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Biomedical subjects

B Abraham

Publications and source records attributed to B Abraham.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

[Acquired cytomegalovirus infections in immunocompetent adults: 116 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To analyse retrospectively the clinical, biological and epidemiological features of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in the immunocompetent host. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted in 116 cases of CMV infection (74 inpatients, 42 out-patients) collected from 1981 to 1997 in a university hospital. Diagnostic was established on serological criteria in all cases. RESULTS: Fever was observed in all cases but one (mean duration: 21 days). The most frequent symptoms were headache (51%) and myalgia (46%). Splenomegaly was the most frequent sign (36%). Pulmonary interstitial opacities on chest x-ray were found in 8.5% of patients. Pulmonary (1 case) and neurological (2 cases) complications occurred. Concomitant HIV primary infection was observed in 2 patients. Mononucleosis and ALAT and LDH elevations were observed in 95%, 85% and 95% of cases respectively. Viremia was positive in 79% (30/38). pp65 antigenemia was useful to establish the diagnosis in 9 patients. Antibiotics were prescribed in 46% before diagnosis was established. CONCLUSION: CMV infection in the immunocompetent host is a frequent and rarely complicated disease. pp65 antigenemia should be evaluated more in this setting. Most hospitalizations due to this affection could be avoided.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

A tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediate regulating transcription of a chloroaromatic biodegradative pathway: fumarate-mediated repression of the clcABD operon.

The ortho-cleavage pathways of catechol and 3-chlorocatechol are central catabolic pathways of Pseudomonas putida that convert aromatic and chloroaromatic compounds to tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates. They are encoded by the evolutionarily related catBCA and clcABD operons, respectively. Expression of the cat and clc operons requires the LysR-type transcriptional activators CatR and ClcR, respectively, and the inducer molecules cis,cis-muconate and 2-chloro-cis,cis-muconate, respectively. The regulation of the cat and clc promoters has been well studied, but the extent to which these operons are repressed by growth in TCA cycle intermediates has not been explored. We demonstrate by transcriptional fusion studies that the expression from the clc promoter is repressed when the cells are grown on succinate, citrate, or fumarate and that this repression is ClcR dependent and occurs at the transcriptional level. The presence of these organic acids did not affect the expression from the cat promoter. In vitro transcription assays demonstrate that the TCA cycle intermediate fumarate directly and specifically inhibits the formation of the clcA transcript. No such inhibition was observed when CatR was used as the activator on either the cat or clc template. Titration studies of fumarate and 2-chloromuconate show that the fumarate effect is concentration dependent and reversible, indicating that fumarate and 2-chloromuconate most probably compete for the same binding site on ClcR. This is an interesting example of the transcriptional regulation of a biodegradative pathway by the intracellular sensing of the state of the TCA cycle.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed1994

[Difficulties in diagnosing idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome in Black Africa. A case report observed in Senegal].

A combination of febrile malaise with adenopathy, massive hypereosinophilia (62678 components/mm3) and visceral, cutaneous, central nervous and digestive infiltration suggesting essential hypereosinophilic syndrome was observed in a 42-year-old male Senegalese. Diagnosis was confirmed after excluding all other possible causes in particular parasitic infection and by the rapidly fatal outcome. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of essential hypereosinophilic syndrome in West Africa. Because of the high incidence of parasitic hypereosinophilia in this region and the non-specific nature of the symptoms, diagnosis of this syndrome can be difficult. In Africa more than elsewhere, diagnosis must be made after elimination of all other possible causes based on the criteria of Chusid. Although uncommon, essential hypereosinophilic syndrome has an unfavorable prognosis even when immunosuppressor therapy is administered.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

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Anesthesia, Dental↗
PubMed1991

Rifampin in drug-incorporated diet: effect of duration and temperature of storage. Relevance to drug-susceptibility testing in mice inoculated with M. leprae.

This paper is in two parts. Plasma concentrations of rifampin were assayed at 11 time points in 24 hr in mice fed one of three dosages of rifampin, either by gavage or by dietary incorporation. The drug-mixed diets had been stored for a maximum of 3 weeks at 4 degrees C or at room temperature (30 degrees C-35 degrees C). The peak concentration of rifampin produced by gavage was approximately 11/2 times higher than the maximum plasma concentration of the corresponding dosage in fresh diet. Plasma concentrations decreased with the increasing duration of storage of the drug-mixed diet, irrespective of whether the diet was stored at 4 degrees C or at room temperature. This decrease was less when the diet was stored at 4 degrees C than at room temperature. Drug levels were also assayed in another set of mice selected from ongoing drug-susceptibility experiments; these mice were fed a rifampin-incorporated diet stored at room temperature. The plasma concentrations in these mice, assayed at the time of foot pad harvest, were generally higher than in the 24-hr experiment. The harvest results from these mice were compared with the harvest results from a third set of mice, also from ongoing drug-susceptibility experiments, but fed a rifampin-mixed diet stored at 4 degrees C. Multiplication of Mycobacterium leprae in mouse foot pads was prevented by rifampin mixed in the diet at a dosage of greater than or equal to 0.003%, whether stored at room temperature or at 4 degrees C.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1991

Inter- and intra-laboratory variation in the reporting of skin smears in leprosy.

This paper defines the variations in the reporting of skin smears between a base and field laboratory in a leprosy control program. Ten percent of all slides read by the field laboratory in a control area were re-read by the base laboratory. There was almost no variation in the reporting of negative slides, but a variation of 1 + was present in approximately 92% of positive slides. Thus, there was agreement in approximately 8% of positive slides. This paper also defines the variations in the reporting of positive slides under "ideal" conditions by describing the results of a study on intra- and inter-observer variations among technicians at the base laboratory. There was between 45% and 55% agreement within observers and about 36% agreement between observers. The results of both studies are compared. Simple guidelines are derived to monitor the reporting of skin smears in leprosy control programs.

Humans↗
PubMed1989

The impact of group therapy for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

This article reports on 95 women who were referred to an outpatient psychiatry clinic for group therapy for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Criteria for exclusion in group therapy are outlined and the format of the group therapy is described. Those who completed the groups are compared to dropouts. The group's effectiveness was evaluated using measures of psychiatric symptomatology (SCL 90), depression (Zung Self-Report Depression Scale), and self-esteem (Texas Social Behaviour Inventory) with a pre/post test design. Clients' evaluation questionnaires were also used. Group therapy was found to be effective in reducing symptomatology and change was in the expected direction in terms of depression and self-esteem.

Adjustment Disorders↗
PubMed1989

Thought disorder: current assessment, techniques, and future trends.

The early accounts of thought disorder were based primarily on abnormalities in the speech patterns of schizophrenic patients. Researchers have attempted to study and assess this phenomenon based on the verbal behaviors of individuals believed to experience disordered thinking. However, verbal dysfunction may not be the most accurate means of assessing thought disorder in psychiatric patients. A review of studies which have attempted to examine aspects of schizophrenic symptomatology suggests that the self-report technique may be a viable alternative for assessing disordered thought. Schizophrenic patients are able to give accurate accounts of experiences relating to their illness. We believe that the self-report technique may provide a reliable method for thought disorder assessment. Based on this assumption, we are currently in the process of developing a self-report scale which assess 13 constructs we believe to be associated with thinking. In a small sample of subjects, the questionnaire was able to differentiate schizophrenic subjects from normals.

Cognition Disorders↗
PubMed1982

Effect of posture on the ventilatory response to CO2.

The effect of sitting and supine posture on breathing patterns and gas exchange during room air breathing and administration of 2 and 4% CO2 was studied in nine normal subjects using a noninvasive canopy system. During air breathing minute ventilation (VE) was 21% (P less than 0.005) higher in the sitting position. Tidal volume (VT) and mean inspiratory flow (VT/TI) were also greater in the sitting position. With the administration of 4% CO2, VE was 13.9 and 20.0 1/min in the supine and seated position, respectively. The relationship between VE and VT was the same in both cases. For any given level of VE, VT/TI was higher in the seated position. No difference in response to CO2 as measured by delta VE/delta PaCO2 and (delta VT/TI)/delta PaCO2 was observed. However, arterial PCO2 was lower both in the resting and stimulated states when sitting.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Determination of residues of anabolic drugs in meat by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

The residues in meat of seven estrogenic drugs used in anabolic preparations for animal production were analysed as trimethylsilyl ethers by electron-impact gas chromatography-mass spectrometry following a simple clean-up procedure. The compounds under investigation were: 17 beta-estradiol,l diethylstilbestrol,l hexestrol, dienestrol, stilbestrol, ethynylestradiol and zeranol. The method includes extractive homogenization of 10 g of meat in tetrahydrofuran, followed by liquid-liquid partition between acetonitrile and hexane and finally a chromatographic purification step on a small silica gel column. Gas chromatography was carried out on a 10-m glass capillary column coated with SE-54 using a temperature program from 100 to 250 degrees C. The capillary column was connected to the ion source by an all-glass open-split interface with a scavenger gas-line. Detection of anabolic residues was performed with selected ion monitoring on intensive ions in the mass region above m/e 400, resulting in a detection limit of 1-5 ppb (10(9)). Quantitative determinations were performed using dodecyl gallate as an internal standard applying the signal ratio of the drug and the standard.

Animals↗