Cryptococcal abscess--unusual presentation.
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Abscess↗
Biomedical subjects
T V Rao
Publications and source records attributed to T V Rao.
Incorporation of 4-thiothymidine into DNA by the Klenow fragment and HIV-1 reverse transcriptase.
The 5'-triphosphate of 4-thiothymidine (4S-TTP) is an excellent substrate for the Klenow fragment of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase 1 and HIV-1 reverse transcriptase with values of k(cat)/Km within a factor of approximately 3 of those for TTP. A large UV change (deltaepsilon= -9770 M(-1)cm(-1) at 340 nm) associated with incorporation of 4S-TMP into nucleic acid duplexes makes possible a rapid, continuous spectrophotometric assay of the reaction progress.
Base Pairing↗
A comprehensive review of goat pox and sheep pox and their diagnosis.
Sheep and goats occupy a premier place in the livestock industry and contribute significantly to the world economy. Their populations are threatened by a number of health hazards, among the most notable of which are goat pox and sheep pox. These diseases inflict substantial losses in terms of reduced productivity and lower quality of wool and leather. They pose a major obstacle to the intensive rearing of sheep and goats and considerably hamper international trade. A comprehensive knowledge of goat pox and sheep pox would help in the diagnosis, prevention and control as well as the management of these diseases in a proper and effective manner. Although the two diseases are easily identified from the clinical signs and host species affected, laboratory tests are needed for confirmation. A battery of simple but highly efficient diagnostic methods and reagents is available for goat pox and sheep pox. However, the best way to control these diseases is the prophylactic immunization of all susceptible animals with a potent and efficacious vaccine, especially in areas where these diseases are endemic.
Animals↗
Japanese Encephalitis epidemic in Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh (October-November, 1999).
Epidemic of Japanese Encephalitis has occurred in Andhra Pradesh during October-November, 1999 affecting 15 out of 23 districts. In total, 873 cases with 178 deaths have been recorded up to the day 29.11.99. The epidemiological investigation has been done in Anantapur district in western Andhra Pradesh, where the outbreak has started in the third week of October. In the district 47 PHC have been affected. On an average 4.5 per cent of 3175 villages have been affected. Average number of cases per affected village have been 1.5. Rural population has been primarily affected. Age groups 1-14 years including infants have been affected but nearly 86.8% of cases have been among 1-9 year age group. The overall case fatality rate has been 18.4 per cent. Clinical features have been high fever, headache, altered sensorium, convulsions and coma. A marked seasonal onset of a few cases per village and 93.75 per cent of human serum samples collected from hospitalised cases showed the evidence of J.E. virus infection indicating that the present outbreak was due to JE virus. High density of Culex vishnui complex mosquitoes has been observed in the area. All the environmental and ecological conditions, temperature, rainfall and relative humidity have been in favour of JE transmission. Analysis of the data for the last 10 years showed that the human JE cases occurred in Anantapur in September-October months, which shifted to October-November, 99. Prolonged draught conditions were observed till October. Possibly the delayed monsoon and congenial atmospheric conditions after monsoon were favourable to the vector species for extra-human cycle of transmission in 1999. Low level transmission leading to small number of cases continued during the succeeding years every September-October till the present epidemic. In all 24 PHCs and urban towns were identified with 212 cases and 39 deaths till 29.11.99.
Adolescent↗
Magnitude of recall bias in the estimation of immunization coverage and its determinants.
OBJECTIVE: To study the magnitude of recall bias in the estimation of immunization coverage and to identify its determinants. DESIGN: A follow-up study of cohort of children for one year; followed by a cross-sectional recall survey. SUBJECTS: All live births in two contiguous PHC areas in Villupuram district, Tamil Nadu. METHODS: The prospective data collected from mothers of 774 children was considered as 'Gold Standard' and the retrospective recall data from them was compared with it. This was carried out for individual immunization schedules, namely, DPT, OPV, BCG and measles and for the combined immunization status. Measures such as sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were computed. Logistic Regression technique was employed for evaluating the determinants of agreement. RESULTS: Less than 50% of mothers has immunization cards with them and more than 70% of the cards did not have complete information. The sensitivity of the recall method was 41.3% and the specificity was 79.5% when the complete immunization status was considered. For individual immunization schedules, the sensitivity ranged from 95% for BCG to 53% for measles vaccination and the specificity ranged from 30% for BCG to 68% for measles vaccination. Mother's age emerged out as a significant determinant in the agreement of two methods. Maintenance of immunization cards were very poor. CONCLUSIONS: Method of obtaining immunization status through recall survey is not sensitive. Proper maintenance of immunization cards and ensuring the availability of them with mothers for inspection are recommended for obtaining accurate estimation of vaccine coverages.
Adult↗
Evaluation of avidin-biotin ELISA for the detection of antibodies to goat poxvirus using noninfectious diagnostic reagent.
A noninfectious soluble antigen fraction of goat poxvirus (GPV) fractionated by ammonium sulfate precipitation was tested for its suitability as coating antigen in an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Accordingly, an avidin-biotin ELISA for the detection of GPV antibodies was optimized and evaluated using different groups of serum samples from goats with known or unknown immune status. A cut-off value higher by 60% than A492 reading of control negative sera gave a 91.8% specificity and a 94.1% sensitivity for the assay. Out of 90 goat pox-suspect sera obtained from the field, only 2 (2.2%) were found positive in the counter immunoelectrophoresis (CIE) test, which is so far the routinely used diagnostic test for goat pox, while 58 (64.4%) were positive in the avidin-biotin ELISA. The McNemar's analysis of these data showed that the avidin-biotin ELISA was significantly more efficient than the CIE test for the detection of GPV antibodies in goat sera.
Animals↗
Bacteraemia in a tertiary care urban hospital in south India.
A total of 1727 blood samples were cultured aerobically over a one year period, of which 201(11.8%) were positive. The ratio of Gram positive to Gram negative bacteraemia was 1:1. The three antimicrobials having the highest activities against the Gram positive isolates were amikacin, cefotaxime, and ciprofloxacin to which 88.5, 81.7 and 80.7 percent of the strains were susceptible: and the same agents were equally effective against Gram negative organisms with 84.5, 75.3 and 70.1 percent efficacy respectively. Coagulase negative Staphylococcus spp. was the most frequent organism isolated(60; 29.8%), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (40; 19.9%), and Staphylococcus aureus (34; 16.9%).
Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
Evaluation of different serological tests for the diagnosis of goat pox using soluble antigens.
A reverse-phase passive haemagglutination (RPHA) test was developed and standardised after coupling glutaraldehyde- and tannic acid-treated sheep erythrocytes with the soluble goat pox virus (GPV) antigens for the detection of GPV antibody in goat sera. The RPHA test was as sensitive as the latex agglutination (LA) test, and more sensitive than precipitation tests viz. agar gel precipitation and counter immunoelectrophoresis. Nevertheless, the LA test was practically the most useful.
Animals↗
Isolation and characterization of soluble antigens of sheep poxvirus.
A soluble antigen fraction of sheep poxvirus (SPV) isolated from infectious virus particles by ultracentrifugation and purified by subtractive immunoaffinity chromatography was characterized. Exclusion chromatography studies revealed 10 proteins of molecular weight (MW) 220, 168, 87.3, 71.5, 52.5, 36.7, 31.0, 23.4, 18.3 and 14.2 kDa. Nine of them were found to be precipitinogens and 5 were identified as structural components of the virus particles. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed a polypeptide profile of 10 bands with 2 prominent polypeptides of 64 and 42 kDa. Western blotting, however, detected 2 immunogenic polypeptides of MW 100 and 64 kDa. Moreover, crossed immunoelectrophoresis showed the presence of proteins of varied electrophoretic mobility and sharing of antigenic determinants among a few soluble antigens. Physico-chemical characterization further revealed that these precipitinogens can withstand ambient temperatures, but were sensitive to trypsin and ether whereas, chloroform had no effect on immunoprecipitation pattern of soluble antigens.
Animals↗
Evaluation of immunocapture ELISA for diagnosis of goat pox.
An immunocapture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (IC-ELISA) for the detection of goat poxvirus (GPV) antigen in skin biopsy samples obtained from healthy and experimentally infected goats as well as from goats from field was evaluated. The assay was 80-100% specific and 70-86% sensitive, and was compared with a commonly used diagnostic test, namely, the counter immunoelectrophoresis (CIE) test in the efficacy for goat pox. Although IC-ELISA was marginally more sensitive than the CIE test, the diagnosis of goat pox could be successfully done provided both the tests were combined in screening scab suspensions. The IC-ELISA could also diagnose sheep poxvirus (SPV) infection.
Animals↗
Spot agglutination test for the rapid diagnosis of goat pox.
A spot agglutination test was standardised for the rapid diagnosis of goat pox using antigen and antibody systems after being coupled to glutaraldehyde-treated sheep erythrocytes. The sensitivity was comparable to that of counter-immunoelectrophoresis and reverse-phase passive haemagglutination tests. The spot agglutination test was found to be very simple, easy to perform, rapid and economical for the detection of goat pox antigen and antibody and can be performed under field conditions.
Agglutination Tests↗
Evaluation of latex agglutination test for rapid detection of goat poxvirus antigen and antibodies.
Soluble antigen fraction of goat poxvirus (GPV) separated from infectious viral particles by ultracentrifugation of skin scab suspensions prepared from experimentally infected goats was employed for the first time to diagnose goat pox. The antiserum raised against this fraction was found to be specific and not reactive with healthy goat skin extracts. Subsequently, a latex agglutination (LA) test has been developed and standardized for the rapid detection of GPV antigen or antibody in skin scab suspensions or serum samples, respectively. In comparison to the counter immunoelectrophoresis (CIE) test the LA test was more sensitive in the detection of GPV antibodies, but equally sensitive in the detection of GPV antigen. The LA test can be taken for a simple and quick diagnostic tool for primary screening of goat pox.
Agglutination Tests↗
Randomised controlled field trial of two antenatal care packages in rural south India.
A randomised community intervention trial was undertaken in 12 subcentres in Karur health unit district, Tamil Nadu, to compare the efficacy of two antenatal care packages. A newly recommended 'high-risk' strategy package and a uniform package recommended by the Tamil Nadu Government were each implemented in 4 randomly selected subcentres by the study team, and the latter was also delivered by routine health services in the 4 remaining subcentres. Analyses were based on 294 pregnant women on the high-risk package (HR), 242 on the Tamil Nadu Government (TNG) package and 335 women in the control series. The HR package reduced the differences between the high-risk women and the others in mean haemoglobin and the percentages with preventable neonatal morbidity and low birth weight, and consequently the overall outcome was better in the HR series than in the TNG series. Finally, the results with the TNG package were better when it was implemented by the study team than by the routine health services, in terms of preventable maternal morbidity and preventable perinatal morbidity, but there was no impact on birth weight.
Birth Weight↗
Continuous intravenous regional anesthesia.
This study evaluates the effectiveness of continuous intravenous regional anesthesia for prolonged operations on the upper extremity. The factors evaluated include patient's sex and age, number of procedures performed, tourniquet on and off times, anesthetic doses, adjunctive drugs used, technical complications, and side effects. Seventy-two procedures were done on 34 patients. The first tourniquet time averaged 58 minutes. Off time averaged 10 minutes. Second tourniquet time averaged 33 minutes, and the mean total tourniquet time was 91 minutes. The mean first anesthetic dose was 275 mg. Mean second anesthetic dose was 128 mg. Mean total anesthetic dose was 402 mg. There were two (6%) technical complications and two (6%) patients had side effects. Continuous intravenous regional anesthesia offers the prolonged anesthesia of brachial plexus block or general anesthesia and the safety, reliability, and ease of intravenous regional anesthesia. Continuous intravenous regional anesthesia should be considered an alternative choice of anesthetic method in upper extremity surgery.
Adult↗
Age independent anthropometric index for identifying undernourished children in the age group 5-10 years.
An age-independent anthropometric index to identify undernourished children in the age group of 5-10 years is described. Employing a mathematical approach (linear regression analysis) on data from 238 children, the index was derived to be wt/(ht)2. Employing this index, a classification rule for identifying the undernourished was evolved, using as the 'Gold standard' a WHO classification based on NCHS standards. The sensitivity of the classification rule was 95%, the specificity was 92% and the overall efficiency was 92%.
Anthropometry↗
Cavernous malformation of the midbrain.
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Adult↗
Progressive supranuclear palsy. Report of 14 cases with special reference to unusual features.
The clinical features and course of 14 patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) were analysed. PSP formed 2.3 percent of the parkinsonian population. Blepharospasm, hypersomnia, athetosis, action dystonia, action myoclonus and family history of dementia were the unusual features. Half of the patients had dementia at presentation. Drug therapy was uniformly disappointing. The mean duration from onset to death in 4 patients who died was 4.5 years. The histopathological features in a patient with the disease for one year and who died of acute myocardial infarction showed moderately severe changes characteristic of the disease.
Brain↗
A modified technique to process peripheral nerves for light microscopy.
A new technique is described to fix, paraffin embed and cut routine peripheral nerve biopsies for light microscopy. Buffered glutaraldehyde pH 7.4 is used as a common fixative for both light and electron microscopy. The nerve bits for LM are embedded in paraffin using the 'reverse embedding' method and blocks are trimmed to cut sections on the ultra microtome using glass knives. The uniformly thin sections can be utilised for any special stain and the good resolution of these thin sections facilitates better observation and documentation.
Biopsy↗