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Lu HY, McKenna C, Ram A, Oblak ML. Effect of volume and methylene blue on fluorescence intensity and transit of indocyanine green for sentinel lymph node mapping in a simulated feline tumor model. Am J Vet Res 2023; 84:ajvr.23.07.0168. [PMID: 37683839 DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.23.07.0168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare the effect of volume and solution on transit time and fluorescence intensity (FI) using near-infrared fluorescence imaging (NIRF) in a simulated tumor model in cats. Secondarily, to describe SLN mapping with indocyanine green (ICG) NIRF and report any adverse effects of intradermally injected ICG in cats. ANIMALS 7 healthy purpose-bred domestic shorthaired male cats. METHODS Cats were randomly divided into 2 groups (ICG or ICG + methylene blue [MB]). Transit time and FI were determined for 1 or 2 mL solutions injected intradermally in 4 quadrants around a simulated tumor. Following massage, fluorescence intensity was quantified by calculating the corrected total ROI fluorescence using ImageJ software. Cats were monitored for adverse effects up to 4 weeks post-injection. RESULTS A larger solution volume had decreased transit times to the SLN (P = .001). There was no significant difference in transit times between ICG and ICG-MB. ICG demonstrated a greater FI (P = .001) in the SLN compared to ICG-MB. Methylene blue did not percutaneously fluoresce under NIRF. The volume of the solution did not significantly affect FI. No adverse reactions were reported. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Increased volume of ICG may aid in rapid percutaneous lymphatic tracking from tumor to SLN. Indocyanine green alone may be preferred over ICG-MB for greater visualization of the SLN. Intradermal injections of ICG and ICG-MB were well-tolerated in healthy cats with no significant complications. Clinical evaluation of this technique in an impaired lymphatic system, as seen in cancer patients, should be assessed in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Yu Lu
- Toronto Animal Health Partners Specialty and Emergency Hospital, North York, ON, Canada
| | - Charly McKenna
- Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Ann Ram
- Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Michelle L Oblak
- Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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Ram A, Kronk CA, Eleazer JR, Goulet JL, Brandt CA, Wang KH. Transphobia, encoded: an examination of trans-specific terminology in SNOMED CT and ICD-10-CM. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2022; 29:404-410. [PMID: 34569604 PMCID: PMC8757305 DOI: 10.1093/jamia/ocab200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Transgender people experience harassment, denial of services, and physical assault during healthcare visits. Electronic health record (EHR) structure and language can exacerbate the harm they experience by using transphobic terminology, emphasizing binary genders, and pathologizing transness. Here, we investigate the ways in which SNOMED CT and ICD-10-CM record gender-related terminology and explore their shortcomings as they contribute to this EHR-mediated violence. We discuss how this "standardized" gender-related medical terminology pathologizes transness, fails to accommodate nonbinary patients, and uses derogatory and outmoded language. We conclude that there is no easy fix to the transphobia beleaguering healthcare, provide options to reduce harm to patients, and ultimately call for a critical examination of medicine's role in transphobia. We aim to demonstrate the ways in which the [mis]use and [mis]understanding of gender-specific terminology in healthcare settings has harmed and continues to harm trans people by grounding our discussion in our personal experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ram
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Clair A Kronk
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Jacob R Eleazer
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Joseph L Goulet
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Cynthia A Brandt
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Karen H Wang
- Equity Research and Innovation Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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Kronk CA, Everhart AR, Ashley F, Thompson HM, Schall TE, Goetz TG, Hiatt L, Derrick Z, Queen R, Ram A, Guthman EM, Danforth OM, Lett E, Potter E, Sun SD, Marshall Z, Karnoski R. Transgender data collection in the electronic health record: Current concepts and issues. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2022; 29:271-284. [PMID: 34486655 PMCID: PMC8757312 DOI: 10.1093/jamia/ocab136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
There are over 1 million transgender people living in the United States, and 33% report negative experiences with a healthcare provider, many of which are connected to data representation in electronic health records (EHRs). We present recommendations and common pitfalls involving sex- and gender-related data collection in EHRs. Our recommendations leverage the needs of patients, medical providers, and researchers to optimize both individual patient experiences and the efficacy and reproducibility of EHR population-based studies. We also briefly discuss adequate additions to the EHR considering name and pronoun usage. We add the disclaimer that these questions are more complex than commonly assumed. We conclude that collaborations between local transgender and gender-diverse persons and medical providers as well as open inclusion of transgender and gender-diverse individuals on terminology and standards boards is crucial to shifting the paradigm in transgender and gender-diverse health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clair A Kronk
- Center for Medical Informatics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Avery R Everhart
- Population, Health, and Place Program, Spatial Sciences Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Center for Applied Transgender Studies, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Florence Ashley
- Center for Applied Transgender Studies, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Faculty of Law and Joint Centre for Bioethics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hale M Thompson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Theodore E Schall
- Berman Institute of Bioethics, Department of Health Policy and Management, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Teddy G Goetz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Laurel Hiatt
- University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Zackary Derrick
- School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Roz Queen
- Health Information Science, School of Human and Social Development, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - A Ram
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - E Mae Guthman
- Center for Applied Transgender Studies, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Olivia M Danforth
- Department of Family Medicine, Samaritan Health Services Geary St. Clinic, Albany, Oregon, USA
| | - Elle Lett
- Center for Applied Transgender Studies, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Emery Potter
- Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Simón(e) D Sun
- Center for Applied Transgender Studies, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Neuroscience Institute, NYU Grossman Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Zack Marshall
- School of Social Work, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ryan Karnoski
- Center for Applied Transgender Studies, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- School of Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
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Wan J, Oblak ML, Ram A, Singh A, Nykamp S. Determining agreement between preoperative computed tomography lymphography and indocyanine green near infrared fluorescence intraoperative imaging for sentinel lymph node mapping in dogs with oral tumours. Vet Comp Oncol 2021; 19:295-303. [PMID: 33403753 DOI: 10.1111/vco.12675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Lymphatic drainage from the head and neck is variable with significant crossover, therefore sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping can help ensure the appropriate lymph node(s) are sampled. To improve sensitivity, SLN mapping utilizing multiple modalities and a combination of preoperative computed tomography lymphography (CTL) and intraoperative near infrared fluorescence imaging (NIRF) with indocyanine green (ICG) +/- methylene blue (MB) dye has been suggested. The aim of this study was to describe a method for intraoperative ICG lymphography and determine agreement for SLN detection using preoperative CTL and intraoperative ICG NIRF + MB lymphography (IOL) in dogs with oral tumours. Fourteen client-owned dogs were included. All dogs had preoperative CTL with iodinated contrast and intraoperative IOL with an exoscope. Lymph nodes with CTL contrast-enhancement, blue staining or fluorescence were considered sentinel. The overall SLN identification rate was 100% when CTL and IOL were combined. A total of 57 SLNs were identified. Indocyanine green NIRF identified a greater proportion of SLNs (91%; 52/57) compared with MB (50.8%; 29/57) and CTL (42.1%; 24/57). Eighteen SLNs were identified by all three modalities with a fair level of agreement using Fleiss kappa. These findings suggest a combination of preoperative CTL with intraoperative SLN mapping techniques may greatly improve the ability to accurately detect the SLN in dogs with oral tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Wan
- Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michelle L Oblak
- Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ann Ram
- Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ameet Singh
- Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stephanie Nykamp
- Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
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Sridhar P, Roopesh K, Deputy M, Muttagi V, Bharathan A, Anuradha P, Senapati M, Hussain S, Gupta M, Mohamad B, Venkatachala K, Avinash K, Ram A, Mahesh K, Desai I, Prashanth G, Ajai kumar B. Comparison of Response and Survival in Patients of Metastatic Hepatocellular Carcinoma Receiving SBRT and Concurrent Immunotherapy-SBRT. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2020.07.1946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Sridhar P, Roopesh K, Anuradha P, Deputy M, Bharathan A, Senapati M, Ram A, Gupta M, Muttagi V, Rao G, Patil S, Chirodoni Thungappa S, Hussain S, Ajai kumar B. Understanding the Immune Profile of SBRT – Could It Evolve Into Becoming A Surrogate Biomarkers To Treatment Response. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2020.07.1598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Kapila AK, Ram A, D'Uva L, Farid Y, Talib M. The importance of assessing the self-reported impact of COVID-19 on clinician mental health. Eur J Psychiatry 2020; 34:223-224. [PMID: 32836611 PMCID: PMC7290173 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpsy.2020.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A K Kapila
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Belgium
| | - A Ram
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Belgium
| | - L D'Uva
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Belgium
| | - Y Farid
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Belgium
| | - M Talib
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Belgium
- Department of Psychiatry, Brugmann University Hospital, Brussels, Belgium
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Sridhar P, Roopesh K, Abilash G, Shubha S, Rita S, Senapati M, Swaroop G, Satish R, Shivalingappa S, Anchineyan P, Indresh D, Kallur K, Gupta M, Ram A, Bilimagga R, Gurunath K, Kumar BA. Survival Analysis of GBM Patients Treated with SIB Chemoradiotherapy Followed By SBRT-CK BOOST. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2019.06.2312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Sridhar P, Roopesh K, Madhusudhan N, Abilash G, Radheshyam N, Hamid M, Kundavai S, Shivalingappa S, Avinash K, Desai I, Kumar M, Vittal S, Bilimagga R, Kilara G, Revannasiddaiah S, Deshpande R, Ram A, Kumar BA. Low Dose Bevacizumab in Treatment of Radiation Necrosis Post IGRT with Cyberknife Boost with Temozolamide for Glioma Patients. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2018.07.982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Sridhar P, Abilash G, Roopesh K, Madhusudhan N, Hamid M, Kundavai S, Anuradha P, Mandava A, Jerrin A, Kallur K, Venkatachala K, Karumanchi P, Desai I, Lakshmi S, Prashanth G, Revannasiddaiah S, Ram A, Kilara G, Bilimagga R, Kumar BA. Evaluation of Interim PET CT Scan As Predictor for Early Response to Chemoradiotherapy in Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer Retrospective Study. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2018.07.897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Hakansson S, Jones M, Ristov M, Marcos L, Clark T, Ram A, Morey R, Franklin A, McCarthy C, Carli L, Ward R, Keech A. Intensity-dependent effects of aerobic training on pressure pain threshold in overweight men: A randomized trial. Eur J Pain 2018; 22:1813-1823. [DOI: 10.1002/ejp.1277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S. Hakansson
- School of Medical Sciences; University of New South Wales; Sydney Australia
- Department of Biomedicine; Karolinska Institutet; Stockholm Sweden
| | - M.D. Jones
- School of Medical Sciences; University of New South Wales; Sydney Australia
- Kirby Institute; University of New South Wales; Sydney Australia
- Neuroscience Research Australia; Sydney Australia
| | - M. Ristov
- School of Medical Sciences; University of New South Wales; Sydney Australia
| | - L. Marcos
- School of Medical Sciences; University of New South Wales; Sydney Australia
| | - T. Clark
- School of Medical Sciences; University of New South Wales; Sydney Australia
| | - A. Ram
- School of Medical Sciences; University of New South Wales; Sydney Australia
| | - R. Morey
- School of Medical Sciences; University of New South Wales; Sydney Australia
| | - A. Franklin
- School of Medical Sciences; University of New South Wales; Sydney Australia
| | - C. McCarthy
- School of Medical Sciences; University of New South Wales; Sydney Australia
| | - L.D. Carli
- School of Medical Sciences; University of New South Wales; Sydney Australia
| | - R. Ward
- School of Medical Sciences; University of New South Wales; Sydney Australia
| | - A. Keech
- School of Medical Sciences; University of New South Wales; Sydney Australia
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Gates DA, Anderson D, Anderson S, Zarnstorff M, Spong DA, Weitzner H, Neilson GH, Ruzic D, Andruczyk D, Harris JH, Mynick H, Hegna CC, Schmitz O, Talmadge JN, Curreli D, Maurer D, Boozer AH, Knowlton S, Allain JP, Ennis D, Wurden G, Reiman A, Lore JD, Landreman M, Freidberg JP, Hudson SR, Porkolab M, Demers D, Terry J, Edlund E, Lazerson SA, Pablant N, Fonck R, Volpe F, Canik J, Granetz R, Ware A, Hanson JD, Kumar S, Deng C, Likin K, Cerfon A, Ram A, Hassam A, Prager S, Paz-Soldan C, Pueschel MJ, Joseph I, Glasser AH. Stellarator Research Opportunities: A Report of the National Stellarator Coordinating Committee. J Fusion Energ 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10894-018-0152-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Agarwal V, Rao R, Abin H, Rao V, Nayar R, Mani V, Ram A, Ajaikumar B. Pre-treatment neutrophil lymphocyte ratio/platelet lymphocyte ratio as surrogate markers of survival in non-metastatic head and neck cancer patients: An observational study. Ann Oncol 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdx390.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Narang AK, Trieu J, Radwan N, Ram A, Robertson SP, He P, Gergis C, Griffith E, Singh H, DeWeese TA, Honig S, Annadanam A, Greco S, DeVille C, McNutt T, DeWeese TL, Song DY, Tran PT. End-of-radiation PSA as a novel prognostic factor in patients undergoing definitive radiation and androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 2017; 20:203-209. [PMID: 28094250 PMCID: PMC5429233 DOI: 10.1038/pcan.2016.67] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2016] [Revised: 10/09/2016] [Accepted: 10/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Background In men undergoing definitive radiation for prostate cancer, it is unclear whether early biochemical response can provide additional prognostic value beyond pre-treatment risk stratification. Methods Prostate cancer patients consecutively treated with definitive radiation at our institution by a single provider from 1993–2006 and who had an EOR PSA (n=688, median follow-up 11.2 years). We analyzed the association of an end-of-radiation (EOR) prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, obtained during the last week of radiation, with survival outcomes. Multivariable-adjusted cox proportional hazards models were constructed to assess associations between a detectable EOR PSA (defined as ≥0.1 ng ml−1) and biochemical failure-free survival (BFFS), metastasis-free survival (MFS), prostate cancer-specific survival (PCSS), and overall survival (OS). Kaplan-Meier survival curves were constructed, with stratification by EOR PSA. Results At the end of radiation, the PSA level was undetectable in 30% of patients. Men with a detectable EOR PSA experienced inferior 10-year BFFS (49.7% vs. 64.4%, p<0.001), 10-year MFS (84.8% vs. 92.0%, p=0.003), 10-year PCSS (94.3% vs. 98.2%, p=0.007), and 10-year OS (75.8% vs. 82.5%, p=0.01), as compared to men with an undetectable EOR PSA. Among NCCN intermediate- and high-risk men who were treated with definitive radiation and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), a detectable EOR PSA was more strongly associated with PCSS than initial NCCN risk level (EOR PSA: HR 5.89, 95% CI 2.37–14.65, p<0.001; NCCN risk level: HR 2.01, 95% CI 0.74–5.42, p=0.168). Main study limitations are retrospective study design and associated biases. Conclusions EOR PSA was significantly associated with survival endpoints in men who received treated with definitive radiation and ADT. Whether the EOR PSA can be used to modulate treatment intensity merits further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Narang
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - J Trieu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - N Radwan
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - A Ram
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - S P Robertson
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - P He
- Department of Biostatistics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - C Gergis
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - E Griffith
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - H Singh
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - T A DeWeese
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - S Honig
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - A Annadanam
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - S Greco
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - C DeVille
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - T McNutt
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - T L DeWeese
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Departments of Oncology and Urology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - D Y Song
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Departments of Oncology and Urology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - P T Tran
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Departments of Oncology and Urology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Rao N, Ram A, Ajaikumar B. Immunophenotyping to Approximate Molecular Subtyping Using Ki67 Labeling Index. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2016.06.615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Ram A, Raghuram N, Rao R, Veldore V, Usharani M, Kodaganur G, Ajaikumar B, Reddy S. Effect of long term yoga practice on psychological and immune outcomes in breast cancer survivors. Ann Oncol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdv113.08] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Majumder D, Sinha A, Bhattacharya SK, Ram R, Dasgupta U, Ram A. Epidemiological profile of snake bite in south 24 Parganas district of West Bengal with focus on underreporting of snake bite deaths. Indian J Public Health 2014; 58:17-21. [PMID: 24748352 DOI: 10.4103/0019-557x.128158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Snake bite is a neglected public health problem in India. Very few community based epidemiological studies in India have been published so far on this issue. Most of the studies were carried out on hospital data. Previous community-based survey in the state revealed that only 22% snake bite victims attended hospitals. OBJECTIVES The objective of the present study is to find out the epidemiological profile of snake bite in eight blocks of the South 24-Paraganas district of West Bengal and to explore the under reporting of snake bite deaths in health facilities in that area during the study period. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective analysis of snake bite data was carried out from a community-based epidemiological survey on 1.9 million populations. This survey was done door-to-door from January 2009 to October 2010 to get epidemiological profile of snake bite of the previous 2 years. The data of direct survey was compared with the official report of the same area to evaluate the hospital-based data with focus on underreporting of snakebite deaths. RESULTS A total number of snake bite cases as found in the survey in the study area was 4871. There was a huge gap between the two data (direct survey and official data). Only 7.23% snake bite deaths were officially reported. Only 22.19% of the snake bite victims attended the hospitals. Nearly 65.7% of the snake bite deaths were due to common krait bite, most of them occurring in the months of June to September. CONCLUSIONS Official reporting system is still having a huge deficiency in India. Snake bite needs to get more attention from the health authority.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Abhik Sinha
- Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, R.G. Kar Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
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Sahu SK, Ram A. Preparation and characterization of chloroquine loaded microspheres for prophylactic use. Curr Drug Deliv 2014; 10:601-7. [PMID: 23607648 DOI: 10.2174/1567201811310050011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2012] [Revised: 01/01/2013] [Accepted: 01/24/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Malaria is one of the major public health problems in the developing countries. Numbers of drugs are available for the treatment of malaria but chloroquine diphosphate still remains a drug of choice. The aim of this study is to develop and characterize a suitable drug delivery system of antimalarial drug for prophylactic use. A depot system for controlled release of antimalarial drug was prepared. Drug loaded heat cross-linked gelatin microspheres were prepared by single emulsion thermal gelation technique. These were characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), percentage yield (63.20% to 86.13%), drug content (22.95% to 28.02%), encapsulation efficiency (41.46% to 68.26%), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and in vitro studies. Sizes of the microspheres as observed by optical microscopy were in the range of 44.06 ± 6.98 μm to 54.70 ± 8.19 μm, DSC pattern showed the absence of drug and polymer interaction. The gelatin microspheres were below 60 μm and spherical in shape as evidenced by the SEM photographs. Encapsulated chloroquine diphosphate was released slowly for 24 ± 1 hrs. The study indicated optimum drug release behavior (84.5% ± 0.96) in 25 hrs.
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Affiliation(s)
- S K Sahu
- Pharmaceutics Research Laboratory, SLT Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Ghasidas University, Bilaspur- 495009 (C.G.) India..
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Ram A, Gibb AP, Templeton K, Holmes A, Swann D, Taylor CM. Recovery of MRSA and Clostridium difficile in an ICU ward. BMC Proc 2011. [PMCID: PMC3239605 DOI: 10.1186/1753-6561-5-s6-p185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
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Kawadkar J, Chauhan Meenakshi K, Ram A. Evaluation of potential of Zn-pectinate gel (ZPG) microparticles containing mesalazine for colonic drug delivery. Daru 2010; 18:211-20. [PMID: 22615619 PMCID: PMC3304367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2010] [Revised: 05/03/2010] [Accepted: 05/24/2010] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY Pectin derivatives have been utilized for colonic drug delivery (CDD). In this study the effects of different formulation variables upon the characteristics of pectinate microparticles (MPs) prepared by ionotropic gelation technique for colonic delivery of mesalazine was investigated. METHODS In-vitro drug release of MPs was studied using USP XXIV dissolution apparatus type I, in different fluids e.g. simulated gastric fluid (SGF: pH 1.2), simulated intestinal fluid (SIF: pH 7.4), and simulated colonic fluid (SCF: pH 6.8) of volume 900 ml, at 100 rpm maintained at 37±0.2°C. This study was also performed in the presence of 4% w/v rat caecal content (RCC) using phosphate buffer saline (pH 6.8) as SCF. Gamma scintigraphy study was performed on New Zealand rabbit animal model using (99m) Tc. RESULTS The results showed that maximum entrapment of mesalazine (86.1±1.7%) and strength of gel network zinc pectinate gel microparticles (ZPGD2) was achieved in cross-linking solution of pH 1.6. Batch of ZPGD2 showed least swelling ratio and drug release. In RCC medium the t(50%) value of CPG-MPs was 3-4 folds greater than ZPG-MPs. Scintigram showed the residence of ZPG-MPs (filled in enteric coated capsule) in colon more than 9 hrs and delivery of almost all the drug loading dose in colon. MAJOR CONCLUSION The results of this study suggest the designed formulation of ZPG-MPs has the potential to serve as a colonic drug delivery system.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Kawadkar
- Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research (DIPSAR), University of Delhi, New Delhi,Correspondence:
| | - K. Chauhan Meenakshi
- Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research (DIPSAR), University of Delhi, New Delhi
| | - A. Ram
- SLT Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Ghasidas Central University, Bilaspur, India
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Palao i Domenech R, Romanelli M, Tsiftsis DD, Slonková V, Jortikka A, Johannesen N, Ram A, Persson LM, Altindas M, Orsted H, Schäfer E. Effect of an ibuprofen-releasing foam dressing on wound pain: a real-life RCT. J Wound Care 2008; 17:342, 344-8. [PMID: 18754195 DOI: 10.12968/jowc.2008.17.8.30797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare an ibuprofen-releasing foam dressing (Biatain Ibu, ColoplastA/S) with local best practice in the treatment of painful exuding wounds. METHOD In this large-scale randomised comparative study, 853 patients were randomised to either ibuprofen-releasing foam (test) dressing (n=467) or local best practice (n=386). Primary endpoint was wound pain relief from day 1-7, assessed by the patients twice daily using a five-point verbal rating scale. Secondary endpoints were reduction in pain intensity from day 0-7 (assessed using an 11-point numeric box scale), quality of life (assessed using the WHO-5 well-being index and effect on health-related activities of daily living) and the incidence of adverse events. RESULTS After seven days significantly more patients in the experimental group experienced relief from temporary and persistent pain and a reduction in pain intensity,when compared with patients in the local best practice group (p<0.0001). They also experienced a greater improvement in quality of life. The number of adverse events in both groups was low. CONCLUSION The test dressing provided an appropriate wound healing environment, relieved temporary and persistent wound pain, and decreased pain intensity. It was also associated with an improvement in quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Palao i Domenech
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Hospital Vail d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to compare bulimia nervosa (BN) and substance use disorders (SUD) in cognitive-motivational terms. The cognitive orientation theory was used as a framework for testing the hypothesis that the commonality between BN and SUD consists of a similar motivational disposition for eating disorders, rather than for addiction, as was previously claimed. It was expected that BN and SUD patients would differ from controls but not from each other. The participants were 31 BN, 20 SUD, and 20 healthy controls. They were administered questionnaires for assessing anxiety, depression, addiction and the cognitive orientation for eating disorders. On most parameters BN and SUD scored higher than controls but did not differ from each other except in norm beliefs. Treatment of BN should consider the similarity of BN to SUD in the pathological tendency for eating disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ram
- The Adult Weight and Eating Disorders Clinic, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
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Abstract
Large cell calcifying Sertoli cell tumor of the testicle is a rare, hormonally active sex cord-stromal tumor seen in patients with Carney complex. When such tumors occur bilaterally, treatment options for preserving fertility and addressing the secondary effects of excess hormone production must be considered. The availability of specific antiestrogen drugs means that bilateral orchiectomy for this benign tumor may no longer be warranted. Testicular-sparing surgery and advances in reproductive technology may also improve the overall prognosis for fertility. Gynecomastia in prepubescent boys can be emotionally very distressing. Approximately two thirds of teenaged boys will develop some degree of breast enlargement that spontaneously regresses as testosterone levels rise (Ill Med J 1938;73:113). In all cases, a thorough history and physical examination are required to exclude nonphysiologic causes such as drugs, pulmonary disease, chronic liver disease, exogenous estrogens, and estrogen-producing tumors (Seashore J. Disorders of the breast. In: Rowe MI, O'Neill JA, Grosfeld JL et al, editors. Pediatric surgery, 5th ed. St Louis (MO): Mosby Year Book, 1998). We report on a child who presented with a 2-year history of gynecomastia with associated bilateral testicular swellings and discuss a novel treatment strategy for managing bilateral testicular tumors in the context of the Carney complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Brown
- Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Hospital Road, Pendlebury, Manchester M27 4HA, UK.
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Agrawal A, Rengarajan S, Adler KB, Ram A, Ghosh B, Fahim M, Dickey BF. Inhibition of mucin secretion with MARCKS-related peptide improves airway obstruction in a mouse model of asthma. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2006; 102:399-405. [PMID: 16946028 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00630.2006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Allergic asthma is associated with airway epithelial cell mucous metaplasia and mucin hypersecretion, but the consequences of mucin hypersecretion on airway function are unclear. Recently, a peptide derived from the myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate protein NH(2)-terminal sequence (MANS) was shown to inhibit methacholine (MCh)-induced mucin secretion from airway mucous cells by >90%. We studied the effect of intranasal pretreatment with this peptide on specific airway conductance (sGaw) during challenge with MCh in mice with allergen-induced mucous cell metaplasia. sGaw was noninvasively measured in spontaneously breathing restrained mice, using a double-chamber plethysmograph. Pretreatment with MANS peptide, but not a control peptide [random NH(2)-terminal sequence (RNS)], resulted in partial inhibition of the fall in sGaw induced by 60 mM MCh (mean +/- SE; baseline 1.15 +/- 0.06; MANS/MCh 0.82 +/- 0.05; RNS/MCh 0.55 +/- 0.05 cmH(2)O/s). The protective effect of MANS was also seen in mice challenged with allergen for 3 consecutive days to increase airway hyperresponsiveness, although the degree of protection was less (baseline 1.1 +/- 0.08; MANS/MCh, 0.65 +/- 0.06; RNS/MCh 0.47 +/- 0.03 cmH(2)O/s). Because routine sGaw measurement in mice includes nasal airways, the effectiveness of MANS was also confirmed in mice breathing through their mouths after nasal occlusion (baseline 0.92 +/- 0.05; MANS/MCh 0.83 +/- 0.06; RNS/MCh 0.61 +/- 0.03 cmH(2)O/s). In all instances, sGaw in the MANS-pretreated group was approximately 35% higher than in RNS-treated controls, and mucous obstruction accounted for approximately 50% of the MCh-induced fall in sGaw. In summary, mucin secretion has a significant role in airway obstruction in a mouse model of allergic asthma, and strategies to inhibit mucin secretion merit further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Agrawal
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
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Stein D, Maayan R, Ram A, Loewenthal R, Achiron A, Modan-Moses D, Feigin M, Weizman A, Valevski A. Circulatory neurosteroid levels in underweight female adolescent anorexia nervosa inpatients and following weight restoration. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2005; 15:647-53. [PMID: 16023331 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2005.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2005] [Revised: 05/01/2005] [Accepted: 05/05/2005] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Nineteen female adolescent inpatients diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, restricting type (AN-R) and 16 non-eating disordered (ED) controls were assessed for plasma dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate (DHEA-S), and cortisol levels, and for eating-related and non-eating-related psychopathology. AN-R patients were assessed at admission, 1 month and 4 months following hospitalization. The non-ED controls were assessed once. No baseline between-group differences were found in plasma cortisol, DHEA, and DHEA-S levels, whereas the patient group had a significantly lower Cortisol/DHEA-S ratio and elevated scores on most psychopathological parameters. A significant increase was found in the body mass index of the AN-R patients at 4 months post-hospitalization, accompanied by a decrease in plasma cortisol levels and a trend towards decreased Cortisol/DHEA and Cortisol/DHEA-S ratios, whereas no change occurred in psychopathology. The difference in Cortisol/DHEA-S ratio between AN-R patients and non-ED controls, and the different patterns of change in cortisol vs. DHEA(-S) levels following weight restoration, may in part account for the feeding difficulties in AN, particularly during refeeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Stein
- Pediatric Psychosomatic Department, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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te Biesebeke R, Levin A, Sagt C, Bartels J, Goosen T, Ram A, van den Hondel C, Punt P. Identification of growth phenotype-related genes in Aspergillus oryzae by heterologous macroarray and suppression subtractive hybridization. Mol Genet Genomics 2005; 273:33-42. [PMID: 15678358 DOI: 10.1007/s00438-004-1082-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2004] [Accepted: 10/14/2004] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Aspergillus oryzae requires polarized growth for colonization of solid substrates, and this growth phenotype differs from that seen in liquid medium. Various experimental approaches were used to identify genes that are differentially expressed when A. oryzae is grown on wheat kernels and in a wheat-based liquid medium. Hybridization of A. oryzae RNAs to a macroarray bearing cDNAs isolated from a library representing at least 16% of the total number of A. niger genes identified 14 differentially expressed cDNA clones, showing that heterologous macroarray analysis with an A. niger cDNA library can be used to identify regulated gene transcripts in the related species A. oryzae. Moreover, Northern analysis with a selection of eight probes for A. niger genes encoding proteins involved in morphological development and cell wall biosynthesis identified five more differentially expressed genes. A suppression subtractive hybridization procedure revealed another 12 differentially expressed genes. The results presented show that, of the 29 identified genes which are expressed at higher levels during growth on wheat kernels, six encode proteins that are functionally related to polarized growth, four encode products known to be involved in morphogenesis, three code for proteins related to cell wall composition, and nine of the cDNA clones encode novel proteins. These findings pinpoint genes associated with the changes in cellular morphogenesis seen in A. oryzae grown on wheat kernels as opposed to wheat-based liquid medium.
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Affiliation(s)
- R te Biesebeke
- TNO Quality of Life, Utrechtseweg 48, 3700 AJ, Zeist, The Netherlands
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Minford JL, Ram A, Turnock RR, Lamont GL, Kenny SE, Rintala RJ, Lloyd DA, Baillie CT. Comparison of functional outcomes of Duhamel and transanal endorectal coloanal anastomosis for Hirschsprung's disease. J Pediatr Surg 2004; 39:161-5; discussion 161-5. [PMID: 14966732 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2003.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of this study was to determine the morbidity and medium-term functional outcome of the Duhamel operation and laparotomy and transanal endorectal coloanal anastomosis (TECA) for Hirschsprung's disease (HSCR). METHODS The study populations were 34 consecutive children who underwent the Duhamel operation (or Lester Martin modification) and 37 who had the TECA. Demographic details were obtained by case note review, and functional outcome was determined by a combination of outpatient interview, questionnaire, and telephone enquiry. RESULTS There was no difference between the groups with respect to age, gender, and length of aganglionic segment. Seventy percent presented as neonates (Duhamel, 24 of 34; TECA, 26 of 37). A single-stage primary pull-through was performed in 17 of 37 children in the TECA group, and in 1 of 34 from the Duhamel group. There was a single perioperative death in the Duhamel group and an unrelated, late death in the TECA group. Postoperative enterocolitis was seen in 13 of 37 TECA children and in a single child from the Duhamel group. A stricture of the pull-through segment was seen in 7 of 37 children after TECA and required temporary diversion in 2 of 9. Late division of a rectal spur was required in 6 of 33 Duhamel children. Requirement for late myectomy was the same in both groups (Duhamel 3 of 33, TECA 4 of 37). Complications requiring stoma formation occurred in 5 of 37 after TECA and 2 of 33 after the Duhamel operation. Two children from the TECA group and 1 from the Duhamel group remain diverted. One child from each group required a re-pull-through procedure. Two patients were lost to follow-up in the TECA group, leaving 34 children in this group and 33 in the Duhamel group in whom functional outcome could be assessed. Functional outcome was similar in the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS TECA and Duhamel procedures have similar medium-term functional outcomes. TECA has a high incidence of postoperative enterocolitis and transient stricture formation but is suitable for single-stage neonatal treatment of HSCR.
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Affiliation(s)
- J L Minford
- Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Liverpool, England, UK
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Yeruham I, Elad D, Perl S, Ram A. Necrotic-ulcerative dermatitis on the heels of heifers in a dairy herd infected with Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. Vet Rec 2003; 152:598-600. [PMID: 12762490 DOI: 10.1136/vr.152.19.598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- I Yeruham
- 'Hachaklait' Gedera, Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, PO Box 12, Rehovot 76100, Israel
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the airways and the current focus in managing asthma is the control of inflammation. In this study, we attempted to investigate the anti-asthmatic potential of a plant derived natural compound, luteolin. MATERIAL We used a murine model of airway hyperreactivity, which mimicked some of the characteristic features of asthma. Male BALB/c mice (8-9 weeks) were used for this study. TREATMENT Mice (n = 6) were sensitized by intraperitoneal (i. p.) injection of 10 mg of ovalbumin (OVA) on days 0, 7 and 14 followed by aerosol inhalation (5% OVA) treatments daily beginning from day 19 to day 23. To study its preventive effect, luteolin (0.1, 1.0, and 10 mg/kg body weight; daily) was administered orally during the entire period (0 to 23 day) of sensitization. To study its curative effect, mice were first sensitized and then luteolin (1.0 mg/kg body weight daily) was given orally from day 26 to 32. The airway hyperreactivity, immunoglobulin E (IgE) in the sera, and cytokines (IFN-gamma, IL-4 and IL-5) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were measured. RESULTS Both during sensitization and after sensitization, luteolin, at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg body weight, significantly modulated OVA-induced airway bronchoconstriction and bronchial hyperreactivity (p < 0.05). Luteolin also reduced OVA-specific IgE levels in the sera, increased interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) levels and decreased the interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-5 (IL-5) levels in the BALF. CONCLUSION Our study showed that luteolin treatment during and after sensitization significantly attenuated the asthmatic features in experimental mice. Therefore, luteolin could be used either as a lead molecule to identify an effective antiasthma therapy or as a means to identify novel anti-asthma targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Das
- Molecular Immunology and Immunogenetics Lab, Centre for Biochemical Technology, Mall Road, Delhi 110007, India
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Abstract
In a laboratory setting, 48 sibling dyads age 4 and 6 or 6 and 8 years negotiated the division of six toys. Findings revealed that, in general, children reached divisions while using a preponderance of constructive problem-solving strategies, rather than contentious tactics. The degree of conflict of interests and the quality of sibling relationships predicted the children's use of problem-solving and contentious negotiation strategies, and was related to the types of resolutions achieved. Dyads experiencing low conflict of interests resolved their differences quickly. High conflict of interests coupled with positive relationships and constructive negotiation resulted in longer negotiations and creative, agreeable resolutions. High conflict of interests coupled with more negative relationships and destructive negotiations resulted in children's failures to reach agreement. Developmental differences indicated that older siblings within the pairs took the lead in negotiation, and benefited slightly more from the divisions. Furthermore, children in older dyads were more sophisticated and other oriented in their negotiations.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ram
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, ON, Canada
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Martin-Yken H, Dagkessamanskaia A, De Groot P, Ram A, Klis F, François J. Saccharomyces cerevisiae YCRO17c/CWH43 encodes a putative sensor/transporter protein upstream of the BCK2 branch of the PKC1-dependent cell wall integrity pathway. Yeast 2001; 18:827-40. [PMID: 11427965 DOI: 10.1002/yea.731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The Saccharomyces cerevisiae cwh43-2 mutant, originally isolated for its Calcofluor white hypersensitivity, displays several cell wall defects similar to mutants in the PKC1-MPK1 pathway, including a growth defect and increased release of beta-1,6-glucan and beta-glucosylated proteins into the growth medium at increased temperatures. The cloning of CWH43 showed that it corresponds to YCR017c and encodes a protein with 14-16 transmembrane segments containing several putative phosphorylation and glycosylation sites. The N-terminal part of the amino acid sequence of Cwh43p shows 40% similarity with the mammalian FRAG1, a membrane protein that activates the fibroblast growth factor receptor of rat osteosarcoma (FGFR2-ROS) and with protein sequences of four uncharacterized ORFs from Caenorhabditis elegans and one from Drosophila melanogaster. The C-terminus of Cwh43p shows low similarities with a xylose permease of Bacillus megaterium and with putative sugar transporter from D. melanogaster, and has 52% similarity with a protein sequence from a Schizosaccharomyces pombe cDNA. A Cwh43-GFP fusion protein suggested a plasma membrane localization, although localization to the internal structure of the cells could not be excluded, and it concentrates to the bud tip of small budded cells and to the neck of dividing cells. Deletion of CWH43 resulted in cell wall defects less pronounced than those of the cwh43-2 mutant. This allele-specific phenotype appears to be due to a G-R substitution at position 57 in a highly conserved region of the protein. Genetic analysis places CWH43 upstream of the BCK2 branch of the PKC1 signalling pathway, since cwh43 mutations were synthetic lethal with pkc1 deletion, whereas the cwh43 defects could be rescued by overexpression of BCK2 and not by high-copy-number expression of genes encoding downstream proteins of the PKC1 pathway However, unlike BCK2, whose disruption in a cln3 mutant resulted in growth arrest in G(1), no growth defect was observed in a double cwh43 cln3 mutants. Taken together, it is proposed that CWH43 encodes a protein with putative sensor and transporter domains acting in parallel to the main PKC1-dependent cell wall integrity pathway, and that this gene has evolved into two distinct genes in higher eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Martin-Yken
- Centre de Bioingenierie Gilbert Durand, UMR-CNRS 5504, UMR-INRA 792, F-31077 Toulouse Cedex 04, France
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Abstract
Depressive symptoms and suicidality were assessed in 114 children 6-12 years old, of whom 41 had been physically abused, 38 neglected, and 35 neither abused nor neglected. The physically abused children manifested significantly higher levels of depressive symptomatology and suicidality than did the other two groups. Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Finzi
- Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Tel Hashomer.
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Swanson JM, Wigal SB, Udrea D, Lerner M, Agler D, Flynn D, Fineberg E, Davies M, Kardatzke D, Ram A, Gupta S. Evaluation of individual subjects in the analog classroom setting: I. Examples of graphical and statistical procedures for within-subject ranking of responses to different delivery patterns of methylphenidate. Psychopharmacol Bull 1999; 34:825-32. [PMID: 10513459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/14/2023]
Abstract
In this article, we describe graphical and statistical methods developed to evaluate the response patterns of individual children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to different conditions of treatment with stimulant medication. We used data from an investigation of drug delivery patterns to demonstrate these methods. Thirty-one children with ADHD participated in a double-blind crossover study of four conditions (three patterns of delivery of methylphenidate and a placebo control). In each condition, the children were evaluated across an 11-hour (7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) laboratory school day, and ratings of classroom behavior were obtained at regular intervals across the day. Graphical procedures were developed to display, for each individual, time courses of multiple measures of behavior taken across each double-blind test day. Expert clinicians judged these graphs and used this information to rank-order the test days from best to worst. A within-subject variant of Kendall's W was used to evaluate, for each subject, whether the rankings of these multidimensional graphs were reliable (concordant) across judges. A generalized kappa statistic was used to evaluate, for each condition, the reliability of the judges' rankings across subjects. Friedman's analysis of variance of ranks was used to evaluate, for the study, whether the conditions differed in terms of the average (consensus) rank assigned by the judges.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Swanson
- University of California-Irvine, Child Development Center, USA
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Kikinzon L, Ram A, Ladame F, Braconnier A, Weizman A, Tyano S. A comparative multinational epidemiological study of adolescent outpatient clinics. Eur Psychiatry 1998. [DOI: 10.1016/s0924-9338(99)80276-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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Abstract
The two most widely used polymers in packaging in recent years are polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene (PE). The biggest fractions of these polymers are not re-utilized, in spite of the fact that they possess excellent properties even after their first application. The ban on using recycled polymers in food packaging applications and the lack of good value outlets for these materials causes them to end up in landfills. The high cost nylon, used in packaging primarily as high gas barrier laminates with PE, also finds its way to landfills. In this case, the reason is the difficulty of recycling different polymers that are incompatible. Thus, the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) stream transferred to landfills contains many plastic packages. These packages are being blamed as a major pollutant of the environment in spite of the fact that all plastics contribute only a small percentage to the weight of the garbage in landfills. If proper and cost effective applications for the recycled polymers could be developed, the waste related to their disposal could be limited. In addition, the contribution of plastic packages to the environmental problem could be diminished. In the present paper, the possibility of sandwiching a contaminated PET layer between two layers of the virgin material was studied. The aim of the study was to determine whether such an operation could lower the migration level of contaminants from a multilayer structure (containing a recycled layer of PET) to values below the limits required by regulatory agencies. The diffusion coefficients (required to determine migration) of four organic liquids in PET were determined. As a result of the sandwiching operation, the amount of pollutant (toluene) migrating into the food simulant was reduced by two orders of magnitude. The properties of PE/nylon blends were also studied. It was found that the high gas barrier properties of nylon are preserved in the blend when proper processing conditions are used. Therefore, the recycled material could be used as a centre layer in a multilayer structure providing good gas barrier properties to this structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Miltz
- Department of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology (I.I.T.), Haifa, Israel
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Ram A, Arkin R, Moorman K, Clark R. Case-based reactive navigation: a method for on-line selection and adaptation of reactive robotic control parameters. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1997; 27:376-94. [DOI: 10.1109/3477.584946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Ram A, Pandey HP, Matsumura H, Kasahara-Orita K, Nakajima T, Takahata R, Satoh S, Terao A, Hayaishi O. CSF levels of prostaglandins, especially the level of prostaglandin D2, are correlated with increasing propensity towards sleep in rats. Brain Res 1997; 751:81-9. [PMID: 9098570 DOI: 10.1016/s0006-8993(96)01401-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The concentration of PGD2, PGE2, and of PGF2 alpha was measured in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collected from the cisterna magna of conscious rats (n = 29), which, chronically implanted with a catheter for the CSF sampling, underwent deprivation of daytime sleep. Significant elevation of the CSF level of PGD2 was observed following 2.5-h sleep deprivation (SD), and the elevation became more marked following 5- and 10-h SD, apparently reaching the maximum at 5-h SD (703 +/- 140 pg/ml (mean +/- S.E.M.) for baseline vs. 1734 +/- 363 pg/ml for SD, n = 10). The levels of PGE2, and PGF2 alpha also significantly increased following 5- and 10-h SD, but not following 2.5-h SD. It is unlikely that these changes were simply caused by some responses of the animals to stress stimuli, because stress stimuli derived from restraint of the animal at the supine position to a board for 1 h did not produce any acute responses in the CSF levels of prostaglandins (n = 13). In a different group of animals (n = 11) implanted with electrodes for recording electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG) in addition to the catheter, the levels of the prostaglandins in CSF were determined for slow-wave sleep (SWS) and wakefulness in the day and for SWS and wakefulness in the night. The highest PGD2 value was obtained at daytime SWS, whereas the lowest was at night wakefulness; furthermore, a significant difference was observed between SWS and wakefulness rather than between day and night. The CSF level of PGE2 also showed a similar tendency. In an additional group of animals (n = 6), not only PGD2 but also PGE2 and PGF2 alpha significantly increased the sleeping time of the animal when applied into the subarachnoid space underlying the ventral surface area of the rostral basal forebrain, the previously defined site of action for the sleep-promoting effect of PGD2. The promotion of sleep by PGE2 applied to the subarachnoid space was an effect completely opposite to the well-established awaking effect of the same prostaglandin demonstrated in the hypothalamic region in a series of previous studies. Based on these results, we conclude that increases in CSF levels of prostaglandins, especially that of PGD2, are correlated in rats with heightened propensity towards sleep and further with the depth of sleep under normal as well as SD conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ram
- Osaka Bioscience Institute, Department of Molecular Behavioral Biology, Japan
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Abstract
Diet-induced hyperlipidaemic rabbits were given 50% ethanolic extract of Terminalia arjuna tree bark in doses of 100 mg/kg (Group B, n = 6) and 500 mg/kg (Group C, n = 6) and compared with controls (Group A). At 60 days of intervention in Groups A, B and C mean +/- S.E.M. total cholesterol was 574 +/- 61, 320 +/- 29 and 217 +/- 44 mg/dl, respectively (P < 0.01); LDL cholesterol was 493 +/- 57, 271 +/- 30 and 162 +/- 44 mg/dl (P < 0.01); HDL cholesterol was 59 +/- 7, 36 +/- 3 and 35 +/- 4 mg/dl (P = n.s.); triglyceride was 108 +/- 13, 67 +/- 6 and 101 +/- 26 mg/dl (P = n.s.); cholesterol/HDL ratio was 10.1 +/- 1.3, 9.2 +/- 1.1 and 6.1 +/- 1.0 (P = n.s.); and LDL/HDL ratio was 8.7 +/- 1.3, 7.8 +/- 1.1 and 4.5 +/- 1.0 (P < 0.01). The extract did not adversely affect biochemical tests of liver and renal function and haematological parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ram
- Department of Pharmacology, S.M.S. Medical College, Jaipur, India
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Ram A, Danyiger Y, Apter A. Long Term Outcome of Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa. Eur Psychiatry 1997. [DOI: 10.1016/s0924-9338(97)80403-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
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Ram A, Guedj F, Cravchik A, Weinstein L, Cao Q, Badner JA, Goldin LR, Grisaru N, Manji HK, Belmaker RH, Gershon ES, Gejman PV. No abnormality in the gene for the G protein stimulatory alpha subunit in patients with bipolar disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1997; 54:44-8. [PMID: 9006399 DOI: 10.1001/archpsyc.1997.01830130048010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The available evidence for an involvement of the heterotrimeric guanine-nucleotide-binding proteins (G proteins) in bipolar disorder relies primarily on the effects of lithium salts on G protein function and on alterations in the concentration or function of G proteins (most notably Gs-alpha) in peripheral leukocytes and in postmortem tissues of patients with bipolar disorder. METHODS The hypothesis that a mutation in Gs-alpha gene confers an increased susceptibility to bipolar disorder was tested by the following strategies: (1) mutational screening of the Gs-alpha subunit gene coding sequences and promoter sequences by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis in unrelated individuals with bipolar disorder and (2) association and linkage analyses with a common silent exonic polymorphism, using genetic allelic information from American families with at least 1 affected child. For association analysis, the transmission test for linkage disequilibrium was used; for linkage analysis, nonparametric methods were used. RESULTS No structural or regulatory mutations in this gene were found in bipolar disorder; the results of association and genetic linkage were negative. CONCLUSION Our results do not support the speculation that the Gs-alpha protein gene has a role in the genetic predisposition to bipolar disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ram
- Clinical Neurogenetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, Md, USA
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Abstract
The ethanolic extract of nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) was studied in albino rabbits for its effects on experimentally induced hyperlipidaemia. After inducing hyperlipidaemia in 12 rabbits a dose of 500 mg/kg of the extract was administered orally daily for a period of 60 days in 6 rabbits (experimental group); the rest of the rabbits were observed as controls. When compared with the control of rabbits the levels of lipoprotein lipids were significantly lower in the experimental group after 60 days; total cholesterol 573 +/- 61 vs. 209 +/- 27 mg/dl, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol 493 +/- 57 vs. 131 +/- 25 mg/dl, and triglycerides 108 +/- 14 vs. 67 +/- 9 mg/dl P < 0.001). High density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels were not significantly different (59 +/- 7 vs. 65 +/- 4 mg/dl, P = n.s.). Total cholesterol:HDL ratio and LDL:HDL ratio were significantly lower in the experimental group. The Myristica fragrans extract showed platelet anti-aggregatory ability. There were significantly lower levels of total cholesterol in heart (3.7 +/- 0.5 vs. 2.2 +/- 0.5 mg/100 g) and liver (11.9 +/- 1 vs. 1.5 +/- 0.4 mg/100 g). The toxicity studies showed absence of any adverse effects on various haematological and biochemical parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ram
- Department of Pharmacology, S.M.S. Medical College, Jaipur, India
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Affiliation(s)
- F Guedj
- Unit on Molecular Clinical Investigation, Clinical Neurogenetics Branch, NIMH, Bethesda, MD 20892-1274, USA
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Pandey HP, Ram A, Matsumura H, Hayaishi O. Concentration of prostaglandin D2 in cerebrospinal fluid exhibits a circadian alteration in conscious rats. Biochem Mol Biol Int 1995; 37:431-7. [PMID: 8595382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was withdrawn from the cisterna magna of unanesthetized conscious rats (n = 14) through a chronically implanted catheter, and prostaglandins (PGs) D2, E2, and F2 alpha were measured. From each rat, CSF samples were taken at different clock-hours of the day (1000, 1400, and 1800 hr) and night (2200, 0200, and 0600 hr) in succession at 76-hour intervals. The concentration of PGD2 alone exhibited a significant circadian fluctuation, with its peak value at 1400 hr (mean +/- SEM: 1197 +/- 361 pg/ml) and its lowest level at 0600 hr (438 +/- 106 pg/ml). Thus, the mean level of PGD2 during the daytime (903 +/- 162 pg/ml) was significantly higher than that during the night (503 +/- 78 pg/ml). The results obtained are consistent with the postulated role of PGD2, acting in the surface layer of the rostral basal forebrain, as an endogenous factor to promote sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
- H P Pandey
- Osaka Bioscience Institute, Furuedai, Japan
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Pandey HP, Ram A, Matsumura H, Satoh S, Hayaishi O. Circadian variations of prostaglandins D2, E2, and F2 alpha in the cerebrospinal fluid of anesthetized rats. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1995; 213:625-9. [PMID: 7646520 DOI: 10.1006/bbrc.1995.2177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Circadian variations in the levels of prostaglandins (PGs) D2, E2, and F2 alpha were studied in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of rats. We collected CSF samples from the cisterna magna of anesthetized rats at different clock-hours (1000, 1400, 1800, 2200, 0200, and 0600 hr), and measured the concentrations of the three PGs. PGD2, which appeared to be the most abundant among the three, showed a circadian variation; and the mean of the day-time levels (145 pg/ml) was significantly higher than that of the nighttime ones (111 pg/ml). Day/night variations were also noticed with the levels of PGE2 and PGF2 alpha; however, these levels remained 3-4 times lower than those of PGD2. The general day/night variation seen in the CSF concentration of PGD2 conforms well with the postulated role of PGD2 as an endogenous sleep-promoting factor acting on a certain brain surface area defined as its site of action.
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