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Biomedical subjects

I M Baird

Publications and source records attributed to I M Baird.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Lymphocyte blastogenic responses to L. pneumophila in acute Legionellosis.

Thirteen patients with acute Legionellosis were studied. Acute serologic studies obtained within the first two weeks of illness were non-diagnostic in 10 of 13 cases. Lymphocyte blastogenic responses to sonicated L. pneumophila were much higher in patients with acute disease (mean net cpm +/- SEM = 66,786 +/- 15,428) than in subjects without a history of Legionellosis (11,800 +/- 1,760) p less than 0.01. Eleven of the 13 patients with acute Legionellosis had net cpm greater than 17,000. Lymphocytes from six patients with acute non-Legionnaires' pneumonia had mean cpm of 3,769 +/- 909 (p less than 0.01). Blastogenic response to L. pneumophila appears to occur earlier than the production of measurable antibody and may be a useful adjunct to diagnosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Cord blood lymphocyte transformation responses to Legionella pneumophila.

Cord blood lymphocytes were obtained from 94 neonates for transformation assays with sonicated and partially Legionella antigens and phytohemagglutinin. The Legionella antigens gave mean stimulation indices (SI) of approximately three times the background. The nonspecific mitogen phytohemagglutinin gave mean SI of 23 times the background. There was some minor nonspecific stimulation of cord blood lymphocytes by Legionella antigens but not enough to account for the SI seen in patients with Legionnaires' disease (48 +/- 14).

Fetal Blood↗
PubMed1981

Are fibre supplements really necessary in diverticular disease of the colon? A controlled clinical trial.

Fifty-eight patients with uncomplicated diverticular disease of the colon took bran crispbread, ispaghula drink, and placebo for four months each in a randomised, cross-over, double-blind controlled trial. Assessments were made subjectively, using a monthly self-administered questionnaire, and objectively, by examining a seven-day stool collection at the end of each treatment period. In terms of a pain score, lower bowel symptom score (the pain score and sensation of incomplete emptying, straining, stool consistency, flatus, and aperients taken), and total symptom score (belching, nausea, vomiting, dyspepsia, and abdominal distension) fibre supplementation conferred no benefit. Symptoms of constipation, however, when assessed alone, were significantly relieved. Both fibre regimens produced the expected changes in stool weight, consistency, and frequency. It is concluded that dietary fibre supplements in the commonly used doses do no more than relieve constipation. Perhaps the impression that fibre helps diverticular disease is simply a manifestation of Western civilisation's obsession with the need for regular frequent defecation.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Lymphocyte transformation to Legionella pneumophila.

Lymphocytes from seventeen subjects with previously diagnosed Legionnaires' disease and 63 subjects without a history of Legionellosis were studied in a transformation assay with a crude extract of Legionella pneumophila. In the lymphocyte transformation assay the mean stimulation index was 48+/-14 in the Legionnaires' disease group and 18+/-13 (p less than 0.001) in the control group. Endotoxin from Escherichia coli did not stimulate the cultures. Extracts from multiple other gram negative bacilli had minimal stimulation which was similar in lymphocytes from both groups. Lymphocytes from 2/3 of the subjects without a history of Legionellosis had increased incorporation of radionucleotide over background when incubated with the crude extract of L. pneumophila indicating that these subjects may have been exposed to L. pneumophila in the past and may be immune to Legionnaires' disease. This may help explain the very low attack rate (1.6-3.4%) in epidemics.

Antigens, Bacterial↗
PubMed1981

Low-calorie-formula diets--are they safe?

Obese patients (44) were studied on a 320 kcal diet for one to two months. No ECG changes were seen in 43 patients. One patient showed a transient T wave inversion after six weeks dieting, but the significance of this finding is doubtful. We have found a 320 kcal formula diet a safe and effective method of out-patient weight reduction with no patient showing any ECG abnormality in the first four weeks of dieting. ECGs and medical supervision are recommended for patients maintained on low-calorie diets for periods longer than a month. Nitrogen balance reached equilibrium in five to six weeks. Biochemical estimations showed minor changes such as falls in the serum cholesterol and rises in the alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin, but no clinically important changes were observed. One patient on propranolol for hypertension developed postural hypotension and required substantial reduction of medication.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Unrecognized Legionnaires' disease as a cause of fatal illness.

Lungs from 224 patients, obtained at autopsy, were examined for Legionella pneumophila by fluorescent antibody (FA) staining. Of 121 patients who died with pneumonia, L pneumophila was present in eight cases (6.6%). (Two of the eight patients exhibited no important respiratory symptoms or fever, although pneumonia contributed considerably to their deaths. Preexisting underlying disease was present in all cases. Legionnaires' disease (LD), endemic in the central Ohio area, may cause up to 3.6% of the nosocomial pneumonias at the study site. Application of the local incidence of LD to the number of annual adult deaths in the United States indicates that many LD-associated deaths may occur each year. The study shows the importance of using the FA and Dieterle stains during routine pathological examination of lung tissue, especially from compromised hosts in endemic areas.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

High fibre diet.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Cellulose↗
PubMed1979

The effects of ascorbic acid and flavonoids on the occurrence of symptoms normally associated with the common cold.

A controlled study was made of the effects of natural orange juice, synthetic orange juice, and placebo in the prevention of the common cold; both natural and synthetic orange juices contained 80 mg of ascorbic acid daily. Three-hundred sixty-two healthy normal young adult volunteers, ages 17 to 25 years, were studied for 72 days with 97% of participants completing the trial. There was a 14 to 21% reduction in total symptoms due to the common cold in the supplemented groups that was statistically significant (P less than 0.05). Ascorbic acid supplementation also increased the number of "episode-free" subjects. However, the clinical usefulness of the results does not support prophylactic ascorbic acid supplements in the well-nourished adult. The results in this study with both natural and synthetic orange juice of physiological content of ascorbic acid, are similar to those obtained using a "megadose" of ascorbic acid.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Aspergillus flavipes group osteomyelitis.

Lumbar vertebral osteomyelitis caused by Aspergillus Flavipes group organisms developed in a nonchronically immunosuppressed patient. Diagnosis was confirmed morphologically and culturally from both closed needle biopsy of the vertebrae and subsequent lumbar laminectomy. The patient was treated with 3 g of amphotericin B with apparent eradication of the organism.

Amphotericin B↗
PubMed1977

Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia and endocarditis associated with a removable infected intravenous device.

Records of 21 patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia associated with a removable infected intravenous device were reviewed. Sixteen patients had a peripheral intravenous catheter, four had a central venous catheter and one had a transvenous cardiac pacer. The duration of the indwelling intravenous device in situ prior to the detection of infection ranged from two to 11 (mean 5.2) days. The infected intravenous device was promptly removed as soon as bacteremia was suspected. Endocarditis was diagnosed in eight patients: in two patients an aortic murmur developed; in two the diagnosis was made clinically and was confirmed at necropsy (one mitral and one aortic); in four the diagnosis was made at necropsy (two tricuspid and two atrial wall). In patients with Staph. aureus bacteremia associated with a removable infected intravenous device, the risk of endocarditis developing was significant.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

The effects of two dietary fiber supplements on gastrointestinal transit, stool weight and frequency, and bacterial flora, and fecal bile acids in normal subjects.

The effect of dietary supplements of sugar-cane fiber (bagasse), on stool weight, solids, and water content were studied in normal ambulant volunteers over a 9-mo period; a second inpatient study was done with bran supplements. The addition on 10.5 g of bagasse containing 5.1 g of crude fiber to a normal diet containing 3.7 g of crude dietary fiber daily raised the mean fecal weight from 88.3 +/- 6.4 g to 139.7 +/- 10.2 g/day (p less than 0.005). There was also a significant rise in fecal solids and fecal water, although the percentage of water in the stools remained unchanged. Bagasse supplements accelerated gastrointestinal transit when measured by the carmine marker technique. Radiopaque "shapes" showed a trend toward more rapid transit with bagasse supplements. Daily supplements of 39 g of wheat bran or 10.5 g of bagasse increased the total daily excretion of fecal bacteria, but there were no changes in bacteria excreted per gram of feces. The composition of the bacterial flora showed no change. There was increased excretion of fecal acid sterols on the bagasse supplement, but this failed to occur with bran. No changes attributable to fiber supplements occurred in the plasma triglycerides or cholesterol. Future work may define specific dietary fiber supplements for different therapeutic purposes. One fiber may be used as a bulk expander in diverticular disease and another as a hypocholesteremic fiber.

Adult↗