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Biomedical subjects

A Muller

Publications and source records attributed to A Muller.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources

Venereal causes of cytomegalovirus mononucleosis.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) mononucleosis developed in two men after sexual contact with a woman who had had a similar but medically unverified illness several months before. The CMV was cultured from the woman's urine and cervix. Evidence of recent infection with CMV was also found in a new sexual contact of one of the men. However, roommates of the infected patients remained well, and serologic evidence of CMV infection failed to develop. This small outbreak suggests that CMV may be acquired as a venereal infection that sometimes progresses to the mononucleosis syndrome.

Adult↗

[Atmospheric pollution and acute respiratory diseases. Denain and Quievrechain epidemiological study (author's transl)].

The subject of this study is to evaluate a possible relation between air pollution levels and acute diseases with a special interest in acute respiratory diseases. The study was performed in two towns located in the "département du Nord, France", (Denain and Quievrechain) with mid levels of air pollution. A slight but statistically significant relation was found though the study was performed during an unusually mild winter season. Meteorological conditions have been taken in account in the evaluation of the relation.

Acute Disease↗

[Detection and titration of anti-tetanus antibodies by passive hemagglutination].

Human red cells O Rh + are coated with purified tetanus toxoid, by means of chromic chloride as coupling agent. With this reagent and by passive haemagglutination technique, antitetanus antibodies can be automatically screened and titrated in blood donnors plasmas, on Groupamatic equipments. Comparative results of three techniques: counter immunoelectrophoresis; manual passive haemagglutination; automatic passive haemagglutination are given, 4, 92 percent among the 1.219 tested blood donnors plasmas have an antibody greater than or equal to 5 U.I., 16, 24 percent have a titre between 1 and 5 U.I.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗

Screening of HBs antigen and detection of corresponding antibodies on groupamatic equipment.

The widespread utilization of Groupamatic equipment for routine immunohaematological tests has increased the demand for serological procedures that can be performed with this machine. We describe the test method which was developed and with which the detection of HBs antigen has now been carried out routinely for 1 year. It is an automated haemagglutination inhibition reaction which is called GIPHA (Groupamatic inhibition of passive haemagglutination). The sensitivity corresponds to 2 CNTS units, the antigen weight for 1 unit being from 1 to 4 ng. The reproducibility is good; the percentage of false positive reactions is about 0.5% and that of technical problems 0.7%. The additional advantages of the machines are numerous, among which we have the possibility of 11 other simultaneous reactions. One of them is the detection of antibodies against HBs antigen, which is a passive haemagglutination test called PHAG (passive haemagglutination on Groupamatic).

Antibodies↗

A case of adrenogenital syndrome with aberrant 11beta-hydroxylation.

A 17 year old female patient with hypertension, amenorrhoea and hirsutism was found to have subnormal levels of plasma and urinary cortisol, significant plasma levels of Reichstein's compound S and 21-deoxycortisol, high urinary levels of THS and pregnanetriolone as well as elevated levels of plasma and urinary testosterone. Treatment with 0.5 mg/day of dexamethasone or 25 mg/day cortisone reduced her hypertension and restored her menstrual cycles, but also resulted in the development of moon face, body striae and a gain in weight. Lower doses of cortisone were without effect. The deficient cortisol production coupled with the presence of unusual intermediates such as Reichstein's compound S and 21-deoxycortisol can be explained by a shift in the substrate specificity of 11beta-hydroxylase from C-21-hydroxylated substrates (i.e. compound S) to C-21-deoxy substrates (i.e. 17-hydroxyprogesterone).

17-Ketosteroids↗

Dissociation of renin and aldosterone during dehydration: studies in a case of diabetes insipidus and adipsia.

The regulation of aldosterone was studied in a child with diabetes insipidus and adipsia, associated with holoprosencephaly. Plasma ADH was low and unresponsive to dehydration. Plasma renin concentration ranged from 52 to 1350 ng ml-1 h-1 at various degrees of hydration, and plasma aldosterone ranged from 4.7 to 104 ng/100 ml. Despite these wide ranges, the levels of the two hormones were not correlated. The aldosterone-renin ratio (log.) was inversely related to the plasma sodium concentration, while the plasma renin concentration (log.) was directly related to plasma sodium. Reduced values of both extracellular fluid volume (radiosulphate and sodium spaces) and total exchangeable sodium were measured when plasma sodium was elevated. Sodium depletion at the time when the patient was in a dehydrated state appeared to be caused, at least partly, by defective renal sodium conservation. Thus, in the dehydrated state, the patient showed the following unusual combination of abnormalities: hypernatraemia, sodium depletion, hyperreninaemia, and low to normal plasma aldosterone. The abnormal aldosterone-renin ratio was probably not caused by an intrinsic adrenal abnormality, since high levels of aldosterone were measured as long as a certain degree of hydration had been achieved with or without exogenous ADH, and since plasma cortisol was normal and responsive to exogenous ACTH. The results suggest that the responsiveness of the adrenal cortex to angiotensin may vary with extracellular sodium concentration. The direction of this effect, that is, suppression of aldosterone with increased sodium concentration, is not different from what is observed under experimental conditions, when extra-cellular sodium concentration is raised by infusions of hyperosmolar saline.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

[Detection of HBs with latex tests].

Since 1971, several inert particles have been tested and proposed for HBs antigen screening, none of them being really used in routine. An evaluation is realized and presented, pointing out the main characteristics and the practical problems. We report our experience on two types of latex, simultaneously conducted through manual techniques and through Groupamatic 360 equipments. For one of them, TG Antigex, sensitivity and specificity are very satisfying and several batches are presently tested in order to quantify the reproducibility and stability features of the reagent.

Blood Specimen Collection↗

Detection of immune anti-A and anti-B allo-antibodies with groupamatic system.

An inhibition technique using soluble AB group substances for screening of 'immune' anti-A and anti-B allo-antibodies has been set up on Groupamatic. This screening is performed on all blood units of group O, A and B to be transfused. The ratio of potentially dangerous donors in case of non-isogroup transfusion is 2.86% of the total number of screened donors. This detection is performed simultaneously with other immunohaematological and serological tests: ABO and Rh grouping, screening of irregular allo-antibodies, screening of syphilis.

ABO Blood-Group System↗

Automation of a flocculation test for syphilis on Groupamatic equipment.

A flocculation reaction employing a cardiolipid antigen was used for syphilis screening on Groupamatic equipment in parallel with conventional screening reactions: Kolmer CF, RPCF, Kahn, Kline, and RPR. The positive samples were confirmed by FTA-200, FTA-ABS, TPI, and in some cases by TPHA. There were 5,212 known samples which had already been tested by all methods and of which 1,648 were positive, and 58,636 screened samples including 65 positives. Half of the samples in the first series were taken without anticoagulant; the remainder were collected in potassium EDTA. The percentage of false positives with the Groupamatic was about 1-4 per cent. The percentage of false negatives among positve (greater than or equal+) samples varied from 0-18 to 1-3 per cent.; on the other hand the sensitivity was less good for samples giving doubtful and/or dissociated reactions in conventional screening reactions. The specificity and sensitivity of this technique are acceptable for a blood transfusion centre. The reproducibility is excellent and the automatic reading of results accurate. Additional advantages are rapidity (340 samples processed per hour); simultaneous performance of eleven other immunohaematological reactions; no contamination between samples; automatic reading, interpretation, and print-out of results; and saving of time because samples are not filed sequentially and are automatically identified when the results are obtained. Although the importance of syphilis in blood transfusion seems small, estimates of the risk are difficult and further investigations are planned.

Autoanalysis↗

Energy metabolism in human erythrocytes: the role of phosphoglycerate kinase in cation transport.

Three models of disturbed erythrocyte metabolism, triose-depleted normal, phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK)-deficient, and pyruvate kinase (PK)-deficient cells, have been studied to examine further the role of PGK in erythrocyte cation transport. Sodium (Na-+) and potassium (K-+) transport were reduced only in cells fully depleted of triose. In such cells the PGK step presumably was inoperative due to total lack of substrate; 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) then became the sole substrate source for remaining steps in glycolysis. At increased intracellular Na-+ concentrations which normally stimulate transport and glycolysis, triose-depleted cells had marked impairment of cation transport and ouabain-inhibitable lactate and pyruvate production from 2,3-DPG. PGK-deficient cells and normal cells with high intracellular Na-+ concentrations had similar increases in transport and ouabain-inhibitable lactate production. PK-deficient cells with high intracellular Na-+ concentrations showed an appropriate increase in transport but less stimulation of lactate production. Transport was not related to total cellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration. These data suggested that normal coupled cation transport occurred despite diminished metabolite flow through PGK, as in PGK- or PK-deficient cells. Transport was diminished only in triose-depleted cells where metabolite flow through PGK was presumably absent. These data, therefore, support the concept that transport and glycolysis interact at the PGK step, although impairment of PGK must be profound before its effect on transport is evident.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗