Biomedical subjects

A Ros

Publications and source records attributed to A Ros.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1992

Evaluation of five commercial tests: complement fixation, microparticle agglutination, indirect immunofluorescence, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and latex agglutination, in comparison to immunoblotting for Mycoplasma pneumoniae serology.

A panel of 68 serum specimens from 41 subjects exhibiting various immunological patterns to Mycoplasma pneumoniae as determined by detection of a 180 kDa protein in immunoblotting was used to compare five commercially available tests based on different methods: complement fixation test (CFT), microparticle agglutination (MAG), indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Elisa), and latex agglutination (LA). The tests were performed according to the manufacturers' instructions. For the determination of immunity to M pneumoniae, the five tests were in good accordance with immunoblotting: sensitivity was 100% for all the five assays, specificity ranged from 95.6% (MAG) to 82.6% (Elisa) and overall agreement ranged from 98.2% (MAG) to 92.8% (Elisa). The comparisons of antibody rates obtained by the four quantitative tests (CFT, MAG, IFA, Elisa) showed correlation coefficients ranging from 0.87 (CFT-IFA) to 0.67 (CFT-Elisa). Six significant antibody rises demonstrated by immunoblotting patterns were detected by all the tests but Elisa in one case. As a whole, the commercial assays gave satisfactory results for routine determination of immune status to M pneumoniae: CFT was the cheapest test and MAG and LA were the easiest to perform.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

[Study of serum kinetics of vancomycin during the "antibiotic-lock" technique].

The serum kinetics of vancomycin was studied in two patients aged 3 and 15 years during antibiotic therapy for catheter related sepsis associated with Staphylococcus epidermidis. Vancomycin was administered, simultaneously, by parenteral conventional doses (30 mg/kg/day div q 8 h) and using the antibiotic-lock technique in the infected catheter at a high concentration (150 mg/ml) during one hour, 3 hours after each infusion. Pharmacokinetics data did not show any significant change in the serum kinetics of the antibiotic. The results suggest that delivering a high concentration of vancomycin in the infected catheter using the lock technique may be useful to sterilize infected catheter without toxic effect.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1990

Detection of immunoglobulin G, M, and A antibodies to enterovirus structural proteins by immunoblot technique in echovirus type 4-infected patients.

Paired serum specimens from 24 patients with echovirus (EV) type 4 infection by virus isolation were tested by the immunoblot technique for the presence of IgG, IgM, and IgA antibodies to EV4 structural proteins. Single sera from 20 patients without neutralizing enterovirus IgM were used as controls. All the sera from EV4-infected patients had IgG antibodies to VP1 of EV4 but also 13 out of the 20 controls. 23 out of 24 EV4-infected patients elicited IgM and IgA specific antibodies to VP1, a pattern highly significant as compared with controls (3/20 for IgM and 8/20 for IgA). In 16 out of the 24 EV4-infected patients, the IgM antibodies were also directed against VP2 (versus 2 out of 20 in the control group). Anti-VP2 IgA were detected in 4 out of the 24 EV4 patients (versus 0 in controls). The 24 paired sera from EV4-infected subjects were also tested by immunoblot technique against three other enteroviruses: EV21, coxsackievirus A9 and poliovirus 1. Cross-reactivities were observed to a large extent against VP1 and VP2 proteins with the three classes of antibodies. These results confirm the data of previous studies on the reactivity of IgM antibodies to various structural proteins that IgG antibodies react exclusively to VP1. Furthermore, this study demonstrates the occurrence of circulating IgA antibodies directed to VP1 and sometimes VP2 in the course of enterovirus infection. The potential interest of this latter finding for diagnosis requires further investigation.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

The incidence of fall injury events among the elderly in a defined population.

Falls are a leading cause of death from injury among older persons in the United States, and about one in three older persons falls each year. Yet, reliable estimates of the incidence of fall injury events in a population-based setting are not readily available. Therefore, the authors analyzed population-based surveillance data, between July 1985 and June 1987, from the Study to Assess Falls Among the Elderly, Miami Beach, Florida. The rate of fall injury events coming to acute medical attention increased exponentially with age for both elderly men and women (predominantly white), reaching a high for those aged 85 years or more of 138.5 per 1,000 for males and 158.8 per 1,000 for females. Compared with males, females had a higher incidence of fractures other than skull. Males were nearly twice as likely to die, however, following a fall injury event than were females. Of those fall injury events identified through the surveillance system, about 42% resulted in hospital admission. The mean length of hospital stay was 11.6 days overall and was 15.5 days for hip fracture, 9.8 days for skull fracture/intracranial injury, 11.2 days for all other fractures, and 9.1 days for all other injuries. About 50% of fall injury events that occurred at home and required hospital admission resulted in a person being discharged to a nursing home.

Accidental Falls↗

PubMed1989

Detection of neutralizing IgM antibodies in the diagnosis of enterovirus infections.

Data are presented of IgM detection by a neutralization test used routinely in 1,062 patients. Antigens isolated during the period of investigation were EV4, EV7, EV11, EV18, EV21, EV24, EV33, CA9, CB2, CB4, and CB5. No difference was observed in the distribution of IgM-positive sera according to age and sex. Total antibodies are at higher titres when IgM antibodies are present. Polytypic IgM responses are not frequent (less than 10%). The frequency of the IgM-positive sera for a given serotype correlated with the frequency of isolates for the serotype except for CA9. Other than for babies under age 6 months, IgM detection is more frequent than is isolation. The susceptibility of the elderly and the frequency of IgM-positive sera among adults over age 40 years suggests possible underestimation of enterovirus infections in adults. The duration of IgM remains a major question.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1989

Comparative evaluation of immunoglobulin M neutralizing antibody response in acute-phase sera and virus isolation for the routine diagnosis of enterovirus infection.

A total of 314 patients exhibiting symptoms consistent with a viral disease provided, during the early stage of hospitalization, at least one specimen from a peripheral site (throat or stools or both) and a serum specimen in order to evaluate the neutralizing immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody response in acute-phase serum in comparison with virus isolation for the rapid diagnosis of enterovirus (EV) infection. IgM antibodies were fractionated by ion-exchange chromatography and tested by seroneutralization against the various types of EV that have been recently circulating. A total of 189 patients (60%) were negative, and 21 (7%) were positive by both methods; in 51 patients (16%), a virus was isolated without IgM antibody response; 53 patients (17%) showed the opposite pattern. In all age groups except for children under 6 months, the frequency of positive results was higher with IgM serology than with virus isolation (27 and 22%, respectively). Apart from meningitis, for which isolation was more efficient, the other clinical conditions were associated with similar percentages of positivity by both methods. Regarding the 21 cases with positive results by the two techniques, the same serotype was detected in 9 cases and different serotypes were detected in 12, suggesting crossreactivities. Thus, IgM neutralizing antibody response on acute-phase serum appears to be of limited value in the rapid diagnosis of acute EV infection but may prove useful for the investigation of the wide range of chronic diseases associated with EV.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1989

Structural and morphometric characteristics of the basement membrane of rabbit parietal podocytes induced by corticoids.

This paper presents a structural and morphometric study of the basement membrane underlying the parietal epithelium of cysts developed in the rabbit kidney after a single postnatal injection of methylprednisolone acetate. This epithelium consists of podocyte-like cells named parietal podocytes. Our results show that the parietal podocytes synthesize their own basement membrane in vivo. However, the different laminae of this membrane present differences in structure and thickness when compared to the analogous layers of both the normal glomerular and parietal basement membranes. Differences between the different zones of the parietal podocytic basement membrane are also observed, depending upon the structure that surrounds the cyst (capillaries, interstitial cells or loose connective tissue). A lamina lucida, analogous to the lamina lucida interna of the glomerular basement membrane, is formed only in segments of the parietal podocytic basement membrane in close contact with endothelial or interstitial cells. The thickness of the lamina lucida externa of the parietal podocytic basement membrane appears regulated by the presence of interstitial cells and capillaries. In the zones in contact with capillaries, the lamina densa of the parietal prodocytic basement membrane appears thinner than in other segments. This fact, together with structural observations, suggests that the formation of a single basement membrane, interposed between the parietal podocytes and the endothelium, does not take place by fusion of the two basement membranes but by previous removal of the capillary basement membrane. In areas where the parietal podocytic basement membrane is in contact with loose connective tissue, a lamina fibroreticularis is observed. All these data indicate that the formation of the basement membrane by the parietal podocytes is influenced by nonpodocytic cells. Around the glomerular cysts, a tardy formation of capillaries is observed. Parietal podoytes can be hypothesized to synthesize an angiogenic factor that may be implicated in the process of angiogenesis.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

PubMed1988

Commercial monoclonal antibodies for rapid detection of respiratory syncytial virus by direct immunofluorescence.

A commercially available direct immunofluorescence (IF) test using a reagent consisting of a pool of two monoclonal antibodies against selected surface and internal proteins of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was evaluated in comparison with the indirect IF technique using a commercial bovine anti-RSV hyperimmune serum for the rapid detection of RSV in nasopharyngeal aspirates from 228 hospitalized children. Overall agreement between the two IF methods was 95%. The direct IF test was quicker to perform and easier to interpret than the indirect IF test.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

PubMed1988

Fall injuries among the elderly. Community-based surveillance.

Falls are a leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among the elderly in the United States. Despite the importance of fall injuries, epidemiological studies of falls among the elderly have identified neither their causes nor the methods to prevent them. Therefore, we established a community-based surveillance system in Miami Beach, Florida, as part of a study to assess falls among the elderly. A total of 1,827 fall injury events occurred in this community between July 1985 and June 1986. More than 85% (1,567) of the persons who fell and received care were seen in an emergency room. The remaining cases were identified from one of the three other sources used: fire rescue reports, inpatient medical records, or medical examiner reports. Most falls (97%) were coded as accidental (E880-E888). More than 100 people sought medical assistance for a fall each month. The time of the injury was known for 68% (1,244) of the people who fell. Seventy-four percent of these falls (921) occurred during daylight hours. Fifty-four percent of the falls (986) occurred in and around the home, and 38% of these had a particular area of the home recorded: 42% occurred in the bedroom, 34% in the bathroom, 9% in the kitchen, 5% on the stairs, 4% in the living room, and the remaining 6% in other areas. This surveillance system will help us use the study to clarify the causes of falls in the elderly and identify and evaluate appropriate prevention efforts. It will also help others in designing and implementing other injury surveillance systems.

Accidental Falls↗

PubMed1988

Collaborative evaluation in seven laboratories of a standardized micromethod for yeast susceptibility testing.

The new micromethod for yeast susceptibility testing, MYCOTOTAL, was evaluated with 10 reference strains in seven laboratories. Ready-to-use microtitration plates and the same synthetic medium were used with two dilutions of imidazoles, flucytosine, and amphotericin B, permitting the categorization of each strain as susceptible, intermediate, or resistant. The results were compared with the MIC for each reference strain, and the repeatability and reproducibility were evaluated. The yeasts tested presenting different patterns of susceptibilities in reference MICs included six strains of Candida albicans, two strains of Candida tropicalis, one strain of Candida parapsilosis, and one strain of Torulopsis glabrata. For 4,200 antifungal agent-yeast results, the repeatability was 99.3% and the reproducibility was 96.3%. The correlation between the reference MICs and the category results was 91.5% for seven laboratories (and 92.7% for six laboratories excluding the laboratory which did not follow exactly the same protocol). We observed only 7.9% minor discrepancies, 0.5% (0.29% for six laboratories) major discrepancies, and 0.1% uninterpretable results. The percentages of concording results were similar for each strain and each antifungal agent tested. The overall results indicated that MYCOTOTAL was a reliable and reproducible method, well correlated with reference MICs. This ready-to-use micromethod with the same medium for all antifungal agents would be an important step in the necessary standardization of yeast susceptibility testing.

Antifungal Agents↗

PubMed1987

Live poliovirus vaccine in patients with chronic glomerulonephritis: effects on renal function and specific antibody response.

Twenty-one patients with chronic glomerulonephritis (GN) (5 with renal failure) received three doses of live trivalent poliovirus vaccine administered orally. The effect of the polio vaccination on the renal function and the titers of antibodies to poliovirus were studied. No significant consequence was observed in renal disease. Before vaccination, titers of poliovirus type 1 and 3 antibodies were significantly decreased as compared to healthy adult subjects. After vaccination, the patients exhibited a significant rise in poliovirus antibody titers for the three serotypes, although some of them failed to develop a fourfold or greater antibody rise to at least one of the three serotypes, especially in the group of patients with renal failure. These results indicate that live poliovirus vaccination is not deleterious in patients with GN and can provide a good protection.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1985

[Comparative clinical trial of cefoperazone versus ampicillin + tobramycin in severe bronchopulmonary and pleural infectious pathology].

This study involved an open trial with parallel randomised series receiving either cefoperazone (2 g/d) or a combination of ampicillin (6 g/d) and tobramycin (3 to 4 mg/kg/d). The 30 patients included were of both sexes (male predominance), hospitalised, aged 62 +/- 11,5 years and suffering from a severe bronchopulmonary or pleural infection. Underlying pathology was serious (neoplasm, C.O.D.L., bronchiectasis, cardiac pathology). No significant difference was seen in the sampling of the two populations. Cefoperazone was prescribed in 2 infusions per 24 hours. Ampicillin was given as 3 infusions, followed by tobramycin administered by a similar number of injections. The duration of treatment was 16.8 +/- 9 days (cefoperazone) and 11,8 +/- 6,5 days (ampicillin + tobramycin). Overall evaluation (clinical, radiological and laboratory criteria) showed 88% (cefoperazone group) and 71% (ampicillin + tobramycin group) recovery and improvement rates. There were two failures in the cefoperazone group and 6 failures in the other group. These results were not statistically different. Three of the 6 failures could be attributed to resistance of the initial bacteria or selected by one or other type of treatment. None of the antibiotics prescribed raised any acceptability problems.

Aged↗

PubMed1981

Results of the Italian interlaboratory quality control program for estradiol receptor assay.

This article presents results of the first Italian quality control program for determining the estradiol receptor on lypophilized guinea pig and calf uteri. Despite considerable variability in quantitative terms, the results concur in ability to define samples as positive or negative for receptor content. One of the parameters that most strongly influences accuracy of determination of receptor concentration is protein assay. The evaluation of several lyophilized preparations at scalar concentrations permitted identification, by linear regression, for each laboratory of the systematic and non-systematic variables. More comparable results will be forthcoming when a standardized methodology program has been fully adopted.

Animals↗

PubMed1980