Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

T Hussain

Publications and source records attributed to T Hussain.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Measurement of nutrients in green house soil with laser induced breakdown spectroscopy.

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been applied for the determination of nutrients in the green house soil samples. We determined appropriate spectral signatures of vital nutrients and calibrated the method to measure the nutrients in a naturally fertilized plot, cultivated with tomato and cucumber plants. From the calibration curves we predicted the concentrations of important nutrients such as Ca, K, P, Mg, Fe, S, Ni and Ba in the soil. Our measurements proved that the LIBS method rapidly and efficiently measures soil nutrients with excellent detection limits of 12, 9, 7, 9, 7, 10, 8 and 12 mg/kg for Ca, K, P, Mg, Fe, S, Ni and Ba respectively with a precision of approximately 2%, The unique features of LIBS for rapid sample analysis demonstrated by this study suggests that this method offers promise for precision measurements of soil nutrients as compared to conventional methods in short span of time.

Barium↗
PubMed2006

HIV, HBV, HCV, and syphilis co-infections among patients attending the STD clinics of district hospitals in Northern India.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to assess the risk of co-infections with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and syphilis among patients attending sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics, antenatal clinics (ANC) and Ob-Gyn outpatients department (OPD) clinics which were part of the sentinel surveillance program. METHODS: A serological screening was carried out during the period August-November 2002 to assess the risk of infection with HIV-1/2, and co-infection with HBV, HCV, and syphilis among the outpatients attending STD clinics, Ob-Gyn OPD clinics, and ANC of three district hospitals (Agra, Etawah, and Farrukhabad) of Uttar Pradesh state in Northern India. Unlinked and coded serum samples received from 863 patients (635 females and 228 males) were screened by laboratory tests commonly used for laboratory diagnosis of HIV, HBV, HCV, and syphilis. RESULTS: Among the 863 samples serological reactivity was detected for HIV-1/2 in 21 (2.4%), HBV in 25 (2.9%), HCV in nine (1.0%), and syphilis in 47 (5.4%). The incidence of HBV was higher among males than females, i.e. 10/228 (4.4%) versus 15/635 (2.4%). Co-infection was observed for HIV-HBV in two (0.2%), HBV-HCV in one (0.1%), and HIV-syphilis in one (0.1%). None were found to have co-infection with HIV-HCV, HBV-syphilis, and HCV-syphilis. Age, sex, literacy level, occupation, locality, migration, and presence of different sexually transmitted infections did not significantly influence the rate of HIV positives. CONCLUSION: A substantial percentage of the outpatients seen in the clinics of the district hospital in Uttar Pradesh harbor HIV and viral hepatitis infections, which otherwise would remain undiagnosed without serological screening.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

The diurnal patterns of the adrenal steroids cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in relation to awakening.

The steroid hormones, cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) are the two main peripheral secretory products of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal stress-neuroendocrine axis. The diurnal pattern of cortisol secretory activity has been well characterised. Various aspects of this pattern have been related to time of awakening, light exposure, psychological dimensions of affect, immune function and systemic health and well-being. DHEA is also an important adrenocortical steroid whose secretory activity has been related to immune function, psychological and health variables. The most pronounced feature of the diurnal cortisol cycle is a burst of secretory activity following awakening with a diurnal decline thereafter. We mapped DHEA secretory activity onto this cycle by measuring both steroids in saliva samples collected at distinct time points over the diurnal cycle, synchronised to awakening. Both steroids, particularly DHEA, showed stability across days of sample collection. A main distinction between cortisol and DHEA was that although DHEA was elevated in post-awakening samples compared with later in the day there was no evidence of an awakening stimulatory burst of DHEA secretory activity. Although DHEA in many respects paralleled cortisol secretory activity there was some dissociation; mean levels were positively but not tightly correlated. The secretory pattern of DHEA is very stable whereas cortisol secretory activity seems more sensitive to day-to-day variability.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

The incidence and immediate respiratory consequences of pulmonary aspiration of enteral feed as detected using a modified glucose oxidase test.

Pulmonary micro-aspiration of enteral feed in intubated critically ill patients has been reported to occur commonly. In this prospective observational study the incidence of micro-aspiration, diagnosed by a modified glucose oxidase test, is reported in 25 enterally fed critically ill and tracheally intubated patients on a general intensive care unit. Episodes of microaspiration were correlated with changes in PaO2/FiO2 ratio as an index of changes in degree of lung injury. The modified glucose oxidase test differs from the traditional glucose oxidase test because of the enrichment of the feed with glucose (10 g glucose added to 500 ml enteral feed resulting in a tenfold increase in glucose concentration). Pulmonary aspiration of feed was detected by exposing a glucose oxidase strip to tracheal secretions. The feed was enriched with glucose to improve the ability of the reagent strip to detect the feed. The incidence of aspiration of feed was 44% with a prevalence of 6.9% per day of intubation. Only 43% of these episodes of aspiration were detected by the feed being seen in the tracheal secretions. Aspiration was associated with a mean fall in the PaO2/FiO2 ratio of 5.6 kPa from 27.1 kPa to 21.5 kPa (P = 0.002). Aspiration of enteral feed is common and causes a demonstrable morbidity. Detection using this simple bedside test may alert the clinician to institute measures to minimize further aspiration.

Enteral Nutrition↗
PubMed2003

Hepatitis B and C single and co-infection in chronic liver disease and their effect on the disease pattern.

OBJECTIVE: To find the frequency of hepatitis B and C virus (HBV and HCV) infection and their coinfection in chronic liver disease and any differences in the clinical features of single and coinfections. METHODOLGY: All clinically recognisable adult CLD patients admitted to Military Hospital, Rawalpindi in years 1999-2000, were included in the study. Their history and clinical features were recorded. Seromarkers for HBV (HBsAg, anti-HBc) and HCV (anti-HCV) were done. RESULTS: A total of 97 (52 male, 45 female) patients were included in the study. Mean age was 51.6 years (range 16-75 years). Cirrhosis was present in 74.2%, chronic hepatitis (Ch Hep) in 18.6% and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in 7.2%. Among the 74.1% patients with cirrhosis 28.5% were HBsAg positive, 55.5% anti-HBc positive and 68.1% anti HCV positive. In the chronic hepatitis cases 27.8% were HBsAg positive, 23.6% anti-HBc positive and 61.1% anti HCV positive. Among the patients of HCC 59.7% were HBsAg positive, 71.4% anti-HBc positive and 42% anti HCV positive. Regarding coinfection 7.2% were anti-HCV and HBsAg positive while 35.1% were anti-HCV and anti-HBc positive. CONCLUSION: Ninety percent of patients with CLD had evidence of HBV, HCV or coinfection. Disease was more severe in patients with coinfection. Anti-HBc was found to be a sensitive indicator of past HBV.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Dystrophin gene deletions in South Indian Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients.

66 unrelated patients from Southern India with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) were studied for intragenic deletion in 18 exons and Pm region of the DMD gene using multiplex PCR. Of these 41 (62.1%) showed intragenic deletions. 78% of the deletions were located at the distal hotspot region (44-55 exons) and 22% of the deletions were located at the proximal region (exon 2-19). Exon 50 is most frequently deleted. Deletions in isolated cases were significantly more compared to familial cases. The lower incidence reported from South India compared to North India, is suggestive of variations in the Southern and Northern population.

Dystrophin↗
PubMed2003

Relapsing polychondritis in an elderly male.

A 65 years patient presented with left ear swelling, swelling of the nasal bridge with congestion of the eyes. Clinically there was evidence of left auricular chondritis, nasal chondritis and conjunctivitis with a history of multiple similar episodes in the past, features suggestive of relapsing polychondritis. The patient improved with oral prednisolone.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2002

Intestinal dopaminergic activity in obese and lean Zucker rats: response to high salt intake.

The present study examined intestinal dopaminergic activity and its response to high salt (HS, 1% NaCl over a period of 24 hours) intake in obese (OZR) and lean Zucker rats (LZR). The basal Na+,K+-ATPase activity (nmol Pi/mg protein/min) in the jejunum of OZR was higher than in LZR on normal salt (NS) (OZR-NS = 111.3 +/- 6.0 vs. LZR-NS = 88.0 +/- 8.3). With the increase in salt intake, the basal Na+,K+-ATPase activity significantly increased in both animals (OZR-HS = 145.9 +/- 11.8; LZR-HS = 108.8 +/- 6.7). SKF 38393 (10 nM), a specific D1-like dopamine receptor agonist, inhibited the jejunal Na+,K+-ATPase activity in OZR on HS intake, but failed to inhibit enzyme activity in OZR on NS intake and LZR on NS and HS intakes. The aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) activity in OZR was lower than in LZR on NS intake. The HS intake increased AADC activity in OZR, but not in LZR. During the NS intake the jejunal monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in OZR was similar to that in LZR. The HS intake significantly decreased MAO activity in both OZR and LZR. The jejunal COMT activity in OZR was higher than in LZR on NS intake. The HS intake reduced COMT activity in OZR but not LZR. It is concluded that inhibition of jejunal Na+,K+-ATPase activity through D1 dopamine receptors is dependent on salt intake in OZR, whereas in LZR, the enzyme failed to respond to the activation of D1 dopamine receptors irrespective of their salt intake.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Clinical and laboratory features of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Pakistani patients.

OBJECTIVES: To study the clinico-pathological features of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Pakistani patients at the time of presentation in the four teaching hospitals of Rawalpindi-Islamabad area. SETTINGS: Department of Immunology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), Rawalpindi, Military Hospital (MH), Rawalpindi, Armed Forces Institute of Urology (AFIU), Rawalpindi, Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Rawalpindi, Department of Rheumatology, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad. SUBJECTS: Patients suffering from SLE, diagnosed on the basis of the ARA criteria. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinico-pathological features at the time of presentation. RESULTS: Twelve male patients in age range 5-30 years (mean 21.6 years) and 38 female patients in age range 8-37 years (mean 22.2 years) were included in the study, showing a female to male ratio of 3:1. Fever was the most common presenting feature (100%), followed by arthralgias/arthritis (98%), malar rash (64%) and oral ulcers (58%). Laboratory results showed antinuclear antibody to be positive in all patients followed by anti double stranded DNA antibodies (anti DNA antibodies: 64%), anti extractable nuclear antigen antibodies (anti ENA antibodies: 64%) and evidence of complement consumption in 64% of the patients. Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) was found to be increased with a mean of 64 mm first hour fall in males and a mean of 87 mm first hour fall in the female patients. The C reactive protein was detected to be normal or marginally increased inspite of the increased ESR with mean of 7 mg/l for male patients and 5 mg/1 for the females. CONCLUSION: The subject patient population presented almost universally with fever and arthralgias or arthritis in combination with malar rash or oral ulcers and in some patients a combination of all of the above was observed. A combination of positive anti nuclear antibody test, evidence for consumption of the complement in form of low C4 and C3, increased ESR and low C reactive protein were found to be a sensitive and cost effective set of laboratory findings for the diagnosis of patients suffering from SLE. The above mentioned set of clinical and laboratory features would help in the correct and early diagnosis of patients suffering from SLE, a relatively rare disease, in the busy medical out patient departments in our set up.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Studies on dopaminergic and GABAergic markers in striatum reveals a decrease in the dopamine transporter in schizophrenia.

Changes in the interaction between dopaminergic and GABAergic systems in the striatum have been suggested to be important in the pathology of schizophrenia. If that hypothesis is correct, these changes could produce inter-related changes in the dopaminergic and GABAergic systems in the striatum from schizophrenic subjects. To test this proposition we measured important markers on dopaminergic and GABAergic neurons in striatum obtained post-mortem from schizophrenic and non-schizophrenic subjects. There was a significant decrease in the density of the dopamine transporter (mean+/-SEM: 230+/-31 vs. 334+/-22fmol/mg ETE; P=0.01), but not nitric oxide synthase, dopamine D(2)-like, D(1)-like, D(3) or GABA(A) receptors in subjects with schizophrenia. There were no inter-related changes in the dopaminergic or GABAergic markers. In the schizophrenic subjects, the density of dopamine D(1)-like receptors decreased with age and was positively correlated with the density of dopamine D(2)-like receptors. This study does not readily add weight to the hypothesis that changes in the interaction between dopamine and GABA in the striatum are important in the pathology of schizophrenia. However, our findings could indicate that changes in the dopamine transporter within the striatum, either because of decreased transporter numbers per se or as a result of innervating neuronal loss, may be involved in the pathology of the illness.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Salt intake and intestinal dopaminergic activity in adult and old Fischer 344 rats.

We have earlier shown that the renal dopaminergic system failed to respond to high salt (HS) intake in old (24-month-old) Fisher 344 rats (Hypertension 1999;34:666-672). In the present study, intestinal Na+,K+-ATPase activity and intestinal dopaminergic tonus were evaluated in adult and old Fischer 344 rats during normal salt (NS) and HS intake. Basal intestinal Na+,K+-ATPase activity (nmol Pi/mg protein/min) in adult rats (142+/-6) was higher than in old Fischer 344 rats (105+/-7). HS intake reduced intestinal Na+,K+-ATPase activity by 20% (P<0.05) in adult, but not in old rats. Dopamine (1 microM) failed to inhibit intestinal Na+,K+-ATPase activity in both adult and old Fischer 344 rats (NS and HS diets). In adult animals, co-incubation of pertussis toxin with dopamine (1 microM) produced a significant inhibitory effect in the intestinal Na+,K+-ATPase activity. L-DOPA and dopamine tissue levels in the intestinal mucosa of adult rats were higher (45+/-9 and 38+/-4 pmol/g) than those in old rats (27+/-9 and 14+/-1 pmol/g). HS diet did not change L-DOPA and DA levels in both adult and old rats. DA/L-DOPA tissue ratios, an indirect measure of dopamine synthesis, were higher in old (1.1+/-0.2) than in adult rats (0.6+/-0.1). Aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) activity in the intestinal mucosa of old rats was higher than in adult rats. HS diet increased the AADC activity in adult rats, but not in old rats. It is concluded that intestinal dopaminergic tonus in old Fisher 344 rats is higher than in adult rats and is accompanied by lower basal intestinal Na+,K+-ATPase activity. In old rats, HS diet failed to alter the intestinal dopaminergic tonus or Na+,K+-ATPase activity, whereas in adult rats increases in AADC activity were accompanied by decreases in Na+,K+-ATPase activity. The association between salt intake, increased dopamine formation and inhibition of Na+,K+-ATPase at the intestinal level was not as straightforward as that described in renal tissues.

Aging↗
PubMed2001

Extended treatment with typical and atypical antipsychotic drugs differential effects on the densities of dopamine D2-like and GABAA receptors in rat striatum.

In situ radioligand binding and quantitative autoradiography have been used to measure the density of striatal D1-like, D2-like, and GABAA receptors in rats treated with haloperidol at 0.01 or 0.1 mg/kg/ day or chlorpromazine, olanzapine or clozapine at 0.1 or 1.0 mg/kg/day for 1, 3 or 7 months. [3H]SCH23390 binding to D1-like receptors was not changed by any drug treatments. There were significant increases in [3H]nemonapride binding to D2-like receptors at different time points due to treatment with haloperidol, chlorpromazine and olanzapine. By contrast, treatment with clozapine and olanzapine caused a time-dependent decrease in [3H]muscimol binding to the GABAA receptor. These data suggest that treatment with atypical antipsychotic drugs, but not typical antipsychotic drugs, affect striatal GABAergic neurons. In addition, it would appear that clozapine might be unique in that it does not increase dopamine-D2 like receptor density at doses which would be predicted to have antipsychotic effects in humans. The extent to which such changes are involved in the therapeutic effects of drugs such as olanzapine and clozapine remains to be determined.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Relaxation of rat aorta by adenosine in diabetes with and without hypertension: role of endothelium.

Effects of diabetes on the responses of aortic rings of normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rat to adenosine analogues were examined. Streptozotocin-induced diabetes caused an increase in blood glucose and plasma levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in normotensive (diabetic-WKY) as well as hypertensive (diabetic-SHR) rats. In diabetic-SHR group, the body weight was significantly low (50%) as compared to SHR (non-diabetic). Diabetic-SHR group showed the largest heart weight-to-body weight ratio indicating cardiac enlargement. The relaxation responses to adenosine analogues were obtained in endothelium-intact and -denuded aortic rings precontracted with phenylephrine. The IC(50) values of adenosine analogues were lower in endothelium-intact aortic rings of WKY as compared to diabetic-WKY and -SHR. Aortic rings from diabetic-SHR showed the greatest attenuation in adenosine analogue-mediated relaxation. Removal of endothelium from the aortic rings inhibited the relaxant response of adenosine analogues and abolished the differences among the groups. Nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor L-monomethylarginine (L-NMMA) caused a significant rightward shift in the concentration-response curves in WKY and diabetic-WKY groups, only a small shift in SHR and no change in diabetic-SHR group indicating that it is primarily the inhibition of NO release which is responsible for attenuation of adenosine receptor responses in SHR and diabetic-WKY and there was absence of NO release in diabetic-SHR. Forskolin and sodium nitroprusside equally relaxed the aortic rings in all the groups. This suggested that there was no abnormality in the relaxant property of vascular smooth muscle due to hypertension and/or diabetes. Therefore, it is concluded that streptozotocin-induced diabetes in SHR aggravates the severity of vascular endothelial dysfunction which led to impairment in adenosine receptor-mediated vascular responses.

Adenosine↗
PubMed2001

Activation of dopamine D(1)-like receptor causes phosphorylation of alpha(1)-subunit of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase in rat renal proximal tubules.

Dopamine causes inhibition of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity via activation of dopamine D(1)-like receptors. It is the phosphorylation of Serine(18) of the alpha(1)-subunit of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase which results in the inhibition of the enzyme activity; however, such a phosphorylation by dopamine D(1)-like receptor agonist has not been demonstrated in the proximal tubules. We show here by immunoprecipitation and detection with phosphoserine antibody that SKF 38393, a dopamine D(1)-like receptor agonist, causes phosphorylation of the alpha(1)-subunit of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase. The effect of (+/-)-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-(1H)-3-benzazepine-7,8-diol hydrochloride, SKF 38393, is blocked by R(+)-7-choro-8-hydroxy-3-methyl-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-benzazepine hydrochloride, SCH 23390, a dopamine D(1)-like receptor antagonist, and staurosporin, a protein kinase C inhibitor. The phosphorylation is also increased by phorbol 12-13 dibutyrate ester. However, Rp-cAMP triethylamine, an inhibitor of protein kinase A, does not affect the SKF 38393-mediated phosphorylation of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase. Therefore, these results provide the evidence that dopamine D(1)-like receptor activation causes phosphorylation of the alpha(1)-subunit of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase in renal proximal tubules via protein kinase C pathway.

2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-ben↗