High local production of nitric oxide as a possible mechanism by which rapamycin prevents transplant arteriosclerosis.
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Animals↗
Biomedical subjects
S Sehgal
Publications and source records attributed to S Sehgal.
Protein and starch digestibilities and mineral availability of products developed from potato, soy and corn flour.
A technique for development of potato flour was standardized. Five products viz. cake, biscuit, weaning food, panjiri and ladoo were prepared incorporating potato flour, defatted soy flour and corn flour. Baking and roasting were the major processing techniques employed for the development of these products. Protein, ash and fat contents of potato flour were almost similar to those of raw potatoes. Significant differences in protein, ash and fat contents of all the products were observed. Protein and starch digestibility of potato flour was significantly higher than that of raw potatoes. Protein digestibility increased by 12 to 17 percent on baking or roasting of products. Processed products had significantly higher starch digestibility and mineral availability compared to raw products. Thus, it can be concluded that roasting and baking are effective means of improving starch and protein digestibility and mineral availability of products.
Biological Availability↗
Management of presumed intraocular tuberculosis: possible role of the polymerase chain reaction.
PURPOSE: A highly selective technique of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from aqueous samples of 45 patients to evaluate its role in initiating antituberculosis treatment in patients with presumed intraocular tuberculosis. METHODS: Forty-five patients were divided into three groups. Group I included 17 patients of presumed intraocular tuberculosis, group II 13 disease controls and group III had 15 normal controls. Patients with positive PCR were offered antituberculosis chemotherapy and followed up for a minimum of 18 months. RESULTS: Ten patients in group I, 3 in group II and none in group III were positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis by PCR. Ten patients with positive PCR for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (8 in group I and 2 in group II) were treated with antituberculosis chemotherapy and all showed resolution of inflammation without any recurrence over 18 months of follow-up. Two PCR positive patients treated with steroids alone, however, did not show complete resolution and had recurrent attacks. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that antituberculosis treatment in PCR positive patients leads to resolution of inflammation and elimination of recurrences, most likely by eliminating Mycobacterium tuberculosis from the intraocular tissues.
Adolescent↗
Heterogeneity in heat shock protein genes in Leishmania isolates.
Leishmaniasis, a group of visceral and cutaneous diseases, is caused by parasites belonging to one genus comprising approximately 13 different species. Many methods including serological, biochemical and molecular biological techniques have been used by various workers to characterize these different species and isolates of Leishmania, yet there is no single generally accepted criterion. We have identified certain cDNA clones from a library generated from the promastigotes of S1 strain of Leishmania donovani and used them as probes for identification of various isolates of L. donovani and Leishmania tropica. Two of the probes used, E2b (2.0 kb) and E1a (1.3 kb), sequence characterized to be hsp70 of Leishmania, were able to distinguish various isolates of L. donovani from different geographical origins as well as strains of L. donovani from those of L. tropica. Thus, by using recombinant hsp70 cDNA probes, the data indicated that there is a considerable degree of heterogeneity in the heat-shock genes of Leishmania.
Animals↗
High incidence of IgG antibodies to phenolic glycolipid in non-leprosy patients in India.
Purified phenolic glycolipid (PGL-1) from Mycobacterium leprae was used to detect IgG antibodies against PGL-1 in leprosy patients in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A total of 698 sera were screened; they came from patients suffering from leprosy, autoimmune disease, myeloma, tuberculosis and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Cases with miscellaneous diseases and persons undergoing AIDS screening were also included. Sera from lepromatous and tuberculoid leprosy patients gave positivity rates of 60.5% and 41.7%, respectively. In non-leprosy cases, the PGL-1 ELISA showed an overall positivity rate of 6.9%; this was greatest in patients with tuberculosis (43.8%) followed by autoimmune diseases (40.9%) and miscellaneous cases including liver diseases (37.9%). This study emphasizes that PGL-1 ELISA has a low predictive value for diagnosis of active infection by Mycobacterium leprae. Positive reactions in a significant percentage of patients with autoimmune disease are intriguing and need indepth study.
Adult↗
Aortic dissection in a young corticosteroid-treated patient with systemic lupus erythematosus--a case report.
We report a rare case of acute aortic dissection in a young, corticosteroid-treated hypertensive patient with a long-standing history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A brief review of literature on aortic dissection in lupus erythematosus is presented. A low threshold for performing transesophageal echocardiography in the management of chest pain syndrome in SLE is emphasized.
Acute Disease↗
Prevalence of HBsAg in patients with HIV infection and AIDS.
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Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
Henoch-Schonlein purpura: the Chandigarh experience.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical profile of children with Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP). DESIGN: Hospital based descriptive follow-up study. SUBJECTS: 45 patients attending the Pediatric Rheumatology and Immunology clinic over the last 4 years. RESULTS: The patients were aged between 2.5-12 years with a male to female ratio of 2:1. All cases had palpable purpura. Gastrointestinal involvement was seen in 38 patients, with abdominal pain in 35 (78%) and lower GI bleed in 21 (47%). Large joint arthritis occurred in 60%. Renal involvement was seen in 14 subjects (31%). Major renal involvement occurred in 9 patients, with nephritic syndrome in 6 and nephrotic syndrome in 3 cases. Five patients had minor urinary abnormalities; 6 patients with major renal involvement and crescentic glomerulonephritis were treated with high dose pulse steroid therapy followed by oral prednisolone and azathioprine for 12-18 months. Normalization of urinary abnormalities occurred in these patients over 4-8 months and presently all are normotensive and off antihypertensive drugs. CONCLUSIONS: HSP in children is a common form of vasculitis. Though short term results in HSP nephritis have been good, long term prognosis in those with major renal involvement would remain guarded.
Adolescent↗
Arthritis in hypogammaglobulinemia.
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Agammaglobulinemia↗
HIV epidemic in Punjab, India: time trends over a decade.
Although Bombay (Mumbai) appears to be the main focus for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in India, rapid spread has occurred through other major cities as well. The first AIDS patient in the northern state of Punjab was reported in May 1987. The present study, spanning a decade, shows that the incidence in high-risk groups increased from 3 per 1000 in 1987 to 59 per 1000 in 1997, 73% of the cases being in the third and fourth decades of life, i.e. the most productive years. The male to female ratio was 3.1:1, and 29% of the patients had the full-blown disease. A total of 80.5% acquired the infection heterosexually and only 2% of the patients were intravenous drug users. The percentage of patients acquiring infection through blood, blood products, and haemodialysis dropped from 20% in 1987 to 5% in 1997, but the cumulative figure was still 12%. The intervention programme launched by the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) appears to have had little impact on the epidemic. There is an urgent need therefore for more interactive programmes that include education concerning the modes of spread, course, financial implications and fatal outcome of the disease, instead of passive dissemination of information by posters and the media.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
Effect of home processing and storage on ascorbic acid and beta-carotene content of Bathua (Chenopodium album) and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) leaves.
The present investigation was conducted to study the effect of selected processing and storage methods on the concentration of ascorbic acid and beta-carotene in Bathua and fenugreek leaves. Methods included storage of leaves with or without polythene bags for 24 and 48 h in a refrigerator at 5 degrees C; at 30 degrees C in polythene bags; drying (sun and oven); blanching (5, 10, 15 min); open pan and pressure cooking. Ascorbic acid content of fresh leaves was 220.97 to 377.65 mg and beta-carotene content was 19.00 to 24.64 mg/100 g, DW. The percent loss of ascorbic acid ranged from 2.03 to 8.77 and 45.15 to 66.9 while lower losses (0.0 to 1.75 and 1.63 to 2.84) of beta-carotene were observed in leaves stored in the refrigerator and at 30 degrees C, respectively. A markedly greater reduction in ascorbic acid and beta-carotene was observed in dried, blanched and cooked leaves. The study data suggest that storage of leaves in refrigeration, drying in oven, blanching for a short time and cooking in a pressure cooker results in better retention of these two vitamins.
Ascorbic Acid↗
Comparison of cellular responses in single- and multiple-lesion neurocysticercosis.
Leucocytes from 14 cases of neurocysticercosis who had multiple lesions showed a significantly lower level of chemotaxis than those from healthy controls [with mean (S.D.) movements of 49.86 (15.0) and 89.1 (12.9) microns, respectively; P < 0.05). In contrast, the leucocytes from 14 cases with single lesions had similar chemotactic responses to the controls. Although the level of lymphoproliferation stimulated with phytohaemagglutinin, a measure of T-lymphocyte function, was also considerably less using cells from the multiple-lesion cases than when cells from the single-lesion cases were used, the difference was not statistically significant [0.644 (0.248) of control values v. 0.463 (0.317); P < 0.1]. Flow cytometry indicated that the total numbers of CD4 cells and CD4/CD8 ratios in all blood samples were normal. It therefore appears that, among neurocysticercosis patients, only those with multiple lesions have defective neutrophils and may also have dysfunctional lymphocytes.
Adolescent↗
Responsiveness of human male volunteers to immunization with ovine follicle stimulating hormone vaccine: results of a pilot study.
A study of 140 days duration was performed to examine if human male volunteers (n = 5) respond to ovine follicle stimulating hormone (oFSH) immunization (administered adsorbed on Alugel on days 1, 20, 40 and 70) by producing antibodies capable of both binding and neutralizing bioactivity of human FSH. The kinetics of antibody production for both the immunogen (oFSH) and the cross-reactive antigen (hFSH) were essentially similar. The volunteers responded only to the first two immunizations. The boosters given on days 40 and 70 were ineffective, probably because of the presence of substantial amounts of circulating antibody to oFSH. Of the antibodies generated to oFSH, 25-45% bound hFSH with a mean binding affinity of 0.65 x 10(9) +/- 0.53 M(-1). The binding capacities at the time of high (30-80 days of immunization) and low (>110 days) titres were 346 +/- 185 and 10.5 +/- 5.8 ng hFSH/ml respectively. During the period of high titre, free serum FSH (value in normal males 1-5 ng/ml) was not monitorable. A 50 microl aliquot of the antiserum obtained from different volunteers between days 30 and 80 and on day 140 blocked binding of (125)I-labelled hFSH to its receptor by 82 +/- 9.7 and 53 +/- 12.2% respectively. The antibody produced was specific for FSH, and no significant change in the values of related glycoprotein hormones (luteinizing hormone/testosterone and thyroid stimulating hormone/thyroxine) were recorded. Seminal plasma transferrin, a marker of Sertoli cell as well as of seminiferous tubular function, showed marked reduction (30-90%) following immunization with oFSH. Considering that endogenous FSH remained neutralized for approximately one sperm cycle only (65 days), the reduction in sperm counts (30-74%) exhibited by some volunteers is encouraging. Immunization with oFSH did not result in any significant changes in haematology, serum biochemistry or hormonal profiles. There was no production of antibodies capable of interacting with non-specific tissues. It is concluded that it should be possible to obtain a sustained long-term blockade of endogenous FSH action in men by using oFSH as an immunogen. This is a prerequisite for obtaining significant reduction in the quality and quantity of spermatozoa produced, thus leading to infertility.
Adult↗
Low sensitivity of counter-current immuno-electrophoresis for serodiagnosis of typhoid fever.
Counter-current immuno-electrophoresis was evaluated as a diagnostic test for the serodiagnosis of typhoid fever with somatic (O), flagellar (H) and capsular polysaccharide (Vi) antigens of Salmonella typhi on the sera of patients who were blood culture positive (confirmed typhoid cases) or had high Widal agglutination titres, > or = 320, (presumptive typhoid cases). Of the 37 sera from confirmed cases, 30% showed positivity with O antigen, 24% with H antigens and 51% with Vi antigen. In patients with a presumptive diagnosis, 45% were positive for O antibody, 27% for flagellar antibody and 52% for Vi antibody. When all three antigens were combined the reactivity to any of the antigens was found to be 59% in confirmed typhoid cases, 79% in presumptive typhoid cases and 93% in patients who were simultaneously positive by blood culture and Widal agglutination. However, none of the sera from 45 controls gave a positive precipitation reaction with any of the antigens. It is concluded that counter-current immuno-electrophoresis is a rapid test with low sensitivity and high specificity with Vi antigen, a panel of antigens being most effective, and is, therefore, recommended for rapid diagnosis of typhoid fever.
Agglutination Tests↗
Clinical and immunological profile of SLE: some unusual features.
OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical and immunological profile of children with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). DESIGN: Retrospective hospital based study. SETTING: Tertiary level center of North India. SUBJECTS: Sixteen children in the age group 4-12 years. METHODS: Medical records of children with SLE were analyzed. Clinico pathological features were compared with 2 other series from India. RESULTS: Mean age of children at the time of diagnosis was 10 yr and 8 (50%) children were less than 10 yr of age. The female to male ratio was 7:1. Fever (56.2%), rash (87%) and arthritis (87%) were the common clinical manifestations, Renal involvement was noted in 56.2% of cases. Other clinical features included hemolytic anemia (31.2%), thrombocytopenia (18.6%) and Raynaud's phenomenon (12.5%). Cardiac involvement in the form of severe myocarditis and endocarditis occurred in one patient each. Pulmonary hypertension was the presenting feature in one child with right heart failure. One child had multiple sclerosis along with SLE--a rare combination. ANA positivity was seen in all children. Five children died; two had severe cardiac involvement. Three children had renal involvement and one died of pulmonary hypertension. Two-thirds of subjects with renal involvement improved after therapy according to NIH, Bethesda protocol. CONCLUSIONS: SLE must be considered in any child with multisystem disease, as the disease may have certain unusual presentations.
Child↗
In vivo inhibition of cytokine responsiveness and graft-versus-host disease mortality by rapamycin leads to a clinical-pathological syndrome discrete from that observed with cyclosporin A.
Rapamycin (RAPA) has been shown to be a highly effective means of reducing the lethality of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in B10.BR recipients of allogeneic C57BL/6 donor cells. RAPA-treated mice had no clinical (e.g., weight loss, diarrhea, lethargy) or histologic evidence of classical acute or chronic GVHD but did develop a clinical-pathological syndrome consisting of ulcerative dermatitis, bile duct proliferation, and a nondestructive peribronchiolar pulmonary infiltration. Because RAPA was found to interfere with the deletion of self-reactive T cells, we wondered whether the RAPA-induced syndrome was related to failed negative selection or altered alloreactivity. We now show that the RAPA-induced syndrome is due to effects on mature, donor-derived alloreactive T cells. By titering the number of T cells infused we were able to vary the syndrome incidence. In contrast to the syndrome seen after cyclosporin A (CsA) administration, the RAPA syndrome did not require an intact thymus and the disease could not be adoptively transferred. The addition of CsA (which blocks T-cell cytokine production) to RAPA (which blocks T-cell cytokine response) prevented the generation of this syndrome, suggesting that the tissue manifestations seen in RAPA only treated recipients were caused by cytokine production and release. RAPA also caused this alloimmune syndrome in recipients of minor histocompatibility antigen disparate donor cells, showing that the RAPA effects were not restricted to a single donor-recipient strain combination or to instances in which the donor and recipient were fully major histocompatibility complex disparate. We conclude that RAPA is a highly effective means of preventing murine acute GVHD, and that when combined with CsA, warrants consideration for human investigations.
Animals↗
Development, acceptability and nutritional evaluation of home made supplements for school children.
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Child↗
Incidence of human papilloma virus in patients with invasive cervical carcinoma.
The dot-blot hybridization of biotin-dUTP-labeled HPV-16 DNA with genomic DNA extracted from biopsies taken from patients with invasive carcinoma and abnormal cytology showed the presence of HPV-DNA in 88% and 80% cases under relaxed conditions and 40% and 20% cases under stringent conditions of hybridization, respectively. Southern blot revealed the HPV-DNA in randomly integrated form in two cases and in episomal form in the other two.
Blotting, Southern↗