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Biomedical subjects

V Bhasin

Publications and source records attributed to V Bhasin.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Genome comparison of progressively drug resistant Plasmodium falciparum lines derived from drug sensitive clone.

Chloroquine has been the mainstay of malaria chemotherapy for the past five decades, but resistance is now widespread. Pyrimethamine or proguanil form an important component of some alternate drug combinations being used for treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum infections in areas of chloroquine resistance. Both pyrimethamine and proguanil are dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) inhibitors, the proguanil acting primarily through its major metabolite cycloguanil. Resistance to these drugs arises due to specific point mutations in the dhfr gene. Cross resistance between cycloguanil and pyrimethamine is not absolute. It is, therefore, important to investigate mutation rates in P. falciparum for pyrimethamine and proguanil so that DHFR inhibitor with less mutation rate is favored in drug combinations. Hence, we have compared mutation rates in P. falciparum genome for pyrimethamine and cycloguanil. Using erythrocytic stages of P. falciparum cultures, progressively drug resistant lines were selected in vitro and comparing their RFLP profile with a repeat sequence. Our finding suggests that pyrimethamine has higher mutation rate compared to cycloguanil. It enhances the degree of genomic polymorphism leading to diversity of natural parasite population which in turn is predisposes the parasites for faster selection of resistance to some other antimalarial drugs.

Animals↗

Beneficial effects of Allium sativum, Allium cepa and Commiphora mukul on experimental hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis--a comparative evaluation.

Oral administration of petroleum ether extract of Allium sativum, Allium cepa and ethylacetate extract of Commiphora mukul in albino rats significantly prevented rise in serum cholesterol and serum triglyceride level, caused by atherogenic diet. All the three agents were also found to confer significant protection against atherogenic diet induced atherosclerosis.

Allium↗

Toxic shock syndrome due to an infected human bite.

We report a case of nonmenstrual toxic shock syndrome. A 21-year-old man presented with severe pain in the right hand after an altercation in which he sustained a bite from a person. Physical examination revealed a small abscess on the right proximal interphalangeal joint with edema in the fourth and fifth digits and tenderness of the flexor sheath. The patient was hypotensive with diffuse macular erythematous skin. He responded to surgical drainage and antibiotics.

Adult↗

Serum digoxin levels and mortality in 5,100 patients.

A retrospective study of 5,100 patients on digoxin, with a four-week follow up after digoxin levels were measured, was done to determine the mortality rate. A significant increase in mortality was correlated with an increasing serum digoxin level, up to 50% at a level of 6.0 ng/mL and more. Clinical toxicity was suspected in only 0.25% of all patients on digoxin, although almost 10% had levels above the therapeutic range. Deliberate digoxin overdoses were fatal in 50% of cases. This study shows a correlation between increasing digoxin levels and increasing mortality rates. We recommend the use of serum digoxin measurements to identify those asymptomatic patients with elevated levels. The physician should seriously consider the indications for initiating or continuing digoxin treatment in any patient because of an increased mortality in patients with levels of more than 1.0 ng/mL.

Adult↗

Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome presenting in atrial fibrillation.

A case of atrial fibrillation in a patient with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome is presented. In this case, the patient's ECG initially was misread as ventricular tachycardia. The therapy was appropriate for the actual condition, although electrical cardioversion and defibrillation eventually were required. The treatment of WPW with atrial fibrillation in this case consisted of lidocaine and procainamide. Verapamil, propranolol, and digoxin, which normally are indicated for WPW with tachyarrhythmias, are contraindicated for WPW with atrial fibrillation.

Adult↗

Biology of the people of Sikkim, India. 2. Colour blindness, ear lobe attachment, mid-phalangeal hair and behavioural traits.

14 population groups of Sikkim (India)--Lepchas (2), Bhutias (2), Sherpas, Tamangs, Gurungs, Mangars, Rais, Limboos/Subbas, Pradhans (Newars), Brahmans, Chhetris, Scheduled Castes--have been studied in regard of the intra- and intergroup variability of colour blindness, ear lobe attachment, mid-phalangeal hair and behavioural traits (tongue folding, hand clapsing, arm folding, leg folding, handedness). Some of these variables show a considerable distribution heterogeneity, which is discussed considering history and marriage patterns of these populations. As most of them are highly endogamous one can assume that this heterogeneity is caused by locally acting factors such as drift and/or founder effects, which could be preserved due to as good as lacking gene flow among the populations under study. Beyond that the Sikkim data are compared briefly with those reported for other Indian and Asiatic populations.

Color Vision Defects↗

Genetic studies of Pangwalas, Transhumant and Settled Gaddis. 4. Colour blindness, mid-phalangeal hair, ear lobe attachment and behavioural traits.

Frequency distributions of colour blindness, midphalangeal hair, ear lobe attachment, hand clasping, arm folding, leg folding and handedness are reported for different population groups from Himachal Pradesh, North India, namely Pangwalas, Transhumant Gaddis (Brahmans, Rajputs and Scheduled Castes) and Settled Gaddis (Brahmans, Rajputs and Schedules Castes). An attempt has been made to compare the results of the present study within and between these groups as well as with the results of other reports from different population groups of India and Asia.

Color Vision Defects↗

Iatrogenic postoperative left ventricular outflow tract obstruction.

A 56-year-old female, who underwent aortocoronary bypass graft for occlusion of anterior descending artery is reported, who postoperatively developed a harsh systolic murmur, mitral regurgitation, and intraventricular systolic pressure gradient suggestive of hypertrophic subaortic stenosis. The above findings were due to the administration of dobutamine hydrochloride for hypotension in association with afterload reduction (intra-aortic balloon pumping) and disappeared almost immediately after left ventriculography (volume load).

Aortic Stenosis, Subvalvular↗

Prevalence of high--risk human papillomavirus infections in women with benign cervical cytology: a hospital based study from North India.

INTRODUCTION: Cervical cancer is the commonest cancer among Indian women. High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) detection holds the potential to be used as a tool to identify women, at risk for subsequent development of cervical cancer. There is a pressing need for identifying prevalence of asymptomatic cervical HPV infection in the local population. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of high-risk HPV DNA in women with benign cervical cytology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Women visiting the gynecology outpatient with varied complaints were subjected to Pap smear. Four hundred and seventy two samples were subjected to polymerase chain reaction, using consensus primers for low and high-risk HPV (types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31 and 33). The samples that were positive for HPV DNA were subsequently assessed for high-risk consensus primers, types 16, 18, 31 and 33 as well as for HPV type 16 and 18. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy four (36.8%) women tested positive for HPV DNA. Thirty nine (8.2%) of the entire cohort tested positive for high-risk HPV. Fifteen samples were positive for type 16, 22 for type 18 and two for both types 16 and 18. A statistically higher prevalence of high-risk HPV was observed in poorly educated and rural groups. No association of HPV prevalence was noted with age, parity and age at marriage. CONCLUSION: The study generates epidemiological data of prevalence of sub-clinical HPV in the women visiting a tertiary care institute as well as peripheral health centres. The data generated will be useful for laying guidelines for mass screening of HPV, treatment and prophylaxis in the local population.

Adult↗