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Biomedical subjects

S Rao

Publications and source records attributed to S Rao.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

Follicular dendritic cell tumor presenting in the lung: a case report.

An example of extranodal follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) presenting in the lung, a heretofore unreported site, is described. Macroscopically, a 9.5-cm, tan-white, dominant mass and multiple smaller parenchymal and pleural nodules were identified. Microscopically, the tumor was composed of spindled cells with uniform cytologic features arranged in short, intersecting fascicles and intermixed small lymphocytes and plasma cells. One of 4 peribronchial and hilar lymph nodes evaluated microscopically was focally involved by the process. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic spindled cells expressed complement receptors CD21 and CD35 and low-affinity nerve growth factor receptor but did not express keratin (AE1/AE3 and CAM5.2), CD45 (leukocyte common antigen), CD20 (L26), S-100 protein, muscle-specific actin, or gp100 protein (HMB45). Ultrastructurally, the tumor cells have complex interdigitating cell surface processes and desmosomes. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was not detected in the tumor cells by in situ hybridization for EBV-encoded RNA or by polymerase chain reaction for viral DNA. FDCS should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any spindled-cell tumor with interspersed chronic inflammatory cells occurring in the lung. An immunohistochemical panel, including anti-CD21 and -CD35, can assist in its diagnosis, especially with small bronchial biopsy specimens. 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Body mass index as a predictor of hepatic steatosis in living liver donors.

Evaluation of the living donor for liver transplantation is a complex process involving such invasive studies as liver biopsy and angiography. It is important to establish the likelihood and extent of hepatic steatosis in living donors by clinical, imaging, and biochemical parameters to avoid performing a liver biopsy, if possible. In this study, the predictive value of body mass index (BMI), liver chemistry tests, and imaging studies was compared with liver histological examination in 33 potential living donors. Patients were grouped and compared based on their BMI (<25, 25 to 28, >28). No patient with a BMI less than 25 had hepatic steatosis. Of patients with a BMI of 25 to 28, steatosis was found on biopsy in 3 of 9 patients. Thirteen of 17 patients (76%) with a BMI greater than 28 had hepatic steatosis on liver biopsy. There was a significant correlation between BMI and overall grade of steatosis (R = 0.49). All subjects with steatosis detected on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) had steatosis on biopsy, and all but 2 such patients had greater than 10% steatosis on biopsy. Conversely, 30% of patients in the MRI group and 24% of patients in the CT group failed to show hepatic steatosis when it was present on biopsy. Thus, it appears that liver biopsy could be avoided in subjects with a normal BMI and absence of risk factors. Individuals with a high BMI should undergo liver biopsy because biochemical and imaging data are currently inadequate to determine the extent of steatosis. Future studies should aim at improving the sensitivity of imaging techniques in the diagnosis of steatosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Indications and results of liver resection and hepatic chemoembolization for metastatic gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors.

BACKGROUND: We reviewed 36 patients with liver metastases from islet cell tumors of the pancreas (n = 18) and carcinoid tumors (n = 18) who were treated with surgical resection (n = 16) or hepatic chemoembolization (n = 20). METHODS: All resections were complete and included 4 lobectomies, 6 segmental resections, and 6 wedge resections. There were no operative deaths. RESULTS: Median survival has not yet been reached, and the actuarial 5-year survival rate is 70%. Prognostic variables associated with improved disease-free survival included prior resection of the primary tumor and 4 or fewer metastases resected (P <.05). With an average of 3 chemoembolization procedures per patient, 17 of 20 patients (90%) demonstrated either a significant radiographic response (n = 5), stabilization of tumor mass (n = 2), or improvement of clinical symptoms (n = 10). Factors related to a sustained response (more then 1 year) included surgical resection of the primary tumor, 4 or more chemoembolization procedures, and liver metastases of 5 cm or smaller. Median survival after treatment was 32 months (range, 7-63 months), and the actuarial 5-year survival rate was 40%. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical resection of metastatic neuroendocrine tumors provides the best chance for extended survival. Chemoembolization effectively improves clinical symptoms and, in selected patients, may provide sustained tumor control.

Adenoma, Islet Cell↗
PubMed2001

Disabilities in children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy: a profile.

Proper assessment of disabilities is essential for rehabilitation of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The aim of this study was to identify and quantify the disabilities in children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and correlate them with impairment. Thirty-one patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy of age four years and above were studied. The motor functions were evaluated using total motor score, upper and lower extremity function grades and timed function tests. Disability was quantified with Barthel index. The mean scores of motor scales were: total motor score -52 +/- 7.8, total functional grade -4.4 +/- 1.9 and timed function score -12.5 +/- 5.8. Barthel index scores ranged from 45-95 with a mean of 70.8 +/- 12.7. Motor scales correlated with each other and with Barthel index. Thirty children had disabilities in multiple spheres of life, which were significantly influenced by the motor power. Barthel index was useful in identifying and quantifying specific areas of disabilities in these children. Evaluation of disabilities using specific measures may be crucial for planning comprehensive management.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2001

Intake of micronutrient-rich foods in rural Indian mothers is associated with the size of their babies at birth: Pune Maternal Nutrition Study.

One third of the Indian babies are of low birth weight (<2.5 kg), and this is attributed to maternal undernutrition. We therefore examined the relationship between maternal nutrition and birth size in a prospective study of 797 rural Indian women, focusing on macronutrient intakes, dietary quality and micronutrient status. Maternal intakes (24-h recall and food frequency questionnaire) and erythrocyte folate, serum ferritin and vitamin C concentrations were measured at 18 +/- 2 and 28 +/- 2 wk gestation. Mothers were short (151.9 +/- 5.1 cm) and underweight (41.7 +/- 5.1 kg) and had low energy and protein intakes at 18 wk (7.4 +/- 2.1 MJ and 45.4 +/- 14.1 g) and 28 wk (7.0 +/- 2.0 MJ and 43.5 +/- 13.5 g) of gestation. Mean birth weight and length of term babies were also low (2665 +/- 358 g and 47.8 +/- 2.0 cm, respectively). Energy and protein intakes were not associated with birth size, but higher fat intake at wk 18 was associated with neonatal length (P < 0.001), birth weight (P < 0.05) and triceps skinfold thickness (P < 0.05) when adjusted for sex, parity and gestation. However, birth size was strongly associated with the consumption of milk at wk 18 (P < 0.05) and of green leafy vegetables (P < 0.001) and fruits (P < 0.01) at wk 28 of gestation even after adjustment for potentially confounding variables. Erythrocyte folate at 28 wk gestation was positively associated with birth weight (P < 0.001). The lack of association between size at birth and maternal energy and protein intake but strong associations with folate status and with intakes of foods rich in micronutrients suggest that micronutrients may be important limiting factors for fetal growth in this undernourished community.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Peripheral gangrene during infancy: a rare presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus.

An 11 month old boy presented with gangrene of the extremities. He was found to have positive nuclear antibodies and antibodies to double stranded DNA, and negative Ro and La antibodies. The infant was started on oral prednisolone, which was discontinued after six months. At one year of follow up he was asymptomatic, with negative nuclear antibodies and antibodies to double stranded DNA.

Fingers↗
PubMed2001

Permanent growth arrest in irradiated human fibroblasts.

Exposure of human fibroblasts to doses of ionizing radiation sufficient to cause a permanent growth arrest repressed the expression of genes induced late during G(0)/G(1)-phase traverse, including both cyclin A and cyclin E. In addition, radiation prevented the cell cycle-dependent activation of cyclin D1-associated kinase activity and the subsequent phosphorylation of the RB tumor suppressor protein. Exposure to radiation did not alter the cellular levels of cyclin D1 protein, nor did it alter the formation of cyclin D1-CDK4 complexes. Surprisingly, the repression of cyclin D1-associated kinase activity in damaged mitogen-stimulated quiescent cells could not be accounted for by a relative increase in the association of CDKN1A (also known as p21(Cip1)) with cyclin D1 complexes, nor was cyclin D1 activity targeted by increased levels of CDKN1A in irradiated, logarithmically growing cultures under conditions where cyclin A activity was acutely repressed. Therefore, a radiation-induced permanent growth arrest is mediated by pathways that are distinct from those that cause cell cycle delay in damaged cells involving repression of cyclin-dependent kinase activity by CDKN1A.

Cell Division↗
PubMed2001

Differential effects of doxorubicin on atrial natriuretic peptide expression in vivo and in vitro.

Doxorubicin (Dox) is a potent anti-cancer agent with cardiotoxic side-effects but the mechanism of its cardiotoxicity and its effect on expression of the vasoactive atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), an important marker for cardiac hypertrophy, are little understood. The present study examined Dox-induced changes in vivo in hearts of 6 mongrel dogs and 5 Sprague-Dawley rats and in vitro in cardiac cultures of neonatal rats. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis using gamma 32-p labeled primers for beta-actin, phospholamban (PLB) and ANP showed a selective 5-fold increase of ANP mRNA in Dox-treated dog hearts in comparison to controls. Similarly, northern analysis of GAPD, beta-actin, cardiac alpha-actin and ANP gave a selective 4.5-fold increase in ANP transcripts in Dox-treated rat hearts. On the other hand, there was a selective decrease (approximately 39%) of ANP transcripts in Dox-treated cardiac cultures relative to controls. Immunohistochemistry localized the ANP changes both in tissue sections and in cultures to the cardiomyocytes. The data clearly showed that Dox selectively increases ANP expression in dog and rat hearts in absence of cardiocyte hypertrophy but selectively decreases it in cardiac cultures. This differential effect of Dox on cardiocytes in vivo and in vitro should be a useful parameter for studies of transcriptional control of ANP expression.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

A refined 3-dimensional QSAR of cytochrome P450 2C9: computational predictions of drug interactions.

A ligand-based model is reported that predicts the Ki values for cytochrome P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) inhibitors. This CoMFA model was used to predict the affinity of 14 structurally diverse compounds not in the training set and appears to be robust. The mean error of the predictions is 6 microM. The experimentally measured Ki values of the 14 compounds range from 0.1 to 48 microM. Leave-one-out cross-validated partial least-squares gives a q2 value of between 0.6 and 0.8 for the various models which indicates internal consistency. Random assignment of biological data to structure leads to negative q2 values. These models are useful in that they establish a pharmacophore for binding to CYP2C9 that can be tested with site-directed mutagenesis. These models can also be used to screen for potential drug interactions and to design compounds that will not bind to this enzyme with high affinity.

Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases↗
PubMed2000

Risk of breast cancer in relation to the use of injectable progestogen contraceptives and combined estrogen/progestogen contraceptives.

Recent studies have suggested that progestogen-only contraceptives and combined estrogen/progestogen oral contraceptives (COCs) may increase the risk of breast cancer among women less than 35 years of age or among recent users. The authors conducted a case-control study, in which cases of breast cancer (n = 484) [corrected] and controls (n = 1,625) hospitalized for conditions unrelated to contraceptive use were interviewed from 1994 to 1997 in hospitals in greater Cape Town, South Africa. The women were aged 20-54 years, resided in a defined area around Cape Town, and were Black or of mixed racial descent. The relative risk for exposure to injectable progestogen contraceptives (IPCs), mostly depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, was 0.9 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.7, 1.2). There were no consistent associations within categories of age or recency or duration of use. For exposure to COCs, the overall relative risk was 1.2 (95% CI 1.0, 1.5). Among women below age 35 years, the relative risk was 1.7 (95% CI 1.0, 3.0), and it was unrelated to the duration or recency of use. The findings suggest that IPCs do not increase the risk of breast cancer, and that COCs may increase the risk among women below age 35 years, although bias cannot be excluded.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Intersubject variability in cortical activations during a complex language task.

Intersubject variability in the functional organization of the human brain has theoretical and practical importance for basic and clinical neuroscience. In the present study, positron emission tomography (PET) and anatomical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were used to study the functional anatomy of language processes. Intersubject variability in task-induced activations in six brain regions was assessed in 20 normal subjects (10 men and 10 women) for frequency of occurrence, location, intensity, and extent. A complex, but well-studied task (overt verb generation) was compared to a simple baseline (visual fixation) to induce activations in brain areas serving perceptual, motoric, and cognitive functions. The frequency of occurrence was high for all selected brain areas (80-95%). The variability in response location in Talairach space, expressed as the standard deviation along each axis (x, y, z), ranged from 5.2 to 9.9 mm. This variability appears to be uniformly distributed across the brain, uninfluenced by regional differences in the complexity of gyral anatomy or mediated behavior. The variability in response location, expressed as the average Euclidean distances (averaged across subjects) about mean locations of activations, varied from 9.40 to 13.36 mm and had no significant differences by region (P>0.05, beta = 0.20). Intensity variability was also relatively small and homogenous across brain regions. In contrast, response extent was much more variable both across subjects and across brain regions (0.79 to 1.77, coefficient of variation). These findings are in good agreement with previous PET studies of intersubject variability and bode well for the possibility of using functional neuroimaging to study neural plasticity subsequent to congenital and acquired brain lesions.

Adult↗