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Biomedical subjects

H Desai

Publications and source records attributed to H Desai.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Work stress of women in sewing machine operation.

The study examined the work stresses of 107 women who were engaged in sewing machine operation in small garment manufacturing units. Of the three types of sewing machines (motor-operated, full and half shuttle foot-operated), 74% of the machines were foot-operated, where throttle action of the lower limb is required to move the shuttle of the machine. The motor-operated machines were faster than the foot-operated machines. The short cycle sewing work involves repetitive action of hand and feet. The women had to maintain a constant seated position on a stool without backrest and the body inclined forward. Long-term sewing work had a cumulative load on the musculo-skeletal structures, including the vertebral column and reflected in the form of high prevalence of discomfort and pain in different body parts. About 68% of the women complained of back pain, among whom 35% reported a persistent low back pain. Common sewing work accident is piercing of the needle through the fingers, particularly the right forefingers. Unsatisfactory man-machine incompatibility, work posture and fatigue, improper coordination of eye, leg and hand are the major problems of the operators. The design mis-match of the work place may be significantly improved by taking women's anthropometric dimensions in modifying the workplace, i.e. the seat surface, seat height, work height, backrest, etc.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

PACAP, a VIP-like peptide, in neurons of the esophagus.

The lower esophagus of guinea-pig, cat, sheep and man was analyzed for pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide (PACAP), a novel vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-like peptide, using immunocytochemistry and radioimmunoassay. PACAP-immunoreactive nerve fibers were numerous in the longitudinal and circular muscle layers of sheep and man, moderate in numbers in cat, while being few in the esophagus of guinea-pig. A few PACAP-immunoreactive nerve cell bodies and numerous nerve fibers were seen in the myenteric ganglia of the esophagus of cat, sheep and man. In the lower esophagus of cat, sheep and man all PACAP-containing nerve cell bodies and nerve fibers stored VIP. The results of radioimmunoassay of PACAP in extracts of specimens from man were in good agreement with the immunocytochemical findings. High performance liquid chromatography revealed one major peak of PACAP-like immunoreactivity in extracts of human esophagus. We suggest that neuronal PACAP may serve to modulate motor activity and secretion in the lower esophageal sphincter region.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Measurement of therapeutic response in schizophrenia. A critical survey.

A recurrent criticism of measurement in schizophrenia research is that symptom suppression is overemphasized as the sole criterion measure of treatment effectiveness, to the neglect of other endpoints, such as the quality of life and subjective experience of the patient. This paper addresses the current status of response measures used in schizophrenia therapeutics. A computer literature search of all clinical trials (drug, psychosocial, or rehabilitative) in schizophrenia for the years 1986 through 1989 yielded 175 papers, 79 of which were trials of therapy. Almost all the trials focused on productive symptoms, with 19% considering negative symptoms scales as well. Approximately one-quarter of the studies incorporated some measure of patient functioning, but only 13% considered the patient's self-report or ratings of significant others. The findings suggest that the measurement of treatment response in schizophrenia research continues to be unidimensional and symptom-based. It is proposed that treatment effectiveness may be obscured when measures of patient functioning, subjective experience and assessments of significant others are not included with those of symptomatology.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1990

Age, environments, and the number of substantia nigra neurons.

We examined forty-eight midbrain sections from normal brains containing SN at the level of the exiting fibers of the IIIrd cranial nerve. The cases were classified into two groups based on at least 80% life exposure to either rural or urban provincial environments, respectively. Linear regression analysis revealed a lower SN neuron count in the rural group by age 20, although this difference was not statistically significant. There was a 34% decline in urban and a 17% decline in rural residents' neuron counts between ages 20 and 80. These results are consistent with our previous studies, which indicate a higher risk of PD in the Saskatchewan rural population. We believe that studies of environmental factors in early life will provide the most rewarding clues to the etiology of PD.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Decreased thyroidal response to thyrotropin in type II diabetes mellitus.

The responses to TRH and bovine TSH (bTSH) were compared in 19 men with uncontrolled type II diabetes mellitus and eight healthy control subjects. Baseline serum TSH, T3 and T4 were similar in both groups and the rise of serum TSH, T3 and T4 following the intravenous (IV) administration of TRH (500 micrograms) was not significantly different. Diabetic subjects showed a blunted response to the subcutaneous (sc) administration of bTSH (5 U) when their maximal serum T3 and T4 values were compared with controls (T4, 9.4 +/- 0.3 v 12.3 +/- 1.1 micrograms/dL, P less than .005; T3, 185 +/- 9 v 233 +/- 17 ng/dL, P less than .025; diabetic v control). When the response to bTSH was examined in seven patients after 4 to 5 days of strict glycemic control, the maximal T3 response was found to increase in six, and the maximal T4 response in five. These data show that the thyroidal secretory response to large doses of TSH is decreased in uncontrolled diabetes mellitus and that strict glycemic control frequently improves the response.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Taste acuity and zinc metabolism in captopril-treated hypertensive male patients.

Hypogeusia is a reported side effect of captopril. Linkage of hypogeusia to zinc deficiency has been suggested. We objectively assessed taste acuity using Henkin's three-drop stimulus technique and measured plasma zinc (PZn) level and urinary zinc excretion in 31 hypertensive patients. Of these, 11 were long-term, high-dose captopril recipients (more than 6 months, 266 +/- 34 mg/day), six were short-term captopril recipients (less than 6 months, 104 +/- 40 mg/daily dose), and the remaining 14 served as noncaptopril controls. Compared to controls, the long-term captopril group had significantly higher taste detection and recognition thresholds, lower PZn (91 +/- 3 vs. 100 +/- 3 micrograms/dl, P less than 0.05) and higher urinary zinc excretion (1017 +/- 89 vs. 609 +/- 76 micrograms/day, P less than 0.005). The short-term captopril group did not differ significantly from the noncaptopril group except for higher taste-recognition thresholds for NaCl and sucrose (P less than 0.05). Discontinuing captopril improved taste acuity and almost normalized zinc parameters in two patients on long-term captopril. These results suggest that abnormalities of taste are commonly associated with captopril therapy and may be related to changes in zinc metabolism. This is especially true in patients on long-term, high-dose captopril therapy.

Captopril↗
PubMed1988

Neonatal brain: color Doppler imaging. Part II. Altered flow patterns from extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a lifesaving procedure in neonates with severely impaired lung function, requires ligation of the right common carotid artery. In an investigation of the collateral pathways that maintain perfusion of the brain after right common carotid artery ligation, ten infants were studied with color Doppler imaging during and after ECMO. The circle of Willis was seen in all infants, and in every case there was retrograde flow in the distal internal carotid artery and the proximal (A1) segment of the anterior cerebral artery. Bilateral flow in the middle cerebral arteries and in distal branches of the anterior cerebral arteries was also seen, documenting flow to both cerebral hemispheres.

Carotid Arteries↗
PubMed1986

Neonatal neurosonographic correlates of cerebral palsy in preterm infants.

Serial neurosonographic examinations are routinely performed at frequent intervals during the nursery course of all preterm infants of 33 weeks or less gestation who are admitted to the intensive care nursery of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. After discharge, the following survivors during the past 5 years had repeated ultrasound examinations until the anterior fontanel closed and clinical assessments until the presence or absence of cerebral palsy at a minimum age of 12 months was established: all infants with grade III/IV intracranial hemorrhage, periventricular echodensity and periventricular cyst formation, selected infants with either normal ultrasound findings or grade I/II intracranial hemorrhage. Fifteen survivors were found to have cerebral palsy, and all had at least one of the following ultrasound abnormalities: diffuse, bilateral, and multiple periventricular cysts 3 mm or more in diameter that persisted beyond term age, bilateral asymmetrical dilation of the lateral ventricles following grade III intracranial hemorrhage with small periventricular cysts, and ventricular porencephaly following an ipsilateral grade IV intracranial hemorrhage. The periventricular cysts were usually preceded by extensive echodensities of the white matter surrounding the lateral ventricles; these findings were suggestive of periventricular leukomalacia and were the most common abnormal findings on ultrasound in the infants with cerebral palsy. Of 124 infants without cerebral palsy, 121 had no or less severe abnormal findings on ultrasound; the exceptions were three infants with bilateral persistent large periventricular cysts who had normal motor development in late infancy.

Brain↗
PubMed1985

Cranial ultrasound and clinical studies in preterm infants.

Serial ultrasound imaging of the brain was used to determine the ventricular index (VI), and the ratio (VR) of the VI to the cranial hemidiameter during the nursery course and first year post-term in preterm infants of less than 33 weeks gestation. Twenty-nine of the infant survivors with no intracranial hemorrhage or major medical complication during their nursery course composed group 1. Twenty-two survivors with intracranial hemorrhage unassociated with early ventricular dilation composed group 2. Group 3 was comprised of 10 other survivors who had neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage with early ventriculomegaly; all 10 infants had at least one major medical complication during their neonatal course. In groups 1 and 2 the VR decreased and the VI increased significantly with age post-conception. Infants in group 3, compared with those in groups 1 or 2, had decreased occipitofrontal growth during the early postnatal period and increased VR and VI during the neonatal period and first year post-term. These results suggest that the ventriculomegaly associated with neonatal intracranial hemorrhage cannot be explained by posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus alone and may also be related to cerebral atrophy or decreased brain growth or both. Neurodevelopmental assessments at 20 to 30 months of age disclosed significantly lower Bayley Motor Development scores in group 3 compared with groups 1 or 2. Four infants in group 3, but none in groups 1 or 2, had cerebral palsy. The neurodevelopmental deficits in group 3 infants may reflect the complex pathogenesis of the ventriculomegaly as well as the effects of the intraventricular hemorrhage and posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus.

Cephalometry↗
PubMed1980

Ultrasound studies in preterm infants with hydrocephalus.

Serial ultrasound studies of cerebral ventricular size were obtained in 40 small preterm infants, 26 of whom were believed to be at risk for intracranial hemorrhage or hydrocephalus secondary to ICH or both. Hydrocephalus was diagnosed by ultrasound study in 12 of the high-risk infants, eight of whom required a surgical shunt procedure because of progressive ventricular enlargement. Serial ultrasound studies in the other 28 infants, including the 14 believed to be at low risk for ICH, disclosed normal ventricular size, defined as a ratio of lateral ventricular width to intracranial hemidiameter of less than 35%. The ultrasound methods utilized a portable A-mode echoscope that permitted unidimensional intracranial measurements at the infants' bedside, and a nonportable automated B-scanner that produced two-dimensional gray-scale images of the brain. The serial ultrasound measurements and images proved clinically useful in the initial detection of hydrocephalus and subsequent evaluation of the infant subjects.

Cerebral Hemorrhage↗
PubMed1973

The induction of tumours in the guinea-pig with methylcholanthrene and diethylnitrosamine and their propagation in vivo and in vitro.

Tumour induction with diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and methylcholanthrene (MCA) has been studied in 3 strains of guinea-pig. A DEN concentration of 80 μg/ml drinking water daily proved too toxic but reasonable survival was obtained with 20 μg/ml 3 times per week in Hartley guinea-pigs and a local inbred strain. Heston Strain 13 guinea-pigs were particularly susceptible to the toxic effects of the diethylnitrosamine. In all3strains, 100% of the animals which survived the early toxic effects subsequently developed hepatomata, the mean time being 15 months. Methylcholanthrene was less toxic but more erratic as a carcinogen, the incidence of tumours in Hartley guinea-pigs varying from 18 to 100% in different experiments, the mean time of tumour development being 10 months.Three transplantable hepatomata and 3 transplantable sarcomata have been developed. The hepatomata are all predominantly hepatocellular carcinomata and the sarcomata comprise two liposarcomata and a fibrosarcoma. Successful shortterm primary cultures of hepatomata, sarcomata and of normal liver tissues have been accomplished. Established cell lines in tissue culture have been developed from one cholangiocarcinoma from an outbred guinea-pig and one transplanted hepatocellular carcinoma from an inbred guinea-pig.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Exotic snakebite: envenomation by an African puff adder (Bitis arietans).

We report an envenomation by the African puff adder (Bitis arietans), an exotic snake in the United States. The patient developed swelling and ecchymoses in the affected extremity, and cutaneous necrosis of the envenomated fingertip. There was no significant coagulopathy. He received 20 vials of specific antivenin (Schlangengift-Immunserum Behring Zentralafrika, Behringwerke, Marburg, Germany) and debridement of devitalized finger tissue. The only permanent sequelae were cutaneous scarring and permanent loss of the fingernail on the envenomated finger. Exotic snakebite is a rare presenting problem in emergency departments. The initial approach to a patient envenomated by an exotic venomous snake is discussed. Use of antivenin and supportive care are emphasized.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Health care seeking behaviors of family practitioners.

Questionnaires were sent to 358 family physicians in the state of Michigan, asking which medical specialists provided most of the primary medical care for themselves and their families, and which type of specialists they would attend for ten specific medical problems. A total of 221 (62%) of the questionnaires were adequately completed and returned. They indicated that a majority of the primary care provided respondents and their family members was by a physician other than a family practitioner. Care seeking behaviors were not significantly different between practitioners who were family practice residency trained and those who were not, except in the care given to the respondent's spouse, when a family practitioner was used more often. The responses also revealed that the majority of office visits for three of the specific medical problem categories were made to family practitioners, while in four other categories the majority of visits were to specialists. Approximately half of the visits in the remaining three categories were made to family practitioners. There is an apparent discrepancy between the tenet that family physicians can competently care for a vast majority of medical problems and their actual care seeking behaviors.

Adult↗