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Biomedical subjects

P Levine

Publications and source records attributed to P Levine.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Effect of prophylactic antibiotics in radical head and neck surgery.

One hundred major head and neck operations performed on 77 patients were evaluated regarding the effectiveness of an aminoglycoside and cephalosporin antibiotic combination given prophylactically to prevent postoperative infection. The postoperative infection incidence was 6%, significantly lower than that reported in similar series where no antibiotics were used. The addition of the aminoglycoside did not appear to provide any additional protection compared with the use of cephalosporin alone.

Aminoglycosides↗

Forssman-like antibody levels in sera of patients with lung cancer.

Sera of normal individuals or patients with lung cancer were assayed for Forssman-like antibody by a quantitative and specific method using ethylenediaminetetraacetate-containing buffer to inactivate complement in the test serum. It was shown that although Forssman-like antibody levels were distributed widely, (a) the levels of young (20 to 45 years of age) normal subjects of Blood Groups A and AB were lower than those of Blood Groups O and B, (b) the levels of old (60 to 80 years of age) normal subjects were lower than those of young normal subjects of Blood Groups O and B, and (c) the levels of old lung cancer patients were lower when compared to age-matched normal individuals of their blood group.

ABO Blood-Group System↗

Self-nonself concept for cancer and diseases previously known as "autoimmune" diseases (illegitimate transferases/plasma exchange).

The illegitimate glycosphingolipid antigens of the P blood group system and of the Forssman (Fs) tissue antigen in adenocarcinoma which are foreign to the host suggest the self-nonself concept which applies also to numerous other diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, gluomerulonephritis, and idiopathic acute hemolytic anemia. In the presence of the glycosphingolipid antigens such as ABO, P, and Fs, the normal serum of the homozygote recessive precursor contains antibodies for the missing antigen(s). The expected antibody to the Fs antigen was present in about 75% of normal men and women. In cancer sera, the incidence of anti-Fs was decreased to about 35-40%. On testing the normal population anti-Fs was present in 90% of the sera in the youngest group, and this value gradually diminished in the older groups; the incidence of the antibody in the 70-year age group was to about 60%. The rate of loss of anti-Fs with increasing years appears to parallel the gradual loss of anti-A and anti-B isoagglutinin titers. This phenomenon may be associated with the gradual diminution of protein synthesis with aging or the continuous accumulation of soluble immune complexes in the serum, or both. It is suggested that the self-nonself concept is also the basis for the pathogenesis of rhematoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus, idiopathic acute hemolytic anemia, and numerous other conditions classified as "autoimmune" diseases. Some of these diseases are induced by viruses or drugs or both. When a virus or drug attaches itself to the membrane of a tissue cell, the self is converted to nonself which, in rheumatoid arthiritis, alters its self Ig to nonself Ig.

ABO Blood-Group System↗

Preliminary evaluation of the histotoxicity and radiopacity of lead-containing elastic impression materials.

Severe reactions can be caused when elastic impression materials are trapped beneath soft tissues. To develop a rank order of severity of responses, a series of these materials was injected beneath the oral mucosa of a baboon. Alginate and polysulfide rubbers containing lead peroxide produced severe reactions; hydrocolloid, polysulfide without lead, silicone, and polyether produced more mild reactions. The more toxic materials proved to be more radiopaque than the others. Tests for foreign body toxicity should be made a part of future specifications for these materials, and the use of toxic ingredients should be reduced as much as possible. These materials should be made opaque to X rays and of a different color than those of soft or hard tissues.

Abscess↗

Clinical evaluation of EBV serology in American patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

There is now extensive immunological, biological and biochemical evidence to support a possible etiological relationship between EBV and NPC in patients from different geographical locations. Besides providing information on the question of etiology, the results from immunological investigations suggest that antibodies to some of the EBV-associated antigens might also be of clinical importance in the diagnosis and prognosis of NPC. To determine the possible clinical application of EBV serology to American NPC, sera from patients seen at the Mayo Clinic and the National Institutes of Health were examined for antibodies to EBV-associated antigens in an effort to identify those parameters which most reliably distinguish NPC from other types of cancer. The results show that high antibody titres to EBV-induced EA and the presence of antibody to EBV antigens in the IgA immunoglobulin fraction were the two most specific discriminating parameters, although neither was infallible. These findings are discussed in relation to future studies that are needed in order to determine the potential clinical value of EBV serology to the diagnosis and prognosis of NPC.

Antibodies, Viral↗

Hemophilic arthropathy of the foot and ankle.

The major deformities in hemophilic arthropathy of the foot and ankle fall into the three groups of equinus, varus, and cavus. These pathologic positions develop through a repetitive pattern of intra-articular and intramuscular bleeding within the area of the distal calf, foot, and ankle. Appropriate infusion therapy with factor VIII concentrate and factor IX concentrate plus splinting, bracing, and logical rehabilitative maneuvers can delay or prevent the advent of permanent deformity. The actual articular damage seems to be directly related to the release of digestive enzymes from leukocytes, synovial cells, and other blood products. These pathologic mechanisms appear to be similar to those recently described in explaining joint destruction in rheumatoid and degenerative arthritis. The indication for certain reconstructive orthopedic procedures in these situations are given and case examples provided. Total joint replacement in the area of the foot and ankle in hemophilia has been considered for certain patients by the authors but not attempted as yet.

Adolescent↗

Quantitative Rh typing of r-Gr-G with observations on the nature of G (Rh 12) and anti-G.

Quantitative blood typing data on Mr. R. B. (r-Gr-G), his wife (R1r), a daughter (R1r-G), and a niece (r-Gr) strongly suggest that these Rh phenotypes are directly indicative of actual Rh genotypes. If so, the antigenic products of r-G are weak Rh2(rh' or C), normal Rh5 (hr" or e), an expression of Rh12 (rh-G) equal to that produced by R-1,2,-3 (r' or dCe) and half of what is produced by R1 (R or D) genes in either homozygous or heterozygous expression, very weak expression of Rh19 (hr-S), absence of Rh31 (hr-B), and slightly weakened expression of Rh17 (Hr-o or 'not D'). The LW status of r-Gr-G cells was equivalent to that of other Rh:-1 erythrocytes. Thus r-G resembles mutant r' in which only Rh5 is expressed normally. The weak Rh2 produced by r-G reacted much better with one Rh2 antiserum than with another. Rh21 (C-G) had been used to denote such additional reactivity, but one reagent that acted as anti-Rh2 in manual tests behaved like anti-Rh21 in instrumented tests. Therefore, anti-Rh21 may only indicate a more efficiently agglutinating anti-Rh2. Mr. R. B. showed no evidence of congenital stomatocytic hemolytic anemia characteristic of Rh-null or Rh-mod. Finally, anti-Rh12 eluates, recovered either sequentially from r'r followed by R2r or singly from r-Gr-G, agglutinated chimpanzee red cells more efficiently than did either anti-Rh1 (D) or anti-Rh4 (c), a result consistent with expectation for serological crossreactivity between Rh1 and Rh21.

Adult↗

Cell-mediated immunity in human acute leukemia.

The general cell-mediated immunological reactivity of patients with acute leukemia has been found to be intact, although it may be depressed by extensive disease or by chemotherapy. Patients with acute leukemia also have cellular immune reactivity against tumor associated antigens, as measured by skin tests for delayed hypersensitivity, lymphocyte stimulation, and 51Cr release cytotoxicity. Skin reactions to autologous and allogeneic crude membrane extracts of blast cells correlated with disease state, positive in many patients in remission and negative in most patients in relapse. Extracts of human lymphoid tissue culture cell lines derived from lymphomas or leukemia also gave positive reactions in patients with acute leukemia, and also in patients with lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The antigens detected in the skin tests with the lymphoid cell lines appear to be different from those associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and from those detected in the 51Cr release assay. Evidence is presented which suggests a complex variety of antigens on blast cells and on the cell lines. Although leukemia associated antigens were also detected by lymphocyte stimulation and by cytotoxicity assays, the results did not correlate with the skin tests nor with each other. The possible use of these assays for monitoring the chemotherapy and immunotherapy of acute leukemia patients is discussed.

Acute Disease↗