AMPLICOR HIV-1 test kits, which had been developed as an HIV-1 provirus detection test by PCR method, have been evaluated for its clinical diagnostic application. Sixty-six of HIV-1 antibody positive and 67 of HIV-1 antibody negative blood samples derived from hemophiliacs, who had received blood products, have been tested by AMPLICOR HIV-1. All of the results from AMPLICOR HIV-1 were consistent with those from antibody test and clinical aspects. Thirty-nine of HIV-1 antibody positive samples have been tested by AMPLICOR HIV-1 and virus isolation (culture method). Twelve of 39 (30.8%) were positive by virus isolation, and 39 of 39 (100%) were positive by AMPLICOR HIV-1. Two of new born infants from HIV-1 sero-positive mothers were tested by AMPLICOR HIV-1, and the result suggested that the kit would be useful for diagnosis of infants from sero-positive mothers. Based on these studies, AMPLICOR HIV-1 is considered as useful clinical diagnostic for HIV-1 proviral DNA detection.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

[A case of Fontan operation for complex heart disease with good post-operative course by the management of hypothermia in coming off from cardiopulmonary bypass].

A 8-year-old boy with a complex heart disease was underwent Fontan operation with Glenn operation, and had a good post-operative course by the management of hypothermia in coming off from cardiopulmonary bypass around 31 degrees C. The hypothermic therapy was thought to be effective in acute stage after Fontan operation, because it improved tachycardia, decreased the systemic metabolism, redistributed the systemic arterial blood flow and increased the urinary output.

Child↗

PubMed1993

Influence of mothers on school adjustment of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis children.

In school children on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), school adjustment is regarded as an important indicator for comprehensive medical care. The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of mothers on school adjustment of CAPD children. The children tended to indicate school maladjustment with school absenteeism and poor relationships with friends. The mothers were characterized by poor independence, poor achievement orientation, strong emotional reliance, and lack of social self-confidence, indicating emotional instability. The family environment, including the mother's psychological condition, was strongly associated with the children's maladjustment to school. The results suggested the necessity of comprehensive medical care for these children and their mothers.

Absenteeism↗

PubMed1993

Risk of hepatitis C virus infections through household contact with chronic carriers: analysis of nucleotide sequences.

We evaluated the risk of hepatitis C virus transmission through household contact with chronic carriers using nucleotide sequence analysis. Chronic hepatitis C patients (76 patients) were divided into two groups: familial transmission of hepatitis C virus was studied in group A (53 patients); group B (23 patients) served as nonfamilial controls for group A. Of 88 family members of group A patients, 18 (20%) had elevated serum ALT levels, 20 (23%) had antibodies against hepatitis C virus and 16 (18%) had hepatitis C virus RNA in serum. Nucleotide sequences of the region of the hepatitis C virus genome spanning the core and envelope genes were compared among the three groups. In group B, the average nucleotide sequence homology was 91.0% +/- 2.29% (a pairwise comparison was made for each of the patients; n = 253). Isolates from two family members were significantly more homologous to isolates from corresponding patients in group A than to isolates from group B patients. Of the two isolates from family members, one was from a child whose mother was a patient (97.7% homology) and one was from a spouse (98.1% homology). These results strongly suggest familial transmission of the same hepatitis C virus strain. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the route of intrafamilial transmission.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

[Macrophage scavenger receptors and the maintenance of blood vessels].

Recent molecular cloning of cDNAs for Macrophage Scavenger Receptors (MSR) reveal several unexpected features of these receptors. These MSRs mediate wide range of ligands, especially negatively charged macromolecules. Expression of MSRs are highly specific to macrophages. The intracellular pathways for endocytosis and recycling of MSRs are efficient only in macrophages. Immunocytochemical study of MSRs show that all of the tissue macrophages, including brain scavenger cells (FGP cells) are MSR positive. Under some pathological conditions, such as atherosclerotic lesions, macrophages infiltrating into these lesions, which are derived from monocytes, are also positive for MSR. Macrophages expressing MSR are thought to play an important role in the clearance and maintenance of blood vessels. Brain scavenger cells may play a role in the maintenance of small blood vessels in the brain.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Continuous peritoneal dialysis for children: a decade of worldwide growth and development.

This review surveys the dramatic worldwide expansion of the use of continuous peritoneal dialysis as maintenance renal replacement therapy for children with end-stage renal disease that has occurred during the past decade. Before 1982, fewer than 100 pediatric patients had been treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), and continuous cycler peritoneal dialysis (CCPD) for children was virtually unknown. By the end of 1989 CAPD/CCPD was accounting for 50% of pediatric dialysis patients (less than 15 years old) in the United States, 65% in Canada, and 75% in Australia/New Zealand. Growth of CAPD/CCPD for children in Europe overall has been less spectacular, but there is wide variability from country to country, with CAPD/CCPD concentrated in eight member countries of the European Dialysis and Transplant Association. Several of these countries (notably the United Kingdom, Israel, the Netherlands and the former Federal Republic of Germany) were treating 46% to 70% of pediatric patients with CAPD/CCPD by the end of 1987. Other European countries such as France and Spain showed little growth of CAPD/CCPD over the decade (10% to 20% of patients treated with CAPD/CCPD). In Japan, CAPD for children has just begun, but because Japanese children are likely to spend longer periods on dialysis awaiting transplantation, information on long-term use of CAPD/CCPD in children may be forthcoming from Japan in the future. No effort is made to compare CAPD/CCPD to hemodialysis as a maintenance therapy for children. The advantages of CAPD/CCPD for the young patient, especially the infant and very young child are noted, and from the past decade of dramatic worldwide growth of CAPD/CCPD in pediatric patients it is inferred that the majority of children, (from 50% to 75%) can be successfully treated with these modalities, at least for the short-term (that is, several years), while awaiting transplantation.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Sequence comparisons for a hepatitis C virus genome RNA isolated from a patient with liver cirrhosis.

The nucleotide (nt) sequence was determined for an isolate of hepatitis C virus (HCV) derived from cirrhotic tissue of a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma. The 9408-nt sequence (EMBL Acq. No. X61596) showed homology of 90.7-91.4% on the nt level, as compared to two Japanese isolates from patients with a high titer of serum transaminase, 78.4-78.8% to those obtained in the United States, and 65.0% to that from an asymptomatic Japanese carrier. The phylogenetic tree of the six isolates classified them into three groups.

Genome, Viral↗

PubMed1992

Human soluble IL-6 receptor: its detection and enhanced release by HIV infection.

By using a fluorescence sandwich ELISA for the quantification of soluble human IL-6R, normal human PBMC were found to be induced to release IL-6R into culture supernatant by stimulation with PHA. Furthermore, certain promonocyte cell lines and human T-cell leukemia virus I (HTLV-I)-positive cell lines produced sIL-6R into culture supernatants constitutively. However, this was not found with HTLV-I negative T cell lines and Burkitt's B cell line. In addition, generation of supernatant IL-6R of the promonocyte cell line was significantly increased 27-fold after PMA treatment and sevenfold after infection with HIV. The released IL-6R molecules were characterized as an apparent m.w. of 50 to 55 kDa by both size-exclusion HPLC and immunoprecipitation of the soluble protein with IL-6R-specific mAb followed by SDS-PAGE analysis. Furthermore, increased levels of serum IL-6R were detected in blood donors seropositive for HIV. Moreover, the released IL-6R could bind efficiently to purified rIL-6 on solid phase and suppressed the proliferative responses of PBMC. These results suggest that the release of soluble IL-6R might be linked to regulatory functions of immune responses induced by IL-6 stimulation during normal and human retrovirus-infected cell growth and differentiation.

Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay↗

PubMed1992

[Progress in diagnosis of neuropathies with selective symptom of motor nerve disturbances].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

The use of multimedia in patient care.

A personal computer based system was constructed to assess the use of various forms of information (multimedia) in patient record keeping. A patient's file with his records kept in a multimedia fashion was made by using the system. We describe the hardware and software construction of the system together with the results and the memory requirements of each type of media. Potential usage of the system in the future is discussed especially in connection with the Picture Archiving and Communications Systems (PACS).

Medical Records Systems, Computerized↗

PubMed1992

Contact hypersensitivity reaction to ovalbumin in newborn guinea pigs from maternally sensitized animals.

An animal study was conducted to elucidate the role of ovalbumin (OA) in the development of eczematous lesions in intrauterine sensitized newborns. Four groups of pregnant guinea pigs were used: group A, immunized by oral administration of 1% OA in drinking water until parturition; group B, immunized by intradermal injection of OA with Freund's complete adjuvant; group C, immunized by both methods; and group D (control), not immunized. The newborn guinea pigs of each group were patch tested with 10% OA in white petrolatum. Positive reactions were seen in the newborns of groups B and C, but not in those in groups A and D. By enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis, a high titre of OA-specific IgG was detected in the group B and C newborns. The number of positive patch test reactions decreased concomitantly with the decline of specific IgG. Histologically, eczematous changes were observed in the positive reaction sites. Many OA antigen-bearing Langerhans cells were found by the immuno-double labelling technique. Immuno-electron microscopic findings revealed the presence of OA antigens as well as IgG molecules on the cytoplasmic membranes of Langerhans cells. Our studies demonstrated that maternal sensitization with OA can induce an eczematous reaction in the newborns to OA patch testing under the presence of high levels of OA-specific IgG in the serum. From these findings it is suggested that IgG plays an essential role in the development of contact hypersensitivity reaction to OA.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed1992

Purification of MPB70 and production of specific monoclonal antibodies.

MPB70 is a protein secreted into the culture filtrate of Mycobacterium bovis BCG (substrain Tokyo 172), which is able to induce a delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) skin reaction in guinea pigs immunized with BCG-Tokyo. By high-pressure chromatofocusing and size-exclusion high performance liquid chromatography, a further purified MPB70 protein was obtained, which was visualized as a single band with a molecular mass of 22 kDa by sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A series of hybridoma cell lines that produced monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against the purified MPB70 protein was prepared, and three MAbs, Bov-1, Bov-2, and Bov-3, with strong antigen-binding capacities were established. Bov-1 was the most potent MAb among them and binds to only a 22 kDa protein band in culture filtrates of M. bovis, but not to bands in those of M. tuberculosis by Western immunoblotting analysis, suggesting that Bov-1 recognize different epitope of MPB70 from MAbs that have been shown previously to recognize several species of molecules in culture filtrates of M. bovis. The purified MPB70 protein elicited a strong DTH skin reaction in guinea pigs sensitized with BCG-Tokyo vaccine. Bov-1 had no inhibitory effect on generation of the DTH skin reaction, showing that MAb bound to an epitope distinct from that inducing the skin reaction. All of the three MAbs were specific to MPB70 and each recognized a different epitope on MPB70. MPB70 was not detected in the culture filtrate of M. tuberculosis H37Rv. Thus, these MAbs may be useful for detecting MPB70 in studies on discriminating infection with M. bovis in domestic animals or in distinguishing vaccination with BCG-Tokyo from other mycobacterial infections in humans.

Animals↗