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Biomedical subjects

S Muller

Publications and source records attributed to S Muller.

At least 343 records · Page 19Linked to original sources

Identification by immunoprecipitation of cauliflower mosaic virus in vitro major translation product with a specific serum against viroplasm protein.

A highly specific antiserum was prepared against purified cauliflower mosaic virus viroplasm-protein (VmP). A virus specific in vitro major translation product (TPmaj), encoded by the 19S poly(A) RNA fraction from cauliflower mosaic virus infected turnip leaves, was recognized by this antiserum. The N-terminal sequence of TPmaj corresponds to the sequence following the first in-phase initiation codon in gene VI of the cauliflower mosaic virus genome. Both VmP and TPmaj have blocked termini and probably start from the same AUG codon.

Journal Article↗

Bacteria and zymosan opsonized with histone, dextran sulfate, and polyanetholesulfonate trigger intense chemiluminescence in human blood leukocytes and platelets and in mouse macrophages: modulation by metabolic inhibitors in relation to leukocyte-bacteria interactions in inflammatory sites.

Human blood leukocytes and platelets and mouse peritoneal macrophages emit very rapid and very intense Luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (CL) signals when treated with streptococci, staphylococci, or with zymosan, which have been preopsonized with arginine-rich histone, dextran sulfate or polyanetholesulfonate (liquoid). Liquoid alone at 10-30 micrograms/2 X 10(5) leukocytes also triggers intense CL responses in the absence of a carrier. Strong CL can also be triggered, and at the same levels, when the various polyelectrolytes are simply mixed with the bacteria or zymosan and added to the leukocyte suspensions. The CL responses induced by the polyelectrolyte-bacteria complexes greatly exceed those triggered in leukocytes by antibody-complement-coated particles. Liquoid also shows a unique property of markedly augmenting CL signals which have already been induced by other ligand-coated bacteria or zymosan particles. Streptococci and staphylococci were found to be much superior to zymosan, Gram-positive bacilli, or E. coli as carriers for the various polyelectrolytes in the CL reaction. Neither protamine sulfate, lysozyme, myeloperoxidase, crystalline ribonuclease (all cationic in nature), chondroitin sulfate, heparin, nor alginate sulfate acted as ligands for triggering CL, when used to opsonize bacteria or zymosan. The induction of CL in blood leukocytes by the various ligand-coated bacteria is markedly inhibited by azide, KCN catalase, aminotriazole, and EDTA, agents known to inhibit the production of oxygen radicals following stimulation of leukocytes by opsonized bacteria. Two children diagnosed for chronic granulomatous diseases (CGD) of childhood and an apparently healthy sister of one of the male patients completely failed to respond with CL either to the polyelectrolyte-bacteria complexes, liquoid or antibody-coated bacteria and zymosan. It is proposed that liquoid be employed for the rapid screening of defects in certain oxygen-dependent metabolic processes in both PMNs and macrophages. It is also suggested that polyelectrolytes like the ones described in this study may markedly enhance the bactericidal properties of leukocytes and macrophages towards both extracellular and intracellular microorganisms and may perhaps also augment the tumoricidal effects of activated macrophages.

Adult↗

Tattoo removal by CO laser dermabrasion.

A method of tattoo removal by partial-thickness dermal ablation, using a microsurgically adapted CO2 laser, is described. Provided that meticulous attention is paid to each detail of surgical technique, the procedure can be relied upon to produce good cosmetic results with scant risk of complications.

Adult↗

Working life of health professionals.

A comparison was made between the indirect method of preparing a profession-specific working-life table and the direct method. The former uses data on the number of physicians per 1,000 population by age and assumes that the mortality rate for the profession is equal to that of the population as a whole. The latter method makes use of information on profession-specific mortality and on active and inactive status of living physicians. These two approaches were applied to physician data for the United States of America and it was noted that the direct method gives estimates of working life and total life expectancy that are significantly higher than by use of the indirect method. The likely magnitude and directions of the biases inherent in each of the methods are then discussed. A comparison is then made of the estimated working life for Colombian, French and US physicians using the indirect method.

Actuarial Analysis↗

Trends in community mental health programming.

One hundred-seventy-three mental health centers responded to a survey inquiring about allocation of staff time for mental health services and about the availability of an array of services at present, 3 years previous, and 3 years hence. The data reflect an emphasis upon reactive services as opposed to those considered proactive, and on services directed to individuals as opposed to other groups. However, this emphasis seems to be changing. Future projections call for a de-emphasis on individual reactive programs and increased emphasis on programs directed toward families and small groups, and toward proactive programs directed to the communities-at-large. Data about specific programs and services further suggest de-emphasis of services that involve the mental health professional and the client in direct interaction, and continued growth in services that can be delivered by less formally trained mental health workers or volunteers.

Community Mental Health Services↗

Further investigations on M. leprae. Growth promotion and inhibition by organic substances and observations on antagonistic and syntergistic effects.

The multiplication of 2 strains of M. leprae on a medium containing a sonic extract (SE), prepared from M. smegmatis, was promoted by cysteine, tryptophane and dimethylasulfoxide (DMSO), while glutamic acid, glutamine and histidine exerted variable effects. The final effects of glutamic acid and glutamine were determined by the total concentration of both compounds together. The presence of cysteine and glutamic acid alone or together with DMSO abolished all inhibitory effects. Desferal did not enable the multiplication of M. leprae on media devoid of SE prepared from M. smegmatis. However with SE and 0.005 per cent and 0.002 per cent concentrations of Desferal its initial growth was accelerated. Its final counts, noted after an 8-month incubation, did not exceed those observed without Desferal. Puring and pyrimidine compounds promoted markekly the multiplication of M. leprae (counts greater than 3 times 10-7/ml). The highest counts were observed with pyrimidines (thymine, thymidine, cytosine) applied single or combined.

Cysteine↗

An immunohistochemical and clinicopathological study of granulocytic sarcoma ('chloroma').

A small series of granulocytic sarcomas (GS) or 'chloromas' has been studied by means of conventional histology and immunohistochemistry. The latter was found to be most useful in the diagnosis and characterization of these neoplasms, which are rare in Great Britain. Polytypic antisera to leukocyte elastase and cathepsin G have proved to be most useful, giving intense staining in all cases. These two markers are more specific than muramidase (lysozyme) and alpha 1-antitrypsin, since, unlike the latter two, they do not stain histiocytic cells. The results of staining with two monoclonal antisera, AGF 4.48 and AGF 4.36, are also described. In addition, the clinicopathological details of the seven cases are summarized and the literature is briefly surveyed.

Adult↗

Deformation of erythrocytes under shear: a small-angle light scattering study.

In this study, sharp small-angle light scattering (SALS) images of erythrocytes under increasing shear stresses in a Couette flow were obtained, and accurate measurements of the angular positions of the two first minima and maxima have been carried out. The deformed cells were assumed to be three-axis ellipsoids of constant volume for all shear stresses. Application of the Physical Optics Approximation (POA) then permitted the determination of the cell dimensions as a function of the applied shear stress. Our results agree with determinations obtained by other methods.

Erythrocyte Deformability↗

Key sequences involved in the spreading of the systemic autoimmune response to spliceosomal proteins.

Immune spreading to multiple intracellular antigens is likely to be of primary importance in organ-specific and systemic autoimmune diseases. A number of mechanisms by which immune spreading may occur from only a single autoreactive epitope have been proposed. Search for an initiator or early epitope thus represents an important area of investigation. For example, many studies have focused on the identification of epitopes recognized by the antibodies from both patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and lupus-prone mice. Recently, an autoepitope present in the 70K U1 ribonucleo protein (RNP) and recognized by CD4+ T cells from lupus mice has also been identified. Here, we analyze the results of B- and T-cell-epitope mapping studies of several RNPs present in the spliceosome and propose a model of epitope spreading. In this model, a consensus sequence (the RNP motif) conserved in many nuclear, nucleolar and cytoplasmic antigens, might play a role as 'driver' epitope. This hypothesis is based on the observation that this sequence is recognized by CD4+ T cells from lupus mice and is often targeted by autoantibodies, very early during the course of the disease. Targeting this region that is repeated in different self-antigens, might represent an interesting strategy to interfere with the continuous T-cell stimulation and exposure to specific antigens.

Animals↗