Ageing--the universal human experience.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to L Thomas.
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Kaposi's sarcoma is a feature of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in male homosexuals and Haitians. In this report the authors describe six heterosexual intravenous drug users who developed Kaposi's sarcoma. They had other characteristics of AIDS including opportunistic infections (oral candidiasis, six patients; Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, two patients; genital herpes simplex, two patients; disseminated cytomegalovirus, one patient; Mycobacterium avium, one patient) and inversion of the normal ratio of helper-suppressor T-cell subsets in peripheral blood lymphocytes in the two patients in whom it was determined. These observations indicate that intravenous drug users as well as Haitians and homosexual men are at risk for developing Kaposi's sarcoma as part of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
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In a randomized double-blind trial, the effect of ibuprofen on the pain produced by gallbladder disease and on gallbladder mucosa and muscle wall tissue PGE and PGF production was evaluated to determine if the pain of cholecystitis and prostaglandin formation were altered by administration of a prostaglandin synthetase inhibitor. To ascertain potential differences in extracellular and intracellular prostaglandin production rates, gallbladder mucosal cells and muscle tissues were maintained in tissue culture medium and then subsequently homogenized. PGE and PGF concentrations were measured in culture medium and homogenates utilizing radioimmunoassay. Gallbladder mucosa and muscle tissue produced nanogram per milligram protein amounts of PGE and PGF. As the histological estimation of the degree of inflammation increased, so also did the production of PGE. Increased inflammation was associated with unchanged PGF levels, resulting in an increased ratio of PGE/PGF with increasing inflammation. Oral ibuprofen administration was effective in decreasing PGE production by gallbladder mucosa and muscle and eliminating the significant correlation between PGE levels and the histologic degree of inflammation found in the placebo-treated patients. Ibuprofen significantly decreased the pain of cholecystitis when compared to placebo-treated patients. However, there was poor correlation between pain relief and changes in PGE production by gallbladder mucosa and muscle. PGE may play a mediator role in inflammation associated with cholecystitis. Prostaglandin synthetase inhibition decreases the pain associated with cholecystitis; however, the absence of correlation with decreased PGE formation suggests that other prostanoids may play an important role in producing the symptoms of cholecystitis.
Clinical and laboratory experience with circulating lupus anticoagulant in 3 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass procedures is reported. This circulatory anticoagulant inhibits activation of prothrombin by the prothrombin activator complex (factor Xa, factor V, and phospholipid). The presence of lupus anticoagulant was initially detected because of a prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time and a normal or mildly prolonged prothrombin time. The 3 patients underwent uncomplicated coronary artery bypass grafting and experienced no abnormal bleeding postoperatively. The lupus anticoagulant is a rare cause of bleeding after open-heart surgery. It appears to be a problem only when an additional coagulation defect is present.
Mice can recognize one another by individually characteristic body scents that reflect their genetic constitution at the extremely polymorphic major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of genes on chromosome 17. Reproductive behavioral manifestations of this sensory communication system include MHC-related mating preferences and neuroendocrine responses that affect preimplantation pregnancy and arise from the MHC-related scent of alien males. We have shown previously that mice can be trained in a Y maze to distinguish the scents of urine of congeneic mice that differ genetically only at the MHC. By means of an automated olfactometer, we now show that rats also can similarly distinguish the urinary scents of MHC congeneic mice. Thus, the mode of individual recognition that depends on scents determined by MHC genes can operate across species barriers.
After a 0100-0300 h nadir, the insulin requirements to maintain blood glucose at 90-110 mg/dl increase substantially in the prebreakfast (0600-0800 h) period in some insulin-dependent diabetic patients (IDDMs). Early insulin-like and delayed insulin-antagonistic effects of physiologic early morning increases in growth hormone (hGH) secretion may account for this variability of overnight insulin requirements. To assess the role of hGH, we studied five IDDMs using a closed-loop insulin infusion device (Biostator, GCIIS). Either saline (C) or somatostatin plus glucagon (SRIF + G) was infused during separate overnight (2400-0800 h) study periods. An infusion of hGH from 2400 to 0130 h was added to SRIF + G infusion during an additional study period (SRIF + G + hGH). In comparison to 0100-0300 h, mean insulin infusion rates required to maintain blood glucose values between 105 and 120 mg/dl during the prebreakfast period increased by 66 +/- 25% during C, and 42 +/- 12% during SRIF + G when serum growth hormone was suppressed to less than or equal to 0.75 ng/ml. During SRIF + G + hGH, the mean prebreakfast insulin infusion rate increased by 42 +/- 11% with a mean peak hGH level of 14.7 +/- 5.4 ng/ml at 0130 h. Mean plasma free insulin levels remained constant during the night despite the significantly higher insulin infusion rates between 0600 and 0800 h. During SRIF + G, insulin requirements remained constant overnight before 0600 h, whereas during both C and SRIF + G + hGH conditions, a nadir was noted between 0100 and 0300 h.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
An intensive, ongoing effort at the 964-bed University of Michigan Hospitals to make employees more aware of the need for positive guest relations used a combination of commercially produced material and in-house program design.
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Clinically supposed cases of echinococcosis can be strongly confirmed by application of serodiagnostic techniques. In certain cases false-negative reactions have to be taken into account. This has been observed in 4 out of 51 parasitologically confirmed cases. One patient had a hyalin cyst, a case in which supposingly no antigen diffused into the host's system. In two cases the cysts were calcified, in one patient only no explanation could be given.