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Biomedical subjects

V K Gupta

Publications and source records attributed to V K Gupta.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Paralytic poliomyelitis (1989-1994): report from a sentinel center.

OBJECTIVE: To study the trends of paralytic poliomyelitis in pre Pulse Polio Immunization period. SETTING: Hospital based sentinel surveillance. METHODS: Analysis of 6704 line-listed poliomyelitis cases from January 1989 to December 1994 attending the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. RESULTS: 85% of all cases reported in Delhi were from this center. A decline in alternate year peaks was observed from 1621 cases in 1990 to 1062 cases in 1994. There was an increase in proportion of cases with poliomyelitis in fully vaccinated children from 14% to 22.9%. Polio type I virus was the commonest isolated virus in all the years except 1993, when type II was isolated in 38.7% of cases. CONCLUSION: Despite improvement in immunization coverage, the study reveals that a large number of children (67.2%) who suffer from poliomyelitis are unvaccinated. This stresses need to intensify and sustain high level of immunization coverage with effective vaccine.

Child, Preschool↗

Multiple pyogenic brain abscesses.

Thirty eight patients with multiple pyogenic brain abscesses constituted 11% of all the brain abscesses treated during a 12 year period. Sixty per cent (23) of the patients were in the first two decades of life, including 9 (24%) infants. The clinical presentation was similar to brain abscess in general. 21 patients had altered "sensorium" at the time of admission. Otogenic brain abscesses were the commonest (26%), followed by those associated with congenital cyanotic heart disease (18%). The abscesses were invariably large in size. The pus was sterile on culture in 11 (29%) patients, while Staphylococcus aureus was the commonest organism grown in 9 (24%) patients. Aspiration of the pus was required as a life saving measure, to control raised intracranial pressure, in 29 (76%) patients. Twelve (32%) of these patients underwent secondary excision of the abscess capsule. The overall mortality was 32% with failure to control intracranial and systemic infection as the major causes of mortality. Level of consciousness at the time of admission was the most significant factor affecting the outcome. Surgery has a definite therapeutic and life saving role in the management of multiple pyogenic brain abscesses. A systematic treatment plan for multiple abscesses is proposed.

Adolescent↗

Intramedullary tuberculoma: report of two cases with MRI findings.

Two cases of spinal intramedullary tuberculous granulomas (tuberculomas) without any bony involvement are reported. The rarity of the occurrence and the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings are discussed. Microsurgical excision and antituberculous treatment produced good results.

Adult↗

Biochemical and phenotypic characterization of the ovine beta 2 (leucocyte) integrins.

This paper is concerned with the relationship of the three distinct members of the ovine beta 2-integrin family of leucocyte adhesion molecules that play an important role in cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. A panel of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specific for sheep and cattle macrophages was characterized by flow cytometry, immunohistology, and immunoprecipitation for reactivity to the beta 2 integrins. Immunoprecipitation analysis of sheep antigens showed that these monoclonal antibodies could be divided into four distinct groups. All precipitated an M(r) 95,000 beta chain but they differed in the size or number (or both) of the alpha chains recognized. Group 1 precipitated alpha chains of M(r) 180,000; group 2 had M(r) 170,000 alpha chains; the group 3 alpha chain was of M(r) 150,000 and group 4 mAbs precipitated alpha chains of all three sizes. The relationship between these antibodies was demonstrated by sequential immunoprecipitation, which showed that the reactivities of antibodies in groups 1, 2 and 3 were mutually exclusive but that group 4 antibodies shared a common specificity with the other three groups. By analogy with the human and murine beta 2 integrin families, group 1 antibodies seemed to be specific for CD11a (LFA-1); group 2 were CD11b (CR3 or Mac1); group 3 were CD11c (CR4 or p150/95) and group 4 were CD18. In addition to different molecular weights, these antibodies had different cellular and tissue distributions. CD11a and CD18 were distributed identically. The antigens recognized by both were present on all the leucocyte populations. The mAbs recognizing CD11b reacted with a sub-population of peripheral blood B lymphocytes and all myeloid cells (alveolar macrophages, peripheral blood monocytes and granulocytes) except afferent lymph dendritic cells (ADC). Anti-CD11c (p 150/95 or CR4) antibodies reacted strongly with macrophages and ADC but were weakly reactive on monocytes and negative on neutrophils. CD11c was also present on a sub-population of peripheral blood B cells.

Animals↗

Odontotrichodysplasia: a case report with a review of conditions combining ectodermal dysplasia (subgroup 1-2) with skin manifestations.

We report a 5-year-old girl with partial anodontia, hypotrichosis, hyperpigmentation of the skin, absence of pilosebaceous structures, and long thin fingers. There has as yet been, to the best of our knowledge, no report of such a combination of features. A review of conditions combining ectodermal dysplasia (subgroup 1-2) with skin manifestations is presented.

Anodontia↗

Antigenic characterization of Mycobacterium bovis BCG culture filtrate.

Mycobacterium bovis BCG culture filtrate, on gelfiltration chromatography revealed four prominent regions. Of these 4, region II possessed the highest antigenic reactivity by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) skin testing in guinea pigs. On anion-exchange chromatography, region II was resolved into 5 prominent fractions of which fraction II was found to have the highest antigenic reactivity. On sodium dodecylsulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), M. bovis BCG culture filtrate revealed 11 structural polypeptides. Fraction II yielded a homogenous polypeptide of 15.3 kDa molecular weight. All fractions cross-reacted with various mycobacteria used in this study except a 15.3 kDa polypeptide which was specific to M. bovis BCG.

Animals↗

Target cell membrane modification and susceptibility to lymphokine-activated killer cell-mediated lysis. II. Sodium periodate has a differential effect on the lysis of human and murine tumor cells.

Little is known about the mechanism by which lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells and natural killer (NK) cells recognize and lyse target cells. We undertook this study to investigate the effects of target cell membrane modification by sodium periodate (PI) on the lysis of tumor cells by human and murine LAK cells (HLAK, MLAK) and NK cells (HNK, MNK). LAK and NK cells were generated and used as effector cells in 4-hr 51Cr release assays against a variety of PI-treated and untreated target cells. PI significantly increased the MLAK cell-mediated lysis of YAC and MH134 tumor cells, but had no effect on the MNK lysis of YAC or MH134 tumor cells. PI had no effect on the HLAK or HNK lysis of YAC or MH134 tumor cells. PI had no effect on the MLAK or MNK lysis of K562 or U937 human tumor cells. Similarly, PI had no effect on the HLAK lysis of K562, but did significantly increase the HNK lysis of K562. PI increased both the HLAK and HNK lysis of U937. Cold target inhibition studies revealed that PI-treated YAC cells inhibited the MLAK cell-mediated lysis of untreated YAC cells. The variable effects of PI on LAK cell- and NK cell-mediated lysis support the hypothesis that LAK cells are a distinct population of cells rather than a subpopulation of NK cells on the basis of mechanism of target cell recognition. The results of the cold target inhibition study suggest that PI-treated tumor cells are identified by effector cells in a manner similar to that of untreated cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Aneurysmal bone cysts of the spine.

Aneurysmal bone cysts are uncommon bony lesions of the spine. Two such patients are reported in the study. The first patient had involvement of first and second thoracic vertebrae, and a preoperative diagnosis was made possible due to the typical magnetic resonance imaging appearances. A total removal was achieved in two stages. In the second patient the C2 spinous process was involved, and this patient presented as atantoaxial dislocation. Removal of the abnormal tissue and posterior fusion was done. Both the patients showed neurologic improvement. The relevant literature is reviewed.

Adult↗

Antigenic characterization of Mycobacterium bovis BCG soluble antigens.

The proteins in Mycobacterium bovis BCG sonicated antigens were separated by gel filtration chromatography. A total of 6 regions were observed. All the regions were analyzed separately for their antigenic reactivity using enzyme linked-immunosorbent assay (ELISA), delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) skin testing and an in vitro lymphocyte transformation test (LTT). Region I of high molecular weight was found to have more reactivity in comparison to regions of lower molecular weight. When region I was subjected to anion exchange chromatography, it resolved into 5 further regions. Of these regions only region III was found to have highest reactivity when tested in ELISA, DTH and LTT. This was interpreted to indicate that region III of anion exchange chromatography has immunodominant epitopes. On sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis, this region was found to be a homogeneous polypeptide of 71 kDA molecular weight. All regions were found to crossreact with various mycobacteria used in this study.

Animals↗

Serum magnesium levels in idiopathic epilepsy.

Fifty cases of idiopathic epilepsy and 25 age and sex matched normal healthy controls were studied. There was a significant fall in serum magnesium levels in idiopathic epilepsy on day one and 4 of the seizures (P < 0.01) as compared to controls, and was not decreased significantly on day 7 of the seizures (P < 0.05). The fall was maximum in status epilepticus and severe epilepsy than in mild and moderate epilepsy. Serum magnesium took less time to come back to normal in mild and moderate epilepsy than in other types. This shows that serum magnesium does have a prognostic significance. Lesser the fall in the magnesium levels, less frequent were the convulsions and vice versa. It is concluded that serum magnesium continues to be a sensitive early diagnostic index of idiopathic epilepsy.

Adolescent↗

Bovine connexin44, a lens gap junction protein: molecular cloning, immunologic characterization, and functional expression.

PURPOSE: To identify, clone molecularly, characterize immunochemically, and express functionally a bovine lens gap junction protein (connexin). METHODS: The methods used were polymerase chain reaction, genomic cloning, RNA and DNA blotting, bacterial expression of a fusion protein, immunoblotting, alkaline phosphatase treatment, Xenopus oocyte expression, and voltage clamp technique. RESULTS: A bovine genomic clone encoding a polypeptide of 44,424 d, termed connexin44 (Cx44), was isolated. Cx44 was most closely related to the lens connexins rat Cx46 and chicken Cx56. The Cx44 DNA hybridized to a 2.5 kb mRNA detected only in lens RNA. The carboxyl terminal 161 amino acids from Cx44 were expressed in bacteria fused to maltose binding protein (MBP). The Cx44/MBP fusion protein reacted in immunoblots with anti-rat Cx46(411 to 416) antibodies and with the monoclonal antibody 5H1, but not with a monoclonal antibody to MP70 nor with antibodies to other connexins. Cx44 translated in vitro from the cloned DNA showed a single band with an apparent electrophoretic mobility of approximately 50 kd on polyacrylamide gels containing sodium dodecyl sulfate. Multiple bands of 53 to 57 kd were detected by immunoblotting in homogenates of bovine lens; these bands were reduced to a broad band of approximately 50 kd by alkaline phosphatase treatment, suggesting that they represented phosphorylated forms of Cx44. Cx44 RNA injected in single oocytes induced a large and characteristic time- and voltage-dependent current. Overexpression of Cx44 produced depolarization and cell lysis. Junctional currents that could be regulated by transjunctional voltage were induced between paired oocytes injected with Cx44 RNA. Observations in paired oocytes suggested the assembly of hemichannels into junctional channels. CONCLUSIONS: Cx44 is a phosphoprotein component of bovine lens fiber gap junctions. Although it has a relatively distinct sequence, it shares sequence similarity, immunologic cross-reactivity, and electrophysiological properties with rat Cx46. These data suggest that Cx44 is the protein previously identified in several immunohistochemical studies of bovine lens gap junctions that used anti-rat Cx46 antibodies. They also suggest that the formation of intercellular channels by pairing of hemichannels might prevent the cell lysis induced by the opening of unpaired hemichannels.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Reactivity of the CD11/CD18 workshop monoclonal antibodies in the sheep.

The anti-CD11/CD18 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) submitted in the Second International Workshop on Ruminant Leukocyte Differentiation Antigens, were analysed for their reactivity with the ovine homologue of CD11/CD18. Their reactivity was tested on healthy sheep tissues, and alveolar macrophages, afferent dendritic cells, peripheral blood granulocytes and monocytes. The CD11a/CD18 mAbs found positive in the sheep were reactive with all the cell populations tested. The CD11b mAbs reacted with all the cells except afferent dendritic cells, whereas CD11c were non-reactive to blood granulocytes. This is in contrast to humans and cattle where blood granulocytes express CD11c. The mAbs 72-87, F10-150, MD2B7 and MUC76A were found to be homologous to CD11a whereas BAQ30A seemed to be homologous to CD18, instead of proposed initial specificity to CD11a. CC125 and IL-A15 mAbs were found to be homologous to CD11b. OM1, which clustered with a recognized CD1 mAb in the first cluster analysis, precipitated a heterodimer of molecular weight 95,000/150,000. We propose that OM1 reacts with sheep CD11c. The mAb MF14B4 was found to react with sheep CD18.

Animals↗