significantly delayed in patients (61.6 [13.6] min) compared to controls (50.0 [5.0] min; p < 0.001). Esophageal and gastric delayed transit was found in about two thirds of patients with dysmotility-like dyspepsia, but there were no significant difference in these abnormalities among different subgroups of dyspepsia. CONCLUSION: High prevalence of esophageal and gastric transit delay was found in non ulcer dyspepsia, particularly in the dysmotility subgroup.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pulmonary nocardiosis in human immunodeficiency virus infection: a tuberculosis mimic.

Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are prone to develop pulmonary infections like nocardiosis. It is often misdiagnosed as pulmonary tuberculosis since the manifestations are similar. A twenty-seven years old male presented with fever, cough with expectoration and weight loss for two months. Chest radiograph showed opacity in the right mid zones. Sputum smears were negative for acid fast bacilli (AFB) and revealed gram positive branching filamentous organisms resembling Nocardia species. Subsequently, Nocardia was grown on sputum culture. HIV antibody was positive by ELISA test. He was treated with co-trimoxazole. If sputum is repeatedly tested negative for AFB in the setting of radiological suspicion of tuberculosis, testing for Nocardia species should be considered in the HIV-infected patients.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Serological appraisal of malaria status in tribal area of Orissa, India.

A cross-sectional seroepidemiological study conducted in 173 tribal residents (including all age groups) from three villages of Sundergarh district of Orissa using ELISA as a tool revealed high levels of antibody titres against both AR1 and Pf antigens. The mean +/- S.D. ELISA O.D. obtained for AR1 were 0.73 +/- 0.2, 1.037 +/- 0.196, 1.05 +/- 0.42 and for Pf, 0.70 +/- 0.2, 1.0 +/- 0.28, 0.94 +/- 0.4 respectively for Badramoli, Jharbeda and Boneikela population. Parasitological results showed high incidence of malaria in < 5 years age group in Badramoli and Boneikela villages when compared to other age groups. An. fluviatilis was found to be the principle malaria vector as found in the HBI results. High ELISA O.D. and high equivalent transmission index (ETI) indicate a high malaria transmission in the area. Seroepidemiological studies could be used for effective surveillance and stratification of endemicity in a given area which can help in executing intervention strategy for malaria control.

Adolescent↗