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Biomedical subjects

D Merzbach

Publications and source records attributed to D Merzbach.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Escherichia coli adherence to human transitional cell tumors: a simple research model of bacterial attachment to the lower urinary tract.

A simple model for assaying bacterial adherence to the urinary tract is presented. Cell suspensions of freshly excised transitional cell tumors were used as substrata for attachment of 3H-adenine-labeled Escherichia coli urine isolates. Quantitative radioactive counts were confirmed by microscopic observations in replicate assays of each condition tested. This model provided for species and organ specificity in studies of the bacterial adherence role in urinary tract infections.

Bacterial Adhesion↗
PubMed1985

Recurrent intraabdominal abscess caused by Salmonella paratyphi C.

We describe a patient who suffered from recurrent intraabdominal abscesses. The last two of the three abscesses were certainly caused by Salmonella paratyphi C. The time interval between the first and the second abscess was 25 years, and that between the second and the third abscess was 20 years. Single infection with this microorganism is very rare in Israel, with only four known cases in the last 20 years. The annual frequency in the United States is 0 to 2 cases per year. In recent years, this infection has also been very rare in other parts of the world. Our case is unique as it recurred two or three times. The infection was probably dormant for a very long time. During the dormant years, the patient was clinically healthy. To our knowledge a recurrent infection with this microorganism has not previously been reported in the literature.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1978

Comparative study of the endotoxin-stimulated nitroblue tetrazolium test in disease and health.

Endotoxin-stimulated nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction was evaluated in 853 individuals: 270 healthy controls, 334 with various non-neoplastic conditions, 220 with solid non-lymphomatous tumours, and 29 with lymphoma. Each of the above groups was divided into three age subgroups: less than 60, 60-69, and greater than or equal to 70 years. In the controls and in patients with nonmalignant diseases, significantly lower values were recorded for elderly subjects (greater than or equal to 60 years) compared with younger subjects of the same group, whereas in cancer patients the results were independent of age. Under the age of 60, stimulated values for both patient groups were significantly lower than the control values, and in patients with solid non-lymphomatous tumours significantly lower values were attained than in the other patients. NBT reduction in lymphoma patients was comparable to that of the controls. In the elderly (age greater than or equal to 70) no significant differences were noted between patients and controls. It is suggested that stimulated NBT reduction declines with advancing age. While this test clearly demonstrates some leucocyte dysfunction in solid cancer, its value in investigating neutrophil behaviour in elderly subjects is questioned.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Neutrophil function in cured cancer patients.

Spontaneous and endotoxin-stimulated nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) dye reduction was evaluated in 86 individuals cured of various types of solid malignancies and in 55 healthy adults. Oxygen consumption tests, at rest and during phagocytosis, were performed with polymorphonuclear leukocytes of 22 patients and 10 controls, chosen at random. The results revealed an impaired capacity of patients' neutrophils to reduce NBT. The decrease in the stimulated reduction values was more pronounced (p less than 0.0005) than in spontaneous values (p less than 0.01), and was also noticed in patients who had been treated by surgery alone and in those with a disease-free interval of 10 years or more. Oxygen consumption by patients' leukocytes was similar to that of controls. The present results, especially those of the endotoxin-stimulated NBT test, might reflect a neutrophil dysfunction in cured cancer patients. The nature of such an abnormality and its possible clinical implication are still obscure.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Spontaneous and stimulated nitroblue tetrazolium tests of leukocytes from patients with solid malignant tumors.

Histochemical nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction tests, spontaneous and endotoxin-stimulated, were performed on samples of blood from 202 adult patients with solid neoplastic tumors and 37 healthy control subjects. The patients were classified according to activity of the disease, chemotherapy, and presence of bacterial infection. The NBT test did not prove helpful in detecting the latter condition in these patients. Low median spontaneous reduction values were recorded for patients with active malignancies, or receiving chemotherapy, compared with controls or cured patients without chemotherapy. Stimulated reduction values were significantly lower for all groups of patients than for controls, although for those apparently cured and untreated, stimulated reduction attained significantly higher values than for the other patients. A leukocyte dysfunction caused by both the underlying disease and its chemotherapy is assumed, and the usefulness of the endotoxin-stimulated NBT reduction test in detecting this dysfunction is stressed.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Polymorphonuclear leucocyte function in Behçet's disease.

Polymorphonuclear leucocyte function was investigated in 19 patients with active Behçet's disease. Spontaneous free leucocyte migration was found to be significantly reduced, yet after stimulation the leucocyte's chemotactic activity was considerably increase (p less than 0-05) when compared to control leucocytes. Control leucocytes migrated more rapidly when incubated in serum taken from patients with Behçet's disease (p less than 0-005). The enhanced chemotactic activity in Bechçet's disease appears to be due to both serum and intrinsic leucocyte factors. Spontaneous nitroblue tetrazolium reduction was found to be normal, although after stimulation leucocyte nitroblue tetrazolium reduction was lower than in the control group (P less than 0-025), as was leucocyte oxygen utilisation. It is suggested that the hyperreactive cellular inflammatory response that characterises Behçet's disease may be due to increased chemotactic activity and minor alterations in functional metabolic activity of leucocytes.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Effect of calcium ions on growth and metabolism of Saccharomyces carlsbergensis.

Addition of calcium ions increased 2- to 3-fold the growth of Saccharomyces carlsbergensis 2I in a minimal glucose-containing medium. The minimal concentration enhancing growth was 25 to 50 mug/ml CaCl2. Other divalent and trivalent cations tested, except for strontium ions, did not duplicate the calcium effect. Actively growing and dividing cells took up 45Ca2+, while resting yeast cells did not. The radiocalcium taken up was incorporated into newly synthesized structural material, presumably into the membrane protein.

Barium↗
PubMed1976

Nocardiosis in Israel. A report of five cases.

Five cases of Nocardia infection are briefly described, four due to Nocardia asteroides and one to N. brasiliensis. The latter represents the first reported case of N. brasiliensis infection in Israel. In three of the patients, the infections were associated with an underlying disease process and with prolonged high-dosage therapy with steroids and/or cytotoxic drugs. In the other two patients, the disease was spontaneous.

Adult↗