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Biomedical subjects

K Nicholls

Publications and source records attributed to K Nicholls.

31 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Expression of complement 3 receptors (CR1 and CR3) on neutrophils and erythrocytes in patients with IgA nephropathy.

Expression of C3 receptors (CR1 and CR3) on neutrophils (PMN) was measured in 26 patients with IgA nephropathy (IgA N), 17 normal persons, and 8 patients with non-IgA glomerulonephritis (non-IgA GN) by fluorescence activated cell sorting after labeling with monoclonal antibodies. Mean channel fluorescence for both CR1 and CR3 on PMN was significantly higher in IgA N patients than in either control group (p less than 0.01). (CR1 mean +/- SD 42.5 +/- 10.4 in IgA N, 31.7 +/- 11.5 in normal controls, 27.8 +/- 9.0 in non-IgA GN; CR3 94.0 +/- 16.5, 75.0 +/- 16.6 and 76.7 +/- 15.6, respectively.) No differences were found between the two control groups or between IgA N patients with normal and impaired renal function. These results imply that PMN are activated in IgA N patients. The expression of CR1 and CR3 of PMN may be upregulated by immune complexes (ICs), enhancing both phagocytosis of C3b- or iC3b-coated particles, and absorptive pinocytosis of soluble ICs containing C3b or iC3b. Erythrocyte CR1 and CR3 expression was measured by ELISA and found to be slightly but significantly lower in IgA N patients than in the other 2 groups (CR1 85.3 +/- 28.4 in IgA N, 113.1 +/- 28.8 in normal controls, 109.4 +/- 28.2 in non-IgA GN, p less than 0.02; CR3 80.9 +/- 20.0, 100.4 +/- 19.9, 101.2 +/- 24.9, respectively, p less than 0.05).

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Antithymocyte globulin therapy for pure white cell aplasia.

Severe neutropenia due to selective loss from the bone marrow of cells of the entire neutrophil maturation sequence developed in a patient with Goodpasture's Syndrome and was associated with serious infections complicating continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Involvement of T-lymphocytes in the process affecting the neutrophil series was implicated by the relation between recovery from neutropenia and treatment with antithymocyte globulin (ATG). Azathioprine and corticosteroid administration failed to sustain recovery from neutropenia induced by ATG. It is concluded that ATG can provide a nonmyelotoxic form of therapy for pure white cell aplasia whose effectiveness is independent of responsiveness to other immunosuppressive agents.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

"Malignant" IgA nephropathy.

Most patients with mesangial IgA nephropathy who run a progressive course usually do so over a period of 10 to 20 years. This paper describes the course of three young men with similar presenting features and biopsy findings who progressed to end-stage renal failure in less than 4 years from presentation, even though initially all had serum creatinine levels that were in the normal range. They presented with macroscopic hematuria, which has previously been regarded as an indicator of a favorable prognosis, and all three had loin pain, constantly elevated urinary erythrocyte counts, and crescents in renal biopsies. In two cases, treatment appeared to be associated with stabilization of renal function, but deterioration to end-stage renal failure occurred rapidly after treatment was ceased.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Defective in vivo Fc- and C3b-receptor function in IgA nephropathy.

Reticuloendothelial function was assessed in 17 patients with IgA nephropathy, using 99Tc-labeled autologous erythrocytes coated with either C3B or IgG. Results were compared with clearances in 14 normal control subjects and with a group of 14 patients with idiopathic mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis without IgA deposition. The half-life of IgG-coated red cells in the IgA group was 69.8 +/- 32.5 minutes (control 42.2 +/- 9.0 minutes, P = 0.001). The half-life in the non-IgA mesangial proliferative group, 77.9 +/- 31.3 minutes, was not significantly different from that of the IgA patients. Clearance of C3b-coated cells, expressed as the percentage of cells cleared at 30 minutes, was 7.1% +/- 2.6% in the IgA patients, compared with 16.0% +/- 3.2% in control subjects (P less than 0.001) and 13.8% +/- 7.5% in the non-IgA mesangial proliferative group (NS). No statistical correlation was found between clearance results in individual patients and age, sex, weight, serum creatinine, or the severity of disease on clinical and pathological criteria. The severity of the defect in Fc- and C3b-receptor dependent clearances were not statistically correlated in individual patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Diagnosis of anaerobic infection by gas chromatographic estimation of volatile fatty acids.

Nine hundred and eighty-one fluid specimens were analysed by culture and by gas chromatography. The presence of obligate anaerobes was best predicted if one or more of the volatile acids isobutyric, butyric, isovaleric, valeric, isocaproic or caproic acid were detected in the specimen. Propionic acid was not a good indicator of the presence of obligate anaerobes. The agreement between gas chromatography and culture for obligate anaerobes in the main study (841 specimens, 232 culture positive) was: co-positivity 82%; co-negativity 92%. Falsely negative specimens contained anaerobes which had probably not produced sufficient of their characteristic volatile fatty acids to be detected. When it was the sole infecting anaerobe, Bacteroides fragilis seemed especially likely to be missed by gas chromatography. Forty-five of the 51 falsely positive specimens probably represented failure to culture anaerobes rather than spurious volatile fatty acid detection.

Anaerobiosis↗
PubMed1981

Ethanol tolerance in the rat is learned.

Rats were trained to walk on a treadmill to avoid foot shock. The animals developed tolerance for ethanol if given subsequent practice while ethanol intoxicated. Rats given equivalent doses of ethanol after practice did not develop tolerance, nor did saline-treated controls. These results challenge the hypothesis that mere repeated doses of ethanol are sufficient to induce tolerance. It seems that tolerance does not develop unless the response used to measure tolerance is performed while the subject is intoxicated.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Massive adrenal haemorrhage complicating adrenal neoplasm.

Two patients presented to hospital with clinical features of acute retroperitoneal haemorrhage. In each case, laparotomy revealed massive adrenal haemorrhage, and histological evidence of underlying neoplasia was eventually found.

Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms↗