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Biomedical subjects

S Reif

Publications and source records attributed to S Reif.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Diurnal variation in serum bilirubin concentrations in infants with neonatal jaundice.

We investigated whether there are independent intradaily changes in bilirubin levels in neonates. Healthy term newborn infants (n = 124) with neonatal jaundice bilirubin >/t171 mmol/L (10mg/dl) were studied for at least 3 consecutive days. Starting from the second day of life, consistent intradaily changes were observed in bilirubin levels (morning levels were greater than evening levels; p < 0.001), and body weight steadily increased. This diurnal variation in bilirubin levels should be considered in the follow-up and treatment of neonatal jaundice.

Bilirubin↗
PubMed1995

Portal vein thrombosis caused by protein C and protein S deficiency associated with cytomegalovirus infection.

A 4-month-old girl who was examined because of splenomegaly had portal vein thrombosis, which apparently resulted from a combination of cytomegalovirus infection and deficiency of both protein S and protein C. The cytomegalovirus infection, by damaging endothelial cells, may have triggered a cascade of events that was ultimately expressed as portal vein thrombosis resulting from deficiency of proteins S and C.

Blood Protein Disorders↗
PubMed1995

Long-term follow-up and outcome of infants with non-organic failure to thrive.

Sixty-one children diagnosed as having non-organic failure to thrive during infancy were reviewed at an average of 5 years after their initial presentation, and were compared to a control group matched for age, sex, social class, and ethnic affiliation. Children with a previous history of failure to thrive were found to be shorter and, in particular, to gain less weight. Birthweight percentile and maternal height of children with failure to thrive were lower than those of matched children from the control group. They also had more learning difficulties and evidenced developmental delay. The degree of growth retardation and the duration of follow-up had no significant effect on the outcome. In contrast, birthweight, maternal height, and social status and, to a lesser extent, paternal parameters were good predictors of catching-up capabilities of these infants in terms of weight and height. Children who caught up faster had better school performances and came from families of higher socioeconomic status. Failure to thrive is a multifactorial process involving biological, nutritional, and environmental factors. All these components should be considered in long-term follow-up and management.

Anthropometry↗
PubMed1994

[Intussusception in infants].

Intussusception, the invagination of a portion of the intestine into an adjacent segment, is the most common cause of intestinal obstruction in post neonatal children. Most cases are idiopathic, but in about 2-12% the intussusception evolves secondary to an underlying abnormality. Classically, there is sudden onset of attacks of screaming, accompanied by pallor, vomiting, and irritability in a previously health child. Some gradually become weaker and lethargic. We evaluated variations in presenting symptoms and outcome as related to age and time until admission. There were incidence peaks in the spring and autumn. 48% developed irritability, while 42% were described as apathetic. These results emphasize the importance of awareness that apathy can be a major presenting symptom. The younger the child, the greater the rate of success of reduction by hydrostatic pressure. In those admitted within 24 hours of onset, the rate of reduction was twice that in those admitted later. Awareness of atypical symptoms and early diagnosis may affect treatment and improve prognosis.

Humans↗
PubMed1994

Urine as an alternative to urethral swabs for the diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis in infertile males.

Swabbing the urethrae of men has been the traditional approach for collecting specimens for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis. Recently, however, urine testing using enzyme immunoassay has yielded promising results. A total of 105 patients attending the Andrology Clinic at Ga Rankuwa Hospital, Medunsa were included in the study. These patients were asymptomatic and had no urethral discharge. Three endo-urethral swabs and first-catch urine were collected from each patient. The urethral swabs were used for enzyme immunoassay (EIA) (IDEIA III), tissue culture and direct immunofluorescent antibody (DFA) test (IMAGEN) to detect C. trachomatis. In addition about 15-30 ml of first-catch urine, or urine collected at least 2h after the previous micturition, was collected for each patient for EIA testing. Fifteen (14.3%) of 105 patients were positive on urethral swab EIA, in comparison with the DFA test in which 14 (13.3%) were positive. Eight (7.8%) were positive in tissue culture. Urine EIA was positive in 17 (16.2%) patients, of whom five (4.8%) were positive in urine EIA only. All EIA positive urines were confirmed by DFA. We recommend that first-catch urine or urine collected at least 2h after the previous micturition in infertile males may be considered a suitable alternative to urethral swab for chlamydial diagnosis because it is noninvasive and nontraumatic.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Biochemical analysis of tunica vaginalis fluid in patients with or without idiopathic hydroceles.

OBJECTIVE: To establish the differences, if any, between the biochemical composition of idiopathic hydrocele fluid and the fluid normally present in the tunica vaginalis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Aspiration and sclerotherapy of 37 idiopathic hydroceles from patients who presented to this urology clinic were performed. The biochemical content of the fluid was compared with that of the tunica vaginalis fluid from a small group of controls (n = 8), taken from patients undergoing orchidectomy for carcinoma of the prostate. RESULTS: Differences in several measurements were recorded; in particular, there were significantly higher concentrations of calcium, albumin, total protein and creatine-kinase in the hydrocele group. The levels of potassium, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase and alkaline phosphatase were significantly lower in the hydrocele group. CONCLUSION: Whether these differences have a role in the causation of an idiopathic hydrocele is, at this stage, speculative. A similar study on a larger scale would probably be more conclusive.

Albumins↗
PubMed1993

Perinatal food restriction in rats reduces the content but not concentration of liver extracellular matrix proteins.

Fibrosis of the liver has been reported to be associated with malnutrition, based on qualitative histological and histochemical approaches. The aim of this study was to quantitatively examine the effect of perinatal food-restriction on the expression of extracellular matrix components of the liver, using rats fed 50% of ad libitum intake, determined by the food consumption of the control group on the previous day. Levels of extracellular matrix proteins were measured by dot blot analysis using monospecific antibodies against collagen types I, III and IV, laminin and fibronectin. The body weights of 4, 8 and 13-wk-old malnourished groups were 25, 35 and 48% of the control group body weights, respectively, and the liver weights were 22, 32 and 60% of the controls. The total contents of the extracellular matrix components were significantly reduced to 30, 34 and 58% of the controls, but when expressed per tissue or per milligram protein there were no significant differences. Indirect immunofluorescence revealed no major changes in extracellular matrix localization. The major histological change in the food-restricted rats was fatty infiltration. Our observations suggest that the effect of perinatal food restriction is mainly liver steatosis, and that the liver of food-restricted animals during the perinatal period has the capacity to preserve its main extracellular matrix components.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

The immunopathology of cardiac xenograft rejection in the guinea pig-to-rat model.

The mechanisms underlying rejection by rats of vascularized guinea pig xenografts have been controversial. The aim of this study was to define, using sequential immunopathologic analysis, the contributions of xenoreactive antibody, complement, and effector cells to the rejection of guinea pig cardiac xenografts by Lewis rats. In untreated recipients, hyperacute rejection of guinea pig cardiac xenografts occurred in 20 +/- 10.2 min and was characterized by focal endothelial deposition of IgM and by diffuse deposition of C3. IgG was not localized to endothelial surfaces, but was present in the same locations as albumin, suggesting that the accumulation of IgG might reflect nonspecific leakage of plasma proteins from blood vessels. No polymorphonuclear or monocytic infiltrate was observed. Depletion from rats of xenoreactive antibody to undetectable levels prolonged the survival of guinea pig cardiac xenografts, but did not prevent hyperacute rejection; the rejected xenografts contained deposits of C3 along the microvasculature but no deposits of IgM or IgG. No cellular infiltrate was observed. Depletion of complement with cobra venom factor prolonged the survival of xenografts up to 96 hr. Xenograft tissues from complement-depleted animals had diffuse deposits of IgM along the microvasculature, but no detectable deposits of C3 or IgG were noted. Graft tissues obtained at various times after transplantation into complement-depleted animals revealed cellular infiltrates consisting of granulocytes, monocytes, and lymphocytes, but few cells bearing an NK cell phenotype. Our findings are consistent with the concept that complement activation is essential for the hyperacute rejection of discordant xenografts, and that in this particular model complement activation can proceed without the involvement of antibody. However, our findings also suggest that xenoreactive antibody contributes to hyperacute rejection and, along with effector cells, contributes to the later rejection of a xenograft when hyperacute rejection has been averted. Finally, we show that when hyperacute rejection is avoided, a form of vascular rejection occurs in which certain of the pathologic features--i.e., interstitial hemorrhage, interstitial edema, and thrombosis--are very similar to those observed in hyperacute rejection. Whether this form of rejection is a delayed form of the process that leads to hyperacute rejection or a novel pathologic process of graft rejection has yet to be determined.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Changes in transcripts of basement components during rat liver development: increase in laminin messenger RNAs in the neonatal period.

The expression of laminin and type IV collagen messenger RNA in rat liver was investigated in relation to liver development. Levels of messenger RNA for laminin chains A, B1 and B2, and alpha 1 and alpha 2 chains of type IV collagen were studied by Northern-blot and dot-blot analysis. Although the expression of messenger RNAs for laminin B1 and B2 chains was higher in 19-day gestational fetal liver when compared with the adult, the highest level was detected in 15-day newborns. This finding coincides with the final establishment of the mature liver. Laminin A messenger RNA was not detected in the 19-day gestational fetus or in the neonatal period. In contrast, alpha 1-(IV) and alpha 2-(IV) collagen messenger RNAs maintained high levels in the early neonate and then decreased gradually after 15 days. Our findings suggest that during late stages of liver ontogeny the main components of liver basement membrane proteins undergo a significant alteration in their synthesis. The data further suggest that laminin may play a role in the final stages of hepatic differentiation.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) in infertile males attending the andrology clinic at Ga-Rankuwa Hospital.

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) affect the physiology of male/female reproduction. Chronic bacterial infection of semen is uncommon, but may be a cause of male infertility. Antibacterial treatment results in improvement in sperm quality, once the infection is eradicated. Little is known about how infection with Mycoplasma hominis affects semen quality, but treatment with antibiotics improves motility and decreases the percentage of coiled tails. Chlamydia trachomatis is not frequently isolated from the urethral cultures of normal men, but is a major cause of nongonococcal urethritis and epididymitis. Chlamydia is an important cause of epididymal and oviductal obstruction. Trichomonas vaginalis most frequently colonizes the vagina and cervix of women and the anterior urethra of the male sexual partners. The highest prevalence is in sexually active men and women and Trichomoniasis may well be the most common STD. Syphilis may be an important cofactor in facilitating transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). A history of syphilis or a positive serologic test for syphilis is associated with HIV seropositivity in men. In South Africa, the seropositivity in pregnant black women ranges from 11-20%. Ga-Rankuwa Hospital is the referral center for 40 peripheral hospitals and over 4 million people. Since the inception of the Andrology Laboratory in June 1985, more than 5300 semen analyses have been performed on 2000 patients.

Africa↗
PubMed1991

Gallstones in children. Characterization by age, etiology, and outcome.

Fifty children and adolescents were found to have gallstones at Children's Hospital of Buffalo (NY) during a period of 10 years. The mean (+/- SD) age was 12.2 +/- 6.2 years, with 21 boys and 29 girls. The majority of patients could be categorized into four groups: hemolytic disease (18 patients), parenteral nutrition (eight patients), adolescent pregnancy (seven patients), and idiopathic (10 patients), while seven patients had a variety of other etiologies. Right upper quadrant pain was the most common symptom (32 patients), followed by jaundice (15 patients), vomiting (13 patients), and nonspecific abdominal complaints (13 patients). Ten patients presented with jaundice and underlying hemolytic disease; seven patients were asymptomatic. Clinical presentation was found to vary with age and factors associated with the development of gallstones. Ultrasonography was the mode of diagnosis in 48 patients. Cholecystectomy was performed in 36 patients. In contrast to gallstones in adults, after exclusion of the patients with adolescent pregnancy, there was no female predominance. Pancreatitis was the most common complication, occurring in 8% of the patients; cholecystitis and cholangitis were absent.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Protein losing enteropathy as a manifestation of Henoch-Schönlein purpura.

Gastrointestinal manifestations of Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) commonly include abdominal pain and gastrointestinal bleeding. Hypoproteinemia and edema could be related to renal involvement. We report a 14-year-old boy with classical features of HSP manifestated with edema due to severe intestinal protein loss, measured by elevated fecal alpha 1 antitrypsin secretion. The protein losing enteropathy subsided with corticosteroid therapy.

Adolescent↗