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Biomedical subjects

R S Rao

Publications and source records attributed to R S Rao.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Prevalence of hookworm species in Pondicherry, India.

A study was carried out to find out the hookworm species prevalent in Pondicherry, India, based on the identification of filariform larvae recovered from coproculture of hookworm positive stools. A total of 184 hookworm positive stools were cultured using the Harada-Mori coproculture method. The results of the study for the first time showed both hookworm species, Ancylostoma duodenale (60 cases) and Necator americanus (49 cases) to be present in Pondicherry. The former species was relatively more common than the latter. Three cases were infected with both species of hookworm.

Feces↗
PubMed1992

Multiply resistant Haemophilus influenzae type b causing meningitis.

The isolation from patients of meningitis, of two multidrug resistant strains of H. influenzae is of relevance to the empirical treatment of meningitis patients. The isolates produced beta lactamase and had higher MICs as compared to the four H. influenzae strains sensitive to the drugs commonly used for the treatment of meningitis. The cephalosporins and gentamicin were found to be effective antibiotic agents. The occurrence of resistance to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, cloxacillin, cotrimoxazole, tetracycline, penicillin and erythromycin is of concern.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1992

Multidrug resistant enteric fever.

Multidrug resistant typhoid fever (MDRT) is becoming an alarming public health problem in and around Pondicherry, South India. A retrospective review of the multidrug resistant typhoid fever cases admitted to the paediatrics ward of JIPMER Hospital, Pondicherry (India) during 1990 is presented. Prolonged pyrexia, chills and rigors, toxaemia, and tender hepatomegaly often more than 3 cm below the costal margin (often without splenomegaly) were striking features of MDRT cases. The incidence of complications was also greater. Positive blood cultures were observed even after weeks of antibiotic therapy, indicating persistent bacteraemia; resistance was almost always observed for multiple drugs (two or more). The fluoroquinolone group of drugs such as ciprofloxacin have been found to be the best for MDRT in terms of rapid response and cost effectiveness. Cefotaxime has moderate efficacy.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1991

Perioperative chemotherapy in oral cancer.

This is an interim report of a study of perioperative adjuvant chemotherapy following radical surgery for oral cancer, based on the hypothesis of Goldie and Coleman. 135 patients of alveolobuccal carcinoma, clinically stage III and IV, were entered on the protocol. After a curative resection, they were randomized. The test arm received methotrexate 50 mg/m2 on the 3rd, 10th, and 17th postoperative days. The control arm was only observed. This analysis at 12 months showed a disease free survival of 71% in the test arm vs. 45% in the control arm, which is statistically highly significant (P less than 0.01). Analysis of recurrence pattern showed that recurrence at the primary site was dramatically reduced during the first 6 postoperative months (P less than 0.01). Our study provided further clinical evidence in support of the concepts of Goldie and Coleman that the timing of chemotherapeutic drugs is very critical for a successful end result.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Expression of enhancing factor gene and its localization in mouse tissues.

Enhancing factor (EF), a 14 kDa protein, isolated from mouse small intestines, has been reported from this laboratory. Based on our earlier studies EF has been implicated in cell proliferation. Preliminary immunohistochemical studies have shown EF to be localized in the Paneth cells of small intestines. In this paper we report the tissue distribution of EF using conditions optimized for immunohistochemical staining. In addition, the data are supported by northern blot analysis using a nick translated cDNA probe specific for EF. The results indicate that EF gene is actively transcribed mainly in the intestines. The chief source of synthesis of EF appears to be the Paneth cells located at the base of the crypts of Lieberkühn.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Acridine orange staining in early diagnosis of mycotic keratitis.

We have assessed the comparative sensitivities of acridine orange staining and 10% potassium hydroxide wet mount in the examination of corneal scrapings from one hundred and sixty-one clinically suspected cases of mycotic keratitis. The sensitivity of acridine orange was found to be 76% as compared to that of potassium hydroxide (65%). The predictive value for culture result was also seen to be higher. Although both the values were not statistically significant (P greater than 0.05), acridine orange staining was a rapid and simple technique with an added advantage of detecting inflammatory cells in corneal scrapings.

Acridine Orange↗
PubMed1991

Protein A-antibody mediated hemagglutination assay for serodiagnosis of amebic liver abscess.

A successful modification of the indirect hemagglutination test to demonstrate antibodies for serodiagnosis of amebic liver abscess has been described in the present study. In the modified test, the protein A-IMA, Staphylococcus aureus (Cowan's strain I) bearing protein A (SAPA) cells were used to enhance hemagglutination of sensitized red cells. Use of SAPA cells markedly enhanced sensitivity of the test and greatly increased the titers obtained with most of the sera. At a diagnostic antibody titer of 1:128 and above, the protein A-IHA could detect 72 (100%) of amebic liver abscess (ALA) cases. Amongst the controls, no false positive reaction was observed in non-amebic liver disease controls. However 1(2%) of sera demonstrated false positive reactions from healthy controls. The protein A-IHA was highly sensitive when compared with that of the indirect hemagglutination (IHA) for serodiagnosis of amebic liver abscess. The novel immunoassay is simple, inexpensive and requires little technical skill. It has the potential for wide application in serodiagnosis of amebic liver abscess.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Laryngotracheal invasion by well-differentiated thyroid cancer: diagnosis and management.

Ten cases of laryngotracheal invasion by well-differentiated thyroid cancer are described. All the patients were over 40 years of age, with a male preponderance of 4:1. A mass in the neck, stridor, and hemoptysis was the common symptom. Bronchoscopy done in six of ten patients revealed an intraluminal tumour in all. Radiographs of the neck showed invasion of the trachea in six patients. Surgery consisted of tracheostomy alone (three of ten), total thyroidectomy with laryngectomy (one of ten), circumferential resection of trachea (one of ten), and total thyroidectomy with tracheotomy and "shaving" of the intraluminal disease in five of ten patients. Adjuvant external radiation, radioiodine, or laser therapy was given when indicated. Of the ten patients, three died and seven survived. Five of seven were alive without disease for 2.5 years or more, and one had skull metastasis 2 years later but no local disease.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1990

Counter immuno electrophoresis for the early diagnosis of acute pyogenic meningitis.

A total of 123 cases of acute pyogenic meningitis were studied to investigate whether counter current immunoelectrophoresis (CIEP) would facilitate rapid etiological diagnosis when used with other routine methods in a clinical bacteriology laboratory. Of the 123 cases, 53 (43.08 percent) were culture positive. Streptococcus pneumoniae was the commonest etiological agent accounting for 30 (56.6 percent) of the isolates. There were four isolates of Haemophilus influenzae and one of Neisseria meningitidis. High rates of isolation were found from turbid CSF samples, those showing a high polymorphonuclear cellular reaction and from those with a high protein and a low sugar level. CIEP detected antigen in 50 percent of cases of Haemophilus influenzae and 76.7 percent of cases of Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1990

Typhoid fever below five years.

During a seven year period (1981-87), 53 cases of typhoid fever in children below five years were seen. This accounted for 13.5% of all typhoid admission in pediatrics during the above period. Predominant symptoms were fever (100%), vomiting (52.8%), diarrhea (30.2%) and anorexia (24.5%). Chills and rigor associated with fever was noticed in 38% of the children. Salmonella typhi was isolated from blood in 22 of 53 (41.7%) cases. A significant finding on peripheral smear was eosinopenia (86.8%). Complications like endotoxic shock, enteric encephalopathy and gastrointestinal hemorrhage were noticed in only few cases (7.6%). There were no deaths.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1990

TSH receptors in human thyroid tumours.

To evaluate the binding of human TSH (h-TSH) to various human thyroid tumours using radio receptor assay technique, 26 thyroid tumour specimens were examined. Five specimens did not show displacement by stable h-TSH. A wide variation was observed in B0, non specific binding, affinity and capacity of TSH in all the tumours examined. The Scatchard analysis of the binding of h-TSH to thyroid membranes suggested the presence of the receptors in 57.7 per cent (15 of 26, Ka much greater than 10(9)) and more than one component in 46 per cent (12 of 26) of the tumours studied. There was no consistent pattern of the binding of TSH for thyroid tissue with respect to its pathology. However, with 35 pairs of observations log affinity appeared to be linearly related to log capacity with a slope -0.95, intercept 9.96 and r value -0.93.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed1990

Preliminary experience with allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in haematological disorders in India.

Between March 1983 and December 1985, six patients with haematological disorders (four acute nonlymphocytic leukaemias, one chronic phase chronic myeloid leukaemia and one severe aplastic anaemia have undergone allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Four of the 6 patients are alive and free from disease between 33+ and 55+ months; two patients died due to grade IV acute graft versus host disease (GVHD).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Lymphokine-activated killer-cell function of lymphocytes from peripheral blood, regional lymph nodes and tumor tissues of patients with oral cancer.

Lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells, generated from peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from patients with oral cancer or oral leukoplakia and from healthy donors showed comparable lysis of 6 target tumor cell lines, including 3 derived from head and neck and oral cancers. The tumor burden of the host did not appear to influence the systemic LAK activity. LAK activity of lymphocytes infiltrating the tumor tissues (TIL) was also comparable to that of the PBL. Both TIL and PBL showed a parallel increase in proportion of HNK-I+ and CD-25+ cells upon activation with IL-2. The lymph-node lymphocytes (LNL) from metastatic (met) and non-metastatic (non-met) draining lymph nodes, however, showed reduced LAK activity and an increase in CD8+ cells, in addition to CD25+ and HNK-I+ cells, when cultured with IL-2. When IL-2-activated LNL were co-cultured with autologous PBL during IL-2 activation of the latter, a strong suppressive effect was exerted by LNL. In contrast, IL-2-activated PBL did not suppress autologous LAK generation in spite of an increase in CD8+ cells seen after activation with IL-2. Frequency distribution of LAK precursors was significantly lower in LNL than in PBL from oral cancer patients. LAK precursor frequency in TIL was comparable to that of PBL. The results show that, in oral cancer, regional lymph nodes may not have adequate IL-2-inducible cytotoxic potential, due to a reduced number of LAK progenitors and possible activation of suppressor cells. Alternatively, TIL can be a potential source for LAK cell function.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Prophylactic neck dissection in squamous cell carcinoma of oral tongue: a prospective randomized study.

This paper presents the first report of an ongoing prospective randomised clinical trial in early T1T2N0 carcinoma of the oral tongue. The problems of regular follow-up in an indigent population from the vast rural expanse of India has been successfully overcome in this trial by close personal follow-up. The trial addresses itself specifically to prophylactic vs. therapeutic surgical management of the neck in T1T2N0 patients with cancer of the oral tongue. Overall disease, free survival (median follow-up 22 months) is higher (64% vs. 47%) in the group receiving prophylactic neck dissection. Disease-free survival for those with positive nodes at prophylactic neck dissection was twice that of those who underwent a subsequent therapeutic neck dissection (57% vs. 28%). Contralateral neck node metastasis has been identified as a significant factor in neck failures in those patients undergoing simultaneous prophylactic neck dissection.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Natural killer and lymphokine-activated killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity in patients with oral cancer.

Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from untreated and treated oral cancer patients, lymph node lymphocytes (LNL) from metastatic (met) and nonmetastatic (non-met) lymph nodes, and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) were tested for natural killer (NK) and lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cell cytotoxicity using appropriate targets in a short-term chromium release assay. The results showed that while both NK and LAK functions of PBL from oral cancer patients were comparable to those of normal healthy donors, the NK activity of metastatic and nonmetastatic LNL and TIL was highly compromised. On the other hand, potent LAK activity could be generated from all three lymphoid populations. Individual patients showing low NK activity displayed good LAK cytotoxicity, indicating that endogenous cells with low NK potential have adequate ability to respond to interleukin 2 (IL-2). LAK activity tested on autologous tumour targets revealed that TIL were the best source of LAK cells. followed by PBL and LNL.

Cell Line↗
PubMed1989

Elective versus therapeutic neck dissection in early carcinoma of the oral tongue.

A prospective, randomized trial was carried out to assess the value of elective versus therapeutic neck dissection in early squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue. Disease-free survival (median follow-up 20 months) was 52 percent versus 63 percent in patients who underwent hemiglossectomy alone and those who underwent hemiglossectomy and radical neck dissection, respectively (difference not statistically significant). Patients with a tumor depth of less than 4 mm did significantly better than those with a tumor depth of greater than 4 mm; they were also more likely to have uninvolved nodes at elective radical neck dissection compared with those with a tumor depth of greater than 4 mm. However, when the survival rates of patients in the two treatment groups were compared with respect to a tumor depth of 4 mm, there was no significant difference between the hemiglossectomy and the hemiglossectomy and radical neck dissection groups. A policy of interval elective radical neck dissection only in those with a tumor depth of greater than 4 mm may optimize cure rates and avoid neck dissection in those unlikely to develop neck recurrence.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Monocyte/macrophage functions in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity.

Peripheral blood monocytes and draining lymph node macrophages from patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, monocytes from patients with oral leukoplakia and those from healthy donors were assessed for FcR. HLA-DR expression and interleukin-1 (IL-1) production after activation with LPS or IFN gamma. Monocyte cytotoxicity was also tested after activation with LPS, IFN gamma, IL-2 singly, or in combinations at suboptimal concentrations. The results showed that the percentage of activated monocytes expressing FcR was significantly low in untreated oral cancer patients, however, the proportion of HLA-DR positive cells was normal. The unstimulated monocytes from oral cancer patients showed spontaneous generation of IL-1. Upon activation, few patients could produce IL-1 to normal levels. The unstimulated monocytes from untreated patients and treated patients with recurrence also exhibit significantly higher tumoricidal activity. Treatment of monocytes with combinations of two modulators (IFN gamma, LPS and IL-2) induced significantly higher cytotoxicity.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗