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Biomedical subjects

S Shukla

Publications and source records attributed to S Shukla.

106 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Beryllium-induced toxicity and its prevention by treatment with chelating agents.

The efficacy of Tiron and calcium disodium EDTA in the treatment of experimental beryllium intoxication was investigated in rats. Beryllium nitrate was administered intramuscularly (50 mg kg(-1)) once only, provoking duration-dependent changes. Maximum changes were recorded after a 7-day regimen. Considerable inhibition was recorded in protein and glycogen contents, as well as in the activity of alkaline phosphatase, glucose-6-phosphatase, acid phosphatase and lipid peroxidation. These parameters were restored considerably with chelation therapy, but comparatively Tiron offered better protection. These findings were further confirmed by atomic adsorption spectrophotometry. Tiron was found to be significantly more effective than CaNa(2)EDTA in reducing the beryllium concentration in the liver, kidney and lungs.

1,2-Dihydroxybenzene-3,5-Disulfonic Acid Disodium ↗

EEG abnormalities in bipolar affective disorder.

Forty-six patients with bipolar illness were evaluated with scalp-recorded electroencephalograms. Familial pattern of psychopathology was evaluated between groups with clinically normal and abnormal EEG tracings. Those with abnormal EEGs were noted to have a significantly negative family history of affective disorder when compared to the EEG normal group. These results may support the concept of some patients with mania having an acquired illness which occurs independent from its genetic loading.

Bipolar Disorder↗

Failure to detect organic factors in mania.

Forty patients from an outpatient lithium clinic were studied who had a clear history of organic abnormalities which predated their affective symptomatology. In the course of reviewing the clinical histories regarding these patients, it was observed that only 37.5% of the patients had ever received a clinical diagnosis of organic affective syndrome. Variables associated with a failure to consider a diagnosis of organic affective syndrome were investigated.

Adolescent↗

Cognitive function in manics with associated neurologic factors.

Researchers studying cognition in mania have assumed that mania is a homogeneous entity. Recent preliminary evidence indicates that some manic syndromes may be preceded by medical, pharmacological, and neurologic antecedents. While DSM-III suggests that mild cognitive impairment may be associated with these manic syndromes, studies to date have not documented this assertion. We compared bipolar patients with antecedent neurologic factors (neurologic manics, NM) to bipolar patients without such histories (primary manics, PM) on standard neuropsychological measures and clinical parameters to ascertain whether cognitive testing could be used as an adjunctive diagnostic tool in defining this subgroup of patients. Results indicated that the NM group was more dysfunctional in intellectual functioning and course of psychiatric illness than the PM group.

Adult↗

Proposed delusional depression subtypes: preliminary evidence from a retrospective study of phenomenology and treatment course.

An analysis of the phenomenology and treatment course of 52 subjects with delusional depression suggests that there may be various subtypes: bipolar, early-onset unipolar and possibly a late-onset unipolar. The bipolar subgroup tended to relapse in different but always psychotic directions, and was resistant to lithium carbonate treatment alone. Treatment refractoriness, delusional depressive recurrences, and a dementia-like presentation were associated with a small late-onset subgroup. A high rate of delusionally depressive relapses also characterized the early-onset unipolar group, however, patients with single episodes were found only in this subgroup.

Adult↗

Failure to differentiate bipolar disorder from schizophrenia on measures of neuropsychological function.

30 inpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia were compared to 35 inpatients with bipolar affective disorder, manic type, on a large group of neuropsychological measures. Separate factor analyses were performed on measures of verbal, spatial, and speed variables in order to generate summary scales. Controlling for the effects of age, education, sex, duration of illness, number of previous hospitalizations, and medications at time of testing, there were no significant differences between diagnostic groups on the three factors or on individual test variables. Patients on medication performed more poorly on speed variables than those off medication. These findings call into question the notion of differential patterns of cognitive deficit among psychotic diagnoses.

Adult↗

Fine needle aspiration cytology in xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis, gallbladder adenocarcinoma and coexistent lesions.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in gallbladder mass lesions and to explore the possibility of overlooking malignancy in coexistent adenocarcinoma with xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis (XGC) on fine needle aspiration smears. STUDY DESIGN: In a retrospective, seven-year study, ultrasound-guided needle aspirates from 25 histologically proven cases of gallbladder adenocarcinoma, 11 cases of gallbladder adenocarcinoma associated with XGC and 20 cases of XGC were evaluated for the presence of mesotheliumlike, foam, inflammatory and multinucleate giant cells; pink, granular background; bile; and degenerated cells, along with atypical or frankly malignant cells. Detailed clinical findings were retrieved from the records. RESULTS: The overall sensitivity of detecting carcinoma was 90.63% and specificity 94.74%. The sensitivity of detecting malignancy was 80% when adenocarcinoma was associated with XGC. CONCLUSION: FNAC plays an important role in making the preoperative diagnosis of adenocarcinoma, XGC and coexistent lesions. The probability of detecting malignancy is greater than with XGC in coexistent lesions. Thus, a preoperative FNAC diagnosis would help in determining the urgency of treatment and in planning for the surgical procedure in gallbladder lesions.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis. Fine needle aspiration cytology in 17 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To establish morphologic features of xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis (XGC) on fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). STUDY DESIGN: In a retrospective, five-year study, ultrasound-guided fine needle aspirates from 17 cases of histologically proven XGC were examined for the presence of histiocytes, foam cells, inflammatory cells, multinucleate giant cells, bile, cholesterol crystals, degenerate cells, normal columnar epithelial cells, capillary endothelial cells and a pink granular background. RESULTS: The presence of histiocytes, foam cells, multinucleate giant cells, bile and a mixed population of inflammatory cells in varying proportions on a background of pink, granular debris was characteristic of XGC. However, pleomorphism in reactive histiocytes can occasionally raise the suspicion of malignancy, necessitating a comprehensive evaluation of the overall cytologic findings. CONCLUSION: XGC has characteristic cytologic features that can be used to differentiate it from malignancy, which XGC can mimic clinically and radiologically. Preoperative FNAC in such cases would help to guide the surgeon toward a correct surgical approach.

Bile↗

Room temperature hydrogen gas sensitivity of nanocrystalline pure tin oxide.

Nanocrystalline (6-8 nm) tin oxide (SnO2) thin film (100-150 nm) sensor is synthesized via sol-gel dip-coating process. The thin film is characterized using focused ion-beam microscopy (FIB) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) techniques to determine the film thickness and the nanocrystallite size. The utilization of nanocrystalline pure-SnO2 thin film to sense a typical reducing gas such as hydrogen, at room temperature, is demonstrated in this investigation. The grain growth behavior of nanocrystalline pure-SnO2 is analyzed, which shows very low activation energy (9 kJ/mol) for the grain growth within the nanocrystallite size range of 3-20 nm. This low activation energy value is correlated, via excess oxygen-ion vacancy concentration, with the room temperature hydrogen gas sensitivity of the nanocrystalline pure-SnO2 thin film sensor.

Adsorption↗

Biochemical and physiological alterations in female reproductive organs of cyclic rats treated with aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera Lam.

Biochemical and physiological alterations have been observed in the genital tract of female cyclic rats treated with aqueous extract of M. oleifera Lam. Its administration caused a significant increase in the glycogen contents, protein concentration, activity of acid and alkaline phosphatase and the level of total cholesterol in all the organs at initial days of treatment. However, at longer days of treatment the values revealed a significant depletion. Initially its administration stimulated the uterine structures, caused metaplastic changes in the cervical epithelium and provoked considerable cornification in the vaginal epithelium. At later durations significant inhibition in the histoarchitecture was observed. Biochemical observations supplemented with the histological findings have been correlated with the anti-implantation action of the aqueous extract in the light of its hormonal properties.

Abortifacient Agents↗

Uterine histoarchitecture during pre and post-implantation periods of rats treated with aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera Lam.

The effect of aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera Lam. (roots) has been studied on histoarchitecture of the uterus during pre and post-implantation stages in rats so as to elucidate its antifertility mode of action. The histoarchitecture of the uterus of control pregnant rat had revealed a clear-cut close apposition of the uterine endometrium with reduced lumen and loose stroma. There was a prominent appearance of deciduoma and the uterine glands were enlarged. Glandular cells showed hypertrophy and in the endometrium the leucocytic infiltration was increased. When the aqueous extract of M. oleifera Lam. was administered, no deciduoma was observed on day 5th of pregnancy and the luminal epithelium remained unstimulated. The lumen was enlarged and the uterus was non-oedematous. It has been concluded that the administration of aqueous extract of M. oleifera Lam. to pregnant rats could not stimulate the uterus which remained non-receptive throughout the period of treatment, therefore, the fertilized eggs may not be welcomed by the unprepared uterus.

Abortifacient Agents↗

Anti-implantation activity of some indigenous plants in rats.

Various extracts of one hundred and eight medicinal plants were screened for their anti-implantation activity in female albino rats. Out of these, 50% ethanolic extract of Codonospis ovata Benth (PL); 50% ethanolic, acetone and benzene extracts of Puararia tuberosa DC (TUB); aqueous and methanolic extracts of Punica granatum Linn. (PX) and ethanolic and acetone extracts of Rubus ellipiticus Smith (PX) inhibited pregnancy in 70-90% of rats. Similarly ethanolic extract of Adhatoda vasica Nees (LF) and Kigelia pinnata DC (PL); ethanolic and acetone extracts of Acrostichum aureum Linn. (PL), Juniperus communis Linn. (SD), Lepidium capitatum H.f. & T. (PL); ethanolic and benzene extracts of Citrulus colocynthus Schrad (LF) and acetone extract of Codonopsis ovata Benth (PL) showed 60-70% anti-implantation activity. Extracts of a few plants VIZ. Dolichos biflorus Linn. (SD), Ferule orientalis Linn. (PL), Nerium odoratum Lamk (RT), Randia dumetorum Lamk (SD) and Ruta graveolens Linn. (PL) could inhibit pregnancy in 50-60% of rats. The rest of the plants were either inactive or showed insignificant antifertility activity.

Animals↗

Contraceptive potency of Pueraria tuberosa D.C. and its hormonal status.

A medicinal plant, Pueraria tuberosa D.C. has been thoroughly investigated for its contraceptive potency in various animals viz. rats, mice and hamsters. The activity has been further confirmed with respect to its habitat and seasonal variations. The potent fractions have been studied for their biological properties so as to elucidate its exact hormonal status. The observations suggest that tubers of P. tuberosa D.C. possess significant antifertility activity. The contraceptive efficacy does not alter significantly with respect to the change in time and place of collection. Its crude powder, ethanolic aand butanolic extracts evoke a significant antifertility activity in rats, mice and hamsters whereas hexane, chloroform, methanol, petroleum ether and benzene extracts are significantly effective to prevent implantation only in rats and mice. Aqueous extract does not show any significant antifertility activity in all these three animal species. The studies on its biological properties suggest that all the fractions of P. tuberosa D.C. possess significant estrogenic activity. In addition to this activity, the crude powder also shows significant progestational and mild antiprogestational activity whereas ethanolic and butanolic extracts show significant progestational activity. Petroleum ether and benzene extracts show only the estrogenic activity. The biological properties and their differences in activity have been discussed in relation to antifertility mode of action of P. tuberosa.

Animals↗

Cardiovascular effects of novel imidazoline congeners.

2-Aryl-4,5-bis(diphenyl)-1-(N-acetyl hydrazide)-1,3-imidazoline (IIb1-4) was prepared by the reaction of ethyl chloro acetate and hydrazine hydrate with 2-Aryl-4,5-bis (diphenyl)-1H-imidazoline (I a1-4), which on further substitution with aryl/heterocyclyl aldheyde gave 2-Aryl-4,5-bis (diphenyl)-1-(4-substituted hydrazone)-1,3-imidazoline (III Ca-i). This was again cyclised to oxadiazole in the presence of ferric chloride and glacial acetic acid yielded 2-Aryl-4,5-bis(diphenyl)-1-(2-substituted-1,3,4-oxadizole)-1,3-imi dazoline (IV da-i). These compounds were screened for hypotensive activity and an attempt were made to get the site of action of these compounds.

Animals↗