Changing scenario of coronary artery disease.
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Coronary Disease↗
Biomedical subjects
S Kumar
Publications and source records attributed to S Kumar.
Diverse manifestation of arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia in a family.
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD) is a cardiomyopathy of unknown cause associated with life-threatening arrhythmias. The purpose of this case report is two-fold: (i) To highlight the utility of a definite set of diagnostic criteria encompassing structural, histologic, electrocardiographic, arrhythmic and genetic factors in establishing diagnosis of ARVD in institutions like ours which are handicapped by lack of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and endomyocardial biopsy facilities, (ii) to present diverse arrhythmic manifestations in a single family.
Adolescent↗
Need for bringing in a change in biochemistry curriculum to make it clinically oriented?
OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to (a) assess the views of medical students and doctors regarding relevance of biochemistry training, (b) explore if they have any suggestion to bring in any improvement in contents of biochemistry curriculum and mode of teaching. METHODS: In 1997-98, a structured questionnaire was filled up by 114 medical students and 118 doctors. RESULTS: As many as 62/114 (55%) medical students and 40/118 (34%) doctors believed that it is not important to remember minute details of biochemical reactions (p value < 0.0001). Among medical students, 108/110 (98.2%) agree that a clinician should be invited to seminars for developing skills of interpretation of laboratory investigations; whilst 110/118 (93.2%) doctors expressed similar view, p value ns. Approximately 92% responders favored that departments biochemistry and physiology should co-ordinate on the topics of common interest in order to save time and effort. What is the most informative and effective way of teaching biochemistry?' in response to this question only 0.9% responders opted lecture as the best option. Seminars with active participation of medical students was preferred by 93.2% responders. About 6.9% responders reckoned that symposium prepared by a more than one teacher. In response to the question whether it is possible to cover pre-clinical subjects in 12 months so as to allow spiral mode of curriculum, 73% of all the responders agreed that it would be good idea, there was no difference of opinion among the doctors and medical students. On the other hand, 27% were strongly opposed to this suggestion. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that there is a need to modify the contents, methods of teaching, and curriculum organization of training in clinical biochemistry. How best the curriculum can be made problem oriented needs to be debated among medical educationists.
Biochemistry↗
A study of dietary pattern, household food security and nutritional profile of under-five children of a community of West Bengal.
A cross-sectional study was carried out in a tribal community of West Bengal to study the dietary pattern, household food security, utilisation of services and nutrition profile of under-five children. It was observed that average calorie consumption was 2,236 with 48% food insecured families. Cereals, starchy food and green leafy vegetables consumption was higher than the recommended daily allowance while pulses (scarcely supplied in fair price shops), milk, oil and sugar were less than recommended daily allowance. Nearly 11% kcal were coming from alcohol consumption. Public distribution system should supply all essential items with an improved quality on a regular basis and supply during lean season should be ensured. Prevalence of malnutrition in the children under-five years of age was 80.90% and 9.26% were suffering from severe grades. More severely malnourished children were observed in the age group of 12-23 months, amongst female children, in the families where mothers were working and also in the families where numbers of sibling were 2 or more. Services available under Integrated Child Development Services Scheme were utilised by 47.3% children.
Breast Feeding↗
Evaluation of vitamin A status during pregnancy.
Adequate maternal vitamin A nutrition is essential for successful pregnancy outcome and estimation of serum retinol among pregnant women enables a precise and objective assessment of vitamin A status, during pregnancy, even in subclinical state. In order to evaluate vitamin A status during pregnancy, and its relationship with personal and pregnancy related variables of the mother, 300 antenatal clinic attenders were interviewed at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Calcutta and tested for serum retinol, using Carr-Price test. Serum retinol values less than 30 microg/dl and 20 microg/dl, in this study, were considered as poor and severe vitamin A deficiency respectively. According to this 14.7% and 4% pregnant women were found to be suffering from poor and severe vitamin A deficiency respectively. Clinical signs of vitamin A deficiency (eg, nightblindness) were reported only among 60% cases of the deficient population. The problems of vitamin A deficiency were associated with low literacy and poor nutritional status of the mother, advanced gestational age of current pregnancy,increased number of pregnancies, shorter interval between births and poor dietary intake of vitamin A rich foods during pregnancy. The study thus raises the question of supplementation of vitamin A, during pregnancy, in Indian context where habitual diets are either inadequate or deficient in vitamin A.
Adolescent↗
Identification of yeasts from clinical specimens by oxidase test.
A total of 100 yeasts and yeast like fungi isolates from clinical specimens were negative for oxidase production on Sabouraud dextrose agar. When grown on Columbia agar, chocolate agar, tryptose agar, Mueller-Hinton agar, brain heart infusion and a medium resembling Sabouraud's dextrose agar but with starch instead of dextrose, all the isolate of Candida albicans (55), C. guilliermondii (6), C. parapsilosis (14), C. tropicalis (6), C. pseudotropicalis (6) and Crytococcus neoformans (2) were positive for oxidase producation. Torulopsis glabrata (2), Saccharomyces cervisiae (2) and two out of seven isolates of C. krusei were negative for oxidase test.
Culture Media↗
Filariasis as a cause of pleural effusion.
Filariasis, a mosquito borne disease is endemic in many tropical countries and sub tropics including India. A 44 years old male presented with signs and symptoms of pleural effusion. Pleural fluid on examination was exdudative in nature and showed presence of microfilariae of Wuchereria bancrofti.
Adult↗
A study of yeast carriage on hands of hospital personnel.
The present study was conducted by culture with a modified broth wash technique to examine the frequency of yeast carriage on the hands of 60 nurses and 35 nonnursing hospital employees. Seventy two percent of the nurses and 80% of the nonnurses were harbouring yeast on their hands. Candida spp. were isolated in 57% on of nurses and 34% of nonnurses. Ninety percent of nurses working in nursing home care unit (NHCU), 50% working in intensive care unit (ICU) and 75% working in outpatient department (OPD) carried yeasts on their hands. Only 80% of nonnurses staff harboured yeasts on their hands.
Ambulatory Care↗
Interaction of ribonucleoside triphosphates with the gene 4 primase of bacteriophage T7.
The primase fragment of bacteriophage T7 gene 4 protein catalyzes the synthesis of oligoribonucleotides in the presence of ATP, CTP, Mg(2+) (or Mn(2+)), and DNA containing a primase recognition site. During chain initiation, ATP binds with a K(m) of 0.32 mM, and CTP binds with a K(m) of 0.85 mM. Synthesis of the dinucleotides proceeds at a rate of 3.8/s. The dinucleotide either dissociates or is extended to a tetranucleotide. The primase preferentially inserts ribonucleotides forming Watson-Crick base pairs with the DNA template >200-fold more rapidly than other ribo- or deoxynucleotides. 3'-dCTP binds the primase with a similar affinity as CTP and is incorporated as a chain terminator at a rate (1)/(100) that of CTP. ATP analogues alpha,beta-methylene ATP, beta,gamma-methylene ATP, and beta,gamma-imido ATP are incorporated by the primase fragment at the 5'-ends of the oligoribonucleotides but not at the 3'-ends. A model is presented in which the primase fragment utilizes two nucleotide-binding sites, one for the initiating ATP and one for the nucleoside triphosphate which elongates the primer on the 3'-end. The initiation site binds ATP or oligoribonucleotides, whereas the elongation site binds ATP or CTP as directed by the template.
Adenosine Triphosphate↗
Resisting revolution: generalism and the new genetics.
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Disease↗
Tensions between policy makers and general practitioners in implementing new genetics: grounded theory interview study.
OBJECTIVE: To explore general practitioners' perceptions of their role in implementing genetic technology. DESIGN: Grounded theory interview study. SETTING: Primary care. SUBJECTS: Purposive sample of 30 general practitioners with a further theoretical sample of 14. RESULTS: Inconsistencies were identified between policy makers' and general practitioners' definitions of general practitioners' role in implementing the new genetics. General practitioners emphasised the need to build on current practice, whereas policy makers focused on transforming practice to include the new specialised roles and skills. Two core themes were identified: genetics in a generalist context, which included appropriate generalist intervention, the ethical dilemmas implicit in the "therapeutic gap," the familial-hereditary distinction in primary care, and the implications for generalist identity, including the potential marginalisation of generalism. CONCLUSION: New technologies such as genetics that require implementation in general practice should be integrated within existing generalist frameworks.
Ethics, Medical↗
Ubiquitin-mediated degradation of active Src tyrosine kinase.
Src family tyrosine kinases are involved in modulating various signal transduction pathways leading to the induction of DNA synthesis and cytoskeletal reorganization in response to cell-cell or cell-matrix adhesion. The critical role of these kinases in regulating cellular signaling pathways requires that their activity be tightly controlled. Src family proteins are regulated through reversible phosphorylation and dephosphorylation events that alter the conformation of the kinase. We have found evidence that Src also is regulated by ubiquitination. Activated forms of Src are less stable than either wild-type or kinase-inactive Src mutants and can be stabilized by proteasome inhibitors. In addition, poly-ubiquitinated forms of active Src have been detected in vivo. Taken together, our results establish ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis as a previously unidentified mechanism for irreversibly attenuating the effects of active Src kinase.
Animals↗
Salt bridge stability in monomeric proteins.
Here, we present the results of continuum electrostatic calculations on a dataset of 222 non-equivalent salt bridges derived from 36 non-homologous high-resolution monomeric protein crystal structures. Most of the salt bridges in our dataset are stabilizing, regardless of whether they are buried or exposed, isolated or networked, hydrogen bonded or non-hydrogen bonded. One-third of the salt bridges in our dataset are buried in the protein core, with the remainder exposed to the solvent. The difference in the dielectric properties of water versus the hydrophobic protein interior cost buried salt bridges large desolvation penalties. However, the electrostatic interactions both between the salt-bridging side-chains, and between the salt bridges and charges in their protein surroundings, are also stronger in the interior, due to the absence of solvent screening. Even large desolvation penalties for burying salt bridges are frequently more than compensated for, primarily by the electrostatic interactions between the salt-bridging side-chains. In networked salt bridges both types of electrostatic interactions, those between the salt-bridging side-chains, and those between the salt bridge and its protein environment, are of similar magnitudes. In particular, a major finding of this work is that salt bridge geometry is a critical factor in determining salt bridge stability. Salt bridges with favorable geometrical positioning of the interacting side-chain charged groups are likely to be stabilizing anywhere in the protein structure. We further find that most of the salt bridges are formed between residues that are relatively near each other in the sequence.
Bacterial Proteins↗
Phytotoxic and antimicrobial constituents of Argyreia speciosa and Oenothera biennis.
The antifungal activity of hexadecanyl p-hydroxycinnamate (1), scopoletin (2) isolated from Argyreia speciosa roots and gallic acid (3) from Oenothera biennis roots was evaluated against three fungi. Compound 1 and 2 were found to be highly potent against Alternaria alternata compared to 3. The phytotoxicity in terms of root growth inhibition of germinating wheat seeds was observed in all the three test materials. At 250 ppm concentration the inhibition caused by 3, was 85.63%; 1, 79.42%; and 2, 91.57%. At higher concentrations (1000 ppm) the root growth of the wheat was completely inhibited. The structures of these compounds were established using spectral and chemical methods.
Anti-Infective Agents↗
Negative regulation of PYK2/related adhesion focal tyrosine kinase signal transduction by hematopoietic tyrosine phosphatase SHPTP1.
Related adhesion focal tyrosine kinase (RAFTK) (also known as PYK2) is a cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase related to the focal adhesion kinase (FAK) p125(FAK). RAFTK is rapidly phosphorylated on tyrosine residues in response to various stimuli, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha, changes in osmolarity, elevation in intracellular calcium concentration, lysophosphatidic acid, and bradykinin. Overexpression of RAFTK induces activation of c-Jun amino-terminal kinase (also known as stress-activated protein kinase), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and p38 MAPK. The present studies demonstrate that RAFTK binds constitutively to the protein tyrosine phosphatase SHPTP1. In contrast to PTP1B, overexpression of wild-type SHPTP1 blocks tyrosine phosphorylation of RAFTK. The results further demonstrate that RAFTK is a direct substrate of SHPTP1 in vitro. Moreover, treatment of PC12 cells with bradykinin is associated with inhibition in tyrosine phosphorylation of RAFTK in the presence of SHPTP1. Furthermore, in contrast to the phosphatase-dead SHPTP1 C453S mutant, overexpression of wild-type SHPTP1 blocks interaction of RAFTK with the SH2-domain of c-Src and inhibits RAFTK-mediated MAPK activation. Significantly, cotransfection of RAFTK with SHPTP1 did not inhibit RAFTK-mediated c-Jun amino-terminal kinase activation. Taken together, these findings suggest that SHPTP1 plays a negative role in PYK2/RAFTK signaling by dephosphorylating RAFTK.
Cell Adhesion Molecules↗
DECAY, a novel Drosophila caspase related to mammalian caspase-3 and caspase-7.
Caspases are key effectors of programmed cell death in metazoans. In Drosophila, four caspases have been described so far. Here we describe the identification and characterization of the fifth Drosophila caspase, DECAY. DECAY shares a high degree of homology with the members of the mammalian caspase-3 subfamily, particularly caspase-3 and caspase-7. DECAY lacks a long prodomain and thus appears to be a class II effector caspase. Ectopic expression of DECAY in cultured cells induces apoptosis. Recombinant DECAY exhibited substrate specificity similar to the mammalian caspase-3 subfamily. Low levels of decay mRNA are ubiquitously expressed in Drosophila embryos during early stages of development but its expression becomes somewhat spatially restricted in some tissues. During oogenesis decay mRNA was detected in egg chambers of all stages consistent with a role for DECAY in apoptosis of nurse cells. Relatively high levels of decay mRNA are expressed in larval salivary glands and midgut, two tissues which undergo histolysis during larval/pupal metamorphosis, suggesting that DECAY may play a role in developmentally programmed cell death in Drosophila.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Analysis of taxol and major taxoids in Himalayan yew, Taxus wallichiana.
A reversed-phase column liquid chromatography method for the analysis of taxol, 10-deacetylbaccatin III, baccatin IV, 1-hydroxybaccatin I, 2-acetoxybrevifoliol, brevifoliol, 2'-deacetoxydecinnamoyltaxinine J and 2'-deacetoxytaxinine J in yew needles has been developed using a Nova-Pak Phenyl column and a binary gradient profile. The various aspects of analysis such as extraction efficiency, detection limits, reproducibility and peak purity were validated using UV-Vis as well as photodiode array detection.
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗
Genome maps 10. Comparative genomics. Mammalian radiations. Wall chart.
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Animals↗