PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

S Dwivedi

Publications and source records attributed to S Dwivedi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Growth performance and biochemical responses of three rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars grown in fly-ash amended soil.

The disposal of fly-ash (FA) from coal-fired power stations causes significant economic and environmental problems. Use of such contaminated sites for crop production and use of contaminated water for irrigation not only decreases crop productivity but also poses health hazards to humans due to accumulation of toxic metals in edible grains. In the present investigation, three rice cultivars viz., Saryu-52, Sabha-5204, and Pant-4 were grown in garden soil (GS, control) and various amendments (10%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%) of FA for a period of 90 days and effect on growth and productivity of plant was evaluated vis-a-vis metal accumulation in the plants. The toxicity of FA at higher concentration (50%) was reflected by the reduction in photosynthetic pigments, protein and growth parameters viz., plant height, root biomass, number of tillers, grain and straw weight. However, at lower concentrations (10-25%), FA enhanced growth of the plants as evident by the increase of studied growth parameters. The cysteine and non-protein thiol (NP-SH) content showed increase in their levels up to 100% FA as compared to control, however, maximum content was found at 25% FA in Saryu-52 and Pant-4 and at 50% FA in Sabha-5204. Accumulation of Fe, Si, Cu, Zn, Mn, Ni, Cd and As was investigated in roots, leaves and seeds of the plants. Fe accumulation was maximum in all the parts of plant followed by Si and both showed more translocation to leaves while Mn, Zn, Cu, Ni and Cd showed lower accumulation and most of the metal was confined to roots in all the three cultivars. As was accumulated only in leaves and was not found to be in detectable levels in roots and seeds. The metal accumulation order in three rice cultivars was Fe > Si > Mn > Zn > Ni > Cu > Cd > As in all the plant parts. The results showed that rice varieties Saryu-52 and Sabha-5204 were more tolerant and could show improved growth and yield in lower FA application doses as compared to Pant-4. Thus, Sabha-5204 and Saryu-52 are found suitable for cultivation in FA amended agricultural soils for better crop yields.

Biomass↗
PubMed2006

Changes in amino acid profile and metal content in seeds of Cicer arietinum L. (chickpea) grown under various fly-ash amendments.

Seeds of Cicer arietinum L. plants are edible and a valuable source of protein. Accumulation of toxic metals in the edible part of the plant, grown in fields close to fly-ash (FA) landfills, may pose a threat to human health. In the present study, the effects of FA and its amendments with different ameliorants viz., garden soil (GS), press mud (PM) and saw dust (SD), on total soluble protein contents, amino acid composition and metal accumulation in seeds were investigated in var. CSG-8962 and var. C-235 of C. arietinum. Plants accumulated adequate amounts of essential metals viz. Fe, Cu, Zn in seeds, while the toxic metals such as Cd and Cr were taken up in smaller quantities. The accumulation of Cr and Cd was less in var. C-235 than var. CSG-8962. Amendment of FA with PM enhanced the amount of soluble protein and amino acids in both varieties and was found to be superior among all tested ameliorants. Both quantitative and qualitative analysis of amino acids showed better response in var. C-235 as compared to var. CSG-8962. Thus var. C-235 seems to be suitable for cultivation in FA contaminated areas due to more accumulation of essential metals and less accumulation of toxic metals in seeds. Application of PM may further improve the growth of plants and nutritional quality of seeds.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed2005

Role of Terminalia arjuna in ischaemic mitral regurgitation.

The bark powder of Terminalia arjuna, an indigenous plant has been found to have antianginal, decongestive and hypolipidemic effect. We planned a study to evaluate the role of T. arjuna in ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). 40 patients with fresh AMI showing IMR were randomly divided into 2 groups of 20 each. They were given placebo or 500 mg of T. arjuna in addition to anti-ischemic treatment. After 1 and 3 months of follow up, patients receiving adjuvant T. arjuna showed significant decrease in IMR, improvement in E/A ratio and considerable reduction in anginal frequency.

Humans↗
PubMed2005

Fresh water blue green algae from three agro-climatic zones of Uttar Pradesh, India: distribution pattern with seasonal variation.

The paper deals with 45 species of 21 genera of fresh water blue green algae (BGA) from three different agro-climatic zones of Uttar Pradesh. Samples were collected from different habitats varying in physico-chemical properties. Out of 45 species, 13 species belonged to order Chroococcales, 31 to order Nostocales, while only 1 species belonged to order Stigonimatales i.e. Fischerella mucicola. The physico-chemical parameters like pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, nitrate, nitrite and rainfall play an important role in the periodicity of BGA. A positive correlation was found between dissolved oxygen (DO) of different ponds and species diversity, except in the case of western region of Uttar Pradesh (Farukhabad and Mahoba districts) where a positive correlation was found in electrical conductivity and total dissolved solids.

Climate↗
PubMed2005

Coronary risk variables in young asymptomatic smokers.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Smoking plays a dominant role in premature atherosclerosis particularly among males in South Asian countries. It initiates and promotes atherosclerosis by altering cardiac haemodynamics, causing dyslipidaemia and producing oxidative damage. Not much information is available from our country. We therefore undertook this study to see the effect of smoking on electrocardiogram (ECG), blood pressure, lipids, apolipoprotein B level and free radical activity in young asymptomatic male smokers. METHODS: The study included 100 consecutive male subjects (50 smokers and 50 non smokers) aged 30-40 yr. Smoking profile, detailed cardiovascular assessment including ECG and lipid profile were evaluated in each subject. RESULTS: Of the 50 smokers, 22 (44%) had grade I hypertension as against 5 of 50 non smokers. Sinus tachycardia (10%) and P-pulmonale (8%) were the only notable ECG abnormalities. Dyslipidaemia was detected in 92 per cent smokers and 48 per cent non smokers (P<0.001). Total serum cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, triglycerides and apolipoprotein B levels were significantly higher (P<0.001) in smokers compared to non smokers. LDL-cholesterol was > or =135 mg/dl in 94 per cent dyslipidaemic smokers. However, no significant difference was found in high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol. Smokers had significantly higher serum malondialdehyde levels (P<0.001) and low superoxide dismutase (P<0.001) compared to non smokers. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that young asymptomatic male smokers tend to have hypertension, dyslipidaemia and increased production of free oxygen radicals, perhaps by attenuation of oxidative stress by cigarette smoking. This makes them prone for premature coronary artery disease. However, the findings need to be confirmed on a larger sample.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Systematic and ecological studies on Chlorophyceae of North India and their relationship with water quality.

In the course of systematic and ecological studies on algal flora of fresh water environment of three different agroclimatic zone of Uttar Pradesh revealed one hundred eighty two species represented by fifty-two genera inhabiting fresh water bodies having different physico-chemical properties. In both the regions members of order Conjugales were dominant and represented by ninety nine species belonging to fourteen genera. This is followed by Chlorococcales having fifty two species represented by nineteen genera and Chaetophorales with nine species of four genera only. In the central Uttar Pradesh a positive correlation was found between hydrogen ions concentration with temperature and species diversity, while in western Uttar Pradesh a highly positive correlation was found in electrical conductivity and total dissolved solids.

Biodiversity↗
PubMed2003

Orally effective drugs for kala-azar (visceral leishmaniasis): focus on miltefosine and sitamaquine.

Currently there are no effective orally administered drugs or visceral leishmaniasis or kala-azar, a parasitic disease affecting about 0.5 million people a year, majority of whom are in India and adjacent areas of Nepal. Symptoms of affected patients are fever, cachexia, hepatosplenomegaly and pancytopenia. The disease is usually fatal, if left untreated. Traditionally kala-azar is treated with four weeks of injections of sodium stibogluconate, a pentavalent antimonial. However, this treatment has not only shown resistance in 37-64% patients of the current Indian epidemic in Bihar (the epicentrre) but also life-threatening cardiotoxicity in 7-10% and treatment-related deaths in 5-10% cases, besides being unsuccessful at times. Parenteral amphotericin B is used as a secondary agent that shows 95% effectiveness but its toxicity and high cost of even the well tolerated liposomal complex precludes its wide use in the developing countries, where the disease is present in epidemic proportions. Recently, miltefosine (hexadecylphosphocholine), a compound originally developed as an antitumour agent has been shown to be an orally effective drugs against kala-azar. All clinical trials with this drug are conducted in India in patients of visceral leishmaniasis. A regimen of 100 mg per day or 50 mg twice daily for 3-4 weeks was observed to produce a cure rate of 100%. Gastrointestinal side effects were frequent (62%) but no patient discontinued the therapy. A phase III trial involving 300 HIV-negative adults and adolescents is underway in India and the drug is hoped to be licensed in the next 2-3 years. Few studies of phase II clinical trials mainly conducted in Kenya with another drug, sitamaquine or kalazaquine (WR 6026), an 8-aminoquinoline has also shown promise as an orally effective agent (in a dose of 1 mg/kg/day for two weeks) for visceral leishmaniasis. These Studies with two orally effective compounds, it appears, will open new vistas for orally effective, affordable and acceptable drugs in the armamentarium for the treatment of kala-azar. It is expected that in future we would have effective ways to prevent and treat all forms of leishmaniasis without discomforting the patient.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2002

Percutaneous treatment of hepatic hydatid cysts using hypertonic saline.

BACKGROUND: Due to improvements in imaging techniques and immunodiagnostic methods there has been a spurt of cases of hepatic hydatidosis. Till now surgical management in the form of marsupialization and tube drainage, omentoplasty or hepatectomy was the mainstay of treatment. Recently treatment options have improved considerably after introduction of the PAIR (precutaneous aspiration, injection of scolicidal agent and reaspiration) procedure. In this study we report the results of ultrasound guided PAIR procedure in 39 hepatic hydatid cysts. METHOD: All patients with hepatic hydatid cysts underwent the PAIR procedure under ultrasound guidance. The scolicidal agent used was 20% hypertonic saline. Type I and II (n=24) cysts were managed by precutaneous aspiration while type III and IV showing a multiloculated or pseudotumour appearance (n=15) cysts were managed by the percutaneous placement of a Malecot's catheter which was removed after 3-7 days. RESULTS: All patients responded to the PAIR procedure. The commonest ultrasonographic appearance in hepatic hydatid cyst patients was a solitary uniloculated cyst with prominent back wall echoes in the right lobe of the liver. The complications encountered were in the form of mild hypotension (two cases), urticaria in one patient and severe hypotension leading to shock in one case. CONCLUSIONS: The PAIR procedure was found to be effective, cheap and safe in the non-surgical management of hepatic hydatid cysts.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Anti-cardiolipin and anti-beta2 glycoprotein I antibodies in Indian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: association with the presence of seizures.

The aim of this study was to examine whether the clinical features of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome are associated with anti-cardiolipin and anti-beta2 glycoprotein I antibodies in Indian patients with SLE. Seventy-six patients (71 females), who fulfilled 1982 ACR criteria for SLE, were prospectively studied for the clinical features of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS), and their sera were analysed for the presence of IgG/IgM/IgA anti-cardiolipin antibodies (aCL) by an in-house ELISA and, in 65 of them, for the presence of IgG anti-beta2 glycoprotein I antibodies (anti-beta2 GPI) by a commercial kit. Thirty-nine (51%) patients were positive for aCL, all of which were positive for IgG aCL, either alone (79.6%) or along with IgM and/or IgA. Twenty-seven (69.3%) out of 39 aCL-positive and seven (26.9%) out of 26 aCL-negative sera were positive for IgG antibodies to beta2 GPI. There was a significant correlation (r = 0.66, P < 0.05) between the levels of aCL and anti-beta2 GPI antibodies. Forty-one patients had features of definite or suggestive APS. Thrombocytopenia, recurrent pregnancy loss and CNS manifestations (seizures eight, infarct one) were seen in 20, 13 and nine patients, respectively. Thrombosis of the peripheral vessels was seen in only one patient. Only the presence of seizures was significantly associated with the presence of aCL and anti-beta2 GPI antibodies (P < 0.05). The characteristic association of definite APS (recurrent pregnancy loss and arterial/venous thrombosis) was lacking.

Adolescent↗