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Biomedical subjects

P P Shah

Publications and source records attributed to P P Shah.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Spiral ganglion neurons are protected from degeneration by GDNF gene therapy.

Perceptual benefits from the cochlear prosthesis are related to the quantity and quality of the patient's auditory nerve population. Multiple neurotrophic factors, such as glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), have been shown to have important roles in the survival of inner ear auditory neurons, including protection of deafferented spiral ganglion cells (SGCs). In this study, GDNF gene therapy was tested for its ability to enhance survival of SGCs after aminoglycoside/diuretic-induced insult that eliminated the inner hair cells. The GDNF transgene was delivered by adenoviral vectors. Similar vectors with a reporter gene (lacZ) insert served as controls. Four or seven days after bilateral deafening, 5 microl of an adenoviral suspension (Ad-GDNF or Ad-lacZ) or an artificial perilymph was injected into the left scala tympani of guinea pigs. Animals were sacrificed 28 days after deafening and their inner ears prepared for SGC counts. Adenoviral-mediated GDNF transgene expression enhanced SGC survival in the left (viral-treated) deafened ears. This observation suggests that GDNF is one of the survival factors in the inner ear and may help maintain the auditory neurons after insult. Application of GDNF and other survival factors via gene therapy has great potential for inducing survival of auditory neurons following hair cell loss.

Animals↗

Procedures: do we really want to know them? An examination of the effects of procedural justice on self-esteem.

This study examined the effects of procedural justice on state-dependent self-esteem using the group-value model and attribution theory to present competing theoretical perspectives. The group-value model predicts a positive relationship between self-esteem and fair procedures. In contrast, attribution theory suggests procedural fairness interacts with outcome favorability to influence self-esteem. Thus, fair procedures will result in higher self-esteem ratings than unfair procedures when the outcome is positive but will result in lower self-esteem ratings than unfair procedures when the outcome is negative. The results of a laboratory and field study provide converging evidence to support the attribution theory predictions. The results of a 2nd laboratory study suggest that self-esteem is influenced by outcome expectancies, not actual outcomes.

Analysis of Variance↗

Impact of hypoxemia on the performance of cerebral oximeter in volunteer subjects.

Adverse neurological events during hypoxic episodes in high-risk patients or in patients not thought to be at risk while undergoing procedures increase morbidity and mortality. The ability to reliably monitor cerebral oxygenation could serve as an indicator for the need of therapeutic intervention and it's overall effect. This study was designed to verify the reliability of the only commercially available continuous noninvasive monitor, the INVOS 3100 (Somanetics Corp., Troy, MI), in subjects with varying levels of hypoxemia. Six adult volunteer subjects were enrolled. After placement of electrocardiogram (EKG), noninvasive blood pressure (NIBP), pulse oximeter (SpO2), cerebral oximeter (rSO2), a 20 g radial artery catheter, and a 4 F oximetric jugular bulb catheter, the subjects were given hypoxic mixtures to breathe to varying levels of desaturation. Arterial and mixed venous blood was drawn for blood-gas analysis at each level of O2 saturation. The cerebral hemoglobin saturation value from the cerebral oximeter was compared to the combined brain saturation using the formula: estimated field saturation between the light source and the detector (fSO2) = 0.25 x the arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) + 0.75 x the jugular bulb venous oxygen saturation (SjvO2), (fSO2 = 0.25 SaO2 + 0.75 SjvO2). Statistical analysis demonstrated a correlation of 0.67 between rSO2 and fSO2 and a bias of -3.1% with a precision of 12.1%. Minimal bias of 0.38% and precision of 6.22% were calculated for transitional error. We concluded from the study that rSO2 may serve as a reliable indicator of changes in brain oxygenation induced by hypoxemia.

Adult↗

False-positive exercise stress electrocardiogram due to accessory pathway in the absence of manifest preexcitation.

False-positive exercise testing in patients with an accessory pathway has been described only in patients with manifest preexcitation during exercise. We describe a patient in whom marked ST-segment changes were seen during an exercise test in the absence of any preexcitation of the QRS complexes. The role of the accessory pathway in producing the ST changes was reaffirmed by absence of this abnormality following catheter ablation of the accessory pathway.

Catheter Ablation↗

Pharmaceutical care in medical progressive care patients.

OBJECTIVE: To develop, implement, and assess the outcomes of a system for providing pharmaceutical care to medical progressive care patients. METHODS: A system for providing pharmaceutical care was developed and implemented for an 8-week period beginning in June 1995. Both patient care outcomes and drug therapy cost change from the intervention period were compared with those of an 8-week baseline period. Variables compared included unit length of stay, hospital length of stay, transfers to the intensive care unit, readmissions, and adverse drug reactions requiring treatment. Differences between periods for these variables were assessed by using chi 2 tests and t-tests with alpha set at p less than 0.05. The clinical significance of the interventions were assessed independently by four physicians: two intensivists and two internists. The total drug therapy cost change from the intervention period was calculated as follows: total cost avoidance from individual recommendations subtracted from the total cost incurred from individual recommendations. RESULTS: The pharmacist evaluated 152 patients during the intervention period. A total of 235 pharmacotherapy recommendations were made on 103 patients, of whom 86.4% were accepted. Significantly fewer adverse drug reactions (ADRs) received treatment during the intervention period (p = 0.027). The mean unit length of stay was lower during the intervention period (4.8 +/- 3.7 d) than during the baseline period (6.0 +/- 5.6 d); however, this difference was not significant (p = 0.053). Individual physician assessment of the pharmacists' recommendations revealed that 75.8% were considered somewhat significant, significant, or very significant. The total drug therapy cost change from the intervention period was -$6534.53. The projected annual drug therapy cost reduction from this study is $42,474.45. CONCLUSIONS: The provision of pharmaceutical care to medical progressive care patients was associated with a substantial decrease in drug therapy cost and a decrease in the number of ADRs that required treatment.

Aged↗

Sonographic findings in gastrointestinal and peritoneal tuberculosis.

The various ultrasound (US) findings in 90 patients with abdominal (gastrointestinal, peritoneal, mesenteric and lymph node) tuberculosis (TB) studied in an area of high incidence of TB over a 1 year period were analysed. The lesions encountered were intestinal (n = 31), extraintestinal (n = 39), or a combination (n = 20). The extraintestinal lesions included free and loculated ascites (n = 36), localized ascites ('Club Sandwich sign') (n = 4), adhesions (n = 14), peritoneal thickening (n = 14), peritoneal nodules (n = 3), lymphadenopathy (n = 23) and cold abscesses (n = 10)-of these, the presence of fine fibrinous strands in the ascetic fluid, localized ascites and caseous or calcified lymph nodes were highly suspicious of a diagnosis of TB in appropriate clinical settings. The bowel lesions were characterized by concentric bowel wall thickening (n = 31) with ulceration in six. Bowel thickening, when present in the ileocaecal junction and especially when situated in the subhepatic position, was suggestive of a tuberculous etiology. Complex masses in the abdomen pointed to an advanced stage of the disease. US is a useful imaging modality in patients clinically suspected of having abdominal TB for diagnosis and follow-up, although in a few cases differentiation of it from metastatic disease is difficult. When bowel involvement is suspected, barium studies should be performed.

Abscess↗

In vitro activity of piperacillin compared with that of carbenicillin, ticarcillin, ampicillin, cephalothin, and cefamandole against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacteriaceae.

Piperacillin (T-1220), a semisynthetic derivative of aminobenzylpenicillin, was more active than either carbenicillin or ticarcillin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa; over 60% of isolates were inhibited at a concentration of 6.3 mug/ml. Piperacillin was bactericidal for 84% of Pseudomonas strains at 100 mug/ml, carbenicillin killed 60%, and ticarcillin killed 68% at that concentration. Piperacillin was also more active than the other penicillins against isolates of Escherichia coli, Enterobacter, and Proteus mirabilis. The combination of piperacillin and tobramycin, demonstrating synergistic inhibition of 87% of strains of P. aeruginosa, was the most active of the penicillin-aminoglycoside combinations tested for synergism.

Ampicillin↗

The induction of obesity in rodents by means of monosodium glutamate.

1. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) was administered by various methods to mice and rats of various ages and the incidence of obesity was later measured. 2. Newborn mice were injected subcutaneously with 3 mg MSG/g body-weight at 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8 d of age; 16% died before weaning. Of the survivors, 90% or more became markedly obese. Mean carcass lipid content was increased by about 120% in both sexes at 20-30 weeks old. In male mice, MSG treatment increased body-weight and epididymal fat pad weight, and greatly decreased adrenaline-stimulated lipolysis in isolated fat cells. Body-eright of females was not increased significantly. Food intake was not increased in either sex from weeks 13 to 15. Blood glucose level was not generally increased by MSG but some of the male mice had abnormally high values. 3. Obesity was not detected in the offspring of female mice that had received 100 g MSG/kg diet, either from 3 weeks before mating until weaning, or from the 14th day of pregnancy until weaning. 4. Intraperitoneal injection of 10 mg MSG/g body-weight (in two doses) at weaning increased carcass lipid content in female mice by 34% by 23 weeks of age, but female rats were not affected. 5. The addition of 20 g MSG/l to the drinking-water from weaning onwards did not increase carcass lipid content in female rats or mice. 6. The addition of 20 g MSG/kg diet from weaning onwards did not alter body-weight or carcass lipid content in male and female rats by 14 weeks of age. 7. The obesity induced in mice by MSG was not associated with hyperphagia, unlike genetic obesity and obesity induced by gold thioglucose (GTG). 8. All types of mouse studied, obese and lean, had essentially the same linear relationship between carcass water content and carcass lipid content. 9. Although MSG-obese mice could not readily be differentiated from normal mice by the increase in body-weight, which was only about 10% compared to 50-120% for genetic and GTG-induced obesity, the proposed schedule of injections in the newborn was almost 100% reliable in inducing a high extent of adiposity.

Adipose Tissue↗

The identification of a lipid-mobilizing factor from sheep midbrain.

The mass spectrum of a lipolytic substance from purified sheep midbrain extract indicated that it was isoprenaline, not N-n-propylnoradrenaline, noradrenaline or adrenaline. The identification of the lipid-mobilizing factor as isoprenaline was confirmed qualitatively by t.l.c. and g.l.c. and quantitatively by determination of its lipolytic activity and u.v. absorption and by fluorimetric determination of its catecholamine content.

Adipose Tissue↗

Comparison of rosaramicin and erythromycin stearate for treatment of cervical infection with Chlamydia trachomatis.

The macrolide antibiotic rosaramicin inhibits in vitro growth of Chlamydia trachomatis. Rosaramicin (1 g daily given to 18 patients for seven days) and erythromycin stearate (2 g daily given to 19 patients for seven days) were compared in the treatment of chlamydial cervicitis. Cultures of cervical specimens obtained nine to 11 days and 24-32 days after commencement of therapy were negative for all rosaramicin-treated patients seen at follow-up. The first follow-up culture of one erythromycin recipient was positive. The extent of cervicitis decreased in all patients after treatment, but the only patients to achieve a completely normal cervical appearance were those with minimal-to-moderate lesions before treatment. Gastrointestinal side effects, including nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, occurred in ten of 19 patients given erythromycin and in 13 of 18 given rosaramicin. Minimally elevated levels of alanine aminotransferase in serum occurred in four (22.2%) of 18 rosaramicin recipients. It is concluded that rosaramicin and erythromycin stearate both eradicate C. trachomatis cervical infection but frequently cause adverse gastrointestinal effects.

Adolescent↗