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Biomedical subjects

L Fernando

Publications and source records attributed to L Fernando.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Development and evaluation of an IgM-capture ELISA for detection of recent infection with bluetongue viruses in cattle.

An IgM-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the detection of recent infection of bluetongue virus (BTV) in cattle. The test is based on the use of biotinylated capture anti-bovine IgM antibodies bound to a streptavidin-coated ELISA plate. The captured IgM antibodies were detected by application of BTV VP7 antigen and a VP7 antigen-specific monoclonal antibody. The IgM-capture ELISA was compared with the competitive ELISA by testing serum samples from groups of calves infected experimentally with five USA and 19 South Africa serotypes of BTV. The IgM-capture ELISA was able to detect bovine anti-VP7 antibodies from all animals infected with the 24 BTV serotypes at 10 days post-infection, whereas the competitive ELISA was not. When the detectable IgM diminished after 40 days post-infection by the IgM-capture ELISA, the IgG anti-VP7 antibodies remained high. The IgM-capture ELISA is sensitive and can be applied for the detection of recent infection of BTV in cattle.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Screening based on risk factors for gestational diabetes in an Asian population.

The results of glucose tolerance testing (OGTT) in 1004 consecutive women were examined with respect to risk factors for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). GDM was diagnosed in 41 of 1004 (4.08%) women. GDM was present in 7.8% of women aged over 35 years (compared to 3.1% if less than 35 years), in 8.1% women with a body mass index (BMI) >/=30 (compared to 3.6% if BMI <30) and in 5.2% of women with a family history of diabetes (compared to 3.9% in the absence of family history of diabetes). Past history of macrosomic babies (over 4 kg) was present in 12.1% of GDMs compared to 8.4% of non-diabetic pregnancies (NDP). A history of unexplained perinatal loss was present in 4.8% of GDMs compared to 2.2% of non-diabetic pregnancies (NDP). Thirteen per cent of grandmultiprous women had GDM compared to 3.9% in women with low parity. The proportion of women who had more than one risk factor was 16.7%. A combination of one or all of these risk factors predicted GDM in only 24 of 41 (58.5%) cases. Selective testing on the basis of risk factors using WHO criteria for diagnosis of GDM would miss over 40% of all cases in our population. Hence, this study supports the policy of universal screening for GDM in populations similar to ours.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Fertility following ligation of internal iliac arteries for life-threatening obstetric haemorrhage: case report.

Bilateral ligation of internal iliac (hypogastric) arteries (BIL) is a life-saving operation in cases of massive obstetric haemorrhage. This operation preserves reproductive function as opposed to the more commonly performed emergency hysterectomy in such situations. We report on effectiveness and future fertility in 12 women who had internal iliac ligation to control severe obstetric haemorrhage: in 10 out of the 12 women, BIL was successful. Of the two women who subsequently needed emergency hysterectomy, one woman died of disseminated intravascular coagulation. Of the eight women we were able to follow-up to assess reproductive performance, two did not desire future fertility. Three had subsequent pregnancies (50%), of whom two proceeded to term. We conclude that BIL is a safe and effective procedure for treating life-threatening obstetric haemorrhage with preservation of future fertility. This technique should be performed more often when indicated.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Viability of microencapsulated bifidobacteria in set yogurt during refrigerated storage.

Bifidobacteria are probiotic organisms that improve the microbial balance in the human gut. They can be incorporated as live cultures in fermented dairy foods, including yogurt, for transmission to humans. Because bifidobacteria are sensitive to high acidity, their viability in yogurt is limited. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of microencapsulation on the viability of bifidobacteria in yogurt during refrigerated storage for 30 d. Live bifidobacterial cells were encapsulated in kappa-carrageenan. Cell enumeration, determination of titratable acidity and pH, quantitation of lactic and acetic acids, and sensory evaluation (consumer test) were carried out on the yogurt samples. Microbiological results showed a decline of 78 and 70.5% in the population of Bifidobacterium longum B6 and B. longum ATCC 15708, respectively, for the treatments containing nonencapsulated cells. No difference in bifidobacterial population was observed in the encapsulated treatments. The acetic acid content in the yogurt with nonencapsulated bifidobacteria was higher than that in the plain yogurt (control) and encapsulated treatments. The increase in lactic acid content during storage was not different among the various treatments for B. longum B6, but was greater for nonencapsulated than encapsulated B. longum 15708 and the control. Consumers judged the nonencapsulated treatment as the most sour, which was likely due to the higher acetic acid content. Consumers preferred the control and nonencapsulated treatments over the encapsulated treatment. Microencapsulation appears to increase the viability of bifidobacteria in yogurt. This technique can be used to transmit bifidobacteria via fermented products provided that sensory characteristics of the product are improved or maintained.

Acetic Acid↗
PubMed1999

Improved survival with plasma exchange in patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura-hemolytic uremic syndrome.

PURPOSE: Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and hemolytic uremic syndrome are uncommon disorders that are generally fatal if left untreated. Plasma exchange therapy is associated with high response rates and improved short-term survival, but most previous studies have been limited by small numbers of patients or short duration of follow-up. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort analysis in 126 consecutive patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura/hemolytic uremic syndrome, most of whom were treated principally with plasma exchange at the Sacramento Medical Foundation Blood (Center and the University of California Davis Medical Center between 1978 and 1998. We measured the effect of therapeutic plasma exchange on 30-day mortality, response rate, and overall survival, and determined which factors were associated with 30-day mortality and relapse. RESULTS: The overall 30-day mortality was 10% of the 122 patients who received plasma exchange as their principal treatment (a median of 9 exchanges and a mean cumulative infused volume of 43 +/- 77 L fresh frozen plasma); 56% were complete responders and 21% were partial responders. The relapse rate was 13%. The estimated 2-year survival was about 60%; among patients without serious underlying comorbid conditions, the estimated 2-year survival was about 80%. Each unit increase in clinical severity score (on a 0 to 8 scale) was associated with a 2.2-fold (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3 to 3.9) increase in the odds of 30-day mortality. Patients who were febrile at presentation were substantially less likely to suffer a relapse (odds ratio = 0.2; 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.9). CONCLUSION: Plasma exchange therapy produced high response and survival rates in this large cohort of patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura/hemolytic uremic syndrome. The Clinical Severity Score may be useful in predicting 30-day mortality, whereas fever at onset was associated with a lesser risk of relapse. Prospective studies should stratify patients according to these prognostic factors.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

A five-year follow-up study of older long-stay clients with intellectual disability using the Disability Assessment Schedule.

The emphasis on community care means closure of the long-stay institutions for people with intellectual disability. Studies have indicated that older people with intellectual disability in particular may not be adequately cared for because of poor monitoring of their changing needs and inadequate provision of services. The use of rating instruments to monitor changes, and to predict outcome or needs in this population may help to improve care by assisting with planning and projection of service requirements. In 1991, all residents of a long-stay hospital for people with intellectual disability were assessed using the Disability Assessment Schedule (DAS). Five years later, the 1991 scores of the older residents (aged > 50 years) were reviewed and compared under three outcome groups: in-patients, discharged and deceased. Furthermore, all older people resident in the hospital in 1996 were reassessed using the DAS. Out of the 144 older clients resident in 1991, five years later, 78 were still in-patients, 38 had been discharged into the community and 28 were deceased. In 1991, the decreased group had the greatest problems with continence and symbolic behaviour, while the discharged group had the greatest problems with self-help, vision, hearing, communication, social interaction, echolalia and repetitive speech. In comparison with 1991, the 1996 DAS scores of older residents showed that there were increasing problems with vision, hearing, communication, behaviour and symbolic activities. The present study suggested that the DAS is a useful instrument for monitoring change and predicting outcome in older people with intellectual disability.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1998

Suppressed thromboxane production in endotoxin-desensitized THP-1 cells is not a result of decreased prostaglandin H synthase activity.

Pre-exposure of THP-1 cells to low concentrations of endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) down-regulates thromboxane (Tx) A2, an arachidonic acid (AA) metabolite, production in response to a subsequent LPS stimulation. To further delineate the mechanisms of LPS-induced down-regulation of TxA2, we examined expression of prostaglandin H synthase (PGHS)-2 mRNA, changes in PGHS activity, and content of PGHS-1 and -2. Pre-exposure to LPS (1 microg/mL for 18 h to desensitize cells) inhibits production of TxB2, the stable metabolite of TxA2, in response to secondary stimulation of LPS (10 microg/mL), when compared with LPS-stimulated naive cells (p < .05, n=5). LPS (10 microg/mL) induced expression of PGHS-2 mRNA at 1 and 2 h in naive cells, but this expression was decreased in the LPS-desensitized cells. However, exogenous AA (16 microM) or phorbol myristic acid (PMA), 3 microM) stimulated greater TxB2 production in the LPS-desensitized cells than in the naive cells (p < .05). Protein content of PGHS-1 and -2 were examined by Western blot analysis, using antibodies specific for PGHS-1 and PGHS-2. Densitometric analysis demonstrated a significant increase in PGHS-2 induction in LPS-stimulated naive cells (405+/-174%) over its respective basal group (p < .05, n=5). PGHS-1 was constitutively present, but there was no significant difference in quantity between naive and LPS-desensitized basal or LPS-stimulated groups. Thus, despite the reduction in expression of PGHS-2 mRNA, these composite data demonstrate that down-regulation of PGHS activity (assessed with exogenous AA or PMA) cannot be responsible for the inhibition of AA metabolism observed in LPS desensitization.

Arachidonic Acid↗
PubMed1997

Effect of milk fat content on flavor perception of vanilla ice cream.

The effects of milk fat concentration on flavor perception of vanilla ice cream (with 0.5 to 10% fat) were studied by sensory analyses. The percentage of free vanillin in the ice cream was determined by HPLC. The HPLC data showed that the amount of free vanillin decreased when fat content increased. Perceptions of vanilla flavor and sweetness were evaluated by a trained panel using time-intensity methodology. No significant difference was found in sweetness perception. Among 11 time-intensity parameters for vanilla flavor perception, the panel found a significant difference only in the time required to reach maximum vanilla intensity. However, free-choice profiling and a consumer preference panel showed, respectively, that, as fat content was increased, sensory quality improved, and overall preference increased.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Failure of postexposure treatment of rabies in children.

Five failures of postexposure treatment of rabies in small children with multiple severe bites on the face and head are discussed. All had received rabies immune globulin and a potent tissue-culture vaccine. However, not all wounds had been infiltrated with immune globulin. Surgical closure prior to wound injection with immune globulin was performed in three cases. Another patient had wounds sutured after an intramuscular injection of immune globulin, without wound infiltration.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Evidence that use of a second-generation hepatitis C antibody assay prevents additional cases of transfusion-transmitted hepatitis.

The aim of this study was to determine if using hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV) enzyme immunoassay version 2.0 (EIA2) in addition to version 1.0 (EIA1) increased the safety of the blood supply. Blood non-reactive by anti-HCV EIA1 was transfused in 1990-92. Stored samples from 40098 units, donated prior to 13 March 1992 were later tested by EIA2. For donor units reactive for anti-HCV by EIA2, a recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA2) was also carried out. In 63 cases, recipients of transfusions which were EIA2 negative or EIA2 reactive were tested for anti-HCV and elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels 9-12 months after transfusion; pretransfusion anti-HCV status of recipients was unknown. Among these multitransfused patients receiving units that were negative by both EIA1 and EIA2, 1/26 (4%) had anti-HCV. Among transfusion recipients of units negative by EIA1, but who received at least one unit reactive by EIA2, 4/37 recipients (11%) were anti-HCV reactive (P = 0.59). For the recipients of EIA2 reactive blood, when the donor unit was RIBA2 non-reactive, 0/23 recipients were reactive by anti-HCV. Among the recipients of a RIBA2 indeterminate unit, 1/10 recipients had anti-HCV, but for patients who received at least one RIBA2 reactive unit, 3/4 recipients had anti-HCV (P = 0.03). Hence, second-generation anti-HCV testing detected additional units capable of transmitting hepatitis C that were not detected by first-generation testing. However, RIBA2 is a more specific method than EIA2 for determining units capable of transmitting HCV.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

GABAA/benzodiazepine receptor gamma 2 subunit gene expression in developing normal and mutant mouse cerebellum.

Recent studies have identified several subunits (alpha, beta, gamma and delta) of the gamma-aminobutyric acidA/benzodiazepine receptor; each consists of several variants. The gamma 2 subunit appears to mediate the interaction of the alpha and beta subunits making the receptor capable of modulation by benzodiazepines. In the present studies, the expression of mRNA encoding the gamma 2 subunit was examined in the cerebellum during development and in adult Purkinje cell degeneration, lurcher and reeler mutant mice. In the normal adult cerebellum, in situ hybridization with [35S]cRNA probes revealed a strong signal over the Purkinje cell layer and deep cerebellar nuclei, and a weaker signal over basket, stellate and granule cells. Labeling over Purkinje cells was detectable at birth, gradually becoming stronger and more punctate during postnatal weeks 1 and 2, as Purkinje cells formed a monolayer between the molecular and granule cell layers. Adult levels of grain density were reached by P20. The external germinal layer, which contained proliferating granule cells, was unlabeled throughout development; however, weak labeling was detected over the internal granular layer at the end of postnatal week 1, as granule cells began their migration across the molecular layer. During the second postnatal week, punctate labeling became visible over the molecular layer in a distribution indicative of basket and stellate cells. In adult Purkinje cell degeneration and lurcher mutants, in which Purkinje cells have degenerated, no punctate labeling characteristic of mature Purkinje cells was detected. In adult and developing reeler mutants, where all classes of cells are malpositioned throughout the cerebellum, the punctate hybridization signal was present and clearly associated with Purkinje cells in all cortical regions. Our results suggest that developing Purkinje cells express the gamma 2 gene at a time prior to receiving GABAergic inhibitory input, and that the continued expression in the adult is not affected by the absence of afferents.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Significance of antibody to hepatitis B core antigen in blood donors as determined by their serologic response to hepatitis B vaccine.

Because large numbers of volunteer blood donors may be disqualified for "false-positive" results on tests for antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc), a more specific definition of anti-HBc enzyme immunoassay (EIA)-reactive was evaluated, including only those donor samples that were "strongly" reactive (sample-to-cutoff absorbance ratio, < 0.45). Results using this definition and other anti-HBc test methods were compared to the serologic response (antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen [anti-HBsAg]) to hepatitis B vaccination. Fifty-eight volunteer blood donors who had previously been deferred as donors, because of reactive anti-HBc tests (all other blood screening tests were negative, including those for HBsAg and anti-HBsAg) on two occasions, were vaccinated for hepatitis B. It was assumed that an anamnestic response to vaccine indicated past infection with hepatitis B, while a primary response to vaccine indicated lack of past infection. One (2%) of 43 donors with a historically "weak" anti-HBc (reactive absorbance ratio, > or = 0.45) had an anamnestic response to vaccine, compared to 8 (53%) of 15 with historically "strong" anti-HBc (reactive absorbance ratio, < 0.45) (p < 0.005). Anti-HBc testing using the microparticle EIA method also correlated well with hepatitis B vaccination results. The use of a narrower definition of "reactive" for anti-HBc EIA testing yielded much more specific, but slightly less sensitive, results.

Blood Donors↗