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Biomedical subjects

M Ali

Publications and source records attributed to M Ali.

At least 343 records · Page 19Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Rat corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) biosynthesis by fetal hepatocytes in culture.

The ability of fetal liver to synthesize and secrete corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) was investigated using primary cultures of hepatocytes transplanted from 15- and 18-day-old rat fetuses. Analysis of culture medium, after labelling with [14C]leucine, by crossed immunoelectrophoresis, clearly demonstrated CBG, albumin and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) secretion. The relative rate of CBG secretion was more important at the younger stage. Indirect immunofluorescence permitted localization of CBG in fetal hepatocytes. The results suggest that the high level of CBG found in fetal serum is mainly produced by the liver of the fetus itself.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Toxic effects of the soluble skin secretion from the Arabian Gulf catfish (Arius thallasinus, Ruppell) on plasma and liver enzyme levels.

Injection of skin toxin into the marginal ear vein of rabbits resulted in acute respiratory distress and convulsive movements, followed by death within 7 min. Significant increases in total plasma lactate dehydrogenase and the hepatic and cardiac derived isozymes and in glutamic-oxaloacetic and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase activities were observed in animals receiving toxin. Lower doses of toxin increase the survival time and enzyme levels in plasma. Skin toxin produces a time dependent toxic effect on the liver and heart.

Alanine Transaminase↗
PubMed1985

Response of the hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal axis (AVP system) and the kidney to salt load in young propylthiouracil-treated rats.

The development of the ability of the kidney to concentrate urine was studied in normal and propylthiouracil-treated rats by measuring urinary sodium concentration and osmolarity at different ages. It was shown that the normal animals, but not the PTU-treated ones were able to concentrate urine at 35 days of age. The response of the hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal axis (AVP system) and that of the kidney were investigated in the two categories of animals at 35 days of age by measuring concomitantly the AVP content of the hypothalamus and neurohypophysis, the AVP plasma concentration and the natremia and plasma osmolarity at various intervals after intraperitoneal injection of a 5% NaCl solution. In normal, as well as in PTU-treated rats, salt load did not lead to significant modifications of the hypothalamic AVP content. In comparison with normal rats, the neurohypophysis of the PTU-treated ones released AVP more slowly, but with a similar amplitude. In normal rats, the plasma AVP concentration was already maximal 30 min after salt load and then decreased and returned to the normal value at 2 hrs; at the same time, the natremia and plasma osmolarity also recovered their normal value. In contrast, the plasma AVP concentration as well as the natremia remained high 1 h 30 after salt load in PTU-treated rats. It is concluded that PTU-treated young rat is unable to compensate the salt load in normal delays. Beside the slowing in AVP release by neurohypophysis and decreased AVP plasma level, the responsiveness of the kidney seems to be altered.

Aging↗
PubMed1985

Bullous pemphigoid. Occurrence in a patient with mycosis fungoides receiving PUVA and topical nitrogen mustard therapy.

A 57-year-old woman with mycosis fungoides developed blisters within cutaneous plaques while receiving PUVA therapy and topical nitrogen mustard. Direct and indirect immunofluorescence studies showed the findings of bullous pemphigoid. Her bullous disease was controlled after cessation of these therapies and institution of prednisone and methotrexate. During the 5 months following completion of a course of electron-beam therapy, she has been free of the cutaneous manifestations of both diseases. Previous instances of PUVA-related pemphigoid have occurred in psoriatics. The role of ultraviolet light in the induction of pemphigoid is discussed, particularly with regard to its possible interaction with the altered skin of psoriasis or mycosis fungoides. Some of the rare cases of bullous mycosis fungoides might actually have represented ultraviolet-unmasked bullous pemphigoid.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1985

Immunoperoxidase-based diagnosis and selection of initial therapy dose.

The development of the IP micro-Elisa assay for in vitro diagnosis of allergy is described. The data correlating the IP assay with the results of skin testing and the RAST assay are presented. The guidelines for selection of initial immunotherapy dose based on the IP assay results are outlined.

Allergens↗
PubMed1985

In vitro monitoring of immunotherapy with serial measurement of serum levels of allergen-specific IgG antibodies.

The essence of the scientific method is in reproducibility. The use of biochemical information as the basis of clinical management decisions is as desirable in the clinical practice of allergy as it has been in other disciplines of medicine. The objective in successful immunotherapy for an IgE-mediated disorder is to elicit the maximal specific IgG response against a given antigen system. To date, the most reproducible and practical method of doing this is by measurement of serum levels of allergen-specific IgG antibodies. In this article, an attempt has been made to provide guidelines for the use of IP-specific G assay for in vitro monitoring of the effects of immunotherapy.

Allergens↗
PubMed1984

Multielement proton-induced X-ray emission analysis of Bangladeshi tobacco.

The concentration of 12 different elements in cigarette tobacco of different brands, commercially made in Bangladesh, was determined using the proton particle-induced x-ray emission (proton PIXE) method. In all the present experiments, proton beams of 2.0 MeV (on the target in air) and about 30 nA current were used for characteristic x-ray excitation. The concentration of the elements (K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, Rb and Sr) was determined by comparison with a calibration obtained from the NBS orchard leaf standard, SRM 1571. The results have been compared with available data on some foreign brands of tobacco and the probable reasons for the difference in the contents of some of the elements found in the Bangladeshi brands are discussed.

Bangladesh↗
PubMed1984

Toxicity of flavoglaucin from Aspergillus chevalieri in rabbits.

Female rabbits were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with purified flavoglaucin from Aspergillus chevalieri. After 2 h the rabbits were bled and the livers removed for enzyme assays. No changes were found for plasma lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and its isozymes or liver transketolase (TK) activities. A small but not statistically significant increase was found in plasma glutamate pyruvate transaminase activity. A highly significant increase in plasma glutamic oxaloacetate transaminase activity was observed along with an increase in liver LDH which was, however, not quite significant. The liver also showed some histological evidence of hepatic damage.

Alanine Transaminase↗
PubMed1984

A computerized micro-ELISA assay for allergen-specific IgE antibodies.

A computer-normalized micro-ELISA assay employing horseradish peroxidase and polystyrene microtiter plates (IP assay) for allergen-specific IgE antibodies is described. The specificity of the assay was confirmed by heat inactivation and multiple absorption experiments. Individual allergen blanks were used to account for the variability in the nonspecific binding among various allergens. The results obtained in milliunits of absorbance were normalized by a computer protocol using four reference sera. The coefficients of variation for the intraassay and interassay reproducibility ranged from 1.49 to 9.33% and 7.11 to 15.19%, respectively. Direct correlations between the results of the IP and the RAST assays (Absorbance vs. bound radioactivity) were excellent; the values for correlation coefficients for six pollens (June grass, Bermuda grass, Short ragweed, English plantain, Oak and Box elder), house dust mite, and two epidermal (cat and dog) allergens ranged from 0.88 to 0.99. Correlation between the two assays was lacking for the Alternaria and Penicillium mold allergens (r values: Alternaria 0.32, Penicillium 0.5). For sera from patients with a positive history and positive skin tests challenged with 11 allergens cited above, the IP assay detected low levels of specific IgE in many cases where the RAST assay was negative (from 10% for June grass to 48% for Alternaria and Penicillium mold antigens). The RAST positivity accompanied by the IP negativity, by contrast, was rarely seen. The superior sensitivity of the IP assay for specific IgE antibodies was achieved by lowering the background "noise" in the IP assay. This was attributed to the following factors: (1) use of individual allergen blanks; (2) 1:5 dilution of the serum sample that minimizes interference from high levels of total IgE antibodies and from allergen-specific IgG antibodies; (3) nonporous nature of the polystyrene immunosorbent surface; and (4) the use of a computer data reduction system to normalize the assay results.

Allergens↗
PubMed1984

Correlation of a micro-ELISA assay with the skin test and the RAST assay in inhalant allergy.

Several modifications of a previously described micro-ELISA assay (IP Assay) for the diagnosis of IgE mediated disorders were developed to increase the assay sensitivity and specificity. The absorbance values in milliunits obtained in this assay were normalized with a computer algorithm. The results of this assay correlate well with those obtained with the RAST assay (normalized milliunits of absorbance versus bound radioactivity: r = 0.74 to 0.87). However, the IP assay detected allergen specific IgE antibodies in many sera for which the RAST assay gave negative results (from 13.3% to 28% for a variety of allergens). The converse was seen in fewer than one percent of tests. Further, in a series of 300 tests for a panel of ten allergens, the IP assay showed a higher degree of correlation with the intradermal skin test (82%) than the RAST assay (77.3%). The specificity of the IP and RAST assays were comparable. Data showing the stability of the polystyrene surface immunosorbent and the independence of the IP assay from high levels of total IgE antibodies are presented. The reasons for higher sensitivity of the IP assay than the RAST assay (and hence superior correlation with the skin test) are discussed.

Allergens↗
PubMed1984

Multivariate examination of response surfaces around the reaction conditions for the Scandinavian Society's recommended method for creatine kinase determinations.

We examined the reaction surfaces around five variables (imidazole, ADP, creatine phosphate, magnesium, and pH) in the Scandinavian method for determining creatine kinase, using factorial experimentation (five level, five factor) at reaction temperatures of 30 and 37 degrees C. Theoretical response surfaces were computed by fitting a quadratic polynomial equation to the experimental data by least-squares regression. Essentially no differences were apparent in the theoretical curves among the five specimens we analyzed, or between reaction temperatures. Our response-surface data showed the following: for pH and imidazole, activity optima in the region of the Scandinavian conditions; for creatine phosphate, a broad plateau over the concentration range investigated (10 to 50 mmol/L); and for magnesium and ADP, gently increasing contours with maximal creatine kinase activity at concentrations greater than those investigated in our study (magnesium 15 mmol/L, ADP 3.5 mmol/L).

Adenosine Diphosphate↗
PubMed1983

Isolation, characterization and synthesis of alpha-foetoprotein from neonatal-rat skin.

Monospecific anti-[rat alpha-foetoprotein(alpha-FP)] immunoglobulin G was coupled to CNBr-activated Sepharose-4B (4.5 mg/ml packed volume of gel) to yield an adsorbent. The immunoaffinity column was used to isolate alpha-FP from neonatal-rat skin. Purified skin alpha-FP was found to be immunologically and electrophoretically similar to serum alpha-FP. It yielded a single band with mol.wt. 68000 on sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. However, on polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis under non-denaturing conditions, the alpha-FP displayed slow- and fast-moving variants similar to those observed in serum alpha-FP. A Scatchard plot of oestradiol binding to the alpha-FP yielded an association constant of 2.5 X 10(9)M-1 by dextran-coated-charcoal and 0.75 X 10(8)M-1 by Sephadex-gel-filtration procedures respectively. Skin explants from newborn rats were found to incorporate [14C]leucine into immunoprecipitable intracellular alpha-FP. Cycloheximide inhibited the synthesis of alpha-FP in skin explant culture. Our results indicate that newborn-rat skin contains alpha-FP that is similar to serum alpha-FP and which may arise in neonatal-rat skin as a result of synthesis in situ.

Animals↗