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Biomedical subjects

L Wedderburn

Publications and source records attributed to L Wedderburn.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Long-term follow-up of autologous stem cell transplantation for refractory juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Since 1997, autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) had been applied to more than 40 children with polyarticular or systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). For this review, results of the follow-up are available from 25 children with systemic JIA and six with polyarticular JIA that were reported in detail from eight different pediatric European transplant centers. Before ASCT all children had progressive disease despite the use of corticosteroids, methotrexate (MTX) up to 1 mg/kg/week, cyclosporin (2.5 mg/kg/day) and/or anti-TNFalpha therapy. The clinical follow-up of these children ranges from 8 to 60 months (median 33 months).

Arthritis, Juvenile↗
PubMed2001

TCR dynamics on the surface of living T cells.

T lymphocyte activation by specific antigen requires prolonged TCR occupancy and sustained signaling. This is accomplished by the formation of a specialized signaling domain, the immunological synapse, at the T cell-antigen-presenting cell contact site. Surface receptors and signaling components are progressively recruited into this domain where they are organized in defined three-dimensional structures. To better understand how TCR are supplied to the signaling domain during the activation process, we measured (using confocal microscopy and photo-bleaching recovery techniques) lateral mobility of GFP-tagged TCR on living Jurkat cell surface. We show that: (i) surface-expressed TCR exhibit an intrinsic, actin cytoskeleton-independent, lateral mobility which allows them to passively diffuse over the entire T cell surface within approximately 60 min and (ii) non-stimulated TCR rapidly enter the signaling domain. Our results indicate that TCR lateral mobility per se is sufficient to ensure TCR supply to the immunological synapse in the course of sustained T cell activation.

Cell Membrane↗
PubMed1993

Outcome assessment after epidural corticosteroid injection for low back pain and sciatica.

Epidural corticosteroid injection is a relatively effective treatment for low back pain and sciatica with a low incidence of side effects, although the patient's perspective in terms of outcome and satisfaction has not been studied well. The assessment of outcome in low back pain patients is complex. Three types of measure were compared: 1) a clinical score, 2) patient ratings of pain and disability, and 3) patient satisfaction ratings. There were significant discrepancies among the results. Consequently, clinical trials using different outcome measures may reach different conclusions. It therefore is vital to have planned the study carefully in advance, considering the questions to be asked, especially in this area, where patient-derived measures (e.g., "patient satisfaction") are so important. This study of 35 patients showed a fall in clinical signs/symptoms, disability, and pain 1 week after the injection, with maintenance of the reduction in disability at 3 months. Eighty-five percent reported at least some improvement at 1 week and 43% had improvement lasting 3 months. Patients with a more depressed mood had higher levels of disability both before and after the procedure. Anxiety before the procedure did not adversely affect outcome, and it was well tolerated by most patients. At 3 months 83% were satisfied with the treatment they had received and a patient satisfaction questionnaire gave similar results. We continue to recommend this treatment as a well-tolerated procedure, with which most patients are satisfied.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed1991

Anterolateral rupture of popliteal cysts in rheumatoid arthritis.

Popliteal cysts occur commonly in both normal and arthritic knees. Most cysts are formed by distension of the medially situated semimembranosus bursa. Popliteus bursa distension occurs uncommonly as a lateral popliteal cyst. Two cases of rupture of lateral cysts which produced symptoms related to the anterolateral lower leg are reported. The difficulty of diagnosing the condition because of this unusual site of inflammation and subsequent management problems are discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

Single-step immunosorbent preparation of F-protein from mouse liver with conservation of the allo-antigenic site, and determination of concentration in liver and serum.

A single-step immunopurification procedure is described for murine protein F, in which the T-cell-defined allo-antigenic site on the protein is fully conserved. The procedure is based on the use of a newly developed monoclonal antibody. The protein is isolated as a 42,500 mol. wt (F.1) and a 43,000 mol. wt (F.2) monomer. The content in liver, as estimated by radioimmune inhibition assay, is 0.083% and the yield is approximately one third. An assay of immunogenic activity in adoptive transfer, which detects the T-cell-defined site, provides a similar estimate of content in liver. The adoptive transfer assay yields concns of F-protein in serum of young mice of 0.5-1.2 X 10(-9)M, the lowest concn of protein known to induce complete immunological tolerance.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

T-cell control of Epstein-Barr virus-infected B cells is lost during P. falciparum malaria.

Endemic Burkitt's lymphoma, a tumour of children in which B lymphocytes are infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), is common in areas of Africa where malaria is holoendemic. The tumour is characterized by chromosome translocations; usually the terminal portion of chromosome 8 containing the c-myc gene is translocated to chromosome 14, near the enhancer of the immunoglobulin heavy-chain locus. Less frequent are translocations of chromosome 8 to the kappa light-chain locus of chromosome 2 or to the lambda light-chain locus of chromosome 22. In vitro, EBV induces B cells to proliferate and secrete immunoglobulin and antibody. However, in vivo the infected B lymphocytes are under immunological control, so that abnormal proliferation is found only in immunosuppressed patients. Such patients are subsequently liable to develop lymphomas. Burkitt believed that the tumour he had described resulted from interaction between a virus(es) and a "reticuloendothelial system altered by chronic and heavy infection by malarial or other parasites". We report here that during an attack of Plasmodium falciparum malaria, T-cell subpopulations are radically altered so that, in vitro, B lymphocytes infected with EBV proliferate abnormally to secrete large amounts of immunoglobulin and antibody. This phenomenon offers some explanation for the increased incidence of Burkitt's tumour and the high levels of immunoglobulin found in people living in areas where P. falciparum malaria is common.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Parental loss due to HIV: caring for children as a community issue--the Rochester, New York experience.

The number of children in the United States who will lose a parent to AIDS is increasing. Permanency planning to help families affected by AIDS includes case management, mental health, medical care, child welfare, and legal services. These services are provided by a number of different professions, and have largely been reactive and noncoordinated. This article presents the efforts of one community in a midsize city to develop and implement a multidisciplinary coordinated plan for providing services to children affected by the illness or death of a parent from HIV/AIDS.

Bereavement↗