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Biomedical subjects

M M Moussa

Publications and source records attributed to M M Moussa.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Micronutrient levels in HIV-1-infected children.

OBJECTIVE: Micronutrients (zinc, copper, selenium, vitamin A, E, and carotenoids) are essential for the integrity of host defences. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of abnormalities of the micronutrient levels in HIV-1-seropositive children. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: The study was performed on HIV-1-infected children at the Paediatric Haematology and Oncology Unit of Toulouse Hospital, France. PATIENTS: Twenty-one children, suffering from HIV-1 infection and 21 control subjects of similar age (2-9 years) were included in the study. In the HIV-1-infected children, two subgroups were considered according to stage (non-AIDS or AIDS), based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1987 criteria. RESULTS: The first statistically significant deficiencies occurred at non-AIDS stage and were confirmed at AIDS stage: P < 0.05 for lycopene, retinol, tocopherol and P < 0.001 for transthyretin and serum albumin. Levels of copper (40%) and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (21%) were higher in the non-AIDS group than the controls. CONCLUSION: Biological impairing of the micronutrient levels was observed in the non-AIDS stage without clinical sign. This information is useful in delineating eventual and well considered nutritional intervention strategies that may improve the clinical status of HIV-1-infected children and perhaps alter the course of their disease.

Carotenoids↗
PubMed1993

Office diagnosis and management of group A streptococcal pharyngitis employing the rapid antigen detecting test. A 1-year prospective study of reliability and cost in primary care centres.

The impact of introducing the rapid antigen detecting test for the diagnosis of group A streptococcal pharyngitis in primary care centres and the direct and comprehensive cost-effectiveness of four alternative strategies for the management of group A streptococcal pharyngitis and the prevention of rheumatic fever were assessed in a 1-year prospective randomized study, carried out in children between the ages of 5 and 14 years. Data from the study showed that the test was easy to perform and reliable when introduced as a service in primary care. The strategy of using the rapid antigen detecting test and a 10-day oral penicillin course for diagnosis and treatment proved to be the safest and most cost-effective. If compliance with a 10-day course of oral penicillin is unlikely to be achieved, the strategy of introducing the test and treatment by intramuscular benzathin penicillin G proved to be the second best cost-effective alternative. In developing countries, where acute rheumatic fever is still common and the cost of the test and a 10-day course of penicillin may prove to be formidable, a strategy of treating all children with pharyngitis with intramuscular benzathin penicillin G seems to be the most cost-effective. The strategy of diagnosing group A streptococcal pharyngitis on clinical grounds proved to be the worst.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Caffeine and sperm motility.

Six different doses of caffeine were used to study its effect on human spermatozoal motility. The recently developed method for assessment of sperm motility by videomicrography was used to determine the percentage of sperm motility, swimming speed (velocity), percentage of progressive sperm, and progressive swimming speed. In doses of 3 and 6 mM/ml, caffeine significantly increased the percentage of motile sperm, but it had no influence on sperm velocity. In doses greater than 6 mM/ml, caffeine exhibited a slight insignificant stimulation that reversed later into an inhibitory effect on all parameters of sperm motility in a dose of 60 mM/ml. Reaching a dose of 120 mM/ml, caffeine caused complete immobilization of human spermatozoa.

Caffeine↗
PubMed1978

Effect of some heterocyclic compounds on human semen composition and biology.

The effect of some heterocyclic compounds on some aspects of human semen metabolism was studied. Caffeine produced stimulation of motility and lactic acid production and an inhibition of fructose utilization and oxygen uptake. Nicotinamide and riboflavin produced stimulation of motility, fructose utilization and oxygen uptake and an inhibition of lactic acid production.

Caffeine↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of varicocele on sperm respiration and metabolism.

Semen samples from 41 infertile male patients (30 with varicocele and 11 controls) were examined, lactic and pyruvic acids were measured and the oxygen consumption was determined. Decreased sperm count, diminished motility, decreased lactic acid concentration and oxygen consumption were noticed among the varicocele patients as compared to controls. Pyruvic acid concentration was slightly increased in the varicocele group. It was concluded that a decrease in lactic dehydrogenase activity may be one of the abnormalities in the semen of varicocele patients.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Diagnostic value of determination of acid and alkaline phosphatase levels in the seminal plasma of infertile males.

To investigate the diagnostic value of phosphatases in seminal plasma, the levels of acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase were determined in 15 fertile subjects as well as in 26 cases of oligoasthenozoospermia. Statistical analysis of obtained data showed that acid phosphatase is a reliable parameter of prostatic function in cases of infection, while alkaline phosphatase may prove to be a non-specific parameter of subfertile semen. Alkaline phosphatase was significantly diminished in both oligozoospermia and azoospermia with and without infection or varicocele.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The use of the 'TRAM' flap in some oncological problems.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the use of the transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap in immediate autologous soft tissue coverage of the large wound defect that results from some oncological problems and would be impossible to close by direct primary sutures. The study included patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) (n = 24), post-mastectomy local recurrence (n = 10), post-mastectomy irradiation ulcer (n = 4), recurrent fibrosarcoma of the chest wall (n = 1), and a huge ulcerating malignant melanoma of the groin region (n = 1). All patients were female except for the patient with melanoma. Their ages ranged between 39-73 years with an average of 56.2 years. The lower TRAM flap was used in 24 patients and the middle in only six. Mesh re-inforcement of the abdominal wall was adopted in 14 patients (35%). The mean operating time was 2.5 h and the average postoperative hospital stay was 9.7 days (range, 7-12 days). Six patients (15%) had partial flap necrosis which healed after debridement and secondary sutures, and eight patients had wound sepsis (20%). No patient suffered from abdominal herniation, although four patients (10%) had an epigastric bulge postoperatively. During the 48.5 month follow-up period (range 36-56 months), three cases of local recurrence and four cases of distant metastases were encountered in the patients with LABC. Three of the latter died at 7, 11 and 12 months postoperatively. Based on these data, it may be concluded that the results of the TRAM flap for immediate coverage of the large post-extirpation defect in different oncological problems have been encouraging. No flaps were lost, no abdominal herniation was encountered, and overall complications were minimal.

Abdominal Muscles↗