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Biomedical subjects

R Ali

Publications and source records attributed to R Ali.

191 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Allergy in systemic lupus erythematosus. IgE levels and reaginic phenomenon.

Twenty-seven patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were investigated for the presence of allergic reactivity, and serum IgE levels were measured by immunoassay. Compared to controls, SLE patients had significant increases of only allergic rhinitis and drug allergy. Despite the usual hyperimmunoglobulinemia in SLE, IgE levels were not elevated (mean: 251 IU). Because recent reports have noted elevated IgE in rheumatoid arthritis, this finding may suggest basic immunologic differences between rheumatoid arthritis and SLE.

Drug Hypersensitivity↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Interaction of nutrition and binge ethanol treatment on brain damage and withdrawal.

To determine if nutrition plays a role in ethanol withdrawal and alcohol-induced brain damage, the effects of a 4-day ethanol binge treatment using ethanol in a nutritionally complete liquid diet compared to ethanol mixed with water were studied. The nutritionally complete diet group (ETOH-diet) received a complete diet of sugars, proteins and fats with vitamins and minerals with approximately 53% of calories from ethanol while the nutritionally deprived group (ETOH-H2O) received 100% of calories from ethanol. No difference in withdrawal behavior was found between the ETOH-diet and ETOH-H2O groups during the 72-hour period studied. In addition, no difference was seen for serum levels of magnesium and zinc taken at last dose or following 72 h of withdrawal. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and ammonia were increased in both groups with ETOH-diet showing a greater increase in ALT than ETOH-H2O. Both groups showed damage in the olfactory bulb, perirhinal, agranular insular, piriform and lateral entorhinal cortical areas as well as hippocampal dentate gyrus and CA-3. Interestingly, the ETOH-diet group displayed more damage at last dose in the posterior dentate and CA-3 of hippocampus than did the ETOH-H2O group. This study suggests that nutritional components and total caloric intake do not effect behavior during ethanol withdrawal and that a nutritionally complete diet may increase ethanol-induced brain damage.

Alanine Transaminase↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A randomized clinical trial to compare the efficacy of erythromycin, ampicillin and tetracycline for the treatment of cholera in children.

To compare the clinical outcome of treatment of cholera in children with ampicillin, erythromycin or tetracycline, a double-'blind' randomized four-cell trial was carried out in Bangladesh. Ampicillin was chosen as additional therapy for acute respiratory tract infection, present in many subjects with diarrhoea. One hundred and eighty-four children aged 1-5 years who were not wasted, with diarrhoea of duration < 48 h, signs of some or severe dehydration, dark-field stool microscopy demonstrating Vibrio cholerae, and a baseline purging rate > 4 mL/kg/h over 6 h were enrolled in the study. Ampicillin, tetracycline, erythromycin or placebo were given orally every 6 h for 3 d. After 3 d of antibiotic treatment, diarrhoeal stool volume was significantly reduced in all antibiotic groups, with mean volumes per kg body weight as follows: tetracycline, 318 mL (SEM = 50), ampicillin, 335 mL (SEM = 30); erythromycin, 323 mL (SEM = 25); placebo, 498 mL (SEM = 37). Compared to tetracycline, the clinical recovery rates by 96 h were 75% with placebo, 91.3% with ampicillin, and 95.7% with eythromycin. Compared to tetracycline, the total mean times to recovery were increased by 66% with placebo (P < 0.001), 25% with ampicillin (P < 0.017), and 9% with erythromycin (P = 0.37). These results indicated comparable clinical efficacy of tetracycline, ampicillin and erythromycin. We therefore recommend that, unless V. cholerae is resistant, ampicillin should be used as a cost-effective alternative to erythromycin for paediatric cholera, especially in children with concomitant acute respiratory infection.

Ampicillin↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cochrane Drugs and Alcohol Group: the development of systematic reviews of treatment outcome.

- The aim of the Cochrane Collaboration is to promote review processes which address all aspects of health care and which can be viewed by clinicians to guide their day-to-day clinical practice. Recently, a Cochrane review group on drugs and alcohol has been developed. The Cochrane Review Group Editorial base is in Rome, Italy. There is an international editorial board with editors in the UK, Italy, France, Australia and the USA. So far, the group has published five reviews addressing treatment for opioid, cocaine and alcohol dependence. Additional reviews and protocols are in progress. A growing number of titles are registered with the group. Interested readers and potential reviewers and/or referees can contact the Cochrane Drugs and Alcohol Group Coordinator in Rome at the e-mail address: dacochrane@asplazio.it

Alcoholism↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Urinary excretion of polyamines in the adult respiratory distress syndrome.

Polyamines are low molecular weight polycations that are critically important in cellular proliferation and differentiation. To investigate their potential role in acute lung injury, the polyamines spermidine, spermine, and putrescine were measured in 24-h urine collections from intubated patients with ARDS (n = 12) or congestive heart failure with cardiogenic pulmonary edema (CHF, n = 10) and in normal subjects (n = 10). Mean concentrations of putrescine were similar between groups, but spermidine concentrations in patients with ARDS (52.7 +/- 19.7 nmol/mg creatinine) were significantly higher than in normal subjects (4.9 +/- 0.7 nmol/mg), p < .05. Mean concentrations of spermine in ARDS (270.6 +/- 78.1 nmol/mg) were higher than in CHF (1.0 +/- 0.5 nmol/mg), p < .05, and normal subjects (0.3 +/- 0.1 nmol/mg), p < .05. Concentrations of putrescine increased significantly during the first 7 days of ARDS (241.5 +/- 127.1% above baseline, n = 6), p < .05. Urinary polyamine excretion did not correlate with severity of gas exchange or death. These results are the first to suggest a potential role for polyamines in the pathophysiology of ARDS.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Appropriateness of laboratory testing in nursing home elderly with advanced dementia: an opinion poll among physicians.

OBJECTIVE: Dilemmas regarding selection of appropriate laboratory tests in older frail nursing home patients with advanced dementia are commonly encountered by physicians. Our objective was to study physician opinions about evaluating the appropriateness of laboratory testing in older hospitalized patients in nursing homes based on a real case. SETTING: A 750-bed university teaching hospital in the Bronx that regularly receives acutely ill older residents from long-term care facilities, with medical care provided by residents, fellows, and teaching faculty. DESIGN: An opinion poll was conducted among 53 physicians. Information was provided on the history, physical examination, and laboratory findings of a 92-year-old woman with advanced Alzheimer's dementia admitted for gastrointestinal bleeding to the acute care Geriatrics unit. A questionnaire sought opinions on selection of laboratory tests (emphasizing Troponin I) and management in this patient. Chi-square analysis was performed to analyze the data RESULTS: The majority of polled physicians (37/53, P = 0.01) felt that ordering Troponin I in the setting described hindered patient care and stated they would not have ordered the test. The opinion on overall management was divided (P = 0.861). CONCLUSION: Dilemmas regarding choosing appropriate laboratory tests, including their implications for care, are found frequently in the setting of frail, demented elderly from nursing homes hospitalized for acute care. We suggest that the choice of tests in these subjects with advanced dementia be individualized based on due consideration for life expectancy, quality of life, and surrogate opinion.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of infant formula protein quality: comparison of in vitro with in vivo methods.

Two-week protein efficiency ratio (2-wk PER), net protein ratio (NPR), calculated-protein efficiency ratio (C-PER), and discriminant computed-protein efficiency ratio (DC-PER) of milk- and soy-based infant formulas were compared to a 4-week protein efficiency ratio (PER). Expressed relative to ANRC casein, 2-week PER and NPR correlated significantly (P less than 0.01, r = 0.90) with PER. Although C-PER and DC-PER also correlated significantly (P less than 0.01) with PER, r = 0.71 and r = 0.87, respectively, these in vitro methods did not distinguish differences in protein quality among soy-based infant formulas. C-PER and DC-PER, as currently designed, are not applicable to the measurement of protein quality for all types of infant formulas.

Amino Acids↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Inhibition of human serum RNase activity by aurine tricarboxylic acid polymer: effect on the antigen-antibody reaction.

The structural integrity of RNA as antigen in immunological reactions with serum as the source of antibody is endangered because of RNase activity. Aurine tricarboxylic acid (ATA) in its polymeric form has been used to overcome this problem by inhibiting serum RNase. At low concentrations, the polymer completely arrests the RNA degrading activity. An appreciable increase in antibody activity was observed with an anti-RNA serum pretreated with ATA polymer.

Antigen-Antibody Reactions↗