Biomedical subjects

E I Banez

Publications and source records attributed to E I Banez.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2002

Detecting bacteria in platelet concentrates by use of reagent strips.

BACKGROUND: Iatrogenic infection of immunosuppressed or immunocompromised hosts secondary to receipt of blood components containing bacteria may result in serious adverse outcomes. Measurement of pH and glucose by use of inexpensive reagent strips has been proposed as a practical means of screening for bacteria in platelet concentrate (PC) units. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Glucose and pH were measured in 3093 PC units by use of reagent strips (Multistix, Bayer Corp.) to screen for bacterial content. Any PC classified by the reagent strip method as containing bacteria was subsequently cultured to confirm the presence and quantity of bacteria present. RESULTS: Thirty of 3093 PC units were classified as containing bacteria by the reagent strip method. Two of the 30 PC units positive by the reagent strip method were also positive by standard bacterial culture technique. Bacillus cereus was isolated from both units. CONCLUSION: Screening PC units by the reagent strip method resulted in 9.7 units per 1000 being wasted, but prevented two patients from receiving a PC unit containing B. cereus.

Bacillus cereus↗

PubMed2000

A java-based application for differential diagnosis of hematopoietic neoplasms using immunophenotyping by flow cytometry.

We describe the implementation of a Java-based application for differential diagnosis of hematopoietic neoplasms using immunophenotyping by flow cytometry. The current version of this Java applet includes the knowledge-base for 33 hematopoietic neoplasms and 43 diagnostic immunophenotyping markers. Java, a new object-oriented computing language, helps facilitate development of this applet, a platform-independent module that can be implemented on the World Wide Web. As the Web rapidly becomes more accessible to users around the world, Web-based software may eventually form the core of decision-support systems in clinical settings. Java-based applications, such as the one described in this paper, are expected to contribute significantly in this area.

Antigens, CD↗

PubMed2000

A relational database for diagnosis of hematopoietic neoplasms using immunophenotyping by flow cytometry.

A relational database was developed to facilitate the diagnosis of hematopoietic neoplasms using results of immunophenotyping by flow cytometry. This database runs on personal computers and uses backward-chaining search to arrive at conclusions. Results of immunologic marker studies are processed by the database to obtain a set of differential diagnoses. The current version of this database includes diagnostic immunophenotyping pattern for 33 hematopoietic neoplasms. We tested this database using 92 clinical cases from 2 tertiary care medical centers. The database ranked the actual diagnosis as 1 of the top 5 differential diagnoses in 93% of the cases tested. The user can modify the database contents to suit individual needs. This database has been posted on the World Wide Web for direct access. We propose that this user-friendly database is a potential tool for computer-assisted diagnosis of hematopoietic neoplasms.

Antigens, CD↗

PubMed1996

A rapid and inexpensive method for processing induced sputum for detection of Pneumocystis carinii.

The authors describe a method to process induced sputum specimens for detection of Pneumocystis carinii which is simple, rapid and inexpensive. Induced sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) were obtained within a 24-hour period from 41 patients who were HIV-positive and had pulmonary symptoms suspicious for P carinii pneumonia. Induced sputum or BAL fluid was placed into Saccomanno's fixative, blended, and centrifuged. The sediment was stained for P carinii cysts by a modified method with Fungi-Fluor Solution A (Polysciences, Warington, PA) and the Genetic Systems Pneumocystis carinii Immunofluorescence Antibody (Genetic Systems, Seattle, WA). The Genetic Systems stain on the BAL specimen was positive in 35 patients and was the standard for comparison. With a single induced sputum, the Genetic Systems stain detected 31 (89%) positive patients, whereas the Fungi-Fluor stain detected 21 (60%). The sensitivity for detecting P carinii cysts in induced sputum was significantly greater (P < 0.05) for the Genetic Systems stain.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

PubMed1993

Plasma cell leukemia presenting as a pancreatic mass.

A 62-year-old woman presented with a 3-week history of obstructive jaundice. Computed tomography of the abdomen showed marked enlargement of the head of the pancreas and a prominent pancreatic body, suggestive of a neoplasm with associated pancreatitis. The peripheral blood showed an increased number of plasma cells accounting for 50% of the leukocytes. Biopsy specimens of the pancreas, liver, and a peritoneal lymph node showed a diffuse infiltrate of typical and atypical plasma cells (50% of which had cytoplasmic IgG-lambda). Serum and urine protein electrophoresis revealed a monoclonal IgG-lambda spike and Bence Jones-lambda protein, respectively. The bone marrow was diffusely infiltrated by plasma cells. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a plasma cell leukemia presenting as a pancreatic mass producing extrahepatic biliary obstruction.

Cholestasis↗

PubMed1990

Hematologic response to acute inflammation: the band neutrophil revisited.

The value of the routine visual (manual) 100-cell differential leukocyte count (DLC) as a screening test in asymptomatic individuals or in patients on admission without suspected distributional or morphologic abnormalities has been challenged in the medical literature. More recently, the usefulness of an increase in the band neutrophils or a "left-shift" in the manual DLC has also been in question. This article discusses the largest sources of error in the routine DLC, namely, cell-identification errors, distributional errors, and statistical sampling errors. The latest flow cytometric, cytochemical, automated leukocyte differential counters offer a viable, reliable alternative to the highly imprecise 100-cell DLC. Studies have shown that these newer instruments are sensitive in detecting the hematologic response to acute inflammation or infection and have the advantage of vastly increased precision and therefore of improved reliability of the differential leukocyte count.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1989

Granulocytic sarcoma manifested as ascites.

Granulocytic sarcoma rarely presents an effusion. We have described an unusual case of granulocytic sarcoma with ascites. Malignant cells may be confused with adenocarcinoma. Eosinophilic myelocytes, peroxidase-positive malignant cells, and the Philadelphia chromosome in the ascitic fluid cells established the definitive diagnosis of granulocytic sarcoma.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

An evaluation of the Technicon H-1 automated hematology analyzer in detecting peripheral blood changes in acute inflammation.

The Technicon H-1 (H-1) is an automated hematology analyzer that provides a complete blood cell count, a six-part differential with absolute counts, and morphologic values with a left-shift flag (LS). To determine the sensitivity of the H-1 in detecting peripheral blood changes in acute inflammation, we first correlated the H-1 LS with band counts on the Hematrak 590 (H590), an automated digital image processor differential system. The H-1 sensitivity to H590 band counts above 11% was 76%, specificity was 82%, and efficiency was 80%. Each semiquantitative LS (1+, 2+, 3+), as well as a new factor, lobularity index, was correlated with the actual H590 band count. There was a definite direct proportional relationship between each semiquantitative LS and the mean band count. However, the wide overlaps of band count ranges corresponding to each semiquantitative flag rendered semiquantitation of limited value. Forty cases with the clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis were similarly studied preoperatively. Thirty-three cases histologically showed acute inflammation. On the H-1, 79% (sensitivity) had LS flags, 88% had absolute neutrophilia (greater than 8 x 10(9)/L), 82% had relative neutrophilia (greater than 75%), and 91% had leukocytosis (greater than 10.5 x 10(9)/L). In comparison, sensitivities on the H590 were 70% for band counts above 11%, 82% for relative neutrophilia, and 85% for absolute neutrophilia. This study shows that the H-1 is at least as sensitive as the H590 to peripheral blood changes that indicate acute inflammation.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1983

A clinical study on the use of a fluorogenic substrate assay of plasminogen.

A fluorogenic substrate assay of plasminogen was compared with acceptable methodologies, i.e., caseinolytic and radial immunodiffusion assays. Reference intervals based on a population of 25 members of the laboratory staff were 2.5-3.8 CTA u/ml (fluorogenic), 2.2-4.0 CTA u/ml (caseinolytic) and 8.7-14.3 mg/dl (RID). Ninety eight determinations were performed on 65 patients. Regression analysis showed linear correlation between the fluorometric and caseinolytic assays (r = 0.8046, p less than 0.03) and between the fluorometric and immunologic assays (r = 0.8572, p less than 0.005). Pre-operative and post-operative determinations were performed on 33 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery and there was a consistent and significant (10%-76%) decrease in the plasminogen levels post-operatively (p less than 0.01). Twenty-five patients with various malignancies were compared with the normal population; no significant difference in the plasminogen levels was observed between the two groups.

Caseins↗

PubMed1983

Fluorogenic substrate assay of antithrombin III: a clinical study.

The fluorogenic substrate assay of antithrombin III (AT III) was compared with a thrombin inhibition (two-stage) clotting test and a radial immunodiffusion assay. Normal ranges based on a population of 25 individuals were 88-121% (fluorogenic substrate), 72-111% (clotting) and 22.5-35.3 mg/dl (RID). A clinical comparison of the methods showed a linear relationship between the fluorogenic substrate and immunologic methods (r = 0.69, p less than 0.005), as well as between the fluorogenic substrate and clotting methods (r = 0.75, p less than 0.005). The fluorogenic substrate assay reflected the highest incidence of low AT III levels in all three clinical groups included (36 patients with arteriosclerosis, 18 with fractures and 37 with thrombosis/embolism).

Antithrombin III↗

PubMed1980

Laboratory monitoring of heparin therapy--the effect of different salts of heparin on the activated partial thromboplastin time.

Data from the 1978 CAP Hematology Survey were analyzed for the effect of sodium and calcium salts of heparin on the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT). The results indicate that the sodium salt of heparin prolongs the APTT more than the calcium salt at a heparin concentration of 0.2 units/ml. Furthermore, there was a variable response of the different APTT reagents to the different heparin salts. Data from the 1979 CAP Hematology Survey showed a greater sensitivity of the Automated APTT reagent and the Platelin Plus Activator of General Diagnostics compared with Actin (Dade) and Thrombofax (Ortho) at therapeutic heparin levels of 0.2 units/ml to 0.4 units/ml. The 1979 CAP heparin questionnaire results are presented and analyzed.

Blood Coagulation Tests↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Enzyme labeled immunosorbant assay (ELISA) for detection of platelet antibodies.

Although it is widely accepted that patients with immune thrombocytopenia produce platelet antibodies, the demonstration of such antibodies has been difficult and time consuming. A simple and quick enzyme linked immunoassay for platelet antibodies is presented. The platelet associated IgG is coupled with alkaline phosphatase labeled anti-IgG. The resultant complex is determined spectrophotometrically using p-nitrophenyl phosphate as substrate. With this technique, excess of IgG on platelets was detected in 24 out of 33 patients (72 percent) with immune thrombocytopenic purpura and four out of four thrombocytopenic patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. The results of this assay correlate quantitatively with Dixon er al3 complement lysis inhibition assay (r = 0.82).

Autoantibodies↗