Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Salem

Publications and source records attributed to A Salem.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

[Quantification of passive smoking in an survey of smoking coaches in the French high-speed trains (TGV Sud-Est)].

OBJECTIVES: Passive smoking has been demonstrated in many situations. We designed an experimental protocol to measure passive smoking in the coaches of the French high-speed train (TGV) and to attempt to identify interindividual variability in sensitivity. METHODS: Ten healthy non-smokers (5 males, 5 females) volunteered to avoid exposure to tobacco smoke for the duration of the study. On three separate occasion they were subjected to a 5-hour trip in the smoking coaches of the French TGV (south-east line). Twelve-hour urine samples were collected before each trip and over the following 72 hours. Urinary cotinine was measured in each fraction. RESULTS: Significant levels of urinary cotinine were found for a prolonged period in these passive smokers. Elimination of the tobacco by-product was similar to the level observed in subjects smoking 2 to 5 cigarettes per day. The kinetics of cotinine elimination was reproducible from one trip to another for any given individual, however significant interindividual variability was observed despite normal liver function in all. CONCLUSION: Measurement of urinary cotinine is potentially useful in non-smokers who are involuntarily exposed to tobacco smoke and who wish to know the extent of their exposure.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

The perfect state of Trichophyton violaceum.

BACKGROUND: Trichophyton violaceum is the most common etiologic agent causing dermatophytosis in Egypt. This report deals with attempts to produce the perfect state of T. violaceum that may play a role in the epidemiology of T. violaceum. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten strains of T. violaceum were inoculated on hair soil culture and on rice agar media. RESULTS: Cultures on hair soil media failed to produce the ascogenous form of the fungus, but after 6 weeks of culture on rice agar media, fertile cleistothecium were seen and 2 weeks later separate asci appeared. CONCLUSION: This is the first report on the production of the perfect (sexual) state of T. violaceum. Details of the ascogenous form of this dermatophyte should be studied in the future.

Humans↗
PubMed1994

Induction of tumor necrosis factor in severe acute pancreatitis and its subsequent reduction after hepatic passage.

BACKGROUND: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is rapidly gaining recognition as one of the early, critical mediators of several inflammatory conditions, most notably endotoxic shock. The purposes of this study were to determine whether TNF levels are raised in severe acute pancreatitis, thus pointing to its role as a potential mediator of the inflammatory process, and to determine the possible sites of production and uptake. METHODS: TNF levels were measured during a 2-hour period in a rat model of acute pancreatitis by using an antegrade infusion of artificial bile. TNF levels were measured with a bioassay. RESULTS: TNF levels increased proportionately with time and serum amylase level, reaching a mean value of 2700 pg/ml at 2 hours compared with sham operated rats (mean, 125 pg/ml) (p < 0.001). TNF levels in nonoperated controls were undetectable. These measurements were found to be independent of endotoxin production. In addition, selective sampling from the portal vein, hepatic vein, and femoral artery showed hepatic degradation of TNF (p < 0.005), indicating that the liver may play an important role in protecting the host from multiple organ failure. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that TNF levels are elevated in acute pancreatitis and may suggest a role for this cytokine in the pathogenesis of the disease.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1993

Acetyl-L-carnitine corrects electroretinographic deficits in experimental diabetes.

Acetyl-L-carnitine reduces the latencies of electroretinogram oscillatory potentials in healthy humans. The effect of acetyl-L-carnitine (50 mg.kg-1.day-1) on the increased electroretinogram latencies found in rats with STZ-induced hyperglycemia of 3-wk duration was evaluated. The aldose reductase inhibitor sorbinil, which has been shown to normalize abnormal electroretinogram tracings associated with STZ-induced diabetes, was used as a positive control. Aldose reductase inhibitors are thought to lower tissue sorbitol while increasing myo-inositol. The electroretinograms of the STZ-induced diabetic rats in this study were abnormal; treatment with acetyl-L-carnitine as well as sorbinil significantly improved electroretinogram b-wave amplitude and decreased the latencies of oscillatory potentials 2 and 3. Acetyl-L-carnitine treatment of STZ-induced diabetic rats did not affect hyperglycemia or erythrocyte polyol pathway activity as reflected by erythrocyte sorbitol levels. In contrast, sorbinil did reduce elevated erythrocyte sorbitol levels. This suggests that the impaired electroretinograms associated with STZ-induced diabetes may not be caused solely by increased polyol pathway activity.

Acetylcarnitine↗
PubMed1993

Studies on human fascioliasis in Egypt. 2. Serum iron and copper in chronic fascioliasis.

Twenty-three patients diagnosed as established fascioliasis were enrolled in the present study. Fasciolia cases were investigated for serum iron, copper and their carrier proteins together with haemoglobin and some blood indices. A significant reduction in serum iron was detected in the examined group. This reveals the occurrence of iron deficiency anaemia in patients with chronic fascioliasis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Chronic duodenal ulcer in children and response to highly selective vagotomy.

The effectiveness of highly selective vagotomy (HSV) in adult duodenal ulcer surgery is confirmed by absence of peroperative mortality or postoperative morbidity and by ulcer healing in the majority of cases. Whether it could be used in children with the same result was the subject of our study in 13 successive cases of complicated duodenal ulcer treated between 1974 and 1987. There was complete ulcer healing in 4 cases. Pain relapsed in 5 cases and there was recurrence of hemorrhage in 2 cases. Although immediate good results lasted for at least 3 years, 2 patients were lost to follow-up. Still, we consider HSV as a safe procedure available for children as it does not "queer the pitch" for a subsequent treatment if it fails.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Adult respiratory distress syndrome: a review for the clinician.

Adult respiratory distress syndrome is a common respiratory problem with a wide array of precipitating causes and an overall mortality rate of more than 50%. Signs on physical examination tend to be nonspecific as do laboratory findings associated with the syndrome. Because of its diverse etiology, there is no one specific treatment for adult respiratory distress syndrome. Therapy is primarily supportive and centers around the use of mechanical ventilator support. The authors discuss the pathogenesis and management of this syndrome together with some of the newer approaches to mechanical ventilation.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed1992

A condom sense approach to AIDS prevention: a historical perspective.

Condoms have come a long way since their use in ancient Egypt three millennia ago. Their benefit is well established for the prevention of both contraception and STDs. Although AIDS has revitalized the condom, we must remember that condoms do not prevent the spread of HIV infection, people do. Everyone must take personal responsibility to avoid high risk behavior (e.g.; IV drug use, promiscuous sex, casual sex, etc). If one does engage in high risk sexual behavior, he/she should at least use condom sense.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1991

Colloidal bismuth subcitrate-induced changes on gastric mucosal hemodynamics in the rat: gastric mucosal blood flow after CBS treatment.

The belief that blood flow plays a central role in cytoprotection and there being no data available, at present, regarding the possible action of Colloidal bismuth subcitrate (CBS-DENOL) on the gastric mucosal blood flow (GMBF), led us to investigate its influence on mucosal hemodynamics in the rat stomach. Measurements of GMBF were performed in 32 male Wistar rats, treated by either CBS or placebo in drinking water for a 3-wk period, by the use of a laser-Doppler flowmeter, at 14 defined points of the stomach. CBS treated animals revealed a highly statistically significant increase (P less than 0.0005, upaired t-test) of GMBF in comparison with the placebo treated. These findings lead us to suggest that CBS exerts its antiulcer action via the mechanism of increased gastric mucosal blood flow. Additionally the increased blood flow may be associated with the previous findings of increased synthesis of prostaglandins, gastric mucus and bicarbonate secretion by CBS.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Postpartum colposcopy of the cervix: injury and healing.

Colposcopic examination was done in 189 successive parturients within 6-48 h of delivery for evidence of type, site, and extent of cervical trauma and its relation to various obstetric factors. There was trauma in 66% of cases, as erosion in 79%, as laceration in 56%, as bruising in 30%, and as yellow areas in 17%. In about two-thirds of cases, the diameter of cervical erosion, or the length of laceration did not exceed 5 mm and 81% of lacerations were of first degree. Cervical injury was significantly more frequent in primiparae, in the anterior cervical lip, in occipito-posterior positions, and with premature rupture of membranes. In 117 parturients with cervical injury another colposcopic examination was done 6-8 weeks postpartum. In 8% there was residual cervical damage.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Verrucae treated by levamisole.

To assess the role of levamisole in treatment of different types of warts, a double-blind study was conducted on 40 patients with different types of warts. Patients were divided into two equal groups, A and B. Group A received levamisole 5 mg/kg body weight on 3 consecutive days every 2 weeks for a period up to 5 months, while patients of group B received placebo for the same period. In group A, 12 patients showed complete cure (60%), two showed partial cure (10%), and the remaining six patients showed no response (30%). In group B, complete cure was achieved only in one case. The higher cure rate was observed in plane and common warts, while plantar warts showed no improvement with levamisole treatment.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1990

Glutathione and related enzymes in fascioliasis before and after treatment with bithionol.

The present work is an update evaluation of the glutathione status in patients with established fascioliasis before and after treatment with bithionol. Blood glutathione (GSH), erythrocyte glutathione S-transferase (GST) and serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) activities were studied. After treatment, the variations observed in these parameters were restored to the corresponding normal control values confirming the toxic features resulting from fascioliasis and suggesting no adverse effect of bithionol on the parameters studied. We recommend the use of serum GGT, blood GSH and erythrocyte GST for the early detection of therapeutic response in fascioliasis.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

The role of selenium-dependent and selenium-independent glutathione peroxidases in the formation of prostaglandin F2 alpha.

In recent years, growing evidence suggests that glutathione peroxidases (GSH-Pxs), both selenium-dependent GSH-Px (Se-GSH-Px) and selenium-independent GSH-Px (non-Se-GSH-Px) play an important role in the biosynthesis of prostaglandins and leukotrienes and in the regulation of key enzymes associated with the arachidonic acid cascade. The precise nature of their involvement in eicosanoid metabolism, however, is not yet completely understood. In the study reported here, we have systematically determined the catalytic efficiencies of Se-GSH-Px and non-Se-GSH-Px toward prostaglandin (PG) G2 (PGG2) and PGH2. Se-GSH-Px exhibited high catalytic activity for the reduction of PGG2 as indicated by Km and Vmax values of 12 microM and 78 mumol/min/mg, respectively, whereas PGH2 was found to be a poor substrate, an indication that Se-GSH-Px reduces the hydroperoxide moiety but not the endoperoxide moiety of PGG2. The kinetic constants of Se-GSH-Px toward PGG2 were comparable to those determined for such classical substrates as H2O2 and cumene hydroperoxide. In contrast to Se-GSH-Px, non-Se-GSH-Px associated with cationic isozyme II of glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) from sheep lung cytosol was very active in the conversion of PGH2 to PGF2 alpha with a Vmax of 960 nmol/min/mg and a Km of 77 microM. This study shows that PGF2 alpha formation by non-Se-GSH-Px occurred in a GSH-dependent reduction of either PGG2 or PGH2. When PGG2 was used as the substrate for non-Se-GSH-Px, a novel intermediate compound appeared and was later identified by several methods of structural analysis as 15-hydroperoxy PGF2 alpha. Thus, the reductive cleavage of the endoperoxide occurs faster than the 15-hydroperoxide reduction allowing 15-hydroperoxy PGF2 alpha to accumulate briefly. A study of GSTs from several different tissues and species indicated that the transformation of PG endoperoxides to PGF2 alpha is catalyzed specifically by GST isozymes, which contain Ya size subunits. This specificity of GST isozymes in PG biosynthesis, coupled with their tissue-specific expression, may be a mechanism by which the body modulates the type of PGs produced in these tissues. Also, these results suggest a possible interaction of Se-GSH-Px and non-Se-GSH-Px in the biosynthesis of PGF2 alpha.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

[Continuous high-dose corticosteroid pressured aerosol therapy in steroid-dependent asthma].

Two therapeutic trials aimed at determining whether a high-dose inhaled corticosteroid, beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP), could reduce or suppress a long term and continuous treatment with a systemic corticosteroid, triamcinolone acetonide (TA), were carried out in a homogeneous population of severe, steroid-dependent asthmatics. The first one was a controlled, double-blind versus placebo trial involving 25 patients followed up for 5 months. The second one was an open trial involving 105 patients followed up for 12 months. In both trials the mean doses of TA were reduced by 60 to 65 per cent, and TA could be totally or nearly totally suppressed in almost 60 per cent of the cases with clinical and functional results that were equal or superior to those previously obtained with systemic corticosteroid therapy. It is concluded that: (a) continuous systemic corticosteroid therapy in mean doses of more than 5 mg/day of prednisone equivalent is now rarely indicated in patients with steroid-dependent asthma, and (b) inhaled corticosteroid therapy with BDP could be extended to cases of non steroid-dependent asthma inadequately controlled by bronchodilators.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1988

Therapeutic evaluation for intralesional injection of bleomycin sulfate in 143 resistant warts.

A 1 U/ml solution of bleomycin sulfate in physiologic saline solution was injected intralesionally in 38 patients, and was compared with physiologic saline solution injection into paired warts in the same patient. No patient received more than 2 ml of bleomycin. Ninety-seven of 143 warts (67.8%) showed complete resolution after one or two bleomycin injections, while 25 warts (17.5%) showed incomplete resolution. Bleomycin local injection failed to elicit any therapeutic response in 21 warts (14.7%). The cure rate was 77% for warts on the extremities, 71.4% for periungual warts, and 47.6% for the plantar warts. The responsive warts showed hemorrhagic eschars that healed without scarring. It is concluded that this form of treatment for resistant warts, up to the dose used, is safe, reliable, and accepted by the patient.

Adolescent↗