Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

P Dutta

Publications and source records attributed to P Dutta.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Plant sterols in vegetables and fruits commonly consumed in Sweden.

Plant sterols are known to have serum cholesterol lowering effects. A high dietary intake might therefore have a positive impact on health. All food items of vegetable origin contain some amount of plant sterols. The aim of this study was to analyse the plant sterol content of vegetables and fruits commonly consumed in Sweden, and to compare fresh and cooked samples of the same items. Altogether 20 different vegetables and 14 fruits were analysed. All vegetables and fruits were purchased in two shops in the city of Gothenburg, Sweden. Lyophilization was performed within one month of the items being purchased. The samples were frozen at -20 (C and analysed within six months, with a GLC method after acid hydrolysis, alkaline hydrolysis and silylation with tri-methylsilylether. The acid hydrolysis was done in order to detect the fraction of glycosylated plant sterols, which are split during boiling with HCl. The median plant sterol content of vegetables was 14 (3.8-50) mg/100 g edible portion. The highest concentrations were found in broccoli. Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and olives. The median plant sterol content of fruits was 16 (3-44) mg/100 g edible portion. The highest concentrations were found in oranges and passion fruits. The plant sterol concentrations were thus low in vegetables and fruits commonly consumed in Sweden. A serum cholesterol lowering effect attributed to the plant sterols in vegetables and fruits would therefore be of limited significance.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Mucoid presentation of acute enterocolitis in children: a hospital-based case-control study.

A hospital-based case-control study was carried out to clarify the characteristics of mucoid presentation of acute enterocolitis in children. One hundred sixty-eight cases of acute mucoid enterocolitis (study population) were compared with 200 cases of watery diarrhoea and 118 cases of blood dysentery (control groups) on the basis of clinical characteristics and findings on stool examination. Study and control groups were comparable with respect to age, body weight and nutritional status. There was no significant difference in clinical characteristics (duration of diarrhoea, stool frequency, presence of vomiting, fever and dehydration) between patients suffering from mucoid enterocolitis and blood dysentery. However, watery diarrhoea patients had significantly high frequencies of vomiting (p=0.00001) and dehydration (p=0.00001). High numbers of microscopic red blood cells (mean +/- SD: 40.8 +/- 16.8) and white blood cells (40.6 +/- 18.0) were present in faecal samples of the patients with mucoid enterocolitis, which is indicative of infection caused by enteroinvasive enteropathogens. Shigella was a commonly identified enteropathogen in patients with mucoid enterocolitis (40.5%) and in patients with dysentery (46.6%), with no statistically significant difference (p = 0.30). Isolation of Salmonella was statistically similar in study and control groups. However, Entamoeba histolytica was detected in significantly high frequency in patients with mucoid enterocolitis as compared to the patients with dysentery (p = 0.0004) and watery diarrhoea (p = 0.00004). Our results indicate that mucoid enterocolitis patients are infected with enteroinvasive enteropathogens, and that stool examination is useful in establishing the aetiological diagnosis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1999

Use of PCR to identify enteroaggregative Escherichia coli as an important cause of acute diarrhoea among children living in Calcutta, India.

The importance of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAggEC) as a possible aetiological agent of acute diarrhoea among children in Calcutta, India, was investigated. Simultaneously the use of a previously described PCR diagnostic system was assessed for its ability to identify EAggEC infection. E. coli strains isolated during a 1-year case-control study from faecal samples of 388 children aged <5 years, with or without diarrhoea, were examined for EAggEC by HeLa cell adherence assay in parallel with a PCR assay with primers generated from an EAggEC DNA probe. A blind comparison was made between the two methods to determine their diagnostic potential. E. coli isolates that adhered to HeLa cells in an aggregative pattern were the sole isolates significantly more often in 254 cases (9%) than in 134 control (2%) children. Age stratification showed that EAggEC were isolated more frequently from children aged <36 months. The EAggEC isolates belonged to several O serogroups and showed multiple drug resistance. Both methods were positive for 26 samples, nine samples were positive by PCR alone and seven samples were positive by culture alone, thus indicating a 78% sensitivity and 97% specificity for the PCR assay. EAggEC is an important aetiological agent of acute diarrhoea among infants in and around Calcutta, and the PCR diagnostic system may be useful to identify such infection in epidemiological studies.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1998

A PC-based Braille library system for the sightless.

This paper presents a novel multiclient braille reading system developed around a single low cost personal computer. The system primarily addresses the needs of the Braille libraries, where different texts are needed to be read by different users simultaneously. Moreover, the system can simultaneously cater to different texts written in different languages. This feature makes it specially suitable for use by multilingual nationalities. The major advantage of this system is its low cost, compared to the other systems available and is specially attractive for the developing or underdeveloped countries. The paper describes the system, first from the user point of view and then presents the hardware and software design details. The system performance has been evaluated by the sightless users and has shown encouraging results.

Blindness↗
PubMed1998

Larval ecology and mosquito fauna of upper Brahmaputra valley, northeast India.

Ninety-one mosquito species in 15 genera were collected from 22 habitat types of Upper Brahmaputra valley in Assam and bordering areas of Arunachal Pradesh. Nineteen species have been recorded for the first time in Assam including seven first records from the northeast region and three first country records. Jaccard's coefficient was used to quantify the similarity between 13 different geographical localities surveyed on the basis of their mosquito fauna. Group average sorting (UPGMA) cluster analysis was used to find out relationship between Jonai, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and north Lakhimpur (study zones) on the basis of their mosquito community. Immatures of three malaria vectors incriminated from the northeast India, viz. Anopheles dirus, An. minimus and An. philippinensis were collected exclusively from forest areas. Fourteen potential vectors of Japanese encephalitis incriminated from elsewhere in India were collected during the study.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Interaction of sodium dehydrocholate and sodium cholate with polyvinyl pyrrolidone in aqueous medium.

The results of interaction of the bile salts sodium dehydrocholate (NaDHC) and sodium cholate (NaC) with the water soluble polymer polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) studied by the methods of conductance, surface tension, viscosity and calorimetry are reported. Both of the bile salts exhibited PVP influenced self-aggregation. While NaC showed expected surface tension behaviour, NaDHC exhibited anomalous behaviour. The minimum interfacial area per molecule of the bile salt, the maximum interfacial adsorption, the free energy of micellization and the free energy of interfacial adsorption are presented for NaC. This information was not obtained for NaDHC because of its anomalous surface tension behaviour. The bile-salt-adhered PVP exhibited polyelectrolyte behaviour at PVP concentrations < 0.25 g dl-1. The enthalpy of interaction of NaC with PVP had a maximum at 0.25 mole dm-3 (delta Hi = +180 cal/mole); NaDHC produced too little heat to be detected by the calorimeter.

Cholic Acid↗
PubMed1998

Distribution of potential dengue vectors in major townships along the national highways and trunk roads of northeast India.

Surveys were conducted in some townships along the national highways and trunk roads of northeast India to detect breeding of Aedes mosquitos in used/waste tire dumps piled outdoors by the tire repairing shops during summer season of 1996-1997. The breeding of both the potential vectors of dengue, viz. Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus were detected, prevalence rate being in the range of 30.0-88.0 (CI = container index value). The preponderance of Ae. aegypti was considerably much higher than that of Ae. albopictus and all the urban and semiurban areas coming up along the side of the roads were observed to be infested with Ae. aegypti. With respect to transmission of dengue, this study clearly indicates that waste tire dumps in every urban agglomeration should receive primary attention in view of their relative contribution to the abundance and dispersal of these vector mosquitos.

Aedes↗
PubMed1998

Long-term effect of diethylcarbamazine citrate on microfilaraemia status in treated individuals.

Follow up of microfilaraemic individuals infected with Wuchereria bancrofti at five years after treatment was carried out in a tea workers population. Diethylcarbamazine citrate in the dose schedule of 72 mg/kg body weight given in equal daily doses over a period of 21 days cleared 51.6 per cent microfilaraemic individuals five year post-treatment. Eighty five subjects were successfully followed and among these, 10 (11.8%) showed increase in mf counts, 31 (36.4%) showed reduction but remained microfilaraemic and 44 (51.8%) became amicrofilaraemic. The age and sex of the host had no significant effect on the clearance of mf. Persistence of a relatively stable low number of mf in treated individuals is more likely due to survival of one or more female worms after the therapy or due to reinfection which could not be ruled out in the present study. Overall, findings indicated that diethylcarbamazine citrate appeared to give a long-term benefit to treated individuals.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Determination of reliability and validity in home monitoring data of pulmonary function tests following lung transplantation.

Electronic spirometry units were used to monitor lung transplantation recipients upon their return home. The data from 77 participants were used to develop methods to verify that the pulmonary function measurements, forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), were reliable and valid. The standard deviation was calculated for the best daily effort on consecutive days of home spirometry. An acceptable upper limit for the standard deviation, as the measure of day-to-day reliability, was 0.20 for FVC and 0.15 for FEV1. Validity was determined by examining the mean difference (bias) between the spirometry done in the pulmonary function laboratory and the home monitoring results. The clinic values were slightly higher, with an average difference of 0.15 for FVC and 0.12 for FEV1. Therefore, the home spirometry measurements have a high degree of reliability and validity and can now be used for early detection of serious complications.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Association of enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis with childhood diarrhoea.

This study was conducted in a hospital setting to determine whether enterotoxigenic strains of Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF) were associated with childhood diarrhoea. ETBF was isolated from 6 (2.6%) of 226 patients and 3 (1.7%) of 172 controls and was found mostly in children between 1-5 yr of age. The syndrome associated with ETBF was secretory in nature with watery diarrhoea and of mild severity. ETBF may be associated with diarrhoeal illness in children but is not a major problem in this part of the country.

Bacteroides Infections↗
PubMed1997

Biting behaviour and biting rhythm of potential Japanese encephalitis vectors in Assam.

Studies on biting behaviour and biting cycles of medically important mosquitoes were carried out in Madhupur village and Tarajan tea estate of upper Assam. Collections were made off human baits outdoors and indoors and off cattle bait outdoors from August 1991 to July 1992. Human bait collections were performed using the 'stationary direct bait' technique. A total of 9,072 adult host seeking female mosquitoes representing 26 species and 5 genera were collected off baits of which 36.9% were collected off human baits and the rest from cattle. All mosquitoes were primarily zoophilic, although significant numbers were collected biting man outdoors. Biting preferences of important Japanese encephalitis (JE) vectors for man and cattle were studied using outdoor man:outdoor cattle ratio (attraction ratio = AR). Culex quinquefasciatus was attracted towards human baits the most (AR = 8.1:1), followed by Cx. bitaeniorhynchus (AR = 1.6:1) and Mansonia annulifera (AR = 1.3.1). The hourly biting activity of important JE vectors throughout the night on two bait types was also studied using three point moving averages. Hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis was used to compare and classify mosquitoes on the basis of their similarity in biting rhythms.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

ERCP in situs inversus: do we need to turn the other way?

Endoscopic procedures are difficult in patients with situs inversus owing to left-right reversal of viscera. Conventionally, reversal of the position of the endoscopist in relation to the patient is advocated to overcome the anatomical difficulty. We describe a patient with chronic calcific pancreatitis and pseudocyst of the pancreas who had situs inversus. ERCP was performed with minor modification of maneuvers with the patient in the usual left lateral decubitus and the endoscopist on the left of the table.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Multi-drug resistant typhoid fever with diarrhea.

OBJECTIVE: To provide information about the characteristics of diarrheal stool in multi-drug resistant typhoid fever and observe the clinical course after treatment with furazolidone or ciprofloxacin. SETTING: Hospital based. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Twenty one male children who were positive for multi-drug resistant S. typhi by blood and stool cultures, having diarrhea at the time of hospitalization comprised the subjects. Serum and stool electrolytes were estimated. Stool samples were also processed to detect established enteropathogens, leukocytes and red blood cells. Children were treated either with furazolidone or ciprofloxacin and evaluated till recovery. RESULTS: Mean (+/- SD) pre-admission duration of fever and diarrhea of these cases were 19.1 (+/- 5.6) and 15.8 (+/- 4.6) days, respectively. Stool character in 81% of the patients was watery with mean (+/- SD) volume of stool 51.4 (+/- 25.1) ml per kg body weight in the first 24 hours of observation. Leukocyte count varied between 20-49 per high power field in 66.7% stool samples. Occult blood was present in only 19% cases. Fecal red blood cells in high power field were detected in 52.4% cases. Mean fecal electrolytes (mmol/liter) were as follows: sodium-53.8, potassium-51.4, chloride-41.6 and total CO2-24.3. Most of the children (71.4%) had no dehydration and had normal serum electrolytes. The isolated strains of S. typhi were multi-drug resistant. These children were treated successfully either with furazolidone or ciprofloxacin. CONCLUSION: The stools of multi-drug resistant typhoid fever patients were watery with little blood. Their electrolyte contents were more similar to the diarrheal stool seen in shigellosis rather than cholera. Uncontrolled observations revealed that children recovered with furazolidone or ciprofloxacin therapy.

Anti-Infective Agents↗
PubMed1997

Binding of water and solute to protein-mixture and protein-coated alumina.

Extent of water vapour adsorption (n1) of gelatin and bovine serum albumin and their mixtures in different proportion respectively has been measured by isopiestic vapour pressure methods at various values of water activity (a1) ranging between zero and unity. Similar measurements have also been carried out with gelatin and BSA coated alumina powder. At a given value of a1, n1 for the protein mixture is found to be significantly less than their ideal value obtained from the additivity rule. Such decrease is probably due to the protein-protein interaction as a result of which some of the water binding sites become unavailable for water vapour adsorption. On the other hand when a protein is mixed with alumina powder, the water vapour adsorption of the protein coated alumina surface at a given water activity is found to be 2 to 3 times larger than its ideal value obtained from the additivity rule. The standard free energy changes for hydration of protein mixtures and protein-coated alumina have been evaluated using Bull equation. The extent of excess hydration of these proteins and their mixtures as well as protein-coated alumina in the presence of excess neutral salts and urea respectively have been evaluated using the isopiestic method. In all cases, the moles of water and solute respectively bound in absolute amount to biopolymers, biopolymer mixtures and protein-coated alumina have been evaluated in the limited range of solute concentrations in the medium. Based on the Gibbs-Duhem equations, a rigorous expression for the standard free energy change for binding of excess solute and solvent to biopolymer have been evaluated with reference to unit solute mole fraction as standard state. Free energies of excess hydration of different biopolymer systems have been evaluated using this equation.

Aluminum Oxide↗