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Biomedical subjects

M J Hicks

Publications and source records attributed to M J Hicks.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Antinuclear antibodies and survival in cardiac transplant patients.

Serum from 48 patients with cardiac transplants was tested for the presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA). Thirty-two of the sera were negative for ANA (ANA-), and 16 were positive for ANA (ANA+). Six of the ANA+ sera had a diffuse pattern, six had a peripheral pattern, three had a combined diffuse and rim pattern, and one had a diffuse and nucleolar pattern. Seven of the ANA+ sera were positive at a 1:40 titer, one at a 1:80 titer, four at a 1:160 titer, two at a 1:320 titer, and two at a 1:640 titer. Thirteen of the 32 ANA- patients have died, at intervals of one month to four years after transplantation. Fourteen of the 16 ANA+ patients have died, at intervals ranging from less than one day to four years after transplantation. The mean time period from transplantation to death was 13 +/- 15 months for the ANA+ patients: these were not statistically significantly different. However, the mean interval from transplantation to death of the ANA+ patients with an ANA titer greater than 1:40 was 0.8 +/- 0.8 months, which was significantly different from the mean survival period of the ANA+ group as a whole (P less than or equal to 0.05) and the mean survival of the ANA- group (P less than or equal to 0.005). Although the mechanism is not clear, there appears to be an association between higher titer serum ANA positivity and increased mortality in patients with cardiac transplants with significantly decreased duration of survival after transplantation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Ultrastructural morphometric analysis of nuclear contour irregularity in normal cord and adult blood: correlation with distinct lymphocyte subpopulations.

Cord blood lymphocytes obtained from ten healthy newborns and peripheral blood obtained from ten healthy adults were compared by using ultrastructural morphometric methods. Cord blood lymphocytes could be distinguished from adult lymphocytes on the basis of nuclear contour irregularity (form factor) and perimeter (P less than .001). The mean nuclear form factor (FF) value of the cord lymphocytes, as a group, was 0.603 +/- 0.034; the mean nuclear FF value of adult lymphocytes was 0.755 +/- 0.032. Lymphocyte subpopulations were quantitated by flow cytometric and immunofluorescence techniques and correlated with nuclear contour irregularity (mean FF values) by using linear regression analysis. Overall, the correlations between nuclear contour irregularity and the proportions of distinct lymphocyte subpopulations were opposite for cord and adult blood. Increased nuclear contour irregularity was associated with increased proportions of immature lymphocytes (non-T, non-B lymphocyte population) in the neonate and with increased proportions of T cells in the adult. Of the T cells, increased nuclear contour irregularity showed a better correlation with increased proportions of T helper cells compared with T suppressor cells. A plot of the distribution of FF values indicated two populations of lymphocytes having convoluted and nonconvoluted nuclei, respectively. No true Sézary cells could be identified in cord blood with ultrastructural morphometric criteria, despite the abundance of cerebriform mononuclear cells identified by visual inspection. The lymphocyte with the most irregular nuclear contour was found in an adult and had an FF value of 0.132 (13% of a circle). The contribution of this study to the diagnosis of cutaneous T cell lymphomas and the Sézary syndrome is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Cellular immune functions of adults treated with a daily, long-term, low dose of 13-cis retinoic acid.

The effects of long-term consumption of 13-cis retinoic acid (13-cRA) on cellular immune functions were measured in young, adult volunteers. The retinoid was administered for 9 months at about 0.13 mg/kg/day. The mean 8AM concentrations of 13-cRA ranged between 30 and 60 ng/ml of serum throughout the study. Corticosteroid levels in plasma decreased significantly throughout treatment, declining from 15.2 ug/dL to 9.1 mg/dL (p less than 0.05). T-cell mitogenesis stimulated by PHA or A Con A was not significantly affected, although this parameter was slightly depressed during the first 2 months of treatment. The percentage of B-lymphocytes tended to decrease during treatment and returned to normal after cessation of 13-cRA (p less than 0.05), while the percentage of T-cells as measured by E-rosette and by fluorescent antibody tagging of surface antigens did not change. The percentage of non T-cells tended to increase slightly during treatment.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed1986

Terminal lymphoblastic transformation in polycythemia vera.

A patient with polycythemia vera and lymphoblastic transformation is discussed. Phenotypic characterization revealed that the predominant leukemic cells were classic "null" lymphoid cells with a minority component of pre-B cells. This case provides evidence that the stem cell disorder in polycythemia vera may involve the lymphocyte early in development.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

A polarized light and scanning electron microscopic study of sodium-fluoride treated, acid-etched, caries-like lesions of human enamel.

Precipitation of reaction products into the surface zone and the superficial aspect of the body of the carious lesion occurred after NaF treatment of etched lesions. Surface porosities were noted when NaF treatment was preceded by acid-etching with unbuffered phosphoric acid, which may allow acid-resistant resin bonding to the lesion surface and adjacent sound enamel.

Acid Etching, Dental↗
PubMed1986

Evaluation of methodologic variables of the in vitro lymphocyte transformation assay.

Optimum methodologic variables for assessing cellular immunity by in vitro lymphocyte transformation (LT) were determined using spherulin and coccidioidin antigens. This study was conducted in an area endemic for coccidioidomycosis and included healthy, coccidioidomycosis skin test positive (STP) and negative (STN) subjects, and patients with mild, acute disease. The authors examined the relationship between coccidioidin (1:100) and spherulin (low dose) skin test reactivity and lymphocyte transformation (LT) responses to the same antigens. Counts per minute (CPM) and stimulation index (SI) as methods of expressing tritiated thymidine uptake were compared. The LT assays were set up in duplicate test systems using autologous and homologous plasma. Both antigens differentiated between STP and STN groups (P less than or equal to 0.001-0.004), but values obtained with spherulin-induced LT were greater than those using coccidioidin (P less than 0.001). Values in CPM and SI were greater in the spherulin-induced LT assay using autologous compared with AB plasma. Specifically, for detecting cellular immunity to coccidioidomycosis, the combination of spherulin-induced LT using autologous plasma and expressing the results in CPM gave the best discrimination between STP and STN subjects. Based on epidemiologic data, the latter method also appeared more sensitive than the skin test in detecting cellular immunity to coccidioidomycosis. In general, these data illustrate the variable effectiveness of different antigens for inducing LT responses and further show how different plasma sources affect the LT response. Finally, these data suggest that lymphocyte blast transformation results expressed as CPM may give more consistent values and better discrimination between immune and nonimmune subjects than results expressed as stimulation indices.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Bone loss following periodontal therapy in subjects without frequent periodontal maintenance.

The longitudinal effects of periodontal therapy in patients without a frequent periodontal maintenance program have been minimally documented. In this study we used Duckworth's modification of the Schei Ruler Technique to assess the difference in bone level around individual teeth treated for periodontal disease in subjects receiving infrequent posttherapy maintenance (less than or equal to 1 time/year). Crestal bone height differences were evaluated using the initial presenting series of long cone parallel radiographs of 23 subjects with their subsequent posttherapy analogous radiographic series taken 5.4 +/- 2.9 years later. Bone loss was defined as a reduction in the alveolar crest of greater than 50% of the radiographic crown height which corresponds to approximately 4 mm in posterior and 5 mm in anterior teeth. The loss for each tooth was expressed as a per cent of the measured height of the crown after conversion from millimeters using the mean crown-root ratio for each tooth. We found increased alveolar bone loss and tooth loss in subjects examined posttherapy when compared with conditions present when each subject initially presented for periodontal treatment. Our data suggest that molar teeth are more at risk than incisors and cuspids and that a lack of periodontal maintenance care and inadequate plaque control contribute to progressive bone loss following treatment.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

A comparative analysis of cord blood and adult lymphocytes: interleukin-2 and interferon production, natural killer cell activity, and lymphocyte populations.

A comprehensive comparative analysis of lymphocyte populations, natural killer cell activity, and interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon production was performed on cord blood and adult peripheral blood mononuclear cell populations. Analysis of the cell types present demonstrated significantly lower percentages of T3+, T8+, and Leu 11+ cells for the cord blood samples compared to the adult samples. Also, both natural killer cell activity and gamma interferon production were significantly lower in the cord blood group. These findings may correlate with the increased susceptibility of young infants to infection. Differences between the two groups were not evident for the percentages of T4+ cells, B cells, and large granular lymphocytes. IL-2 production by cells stimulated with concanavalin A and a phorbol ester was higher in cord blood. Individually, half of the cord blood samples contained more IL-2 than any of the adult samples. This result could be caused either by greater production of IL-2 by the cord blood samples or by greater utilization of IL-2 by the adult samples.

Antigens, Surface↗
PubMed1986

Immunologic complexity of lymphoblastic lymphoma.

Twelve patients with a histologic diagnosis of lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL) were studied immunologically using the methodologic refinement of comparative serial section immunochemistry. By this means, we demonstrate complex LBL phenotypic profiles, revealing 3 major immunologic subtypes: immature T cell, 7 cases; intermediate or mature T cell, 3 cases; immature B cell (pre-pre-B), 2 cases. This phenotypic diversity challenges the basic belief that all LBL are the same. Our immature T-cell cases with frequent simultaneous Leu 2/3/6/9/CALLA/Tdt expression correspond to cortical thymic phenotypes; our mature T-cell phenotypes with Leu 9/la expression and absent L6/Tdt correspond either to medullary thymocytes or post-thymic T cells; our pre-pre-B phenotypes with simultaneous Tdt/CALLA/B4 expression correspond to common acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) phenotypes. Mature T-LBL phenotypes are similar to "novel" peripheral T-cell lymphoma phenotypes. Scant or absent Tdt expression in mature LBL is not an isolated antigenic change but a complete phenotypic profile difference from immature T-LBL. The major T- and B-cell phenotypes of LBL might have therapeutic significance. Treatment among LBL phenotypes may need to vary as with acute lymphocytic leukemia phenotypes. Further study is needed; in the meantime, comparative serial section immunotyping promises substantial utility in revealing the immunologic complexity of the lymphomas.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Differentiation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia from other "well to intermediate differentiated" lymphoproliferative disorders by the mouse rosette assay.

The usefulness of the mouse rosette (MR) assay in differentiating among various "well to intermediate differentiated" lymphoproliferative disorders (LPD) is presented. Thirty patients with a suspected LPD were studied. By standard histologic, cytologic, immunologic (surface immunoglobulin and monoclonal antibody markers), and clinical criteria, the following diagnoses (independent of MR data) were made: chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) (n = 12), CLL in transformation (n = 2), well-differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma (WDLL) (n = 5), intermediate-differentiated lymphoma (IDL) (n = 2), hairy cell leukemia (HCL) (n = 3), prolymphocytic leukemic (PLL) (n = 1), poorly differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma (PDL) (n = 1), and no disease or reactive lymphocytosis (n = 4). There were 11 B-CLL cases and one T-CLL case. The percent of MR in all cases of B-CLL ranged from 26 to 76% (m = 62%); 10/11 cases had greater than or equal to 50% MR. The case with 26% MR was atypical in that it occurred in a 26-year-old patient. The percent of MR ranged from 0 to 42% (m = 16%) in the cases of well to intermediate differentiated lymphomas. Similar to previous reports intermediate proportions of MR were seen in HCL (12-41%); and low values were seen in PDL (4%) and PLL (4%). In summary, the MR assay may be a useful tool for differentiating CLL from other well to intermediate differentiated LPD involving the peripheral blood. Also, since the MR receptor is normally found only on functionally immature cells, this differential mouse rosetting capability suggests that CLL arises from a less mature cell than WDLL or IDL.

Animals↗