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Biomedical subjects

S Sengupta

Publications and source records attributed to S Sengupta.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

An unusual post-operative wound infection with Salmonella typhi: case report.

A 25 year old male student presented with a discharging sinus and swelling over right forearm, which on culture yielded S. typhi, sensitive to Ciprofloxacin. Predisposing factors were absent but there was a history of surgery for chronic osteomyelitis of right ulna and injury with cricket ball at same site. Pus obtained during surgery was sterile. Patient responded to oral Ciprofloxacin. Soft tissue infections are uncommon manifestation of salmonellosis. This case is an unusual presentation of post-operative Salmonella typhi wound infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Integrated approach to prediction of cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia status through a case-control study.

A case-control study on cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN) was carried out on 398 subjects in the state of West Bengal, India. These samples were taken from mass screening programs organized by the authors, maintaining the uniformity of sampling to the extent possible. The cervical smears were tested by the Papanicolaou (PAP) method, following the Bethesda system for reporting of CIN status. Odds ratios and correlation coefficients among different variables, assumed to produce carcinoma of the cervix, show that 6 out of 11 variables, i.e., age, education, socio-economic status, duration of marriage, age at marriage and body surface, are associated with CIN. Multivariate analysis of logistic regression was carried out using BMDP-LR with dichotomized response variables considering CIN (0 and 1) in one group and CIN (2 and 3) in the other group. The outcome of the analysis indicated that age and educational level are 2 contributing factors for CIN. The percentage of correct classification in this analysis has improved to 74.5%, with a probability of 0.90. Polychotomous regression analysis was carried out using BMDP-PR in the next step. This analysis showed that parity was a contributing factor, in addition to age and educational level. These 3 factors provide a predictive model for identifying the high-risk group in a rational way. This approach would restrict screening to approximately 10% of the population. Subsequently, the model has been validated in a confirmatory trial among 85 new cases and was found to work satisfactorily.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Hemoglobin endocytosis in Leishmania is mediated through a 46-kDa protein located in the flagellar pocket.

Four lines of evidence indicate that a specific high affinity binding site on the surface of Leishmania donovani promastigotes mediates rapid internalization and degradation of hemoglobin. 1) Binding and uptake of 125I-hemoglobin by Leishmania followed saturation kinetics and were competed by unlabeled hemoglobin but not by globin or hemin or other heme- or iron-containing proteins. 2) Immunogold labeling studies revealed that, at 4 degreesC, hemoglobin binding was localized in the flagellar pocket of the promastigotes. Indirect immunofluorescence assays showed that, at 37 degreesC, the bound hemoglobin in such cells entered an endocytic compartment within 2 min and dispersed throughout the cell body by 15 min. 3) After incubation with hemoglobin-gold conjugates at 25 degreesC or 37 degreesC, the particles accumulated in discrete intracellular vesicles. 4) A single biotinylated protein of 46 kDa was revealed when solubilized membranes from surface biotinylated intact Leishmania adsorbed by hemoglobin-agarose beads were subjected to SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting with avidin-horseradish peroxidase. Considered together, these data indicate that this 46-kDa protein on the cell surface of L. donovani promastigotes mediates the binding of hemoglobin and its rapid internalization through a vesicular pathway characteristic of receptor-mediated endocytosis.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Anti-inflammatory activity and pharmacokinetic profile of a new parenteral formulation of nimesulide.

Nimesulide, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, exerts potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects when administered orally, rectally or topically. The present study was designed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of a new parenteral formulation of nimesulide and to correlate it with the pharmacokinetic profile. Nimesulide was administered intramuscularly at increasing doses of 1. 5, 3, 6, 12.5 and 25 mg kg-1 which produced dose-dependent anti-inflammatory effects in the carrageenan-induced rat paw edema. The anti-inflammatory activity of nimesulide was greater than that of diclofenac which was administered at identical doses though the difference was not statistically significant. Peak anti-inflammatory effects with nimesulide were observed between 2 and 3 h post-treatment which correlates well with the tmax of 115 min. The plasma concentration of nimesulide at different time points was assayed using HPLC after administration at a dose of 25 mg kg-1. Peak plasma concentration (Cmax) was 23 microgram ml-1 while t1/2 was derived as 4.2 h. Area Under Curve (AUC(0-6 h)) was calculated as 83. 31 microgram ml-1 h-1. No toxicity or adverse effects were noted at the doses administered. The present study demonstrates that nimesulide administered intramuscularly may be superior to other routes of administration when fast onset of action is required with high plasma concentration.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Implementing smoking policies within trusts: nurses' perceptions and views of effectiveness and implications.

AIM: This study set out to explore nurses' views and perceptions of their hospital Trust's smoking policy, and the effects that it has had on both staff and patients. BACKGROUND: Although soliciting and considering the views and perceptions of staff during smoking policy development increases the likelihood of effective implementation, such activity does not appear to be routinely undertaken within the NHS. METHODS: Semistructured interviews were conducted with seven surgical nurses working within one district general hospital in the UK. RESULTS: While all of the subjects acknowledged the value of there being a smoking policy, they felt that their Trust's policy placed nurses in a powerless and vulnerable position, with little support available to help effectively address the problems that smoking raised for them and their patients. CONCLUSIONS: NHS Trusts that wish to develop and implement effective smoking policies should engage their staff throughout the process, and not underestimate the positive contribution that they all can make.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Self-management health education for chronic HIV infection.

This paper describes the design and implementation, and presents qualitative data on the Positive Self-Management Program (PSMP), a group health education programme to help patients actively participate in their HIV/AIDS disease and symptom management. PSMP design was guided by the needs and concerns of HIV patients and their caregivers, and by social cognitive theory. Programme participants meet weekly in interactive health education groups for seven sessions, and complete a structured curriculum that teaches self-management skills and information to patients: symptom assessment and management, medication use, physical exercise, relaxation, doctor-patient communication and nutrition. Each group was led by two trained peer-leaders (one HIV-positive). Structured, open-ended telephone interviews were conducted with a sample of PSMP participants during evaluation of the programme. Responses to PSMP were favourable, emphasizing the importance of the contracting process, group social support and the PSMP resource book provided. Subjects also described variation in HIV knowledge and experience among group participants, and emphasized the importance of changes in health-related attitudes and behaviours as a result of PSMP education. These results suggest that a self-management approach to HIV patient education is feasible and accepted, and could become a useful health education technique in patients with chronic HIV infection.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1999

Validation of a Bengali adaptation of the Conners' Parent Rating Scale (CPRS-48).

BACKGROUND: The Conners' Parent Rating Scales (CPRS) have been used to measure behavioural problems in drug trials in children for many years. This study in rural India aimed to validate a translated version of the CPRS-48 for use in a study of anti-epileptic drug side-effects. METHOD: The Scale was translated into local dialect, back-translated, and piloted among healthy families. The revised version was then administered to mothers of 60 healthy children and 63 children with epilepsy. Tests of internal reliability, test-retest reliability and factor analysis were performed. RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.60 to 0.75 for the subscales, and correlation coefficients after retesting from 0.84 to 0.99. The overall factor structure was very similar to that reported in the original USA sample. CONCLUSION: The Bengali version of the CPRS-48 and its Hyperactivity Index have validity for rural Bengali children, and the process demonstrates that such instruments can be usefully adapted for local purposes.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1999

WebCIS: large scale deployment of a Web-based clinical information system.

WebCIS is a Web-based clinical information system. It sits atop the existing Columbia University clinical information system architecture, which includes a clinical repository, the Medical Entities Dictionary, an HL7 interface engine, and an Arden Syntax based clinical event monitor. WebCIS security features include authentication with secure tokens, authorization maintained in an LDAP server, SSL encryption, permanent audit logs, and application time outs. WebCIS is currently used by 810 physicians at the Columbia-Presbyterian center of New York Presbyterian Healthcare to review and enter data into the electronic medical record. Current deployment challenges include maintaining adequate database performance despite complex queries, replacing large numbers of computers that cannot run modern Web browsers, and training users that have never logged onto the Web. Although the raised expectations and higher goals have increased deployment costs, the end result is a far more functional, far more available system.

Clinical Medicine↗
PubMed1999

Session management for web-based healthcare applications.

In health care systems, users may access multiple applications during one session of interaction with the system. However, users must sign on to each application individually, and it is difficult to maintain a common context among these applications. We are developing a session management system for web-based applications using LDAP directory service, which will allow single sign-on to multiple web-based applications, and maintain a common context among those applications for the user. This paper discusses the motivations for building this system, the system architecture, and the challenges of our approach, such as the session objects management for the user, and session security.

Computer Security↗
PubMed1998

[Value of 18F fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in radiotherapy planning of head-neck tumors].

PURPOSE: An individualized radiation treatment planning in patients with head and neck tumors requires an exact definition of tumorspread. Despite of high reliability of methods like computed tomography, sonography or magnetic resonance imaging used in daily routine, the correct diagnosis of lymphonodal tumor infiltration is often not possible. In a prospective trial, we examined whether an additional FDG-PET gives a relevant gain of information for radiation treatment planning. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We studied data of 34 patients with histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck who received a FDG-PET prior to treatment planning additionally to conventional staging procedures. The extent of changes of treatment strategy or target volume due to additional FDG-PET findings were analyzed. RESULTS: In 9/22 of patients with primary tumors and in 7/12 of patients with recurrent disease, FDG-PET detected additional tumor manifestations. In all cases, changes of treatment strategy or target volume were necessary. Regarding patients with primary tumors, the percentage of treatment modifications was highest in patients with large tumors (T3 and T4) and patients with advanced lymph node involvement (N2 and N3). CONCLUSIONS: Especially in patients with recurrent disease and patients with advanced tumor stages, FDG-PET is able to give clinically relevant information compared to conventional staging procedures. Therefore, in these group of patients a FDG-PET study prior to radiotherapy planning should be considered.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Analgesic efficacy and pharmacokinetics of topical nimesulide gel in healthy human volunteers: double-blind comparison with piroxicam, diclofenac and placebo.

OBJECTIVE: The present study was conducted to compare the analgesic efficacy of a new topical gel formulation of nimesulide (10 mg of pure drug) with that of placebo, diclofenac and piroxicam gels (10 mg of pure drug) in three parallel groups in a double-blinded, randomized fashion with vehicle placebo. The analgesic activity of nimesulide was subsequently correlated with its pharmacokinetic profile. METHODS: The drugs were applied on a fixed marked area on the skin of the right forearm. Pain stimulus was administered using a modification of the Hollander method, before and at 15, 30, 60, 120 min and 240 min post-treatment. The pain experienced by the subjects was ranked separately on the visual analogue scale (VAS) and the ten-point category scale. Antinociception induced by the treatments was evaluated through the placebo-related ratings (PRR) and total pain relief (TOTPAR) analysis. The plasma concentration of nimesulide was estimated using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). RESULTS: Nimesulide exhibited better efficacy than diclofenac, piroxicam and placebo. It demonstrated faster onset of action in concordance with earlier studies. Peak analgesic effect was observed at 120 min post-treatment, which correlated with the pharmacokinetic profile of the drug in gel formulation. In this study, diclofenac was found to be superior to piroxicam though both drugs exhibited peak analgesic effect at 60 min post-treatment. In the modified Hollander method, a good correlation was found between the ten point category scale and the VAS, indicating that it may serve as a sensitive and reliable method for the screening of analgesic drugs. CONCLUSION: The superior analgesic activity of nimesulide (as gel formulation), correlating with its pharmacokinetic profile, indicates that the topical route of administration may be a safe and effective alternative to the presently used oral and rectal routes.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1998

Microbial production of hydrogen: an overview.

Production of hydrogen by anaerobes, facultative anaerobes, aerobes, methylotrophs, and photosynthetic bacteria is possible. Anaerobic Clostridia are potential producers and immobilized C. butyricum produces 2 mol H2/mol glucose at 50% efficiency. Spontaneous production of H2 from formate and glucose by immobilized Escherichia coli showed 100% and 60% efficiencies, respectively. Enterobactericiae produces H2 at similar efficiency from different monosaccharides during growth. Among methylotrophs, methanogenes, rumen bacteria, and thermophilic archae, Ruminococcus albus, is promising (2.37 mol/mol glucose). Immobilized aerobic Bacillus licheniformis optimally produces 0.7 mol H2/mol glucose. Photosynthetic Rhodospirillum rubrum produces 4, 7, and 6 mol of H2 from acetate, succinate, and malate, respectively. Excellent productivity (6.2 mol H2/mol glucose) by co-cultures of Cellulomonas with a hydrogenase uptake (Hup) mutant of R. capsulata on cellulose was found. Cyanobacteria, viz., Anabaena, Synechococcus, and Oscillatoria sp., have been studied for photoproduction of H2. Immobilized A. cylindrica produces H2 (20 ml/g dry wt/h) continually for 1 year. Increased H2 productivity was found for Hup mutant of A. variabilis. Synechococcus sp. has a high potential for H2 production in fermentors and outdoor cultures. Simultaneous productions of oxychemicals and H2 by Klebseilla sp. and by enzymatic methods were also attempted. The fate of H2 biotechnology is presumed to be dictated by the stock of fossil fuel and state of pollution in future.

Bacteria↗
PubMed1998

Comparison of key informant and survey methods for ascertainment of childhood epilepsy in West Bengal, India.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare efficacy and cost of key informants and survey for ascertainment of childhood epilepsy within a treatment context in rural India. METHODS: The study was set in a non-governmental, community programme for the functional and socioeconomic rehabilitation of children with disabilities in rural West Bengal, India. Ascertainment was by two methods: house-to-house survey of 15000 households and also by 430 key informants including village leaders, health workers and 670 schoolchildren. Methods were compared for positive predictive value, and sensitivity by capture-recapture technique. Ninety four children were enrolled into treatment. Predictors of treatment success were determined by multiple logistic regression analysis, giving adjusted odds ratios for remission. The costs of identifying one case and one treatment success were measured by costing personnel, materials and overheads. RESULTS: The survey was four times as sensitive as key informants although the positive predictive values were similar (36%, 40%). The survey had an absolute sensitivity of only 59%. Identification by key informants strongly predicted successful treatment outcome (odds ratio [OR] = 4.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] : 1.19-18.85). The cost of finding one case was US$11 and US$14, and of finding one successful treatment outcome US$35 and US$67 for informants and survey respectively. Key informants were essential in attaining longer term programme objectives. CONCLUSIONS: In the context of a treatment programme, key informants were the more cost-effective method, but community involvement was traded against low sensitivity in the short term. Overall ascertainment costs were significant in the context of primary health care in India.

Child↗
PubMed1998

Comparative analgesic activity of nimesulide and diclofenac by intramuscular route: correlation with pharmacokinetic profile of nimesulide.

Nimesulide, a selective cyclooxygenase-2-inhibiting nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, has been found to be a potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic drug, when administered orally, rectally or topically. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the comparative efficacy of intramuscularly injected nimesulide with that of diclofenac and to elucidate the pharmacokinetic profile of this formulation. Swiss albino mice were used in the experiment. Analgesic activity was tested using the acetic acid writhing test and the tail-flick latency test. Plasma levels of nimesulide and its active metabolite, hydroxynimesulide, were determined by a HPLC method. A peak analgesic effect was observed between 60 and 120 min, while Cmax (10.6 +/- 3.8 micrograms/ml) of nimesulide was reached at 60 min (Tmax). Analgesia was induced within 15 min of administration of nimesulide and was significantly higher than that of diclofenac at 90 and 120 min posttreatment in the writhing reflex and at 60 and 90 min in the tail-flick latency test. The results indicate that intramuscularly injected nimesulide may be an alternative mode of administration in uncooperative patients or when immediate analgesic effects are warranted.

Acetic Acid↗
PubMed1998

Comparative analgesic efficacy of nimesulide and diclofenac gels after topical application on the skin.

Nimesulide is a newer non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) with selective cyclo-oxygenase (COX)-2 blocking property and has demonstrated a potent analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity on oral and rectal administration. However, the Cmax through both these routes is reached only after 3 h of administration. Dose-dependent gastrointestinal side effects also limit the concentration of drug that can be achieved at the site of inflammation when administered through these routes. The present study was conducted to evaluate the antinociception induced by a new gel formulation of nimesulide when applied on the skin. Efficacy of topical nimesulide gel 1% (w/w) was studied on mice in the acetic-acid-induced writhing, tail flick latency (TFL) test and formalin-induced pain models. The antinociceptive effect of nimesulide was compared to diclofenac gel (1% w/w). Both the drugs induced dose-dependent analgesia with peak effect seen between 90 and 120 min after treatment. Greater antinociceptive effect (expressed as percent maximum possible effect) was seen in the writhing test than in the TFL test, indicating the peripheral action of both drugs. Nimesulide evidenced significant protection in the first phase of formalin-induced pain indicating modulation of peripheral nociceptors unlike other conventional NSAIDs. This suggests that COX-2 may be a primary contributor to afferent evoked increase in prostanoid-mediated changes in pain processing. Antinociception seen following drug application on the skin was lower than that seen on intraperitoneal administration, indicating localised action following topical application. The findings of the present study suggest that the transgel formulation of nimesulide provides significant analgesic activity when applied topically.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1998

Incidence of post operative wound infection and their antibiogram in a teaching and referral hospital.

A total of 406 post-operative clean wounds were studied for the presence of sepsis and antibiogram of organisms were established. The over all post-operative sepsis rate was 13% (clinical) and 12% (bacteriological). Staphylococcus aureus (32%) and Pseudomonas species (21%) were the commonest organisms recovered and Netilmycin, Cephaloridine and Norfloxacin were the most effective antibiotics against both Gram positive and negative infections. This study reflects the change in pattern of infecting bacterial flora in case of post operative wound infections and its antibiogram.

Adult↗