Biomedical subjects

K Abrams

Publications and source records attributed to K Abrams.

58 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Arrowroot as a treatment for diarrhoea in irritable bowel syndrome patients: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: Arrowroot is an old-fashioned remedy for diarrhoea, but no clinical studies have been done to evaluate its effectiveness. The aim of this pilot study was to assess its efficacy as a treatment for diarrhoea in 11 patients, all of whom had irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea as a feature. METHODS: The patients were interviewed and a questionnaire completed on entry into the trial. They then took 10 mL arrowroot powder three times a day for one month and discontinued the treatment for the subsequent month. Questionnaires were completed after one month on treatment and at the end of the trial after one month off treatment. RESULTS: Arrowroot reduced diarrhoea and had a long-term effect on constipation. It also eased abdominal pain. CONCLUSION: Arrowroot is an effective treatment for diarrhoea. Its action could be explained by several theories which relate to an increase in faecal bulk and thus a more efficient bowel action. The number of patients was small, and further studies are needed to substantiate preliminary results.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of protective efficacy of recombinant subunit vaccines against simian immunodeficiency virus infection of macaques.

Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) was used as a model to study the protective efficacy of an immunization regimen currently being evaluated as candidate vaccines against HIV in human subjects. Four Macaca fascicularis were first immunized with recombinant vaccinia virus expressing the envelope glycoprotein gp160 of SIVmne and then boosted with subunit gp160. Both cell-mediated and humoral immune responses against SIV, including neutralizing antibodies, were elicited. The macaques were shown to be protected from a homologous virus infection as determined by serology, lymphocyte cocultivation, polymerase chain reactions and in vivo transmission analyses. Four unimmunized control animals were readily infected. However, viremia in infected control animals could decrease substantially following the initial phase of infection so that persistent infection might not be readily detectable.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Pesticide-related dermatoses in agricultural workers.

We need to improve education of farm workers and their families to the potential hazards of exposure to the chemicals and other agents that they are in contact with on a daily basis. Simple measures such as showers in the fields and a change of clothes after work might lower the cutaneous reactions to these chemicals significantly. To that end, physicians can better educate themselves to highlight this area more intensely to residents in training, to offer lectures on the subject at dermatology conferences, and to foster better communication between our public health agencies and the pesticide industry itself. Companies are often cooperative when made aware of the benefits of irritant- and allergic-potential testing. Pesticide registration should require from the companies patch-testing before the product comes to market to determine the threshold irritant concentration and irritant potential of the vehicle.

Agricultural Workers' Diseases↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Protection of vaccinia-primed macaques against SIVmne infection by combination immunization with recombinant vaccinia virus and SIVmne gp160.

Two Macaca fascicularis with preexisting immunity to vaccinia virus were immunized twice with recombinant vaccinia virus expressing SIVmne gp160. Their SIV-specific antibody responses were lower than that of vaccinia-naive animals immunized similarly. Upon repeated boosting with gp160, the SIV-specific antibody titers in vaccinia-primed animals reached similar levels as vaccinia-naive animals and with comparable neutralizing titers. Both animals were protected against repeated intravenous challenge with low-dose SIVmne E11S. These results are significant because SIVmne E11S infection in M. fascicularis is pathogenic and leads to AIDS-like diseases.

Animals↗