Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

B Kumar

Publications and source records attributed to B Kumar.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Microbial flora of women with chronic cervicitis.

The present study comprised 50 patients of chronic cervicitis attending gynaecological clinic of Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh. The aim of the study was to isolate some of the common sexually transmitted disease (STD) pathogens in chronic cervicitis. Cervical swabs were taken from the patients. The swabs were analysed by various microbiological techniques. Most (78%) of the patients harboured infection, no growth of any organism was found in 22% cases. Ureaplasma urealyticum was the predominant organism isolated in 56% of cases. It was isolated singly in 38% of cases. Various other organisms isolated singly were Chlamydia trachomatis in 2% of cases, candida species in 2% of cases, Staphylococcus epidemidis in 4% of cases, lactobacillus in 4% of cases, and Staphylococcus aureus in 2% of cases. Multiple organisms were isolated in 26% of cases.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

A simple splint.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Finger Injuries↗
PubMed1999

Is fetal gender significant in the perinatal outcome of pregnancies complicated by placental abruption?

Seventy cases of placental abruption were studied. These occurred in 12,800 deliveries, an incidence of 4.8 per 1000. There were more female infants (34-56%) compared with males (27-44%). Sixteen infants were stillborn and one baby died in the neonatal period. Thirteen of the perinatal deaths occurred in male infants. We speculate that a higher metabolic rate in male infants may account for this sex difference.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1999

Multiple antioxidants in the prevention and treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the major progressive neurological disorders for which no preventative or long-term effective treatment strategies are available. Epidemiologic studies have failed to identify specific environmental, dietary or lifestyle risk factors for PD except for toxic exposure to manganese, meperidine (Demerol, the "designer drug" version of which often contains a toxic byproduct of the synthesis, 1-methyl-4-phenyl 1,2,3,6 tetrahydropyridine [MPTP]), and some herbicides and pesticides. The search for genetic risk factors such as mutation, overexpression or underexpression of nuclear genes in DA neurons in idiopathic PD has not been successful as yet. Polymorphism in certain genes appears to be a risk factor, but there is no direct evidence for the causal relationship between polymorphism and increased risk of PD. In familial PD, mutation in the alpha-synuclein gene is associated with the disease, but a direct role of this gene in degeneration of DA neurons remains to be established. Although mutations in the Parkin gene has been associated with autosomal recessive juvenile Parkinson's disease, the role of this gene mutation in causing degeneration of DA neurons has not been defined. We have reported that in hereditary PD, a mutation in the alpha-synuclein gene may increase the sensitivity of DA neurons to neurotoxins. We hypothesize that, in idiopathic PD, epigenetic (mitochondria, membranes, protein modifications) rather than genetic events are primary targets which, when impaired, initiate degeneration in DA neurons, eventually leading to cell death. Although the nature of neurotoxins that cause degeneration in DA neurons in PD is not well understood, oxidative stress is one of the intermediary risk factors that could initiate and/or promote degeneration of DA neurons. Therefore, supplementation with antioxidants may prevent or reduce the rate of progression of this disease. Supplementation with multiple antioxidants at appropriate doses is essential because various types of free radicals are produced, antioxidants vary in their ability to quench different free radicals and cellular environments vary with respect to their lipid and aqueous phases. L-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-dopa) is one of the agents used in the treatment of PD. Since L-dopa is known to produce free radicals during its normal metabolism, the combination of L-dopa with high levels of multiple antioxidants may improve the efficacy of L-dopa therapy.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Multiple antioxidants in the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative disease: analysis of biologic rationale.

Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease are major progressive neurologic disorders, the risk of which increases with advancing age (65 years and over). In familial cases, however, early onset of disease (35-65 years) is observed. In spite of extensive basic and chemical research on Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, no preventive or long-term effective treatment strategies are available. The analysis of existing literature suggests that oxidative stress is a major intermediary risk factor for the action of diverse groups of neurotoxins that are involved in these neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, it is proposed that the epigenetic components (mitochondria, other organelles, membranes, protein modification) rather than nuclear genes of neurons are the primary targets for the action of neurotoxins, including free radicals. In addition, a scientific rationale for using multiple antioxidants in clinical trials for the prevention of Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease among high-risk populations, and as an adjunct to standard therapy in the treatment of these diseases is presented.

Alzheimer Disease↗
PubMed1999

Macular amyloidosis: etiological factors.

Macular amyloidosis is the commonest form of primary localized cutaneous amyloidosis; its etiology remains unclear. Various incriminating factors include genetics, sunlight, and friction. Seventy-five patients with a clinical diagnosis of macular amyloidosis (confirmed by at least two observers) were enrolled in the study. A detailed history was elicited in relation to the etiological factors and followed by cutaneous examination. Skin biopsy was performed in 44 patients. Amyloid deposits were demonstrated in 21 (48%) of the biopsies. The female to male ratio was over 3:1. Patients with skin type V had a more delayed onset than those with skin types III and IV. Two patients gave histories of regularly subjecting their skin to friction. There was no correlation between the sites affected and the sites subjected to friction, hair style of the patient, or the use of cosmetics. Family history was present in 7 (9.3%) patients. A majority, 44 (58.7%) of the patients, had involvement of both sun-exposed and sun-protected sites. To conclude, there was no direct correlation between macular amyloidosis and atopy, sunlight, or friction to the skin in our patients. Multiple factors may play a collective role in the genesis of macular amyloidosis to variable degrees. These include racial, familial, and environmental factors, atopy, sunlight, friction, and female gender.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Evaluation of thyroid function in north Indians with alopecia areata: response to intravenous injection of 100 micrograms thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH).

There is a lack of agreement on the overall prevalence of thyroid disease and thyroid function abnormalities in alopecia areata. Only one study is available from the Indian subcontinent. All patients with alopecia areata attending a dermatology outpatient clinic between 1983 and 1997 were screened for the presence of clinical thyroid disease. Sixty-two consecutive patients during the year 1994 were evaluated in detail for thyroid functions by measuring T3, T4, TSH levels and testing for antithyroid and antimicrosomal antibodies. Twenty-two patients randomly selected from the above-mentioned sixty two were studied for TSH response to intravenous injection of 100 micrograms TRH at -20, 0 and 20, 60, and 120 minutes after TRH injection. Thyroid disease was clinically evident in 16 (0.85%) of the 1700 patients with alopecia areata seen over the last fifteen years. All sixty-two patients evaluated for thyroid functions were clinically euthyroid. Seven (11.3%) out of these 62 patients had abnormal thyroid hormone levels. Antithyroid and antimicrosomal antibodies were found in five patients; all five had abnormalities in thyroid function. TSH response to TRH was suggestive of hypothyroidism in 4 (18%) of the 22 patients studied. Manifest thyroid disease is infrequently associated with alopecia areata. Abnormalities in thyroid functional status were more frequent; they were found in 7 (11.3%) out of 62 patients. TSH response to intravenous TRH was abnormal in an even higher proportion [4 (18%) out of 22 patients]. There was no apparent correlation with duration or type of alopecia areata.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Presence of M. leprae in tissues in slit skin smear negative multibacillary (MB) patients after WHO-MBR.

This study looked for M. leprae in the lymph node, nerve and skin of multibacillary (MB) leprosy patients who become slit skin smear negative after the completion of WHO-MBR. Twenty-five WHO-MBR-treated multibacillary leprosy patients were studied; borderline lepromatous (BL) leprosy (n = 11) and lepromatous (LL) leprosy (n = 14)). Fifteen patients had reaction (erythema nodosum leprosum 11, upgrading reaction 4) either at presentation or during therapy. All patients attained slit skin smear negativity after WHO-MBR (range 24-39 months. Sixteen (64%) patients with multibacillary leprosy showed fragmented bacilli in skin and nerve biopsy or lymph node aspirates after WHO-MBR. Lymph node aspirates alone revealed M. leprae in seven patients, followed by nerve in two and skin in one patient. Four cases showed M. leprae at all sites followed by nerve and skin or lymph node in one case each. A pretreatment bacteriological index (BI) of 4+ or more was significantly associated with the presence of M. leprae at the end of treatment. Also, significantly more lymph node aspirates contained M. leprae in comparison with nerve or skin biopsies. All seven cases in whom treatment was extended beyond 24 months showed M. leprae in tissues even after attaining slit smear negativity. In conclusion, M. leprae persist in tissues after 2 years of WHO-MBR and patients with an initial BI of 4+ or more need to be closely followed up after stopping MDT.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Cutaneous tuberculosis: a twenty-year prospective study.

SETTING: A tertiary care hospital in northern India. OBJECTIVE: To study the patterns of clinical presentation of cutaneous tuberculosis, to correlate them with Mantoux reactivity and BCG vaccination status, and to suggest a clinical classification based on these factors. DESIGN: Analysis of the records of patients with cutaneous tuberculosis who attended the hospital between 1975 and 1995. RESULTS: A total of 0.1% of dermatology patients had cutaneous tuberculosis. Lupus vulgaris was the commonest form, seen in 154 (55%) of these patients, followed by scrofuloderma in 75 (26.8%), tuberculosis verrucosa cutis in 17 (6%), tuberculous gumma(s) in 15 (5.4%) and tuberculids in 19 (6.8%). No correlation was found between Mantoux reactivity and the extent of disease (localised disease 63.6%, disseminated disease 67.9%). The presence of regional lymphadenopathy was an indication of dissemination of the disease (localised disease 34.7%, disseminated disease 71.7%). Dissemination of the disease was observed in the whole of the spectrum of cutaneous tuberculosis (22.1%), but was seen more often in the presence of gumma and scrofuloderma. There were more unvaccinated individuals in the group with disseminated disease (80.3%) than in those with localised disease (65.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Lupus vulgaris was the most common clinical presentation, followed by scrofuloderma, tuberculids, tuberculosis verrucosa cutis and tuberculous gumma. Some patients presented more than one clinical form of the disease. Classification of cutaneous tuberculosis needs to be modified to include smear-positive and smear-negative scrofuloderma apart from the inclusion of disseminated disease. The presence of regional lymphadenopathy serves as a clinical indicator of disseminated disease. Patients with disseminated disease were less likely to have been BCG-vaccinated than those with localised disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

The distribution of angioarchitectural changes within the vicinity of the arteriovenous crossing in branch retinal vein occlusion.

OBJECTIVE: Branch retinal vein occlusions (BRVOs) are known to occur most commonly in the vicinity of arteriovenous (A/V) crossings. The authors aimed to identify types of venous wall abnormalities in BRVO and document their position in relation to the A/V crossing. DESIGN: A retrospective review of the color photographs and fluorescein angiograms from the most recent 110 patients with first- or second-order BRVO was performed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The films were examined for the presence of angioarchitectural changes of specified type within one-quarter disk diameter of the A/V crossing involved in the BRVO. The specific changes noted were fluorescein leakage, presumed thrombi, and flow abnormalities, which were recorded along with their position in relation to the A/V crossing. RESULTS: Of the 110 patients diagnosed with BRVO, 59 had photography of satisfactory quality. Forty-one (70%) of these 59 patients had venous lesions, of which significantly more (chi-square -5.74, P < 0.02) were downstream (56%) than upstream (12%) from the A/V crossing. Thirty-two percent were upstream and downstream. Of the hemodynamic changes seen, 49% had late venous phase leakage of fluorescein, 85% had abnormal flow, and 7% had presumed thrombi. All thrombi seen were downstream. CONCLUSIONS: Venous lesions in the vicinity of the A/V crossing commonly are seen in BRVO, most of which occur downstream. This suggests that the venous narrowing at the crossing may induce downstream hemodynamic changes predisposing to endothelial damage and thrombus generation.

Arteriovenous Malformations↗
PubMed1998

Primary cutaneous aspergillosis: our experience in 10 years.

We describe nine patients with primary cutaneous aspergillosis who were diagnosed during the 10-year period between 1987 and 1996. All except one were adults. Seven of those nine cases had an immunocompromised state. Among the immunocompromised patients, six had burn wounds and one was a renal transplant recipient. Aspergillus flavus was isolated from seven patients and A. fumigatus from one, and in one other case the species could not be determined. Three patients who had total burn surface area of more than 70% died. The other patients responded well to extensive surgical debridement with or without institution of oral itraconazole.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Expression of obese mRNA in genetically lean and fat selection lines of sheep.

Genetically separate lines of Coopworth sheep have been bred by selecting for (fat genotype) or against (lean genotype) backfat depth. Typically, the total fat content, adjusted for carcass weight, is 21.2 and 29.3% for the lean and fat lines, respectively. As a homologue of the obese gene, which shows altered expression in several forms of obesity, is also expressed in sheep, it was decided to determine whether the obese gene was differentially expressed in each line of sheep. The relative level of expression of obese mRNA was approximately twofold higher in the fat line compared with the lean line in back, omental and perirenal fat depots of ram lambs fed ad libitum or fasted for 48 h. This elevation in the fat line is most likely a secondary consequence of obesity rather than a cause. Fasting for 48 h decreased obese mRNA levels by 8.9-, 8.5-, and 4.2-fold in back, omental and perirenal fat, respectively, in the lean line, and by 8.3-, 5.7-, and 3.5-fold in back, omental and perirenal fat, respectively, in the fat line. The lean and fat lines of sheep, therefore, responded in a similar way to fasting.

Adipose Tissue↗