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Biomedical subjects

C Barr

Publications and source records attributed to C Barr.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Periodontal changes by HIV serostatus in a cohort of homosexual and bisexual men.

UNLABELLED: These data represent 20 months of follow-up on 114 homo/bisexual men. Periodontal changes were analyzed in relation to HIV-1 serostatus, immune status, age and plaque. Gingival index (GI), plaque index (PI), and relative attachment levels recorded by the computerized Florida disk probe were performed every 4 months. A threshold of > or = 3.0 mm of relative attachment loss (RAL) was selected as a significant longitudinal change. RAL > or = 3 mm occurred 6.16 times (95% CI = 1.95, 19.40) more frequently among subjects with T4 counts < 200 compared to subjects with counts of 200 or more. Among older subjects (age > or = 35 years), the incidence (33%) of RAL > or = 3 mm was significantly higher (p = 0.004) in more immunosuppressed subjects (T4 < 200) compared to the incidence (5%) in less immunosuppressed subjects (T4 > or = 200); this association was not significant in younger subjects less than 35 years old (p = 0.55). In 78 subjects present at all follow-up visits, averaged GI increased and were significantly higher in the seropositive subjects compared to seronegative subjects, but, GI was not related to T4 cell counts within the seropositive group. Separate linear regression of GI by PI by HIV serostatus revealed a significantly higher slope in the seropositive group compared to the seronegative group (p = 0.04), suggesting greater sensitivity to plaque in the seropositive group. CONCLUSION: immunosuppression, especially in combination with older age, may be a risk factor for attachment loss, and HIV seropositivity, independent of T4 cell counts, may be a risk factor for gingival inflammation.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Empowering middle managers in hospitals with team-based problem solving.

A team-oriented problem-solving procedure using management project teams was developed to improve quality of care and productivity in a private, nonprofit hospital. A focus group of managers developed the procedure, endorsed by top management. The work of four manager teams that followed the procedure saved the hospital more than $500,000.

Decision Making, Organizational↗
PubMed1991

Nondairy-creamer-induced kwashiorkor: 5-year follow-up.

Failure to thrive may not be a result of organ disease, physical abuse, or intentional neglect. We describe an infant who developed kwashiorkor with a high-fat, low-protein, nondairy coffee creamer diet. The elimination diet was administered on the advice of a family friend for a facial rash. The child presented at 10 months of age with decreased weight for height, rash, hepatomegaly, edema, hypoproteinemia, hypoalbuminemia, anemia, hypoglycemia, and evidence of hepatic sequestration of lipids. A rapid recovery of biochemical abnormalities was evident on reinstitution of a full diet. An intellectual assessment at age 5 years showed normal results.

Female↗
PubMed1989

Transforming growth factor alpha and its receptor in neural retina.

Transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) stimulates mitosis of many ectodermal cells but has not previously been studied for its role in neural tissues such as retina. We examined bovine retina for the presence of TGF-alpha mRNA, TGF-alpha protein and for the presence and location of the TGF-alpha/EGF receptor. Biochemical studies demonstrated a high level (770 fmol/mg protein) of specific, high affinity (Kd = 2 nM) TGF-alpha/EGF receptors in membrane homogenates of neural retina, but undetectable binding to homogenates of retinal pigment epithelium. Light microscopic autoradiograms of sections of neural retinal tissue incubated with 125I-EGF indicated that specific TGF-alpha/EGF receptors were present on one or more cell types of the retina with the exception of the outer segments of the photoreceptor cells. In addition, retinal cells appear to synthesize TGF-alpha since both mRNA for TGF-alpha and TGF-alpha protein (4.2 ng/mg protein) were detected in retinal extracts using cDNA hybridization and TGF-alpha RIA techniques. The role(s) of TGF-alpha and its receptor in retina is unknown, but it is possible that they interact via an autocrine/paracrine mechanism to influence retinal regeneration, proliferative retinopathies or neural transmission.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Differential expression of the human thymosin-beta 4 gene in lymphocytes, macrophages, and granulocytes.

A cDNA clone encoding human thymosin-beta 4 was isolated from a cDNA library prepared from peripheral blood leukocytes of a patient with acute lymphocytic leukemia. This clone contained the entire coding sequence of 43 amino acid residues of thymosin-beta 4 and had an initiation codon and two termination codons. The amino acid and nucleotide sequences in the coding region were well conserved between rat and human. Nine of 132 nucleotides were different in the coding sequences (93% homology), but the deduced amino acid sequences were identical. No signal peptide was found in the deduced protein sequence. Human thymosin-beta 4 mRNA, approximately 830 nucleotides in length, was about 30 nucleotides larger than rat thymosin-beta 4 mRNA. Expression of the human thymosin-beta 4 gene in various primary myeloid and lymphoid malignant cells and in a few human hemopoietic cell lines was studied. Northern blot analyses of different neoplastic B lymphocytes revealed that steady state levels of thymosin-beta 4 mRNA varied as a function of differentiation stage. Thymosin-beta 4 mRNA levels were decreased in myeloma cells as are class II human leukocyte antigen, Fc receptor, and complement receptor, suggesting a relationship between thymosin-beta 4 and the immune response. Thymosin-beta 4 mRNA was more highly expressed in mature granulocytes than in immature blastic cells. Treatment of THP-1 cells, a human monocytic cell line, with recombinant human interferon-lambda reduced the levels of thymosin-beta 4 mRNA. Its level decreased after differentiation of THP-1 cells into Ia+ macrophages, but increased after differentiation of HL-60 cells into Ia- macrophages. The pattern of thymosin-beta 4 gene expression suggests that it may play a fundamental role in the host defense mechanism.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1985

Oral manifestation of disseminated Mycobacterium avium intracellulare in a patient with AIDS.

The acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is characterized by a selective suppression of the immune system that renders patients susceptible to infection by a variety of opportunistic organisms. Among these is Mycobacterium avium intracellulare. AIDS victims often have oral manifestations of Kaposi's sarcoma and candidiasis. This article reports an unusual oral presentation of disseminated infection with Mycobacterium avium intracellulare in a patient with AIDS.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1979

Surgical repair of a double lip.

Double lip, an accessory fold of redundant mucous membrane inside the vermilion border, is differentiated from other chronic enlargements of the lip, and treatment for this congenital anomaly is outlined.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Long-term survival after isolated replacement of mitral valve with ball-valve prosthesis.

In 111 patients whose diseases mitral valve was replaced with a ball-valve prosthesis the actuarial survival rate, including the hospital mortality of 10.8%, was 66% after 5 years and 59% after 8 years of follow-up. This suggests that in patients with moderate or severe symptoms due to mitral valve disease, replacing the valve can prolong life. However, in patients with no cardiac symptoms or with sinus rhythm and mild symptoms, it is doubtful that mitral valve replacement can prolong life, for the prognosis in these patients is favourable without operation.

Female↗
PubMed1975

Long-term survival after aortic valve replacement using Smeloff-Cutter prosthesis.

The long-term prognosis of 187 consecutive patients who received single aortic valve replacement using Smeloff-Cutter prosthesis was studied. Of the 163 patients who survived the operation, a long-term follow-up (up to eight years) was obtained in 153 patients (95%). A total of 34 patients (22%) died during the follow-up period. Including the hospital mortality, the actuarial survival rate of our patients with Smeloff-Cutter prosthesis was 0.69 after the fifth year and 0.611 after the eighth year of follow-up. This is similar to the actuarial survival rate of patients with Starr-Edwards prosthesis but it appears significantly better than the expected survival rate of symptomatic patients with aortic stenosis treated without surgery. Thus, this result supports the contention that aortic valve surgery in properly selected patients can prolong life expectancy in addition to relieving symptoms in patients with aortic valve disease. The majority of surviving patients reported to have improved (88%) since the operation and to be symptom free (82%).

Aortic Valve↗