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Biomedical subjects

M A James

Publications and source records attributed to M A James.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Combined therapy with disopyramide and amiodarone: a report of 11 cases.

Combined amiodarone and disopyramide therapy is generally believed to be potentially harmful. We report 11 patients who have received this combination, none of whom have experienced any serious adverse reactions. In addition, 9 of the 11 patients derived marked clinical benefit. This combination deserves further evaluation as an anti-arrhythmia therapy.

Adult↗

Dipyridamole combined with exercise for thallium-201 myocardial imaging.

A new stress test for thallium-201 myocardial imaging in which pharmacological coronary vasodilatation with dipyridamole is combined with dynamic exercise is described. In 38 patients with coronary artery disease the sensitivity, total number of defects, degree of redistribution, and visual quality of thallium-201 imaging were greater after dipyridamole with exercise testing than after exercise alone. When the data from these 38 patients were combined with the results of dipyridamole-exercise imaging in 49 patients in whom exercise electrocardiography had been inconclusive then the technique gave a sensitivity for coronary disease of 87% and a specificity of 92%. Dipyridamole also increased the sensitivity of the exercise electrocardiogram, so that no patient with coronary disease had a strictly negative dipyridamole-exercise stress test. Only five of 214 patients who have now undergone this test have had complications requiring reversal of vasodilatation with aminophylline. The combined use of dipyridamole and exercise in this simple technique is a reliable and safe improvement on standard thallium-201 imaging tests.

Adult↗

Anxiety and depression in patients with chest pain referred for exercise testing.

Anxiety and depression were measured in 87 consecutive patients (65 males, 22 females) with chest pain before diagnostic exercise treadmill testing. Chest pain was assessed as typical or atypical of angina by an independent observer. Fifty exercise tests were positive; thirty-seven were negative (including nineteen submaximal). Patients with negative tests had significantly higher scores for anxiety and higher depression scores than those with positive tests. 12% of patients with positive tests were women compared with 43% with negative tests. 27 patients (73%) with negative tests had atypical pain compared with 6 (12%) with positive tests. Depressed patients walked for a significantly shorter time. The probability of a negative test in patients without anxiety or depression who had typical pain was 8% in males and 32% in females; the probability of a negative test in patients who were both anxious and depressed and had atypical pain was 97% in males and 99% in females. Diagnostic exercise testing in patients with both affective symptoms and atypical chest pain may be unhelpful, misleading, and uneconomical.

Adult↗

Seroepidemiology of bovine anaplasmosis and babesiosis in Venezuela.

The serological prevalence of bovine anaplasmosis and babesiosis in the Centro-Occidental region of Venezuela was determined using the indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) and latex agglutination (LAT) tests. Anaplasma marginale IFA and LAT prevalence rates were 57.7 and 48.6% respectively for cattle of all ages and breeds. The respective prevalence of IFA activity to B. bigemina and B. bovis was 78.2 and 38.8%. The LAT test specific only for Babesia spp. revealed that 61.4% of the animals tested were serologically positive for Babesia parasites. Anaplasma marginale and B. bigemina organisms were detected in peripheral blood smears of 21.1 and 7.5% respectively of cattle surveyed. A longitudinal survey of antibody activity and incidence of parasitaemia for Anaplasma and Babesia infections was conducted in two groups of calves from their birth to seven months of age. The animals generally experienced infections between three and four months of age the period subsequent to decline in colostral antibody levels. Seroepidemiological data are considered in the formulation of proposed vaccination regimens for anaplasmosis and babesiosis.

Anaplasmosis↗

Pacing failure due to flecainide acetate.

Flecainide acetate is a recently introduced, class 1 antiarrhythmic agent that is highly effective in the treatment of ventricular and atrioventricular/nodal reentrant tachycardias. Although both intravenous and orally administered flecainide are known to cause an increase in the pacing threshold, an abrupt and potentially lethal rise in threshold causing failure of a properly functioning, newly implanted pacing system has not to our knowledge been described. We report such a case to stress the need for caution when using this drug in elderly pacemaker patients.

Aged↗

Induction of protective immunity to Plasmodium falciparum in Saimiri sciureus monkeys with partially purified exoantigens.

Soluble Plasmodium falciparum exoantigens in crude culture supernatant fluids induced protective immunity against experimental falciparum malaria in Bolivian Saimiri sciureus monkeys. Susceptible squirrel monkeys were vaccinated with an aluminum hydroxide-fortified fraction purified from culture supernatants of P. falciparum Indochina I and Geneve/SGE-1 by cation-exchange (sulfopropyl-trisacryl) chromatography. Animals immunized with sulfopropyl-purified and corresponding control immunogens were challenged with whole blood containing monkey-adapted virulent organisms of the Indochina I strain. Hematological, serological, and parasitological profiles, including the appearance of crisis forms, served as potential indicators of protection. This immunogen conferred significant clinical protection of squirrel monkeys against needle challenge with the homologous Indochina I strain and a moderate degree of heterologous strain immunity.

Animals↗

Growth inhibition of Babesia bovis in culture by secretions from bovine mononuclear phagocytes.

Bovine blood mononuclear phagocytes from babesia-free cattle were cultured in vitro. Cell monolayers were treated with culture-derived soluble Babesia bovis exoantigens, immune complexes, and bovine anti-B. bovis immune serum. Subsequently, the monolayers were washed free of the reagents and allowed to develop further in the presence of standard culture medium. Transfer of supernatant media from these cultures to those of B. bovis revealed the presence of growth-inhibiting factors. These factors were thermostable, nondialyzable, and were degraded by freeze-thawing, and their action was concentration dependent. Supernatants from antigen- and immune complex-treated monolayers demonstrated greater inhibitory effects than did supernatants from antibody-treated or untreated monolayers. Erythrocytes incubated with supernatant medium from antigen-treated monolayers did not support growth of B. bovis as well as did erythrocytes incubated with supernatants from untreated monocyte monolayers. This result suggests that the mechanism of action of soluble factors could be through some modification of the erythrocyte such as the blockage of active transport of essential nutrients.

Animals↗

Efficacy of transdermal glyceryl trinitrate in the treatment of chronic stable angina pectoris.

A study was carried out to assess the efficacy of a new transdermal preparation of glyceryl trinitrate (Transiderm-Nitro 5) in the 24 hour prophylaxis of angina and to determine the duration of effect of a single patch application. Twelve men with chronic stable angina were studied in a randomised, placebo controlled, double blind trial. By serial treadmill exercise testing a therapeutic effect was shown at three hours; the exercise time to angina and to 1 mm ST segment depression and the total exercise time were all significantly increased. At 24, 48, and 72 hours, however, no therapeutic effect was observed. Recent studies have shown a similar lack of effect at 24 hours for various forms of transdermal delivery systems. It is suggested that this lack of effect is due to the rapid onset of tolerance probably as a result of the constancy of blood concentrations obtained by this method of administration.

Administration, Topical↗

Hematologic values of normal Bolivian squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus): a comparison between wild-caught and laboratory-bred male animals.

Complete and differential blood counts were conducted on 23 male squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) of Bolivian origin. The sample included 9 laboratory-bred and 14 wild-caught adult monkeys weighing between 600 and 1,500 g. The means of total white blood cell (WBC) counts, total hemoglobin and hematocrits of laboratory-bred animals were found to be significantly different from those of wild-caught monkeys (p less than 0.01). Other hematologic parameters showed no significant differences between the two experimental groups. 3 of 14 (21.0%) wild-caught animals each had 1 reactive lymphocyte and 7% of the same group had 10 nucleated erythrocytes per 100 WBC. No reactive lymphocytes or nucleated erythrocytes were observed in laboratory-bred animals. The importance of these baseline data and the basis for the differences observed between laboratory and wild-caught monkeys are discussed within the context of experimental studies involving primates in which hematologic parameters are valuable.

Animals↗

An update of the isolation and characterization of culture-derived soluble antigens of Babesia bovis.

In this paper recent progress concerning the identification of soluble antigens from cultures of Babesia bovis parasites is reviewed. Soluble antigens present in the supernatant of B. bovis cultures have been shown to be efficient immunogens for induction of protective immunity against bovine babesiosis. Immunochemical analysis of culture supernatants has demonstrated that at least 3 parasite antigens are released in vitro. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that at least 2 of these antigens have molecular weights within the range of 37 000-40 000 daltons. Crossed immunoelectrophoretic studies have further revealed an antigenic spectrum consisting of 1 major and 2 minor antigens with mobilities in the albumin and alpha 1 regions. Within the infected erythrocyte, 2 antigens have been localized on or near the erythrocytic membrane, while the third antigen appears to be directly associated with the parasite.

Animals↗

Antigen beads: a novel approach for the delivery of a soluble Anaplasma immunogen.

An important consideration in the development of effective immunization regimens against bovine anaplasmosis is the optimization of vaccine delivery systems. This report describes the formulation of proteinaceous antigen-containing spheres derived from supernatant fluids of Analplasma marginale cultures. The antigen beads were designed for use as potential dispersal agents for a soluble Anaplasma immunogen. Immunospecificity assays demonstrated that A marginale antigen was located on the surfaces of individual antigen beads. Use of Anaplasma antigen beads with a potent adjuvant, such as saponin, was proposed.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

Localization of culture-derived soluble Babesia bovis antigens in the infected erythrocyte.

Immunoprecipitates derived from crossed immunoelectrophoresis of Babesia bovis culture supernatant fluid against a polyspecific anti-B. bovis serum were used to produce monospecific rabbit antibodies to individual B. bovis antigens. These antibodies were utilized in an immunofluorescence test to identify the location of the respective antigens within the infected erythrocyte. Two antigens were found on or near the erythrocyte membrane, while a third antigen was directly associated with the parasite itself.

Animals↗

Antigenic and immunogenic studies on cell culture-derived Babesia canis.

Babesia canis antigens derived from cell culture reacted specifically with immune serum from dogs convalescing from babesiosis. The antigens were heterogenous as compared to antigens elaborated in vivo. The major antigenic moiety from cell culture eluted in the first peak of Sephadex G-200 is indicative of a molecular weight around 900 000. In contrast, in vivo-derived antigen coeluted with albumin and hemoglobin suggesting a molecular weight of 67 000. The major antigenic mass is proteinacious and contains disulfide bonds as indicated by thermolability and sensitivity to 2-mercaptoethanol. Both particulate and soluble B. canis antigens were immunogenic, particularly when emulsified in Saponin as an adjuvant. Such antigens conferred a considerable degree of protection in Saponin as an adjuvant. Such antigens conferred a considerable degree of protection in susceptible dogs and it suggested that immunoprophylaxis to B. canis may be feasible.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗