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Biomedical subjects

M Jose

Publications and source records attributed to M Jose.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Non-hypertensive intracerebral haemorrhage: some interesting observations.

Hypertension is the commonest cause of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) but non-hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhages (NHICH) are not rare. We report three interesting cases of NHICH subsequent to amyloid angiopathy, alcoholic hepatitis and amphetamine abuse. They suggest the importance of recognizing these conditions and need for urgent specific therapy which may play a vital role in therapeutic planning and prevention of ICH.

Adult↗

Rofecoxib versus ibuprofen for acute treatment of migraine: a randomised placebo controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Rofecoxib is a potent cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitor with a long duration of action. Its role in migraine has not been systematically evaluated. AIM: To study the efficacy of rofecoxib in migraine. METHOD: In a randomised placebo controlled trial rofecoxib 25 mg, ibuprofen 400 mg, and placebo were compared regarding their efficacy in relieving acute migraine attack. Migraine patients with 2-6 attacks per month were recruited. Headache severity, functional disability, and severity of associated symptoms were graded on a 0-3 scale. The primary endpoint was pain relief at two hours. Relief of associated symptoms and sustained pain relief for 24 hours were also noted. RESULT: One hundred and twenty four patients were randomised into rofecoxib (42), ibuprofen (40), and placebo (42) groups. One hundred and one patients were followed up: 33 on rofecoxib, 35 ibuprofen, and 33 placebo. Patients' ages ranged from 16-62 (mean 31.4) years, and 83 were females. Pain relief at two hours was noted in 45.5% on rofecoxib, 55.6% on ibuprofen, and 9.1% in the placebo group. The associated symptoms at two hours were reduced in 39.4% on rofecoxib, 50% on ibuprofen, and 9.1% in the placebo group. Sustained 24 hour pain relief was noted in 36.4% on rofecoxib, 41% on ibuprofen, and 6.1% in the placebo group. In the ibuprofen group, five patients had abdominal pain but there were no side effects in those on rofecoxib or in the control group. Both rofecoxib and ibuprofen were significantly effective in relieving pain, associated symptoms at two hours, and in sustained pain relief. There was no significant difference between rofecoxib and ibuprofen in aborting acute migraine attacks. CONCLUSIONS: Both ibuprofen and rofecoxib were superior to placebo in aborting an acute migraine attack, and there was no significant difference in their efficacy in an acute migraine attack.

Acute Disease↗

Herpes simplex encephalitis: some interesting presentations.

Herpes Simplex Encephalitis (HSE) is the most common cause of fatal viral encephalitis. A high index of suspicion is mandatory for early diagnosis and successful therapy to restrict morbidity and mortality. We report 4 patients of HSE, with interesting presentations, viz. brainstem involvement in an immunosuppressed patient, Kluver-Bucy Syndrome-a consequence of untreated HSE, HSE in the postpartum period mistaken as cortical venous thrombosis, and response to inadequate treatment. They demonstrate the wide spectrum of clinical features, pitfalls in diagnosis, and a variable response to therapy in HSE.

Adult↗

Intravenous sodium valproate in status epilepticus.

A study was conducted to observe the effect of intravenous sodium valproate in status epilepticus. Eleven patients with status epilepticus, who were resistant to conventional drugs, underwent treatment with intravenous sodium valproate. The seizures were controlled in 10 patients within 24-48 hrs of starting treatment. No complications were observed during therapy. We conclude that intravenous sodium valproate can be recommended for Myoclonic status epilepticus and non-convulsive status epileticus.

Adolescent↗

Myelopathy and amnesia following accidental electrical injury.

OBJECTIVE: Documentation of MRI and neurophysiological changes following accidental electrical injury. SETTING: Tertiary care referral teaching hospital at Lucknow, India. RESULTS: A 30-year-old lady developed amnesia and spastic paraparesis with loss of pin prick sensation below the second thoracic spinal segment following electrocution. Her spinal MRI was normal and cranial MRI revealed T2 hyperintensity in the right putamen. Peroneal, sural and electromyography were normal. Tibial central sensory conduction time was normal but central motor conduction time to lower limbs and right upper limb was prolonged. CONCLUSION: Neurophysiological study and MRI may help in understanding the pathophysiological basis of neurological sequelae following electrical injury.

Adult↗

Urine macrophage migration inhibitory factor concentrations as a diagnostic tool in human renal allograft rejection.

BACKGROUND: Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that is a potent activator of macrophages and T cells. Previous studies have shown that local MIF production is increased in acute renal allograft rejection, suggesting that it may play an important role in the rejection process. AIMS: To determine if urine and serum MIF concentrations: (1) are increased in acute rejection, and (2) can be used as noninvasive tools to discriminate between acute rejection (AR) and cyclosporine nephrotoxicity (CyA toxicity). METHODS: In a prospective study of nine renal allograft patients (five acute rejection and four stable), serial urine MIF concentrations were measured by ELISA in the first 14 days after transplantation. In a retrospective study, MIF concentrations in urine and serum were measured in 24 patients who were biopsied for acute renal transplant dysfunction (11 AR, 13 CyA toxicity). Urine and serum MIF were also measured in 23 stable renal transplant patients and 10 normals. RESULTS: MIF was readily detected in the urine of normal healthy controls (106+/-61 pg/micromol creatinine). In the prospective study, the urinary MIF concentration was increased substantially on day 1 posttransplantation and subsequently fell in parallel with the serum creatinine. However, urine MIF increased before episodes of biopsy proven acute rejection. The retrospective study showed that urine MIF concentrations in patients with AR were increased 5-fold compared to normal controls (439+/-313 pg/micromol Cr; P<0.01). In contrast, urine MIF concentrations in CyA toxicity were not significantly different to normal controls (145+/-119 pg/micromol Cr; P=NS). A marked increase in MIF immunostaining was seen in biopsies of AR, but not in CyA toxicity. No significant differences were evident in serum MIF levels between normals and any transplant patient group. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that measurement of urine MIF concentration may be useful in monitoring renal transplant patients for acute rejection and as a discriminator from cyclosporine nephrotoxicity.

Adult↗

Restaurant-associated outbreak of Salmonella typhi in Nauru: an epidemiological and cost analysis.

Typhoid fever is endemic in the South Pacific. We investigated an outbreak in Nauru. Through interviews and medical records, we identified 50 persons with onset between 1 October 1998 and 10 May 1999, of fever lasting > or = 3 days and one other symptom. Salmonella Typhi was isolated from 19 (38%) cases. Thirty-two (64%) patients were school-aged children, and 17 (34%) were in four households. Case-control studies of (a) culture-confirmed cases and age- and neighbourhood-matched controls; and (b) household index cases and randomly selected age-matched controls implicated two restaurants: Restaurant M (matched OR [MOR] = 11, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.3-96) and Restaurant I (MOR = 5.8, 95% CI = 1.2-29). Food-handlers at both restaurants had elevated anti-Vi antibody titres indicative of carrier state. The annual incidence was 5.0/1000 persons. Outbreak-associated costs were $46,000. Routine or emergency immunization campaigns targeting school-aged children may help prevent or control outbreaks of typhoid fever in endemic disease areas.

Adolescent↗

A novel missense mutation Ile538Val in the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 in hypochondroplasia. Mutations in brief no. 122. Online.

Hypochondroplasia and achondroplasia are skeletal dysplasias, characterized by autosomal dominant inheritance and disproportionate short stature, which occurs mainly due to growth failure of the extremities. Both dysplasias have been mapped to fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) gene. For hypochondroplasia, two point mutations, both responsible for the Asn540Lys substitution in the region coding the tyrosine kinase domain have been reported. Here we report an A to G transition at position 1651, predicting an Ile538Val substitution in the FGFR3, in hypochondroplasia. The substitution is found in a swedish family with three affected members. The criteria for hypochondroplasia were disproportionate short stature and radiological evidence of shortened long bones and decrease or absence of normal increase in interpedicular distances of the lumbar column. The mutation was detected by direct sequencing and restriction enzyme Tai I digestion. The base change was not found in the FGFR3 genes of unaffected members of the family nor in seventy-five unrelated unaffected individuals, suggesting that it was not a polymorphism. The Ile538Val substitution is a conservative amino acid change (a hydrophobic amino acid incorporated for another hydrophobic amino acid). Nevertheless, it is located in the stretch of nine amino acids, which is highly conserved among all the human fibroblast growth factor receptors. Considering the location of this substitution and the segregation with the phenotype in this family, we propose that it is a causative mutation of hypochondroplasia. It is difficult to establish whether the Ile538Val substitution is rare in hypochondroplasia patients or whether the individuals, who have a moderate degree of short stature, rarely seek medical help for the short stature and consequently are rarely diagnosed as affected by hypochondroplasia.

Achondroplasia↗

Intestinal obstruction caused by caecal volvulus.

The case of a 6-month-pregnant woman who had an uneventful postoperative recovery and normal vaginal delivery following a right hemi-colectomy for volvulus of the caecum with gangrene is reported.

Adult↗

Characterization of the hepatic insulin receptor undergoing internalization through clathrin-coated vesicles and endosomes.

Administration of insulin to rats caused a transient increase in the amount of hepatic insulin receptor present in clathrin-coated vesicles and endosomes. However, the total 'in vitro' insulin stimulated tyrosine kinase activity of the receptor present in endosomes did not vary when expressed per mg of protein and decreased when expressed per beta-subunit content. A decrease in the endogenous phospho tyrosine content of the receptor beta-subunit was observed in endosomes in response to insulin. This indicates that a fraction of the internalized receptor is dephosphorylated in endosomes, which renders it unable to become stimulated by insulin 'in vitro'.

Animals↗

Dissociation of the hepatic insulin receptor favours its phosphorylation by casein kinase 2.

The alpha beta heterodimeric form of untreated hepatic insulin receptor was a substrate for casein kinase 2, whereas the alpha 2 beta 2 heterotetramer was not. On the contrary, autophosphorylation was detected only in the heterotetramer. Dissociation of the receptor by treatment with dithiothreitol decreased its autophosphorylation but favoured phosphorylation of its beta-subunit by casein kinase 2.

Animals↗

Significance of changes in resting left ventricular ejection fraction after coronary artery bypass grafting.

The prognostic significance of changes in resting left ventricular ejection fraction was examined in 102 patients who underwent successful coronary artery bypass grafting. Between preoperative and early postoperative radionuclide ventriculography, mean resting left ventricular ejection fraction improved from 47.2% to 53.9% (p less than 0.01). Left ventricular ejection fraction increased by 5% or greater in 64 patients (63%), remained unchanged (within 4%) in 31 (30%), and decreased by at least 5% in 7 (7%). During 14 to 39 months (mean 27 months) of clinical follow-up, patients with normal preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction had a lower prevalence of recurrent angina, congestive heart failure, and mortality resulting from cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality occurred with equal frequency for patients who did and did not show early postoperative improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction (36% versus 39%). Among 69 patients who had a third radionuclide ventriculography at late follow-up, left ventricular ejection fraction was less than the early postoperative value in 69% and less than the preoperative result in 36%. Patients with early postoperative improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction were more likely to retain resting left ventricular contractile function, at least at the preoperative level (71% versus 46%).

Adult↗

The organization of repetitive sequences in the albumin and alpha-fetoprotein gene loci in the rat.

The distribution of middle repetitive sequences in the genic and extragenic regions of the rat albumin and alpha-fetoprotein genes was analyzed. Their presence was determined by probing Southern blots of restriction fragments of albumin and alpha-fetoprotein genomic subclones with 32P-labeled total rat DNA. Repetitive sequences were detected in both genes. They were classified as weak, moderate and intense hybridizing elements according to the intensity of hybridization. Weak repetitive sequences were characterized as dG.dT repeats by using 32P-labeled poly-(dG.dT)(dC.dA) oligomer probe. They occurred in 5' and 3' extragenic regions of the two genes and in introns 4 and 5 of the albumin gene. The moderate repetitive sequence present in intron 6 of the albumin gene was identified as the rat SINES element. 4D12. The intense repetitive sequence, localized in the 3' non-coding region of the albumin gene, corresponded to the terminal segment of a rat high repeat long interspersed DNA family, L1Rn. 4D12 and L1Rn sequences were also scattered throughout the alpha-fetoprotein locus as moderate and intense repetitive elements, respectively, but their distribution was different from that of the albumin genomic region. These results indicate that repetitive sequences invaded the two loci in a non-conservative manner.

Animals↗

Differential stability of the higher order structure of chromatin associated with genes having different transcriptional activity.

We have investigated the stability of the higher order structure of chromatin associated to genes which display a different transcriptional activity in adult rat live. Nuclei were digested with micrococcal nuclease and chromatin was fractionated by sedimentation in sucrose gradients. Specific DNA sequences were revealed by dot-blotting. In conditions of physiological ionic strength the distribution of the inactive gamma-casein gene sequences is similar than the bulk of chromatin. In the same conditions the relative content of the albumin gene, highly expressed in adult rat liver, revealed an enhanced instability of the chromatin superstructure. The distribution of the potentially active but silent alpha-fetoprotein sequences in adult liver showed an intermediate unfolding of its chromatin superstructure. These distinct behavior was not observed in non-physiological ionic strength conditions. Our results suggest that distinct folding of the local higher order structure of chromatin actually occurs in the region of active, potentially active and inactive genes.

Albumins↗

Studies on the stability of the higher-order structure of rat liver chromatin containing high-mobility-group proteins.

The stability of the higher-order structure of chromatin containing high-mobility-group (HMG) proteins has been studied in rat liver nuclei by mild micrococcal nuclease digestion at low temperature and fractionation by sucrose gradient centrifugation. Nuclei preparation and digestion, chromatin solubilization and analysis have been carried out in two ionic conditions, 140 mM and 40 mM monovalent cation concentration, avoiding drastic changes in ionic conditions and temperature during preparation and analysis. During the time course of digestion at 140 mM ionic strength a material stable at 80 S appears, whose DNA is cleaved at values around 12 nucleosomes. The distribution of HMG proteins in different chromatin fractions was analyzed by immunodot using antibodies elicited against proteins HMG-1, HMG-2, and HMG-14 and 17. It appears that these proteins have a distribution distinctly different from the bulk of chromatin. They are never found in the chromatin fragments that keep their internucleosomal interactions, indicating that these proteins tend to accumulate in points where the chromatin has a less stable structure.

Animals↗

A specific high-affinity binding macromolecule for 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in fetal bone.

Cytosol fractions were prepared from fetal rat or embryonic chick calvaria and analyzed for binding of vitamin D3 metabolites on sucrose density gradients. Both cytosol fractions contain a 3.5S macromolecule which specifically binds 1,25-dihydroxy-[3H]vitamin D3 and in addition, a 5 to 6S macromolecule which binds 25-hydroxy-[3H]vitamin D3. In rat calvaria cytosol, 1,25-dihydroxy-[3H]vitamin D3 also binds to the 5 to 6S macromolecule but appears to have greater affinity for the 3.5S component.

Animals↗