PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

P K Basu

Publications and source records attributed to P K Basu.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Continuous flow contact lens delivery of gentamicin to rabbit cornea and aqueous humor.

The Morgan Therapeutic Lens (MTL) was investigated as a continuous corneal perfusion system in New Zealand white rabbits. Gentamicin concentration in the cornea and aqueous humor delivered by the MTL was compared to gentamicin drops (13.6 mg/ml) administered every 15 or 30 minutes. Gentamicin (1 mg/ml) or 5 mg/ml was perfused at 10 ml/hr for up to 4.0 hours. At each time interval of 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 hours, homogenized corneas and aqueous humour were assayed for gentamicin concentrations. The highest aqueous humour gentamicin concentrations of 57.99 +/- 12.86 micrograms/ml were significantly higher with the MTL and 5 mg/ml of gentamicin compared with the MTL and 1 mg/ml of gentamicin or than drops applied every 30 minutes, but not significantly different than drops every 15 minutes. Highest corneal concentrations of gentamicin of 496.04 +/- 101.16 micrograms/gm cornea were significantly higher with MTL and 5 mg/ml of gentamicin compared with the MTL and 1 mg/ml gentamicin or than drops applied every 30 minutes, but not significantly different than drops every 15 minutes. All mean gentamicin concentrations attained via the MTL exceeded the mean inhibitory concentration for most sensitive bacterial species. The MTL is a reliable drug delivery system with distinct advantages, and may be a useful therapeutic modality in the ocular delivery of gentamicin and other drugs.

Animals

Quantitative determination of the melanin contents in ocular tissues from human blue and brown eyes.

This paper deals with our findings on the quantities of melanin in the tissues from blue and brown eyes. The amount of melanin in the iris, ciliary body and retinal pigment epithelium-choroid was separately determined. The results are expressed as the amount of melanin in mg tissue as well as the amount of melanin in the whole tissue. The results showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the melanin content of the iris in blue and brown eyes. However the ciliary body and retinal pigment epithelium-choroid from brown eyes had more melanin than the corresponding tissues from blue eyes. Blue and brown eyes with higher colour intensity had more melanin than the corresponding eyes with lesser intensity of colour. It is suggested that the differences between brown and blue eyes in their melanin content may have relevance to the pharmacokinetics of drugs that bind to melanin. This would mean that the larger amounts of melanin would decrease the initial levels of the drugs and would increase the drug levels after prolonged periods.

Choroid

Geometric and material property study of the human lumbar spine using the finite element method.

In using the finite element method to examine certain aspects of the mechanical behavior of the human lumbar spine, most investigators have made numerous simplifying assumptions regarding the geometric and material data used to build a model of the spine. Since there are no specific rules for choosing geometric and material data for a "normal" human lumbar spine, considerably different types of models have been used by investigators in their finite element studies. In this study, variations in model geometric and material properties are shown to significantly affect the finite element results of an axisymmetric model of the human lumbar spine under axial compression. The Young's moduli of the cancellous bone and intervertebral disc annulus, Poisson's ratios of the cartilaginous end-plate and disc annulus, the width of the disc annulus, the height of the disc, and the ratio of the disc nucleus pressure and axial pressure are recognized as the parametric variables that most significantly affect the finite element solution.

Biomechanical Phenomena

Toxicity and pharmacokinetics of intravitreally injected ciprofloxacin in rabbit eyes.

To assess the toxicity of intraocular injection of ciprofloxacin, 22 New Zealand white rabbits received midvitreal injections of 100, 200, 400, 800 or 3200 micrograms of ciprofloxacin in 0.1 mL of distilled water (39 eyes) or 0.1 mL of distilled water only (5 eyes). The ocular pharmacokinetics of intravitreally injected ciprofloxacin was determined by aqueous humour and vitreous sampling 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 18 or 24 hours after midvitreal injection of 100 micrograms of the drug in one eye each of 25 New Zealand white rabbits. The samples were analysed by means of a disc diffusion bioassay. No ocular damage was noted on ophthalmoscopy at any of the concentrations tested. Histologic study showed mild, transient vacuolation of the nerve-fibre layer in all eyes, including the control eyes, 2 hours after injection; at 24 hours no vacuolation was evident except at concentrations of 800 and 3200 micrograms, at which plexiform layer damage was evident. Peak aqueous and vitreous levels of ciprofloxacin were obtained at 1 hour (0.59 and 27.26 micrograms/mL respectively); the vitreous level fell to below 1.0 micrograms/mL 12 hours after injection. We conclude that intravitreally injected ciprofloxacin may be a safe and useful antibiotic in the treatment of aminoglycoside-resistant bacterial endophthalmitis.

Animals

Characterization of the pigment from homogentisic acid and urine and tissue from an alkaptonuria patient.

When urine samples from alkaptonuria patients are allowed to stand, they turn black, presumably owing to the oxidation of homogentisic acid to a melanin-like substance. We report the characterization of the pigments formed by polymerization of (a) the components in the urine from a patient with alkaptonuria and (b) homogentisic acid. The absorption spectra and electron spin resonance signals of these pigments are similar to those of eumelanins. Irradiation of the pigments with nitroblue tetrazolium caused reduction of the tetrazolium; this was partially inhibited by superoxide dismutase. Irradiation of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells with the pigments from homogentisic acid or urine caused cell lysis. Since this lysis was inhibited by catalase, we have concluded that it was mediated by H2O2. A similar pigment was also extracted from the tissue from an alkaptonuria patient. It is suggested that the degeneration of tissue in vivo may be due to the deposition of melanin-like pigments in the tissues, probably in combination with metal ions.

Alkaptonuria

Effect of vitrectomy on the ocular distribution of gentamicin in the rabbit.

To determine whether vitrectomy affects the ocular distribution of intravitreally injected gentamicin sulfate, 25 pigmented rabbits received an intravitreal injection of gentamicin (control group), and 25 other pigmented rabbits underwent pars plana vitrectomy followed by an intravitreal injection of gentamicin (experimental group). The animals were killed in groups of five 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 hours after the injection. The mean retinal gentamicin levels 1 and 3 hours after the injection were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group (p less than 0.01). The mean gentamicin level in the aqueous humour was significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group 1 hour (p less than 0.01), 6 hours (p less than 0.01) and 24 hours (p less than 0.001) after the injection. The mean corneal gentamicin level 24 hours after the injection was significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group (p less than 0.05). There was no significant difference in mean choroidal gentamicin level between the two groups. We conclude that vitrectomy significantly affects the ocular distribution of gentamicin in the rabbit.

Animals

Beta adrenoceptors and regenerating corneal epithelium.

Beta blockers inhibit corneal re-epithelialization. This may be due to beta-2 receptor controlled mechanisms. To investigate this possibility we performed a randomized, double-masked study involving 60 rabbit iatrogenic induced corneal ulcers produced with iodine vapour. Two beta specific drug compounds were tested, namely, betaxolol hydrochloride 0.25% (Alcon) (beta 1) and L132-468 (Sandoz, Basel) 0.25% (beta 2), and phosphate-buffered solution (PBS) as control. There was no statistical difference in the wound healing rates among all groups at 24 hours but there were significant differences at 48 hours (p less than 0.01). At 72 hours, the L132-468 treated groups showed significantly less healing than the betaxolol hydrochloride treated group. The PBS-treated group was healed at this time. By 20th post burning day, SEM revealed that betaxolol hydrochloride treated corneas were completely healed with normal epithelial microvilli. The L132-468 treated corneas were also healed but desquamation and abnormal cells were observed. In conclusion, beta-2 blockers inhibit corneal re-epithelialization more potently than beta-1 blockers.

Administration, Topical

The effects of donor age and cause of death on corneal graft survival.

The Ontario Corneal Recipient Registry followed 299 recipients of 326 corneal transplants performed between October 1985 and October 1987. This report describes the joint effects of donor age and cause of death on subsequent graft survival in these procedures up to two years after surgery. Cox regression analysis established that grafts from donors dying of injury experienced half the risk of graft failure of those from donors dying of heart disease or other natural causes (P less than 0.05). Although donor age differed substantially between these causes of death, controlling for donor age did not alter the association. There were no statistically or clinically significant differences in graft survival associated with either donor age or recipient age. These results suggest that the health of the donor and the circumstances surrounding death may influence the quality of corneal tissue, and deserve more attention and detailed study.

Actuarial Analysis

Potential value of collagen shields as a subconjunctival depot release system.

Collagen shields are fabricated from dissoluable porcine scleral tissue and have been used as an ocular drug delivery system. The aim of the present study was to determine the time and extent of shield absorption when implanted subconjunctivally, and the absorption and release of 5-fluorouracil in vitro. Thirty New Zealand white rabbit eyes were employed. BioCor 72 hour collagen shields were surgically implanted in the subconjunctival space. Rabbits were sacrificed at 7, 14 and 21 days after shield implantation, and the remaining shields removed. Remaining shields were measured by both dry weight and protein assay. The absorption and release of 5-FU from collagen shields was determined in vitro using tritiated 5-FU. The collagen shields were not fully absorbed for at least 14 days in the subconjunctival space. In vitro, 5-FU absorbed by the shields reached saturation levels at approximately 15 minutes. Nearly 100% of the 5-FU was released within 15 minutes. Although the time for subconjunctival shield absorption may be useful for antifibroblast drugs, the rate of 5-FU release from these shields is not optimal for enhancing bleb formation when shields are soaked in solutions of 5-FU.

Absorption

Glucose oxidation in fresh guinea pig cornea.

The rate of glucose oxidation of fresh corneas of guinea pigs at different ages has been determined. Full-thickness corneal discs, 4 mm in diameter, were incubated in radioactive glucose solution. The quantity of the released CO2 was expressed in terms of the corneal discs, their dry weights, and DNA and protein contents. The rate of glucose metabolized to CO2 per hour was about 300 pmol/microgram DNA for guinea pigs weighing approximately 800 g. Glucose oxidation decreased as the age of the animals increased. Our results compared well with those obtained in other species. We therefore feel that the guinea pig should be a suitable model for research on the metabolism of corneas.

Animals

Anticomplementary activity of cornea, vitreous and chorioretina in rabbits.

We wished to determine if inhibitors of the complement system are present in different rabbit ocular tissues. Soluble extracts of cornea, vitreous humor and chorioretina in different dilutions were incubated with normal human serum (as source of complement). The ability of the latter to lyse sheep erythrocytes sensitized with antisheep rabbit hemolysin was assessed. The cornea did not show any inhibition of complement. The vitreous humor exhibited very low inhibitory activity. The extracts of the uveo-retinal tissue contained heat-labile and heat-stable factors capable of cleaving C3 and factor B.

Animals

A corneal model for studying the interaction between the endothelium and sensitized lymphocytes.

We wished to develop a simple model for morphological studies on the interaction between the corneal endothelium and specifically sensitized lymphocytes. Rabbits were transplanted with orthotopic allogeneic skin or corneal grafts. After the onset of the transplantation reaction, lymphoid cells from the recipient's spleen or preauricular lymph nodes were harvested and placed on the endothelial surfaces of the donor and recipient corneas which were incubated in tissue culture medium at 37 degree C for 4 hours before being examined by vital staining or scanning electron microscopy. Compared to the recipient, the donor endothelium contained more lymphoid cell aggregates and more corneal cells were damaged. The in vitro model seemed suitable for studying the cytotoxic behaviour of sensitized lymphocytes confronting the corneal endothelium.

Animals

An analysis of corneal transplantation: I--graft clarity.

A retrospective review has been undertaken of the clarity results of 378 keratoplasties performed by 6 Toronto corneal surgeons between January 1970 and December 1974. Lamellar keratoplasties were included in the data related to herpes simplex only. In herpes simplex penetrating grafts gave better vision than lamellar grafts. The following factors were statistically important with respect to graft clarity: age of recipient, type of corneal disease, peroperative corneal vessels, first or subsequent graft, pre- and/or postoperative glaucoma, postoperative anterior synechiae, combined procedure, vitreous loss, previous cataract surgery, and follow-up time. The following factors were statistically unimportant with respect to graft clarity: donor age, time from death to enucleation (median 2.8 hours), time from enucleation to use (median 24 hours), sex of donor and recipient, interrupted or running suture, use of microscope, penetrating or lamellar graft in herpes simplex, postoperative astigmatism, and division of postoperative anterior synechiae. Silk (compared with nylon), larger grafts and combined procedures all increased the incidence of graft rejection. Repeat grafts were associated with more preoperative corneal vascularization.

Adolescent

An analysis of corneal transplantation: II--postoperative astigmatism.

An analysis of 153 penetrating keratoplasties was undertaken. The same surgical technique was used in all cases. Three factors had a statistically significant effect on postoperative astigmatism, as measured by keratometry. (1) Astigmatism decreased with increasing follow-up time (P less than 0.05). (2) Vitreous loss at the time of the keratoplasty increased the amount of postoperative astigmatism (P less than 0.05). (3) Females had more postoperative astigmatism than males (P less than 0.05), but this was probably related to a tendency for females to have a greater incidence of postoperative anterior synechiae (P just greater than 0.05), and the fact that all 6 cases of vitreous loss were in females. There was an almost significant trend toward postoperative anterior synechiae being associated with increased astigmatism (P just greater than 0.05), and there was also a trend toward the division of these synechiae reducing the amount of astigmatism. Fifteen of the 153 penetrating grafts were done in cases of herpes simplex. These were compared with 11 lamellar grafts done for herpes simplex, and there was a statistically insignificant trend toward more postoperative astigmatism in penetrating grafts.

Astigmatism