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Biomedical subjects

V K Sharma

Publications and source records attributed to V K Sharma.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Soluble interleukin-2 receptors: levels in leprosy, and during and after type 1 (lepra) and type 2 (ENL) reactions.

Twenty-five patients with Type 1 (lepra) and Type 2 (ENL) reactions, were assayed for SIL-2R in serum--before and after treatment for their acute condition--and the results were compared with 10 normal healthy adults and 20 patients of leprosy per se. Classification of each subject into different leprosy groups, and into various types and subtypes of reactions, was done according to standard criteria, prior to inclusion into the study. Detailed statistical evaluation of the data revealed significantly higher levels of SIL-2R in all leprosy patients, as compared to normal controls, with higher levels in the multibacillary groups as compared to the paucibacillary group. SIL-2Rs appeared higher in Type 1 upgrading reaction than in other forms of reaction, though this was not statistically significant. There was no significant change in levels following treatment and clinical remission.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Does Convit vaccine (BCG + Mycobacterium leprae) afford protection against biochemical changes in renal brush border membrane in experimental leprosy?

Renal functional status in Mycobacterium leprae infected mice can be best studied by examining the enzymatic status of brush border membrane vesicles from proximal convoluted tubule. The role of vaccination in modulation of the renal status brought by the disease has been studied using this technique. The characteristic marker enzymes of renal brush border membrane--namely alkaline phosphatase, leucine aminopeptidase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase decreased significantly (p less than 0.01) in due course in M. leprae infection over a period of 9 months. The combined vaccine (BCG + M. leprae) may have a protective effect on renal abnormalities only in the initial stages of infection as indicated by a significant rise in enzymatic levels. However, no significant (p greater than 0.05) protective effect of vaccine was found in a more advanced disease state after 9 months in infected mice.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Diagnostic and prognostic utility of C-reactive protein, alpha-1-antitrypsin and alpha-2-macroglobulin in neonatal sepsis: a comparative account.

C-reactive protein (CRP), alpha-1-antitrypsin (alpha-1-AT) and alpha-2-macroglobulin (alpha-2-MG) levels were evaluated serially in 25 healthy and 20 septicemic neonates and then compared as early diagnostic aids and prognostic indicators in this illness. Compared to healthy controls, septicemic neonates had significantly higher mean CRP levels (p less than 0.01). Neonates with septicemia, who recovered, had higher mean CRP levels than the group which died (p less than 0.05). As an early diagnostic aid CRP had a low Youden index, whereas for prognosis its index was higher. Septicemic neonates also had significantly higher mean alpha-1-AT levels (p less than 0.05), 12-24 hours after onset of illness, as compared to healthy neonates. Alpha-1-antitrypsin could not be used as an early diagnostic aid in septicemia, but was useful for predicting outcome. Mean alpha-2-macroglobulin levels did not show significant variation in healthy and septicemic neonates. Lower mean alpha-2-MG levels were observed in neonates recovering from septicemia. As an early diagnostic aid alpha-2-MG had a low Youden index, whereas for prognosis its index was higher. CRP had a higher Youden index than alpha-2-MG for early diagnosis of neonatal septicemia and had a higher index than both alpha-1-AT and alpha-2-MG for predicting outcome in septicemia. Serial use of CRP alone is, therefore, recommended for both purposes.

Bacteremia↗
PubMed1991

Non-operative treatment of fractures of the humeral shaft: a comparative study.

Forty cases of diaphyseal fracture of humerus were treated by functional cast bracing (FCB). Results were compared with a series of 25 patients treated by U cast method. Average time taken for union was 7.5 weeks with a range of 5-14 weeks by FCB method. Fractures treated by U cast method took on an average 10 weeks to unite. Stiffness at shoulder and elbow was uniformly found in patients treated by U cast. More than 50% patients had varus angulation less than 5 degrees after treatment by FCB. Only 16% had varus angulation less than 5 degrees by U cast method while 32% had varus angulation more than 15 degrees. FCB is distinctly superior method of treatment for diaphyseal fracture of humerus.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Evaluation of ceruloplasmin in neonatal septicemia.

Serial serum ceruloplasmin (Cp) levels were estimated in healthy and septicemic neonates, using single radial immunodiffusion. In 25 healthy neonates mean Cp levels were 19.82 mg/dl at birth, 18.20 mg/dl at 12-24 hours, 17.26 mg/dl at 14 +/- 4 days and 17.68 mg/dl at 28 +/- 4 days of life. For the entire neonatal period the mean Cp levels were computed to be 18.24 mg/dl. In 20 culture positive, septicemic neonates, mean Cp levels were 27 mg/dl at onset of disease, 28.65 mg/dl 12-24 hours later and 36.2 mg/dl after 7 +/- 3 days of start of illness (p less than 0.001 for all sampling intervals as compared to healthy group values in first month of life). The mean Cp levels were unaffected by gestational age in both groups. In the septicemic neonates, the mean Cp levels in dying neonates did not differ significantly from recovering neonates for all sampling intervals. It is concluded that estimation of serum Cp levels may help in diagnosis of neonatal septicemia, but it is not useful as an early diagnostic aid or for prognostication.

Ceruloplasmin↗
PubMed1991

Isolation of anaerobes from clinical chancroid associated with fluctuant bubo in men.

Microbial flora especially anaerobes were studied in 67 patients with genital ulcers due to chancroid (diagnosed clinically) and 53 controls with genital ulcers due to other causes. The aerobic flora was similar in patients of chancroid with or without associated bubo and in controls. Anaerobes were however, isolated with higher frequency from chancroid ulcers associated with fluctuant bubo compared to those without bubo (P less than 0.01) and with non-fluctuant bubo (P less than 0.05). Anaerobic bacteria like Bacteroides melaninogenicus, B. fragilis and anaerobic cocci may play a role in the perpetuation of genital ulcers and development of bubo in chancroid.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

A novel addition to the T cell repertory. Cell surface expression of tumor necrosis factor/cachectin by activated normal human T cells.

Expression of the pluripotent molecule TNF in a focused and antigen-restricted fashion might provide an advantage to the host organism. Given the central role of T cells in antigen-specific immunity, we examined whether activated T cells express TNF on their cell surface. FACS analysis of highly purified normal human T cells labeled with an anti-TNF mAb revealed that T cells express cell surface TNF when signaled with the synergistic combination of a calcium ionophore, ionomycin, and a protein kinase C activator, 12-o-tetradecanoyl phorbol acetate. Cell surface radioiodination studies of stimulated T cells demonstrated the presence of 26-kD transmembrane protein, a size predicted by TNF cDNA and different from that of the 17-kD secreted TNF molecule. The induced cell surface expression of TNF could be blocked with cyclosporine and/or methylprednisolone, and Northern analysis for TNF-specific transcripts revealed that this inhibitory effect occurs pretranslationally. Our demonstration for the first time that stimulated normal human T cells display cell surface TNF provides a mechanistic basis for the realization of effects of TNF in an antigen-specific fashion.

Cyclosporins↗
PubMed1990

Personal computer based teletherapy CT-RT treatment planning system (TSG-RADPLAN).

A radiotherapy treatment planning system has been installed on a personal computer and was developed to meet the clinical demands and budgetary constraints of any radiotherapy department. The system consists of an IBM compatible PC-AT computer with a 16 bit microprocessor, 40 MB hard disk drive, and a 5-1/4'' floppy disk drive. The computer is supplied with an analog to digital conversion card for communication with a back lit digitizer. The CT-Interface computer with 16 color extended graphics display unit allows for the transfer of data on contours of the patient body, tumor, critical normal structures, and a density matrix (Housfield numbers) from the CT-Images taken from a CT-Scanner. The system supports software for teletherapy, brachytherapy, combined therapy (tele + brachy) and cancer registry. MS-DOS Version 3.21 is used as the operating system. The programs are written in BASIC, C, and Assembly languages. The system has high performance with speed and accuracy during dose calculations. A dot-matrix printer/plotter is used to print the final dose distribution results in text or graphics for permanent records.

Computers↗
PubMed1990

Physiologic signaling in normal human T-cells: mRNA phenotyping by northern blot analysis and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

Synergy between ionomycin and sn-1,2-dioctanoylglycerol (diC8) was shown at the level of lymphokine gene transcription. Transcriptional activation of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), and the protooncogene H-ras was accomplished by signaling highly purified normal human resting T-lymphocytes (T-cells) with diC8, a physiologic regulator of protein kinase C, and the calcium ionophore, ionomycin. Northern blot analysis of mRNA for early T-cell activation genes demonstrated the synergism between diC8 and ionomycin at the gene induction level. To amplify very low levels of IL-2 mRNA, sequential reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of T cell mRNA were used to demonstrate the capacity of the calcium signal (ionomycin) to promote low-level IL-2 transcription in normal human T-cells without additional signals. Cyclosporine (CsA) prevented diC8 and ionomycin-induced expression of IL-2, IFN-gamma, and H-ras genes. The completeness of its inhibitory effect was evident by the absence of IL-2 transcripts in CsA-treated cultures screened by the RT-PCR technique. CsA also prevented IL-2 and IFN-gamma gene expression in accessory cell-depleted T-cells stimulated by cross-linking the CD2 and CD3 antigens on the cell surface. Our observations demonstrate that a physiologic regulator of PKC, diC8, and cell surface crosslinking of the CD2 and CD3 antigen, promote gene expression in normal human quiescent T-cells independently of accessory cells, and that CsA prevents gene expression via a direct effect on T-cells.

Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte↗
PubMed1990

Tuberculostatic activity of henna (Lawsonia inermis Linn.).

The tuberculostatic activity of the herb henna (Lawsonia inermis Linn.) was tested in vitro and in vivo. On Lowenstein Jensen medium, the growth of tubercle bacilli from sputum and of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv was inhibited by 6 micrograms/ml of the herb. In vivo studies on guinea pigs and mice showed that the herb at a dose of 5 mg/kg body weight led to significant resolution of experimental tuberculosis following infection with M. tuberculosis H37Rv.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

High performance liquid chromatographic method for the analysis of organophosphorus and carbamate pesticides.

A method has been developed for the rapid quantitative analysis of organophosphorous and carbamate pesticides using HPLC. Good separation was obtained among the four major groups of organophosphorus pesticides [i.e. aryl phosphorothionate (methyl parathion), alkyl phosphorothionate (malathion), enolphosphate (phosphomidon, monocrotophos, dichlorvos), heterocyclic phosphorothionates (quinalphos)] and carbamates [viz. Carbaryl (Sevin) and Baygon (Dalf)] with a detection limit of 100 ng for all the pesticides. Separation was measured in terms of capacity factor (k') resolution (R) and selectivity factor (alpha ii). The method described can be used for the analysis of biological samples for the presence of organophosphorus and carbamate pesticides in the cases of poisoning. Recovery studies were made in the blood, lung and liver and found to be 85-97% with reproducibility at greater than 95%.

Autopsy↗
PubMed1990

Glutathione regulates activation-dependent DNA synthesis in highly purified normal human T lymphocytes stimulated via the CD2 and CD3 antigens.

Regulation of proliferation of normal human T lymphocytes (T cells) by glutathione (GSH) was explored with T-cell activation models that do not require accessory cell signals. L-Buthionine-(S,R)-sulfoximine (BSO), which inactivates gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase and therefore inhibits GSH synthesis, inhibited proliferation elicited by monoclonal antibodies directed at cluster designation 2 (CD2) and CD3 antigens, or by sn-1,2-dioctanoylglycerol and ionomycin. L-Buthionine-(R)-sulfoximine, which does not inactivate gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase, did not affect proliferation. BSO-induced inhibition of accessory cell-independent T-cell proliferation was not reversed by recombinant human interleukin 2, despite activation-dependent expression of interleukin 2 receptor alpha by T cells treated with BSO. However, BSO-associated inhibition of T-cell proliferation was reversed by GSH or GSH ester. These studies, which show that GSH can directly modulate proliferation of highly purified T cells, suggest that GSH is essential for steps close to or at DNA synthesis. The availability of methods for decreasing and for increasing GSH levels suggest therapies to produce (i) immunosuppression (of value in organ transplantation), and (ii) immunopotentiation (of potential value in treatment of immunodeficiency states such as AIDS).

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1990

Complement components in neonatal sepsis.

Complement components C3, C1q, factor B and breakdown products of C3, i.e. C3c and C3d, were evaluated in the diagnosis and prognosis of sepsis in 24 neonates with proven sepsis. The complement components were measured by electroimmunodiffusion and breakdown products by counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIEP). The babies with sepsis were found to have decreased levels of C1q and factor B as compared with suitably matched healthy controls. No statistically significant depression was observed in C3 levels of infected babies. However, breakdown products of C3, i.e. C3c and C3d, were detected in 58.3% of these babies. The breakdown products of C3 were not present in any of the healthy controls. The degree of depression of complement components was of no prognostic significance in neonatal sepsis.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMed1990

Isolation and characterization of a unique division mutant of Bacillus megaterium.

A filamentous division mutant, PV302, of Bacillus megaterium QM B1551 was isolated while screening for sporulation-defective mutants after nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis. Both phase-contrast and electron microscopy revealed that the mutant produced small spherical cells as well as filaments. It also accumulated large amounts of poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate. Poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate accounted for 16% of the dry weight of the mutant strain even after 28 h growth. In comparison to the parental strain, the division mutant also showed both an inability to sporulate and a reduced growth rate. All these phenotypes transduced together. Revertants gained the ability to sporulate, divide, and grow normally. Transductional mapping of the mutation, designated div-1, established a new linkage group for B. megaterium consisting of div-1 and the pyrimidine biosynthesis genes pyrD BCF. The spherical cells were separated from filaments by sucrose gradients and were tested for nucleic acid content and viability. The purified spherical cell fraction contained one-fifth the amount of DNA per mg protein as compared with the filamentous cell fraction and was shown to contain both non-viable minicells and some cells capable of growing after a lag of about 4 h. This suggests that the mutation not only causes defects in septum placement and sporulation, but may possibly affect DNA partitioning.

Bacillus megaterium↗
PubMed1990

Cell-mediated and humoral immunity in leprosy in children.

Cell-mediated and humoral immunity were studied in 25 children between 0 and 14 years with leprosy. Cell-mediated immunity was studied in vivo by lepromin and epicutaneous sensitization with dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) and T-lymphocytes and their subpopulations (T4 and T8) in the peripheral blood. Humoral immunity was evaluated by B-lymphocyte count and immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM and IgA). Along with complement, component C3 was also measured in the serum. Lepromin (Mitsuda) and DNCB responses were significantly poor in mid-borderline (BB) leprosy. The hematological profile, including T-lymphocytes, their subpopulations, B-lymphocytes, serum immunoglobulins, and C3, were found to be normal in all forms of leprosy. The relatively short duration of disease and the low bacterial load may explain these findings.

Adolescent↗