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Biomedical subjects

G Smolin

Publications and source records attributed to G Smolin.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Epidemiologic characteristics, predisposing factors, and etiologic diagnosis of corneal ulceration in Nepal.

Corneal ulceration is one of the most frequent causes of blindness in developing countries. Between September 1985 and August 1987, 405 patients with corneal ulceration were examined at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal. Males and females were equally affected. The most common predisposing cause of ulceration was corneal trauma, usually with organic agricultural materials. Microorganisms were grown from 324 (80%) of the ulcers. Pure bacterial cultures were obtained from 256 (63.2%) of the patients, whereas pure fungal cultures were obtained from 27 (6.7%) of the patients. In 41 patients (10.1%), corneal cultures yielded a mixed growth of bacteria and fungi. Of a total of 398 bacterial isolates, 124 (31.1%) were positive for Streptococcus pneumoniae, the most commonly isolated organism in the series. Other frequently isolated bacteria included Staphylococcus epidermidis, S. aureus, and Pseudomonas species. Of 68 positive fungal isolates obtained, 32 (47.0%) were identified as Aspergillus species. Candida species and Fusarium species were less commonly seen.

Adolescent

Cellular response to inflammation at the limbus.

The role in ocular (limbal) inflammation of the rich vascular and lymphatic supply is discussed in detail. The distribution of lymphocytes, mast cells, Langerhans cells, macrophages and other cellular elements are discussed as well as their individual and collective response to inflammation whether due to infectious or non-infectious disease states. Among the non-infectious causes of limbal cellular inflammation are the four types of hypersensitivity response.

Conjunctivitis

Use of recombinant interferon in HSV-1 recurrence in the rabbit.

The use of recombinant human interferon alpha subtype D (RIFN alpha D) was effective in reducing shedding of herpes simplex virus type-1 induced by iontophoresis of 6-hydroxydopamine and epinephrine. A post stimulation treatment schedule of RIFN alpha D, one drop four times a day was as effective as pretreatment, using the same dose regimen. The levels of interferon (IFN) present in the assay system are not sufficient to produce an antiviral effect. The levels of IFN required to suppress cell growth are substantially higher than the concentrations detected in the assay system.

Animals

Trimethoprim-polymyxin B ophthalmic solution in treatment of surface ocular bacterial infections.

A safety and efficacy study comparing the clinical and bacteriologic effectiveness of trimethoprim-sulfacetamide-polymyxin B-neomycin-gramicidin in a group of patients with surface ocular bacterial infections was conducted. The results demonstrated TSP to be as effective as the other solution (both clinically and bacteriologically), with fewer adverse experiences. A second study was conducted comparing TSP with trimethoprim-polymyxin B (TP) and found TP to be superior to TSP in effecting bacteriologic cures. Clinical response was similar in both groups, and the low incidence of mild adverse experiences was approximately the same. It appears that the combination of trimethoprim with polymyxin B is safe and highly efficacious, both clinically and microbiologically, for the treatment of surface ocular bacterial infections.

Adolescent

Tretinoin and corneal epithelial wound healing.

The entire corneal epithelium of each of 16 rabbits was removed bilaterally. Tretinoin (vitamin A acid) ointment was applied topically twice daily to the eyes of one half of the experimental animals, and the ointment base alone was applied to the eyes of the other half (the controls). On days 1, 2, and 3 after the removal of the epithelium, the healing of the denuded corneas of the animals receiving tretinoin was significantly (P = .01, .01, and .05, respectively) more advanced than the healing of the corneas of the control animals.

Administration, Topical

Combined amphotericin B and rifampin treatment of experimental Candida albicans keratitis.

In a model of experimental Candida albicans keratitis in rabbits, treatment with a combination of amphotericin B and rifampin was compared with treatment with amphotericin B alone. Both modes of therapy substantially reduced the number of organisms in the cornea below the number in untreated control corneas. In the group treated with combined therapy, there were significantly fewer organisms in the cornea after three days of therapy than in the group treated with amphotericin B alone. The results of this study indicate that the treatment of C albicans keratitis in rabbits with combined amphotericin B and rifampin is more effective than treatment with amphotericin B alone.

Amphotericin B

Herpes simplex keratitis treatment with vitamin A.

We produced chronic experimental herpetic keratitis by dropping PH-strain herpes simplex virus on scarified rabbit corneas and then injecting the rabbits subconjunctivally with low doses of corticosteroid (namely, triamcinolone acetonide suspension). Vitamin-A-treated rabbits developed milder, more rapidly healing epithelial lesions than untreated rabbits. Whereas most of the untreated rabbits developed moderate or severe stromal disease, most of the vitamin-A-treated rabbits developed only mild stromal disease or none at all.

Animals

Idoxuridine and bacterial corneal infection.

Corneas of 20 rabbits were treated with idoxuridine or a bland ointment before and after their inoculation with Staphylococcus aureus. The rabbit corneas treated with idoxuridine had a significantly more severe keratitis and yielded significantly greater numbers of S. aureus on culture than the rabbit corneas treated with the bland ointment.

Animals

The microbial flora in extended-wear soft contact-lens wearers.

Of 857 cultures of material collected from the eyelids, conjunctivae, and contact lenses of 51 extended-wear soft-contact-lens wearers, 44 (5%) grew potential pathogens. The aphakic patients wearing contact lenses had fewer recoverable pathogens (24 of 295 or 8%) than a group of preoperative cataract patients (63 of 295 or 21%). On five occasions, positive cultures accompanied clinical symptoms, and on three occasions, repeated cultures grew the same potential pathogen.

Aphakia, Postcataract

Corneal degenerations.

Corneal degenerations are among the most commonly observed clinical disorders in ophthalmology. They may be classified as (1) aging changes, (2) depositions, and (3) marginal degenerations. Aging changes are often incidental findings and do not usually interfere with vision. Depositions can occur secondary to previous ocular disease or trauma. Marginal degenerations are generally of unknown etiology, however, they may sometimes accompany a systemic disorder. The diseases in this latter group are usually the most difficult to treat and the most visually disabling.

Adult

The effect of indoxole on the corneal immunologic response.

To study the effect of locally administered indoxole (with polysorbate 80) on the inflammatory and immunologic responses, we made unilateral intracorneal injections of rabbit eyes with bovine gamma globulin (BGG). The indoxole was injected subconjunctivally one day before, and 1, 2, 3, and 5 days after the BGG injection. The homolateral lymph nodes, uveal tracts, and corneas of rabbits killed on postinjection days 6 and 12 were tested for antibody-forming cells (AFC) by a modification of the Jerne plaque technique. On day 6 the indoxole-treated eyes were more inflamed and had a greater number of AFC in the tested tissues than the control eyes, but in neither of these respects was there any essential difference between the treated and control eyes on day 12. The possible mechanisms by which indoxole achieved its effect were explored.

Animals

Treatment of herpes simplex keratitis with levamisole.

A model of chronic herpetic keratitis was developed by injecting rabbits subconjunctivally with a corticosteroid. A levamisole hydrochloride-treated group of these rabbits developed milder, more rapidly healing epithelial lesions than an untreated group. Although most of the untreated rabbits developed stromal disease, almost all of the lesions in the levamisole-treated animals were limited to the epithelium.

Animals

The treatment of herpetic reinfection with levamisole.

The effect of levamisole on both clinical disease and virus recovery was studied in rabbits that were first infected with herpes simplex virus in one eye and then reinfected 14 days later by inoculation of the second eye. Reinfected rabbits treated with levamisole before reinfection developed significantly milder and smaller lesions than untreated controls. Virus recovery from the corneas was also less in the levamisole-treated animals than in the untreated controls.

Animals

In vitro and in vivo effect of PC 904, a new broad-spectrum penicillin, on ocular strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The in vitro and in vivo activities of PC 904 were tested against Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from infected eyes and were compared with carbenicillin and gentamicin. By the microtiter plate method, we tested 30 strains of P. aeruginosa in vitro; PC 904 was very active against 29, but one strain was resistant. In a comparative study, PC 904 was more active than carbenicillin but less active than gentamicin. In vivo tests were conducted on rabbit corneas infected with a strain of P aeruginosa isolated in El Salvador. At moderate and high dosage levels, PC 904'S efficacy was comparable to carbenicillin's but much less than gentamicin's. When tested for ocular toxicity, the subconjunctival administration of PC 904 was well tolerated. The drug's greater activity in vitro than in vivo was probably due to its high serum-binding capacity.

Ampicillin