Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

S Berliner

Publications and source records attributed to S Berliner.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Amphotericin B causes aggregation of neutrophils and enhances pulmonary leukostasis.

The influence of amphotericin B (AmB) on the aggregation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) was examined by means of in vitro aggregometry as well as in an in vivo model of pulmonary leukostasis (PL). The AmB caused a dose-dependent aggregation of PMN that was partially blocked by addition of serum to the drug prior to its reaction with the PMN. No aggregation of PMN was seen after the addition of nystatin, a similar polyene antibiotic. In vivo studies were conducted in rabbits, where PL was induced by an intravenous infusion of zymosan-activated plasma (ZAP) or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), and the degree of resulting leukostasis was expressed as the number of PMN per high power field (HPF). Animals in the control group had 6 +/- 3 PMN/HPF. This number increased to 12.4 +/- 5.6 when ZAP was infused and postmortem examination was performed 1 h later and to 17.4 +/- 4 if the examination was performed after 24 h. These numbers increased more than twice when AmB (1 mg/kg) was infused together with the ZAP. Increased PL after the infusion of ZAP and AmB was not attenuated by prior administration of methylprednisolone (30 mg/kg) to the animals. Infusions of AmB per se caused no significant PL but did cause increased pinocytosis in the pulmonary endothelium. Enhancement of PL by AmB was also examined in a model of PMA-induced PL.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amphotericin B↗
PubMed1985

The outcome of bacterial infection in subjects with benign familial leukopenia (BFL).

Benign familial leukopenia (BFL) is a hereditary phenomenon, encountered in several ethnic groups. Subjects bearing BFL are believed to be affected by bacterial infection in no greater incidence than normal subjects. In our study we investigated a group of subjects with BFL during an acute bacterial infection in comparison to subjects without BFL with the same infection. We found that the subjects with BFL had no absolute leukocytosis during the infection. Nevertheless, they reacted similarly to the other subjects in regard to their temperature and heart rate; however, they were hospitalized for fewer days than subjects without BFL. We conclude that BFL is a benign phenomenon, requiring neither specific treatment as such, nor more aggressive therapy during infection. The benign course of an acute bacterial infection in BFL indicates that perhaps the number of WBC's that are normally recruited during an infection in normal subjects highly exceeds that which is necessary.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMed1984

Monoclonal gammopathy in patients with chronic and acute myeloid leukemia.

Monoclonal IgG components were found in the serum of 5 of 40 patients with chronic myelocytic leukemia (12.5%), as well as in 2 of 15 patients with acute myelocytic leukemia (13.3%). These findings may represent an involvement of the lymphoplasmacytic system in myeloproliferative disorders. The significance of this association is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Hereditary factor XIII deficiency: report of four families and definition of the carrier state.

Definition of the carrier state of hereditary factor XIII deficiency was attempted by a study of four unrelated families with patients affected by the disease. Ten homozygotes, 14 obligatory carriers and 20 suspected carriers were available for determination of plasma factor XIII subunits A and B levels (by electroimmunoassay) and for assay of factor XIII enzymatic activity (by 14C-putrescine incorporation into casein). Evaluation of the ability of seven variables related to these tests to discriminate between healthy controls and obligatory carriers disclosed that two variables related to the enzymatic assay classified correctly 92.9% of the carriers and 73.3% of the controls, whereas the variables related to subunit A had a lower discriminative ability. Entering both enzymatic and immunologic variables into the discriminant function did not improve the result of the former. A classification function was established from which the posterior probability of suspected carriers can be determined by measuring the incorporation of 14C-putrescine into casein at 90 min after adding the labelled amine.

Caseins↗
PubMed1984

Familial cryoglobulinemia and C4 deficiency.

The coexistence of cryoglobulinemia and C4 deficiency was found in one family. Twelve subjects were examined, most of them being asymptomatic. Cryoglobulins were found in 9 members and its type was defined in 6 of them, 3 having mixed IgM-IgG and 3 having monoclonal IgM cryoglobulins. The concentration of the third component of the complement system was normal in 10 subjects, while the concentration of the fourth one was found to be below the lower limit of normal in 9 subjects. Only C4 deficiency--and not cryoglobulinemia--was HLA-linked. There was no evidence of HBs antigenemia. The results of this study are discussed in the light of the pertinent literature.

Complement C4↗
PubMed1983

Pregnancy-induced leukocytosis in Yemenite Jews.

Benign neutropenia is often found among healthy Yemenite Jews. An assessment was made of the magnitude of labor-induced leukocytosis in 44 Yemenite Jewish women, by comparing their hematological values during labor with those of 27 non-Yemenite women. A statistically significant difference was found in the absolute counts of the white blood cells (WBC) during delivery between the two groups, the values being lower among Yemenite Jews [10,291 +/- 422] vs. [11,759 +/- 630] X 10(9)/1) and similar findings were detected among their infants. The low WBC counts in the Yemenite group at parturition were also associated with significantly lower plasma cortisol levels (Yemenite group: 33.7 +/- 3.5 micrograms/dl; controls: 49.3 X 2.9 micrograms/dl). A correlation was found between serum cortisol levels and the magnitude of leukocytosis in both groups of women and their infants. These results suggest that a low basal corticosteroid output may contribute to the low white blood cell counts detected in some ethnic groups like the Yemenite Jews.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Systemic lupus erythematosus and lymphoma. A family study.

After 3 years of treatment with azathioprine and prednisone, immunoblastic lymphoma appeared in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus. An increased incidence of immunological aberrations and malignancies was found in her family and their relation to the pathogenesis of this patient's diseases is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Small skin blood vessel occlusions by cryoglobulin aggregates in ulcerative lesions in IgM-IgG cryoglobulinemia.

The skin biopsy specimens from six patients with primary mixed IgM-IgG cryoglobulinemia were examined by immunofluorescence, light and electron microscopy. The biopsy taken from the involved skin of one patient with leg ulcers revealed small blood vessel occlusions by cryoglobulin aggregates. Since a similar finding was not observed in the biopsy material taken from the other five patients who had no ulcerative skin lesions, it seems that the cryoglobulin aggregates play a role in the development of the skin ulcerations in primary mixed IgM-IgG cryoglobulinemia.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Absence of predictive parameters for CNS involvement in adult non-lymphocytic leukaemia at time of diagnosis.

13 patients with adult non-lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) who developed central nervous system (CNS) involvement during the course of their illness are reported and compared with a control group of 26 ANLL patients without CNS involvement. The incidence of CNS involvement was 13/510 patients (2.5%). Initial symptoms and signs and routine laboratory data were not helpful in predicting which patients would ultimately develop CNS involvement. Almost 1/2 of the patients were in clinical and haematological remission at the time of the diagnosis of CNS involvement. Specific treatment to the CNS including intrathecal cytotoxic drugs and/or radiotherapy failed to increase the survival rate significantly. Whether the establishment of an early diagnosis of CNS involvement and the institution of appropriate treatment may improve the prognosis of this complication is a question which presently remains unanswered.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Familial multiple myeloma. A review of thirty-seven families.

The review of the pertinent literature disclosed 36 reports of familial multiple myeloma, described mostly in siblings, to which the authors add one more family. These patients did not differ significantly from those with non-familial myeloma with regard to sex, age, distribution of monoclonal proteins, clinical and laboratory data, and the course and prognosis of the disease. An increased incidence of immunoglobulin abnormalities was observed in healthy relatives of patients affected with familial myeloma. In most cases the time interval of the diagnosis of myeloma in a family member of a known patient was under 4 years. These observations, in conjunction with reports of myeloma occurring in clusters in a community and the appearance of myeloma in spouses raise the possibility of an environmental factor (virus?) which may contribute to the pathogenesis of myeloma in genetically predisposed individuals. Multiple myeloma should be added to the list of neoplastic diseases in which the family history is relevant and in which genetic and possibly environmental factors may be pathogenetically involved.

Aged↗