Biomedical subjects

A Kaur

Publications and source records attributed to A Kaur.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

Alendronate in the prevention of osteoporosis: 7-year follow-up.

In a 3-year study followed by a 2-year open-label extension, alendronate sodium (ALN) maintained or increased bone mineral density (BMD) in 445 recently postmenopausal women with a spine BMD T-score >-2. In a second 2-year extension, 84 women previously treated with either 5 or 10 mg ALN daily during the first 3 years and 5 mg ALN during the first extension (group A) were randomized to either 5 mg ALN or placebo (PBO). Another group of 59 women (group B) received 20 mg ALN during the first 2 years, PBO during year 3, and were then followed up without treatment during years 4-7. In group A, continuous ALN treatment for 7 years increased spine and trochanter BMD by 2.7-4.1 and 3.3-4.2%, respectively, while femoral neck BMD was maintained. Patients initially receiving 10 mg ALN maintained total body BMD, whereas those treated with 5 mg ALN experienced a small but significant loss after 7 years. Among women who received ALN 5 mg during years 4-7, those who had been treated with ALN 10 mg in the first 3 years had slightly greater increases in BMD at most sites at the end of the study, compared with women who received ALN 5 mg during the first 3 years. During years 6-7, patients who switched to PBO during the previous 2 years showed a significant loss in femoral neck BMD, whereas changes at the other sites were not significant. Women in group B showed significant loss in BMD at all skeletal sites during years 4-7, when they received no treatment. In conclusion, ALN 5 or 10 mg daily for up to 7 years prevents bone loss in recently postmenopausal women. Patients started on ALN 10 mg appear to gain more BMD than those initially treated with 5 mg ALN. Early postmenopausal women who discontinue ALN after 2 years of treatment experience significant bone loss at all skeletal sites despite the higher (20 mg) initial dosing. The ALN was generally well tolerated during 7 years of treatment.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Bioimmunotherapy of rodent malaria: co-treatment with recombinant mouse granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and an enkephalin fragment peptide Tyr-Gly-Gly.

We have earlier shown that recombinant mouse granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rmGM-CSF) and methionine-enkephalin co-treatment can protect mice from malaria. We now report the bioimmunotherapeutic effect of rmGM-CSF and a synthetic enkephalin fragment peptide Tyr-Gly-Gly (TGG) co-treatment on blood-induced Plasmodium berghei infection in Swiss mice. Mice were completely aparasitimic following co-treatment with rmGM-CSF (10.0 microg/kg) and TGG (2.0 mg/kg x 3 per day, intraperitoneally (i.p.)) starting from day -1 to day +4; however, in monotherapy, neither of these agents showed any detectable bioimmunotherapeutic effect. Curiously, similar co-treatment with rmGM-CSF (10.0 microg/kg) and higher doses of TGG (10.0 mg/kg) did not protect the mice. The combined bioimmunotherapeutic effect of these agents was abrogated by the separate administration each of rabbit neutralizing anti-rmGM-CSF antibody, non-selective opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone (10.0 mg/kg x 6 per day, i.p.), and silica (3.0 mg per mouse, intravenously (i.v.)). The peritoneal and splenic macrophages from the protected mice showed a significant (P<0.05) increase in their pool-size and the phagocytic activity, ex vivo. Furthermore, the protected mice, as compared to the unprotected ones, showed a significant (P<0.05) maximum increase in their serum nitrate and nitrite, interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels in their splenic homogenates, on the day before the beginning of the resolution of parasitaemia. Selective inhibitors of both inducible (aminoguanidine) and all forms (L-N(G)-monomethyl arginine) of nitric oxide (NO) synthase, significantly (P<0.05) augmented the mortality of co-treated mice, suggesting the role of NO in protection. These data show that, in P. berghei-infected mice, co-treatment with rmGM-CSF and conditional doses of TGG can impart protection, apparently through partly NO-dependent and macrophage-mediated mechanism(s).

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Blood pressure in rural and urban adult healthy females of Jat Sikh community in Punjab, North India: an epidemiologic profile.

Blood pressure readings were collected from 1042 adult females of rural and urban Jat Sikh community of Punjab, a north Indian State. Anthropometric measurements like height, weight and skinfold thickness were also collected. The difference between rural and urban females in systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressure was found to be statistically significant. All anthropometric variables and age have a significant positive association with blood pressure. The effects of anthropometric variables on blood pressure were assessed simultaneously through stepwise multiple regression analysis. All 'F' ratios have been found highly significant (p < 0.001) among both rural and urban female population.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Two-year results of once-weekly administration of alendronate 70 mg for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

The aim of this study was to provide confirmation that once-weekly dosing with 70 mg of alendronate (seven times the daily oral dose) and twice-weekly dosing with 35 mg is equivalent to the 10-mg once-daily regimen and to gain more extensive safety experience with this new dosing regimen. Twelve hundred fifty-eight postmenopausal women (aged 42-95 years) with osteoporosis (bone mineral density [BMD] of either lumbar spine or femoral neck at least 2.5 SDs below peak young adult mean or prior vertebral or hip fracture) were assigned to receive oral once-weekly alendronate, 70 mg (n = 519); twice-weekly alendronate, 35 mg (n = 369); or daily alendronate 10 mg (n = 370) for a total of 2 years of double-blind experience. Mean BMD increases from baseline (95% CI) at 24 months in the once-weekly, twice-weekly, and daily treatment groups, respectively, were 6.8% (6.4, 7.3), 7.0% (6.6,7.5), and 7.4% (6.9,7.8) at the lumbar spine and 4.1% (3.8,4.5), 4.3% (3.9,4.7), and 4.3% (3.9,4.7) at the total hip. These increases in BMD as well as the BMD increases at the femoral neck, trochanter, and total body and the reductions of biochemical markers of bone resorption (urinary cross-linked N-telopeptides of type I collagen [NTx]) and bone formation (serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase [BSAP]) were similar for the three dosing regimens. All treatment regimens were well tolerated with a similar incidence of upper gastrointestinal (GI) adverse experiences. The incidence rates of clinical fractures, captured as adverse experiences, were similar among the groups. The 2-year results confirm the conclusion reached after 1 year that once-weekly alendronate is therapeutically equivalent to daily dosing, providing patients with a more convenient dosing option that may potentially enhance adherence to therapy.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Supernumerary teeth in the primary dentition: a report of two cases.

Supernumerary teeth occur frequently in the permanent dentition, but they are rare in the primary dentition. Mesiodens is a supernumerary tooth with a cone shaped crown and a short root. The supernumerary tooth which bears resemblance to the tooth with which it is associated is called a supplemental tooth. The etiology of supernumerary teeth is still unknown and not well understood. Radiographic examination of pre-school children is essential for their diagnosis. Early removal of these teeth is required so that complications such as delay in eruption of permanent teeth, crowding, diastema, rotations and certain pathologic conditions can be averted.

Child, Preschool↗

PubMed2001

Emergence of cytotoxic T lymphocyte escape mutations in nonpathogenic simian immunodeficiency virus infection.

Although CTL escape has been well documented in pathogenic simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection, there is no information on CTL escape in nonpathogenic SIV infection in nonhuman primate hosts like the sooty mangabeys. CTL responses and sequence variation in the SIV nef gene were evaluated in one sooty mangabey and one rhesus macaque inoculated together with the same stock of cloned SIVmac239. Each animal developed an immunodominant response to a distinct CTL epitope in Nef, aa 157-167 in the macaque and aa 20-28 in the mangabey. Nonsynonymous mutations in their respective epitopes were observed in both animals and resulted in loss of CTL recognition. These mutations were present in the majority of proviral DNA sequences at 16 weeks post infection in the macaque and >2 years post infection in the mangabey. These results document the occurrence of CTL escape in a host that does not develop AIDS, and adds to the growing body of evidence that CTL exert significant selective pressure in SIV infection.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2001

Expression of integrin alphavbeta3 in pig, dog and cattle.

The alphavbeta3 integrin, also known as vitronectin receptor, is an adhesive glycoprotein that promotes angiogenesis in the embryo and tumors such as melanoma. Integrin alphavbeta3 is one of the receptors for adenovirus and hantavirus. There is little information on the constitutive expression of this integrin especially in animal species that are used for biomedical research. We used light and electron microscope immunocytochemistry and western blots to determine integrin alphavbeta3 expression in seven organs in the pig, dog and cattle. Immunohistology showed the integrin expression on the epithelium of small intestine, bile duct and renal proximal convoluted tubules in three species. The airway epithelium revealed a weak reaction for integrin alphavbeta3. Skin showed the integrin in occasional extravascular cells while skeletal muscles were negative. The integrin was expressed only in bronchial vasculature in the lung and occasional dermal microvessels. Many mononuclear cells in the lung and spleen stained for integrin alphavbeta3. Immunogold electron microscopy revealed the expression on the epithelium but not on the vasculature of the small intestine. Western blots detected integrin alphavbeta3 in small intestine and lung but not in skeletal muscles. We conclude the integrin is expressed on the epithelium but not in the vasculature. The expression differs strikingly among organs in the same species although the inter-species differences are minor. Restriction of the integrin to absorptive epithelia of small intestine and kidney may suggest its putative role in endocytosis. Because the integrin is a receptor for adenovirus, these data may be relevant to gene therapy studies.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Definition of the Mamu A*01 peptide binding specificity: application to the identification of wild-type and optimized ligands from simian immunodeficiency virus regulatory proteins.

Single amino acid substitution analogs of the known Mamu A*01 binding peptide gag 181-190 and libraries of naturally occurring sequences of viral or bacterial origin were used to rigorously define the peptide binding motif associated with Mamu A*01 molecules. The presence of S or T in position 2, P in position 3, and hydrophobic or aromatic residues at the C terminus is associated with optimal binding capacity. At each of these positions, additional residues are also tolerated but associated with significant decreases in binding capacity. The presence of at least two preferred and one tolerated residues at the three anchor positions is necessary for good Mamu A*01 binding; optimal ligand size is 8-9 residues. This detailed motif has been used to map potential epitopes from SIVmac239 regulatory proteins and to engineer peptides with increased binding capacity. A total of 13 wild type and 17 analog candidate epitopes were identified. Furthermore, our analysis reveals a significantly lower than expected frequency of epitopes in early regulatory proteins, suggesting a possible evolutionary- and/or immunoselection directed against variants of viral products that contain CTL epitopes.

Algorithms↗

PubMed2000

Immunological memory and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome pathogenesis.

Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus results in profound perturbations in immunological memory, ultimately resulting in increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). We have used rhesus macaques infected with the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) as a model to understand better the effects of AIDS virus infection on immunological memory. Acute infection with SIV resulted in significant deficits in CD4+ helper responses to cytomegalovirus (CMV) as well as CMV-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte and neutralizing antibody responses. Reactivation of CMV was associated with high levels of SIV replication and suppression of both T-helper and cytotoxic responses to CMV. We have also studied the effects of SIV infection on T-cell turnover in non-human primates. T-cell turnover was evaluated using the nucleoside analogue bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) in combination with five-colour flow cytometric analysis. T cells in normal animals turned over at relatively rapid rates, with memory cells turning over more quickly than naive cells. In SIV-infected animals, the labelling and elimination rates of both CD4+ and CD8+ BrdU-labelled cells were increased by two- to threefold compared with normal controls. Further analysis of immunological memory in non-human primates should offer the opportunity to extend immunological insights from murine models to the pathogenesis and prevention of AIDS.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

PubMed2000

Identification of multiple simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-specific CTL epitopes in sooty mangabeys with natural and experimentally acquired SIV infection.

Host immune responses to SIV infection in sooty mangabeys are likely to be an important determinant of how such nonhuman primate species maintain asymptomatic lentivirus infection. We have previously described two patterns of asymptomatic SIV infection in sooty mangabeys: low viral loads with vigorous SIV-specific CTL activity in SIVmac239-infected sooty mangabeys, and high viral loads with generally weak or absent SIV-specific CTL activity in naturally infected sooty mangabeys. To define the specificity of the CTL response in SIV-infected mangabeys, we characterized CTL epitopes in two naturally infected and three SIVmac239-infected sooty mangabeys. Compared with that in SIVmac239-infected mangabeys, the yield of SIV-specific CTL clones was significantly lower in naturally infected sooty mangabeys. All CTL clones were phenotypically CD3+ CD8+, and lysis was MHC restricted. Seven SIV CTL epitopes were identified in five sooty mangabeys: one in Gag and three each in Nef and Envelope (Env). The CTL epitopes mapped to conserved regions in the SIV genome and were immunodominant. Several similar or identical CTL epitopes were recognized by both naturally infected and SIVmac239-infected mangabeys that shared class I MHC alleles. To our knowledge, this is the first report of SIV-specific CTL epitopes in sooty mangabeys. Longitudinal studies of viral load and sequence variation in CTL epitopes may provide useful information on the role of CTL in control or persistence of SIV infection in sooty mangabeys.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2000

Efficacy and tolerability of olanzapine in elderly patients with psychotic disorders: a prospective study.

Olanzapine is a novel antipsychotic effective in reducing positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia and with a safe side-effect profile. Premarketing trials, however, included only a few elderly patients. Further data are needed regarding the effects of olanzapine in the elderly and those with comorbid medical illness. In this pilot study, 11 hospitalized patients (age range 60-85 years) who manifested symptoms of psychosis related to schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders were treated with olanzapine (dose range, 5-20 mg/day). Efficacy and safety were assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI), Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale (ESRS), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Calgary Depression Scale For Schizophrenia (CDSS), EKG, physical examination, and various laboratory tests. Seven patients responded to treatment and all of them showed improvement in both positive and negative symptoms, with greater reduction in positive symptoms. Treatment was discontinued in 2 patients whose symptoms showed no improvement or worsened. The CGI showed significant improvement in 9 patients, remained the same in 1, and worsened in 1 patient. ESRS showed significant reduction from baseline to final visit. Of the 10 patients who cooperated for MMSE, 9 had improved scores. The CDSS showed significant reduction in scores from baseline to final visit. No significant changes were noted in laboratory tests, prolactin levels, EKG, and physical examination. Concomitant administration of lorazepam, carbamazepine, divalproex sodium, and lithium carbonate caused no adverse consequences. The reduction of positive and negative symptoms, lack of significant extrapyramidal symptoms and other side effects, and lack of any significant drug interaction suggest that olanzapine may be a safe and effective antipsychotic medication in the elderly.

Aged↗

PubMed2000

Brain stem tuberculosis in children.

Tubercular meningitis and intracranial tuberculomas are the two frequent manifestations of neurotuberculosis with their variable incidence in different countries. Brain stem tuberculomas are even more unusual, accounting for 2.5-8% of all intracranial tuberculomas. We present here six paediatric cases of brain stem tuberculosis, where well-formed tuberculomas were demonstrated in five symptomatic cases; however, only a hypodense ill-defined lesion was found in the brain stem of one child who presented with features of tubercular meningitis. Three of these children had other associated tuberculomas in their brain parenchyma as well. All the six cases, however, showed the involvement of 3rd, 6th & 7th cranial nerves, in various combinations, at the time of initial presentation. Only two children developed hydrocephalus and required CSF diversion. All responded well to anti-tubercular chemotherapy, though two children developed toxicity to the therapy, which recovered with drug manipulation for about 2 months. Recovery was full without residual deficit in all the cases. Surgical excision of brain stem granulomas was not indicated in any case.

Brain Stem↗

PubMed2000

Persistent headache after supratentorial craniotomy.

OBJECTIVE: Although the incidence, possible causes, and treatment of persistent headache after suboccipital craniotomy have been discussed extensively, few data have been published regarding persistent headache after supratentorial craniotomy. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the senior author's patient series of 145 consecutive anterior temporal lobectomies for intractable epilepsy performed during a 9-year period. To eliminate confounding causes of headache, all patients studied were seizure-free, none had progressive mass lesions or persisting vascular anomalies, and none had major complications of surgery. With the permission of the institutional review board, information on headache was obtained from patient records, the patients' neurologists, and the patients themselves. RESULTS: Of the 145 consecutive patients who underwent operations, 126 patients had adequate follow-up for analysis. Of the 126 patients, 104 did not have headaches and were not using regular analgesics 2 months postoperatively. Twenty-two patients had headaches persisting beyond 2 months. Seven (5.6%) of the 126 patients had headaches that lasted more than 2 months but less than 1 year, and they were free of recurrent headaches 1 year postoperatively. Fifteen (11.9%) of the 126 patients had ongoing headaches 1 year after surgery. Regarding headache severity, 4.0% of patients had medically uncontrolled headaches, and 3.2% continued to require prescription drugs for headaches 1 year postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Although the incidence of persistent head pain after supratentorial craniotomy is lower than that reported for posterior fossa procedures, the incidence is not trivial. The cause of persistent pain deserves further investigation.

Craniotomy↗

PubMed2000

Vaccine protection against simian immunodeficiency virus by recombinant strains of herpes simplex virus.

An effective vaccine for AIDS may require development of novel vectors capable of eliciting long-lasting immune responses. Here we report the development and use of replication-competent and replication-defective strains of recombinant herpes simplex virus (HSV) that express envelope and Nef antigens of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). The HSV recombinants induced antienvelope antibody responses that persisted at relatively stable levels for months after the last administration. Two of seven rhesus monkeys vaccinated with recombinant HSV were solidly protected, and another showed a sustained reduction in viral load following rectal challenge with pathogenic SIVmac239 at 22 weeks following the last vaccine administration. HSV vectors thus show great promise for being able to elicit persistent immune responses and to provide durable protection against AIDS.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Differential dynamics of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-lymphocyte proliferation and activation in acute simian immunodeficiency virus infection.

Although lymphocyte turnover in chronic human immunodeficiency virus and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection has been extensively studied, there is little information on turnover in acute infection. We carried out a prospective kinetic analysis of lymphocyte proliferation in 13 rhesus macaques inoculated with pathogenic SIV. A short-lived dramatic increase in circulating Ki-67(+) lymphocytes observed at 1 to 4 weeks was temporally related to the onset of SIV replication. A 5- to 10-fold increase in Ki-67(+) CD8(+) T lymphocytes and a 2- to 3-fold increase in Ki-67(+) CD3(-) CD8(+) natural killer cells accounted for >85% of proliferating lymphocytes at peak proliferation. In contrast, there was little change in the percentage of Ki-67(+) CD4(+) T lymphocytes during acute infection, although transient increases in Ki-67(-) and Ki-67(+) CD4(+) T lymphocytes expressing CD69, Fas, and HLA-DR were observed. A two- to fourfold decline in CD4(+) T lymphocytes expressing CD25 and CD69 was seen later in SIV infection. The majority of Ki-67(+) CD8(+) T lymphocytes were phenotypically CD45RA(-) CD49d(hi) Fas(hi) CD25(-) CD69(-) CD28(-) HLA-DR(-) and persisted at levels twofold above baseline 6 months after SIV infection. Increased CD8(+) T-lymphocyte proliferation was associated with cell expansion, paralleled the onset of SIV-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte activity, and had an oligoclonal component. Thus, divergent patterns of proliferation and activation are exhibited by CD4(+) and CD8(+) T lymphocytes in early SIV infection and may determine how these cells are differentially affected in AIDS.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed2000

Multifocal aggressive angiomyxoma: a case report.

A case of aggressive angiomyxoma in a 25 year old woman is presented. The patient was admitted to hospital with a history of hesitancy of micturation and pain in the right iliac fossa. She was found to have a left labial mass, which was clinically diagnosed to be a Bartholin gland cyst. A pelvic ultrasound revealed an additional mass in the right paravesical region. At surgery, two distinct masses were removed, one from the right perivesical space and the other from the left labium. Both masses were rubbery, white, and gelatinous and showed similar histopathology findings of thick and thin walled vascular channels set in a loose myxoid stroma. A diagnosis of multifocal aggressive angiomyxoma was made. This is the first reported case of aggressive angiomyxoma occurring as two distinct masses in one patient.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Therapeutic equivalence of alendronate 70 mg once-weekly and alendronate 10 mg daily in the treatment of osteoporosis. Alendronate Once-Weekly Study Group.

Dosing convenience is a key element in the effective management of any chronic disease, and is particularly important in the long-term management of osteoporosis. Less frequent dosing with any medication may enhance compliance, thereby maximizing the effectiveness of therapy. Animal data support the rationale that once-weekly dosing with alendronate 70 mg (7 times the daily oral treatment dose) could provide similar efficacy to daily dosing with alendronate 10 mg due to its long duration of effect in bone. In addition, dog studies suggest that the potential for esophageal irritation, observed with daily oral bisphosphonates, may be substantially reduced with once-weekly dosing. This dosing regimen would provide patients with increased convenience and would be likely to enhance patient compliance. We compared the efficacy and safety of treatment with oral once-weekly alendronate 70 mg (N=519), twice-weekly alendronate 35 mg (N=369), and daily alendronate 10 mg (N=370) in a one-year, double-blind, multicenter study of postmenopausal women (ages 42 to 95) with osteoporosis (bone mineral density [BMD] of either lumbar spine or femoral neck at least 2.5 SDs below peak premenopausal mean, or prior vertebral or hip fracture). The primary efficacy endpoint was the comparability of increases in lumbar spine BMD, using strict pre-defined equivalence criteria. Secondary endpoints included changes in BMD at the hip and total body and rate of bone turnover, as assessed by biochemical markers. Both of the new regimens fully satisfied the equivalence criteria relative to daily therapy. Mean increases in lumbar spine BMD at 12 months were: 5.1% (95% CI 4.8, 5.4) in the 70 mg once-weekly group, 5.2% (4.9, 5.6) in the 35 mg twice-weekly group, and 5.4% (5.0, 5.8) in the 10 mg daily treatment group. Increases in BMD at the total hip, femoral neck, trochanter, and total body were similar for the three dosing regimens. All three treatment groups similarly reduced biochemical markers of bone resorption (urinary N-telopeptides of type I collagen) and bone formation (serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase) into the middle of the premenopausal reference range. All treatment regimens were well tolerated with a similar incidence of upper GI adverse experiences. There were fewer serious upper GI adverse experiences and a trend toward a lower incidence of esophageal events in the once-weekly dosing group compared to the daily dosing group. These data are consistent with preclinical animal models, and suggest that once-weekly dosing has the potential for improved upper GI tolerability. Clinical fractures, captured as adverse experiences, were similar among the groups. We conclude that the alendronate 70 mg once-weekly dosing regimen will provide patients with a more convenient, therapeutically equivalent alternative to daily dosing, and may enhance compliance and long-term persistence with therapy.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed2000

Peduncular hallucinosis : an unusual sequelae of medulloblastoma surgery.

Peduncular hallucinations are formed visual images often associated with sleep disturbance and are caused by lesions in the midbrain, pons and diencephalon. In present case report, a four year child, who was operated for midline posterior fossa medulloblastoma developed peduncular hallucinations on 3rd post operative day. Traction trauma or the compression of mid brain was thought to be the most possible cause of hallucinations.

Cerebellar Neoplasms↗