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Biomedical subjects

R Prasad

Publications and source records attributed to R Prasad.

At least 361 records · Page 20Linked to original sources
PubMed1979

alpha-I antitrypsin enzyme deficiency in Indian childhood cirrhosis.

Antitrypsin activity was measured in 50 healthy controls and 100 cases of Indian Childhood Cirrhosis (ICC). The incidence of alpha-I anti-trypsin (Alpha I-AT) enzyme deficiency was strinkingly higher in cases of cirrhosis (39.0%) than in healthy controls (4%). The enzyme deficiency was more prevalent in severe grades of cirrhosis (51.5%) as compared to mild (17.6%) and moderate cirrhosis (38%). Liver function tests were severely deranged in enzyme deficient cirrhotics and the damage to the liver was directly proportional to the extent of the enzyme deficiency. The incidence of the family history of ICC was noted significantly higher in enzyme deficient cases (20%) as compared to non-deficient cases (3.3%). The enzyme deficiency was also measured in 160 first blood relatives of the deficient cirrhotics and was found to be deficient in 19.4% subjects. It is probable that the deficiency runs in families with an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance.

Child↗
PubMed1979

Lipid composition and polyene antibiotic sensitivity in isolates of Candida albicans.

When Candida albicans cells were grown on hydroquinone (Hy cells) or ascorbic acid (As cells) supplemented media, they exhibited a 26% rise and 16% drop in ergosterol content, respectively. C. albicans cells manifested a gradual increase in total lipid levels, when they were grown on n-alkanes of different chain lengths. The magnitude of the nystatin effect (in terms of proline uptake and K+ efflux) was more pronounced in cells having more ergosterol (Hy cells) compared with the cells having low levels of ergosterol (As cells), suggesting a correlation between nystatin sensitivity and ergosterol content of the C. albicans cells. However, such correlation could not be demonstrated in alkane grown cells where levels of different lipids were variable. Results demonstrated that several other lipids besides sterol may also influence the polyene antibiotic sensitivity in C. albicans cells.

Candida albicans↗
PubMed1978

Characteristics of proline transport in normal and starved cells of Candida albicans.

1. There was no apparent correlation between the rate of respiration and rate of accumulation of proline in Candida albicans cells. 2. In contrast to normal cells, the respiration in the starved cells became completely cyanide insensitive. The starvation of cells in the presence of cycloheximide prevented the cells from becoming cyanide insensitive. The addition of Fe(III), however, accelerated the process. 3. Oxidizable substrates e.g. NADH, acetate and glucose, when added to cyanide-insensitive starved cells, exhibited 40--280% stimulation in respiration rate. However, this enhancement in oxidation by various substrates was not coupled to a simultaneous increase in the proline uptake or in intracellular ATP levels. 4. There was 6-fold stimulation in proline uptake when cyanide-insensitive cells were preincubated with 50 mM glucose. The preincubation of starved cells resulted in a partial restoration of cyanide sensitivity and increased intracellular ATP levels. The preincubation of starved cells with other oxidizable substrates resulted in a partial restoration of cyanide sensitivity but had no stimulatory effect on intracellular ATP levels and proline accumulation. 5. Both the enhanced uptake and ATP levels in glucose preincubated cells were found to be completely abolished by iodoacetate. 6. It is proposed that the increased proline uptake in cells preincubated with glucose was mainly due to the production of glycolytic energy.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1978

Variation in the lactase dehydrogenase activity of the esophagus.

Quantitative assay and electrophoretic study of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) from various tissues of the opossum esophagus were performed. On the basis of expression of the LDH isozymes, we concluded that the smooth muscle of the body of the esophagus carry on more anaerobic glycolysis than the striated muscle. The smooth muscle of the gastroesophageal junction carry on both anaerobic as well aerobic glycolysis.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Hematological response of rabbits to chronic, repetitive, severe bleedings for the production of antisera.

A study was undertaken to determine whether large amounts of blood (antiserum) could be rapidly removed from rabbits over a two-month period using a simple suction technique. It was found that half a blood volume could be readily removed each week (over 900 ml/rabbit/54 days) without a single fatality. The rabbits efficiently replaced the essential components of their blood during the experimental period as shown by a study of their blood parameters. They moderately overcompensated in replacing some of their blood components after a 6-week rest period. The study demonstrates that rabbits are satisfactory (in lieu of larger animals) for supplying relatively large amounts of antisera.

Anemia, Macrocytic↗
PubMed1978

Coupled cell-free synthesis, segregation, and core glycosylation of a secretory protein.

mRNA from rat mammary glands 13-15 days post partum was translated in a wheat germ cell-free system either in the absence or in the presence of ribosome-denuded membranes prepared from isolated rough microsomes of dog pancreas. Newly synthesized alpha-lactalbumin was identified by immunoprecipitation with a monospecific rabbit antiserum against rat alpha-lactalbumin and was characterized by partial amino-terminal sequence determination and by lectin affinity chromatography. In the absence of membranes a presumably unglycosylated form of alpha-lactalbumin was synthesized that bound neither to concanavalin A-Sepharose nor to Ricinus communis lectin-agarose and that contained an amino-terminal signal peptide region comprising 19 amino acid residues. In the presence of membranes a processed form was synthesized that lacked the signal peptide portion and that had an amino-terminal sequence identical to that of mature alpha-lactalbumin. Furthermore, this processed form was found to be segregated, presumably within the microsomal vesicles, because it was resistant to post-translational proteolysis. It was also found to be glycosylated, and because it bound to concanavalin A-Sepharose, from which it could be eluted specifically by alpha-methyl mannoside, but not to R. communis lectin-agarose, it was presumably core-glycosylated. Processing, segregation, and core glycosylation were observed to proceed only when membranes were present during translation and not when they were added after translation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1978

Cerebrospinal fluid IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD, and IgE levels in central nervous system disorders.

Using a radioimmunoassay, we evaluated the cerebrospinal fluid content of IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD, and IgE in multiple sclerosis, viral meningitis, and tumors. Abnormal immunoglobulin levels occurred in all conditions, reaching 13 times the norm for IgM in multiple sclerosis and 5 times the norm in aseptic meningitis. Striking increases also occurred with IgA, IgM, and IgE in benign and malignant (both primary and metastatic) tumors of the CNS. Furthermore, the immunoglobulin-protein ratio was calculated. In aseptic meningitis and multiple sclerosis, the ratio was significant as compared to the norms.

Brain Neoplasms↗
PubMed1978

Effect of maternal alcohol exposure on fetal ovarian lactate dehydrogenase.

Pregnant inbred mice strain Balb/c injected intraperitoneally with 100 mu1 of 70% ethanol for 7 consecutive days (9th through 16th day of gestation). One group of mice were also injected with diethylstibestrol (DES) dissolved in 70% ethanol. The lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity was measured 90 days postpartum in the crude extracts of ovarian tissues (obtained from mothers and offspring) as well as in testicular tissues of the male offspring. The data show that the electrophoretic pattern of LDH in these tissues does not change, but the ovarian LDH is inhibited by alcohol. The testicular LDH on the other hand is not affected by the alcohol treatment. Because of the effect of alcohol itself, the effect of DES could not be determined.

Animals↗