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Biomedical subjects

S N Bhattacharya

Publications and source records attributed to S N Bhattacharya.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Comparative cytomorphology of skin, lymph node, liver and bone marrow in patients with lepromatous leprosy.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the cytological changes in skin, lymph nodes, liver and bone marrow in patients with lepromatous leprosy. METHODS: Skin lesion, lymph node, liver and bone marrow aspirates were analysed. May-Grunwald-Giemsa (MGG) and Ziehl-Neelsen (Z-N) stains were employed. Comparative cytomorphology was studied. RESULTS: Twenty patients with lepromatous leprosy were studied. Lepra cells (LC) predominated in the skin aspirates of 12 patients with lepromatous leprosy (LL), lymphocytes accompanied LC in eight patients with borderline-lepromatous (BL) leprosy. Three patients of LL leprosy and two of BL leprosy in type 2 reaction additionally had numerous neutrophils. Two patterns of lymph node aspirates were seen: partial replacement with few LC in a reactive lymphoid background (10), complete replacement with either only LC or LC in a background of degenerating neutrophils (10), the latter a feature of type 2 reaction. Liver aspiration was performed in seven patients and of bone marrow in eight patients. Occasional LC were present in five liver-aspirated patients, steatosis and Kupffer cell hyperplasia in four patients, and myelopoiesis in two patients. Bone marrow smears invariably had occasional LC and a relative increase in mature plasma cells; sea-blue histiocytes were seen in six patients. CONCLUSION: Lepra cells predominated in skin and lymph node aspirates with complete replacement. In comparison, liver, bone marrow and lymph node aspirates with partial replacement were dominated by a preponderance of cells native to these organs with only few or occasional LC.

Adolescent↗

Molecular-dynamics simulation of model polymer nanocomposite rheology and comparison with experiment.

The shear-rate dependence of viscosity is studied for model polymer melts containing various concentrations of spherical filler particles by molecular-dynamics simulations, and the results are compared with the experimental results for calcium-carbonate-filled polypropylene. Although there are some significant differences in scale between the simulated model polymer composite and the system used in the experiments, some important qualitative similarities in shear behavior are observed. The trends in the steady-state shear viscosities of the simulated polymer-filler system agree with those seen in the experimental results; shear viscosities, zero-shear viscosities, and the rate of shear thinning are all seen to increase with filler content in both the experimental and simulated systems. We observe a significant difference between the filler volume fraction dependence of the zero-shear viscosity of the simulated system and that of the experimental system that can be attributed to a large difference in the ratio of the filler particle radius to the radius of gyration of the polymer molecules. In the simulated system, the filler particles are so small that they only have a weak effect on the viscosity of the composite at low filler volume fraction, but in the experimental system, the viscosity of the composite increases rapidly with increasing filler volume fraction. Our results indicate that there exists a value of the ratio of the filler particle radius to the polymer radius of gyration such that the zero-shear-rate viscosity of the composite becomes approximately independent of the filler particle volume fraction.

Journal Article↗

Pitfalls in the cytological classification of borderline leprosy in the Ridley-Jopling scale.

This is a blinded, retrospective, correlative study of classification of leprosy by cytomorphology, clinical examination, and bacterial density. One hundred consecutive adequate aspirates from skin lesions of leprosy were studied. The Ridley-Jopling (R-J) five-group classification system was used. May-Gruenwald-Giemsa (MGG) and Ziehl-Neelsen (Z-N) stains were employed. Complete clinical, cytological, and bacteriological concordance was found in 88 patients. One-step mismatch in classification was seen in 12 patients with cytomorphological features of borderline-borderline (BB/mid-borderline) leprosy. Cytomorphological features of BB leprosy in aspirates from skin lesions should alert the cytopathologist to the possibility that the bacteriological index (BI) may vary widely. Appropriate steps must be taken to ensure accurate reporting of BI.

Azure Stains↗

Clinico-myocological profile of tinea capitis in North India and response to griseofulvin.

There is a paucity of literature on tinea capitis from North India. The response to griseofulvin has not been studied as well. We studied 153 consecutive patients of tinea capitis for clinical patterns, causative dermatophytic species, clinico-etiological correlation, and response to griseofulvin. Culture and sensitivity were done on all patients. All patients were treated with griseofulvin for 6-8 weeks; non-responders were further treated with fluconazole. Ninety percent of the patients were less than 15 years of age, 75% belonged to poor socioeconomic groups and 19% had a family history of tinea capitis. The seborrheic variant was the commonest clinical pattern seen in 47.8% of patients, followed by grey patch, black dot, kerion, and alopecia-areata-like tinea capitis in 35.9%, 8.5%, 6.5% and 1.3% of patients, respectively. Only 66% of patients had a positive culture. T. violaceum was the commonest dermatophytic species isolated in 38% patients. M. audouinii, T. schoenleinii, T. tonsurans, M. gypseum, T. verrucosum and T. mentagrophytes were isolated in 34%, 10%, 9%, 3%, 3% and 3% of patients, respectively. Of the isolates 94% were susceptible to griseofulvin, and 100% were susceptible to fluconazole. By using griseofulvin for 6-8 weeks 97.4% of the patients were cured; nonresponders required therapy with fluconazole for cure. To conclude, tinea capitis is still a disease of younger people of poor socioeconomic status. T. violaceum and M. audouinii are the most common responsible dermatophytes. The response to griseofulvin was excellent, and it should be used as a first line therapy.

Adolescent↗

Typical varicella zoster (ophthalmicus) in an HIV-infected person.

A typical varicella zoster (ophthalmicus) in an incidentally HIV-infected person is reported in a young man. It was characterized by tense, grouped, vesiculobullous eruptions on a brick-red base. The diagnosis was substantiated by demonstration of swollen epidermal (balloon) cells with a nucleus/several nuclei containing inclusion bodies. Reticular degeneration was apparent.

Adult↗

Pentazocine induced widespread cutaneous and myo-fibrosis.

We report a case of extensive subcutaneous and muscle fibrosis in a 26-year-old Indian woman caused by repeated intramuscular pentazocine injections over five years to highlight the extent and sequelae of this avoidable condition.

Abdominal Pain↗

Is the heredity of reticulate acro pigmentation of Kitamura always autosomal dominant?

Reticulate acropigmentation of Kitamura (RAK) in three patients and their families is described. In one family, 2 women and 2 men were affected out of 9 individuals. In the other family, 6 women had lesions of reticulate acropigmentation out of total of 27 over three generations. In the third family, one man was affected. All of the cases had palmar pits; onset of lesions was after puberty in all the cases. The apparently different hereditary patterns in these three families are striking, and autosomal dominant inheritance appears unlikely in every case.

Acrodermatitis↗

Fine-needle aspiration cytology of lepromatous leprosy.

A prospective study correlating cytopathology with clinical morphology and histopathology in 22 patients with lepromatous leprosy was performed. Aspirates were taken from skin lesions in all patients. Lymph node aspirates were also performed in four patients with lymphadenopathy. Fine-needle aspirates yielded sufficient cellular material with excellent preservation of morphological detail. Diagnosis and correlation with bacillary index, clinical and histopathological findings was possible in all patients. In addition, the two patterns, partial and diffuse, of lymph node involvement could be recognized. Fine-needle aspiration cytology is a simple method for the laboratory assessment of leprosy.

Biopsy, Needle↗