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Biomedical subjects

K Srinivasan

Publications and source records attributed to K Srinivasan.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Influence of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) on growth and blood constituents in albino rats.

Feeding of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) at 0.02, 0.1 and 0.5% (dry weight) levels in a semi-synthetic diet for a period of 8 weeks did not have any adverse influence on the food intake, growth and organ weights of normal adult rats. The haematological parameters of these experimental rats were also normal. Serum cholesterol levels of the rats receiving 0.5% bitter gourd were significantly lower than those of the control rats. There was no hypoglycaemic effect of bitter gourd in these normoglycaemic rats.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Lateralisation of speech centre in left-handedness due to cerebral and extracerebral lesions.

This report is based on a study of a small sample of five patients who were initially right-handed and became left-handed due to loss of function in the right arm after extracerebral causes such as polio or injury. Carotid amytal tests in these patients showed that all of them still had the speech centre in the left hemisphere. As expected, lateralised neuropsychological brain function tests showed no significant differences between right and left brain. In infantile right hemiplegia due to atrophic left brain lesions, the speech centre had shifted to right side in 10 out of 15 patients. Neuropsychological tests showed sparing and protection of dominant left brain functions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Decreased heart rate variability in panic disorder patients: a study of power-spectral analysis of heart rate.

We have previously found decreased standard deviations and mean consecutive differences of R-R intervals in panic disorder patients in standing posture, compared with control subjects. In the present study, we used spectral analysis of heart rate variability to examine autonomic function in 21 panic disorder patients and 21 normal control subjects. Patients had a significantly lower standard deviation of heart rate in supine as well as standing postures. Absolute low frequency power (0.01-0.05 Hz) was also significantly lower in panic disorder patients in standing postures. Upon standing, the panic disorder patients had significantly higher relative mid-frequency power (0.07-0.15 Hz). During a standing deep-breathing condition at six breaths per minute, the patients had a significantly decreased absolute and relative mid-frequency (0.07-0.15 Hz) power compared with control subjects. These findings suggest a decrease in cholinergic and a relative increase in adrenergic responsiveness in panic disorder patients compared with control subjects.

Adrenergic Fibers↗
PubMed1993

Fractal dimension of heart rate time series: an effective measure of autonomic function.

Previous studies suggested that heart rate (HR) time series may be more appropriately analyzed by nonlinear techniques because of the nonlinear nature of these data. In this study, we quantified the complexity of the HR time series, using fractal dimension, a previously described measure developed to study axonal growth, which quantifies the space-filling propensity and convolutedness of a waveform, and compared these results with another recently used measure, approximate entropy. Fractal dimension and approximate entropy of HR time series (unfiltered) correlate highly with each other and also with the high-frequency power (0.2-0.5 Hz) and, hence, appear to reflect vagal modulation of HR variability. These measures were also statistically more consistent and effective than measures of spectral analysis. Fractal dimension of the midfrequency time series of HR (filtered with a pass band of 0.05-0.15 Hz) also appears to be a statistically effective measure of relative sympathetic activity, especially in the standing posture.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Enhanced detection of PCR products through use of TOTO and YOYO intercalating dyes with laser induced fluorescence--capillary electrophoresis.

Recent developments in the chemical synthesis of DNA-binding dyes have enhanced detection of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products by capillary electrophoresis. These dyes are dimers of thiazole orange (TOTO) or oxazole orange (YOYO) and have a very high binding affinity for DNA (Haugland, 1992). These dyes show enhanced fluorescence signals when they bind to double-stranded DNA and their fluorescence in the unbound state is almost zero, making them extremely useful in detecting minute (fg) quantities of DNA. We report here the utility of these dyes in DNA typing applications using a laser-induced fluorescence detector in conjunction with a capillary electrophoresis system.

Benzoxazoles↗
PubMed1992

Effects of yohimbine on heart rate variability in panic disorder patients and normal controls: a study of power spectral analysis of heart rate.

We studied the effects of yohimbine on heart rate (HR) variability in 13 normal controls and 13 patients with panic disorder. Yohimbine produced a significant increase in SD of HR in standing posture in both patients (p = 0.01) and normal controls (p = 0.025). Panic disorder patients had a significant increase in standing absolute midfrequency (MF) power (0.07-0.15 Hz) after administration of yohimbine (p = 0.002). The ratio of post- to preyohimbine standing MF power (0.07-0.15 Hz) during standing was significantly higher in patients as compared with controls (2.3 +/- 1.08 vs. 1.33 +/- 0.38; p = 0.01), which suggests an increased responsivity of panic disorder patients to the adrenergic effects of yohimbine.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Effect of cumin, cinnamon, ginger, mustard and tamarind in induced hypercholesterolemic rats.

The effect of a few common spices--cumin (Cuminum cyminum, cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), ginger (Zingiber officinale), mustard (Brassica nigra) and tamarind (Tamarindus indica)--added to normal and hypercholesterolemia inducing diet on serum and liver cholesterol levels in rats was studied. These spices did not show any cholesterol lowering effect when included in the diet at about 5-fold the normal human intake level.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Effect of maternal dietary hexachlorocyclohexane exposure on pup survival and growth in albino rats.

In adult albino rats, maternal dietary beta- and gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) intake during gestation upto 400 ppm level did not affect the number of litters produced. But about 50 and 100% pup mortality was found in 200 and 400 ppm beta-HCH group within 5 days of birth. Maternal mortality was observed in 800 ppm beta-HCH group during third week of gestation. The effect of maternal dietary intake of HCH isomers at 50 and 250 ppm level during gestation and/or lactation on perinatal development was also studied. The body weights and sizes of the newborn litters of mother rats exposed to dietary HCH isomers did not differ from controls. Similarly, the growth and development of the litters of HCH exposed mother rats that survived 28 day lactation period were found to be comparable to controls as evidenced by the body weight and weight of vital organs. However, liver weight increases were found in the 28 days weaned litters wherever the mothers had been exposed to HCH isomers during lactation. Lowered kidney weight was seen in litters of mother rats fed 250 ppm gamma-HCH during gestation and lactation. The brain and testis weights were not affected in the litters of any experimental groups.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Protein binding, nuclear translocation and biliary secretion of metabolites of 3'-methyl-N,N-dimethyl-4-aminoazobenzene during hepatocarcinogenesis in rats.

1. The hepatic content, biliary excretion, cytosolic protein binding and nuclear translocation of metabolites of i.v. administered 14C-3'-methyl-N,N-dimethyl-4-aminoazobenzene (3'-methyl-DAB) were investigated in rats at various stages of 2-acetamidofluorene (AAF)-induced hepatocarcinogenesis. 2. At nodular and post-nodular stages biliary excretion of radioactive metabolites was decreased, although hepatic content of radioactivity was similar to controls not dosed with AAF. The secretion in bile of a major azo dye binding protein was also decreased at these stages. 3. Binding of dye metabolites to cytosolic proteins was decreased by 40% at nodular and post-nodular stages compared to controls. 4. Translocation in vitro of dye metabolites from cytosol to nucleus at nodular and post-nodular stages was 40% less than that of controls. Since specific soluble proteins control translocation from cytosol into the nucleus (and bile), this decreased binding of metabolites may explain the diminished translocation of carcinogen metabolites into the nucleus.

2-Acetylaminofluorene↗
PubMed1991

The effect of spices on cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity and on serum and hepatic cholesterol levels in the rat.

The effect of feeding curcumin, capsaicin, ginger, mustard, black pepper and cumin on cholesterol and bile acid metabolism was studied in rats. The activity of hepatic cholesterol-7 alpha-hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme of bile acid biosynthesis, was significantly elevated in curcumin (turmeric), capsaicin (red pepper), ginger and mustard treated animals. The enzyme activity was comparable to controls in black pepper and cumin fed rats. Serum and liver microsomal cholesterol contents were significantly higher in the curcumin and capsaicin treated animals. Thus, this study has suggested that the spices--turmeric, red pepper, ginger and mustard can stimulate the conversion of cholesterol to bile acids, an important pathway of elimination of cholesterol from the body. However, simultaneous stimulation of cholesterol synthesis by the spice principles--curcumin and capsaicin suggests that there may not be any significant contribution of stimulation of bile acid biosynthesis to the hypocholesterolemic action of these spices, and the latter action may solely be due to interference with exogenous cholesterol absorption.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Dietary hexachlorocyclohexane induced changes in blood and liver lipids in albino mice.

Dietary intake of technical hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) by albino mice for 2 weeks (at 400 and 800 ppm) resulted in hyperlipemia. Significant increase in triglycerides, phospholipids and cholesterol fractions of blood was observed in these animals. Dietary intake of gamma-isomer of HCH for 2 weeks (at 200 ppm) did not have any effect on blood lipid profile, but at 400 ppm level produced higher contents of phospholipids and cholesterol. The hepatomegaly produced by dietary technical HCH or gamma-HCH was not accompanied by fatty metamorphosis of liver. Hypertriglyceridemia caused by HCH was accompanied by lower triglyceride levels in liver, suggesting a possible higher rate of secretion from liver.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1989

Determinants of breast-feeding and post-partum amenorrhoea in Orissa.

A life table analysis is made of the duration of breast-feeding and post-partum amenorrhoea in Orissa, India, taking one variable at a time using data from a baseline survey of fertility and mortality (BSFM) conducted on the lines of the World Fertility Survey. Then a multivariate (proportional hazard) analysis showed that socioeconomic factors including residence, caste status and education influence the breast-feeding and post-partum amenorrhoea periods. There was no effect of maternal age on the length of breast-feeding, but mean length of post-partum amenorrhoea varied with age. The durations of breast-feeding and post-partum amenorrhoea are strongly related.

Amenorrhea↗