Biomedical subjects

S Qureshi

Publications and source records attributed to S Qureshi.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1999

In vitro susceptibility of opportunistic Fusarium spp. to essential oils.

The inhibitory effects of essential oils extracted from 10 Indian plants were evaluated against five fungi. The plants used for extraction of essential oils were six species of the genus Eucalyptus and Ocimum basilicum, Prosopis cineraria and Derris indica. The fungi used in the experiments were Fusarium solani, F. oxysporum, F. pallidoroseum, F. acuminatum and F. chlamydosporum. The susceptibility of the Fusarium species was tested by the paper disc method and the serial dilution technique. The results were compared with the inhibitory effects of miconazole on the fungi. The essential oils extracted from the Eucalyptus species markedly inhibited fungal growth. Prosopis cineraria did not show inhibiting properties. Among the fungi, F. oxysporum proved to be the most resistant species.

Antifungal Agents↗

PubMed1998

Two new ergostane-type steroidal lactones from Withania coagulans.

Two new withanolides (steroidal lactones) named coagulin F [27-hydroxy-14,20-epoxy-1-oxo-(22R)-witha-3,5,24-trienolide] (1) and coagulin G [17beta,27-dihydroxy-14,20-epoxy-1-oxo-(22R)-witha-2,5, 24-trienolide] (2) were isolated from the whole plant of Withania coagulans, and their structures were deduced by spectral analysis.

Acetylation↗

PubMed1998

Toxicity studies in mice of common spices, Cinnamomum zeylanicum bark and Piper longum fruits.

Acute (24 hours) and chronic (90 days) oral toxicity studies on the ethanolic extracts of common spices Cinnamomum zeylanicum Nees bark and Piper longum L. fruits were carried out in mice. Acute dosages were 0.5, 1.0 and 3 g/kg while the chronic dosage was 100 mg/kg/day. All external morphological, hematological and spermatogenic changes, in addition to body weight and vital organ weights, were recorded. The extracts of both the plants caused no significant acute or chronic mortality compared to the control during this study. During chronic treatment there was no significant change in the pre- and post treatment body weight of the test animals while the weight gain in the control group was significant. C. zeylanicum treatment caused reduction in liver weight while P. longum caused a significant increase in the weight of the lungs and spleen of the treated animals compared to the control. Hematological studies revealed a significant fall in hemoglobin level of C. zeylanicum treated animals. Both of the extracts induced a significant increase in reproductive organ weights, sperm motility, sperm count and failed to illicit any spermatotoxic effect.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

The mental health of Muslim mothers in extended families living in Britain: the impact of intergenerational disagreement on anxiety and depression.

OBJECTIVES: The study assessed the impact of intergenerational differences of opinion over child rearing on the mental health of Muslim mothers living in extended families. DESIGN: The study adopted a correlational design in an attempt to identify factors that accounted for mental health problems. METHODS: The child-rearing attitudes of mothers and grandmothers, mothers' mental health, levels of family acculturation and a range of other background and demographic information was collected from 54 extended families living in two Muslim communities in London using Urdu versions of standard questionnaires. RESULTS: Rates of depression and anxiety among the mothers in the study were high. Grandmothers had more traditional attitudes to child rearing than did mothers. Intergenerational discrepancy over child rearing was more marked in more acculturated families. Discrepancy was associated with higher levels of mothers' anxiety and depression. CONCLUSIONS: The unusually high levels of depression and anxiety displayed by Muslim mothers living in extended families can in part be accounted for by patterns of intergenerational discrepancy. These possibly reflect discordant world views within those families that have been assimilated into the dominant British culture.

Acculturation↗

PubMed1998

Early experience with transmyocardial laser revascularization.

Conventional treatment of coronary artery disease consists of either Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG), medical therapy or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) or a combination. However, certain group of patients do not even qualify for CABG. Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization (TMR) is a unique new surgical modality specially for that sub group of patient population who have small and diffuse coronary artery disease not suitable for grafting. King Fahad Heart Center initiated its TMR program in February, 1994 and until February, 1996, 100 patients under went the TMR procedure. Eighty-one were males and 19 females with a mean average age of 55 years. Seventy-nine patients had 3 vessel disease (VD) and 66 patients had non-graftable small vessels. Ten patients had left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) less than 30%. All the patients underwent a strict protocol of follow-up. The pre and post TMR assessment at six months and 12 months follow-up showed an increase in LVEF at six and 12 months as compared to pre TMR level. The exercise time also increased from a base line level at six months and showed further improvement at 12 months which was statistically significant (p < 0.05) along-with VO2 max, which also showed improvement. Clinically, haemodynamically and symptomatically these patients showed significant improvement and use of anti-anginal drugs (87%) was reduced to minimum. Isotope myocardial perfusion scan on 15 segment viability score showed an improvement from pre TMR level of 33.8 to 45.9 at post TMR 12 months follow up. The surgical mortality in this high risk TMR population was 10%. TMR was found to be a reasonable alternative to medical treatment in patients with angina due to diffuse and or small vessel disease or occluded previous grafts not amenable to CABG.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Biochemical basis of sodium valproate hepatotoxicity and renal tubular disorder: time dependence of peroxidative injury.

Mice fed with sodium valproate for 7, 14 and 21 days were evaluated for hepatotoxicity and renal tubular disorder. The drug was administered as an aqueous solution with an increasing concentration up to five days gradually reaching up to 0.71% w/v, which persisted throughout the study period. Mice fed with sodium valproate for 7, 14 and 21 days showed, marked hepatic injury and renal tubular disorder, evidenced by increased levels of malondialdehyde as a measure of lipid peroxidation. Administration of sodium valproate affected the glutathione contents both in liver and kidney tissue at all the three time points. However, this reduction in glutathione concentration was more pronounced in kidney when compared to control group. These results support the hypothesis that lipid peroxidation mediates the effect of sodium valproate on liver and kidney. Furthermore, the valproate induced toxicity is time related and the increase in lipid peroxide levels and depletion of glutathione occur time dependent even if the dose is clinically appropriate.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Gastric antiulcer and cytoprotective effect of Commiphora molmol in rats.

The aqueous suspension of Commiphora molmol (oleo-gum resin) has been screened for its potential to protect gastric mucosa against the ulcers caused by 80% ethanol, 25% NaCl, 0.2 M NaOH, indomethacin and combined indomethacin-ethanol treatment. C. molmol pretreatment at doses of 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg provided dose-dependent protection against the ulcerogenic effects of different necrotizing agents used. The effects caused by ethanol were further investigated. Treatment of rats with 1 ml of 80% ethanol was found to cause depletion of stomach wall mucus, reduction in the concentration of protein, nucleic acids and NP-SH groups in the stomach wall. Ethanol treatment also caused histopathological lesions including necrosis, erosion, congestion and haemorrhage of the stomach wall. Pretreatment with C. molmol offered a dose-dependent protection against all these effects. In the same manner it affected the malondialdehyde concentration altered by ethanol treatment. C. molmol also offered protection against mucosal damage caused by indomethacin and its combination with ethanol. The protective effect of C. molmol observed in the present study is attributed to its effect on mucus production, increase in nucleic acid and non-protein sulfhydryl concentration, which appears to be mediated through its free radical-scavenging, thyroid-stimulating and prostaglandin-inducing properties.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

The use of nutritional supplements by 4-12 year olds in England and Scotland.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the levels of and factors associated with the use of nutritional supplements by children participating in the National Study of Health and Growth (NSHG). DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Fifty-six study areas in England and Scotland. SUBJECTS: Fifteen thousand, two hundred and seventy five children aged between 4 and 12 y. INTERVENTIONS: Parental completion of a self-administered questionnaire on the child's health, social background and supplement use. Height, weight and skinfold measurements. RESULTS: An 88% response rate to the supplement question, 15.9% of responders reported using a supplement. Multivitamins were the most commonly consumed supplement (84%) with 52% taking a supplement daily. Younger children, those whose mothers reached further education, whose fathers were in non-manual occupations or who lived in the Midlands or South were significantly more likely to use a supplement, as were children from smaller families or whose parents were non-smokers. There was no significant association between supplement use and sex, height, birthweight, length of gestation, father's education, number of parents in the home or vegetarianism. Significant differences were found in the use of supplements between the ethnic origin groups. Children of Afro-Caribbean, Asian or other origin were more likely to take a supplement compared to white English and Scottish groups. There were differences in the type of supplements used with Afro-Caribbean and other origin children using more cod liver oil. CONCLUSION: We support the findings of other studies which show that children with the least need for supplements as defined by socio-economic variables are more likely to receive them and suggest that cultural background is also an important factor in influencing supplement use. SPONSORSHIP: This study was supported by grants from the Department of Health in England and the Scottish Home and Health Department.

Africa↗

PubMed1997

Problems encountered during introduction of Gianturco coils for transcatheter occlusion of the patent arterial duct.

OBJECTIVE: To define the problems encountered during transcatheter occlusion of the patent arterial duct using Gianturco coils. METHODS: Between January 1994 and November 1995, 93 patients were admitted in whom it was intended to occlude the patent arterial duct using Gianturco coils. Anterograde transcatheter coil occlusion was performed via the femoral vein in 81 patients. In the remaining 12 the procedure was done via the femoral artery. RESULTS: Coils were implanted successfully in 82/93 (88%) patients. In 11 patients the procedure was a failure. In 19/93 patients (20%), inadvertent embolization of the coil occurred. The coils were retrieved in all except one patient. In 17 of these patients, new coils were then reimplanted successfully. Doppler echocardiography after the procedure showed that in 9/82 (11%) patients the left pulmonary artery Doppler peak velocity exceeded 1.5 m.s-1 (mean 1.2 m.s-1) raising concern about left pulmonary artery branch stenosis. The complete occlusion rate at discharge from hospital was 72/82 (88%). Follow-up ranges from 1 day to 14 months (mean 2/12 months) in the 82 patients in whom successful deployment of coils was possible. In two patients, the arterial duct became occluded at follow-up. One additional patient had complete occlusion after reocclusion using another coil. Thus, after short-term follow-up a total of 75/82 patients (91.4%) have a completely occluded arterial duct after coil implantation. CONCLUSION: Transcatheter occlusion of the patent arterial duct using Gianturco coils is an effective and safe technique. In the learning curve there is a relatively high rate of inadvertent embolization, but the coils can be retrieved in the vast majority of patients. The complication rate is offset by the high early occlusion rate and the inexpensiveness of the procedure.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Neonatal presentation of Caroli's disease.

A neonatal presentation of Caroli's disease with severe cardiac and progressive renal pathology is described. The availability of small paediatric endoscopes ensured early diagnosis. Despite aggressive medical management, the baby died with severe bleeding complications before potentially life saving multiple organ transplantation could take place.

Arterial Occlusive Diseases↗

PubMed1996

Effect of camel urine on the cytological and biochemical changes induced by cyclophosphamide in mice.

Camel urine treatment was found to cause a significant cytotoxic effect in the bone marrow cells of mice. This cytotoxicity at higher doses was comparable with that of standard drug cyclophosphamide (CP). However, unlike CP, the camel urine treatment failed to induce any clastogenicity. The cytotoxicity induced by camel urine treatment was substantiated by the reduction of liver nucleic acids and glutathione levels and increased malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in the same animals. CP treatment was found to be highly clastogenic, cytotoxic and it reduced the levels of nucleic acids, proteins, glutathione and increased malondialdehyde concentration due to its prooxidant nature. The non-clastogenic nature of camel urine was attributed to the antioxidant and antimutagenic compounds present in camel urine. Pretreatment with camel urine increased the cytotoxicity of CP and intensified the CP induced reduction of liver nucleic acids, glutathione and increased the MDA concentration. The increase of CP induced cytotoxicity appears to be partly due to the additive effect of the two treatments on cellular lipid peroxidation.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Formation of STAT1-STAT2 heterodimers and their role in the activation of IRF-1 gene transcription by interferon-alpha.

An upstream inverted repeat (IR) element mediates transcriptional activation of the interferon response factor-1 gene (IRF-1) by interferon (IFN)-alpha and IFN-gamma. IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma fail to induce IRF-1 in cells that lack signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1), and STAT1 homodimers bind to IR elements in extracts of IFN-alpha-treated cells. We now report that STAT2 also plays an important role in the IFN-alpha-mediated transcriptional activation of the IRF-1 gene. A new factor, most likely a STAT1-STAT2 heterodimer, was detected with an IR probe in extracts of IFN-alpha-treated cells. STAT1 and STAT2 are already known to combine with p48, a DNA-binding protein, to form IFN-stimulated gene factor 3 (ISGF3), which binds to IFN-stimulated response elements (ISREs) distinct from the IR of the IRF-1 gene. In extracts of U2A cells, which lack p48, STAT1-STAT2 heterodimers were still formed, indicating that they do not contain p48. We manipulated the intracellular levels of STAT1-STAT2 heterodimers and STAT1 homodimers to examine their roles in the induction of IRF-1 by IFN-alpha. Although both dimers can induce IRF-1 transcription, the heterodimers are more potent and thus may be the major activators in vivo. Deletion analysis reveals that the C-terminal domain of STAT2 is important for transcriptional activation mediated by both STAT1-STAT2 heterodimers and ISGF3.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1996

Evaluation of the antiinflammatory activity of sodium valproate in rats and mice.

1. Treatment of rats with sodium valproate (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg i.p.) reduced the paw oedema induced by carrageenan by 36, 15 and 48%, respectively, within 3 h . 2. The effect produced by the higher dose (400 mg/kg) was equivalent to that produced by indomethacin (100 mg/kg). At 100 and 400 mg/kg, sodium valproate decreased the granuloma formation by a significant level. Similar doses of sodium valproate did not affect the rectal temperature in yeast-fevered mice, except with a dose of 200 mg/kg, which showed a significant decrease at 180 and 240 min posttreatment. 3. In comparison, sodium salicylate reduced the hyperthermia very significantly throughout the study period. 4. In normothermic mice, the rectal temperature changed only with a 400 mg/kg dose, but did not respond to lower SV doses. 5. The results indicate that sodium valproate, useful clinically as an epileptic drug, may have a potential therapeutic use as a mild antiinflammatory agent.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Family Credit and uptake of school meals in primary school.

BACKGROUND: In April 1988, Family Credit families lost their right to free school meals. They were compensated by an increase in Family Credit of 65p per child per schoolday, subsequently uprated by the retail price index. Families on Income Support continued to be entitled to free school meals. The impact of this legislation on the uptake of school meals has not been documented. METHODS: The uptake of school meals by Family Credit and income Support families over a decade was examined in two samples, each consisting of about 7000 English primary school children, one of "inner city' children and the other more representative of the whole population. RESULTS: The change in legislation resulted in an immediate drop in uptake by Family Credit children of around 30 per cent in both samples. By ethnic group, 42 per cent of the Asian Family Credit children changed from school meals compared with 10 per cent of the Afro-Caribbean children. Income Support children continued to have high uptake of about 90 per cent. By the early 1990s, half of the Family Credit children were not taking school meals, and the price of school meals was more than the allowance in 81 per cent of the areas in the representative sample, and in 45 per cent of the inner city areas. CONCLUSION: Uptake of school meals is very sensitive to changes in welfare policy. Monitoring the impact of these changes on children's health and welfare in families with low resources continues to be an important activity.

Child↗

PubMed1996

Factors related to total cholesterol and blood pressure in British 9 year olds.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess which factors are associated with total cholesterol concentration and blood pressure in 9 year olds, and to examine the extent to which a report of a heart attack in a close relative identifies children with a high total cholesterol value or high systolic blood pressure. DESIGN: This was a cross sectional study. SETTING: The analysis was based on 22 study areas from a representative English sample, 14 areas from a representative Scottish sample, and 20 areas from an inner city sample. PARTICIPANTS: There were 1987 children aged 8 or 9 whose blood pressure was measured and 1662 children whose total cholesterol was assessed. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Blood pressure was measured using the Dinamap 1846 automated sphygmomanometer and cholesterol using the Lipotrend C. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the independent associations with each of the outcome variables. Either weight for height or sum of skinfolds measured in four sites was highly associated with the outcome measures in the study (p < 0.001). Fatter or overweight children had higher blood pressure and higher cholesterol concentrations. Child's height was also associated with the outcome measures in most of the analyses, but was positively related to blood pressure and negatively associated with cholesterol value. There was an association between diastolic blood pressure and area of residence as represented by the regional health authority (RHA), but the association was not the same as the association reported between coronary heart disease, standardised mortality ratio, and RHA. Children with low birth weight and those with shorter gestation had higher systolic blood pressure (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01 respectively), but not diastolic blood pressure. A report of a premature heart attack in a parent or a grandparent was not associated with higher cholesterol or blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: Reducing obesity in children, together with the avoidance of smoking, may be an appropriate action to prevent coronary heart disease in adulthood. A report of heart disease in a close relative is an ineffective means of identifying children at greater risk of high cholesterol or blood pressure without other measurements from relatives.

Blood Pressure↗

PubMed1996

Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction by ethnicity and presence of asthma in British nine year olds.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction among British children by ethnicity has not been studied. METHODS: Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was measured before and after an exercise challenge test using a cycle ergometer in 593 nine year olds from Scottish and inner city English schools. Logistic regression analysis was carried out to assess the association between changes in PEFR with exercise by reported asthma, ethnicity, and sex. RESULTS: The probability of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction was greater among the asthmatics than in either the children without asthma attacks or wheeze, or in the children with only wheeze (p < 0.01). Asian children were 3.6 times more likely to have exercise-induced bronchoconstriction than white inner city children, and also were more likely to have exercise-induced bronchoconstriction than those from the other ethnic groups (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Exercise challenge can assess the prevalence of asthma in the community and detect under-reporting of asthma in ethnic minorities.

Black or African American↗

PubMed1996

Functional STAT 1 and 3 signaling by the leptin receptor (OB-R); reduced expression of the rat fatty leptin receptor in transfected cells.

The leptin receptor (OB-R) bears homology to members of the class I cytokine receptor family. We demonstrate that leptin binding to OB-R stimulates formation of STAT-1 and STAT-3 complexes, thereby defining transcriptional motifs for genes that are under leptin control. Transfected fa OB-R bound leptin with equal affinity to that of wild type OB-R. fa OB-R abundance was about 7 fold reduced compared to control cells. Surprisingly, the low level of fa OB-R is fully capable of activating the STAT signal transduction pathway. We discuss plausible explanations for the obese phenotype in Zucker fatty rats.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Minding morale of institutional markets.

The definition of the term SOCIAL LIFE FEELING is offered to denote or connote a sentiment about the social world or an affect-state that comes from socializing in that world. A review of the literature in SOCIOLOGY indicates that there is an abundance of predilection among sociologists in measuring and assessing How People Feel About Society and Their Place in Society. The selection of TWELVE SOCIAL LIFE FEELING SCALES developed by Karl F. Schuessler is based on their established reliability, their ease of use, and their embodiment in covering concepts pertaining to both a person's outlook on society (cynical, pessimistic, fatalistic) and his or her frame of mind in society (demoralized, estranged, alienated). The present report is based on SLFS11 or FEELINGS OF DEMORALIZATION in Urban and Rural settings. This scale gives the subjects an opportunity to express whether they are marking time, finding it difficult to be optimistic, surmising the world as too complicated, viewing their physical condition to be good, or taking pleasure in their achievements, and so and so forth. A random sample of 398 students drawn from an urban and a rural campus was personally administered a questionnaire included in Appendix A. The data so obtained were subjected to statistical analyses through MINITAB software. High scores present a view of self as useless, helpless, aimless; low scores on the other hand, rules out such an admission of self as useless. It appears that this scale comes closest to approximating the concept of morale and its denotation of demoralization and despair. Persons of high morale have high hopes and great expectations and intend to persevere. Persons of low morale have little hope in their efforts being counted and would presumably stop trying. It is important to note that the items in this scale have principally determined the morale of older people. In this study we have attempted to find its utility in investigating undergraduate students representing the backbone of the American Society. From an empiricist's perspective, the MEAN scores for intergroup comparisons ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE for intragroup comparisons have been provided. Marketing implications of and the strategy development for the findings have been advanced.

Adult↗