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Biomedical subjects

R Karim

Publications and source records attributed to R Karim.

34 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

An initial assessment of the risk approach to antenatal management in Malaysia.

This study was the first assessment of a nationwide risk approach system to antenatal management introduced to Malaysia in 1989. Three rapid, record-based surveys on three different study groups were conducted to determine risk factor prevalence, accuracy of risk assignment, action after risk assignment and the relationship of risk level and place of delivery. The most frequent risk factors were short birth interval, high parity and first pregnancy. Accuracy of risk assignment was highest at the lowest levels of risk and poorest at the highest levels. Women at the lowest levels of risk were more likely to be seen by a doctor than women at highest risk. These was a trend to deliver in hospital, rather than at home, as level of risk increased; but many women at high risk still delivered at home. Recommendations are made on modifications to the system prior to future evaluation.

Adult↗

Potential use of IgG2-ELISA in the diagnosis of chronic elephantiasis and IgG4-ELISA in the follow-up of microfilaraemic patients infected with Brugia malayi.

Sera from fifty subjects with different presentations of Brugian filariasis and from common soil-transmitted helminth infections were tested for specific anti-filarial IgG and its subclasses. Anti-filarial IgG, IgG1 and IgG3 showed cross-reactivities with soil-transmitted helminthic infections and no significant differences in optical densities among the various groups of filarial patients. In comparison with other groups of subjects, IgG4-ELISA of sera from microfilaraemic patients and some previously microfilaraemic patients showed a significant increase in optical density readings, while IgG2-ELISA showed elevated optical density readings in sera of patients with chronic elephantiasis. Therefore IgG2-ELISA is potentially useful in the diagnosis of brugian chronic elephantiasis while IgG4-ELISA may be beneficial for follow-up diagnosis of treated microfilaraemic patients.

Animals↗

An overview of health care systems: Canada and selected OECD countries.

This article presents an overview of health care systems in Canada and selected OECD countries (Australia, France, Finland, Germany, Sweden, the United States and the United Kingdom). The article discusses the organization of health care systems, health care expenditure, the availability and utilization of health services, and the health status of the population. In addition, it highlights and compares key health care indicators that are common to all health care systems. The article focuses on the relationship between health expenditure and health status in terms of life expectancy and infant mortality and shows that the United States had the highest infant mortality and second lowest life expectancy for females at birth in 1990 while it spent the most on health care as percentage of GDP. The article also shows that the overall health status indicators in some countries such as Finland and Sweden are comparable to that of Canada despite spending considerably less on health care.

Adult↗

The translation and evaluation of an Urdu version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.

The translation of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) into Urdu was undertaken by the authors in committee. After examining initial drafts by 6 independent translators, an agreed Urdu text was given to 6 back-translators, and subsequently modified further. The evaluation of the new translation was performed in 3 stages: evaluation of linguistic equivalence of items in a bilingual population; evaluation of conceptual equivalence by examining item-subscale correlations: and evaluation of scale equivalence by 2-way classification of high and low scorers. Satisfactory results at each stage suggest that the Urdu version is a reliable and valid translation of the HADS for use in Pakistan.

Adult↗

Human monoclonal antibodies to neuroendocrine granules derived from tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes isolated from a primitive neuroectodermal tumor.

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes were isolated from a primitive neuroectodermal tumor and fused with GM4672 cells, resulting in hybrids secreting human IgM-kappa antibody, which is reactive to olfactory neuroblastoma tumor cells. Hybridoma clones 4F and 9G produce human monoclonal antibodies reactive to autologous and allogeneic neuroblastoma tumor cells and subsets of pancreatic islet cells in formalin-fixed tissues. They react specifically with dense core granules of glucagon and insulin-producing islet cells, but not with those in cells producing somatostatin. Calcitonin granules are not recognized by these antibodies. The area of localization of the granules is distinct from the component labeled by murine monoclonal antibodies to chromogranin A. The clones have remained stable in culture for over two years and continue to secrete up to 60 micrograms/mL of human IgM. This study demonstrates the possibility of directly analyzing the antibody repertoire of tumor-infiltrating B cells, and this technique may allow the development of human monoclonal antibodies to other novel cellular antigens.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Malnutrition and child mortality: are socioeconomic factors important?

The influences of household economic condition, maternal education, sex, and nutritional status of children on mortality were examined using multivariate analytical techniques. Weights of around 1700 children aged 2 60 months in five villages of Matlab, Bangladesh, were taken during the first half of 1981. The children were followed for 18 months and their survival was recorded. The severely malnourished children had a risk of death nine times that of their counterparts with better nutritional status. Female children had a higher risk of death than the males. Mother's education and economic condition of household also showed negative relationships with the risk of death, but the effect of mother's education was modified by economic condition and sex of the children.

Bangladesh↗

Suppression of immunoglobulin production by germinal centre HNK-1+ CD3+ cells.

Germinal centre T cells co-expressing HNK-1 antigen have little lytic activity against NK targets (K562 cells). In order to determine whether these cells regulate B cell function, they were purified from human tonsils by panning on anti-HNK-1 antibody coated Petri dishes and co-cultured with autologous and allogeneic tonsillar T and B cells in the presence of pokeweed mitogen. At the end of 7 days of culture, supernatants were assayed for immunoglobulin concentration by ELISA. A dose-dependent suppression of both IgG and IgM production was demonstrated at ratios from 1:125 to 1:16 of HNK-1+ cells to B cells, but enhancement was observed at very low ratios (less than 1:500) or ratios exceeding 1:16 in some tonsil preparations. Similar results were obtained with peripheral blood HNK-1+ cells but without enhancement in some cases at the extremes of HNK-1+ cells to B cell ratios. The suppression was not MHC-restricted. These preliminary experiments indicate that germinal centre HNK-1+ cells may be intrafollicular suppressor cells.

Antibody Formation↗

[Para-articular fracture of the hip joint in the aged--an indication for immediate operation?].

177 patients with fractures near the hip joint were operated on between January 1983 and December 1985. The fractures were treated with Ender pinnings, total endoprostheses and dynamic hip screws (compression screw fixation). Up to June 1984 surgery was performed after the patients had been allowed a stabilisation phase of 4 days on the average, but from July 1984 onwards we aimed at performing immediate surgery within 12 hours. The second group was compared with the first group in a retrospective study in respect of recumbent period and mortality (hospital mortality and mortality after 8 months). The period during which the patients had to remain recumbent in the hospital was found to be considerably shorter, but there were no statistically significant differences in respect of mortality. The causes and consequences are discussed.

Aged↗

[3 years experiences with the dynamic hip compression screw].

The authors report on 140 cases of fractures near the hip joint, which had been treated by applying a dynamic hip compression screw (DHS). DHS is an ideal method for stabilising pertrochanteral stable and lateral fractures. In unstable pertrochanteral fractures it is recommended to use a 130 degrees or 150 degrees DHS, depending on the age and the patient's preoperative ability to walk. In medial fractures of the neck of the femur the use of DHS offers no advantage compared with screwing or total endoprosthesis. The article reports on the postoperative results. In respect of these results DHS appears to be superior to fracture nailing according to Ender.

Adult↗

[Surgical therapy of benign obstructive jaundice (author's transl)].

The Mirizzi syndrome is the cause of one-third of all cases of benign obstructive jaundice; the therapy is cholecystectomy. Cholangiography is indispensible, manometry and choledochoscopy optional. Choledocholithiasis occurs in 50%. First, the stones are washed out and a Fogarty catheter is used, followed by spoon and forceps. Stenoses of the papilla are mostly dilated; therefore, transduodenal sphincterotomy in fibrotic stenoses should be used for impacted stones and suspected carcinoma of the papilla. The goal is definitive therapy during the first procedure, preserving anatomy and physiology; endoscopic sphincterotomy should be used for the second operation if possible.

Adolescent↗

Herpesvirus hominis type 2 infections in rabbits: effect of prior immunization with attenuated Mycobacterium bovis (BCG) cells.

Angora, New Zealand, and Dutch-belted rabbits were tested for their susceptibility to graded doses of Herpesvirus hominis type 2 administered by vaginal instillation, intracorneal injection, and scarification of the cornea. Central nervous system involvement and death occurred after infection by the various routes employed. Prior immunization of Dutch-belted and New Zealand rabbits with viable Mycobacterium bovis (BCG) cells injected intravenously provided protection against subsequent infections with type 2 virus.

Animals↗