Biomedical subjects

L Kass

Publications and source records attributed to L Kass.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1999

Elliptocytes and tailed poikilocytes correlate with severity of iron-deficiency anemia.

This study examines the relationships between abnormal RBC morphology, RBC indices measured with an automated hematology analyzer, serum iron studies, and severity of anemia in patients with findings indicative of iron-deficiency anemia. Counts and morphologic classification of 1,000 RBCs from each of 22 patients were performed, and correlations were determined between parameters. The Student t test was used to determine the level of significance for correlations between parameters. Several significant relationships were found. As the percentage of elliptocytes increased, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, RBC concentration, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin level decreased (r = .48, .44, .40, and .49, respectively; P < .05). As the percentage of tailed poikilocytes increased, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, and RBC concentration decreased (r = .70, .77, and .71, respectively; P < .01) and RBC distribution width increased (r = .73; P < .01). Of significance, serum ferritin levels, long considered the best single indicator of iron deficiency, showed no correlation with the morphologic abnormalities assessed, severity of anemia, or any of the analyzer-generated indices. Our results indicate that microscopic evaluation of RBC morphology remains an important tool for the pathologist to evaluate the severity of anemia in patients with iron deficiency.

Anemia, Iron-Deficiency↗

PubMed1998

Reduced CD4 and HLA-DR expression in neonatal monocytes.

Three-color flow cytometry was used to assess the immunophenotypic characteristics of normal cord blood monocytes after labeling with a variety of antibodies against myeloid/monocyte-specific markers. Monocytes both in cord blood and in peripheral blood from normal adults were defined in a backgating procedure as cells with the light-scattering characteristics of monocytes that also expressed CD14. The percentage of monocytes, defined in this fashion, that also displayed CD4 receptors was significantly lower in cord blood (mean +/- SD = 29.3 +/- 13.9%) than in peripheral blood from normal adult controls (mean +/- SD = 68.9 +/- 13%) (P < 0.005). Similarly, HLA-DR expression was found on only 86 +/- 6.6% of monocytes in cord blood but on 99 +/- 1% of monocytes in adults (P < 0.005). The percentage of monocytes displaying CD16 receptors in cord blood did not show any significant difference in comparison with adult monocytes. When coexpression of CD14, CD16, and CD4 was assessed, cord blood showed a predominant population of monocytes bearing the phenotype CD14+/CD16-/CD4-. Similarly, approximately 10% of CD14+ monocytes in cord blood expressed neither CD4 nor HLA-DR. Cytochemically, monocytes from cord blood revealed intense granular staining for PAS and marginal or absent staining for nonspecific esterase (NSE). These results raise the possibility that reduced expression of CD4 and HLA-DR receptors on cord blood monocytes may contribute to their impaired immune response. Additionally, the high percentage of CD14+/CD16-/CD4- cells in cord blood suggests that these cells may represent a phenotypically immature population of monocytes. Likewise, the unusual cytochemical staining patterns suggest that these cells are biochemically immature as well.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Proliferative activity and steroid hormone receptor status in male breast carcinoma.

Hormonal factors have been implicated in the development of both female and male breast cancers (MBC). However, MBCs are rare and seem to have different biological behavior than those of females. The aim of this study was to evaluate proliferative activity and to establish an association with steroid hormone receptor concentration and clinicopathological parameters in MBC. Proliferative activity was assessed in 18 MBC by mitotic figure counts and immunohistochemical evaluation of MIB-1 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR) and androgen (AR) receptors were evaluated in serial section from the same tumor by immunohistochemistry. PCNA (range 17-73%; mean, 51.6%) and MIB-1 (range 18.5-58%; mean 38.4%) were positive correlated with the mitotic rate. High proliferative activity assessed either by mitotic index or MIB-1 expression was associated with more poorly differentiated tumors. Sixty one percent (11/18) of the tumors were ER+, 72% (13/18) PR+ and 38.5% (5/13) AR+. Proliferative activity in tumors displaying ER+/PR+ phenotype showed a tendency to be higher than in ER-/PR- tumors. This difference was statistically significant when MIB-1 expression was used as proliferation marker. An association between AR concentration and age at diagnosis was found; in the AR negative group (8/13) mean age at diagnosis was 54.4 +/- 7.3 which was significantly lower than the age of patients with AR+ tumors, 63.2 +/- 11.1 (5/13). Results presented here show that decreased androgen action (AR-) within the breast might contribute to an earlier development of MBC. Besides that, the presence of ER and PR in carcinoma cells is considered to provide a growth advantage as shown by the positive association between the phenotype (ER+/PR+) and high proliferative activity. These results add information for a better understanding of hormonal control of MBC growth and development.

Biomarkers↗

PubMed1997

Retinal anatomy of Chorocaris chacei, a deep-sea hydrothermal vent shrimp from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

Exploration of deep-sea hydrothermal vents over the past quarter century has revealed that they support unique and diverse biota. Despite the harsh nature of the environment, vents along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge are dominated by large masses of highly motile Bresiliid shrimp. Until 1989, when it was discovered that the vent shrimp Rimicaris exoculata possesses a hypertrophied dorsal eye, many believed that animals populating hydrothermal vents were blind. Chorocaris chacei (originally designated Rimicaris chacei) is a Bresiliid shrimp found at hydrothermal vent fields along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Like R. exoculata, C. chacei has a hypertrophied retina that appears to be specialized to detect the very small amount of light emitted from the orifices of black smoker hydrothermal vent chimneys. C. chacei lacks the sophisticated compound eyes common to other decapod crustaceans. Instead, it has a smooth cornea, with no dioptric apparatus, apposed by a tightly packed, massive array of photosensitive membrane. Photoreceptors in the C. chacei retina are segmented into a hypertrophied region that contains the photosensitive membrane and an atrophied cell body that is roughly ten times smaller in volume than the photosensitive segment. The microvillar photosensitive membrane is consistent in structure and ultrastructure with the rhabdoms of decapod and other invertebrate retinas. However, the volume density of photosensitive membrane (> or =60%) exceeds that typically observed in invertebrate retinas. The reflecting pigment cells commonly found in decapod retinas are represented in the form of a matrix of white diffusing cells that exhibit Tyndall scattering and form an axial sheath around the photoreceptors. All photoreceptor screening pigment granules and screening pigment cells are restricted to the region below the photoreceptor nuclei and are thereby removed from the path of incident light. No ultrastructural evidence of rhythmic cycling of photosensitive membrane was observed. The morphological adaptations observed in the C. chacei retina suggest that it is a high-sensitivity photodetector that is of functional significance to the animal.

Anatomy, Artistic↗

PubMed1997

The effect of neuropeptides from Limulus on its circadian rhythm in retinal sensitivity.

Retinal responses of the Limulus lateral eyes to light are greater at night than during the day. A circadian clock in the brain of the horseshoe crab controls these rhythmic changes of light sensitivity. The increase in sensitivity (as measured by the amplitude of the electroretinogram) is mediated at least in part by octopamine that is released from efferent axons terminating in the visual cells. Earlier studies indicate that certain factors in Limulus hemolymph can act in conjunction with octopamine. More recently, five neuropeptides (LP1-LP4 and Lip-HP) had been isolated from acetone extracts of the Limulus central nervous system using HPLC fractionation and radioimmunoassay with antisera against FMRFamide-like peptides for detection. Presently, we have injected into the Limulus lateral eye these five peptides and observed changes in retinal sensitivity. Injection during daytime had no immediate effect on that daytime electroretinogram but decreased the electroretinogram amplitude for the entire subsequent night (12 h). However, upon injection at night, we observed an immediate but only transitory decrease in electroretinogram amplitude for about 1 h without effect on the subsequent daytime electroretinogram. We suggest that the peptides act antagonistically to octopamine and are highly dependent upon the activity state of the efferent nerve terminals.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Leukocyte infiltration and collagenolysis in cervical tissue from intrapartum sheep.

Sheep uterine cervices and cervical mucus were heavily infiltrated by neutrophils during labour, whereas samples of cervices obtained from non-pregnant controls had no infiltrate. The neutrophilic infiltrate of the sheep uterine cervix at term was not homogeneously distributed throughout the organ: luminal mucus contained more neutrophils than tissues which, in turn, displayed a differential distribution, the superficial subepithelial layer being more heavily infiltrated than the deeper submucous layers. A widespread collagenolysis was observed in the sheep uterine cervix at term. The homogeneous morphological aspect of degradation of collagen fibres throughout the whole cervical stroma contrasted with the above-mentioned differential distribution of neutrophils. On the basis of previous reports showing that collagenolysis follows the leukocytic invasion of human and rat cervices at term, a possible role for the neutrophilic infiltrate of the sheep uterine cervix is discussed.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Clinical significance of immature reticulocyte fraction determined by automated reticulocyte counting.

The Sysmex R-3000 (TOA Medical Electronics, Kobe, Japan) evaluates maturation of reticulocytes by quantitating the fraction of reticulocytes within low-, middle-, and high-fluorescence intensity regions. We defined the immature reticulocyte fraction (IRF) as the sum of the fraction of high-fluorescence intensity regions plus the fraction of middle-fluorescence intensity regions. Then, we studied the clinical significance of IRF in the evaluation of anemia by comparing the IRF with the absolute reticulocyte count (ARC) and with the reticulocyte production index (RPI) and by reviewing pertinent clinical information about the patients. In the study, 132 specimens from 102 patients undergoing evaluation of anemia were analyzed. By using simple regression analysis, our results showed that the IRF has a weak but significantly positive correlation with ARC and with RPI, indicating that IRF is an additional useful parameter to evaluate the erythropoietic activity in anemia. Interpretation by integrating IRF and reticulocyte enumeration (ARC and RPI) provided useful information for further subclassification of anemia. Increased IRF (IRF > or = 0.23) and increased ARC generally indicated an adequate erythroid response to anemia. All but three specimens with an IRF less than 0.23 showed an RPI of 2 or less. These specimens were from patients with underlying diseases known to lead to decreased erythropoietic activity, predominantly chronic renal insufficiency. Specimens with a subnormal or normal ARC (with a corresponding RPI < or = 2) but with an IRF of more than 0.23 were from patients with various underlying conditions, including acute infection, iron deficiency anemia, human immunodeficiency virus infection, sickle disease with crisis, pregnancy, and myelodysplastic syndrome. Our results indicate that an IRF of 0.23 or less in patients with anemia reflects bone marrow that is nonresponsive or underresponsive to the anemia. Patients with an increased IRF (IRF > or = 0.23) may require further examination to clarify the cause of the anemia.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Kinetic model for phototransduction and G-protein enzyme cascade: understanding quantal bumps during inhibition of CaM-KII or PP2B.

We utilize a computer model derived directly from the phototransductive enzyme cascade involving rhodopsin (R), G-proteins (G) and ultimately the membrane channels. In photoreceptors, single photons activate single rhodopsin molecules (R*), resulting in the production of quantal bumps. A CaM-KII inhibitor may inhibit whereas calcineurin (PP2B) inhibitors may augment arrestin activity. Arrestin is known to inactivate R*. We voltage-clamped and digitized quantal bumps for comparison with the kinetic model and simulations. Inhibitors of CaM-KII and PP2B produce results consistent with altering arrestin activity. In sum, we have succeeded in constructing a mathematical description of the phototransduction cascade that is biochemically derived and useful in interpreting results.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Retinal anatomy of a new species of bresiliid shrimp from a hydrothermal vent field on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

A new species of shrimp (Rimicaris sp.) was recently collected from the Snake Pit hydrothermal vent field on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Until the discovery in 1989 that the deep-sea, hydrothermal vent species, Rimicaris exoculata, possessed a hypertrophied dorsal eye, everyone believed that animals recovered from vent environments were blind. Like R. exoculata, Rimicaris sp., a small orange bresiliid shrimp, has an enlarged dorsal eye specialized for detecting light in a very dim environment instead of the expected compound eye. The individual lenses characteristic of a compound eye adapted for imaging have been replaced in Rimicaris sp. by a smooth cornea underlain by a massive array of photosensitive membrane. The number of ommatidia in this species is about the same as in shrimp species that live at the surface; however, the photoreceptors are larger in the deep-sea species and the shape of the photoreceptors is markedly different. The light-sensitive region of the photoreceptor is much larger than those of other shrimp and the rest of the receptor is much smaller than normal. All screening pigment has moved out of the path of incident light to a position below the retina, and the reflecting pigment cells have adapted to form a bright white diffusing screen between and behind the photoreceptors. The ultrastructure of the microvillar array comprising the rhabdom is typical for decapod crustaceans; however, there is a much greater volume density of rhabdom (80% to 85%) than normal. There is no ultrastructural evidence for cyclic rhabdom shedding or renewal. Rimicaris sp. has apparently adapted its visual system to detect the very dim light emitted from the throats of the black smoker chimneys around which it lives.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

A hypochlorite-fast metachromatic quick stain for human megakaryocytes.

Megakaryocytes in aspirates of normal and abnormal human bone marrow displayed rose-pink metachromasia when stained with a violet polymethine dye. The color of the megakaryocytes persisted when the stained sample was exposed to a dilute solution of sodium hypochlorite. Under the same conditions, other hematopoietic cells became colorless. This stain may be useful for demonstrating megakaryocyte from both healthy and diseased bone marrow specimens.

Bone Marrow Cells↗

PubMed1995

Identification of normal and abnormal human megakaryocytes based on acid fast metachromasia after staining with basic black MSP.

Megakaryocytes from normal persons and from patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura, myelodysplastic disorders, hypersplenism, and essential thrombocythemia displayed vivid magenta metachromatic staining of the cytoplasm when stained with basic black MSP followed by brief exposure to dilute hydrochloric acid. Under the same conditions, other hematopoietic cells were completely decolorized. Acid fast metachromasia of megakaryocytes facilitates their identification, particularly in cases of small and atypical megakaryocytes found in disease states.

Bone Marrow Cells↗

PubMed1995

A selective stain for eosinophils using two oxazine dyes applied sequentially.

A methanolic solution of the oxazine textile dye, C.I. basic blue 122, followed by an aqueous alkaline solution of the oxazine dye, C.I. basic blue 141, and a brief rinse in an acetate buffer at pH 3.45 produces intense black staining of eosinophil granules. This staining was selective for eosinophils while other types of peripheral blood leukocytes showed little if any staining under the same conditions. This staining procedure may be useful for detecting eosinophils in samples of blood, bone marrow, or urine when eosinophiluria results from interstitial nephritis.

Eosinophils↗

PubMed1995

Identification of proerythroblasts in tissue sections of bone marrow.

In paraffin-embedded sections of bone marrow fixed in B5-formalin, proerythroblasts from patients with marked erythroid hyperplasia displayed a characteristic nuclear chromatin pattern. This pattern consisted of an "arm" of chromatin extending from the center of the nucleus to the inner aspect of the nuclear envelope. In some instances the arm showed an "elbow bend." Depending on the plane of section, approximately 30% of proerythroblasts demonstrated these chromatin patterns. Ultrastructurally a similar "arm" of chromatin was seen in proerythroblasts. Embedded within the chromatin was a nucleolus. Although the significance of this pattern is as yet unknown, it provides a morphologic clue to identification of proerythroblasts in tissue sections.

Bone Marrow↗

PubMed1993

Rapid identification of T helper and T cytotoxic/suppressor lymphocytes with an oxazine dye.

Peripheral blood lymphocytes displayed a plurality of sizes and colors when exposed first to a methanolic solution of C.I. basic blue 141, then to an aqueous alkaline solution of the same dye and rinsed in a neutral HEPES buffer containing trace amounts of various salts. As confirmed with purified lymphocyte subpopulations obtained with a cell sorter, T helper cells (CD4) were small and their nuclei and cytoplasm stained deep blue. T cytotoxic/suppressor cells (CD 8) were larger than T helper cells, their nuclei stained pale green or blue green and their cytoplasm contained a cluster of magenta colored granules. From start to finish, the stain takes 15 min to perform. Used in the manner described, basic blue 141 holds promise as a rapid means of identifying and differentiating CD4 and CD8 cells under the ordinary light microscope without using monoclonal antibodies or fluorescence.

Humans↗

PubMed1992

A circadian clock in the Limulus brain transmits synchronous efferent signals to all eyes.

A circadian clock in the brain of the horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, has an important role in the function of the peripheral visual system. At night, the clock transmits neural activity to the lateral, ventral, and median eyes via efferent optic nerve fibers. The activity occurs in synchronous bursts (maximum rate of 2 bursts/s) with individual efferent fibers contributing a single spike in each burst. The circadian efferent activity originates in the protocerebrum. Lateral connections synchronize the efferent activity recorded from the two halves of the protocerebrum, suggesting the existence of bilateral circadian oscillators. Circadian efferent activity survives excision of the brain and isolation of the protocerebrum. We conclude that circadian clock and its complex neural circuitry are fundamental components of the Limulus visual system.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Basic blue 54: a new colorant for monocytes.

C.I. basic blue 54, a sulfur containing azo textile dye, stained the nucleus and cytoplasm of normal and leukemic monocytes bright red-violet. Essential for the staining reaction was a brief final rinse in a pH 3.6 acetic acid-sodium acetate buffer. Coloration of the type found in monocytes was not observed in other types of mature and immature leukocytes.

Azo Compounds↗

PubMed1992

A two step stain for normal and leukemic monocytes using two different dyes applied in sequence.

A staining procedure for monocytes in specimens of blood and bone marrow was developed. The technique was a two step procedure in which unfixed cells were exposed first to a methanolic solution of C.I. basic blue 54. Next, an aqueous alkaline buffered solution of C.I. basic blue 141 was added to the first staining solution. After staining for 10 min in the solution with two stains, slides or coverslips were washed for 5 sec in pH 5.6 phosphate buffer and drained dry. The cytoplasm of monocytes stained intensely deep purple and frequently nuclei were stained red. Similar staining was not found in other types of normal or abnormal blood and bone marrow cells.

Buffers↗

PubMed1991

Visual performance of horseshoe crabs day and night.

A circadian clock modulates the structure and function of the lateral eyes of Limulus polyphemus, greatly increasing their sensitivity at night. During the mating season, male Limulus are visually attracted both day and night to females and objects that resemble females. This paper asks how well Limulus can see day and night, and whether the circadian changes in retinal sensitivity might influence the ability of these animals to find mates. We recorded the visual behavior of male and female horseshoe crabs in the vicinity of an object--a cement hemisphere (29.5 cm diameter) similar in size and shape to a female horseshoe crab--placed in a mating area near Mashnee Dike, Bourne, Massachusetts. Males oriented toward this target from an average distance of 0.94 m during the day and 0.88 m at night; and females appeared to avoid the target. We conclude that males can see potential mates at night almost as well as they can during the day. Apparently the circadian changes in the retina help compensate for the daily changes in illumination in the animal's normal environment. This study provides the first evidence for a role of visual circadian rhythms in an animal's natural behavior.

Animals↗