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Biomedical subjects

S Becker

Publications and source records attributed to S Becker.

At least 379 records · Page 21Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Increased activation of pelvic macrophages in infertile women with mild endometriosis.

Pelvic fluid was collected from 66 women undergoing laparoscopic sterilization or diagnostic laparoscopy for evaluation of infertility. Cells consisting mainly of macrophages were separated, counted, and subjected to histochemical staining for acid phosphatase and myeloperoxidase as markers of cell irritation. Pelvic fluid was analyzed for acid phosphatase, neutral protease, and extractable prostaglandin E2 and F2 alpha. A higher proportion (46% versus 15%) of the macrophages in the group with mild endometriosis exhibited positive staining for acid phosphatase as compared with the fertile group. Pelvic fluid from patients with mild endometriosis had higher acid phosphatase and neutral protease activity than that from fertile patients (p less than 0.05, p less than 0.01). The content of either prostaglandin was not significantly higher in the endometriosis group as compared with the fertile group. The results suggest that mild endometriosis is associated with activation of macrophages and release of active substances into peritoneal fluid that may be responsible for the associated infertility.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMed1983

Simultaneous three color and electronic cell volume analysis with a single UV excitation source.

We have adapted an Ortho ICP-22 flow cytometer (Ortho Instruments, Westwood MA) for the simultaneous measurement of three independent fluorochromes and cell volume. This has been accomplished by the addition of a third photomultiplier tube and the development of a new electronic cell volume (ECV) flow cell. Cells are first analyzed as they pass through the 100 U ECV aperture and are then excited approximately 15 musec later by the 365 nm mercury are beam reflected by a 400 nm dicroic mirror. Independent blue, green and red signals can be associated by a delay circuit to the ECV signal from the same cell. We have developed this system as an aid in the analysis of tumor cell and macrophage heterogeneity and differentiation. The choice of stain combinations to be used is extremely flexible and permits the analysis of a wide range of enzyme activities in conjunction with DNA/RNA and phagocytic probes. Data presented indicates the value of this approach in identifying the presence of plasminogen activator-like activity in both tumor and inflammatory cells within a malignant effusion as well as the quantitative expression of a number of markers of macrophage differentiation. Although the described techniques have been developed on a mercury arc instrument, they can be used equally well with cell sorters.

Color↗
PubMed1983

A transcribed emergency record at minimum cost.

We have developed a new method of implementing a transcribed emergency record at minimum cost. Dictated emergency records are typed immediately by a transcriber located in the emergency department. This member of the medical record transcriber pool is given other non-urgent medical record material to type when there are no emergency records to type. The costs are reduced to the same level as routine medical records transcription. In 1982, 19,892 of the total 28,000 emergency records were transcribed by adding only 1.35 full-time equivalents (FTEs) to the transcriber pool. The remaining charts were handwritten because insufficient funds had been allocated to type all emergency records. The transcriber is capable of typing a maximum of 64 charts, averaging 13 lines (156 words) each, per 8-hour shift. The service can be phased in gradually as funds for transcribing the emergency record are allocated to the central transcriber pool.

Cost Control↗
PubMed1983

Heterogeneity of human peritoneal macrophages: cytochemical and flow cytometric studies.

Human peritoneal macrophages obtained from females undergoing laparoscopic examination have been investigated. Morphologic heterogeneity as well as a wide variation in the content of nonspecific esterase, acid phosphatase (AP), and myeloperoxidase (MP) were observed with standard cytochemical stains. This heterogeneity was evident within the same sample as well as between different individuals. Phagocytic activity was also highly variable. In only 3 cases out of 85 samples screened could human peritoneal macrophages be characterized as resident (peroxidase negative, acid phosphatase negative) by the criteria used in rodent systems, thus indicating that female peritoneal macrophages are continuously responding to stimuli/irritation. A newly developed flow cytofluorometric method was used to quantitatively document the macrophage heterogeneity in enzyme expression and phagocytic activity. Population distributions derived from single-cell analysis of various enzyme activities and phagocytic levels further emphasized the spread in expression of these parameters both within the individual peritoneal samples as well as between donors. Simultaneous determination of two markers such as leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) and zymosan ingestion indicated that the association between these features varied markedly between individuals. It is hoped that the use of this multiparameter flow cytometric technique on in vitro differentiating blood monocytes, subjected to different stimuli, will give us a better understanding not only of the development of monocytes to macrophages but also of the sources of heterogeneity in normal human resident macrophages.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMed1982

[Thymolipomas simulating cardiomegaly].

With reference to three personal observations, the authors discuss the problems raised by the diagnosis of thymolipomas, which are benign asymptomatic tumors discovered on a plain chest film and simulating cardiomegaly. On careful analysis of a high voltage plain chest film, the pulmonary vasculature can be detected through the cardiomediastinal opacity. Total body scan is also useful for establishing diagnosis before surgery.

Aged↗
PubMed1982

Pelvic macrophages in normal and infertile women: the role of patent tubes.

The volume of peritoneal fluid and its macrophage content were examined in 80 women undergoing laparoscopy. The amount of pelvic fluid was not dependent on the patency of the fallopian tubes, and no statistical difference in the fluid volume was observed between the infertile groups, including those with endometriosis, as compared to the fertile group. The number of pelvic macrophages in fertile women was extremely high during the menstrual period, and during the rest of the cycle, it remained at a basal level. The number of pelvic macrophages in women with occluded tubes was low. Four of 21 infertile patients with mild endometriosis had very high numbers of pelvic macrophages, even in the luteal phase. These results suggest that the passage of endometrial irritants through the tubes elicits a macrophage response in the peritoneal cavities of both normal women and patients with endometriosis. Although most patients with endometriosis had normal numbers of peritoneal macrophages, it is possible that these macrophages differ qualitatively from normal, and this could explain the associated infertility.

Ascitic Fluid↗
PubMed1982

Contamination of weaning foods and transmission of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli diarrhoea in children in rural Bangladesh.

In longitudinal studies of infectious diseases and nutrition in Bangladesh, we determined the degree of bacterial contamination of traditional weaning foods and evaluated the role of these foods in the transmission of diarrhoeal diseases. 41% of samples of food items fed to weaning aged children contained Escherichia coli; these organisms were used as indicators of faecal contamination. Milk and foods prepared particularly for infants were more frequently and heavily contaminated with E. coli than was boiled rice, and E. coli levels were found to be related to the storage of cooked foods at high environmental temperatures. 50% of drinking water specimens also contained E. coli, but colony counts were approximately 10-fold lower than in food specimens. The proportion of a child's food samples that contained E. coli was significantly related to the child's annual incidence of diarrhoea associated with enterotoxigenic E. coli. This observation underscores the importance of seeking locally available foods that are hygienic as well as nutritious to supplement the diets of breastfeeding children in developing countries.

Bangladesh↗
PubMed1982

Mononuclear-cell infiltration in ovarian cancer. I. Inflammatory-cell infiltrates from tumour and ascites material.

Malignant effusions and tumour tissue obtained at surgery provided material for a study of the prognostic value of the various inflammatory cells in the prognosis of human ovarian cancer. Ascitic fluids predominantly contained inflammatory cells; tumour cells, both singly and in clusters, were a minor component. Tumour cells were usually in excess in dispersed solid material. Some patients had significant proportions of lymphocytes and macrophages in their solid tumour, and these patients invariably responded to therapy. Sedimentation-velocity separation at unit gravity provided tow populations of inflammatory cells. One consisted of mononuclear cells similar in size to those in the patients blood: the other consisted of one or more large macrophage populations, distinct in morphology and enzymatic markers from both blood monocytes and each other. T lymphocytes were enriched in ascites fractions (78%) and in the tumour-derived mononuclear fraction (71%) compared to patient blood (60%). The T-cell subset characterized by ANAE reactivity was markedly depleted in the tumour-infiltrating fraction (17%) compared to patient blood (62%) or patient blood (51%). Esterase-positive monocyte-like cells were more frequent in the tumour-infiltrating fraction (17%) than ascites (7%) or blood (12%). B lymphocytes were infrequent in solid tumours and difficult to assess in ascites. Histiocyte-like macrophages were present in the higher-velocity tumour-cell containing fractions of both solid and ascitic material. The variation in infiltrating cells between patients and between tumour and ascites of the same individual was marked.

Ascitic Fluid↗
PubMed1982

Mononuclear-cell infiltration in ovarian cancer. II. Immune function of tumour and ascites-derived inflammatory cells.

Mononuclear cell fractions were isolated from blood, ascites and solid tumours of patients undergoing surgery for Stages III and IV adenocarcinoma of the ovary, and evaluated for their response in NK, ADCC and PHA assays. Control experiments with the same fraction of normal blood indicated that these responses were not influenced by the enzymes used to isolate the tumour and ascites inflammatory cells. The inflammatory cell fractions isolated from both tumour sites which sedimented in the velocity range of blood mononuclear cells were adequate in number and composition for comparison with similar cells from blood. E RFC values in both ascites and tumour fractions exceeded those of patient blood. However, there was a marked difference in distribution of the T subsets between blood, ascites and tumour, which could cause the variable test results between the different cell sources. PHA responses of patient blood and ascites fractions were about half that of normal blood. Tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) were less than 10% as responsive as normal blood. The depressed PHA responses of the TIL were not due to the presence of a suppressor cell population. NK activity of patient blood was less than that of normal blood, but not as much as the ascites of TIL cells. The activity of the ascites-derived lymphocytes was enhanced by treatment with interferon. ADCC activity against both CRBC and SB cells was normal or higher than controls in patient blood, and depressed in the ascites-derived fractions. TIL responded to less than 10% of the patient blood values. The results indicate a lack of response by ascitic and TIL cells in assays dependent on FcR-bearing effector cells and a greater loss of PHA-reactive cells from the tumour than from blood and ascites. These data could result from intratumour inactivation, or a failure of the particular subset to localize either in the ascites or the tumour site.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1982

Mononuclear-cell infiltration in ovarian cancer. III. Suppressor-cell and ADCC activity of macrophages from ascitic and solid ovarian tumours.

Macrophages have been isolated from ascitic and collagenase-dispersed tumours from patients undergoing surgery for ovarian cancer. Macrophages were present in varying proportions in both sites, though the ration of macrophages to tumour cells was higher in ascites. Marked variation in size (as detected by sedimentation velocity) and cytochemical markers in the macrophages was noted. Highly enriched macrophage fractions were isolated from the ascites and collagenase-dispersed solid tumours by a combination of sedimentation velocity and selective EA RFC or adherence techniques. Suppressor activity in the PHA assay was detected in tumour macrophages (4/10 giving less than 50% inhibition), ascitic macrophages (1/15) and blood monocytes (2/7). Lymphocyte fractions from tumours were unresponsive to PHA and failed to suppress the blood response. Suppressor activity was also present in the purified tumour-cell fraction of 6/14 patients. ADCC activity was tested in a few patients. When the activity was determined against the SB target cells, tumour-derived macrophages were inactive, whereas the ascitic fraction showed low but significant activity which averaged much lower than patients blood values. The ADCC assays carried out with the CRC target cell indicated activity within the range of patient blood values in 4/4 ascites and 2/4 tumour macrophage fractions. Cytotoxicity was also assessed against co-purified autologous tumour cells. Although activity was detected in many of the tests, the results seemed to reflect target cell sensitivity. There appeared to be a correlation between cytotoxicity with test macrophages and normal blood mononuclear cells. The results indicate that the cytochemical heterogeneity and the variation in size between macrophage fractions is associated with a spectrum of activities.

Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity↗
PubMed1982

Clinical and field studies of human lactation: methodological considerations.

A variety of studies has been completed to assess selected methods that are presently being used or might potentially be used to evaluate lactation performance. During 64 test-weighings of infants before and after the consumption of a known amount of milk, the mean +/- SD "recovery" of milk ingestion was 94.9 +/- 13.2%. The weight of milk extracted by a mechanical pump was approximately 7% greater than the amount measured during test-weighings of infant of the same women within periods of 1 wk. To evaluate the possibility of performing abbreviated studies in field settings, the proportion of 24-h milk consumption received during 12 daytime hours was measured by test-weighings. Daytime consumption ranged from 46 to 58% of 24-h consumption (mean +/- SD = 52 +/- 3%). Attempts to predict the amount of milk consumption during 341 daytime studies from the age of infants and their frequency and duration of feedings met with limited success. Although each independent variable was significantly correlated with the amount consumed (multiple r = 0.69, p less than 0.001), the SE of the estimate (Sy.x) was relatively large. The effects of time of day and side of extraction on the volume and composition of extracted milk were determined during 24-h studies of seven women. There were significant changes in the concentration of fat (p less than 0.001) and nitrogen (p = 0.003) during the day and significant differences in the concentrations of fat (p = 0.04) and lactose (p = 0.04) and in the volume (p less than 0.001) of milk produced by each breast. The importance of these findings for the planning and interpretation of studies of human lactation is discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Patterns of physical growth in a longitudinal study of young children in rural Bangladesh.

Longitudinal field studies of the physical growth of 197 children between 6 and 60 months of age have been completed in two rural villages of Bangladesh. The distribution of weights by age indicated that 90% of the village girls and boyd weighed less than the National Center for Health Statistics 5th percentile by 8 and 15 months of age, respectively. Of the children 90% were shorter than the reference population 10th percentile length by age by 10 to 13 months of age. Since the children's patterns of growth differed from those of the reference populations from North America and Europe, internal standards were created for the village girls and boys by fitting curves to their data for weight by age, length by age, arm circumference by age, triceps skinfold thickness by age, and weight by length. The village references enabled age-independent comparisons of children within the study population by relating their actual anthropometric status to the village norms. Comparisons of the village standards with the international reference data showed the period of poorest nutritional status of the village children persisted from shortly after birth to approximately 2 yr of age.

Bangladesh↗
PubMed1982

Consumption of foods and nutrients by weanlings in rural Bangladesh.

Longitudinal studies of the consumption of foods and nutrients by 70 children between 5 and 30 months of age have been completed, during 632 individual days of observation in rural village homes in Bangladesh. Foods and prepared menu items for each child were weighed before serving; leftover food was subtracted from portions served to determine the amounts consumed. Breast milk intakes were estimated by test-weighing of children before and after all feedings during 12-h daytime periods and were corrected to 24-h consumption. All children between 5 and 12 months of age and 85% of children between 24 and 30 months were breast-fed; the average amount of breast milk received by these age groups declined from 632 to 368 g/day. Concurrently, the rate of consumption of cereals increased from 54 to 100% of children, and the amount received increased from 35 to 94 g/day. The children received an average intake of energy between 63 to 71 kcal/kg body weight/day and an average intake of protein between 1.2 to 1.5 g protein/kg body weight/day in the various age and sex categories. The absolute consumption of energy and protein increased with age, but the amount of energy per kg of body weight and the percentage of energy requirement for the amount of energy per kg of body weight and the percentage of energy requirement for length-age remained constant or declined in older girls. Vitamin A consumption, mostly from breast milk, averaged between 152 and 249 micrograms retinol equivalents per day, with younger children receiving more than older ones and boys receiving more than girls. Breast milk was the major source of all nutrients for younger children. Cereals provided more protein and iron than mothers' milk in older boys, but breast milk remained an important source of nutrients for all children.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1982

Acquisition of serum antibody to Norwalk Virus and rotavirus and relation to diarrhea in a longitudinal study of young children in rural Bangladesh.

Serum antibodies to Norwalk virus and to rotavirus were measured during longitudinal studies of infectious diseases and nutrition in rural Bangladesh. Initially, the prevalence of antibody to Norwalk virus was 7% in children younger than six months and increased to 80% in children two to five years of age. The incidence of titer increases was highest in one- and two-year-olds and in children who had low or undetectable levels of antibody. Some Norwalk virus infections appeared to result in diarrhea. Nearly all children had serum antibodies to rotavirus at the beginning of the study; however, children with the lowest levels of antibody to rotavirus had the greatest risk of rotavirus diarrhea. Over half of the children had a fourfold increase in titer of antibody to rotavirus during the year, and 7% had increases in two of the three study periods during the year. Most increases in titer of antibody to rotavirus appeared to result from subclinical infections.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1982

Longitudinal studies of infectious diseases and physical growth of children in rural Bangladesh. I. Patterns of morbidity.

Longitudinal studies were done in two villages in rural Bangladesh to learn more about the interactions between infectious diseases and the nutritional status of children. An intensive system of surveillance was used to determine the occurrence and frequency of infectious diseases in a cohort of 197 children aged 2-60 months in 1978-1979. This surveillance revealed that illnesses of the upper respiratory tract, such as purulent rhinitis and pharyngitis, had the highest prevalence. Diarrheas were the second most common illnesses, with a peak prevalence rate in children 6-11 months of age. Diarrhea was also the most frequent reason for hospitalization of study children. The overall prevalence of infectious diseases was high: at least one and often several concurrent illnesses were noted on 75% of all days of observation. Compared with children in the surrounding area, children in this study had a low mortality rate, perhaps because of medical services provided during the study. Nevertheless, the extensive morbidity from infectious diseases may have had adverse effects on the growth and development of the children.

Bangladesh↗
PubMed1982

Longitudinal studies of infectious diseases and physical growth of children in rural Bangladesh. II. Incidence of diarrhea and association with known pathogens.

Longitudinal studies were done in two villages rural Bangladesh to learn more about the interactions between infectious diseases and the nutritional status of children. Diarrheal diseases, identified by surveillance of 197 children aged 2-60 months, were studied for bacterial, viral and parasitic enteropathogens in 1978-1979. The annual incidence of diarrhea was highest in children aged 2-11 months, and declined progressively with age from seven to four episodes per child per year. An enteropathogen was identified from rectal cultures taken during diarrhea in 51% of episodes and from 6% of monthly cultures taken when diarrhea was not present. Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli were the pathogens found most frequently, followed by shigellae and rotaviruses. Diarrheal episodes associated with shigellae had the longest duration, while episodes associated with Vibrio cholerae or with rotavirus were more frequently associated with dehydration. E. coli diarrhea had a peak incidence during the hot months, and shigellosis was more frequent during the cool, dry months.

Bangladesh↗
PubMed1982

Endemic cholera in rural Bangladesh, 1966-1980.

Since 1963, the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B), formerly the Cholera Research Laboratory, has maintained a field station in Matlab to treat patients from a surveillance population of 240,000 who have cholera and other diarrheal diseases. Since 1966, the authors have analyzed hospital records of 7141 surveillance-area patients culture-positive for v. cholerae 01 to relate the seasonality, age and sex distribution, and geographic trends with hypotheses concerning transmission, immunity, and risk groups. From this review, they have found that: 1) children 2-9 years old and adult women are most commonly hospitalized for cholera; 2) V. cholerae 01 emerges simultaneously throughout the area of surveillance, with the early cases being of different phage types; 3) three patients were hospitalized twice for cholera compared with 29 expected on the basis of life-table analysis (p less than 0.01), suggesting that immunity to severe disease conferred by previous illness may be stable and long-lasting; 4) no constant relationship was found between the times of onset or peaks of the yearly cholera epidemic and the times of onset or peaks of the monsoon rains or river water levels; and 5) an outbreak of multiply antibiotic-resistant V. cholerae 01 infection documented in 1979 raises questions about the dissemination of resistance plasmids, antibiotic-use patterns, and the need for other drugs in addition to tetracycline. While little progress has been made in understanding the mode of transmission of v. cholerae 01, and in identifying practices for prevention, fluid therapy in this area has decreased the case fatality rate significantly and provides guidance for similar programs elsewhere.

Adolescent↗