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Biomedical subjects

A B Glassman

Publications and source records attributed to A B Glassman.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Corneal endothelium: a modified method for cultivation.

A modified method for establishing cultures of rabbit corneal cells is described. The new technique utilized a Lucite disc in combination with a Tygon ring for growth of pure cell cultures and was compared with an explant method for growing cells. Each method provided adequate cell cultures for biochemical or ultrastructure studies of rabbit corneal cells, but the ring and disc method described here allowed the isolation of specific cell types without the interference of stromal cell contamination.

Animals

Betamethasone-17-benzoate in the treatment of recurrent aphthous ulcers.

A double-blind study of the effectiveness of betamethasone-17-benzoate in the treatment of recurrent aphothous ulcers (RAU) was concucted. The drug was found to be effective in reducing symptoms and shortening healing time but not in preventing recurrences. Evaluation of the medical histories and laboratory studies suggests that multiple factors may be involved in the etiology of RAU, as reported by others.

Benzoates

Zinc sulfate supplementation for treatment of recurring oral ulcers.

Use of zinc sulfate in promotion of wound healing and in maintenance of epithelial integrity suggested its possible use in the treatment or prevention of recurrent oral ulcers. In a series of 32 patients with recurrent aphthous ulcers (RAU), serum zinc levels were observed. Seventeen patients, eight with initial serum zinc levels above 110microng/dl and nine with serum zinc levels below 110microng/dl, were provided zinc sulfate supplementation up to a total of 660 mg/day. All patients with initial serum zinc levels less than or equal to 110 microng/dl showed improvement; three of the eight patients with initial serum zinc levels above 110 microng/dl improved, five did not. Improvement consisted of 50% to 100% reduction in frequency of episodes. This suggests a combination of causes of RAU, one of which may be a local or general deficiency of zinc or a defect in metabolism, perhaps at the cellular level, related to zinc.

Humans

Bacterial gram staining by conventional and strip methods.

Conventional gram staining was compared with a method which uses dye impregnated paper strips for staining. The paper strip technique was judged accurate and reproducible and is recommended for use in the small laboratory and hospital ward.

Bacteriological Techniques

Statistical manipulation for normalization of data: in vitro thyroid function tests.

Interest in chemical and statistical methods chosen to define "normal" populations for the clinical significance of tests has grown recently. Because few clinical values are distributed in gaussian fashion, recommendations for smoothing of data by transforms have been prepared. In this paper we examine mathematical transformations as they are applied to in vitro tests of thyroid function and evaluate the use of multivariate regression analysis. Mathematical transforms used included square root, two parameter log, three parameter log, and inverse hyperbolic sine methods. Multivariate regression analysis was obtained by comparing test data for the T3 uptake, T4, and effective thyroxine ratio with clinical diagnoses as individual and aggregate weighting values for decision. None of the mathematical transforms resulted in complete elimination of diagnostic errors when compared with clinical diagnoses. The effective thyroxine ratio by itself had the highest correlation with patient findings. Additions of other commonly used in vitro function tests added little diagnostic accuracy.

Humans

Eikenella corrodens: a clinical problem.

E corrodens occurs as a significant clinical infection more frequently than suspected or cultured at the present time. It is essential that the dentist or physician work closely with the laboratory clinician in order to use proper techniques for its isolation. Inconsistencies between in vitro disk sensitivity and clinical drug response are noted. Because of clinical response, the clinician must carefully follow the patient's daily progress to recognize antibiotic treatment failure so that combination therapy or appropriate incision and drainage procedures may be initiated.

Adult

Cryopreservation of human lymphocytes: a brief review and evaluation of an automated liquid nitrogen freezer.

Successful cryopreservation of human lymphocytes has been previously described. Cryopreserved lymphocytes are useful for a variety of in vitro immunologic studies. This study was performed to determine the applicability and/or advantages of using a programmable freezing system, and compares glycerol versus dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) at varying concentrations on post-thaw viability, E-rosetting and immunoglobulin fluorescence. Prefreeze T and B lymphocyte percentages were determined. Cells were then frozen in varying concentrations of glycerol and DMSO. Optimum cryoprotectant type and concentration was determined. Lymphocytes from seven individuals were frozen by the batch method in a mechanical freezer and with the automated liquid nitrogen injection system. Data on post-thaw T and B percentages and viability revealed 10% DMSO and liquid nitrogen control freezing method at 1 C/minute as the best conditions for lymphocyte preservation as reflected by post-thaw in vitro testing.

Blood Preservation

Human immunodeficiency virus type II (HIV-2) testing: a perspective.

Testing of blood for antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV2) has begun. A major benefit of this testing will be the elimination of the exclusion of blood donors on the basis of geographic origin. Will this test be helpful? Present anti-HIV1 testing detects between 60 to 90 percent of those samples containing the HIV2 antibody. A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) licensed enzyme immunoassay for HIV1/HIV2 antibodies became available for clinical use in March of 1992. (There is an FDA unlicensed HIV-2 Western Blot (WB) Test). The specificity and sensitivity of either the HIV2 EIA or HIV2 WB are not well defined. In a survey of 24 million U.S. donors, no antibodies to HIV2 were detected. With the incidence of HIV2 infection being so small, it is probable that the majority of positive tests will be false-positives causing needles concern for the blood donor who must be counseled. The benefits to the blood supply remain to be evaluated.

Blood Donors

Hepatobiliary imaging: imaging modalities.

Imaging modalities are a major part of the diagnosis and follow-up to therapy of hepatobiliary disease. Changes of the liver, spleen, gallbladder and pancreas can be assessed by a variety of highly technical and evolving methods. The purpose of this paper is to review briefly some diseases of the hepatobiliary tree and pancreas and how they may be diagnosed through imaging modalities. Hepatic diseases may include those that affect the parenchyma, biliary tree, or gallbladder. The spleen is often altered in size secondary to liver disease. Pancreatic diseases present particular difficulties in diagnosis as they relate to clinical chemistry tests, tumor markers or imaging. Imaging modalities for hepatobiliary disease include x-ray studies with or without contrast, and with or without computerized tomographic enhancements. Some of the x-ray procedures are done in association with percutaneous or endoscopic retrograde approaches. Ultrasound is an excellent technique for evaluation of cholelithiasis and gives useful information for hepatic and splenic size. Radionuclide studies can be either anatomically or physiologically based. Magnetic resonance imaging is evolving as a very useful, specific and sensitive method of evaluating the liver, gallbladder, spleen and pancreas. There is a diverse armamentarium of imaging modalities available for the evaluation of hepatobiliary disease. Ultrasound is the first choice for cholelithiasis. Endoscopic retrograde cholecystography (ERCP) is a definitive method for evaluating the biliary tree. Radionuclide studies with the iminodiacetic acid (IDA) derivatives are very useful for functional disorders of the gallbladder. Computer assisted tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provide optimal anatomic resolution for tumors, abscesses, and other metastatic lesions involving the liver and spleen.

Biliary Tract Diseases

Platelet abnormalities in hepatobiliary diseases.

Platelet abnormalities associated with hepatobiliary diseases include increased (thrombocytosis) and decreased (thrombocytopenia) numbers of platelets as well as abnormalities in function (thrombocytopathy or thrombasthenia). Hepatic diseases that are accompanied by platelet abnormalities include hepatitis, cirrhosis, portal hypertension, and neoplastic disorders both benign and malignant. The objective of this work is to examine the platelet abnormalities that occur with a variety of hepatobiliary disorders. Thrombocytosis is seen as a reactive entity following splenectomy. Thrombocytopenia is associated with hypersplenism, dysproteinemias and liver disease related disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Qualitative platelet abnormalities are found in hepatic failure, liver diseases associated with high or low levels of lipid, and with medications given for a variety of hepatocellular diseases. Clinically common and significant platelet abnormalities associated with liver disease are thrombocytopenia secondary to portal hypertension and the thrombasthenias following metabolic changes and/or therapeutic interventions of liver disease.

Biliary Tract Diseases

Human immunodeficiency virus western blot tests: comparisons and considerations.

UNLABELLED: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Western Blot (WB) tests are used as an aid in the diagnosis of acquired immunodeficiency disease syndrome (AIDS) and related disorders. The object of this study is to examine and compare the results of four commercially available HIV WB methods. Sera from 974 persons were tested by four (Kits I, II, III, and IV) HIV WB methods from different vendors. The HIV WB were interpreted by recognized criteria published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. RESULTS: 65 percent of the referred specimens received were HIV enzyme immunoassay (EIA) repeatedly reactive (R), and 35 percent of the referred specimens were HIV EIA nonreactive (NR). The EIA (NR) sera showed the greatest variability for HIV WB results, especially in the indeterminant (I) category. The HIV WB tests commercially available vary in sensitivity and specificity. Standarization of materials and controls and the use of uniform interpretation criteria are needed.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome