Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

C Popescu

Publications and source records attributed to C Popescu.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Detection of human papillomavirus gene sequences in cell lines derived from laryngeal tumors.

The role of Human Papillomaviruses (HPV) in laryngeal carcinomas has been studied with conflicting results. To evaluate the etiologic relationship between HPV infection and epithelial malignancy of the larynx we studied five laryngeal carcinoma cell lines obtained from patients undergoing surgery for laryngeal tumors. The paraffin embedded biopsy samples of the original tumor and different passages of the new established cell lines were investigated by PCR with consensus primers specific for HPV DNA. The findings indicate that HPV infection is associated with some larynx carcinomas. The positive association has been enhanced when a method of enrichment of epithelial cells from fresh tumor samples was used. All tumor cells enriched smears were positive for HPV DNA not only by PCR but also by in situ hybridization (ISH). Investigated by PCR, different passages of larynx tumor cell lines maintained expression of HPV DNA. At subsequent passages ISH gives constantly no signals suggesting a minimal amount of viral harbored sequences. In one cell line propagated more than 60 population doublings, the chromosomal frequency distribution shifted from modal number 46 at the 5(th) passage to 63 at the 60(th) passage. The mechanisms by which persistent HPV infection maintains continuous cell proliferation were discussed.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Liposomes as immunological adjuvants for tetanus vaccine.

Finding a new immunological adjuvant has been a challenge all along. The aim of our study is to improve the level of antibodies against tetanus using liposomes as adjuvant. As can be seen from the results of our study, the liposomes are a competitive candidate in this respect.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Immune response to Escherichia coli antigens entrapped in liposomes. I. Immunopathological studies.

In this study, we have searched for an effective mucosal delivery system for a purified E. coli antigen which elicits anticolonization and anti-toxic immunity. E. coli colonization factor antigen (CFA/I) and heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) were encapsulated in liposomes. To determine the efficacies of soluble and liposome-encapsulated E. coli antigens young rabbits were mucosally treated with three oral doses of E. coli antigens given 7 days apart. Ten days after the last booster, rabbits were orally challenged with 5 x 10(9) bacterial cells (O78:H11 serotype). The experimental results allow of making some remarks which can be correlated with the protection obtained in vaccinated animals: (a) immunization with E. coli antigens entrapped in liposomes ensured protection against ETEC strains; (b) lower protection against homologous and heterologous CFA/I +(LT- ST+) strains were noticed; (c) adhesion of labelled -3H-leucine-bacteria to the intestinal mucosa revealed a maximum distribution in duodenum-jejunum and minimum in the colonic mucosa; (d) it contributed to the release of inoculated virulent bacteria from intestinal tract; (e) humoral, cellular and histopathological findings confirm the afore mentioned observation. Summing up, these results suggest that liposomes are very good carriers for E. coli antigens and these findings highlight the potential use of LT and CFA/I antigens entrapped in liposomes as mucosal and humoral induction of immune response and make them a candidate for future use in prophylaxis of diarrhoea in man.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The late evolution of bronchial asthma appearing in children].

A retrospective study was performed in order to compare the clinical evolution of chronic bronchial asthma with onset in childhood with that of bronchial asthma registered at adult age. The group included 150 cases (87 females and 63 males) out of which 108 (72%) asthma with late onset and 42 (28%) asthma symptoms registered in childhood and adolescence. The symptoms were: allergic rhinitis and spastic tracheobronchitis in 18 (42.8%), dyspneic recurrent bronchitis in 16 (38%), nasal polyposis in 4 (9.5%) and atopic dermatitis in 4 (9.5%) cases. A possible allergic etiology was not taken into consideration in these cases. According to the data obtained, it results that the evolution and the prognosis of bronchial asthma are more severe in patients with its onset in childhood, where there were noted: more severe clinical forms of the disease, higher ventilation dysfunction, more numerous social (family) consequences of the disease, and a higher necessity of long term, systemic corticotherapy than in cases of bronchial asthma with late onset. The delay in the preventive treatment or an incorrect application of it in childhood will condition to a great extent the unfavourable evolution of the disease.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Comparative serum and secretory IgA studies in recurrent bronchial infections (preliminary note)].

In a group of 84 patients with recidivating bronchial infections IgA were evaluated with the aid of radial immunodiffusion according to Mancini. In all the patients IgA were determined from expectoration extractions and in 50 of them serum IgA were also determined. In 38 cases the determinations were simultaneous. Concentration of S IgA was low in most of the cases (65%). These results are probably influenced by the technical difficulties raised by detaching the connections existing between S IgA and mucus fibrils from the bronchial secretion. The results obtained in the dosage of serum IgA are comparable with those mentioned in the current literature. No correlations were possible between S IgA and serum IgA and there proteins can be considered as independent.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Psychomotor functioning in unipolar and bipolar affective disorders.

The performances of unipolar and bipolar depressive patients and also of a control group on motor, verbal and mental components of psychomotor functioning were clinically and psychometrically evaluated and compared at a univariate and multivariate level. The groups were similar with respect to age, sex, educational level, illness onset age and depression severity. In univariate comparisons of test-based assessments of psychomotor functions the overall tendency was towards a more pronounced retardation in unipolar depressive patients compared to bipolar ones and controls, the differences being marked on some measures and relatively small on others. Multivariate analyses using scores on 20 psychomotor variables revealed a rather good discrimination of the depressive groups, 78.57% of cases being correctly classified, with 0.80 sensitivity for unipolar patients and 0.75 specificity. Clinical evaluation of spontaneous psychomotor activity did not reveal notable differences between the two depressive groups.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Asthma and tuberculosis (considerations based on hospital case studies)].

The relationship between bronchic asthma and tuberculosis has stimulated the greatest interest and most controversy. The present paper refers to 55 cases, i.e. 29 males (52%) and 26 females (48%). Most of the men were over 50 and the women over the age of 40 years. In 50 cases (90%) bronchial asthma developed 6 to 25 years after the tb lesions had become stable. Only 5 cases (10%) presented bronchial asthma with evolutive pulmonary tb. Although tuberculin hyperergy was encountered in 26 cases (47%) in none of the cases could a diagnosis of tuberculin asthma be established. In the group studied, the patients' age, the clinical and evolutive aspect of the bronchial asthma lists in the group of late asthmas. Against the background of the postuberculosis syndrome, the evolution of asthma is as a rule severe. Similarly, asthma accompanied by evolutive pulmonary tb, is in general very severe, hypersecretory and suprainfected with common germs.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Specific antibodies and mycobacterial antigens in patient sera with pulmonary tuberculous and nontuberculous diseases. Note II.

"Two-assay" tests (TAT), immunoenzymatic determination of both specific antibodies and mycobacterial antigens in sera of tuberculous and non-tuberculous subjects, was undertaken in our territorial conditions, where BCG vaccination is systematically applied and the prevalence of tuberculous infection is relatively high. The sensitivity of the method, calculated on 42 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis and on 39 patients with post-tuberculosis syndromes is high, i.e. 0.952. The specificity of the method separately calculated for 44 young subjects (under 21 years old), for 78 healthy adults and for 201 lung diseased patients, bacteriologically not ascertained as tuberculosis at the moment of sera prelevation, varied between 0.830 and 0.489. "TAT", performed with crude immunologic reagents, produces false-positive reactions in early BCG vaccinated subjects. Method specificity low values in pulmonary non-tuberculous patients group may be partially explained by the difficulty in establishing the real relationships, in time, between host and mycobacteria, by the bacteriological method imperfections or sample prelevating methods. Our results certainly underestimate the diagnosis value of "TAT".

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Recurrent bronchopulmonary infections due to humoral immune deficiency].

Between 1974 and 1978 11 patients were detected, in a pneumology department. They were classified as follows: stage I, with relatively benign bronchial infections; 5 patients were included in this group, all of them made uneventful recoveries, without sequellae; stage II was characterised by more severe infections, that required repeated hospitalisation. Five more patients were included in this group. The patients in these two stages had either selective IgA deficiencies or combined (IgA and IgM) deficiencies. In stage III the disease had a severe evolution, characterised by extensive pulmonary tissue destruction and permanent suppuration. One patient had agammaglobulinemia in which the deficiency of serum and secretory bronchial immunoglobulins was complete. Although immunoglobulins represent only a part of the defense mechanisms of the respiratory pathways, their dosage is however recommended in all cases in which anamnesis, symptomatology or the evolution of the disease suggest the possibility of selective or total immunoglobulin deficiencies.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Current aspects of recovery and invalidism in recurrent pulmonary tuberculosis].

An analysis was made, 12 months after strictly supervised treatment which included rifampicin and/or etambutol, of 83 cases of relapses of pulmonary tuberculosis. Therapeutic aspects were studied, as well as problems in relation to the possibility to continue work, as well as temporary invalidity. The therapeutic curing of the relapses was achieved in 74 patients (89,15 percent), while 9 remained with a positive bK in the sputum. The recovered subjects continued their activity without any changes in the working place, and retirement was accepted for active tuberculosis in 12,5 percent of the patients, while retirement for posttuberculous syndrome in another 7,14 percent of the patients. Males were predominant (81,81 percent of the total), mostly aged between 30 and 49 years, originating from rural environments.

Adult↗