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Biomedical subjects

A Sharma

Publications and source records attributed to A Sharma.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Dietary protection by iron against clastogenic effects of short-term exposure to arsenic in mice in vivo.

Iron, as freshly prepared aqueous solution of ferrous sulfate, was administered by gavage to laboratory bred Swiss albino mice. The concentration used was 152 mg/kg body weight (1/10 of the LD(50)). While screening for protection against arsenic, in one set of experiment exposure to iron was followed after 2 hr by gavaging with 2.5 mg/kg body weight (1/10 of the LD(50)) of arsenic as sodium (III) meta arsenite in distilled water. In another set, equal amounts (1:1) of ferrous sulfate and sodium arsenite were administered simultaneously. Control sets were given sodium m-arsenite alone and distilled water (vehicle). After exposure for 24 hr in all experiments, mice were sacrificed and chromosome preparations were made from bone marrow according to a colchicine-hypotonic-fixation-air-drying-Giemsa schedule. Cytogenetic endpoints screened were chromosome aberrations and divisional frequencies. Sodium arsenite alone was highly clastogenic. Ferrous sulfate, whether given together with or before exposure to sodium arsenite, reduced the clastogenic effects of the latter to a significant extent.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Hypocholesterolemic activity of Marsilea minuta in gerbils.

Feeding of a Marsilea minuta leaf extract [Fr. I] reduced serum cholesterol and triglycerides by 31 and 63%, respectively, in athero diet fed gerbils. Liver cholesterol and triglycerides were also lowered by 71 and 27%, respectively, in comparison to athero fed controls. Moreover, treatment with Fr. I prevented the accumulation of cholesterol and triglycerides in liver and aorta and was able to dissolve atheromatous plaques of thoracic and abdominal aorta. Fecal excretions of cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly increased in Fr. I fed gerbils.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Chromosome damage induced by selenium salts in human peripheral lymphocytes.

Two inorganic salts of selenium, sodium selenite (Na(2)SeO(3)) and sodium selenate (Na(2)SeO(4)), were screened for damage to chromosome and cell division following exposure to human lymphocyte cultures. In vitro exposure of human peripheral blood lymphocytes to high concentration of two inorganic salts of selenium-sodium selenite (2.9 x 10(-5) M) and sodium selenate (2.65 x 10(-5) M)-was found to be lethal; no blast cells being formed. Lower concentrations of both salts, 5.8 x 10(-6) M and 1.06 x 10(-5) M, respectively, were highly mitostatic. Lower concentrations of sodium selenite (2.9 x 10(-6) M, 1.16 x 10(-6) M and 2.32 x 10(-7) M) and sodium selenate (5.3 x 10(-6) M, 2.65 x 10(-6) M and 1.06 x 10(-6) M), respectively, induced chromosomal aberrations and reduced cell division in proportions directly related to the dose. Sodium selenite was considerably more clastogenic than sodium selenate.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Living with infertility: experiences among Urban slum populations in Bangladesh.

This paper explores the perceived causes of infertility, treatment-seeking for infertility and the consequences of childlessness, particularly for women, among a predominantly Muslim population in urban slums of Dhaka in Bangladesh. In-depth interviews were conducted with 60 women and 60 men randomly selected from Urban Surveillance System clusters of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh. Case studies of 20 self-perceived infertile women who had previously participated in a study on the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases and other reproductive tract infections were taken, and three traditional healers were interviewed as key informants. In both groups of respondents, the leading causes of infertility were perceived to be evil spirits and physiological defects in women and psychosexual problems and physiological defects in men. Herbalists and traditional healers were considered the leading treatment option for women, while for men it was remarriage, followed by herbalists and traditional healers. Childlessness was found to result in perceived role failure, with social and emotional consequences for both men and women, and often resulted in social stigmatisation of the couple, particularly of the woman. Infertility places women at risk of social and familial displacement, and women clearly bear the greatest burden of infertility. Successful programmes for dealing with infertility in Bangladesh need to include both appropriate and effective sources of treatment at community level and community-based interventions to demystify the causes of infertility, so that people know why infertility occurs in both men and women and and where best to seek care.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Spice extracts as dose-modifying factors in radiation inactivation of bacteria.

Three spices, chili, black pepper, and turmeric, were tested for the effect of their aqueous extracts on the sensitivity of three bacteria, Escherichia coli, Bacillus megaterium, and Bacillus pumilusspores, to gamma-radiation. It was found that the extracts of the three spices offered protection to these organisms against inactivation by gamma-radiation. These spice extracts were also tested for their protection of naked plasmid DNA. Radiation-induced degradation of plasmid pUC18 DNA was reduced in the presence of the spice extracts. The maximum protection was offered by the chili extract followed by that of black pepper and turmeric. The two known antioxidants, curcumin and piperine from turmeric and black pepper, respectively, were shown to protect the plasmid DNA from the degradation by gamma-radiation. Experiments with the plasmid pUC18 DNA indicated that the spice extracts probably protected microorganisms by protecting their DNA. These studies indicated the importance of spices among ingredients in food as dose-modifying factors during radiation processing.

Alkaloids↗
PubMed2000

Effect of ethylisopropyl amiloride, a Na+ - H+ exchange inhibitor, on cardioprotective effect of ischaemic and angiotensin preconditioning.

The present study is designed to investigate the role of Na+ -H+ exchanger in the cardioprotective effect of ischaemic and angiotensin (Ang II) preconditioning. Isolated perfused rat heart was subjected to global ischaemia for 30 min followed by reperfusion for 120 min. Coronary effluent was analysed for LDH and CK release to assess the degree of cardiac injury. Myocardial infarct size was estimated macroscopically using TTC staining. Left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) and dp/dt were recorded to evaluate myocardial contractility. Four episodes of ischaemic or Ang II preconditioning markedly reduced LDH and CK release in coronary effluent and decreased myocardial infarct size. 5-(N-ethyl-N-isopropyl)amiloride (EIPA), a Na+ - H+ exchange inhibitor, produced no marked effect on ischaemic preconditioning and Ang II preconditioning induced cardioprotection. On the other hand, EIPA administration prior to global ischaemia produced a similar reduction in myocardial injury as was noted with ischaemic preconditioning or Ang II preconditioning. On the basis of these results, it may be concluded that inhibition of Na+ - H+ exchanger protects against ischaemia-reperfusion induced myocardial injury whereas activation of Na+ - H+ exchanger may not mediate the cardioprotective effect of ischaemic and Ang II preconditioning.

Amiloride↗
PubMed2000

One step purification of peanut phospholipase D by precipitation with alginate.

A simple titrimetric assay with soybean lecithin has been used for screening phospholipase D activity from some plant sources, viz. peanut, wheat germ, cabbage and carrot. The enzyme from peanut has been purified by binding to alginate which is a water soluble polymer. The purification consisted of co-precipitation of enzyme with alginate upon addition of 0.06 M Ca++. The enzyme was eluted from the polymer using 0.2 M sodium chloride. The activity recovery was 61% with 34 fold purification.

Alginates↗
PubMed2000

Purification of alkaline phosphatase from chicken intestine by three-phase partitioning and use of phenyl-Sepharose 6B in the batch mode.

Alkaline phosphatase from chicken intestine was purified from the crude preparation employing three-phase partitioning and by the use of phenyl Sepharose-6B in the batch mode. TPP uses a combination of ammonium sulphate and t-butanol to precipitate proteins from crude aqueous extracts. The precipitated protein forms interface between lower aqueous phase and upper organic solvent phase. The fold purification of the finally purified enzyme was 80 and the activity recovery was 61%. The sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of enzyme showed considerable purification and its molecular weight was found to be around 67 kDa.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed2000

Identification and characterization of human immunoglobulin G Fc receptors of Fusobacterium nucleatum.

Several human pathogens express components which can bind to the Fc portion of immunoglobulins. This study was undertaken to characterize the human immunoglobulin G (IgG) Fc-binding activity of Fusobacterium nucleatum, a suspected pathogen involved in periodontal diseases. Fc-binding activity was detected using whole-cell, cell envelope and outer membrane fractions, and it was found to be associated with polypeptides of 40 kDa and 42 kDa, respectively. Amino terminal sequencing of these components revealed them to be homologous to the bacterial porin encoded by fomA gene. Further sequencing of internal peptide fragments obtained by CNBr cleavage suggested that these two proteins are probably isoforms. In summary, we show that a porin-like protein on the surface of F. nucleatum can bind the Fc fragment of the human immunoglobulin G, and this protein may act as a virulence factor to facilitate this bacterium in evading host immune surveillance system.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗
PubMed2000

Porphyromonas gingivalis platelet aggregation activity: outer membrane vesicles are potent activators of murine platelets.

Recent evidence has established an association between chronic periodontitis and cardiovascular disease. Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by a small group of gram-negative bacteria, of which Porphyromonas gingivalis is considered an important causative agent. It has been proposed that dental plaque bacteria and their products can disseminate into the bloodstream from the site of infection and promote thromboembolic events associated with atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction. In this regard, Streptococcus sanguis and P. gingivalis have been shown to induce platelet aggregation in vitro. Here we report that P. gingivalis was able to induce platelet aggregation, and that oral strains of Actinobaillus actinomycetemcomitans, Bacteroides forsythus, Campylobacter rectus, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Prevotella intermedia and Trepenoma denticola failed to aggregate platelets when tested for platelet aggregation activity under similar conditions. Additionally, we show that vesicles (outer membrane evaginations that are shed into the environment by the bacteria) of P. gingivalis are potent inducers of mouse platelet aggregation in vitro. In summary, our data show that i) initial adherence of the bacterium to platelet may be facilitated by P. gingivalis fimbriae and ii) P. gingivalis vesicles possess platelet aggregation-inducing activity.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Recall of television commercials as a function of viewing context: the impact of program-commercial congruity on commercial messages.

The effect of the congruity between the involvement types of advertising commercial and a television program on the effectiveness of the commercial was studied. Participants (N = 103) viewed either a cognitive or an affective commercial for a product, which was embedded in either a cognitive or an affective television program. The results showed that the effects of the congruence influence the impact on memory. Free recall and cued recall were significantly influenced by the program-commercial congruity. Free recall and cued recall were significantly higher for the cognitively involving commercial in the cognitively involving program context than in the affectively involving program context. Similarly, free recall and cued recall were significantly higher for the affectively involving commercial in the affectively involving program context than in the cognitively involving program context.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Major Element, REE, and Other Trace Element Behavior in Amphibolite Weathering under Semiarid Conditions in Southern India.

A body of komatiitic amphibolite, an enclave within the Archean high-grade orthogneisses in southern India, shows mild chemical weathering under semiarid conditions. Along fractures, chemical weathering has advanced (Chemical Index of Alteration &sqbl0;CIA&sqbr0;=53; CIA of fresh rock approximately 26) to the extent that secondary Mg-Fe-Al clay minerals have formed and the rock has turned brownish red, soft, and fine grained. The weathering process has resulted in the mobilization and redistribution of the so-called immobile elements Fe, Al, Ti, and REE effected by the nature of secondary mineral formation (talc vs. aluminous clay minerals) and also possibly by soil microbes. In the initial stages of secondary mineral formation, there is a small loss of Fe, Al, and REE (noticeably Eu). However, in the fracture zone as well as in the incipiently altered zone, there is significant REE enrichment, probably affected by a different precipitation mechanism. Mobilized REE may have come from a minor alteration of clinopyroxene.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy: a review of 56 procedures.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The essential surgical steps in laparoscopic cholecystectomy remain similar to those of open cholecystectomy. Positive identification of the biliary anatomy, safe clipping or ligature of the cystic duct and artery, and dissection of the gallbladder from the liver bed form the basis of cholecystectomy. Subtotal cholecystectomy is a definitive and safe operation under certain adverse conditions intraoperatively for dissection of the gallbladder from the liver bed. We reviewed our experience with laparoscopic cholecystectomy over a 2-year period between June 1996 and May 1998, when 1,680 operations were performed. The objective was to analyze the pathology, review surgical procedures, and trace the outcome of laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In 56 of 1,680 patients, laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy was performed, which constituted 3.33% of the laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed at our institution. Dense fibrosis and adhesions were present in 32 patients; 12 patients had Mirizzi syndrome, 6 patients had a sessile gallbladder, and 6 patients had a gangrenous gallbladder. The Endo-GIA 30 stapler was used in 40 patients, sequential clips were used in 9 patients, and a suture for stump closure was used in 5 patients. A subhepatic drain was inserted in 50 patients. RESULTS: Two conversions to open surgery were needed because of gangrene of the gall bladder wall and one conversion as a result of continued bleeding from the cystic artery after application of the Endo-GIA 30 stapler. The mean postoperative stay in hospital was 2.5 days. One patient had a solitary bile duct calculus extracted at endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography 3 months after surgery. Three patients had biliary drainage that lasted for a week, and four patients had epigastric port-site infections that resolved with antibiotics, dressings and postural drainage. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy is safe, feasible, and effective and may help prevent conversion to open surgery in carefully selected patients with difficult cholecystectomies.

Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic↗
PubMed2000

Laparoscopic ventral hernia repair.

PURPOSE: A retrospective study was carried out of patients who underwent laparoscopic ventral abdominal wall hernia repair (excluding groin hernias) between January 1994 and January 1999. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Laparoscopic ventral hernia repair was performed on 202 patients for defects ranging from 1.5 cm to 12 cm in diameter. Of these, 35 patients had multiple hernial defects. After reduction of the hernial contents and adhesiolysis, a polypropylene mesh was used intraperitoneally in all patients, such that there was a margin of at least 3 cm from the edge of the defect as well as the previous scar. RESULTS: The mean operating time decreased from 90 minutes in the initial 3 years to 50 minutes in the last 2 years. Postoperatively, the mean hospital stay was 1.8 days. Patients complained of somatic abdominal pain at the site of mesh insertion for a mean of 7 days. There were two postoperative hernia recurrences at a mean follow-up of 2.9 years. The incidence of seroma formation postoperatively was 32% in the first 3 years but declined to 18% subsequently with postoperative abdominal-wall pressure dressings. There were no postoperative sequelae related to bowel adhesions. Negligible wound sepsis (superficial wound infection in five patients), decreased morbidity, and all the other advantages of a minimally invasive surgical approach were evident in this group of patients. CONCLUSION: These promising early results need to be confirmed by a prospective controlled trial, especially recurrence rates and incidence of postoperative adhesions.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Intratumoral therapy of cisplatin/epinephrine injectable gel for palliation in patients with obstructive esophageal cancer.

Obstructing esophageal cancer produces severe dysphagia with ensuing death within 90 days. Palliation is possible with modalities like stent placement, laser, and photodynamic therapy. However, these treatments have a high rate of complications, and the overall mortality is not altered. A new alternative treatment evaluated in this study is endoscopic intratumoral injection with cisplatin/epinephrine (CDDP/epi) gel. CDDP/epi gel injections were administered weekly for 3 to 8 weeks in nine patients, median age, 72 years; mean tumor volume (+/-SEM), 41.44 (+/-22.4) cm3. Eight patients had stage IV, and one had stage III esophageal carcinoma. The mean dysphagia score (+/-SEM) was 3.5 (+/-0.17). All patients were followed up until death. Dysphagia resolved in eight patients with reduction in mean dysphagia score (+/-SEM) from 3.5 (+/-0.17) to 0.75 (+/-0.28; p = 0.005). Tumor volume was reduced by 75% in one patient and by 50% in two patients. The median survival was 4 months. The longest follow-up has been 15 months (458 days). In this pilot study, intratumoral injection of CDDP/epi gel restored swallowing in eight of nine patients and was an effective and safe outpatient treatment in patients with obstructive esophageal cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗