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Biomedical subjects

H Hooshmand

Publications and source records attributed to H Hooshmand.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Effects of gamma irradiation on mycotoxin disappearance and amino acid contents of corn, wheat, and soybeans with different moisture contents.

The effects of gamma irradiation on degradation of aflatoxin B1 in wheat, corn, and soybeans and of T-2 toxin in wheat, deoxynivalenol (DON) in soybeans, and zearalenone in corn at 9, 13, and 17% moisture were studied. Radiation doses of 5, 7.5, 10 or 20 kGy were applied to spiked grain samples, and the residual toxins were measured using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Irradiation does of up to 20 kGy did not significantly affect aflatoxin B1 in any of the three grains, but significant reductions occurred in T-2 toxin, DON, and zearalenone concentration at doses of 10 or 20 kGy and in T-2 toxin at the 7.5 kGy dose. Two-way analysis of variance with Tukey's Multiple Range Test showed no significant interaction between radiation dose and grain moisture level. Irradiation of the ground grains at doses higher than 5 kGy resulted in small, but significant, losses of lysine in corn (only at 7.5 kGy), wheat, and soybeans, and methionine was reduced in wheat and corn samples. In some cases, phenylalamine decreased in corn and wheat, and histidine levels in wheat were reduced in samples receiving 7.5 kGy of irradiation. Other essential amino acids were not affected significantly by irradiation.

Aflatoxin B1

The neurophysiological aspects of electrical injuries.

Neurologic and psychologic studies were done on 16 victims of alternate current electrical injuries. The patients were followed for a period of over 5 years. The findings point to a stereotyped generalized cerebral dysfunction, resulting in depression, divorce, unemployment as well as a high incidence of atypical seizures (atonic and myoclonic seizures). The EEG and CT studies were nondiagnostic. Evoked potentials revealed abnormalities in the upper cervical spinal cord and lower brain stem regions, raising the possibility that the epileptogenic focus was too deep to be recorded by standard surface EEG recording. The fact that the electrical injury patients have a high incidence of severe emotional disturbance and post-traumatic depression along with atypical seizures, in the face of nondiagnostic EEG and CT studies, may result in improper management of such patients.

Adult

Technical and clinical aspects of topographic brain mapping.

TBM provides physiological and diagnostic information which is quite complementary to EEG, but does not replace the need for standard EEG recordings. For example, it does not show subtle morphologic abnormalities such as FIRDA, PLEDs or epileptiform discharges. Simultaneous EEG recording as well as impeccable technique are essential in proper recording of TBM, particularly as it can generate new forms of artifact. By prolonging the averaging time to over 180 seconds, and by application of flexible montages, a more accurate and cleaner record with less artifact can be obtained. Certain phenomena such as "centrifugal effect" and "comet effect" are examples of new problems generated by the advent of TBM. On the other hand, TBM can demonstrate subtle asymmetries, lateralization and localization effects more efficiently than a standard EEG. TBM is quite helpful clinically, when recording is done properly from a technical standpoint, in the diagnosis of post-traumatic syndrome and post-traumatic seizure disorder. It demonstrates subtle focal and lateralized asymmetries in cerebral hemispheric frequency bands in such patients. This information helps differentiate neurologic complications from psychiatric disorders. TBM plays a useful role in the differentiation and management of various other disorders, including depression, behavioral disturbances and dementias.

Adolescent

Significance of focal and lateralized beta activity in the EEG.

In a group of 16,432 EEGs studied in a five year period, a total of 43 with focal, lateralized or paroxysmal beta activity were noted. The focal beta activity was mainly seen in children suffering from intractable seizures secondary to A-V malformation, porencephalic cysts or tumors. This was practically an epileptiform discharge with a high clinical pathologic correlation. The lateralized beta activity was seen mainly in adults suffering from cerebrovascular disease or tumor. In the cerebrovascular group the lateralized activity was seen on the contra-lateral side of the lesion. The paroxysmal beta activity is a rare phenomenon seen purely as an ictal manifestation, and mainly seen in children with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome or infantile spasms. The importance of proper technique to record such abnormalities is emphasized.

Adolescent

The role of EEG in the emergency room.

Our experience with the use of EEG in the diagnosis and management of acute neuropsychiatric patients in the emergency room is reported. The importance of the role of EEG in the diagnosis of different types of seizure disorders, toxic-metabolic encephalopathies, acute psychoses, and head injuries is emphasized. In many conditions EEG may be the only diagnostic tool to help the physician to arrive at an accurate diagnosis and management of the patient. The cost efficiency is more practical than other more expensive and more customarily used tests such as CT Scan, and the information obtained cannot be reproduced by such other tests.

Brain Diseases

Seizure disorders associated with neurosyphilis.

Sixty-eight of 282 neurosyphilitic patients (24.1%) had repetitive adult onset seizures of unknown cause. Serum and CSF FTA-ABS were more accurate diagnostic tests than the non-treponemal serologic tests. The latter tests were reactive in only 54.5% of patients. In addition to standard anticonvulsants, the patients received 20-24 million units procain penicillin G IM during a three week period. The therapeutic failure rate among these patients was 17.3% in contrast to the nonsyphilitic patients who had 21.8-38.6% failure rates. The prognosis of seizures in GPI patients was the worst regardless of the form of treatment. The use of serum and CSF FTA-ABS is recommended as a part of diagnostic evaluation of adult-onset seizure disorders. The use of large doses of penicillin seems to improve the results of treatment.

Adolescent

Serum lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes in neuromuscular diseases.

Serum LDH isozymes render qualitative information which may be more specific than the quantitative changes of total serum LDH and total serum CPK in neuromuscular diseases. Muscle LDH isozymes vary with age, muscle, and species. Temporal study of serum LDH isozymes in experimental neurogenic atrophy demonstrated a temporary rise of serum LDH 5. In acute and progressive neurogenic diseases, a high serum LDH 5 was noted. Isozyme patterns were normal in chronic and non-progressive diseases. In Duchenne dystrophy, serum LDH 5 was low and stayed low until the final stages of the disease. This abnormality persisted long after serum total LDH and CPK returned to normal. This may reflect the leakage of genetically abnormal isozymes from the muscles to serum. It is concluded that the serum LDH isozyme pattern is a reliable qualitative test in the diagnosis of a genetic myopathy, and in differentiating progressive from static neurogenic atrophies.

Adolescent