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S Varma

Publications and source records attributed to S Varma.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

A randomised controlled study of the effect of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on stool hardness during formula feeding.

BACKGROUND: The passage of hard stools is significantly more common in formula fed infants than breast fed infants and this might be the result of differences in fat absorption between breast and formula fed infants. Experimental studies indicate that long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) might influence fat hydrolysis and absorption. AIM: To investigate the relation of LCPUFA supplementation to stool frequency and consistency during the first 4 months of life. DESIGN: Double blind, randomised, controlled study of 88 healthy infants. RESULTS: 1905 stools (858 from LCPUFA supplemented infants, 1047 non-supplemented infants) were examined. The mean (SEM) number of stools passed for each three day study period was significantly less in the LCPUFA group (5.5 (0.3) v 6.2 (0.2); p < 0.05). In both groups, there was a significant reduction in the number of stools passed with age (p < 0.001). During the first 3 months, the mean (SEM) percentage of hard stools passed by infants in the LCPUFA supplemented group was 7.7 (2.1) compared with 19.2 (2.8) for unsupplemented infants (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of hard stools is significantly reduced in infants fed a formula that is supplemented with LCPUFAs.

Breast Feeding↗
PubMed1999

Pharmaceutical care of patients with congestive heart failure: interventions and outcomes.

We evaluated a structured pharmaceutical care program for elderly patients (> 65 yrs) with congestive heart failure (CHF) based on objective measures of disease control, quality of life, and use of health care facilities in a randomized, controlled, longitudinal, prospective clinical trial. The 42 patients in group A received education from a pharmacist on the disease and its treatment, and lifestyle changes that could help control symptoms. Patients also were encouraged to monitor their symptoms and comply with prescribed drug therapy. If necessary, dosage regimens were simplified in liaison with hospital physicians. The 41 control patients (group B) received standard care. The following outcome measures were assessed in all patients at baseline (before the start of the trial) and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months: 2-minute walk test, blood pressure, body weight, pulse, forced vital capacity, quality of life [disease-specific (Minnesota Living with Heart Failure questionnaire) and generic (SF-36)], knowledge of symptoms and drugs, compliance with therapy, and use of health care facilities (hospital admissions, visits to emergency room, emergency calls). Patients in group A showed improved compliance with drug therapy, which in turn improved their exercise capacity compared with those in group B; education on management of symptoms, lifestyle changes, and dietary recommendations were also of benefit. Group A patients significantly improved knowledge of their drug therapy over the 12-month study and had fewer hospital admissions compared with group B patients. They also had improved outcomes compared with group B, despite the small samples. An extension of this trial to other sites with pooling of results would provide additional evidence of the value of this structured program in elderly patients with CHF.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Profile of cardiac tamponade in the medical emergency ward of a North Indian hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the profile of patients presenting to the medical emergency ward with cardiac tamponade. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study. SETTING: Tertiary care hospital in North India. PATIENTS: Thirty patients (19 men and 11 women) presenting to the medical emergency ward with cardiac tamponade from March 1, 1995 to March 31, 1997. MAIN RESULTS: The mean age was 36.5+/-7.6 years for the men and 34+/-12.4 years for the women. Breathlessness, fever, cough, chest pain and easy fatigability were present in 97%, 90%, 70%, 57% and 37% of patients, respectively. Etiologically, tuberculosis accounted for 60%, malignant disease for 33% and hypothyroidism for 7% of cases of cardiac tamponade. Echocardiographically guided pericardiocentesis was carried out in all patients without any complications. Six patients underwent catheter pericardial drainage and, of these, four required pericardiostomy. CONCLUSIONS: Tuberculosis ranked as the most common cause of cardiac tamponade in Northern India, followed by malignancy. Therapeutically, echocardiographically guided pericardiocentesis for cardiac tamponade is a safe and effective procedure. For those with recurrent pericardial effusions, catheter pericardial drainage is a safe option until the underlying cause can be treated or surgery planned.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Disseminated histoplasmosis 19 years after renal transplantation.

Infections with fungi like Histoplasma are rarely seen in immunocompromized patients. We report the case of a renal transplant recipient who presented with fever and was diagnosed to have disseminated histoplasmosis 19 years after transplant. The pitfalls in making a diagnosis in non-endemic areas are discussed. The literature on renal transplantation recipients with histoplasmosis has been reviewed.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Computational modeling of high-level cognition and brain function.

This article describes a computational modeling architecture, 4CAPS, which is consistent with key properties of cortical function and makes good contact with functional neuroimaging results. Like earlier cognitive models such as SOAR, ACT-R, 3CAPS, and EPIC, the proposed cognitive model is implemented in a computer simulation that predicts observable variables such as human response times and error patterns. In addition, the proposed 4CAPS model accounts for the functional decomposition of the cognitive system and predicts fMRI activation levels and their localization within specific cortical regions, by incorporating key properties of cortical function into the design of the modeling system.

Brain↗
PubMed1999

Acute pneumonitis with pulmonary hemorrhage an uncommon and potentially fatal complication of systemic lupus erythematosus: a case report.

Acute pneumonitis with diffuse alveolar haemorrhage is potentially fatal. When it occurs in a patient of systemic lupus erythematosus, the primary disease itself may be responsible for it; rather than any complicating infection or metabolic/physiological derangement. Diagnosis of primary pulmonary involvement by systemic lupus erythematosus can only be made on open lung biopsy coupled with immunofluorescent and/or ultrastructural studies. Early diagnosis of acute pulmonary complications in systemic lupus erythematosus patients is essential as specific management is reported to improve the chances of recovery.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Effect of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in infant formula on problem solving at 10 months of age.

BACKGROUND: Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) are important for normal visual and brain development. Although present in human milk, LCPUFA have until recently been absent from artificial formulas, and infants may have limited ability to synthesise LCPUFA. To determine the clinical significance of this relative deficiency of LCPUFA, we undertook a randomised trial of the relation between LCPUFA supplementation and infant cognitive behaviour. METHODS: 44 term infants had been randomised to a formula supplemented with LCPUFA (21) or not supplemented with LCPUFA (23), which they had taken from birth to age 4 months. Infant cognitive behaviour was assessed at 10 months of age by a means-end problem-solving test--the intentional execution of a sequence of steps to achieve a goal. The problem required three intermediate steps to achieve the final goal, uncovering and retrieving a hidden toy. FINDINGS: Infants who received LCPUFA-supplemented formula had significantly more intentional solutions than infants who received the no-LCPUFA formula (median 2.0 vs 0, p=0.021). Intention scores (median 14.0 vs 11.5 [maximum 18]) were also increased in this group (p=0.035). INTERPRETATION: These findings suggest that term infants may benefit from LCPUFA supplementation, and that the effects persist beyond the period of supplementation. Since higher problem-solving scores in infancy are related to higher childhood IQ scores, supplementation with LCPUFA may be important for the development of childhood intelligence.

Cognition↗
PubMed1998

Influence of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids on infant cognitive function.

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) are important for normal visual and cortical development. In a previous study of the effects of LCPUFA on cognitive function of term infants at the age of 3 mon, we indicated that infants with evidence of reduced growth parameters at birth and impaired attention control as manifested by a late peak fixation during infant habituation assessment may benefit from LCPUFA supplementation. The aim of this prospective study was to determine whether LCPUFA supplementation and late peak fixation are related to means-end problem-solving ability in these same infants at the age of 9 mon. Term infants (58) were randomized to one of two formulas containing either LCPUFA or no LCPUFA and completed 4 mon of feeding with their formula. Cognitive function was assessed at 3 mon of age by measures of infant habituation. Infants (20 LCPUFA and 20 no-LCPUFA) completed the problem-solving assessment at 9 mon. The no-LCPUFA group had lower scores on both measures of intention and number of solutions, but neither of these differences was significant. Analysis of covariance for the effects of group and peak fixation, covaried with gestation and birth weight, showed that the number of solutions was significantly reduced in the late peak-fixation infants receiving no LCPUFA (P<0.02). Intention scores tended to be reduced in this group (P<0.06). The late peak-fixation infants who received LCPUFA had solution and intention scores similar to early peak-fixation infants receiving LCPUFA or no LCPUFA. These findings suggest that in term infants who have reduced growth parameters at birth and who show evidence of impaired attention control, information processing and problem-solving ability in infancy may be enhanced by LCPUFA supplementation.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Containment of herbicide resistance through genetic engineering of the chloroplast genome.

Glyphosate is a potent herbicide. It works by competitive inhibition of the enzyme 5-enol-pyruvyl shikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS), which catalyzes an essential step in the aromatic amino acid biosynthetic pathway. We report the genetic engineering of herbicide resistance by stable integration of the petunia EPSPS gene into the tobacco chloroplast genome using the tobacco or universal vector. Southern blot analysis confirms stable integration of the EPSPS gene into all of the chloroplast genomes (5000-10,000 copies per cell) of transgenic plants. Seeds obtained after the first self-cross of transgenic plants germinated and grew normally in the presence of the selectable marker, whereas the control seedlings were bleached. While control plants were extremely sensitive to glyphosate, transgenic plants survived sprays of high concentrations of glyphosate. Chloroplast transformation provides containment of foreign genes because plastid transgenes are not transmitted by pollen. The escape of foreign genes via pollen is a serious environmental concern in nuclear transgenic plants because of the high rates of gene flow from crops to wild weedy relatives.

3-Phosphoshikimate 1-Carboxyvinyltransferase↗