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Biomedical subjects

A K Rai

Publications and source records attributed to A K Rai.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Use of real-time ultrasonography for control of follicular activity and pregnancy diagnosis in the one humped camel (Camelus dromedarius) during the non-breeding season.

Ovaries of 16 adult pleuriparous, non-pregnant and non-lactating one humped female camels (Camelus dromedarius) belonging to National Research Centre on Camel, at Bikaner, India, were examined for the presence of follicular activity (< or = 0.5 cm diameter) using real-time ultrasonography during June-August, which is considered to be non-breeding season in India. Follicles > or = 1.0 cm diameter were found in eight females. These animals were mated with virile studs. In four out of eight camels pregnancy was confirmed by progesterone assay and ultrasonography. The study shows that pre-ovulatory follicle may develop in some female camels during June-August (non-breeding season in India) and successful pregnancies may be achieved after mating of individual animals during this period.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Superovulatory response and embryo recovery after treatment with different gonadotrophins during induced luteal phase in Camelus dromedarius.

Superovulation, embryo recovery and transfer were attempted in 19 dromedary camels of about 6-10 years of age, and having calved at least once. Superovulation was done using two commercially available porcine FSH preparations, FSH-I (II donors) and FSH-2 (8 donors) during a luteal phase created by inducing ovulation with hCG. The superovulatory response was assessed by ultrasonography. The embryo recovery was attempted non-surgically in sitting position on day 8 and day 7 after first mating in one FSH-1 and one FSH-2 group, respectively. Considerable individual variation in response to the superovulatory stimulus was observed. No significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of superovulatory response and embryo recovery (p > 0.05). In total 30 embryos were recovered from 17 donors (1.51 embryos/donor). Recipients were synchronized with donors using hCG. Eight embryos were transferred, resulting in two pregnancies and live births.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

An unusual case of primary nasal tuberculosis with epistaxis and epilepsy.

Primary nasal tuberculosis is rare. We report a case that was all the more extraordinary because of the age and sex of the patient (an 11-year-old boy), the unusual associated symptoms (epistaxis and grand and seizures), and the presence of intracranial extension. Clinical and radiologic findings on our initial evaluation suggested that the patient had a large sinonasal malignancy. The patient manifested no evidence of pulmonary tuberculosis. The diagnosis of primary nasal tuberculosis was established only after we obtained the results of histopathology of the excised mass and a subsequent tuberculin skin test; the diagnosis was confirmed by the patient's rapid response to antituberculosis drug therapy. We also review the relevant literature on this rare condition.

Child↗
PubMed2001

Embracing C(60) with multiarmed geodesic partners.

1,3,5,7,9-Pentakis(4-methoxyphenylthio)corannulene (3), 1,3,5,7,9-pentakis(2-naphthylthio)corannulene (4), and 1,3,6,8-tetrakis(4-methoxyphenylthio)corannulene (5b) have been synthesized by chlorination of corannulene with ICl in CH(2)Cl(2) at 25 degrees C and subsequent nucleophilic aromatic substitution with the appropriate sodium thiophenolate in DMEU at 25 degrees C. (1)H NMR titration studies demonstrate that these novel bowl-shaped hosts form 1:1 complexes with C(60) in toluene-d(8) solution with association constants of 454, 368, and 280 M(-1), respectively.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

The information revolution reaches pharmaceuticals: balancing innovation incentives, cost, and access in the post-genomics era.

Recent developments in genomics--the science that lies at the intersection of information technology and biotechnology--have ushered in a new era of pharmaceutical innovation. Professor Rai advances a theory of pharmaceutical development and allocation that takes account of these recent developments from the perspective of both patent law and health law--that is, from both the production side and the consumption side. She argues that genomics has the potential to make reforms that increase access to prescription drugs not only more necessary as a matter of equity but also more feasible as a matter of innovation policy. On the production end, so long as patent rights in upstream genomics research do not create transaction cost bottlenecks, genomics should, in the not-too-distant future, yield some reduction in drug research and development costs. If these costs reductions are realized, it may be possible to scale back certain features of the pharmaceutical patent regime that cause patent protection for pharmaceuticals to be significantly stronger than patent protection for other innovation. On the consumption side, genomics should make drug therapy even more important in treating illness. This reality, coupled with empirical data revealing that cost and access problems are particularly severe for those individuals who are not able to secure favorable price discrimination through insurance, militates in favor of government subsidies for such insurance. As contrasted with patent buyouts, the approach favored by many patent scholars, subsidies would take account of, and indeed capitalize on, the institutional realities of health care consumption. These subsidies should, however, be linked to insurance regulation that works to channel innovation in a cost-effective direction by requiring coverage of drugs that provide significant benefit relative to their cost.

Drug Industry↗
PubMed2000

Isolation and characterization of transposon-induced chlorate resistant mutants of the cyanobacterium Anabaena species PCC 7120.

Mutants of Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 resistant to chlorate were isolated using transposon mutagenesis. The Anabaena population of 5 x 10(7) cells ml(-1) and log phase Escherichia coli cultures in undisturbed conditions produced maximum exconjugants. Nitrate-promoted growth and cellular constituents observed in the parent were absent in the mutants. Nitrate repressed heterocyst formation and N2-fixation in the parent, but had little or no effect on the mutants.

Anabaena↗
PubMed1999

Evaluation and treatment of patients with suicidal ideation.

Suicidal ideation is more common than completed suicide. Most persons who commit suicide have a psychiatric disorder at the time of death. Because many patients with psychiatric disorders are seen by family physicians and other primary care practitioners rather than by psychiatrists, it is important that these practitioners recognize the signs and symptoms of the psychiatric disorders (particularly alcohol abuse and major depression) that are associated with suicide. Although most patients with suicidal ideation do not ultimately commit suicide, the extent of suicidal ideation must be determined, including the presence of a suicide plan and the patient's means to commit suicide.

Humans↗
PubMed1999

NO3- nutrition and salt tolerance in the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 and mutant strains.

Growth of the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 and its nitrate assimilation-defective mutants was inversely proportional to the NaCl concentration in the medium. Presence of nitrate in the saline medium protected the growth of the parent but not of the mutant strains from salt toxicity. On the other hand, ammonium nitrogen protected the growth of all the strains from salt toxicity. However, the effect was less than that of nitrate. An altered sodium transport system was evident in the mutant strains and was most marked in mutant SP9. The cellular sodium concentration in parent and mutant strains also varied. Although mutant SP9 exhibited the lowest level of cellular sodium, it was as sensitive to salt toxicity as other strains. It is assumed that merely the presence of a toxic level of NaCl in the ambient environment is sufficient to damage the structural and functional components of the plasma membrane.

Anabaena↗
PubMed1998

Pharmacokinetics, bioavailability and dosage regimen of sulphadiazine (SDZ) in camels (Camelus dromedarius).

The pharmacokinetics of sulphadiazine (SDZ) (100 mg/kg, body weight) were investigated in six camels (Camelus dromedarius) after intravenous (i.v.) and oral (p.o.) administration. Following i.v. administration, the overall elimination rate constant (beta) was 0.029 +/- 0.001/h and the half-life (t1/2beta) was 23.14 +/- 1.06 h. The apparent volume of distribution (Vd(area)) was 0.790 +/- 0.075 L/kg and the total body clearance (ClB) was 23.29 +/- 2.50 mL/h/kg. After p.o. administration, SDZ reached a peak plasma concentration (Cmax(cal.)) of 62.93 +/- 2.79 microg/mL at a post injection time of (Tmax(cal.)) 22.98 +/- 0.83 h. The elimination half-life was 19.79 +/- 1.22 h, not significantly different from that obtained by the i.v. route. The mean absorption rate constant (Ka) was 0.056 +/- 0.002 h(-1) and the mean absorption half-life (t1/2Ka) was 12.33 +/- 0.37 h. The mean availability (F) of sulphadiazine was 88.2 +/- 6.2%. To achieve and maintain therapeutically satisfactory plasma SDZ levels of > or = 50 microg/mL, the priming and maintenance doses would be 80 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg intravenously and 90 mg/kg and 45 mg/kg orally, respectively, to be repeated at 24 h intervals.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Induction of sexual activity in female camels during the nonbreeding season.

Sixteen anestrous adult female camels (Camelus dromedarius ) in good health and with inactive ovaries were selected from the herd during the month of June (non-breeding season). The camels were randomly divided into 4 equal groups. To induce ovarian activity, camels in Groups I,II and III were given an intramuscular injection of 250 mg hydroxyprogesterone hexanoate followed by 1000 IU eCG on days 2 and 3 of treatment. The camels were mated on Day 5 after the last eCG injection. Ovulation in Groups II and III was induced by intravenous administration of 3000 IU hCG and 40 mcg GnRH, respectively. Group IV was administered saline and served as the control. Periodic examinations per rectum were performed to explore the status of the ovaries. Blood samples were collected at 8 different stages and sera were analyzed for estradiol 17-B and progesterone using specific RIA kits. All camels in the control and treated groups were mated successfully. Levels of estradiol 17-B did not exhibit any particular trend. Blood progesterone levels suggested ovulation in 2 camels (50%) in Group I and in 3 camels (75%) in each of Groups of II and III. This was confirmed by presence of CL in the ovary during per rectum examination. No camel ovulated in the control group. One camel conceived in each of Groups I and III.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1994

Athermal physiological effects of microwaves on a cynobacterium Nostoc muscorum: evidence for EM-memory bits in water.

Athermal physiological effects of continuous wave and modulated microwaves were studied on a cynobacterium Nostoc muscorum. The study shows that different microwave frequencies in continuous wave and modulated modes produced significantly different physiological effects on the algae. Water-mediated bioeffects further present additional proof that water has the capability to remember the imposed electromagnetic field characteristics for an extended period of time.

Culture Media↗
PubMed1993

Pregnancies in adolescents: fetal, neonatal and maternal outcome.

We studied the perinatal morbidity and mortality among adolescent pregnancies in the semi-urban population of Gorakhpur. The number of eligible couples (females 15-44 yrs) were 24,000. Out of 430 adolescent married girls, 242 (56.3%) became pregnant during the study period. Nineteen (7.8%) of adolescent pregnancies were in the maternal age group less than 15 years and 110 (45.5%) and 113 (46.7%) pregnancies were in the age group 15-17 yrs and 17-19 yrs, respectively. The incidence of low birth weight babies was 67.3% of all live births. Infections during neonatal period, congenital anomalies and birth injuries were seen in 21.6, 8.6 and 13.1% newborns, respectively. Neonatal mortality rate was 136.2/1000 live births. Three adolescent mothers died during pregnancy or puerperium due to causes related to pregnancy. The incidence of LBW, neonatal and maternal morbidity and mortality associated with adolescent pregnancies were significantly higher.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Hormonal studies in postpartum female camels and their neonates.

The expulsion of the fetus from the mother at parturition necessitates reorganization of the endocrine status in both individuals. In this study, the patterns of hormonal changes were investigated in postpartum Dromedary camels and their neonates. Blood samples were recovered within a few hours after calving from 10 female Dromedary camels and their calves, and sampling was continued at varying intervals upto Day 21 post partum. Sera were assayed for progesterone, cortisol and thyroid hormone concentrations by specific radioimmunoassays. Progesterone concentrations in the dams varied between 0.5 and 2.0 ng/ml on the day of calving and declined steadily thereafter to become undetectable by Day 9; progesterone remained undetectable in the neonates. Cortisol concentrations were high (25 to 30 ng/ml) at parturition in both the dams and their calves. They declined to 6 to 7 ng/ml in the dams, but became undetectable in the neonates by Day 14 post partum. The thyroid hormones were low in the dams (T4=70; T3=1.6 ng/ml) on Day 1 post partum but then increased gradually to Day 21 (T4=110; T3=2.2 ng/ml). In contrast, thyroid hormone concentrations in the neonates were 4 to 5 times higher than those of their mothers at birth. They declined thereafter but nevertheless remained at almost double the concentrations found in the dams.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1985

The structure of certain newly synthesized non-bridged and bridged cyclopentadienyl titanium complexes and their insecticidal activity.

Three bridged and non-bridged cyclopentadienyl titanium complexes, synthesized in our laboratory, were tested for their insecticidal activity against Trogoderma granarium (Everts), the Khapra beetle, and show moderate toxicity towards this product pest. The non-bridged derivatives have been observed to be slightly more active than the bridged ones.

Animals↗