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Biomedical subjects

A Roman

Publications and source records attributed to A Roman.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Modulation of cell-mediated immunity by lithium chloride.

Immunomodulation of cell-mediated immunity was studied in mice treated with either lithium chloride (LiCl), anti-CD8 monoclonal antibody or their combination. While 6-day LiCl treatment decreased the ability of their splenocytes to induce a local graft-versus-host reaction--anti-CD8 abolished this effect. The proliferative response of spleen cells from those three groups of mice to concanavalin A stimulation in vitro was significantly increased. The natural killer (NK) cell toxicity of the mice was decreased by over 43% after the 6-day LiCl treatment, but was x 2.5 higher then the control value after a longer 21-d treatment. These results indicate that the immunomodulatory capacity of lithium is dependent on the type of cell population studied, and on the schedule of administration.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Strains of ganciclovir-resistant cytomegalovirus].

BACKGROUND: In countries where the resistance of cytomegalovirus to ganciclovir has been studied, strains resistant to therapeutic doses of this drug have been isolated. When a change in treatment has been impossible the patient has shown bad clinical evolution. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of these strains in our medium, observe whether the resistances appear in patients previously treated with ganciclovir and determine its implication in the evolution of cytomegalovirus infection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred twenty-three stains of cytomegalovirus, isolated during the period 1990-1998, corresponding to the following 94 patients were studied: 17 breast feeding children of healthy parents who were negative controls (sensitive strains), 43 organ transplant recipients, 29 AIDS patients, 2 with other immunodeficiencies and 3 children with intrauterine infection. Seventeen patients were studied due to the insidious course of the infection despite treatment. The remaining were random. The technique used was that of growth inhibition of the strains seeded on different gradients of ganciclovir: 0, 1, 5, 10 and 20 microM. The inoculate consisted in a cellular suspension evaluated according to the degree of viral growth. The strains presenting an inhibitory doses 50% (ID 50%) greater than 10 microM were considered as resistant. RESULTS: Eighty-two strains presented an ID 50% lower than 5 microM, 24 from 5 to 10 microM and in the 17 remaining strains, corresponding to 12 patients, the ID 50% was greater than 10 microM. The evolution of these latter 12 patients with strains considered to be resistant to ganciclovir was of death in 8. All were immunodepressed and with a history of having previously received ganciclovir. Another currently has a chronic evolution and the three remaining patients, who presented better immunity, became cured. All patients has a chronic evolution and the three remaining patients, who presented better immunity, became cured. All patients had undergone previous treatment with ganciclovir except two: one patient with Wegener disease treated with acyclovir 15 days before, and the other was an infant of an HIV positive mother who had received the drug. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of cytomegalovirus strains resistant to ganciclovir was confirmed in our patients. The previous use of ganciclovir and, in one case of acyclovir, appears to be implicated in the appearance of resistance. The evolution of the immunodepressed patients with infection by resistant strains was mortal except when their immunity was improved.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of effectiveness of two schedules of rapid transcranial magnetic stimulation on enhancement of responsiveness to apomorphine.

Locomotor response to apomorphine (0.5 mg/kg s.c.) was tested in rats pre-treated with multiple rapid transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) or electroconvulsive shock (ECS). rTMS (B = 1.6T, f = 20 Hz, t = 300 s) was delivered 9 times during 18 days (group rTMS1, total number of stimulations 54,000) or 18 times during 18 days (group rTMS2, total number of stimulations 108,000); ECS (I = 150 mA, f = 50 Hz, t = 500 ms) was delivered 9 times at 48 h intervals. Apomorphine given 24 h after the last treatment induced hyperactivity that was significantly more pronounced in rats receiving ECS and rTMS. The effect was most pronounced for electroconvulsive treatment, the least in the rTMS1 group. The results indicate that an increase in the total number of impulses during the rTMS may increase the responsiveness of rats to dopaminergic stimulation to the level comparable with that induced by ECS.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The behavioral effects of the transcranial magnetic brain stimulation in rat: the comparison with electroshock].

The few experimental studies suggest that repetitive rapid-rate transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) evokes in the brain functional and structural changes similar to those evoked by electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The aim of the present work was to compare the influence of the repetitive TMS (B = 1.6 T; f = 20 and 30 Hz; t = 5 and 5.5 minutes; N = 9 and 18 days) and that of ECT (I = 150 mA; f = 50 Hz; t = 0.5 s; N = 9 days) on rats' behaviour in the tests of free field, tail flick, motor hyperactivity after administration of apomorphine and in forced swimming. None of the rats subjected to TMS suffered from convulsive attack, which followed every electroconvulsive shock. In the free field test it was detected that neither TMS nor ECT applied individually or repetitively disturbed general motor activity of rats. Repetitive electroconvulsive shocks caused analgesia, prolonging the latency of tail flick by 46% (p < 0.001). Moreover, the tail flick test revealed hyperalgesia in the rats subjected to TMS (24 and 21% of control values respectively; p = 0.05). Motor hyperactivity of rats stimulated with administration of apomorphine was intensified both by TMS (by 58% at maximum in the 30th minute of the experiment; p = 0.001) and, all the more, by ECT (by 92% at maximum at the end of the test; p = 0.01). In the forced swimming test, the greatest decrease of inertia period was observed ECT--up to 50% of control values (p = 0.001). TMS had weaker effects--the decrease amounted to 29% of control values (p = 0.01). The shortening effect depended on the parameters of TSM. The obtained results seem to confirm that TMS, like ECT, evokes in rats certain reactions suggesting its antidepressive action, but causes less undesirable effects.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of physiological and pharmacologically induced thymus involution on the immunoreactivity in C57BL mice.

The effect of physiological and pharmacologically induced thymus involution was studied in 12-week-old female C57BL mice. Thymus involution was estimated by measurement of the thymus weight and the ability of thymocytes to induce a graft-versus-host (GvH) reaction at 48 h after delivery or drug administration in comparison with control (virgin, saline-treated) mice. The thymus weight and immunoreactivity of thymocytes after delivery were reduced in a statistically significant manner by ca. 80 and 75%, respectively. On the other hand, hydrocortisone administration decreased the thymus weight (by ca. 60%), but did not change the ability of thymocytes to induce a GvH reaction. Cyclophosphamide administration significantly reduced both the thymus weight and the reactivity of thymocytes. The present study suggests that the transient thymus involution observed after delivery, connected with a loss of the ability of thymocytes to induce a GvH reaction, cannot be explained merely by elimination of a steroid-sensitive cortical cell population, since the GvH reactivity of thymocytes was preserved in hydrocortisone-treated mice.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A modification of the Regnauld procedure for hallux limitus.

Surgical correction of hallux limitus can be challenging to the foot surgeon. The procedures available to date are numerous. Satisfactory results require proper candidate selection, and other procedures must be weighted carefully. The Regnauld procedure has become an accepted technique in this extensive surgical armamentarium. This manuscript describes a means of fixation that eliminates many of the complications associated with the original nonfixed technique, and allows for early range of motion to be initiated.

Bone Transplantation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Undifferentiated primary malignant soft tissue tumor.

A rare case of a malignant, undifferentiated, soft tissue neoplasm is presented. A thorough podiatric and medical evaluation is essential in the proper diagnosis and treatment of soft tissue tumors. This evaluation includes appropriate consultation with the various medical specialists.

Algorithms↗