Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

S Britton

Publications and source records attributed to S Britton.

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

Acyclovir treatment in primary Epstein-Barr virus infection. A double-blind placebo-controlled study.

Acyclovir (ACV), which effectively inhibits in vitro Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) production, was tested in 31 patients with clinical and laboratory diagnosis of infectious mononucleosis (IM) in a double-blind trial. Patients with symptoms not exceeding 7 days were randomised to intravenous ACV 10 mg/kg or placebo (PLO) treatment every 8 h for 7 days. Clinical, virological and immunological parameters were followed in each patient before, during and after treatment. There were no significant differences (p greater than 0.05) between the treatment groups for any single clinical symptom between the treatment groups. If data concerning duration of fever, weight loss, tonsillar swelling, sore throat and patient self-assessment of general health were combined, a significant effect (p less than or equal to 0.01) favouring ACV treatment was determined. ACV significantly inhibited oropharyngeal EBV shedding (p less than or equal to 0.001), but the salivary EBV titer returned within 3 weeks after cessation of treatment. Specific cellular and humoral immunity was not affected, nor was the development of virus latency.

Acyclovir↗
PubMed1984

Computerization of undergraduate medical curriculum content.

A method is reported for the computerized storage and retrieval of informative summaries of the didactic portion of the first 3 years of the medical undergraduate curriculum utilizing the MICOM word processor and SORT 200 program with disc storage. Each lecture, small group session, laboratory or clinical experience summary is assigned a page of computer memory and is coded in the header line for various indices describing the session format, location, audiovisual usage, teacher and other demographics. The second line contains the lecture title and its situation within the teaching block. A summary of the teaching session follows. This was compiled and distilled from summaries prepared by the individual teachers, lecture handouts and the personal notes of the two medical students who divided the lectures equally between themselves and prepared individual summaries which were then exchanged. The resulting composite summary was returned to the teacher for comment and/or modification before entry onto the MICOM word processor. The SORT 2000 program permits search, selection and retrieval of the content of each teaching session from the data contained in the header line or any word, word segment or phase occurring in the summary. Reproduction of the data discs facilitates multiple access and allows each department or teaching block to review the complete curriculum quickly, identify redundancies and more fully integrate new or existing material.

Computers↗
PubMed1984

Detection of lactoferrin and myeloperoxidase release from single neutrophils by a protein A plaque assay.

A haemolytic plaque assay was adopted to detect release of lactoferrin and myeloperoxidase (MPO) from single neutrophils. Target erythrocytes coated with protein A were bound as a monolayer by poly-L-lysine to the surface of a plastic dish. Secreted lactoferrin and MPO induced plaque formation dependent on the reaction with complement and specific antiserum producing lysis of the protein-A-coated sheep red blood cells. Lactoferrin was found to be released spontaneously from a fraction of neutrophils while MPO was released only after phagocytosis, reflecting different mechanisms for degranulation of MPO-containing azurophil and lactoferrin-containing specific granules.

Antibody-Producing Cells↗
PubMed1984

Secretion of gamma-interferon at the cellular level. Induction by Epstein-Barr virus.

Using a haemolytic plaque assay for gamma-interferon (IFN-gamma) secretion we found that in vitro Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) exposure of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from EBV immune individuals led to IFN-gamma secretion, which was apparent within 6 h after virus contact and peaked 12-24 h after induction. Live, ultraviolet-light-irradiated and heat-inactivated virions all caused IFN-gamma secretion. In contrast, blood mononuclear cells from EBV non-immune adults or neonates could not be activated to IFN-gamma production by EBV.

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMed1984

The effect of tinidazole on primary EBV infection and immunocompetence.

Tinidazole and metronidazole have been reported beneficial in the treatment of acute anginose infectious mononucleosis. As this disease is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), the effect of tinidazole on EBV infection of human B-lymphocytes was investigated. Tinidazole had no effect on induction of EBV determined nuclear antigen (EBNA) or DNA synthesis, while immunoglobulin synthesis was increased in the presence of the drug. Cytotoxicity directed against EBV positive cell lines and long term T-lymphocyte mediated anti-EBV memory, were not affected by tinidazole. In view of these findings we suggest that tinidazole does not act directly on the primary EBV infection in vitro. Nor do our findings indicate any adverse effects of tinidazole on the virus-host relation.

Antigens, Viral↗
PubMed1984

Spontaneous production of interferon-gamma in adult and newborn humans.

By using a hemolytic plaque assay for IFN-gamma secretion by single cells, we found that one to three IFN-gamma secreting cells per 1 X 10(3) mononuclear cells were present in the blood from normal adult and newborn humans, without in vitro culture or stimulation by antigens or mitogens. The frequency of such cells was higher in newborns. These spontaneous IFN-gamma-secreting cells were predominantly T cells of the helper/inducer phenotype, as defined by treatment with monoclonal antibody and complement. By using indirect immunofluorescence staining, it was seen that 1% of blood mononuclear cells from adults and 3.5% from newborns contained cytoplasmic IFN-gamma. These cytoplasmic IFN-gamma-positive cells belonged to a heterogeneous population by morphology and by staining with monoclonal antibody. The majority of these cells were DR-positive T cells. We propose that these IFN-gamma-producing cells were activated in vivo, and that they possibly mediate antiviral or lymphokine activities.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Frequencies of the separate human B cell subsets activatable to Ig secretion by Epstein-Barr virus and pokeweed mitogen.

We have developed a microculture system suitable for limiting dilution analysis of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)- and pokeweed mitogen (PWM)-induced activation of immunoglobulin secretion by human B cells. It was found that exogenous filler cells were not required to obtain optimal EBV-induced B cell precursor frequency (PF) estimates, although filler T cells were required for optimal PWM activation. In fact, when autologous T cells were used as filler cells, a marked decrease in the EBV-induced IgM PF was noted. Treatment of the T cells with cyclosporin A partially eliminated, and irradiation of the T cells completely eliminated, this decrease. The calculated PF of B cells activated by EBV was from 1/290 to 1/3,700 for IgM, and from 1/920 to 1/3,250 for IgG secretion. PWM activated from 1/140 to 1/3,200 B cells to IgM secretion. The results of experiments in which EBV and PWM were mixed, indicated that these two polyclonal activators operated on different B cell subpopulations. Therefore, both these agents seem to activate small, discrete subpopulations of human peripheral blood B cells to Ig secretion.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Efficacy of reporting systems of adverse reactions to drugs and care.

Only 13% of adverse drug reactions that should have been reported to the Committee on Side Effects in Sweden according to the criteria published by the National Board of Health and Welfare, were actually reported by the responsible doctors. This was found in a prospective study of all adverse reactions established in 1 271 patients at a department of infectious diseases. It was also found in retrospect that only half of the patients affected by complications making them eligible for compensation from the Patients' Insurance Office existing in Sweden actually received compensation, while the Drug Insurance Office was better utilized. Various reasons for these low reporting frequencies are discussed.

Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions↗