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Biomedical subjects

M Meltzer

Publications and source records attributed to M Meltzer.

34 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Molecular weight, isoelectric point, and stability of a murine lymphokine that induces macrophage tumoricidal activity.

A factor in antigen- or mitogen-stimulated murine spleen cell culture supernatants that induces macrophage-mediated tumor cytotoxicity was characterized physicochemically. Although activity was eluted from Sephadex G-100 columns in a region corresponding to a MW of 55,000, rechromatography of the first and second halves of the eluted peak resulted in two separate peaks, corresponding in location to the first and second halves of the original peak. This shows that the original peak comprises two activation factors of slightly different MW. In contrast, electrofocusing experiments designed to assure that the isoelectric position had been reached by the end of the run showed a single isoelectric point of pH 5.8, with no sign of charge heterogeneity. Denaturation studies showed rapid loss of activity at 60 degrees C, stability over a pH range of 5 to 10, loss of activity at pH 4.0, and loss of two-thirds of the activity in 6 M urea. The number of criteria by which this lymphokine has now been characterized should suffice to distinguish it from other lymphokines evaluated by similar methods.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Mixed cryoglobulinemia: clinical aspects and long-term follow-up of 40 patients.

The clinical course of 40 patients with significant quantities of mixed cryoglobulins, but without lymphoproliferative, collagen-vascular or chronic infectious diseases, is presented. These cases comprise 51.3 percent of all mixed and 31.7 percent of all types of cryoglobulins evaluated by us over the period 1960--1978. A characteristic clinical syndrome, consisting of recurrent palpable purpura (100 percent), polyarthralgias (72.5 percent) and renal disease (55 percent), was seen. Biopsy specimens of skin lesions showed cutaneous vasculitis, and half had immune reactants in vessel walls. Seventy percent of patients had evidence of hepatic dysfunction, often subclinical, and more than 60 percent of those tested had serologic evidence of prior infection with hepatitis B virus. Hepatic lesions ranged from minimal triaditis to chronic active hepatitis and/or cirrhosis. All 22 patients in whom clinical renal disease developed had significant proteinuria; 63.6 percent had diastolic hypertension, 77.3 percent edema, 45.5 percent renal failure and 22.7 percent were nephrotic. Glomerular disease associated with deposition of immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin M and complement, often with coexistent renal arteritis, was confirmed pathologically in 15 cases. All cryoglobulins had rheumatoid factor activity and consisted of IgM and polyclonal IgG; five also contained IgA. Thirteen had a monoclonal IgM kappa component. Serum protein electrophoresis was unremarkable or showed diffuse hyperglobulinemia. Striking depression of early complement components was noted but did not correlate well with the cryoprotein concentration, renal involvement or clinical course. Follow-up for periods up to 21 years from onset of symptoms revealed that renal involvement has a deleterious effect on prognosis. Postmorten examinations of nine patients demonstrated widespread vasculitis in addition to renal involvement. Preterminal infection was found in eight.

Cryoglobulins↗
PubMed1977

Haemolytic anaemia due to erythrocyte pyrimidine 5'-nucleotidase deficiency. Report of the first South African family.

The first South African case of haemolytic anaemia due to erythrocyte pyrimidine 5'-nucleotidase deficiency is reported. The anaemia is characterized by the presence of high erythrocyte pyrimidine nucleotide levels and marked basophilic stippling. The enzyme levels in 20 family members confirm an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance and illustrate the difficulty of diagnosing the carrier state.

Anemia, Hemolytic↗
PubMed1976

Leucocyte migration test in patients after corneal transplantation.

Twenty-four patients with corneal homografts were repeatedly evaluated by the leucocyte migration test using pooled human corneal extract 0.2 mg/ml as antigen. All patients were treated with small doses of local or systemic steroids. If cloudiness of the graft developed, the doses were increased up to 40 mg methylprednisolone or 48 mg triamcinolone daily. Before transplantation, two patients showed inhibition of leucocyte migration. During the third postoperative week seventeen responded with migration inhibition. The grafts remained clear in all but one patient during this period of time. After the second postoperative month, leucocyte migration inhibition was found in none of sixteen patients whose grafts remained clear. Three of seven patients with late graft rejection exhibited migration inhibition and in two of them this response was demonstrated repeatedly several months prior to the clinical reaction. These findings suggest that the test may predict graft failure in some patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cerebral arteritis in scleroderma.

Central nervous system (CNS) involvement is rare in scleroderma unless there are concomitant abnormalities in renal or lung function or malignant hypertension. A 43-year-old woman with typical scleroderma developed subacute encephalopathy despite absence of the above abnormalities. Cerebral angiography demonstrated a focal arteritis. The patient improved while being given corticosteroids. We believe this case indicates that cerebral arteritis can occur in scleroderma.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Primary systemic amyloidosis with a retroperitoneal mass.

A 73-year-old black woman presented with congestive heart failure, abdominal distension and ascites. A large retroperitoneal mass was demonstrated by gray-scale abdominal ultrasonography and confirmed by laparatomy and postmortem examination. This retroperitoneal mass consisted mainly of amyloid, as demonstrated by green birifringence with alkaline Congo red staining. Resistance of this staining pattern to permanganate treatment and the absence of inflammatory disease or malignancy at autopsy suggest the diagnosis of primary systemic amyloidosis. This is the first reported case of this disease manifesting as a retroperitoneal mass.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The cost of rabies postexposure prophylaxis: one state's experience.

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to evaluate trends in the use of rabies postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) before, during, and following an epidemic of raccoon rabies in Massachusetts. METHODS: The authors reviewed initiation of PEP as reported to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) from August 1994 to December 1995 and surveyed hospital pharmacies to determine the number of vials of Human Rabies Immune Globulin (HRIG) dispensed from 1991 through 1995 and charges to patients per vial. RESULTS: PEP use increased dramatically, from 1.7 per 100,000 population in 1991 (pre-epidemic) to 45 per 100,000 in 1995 (after the first stages of the epidemic). The median costs per patient for biologics was $1646 (range: $632-$3435). Including physician and emergency room charges, per-patient median costs were $2376 (range: $1038-$4447). Total health care charges for PEP in Massachusetts in 1995 were estimated at $2.4 million to $6.4 million. CONCLUSIONS: Given the rapid increase in use of PEP, further studies should be undertaken to determine the appropriateness of use, and other alternatives, such as oral wildlife vaccines, should be considered.

Animals↗