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Biomedical subjects

A Frankel

Publications and source records attributed to A Frankel.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Evaluation of monoclonal antibodies for the development of breast cancer immunotoxins.

Eighty-five antibodies recognizing breast cancer-selective antigens were conjugated to ricin toxin A-chain using a disulfide linkage. The cytotoxicities of the resulting immunotoxins were determined on breast cancer cells and normal human fibroblasts. Twenty-four antibodies formed immunotoxins that were toxic to at least one breast cancer cell line at concentrations of 10 nM or less but were nontoxic to human fibroblast lines used as negative controls. Some of the breast tumor-selective immunotoxins were as toxic as a conjugate between monoclonal anti-transferrin receptor and ricin toxin A-chain (50% inhibition of cellular protein synthesis at approximately 0.1 nM). Another set of four immunotoxins were indiscriminately toxic to human breast tumor cell lines, two human fibroblast cell lines, and a human lymphoblastoid line. Several of the antibodies the toxin conjugates of which specifically killed breast cancer cell lines may be useful in cancer therapy, since they show a wide range of binding to individual breast tumors and cell lines and a limited range of binding to normal tissue types.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Scintigraphic assessment of atrial function in patients with longstanding hypertension.

Right and left atrial function were assessed using Fourier analysis of gated radionuclide images in 14 normal subjects and 50 patients with long-standing essential hypertension. Slopes representing filling and early diastolic emptying were similar for both atria; however, early diastolic emptying of the left atrium was slowed markedly in the hypertensive group (42.6 +/- 18.6 counts/sec., vs. 79 +/- 16 in normal persons; p less than 0.001), implying a reduction in left ventricular compliance. The right ventricular ejection fraction was depressed in hypertensive patients compared with normal subjects (37.1 +/- 6% vs. 43.4 +/- 8.1%; p less than 0.01). These findings may be helpful in understanding the effect of hypertension on the left and right heart and could have prognostic and therapeutic implications as well.

Adult↗

IgA and IgM rheumatoid factors in serum, saliva and other secretions: relationship to immunoglobulin ratios in systemic sicca syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis.

Paired serum and saliva samples from seven patients with systemic sicca syndrome (SSS), 15 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and a positive Schirmer's test (RA+), 15 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and negative Schirmer's test (RA-) and 14 normal individuals were analysed for albumin and immunoglobulin concentration as well as IgA and IgM rheumatoid factor (RF) activity. Protein levels in saliva were higher in SSS and RA+ but, when corrected for serum concentration and salivary flow rate, only the IgG ratio remained significantly elevated in SSS (P less than 0.01) and RA- (P less than 0.05) and the IgM ratio was reduced in RA- (P less than 0.05) compared to controls. Although IgM RF activity in serum and saliva was strongly correlated (P less than 0.001) in all three patient groups, the activity in saliva was considerably lower than serum activity. In the two (RA) patients tested, IgM RF in saliva contained secretory component. Mean salivary IgA RF activity varied between 34% (RA-) and 84% (SSS) of serum activity and correlated with serum activity in SSS (P less than 0.001) and RA- (P less than 0.01). IgA RFs in saliva, but not in serum, contained secretory component. Additional demonstration of IgA RF activity in nasal and duodenal secretions in SSS may be related to involvement of the common mucosal immune system.

Adult↗

Gastric polyps.

We suggest an approach to patients with gastric polyps, based on a study of 73 patients seen at this institution over a 5-year period. There were 40 cases of adenomatous and 20 cases of hamartomatous polyps. Differentiation between these two groups of polyps was not possible on the basis of clinical presentation, laboratory data, radiological, or endoscopic appearance. Differentiation was possible only on histologic examination of a totally resected specimen. In this series, only the adenomatous polyps were associated with gastric cancers in five patients. Since the malignancy either preceded or followed the recognition of adenomatous polyps, it is important to establish an early definite histological diagnosis. Patients with known adenomatous polyps should be followed closely for the development of gastric carcinoma, even after the polyps have been removed.

Adenoma↗

Differentiating hepatic abscess from tumor: combined 111In white blood cell and 99mTc liver scans.

Space-occupying lesions in the liver are usually seen as photon-deficient areas on 99mTc sulfur colloid liver scans, irrespective of the underlying disease. The results of combined 111In white blood cell scans and sulfur colloid scans in three patients in whom the clinical diagnosis was either cancer or abscess are described. In the first patient, the 111In scan showed increased uptake in a region of the liver where 99mTc sulfur colloid scan showed a negative defect. Abscess was diagnosed. In the other two patients, both 111In and 99mTc scans showed cold lesions and cancer was believed to be the most likely diagnosis. These diagnoses were confirmed by biopsy. It is suggested that simultaneous white blood cell scans and sulfur colloid imaging provide additional specificity in diagnosis of hepatic masses.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Bone metastases and bone pain in breast cancer. Are they closely associated?

One hundred ninety patients with breast cancer were prospectively evaluated for bone pain and had technetium Tc 99m-methylene diphosphonate bone scintigraphy for bone metastases. Of the 66 patients showing evidence for bone metastases, 21 (32%) did not have bone pain. There were 155 sites of skeletal metastases, but pain was found only in 50 sites. The age of the patient or involvement of weight-bearing bones did not seem to affect the association between bone metastases and pain. We discuss the need for periodic bone scintigraphy, even when the clinical state does not seem to warrant it.

Adult↗

Chronic pseudo-obstruction secondary to side-to-side intestinal anastomosis.

An unusual late complication of side-to-side intestinal anastomosis, chronic small-bowel obstruction with massive proximal ileal dilation despite a widely patent anastomosis, occurred in a patient. The classic blind loop syndrome was not present. Several potential mechanisms are suggested, including regional absence of normal peristalsis on a mechanical basis and bacterial overgrowth. This report adds support to the concept that side-to-side intestinal anastomosis should be avoided whenever possible.

Blind Loop Syndrome↗

Seeking admission to a veterans hospital: impression management.

Psychiatric and medical patients can present a self-image consistent with their personal goals of early discharge or of lengthy hospitalization. Impression management to gain hospitalization may be a different process. A 2 X 2 X 2 ANACOVA tested whether type of problem (medical or psychiatric), first or multiple admission, or path of least resistance had any effect on impression management to gain hospitalization. Results were generally negative. The only significant variable was chronological age. Older patients endorsed more items flattering the hospital. These results were independent of degree of illness as judged by the patients and by physicians.

Adult↗

Augmenting-reducing and sensation seeking: a test of Sales' hypothesis.

Physiologically, augmenters amplify incoming stimulation, while reducers attenuate such stimulation. Sales has theorized that this characteristic is a determinant of an individual's need for stimulation and that reducers require more actual stimulation to reach this perceived optimal level than do augmenters. The theory predicts that measures of these characteristics would be correlated. The absolute auditory threshold was used as a measure of augmenting-reducing and the Sensation-Seeking Scale as a measure of need for stimulation in a study that tested 42 college students. The theoretical prediction was not confirmed. The bearing of these negative findings upon Sales' theory and the possibility that the auditory threshold is not a valid measure of augmenting-reducing were discussed.

Adolescent↗

The association of the IGA levels of serum and whole saliva with the progression of oral cancer.

Elevated IgA concentrations in the serum and whole saliva of patients with neoplastic disease have been reported. However, there does not seem to be any information available on the correlation of the secretory immunoglobulins of these patients with the progress of their disease. The whole saliva and sera of 102 cases of squamous carcinoma of the oral mucosa were studied. Patients were subclassified into age-matched groups of primary untreated cancer (21), recurrent cancer (18), and "cured" patients who had been free of disease for at least 9 months (16). A separate group of laryngeal (14) patients was included. Sixteen (16) patients treated by radiation therapy alone were also included to test the effects of radiation on whole saliva IgA. An age-matched group of patients (17) with moderate to severe periodontal disease served as controls. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected for 15 minutes and stored at 0 degrees C. IgA was quantitated by radial immunodiffusion on Hyland and Meloy Laboratory low level plates with 7S and 11S standards. Serum IgA was measured on Hyland plates with serum standards. Protein content of saliva was assayed by the Lowry method. Flow rate was quantitated for the 15-minute collection period. Primary oral and laryngeal cancer patients had a two-fold increase of serum and salivary IgA compared to controls. Recurrent cancer patients had even greater elevation of salivary IgA. Cured patients showed a persistent elevation of serum but a return to normal of salivary IgA. Radiation therapy did not markedly influence the level of salivary IgA. A followup study of 26 patients confirmed this pattern of a drop in whole salivary IgA with cure and a spike with recurrence. It would appear that IgA levels of whole saliva and serum are elevated in oral cancer patients, and that salivary IgA levels may prove useful in distinguishing patients with possible recurrent disease.

Adult↗

Leukocyte mediated cytotoxicity of chemically induced rat salivary gland neoplasms.

Chemically induced tumors of the rat submaxillary glands were tested for the presence of tumor antigens by in vitro leukocyte mediated cytotoxicity assays. Since it has been reported that the saliva of humans with oral cancer contains markedly elevated levels of secretory antibody, the rats' saliva specimens were also tested for blocking and/or potentiating "antibody" activity. The results indicate that saliva from tumor-bearing animals potentiated tumor cell killing if either the tumor cells or leukocytes were pretreated. The effect was much more marked when tumor cells were pretreated. Furthermore, the addition of saliva to tumor cells imparted an immunologic cross reactivity which was not present with untreated tumor cells. Control saliva occasionally produced a similar effect, but not as consistently or with the potency of saliva from tumor-bearing animals. Heat inactivation did not abrogate this potentiation. It is inferred that this may indicate a new system of immunologic surveillance, i.e. arming or potentiation of leukocytes by soluble tumor antigens in glandular secretions.

Animals↗