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Biomedical subjects

S Levin

Publications and source records attributed to S Levin.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Migration of human leukocytes from soft agarose droplet: a simplified method for studying chemotaxis and spontaneous migration.

Studies of in vitro chemotaxis and spontaneous migration of human leukocytes using the accepted method with the Boyden-chamber-filter are troublesome, because of the need for specially constructed vessels as well as the difficulties caused by the use of membrane filters. We describe a new and simplified method for measuring human leucocyte chemotaxis, which is a modification of the recently described underagarose migration method and which is based upon spontaneous migration of cells from a soft agarose droplet and in response to a chemotactic gradient. We examined suspensions of leukocytes, purified granulocytes, and mononuclear cells from 10 healthy normal adults and from 10 samples of cord blood using E Coli O111B4 endotoxin-activated human serum as attractant. Our results showed that the mean chemotactic indices (C.I.-chemotaxis/migration) for purified granulocytes and for mononuclear cells from normal individuals were 3.0 +/- 1.2 and 2.7 +/- 1.5, respectively. Chemotaxis was significantly reduced when unwashed leukocytes were studied, indicating a detrimental effect of autologous plasma on leukocytic response to a chemotactic stimulus in this system. Cord blood cells showed normal spontaneous migration, but significantly decreased chemotaxis. This preliminary report shows that the technique is simple, rapid, and reproducible, and can detect abnormalities of chemotaxis in both granulocytes and mononuclear cells.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Cell-mediated immune suppression due to alfathesin in short-term anaesthesia.

The immunosuppressive effects on cell-mediated immunity of alfathesin, when used as the sole agent for short-term anaesthesia, were investigated in ten women undergoing pregnancy termination. Cell-mediated immunity was evaluated by E rosette formation in peripheral blood (reflecting the percentage of T lymphocytes) and by proliferative responses to the mitogens concanavalin A and phyto-haemagglutinin in various concentrations. Measurements were made before alfathesin was administered, and again after 60 minutes, two days and seven days. Significant reductions in the percentage of E rosettes in peripheral blood and in mitogenic responses to concanavalin A were observed 60 minutes after administration of alfathesin. A model is proposed in which alfathesin binds to lymphocytic membrane receptors, thus affecting in vitro cell-mediated immune reactions.

Abortion, Induced↗
PubMed1983

Distribution of 14C-labelled acrylamide and betaine in foetuses of rats, rabbits, beagle dogs and miniature pigs.

[14C]Acrylamide and [14C]betaine hydrochloride were administered in a single iv dose to pregnant rats, rabbits, beagle dogs and miniature pigs late in gestation (1-2 days before expected parturition). Dosages used were 10 mg/kg for rats and 5 mg/kg for the other species. The compounds were allowed to equilibrate in the animal (for 1 hr in rats and for 2 hr in the other species); the dam was then killed and the foetuses were removed by caesarean section. Each foetus was weighed and analysed for radioactivity, either by homogenization of the whole foetus (rat and rabbit) or by determining separately the radioactivity in individual organs and tissues (dog and pig). Foetal uptake of the polar compound betaine hydrochloride was much lower than that of the more lipophilic acrylamide. The sex of the foetus did not appear to affect uptake of either compound. There were no significant differences in total uptake of isotope attributable to the position of the foetus within the uterus in any of the four species given either acrylamide or betaine. Similarly, uterine position did not affect the uptake of acrylamide or betaine by individual tissues of foetal dogs or pigs. Since the distributions of 14C-labelled acrylamide and betaine hydrochloride were essentially uniform throughout a litter, it would not be necessary to sample all of the members of a litter to obtain a representative picture of foetal distribution.

Acrylamides↗
PubMed1983

A pseudoepidemic due to Salmonella typhimurium.

A pseudoepidemic due to Salmonella typhimurium occurred in the clinical microbiology laboratory of a university hospital and involved 10 patients. One patient received "unnecessary" antibiotics. Investigation of the events implicated a contaminated rubber pipette bulb. Such bulbs should be considered as a possible source of false-positive cultures.

Aged↗
PubMed1983

Cell mediated immunity and effects of "thymic humoral factor" in 15 patients with SSPE.

Cell mediated immunity (CMI) in 15 patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) was assessed by E-rosette formation, leucocyte migration inhibition factor (LIF) production, and proliferative responses to mitogens. In eleven patients, one or more of these parameters were impaired. These defects varied among the different patients and no consistent or uniform pattern of immune deficiency could be demonstrated. Although no single patient had a generalized reduction of all the T-cell functions, a diminished percentage of E-rosetting cells was the most frequent abnormal parameter (7 out of 15 patients). There was no correlation between the clinical state of the patients and the immune defects. Thymic humoral factor (THF), a thymic hormone, reconstituted at least one CMI impaired function especially the reduced levels of E-rosette forming cells in 7 out of 9 patients. It seems unlikely that a generalized cell-mediated defect is the underlying cause of this disease, but immunomodulatory therapy should be considered in some selected cases.

Child↗
PubMed1983

Ceftazidime in the therapy of serious Gram-negative bacillary infections.

Eighteen patients were evaluated after treatment with ceftazidime: these included nine nosocomial lower respiratory tract infections, four soft tissue infections, three bacteraemias and two bone infections. Thirty-five bacterial pathogens were isolated from these 18 patients. Two were resistant to ceftazidime and required alternative therapy. Sixteen of the 18 evaluable patients had a favourable response to ceftazidime. Seven of eight patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa lower respiratory tract infections responded favourably. Fifteen possible complications were observed in ten of 23 patients who received ceftazidime. In three patients ceftazidime was discontinued due to possible complications of therapy. This trial provides preliminary support for the use of ceftazidime as an alternative to aminoglycosides in the treatment of serious infections caused by Gram-negative organisms, including Ps. aeruginosa.

Acute Kidney Injury↗
PubMed1983

Eye movement dysfunctions in psychiatric patients: a review.

Impairments of smooth pursuit eye movements occur in a high proportion of schizophrenic patients and in a lower but significant percentage of patients with affective psychoses, as well as patients with structural and metabolic disorders of the central nervous system. These findings have been confirmed using a wide range of tracking tasks, recording techniques, and scoring procedures, and therefore cannot be attributed to measurement artifact. The eye movement disruption in schizophrenics does not seem to result from drug treatment or simple inattention. Eye tracking pattern appears to be under genetic control and some impairments may reflect a predisposition to functional psychosis. The smooth pursuit eye movement impairment has been attributed to a central nervous system dysfunction that manifests itself in a disorder of nonvoluntary attention. The study of other oculomotor functions, such as the oculocephalic reflex, optokinetic and vestibular nystagmus, and saccadic eye movements, suggests that the locus of the central nervous system disruption is above the brainstem.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Smooth pursuit impairment in schizophrenia--what does it mean?

The significance and nature of smooth pursuit impairments in schizophrenia are considered. Studies of potential artifacts show that the phenomenon is not due to medications, age, inattention, or poor motivation. Abnormal pursuit eye movements in schizophrenics consist of intrusive saccades which are present during any visually guided slow eye movements, and in some patients are related to nonvoluntary attention. These results rule out a generalized motor or oculumotor dysfunction, as well as a specific pursuit system dysfunction. The findings are consistent with a cortical dysfunction which results in saccadic disinhibition. Questions are raised for future research.

Attention↗
PubMed1983

Organophosphate poisoning presenting as diabetic ketoacidosis.

A 3-year-old boy was admitted to hospital following rapid-onset coma. Laboratory tests demonstrated hyperglycemia, glycosuria and keto-acidosis. Organophosphorus poisoning was the cause of the coma since he had been in contact with Parathion, serum cholinesterase activity was undetectable and his condition returned to normal under atropine therapy.

Acidosis↗
PubMed1983

Elevated creatine phosphokinase levels associated with influenza A/Texas/1/77 infection.

24 patients admitted to hospital between December 1, 1977 and March 3, 1978 with cultural or serological evidence of influenza A infection were retrospectively analyzed for evidence of elevated creatine phosphokinase (CPK) levels. 14 patients had elevated CPK levels not attributable to usual causes. Muscle biopsies from 2 patients showed focal necrosis and myopathic changes. Influenza A/Texas/1/77 was isolated from the biopsy specimen of 1 patient. Patients with elevated CPK levels tended to have greater per day hospital costs and more complications than patients with normal CPK levels. Elevated CPK levels are relatively common in hospitalized patients with influenza and may be due to influenza virus involvement of skeletal muscle.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1983

Effect of colchicine on immunoregulatory abnormalities in familial Mediterranean fever.

The effect of colchicine on immunoregulatory T lymphocytes in children with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) was studied. Concanavalin A (Con A)-induced suppressor cell function was significantly (P less than 0.0001) decreased in five untreated FMF patients (15 +/- 3%, mean +/- s.e.) as compared to six age matched paediatric controls (46 +/- 3%) and eight healthy adults (49 +/- 4%). When the five untreated FMF patients' mononuclear cells were pre-incubated in vitro with Con A plus 10(-5) M colchicine, their suppressor cell function was significantly increased (52 +/- 10%, P less than 0.01). Similarly, oral colchicine treatment (0.5 mg twice daily) significantly (P = 0.02) increased the five FMF patients' Con A-induced suppressor cell function to levels (34 +/- 6%) that were not significantly (P greater than 0.05) different than the paediatric controls or the healthy adults. The percentage of OKT8+ cells (but not OKT3+ or OKT4+ cells) was significantly (P less than 0.0001) decreased in 10 untreated FMF patients (16.0 +/- 0.9) as compared to 10 paediatric controls (27.6 +/- 2) or 10 healthy adults (25.7 +/- 0.6). The 10 untreated FMF patients had a significant (P less than 0.002) increase in the OKT4/OKT8 ratio (2.41 +/- 0.13) as compared to 10 FMF patients treated with 0.5 mg twice daily of colchicine (1.81 +/- 0.08), 10 pediatric controls (1.47 +/- 0.2), or 10 healthy adults (1.78 +/- 0.11). Colchicine appears to have corrected the FMF patients' elevated OKT4/OKT8 ratio by both decreasing the percentage of OKT4+ cells and increasing (but only partially correcting) the percentage of OKT8+ cells. Thus FMF patients have a suppressor cell deficiency in which colchicine treatment corrects their deficiency of Con A-induced suppressor cell function and their elevated OKT4/OKT8 ratio. This raises the possibility that colchicine might be potentially useful as an immunomodulating drug in treating patients with autoimmune or allergic diseases associated with a suppressor cell deficiency.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Aeromonas hydrophila myonecrosis and gas gangrene in a nonimmunocompromised host.

Aeromonas hydrophila myonecrosis with gas gangrene and bacteremia developed in an elderly patient after minor trauma from a fishbone. Despite aggressive medical and surgical therapy, she experienced a rapidly fatal outcome. Literature on Aeromonas muscle infection is reviewed and implications for therapy are discussed.

Aeromonas↗