Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M E Ali

Publications and source records attributed to M E Ali.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Opportunistic intestinal protozoal infections in immunocompromised children.

Hundred immunocompromised children and 100 house contact controls were chosen. Patients included: 52 nephrotic syndrome children receiving corticosteroids for more than one month (age 5.28 +/- 2.32 years), 14 protein-calorie malnutrition (PCM) patients (8 cases of marasmus aged 6 +/- 2.27 months and 6 cases of marasmic kwashiorkor aged 1.39 +/- 0.88 years) and 34 lymphomas patients (22 cases of Hodgkin's disease and 12 cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; age 4.5 +/- 3.54 years). Examination of concentrated stool was done using iodine stain of fresh mounts and modified Ziehl-Neelsen (cold acid-fast) to fixed smears. T-cell subsets were counted after staining with mouse monoclonal antibodies against CD4 and CD8 labeled with fluorescein. Both nephrotic syndrome and lymphomas groups showed affection of cellular immunity in the form of significant decrease in T-helper and H/S ratio and significant increase in suppressor T-cell subsets. Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, Cryptosporidium parvum and Blastocystis hominis were the most frequent in patients group and were significantly more prevalent among patients than controls. No significant difference in the prevalence of Entamoeba coli and Chylomastix mesnili between the two groups. C. parvum infection were strictly confined to groups with T-cell subsets abnormalities i.e. nephrotic syndrome and lymphomas groups.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Risk factors and morbidity in patients with placenta previa accreta compared to placenta previa non-accreta.

BACKGROUND: Placenta accreta is associated with high morbidity and most cases occur with placenta previa. This study was carried out in an attempt to define risk factors for placenta accreta in cases of placenta previa and to quantify the increased morbidity of placenta previa accreta in comparison to placenta previa alone. METHODS: The records of all patients delivered by cesarean section (CS) for placenta previa and accreta during the seven-year period from 1990 to 1996, inclusive, were reviewed. Data regarding the demographic features, previous CS, the incidence of hysterectomy and postpartum morbidity were analyzed. RESULTS: Out of 23070 deliveries 110 (0.48%) had placenta previa, twelve (0.05%) of whom had placenta previa accreta. There was no significant difference in age and parity. Patients with a history of previous CS showed a significant increase in the incidence of placenta previa accreta (p=0.001). The percentage of accreta increased linearly from 4.1% in patients with no CS to 60% in patients who had had three or more CS. Postpartum hemorrhage and emergency hysterectomy were significantly higher among the previa accreta patients compared with the previa patients alone (p<0.001; p<0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: In the presence of a previous history of CS, patients with antepartum diagnosis of placenta previa are considered to be at a greater risk for having placenta accreta. The risk increases with the increase in the number of previous CS. Patients with placenta previa accreta have a significantly higher incidence of PPH and are more likely to undergo emergency hysterectomy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Studies on culicini larvae in Mansoura Center, Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt.

Culicini larvae were collected from different water bodies in Mansoura Center, mainly Awish El Hagar, Gedilah, Mansoura City, Meet Badr Khames and Sandoub. Ten species of culicini larvae were collected. They were Culex adairi, Cx. antennatus, Cx. deserticola, Cx. pusillus, Cx. pipiens, Cx. univittatus, Aedes caspius, Ae. detritus, Culiseta longiareolata and Uranotaenia uniguiculata. The most common larvae in descending order were those of Cx. univittatus, Cx. antennatus and Ae. caspius. The highly infected area was Meet Badr Khames and the least was Mansoura city. The highly infested water body was the canals and the least was the sewage wells. Rice fields were only infested with Cx. antennatus (P > 0.05). The whole results were discussed.

Aedes↗
PubMed1997

Full-term birth weight and placental morphology at high and low altitude.

OBJECTIVE: To study the association between placental morphology and full-term birth weight at high and low altitude. SUBJECTS: Twenty normal pregnant women living permanently at high altitude (3100 m) and 20 normal pregnant women living permanently at low altitude (500 m) in Southern Saudi Arabia. METHOD: For each subject in the two groups the mean hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit values throughout pregnancy were estimated and these were used as indices for maternal hypoxia. After delivery, the birth weight of each fetus was determined together with the placental weight. Placentas were then examined histologically using sections stained by periodic acid-Schiff and hematoxylin-eosin. The mean percentages of villi with syncytial knots, cytotrophoblastic cells and fetal capillaries were determined. RESULTS: The mean hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit values were significantly greater at high altitude than at low altitude (P < 0.001 for both). The mean birth weight and placental weight were significantly greater at low altitude compared to high altitude (P < 0.025 and 0.001, respectively). The placentas from high altitude showed histological changes suggestive of placental hypoxia i.e. significant increase in the incidence of syncytial knots, cytotrophoblastic cells and fetal capillaries at high altitude compared to low altitude (P < 0.005, 0.001 and < 0.05, respectively). At both high and low altitude the incidences of syncytial knots and cytotrophoblastic cells showed positive and significant correlations with mean maternal hemoglobin (r = 0.5 and 0.6, P < 0.01 and < 0.001, respectively) and hematocrit (r = 0.5 and 0.6, P < 0.01 and 0.001, respectively) during pregnancy and negative and significant correlations with fetal birth weight (r = -0.4 and -0.6, P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: The low birth weight observed at high altitude compared to low altitude appeared to be mainly secondary to placental hypoxia resulting from maternal hypoxia which in turn was caused by high altitude hypoxia.

Altitude↗
PubMed1997

Measles in pregnancy: maternal morbidity and perinatal outcome.

OBJECTIVE: In this article, we studied the maternal morbidity and the perinatal outcome of 40 women who had measles in pregnancy and that was compared to 120 women who had pregnancy without measles and 37 women who had measles without pregnancy. METHOD: The medical records of all the case and control subjects were reviewed and significance was tested at the 5% level. RESULTS: The 40 cases of measles with pregnancy had significantly more hospital admission for pneumonia and fever when compared to cases of measles with no pregnancy (P < 0.001). The perinatal morbidity is significantly higher in cases of measles with pregnancy as expressed by the higher incidence of prematurity, neonatal hospital admission and length of stay in hospital (P < 0.003, P < 0.0005 and P < 0.0001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Formulation of an appropriate strategy utilizing the available resources for measles vaccination is mandatory.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed1997

Motor neurone disease in the tropics: findings from Sudan.

In this clinical study the presentation, electromyography and nerve conduction studies were described in different types of motor neurone disease in 28 Sudanese patients seen at El Shaab and Khartoum Teaching Hospitals. The three major clinical subtypes encountered were amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (n = 19), progressive bulbar palsy (n = 7) and progressive muscular atrophy (n = 2). Family history of the disease was found in four patients and those mainly presented with bulbar symptoms. Sudanese patients were found to have an earlier age of onset and a better prognosis of the disease than their caucasian counterparts.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Post-malarial cerebellar ataxia in adult Sudanese patients.

In this study the clinical manifestation and the effect of corticosteroids on the course and the outcome of post malaria cerebellar ataxia on thirty adult Sudanese patients wr investigated. Twenty four patients with delayed ataxia, that is, ataxia occurring shortly after full recovery from otherwise uncomplicated, documented malaria and six patients who were found to be ataxic on recovery from cerebral malaria were included in the study. The distribution of the age, sex and various clinical aspects were outlined. Twelve randomly selected patients were given oral prednisolone. The corticosteroid was found to shorten the period of ataxia. It was also found that in patients who demonstrated cerebellar infarction or atrophy on computerised tomography the duration of ataxia was significantly long.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

High altitude and spontaneous preterm birth.

OBJECTIVE: To study the association between high altitude and spontaneous preterm birth. METHODS: Eleven placentas from cases of high altitude (3000 m) spontaneous preterm deliveries with no clinical predisposing cause were collected in Abha, a city of southern Saudi Arabia. The placentas were examined histologically using sections stained by periodic acid-Schiff and hematoxylin-eosin. The mean percentages of villi with syncytial knots and cytotrophoblastic cells were determined. RESULTS: Histology of the placenta samples showed an excessive formation of syncytial knots (45.4 +/- 13.3%) and cytotrophoblastic cells (52.7 +/- 15.2%) at terminal villi. CONCLUSION: The enhanced formation of syncytial knots and cytotrophoblastic cells is a histological feature of placental hypoxia, which may be secondary to maternal hypoxia resulting from high altitude hypoxia. Since placental hypoxia is associated with an increased incidence of spontaneous preterm birth, we suggest that high altitude may be involved in the etiology of spontaneous preterm birth.

Altitude↗
PubMed1996

Does hypercapillarization influence the branching pattern of terminal villi in the human placenta at high altitude?

This study tests the hypothesis that exposure of the placenta to hypobaric hypoxia at altitude results in an altered branching pattern of the villous tree. Histological material from 20 term placentae delivered at altitudes over 3000 m was compared with matched controls from 500 m. Estimates of the mean star volume of intermediate and terminal villous domains were 1.40 x 10(6) microns3 (s.d. 0.63) in the high altitude group and 1.90 x 10(6) microns3 (s.d. 0.34) in the controls (F = 9.07, P < 0.005). The volume fraction of the villous tree occupied by trophoblastic bridges and syncytial knots was 8.1 per cent (s.d. 3.5) in the high altitude group and 3.2 per cent (s.d. 1.6) in the controls (F = 29.45, P < 0.0001). Previous studies have shown that the majority (80 per cent) of bridges are artefacts caused by the plane of section passing tangentially through the trophoblast layer at points of villous bending or branching. The results are, therefore, consistent with the hypothesis that peripheral villi are shorter, knob-like protrusions at high altitude, clustered more closely together. This modified branching pattern was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. The change in architecture may be due to enhanced angiogenesis stimulated by the lower partial pressure of oxygen prevailing at high altitude.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Body composition and blood pressure: which indices of fatness show the strongest correlation?

We studied the strength of association of different indices of body composition with blood pressure (BP) in 430 healthy persons (222 males, 208 females) living in southern Saudi Arabia. The percentage of fat, fat mass (FM), fat mass index (FMI) and body mass index (BMI), but not the fat free mass (FFM) were greater in women than in men. All these indices were significantly correlated with BP except height and triceps fold thickness. However, the highest correlation with BP existed with the body weight, followed by FFM and BMI and the lowest correlation existed with FM and fat free index (FFI). Thus, this study showed that weight-related body composition indices are better correlated with BP than height-related ones. This may be of importance when addressing BP relation with the degree of fatness.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1995

Deleterious effects of khat addiction on semen parameters and sperm ultrastructure.

The semen parameters and sperm ultrastructural morphology have been described in semen samples from two groups of Yemeni subjects. The first 'exposed' group comprised 65 khat addicts, while the second control group included 50 non-khat addict subjects. The mean age was 39.94 +/- 13.85 and 35.72 +/- 11.35 years in the exposed and control groups respectively, without a significant difference. The mean duration of khat addiction among the addicts was 25.34 +/- 12.96 years (range 6.00-48.00). Statistically significant differences were detected between the semen parameters of the two groups. Such parameters, including semen volume, sperm count, sperm motility, motility index and percentage of normal spermatozoa, were lower among addicts. Significant negative correlation was also found between the duration of khat consumption and all semen parameters (r ranged from -0.30 to -0.74). At the transmission electron microscopy level, a counting system was incorporated to compare the numbers of normal spermatozoa with deformed and dead spermatozoa in ultrathin plastic sections. The total mean percentage of deformed spermatozoa was approximately 65%. Different patterns of sperm deformation were demonstrated, and included both the head and flagella in complete spermatozoa, aflagellate heads, headless flagella and multiple heads and flagella. Deformed heads showed aberrated nuclei with immature nuclear chromatin and polymorphic intranuclear inclusions; these were associated with acrosomal defects. The deformed flagella demonstrated numeric aberrations of the axonemal 9 + 2 configuration and structural defects of their associated elements. Persistent cytoplasmic droplets were observed frequently. This study has shown for the first time the deleterious effects of khat addiction on semen parameters in general and sperm morphology in particular of all addicts, especially those who have consumed khat for longer periods of time.

Acrosome↗
PubMed1994

Pattern of blood pressures among high and low altitude residents of southern Saudi Arabia.

The patterns of blood pressures and their correlates in 499 Saudi nationals aged 10-72 years living at high altitude (3150 m above sea level) and 594 Saudi nationals aged 10-76 years living at low altitude (500 m above sea level) were prospectively studied. The average BPs were significantly higher in highlanders compared with lowlanders. In both high and lowland residents the BPs rose with age although males in both groups showed a drop in both SBP and DBP beyond the age of 50 years. Hypertension (> 160/95 mmHg) was not detected among lowlanders and only 1.4% of all highlanders were found to be hypertensive. These differences in BPs are attributed to the significantly higher body mass index values and packed cell volume levels in the highlanders.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Assessment of chloroquine resistance of Plasmodium falciparum in children of Wad Medani (Central Sudan).

The study reports on chloroquine resistance of Plasmodium falciparum among Sudanese children (6 month to 16 years) living at Wad Medani, Central Sudan. All RI-III levels of resistant response were confirmed, while in vitro sensitivity test indicated that 25 per cent of P. falciparum isolates examined had exhibited maturation of schizonts at CQ level greater than or equal to 1.6 pmol/microliters blood. CQ was sufficiently retained for 7 days after drug administration whereas an average peak level of CQ in blood (348 ng/ml) was recorded on day 1. Patients were successfully treated by an age-measured dose of parenteral quinine (10 mg/kg).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Functional health development model: a tool for planning.

This paper describes a functional model (gross style) taking available information about the health sector e.g. indicators of health status, types of service utilization, source allocations and placing these quantities into a systematic framework as a tool for planning for health services in a developing area. The major advantages of functional models over trial-and-error for planning have been presented. The functional model described could contribute to the sorting out of desirable from less desirable policy alternatives for a specific population. The output from the model is useful for matching resources to program development, taking into consideration costs and effectiveness.

Computer Simulation↗
PubMed1988

A combined course of primary health care practice and family medicine at the University of Gezira.

The community-based course presented is a longitudinal course running through four semesters in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Gezira, Sudan. Students combine their regular work in primary health care centres with attachments to a number of families in Wad Medani town. They continue to visit these families regularly throughout their entire medical course with the aim of studying them and helping them with some of their medical and psychosocial problems.

Curriculum↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Lipid peroxidation and human sperm motility: protective role of vitamin E.

Asthenospermia is the main factor of male infertility among patients consulting the Asir Infertility Center in Abha, Saudi Arabia. Lipid peroxidation occurring in both the seminal plasma and spermatozoa was estimated by malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration. Spermatozoal MDA concentration was higher in men with decreased sperm motility. The MDA concentration in the seminal plasma exhibited no relationship with sperm concentration, sperm motility, the number of immotile spermatozoa, or even the absence of spermatozoa. The MDA concentration in sperm pellet suspensions of asthenospermic and oligoasthenospermic patients was almost twice that of the normospermic males. The MDA concentration in the sperm pellet suspension from normospermic or oligospermic patients was about 10% that in the seminal plasma. However, the MDA concentration in the sperm pellet suspension of asthenospermic or oligoasthenospermic patients was about 15% that in the seminal plasma. Treatment of asthenospermic patients with oral Vitamin E significantly decreased the MDA concentration in spermatozoa and improved sperm motility. Eleven out of the 52 treated patients (21%) impregnated their spouses; nine of the spouses successfully ended with normal term deliveries, whereas the other two aborted in the first trimester. No pregnancies were reported in the spouses of the placebo-treated patients.

Adult↗