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Biomedical subjects

R Sagar

Publications and source records attributed to R Sagar.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Catatonia and other psychiatric symptoms with vitamin B12 deficiency.

OBJECTIVE: To study unusual psychiatric manifestation of vitamin B12 deficiency and related issues. METHOD: A case study of 52-year-old female and review of relevant literature. RESULTS: Complete remission of psychiatric symptoms without recurrence for the next 4 years with vitamin B12 as the only specific therapy instituted. CONCLUSION: Importance of B12 estimation and replacement in patients with varied psychiatric manifestations.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Prognosis of late-onset depression in the elderly: a study from India.

OBJECTIVE: To study the 12-month outcome of late-onset depression in elderly persons and the predictive factors affecting its outcome. METHOD: This is a prospective study of 50 patients who had their first major depressive episode (according to DSM-III-R) in old age (60 years and above) and attended the psychiatry services of a tertiary care hospital in India. These patients were assessed at baseline and after 12 months for clinical outcome. Stepwise logistic regression was applied to determine predictive factors for the clinical outcome. RESULTS: Twenty-eight percent of the patients had recovered, 30% had partially recovered, 23% had relapsed, 6% had been continuously ill, 11% had died, and 6% had comorbid dementia. Factors predicting a good outcome (full recovery and continuously well for 1 year) were shorter duration of episode (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 19.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.12-172.82) and living in joint family system (adjusted OR = 4.88, 95% CI 0.80-29.74). CONCLUSION: Overall, the 12-month outcome was poor in elderly individuals with late-onset depression.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2001

Late-onset bipolar disorder due to hyperthyroidism.

OBJECTIVE: Bipolar disorder starts typically in early age and late-onset cases are rare. Late-onset cases are more likely to have comorbid medical illnesses responsible for them. This case report highlights late-onset bipolar disorder due to hyperthyroidism. METHOD: A 65-year-old patient of bipolar disorder has been described. RESULT: Physical examination and laboratory investigations detected presence of hyperthyroidism and the patient was treated with antithyroid and anxiolytics. CONCLUSION: A thorough examination and investigation are required in late-onset cases of bipolar disorder to rule out secondary causes. Definitive antimanic agents or mood stabilizers may not be required in such cases.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Decay of the GRB 990123 optical afterglow: implications for the fireball model

Broad-band (ultraviolet to near-infrared) observations of the intense gamma ray burst GRB 990123 started approximately 8.5 hours after the event and continued until 18 February 1999. When combined with other data, in particular from the Robotic Telescope and Transient Source Experiment (ROTSE) and the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), evidence emerges for a smoothly declining light curve, suggesting some color dependence that could be related to a cooling break passing the ultraviolet-optical band at about 1 day after the high-energy event. The steeper decline rate seen after 1.5 to 2 days may be evidence for a collimated jet pointing toward the observer.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1995

L-alanine: 4,5-dioxovalerate transaminase in Leishmania donovani that differs from mammalian enzyme.

Leishmania protozoans are the causative agents of leishmaniasis, a major parasitic disease in humans. The parasites manifest a nutritional requirement for heme compounds since they are deficient in heme biosynthesis. In this study we have demonstrated for the first time the presence of the enzyme L-alanine: 4,5-dioxovalerate transaminase in Leishmania donovani. This enzyme catalyzes the synthesis of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), the first committed step in heme synthesis. Thus the defect in heme biosynthesis pathway in Leishmania must lie at some enzymatic level subsequent to synthesis of ALA. The enzyme was found to be present in both virulent and avirulent strains of L. donovani. The virulent promastigotes showed a 41% higher specific activity as compared to the avirulent strain. The enzyme activity was found to be inhibited in the presence of heme and methylglyoxal. Immunoblot analysis revealed that L-alanine: 4,5-dioxovalerate transaminase in L. donovani was immunologically different from that in mammals.

Alanine↗