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Biomedical subjects

A Singh

Publications and source records attributed to A Singh.

At least 1,009 records · Page 56Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Toxicity of PCB 28 in the rat liver: a quantitative ultrastructural study.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent environmental contaminants that bioaccumulate in the food chain and thus pose a health risk to both humans and other animals. PCB 28 was administered via the diets to male and female Sprague-Dawley rats for 13 weeks in concentrations of 0.05, 0.5, 5 and 50 ppm. The chemical was mixed in corn oil and animals that served as controls received only corn oil in their diets. Use of transmission electron microscopy and stereology revealed significant (P < 0.05) elevations in the mean volume fraction (VF) of liver smooth reticulum (SER) profiles (5 and 50 ppm groups) in the females. Also, the hepatocytes of the male rats contained a significantly greater baseline VF of SER compared to those of the females. Statistically significant alterations were not detected in VP of mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticulum, peroxisomes or lipid droplets. We estimated in Sprague-Dawley rats a no observable adverse effect level (NOAEL) of 0.5 ppm for congener 28.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The bias against India in western literature on history of medicine: with special emphasis on public health.

The article describes a systematic bias against India in Western literature on history of medicine. While many authors have ignored the contributions of India in development of medicine altogether, the others have relegated India's role much behind other civilizations. Unnecessary and deliberate controversies on dating and origin of Ayurveda, primacy of Greek vs. Hindu Medicine and the origin of the practice of variolation have been elaborated by Western authors. Some medical historians, like Siegrist, have tried to give India its due place in the history of medicine. Suitable references of Indian authors have also been quoted to give a comparative and balanced picture. The need for settling this controversy has been emphasized.

Historiography↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Women's illnesses - the Indian male perspective a search for linkage with Vedic concept of health & Hindu mythology.

A multicentric ICMR study was done in rural north India during 1996- 1999. Qualitative data was gathered from adult males of the study area regarding their views on women's illnesses. "Heat" emerged as the chief etiological factor for most of the reproductive health problems of women. Diet was told as the major source of this heat. A linkage between Vedic/Ayurvedic concepts of diet/heat and our respondents' view on women's illnesses has been described in the article. Similar references in western literature have also been quoted. As per Vedic concepts blood and bones are intermediary products of food assimilation between chyle and semen. Respondents view that, melting of bones leads to vaginal discharge (equated to semen) has been traced to this concept. Leucorrhea emerged as a significant morbidity of women. These views of the respondents reflect their culture. Any attempt to change these should take into account the overall cultural aspects of the concerned population.

Female↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of seven different scales used to quantify severity of cervical spondylotic myelopathy and post-operative improvement.

Considerable uncertainty exists over the benefit that patients receive from surgical decompressive treatment for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). Such difficulties might be addressed by accurate quantification of CSM severity as part of a trial determining the outcome of surgery in different patient groups. This study compares the applicability of various existing quantitative severity scales to measurement of CSM severity and the effects on severity of surgical decompression. Scores on the following scales were determined on 100 patients with CSM preoperatively and then again six months following surgical decompression: Odom's Criteria, Nurick grade, Ranawat grade, Myelopathy Disability Index (MDI), Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) Score, European Myelopathy Score (EMS) and Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF36). All the scales showed significant improvement following surgery. However, each had differing qualities of reliability, validity and responsiveness that made them more or less suitable. The MDI showed the greatest sensitivity between different severity levels, sensitivity to operative change and reliability. However, analysis of all the questionnaire scales into components that looked at different aspects of function revealed potential problems with redundancy and a lack of consistency. This prospective observational study provides a rational basis for determining the advantages and disadvantages of different existing scales in measurement of CSM severity and for making adaptations to develop a scale more specifically suited to a comprehensive surgical trial.

Cervical Vertebrae↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A new self-administered questionnaire to determine patient experience with voice prostheses (Blom-Singer valves).

AIM: To obtain information about valved speech and related issues in patients who have undergone total laryngectomy with the help of a new structured questionnaire on voice prosthesis. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A questionnaire-based pilot study set at a tertiary referral head and neck cancer unit. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five patients using voice prostheses, who showed no signs of recurrence after having undergone total laryngectomy were interviewed with the help of a questionnaire that assessed issues such as voice quality, valve maintenance, leakage, quality of life, humidification and hands-free system over the preceding seven days. The data was analyzed using non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney and Spearman rank). RESULTS: Twenty-five patients (16 males) with a median age of 65 years (IQ range: 59-70 years) had been using the prosthesis for a median of 6 years (IQ range: 5-10 years). The majority of the patients (n=20) were fully informed about their valve size and diameter and most were able to remove and replace their own prosthesis. Fourteen patients (60%) had leakage-related issues. Women were less satisfied with their voice quality as compared to men. Overall, there appeared to be an improvement in quality of life with the use of the voice prosthesis. CONCLUSIONS: The subjects were fairly well informed about their valve and experienced a high level of satisfaction with their voice. This questionnaire serves as a valuable tool for monitoring voice rehabilitation in patients who have undergone laryngectomy.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Radial club hand deformity--the continuing challenges and controversies.

The records of 27 patients with Radial club hand deformity attending the Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre for Disabled Children (HRDC) were reviewed. This longitudinal intercalary deficiency of forearm growth has a varied clinical presentation and the goals of management are both improved function and cosmesis. We present the results of our treatment and review the current world literature on this challenging orthopaedic deformity.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Transesophageal echocardiography in the surgical management of renal cell carcinoma with intracardiac extension.

Renal cell carcinomas may extend into the vena cava and the tumor thrombus occasionally involves the right atrium. The operative approach depends upon precise preoperative and intraoperative staging and thrombus localization. We report a case of renal cell carcinoma with complete inferior vena caval and hepatic vein occlusion with tumor extension into the right atrium. Preoperatively, transesophageal echocardiography provided superior images of the tumor and its extension, and intraoperatively allowed continuous monitoring of cardiac function and the removal of tumor from the atrium and inferior vena cava. Its use obviated the need for more costly and invasive preoperative and intraoperative procedures.

Carcinoma, Renal Cell↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Amoebic liver abscess. Review of 220 cases.

Two hundred and twenty cases of amoebic liver abscess were seen between 1981-1986. The majority were young or middle aged males belonging to the lower socio-economic group and 85% gave a history of drinking toddy (fermented palm juice). The highest incidence of the disease occurred during the peak toddy season (April to July). Toddy drinkers become susceptible perhaps because of the large dose of Entamoeba histolytica and bacteria ingested with the drink, associated malnutrition, poor hygiene, hepatic dysfunction and possible suppression of amoebistatic substance. Useful investigations consisted of skiagram and ultrasonography, the later being sometimes used to guide the aspiration needle to abscesses situated at unconventional sites. Over 88 per cent responded well to conservative treatment with aspiration(s). Laparotomy was required in slightly over 10% of cases and in these the mortality was 12% as compared to 2% with conservative treatment. Although a large amount of liver tissue appears to be destroyed, the residual liver damage is clinically, biochemically, macroscopically and microscopically minimal.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Impairment of mitochondrial and sarcoplasmic reticular functions during the development of heart failure in cardiomyopathic (UM-X7.1) hamsters.

The oxidative phosphorylation as well as calcium transporting properties of heart mitochondria and calcium transport activities of the fragments of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (microsomes) were studied during the life span of cardiomyopathic hamsters (UM-X7.1). Control healthy hamsters of the same age group were used for comparison. No changes in the oxidative phosphorylation ability of cardiomyopathic mitochondria were seen at early and moderate stages of heart failure; however, at severe stages, mitochondrial respiratory functions, but not the ADP:0 ratio, were impaired. Both creatine phosphate and ATP contents were decreased without any significant changes in the ATPase activities of myofibrils from the failing hearts. Heart mitochondria from cardiomyopathic animals at severe stages of failure exhibited less calcium binding and uptake activities in comparison with the control values whereas no changes in the mitochondrial calcium binding and uptake were seen in cardiomyopathic hamsters which showed no clinical signs of heart failure. Although mitochondrial calcium binding in cardiomyopathic hearts at early and moderate stages of failure was decreased, mitochondrial calcium uptake was not significantly different from the control. Microsomal calcium binding activity, unlike calcium uptake activity, was decreased in the hearts of cardiomyopathic hamsters without any signs of heart failure. Both calcium binding and calcium uptake activities of microsomes from animals with early, moderate and severe heart failure were less in comparison with the control values but were not associated with any changes in the Ca2+-stimulated ATPase activity. These results suggest that changes in the process of mitochondrial energy production and mitochondrial Ca2+-transport may be secondary to other factors whereas alterations in the sarcoplasmic reticular Ca2+-transport may lead to the development of heart failure in the cardiomyopathic hamsters.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Closed pyloroduodenal digital dilatation as a complementary drainage procedure to truncal vagotomy.

Out of a total of 300 consecutive cases of duodenal ulcer undergoing surgery, 51 patients were treated by truncal vagotomy and a closed pyloroduodenal digital dilatation. A peroperative assessment of the pyloroduodenal canal was carried out, and in patients with a mobile, supple duodenum showing minimal scarring a standard drainage procedure was not considered necessary. In these patients it was possible to perform a closed pyloroduodenal digital dilatation using the two thumbs to achieve an effective dilatation of 20-30 mm. Post-operative clinical evaluation (Modified Visick grading) and "special" barium meal revealed 86% of patients in Grade I and II at the end of two years (maximum follow-up 3.5 yrs.), with no evidence of lasting gastric stasis. The method is easy, safe and simple. It maintains the anatomical and physiological integrity of the pyloroduodenal ring thereby obviating the hazards of an "incontinent" stomach. Its main limitation appears to be its restricted selectivity and in the present series it could be carried out in about 17% of cases.

Dilatation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Thoracoplasty with intercostal myoplasty for closure of an empyema cavity and bronchopleural fistula.

Intercostal myoplasty with thoracoplasty was performed in 42 patients with tubercular and bacterial empyema, after the failure of conventional therapy with antibiotics, antitubercular drugs and closed drainage. In the 18 cases with bronchopleural fistula, this was closed and the drainage tube was removed after 23 to 51 days. The procedure was well-tolerated by all the patients, and is safe and effective in patients with chronic empyema with or without bronchopleural fistula where resectional surgery or decortication is not possible due to extensive bilateral disease or low cardiorespiratory reserve. Successful ligation and closure of bronchopleural fistula without any mortality was a unique feature of this procedure.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Ultrastructure of the thyroid glands of rats fed photomirex: a 48-week recovery study.

The thyroid glands of rats that received photomirex (0.05, 0.5, 5 or 50 ppm) or mirex (5 or 50 ppm) in the diet for 28 days and were then kept on clean feed for 48 weeks were examined by an electron microscope. A dose of 0.05 or 0.5 ppm photomirex produced cytoplasmic vacuolation in the principal follicular cells; the cells were taller than the cuboidal follicular cells found in the glands of animals from the control group. An extensive accumulation of deformed lysosomal bodies, a reduction in the number of apical vesicles and a mild dilatation of rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum (RER) cisternae were the features of columnar follicular cells at the 5 ppm photomirex level. In the animals receiving 50 ppm photomirex the follicular cells had more severe alterations, including a marked dilatation of RER profiles, compared to those in the preceding groups. The cells from rats ingesting 5 ppm mirex were least affected and had only a mild dilatation of RER elements, and some cytoplasmic vacuolation. The follicular cells of animals fed 50 ppm mirex showed variable morphology; some of these cells had an increased number of colloid droplets and lacked the lamellar arrays of RER; others contained vacuoles or somewhat dilated RER profiles. The present results indicate that following the ingestion of photomirex (0.05-50 ppm) or mirex (50 ppm) for 28 days, alterations in the rat thyroids persist for at least one year.

Animals↗