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Biomedical subjects

A Singh

Publications and source records attributed to A Singh.

At least 973 records · Page 54Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Detoxification of lantana hepatotoxin, lantadene A, using Alcaligenes faecalis.

Detoxification of lantadene A (LA), the hepatotoxin from Lantana camara var. aculeata, by the bacterial strain Alcaligenes faecalis has been investigated. Lantadene A induced hepatotoxicity concomitant with increases in plasma bilirubin, blood plasma enzymes and histopathological lesions that typify lantana toxicity. The extract of fermentation broth in which LA was incubated with A. faecalis did not elicit any alterations in blood enzyme prolife or liver histopathology, which were comparable with the control group. It is concluded that A. faecalis detoxified LA and no noxious product was formed on incubation of LA with A. faecalis.

Alcaligenes↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Short-term oral toxicity of gasohol in female rats.

The systemic toxicity of gasohol (10% ethanol in gasoline by volume) in female rats following 4-week oral administration was studied. Female Sprague-Dawley rats (198+/-14 g) were divided into four groups of ten animals each. The low- and medium-dose groups received by gavage corn oil containing gasoline/ethanol at 16/1.8 and 160/18 (mg kg(-1) body weight), respectively, for 28 consecutive days. The high-dose animals were administered gasoline/ethanol at 1600/180 mg kg(-1) on the first day and the dose was reduced to 800/90 mg kg(-1) for the rest of the study period. Control animals received corn oil only. Urine was obtained from all rats after weeks 1, 2 and 4 for biochemical analysis. At termination of the study, kidneys of four rats from each group were examined by electron microscopy. Body weight gains, organ weights, tissue and organ histopathology, serum biochemistry, hematology, liver enzymes and biochemistry were determined in the remaining six animals of each group. No treatment-related changes were observed in the following endpoints: body weight gain or relative weights of the brain, lungs, liver, kidneys, spleen and thymus. A significant increase in pentoxyresorufin O-deethylase (PROD) and benzoylresorufin O-dealkylase (BROD) activities was detected in the high-dose animals, whereas ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity was unchanged. Treatment with gasohol did not produce any significant changes in hematology and serum clinical chemistry parameters. Biomarkers of oxidative stress such as serum and liver thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and liver glutathione also were unaffected by treatments. Urinary ascorbic acid was elevated markedly in the medium- and high-dose groups following the first, second and fourth weeks of treatment. Urine hippuric acid was increased significantly in the high-dose groups. A dose-related increase in urinary aldehydes also was observed in animals after the first, second and fourth week of treatment. Interestingly, a separate 1-week dosing study revealed that the increase in urinary aldehydes was associated with gasoline and not with ethanol treatment. In the high-dose animals slight increases in urinary protein and N-acetylglucosaminidase activity were observed after week 1 but not after week 2 or week 4. No histopathological changes were detected in the liver, kidneys, stomach, brain, lungs or other tissues examined. Electron microscopic examination of the kidneys also did not reveal any abnormalities. It was concluded that short-term oral administration of gasoline/ethanol at 800/90 mg kg(-1) produced a biochemical response in the liver but no adverse effects in the kidneys and lungs. The biological significance of elevated urinary aldehydes at gasoline/ethanol concentrations of 160/18 mg kg(-1) and higher remains to be studied.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Fiber: effect on bacterial translocation and intestinal mucin content.

Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and elemental diet (ED) produce intestinal atrophy and increase bacterial translocation (BT) to mesenteric lymph nodes. The increased rate of BT may be due to alterations in mucosal structure, enzyme activity, or mucin content. Fiber improves intestinal structure and function in rats and may reduce the rate of BT. This study determined whether the addition of fiber to TPN or ED would maintain intestinal integrity and decrease BT to the mesenteric lymph nodes. Fifty-six adult male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent placement of jugular catheters and were assigned to one of five dietary groups: TPN, TPN+oral oat fiber (TPNF) 2 g/day, ED, ED+oral oat fiber (EDF) 2 g/day, or AIN-76 (control); they were pair-fed for 7 days. On day 8 the mesenteric lymph nodes were removed for bacterial cultures; and jejunal mucosal weight, DNA, protein, alkaline phosphatase, maltase, and jejunal mucin content were measured. Enteral nutrition significantly decreased BT when compared to parenteral feeding, and fiber significantly decreased BT when administered to rats receiving TPN or ED. Improvements in intestinal mucosal structure were not consistently associated with decreased rates of BT. Additionally, BT occurred independently of jejunal mucin concentration. Mechanisms other than maintenance of mucosal structure or mucin content are important in the mediation of fiber-induced decreased BT in rats receiving TPN or ED.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Arteriovenous malformation of the cecum: report of six cases.

Patients who have chronic lower gastrointestinal bleeding with negative conventional work-ups should undergo superior mesenteric arteriography to look for arteriovenous malformations. Once the diagnosis is made, treatment is immediate conventional right hemicolectomy. Six patients with arteriovenous malformations described in this report have had no recurrence of rectal bleeding in one to five years.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Survey of village informants--an alternate method to estimate paralytic poliomyelitis prevalence in rural area.

Lameness surveys were conducted among children of 0-14 year age group in 60 villages of a Community Development Block of district Ambala in Haryana State. The methods used were: village informants survey and house-to-house survey. Village informants were village chief, school teachers, primary health care workers, traditional birth attendants and several prominent persons from each street/neighbourhood of the village. These informants located lame children in their locality. Subsequently, a house-to-house search for identification of lame children was made in all the 60 sampled villages. Physicians later on, examined the lame children to diagnose paralytic poliomyelitis. Estimate of the prevalence rate of lower extremity paralytic poliomyelitis in 0-14 year age group was found to be 7.9/1000 in village informants survey. This did not differ significantly from the rate of 8.8/1000 revealed by house-to-house survey in the same community (p greater than 0.05). Time required to complete village informants survey was almost one third and costs were also about half as compared to house-to-house survey. Therefore, village informants based lameness survey is a rapid and economical alternative for the estimation of poliomyelitis prevalence in rural communities.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical comparison of perineal wound management.

From retrospective study of the case records of 102 patients who underwent rectal excision for malignant or inflammatory bowel disease, it was found that management with closed perineum and open pelvic peritoneum with closed hemovac drainage results in the best healing of the perineum in these patients.

Anus Neoplasms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Syringe suction drain.

A mini suction drain made up of a 20 cc glass syringe, a stainless steel spring and a scalp vein cannula (whose needle end has been cut off and multiple holes made in the distal 2.5-5 cm) is described. It is very useful in preventing postoperative haematoma formation, in nasogastric tube suction, in easy drawing up of fluids from vials, and in exploration of deep seated abscesses and collections. It is inexpensive, as syringe and spring can be re-used after sterilisation by autoclaving.

Hematoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Profile of traditional birth attendants in a rural area of north India.

Two hundred traditional birth attendants (TBAs) of a community development block of India were interviewed. The majority were age 45 years or above (81%), illiterate (85%), and of low caste (78%). Most (88%) had three or more children. Although 27% had inherited the profession from older female relatives, only 4% have daughters or daughters-in-law in the profession. Almost half (48%) had conducted 11 or more deliveries in last year. The TBAs charged more money to deliver a male infant than to deliver a female. The TBA workforce in India appears to be shrinking, possibly because of gradual reduction in family size. Backup support from state maternal health care services is lacking. Existing cadre of TBAs should be involved in primary health care to ensure the survival of the institution of dais (TBAs) and to ensure the availability of basic maternity services to rural women.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The levels and biologic action of the human neutrophil granule peptide HP-1 in lung tumors.

HP-1 is the most abundant human representative of a recently discovered class of neutrophil cystine- and arginine-rich peptides. These peptides have many potentially regulatory activities expressed at nanomolar concentrations. To establish the levels of HP-1 that can accumulate in human lung tumors and nondiseased lung fragments, tissues were extracted for their peptide content. The extracts were purified on reverse phase HPLC, and HP-1 and related peptides were identified by sequence analysis and their concentrations in the tissue quantitated by amino acid analysis. Immunohistochemistry was performed and strongly suggests that HP-1 is confined to granulocytes under most circumstances, and indicates that the levels of HP-1 measured in the tumors reflect the levels obtained when solid tissue is infiltrated by neutrophils. The maximum observed levels were 26 nanomoles per gram wet weight of tissue. Attempts were then made to correlate this level to the cytotoxic potential of HP-1 by performing in vitro cytotoxicity dose-response curves on several cell lines. Most cells were killed at between 1 and 8 microM, and the response depended on the growth conditions of the cells. The levels of HP-1 that accumulate in tumors can exceed the in vitro cytolytic concentrations. The levels are also considerably in excess of those required to exert in vitro regulatory actions.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Synthesis and CVS activity of 1-(2,3, 2,5, 2,6 dichlorophenyl)-3-morpholinophenyl-5-substituted benzylidene-thiobarbituric acids (3-17).

Fifteen new thiobarbituric acids have been prepared by the Knoevenagel condensation of appropriate aldehydes with 1-(2,3, 2,5, 2,6 dichlorophenyl)-3-morpholinophenyl thiobarbituric acids. Five compounds of this series were found to be biphasic in nature whereas some compounds showed appreciable hypotensive activity of varying magnitude and duration.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sporotrichosis in Himachal Pradesh (north India).

Sporotrichosis is being increasingly reported from a particular area of Himachal Pradesh, a state in north-west India. A skin-test survey was conducted using sporotrichin and peptido-rhamnomannan antigen among the population in the villages where 2 or more cases of sporotrichosis had been reported and results were compared with those for villages of the same where no case of sporotrichosis had been reported. The study was helped by local doctors, leaders and patients who were cured of sporotrichosis. The delayed-hypersensitivity positivity rates were significantly higher in case villages (range 22.9-40.0%) compared to control area (range 6.5-7.6%). Analysis by age showed that positivity rate increased with increase in age for both sexes. Analysis by occupation showed higher skin-test positivity in populations engaged in horticulture, nursery work, gardening, woodwork (43.2%) and farming (33.9%). The case villages have lower temperature and higher rainfall than the control villages. During the 1-year study period (1996-97), 25 cases of sporotrichosis were diagnosed: 16 cases were referred by doctors from the local area and 9 were from cases suspected during the skin-test survey. This study identifies Kangra district and adjoining areas in Himachal Pradesh as an endemic region for sporotrichosis and highlights the need for evaluation of geo-climatically similar areas.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The 5-HT1A receptor antagonist p-MPPI blocks responses mediated by postsynaptic and presynaptic 5-HT1A receptors.

The present experiments examined the ability of the novel 5-HT1A receptor antagonist to block responses mediated by postsynaptic and presynaptic 5-HT1A receptors in vivo. Pretreatment with p-MPPI reduced or blocked the effect of the 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT on two responses mediated by postsynaptic 5-HT1A receptors, reduction of body temperature and the 5-HT behavioral syndrome. Administration of p-MPPI alone did not alter body temperature or produce symptoms of the 5-HT syndrome. Pretreatment with p-MPPI also blocked the ability of 8-OH-DPAT to reduce extracellular 5-HT in the striatum, a response mediated by presynaptic 5-HT1A receptors in the dorsal raphe nucleus, but did not alter striatal 5-HT when administered alone. These results indicate that p-MPPI is an effective 5-HT1A receptor antagonist in vivo with no intrinsic activity. p-MPPI may prove to be a useful pharmacological tool for studying 5-HT1A receptors and their involvement in anxiety and affective disorders.

8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Self-reported uterine prolapse in a resettlement colony of north India.

The aims of this study are to estimate the prevalence of self-reported uterine prolapse and to determine the treatment-seeking behavior of the respondents. Participants of this study are married women of Dadu Majra colony, Chandigarh, India, January-February, 1996. A house-to-house screening of the women was done by a nursing student utilizing a checklist of indicator symptoms of uterine prolapse. All women reporting such symptoms were interviewed further. Among the 2,990 women surveyed, 227 (7.6%) reported symptoms of uterine prolapse. Of the 227 women with self-reported uterine prolapse, 128 (57%) had not taken any treatment, 28 went to a traditional birth attendant (TBA), and 47 (21%) consulted a doctor. Thirty-eight women were advised to have an operation, but only eight complied. Other treatments used by small numbers of women included the use of a ring pessary or alcohol-soaked swab and heel pressure technique. Reasons for non-consultation included shyness (80; 63%), lack of cooperation by the husband, lack of time (80; 63%) and lack of money (74; 58%). The prevalence of prolapse was significantly higher in women with higher parity. More than 7% of the women reported symptoms of uterine prolapse.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of restraint stress on responsiveness of atria and vas deferens in Sprague-Dawley rats.

1 The effects of stress in rats were evaluated by measuring changes in body weight and in responsiveness to noradrenaline (NA) in the isolated vas deferens and atria after the animals had been exposed to restraint or restraint and isolation. 2 Animals which were subjected to restraint alone (1 h day-1 for 3, 7 or 28 days) had a significantly reduced rate of body weight gain. This effect was not potentiated by the additional stress of isolation. 3 Restraint alone did not produce significant changes in the responsiveness of the vas deferens to NA. However, adding isolation to restraint, as an additional stress, produced a further leftward shift of the NA dose-response curve for the vas deferens, so that there was a significant increase in sensitivity compared with control. 4 There was a significant rightward shift in the NA dose-response curves or reduction in sensitivity in the atria from animals which had been restrained for 7 or 28 days. Isolation did not produce a further rightward shift in the NA dose-response curve. 5 The results from this study indicate that the stress associated with repeated restraint reduces the rate of weight gain and reduces the responsiveness of the atria to NA. The responsiveness of the vas deferens to NA was increased by stress, but the combined effect of isolation and restraint was required to produce a significant effect. The differences in the effects of stress on these tissues could be associated with differences in presynaptic receptor populations.

Adrenal Glands↗