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Biomedical subjects

B Jha

Publications and source records attributed to B Jha.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Agars of Gelidiella acerosa of west and southeast coasts of India.

Seventeen agar samples were extracted from Gelidiella acerosa (Forsskal) Feldmann and Hamel (Rhodophyta, Gelidiales) specimens collected from nine different sites on the Indian coast-five from southeast coast and four from the west coast. The agar samples were analysed. The stability characteristics of the gels of selected agar samples were studied by rheometry under applied stress conditions, i.e. variation of the storage (G') and loss moduli (G'') were studied under varying frequency and duration (time) of the stress applied. Yield, apparent and dynamic viscosities, gelling and melting temperatures, 3,6-anhydrogalactose (3,6-AG), sulphate contents and TGA (Thermogravimetric Analysis) measurements of the products were done. It was observed that the best quality agar was produced by G. acerosa occurring in the Gulf of Mannar region in the southeast coast. The gel strengths and the viscosities of agars extracted from Gelidiella acerosa occurring in the Gulf of Mannar ranged from 500 to 700gcm(-2) and 33 to 45cP for 2001 collections and for 2002 collections the corresponding values were 450 to 845gcm(-2) and 55 to 67cP respectively. On the other hand, for the agar samples extracted from the west coast of India, the gel strength and viscosities values ranged from 225 to 400gcm(-2) and from 15 to 30cP, respectively. The agars obtained from G. acerosa collected from southeast coast have been found to be suitable for bacterial culture and molecular biology. This is the first report of superior quality of agar from the Indian agarophytes.

Agar↗
PubMed2005

Evaluation of the emission characteristics of trace metals from coal and fuel oil fired power plants and their fate during combustion.

Coal as well as fuel oil combustion generates emissions of potentially toxic trace pollutants including organic and inorganic chemical compounds besides major pollutants. A study on As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn emissions from a 220 MW coal-fired power plant equipped with a electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) and 6 MW oil fired-power plant was carried out, using stack monitoring kit, Envirotech APM 620, which is similar to EPA Method 29. Simultaneous sampling of coal, fuel oil, oil waste, bottom ash, fly ash, flue gases, and particles associated with the gas phase has been performed. This sampling method was used for trace metal sampling. The content of all these metals in coal, oil, oil waste, bottom ash, fly ash have been determined by XRF, whereas their contents in the flue gases, and particles associated with the gas phase has been analyzed with ICP-AES. The mass balances obtained for trace elements were satisfactory in case of fuel oil based power plant, whereas in case of coal fired power plant, the mass balance for all the trace elements were below 50% except for the As, Se, and Hg. The enrichment factors for all trace metals was <1 in both cases. The above sampling method is moderately adequate method for trace element sampling in coal as well as oil fired power plants except for Hg. The results indicate that trace metals emissions were higher in coal-based power plant than the fuel oil-fired power plant.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2005

Modeling the energy content of combustible ship-scrapping waste at Alang-Sosiya, India, using multiple regression analysis.

Alang-Sosiya is the largest ship-scrapping yard in the world, established in 1982. Every year an average of 171 ships having a mean weight of 2.10 x 10(6)(+/-7.82 x 10(5)) of light dead weight tonnage (LDT) being scrapped. Apart from scrapped metals, this yard generates a massive amount of combustible solid waste in the form of waste wood, plastic, insulation material, paper, glass wool, thermocol pieces (polyurethane foam material), sponge, oiled rope, cotton waste, rubber, etc. In this study multiple regression analysis was used to develop predictive models for energy content of combustible ship-scrapping solid wastes. The scope of work comprised qualitative and quantitative estimation of solid waste samples and performing a sequential selection procedure for isolating variables. Three regression models were developed to correlate the energy content (net calorific values (LHV)) with variables derived from material composition, proximate and ultimate analyses. The performance of these models for this particular waste complies well with the equations developed by other researchers (Dulong, Steuer, Scheurer-Kestner and Bento's) for estimating energy content of municipal solid waste.

Conservation of Energy Resources↗
PubMed1999

Genetic analysis of susceptibility to infection with Ascaris lumbricoides.

Epidemiologic studies of helminthic infections have shown that susceptibility to these parasites frequently aggregates in families, suggesting the possible involvement of genetic factors. This paper presents a genetic epidemiologic analysis of Ascaris lumbricoides infection in the Jirel population of eastern Nepal. A total of 1,261 individuals belonging to a single pedigree were assessed for intensity of Ascaris infection at two time points. Following an initial assessment in which all individuals were treated with albendazole, a follow-up examination was performed one year later to evaluate reinfection patterns. Three measures of worm burden were analyzed, including eggs per gram of feces, direct worm counts, and worm biomass (weight). For all traits, variance component analysis of the familial data provided unequivocal evidence for a strong genetic component accounting for between 30% and 50% of the variation in worm burden. Shared environmental (i.e., common household) effects account for between 3% and 13% of the total phenotypic variance.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

A rapid method to monitor repair and mis-repair of DNA double-strand breaks by using cell extracts of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

We present a rapid in vitro method to scan the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). A DSB was introduced at the EcoRI site within the lacZ gene of the plasmid pUC18 and the plasmid was exposed to cellular extracts from a wild-type repair-competent (RAD) and a mutant (rad52Delta) strain of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The fidelity of rejoining was determined by the expression of the lacZ gene after bacterial transformation with the treated plasmid. A cellular extract from the yeast S. cerevisiae was found to be capable of rejoining DNA DSBs. Breaks at the EcoRI site were rejoined by extracts from both wild-type and mutant strains to form circular plasmids with almost equal efficiency. However, the fidelity of rejoining was lower for the rad52Delta extract than for normal wild-type.

DNA↗
PubMed1997

The RAD5 gene product is involved in the avoidance of non-homologous end-joining of DNA double strand breaks in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

In wild-type yeast, the repair of a 169 bp double-strand gap induced by the restriction enzymes ApaI and NcoI in the URA3gene of the shuttle vector YpJA18 occurs with high fidelity according to the homologous chromosomal sequence. In contrast, only 25% of the cells of rad5-7 and rad5 Delta mutants perform correct gap repair. As has been proven by sequencing of the junction sites, the remaining cells recircularise the gapped plasmids by joining of the non-compatible, non-homologous ends. Thus, regarding the repair of DNA double-strand breaks, the rad5 mutants behave like mammalian cells rather than budding yeast. The majority of the end joined plasmids miss either one or both of the 3'and 5'protruding single-strands of the restriction ends completely and have undergone blunt-end ligation accompanied by fill-in DNA synthesis. These results imply an important role for the Rad5 protein (Rad5p) in the protection of protruding single-strand ends and for the avoidance of non-homologous end joining during repair of double-strand gaps in budding yeast. Alternatively, the Rad5p may be an accessory factor increasing the efficiency of homologous recombination in yeast, however, the molecular mechanism of Rad5p function requires further investigation.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1995

Molecular mechanism of potentially lethal damage repair. I. Enhanced fidelity of DNA double-strand break rejoining under conditions allowing potentially lethal damage repair.

This study contributes to the elucidation of the molecular mechanism underlying potentially lethal damage (PLD) repair. Repair of DNA double-strand breaks (dsbs) is involved in PLD repair in yeast, i.e. in the enhanced survival of cells due to post-irradiation treatment under non-growth conditions before plating cells on nutrient agar (growth conditions). However, dsbs are rejoined when cells are kept either in non-growth or growth medium. One possibility to explain the enhanced survival of cells after post-irradiation treatment in non-growth medium might be an enhanced fidelity of dsb rejoining under non-growth relative to growth conditions. We have addressed this problem by using a plasmid-mediated assay. Into one of the two selectable plasmid markers a single dsb was introduced by a restriction enzyme. The cut plasmid was transfected into an appropriate yeast mutant. Transformants that had correctly rejoined the dsb were selected on the basis of restoration of the function of the cut gene. The yeast mutant was allowed to rejoin the cut plasmid under either non-growth or growth conditions. The results show that the fidelity of dsb rejoining is higher in cells kept under non-growth relative to growth conditions.

DNA Repair↗
PubMed1993

Reversibility of inhibition of DNA double strand break repair by 2-deoxy-D-glucose in Ehrlich ascites tumour cells.

The glycolytic inhibitor 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), a potent therapeutic adjuvant in cancer radiotherapy, was tested for the reversibility of its inhibitory action on X-ray-induced DNA double strand break (dsb) repair. Cells were exposed to 40 Gy of X-rays and allowed to repair with or without 2-DG in suspension at 37 degrees C. DNA dsb rejoining was measured by pulsed field gel electrophoresis. The fraction of 14C-thymidine activity released from the plug (FAR) during electrophoresis was used as a measure for the number of dsb present in the DNA. After certain time intervals 2-DG was withdrawn from the cells and the extent of reversal of inhibition of dsb rejoining was measured. Biphasic repair of dsb was generally observed, with a fast component extending up to about 60 min after irradiation and a much slower progression of repair thereafter. Different mathematical models are considered for a quantitative description of these two components. The experimental data strongly indicate that only one type of dsb is primarily induced by irradiation which can be repaired fast with a time constant of about 0.05 min-1 (t1/2 approximately 13 min). In competition with this repair, other DNA dsb arise which are repaired slowly with a time constant of about 0.009 min-1 (t1/2 approximately 77 min). The time constant for the transformation of fast reparable dsb into slowly repaired dsb is about 0.026 min-1. Treatment with 2-DG inhibits the fast repair and, as a consequence, more DNA dsb are transformed into the type being repaired slowly. In competition with this slow repair, DNA dsb are fixed. Treatment with 2-DG also reduces slow repair processes and as a consequence the number of lesions being fixed is increased. Cell survival and ATP content of the cells showed a reversibility to the same extent as dsb repair, indicating the close relationship of these processes in living cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Giant hydronephrosis masquerading as massive ascites.

A case of unilateral giant hydronephrosis containing about 20 litres of old haemorrhagic fluid, clinically simulating massive ascites, is reported. The role of preceding abdominal trauma in the pathogenesis and the rapidity of the disease process is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Effect of 2-deoxy-D-glucose on DNA double strand break repair, cell survival and energy metabolism in euoxic Ehrlich ascites tumour cells.

Effects of 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) on DNA double strand break (dsb) repair, cell survival and on the energy metabolism were investigated in exponentially growing Ehrlich ascites tumour (EAT) cells. Cells in suspension were exposed to 40 Gy of X-rays and allowed to repair (up to 4 h) with or without 2-DG at 37 degrees C. DNA dsb rejoining was measured by means of clamped homogeneous electric field (CHEF), a pulsed field gel electrophoresis technique. The fraction of activity released (FAR) during electrophoresis (DNA associated 14C-thymidine) was used as a parameter to determine the number of dsb present in the DNA. Biphasic kinetics for dsb repair were observed. The presence of 2-DG significantly inhibited the slow component of dsb repair. The presence of 2-DG also enhanced radiation-induced cell killing. ATP content of cells was measured by a bioluminescence method. ATP content in exponentially growing cells was about 4 pg per cell. The level of ATP was reduced by 50% in presence of 2-DG (C2-DG/CG = 1.0).

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1991

Abnormal sister-chromatid exchange induction by 3-aminobenzamide in an SV40-transformed Indian muntjac cell line: relationships with DNA maturation and DNA-strand breakage.

In SVM cells, an SV40-transformed line of Indian muntjac fibroblasts, levels of sister-chromatid exchanges are known to be abnormally high after UV-irradiation or alkylation. The SVM line is also known to have a defect in the processing of DNA-strand breaks. Sister-chromatid exchange in other cells is known to be stimulated by the poly(ADP-ribose) transferase inhibitor, 3-aminobenzamide, which also retards DNA-break sealing. Sister-chromatid exchanges in SVM cells are found to be hypersensitive to 3-aminobenzamide, or to nicotinamide deprivation which similarly inhibits poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation; DNA-strand breaks are likewise induced by 3-aminobenzamide. Bromodeoxyuridine, needed to detect sister-chromatid exchanges, is more toxic to SVM cells and itself induces sister-chromatid exchanges to a greater extent than it does in normal muntjac cells. However, in contrast to the situation reported for other cell types prone to sister-chromatid exchange (the Chinese hamster ovary mutant EM9 and human Bloom's Syndrome cells), SVM cells do not show an abnormal delay in DNA maturation when, under the influence of bromodeoxyuridine and 3-aminobenzamide, they show a high level of sister-chromatid exchange. The mechanism by which BrdU exerts its effects can largely be explained in terms of familiar effects on deoxyribonucleotide pools and DNA integrity. 3-Aminobenzamide, however, induces sister-chromatid exchanges in SVM cells by another mechanism.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Multiple pathways of DNA double-strand break processing in a mutant Indian muntjac cell line.

DNA break processing is compared in the Indian muntjac cell lines, SVM and DM. The initial frequencies and resealing of X-ray generated single- and double-strand breaks are similar in the two cell lines. Inhibiting the repair of UV damage leads to greater double-strand breakage in SVM than in DM, and some of these breaks are not repaired; however, repair-associated single-strand breakage and resealing are normal. Dimethylsulfate also induces excess double-strand breakage in SVM, and these breaks are irreparable. Restricted plasmids are reconstituted correctly in SVM at approximately 30% of the frequency observed in DM. Thus SVM has a reduced capacity to repair certain types of double-strand break. This defect is not due to a DNA ligase deficiency. We conclude that DNA double-strand breaks are repaired by a variety of pathways within mammalian cells and that the structure of the break or its mode of formation determines its subsequent fate.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

The effect of 2-deoxy-D-glucose on insulin release by neonatal rat B cells in culture.

The culture for 7 days in medium with 5.5 mM glucose and 1 mM 2-deoxy-D-glucose enhanced the glucose sensitivity of neonatal rat B cells, and even stimulated their growth in vitro. Also, 2-deoxy-D-glucose supplementation maintained insulin release evoked by leucine and 2-ketoisocaproate from B cells at day 7 at levels several times higher than at day 1. The effect of leucine was greatly augmented by glutamine, whereas that of the 2-keto acid remained almost unchanged irrespective of the presence of glutamine. These results suggest an increase in oxidative catabolism of medium nutrients in B cells grown in medium with 2-deoxy-D-glucose for 7 days, and such metabolic changes may promote the growth of B cells in vitro.

Animals↗