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Biomedical subjects

Harish Kumar

Publications and source records attributed to Harish Kumar.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Prevalence of known and undetected diabetes and associated risk factors in central Kerala--ADEPS.

Amrita Diabetes and Endocrine Population Survey (ADEPS) was conducted as a community-based cross-sectional survey to assess the prevalence of undetected diabetes mellitus (DM) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and their possible relationship with various risk factors in an urban South Indian population. An initial house-to-house survey of adults between ages 18 and 80 years (n = 3069) was followed by a second phase consisting of health check-up and biochemical evaluations of participants (n = 986). DM and IGT were diagnosed as per WHO criteria. Reported prevalence of known diabetes mellitus in the survey was 9.0% (276/3069); (M-8.7% and F-9.2%). Among the screened subjects who underwent blood testing, the prevalence of newly diagnosed diabetes was 10.5%. The prevalence of IGT was 4.1% and IFG was 7.1%. Increasing age, obesity, positive family history of diabetes, abnormal subscapular triceps skin fold ratio and presence of acanthosis nigricans (AN) were all found to be associated with increased risk of DM. The finding of high prevalence of newly detected DM and IGT in this population of Kerala with the highest standards of health care and literacy level compared to other states of India, emphasizes the need for routine screening of high-risk groups for early detection of the disease. A simple cutaneous sign, acanthosis nigricans was independently associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes in this survey and can be used as indication for screening for DM and IGT.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

TSH receptor antibodies in subjects with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

The research was undertaken to study the prevalence of TSH receptor antibody positivity in patients with type 1 diabetes. A total of 74 subjects with type 1 diabetes were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Thyroid function test and assessment of thyroid autoimmunity with anti-TPO and TSH receptor antibody were done in all patients. A total of 33 males and 41 females with type 1 diabetes were studied. The prevalence of TSH receptor antibody positivity alone was 18%. The prevalence of thyroid autoimmunity with anti-TPO as a marker was 28%; the prevalence increased to 43% when TSH receptor antibody was also measured. Majority of the subjects with antithyroid antibody positivity were also positive for GAD65 antibodies. As a significant proportion of type 1 diabetic subjects have positivity to TSH receptor antibody, we suggest that larger studies should be conducted to study the benefits of TSH receptor antibody-based screening for thyroid dysfunction in type 1 diabetic subjects. As the TSH receptor antibodies could be of the stimulating or of the blocking type, subjects with antibody positivity could be at risk of developing hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Nocardia globerula NHB-2: a versatile nitrile-degrading organism.

A versatile nitrile-degrading bacterium was isolated by enrichment culture from the soil of a forest near Manali, Himachal Pradesh, India, and was identified as Nocardia globerula. This organism contains 3 enzymes with nitrile-degrading activity: nitrilase, nitrile hydratase, and amidase. Nocardia globerula NHB-2 cells grown on nutrient broth supplemented with 1% glucose and 0.1% yeast extract exhibited nitrile hydratase-amidase activity specific for saturated aliphatic nitriles or amide, while addition of acetonitrile in nutrient broth yielded cells with nitrile hydratase-amidase that in addition to saturated aliphatic nitriles-amide also hydrolyzed aromatic amide. Nocardia globerula NHB-2 cultivated on nutrient broth containing propionitrile exhibited nitrilase activity that hydrolyzed aromatic nitrile and unsaturated aliphatic nitrile. The versatility of this organism in the hydrolysis of various nitriles and amides makes it a potential bioresource for use in organic synthesis.

Amides↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Soluble FLT-1 is detectable in the sera of colorectal and breast cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: VEGF is the key factor in angiogenesis which is essential for the development and progression of solid tumours. VEGF acts via two high affinity receptors: KDR and FLT-1. FLT-1 exists both in membrane-fixed and soluble forms. The soluble form is perhaps the only known natural direct antagonist of VEGF and may have a role in anti-angiogenesis therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We developed an in-house ELISA and have assayed soluble FLT-1 in the sera of cancer patients. We assayed preoperative serum from 50 colorectal and 43 breast cancer patients, and paired serum and plasma from 20 healthy volunteers. Postoperative serum from 17 colorectal cancer patients was also assayed. RESULTS: No s FLT-1 was detected in the samples from the healthy volunteers. Soluble FLT-1 was detected in the serum of both colorectal and breast cancer patients. We did not find any correlation between s FLT-1 and stage of either cancers. There was no significant correlation between serum VEGF and s FLT-1. Serum FLT-1 was markedly decreased in the postoperative serum of patients with detectable preoperative levels and none of the receptor negative sera became positive postoperatively. CONCLUSION: We conclude that s FLT-1, a natural antagonist of VEGF, is detectable in the sera of cancer patients. Larger studies involving long term follow-up are required to determine its prognostic significance.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Kinetics of postoperative serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)--can it be used to predict curative resections in colorectal cancer?

BACKGROUND: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is considered to be probably the most important and final mediator of neovascularisation. We have shown that VEGF can predict stage in colorectal cancer (Clin Cancer Res 1998, 17). This study was conducted to study the kinetics of serum VEGF after colorectal resections over ten postoperative days. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study comprised 154 healthy controls and 108 colorectal resections (79 curative, 15 palliative and 14 benign). Samples were collected at 4-6 hours, days 1,3,5,7 and 10 post surgery. RESULTS: Six-hour levels were significantly lower in the curative group (p < 0.0005) but not in the benign and palliative groups (p = 0.27 and 0.3, respectively). Sensitivity and specificity at 20% cut-off fall in VEGF gives 83.5% sensitivity with 80% specificity in predicting curative resection. CONCLUSION: Early postoperative serum VEGF levels show significant fall and may help to identify the oncological status of colorectal cancer resections.

Adult↗