Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to S P Sharma.
Differentiation between a relapse or late reversal reaction following completion of regular drug therapy in patients with leprosy is often difficult, though it has definite therapeutic implications. The present case documents a late reversal reaction occurring an unusually long time after the completion of multi-drug therapy.
Oxygen free radicals are generated as a by-product during normal metabolism, and they cause damage to proteins, lipids, and DNA in organisms. The defense system of the body counteracts these highly reactive chemical moieties and neutralizes them. However, a small fraction of free radicals escapes, which causes lipid peroxidation and hence aging of the organism. It has been hypothesized that, if the free radicals are arrested/reduced, then aging can be delayed or life span could be enhanced. To test the above hypothesis, we fed butylated hydroxy anisole (BHA) to a drosophilid insect, Zaprionus paravittiger, and observed its effect on life span, fecundity, and developmental period. The insects were reared and maintained on standard corn meal agar (CMA) medium at 26 degrees +/- 2 degrees C. Various concentrations (1, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 mM) of BHA were mixed with CMA medium, and the cultures were reared and maintained on these mixtures to study the life span of insects. Survivor curves showed that lower concentrations (5, 10, 25 mM) of BHA increased the life span, while higher concentrations (50, 100 mM), which were rather toxic, decreased life span. The most suitable concentration was 10 mM, which increased median (LT50) (27% and 15% in male and female) and maximum (LT100) (18% and 27% in male and female) life spans of insects maximally. Females exhibited longer life spans compared with males. The cultures were fed on the optimal concentration (10 mM) of BHA to study its effect on developmental period and egg-laying rate. The total developmental period was delayed by 7.2%, and egg-laying rate was reduced by 19.7% on BHA feeding. The extension in developmental period and reduction in egg-laying capacity could be the contributory factors to the favorable effect of BHA on life span.
A new variant of esophageal atresia (EA) with tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) associated with duodenal atresia is reported. The TEF was between the lower pouch and the trachea, with a cystic dilatation in the midportion. The tracheal end of the fistula was obstructed by a membranous septum at both ends of a cystic dilatation, leading to a diagnosis of pure EA (gasless abdomen). After the lower pouch was opened beyond the cystic dilatation, 100 ml nonbilious fluid was obtained. A laparotomy revealed a type III atresia of the first part of the duodenum.
Abdominal cocoon is a rare cause of intestinal obstruction. The authors report four cases (3 boys, 1 girl; age range, 6 to 8 years) that presented with features of intestinal obstruction. There was no history of previous surgery, peritonitis, or prolonged drug intake in any of these cases. One patient presented with acute intestinal obstruction and gangrene of bowel. The etiology, preoperative diagnosis, and management of this condition are discussed.
Zaprionus paravittiger fed on propyl gallate (PG) supplemented diet (2.5, 25 and 250 micrograms/ml) showed an increase in life span. Further increase in concentration (2500, 5000 and 7500 micrograms/ml) accelerated the mortality rate. Females exhibited longer life span as compared to males. Antioxidant enzymes (catalase, peroxidase and glutathione reductase) were measured in control and optimum concentration of PG (25 micrograms/ml) fed flies at various age intervals. Antioxidant enzyme activities showed an increase during reproductive phase. Catalase and glutathione reductase activities decreased with age however no significant change was observed in peroxidase activity. The females exhibited higher enzyme activities as compared to males in control and PG fed group at most of the age intervals. PG feeding caused a significant increase in catalase and glutathione reductase activities in both the sexes. These findings suggest the PG has dose dependent and sex specific influence on longevity of Z. paravittiger and support the view that longevity and activity of antioxidant enzymes are positively linked.
Zaprionus paravittiger fed with vitamin E supplemented diet (1, 5 and 10 micrograms/ml) showed an increase in median and maximum life spans. Further increase in concentration accelerated the mortality rate. Females exhibited longer life span as compared to males. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content and antioxidant enzymes (catalase and peroxidase) were measured in control and optimum concentration of vitamin E (5 micrograms/ml)-fed flies at various age intervals. MDA content showed an increase with age in control and vitamin E-fed group whereas catalase and proxidase activities showed a decrease with age. The females exhibited lower MDA content and higher activities of catalase and peroxidase as compared to males in control and vitamin E group. Vitamin E feeding caused a significant decrease in MDA and increase in catalase and peroxidase activities. These findings suggest that vitamin E has dose-dependent and sex-specific influence on longevity of Z. paravittiger and support the view that longevity and activity of antioxidant enzymes are positively linked.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of intralesional triamcinolone in enhancing regression in various type of hemangiomas. SETTING: Outpatients department of a teaching hospital Subjects: One hundred and five patients with rapidly growing surface hemangioma. The age ranged from 1 month to 15 months (mean 7 months). INTERVENTION: Intralesional triamcinolone administered at monthly intervals, ranging from single injection to 7 injections (mean 3.6 injections). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Regression of the hemangioma. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 88.6% (excellent 51.4%, and good 37.2%). Maximum response was observed in children below 1 year of age (> 90%), lesions over the face (92.8%) and strawberry hemangiomas (99.9%). CONCLUSION: Intralesional administration of triamcinolone devoid of systemic side effects and an effective initial modality for rapidly growing hermangiomas.
A cytokinin plant growth hormone kinetin (Kn) retards senescence in plants and delays ageing in human cells in culture. We have now observed that Kn also slows down ageing and prolongs the lifespan of the fruitfly Zaprionus paravittiger when these insects are fed with 25-125 ppm Kn added in their diet medium. In addition, 25 ppm Kn also slows down the larval and the pupal stages of the developing insects. However, the anti-ageing effects of Kn are not merely due to the slowing-down of development, but are mainly due to a reduction in the age-specific death rates throughout the adult lifespan.
The median and maximum life spans of both sexes of Zaprionus paravittiger increased with methionine (100 mM) feeding. It was accompanied by higher catalase and peroxidase enzyme activities. The lipid peroxide level as measured by malondialdehyde content and the inorganic peroxides showed an increase with age and a decrease in methionine-fed insects. The reduction was, however, more pronounced in females than in males. The findings indicate that a life-prolonging effect of methionine on Z. paravittiger may be by virtue of its free radical scavenging effect.
Various factors other than ageing influence lipofuscinosis in neurons and other cells. Protein malnutrition is one such factor that has been studied. In the present study 3 months old rats were subjected to protein malnutrition (PM) for 3, 6 and 12 months by feeding them with low protein diet (4% protein). An age matched control group of rats was also maintained on a normal diet with high protein content (20% protein). The cerebella from the PM and control group rats were processed for histochemical, biochemical and fluorescent microscopic studies. Quantitative analysis of lipofuscin revealed that PM caused an increase in lipofuscin accumulation in the Purkinje neurons. A similar study on the Purkinje neurons of rats belonging to various age groups i.e. 6, 9 and 15 months, showed an increase in lipofuscin accumulation with age. Further, the increase in lipofuscinosis in ageing and PM rats was found to be varying. The maximum lipofuscin accumulation with PM was in the neurons of the 5th and 7th (75% and 71%, respectively) lobule of vermian region. The maximum increase in lipofuscin accumulation with age was found to be in lobule III (105.8%) of vermian region. Such a variation occurred in the hemisphere region also. Moreover, taking the two regions of cerebellum as a whole, neurons of the hemisphere region accumulated more amount of lipofuscin than those of the vermis region. The authors feel that the regional specificity of lipofuscin accumulation is to be studied in terms of the functional role of the various regions of a particular tissue in question.
Stress induced lipofuscinosis was studied in rat cerebellum. 3 month old wistar rats were subjected to restraint stress by keeping them immobile for 24, 48 and 72 hours duration. This was achieved in specially prepared cages which allowed no space for the rats to move; giving a stress to the animal. The cerebella from the stressed groups rats were removed after the experiment and were processed for fluorescent microscopical, histochemical and fluorimetric study of lipofuscin. The lipofuscin content in the Purkinje neurons was compared with that of the control rats which were of the same age, size and weight as of the experimental rats. The results showed that the lipofuscin content in the neurons of the experimental rats was more than that of the control ones. In gist, while 24 hrs. stress caused a 28.9% increase in lipofuscin content, 48 hrs. stress resulted in a 38.3% increase. This shows that restraint stress can be a good experimental model for lipofuscinogenesis and ageing studies.
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The results of a heart screening programme in the county of Hordaland showed a high average heart infarction risk score in the two small municipalities, Fedje and Masfjorden where respectively ten and 24 men were screened. A closer look at the results revealed that in Masfjorden the results were affected by two men having very high heart infarction score. Median infarction risk score is a better measure than average infarction risk score, particularly in small municipalities. It does not seem to be a good policy to use the mass media for a preventive and health promotion strategy on the basis of the average infarction risk score.
Geriforte, an herbomineral compound prepared from several herbs and minerals, is being used as a restorative tonic to solve the problems of old age in India. Since active oxygen species have been proposed to be involved in the aging process of the brain, alterations in the level of enzymes involved in the defense system against free radicals and other active oxygen species could substantially influence the aging process. Therefore, in the present study, this antistress adaptogenic Ayurvedic preparation has been evaluated for the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), key enzymes of the cellular defense system, in the brain of aging Wistar male rats. The present study was carried out on 22-month-old rats. They were given Geriforte powder orally at a dosage of 900 mg/kg body weight once a day for two months. The Geriforte-treated rat brain had significantly high levels of SOD and CAT activities than those recorded in their respective controls. The contents of SOD and CAT in Geriforte-administered brain increased by 24% and 30%, respectively. In the present investigation, free radical damage was assessed by measuring thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) in postmitochondrial fractions of brain homogenate. The magnitude of TBARS has been reported to be decreased by 26% in the Geriforte-treated rat brain. In conclusion, it seems logical to suppose that Geriforte, a combination of several plant ingredients and minerals, protects the body against the damaging effects of free radicals by producing large amounts of antioxidant enzymes.
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Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.