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Biomedical subjects

K Pant

Publications and source records attributed to K Pant.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Prevention of radiation induced taste aversion in rats.

Diltiazem, a calcium channel blocker, and a cardiovascular therapeutic agent offers significant protection to mice against lethal dose of ionizing radiation. Considering the potential efficacy of diltiazem as a radioprotector for human use, it was deemed necessary to investigate its influence on radiation-induced behavioural changes like nausea, vomiting, learning, memory and performance. In the present studies, conditioned taste aversion (CTA) test based on consumption of saccharin solution, was used as a marker of behavioural changes. Significant CTA (97 +/- 2%) was observed in rats irradiated with Co-60 gamma rays (absorbed dose 1 Gy). Administration of diltiazem at doses greater than 10 mg/kg, body wt, evoked CTA in a dose-dependent manner and that was found to be further aggravated on irradiation. At a lower dose of 5 mg/kg, body wt, diltiazem did not evoke CTA and protected against radiation induced aversion significantly (62 +/- 3%). The results suggest that diltiazem at concentrations lower than 10 mg/kg, body wt, in rats may be useful in preventing radiation induced behavioural changes. This observation could be of particular significance in clinical radiotherapy where radiation induced nausea and vomiting are of great concern.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Effects of thyroxine on avian moulting may not involve prior conversion to tri-iodothyronine.

The comparative effects of equimolar doses of thyroxine (T4) and tri-iodothyronine (T3) and of the inhibition of peripheral monodeiodination were studied on feather regeneration and moult in thyroidectomized and intact adult male spotted munia (Lonchura punctulata). T4 was significantly more effective than T3 at all dose levels in inducing feather regeneration in thyroidectomized birds. Suppression of monodeiodination by iopanoic acid (IOP) was not accompanied by a suppression of T4-induced feather regeneration in thyroidectomized birds and IOP alone was without effect in thyroidectomized birds. Long-term treatment of intact birds with IOP accelerated the process of moulting by about 3 months. These findings question the prevailing concept that T3 is the finally active biological compound and T4 a mere precursor.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Pinealectomy and LL abolished circadian perching rhythms but did not alter circannual reproductive or fattening rhythms in finches.

In the subtropical finch, spotted munia (Lonchura punctulata), circanual rhythms (of gonads, fattening, feeding) have been demonstrated in an information-free environment of continuous illumination (LL), rendering it an ideal model for research on the physiology of the circannual clock. In an attempt to understand the involvement, if any, of the circadian system in the genesis of circannual rhythms, we studied the effect of pinealectomy (LL 15 lux) and strong continuous illumination (LL 300 lux), both known to abolish circadian rhythms, on the circadian perch-hopping rhythm and on the circannual rhythm of reproduction and fattening in the same birds. While both pinealectomy and LL 300 lux treatments abolished the circadian rhythm of motor activity, they had no effect on the circannual rhythms of gonadal size and fattening. If the endogenous circadian rhythm in perch-hopping can be taken to reflect the circadian clock mechanism associated with gonadal functioning, present results suggest that circannual rhythm of reproduction in spotted munia is independent of circadian events.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis with pleural calcification and nephrolithiasis.

A case of pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis (PAM) with pleural calcification and nephrolithiasis is reported. The significance of peripheral white lines, a rarely reported observation on chest roentgenogram in PAM, is discussed. Extrapulmonary calcification in multiple sites raises the possibility of PAM being a systemic disorder.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Phrenomediastinal echinococcosis.

A patient with the rare presentation of posterior mediastinal echinococcosis is reported. Magnetic resonance imaging (MR) demonstrated the extension of a primary retroperitoneal cyst into the posterior mediastinum which was subsequently confirmed surgically to be of echinococcal origin. Such a case of phrenomediastinal echinococcosis has been described only once before in literature.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and Candida albicans colonization of the respiratory tract in corticosteroid-dependent asthma.

Fungal studies were conducted on 35 patients with corticosteroid-dependent asthma (CSDA) and 20 asthmatics who had never received prednisolone. Candida albicans was repeatedly cultured from the sputa of 12 patients with CSDA. Isolation was more frequent in those patients who were receiving more than 10 mg prednisolone for more than six months. Nearly half of these patients demonstrated a positive immediate cutaneous reaction and precipitating antibodies against C. albicans. Although no pathological significance, beside colonization, could be attributed to this finding, it was felt that it would be prudent to restrict the daily dose of prednisolone to less than 10 mg, when administered for more than six moths. Two patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA), were identified, one from each group. The possibility of ABPA, however, remained open in two other patients with CSDA. It is probable that some patients with CSDA may be suffering from ABPA but characteristic features of the disease are masked by costicosteroid therapy, making it difficult to diagnose.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Primary mediastinal tuberculous abscess: demonstration with MR.

An unusual case of primary mediastinal tuberculous abscess is presented in whom the diagnosis was obtained on magnetic resonance (MR) and ultrasound (US) guided aspiration cytology. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was isolated from direct smear as well as from culture of the "pus". Normal spine signal with MR and normal bone scintigraphy excluded any vertebral focus of infection. MR was helpful in, defining the extent and characterising the abscess, besides excluding a vertebral focus of infection.

Abscess↗
PubMed1989

Fiberbronchoscopy in smear-negative miliary tuberculosis.

Twenty-two patients with smear-negative miliary tuberculosis underwent fiberbronchoscopy and brush smears; bronchial aspirates and transbronchial lung biopsy specimens were obtained. A definite diagnosis of tuberculosis was made in 16 (73 percent) patients. A rapid diagnosis was established in 14 of these 16 patients either from brush smears alone (three) or bronchial aspirate smear alone (one) or exclusively by histopathologic study of biopsy specimens (seven). Both brush smears and biopsy histopathology results provided the diagnosis in three patients. Bronchial aspirate culture was the only positive specimen in two patients. No serious complication resulted from the procedure. Our experience substantiates previous reports of the value and safety of fiberbronchoscopy in the rapid diagnosis of smear-negative miliary tuberculosis.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1988

Fibreoptic bronchoscopy in smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis.

Fifty smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis patients underwent fibreoptic bronchoscopy. Bronchial aspirate smears of twelve patients and post-bronchoscopic sputum smears of fourteen patients were positive for acid-fast bacilli (AFB). Bronchial biopsy provided the diagnosis in 9 out of 30 patients. Brush smears were positive in 28 patients, being the only positive sample in ten cases. A high yield from brush smears was obtained due to their preparation from caseous material wherever visible in the bronchi. With these results a rapid diagnosis was established in 36 of the 50 patients. When culture results were available, a definite diagnosis of tuberculosis was made in 45 of the patients. The yield from brush smears was found to be significantly better when compared to bronchial aspirate smears (p less than 0.01) and post-bronchoscopic sputum smears (p less than 0.01).

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Primary carcinoid tumour of trachea.

Tracheal carcinoid is a rare entity. A patient with a primary carcinoid tumour of trachea treated as a case of bronchial asthma for over a decade, is presented.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Chronic anaerobic pneumonitis.

A case of chronic anaerobic pneumonitis, without any predisposing factors, nor the classical features often associated with it, which masqueraded as pulmonary tuberculosis is described. Therapy with metronidazole resulted in striking improvement.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Fibrebronchoscopy in pulmonary sarcoidosis--an Indian experience.

Twenty-four patients suspected to have sarcoidosis were subjected to fibrebronchoscopy. Histopathological support for the diagnosis was ultimately obtained in 20 patients. Fibrebronchoscopy provided the diagnosis in 17 patients, while histopathological confirmation was obtained from extrapulmonary biopsy sites in 3 patients. Transbronchial lung biopsy, attempted without fluoroscopic guidance, revealed non-caseating granulomata in 15 patients. The only complication encountered was a small pneumothorax, not requiring intervention, in one patient. Lack of fluoroscopic guidance did not compromise the diagnostic yield or increase the complication rate of the procedure. Bronchial biopsy confirmed the diagnosis in 2 patients with a non-specific lung biopsy. It was positive in 6 of 8 patients with an abnormal appearing mucosa and in 5 of 12 patients with a normal bronchial tree. Random bronchial biopsy in all patients, irrespective of mucosal changes, made an important contribution to the yield of fibrebronchoscopy. Fibrebronchoscopy confirmed the diagnosis of tuberculosis in 2 patients with an atypical radiological picture, thereby differentiating the two conditions which occasionally mimic each other.

Biopsy↗