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Biomedical subjects

I Gupta

Publications and source records attributed to I Gupta.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Specific IgA response, T-cell subtype and cytokine profile in experimental intravaginal trichomoniasis.

Trichomoniasis caused by Trichomonas vaginalis may lead to either a complete absence of symptoms or to severe inflammatory manifestations in infected women. Studies of the role of immune responses in the pathogenesis and varied symptomatology of this disease are lacking. Mice may prove useful as an experimental model for intravaginal trichomoniasis in developing an understanding of the role of local immune responses in the pathogenesis and varied symptomatology of this disease. The present study reports the levels of anti-Trichomonas IgA antibodies in serum and vaginal washes, and T-cell subtype and cytokine profile in vaginal cervical tissues of mice infected intravaginally with T. vaginalis isolates from 15 symptomatic and 15 asymptomatic women. It also correlates the responses with symptomatology of the patients. Successful intravaginal infection was established by inoculating T. vaginalis in BALB/c mice preinoculated with Lactobacillus acidophilus and pretreated with oestradiol. A significant increase in specific IgA antibody levels was detected with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in vaginal secretions and serum samples collected on the 7th post-infection day from animals infected with isolates from asymptomatic women when compared with mice infected with isolates from symptomatic women. T-cell subset analysis showed significant differences, with increased CD4+ T-cell count in animals infected with isolates from asymptomatic women compared with animals infected using isolates from symptomatic women. No difference in CD8+ T cells was observed between the two groups. Cytokine profile revealed significantly higher (P < 0.001) production of gamma-IFN and IL-2 in mice infected with asymptomatic isolates compared with animals infected with symptomatic isolates, using T. vaginalis crude antigen extract and nonspecific mitogen (ConA) as stimulants for vaginal cervical lymphocytes. However, no difference in IL-4 levels was observed in the two groups of animals. In contrast, significant increase in tumour necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) levels was observed in animals infected with asymptomatic isolates compared with those infected with isolates from symptomatic women and controls, thereby indicating that TNF-alpha may play an important role in the inflammatory response to trichomoniasis. The study further suggests that specific IgA antibodies might help to protect asymptomatic individuals from severe infection and T-lymphocytes may play an important function in the eradication of the parasite. The cytokine profile indicated the involvement of Th-1 like responses in mice infected with asymptomatic isolates, compared with those infected with symptomatic isolates.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Prevalence of behavioral problems in school going children.

The study was conducted on 957 school children using Rutter B scale which was to be completed by the class teachers in Ludhiana, India. One hundred and forty-one children (14.6%) scored more than 9 points and were included in the second part of the study. An equal number of sex matched children scoring less than 9 points served as controls. Both these groups were called for an interview with a child psychiatrist along with their parents. Only 117 and 124 children turned up and were included in the analysis. Based on the screening instrument results and parental interview, 45.6% of the children were estimated to have behavioural problems, of which 36.5% had significant problems. It was noticed that neither the screening instrument nor the interview was able to detect all the problems. Scholastic under-achievement was found to be associated with maximum problems. Scholastic under-achievement can be a useful starting point of identifying children with behavioural problems. Close cooperation between school teachers, parents, and health care providers is essential to ensure healthy development of children.

Child↗
PubMed2001

Effects of gum resin of Boswellia serrata in patients with chronic colitis.

Patients studied here suffered from chronic colitis characterized by vague lower abdominal pain, bleeding per rectum with diarrhoea and palpable tender descending and sigmoid colon. The inflammatory process in colitis is associated with increased formation of leukotrienes causing chemotaxis, chemokinesis, synthesis of superoxide radicals and release of lysosomal enzymes by phagocytes. The key enzyme for leukotriene biosynthesis is 5-lipoxygenase. Boswellic acids were found to be non-redox, non-competitive specific inhibitors of the enzyme 5-lipoxygenase. We studied the gum resin of Boswellia serrata for the treatment of this disease. Thirty patients, 17 males and 13 females in the age range of 18 to 48 years with chronic colitis were included in this study. Twenty patients were given a preparation of the gum resin of Boswellia serrata (900 mg daily divided in three doses for 6 weeks) and ten patients were given sulfasalazine (3 gm daily divided in three doses for 6 weeks) and served as controls. Out of 20 patients treated with Boswellia gum resin 18 patients showed an improvement in one or more of the parameters: including stool properties, histopathology as well as scanning electron microscopy, besides haemoglobin, serum iron, calcium, phosphorus, proteins, total leukocytes and eosinophils. In the control group 6 out of 10 patients showed similar results with the same parameters. Out of 20 patients treated with Boswellia gum resin 14 went into remission while in case of sulfasalazine remission rate was 4 out of 10. In conclusion, this study shows that a gum resin preparation from Boswellia serrata could be effective in the treatment of chronic colitis with minimal side effects.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Estimation of cord blood erythropoietin in pre-eclampsia and eclampsia.

OBJECTIVE: The estimation of cord blood erythropoietin in subjects with pre-eclampsia and eclampsia. METHOD: Erythropoietin was measured, using ELISA, in the cord blood of infants born to 83 mothers with pre-eclampsia, and 7 with eclampsia. Another 90 subjects with no evidence of pre-eclampsia or eclampsia were taken as control subjects. Maternal parity, gestational age, blood pressures, 24-h urine protein and Apgar scores of the infants delivered were also noted. RESULT: Cord blood erythropoietin levels were statistically significantly higher (P<0.001) in infants born to mothers with pre-eclampsia and eclampsia. There was a significant positive correlation (P<0.01) between cord blood erythropoietin levels and maternal blood pressure (systolic and diastolic) and albuminuria. A negative correlation (P<0.01) was observed with the birth weights of infants. CONCLUSION: Pre-eclampsia and eclampsia are associated with higher levels of cord blood erythropoietin.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Serum ferritin level as a marker of preterm labor.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the serum ferritin levels in women with preterm labor (PTL) or preterm premature rupture of membranes with those in normal gravid women. METHOD: The study group consisted of 50 consecutive subjects with preterm labor and 49 subjects with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PROM). The control group consisted of 50 subjects matched with the study group for hemoglobin (Hb) and gestation who did not have PTL or preterm PROM. Serum ferritin levels were assayed in both the groups. RESULTS: Mean serum ferritin levels in patients with preterm labor and preterm premature rupture of membranes were 23.24+/-12.13 ng/ml and 29.44+/-28.41 ng/ml, respectively. The mean serum ferritin in control subjects was 8.69+/-3.7 ng/ml. The difference was evaluated by Student's t-test and was found to be statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The serum ferritin level is significantly raised in pregnant women with preterm labor and preterm PROM.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Oxidative stress in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L) seedlings treated with acifluorfen.

Treatment of diphenyl ether herbicide acifluorfen-Na (AF-Na) to intact cucumber (Cucumis sativus L cv Poinsette) seedlings induced overaccumulation of protoporphyrin IX in light (75 mumole m-2 s-1). The extra-plastidic protoporphyrin IX accumulated during the light exposure disappeared within two hours of transfer of acifluorofen-treated seedlings to darkness. The dark disappearance was due to re-entry of migrated protoporphyrin IX into the plastid and its subsequent conversion to protochlorophyllide. In light, protoporphyrin IX acted as a photosensitizer and caused generation of active oxygen species. The latter caused damage to the cellular membranes by peroxidation of membrane lipids that resulted in production of malondialdehyde. Damage to the plastidic membranes resulted in damage to photosystem I and photosystem II reactions. Dark-incubation of herbicide-sprayed plants before their exposure to light enhanced photodynamic damage due to diffusion of the herbicide to the site of action. Compared to control, in treated samples the cation-induced increases in variable fluorescence/maximum fluorescence ratio and increase in photosystem II activity was lower due to reduced grana stacking in herbicide-treated and light-exposed plants.

Cucumis sativus↗
PubMed1999

Reactive oxygen intermediates and reactive nitrogen intermediates in copper intrauterine device users.

The mechanism of action of copper in copper intrauterine devices (Cu IUD) as an antimicrobial agent is not well understood. Copper and iron are supposed to be responsible for release of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) and reactive nitrogen intermediates (RNI), which are very active in the presence of infection. The copper in a copper IUD could be responsible for limiting pelvic inflammatory disease. The present study was composed of 20 IUD seekers in whom ROI and RNI were studied before insertion of Cu IUD and then at 1, 4, and 12 weeks afterward. ROI showed a rise after insertion, whereas RNI showed a steady decline. Hence, it is presumed that the rise in ROI could be responsible for both the bactericidal effect of Cu IUD and also for the fall in RNI.

Chromogenic Compounds↗
PubMed1999

Serial plasma fibronectin levels in pre-eclamptic and normotensive women.

OBJECTIVE: Endothelial cell damage has been put forward as an underlying factor for development of pre-eclampsia. This study was carried out to see if fibronectin, which is a marker of endothelial damage, could be used as a marker of pre-eclampsia. METHODS: A longitudinal study was conducted on 100 normotensive primigravidae registered before 20 weeks of gestation. These subjects were followed until delivery and three blood samples were collected, first at registration, i.e. before 20 weeks, second around 28 weeks and third at 36 weeks or later till delivery. Fibronectin levels were assayed by ELISA and women observed for any signs of pre-eclampsia. RESULTS: Fourteen subjects developed pre-eclampsia. Fibronectin levels were observed to rise as pregnancy advanced but the rise was significantly higher in subjects who developed pre-eclampsia. The fibronectin levels were also significantly higher in these 14 subjects even in the first sample, i.e. before 20 weeks of gestation when compared with normotensive subjects (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Fibronectin levels could be used as an early valuable biomarker for the development of pre-eclampsia.

Biomarkers↗
PubMed1999

Evaluation of serum creatine kinase as a diagnostic marker for tubal pregnancy.

Forty women comprising of 20 each in study and control groups had their serum creatine kinase (CK) estimated. The study subjects were proven cases of ectopic pregnancy and the controls were either medical termination of pregnancy seekers or antenatal cases matched for gestational age and with a confirmed intrauterine pregnancy. Total serum creatine kinase levels were found to be significantly higher in the study group i.e. 34.15 +/- 1.17 IU/L compared to the controls 18.72 +/- 1.25 (p < 0.001). Creatine kinase is estimated routinely in cardiac patients even on an emergency basis. Our findings indicate that when in doubt the test could be used as a marker for the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy.

Biomarkers↗
PubMed1998

Effects of Boswellia serrata gum resin in patients with bronchial asthma: results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, 6-week clinical study.

The gum resin of Boswellia serrata, known in Indian Ayurvedic system of medicine as Salai guggal, contains boswellic acids, which have been shown to inhibit leukotriene biosynthesis. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study forty patients, 23 males and 17 females in the age range of 18 - 75 years having mean duration of illness, bronchial asthma, of 9.58 +/- 6.07 years were treated with a preparation of gum resin of 300 mg thrice daily for a period of 6 weeks. 70% of patients showed improvement of disease as evident by disappearance of physical symptoms and signs such as dyspnoea, rhonchi, number of attacks, increase in FEV subset1, FVC and PEFR as well as decrease in eosinophilic count and ESR. In the control group of 40 patients 16 males and 24 females in the age range of 14-58 years with mean of 32.95 +/- 12.68 were treated with lactose 300 mg thrice daily for 6 weeks. Only 27% of patients in the control group showed improvement. The data show a definite role of gum resin of Boswellia serrata in the treatment of bronchial asthma.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Role of antigen specific circulating immune complexes in diagnosis of tuberculosis.

SETTING: Tuberculosis is a public health problem worldwide. Early accurate diagnosis in patients with active disease is essential to reduce morbidity and mortality. Conventional methods for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis have given disappointing results. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the utility of detection of M. tuberculosis antigen in circulating immune complexes (CIC) for the diagnosis of tuberculosis. METHOD: Eighty-four clinically diagnosed cases of mainly extra-pulmonary tuberculosis, 85 patients with diseases other than tuberculosis and 30 healthy controls, were evaluated for the presence of antigen of M. tuberculosis in CIC in serum using sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: In total, 22 out of 84 cases were positive for culture on Lowenstein Jensen medium; 76.5% (n = 65) of the clinically diagnosed patients (including 20 culture-positive cases) were found to be positive by ELISA. The difference in mean absorbance values of ELISA in cases of tuberculosis was significantly higher than in controls. The sensitivity of ELISA was 90.9% and the specificity was 93.04%. CONCLUSION: Detection of M. tuberculosis antigen in CIC by ELISA has potential as a useful diagnostic tool for the rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis, especially extra-pulmonary forms where results of conventional methods of diagnosis are disappointing.

Animals↗