Biomedical subjects

S A Afifi

Publications and source records attributed to S A Afifi.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1991

Cryptosporidiosis among children with acute gastroenteritis in the pediatric ward in the General Hospital, Penang.

Stool samples from 836 cases with diarrhea and acute gastroenteritis from the Pediatric ward, Penang General Hospital, were examined for Cryptosporidium oocysts. A dimethyl sulfoxide modified acid fast technique was used for the identification of the parasites. 36 samples or 4.3% were found to be positive for Cryptosporidium. The prevalence of infection was higher (2.39%) in children with diarrhea and vomiting than in children with acute gastroenteritis alone (0.8%). Stool examination and cultures from the Cryptosporidium positive samples revealed no other parasites, rotavirus or enteropathogenic bacteria. This suggests that Cryptosporidium may be an important agent in the causation of diarrhea in young children. A routine laboratory examination for the detection of Cryptosporidium in the search for causal agents of childhood diarrhea in our environment may, therefore, be significant.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1977

Gamma-irradiation and storage effects on some chemical aspects of carrots.

Studies on chemical changes induced by gamma-irradiation at optimum dose of 75 krad in carrots were undertaken. Sugars, nitrogen, free amino acids, amino acids of alcohol insoluble solids, and pectin fractions were determined. The results indicate that the postharvest irradiation of carrots does not dramatically affect their chemical composition during storage. However, it was observed that storage time affected significantly the biochemical changes occurring in the constituents of carrots exposed to gamma-irradiation.

Amino Acids↗

PubMed1976

Control of postharvest decay in fruits and vegetables by irradiation.

This paper deals with the effect of postharvest gamma-irradiation of strawberries and carrots on their organoleptic quality, storage capacity and chemical composition. Radiation doses of 25 krad for strawberries and 75 krad for carrots were chosen as optimum doses not causing significant changes in the organoleptic quality. We found that strawberries and carrots irradiated at a doseof 25 and 75 krad respectively, retained its microbiological stability even during storage at 12 degrees C (strawberries) and at 25-30 degrees C (carrots), respectively. It was also found that changes in chemical composition depend on storage temperature and time and are not affected substantially by irradiation.

Ascorbic Acid↗

PubMed1975

[Fluorescence bacterioscopy, a direct method for bacteriological food analysis].

The present bacteriological method which is intended for the simultaneous direct detection of live and dead germs in foods, offers certain difficulties in differentiating between bacterial cells and food consituents of similar forms. Furthermore, gram-negative germs are not disclosed. To overcome these difficulties, the authors performed comparative model experiments with Gram's stain and the fluorescence method, including pure cultures and foods of animal and vegetable origin. Among the fluorochromes tested (primuline, auramine, acridine orange and acridine yellow), acridine yellow has proved to be specially suited and superior to Gram's stain. A method is described which is termed fluorescence bacterioscopy. Its advantages and disadvantages are discussed.

Acridines↗