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Biomedical subjects

M Abraham

Publications and source records attributed to M Abraham.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Malabsorption in infants with congenital heart disease under diuretic treatment.

Intestinal absorption and its relationship to increased total body water was studied in seven infants with congenital heart disease receiving regular diuretics due to congestive heart failure. All infants and six age-matched healthy controls were studied for a 3-d period during which time all food intake was recorded, stools were collected, and total body water content (TBW) and extracellular water were measured. All the anthropometric measurements were lower in the infants with congenital heart disease compared with healthy controls. Energy and fat excretion in the stools were significantly increased in the group of patients, but when expressed as a percentage of daily caloric intake or as a percentage of the specific intake (e.g. fat excretion/fat intake x 100), no statistical differences were found. TBW as a percentage of body weight was increased in our patients compared with our controls (84.95 +/- 5.82% versus 68.65 +/- 4.60%; p = 0.01) and so was extracellular water as a percentage of predicted (200.0 +/- 18.6% versus 100.9 +/- 7.2%; p = 0.001). A positive correlation was found between energy and fat excretion as a percentage of the intake and TBW as a percentage of predicted; energy and fat malabsorption did not exceed 8% in the patients with the highest body water content (120% of predicted). It is concluded that malabsorption is not a significant factor in failure to thrive of patients with congenital heart disease who are receiving regular diuretics. Based on the significant negative correlation between excess body water and fat and calorie absorption, however, it is suggested to monitor TBW in patients who fail to gain weight.

Body Water↗
PubMed1993

Early effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) on rat thymocytes in vitro.

TCDD is known to induce thymic atrophy in several mammalian species through activation of programmed cell death, or apoptosis. To investigate the time course of events which precede TCDD-induced thymic apoptosis in vitro, experiments were performed with thymocytes isolated from immature rats. Peak accumulation of both total and specifically bound [3H]TCDD was observed at 60 min post incubation. Incubation of cells with 10 nM TCDD resulted in significant increases in RNA polymerase activity and incorporation of [3H]uridine at 30 min, indicating increased RNA synthesis in response to TCDD. TCDD-induced stimulation of [3H]uridine incorporation was not significantly altered in the presence of cycloheximide, while this effect was abrogated in the presence of actinomycin D. Incubation of thymocytes with 10 nM TCDD also stimulated the activity of poly(A)polymerase, the enzyme catalyzing mRNA polyadenylation, at time points beyond 30 min. No significant increases in [35S] incorporation were observed in cells treated with 10 nM TCDD, although analysis of detergent and high salt extracted nuclear proteins by SDS-PAGE and coomassie blue staining revealed the increased abundance of at least two proteins with molecular masses of 52,000 and 42,000 Da, respectively. These studies reveal that thymocyte nuclei rapidly accumulated TCDD in vitro, leading to increased RNA synthesis, poly(A)polymerase activity and protein synthesis. These events correlate closely with the process of programmed cell death.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Advanced microspot microslad for the CO2 laser.

New advances in instrumentation have facilitated the development of a second generation carbon dioxide (CO2) laser microspot micromanipulator. The 710 Acuspot has unique advantages over the previous generation of microspots. The compact design is easier to handle and has attachment points for sterile draping. The unit produces a spot size of 250 microns at a 400-mm focal length and 160 microns at 250 mm; the maximum de-focus is 3.2 mm at all focal lengths. An innovative dichroic mirror allows use of the laser unit's own HeNe laser as the aiming beam, eliminating possible aiming error introduced with a virtual image-aiming system. The dichroic mirror also allows better light transmission, resulting in a brighter field of view. As with first generation microspots, the laser beam path is coincident with the microscope optical path, eliminating parallax; this feature has been especially advantageous in pediatric and otologic cases. Having used this unit for 6 months on more than 50 patients, we now consider the use of a microspot to be our delivery system of choice for most microlaryngeal laser surgical applications.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

The Libyan Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease focus in Israel: an epidemiologic evaluation.

In a country-wide study of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in Israel, we diagnosed 114 cases, among them 49 Libyan-born, with onset of their disease during the years 1963-1987. After age adjustment, the mean annual incidence rate per million population was 43 among Libyan-born and 0.9 in the rest of the population. Among Jews born in Egypt and Tunisia, neighboring countries of Libya, the adjusted rates were higher than in the other Israelis (3.5 and 2.3 per million, respectively). Among Libyan Jews, there was no association between incidence rate of CJD and age at immigration, ie, duration of exposure to hypothetical infectious factor in Libya. The percent of familial cases among Libyan Jews (41 to 47%) is one of the highest ever published. Genetic factors seem to be important for the high incidence of CJD among Libyan Jews.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Do Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease patients of Jewish Libyan origin have unique clinical features?

A focus of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is present in Israel among Jews born in Libya. The present study examines the clinical features in this particular group of patients. In a country-wide study of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, we identified 114 patients; 49 were Libyan immigrants, and 65 (three of whom had Libyan ancestors) were born in other countries. The clinical presentation and evolution of the disease is very similar in patients born in Libya and others without Libyan ancestors, but it tends to be more classical in the Libyan patients, with higher frequency of myoclonic jerks and periodic EEG and a progressive course of shorter duration. The Libyan patients tend to complain more often of headache, which is most probably an ethnic expression for depression and loss of concentration. There was no difference between the familial and nonfamilial cases.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Metasternal gland secretion of the locust tree borer, Megacyllene robiniae (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae).

1. The volatile components of metasternal gland extracts of male and female Megacyllene robiniae have been analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. 2. The major component was identified as 2-(1,3-hexadien-1-yl)-5-methyltetrahydrofuran, a new natural product. 3. 1-Phenylethanol is present only in male extracts. 4. Acetates of hexadecanol and octadecanol are also present.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Limb salvage in infected lower extremity gangrene.

Four diabetic patients with gangrene of the forefoot and infection ascending above the ankle were treated with open amputation of the foot combined with open fasciotomy and debridement of the involved proximal muscle compartments. All four patients healed their wounds and returned to their premorbid community ambulation status. The management and indications in these unusual patients are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Antibodies to HTLV-I in Nigerian blood-donors, their relatives and patients with leukaemias, lymphomas and other diseases.

Antibodies to HTLV-I have been detected in sera from 15 (2.0%) of 736 adult blood-donors in Nigeria, in 4 (20.0%) of 20 patients with chronic lymphatic leukaemia, 3 (10.0%) of 30 with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, one of 12 with Burkitt's lymphoma and one of 7 with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. The frequency of positivity was higher (3.6%) in the blood-donors from the guinea and wooded savanna of northern Nigeria than in those from the rain-forest and mangrove swamps of southern Nigeria (1.8% in Lagos and 0.7% in Calabar). Two of the 3 seropositive patients with lymphoma had clinical presentation and courses similar to those of Japanese and Caribbean patients with adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1985

Serotypes of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates from hydrobiologically dissimilar aquatic environments.

Serological analysis of the O and K antigens was performed on 324 isolates of Vibrio parahaemolyticus obtained from three hydrobiologically dissimilar aquatic environments. Only 50.9% of the strains could be serotyped. The largest number of untypable strains and the lowest serological diversity were observed from the freshwater collection. Three serotypes, O2:K28, O5:K17, and O2:K3, dominated among all biotopes. There appears to be some distinction between serotypes of environmental and clinical origins.

Fresh Water↗