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Biomedical subjects

R Gupta

Publications and source records attributed to R Gupta.

At least 919 records · Page 51Linked to original sources

Nonsurgical management of two unusual cases of dens in dente.

The management of two unusual cases of dens invaginatus in a maxillary and a mandibular lateral incisor with a periradicular lesion are reported. The patient presented with pain and localized swelling. Despite the complex anatomy and diagnosis of dens invaginatus, nonsurgical root canal treatment was performed successfully. Furthermore essential clinical considerations and treatment options are suggested. Early diagnosis and management are important to avoid complications.

Dens in Dente↗

Restoration of traumatized anterior teeth by interdisciplinary approach: report of three cases.

These cases had been discussed having massive coronal fracture, rotation and intrusion of teeth. In case one, both the central incisors, i.e. 11 and 21 were fractured only one-third of tooth material was remaining. In case two, 21 was fractured and intruded. In case three, 12 and 21 were avulsed and 11 was rotated and intruded. These cases were successfully treated by multidisciplinary approach. Fractured crown with periapical pathology were endodontically treated and then rotated and intruded teeth were repositioned by removable or fixed orthodontic appliance. Subsequent to endodontic and orthodontic treatment prosthodontic rehabilitation was done.

Child↗

Wrist arthroscopy: principles and clinical applications.

With the development of better and smaller equipment, arthroscopy of the wrist offers the same benefits achievable with arthroscopy of the knee, shoulder, or elbow - not only diagnostic information but also a therapeutic option. Standardized techniques of performing wrist arthroscopy have been developed to evaluate the treat various wrist disorders, such as lesions of the triangular fibrocartilage complex, intra-articular distal radius fractures, and scaphoid fractures. Arthroscopy is now performed in the treatment of dorsal-wrist ganglion cysts and interosseous ligament disruptions, as well as for bone incisions, such as radial styloidectomy, distal ulnar excision (wafer procedure), and proximal-row carpectomy. Compared with other techniques, arthroscopic procedures, such as repair of the triangular fibrocartilage complex, demonstrate better results and improved localization of the injury with a low complication rate. In addition, arthroscopic procedures involve lesssurgical dissection, less postoperative pain, a shorter recovery time, and an earlier return to work for the patient.

Arthroscopy↗

Focus groups with smokers to develop a smoke-free home campaign.

OBJECTIVE: To identify key messages and strategies suggested to be effective in influencing attitudinal and behavioral change in homes in which smoking is allowed to occur. METHODS: Four focus-group interviews were conducted with 35 daily smokers and analyzed for common themes. RESULTS: The themes related to messages that focus on the health of children, respect smokers, are accurate and supported by research and statistics, provide information and assistance on quitting smoking, and use a harm-reduction approach to smoke-free homes. CONCLUSION: The results of this research suggest that a smoke-free home campaign should include messages that address a variety of issues that are of concern and sensitive to smokers.

Adult↗

Prevalence of atherosclerosis risk factors in adolescent school children.

The emerging epidemic of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases in developing countries may have its roots in childhood. We studied atherosclerosis risk factors--tobacco use, obesity, hypertension, total cholesterol level and dietary intake of atherogenic nutrients in adolescent school children aged 13-17 years in Western India. Two hundred thirty-seven children (89 boys, 148 girls) were examined and prevalence of risk factors determined. Family history of coronary heart disease was found in 16 (6.8%), smoking or tobacco use in one (0.4%) and obesity (BMI > 90th percentile) in 24 (10.1%), borderline hypertension (> or = 136/86) in 65 (27.4%) and definite hypertension (> or = 142/92) in 17 (7.2%). Borderline hypercholesterolaemia (170-199 mg/dL) was in 78 (32.9%) and definite hypercholesterolaemia (> or = 200 mg/dL) in 16 (6.8%). Mean calorie intake was 1450 +/- 348 per day. Fats provided 38.4 +/- 8 percent of the calories, saturated fats contributed to 20.3 +/- 6.4 percent of calories, monounsaturated fats to 12.9 +/- 2.4 percent and polyunsaturated fats to 5.0 +/- 3.7 percent. Dietary cholesterol intake was 164 +/- 95 mg/day, sodium chloride intake 12.8 +/- 5.7 gm/day and fibre intake 6.5 +/- 4.6 gm/day. This study shows a high prevalence of metabolic and dietetic coronary risk factors among adolescents of the middle- and upper-middle class in India.

Adolescent↗

Quantitative food frequency questionnaire and assessment of dietary intake.

India is a land of varied foods and food habits. This makes the task of collecting dietary and nutrient intake data difficult. Methods need to be devised to improve the accuracy in reporting intakes by various population subgroups. There is an urgent need to develop a questionnaire that is simple enough to be administered on a large sample and whose validity and reproducibility has been quantified. Regional differences in food habits and availability will have to be taken into account in the questionnaire design. Packaging of food items with definite portion sizes is not a common practice in Indian markets and labels on food products are neither very informative nor descriptive. Epidemiologists addressing the effects of diet have generally used questionnaires that inquire about the frequency of specified foods consumed and sometimes also attempt to quantify usual portion sizes. A number of investigators have conveyed, apparently independently, that the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) as a method of dietary assessment is best suited for most epidemiological applications. A food frequency list can form the basis for nutrition education and allows the dietician and the patient to relate individual eating patterns to specific foods. Other advantages of the FFQ are that it is independent of the ability or inclination of an individual to maintain a diary and also provides immediate feedback to patients, physicians and counsellors.

Diet↗

Influence of total cholesterol levels on long-term mortality in coronary heart disease: a reappraisal.

To examine the prognostic significance of total cholesterol levels at baseline in subjects with stable coronary heart disease, 605 patients with stable coronary heart disease were enrolled; 45 of these did not meet inclusion criteria, 41 were lost to follow-up and 40 opted for coronary bypass surgery. Data of the remaining 479 (389 males, 90 females) were analysed. There were 102 males in group I (cholesterol < 200 mg/dL), 187 in group II (cholesterol 200-239 mg/dL), and 100 in group III (cholesterol > or = 240 mg/dL) and 49 females in group I and 41 in group II. The groups were evenly matched for age and numbers with stable angina or survivors of myocardial infarction. Proportion of smokers, hypertensives, diabetics or obese was also similar (p > 0.05). Mean follow-up in years in men was 6.82 +/- 3.15 in group I, 6.37 +/- 3.11 in group II and 6.81 +/- 2.84 in group III while in women it was 6.95 +/- 2.84 in group I and 7.03 +/- 2.58 years in group II and was not different in various groups (p > 0.05). The overall cardiovascular mortality in various groups in men was 20.6 percent in group I, 28.9 percent in group II and 23.0 percent in group III and in women it was 14.3 percent in group I and 22.0 percent in group II. The crude mortality rate was 2.51 percent per year in males and 1.77 percent per year in females. Actuarial survival at end of seven years in males was 0.76 +/- 0.05 in group I, 0.67 +/- 0.04 in group II, and 0.67 +/- 0.05 in group III and in females it was 0.85 +/- 0.05 in group I and 0.73 +/- 0.09 in group II. The cumulative hazard rates per 1000 person- year follow-up in group I, II and III in males were, at age less than 50 years: 5.4 +/- 5, 19.8 +/- 7, 17.4 +/- 8; at 50-59 years: 23.8 +/- 11, 38.5 +/- 9, 39.8 +/- 13; and at 60 years and over: 76.9 +/- 20, 112.6 +/- 20, 108.2 +/- 28, respectively (p < 0.001 on comparison of group I with groups II and III). In females the trends were not significant. Total cholesterol levels at baseline predict long-term cardiovascular mortality in men with stable coronary heart disease.

Adult↗

Accelerated infusion of streptokinase in acute myocardial infarction results in better TIMI flow grade in infarct-related artery.

Bolus followed by rapid infusion of tissue plasminogen activator results in higher grade of TIMI flow in infarct-related artery as compared to slow infusion. In the present study, an accelerated regimen of streptokinase given over 15 minutes was compared with conventional infusion over one hour in 47 patients presenting within 12 hours of acute myocardial infarction. Forty-seven patients (44 males, 3 females; mean age 54.0 +/- 1.1 years) were randomly allocated to receive 1.5 million units of streptokinase either over 15 minutes (group 1, n = 24) or over one hour (group 2, n = 23) at a mean interval of 5.4 +/- 3.6 hours after onset of symptoms. All the patients received aspirin and intravenous heparin (1000 U/hr) for 96 hours after thrombolysis. Coronary angiography was performed in 43 patients (22 in group 1, 21 in group 2) prior to discharge from the hospital (mean 7 +/- 2.1 days after acute myocardial infarction) and patency of the infarct-related artery and grade of TIMI flow were determined. Infarct-related artery was patent (TIMI 2/3 flow) in 19 (86.4%) patients in group 1 as compared to 12 (57.1%) in group 2 (p < 0.05). TIMI grade 3 flow in the infarct-related artery was present in 13 (59.1%) in group 1 as compared to 7 (33.3%) in group 2 (p = 0.1). There was no significant difference between group 1 and 2 in time of presentation (mean 5.3 +/- 3.9 hrs vs 5.5 +/- 3.2 hrs), time to needle in hospital (25.6 +/- 11.2 min vs 26.3 +/- 6.2 min), site of infarct (anterior myocardial infarction 12 in group 1 vs 11 in group 2), relief of pain at 90 min (13 vs 12), more than 50 percent reduction of ST elevation at 90 minutes (17 vs 12) and left ventricular ejection fraction (48.8 +/- 9.1% vs 49.8 +/- 16.0%), respectively. Streptokinase was well tolerated in both the groups, although hypotension was more common with the accelerated regimen (5 in group 1 vs 3 in group 2; p = NS). Thus, 'accelerated' streptokinase given over 15 minutes in patients presenting within 12 hours of acute myocardial infarction is well tolerated and results in higher grades of TIMI flow in the infarct-related artery as compared to the "conventional" one-hour infusion regimen.

Adult↗

Adjuvant interstitial brachytherapy in a case of anorectal melanoma.

PURPOSE: A locally resectable case of anorectal melanoma is reported. In order to prevent local recurrence, interstitial brachytherapy was used. METHOD: A 45 years old emaciated female presented with a 8 x 6 x 6 cm, hard, mobile, intraluminal mass in the anal canal and rectum, biopsy revealed malignant melanoma. As the mass was locally resectable, wide local excision of the tumour was carried out. She was subsequently given interstitial brachytherapy with Caesium--137 implants at tumour bed, not described so far in literature. Six months later her general condition had improved but abdomino-perineal resection was necessitated due to presence of extra-rectal metastasis. RESULTS: Patient is in our follow-up for 36 months now and doing well. CONCLUSION: Supplementation of interstitial brachytherapy after local resection of ano-rectal melanoma may help to prevent local recurrence.

Anus Neoplasms↗

Megadose heparin and streptokinase produce similar TIMI 3 flow at discharge in patients of acute myocardial infarction presenting between 7-12 hours.

The present study was undertaken to assess the impact of megadose heparin bolus on angiographic patency of infarct-related artery in patients of acute myocardial infarction presenting between 7-12 hours and to compare it with streptokinase. Forty-seven patients (27 males, mean age 58.1 +/- 9.6 years) of acute myocardial infarction between 7-12 hours of onset of chest pain were randomised to receive either megadose heparin bolus (300 IU/kg body weight, group 1, n = 24; or streptokinase 1.5 million units over one hour, group 2, n = 23). Parameters noted were: relief of pain at 90 minutes, 50 percent or more resolution of ST segment at 90 minutes, TIMI grade flow and left ventricular ejection fraction at discharge. Mean age (59.0 +/- 12.9 years in group 1; 57.2 +/- 8.1 years in group 2), mean time to drug (7.5 +/- 1.3 hours in group 1; 7.8 +/- 1.6 hours in group 2), site of anterior wall infarction (12 in group 1, 10 in group 2), relief of pain at 90 minutes (15 in group 1, 14 in group 2) and more than 50 percent resolution of ST segment elevation at 90 minutes (12 patients in each group) were similar. On coronary angiography performed in 42 patients (21 in each group) at a mean interval of 7.2 +/- 1.3 days after acute myocardial infarction, TIMI grade 3 flow was seen in 7 (33.3%) patients in each group and TIMI grade 2/3 flow was also similar in both the groups (p = NS). No major bleed occurred in either group. We conclude that heparin given as a megadose bolus produces similar TIMI 3 flow in infarct-related artery as compared to streptokinase in acute myocardial infarction patients presenting between 7-12 hours.

Aged↗

Polymorph function and cellular immunity in Nigerians with pulmonary tuberculosis.

Polymorphonuclear leukocyte intracellular killing of Staphylococcus aureus and chemotactic indices as well as T and B lymphocyte subpopulations were determined in 35 healthy controls and 70 Nigerians with pulmonary tuberculosis. The patients were radiologically classified into exudative, fibro-cavitary, miliary, and mixed lesions groups. Migration inhibition factor (MIF) production and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6 PD) levels were also determined in 40 patients and 20 controls. The polymorph function as shown by chemotaxic and killing index was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) in all patients when compared to the controls. Reduced G-6-PD levels though found in patients when compared to the controls was not significant. A reversal of the T helper/T suppressor ratio was found in all tuberculosis patients when compared to the controls as a result of decreased T helper cell numbers. T helper cells as well as the MIF index tended to be lowest in the miliary lesions group.

Analysis of Variance↗

Lipoprotein(a) in coronary heart disease: a case-control study.

To determine the significance of lipoprotein(a) levels in coronary heart disease patients, a case-control study was performed with 48 newly diagnosed coronary heart disease patients and 23 controls who were evaluated using clinical history and biochemical examination. Lipoprotein(a) was measured by quantitative latex-enhanced immunoturbidimetric method. Geometric means of biochemical parameters were obtained. Comprehensive lipid tetrad index was calculated using a previously validated formula. There was no significant difference in prevalence of diabetes, hypertension and smoking in cases and controls. Dietary intake of calories, fats, fatty acids and antioxidant vitamins was also similar. The levels of fasting glucose, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides were not significantly different in cases and controls (p > 0.05). Low-density lipoprotein/high-density lipoprotein ratio (4.33 +/- 1.5 vs 4.29 +/- 1.8) and total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein ratio (6.59 + 1.7 vs 6.69 +/- 2.2) were similar. The mean lipoprotein(a) levels were significantly greater in cases (11.95 +/- 2.8 mg/dL, range 1-102 mg/dL) as compared to controls (6.68 +/- 3.4 mg/dL, range 1-73 mg/dL) (t = 2.08, p = 0.041). As compared to controls, in coronary heart disease cases, mean lipoprotein(a) levels in patients upto 50 years (10.27 +/- 2.8 vs 7.27 +/- 3.4 mg/dL) as well as those over 50 years (12.99 +/- 2.9 vs 4.91 +/- 3.5 mg/dL) were significantly more (p < 0.05). Coronary heart disease patients had a slightly greater prevalence of high lipoprotein(a) levels, 20 mg/dL or more (31.3 vs 13.0%; chi 2 = 2.83, l-tailed p < 0.05). Comprehensive lipid tetrad index (total cholesterol x triglycerides x lipoprotein(a) divided by high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) was also slightly higher in cases (14688.2 +/- 3.6) than in controls (8358.2 +/- 4.3) (t = 1.68, 1-tailed p < 0.05). This study shows that lipoprotein(a) levels are significantly more in both younger and older coronary heart disease patients as compared to controls.

Adult↗

A CEO roundtable on making mergers succeed.

The announcement in January of the merger between America Online and Time Warner marked the convergence of the two most important business trends of the last five years--the rise of the Internet and the resurgence of mergers and acquisitions. M&A activity is at a fever pitch, spurred in large part by the breathtaking influx of capital into the Internet space. And all signs indicate the trend will only accelerate. Against this background, an impressive group of experienced deal makers came together to share their experiences of what makes mergers work. They were assembled in Scottsdale, Arizona, under the auspices of the M&A Group, a professional society formed in 1999 for CEOs interested in M&A as a business strategy. Participants included top executives from Internet start-ups like Teligent; venture capital firms like Baroda Ventures; financial institutions like Merrill Lynch and PricewaterhouseCoopers; and major corporations like Allstate, Tyco International, SmithKline Beecham, Rohm and Haas, VF, Crown Cork & Seal, and Hughes Space and Communications. The spirited and surprisingly frank discussion cut a wide swath, considering issues such as whether most mergers fail to pan out as well as expected, how to increase the odds of success, the nuts and bolts of the integration process, the trade-offs between acquiring a company and growing from within, the importance of cultural issues, and why anyone would want to be on the board of a merged company.

Administrative Personnel↗

Patterns of smoking in Delhi and comparison of chronic respiratory morbidity among beedi and cigarette smokers.

Tobacco smoking is common in developing countries including India with beedi and cigarette smoking being the main types. A community-based study carried out to study the chronic respiratory morbidity in the urban areas of Delhi was analyzed to determine the patterns of tobacco smoking and to compare the chronic respiratory morbidity among beedi and cigarette smokers. A random, stratified sample was selected from among the permanent residents, aged above 18 years, from nine clusters in Delhi. A standardized respiratory symptoms questionnaire was administered and clinical examination carried out followed by spirometry. The questionnaire included a detailed smoking history including type of smoking, number of cigarettes smoked per day and number of years the person had smoking. Chronic respiratory morbidity in beedi and cigarette smokers was measured in terms of prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms (chronic cough, phlegm, breathlessness and wheezing) and by lung function results. It was observed that nearly 40% of adult males were current smokers. Beedi smoking was overall the commonest type of smoking in the community. Cigarette smoking was more common in the higher income groups and among the graduates and postgraduates. Beedi smoking was the main form of smoking among the lower and middle-income groups and among the illiterates and the less educated people. Very few female subjects admitted to smoking. The prevalence of symptomatics (those having one or more of chronic chest symptoms) was significantly higher in beedi smokers as compared to cigarette smokers in those smoking greater than 2.5 pack years. Prevalence of wheezing was however not significantly different. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed type of smoking to be a significant independent determinant of occurrence of respiratory symptoms with the odds for occurrence of symptoms being 1.67 times greater in beedi smokers as compared to cigarette smokers. Lung function (FEV1/FVC and FEV1% predicted) showed significantly greater airways obstruction in beedi smokers as compared to cigarette smokers. It was concluded that the beedi smoking was as or more likely to cause clinical and functional impairment of lungs compared to cigarette smoking.

Adolescent↗