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Biomedical subjects

D Chandra

Publications and source records attributed to D Chandra.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Pharmacotherapeutic education through problem based learning and its impact on cognitive and motivational attitude of Indian students.

OBJECTIVE: The cognitive and motivational attitudes to problem based learning (i.e., simple didactic problem stated in written form and Programmed Patient) has been compared with those to didactic lectures (DL), the traditional teaching method. The change in recall performance measured in MCQ tests was considered as a change in the cognitive domain. The first test was conducted one week after completion of the topic and second test was taken 3 months later, without prior information. The motivational change was recorded by open-ended questions about the learning method. Three groups of students at second MBBS professional year level consisting of 55, 57 and 59 people, were assigned a simple didactic problem stated in written form (SDP), programmed patients (PP), and didactic lecture (DL), respectively. RESULTS: The average scores obtained by the learners in problem based learning (PBL) groups were similar to the students in the DL group in both the tests. Most of the students in PBL groups appreciated the exercise and suggested including more such exercises in the curriculum. These exercises helped them to better understand patient problems and prescribing behaviour as well as in development of communication skills. However, these exercises were time consuming and were not examination oriented. CONCLUSION: Pharmacotherapeutic teaching through PBL could be used within a traditional curriculum to develop relevant and rational use of drugs, provided the evaluation method was also modified.

Association Learning↗
PubMed1996

Associated infections in persistent diarrhoea--another perspective.

Seventy-eight children diagnosed as cases of persistent diarrhoea (PD) from 1 month to 5 years of age (mean age 8.92 months) hospitalized during a 2-year study period were screened for the presence of non-gastrointestinal infections. Clinical screening suggested acute respiratory infection (ARI) in 30 per cent cases, urinary tract infection (UTI) in 19 per cent and acute suppurative otitis media (ASOM) in 10 per cent of cases. Investigations revealed pneumonia on chest X-ray (39 per cent), positive urine culture (32 per cent), leucocytosis (31 per cent) and positive blood culture (22 per cent). Seven cases (9 per cent) of pneumonia and 10 cases (13 per cent) diagnosed to have UTI were not identified on clinical screening and could be detected only after investigations. E. coli was the commonest organism isolated from urine culture (23 per cent) and blood culture (14 per cent); 54 per cent of cases had one or the other associated infection and 28 per cent were suffering from more than one infection. Bacterial pathogens were more frequently isolated from blood in children < 6 months (P < 0.01), with vomiting (P < 0.001), and severe malnutrition (P < 0.05); from urine in association with fever (P < 0.001), duration of diarrhoea > 4 weeks (P < 0.05), and vomiting (P < 0.001). Pneumonia was detected on chest radiograph more frequently in children with severe malnutrition (P < 0.001). Sixty eight per cent of cases were successfully treated with dietary management and appropriate treatment of associated infections and 18 per cent of cases died. Mortality was highest in association with sever oral thrush, severe malnutrition, septicaemia, and ARI. Our results suggest that majority of cases of PD are associated with one or the other non-gastrointestinal infections particularly UTI and ARI which may be missed on clinical examination unless efforts are made to investigate these children. Early detection and appropriate management of these infections can considerably modify hospital course and outcome.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed1996

Long-term anticonvulsant therapy in tuberculous meningitis--a four-year follow-up.

A treatment protocol for long-term anticonvulsant therapy (ACT) in children with tuberculous meningitis (TBM) has been followed depending upon clinical characteristics and EEG/CT scan findings suggestive of the underlying cause of convulsions. Sixty-three children which included all patients with focal seizures (FS), and those with generalized tonic and clonic seizures (GTCS), and tonic spasms (TS) manifesting more than once during hospitalization and/or associated with abnormal CT/EEG findings were given long-term ACT (Group A). Thirty-eight cases with GTCS before hospitalization, and/or not more than one seizure during first week of hospitalization and without any specific CT/EEG abnormalities (Group B) and 35 cases without any seizures (Group C) did not receive any ACT. Forty-four patients who were finally discharged on long-term ACT, were given phenobarbitone (57 per cent), phenytoin (23 per cent), and a combination of phenobarbitone+phenytoin (14 per cent), and phenobarbitone+sodium valproate (7 per cent). Follow-up was continued for 4 years with 93, 84 and 81 per cent attendance, respectively, in groups A, B and C. Some of the side-effects observed with anti-convulsant drugs included gingival hypertrophy in 11 out of 16 cases (69 per cent) on phenytoin, hyperkinetic behaviour in 3 out of 34 (9 per cent) cases on phenobarbitone, hypocalcaemia in 3 out of 44 cases (7 per cent), hypophosphataemia in 10 out of 44 cases (23 per cent) and increase in alkaline phosphatase in 14 out of 44 cases (32 per cent). CT scan of brain repeated in six cases with multiple tuberculomas showed marked improvement. While 4 out of 41 (10 per cent) cases in group A had recurrence of seizures in the follow-up, only 2 out of 28 cases (7 per cent) in group B presented with GTCS during first 3 months after discharge which was successfully controlled by long-term ACT in later part of the follow-up. Two out of 21 cases (10 per cent) in group C also presented with myoclonic seizures 3 and 5 months after discharge. There was no statistically significant difference in the recurrence/appearance of seizures in the three groups (P = > 0.05). Our results suggest that long-term ACT is not indicated in all cases of TBM with seizures. In view of the known side-effects of anticonvulsant drugs and danger of interaction with antitubercular drugs, it is mandatory to clinically evaluate the patients, identify the cause and restrict long-term ACT only to those cases who are likely to have some abnormal focus resulting in secondary epilepsy. All the cases with FS and some of the patients with GTCS and TS may need to be started on ACT. However, a close follow-up is necessary in all particularly in those for whom ACT has been withheld.

Anticonvulsants↗
PubMed1995

Cortisol status in different types of leprosy.

Basal plasma cortisol levels in 12 controls and 60 patients with different types of leprosy were within normal limits. They were significantly lower in multibacillary leprosy patients; this abnormality might be due to long standing stress leading to adrenal exhaustion. The plasma cortisol level significantly increased after the ACTH (Synacthen) stimulation test in all of the varieties of leprosy tested, which suggests that the adrenal reserve is maintained in such cases.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1995

Human immunodeficiency virus-1 gp120 and gp160 envelope proteins modulate mesangial cell gelatinolytic activity.

Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection often develop glomerular lesions (mesangial expansion and sclerosis). Modulation of matrix degradation may be important in the expansion of the mesangium. We studied the effect of HIV sera and HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins on gelatinolytic activity of human mesangial cells. HIV serum-treated cells showed lower (P < 0.01) gelatinolytic activity when compared with cells treated with control serum (control serum, 4.3 +/- 0.1 versus HIV serum, 3.3 +/- 0.1 micrograms gelatin degraded/mg protein). Mesangial cells incubated with HIV-1 gp120 protein also showed decreased (P < 0.01) gelatinolytic activity (control, 4.6 +/- 0.2 versus HIV-1 gp120 protein, 1.7 +/- 0.2 micrograms gelatin degraded/mg protein). HIV-1 gp160 protein also inhibited (P < 0.05) mesangial cell gelatinolytic activity as judged by a biotin-avidin assay as well as by a 3H gelatin degradation assay. In contrast, gp alpha-1 acid, a nonviral glycoprotein, did not modulate mesangial cell gelatinolytic activity. These results suggest that the serum contents of HIV patients decrease gelatinolytic activity of mesangial cells. This effect of HIV sera seems to be mediated through HIV-1 gp proteins.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1995

Monoclonal antibodies against lactate dehydrogenase of Plasmodium knowlesi.

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) of malarial parasites has been demonstrated to be biochemically and immunochemically distinct from the equivalent host enzyme. The polyclonal antibodies raised against the purified plasmodial LDH showed specificity to Plasmodium spp. Six hybridoma cell lines secreting monoclonal antibodies specific to Plasmodium knowlesi LDH have been obtained. The two monoclonal antibodies (2A3B7 and 4A6A7) showed high reactivity with LDH from simian (P. knowlesi. P. cynomolgi), human (P. falciparum, P. vivax) and rodent (P. berghei, P. yoelii) malarial parasites and did not cross-react with red cell LDH as well as with isoenzymic forms of mammalian LDH (A4, B4 and C4). One monoclonal antibody (4A6A7) strongly inhibited the enzyme activity specifically of plasmodial LDH and did not have any effect on the activity of red cell LDH. The other monoclonal (2A3B7) did not show inhibitory effect on parasite LDH. These findings as well as competitive immunoassay studies suggest the presence of at least two parasite specific epitopes on plasmodial LDH.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Morphine stimulates superoxide formation by glomerular mesangial cells.

Focal glomerulosclerosis is the predominant glomerular lesion in heroin addicts. We studied whether morphine, a metabolite of heroin, could directly affect the formation of superoxide by glomerular mesangial cells. Mesangial cells preincubated with morphine (10(-8) M) showed a higher (P < 0.001) production of superoxide when compared to control cells (control) 401 +/- 21 vs. morphine 610 +/- 41 nM/mg protein/h). This effect of morphine on mesangial cells was dose dependent. Naloxone, an opiate antagonist, attenuated morphine-induced formation of superoxide by mesangial cells [control, 317 +/- 4; morphine (10(-8) M), 573 +/- 9; and naloxone (10(-8) M) + morphine (10(-8) M), 333 +/- 6 nM/mg protein/h]. We conclude that morphine enhances formation of superoxide by mesangial cells and this effect of morphine seems to be mediated through opiate receptors. Since superoxide has been demonstrated to cause mesangiolysis, we propose that morphine may be playing a role in the induction of mesangial injury in patients with opiate abuse.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Weightage of formative examinations in certifying examination of pharmacology: an opinion poll and relative performance of learners.

A study was carried out to obtain the view points of 186 graduate students regarding formative examination, it's frequency, weightage in certifying examination, feedback about progress made or lack of it and the planning of learning activities. Majority of students were of the opinion that the class tests and tutorials should be conducted frequently and sufficient weightage of formative examinations should be given in the certifying examination. They were able to get feed back and plan out the learning activities accordingly. The performance in both theory and practicals of formative and certifying examinations in Pharmacology was analyzed. The average percentage marks secured by the students in both theory and practical of the certifying examination were higher than those secured in the formative examination. However, the reliability of theory examinations was more than the practical examinations. A positive correlation was observed between the marks of formative and certifying examination between theory as well as of practicals. The Pearson's Correlation Coefficient gamma was +0.932 and +0.715 while Spearman's rank order Coefficient rho was +0.792 and +0.649 for theory and practicals respectively suggesting positive and strong correlation.

Attitude↗
PubMed1990

Pharmacokinetics of aspirin in aged Indians.

The pharmacokinetics of aspirin (ASA) has been studied in elderly Indians (greater than 60 y) of either sex, composing, apparently healthy subjects controlled hypertensives and NIDDM diabetics, in comparison with healthy young subjects. Serum salicylate levels were estimated a 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4 & 8 h after ASA. The pharmacokinetics of serum salicylate were not changed in elderly subjects as compared to the young after the first dose or after one week of ASA therapy, although greater variability was observed in the elderly. Various laboratory investigations were unaltered after one week in all the groups, except that one elderly hypertensive patient gained weight, and a young subject showed an increase in SGOT & SGPT.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Age dependent changes in the expression of Drosophila mitochondrial proteins.

A subset of 43 [35S]methionine labeled mitochondrial proteins, identified on two dimensional electrophoresis gels of whole body extracts of adult Drosophila, were compared between two age groups. These flies, which except for their spermatocytes consist entirely of postmitotic cells, were 6 days old and 38 days old, with the mean life span of this inbred strain being 32.5 days. Qualitative changes in any of these mitochondrial polypeptides were not found, but significant quantitative differences were observed. Quantitation of the 43 mitochondrial proteins was carried out by computer assisted microdensitometry of autoradiograms of the gel patterns. The total amount of isotope incorporated into the mitochondrial proteins of the senescent flies decreased to 71% of that of the young insects. This decrease was heterogeneously distributed among the 43 proteins; however, six remained unchanged and one protein (mol. wt = 75; pI = 7.4) was increased 2.4 times in the senescent flies. These data clearly provide evidence that the age-dependent changes in the expression of mitochondrial proteins are quantitative and not qualitative.

Aging↗
PubMed1986

Antagonism of acute feeding response to 2-deoxyglucose and 5-thioglucose by GABA antagonists: the relative role of ventromedial and lateral hypothalamus.

The effect of GABA antagonists picrotoxin and bicuculline was studied on hyperphagia caused by 2-DG and 5-TG. The GABA antagonists were administered either SC or into the VMH or LH through stereotaxically implanted chronic cannulae. The peripheral as well as VMH injection antagonised the hyperphagia significantly. In contrast, injection of these agents into the LH failed to produce any effect. These findings show that in a glucoprivic state there might be an increased GABAergic activity in the VMH.

Animals↗