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Biomedical subjects

B Sharma

Publications and source records attributed to B Sharma.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Symptoms and weight loss in patients with gastrointestinal and lung cancer at presentation.

INTRODUCTION: Weight loss is an independent prognostic factor for decreased survival in cancer patients. The effectiveness of treatment is impaired in patients with weight loss. The aetiology of this weight loss is complex and poorly characterised. Decreased calorie intake may be important. The reasons for decreased intake are unknown. AIMS AND METHODS: To determine in adult patients with cancer, who had not started chemotherapy or radiotherapy, the prevalence of symptoms which carry a risk to nutritional status and how these relate to weight loss, tumour burden and primary tumour site. New patients referred for treatment of any form of gastrointestinal (GI) cancer, non-small cell lung cancer or lung mesothelioma completed a validated questionnaire recording symptoms contributing to weight loss (Patient-generated Subjective Global Assessment--PG-SGA). In a subset of patients without metastatic disease, computed tomography scans were assessed to determine tumour burden. RESULTS: Between August and October 2004, 122 patients with GI and 29 with lung cancers were recruited. There were 48% of GI and 28% of lung cancer patients who had lost weight. Sixty-two percent of the patients had one or more symptoms at presentation. The frequency of symptoms varied according to the site of disease. The most common symptom at all tumour sites was loss of appetite (38%). There was a weak but significant correlation between the number of symptoms and amount of weight loss (r=0.347). Patients reporting a reduced food intake had more symptoms than patients who had not lost weight. Tumour burden did not correlate with weight loss. CONCLUSION: The symptoms in cancer patients occur across different types of primary tumours, may affect food intake and have a part in causing weight loss. More information on the role of symptom management in improving nutritional status is needed.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

REP-PCR analysis of Pasteurella multocida isolates from wild and domestic animals in India.

Repetitive extragenic palindromic sequence-based PCR (REP-PCR) was used to characterize 67 field isolates of Pasteurella multocida originating from different animal species and geographical regions of India. REP-PCR was found to be rapid and reproducible (three repeats were done). These isolates yielded different 23 profiles which were clustered into eight groups. The discrimination index was moderate (D value 0.83). Somatic and antigenic typing of the isolates did not reveal any correlation with REP-PCR profiles. There was no host-specific, type-specific, region-specific or pathenogenicity-specific pattern. The REP profiles of isolates obtained from wild animals were similar to those obtained from domestic animals. Two common bands were present in all the isolates irrespective of somatic or antigenic types. The results were not comparable with earlier findings, which had shown high discrimination index and correlation with disease presentation.

Animal Diseases↗
PubMed2006

ARDS complicating scrub typhus in Sub-Himalayan region.

Scrub typhus is a febrile illness widely endemic in Asia caused by Rickettsiae tsutsugamushi in which humans are accidental hosts. If there is delay in the initiation of the appropriate antimicrobial therapy patient may present with serious complications. We report three cases that presented in emergency with acute respiratory distress syndrome and history of fever for more than one-week duration. On investigation all the three patients were positive for Weil Felix reaction and showed dramatic response to doxycycline.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Ribotyping of Indian isolates of Pasteurella multocida based on 16S and 23S rRNA genes.

The applicability of ribotyping based on 16S and 23S rRNA was evaluated for molecular epidemiological studies. Forty-eight isolates of Pasteurella multocida isolated from different hosts and geographical locations and one reference isolate were ribotyped. Only four ribotypes were found. All the isolates including reference isolate from wild carnivores had the same ribotype, though they had different serotypes. The isolate from a tiger had one band in addition to the bands present in the major ribotype. The isolates from lions represented two ribotypes; of these ribotypes, one (r2) had an additional band of 3.6 kbp, which was absent in all other ribotypes. The second ribotype (r4) from a lion had one band missing (6 kbp) that was present in the other ribotypes. These isolates were further typed using ERIC-PCR and REP-PCR. With ERIC-PCR and REP-PCR, higher D values of 0.83 and 0.89 were obtained. The current study revealed that ribotyping is not a very efficient typing tool for use in molecular epidemiology for differentiation of isolates.

Genes, Bacterial↗
PubMed2005

PET/CT in oncology--a major advance.

The concept of hardware fusion between positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) has only been introduced commercially in the last 4 years. The advantages of this combined technique over PET alone have become obvious. There is increasing evidence to suggest that PET/CT adds complementary information in staging, re-staging and follow-up in oncology patients, leading to changes in management plans. The present paper is a review of the strengths, weaknesses, current evidence and future directions of this technique.

Artifacts↗
PubMed2005

Advances in skeletal tissue engineering with hydrogels.

OBJECTIVES: Tissue engineering has the potential to make a significant impact on improving tissue repair in the craniofacial system. The general strategy for tissue engineering includes seeding cells on a biomaterial scaffold. The number of scaffold and cell choices for tissue engineering systems is continually increasing and will be reviewed. DESIGN: Multilayered hydrogel systems were developed to coculture different cell types and develop osteochondral tissues for applications including the temporomandibular joint. EXPERIMENTAL VARIABLE: Hydrogels are one form of scaffold that can be applied to cartilage and bone repair using fully differentiated cells, adult and embryonic stem cells. OUTCOME MEASURE: Case studies represent an overview of our laboratory's investigations. RESULTS: Bilayered scaffolds to promote tissue development and the formation of more complex osteochondral tissues were developed and proved to be effective. CONCLUSION: Tissue engineering provides a venue to investigate tissue development of mutant or diseased cells and potential therapeutics.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Refractory thrombocytopenia in antiphospholipid syndrome.

Thrombocytopenia is the second most common manifestation of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). It is found in approximately 22% of the patients with this disease. Often it is not severe, platelet counts usually range between 50 x 10(9)/L and 150 x 10(9)/L without bleeding problems. Yet, it does not protect patients against thrombotic events. It rarely requires treatment and, due to similarities to idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), similar treatment rules usually apply. In this report two patients with APS are described who presented with severe thrombocytopenia that did not respond to standard treatment regimen namely glucocorticoids (GC) followed by intravenous immunoglobulin therapy (IVIG). Splenectomy had to be resorted to relieve the condition.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Sclerotherapy with bleomycin for recurrent massive inguinal lymphoceles following partial vulvectomy and bilateral lymphadenectomy-Case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Formation of lymphoceles following radical vulvectomy presents a formidable problem that is associated with high degree of morbidity. A variety of approaches have been described in the literature to treat this condition. CASE: An 82-year-old woman developed massive inguinal lymphoceles following partial vulvectomy and inguinal lymphadenectomy for cancer vulva. The lymphoceles involved wide surface areas extending to both flanks, and accumulation of lymph was very rapid at a rate of 1 l daily. The condition failed to respond to continuous drainage and compression for 6 weeks, but responded quickly to sclerotherapy using bleomycin without any significant side effects. CONCLUSION: Intracavitary bleomycin could be used safely and effectively in huge rapidly accumulating lymphoceles.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Microwave endometrial ablation for menorrhagia: outcome at 2 years--experience of a district general hospital.

One hundred and twenty-three women underwent microwave endometrial ablation (MEA) for the treatment of dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB). The mean age at treatment was 40.2 years and the average treatment time was 2 minutes 50 seconds. All patients stayed as day cases, except for two who stayed overnight, one due to pain and the other due to urinary retention. The follow-up was carried out at 6 months, 1 and 2 years, respectively. The success rate was 80%, 76% and 70% at 6 months and 1-year and 2-year follow-up. The patient satisfaction rate was 80%, 75% and 68% at 6 months, 1 year and 2 years, respectively. However, in women 45 years old and over the success rate was more than 90%, suggesting that MEA could be a preferred procedure for treatment of DUB in this age group compared to younger women, especially in those who do not benefit from the mirena intrauterine system or decline it. Approximately 70% of patients, who underwent hysterectomy due to the failure of treatment, had uterine/pelvic pathology in the form of adenomyosis, fibroid uterus or endometriosis; therefore prior to MEA, proper patient selection is vital. There were a few minor complications but no uterine perforation or emergency hysterectomies in the group studied.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Experimental model for cartilage tissue engineering to regenerate the zonal organization of articular cartilage.

OBJECTIVE: Regeneration of the zonal organization of articular cartilage may be an important advancement for cartilage tissue engineering. The first goal of this study was to validate our surgical technique as a method to selectively isolate chondrocytes from different zones of bovine articular cartilage. The second goal was to confirm that chondrocytes from different zones would have different proliferative and metabolic activities in two-dimensional (2-D) and 3-D cultures. Finally, to regenerate the zonal organization, we sought to make multi-layered constructs by encapsulating chondrocytes from different zones of articular cartilage. DESIGN: Cartilage slices were removed from three (upper, middle, and lower) zones of articular cartilage of young bovine legs. Histology and biochemical composition of the cartilage slices were analyzed to confirm that they had been obtained from the proper zone. Growth kinetics and gene expression in monolayer culture and matrix formation in photopolymerizing hydrogels were evaluated. Multi-layered photopolymerizing hydrogels were constructed with chondrocytes from each zone of native cartilage encapsulated. Cell viability and maintenance of the cells in the respective layer were evaluated using the Live/Dead Viability kit and cell tracking protocols, respectively. After 3 weeks, the multi-layered constructs were harvested for histologic examination including immunohistochemistry for type II collagen. RESULTS: Analysis of histology and biochemical composition confirmed that the cartilage slices had been obtained from the specific zone. Chondrocytes from different zones differed in growth kinetics and gene expression in monolayer and in matrix synthesis in 3-D culture. Cells encapsulated in each of the three layers of the hydrogel remained viable and remained in the respective layer in which they were encapsulated. After 3-week culture, each zone of multi-layered constructs had similar histologic findings to that of native articular cartilage. CONCLUSION: We present this as an experimental model to regenerate zonal organization of articular cartilage by encapsulating chondrocytes from different layers in multi-layered photopolymerizing gels.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

55 kb plasmid and virulence-associated genes are positively correlated with Salmonella enteritidis pathogenicity in mice and chickens.

Twenty-four strains of Salmonella enteritidis, isolated from several outbreaks of salmonellosis from different poultry farms in India, were checked for the plasmid profile and detection of virulence gene(s) by PCR. Most of the strains contained only a single plasmid of 55 kb. Additional plasmids of 23.2 kb and 8.7 kb were seen in one of the strains, and another strain carried only two plasmids of 23.2 kb and 8.7 kb. Four strains did not carry any plasmid. PCR amplification showed the presence of virulence-associated genes in all the isolates harbouring the 55 kb plasmid. Intraperitoneal inoculation of mice, with most of the strains carrying the 55 kb plasmid, caused 100% mortality. Most strains lacking the 55 kb plasmid were avirulent. In chickens, oral inoculation of the S. enteritidis strains carrying the 55 kb plasmid produced 40-100% mortality, with characteristic signs of salmonellosis. Oral inoculation of strains lacking the 55 kb plasmid did not cause any mortality. Hence, it appears that the large plasmid of S. enteritidis probably contributes towards virulence in mice and chickens.

Animals↗