Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

B Singh

Publications and source records attributed to B Singh.

At least 775 records · Page 43Linked to original sources

Cholinergic activation of medial preoptic area by amygdala for ovulation in rat.

Ovulation blocked by amygdalar lesion was restored by carbachol injection into medial preoptic area (mPOA) in rats on the afternoon of proestrus. Both spontaneous and carbachol-induced ovulation was blocked by application of nicotinic and muscarinic cholinergic antagonists (mecamylamine and atropine) to mPOA. The effect was more pronounced in the latter case. The study suggests amygdalar facilitatory control of ovulation to be mediated via mPOA through the involvement of cholinergic mechanisms.

Amygdala↗

Responses of preoptic neurons to stimulation of caudal and rostral brain stem reticular structures.

Effect of stimulation (1 Hz) of rostral and caudal brain stem reticular formation was studied on 41 neurons of preoptic area in encéphale isolé cats. Primary excitation was seen on almost all the 25 neurons influenced by stimulation of either of the areas. Many of these influenced neurons received inputs from both areas and showed poststimulatory oscillations in excitability. The two brain stem reticular structures, which have antagonistic influence on cortical EEG, cortical and subcortical neuronal activity, had identical influence on preoptic area neurons when stimulated at 1 Hz.

Animals↗

Treatment with rifampicin for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.

The role of rifampicin in the treatment of serologically proved Pneumocystis carinii pneumonitis was reported recently from Poland (1). Serum antibody or antigen levels alone provide uncertain evidence as by four years of age two-thirds of normal children may have significant titres (2). We present the first case treated with rifampicin, and proven by open lung biopsy.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Aspirin in acute gastroenteritis: a clinical and microbiological study.

Soluble aspirin given by mouth in divided dosage decreased intestinal fluid loss in infants and young children with acute gastroenteritis. The treated group had significantly less diarrhea, which ceased earlier and needed less intravenous therapy, than a randomly selected control group given an indistinguishable placebo. This effect of aspirin occurred with diarrhea caused by Salmonella, Aeromonas, Escherichia coli producing heat-labile toxin, and rotavirus, but not with diarrhea associated with strains of E. coli producing heat-stable toxin.

Acute Disease↗

Fate of antipaternal H-2 antibodies bound to the placenta in vivo.

We have previously demonstrated that the placental spongiotrophoblast and yolk sac venous plexus express paternally derived H-2K and D (class I) antigens in a manner accessible to maternal circulation, and that the placenta serves to prevent antipaternal antibodies from reaching the fetus. Kinetic studies indicated that the placenta is capable of reexpressing its H-2 antigens after having been bound by anti-H-2 antibodies, suggesting that the placental cells somehow have the ability to eliminate the bound antibodies. In order to investigate the fate of the antibodies, we have followed the uptake and fate of radiolabeled anti-H-2Kk monoclonal antibody in the placentas of target allogeneic and control syngeneic pregnancies. Chromatographic analyses indicate that most of the intercellular radiolabel is associated with fragments smaller than IgG, and similar degradation was not observed with syngeneic control placentas. We conclude that the placenta is capable of binding, ingesting, and then digesting antipaternal H-2 antibodies, further substantiating the immunoabsorbent barrier hypothesis of allogeneic fetal survival.

Animals↗

Fat loss during feeding of human milk.

A rise in the fat concentration of human milk within the syringe was noted towards the end of continuous infusion but not with intermittent bolus gastric feeding. The rise in the former was reduced most simply and effectively by using an eccentric nozzle syringe and tilting the pump up at an angle of between 25 degrees and 40 degrees.

Dietary Fats↗

Detection of IgG in supernatants of pokeweed mitogen-stimulated human lymphocyte cultures by one step solid-phase radioimmunoassay (SPRIA).

A one step solid phase radioimmunoassay is used as a simple and reproducible method of detection and quantitation of IgG produced by human PBL after stimulation with PWM. Modifications of culture conditions are necessary to make culture supernatants suitable for this assay. Pulsing with PWM must be performed in serum-supplemented culture medium for 4-5 days. After thorough washing, medium is then replaced with serum-free medium. Under these conditions, synthesis and secretion of IgG continues for at least 9 days. The amount of IgG produced by 10(6) normal adult PBL as detected in this system is 0.77 +/- 0.47 micrograms. No close correlation between cell proliferation and IgG synthesis was observed.

Culture Media↗

Hematological changes in nephritis in poultry induced by diets high in protein, high in calcium, containing urea, or deficient in vitamin A.

Nephritis was induced in 300, 18-day-old male Arbor Acre broiler chicks by feeding diets high (42.28%) in protein, high (3.27%) in calcium, containing urea (5%), or deficient in vitamin A. Various hematological parameters were studied at weekly intervals. Normocytic-normochromic anemia, characterized by a decrease in total erythrocyte counts, hemoglobin, packed cell volume, and an increase in erythrocyte sedimentation rate, was evident in the birds kept on diets high in protein, high in calcium, or deficient in vitamin A. Increased total erythrocytes, hemoglobin packed cell volume, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate was observed in birds fed urea. Differential leucocyte counts revealed lymphopenia, heterophilia and monocytosis in birds kept on diets high in protein, containing urea, or deficient in vitamin A. However, lymphocytosis, heteropenia , and monocytosis were recorded in birds fed the high calcium diet.

Animals↗

Anti-IgM antibodies may regulate the humoral response to paternal HLA antigens in pregnant women.

Anti-IgM antibodies were detected in sera of pregnant women but not in non-pregnant women and men. Anti-IgM activity was associated negatively with presence of anti-HLA antibodies. This finding suggests possible immunoregulatory influence of anti-IgM on humoral response against major histocompatibility antigens in pregnancy. The possibility of a similar mechanism being responsible for enhancement of kidney graft survival due to blood transfusions is discussed.

Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic↗

4'-Demethylepipodophyllotoxin-beta-D-glucoside: a new podophyllotoxin derivative with VM-26-like and VP-16-213-like activities.

Mutants of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells independently selected for resistance to the anticancer drug 4'-demethylepipodophyllotoxin thenylidene-beta-D-glucoside (VM-26) and the microtubule inhibitor podophyllotoxin exhibit mutually an exclusive cross-resistance pattern toward various podophyllotoxin derivatives that possess either VM-26-like or podophyllotoxin-like activities, respectively. The cross-resistance studies with these mutants have led to the identification of a new podophyllotoxin derivative, 4'-demethylepipodophyllotoxin-beta-D-glucoside (compound No. 13), which possesses VM-26-like and 4'-demethylepipodophyllotoxin ethylidene-beta-D-glucoside (VP-16-213)-like activity. This inference is strongly supported by our observation that, like VM-26 and VP-16-213, compound No. 13 showed no antimitotic activity (as seen by the effect on the mitotic index) but was highly active in inducing DNA strand breaks, sister chromatid exchanges, and mutations at the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase and adenosine kinase loci in CHO cells. On the basis of structure-activity data of various podophyllotoxin derivatives, three structural features have been identified that appear essential for VM-26-like activity. These are: 1) the presence of an hydroxyl group at the 4'-carbon, 2) an epi-configuration at the C-4 position, and 3) the presence of a glycoside moiety on the hydroxyl group at the C-4 position. In addition, the nature of the glycoside substituents at the C-4 position greatly affects the relative VM-26-like activity of various compounds.

Animals↗

The action of vasopressin and calcium on palmitate metabolism in hepatocytes and isolated mitochondria from rat liver.

Vasopressin inhibits fatty acid oxidation and stimulates fatty acid esterification, glycogenolysis, and lactate production in hepatocytes from fed rats. In cells from fasted rats, the effect of the hormone on palmitate oxidation was absent, while gluconeogenesis was stimulated. The inhibitory action of vasopressin on palmitate oxidation was not due to the increased lactate production. Neither was it correlated to glycogen content or stimulation of glycogenolysis, which were restored earlier than the vasopressin effect on palmitate oxidation when previously fasted rats were refed a carbohydrate diet. The level of malonyl-CoA was moderately increased by vasopressin. Isolated mitochondria from rat liver were incubated in the presence of [U-14C]palmitate, ATP, CoA carnitine, glycerophosphate, ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether) N,N'-tetraacetic acid, and varying amounts of calcium. The oxidation of palmitate was inhibited when the concentration of free calcium was increased from about 0.1 to 10 microM. Simultaneously, palmitate esterification was stimulated. This effect of calcium was observed also with mitochondria from fasted rats and with octanoate as well as palmitate as the substrate. Carnitine acylation was not affected by calcium. The possibility that the observed effects of calcium on mitochondrial fatty acid utilization is part of the mechanism of action of vasopressin on hepatocyte fatty acid metabolism is discussed.

Animals↗

Maturation of 5-S rRNA: ribonuclease E cleavages and their dependence on precursor sequences.

9-S RNA is a processing intermediate that accumulates in an RNase E- strain of Escherichia coli. It spans from the RNase III cleavage site, after 23-S rRNA, to the 3' end of the transcript and is derived from rRNA genes which do not contain tRNAs distal to 5-S rRNA. Here, we have studied the processing of 9-S RNA with ribonuclease E. RNase E cleaves 9-S RNA in two sites: one of these is three nucleotides upstream from the 5' end of 5-S rRNA, the other downstream from its 3' end. Both cleavages are probably introduced by the same enzyme, since both cleavages are thermolabile when an extract of a temperature-sensitive RNase E mutant was used for processing in vitro. In order to asses the role of 5' and 3' end precursor-specific sequences in the RNase E reaction, we isolated the molecules lacking nucleotides at the 5' or 3' end. Molecules having the 5' end of 9-S RNA but missing nucleotides from the 3' end (called 8-S RNA) were as good a substrate for RNase E as 9-S, RNA itself. However, molecules having the 3' end of 9-S RNA but the 5' end of p5 (called 7-S RNA), were less efficient substrates for RNase E. Finally, the removal of as little as seven nucleotides from the 5' end of 8-S RNA rendered it almost completely unsuitable as a substrate for RNase E.

Base Sequence↗

Comparison of the mutagenic responses of 12 anticancer drugs at the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase and adenosine kinase loci in Chinese hamster ovary cells.

5he mutagenic responses of 12 anticancer drugs--lomustine, dacarbazine, mitomycin C, chlorambucil, cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II), busulfan, ellipticine, daunomycin, adriamycin, VM-26, VP16-213, and bleomycin--in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells at two independent genetic loci which affect purine salvage pathway enzymes, hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT) and adenosine kinase (AK) have been compared within the same experiments. The cellular mutants which lack either HGPRT (HGPRT- mutants) or AK (AK- mutants) activity can be directly selected in CHO cells using 6-thioguanine and 6-methyl mercaptopurineriboside (6-MeMPR) respectively, and optimal conditions for their selection have been described. Results of our studies show that all of the above drugs caused a concentration-dependent increase in the frequencies of both 6-thioguanine- and 6-MeMPR-resistant mutants. However, for a number of these drugs, namely adriamycin, daunomycin, bleomycin, and dacarbazine, which are only weakly mutagenic at the HGPRT locus, a relatively strong and clear mutagenic response was observed at the AK locus. In contrast, VM-26 showed a more pronounced effect at the HGPRT locus. For the remaining compounds, the mutagenic responses of the two loci (as indicated by the slopes of the dose-response curves) were comparable. The observed increase in the frequency of AK- mutants after treatment with various drugs, many of which predominantly induce frameshift and chromosome-breakage type of genetic lesions, suggests that like the HGPRT locus the AK locus is also capable of detecting all the different types of genetic lesions. The favorable response of the AK locus as compared to that of HGPRT locus in these studies indicates that the selection system of AK- mutants should provide a very useful genetic marker for mutagenesis studies in CHO cells.

Adenosine Kinase↗

Wall motion abnormalities and electrocardiographic changes in acute transmural myocardial infarction: implications of reciprocal ST segment depression.

Left ventricular ejection fraction and regional wall motion were assessed by multigated equilibrium radionuclide ventriculography within 24 hours of onset of first acute transmural myocardial infarction (MI) in 32 patients. Abnormal left ventricular wall motion was noted in all 16 patients with anterior infarction and in 14 of 16 (87.5%) patients with inferior infarction. Regional wall motion abnormalities frequently included areas adjacent to and remote from those predicted by the ECG location of ST elevation and pathologic Q waves. Such remote wall motion abnormalities were associated with reciprocal ST segment depression in 17 of 18 (94%) patients, and conversely reciprocal ST segment depressions were associated with remote wall motion abnormalities in 17 of 24 (71%) patients. The left ventricular ejection fraction was lower in patients with a reciprocal ST segment depression compared to those without (anterior MI 0.29 +/- 0.07 vs 0.43 +/- 0.08, p less than 0.01; inferior MI 0.45 +/- 0.11 vs 0.63 +/- 0.06, p less than 0.001). In addition, the peak MB-CK levels were higher in patients with compared to those without reciprocal ST segment depression (anterior MI 268 +/- 183 vs 102 +/- 60, p less than 0.05; inferior MI 186 +/- 120 vs 67 +/- 20, p less than 0.05). Thirteen of 18 (72%) patients with reciprocal ST segment depression compared to 4 of 13 (31%) patients without reciprocal ST segment depression had a complicated clinical course during their hospital stay. These observation suggest that global left ventricular dysfunction in first acute transmural MI is greater when reciprocal ST segment depression is present on the 12-lead ECG.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Activity of preoptic neurons during synchronization and desynchronization.

Extracellular unit activity from 29 neurons in the preoptic area was recorded together with the cortical EEG in encéphale isolé cats. A majority (55%) of neurons showed alterations in their firing rates during transient changes in the EEG. Among them, a majority (62.5%) showed an increased firing rate during synchronization and the remaining showed an increased firing rate during desynchronization of the EEG. Most neurons showed a Poisson distribution pattern of firing during both the synchronized and the desynchronized phases of the EEG. The changes in the neuronal discharge occurring together with the specific changes in the cortical EEG fits in well with the assigned role of the preoptic area in the sleep-waking cycle.

Animals↗

Quantitative mutagenesis at the adenosine kinase locus in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Development and characteristics of the selection system.

Stable mutants exhibiting high degree of resistance (100-1000-fold) to various nucleoside analogs viz, toyocamycin, tubercidin, 6-methyl mercaptopurine riboside (6-MeMPR) and pyrazofurin, are obtained at similar frequency (congruent to 1 X 10(-4] in CHO cells. The mutants resistant to any of the above analogs exhibit similar degree of cross-resistance to the other three nucleoside analogs, and all of the mutants examined contained no measurable activity of the purine salvage pathway enzyme adenosine kinase (AK) which converts these analogs to their phosphorylated derivatives. These results indicate that very similar mutants are selected using any of these analogs. The recovery of AK- mutants in CHO cells is not affected by cell density (up to at least 5 X 10(5) cells per 100-mm diameter dish) and after treatment with mutagen(s) maximum mutagenic effect is observed after 7-8 days, which then remains unchanged for the next several days. Treatment of CHO cells with a number of mutagenic agents e.g. ethyl methanesulfonate, ICR170, ultraviolet light, and benzo[a]pyrene, led to a nearly linear concentration-dependent increase in the frequency of the AK- mutants in cultures. The mutagenic response of the AK locus to these agents compared favorably with that of the HGPRT locus (6-thioguanine resistance) within the same experiments. These results show that the selection system for AK- mutants provides an additional valuable genetic marker for quantitative mutagenesis studies in CHO cells.

Adenosine Kinase↗