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Biomedical subjects

M E Fritz

Publications and source records attributed to M E Fritz.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Osseo-integrated implant treatment of a patient with rapidly progressive periodontitis. A case report.

The case report presented describes placement of osseointegrated fixtures in a patient with a probable history of rapidly progressive periodontitis. A 12-year history is presented. The post-operative sequelae of placing fixtures in a fully edentulous maxilla and partially edentulous mandible were the worst seen by the Implant Team at Emory University. The hypothesis presented is that patients with aggressive forms of periodontal disease should be subjected to appropriate mechanical and antimicrobial therapy to produce a healthy oral flora before any implants are placed.

Adult↗

Full circle or forward.

In the early 70s when a parent with abuse problems named Jolly K. sought help to stop her abusive behavior, there were no services for parents. Today, nearly two decades later, there has not been much improvement with regard to the provision of services for parents. Our belief is that the dichotomy which occurred early in the field's development between those who were for the child, and those (such as Parents Anonymous) who sought to provide services to parents and were presumed to be for the parent and implicitly against the child is largely responsible for an ever more punitive approach to the problem. The solution lies in shifting our focus away from the exclusive mandate to protect the child towards support for the family unit. Such a shift should include expanding the knowledge base of the field by the inclusion of information from fields such as alcoholism, spouse abuse, and eating disorders, as well as by advocating for services which support the family. Research into the part that neuro-chemistry plays in violence should also be undertaken. The impetus for change within the field cannot come from the child protective services (CPS) system, which, as a creature of the law, can only be reactive, not pro-active. Professionals working outside the CPS system must take responsibility for change if it is to occur.

Brain Chemistry↗

Elevated serum levels of soluble Tac peptide in adult T-cell leukemia: correlation with clinical status during chemotherapy.

Adult T-cell leukemia associated with human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) is characterized by a clonal expansion of a CD4-positive subset of T lymphocytes that constitutively express high numbers of interleukin-2 receptors and that frequently infiltrate the skin; osteolytic bone lesions, and hypercalcemia. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test, we measured the level of soluble Tac peptide, one chain of the human interleukin-2 receptor, in the serum of 50 patients with adult T-cell leukemia (38 Japanese and 12 American patients), 8 patients with other hematologic malignancies, 8 asymptomatic HTLV-I-antibody-positive carriers, and 17 normal controls. The serum level of soluble Tac peptide (geometric mean U/mL, 95% CI) was elevated at presentation in all patients with adult T-cell leukemia (16,461; 819 to 330,896) when compared with normal controls (238; 112 to 502), patients with other hematologic malignancies (1302; 475 to 3569), and healthy HTLV-I antibody-positive carriers (490; 115 to 2086). The highest levels were seen in patients (n = 33) with acute (32,154; 2587 to 399,598) compared with chronic (5464; 661 to 45,156) disease (n = 14). Serum levels of Tac peptide also tended to be more elevated in patients with adult T-cell leukemia with hypercalcemia (32,072; 2461 to 417,908) compared with normocalcemic patients (13,885; 496 to 388,436). Serial measurements of soluble Tac peptide levels in serum were done in four patients with adult T-cell leukemia during chemotherapy and the levels reflected disease activity. These observations suggest that the measurement of soluble Tac peptide levels in patients with adult T-cell leukemia is useful as a noninvasive measure of tumor burden and will help in the diagnosis of the disease and management of these patients.

Acute Disease↗

Soluble Tac peptide is present in the urine of normal individuals and at elevated levels in patients with adult T cell leukaemia (ATL).

The T lymphocyte-derived lymphokine interleukin 2 and the cell-associated receptor for this molecule play major roles in the activation and regulation of the human immune response. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay has been developed to measure quantitatively a soluble form of one component of the human interleukin 2 receptor, namely the Tac peptide. In the present studies, soluble Tac peptide was measured in the urine of normal individuals (mean = 92 U/ml), a level not significantly different (0.01 less than P less than 0.05) from the corresponding serum concentrations (mean = 175). The urinary Tac peptide had a molecular weight of 40-45 kD by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis and specifically bound interleukin 2. Elevated levels of urinary Tac peptide were found in four patients with adult T cell leukaemia who also had elevated serum levels of Tac peptide. Thus, urine may represent a valuable source of lymphokine-binding proteins that may serve as important markers of immunological activation.

Adult↗

Epikeratoplasty. The surgical correction of aphakia, myopia, and keratoconus.

Thirty-five patients have had 39 consecutive epikeratoplasty procedures (12 adult aphakic, 9 pediatric aphakic, 12 myopic, and 6 keratoconic eyes) by the same surgeon, using commercially prepared lenticules. The lenticule remained totally clear in 85% of eyes. Two lenticules were removed due to infection and scarring; four lenticules had minimal scarring and did not require removal. Spectacle-corrected acuity was worse than one line from the preoperative spectacle-corrected acuity in 58% of the adult aphakic eyes; however, 75% were 20/50 or better postoperatively. Fifty percent were within 2 diopters (D) of emmetropia and 92% within 3 D. All pediatric aphakic patients showed an improvement in best-corrected acuity, and 83% of eyes at 6 months were within 2 D of emmetropia; by 1 year a 3.4-D average myopic shift had occurred. Two of the six eyes (33%) using the original myopia technique were within 2 D of emmetropia, whereas five of the six eyes (83%) with the current technique are within this range. Spectacle-corrected acuity in the entire current myopia group has either improved by one or more lines or has remained unchanged. Five of the six keratoconic eyes had 20/40 or better spectacle-corrected and 20/25 contact lens-corrected acuity postoperatively; average corneal flattening was 6 D. Persistent epithelial defect and irregular astigmatism were the principal factors in delay in visual recovery.

Adolescent↗

The use of blade implants in a selected population of partially edentulous adults. A 15-year report.

In order to provide longitudinal data for endosteal bladevent implants, a continuing study is being conducted from an original group of 49 implants in 32 patients placed 15 years ago. The present work evaluated 26 of these bladevent implants in 18 patients. Three basic patterns were observed 15 years postoperatively: (1) In 13 of 26 implants, there was clinical and radiographic evidence of health; (2) in 13 of 26 implants, there was a radiolucency 2- to 3-mm square around the neck and shoulder of the implants, along with sulcular depths capable of being probed and evidence of bleeding on probing; and (3) two implants showed evidence of settling deeper into the bone. These results indicate that bladevent endosteal implants can be maintained in the mouth for up to 15 years, and 50% can be free from periodontal disease.

Adult↗

An analysis of the cellular requirements for the production of soluble interleukin-2 receptors in vitro.

Following activation in vitro, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) express cell-associated interleukin-2 receptors (IL-2R) and also release soluble IL-2R into culture supernatants. The present studies were undertaken to define which normal cells were responsible for the release of soluble IL-2R in vitro. Both cell-associated and soluble IL-2R were quantitatively measured with a "sandwich" enzyme-linked immunoassay employing two monoclonal antibodies. PBMC were separated into populations of surface immunoglobulin-negative cells (T cells and monocytes) and surface immunoglobulin-positive cells (B cells and monocytes), and the T-cell population was further separated into OKT4-positive (OKT4+) cells and OKT4-negative (OKT4-) cells. Following activation with phytohemagglutinin, pokeweed mitogen, and the monoclonal antibody OKT3, large amounts of soluble IL-2R were released by PBMC, unseparated T cells, OKT4+ T cells, and OKT4- T cells. The population containing B cells and monocytes made small but readily detectable amounts of soluble IL-2R when stimulated with these T-cell mitogens; likely the result of contaminating T cells in the population. However, when highly purified B cells were stimulated with Staphylococcus aureus Cowan and recombinant IL-2, they also released small amounts of soluble IL-2R. The release of soluble IL-2R by T cells appeared monocyte dependent when OKT3, but not phytohemagglutinin, was employed for activation, and monocytes themselves released no detectable IL-2R under the conditions employed. These studies define the cellular requirements for the release of soluble IL-2R in vitro and demonstrate that such receptors are released by B cells, T cells, and both OKT4+ and OKT4- T-cell subsets.

B-Lymphocytes↗

The production of soluble and cellular interleukin-2 receptors by cord blood mononuclear cells following in vitro activation.

Cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMC) were investigated for their capacity to generate both cellular and soluble, supernatant interleukin-2 receptors (IL-2R) following cellular activation in vitro. Soluble IL-2R were measured in cell-free supernatants and in detergent-solubilized cell extracts with a "sandwich" enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. CBMC and adult peripheral blood mononuclear cells were activated with phytohemagglutinin or the murine monoclonal antibody OKT3. CBMC and adult peripheral blood mononuclear cells generated cellular and soluble IL-2R in response to both activators. Peak values for supernatant IL-2R were observed on day 7, while peak values of cell-associated IL-2R occurred on day 5, followed by a decline on day 7. With the exception of supernatant IL-2R production induced by OKT3 stimulation, CBMC produced IL-2R in amounts comparable to adult mononuclear cells. Cord blood plasma also contained amounts of IL-2R comparable to that found in adult sera/plasma. Thus, CBMC appear largely immunocompetent with regard to the expression of IL-2R.

Adult↗

Soluble interleukin 2 receptors are released from activated human lymphoid cells in vitro.

With the use of an enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay to measure soluble human interleukin 2 receptors (IL 2R), certain human T cell leukemia virus I (HTLV I)-positive T cell lines were found to spontaneously release large quantities of IL 2R into culture supernatants. This was not found with HTLV I-negative and IL 2 independent T cell lines, and only one of seven B cell-derived lines examined produced small amounts of IL 2R. In addition to this constitutive production of soluble IL 2R by certain cell lines, normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) could be induced to release soluble IL 2R by plant lectins, the murine monoclonal antibody OKT3, tetanus toxoid, and allogeneic cells. Such activated cells also expressed cellular IL 2R measurable in detergent solubilized cell extracts. The generation of cellular and supernatant IL 2R was: dependent on cellular activation, rapid, radioresistant (3000 rad), and inhibited by cycloheximide treatment. NaDodSO4-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of soluble IL 2R released from either the HTLV I-positive T cell line HUT 102B2 or normal phytohemagglutinin-activated PBMC demonstrated molecules of apparent Mr = 35,000 to 40,000, and 45,000 to 50,000, respectively, somewhat smaller than the mature surface receptor on these cells. The release of soluble IL 2R appears to be a characteristic marker of T lymphocyte activation and might serve an immunoregulatory function during both normal and abnormal cell growth and differentiation.

Cell Division↗

The use of blade implants in a selected population of partially edentulous adults. A ten-year report.

In order to provide longitudinal data for endosteal bladevent implants, a continuing study is being conducted. The present work evaluated 32 bladevent implants in 22 patients for periods of 10 years or more. Two basic patterns were observed 10 years postoperatively: 1) In 14 of 32 implants, there was clinical and radiographic evidence of health; and 2) in 18 of 32 implants, there was a radiolucency 2 to 3 mm square around the neck and shoulder of the implants, sulcular depths capable of being probed and evidence of bleeding on probing. These results indicate that bladevent endosteal implants can be maintained in the mouth for periods of 10 years, although bony breakdown will be seen in approximately 50% of the implants.

Adult↗

The effect of herpes virus infection on the membrane potential of parotid acinar cells.

Monolayers of feline parotid acinar cells were infected with feline rhinotracheitis herpes virus. Membrane potentials and input resistances were measured before and during infection. Uninfected acinar cells had an average membrane potential of -51 mV and resistances from 6 to 120 mega-ohms; cells infected for more than 18 h had an average membrane potential of -19 mV and resistances from 30 to 100 mega-ohms. The time course of the decrease in membrane potential was studied and was found to commence about ten to 14 h after infection.

Animals↗

Primary cultures of feline acinar cells: dissociation, culturing, and viral infection.

A technique for dissociating and plating of feline parotid acinar cells by enzymatic dispersion with collagenase and trypsin is presented. Viability of the cultured cells was determined by: 1) estimating cellular growth with visual cell counts and by [3H]thymidine incorporation; 2) observing the lack of uptake of vital dyes by the cultured cells: 3) making light, phase contrast, and electron microscopic morphological examinations; and 4) determining the lack of amylase secretion without stimulation, and the evidence of amylase secretion in response to isoproterenol. The cultured feline parotid acinar cells were infected with feline rhinotracheitis virus, a member of the herpes group. Evidence for viral infection was morphological and by indirect fluorescent antibody studies. The viral infected cells also showed no amylase release without stimulation and demonstrated an initial response to a beta-adrenergic agonist by secretion of amylase, but repeated stimulation of the virally infected cells did not produce amylase secretion.

Amylases↗