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Biomedical subjects

M Ismail

Publications and source records attributed to M Ismail.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Lymphatic filariasis: detection of circulating and urinary antigen and differences in antibody isotypes complexed with circulating antigen between symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects.

A two-site immunoradiometric assay using a monoclonal antibody (MoAb) against Brugia malayi microfilariae allowed the detection of parasite molecules both in the serum and the urine of patients from Sri Lanka infected with Wuchereria bancrofti. Whereas 50% of patients had no antigen in their serum, all of them excreted detectable amounts of antigen in their urine, the levels being higher in symptomatic than in asymptomatic patients. The poor detection in serum appeared to be related to the presence of circulating immune complexes. It was shown that the isotype of the antibodies complexed with the circulating antigen was IgM in the asymptomatic group, while it was mainly IgG in the symptomatic patients (swelling and lymphoedema or elephantiasis). These results suggest the existence of regulatory immune mechanisms affecting the clinical expression of lymphatic filariasis.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Studies of the penetration of the blood brain barrier by atrial natriuretic factor.

The atrial natriuretic factors (ANF) have been detected in various areas of the brain. To determine whether circulating blood borne ANF could contribute to the ANF content in the central nervous systems we examined the ability of ANF-99-126 or ANF-102-126 to penetrate the blood brain barrier. Carotid artery injections of [3H] inulin with [125I] ANF in anesthetized rabbits resulted in a comparably minimal brain uptake index (BUI) for each labeled substance as measured in cerebral cortex extracts. Injection of [3H] HOH and [125I] ANF resulted in a mean BUI in cortex of 4.9 +/- .6 (SEM)% for ANF relative to triated water; this low uptake was not significantly saturable. The BUI ratio for ANF/HOH in olfactory bulb was somewhat higher though still low, at 7.0 +/- 9%, possibly reflecting the high density of ANF receptors in this structure. Infusion of [125I] ANF into the carotid artery of anesthetized rabbits resulted in little radioactivity being detected in the cerebrospinal fluid. Infusion of unlabeled ANF, which raised plasma levels as high as 26.3 ng/ml, resulted in little change in CSF levels. Our results demonstrate that the uptake of ANF into the brain is minimal and supports the idea that local synthesis of ANF predominantly accounts for the brain pool of this peptide.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Ocular effects of the venom from the spitting cobra (Naja nigricollis).

N. nigricollis venom caused transient corneal oedema, extensive chemosis and pupillary dilation when applied topically to the corneas of albino and pigmented rabbits. After 1 month, permanent corneal scarring, neovascularization and deepithelialization was noted in albino eyes, whereas minimal scarring or deepithelialization occurred in pigmented eyes. In contrast, mydriasis and cycloplegia occurred initially in the pigmented eye, with the pupil remaining fixed and dilated for more than 7 days. The albino pupil, however, returned to normal within 2-3 days. Preliminary penetration studies using labelled venom revealed that N. nigricollis venom was mainly bound in the corneal stroma of the albino eye and showed poor penetration, whereas minimal corneal binding and poor penetration was noted in the pigmented eye. It appears that the high initial corneal edema may result from the intrinsic release of histamine and acetylcholine. The progression of corneal edema to liquefaction and opacification is probably due to the release of an endogenous corneal damaging factor by the venom presumably a collagenase or proteinase. Treatment with corticosteroids significantly increased the severity of the keratoconjunctivitis and deepithelialization, whereas treatment with heparin significantly reduced the keratoconjunctivitis and prevented further opacification. It is postulated that heparin might act through its chelating effect on ions necessary for the action of the proteolytic enzymes.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Lupus anticoagulants: improved diagnosis with a kaolin clotting time using rabbit brain phospholipid in standard and high concentrations.

We utilized a kaolin-activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) using rabbit brain phospholipid, in which the capacity of a fourfold increased "high" phospholipid concentration (PC) to normalize the abnormal "standard" PC-APTT in patients with lupus anticoagulants is assessed. This system was also used to measure factors VIIIC, IX, and XI. The tissue thromboplastin inhibition test (TTI), a prothrombin time system in which the activity of a lupus anticoagulant is unmasked by the use of dilute thromboplastin, was simultaneously evaluated. Test sensitivity was defined by results on 31 consecutive patients with standard PC-APTT inhibitors and no bleeding tendency. Specificity was based on 94 patients with various other coagulopathies, including coagulation factor inhibitors, severe congenital factor deficiencies, hepatic insufficiency, and warfarin and heparin treatment. Twenty-one patients with lupus erythematosus and standard PC-APTT results within normal limits were also tested. Sensitivity of the APTT system was superior to that of the TTI (97% v 58%); high PC normalized clotting time ratios and factor levels. Positive results were common with both assays in the group of 20 heparinized patients. The APTT system had superior specificity in remaining cases; there were no positive tests among 74 patients. The lupus erythematosus group had a significant decrease in the clotting time ratio with high PC, indicating that low-level lupus anticoagulants are quite prevalent in this group. The kaolin clotting time using rabbit brain phospholipid in standard and high concentrations is a simple, sensitive, and specific technique for diagnosis of lupus anticoagulants.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Teratogenicity in the rat of the venom from the scorpion Androctonus amoreuxi (Aud. & Sav.).

A. amoreuxi venom caused a high foetal resorption rate in rats, particularly when injected on days 9-11 of gestation. Vertebral and ossification defects and foetal weight loss were observed in many of the viable foetuses obtained from mothers treated with scorpion venom. Treatment of the rats with phentolamine in addition to the venom significantly reduced the venom-induced hyperglycemia. It also conferred some protection against foetal resorption but had only a slight effect on chondrification or foetal weight loss. This shows that hyperglycemia might be responsible for foetal mortality, but alone is not a decisive factor in the effect of the venom on the chondrification process. Treatment of the rats with triamterene reduced the foetal resorption rate and significantly decreased the effects of the venom on chondrification. However, marked stippling was observed in the long bones and was ascribed to marked mobilization of ionized calcium in the foetus. Foetuses removed from rats treated with phentolamine or triamterene in addition to the venom, however, showed flattened and depressed skulls, possibly from a missing 1st cervical vertebra or failure of the occipital fontanel to close. Treatment of the rats with the scorpion venom over a longer period of time and starting at an earlier time of gestation (days 7-14) caused total foetal resorption, which may be due to inhibition of histamine formation by the venom. The teratogenic effect of the venom appears to be the result of its metabolic effect and action on body electrolytes of the maternal animal, rather than to a direct effect on the foetuses. This was evidenced from experiments with labelled venom, where only a small fraction (0.08-0.33%) was detected in foetuses or placenta.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗
PubMed1981

An analysis of maternal transport within a suburban metropolitan region.

Data on 185 infants transported for perinatal and/or neonatal care from suburban metropolitan hospitals were analyzed. Following birth, 100 infants were transferred from community hospitals. A total of 85 infants were transported in utero and delivered at a tertiary (Level III) perinatal center. Survival rate was 90% for infants transported in utero contrasted with 81% for the infant transports. This difference was not significant. When hospitalization cost and length of stay were used as an index of morbidity, there was a significant difference between the two groups. The mean hospitalization cost of survivors was $6,473 for in utero transports compared to $12,208 for infant transports (p less than 0.005). The mean length of stay for in utero transports was 19 days contrasted to 27 days for infant transports (p less than 0.05). The findings of this study indicate that in utero transports resulted in reduced morbidity for infants of high-risk pregnancies.

Female↗
PubMed1981

Detection of lysozyme production using modified technique as an aid for the identification of pathogenic staphylococci causing some animal and human diseases.

Lysozyme production is an essential character of the potentially pathogenic staphylococci. In the present work 88 strains of animal origin and 40 strains of human origin were tested. Of 103 strains isolated from pathogenic cases of human and animal origin 89 (86.4%) were lysozyme producers and 86 (83.5%) were coagulase positive. Out of 75 strains isolated from pathogenic cases of animal origin 75 (100%) were lysozyme producers and 71 (94.6%) were coagulase positive. On the other hand out of 28 strains isolated from pathogenic human cases 14 (50%) were lysozyme producers and 15 (53.6%) were coagulase positive. This indicates that lysozyme production could be a better index of pathogenic staphylococci than the coagulase measurement specially in cases of animal origin strains. The method used in this work for the determination of the lysozyme production seems to be a simple one if compared with other used methods.

Animals↗