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Biomedical subjects

A Eliraz

Publications and source records attributed to A Eliraz.

69 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

A model of decreased functional alpha-1-proteinase inhibitor. Pulmonary pathology of dogs exposed to chloramine T.

The objective of this study was to develop an animal model representative of chronic human alpha-1-proteinase inhibitor deficiency. Eight dogs were treated with a mild oxidizing agent, chloramine T, with varying regimens for 3--27 wk. The capacity of the serum to inhibit both trypsin and elastase was examined and found to respond differently. Although immunologically determined levels of protease inhibitor did not change, the ability of serum to inhibit elastase in an in vitro assay decreased in direct response to chloramine T treatment. The trypsin inhibitory capacity was less affected. Emphysemalike alterations in lung morphology were observable when histologic sections were evaluated both subjectively and objectively by mean linear intercept measurements. The data suggest that this model parallels the emphysema associated with the genetic alpha-1-proteinase inhibitor deficiency in man.

Animals↗

The effect of the oxidizing agents chloramine-T and cigarette smoke on dog serum proteinase inhibitor(s).

Dog serum treated with the oxidant chloramine-T is rapidly and selectively depleted of its ability to inhibit porcine pancreatic elastase or dog neutrophil elastase. Trypsin inhibitory capacity of serum is not affected. Purified dog alpha-1-proteinase inhibitor (alpha-1-PI) is similarly oxidized with an apparent rate constant of 1.1 x 10(3) M-1 sec-1. Reversal of the oxidative inactivation using dithiothreitol was demonstrated. Cigarette smoke also directly affects the inhibitory capacity of both serum and pure alpha-1-PI. These studies form a basis for developing a model of functionally deficient alpha-1-PI by taking advantage of oxidative inactivation of normal proteinase inhibitor levels.

Animals↗

Rheumatic brain disease: a disease in its own right.

In many cases of patients who had rheumatic fever--at times undiagnosed--there is a chronic involvement of the brain as a result of disseminated recurrent obliterating arteritis or emboli in the small blood vessels, especially in the brain membranes or the cortex. As a result, disseminated, unstable, and transient neurological and psychiatric symptoms appear. The nature of these symptoms depends upon the age of the patient and the time of onset of the disease. It is suggested that the term "rheumatic brain disease" or "rheumatic encephalopathy" be used, and introduced into the nomenclature of the American Rheumatic Association.

Adult↗

Specific in vitro proliferative immune responses and lymphokine production in Ethiopian children with and without tuberculosis.

UNLABELLED: We investigated the profile of some in vitro parameters of cellular immune responses in non-HIV-infected Ethiopian children and young adults with and without tuberculosis (TB) as compared to healthy Ethiopian and non-Ethiopian controls. The in vitro proliferative responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to purified protein derivative (PPD) were determined in 15 Ethiopian children and young adults with TB, 12 healthy Ethiopian children who were contacts of TB patients, 20 Ethiopian children without contact with TB and ten non-Ethiopian controls. All TB patients and contacts had a positive Mantoux skin test. The PBMC proliferative response to PPD of the Ethiopian children with TB was significantly higher than that of the Ethiopian children without TB, while all Ethiopian children demonstrated stronger proliferative response as compared to non-Ethiopian healthy controls. Interleukin 2 (IL-2), interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin 4 (IL-4) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) were measured by ELISA assays performed on the supernatant of PPD-stimulated and non-stimulated PBMC cultures of seven Ethiopian children with TB, ten Ethiopian children without TB and eight non-Ethiopian controls. IFN-gamma and IL-4 were undetectable and IL-2 levels in unstimulated supernatants were low in all groups. PPD stimulation induced a significant rise in IL-2 levels in Ethiopians with TB as compared to all other groups. There was no increase above baseline in IL-6 levels in any group studied. CONCLUSIONS: Ethiopian children with TB exhibit a strong cellular immune response as expressed by Mantoux tests and lack of stimulation of IL-4 and IL-6 production. This pattern suggests a Th1 type effective cellular immune response to mycobacteria in a cohort of young Ethiopians with TB.

Adolescent↗

A comparison of pulmonary functions and oxygenation following local, spinal or general anaesthesia in patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair.

In order to compare the pulmonary effects of various anaesthetic techniques, 49 otherwise healthy patients needing inguinal hernia repair were randomized to general, spinal or local anaesthesia. Blood gases were drawn and spirometry performed pre- and postoperatively at fixed intervals. Results showed a superior ventilation and oxygenation pattern for local anaesthesia (p < 0.05). No statistically significant differences were found between the groups with respect to forced vital capacity (FVC) or forced expiratory volume per second (FEV1) but patients who had spinal anaesthesia performed worse, and for the group as a whole there was a significant reduction compared to preoperative values. We conclude that local anaesthesia is less detrimental to pulmonary function in inguinal hernia operations than spinal or general anaesthesia.

Adult↗