Normal ranges for bone marrow differential cell counts in Saudi Arabians

The values for bone marrow nucleated cell differentials in normal Saudi Arabian donors of bone marrow have been determined by studying 18 such donors. Most of the figures obtained are similar to those in reference ranges published for normal subjects from Western countries although the percentages for segmented neutrophils, lymphocytes, and polychromatophilic normoblasts differ significantly. However, they provide a working reference range for assessing the bone marrow of Saudi patients with various types of haematological disease

Immunological and histochemical study of skin biopsies and arterial vessels in human schistosomal hepatic fibrosis in relation to atherogenesis

Clinical and postmortem evidence indicated that complicated atherosclerosis is less frequent in patients with schistosomal hepatic fibrosis [SHF]. Underlying mechanisms have been previously searched for, among which, abnormalities in blood coagulation, fibrinolysis, lipid metabolism, estrogen inactivation hemodynamics, dietary factors and immune mechanisms. As some workers have suggested that skin condition may reflect the state of the arterial wall in the domain of atherosclerosis, the present work aimed to extrapolate this view to SHF situation, besides trying to elucidate possible local tissue factors which would damp atherogenesis in this disease. For this 20 patients with SHF, five among them showing atherosclerosis; 10 patients with complicated atherosclerosis and 10 healthy volunteers, all males aged above 40 years included in the study. Besides clinical, electrocardiographic and function, blood lipids profile and skin biopsy for histochemical and immunofluorescent studies have been performed. Some of the patients have been subjected to amputation [lower limb] either for morbid conditions [foot gangrene] or accidents [in control group] and amputated limb arteries have been subjected to the same study. The results revealed that findings in the skin were concordant with those in the arterial wall, significant increased deposition of immunoglobulins and C3 with increased phospholipids and decreased cholesterol deposits in both tissues in patients with SHF without atherosclerosis, particularly in those with collaterals; while, the reverse was observed in patients with complicated atherosclerosis. These findings suggested the importance of the local immuno-metabolic interaction as a sharing mechanism of modulation of atherogenesis in schistosomal patients

effect of comparison of complex carbohydrates and high fibre preparations on post-prandial blood glucose and insulin levels in non-insulin dependent diabetics

Since the last decade, the physiological effects of dietary fibres and their possible role in prevention and management of many diseases have been emphasized. The aim of the present work has been to study the possible effects of supplementary different complex carbohydrates, consumed by the Egyptian population, with high fibre preparation, on the post-prandial blood glucose and insulin levels- in non-insulin dependent diabetics. This work has been carried out on 30 NIDD, who have been subjected to oral carbohydrate tolerance tests using boiled rice, boiled potatoes or bread [equivalent to 75 g glucose] at different occasions. Then the same patients have been subjected to the same tests after supplementing each carbohydrate load with high fibre preparation in the form of ceral bran and citrus fruit fibres. Blood glucose and insulin levels have been estimated using RIA technique for the latter. The maximum increment rise of glucose occurred at 90 minutes post-prandial and rice elecited the lowest glucose response, while potatoes elecited the highest one. Similarly rice elecited the lowest plasma insulin response. Supplementation of fibres led to marked and significant reduction of blood glucose level at 60 and 90 minutes in cases of rice and bread [P < 0.05] while the reduction is not significant in cases of potatoes [P > 0.05]. On the other hand addition of high fibre preparation did not affect siguificantly insulin resnonse