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Biomedical subjects

S Saxena

Publications and source records attributed to S Saxena.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Thigh circumference at birth as the best predictor of low birth weight babies.

The present study was undertaken to find out the best simple anthropometric parameter for identifying low birth weight babies (LBW). A total of 1000 newborn babies were subjected to anthropometry within 48 hours of life. Birth weight was significantly correlated (p less than 0.001) with thigh circumference (TC), mid-arm circumference (MAC), chest circumference (CC), length (L) and head circumference (HC). However, the correlation was maximum for TC (r = 0.9201). All anthropometric indicators had a statistically significant sensitivity, specificity and predictive value (p less than 0.001) for identifying less than or equal to 2500 g birth weight babies. However, thigh circumference of less than or equal to 14.5 cm and less than or equal to 13.5 cm had the best sensitivity, specificity and predictive value for identifying babies with birth weight of less than or equal to 2500 g and less than or equal to 2000 g, respectively. TC at birth is a cheap, simple, quick and reliable indicator for predicting LBW babies. It may be used whenever weighing at birth is not feasible.

Anthropometry↗
PubMed1988

Cobalamin and osteoblast-specific proteins.

Cobalamin deficiency has well-known hematologic and neurologic effects, but little is known about its other effects. We therefore studied the effect of cobalamin on osteoblast-related proteins. We found that mean (+/- 1 SD) levels of skeletal alkaline phosphatase in the blood were lower in 12 cobalamin-deficient patients (3.89 +/- 2.19 units per liter) than in 5 nondeficient and 5 iron-deficient control subjects (7.55 +/- 3.99 units per liter). The degree of the megaloblastic anemia correlated with the reduction in skeletal alkaline phosphatase levels (r = 0.67, P less than 0.01). With cobalamin therapy, levels of skeletal alkaline phosphatase rose in 11 of the 12 cobalamin-deficient subjects but not in the controls. The cobalamin-deficient patients also had significantly lower osteocalcin levels than the control subjects (1.11 +/- 0.77 vs. 1.84 +/- 0.49 nmol per liter). During cobalamin therapy, these levels rose in the cobalamin-deficient patients but not in the controls. In contrast to the levels of osteoblast-related proteins, hepatic alkaline phosphatase levels were similar in the patients and controls and were usually unaffected by cobalamin therapy. In vitro studies of calvarial cells from chicken embryos showed that their alkaline phosphatase content was cobalamin-dependent, thus supporting our in vivo observations in humans. Our findings suggest that osteoblast activity depends on cobalamin and that bone metabolism is affected by cobalamin deficiency, but we do not yet know whether cobalamin deficiency produces clinically important bone disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Purification and characterisation of an immunosuppressive factor from normal human seminal plasma.

We have previously described the presence of a human seminal plasma component which may prevent the immunologic sensitization of females against sperm and seminal plasma antigens. Purification of the immunosuppressive factor (ISF) by saturated ammonium sulphate precipitation, followed by Sepharose 4-B column chromatography and Con-A Sepharose 4-B affinity chromatography is described here. An apparently single-band protein on SDS gel electrophoresis, having a molecular weight of 35,000, has been isolated. Amino acid analysis of this glycoprotein shows that it is rich in isoleucine, glycine, glutamine and proline, while methionine, tyrosine and asparagine are present in traces.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1988

Aneurysm of the internal carotid artery presenting as a parapharyngeal mass.

A case of saccular aneurysm of the internal carotid artery presenting as a parapharyngeal mass is being reported because of its rarity and the paucity of literature on the subject. Welling et al. (1983) evaluated 1118 aneurysms of the peripheral arteries seen over a 30-year period. Forty-one of these arose from the extracranial carotid system, only four of them being saccular aneurysms of the internal carotid artery. None of them presented with a parapharyngeal mass.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Effect of benzyl chloride on rat hepatocytes.

Benzyl chloride (BCl) is used in the manufacture of basic and acidic dyes, pharmaceutical products, resins, and synthetic tannins. BCl is known to have caused liver malfunctions in some workers exposed to 2 ppm BCl vapors. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of BCl on isolated male rat hepatocytes using several toxicity parameters. The hepatocytes were isolated by a collagenase perfusion technique and were incubated in airtight tubes with 1.8 and 3.6 mM BCl in a shaking water bath at 37 degrees C for 10, 30, 60, and 120 min. Throughout the incubation period the cell viability was determined by trypan blue exclusion and leakage of cytosolic enzymes such as lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate transaminase (AST), and alanine transaminase (ALT). Exposure to BCl resulted in a significant decrease in cell viability as assessed by trypan blue and significant increase in leakage of these enzymes compared to the controls.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Red blood cell distribution width in untreated pernicious anemia.

The red blood cell distribution width (RDW) was studied in 26 unselected patients with untreated pernicious anemia. RDW changes were also sequentially followed after therapy in 12 patients. The mean (+/- 1 SD) RDW values were significantly higher in pernicious anemia patients than in controls (21.7 +/- 9.1% vs. 13.2 +/- 1.1%, P less than 0.0001). Nevertheless, 31% of the patients had normal RDWs. There were no consistent findings among those who had normal RDW. Most of them were in the early stages of deficiency, but some had advanced deficiency. Over half of those with normal RDW also had normal mean corpuscular volume (MCV). Overall, 9 of the 26 patients (35%) had normal MCV. Of eight patients whose RDW fell with therapy, some showed a steady fall while others had a transient rise followed by a progressive drop. Despite current advocacy that a high RDW is a sensitive and consistent finding in vitamin B12 deficiency, our findings show that a large proportion of untreated pernicious anemia patients have normal RDWs and that in contrast to iron deficiency, elevation of RDW is not necessarily the earliest indicator of vitamin B12 deficiency.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Use of a table-top analyzer for predonation screening for alanine aminotransferase--a cost-effective approach?

To reduce the transmission of non-A-non-B hepatitis, the American Association of Blood Banks has required that all blood donations with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels above a certain cut-off level to be discarded. This discard rate resulting from high ALT levels was 5.3% at the authors' donor center, which was more than double the expected rate of 2.3%. If blood donors could be tested for their ALT levels before blood donation, unnecessary discarding of blood and related expenses could be eliminated. Therefore, the authors evaluated a table-top ALT analyzer for screening donors before blood donation. The method was precise and linear and correlated well with the SMAC-II analyzer. Based on a cost-savings analysis, the authors found it to be financially beneficial to perform predonation ALT testing. Because the cost of labor and reagents may vary from institution to institution, however, other facilities should perform their own cost-savings analyses before implementing predonation ALT testing.

Alanine Transaminase↗
PubMed1988

Hypopituitarism presenting as delirium.

A case of hypopituitarism following childbirth (Sheehan's Syndrome) presenting with delirium is described. Diagnosis was confirmed with pituitary stimulation tests and the patient remains symptom-free for the last three years on maintenance hormonal therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

A retrospective evaluation of plasma trazodone concentrations and clinical response in a primary care clinic.

Trazodone has become a very popular second generation antidepressant. In our experience, trazodone levels are frequently obtained albeit interpretation/utility of these levels and purported normal ranges are in question. We analyzed 39 consecutive cases of major depressive disorder treated with trazodone in a primary care medical clinic. Thirty (79%) of subjects had a positive response. While a positive correlation existed between dosage and concentration of the parent drug, no dose-response correlation could be identified within this cohort. However, a minimum level of 250 ng/ml did appear necessary for a response. The overall utility/cost efficacy of second generation antidepressants, in the absence of well designed dose response studies, is questioned.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Mutagenicity of benzo(a)pyrene in uninduced tissues from BALB/c mice and Sprague-Dawley rats as an index of possible health risks using the Salmonella mutagenicity assay.

The mutagenicity of benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P] in uninduced tissues from Sprague-Dawley rats and BALB/c mice resulted in no age, sex or tissue-related differences when S9 preparations from lung, kidney and spleen were used in the Salmonella mutagenicity assay. Liver S9 fractions from both species resulted in a significantly greater number of His+ revertants (TA98) per plate than observed on the control plates (spontaneous reversion rate). Liver homogenates from adult Sprague-Dawley rats showed a significantly lower potential to activate B(a)P than homogenates from adult BALB/c mice. In both species, male liver microsomal enzymes had a greater potential to activate B(a)P than female microsomal enzymes. These data indicated that in uninduced tissues B(a)P may not be a very powerful mutagenic agent. More detailed in vitro and in vivo studies are needed to assess the precise health risks associated with this environmental pollutant.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Purification and characterization of glucosidase II involved in N-linked glycoprotein processing in bovine mammary gland.

Glucosidase II is an endoplasmic-reticulum-localized enzyme that cleaves the two internally alpha-1,3-linked glucosyl residues of the oligosaccharide Glc alpha 1----2Glc alpha 1----3Glc alpha 1----3Man5-9GlcNAc2 during the biosynthesis of asparagine-linked glycoproteins. We have purified this enzyme to homogeneity from the lactating bovine mammary gland. The enzyme is a high-mannose-type asparagine-linked glycoprotein with a molecular mass of approx. 290 kDa. Upon SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis under reducing conditions, the purified enzyme shows two subunits of 62 and 64 kDa, both of which are glycosylated. The pH optimum is between 6.6 and 7.0. Specific polyclonal antibodies raised against the bovine mammary enzyme also recognize a similar antigen in heart, liver and the mammary gland of bovine, guinea pig, rat and mouse. These antibodies were used to develop a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for glucosidase II.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗
PubMed1987

Localization of source of immunosuppressive factor in the human male reproductive tract.

The source of the immunosuppressive factor (ISF) in the human male reproductive tract which suppresses various in vitro immune responses has been identified. We describe here the prostatic localization of this factor, based on investigating the fractions of split ejaculates, ejaculates of individuals with blocked epididymis and the secretions of the prostate obtained by prostatic massage.

Ejaculation↗