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Piyush Gupta

Publications and source records attributed to Piyush Gupta.

45 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Plantar response in infancy.

The objective of the study was to characterize the plantar response at various ages in infancy in Indian children. The subjects were 1281 apparently healthy children born at term and without any history suggestive of neurological disease, enrolled between the ages of 1 and 12 months. The plantar response was elicited in both feet by thumbnail drag method and graded as flexor, extensor and equivocal. The percentage of extensor, flexor and equivocal responses was compared between right and left foot and the average of these two responses was compared between the age categories [1-3 months (n=389), 3.1-6 months (n=332), 6.1-9 months (n=354) and 9.1-12 months (n=206)]. Frequency (%) of various combinations of bilateral responses was also calculated for different age categories. Results showed that the extensor plantar response was the predominant response till 6 months of age. Bilateral extensor response was seen in 79.4%, 67.8%, 32.5% and 31.1% in the four age categories respectively; bilateral flexor response in the corresponding age groups was 0.3%, 5.1%, 26.6% and 39.3% respectively. The percentage of asymmetrical responses was 20.7%, 25.3%, 40.3%, and 28.7% in different age categories. We concluded that normal plantar response is predominantly extensor in early infancy; the transition to flexor response starts occurring after 6 months of age. A fairly high number of infants continue to have an extensor response even after 6 months; and the transition may be advanced in one foot leading to asymmetrical plantar response.

Humans↗

Effect of vitamin A supplementation on childhood morbidity and mortality: critical review of Indian studies.

OBJECTIVE: To review all published randomized trials concerned with linkage of vitamin A supplementation with reduction of mortality and morbidity in Indian children. METHOD: The studies were identified by searching the PubMed, review articles, references of available meta-analyses and bibliography of pertinent references. Studies were extracted and the quality of each study was reviewed with regards to 10 categories of parameters that in our opinion, were important for a vitamin A prophylaxis trial. These included background indicators, subjects, design, intervention, proximal measures, field-work, sources of bias, data analysis, interpretation and documentation. RESULTS: Out of 12 studies satisfying the inclusion criteria, the available 11 were examined. Two of the trials were concerned with mortality, 6 with morbidity, and 2 with both mortality and morbidity; 1 study assessed the impact of vitamin A on pneumococcal colonization. Out of 4 mortality trials, only one could satisfactorily report a significant reduction (54 percent) in child mortality following vitamin A supplementation. Of 8 morbidity studies, only 3 indicated some beneficial effect of vitamin A supplementation. None of the studies was perfect in methodology. We could not locate any study that addressed the issue of cost-effectiveness or dietary modifications. The results were not unequivocal and findings for mortality and morbidity were not corroborative. CONCLUSION: There is no definite evidence as yet in favor or against substantial benefit of universal vitamin A supplementation to children in India. There is a clear need to undertake a comprehensive trial with adequate sample size and a standardized methodology that could give clear, unbiased, and convincing evidence on the role of routine vitamin A supplementation.

Child↗

Anemia in adolescent girls: a preliminary report from semi-urban Nepal.

The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of anemia in adolescent Nepalese girls in a semi urban setting. A total of 209 apparently healthy girls between the ages of 11-18 years were recruited and information collected on menarcheal status and socio-demographic profile. All girls were subjected to anthropometric examination and hematocrit estimation. Anemia was defined as hematocrit less than 36, as per WHO cut-off. The overall prevalence of anemia was found to be 68.8%. This prevalence was not related to girls' age, body mass index, menarcheal status, and socio-demographic factors including parental education or occupation ( p = 0.05).

Adolescent↗

Bacteriological analysis of blood culture isolates from neonates in a tertiary care hospital in India.

This study was undertaken to determine the profile and antibiotic sensitivity patterns of aerobic isolates from blood cultures of neonates in a tertiary care hospital in New Delhi, India. All blood culture reports (n = 1,828), obtained during August 1995-September 1996 from newborns admitted to the Department of Pediatrics and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital, Delhi, were analyzed, and the sensitivity patterns were recorded. The positivity of blood culture was 42% (770/1,828). Most (93.2%) bactaeremic episodes were caused by a single organism, while polymicrobial aetiology was observed in 52 (6.8%) cases. Gram-negative organisms were isolated in 493 (60%) of 823 cases, with Klebsiella (33.8%), Enterobacter (7.5%), Alcaligenes faecalis (4.9%), and Escherichia coli (4.6%) being the common microbes. Staphylococcus aureus (24.4%), followed by coagulase-negative staphylococci (7.9%), were the major Gram-positive isolates. Most (80%) Gram-positive isolates were sensitive to vancomycin, and 50-75% of the Gram-negative isolates were sensitive to ciprofloxacin and amikacin. It is concluded that Klebsiella and Staphylococcus aureus remain the principal organisms responsible for neonatal sepsis in a tertiary care setting.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Seroprevalence of cytomegalovirus among voluntary blood donors in Delhi, India.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is known to be a significant cause of morbidity and mortality following blood transfusion in children and immunocompromised adults. In India, it is not mandatory to screen donated blood for CMV in blood banks. Very few studies have been conducted in India to estimate the seroprevalence of this infection in voluntary blood donors. This study was conducted to estimate the seroprevalence of CMV among voluntary blood donors in Delhi, India. In this study, none of 200 donors tested positive for CMV IgM antibody, but 95% were positive for CMV IgG antibody. There was no statistically significant difference in seropositivity of CMV based on distribution of age. Of the 200 donors, 3% tested positive for HBsAg, 1% for HIV, 2% for hepatitis C virus, and 4.5% for syphilis. Since about 95% of blood donors in India are seropositive for CMV, it would seem superfluous to screen blood donors for CMV, as very few seronegative blood units would be available for transfusion. Other preventive strategies, such as leukoreduction, etc., could be more appropriate and cost-effective for the prevention of transmission of CMV through infected blood to immunosuppressed individuals.

Adolescent↗

Physical stability and solubility advantage from amorphous celecoxib: the role of thermodynamic quantities and molecular mobility.

Glassy pharmaceuticals, characterized by excess thermodynamic properties, are theoretically more soluble than their crystalline counterparts. The practical solubility advantage of the amorphous form of celecoxib (CEL) is lost due to its proclivity to lose energy and undergo solvent-mediated devitrification. Theoretical assessment of solubility advantage using differences in isobaric heat capacities (Cp) revealed a 7-21-fold enhancement in the solubility of the amorphous form over that of the crystalline state of CEL. The present study attempts to unveil these differences between experimental and theoretical solubility using thermodynamic parameters such as free energy, enthalpy, and entropy. Amorphous CEL exhibited 1.3-1.5 times enhancement in Cp over that for the crystalline form. The zero and critical molecular mobility regions, represented by Kauzmann temperature (TK) and glass transition temperature (Tg), were found to lie near 246 and 323 K, respectively, for amorphous CEL. The fictive temperature (Tf), an indicator of the configurational entropy of glass, was determined for glassy CEL, signifying the retention of considerable molecular mobility in the glassy phase that may favor nucleation even below Tg. Further, the estimation of various thermodynamic quantities and strength/fragility parameters (D = 11.5 and m = 67.0) postulated the classification of glassy CEL into moderately fragile liquid, as per Angell's classification. A comprehensive understanding of such thermodynamic facets of amorphous form would help in rationalizing the approaches toward development of stable glassy pharmaceuticals with adequate solubility advantage.

Celecoxib↗

Role of molecular interaction in stability of celecoxib-PVP amorphous systems.

Stabilization of an amorphous solid against devitrification can be achieved using additives that interact specifically with the parent molecule, and restrain it from rearranging into a crystal lattice. The amorphous form of celecoxib (CEL) was stabilized by poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP), both in the solid state and during dissolution. A comprehensive characterization of CEL-PVP binary amorphous systems by thermal, spectroscopic, and computer simulation techniques provided greater insight into the molecular interaction between the two species. PVP antiplasticized the amorphous CEL, thus raising its glass transition temperature (T(g)) and restricting the molecular mobility. The T(g)()mix values for CEL-PVP binary amorphous systems of varying composition showed positive deviation from those predicted through the Gordon-Taylor/ Kelley-Bueche equation, thus indicating a molecular interaction between CEL and PVP. This was further substantiated by shifts observed in DSC melting endotherms of CEL, and FTIR bands for C=O stretching vibrations in PVP for CEL-PVP binary amorphous systems. Computer simulation showed stronger H-bonds between amido protons of CEL and carbonyl O of a monomeric unit of PVP, compared to those observed in pure amorphous CEL. These molecular interactions between CEL and PVP supported the stabilizing action of PVP for the amorphous form of CEL.

Calorimetry, Differential Scanning↗

Modeling of drug release from celecoxib-PVP-meglumine amorphous systems.

An empirical assessment of drug release from amorphous systems of celecoxib (CEL), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP), and meglumine (MEG) was performed and compared with that for its crystalline form. CEL-PVP (4:1 w/w) binary and CEL-PVP-MEG (7:2:1 w/w) ternary amorphous systems provided higher drug dissolution. Mathematical modeling of drug release data was found to best fit the Hixson-Crowell release model. The biphasic drug release during a 6-h duration exhibited higher release kinetics in the first phase due to the presence of drug in amorphous form. The release kinetics subdued in the latter phase due to ongoing devitrification process in amorphous systems. A comprehensive understanding of drug release from amorphous systems will accentuate the rationalized design of amorphous drug delivery systems.

Celecoxib↗