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Biomedical subjects

C Rao

Publications and source records attributed to C Rao.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Early outcomes in the elderly: a meta-analysis of 4921 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting--comparison between off-pump and on-pump techniques.

OBJECTIVE: To assess early outcomes in the elderly population undergoing coronary revascularisation with and without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). METHODS: Meta-analysis of all retrospective, non-randomised studies comparing off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) versus CPB techniques in the elderly (> 70 years) between 1999 and 2005. Age-related early outcomes of interest were death, stroke, atrial fibrillation (AF), renal failure and length of stay in hospital. The random effects model was used. Sensitivity and heterogeneity were analysed. RESULTS: Analysis of 14 non-randomised studies comprising 4921 patients (OPCAB, 1533 (31.1%) and CPB, 3388 (68.9%)) showed a significantly lower incidence of death in the OPCAB group (odds ratio (OR) 0.48, 95% CI 0.28 to 0.84). This effect was greater in OPCAB octogenarians (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.57). The pattern of incidence of stroke among the OPCAB octogenarians (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.56) was similar. The incidence of AF was lower in the OPCAB group (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.61 to 0.97). The incidence of renal failure did not differ. Length of hospital stay was shorter in the OPCAB group, although with significant heterogeneity. CONCLUSIONS: OPCAB may be associated with lower incidence of death, stroke and AF in the elderly, which may result in shorter length of hospital stay. A large randomised trial would confirm whether the elderly would benefit more from OPCAB surgery.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Fungal and endotoxin measurements in dust associated with respiratory symptoms in a water-damaged office building.

UNLABELLED: We investigated the associations of fungal and endotoxin levels in office dust with respiratory health in 888 (67% participation) occupants of a water-damaged building. We analyzed floor and chair dusts from 338 workstations for culturable fungi and endotoxin. Based on averages, we ranked each floor of the building as low, medium, or high for occupants' exposure to each of these agents. Multivariate logistic regression models for building-related symptoms included this ranking of fungi and endotoxin, age, gender, race, smoking status, and duration of occupancy. Using floor dust measures, we found significantly increased odds for lower respiratory symptoms [wheeze, chest tightness, attacks of shortness of breath, and attacks of cough: odds ratios (OR) = 1.7 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02-2.77) to 2.4 (95% CI: 1.29-4.59)], throat irritation [OR = 1.7, (95% CI: 1.06-2.82)], and rash/itchy skin [OR = 3.0, (95% CI: 1.47-6.19)] in the highest fungal exposure group compared to the lowest, with generally linear exposure-response relationships. Nonlinear relationships were observed for many of these symptoms and endotoxin in floor dust. Interaction models showed that endotoxin modified effects of fungi on respiratory symptoms. Our findings of exposure interactions and exposure-response relationships of fungal and endotoxin with increased risk of building-related symptoms contribute to an understanding of the role of microbial agents in building-related asthma and respiratory and systemic symptoms. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Our demonstration of exposure-response relationships between measurements of fungi and/or endotoxin in floor dusts and building-related symptoms implies that microbial agents in floor dust may be a good surrogate measure for dampness-related bioaerosol exposure, considering that measurements of microbial agents in air often fail to demonstrate the associations between exposure and health. In addition, our finding that endotoxin exposure may change the effect of fungal exposure (and vice versa) on respiratory heath suggests that exposure to both fungi and endotoxin should be assessed in epidemiological investigations examining the effect of fungal or endotoxin exposure on respiratory health in indoor environments.

Air Pollution, Indoor↗
PubMed2005

Effects of sub-chronic antipsychotic drug treatment on body weight and reproductive function in juvenile female rats.

RATIONALE: Weight gain caused by some antipsychotics is not only confined to adults but can also adversely affect both children and adolescents. Indeed, olanzapine and risperidone have been associated with extreme weight gain in adolescents even greater than that reported in adults. We have recently shown substantial weight gain in adult female rats following treatment with olanzapine and risperidone but not ziprasidone. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of several antipsychotics on weight gain and reproductive function in juvenile (aged 7 weeks) female hooded Lister rats. METHODS: Olanzapine (4 mg/kg), risperidone (0.5 mg/kg), ziprasidone (2.5 mg/kg), sulpiride (10 mg/kg), haloperidol (0.5 mg/kg) or vehicle was administered i.p. once per day for 21 days. Body weight, food and water intake were measured daily, in addition to the determination of stage of the oestrous cycle. RESULTS: Sub-chronic administration of olanzapine, risperidone, sulpiride and haloperidol, but not ziprasidone, significantly increased body weight compared to vehicle-treated animals during weeks 1-3. Sulpiride significantly increased food and water intake. Significantly increased percentage intra-abdominal fat weight was observed in olanzapine, risperidone, sulpiride and haloperidol, but not ziprasidone-treated animals. Marked disruption of the oestrous cycle was observed in all but the ziprasidone-treated group, which continued to have regular 4-day oestrous cycles. CONCLUSIONS: Weight gain observed in these juvenile animals was 1.5-2 times greater than that previously observed in adult rats. These findings have important implications for the use of antipsychotics in children and adolescent patients.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2004

Importance of adsorption (hole-filling) mechanism for hydrophobic organic contaminants on an aquifer kerogen isolate.

Sorption and desorption behaviors of four hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) were investigated for an isolated kerogen material from Borden aquifer material with total organic carbon of 0.021%. The solubility-normalized modified Freundlich equation and the combined linear and Polanyi-Dubinin (PD) equation can quite well describe the sorption or desorption isotherms. The partition component is estimated and compared using desorption data, dual-mode modeling, and the reported partition coefficients. The result suggests that the dual-mode modeling and the combined linear and PD modeling may overestimate the partitioning component. The partition component is not so important as assumed before in sorption of HOCs for the studied sorbent. As the fitted PD equation has an exponent parameter b' approaching 1, it is equivalent to the modified Freundlich equation. The small molecules 1,2-dichlorobenzene (DCB) and naphthalene (Naph) have higher adsorption volumes. The lower adsorption volumes for 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene (TCB) and phenanthrene (Phen) suggest that accessibility to the holes of kerogen by large HOC molecules is reduced. The desorption hysteresis is approximately constant for DCB when the relative aqueous concentration ranges from 0.0007 to 0.6, but for Phen is only obvious at higher relative aqueous concentrations. The varied sorption and desorption behaviors for DCB and Phen are satisfactorily explained by an adsorption/ hole filling mechanism and entrapment of some adsorbates in the kerogen matrix and by possible pore deformation mechanism at high concentrations.

Adsorption↗
PubMed2002

Monitoring expression of HER-2 on circulating epithelial cells in patients with advanced breast cancer.

Nineteen breast cancer patients with measurable metastatic disease who were starting an initial or new line of therapy were evaluated for circulating epithelial cells (CECs) a minimum of 4 times over the course of treatment. In 7 of the 10 CEC+ patients, HER-2 expression was detected on the CECs. CECs expressing HER-2 varied among patients and in serial samples from the same patient including a shift from HER-2- to HER-2+ CECs. These results demonstrate that it is possible to quantify receptors essential for rationally designed therapy using CECs and that reliance on the immunophenotype of the primary tumor can be misleading.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed2001

Placental protein 14 induces apoptosis in T cells but not in monocytes.

Substantial evidence exists in literature to suggest that placental protein 14 (PP14) (recently renamed glycodelin A), exhibits immunosuppressive properties and is an indispensable macromolecule in the maternal system for the establishment, maintenance, and progression of pregnancy. Though there are several reports substantiating the above, the mechanism of its action at the molecular level has not been elucidated as yet. In this paper we provide data that suggest that amniotic fluid PP14 and recombinant PP14 expressed in Pichia pastoris induce apoptosis in human peripheral blood lymphocytes upon activation, independent of monocytes. That PP14 has a direct apoptotic action on T cells but not on monocytes was also demonstrated by utilizing human cell lines. PP14 was shown to induce apoptosis in the human T cell lines, Jurkat and MOLT-4 cells, but not in the human monocytic cell line, U937.

Acridine Orange↗
PubMed2000

Peripheral blood tumor cell load reflects the clinical activity of the disease in patients with carcinoma of the breast.

Peripheral blood was examined for the presence of tumor cells at multiple time points over a one-year period in 45 patients with a history of surgical resection of breast carcinoma. The number of circulating epithelial cells in 8 of 8 patients with clinically active disease concurred or preceded changes in the disease activity. In 12 of 37 patients with no evidence of disease epithelial cells were found at least at one time point at a frequency larger than the control group. One patient had a recurrence of the breast cancer 4 weeks after circulating epithelial cells were detected in the blood.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1999

Prosthetic valve replacement in Ebstein's malformation: 30-year follow-up.

This report addresses a 42-year-old asymptomatic patient who underwent prosthetic replacement of his tricuspid valve 31 years previously for Ebstein's malformation. A ball valve prosthesis was implanted to replace the abnormal valve. Furthermore, he had concomitant closure of a large atrial septal defect with a perforated patch together with plication of the atrialized ventricular segment. The patient is asymptomatic, and it remains noteworthy that he has not been on coumadin for about 30 years.

Child↗
PubMed1998

Detection and characterization of carcinoma cells in the blood.

A highly sensitive assay combining immunomagnetic enrichment with multiparameter flow cytometric and immunocytochemical analysis has been developed to detect, enumerate, and characterize carcinoma cells in the blood. The assay can detect one epithelial cell or less in 1 ml of blood. Peripheral blood (10-20 ml) from 30 patients with carcinoma of the breast, from 3 patients with prostate cancer, and from 13 controls was examined by flow cytometry for the presence of circulating epithelial cells defined as nucleic acid+, CD45(-), and cytokeratin+. Highly significant differences in the number of circulating epithelial cells were found between normal controls and patients with cancer including 17 with organ-confined disease. To determine whether the circulating epithelial cells in the cancer patients were neoplastic cells, cytospin preparations were made after immunomagnetic enrichment and were analyzed. Epithelial cells from patients with breast cancer generally stained with mAbs against cytokeratin and 3 of 5 for mucin-1. In contrast, no cells that stained for these antigens were observed in the blood from normal controls. The morphology of the stained cells was consistent with that of neoplastic cells. Of 8 patients with breast cancer followed for 1-10 months, there was a good correlation between changes in the level of tumor cells in the blood with both treatment with chemotherapy and clinical status. The present assay may be helpful in early detection, in monitoring disease, and in prognostication.

Antigens, CD↗
PubMed1998

Flow cytometry--principles and feasibility in transfusion medicine. Enumeration of epithelial derived tumor cells in peripheral blood.

Immunomagnetic selection of epithelial cells from peripheral blood was combined with flowcytometric or microscopic analysis to characterize and enumerate epithelium derived tumor cells in the circulation of patients with carcinoma of the breast. Highly significant differences in the number of circulating epithelial cells were found between normal controls and patients with breast cancer. In addition, significant differences in the number of circulating epithelial cells were found in patients in whom the tumor is confined to the primary tumor and those with metastatic disease to local lymphnodes or distant sites [1]. The malignant nature of the cells was demonstrated by their cytology and immunophenotype. In following up the number of epithelial cells in the blood of patients with metastatic carcinoma of the breast, it was shown that it was well correlated with the activity of the disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Lipidation as a novel approach to mucosal immunization.

We describe the design and development of a novel peptide-based approach for mucosal immunization. The design contains an amplified peptide chain as multiple antigen peptide (MAP) with a cluster of lipids. Such a design would confer on lipidated MAP the ability to self-assemble in water, mimicking enveloped viral particles. The importance of lipidation for mucosal immunization was confirmed by oral immunization with lipidated MAP in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), which induced mucosal and systemic immune responses at local and distant sites, including sera and vaginal IgG as well as secretory IgA in saliva, vaginal secretions and fecal matter. T-cell proliferative responses were found in spleen, Peyer's patches and genital lymph nodes. In addition, significant splenic cytotoxic T-cell responses were also observed. No significant immune responses were observed with non-lipidated MAPs by oral delivery in PBS. Furthermore, these responses were selectively enhanced by different regimens, systemic priming and microparticle delivery. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of lipidated MAP for mucosal immunization to evoke both systemic and mucosal immune responses without the use of carrier or extraneous adjuvant.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1997

Microencephaly in children congenitally infected with human immunodeficiency virus--a gross-anatomical morphometric study.

A quantitative technique involving serial sectioning and semiautomatic morphometric analysis was used to assess the severity of the reduction in size of the major brain structures in cerebral hemispheres of children congenitally infected with HIV-1. Cerebral hemispheres from 12 children (18-48 months of age) who died of AIDS were sectioned into 5-mm-thick serial slabs and photographed. The cross-sectional areas of grossly recognizable brain structures were digitized, and the volumes were calculated according to Cavalieri's principle. The results were compared with those of an identically processed group of control brains from non-AIDS children. Analysis of the brain weight showed that there was a significant reduction in supratentorial and infratentorial weight in the AIDS group. The results of the morphometric study revealed that the loss in brain mass was associated with a statistically significant reduction in the total volume of both hemispheres, the entire cortex, white matter, and basal ganglia. Detailed analysis of individual brain structures also showed a significant reduction in volume of all cortical regions and most of the subcortical gray matter (e.g., caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus, claustrum, and thalamus). It appears that in the microencephaly observed as a frequent sequel in pediatric AIDS, the loss of brain tissue is global and includes an almost proportional loss of cortex, subcortical gray matter and white matter.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1997

Incidence of extrapyramidal syndromes in AIDS patients and a comparison group of medically ill inpatients.

The authors retrospectively reviewed the charts of 29 inpatients with AIDS and 24 medically ill inpatients, all of whom were exposed to neuroleptics. Results adjusted for age, gender, type and dosage of neuroleptic, and extrapyramidal prophylaxis indicated that inpatients with AIDS were 7 times more likely to develop extrapyramidal syndromes (EPS) from neuroleptics than the comparison group of medically ill inpatients. Possible neuroanatomic, neuropathologic, and neurochemical reasons for the vulnerability of patients with AIDS to EPS are reviewed.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1997

A short-term plaque study using Lactitol as a non-sugar sweetener.

A short-term plaque study was undertaken in a group of 12 children of 8-12 years age to evaluate the effect of lactitol, 4-O (beta-galactosyl)-D-glucitol, on dental plaque pH, weight and microchemical composition. Sucrose which was taken as control and lactitol, were used in both solution form and sweets. Plaque pH recording was done at rest and post consumption periods at 5, 10, 20 and 30 minute intervals. Weight and microchemical analysis were done with 3-day-old plaque after consumption of sweets. Throughout the study period lactitol did not reach to a pH where the demineralization of enamel starts. A significant reduction in plaque formation, carbohydrate content, increase in calcium, phosphorus and protein in lactitol showed the potentiality of this bulk sweetener as non-cariogenic.

Calcium↗
PubMed1997

The white matter changes in microencephalic HIV infected infants. A preliminary report.

The brains of six infants 14-34 months of age and with microencephaly (brain weight deficit 20-55.5%) were chosen from a group of cases vertically infected with HIV. The center of our investigations was focused on the white matter changes of which two types were observed in the examined brains. Within the periventricular white matter of four cases evident lesions consisting of myelin pallor and concomitant gliosis were recognized as HIV-1 infection related leukoencephalopathy. In all those cases myelination delay was also noted. In one case HIV encephalitis was diagnosed. Our observations suggest that in the majority of HIV infected infants changes resulting in the brain "too small for age" corelate with myelination delay coexisting with early-onset leukoencephalopathy. Because of the small number of cases in this study the results should be considered preliminary, and will require further investigations.

AIDS Dementia Complex↗