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Biomedical subjects

L Kaufman

Publications and source records attributed to L Kaufman.

At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Grouping of Aspergillus species with exoantigens.

Ninety-two slant extracts prepared from 2-week-old cultures of seven Aspergillus groups, nonsporulating "albino-type" A.fumigatus, Blastomyces dermatitidis, Histoplasma capsulatum, 3 Penicillium spp., 2 Pseudallescheria spp., 3 Paecilomyces spp., and Acremonium sp., were analyzed concurrently against antisera to A. fumigatus, A. flavus, A. nidulans, A. niger, and A. terreus. The extract of each of the aforementioned five pathogenic Aspergillus spp. produced 2-11 specific antigen-antibody complexes after reacting with its homologous antiserum. Antisera prepared against extracts to these pathogenic aspergilli demonstrated variable intra-generic crossreactivity, which were eliminated by adsorption with heterologous Aspergillus spp. antigens. Fewer nonspecific reactions were noted with the reference antigen-antibody precipitates of A. nidulans and A. Terreus than with reference precipitates of the other Aspergillus spp. Exoantigen extracts of "albino-type" isolates of A. fumigatus produced two to five specific precipitins against anti-A. fumigatus serum only. Based on the specific reactions produced by the eight albino-type isolates and 1 Aspergillus sp. isolate, all these fungi were identified correctly and placed in the A. fumigatus group. Analyses of conventionally identified A. fumigatus, A. flavus, A. nidulans, A. niger, and A. terreus including an isolate of A. parasiticus, enabled us correctly to classify them (51/51, or 100%) into their respective groups. Specific Aspergillus spp. antigen-antibody precipitates were characterized and used as references in exoantigen tests. None of the fungi in the genera other than Aspergillus produced antigens identical to the selected reference antigens.

Antibodies, Fungal↗
PubMed1986

Immunodiagnosis of blastomycosis.

The diagnosis of blastomycosis has long been a challenge for the clinician. Primarily a pulmonary disease, blastomycosis is difficult to differentiate from other respiratory infections by clinical symptoms alone. Substantial improvement in the diagnosis of blastomycosis can be attributed to the availability of the purified A antigen of Blastomyces dermatitidis and its homologous antibody and the incorporation of these reagents into diagnostic tests. Reliable procedures for accurately and rapidly immunodiagnosing blastomycosis are available. These methods comprise enzyme immunoassay and immunodiffusion tests for detecting diagnostic serum antibody by B dermatitidis, the exoantigen test for identifying mycelial-form cultures of the etiologic agent, and the fluorescent antibody technique for detecting and identifying yeast-form cells in culture or in tissue. These tests, used alone or in combination, can in many cases provide an early and rapid definitive diagnosis of blastomycosis.

Blastomycosis↗
PubMed1986

Aquarium-borne Mycobacterium marinum skin infection. Report of a case and review of the literature.

A 33-year-old fish fancier developed a protracted skin infection that ultimately was found to be caused by Mycobacterium marinum. The organism was isolated from the lesion as well as from infected fish taken from his home aquarium. The lesion resolved after a six-week course of oral sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim. Forty-four additional cases of culture-proved M marinum skin infections acquired from aquariums and reported in the English-language literature are reviewed. Almost universally, the lesions remained circumscribed and were either single nodular (14 patients) or multiple sporotrichoid (31 patients). Diagnosis was supported by acid-fast smears (15 patients) and isolation of the organism from skin lesions (43 patients) or from fish (two cases). In vitro studies, as well as clinical outcomes, suggest sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim or ethambutol hydrochloride plus rifampin to be the drugs of choice.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Monoclonal antibodies against isoelectrically focused Nocardia asteroides proteins characterized by the enzyme-linked immunoelectro-transfer blot method.

Sera from rabbits immunized with culture filtrates and homogenates of Nocardia asteroides B1042 gave at least eight precipitin bands by immunoelectrophoresis. At least 20 proteins with isoelectric points (pls) in the pH 4 to 5.4 range were observed in isoelectric focusing patterns. The enzyme-linked immunoelectro-transfer blot (EITB) assay showed that several of the isofocused proteins reacted with rabbit antisera and with sera from nocardiosis and tuberculosis patients. Antibodies against three proteins with pls of 4, 4.43, and 4.68 (antigenic factors 1,6,8) were present in nocardiosis patients' sera. The proteins were excised from isofocused gels, and IgG monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were produced by the hybridoma method. MAbs against factors 1 and 6 did not crossreact with cytoplasmic antigens of Mycobacterium chelonae, M. intracellulare serotypes 4B and 8A, M. fortuitum, M. gordonae, or M. kansasii in the EITB method. Factor 8 (MAb) crossreacted with antigens of M. intracellulare and M. fortuitum.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Antigenemia in rabbits infected with Candida albicans serotype B: detection by enzyme immunoassay and preliminary characterization of the antigen.

Peroxidase-labeled IgG against Candida albicans serotype A cell walls failed to detect antigenemia in rabbits infected with C. albicans type B. Therefore type B antisera were produced in rabbits immunized with either type B cell walls; whole blastoconidia heated and killed at 60 degrees C (HK); a sublethal intravenous dosage of 10(6) colony forming units (c.f.u.); or a normally lethal dose of 10(7) c.f.u. injected into subcutaneously implanted plastic chambers. The four antisera were conjugated to peroxidase for a double antibody sandwich enzyme immunoassay. Sixteen rabbits, immunosuppressed with cortisone, received 10(7) type B blastoconidia intravenously. On day 4 their kidneys contained between 3.4 X 10(8) and 1.4 X 10(11) c.f.u. Antigenemia was detected only with the conjugated anti-HK-IgG. A mean concentration of 246 ng ml-1 of circulating antigen was detected only when serum-antigen complexes were dissociated by boiling in EDTA. The properties of the circulating antigen were as follows: relative molecular weight between 50 000 and 100 000 da; stable to boiling and proteinases, labile to sodium periodate oxidation, and bound by concanavalin A. These properties are consistent with a polysaccharide or glycoprotein, probably the mannoprotein of the cell wall. Antigenic specificity was probed further using IgG produced against heat-killed C. albicans serotype A. Antigenemia resulting from infection with serotype B was detected in 5 of 5 rabbits tested with the anti-HK-serotype B IgG but only with 3 of 5 tested with the anti-HK-serotype A IgG. In addition, the concentrations detected with serotype B reagents were 31 times higher.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

[The effect of swimming on nasal patency and tubal function in children. Prospective 24-week cross-over study in 154 children].

This prospective cross-over study involving 154 healthy school children over a time span of 24 weeks revealed a favorable influence of swimming on nasal patency and tubal function in children. The positive influence of bathing on middle ear ventilation seems to be of shorter duration than that on nasal resistance. Tympanogram distribution and nasal resistance are most favorable in girls, older children and in the spring-summer period. A good nasal patency is often associated with a good middle ear ventilation. Advising children against swimming because of sinusitis and otitis is probably not justified.

Acoustic Impedance Tests↗
PubMed1986

[A comparative study of 2 tests for auditory tube function and their effects on swimming].

We studied a group of adults and a group of children. All the test subjects were member of the swimming club and were subjected to an intensive training program for competition swimming. Two easy to perform Eustachian tube tests were compared, i.e. the Bluestone 9 steps test (tympanometry) and the measurement of the opening pressure with a pressure transducer during Valsalva and swallowing. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each test and the influence of swimming on the Eustachian tube function in adults and children.

Acoustic Impedance Tests↗
PubMed1985

Assessment of cardiac anatomy using nuclear magnetic resonance imaging.

Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging has emerged in the past few years as a completely noninvasive method for medical imaging of internal organs. Because of the loss of signal intensity by motional nuclei (hydrogen) using most proton imaging techniques, flowing blood within the cardiovascular system generates little or no signal and consequently there is high natural contrast between blood and the walls of blood vessels or cardiac chambers. However, motion during imaging also complicates cardiac imaging because signal is lost from the nuclei in the moving cardiac structures. Consequently electrocardiographic gating of data acquisition is required for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of the heart. Distinct advantages of nuclear magnetic resonance imaging in relation to other imaging modalities are good contrast between soft tissues and the capability for characterization of specific tissues by estimation of magnetic relaxation times. Early in vitro studies measuring relaxation times of myocardial tissue samples of excised hearts indicate that nuclear magnetic resonance imaging will be capable of discriminating infarcted from normal myocardium. Recent studies using electrocardiographically gated nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of dogs with acute infarction showed the infarct as a region of high intensity on spin-echo images. Initial clinical experience with electrocardiographically gated nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (0.35 tesla) in patients has clearly defined internal cardiac anatomy without the use of contrast media. This technique has demonstrated the consequence of previous myocardial infarction such as regional wall thinning, aneurysm, thrombus and contractile dysfunction, a number of pericardial abnormalities and the morphology of hypertrophic and congestive cardiomyopathies.

Coronary Circulation↗
PubMed1985

Effect of intrathecal diamorphine on the adrenocortical, hyperglycaemic and cardiovascular responses to major colonic surgery.

The effect of the intrathecal administration of diamorphine on the hyperglycaemic, adrenocortical and cardiovascular responses to major colonic surgery were investigated, and the results compared with those obtained in a similar group of patients receiving low doses of fentanyl. In the group receiving intrathecal diamorphine, the hyperglycaemic response was delayed, and the adrenocortical response decreased significantly both during and following surgery; there were no significant cardiovascular responses to incision, and analgesia was prolonged after operation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Comparison of enzyme immunoassay and gas-liquid chromatography for the rapid diagnosis of invasive candidiasis in cancer patients.

Three proposed quantitative markers for candidiasis, arabinitol, mannose, and mannan in serum, are compared in 50 normal blood donors and 38 high-risk patients, 23 with and 15 without invasive candidiasis. Arabinitol concentrations in serum, the arabinitol/creatinine ratio, and mannose concentrations in serum were significantly greater in the 15 patients without candidiasis than in the normal blood donors (P less than 0.05). The sensitivities and specificities were 26 and 87% for arabinitol, 13 and 93% for the arabinitol/creatinine ratio, and 39 and 87% for mannose. On the other hand, mannan concentrations in serum were less than 1 ng/ml in normal blood donors and patients without candidiasis (P = 0.344), and the sensitivity and specificity were 65 and 100%, respectively. Of 23 patients with proven or probable candidiasis, 16 had mannan levels in serum greater than the mean + 2 standard deviations (0.46 ng/ml) for the 15 controls. In 16 patients with invasive candidiasis and positive blood cultures for the Candida spp., only 13 had elevated levels of at least one of the three markers. The arabinitol/creatinine ratio, the mannose level, and the mannan level became elevated an average of 4 days before, 1 day before, and on the same day that the blood cultures were drawn, respectively. Conversely, mannan was detected in the sera of six of seven patients with invasive candidiasis and negative blood cultures. We conclude that the best approach to diagnosing invasive candidiasis involves obtaining blood cultures and carrying out serial assays for mannan in serum.

Candidiasis↗
PubMed1985

Comparison and diagnostic value of the coccidioidin heat-stable (HS and tube precipitin) antigens in immunodiffusion.

Coccidioides immitis produces two unrelated heat-stable antigens which are diagnostically useful in immunodiffusion tests. One, the tube precipitin antigen, is valuable for specifically detecting antibody and diagnosing early primary cases of coccidioidomycosis. The other heat-stable antigen, designated HS, is the most useful coccidioidin antigen for specifically immunoidentifying C. immitis cultures. Both of the antigens were compared and evaluated for their usefulness in exoantigen and serologic immunodiffusion tests. Our studies indicated that the detection of tube precipitin antigen is of limited value for immunoidentifying C. immitis isolates because the antigen is common to certain gymnoascaceous saprophytes, such as Arachniotus, Auxarthron, and Malbranchea species, that form alternate arthroconidia. Antibodies to HS antigens are infrequently found in human sera from patients with coccidioidomycosis and are thus of little serodiagnostic value.

Antibodies, Fungal↗
PubMed1985

A comparison of saddle-shaped and solenoidal coils for magnetic resonance imaging.

Differences in magnetic resonance (MR) imaging signal-to-noise (S/N) performance between saddle-shaped and solenoidal coils have been postulated. Each coil shape is tied to a particular magnetic field configuration, so that they are not typically interchangeable except in special situations. The solenoidal coil is predicted to have a two- to three-fold advantage over the saddle-shaped coil. Simple basic arguments raise a dispute with this assertion. Experiments show that both coils produce essentially equivalent S/N levels.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Multiple spin-echo magnetic resonance imaging.

Spin-echo magnetic resonance (MR) imaging detects a variety of pathologic states with great sensitivity. A technique for producing multiple spin-echo images in multisection operation is presented. This method of intensity-image acquisition is compared with retrospective intensity-image synthesis from routine data sets. Both yield long echo time (TE) images with similar image contrast and comparable and often increased diagnostic utility. Technical and clinical considerations are addressed, including signal-to-noise levels, flow effects, and patient throughput.

Brain Diseases↗
PubMed1985

Magnetic resonance imaging of the heart: a review of the experience in 172 subjects.

Gated magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was used to evaluate central cardiovascular anatomy in 172 subjects, 31 of whom were healthy volunteers. Using the spin-echo technique, images of diagnostic quality were obtained in 93% of cases with TE = 28 msec and in 65% of cases with TE = 56 msec. Transverse multisection sequences encompassing most of the left ventricle required approximately 6-8 minutes. Corroborative studies were available in 134 of 141 patients who had cardiovascular disease; two dimensional echocardiograms and angiography in 133 and 100 patients, respectively. Gated MR demonstrated the wall thinning and complications caused by prior myocardial infarctions and high signal intensity of the myocardium at the site of acute myocardial infarctions. MR accurately demonstrated anatomic abnormalities owing to hypertrophic and congestive cardiomyopathies, congenital abnormalities of the heart and great vessels, rheumatic heart disease, pulmonary hypertension, and cardiac and paracardiac masses. Depiction of cardiovascular anatomy and pathoanatomy was attained without the use of any contrast media. Consequently, gated MR is an effective technique for cardiac diagnosis. The short time required for tomographic examination of the entire heart using the multisection technique renders this a practical cardiac imaging modality.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Variable magnetic resonance imaging parameters: effect on detection and characterization of lesions.

With change in the imaging technique and magnetic field strength used in magnetic resonance imaging, wide variations in the delineation of pathologic features occur. Using imaging data from patients with known pathologic conditions, we evaluated the intensity images in spin-echo and inversion-recovery imaging at varying repetition times, echo times, and inversion times over broad ranges and changing magnetic field strengths. Differences in conspicuity and the apparent size of the lesions are important to consider in diagnosing and evaluating pathologic conditions, especially when different imagers and techniques are employed.

Brain Diseases↗
PubMed1985

Magnetic resonance imaging performance: a comparison of sodium and hydrogen.

Although many nuclei can be used to produce magnetic resonance (MR) images, technical considerations dictate the choice of certain of these. Hydrogen is the most favorable, followed by sodium. We present an evaluation of the imaging performance of sodium MR imaging based on imager performance and biologic factors. Because it is hampered by high operating fields, low signal-to-noise levels, and radiofrequency power deposition constraints, careful clinical comparisons will be needed to identify a diagnostic niche that could take advantage of the large sodium differences known to exist within biologic systems.

Brain Neoplasms↗