Amyloidosis and plasma cell dyscrasias: gastrointestinal involvement.
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Adult↗
Biomedical subjects
J F Breen
Publications and source records attributed to J F Breen.
Inhibition of yeast phagocytosis in macrophage cultures treated with slime polysaccharide purified from Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
This study was initiated to determine whether purified slime polysaccharide(PSP) from P aeruginosa inhibits the ingestion of heat killed Saccharomyces cerevisiae particles in macrophage cultures. Relative to controls, direct phagocytosis assays revealed that the percentages of phagocytes and the numbers of ingested yeast particles per phagocyte decreased in a dose-dependent manner in PSP-treated cultures. Thus, PSP may act as a virulence factor in vivo by impairing the phagocytic capacity of macrophages.
Animals↗
Percutaneous removal of caliceal and other "inaccessible" stones: results.
Percutaneous removal of renal stones (percutaneous nephrolithotomy) is becoming an established procedure, especially for stones lying free in the renal pelvis. However, some renal stones, particularly caliceal stones, are less accessible and, therefore, more difficult by the percutaneous route. We removed percutaneously 95 caliceal or otherwise poorly accessible renal stones from 53 patients with a variety of techniques, including percutaneous puncture above the 12th rib, double or Y percutaneous nephrostomy tracts, rigid and flexible endoscopy, and intrarenal cutting with diathermy. Intravenously assisted local anesthesia was used exclusively in 89 per cent of the patients. Status free of stones was achieved in all but 1 patient who retained 2 small fragments. The average number of sessions was 1.89 and the average hospital stay was 7.9 days. Complications were minor except for 1 patient who required tertiary renal artery embolization for bleeding. Illustrative cases are presented. Virtually all renal stones can be removed percutaneously.
Adolescent↗
Cryptococcal capsular polysaccharide-induced modulation of murine immune responses.
Cryptococcus neoformans, an opportunistic fungal pathogen, often causes serious and life-threatening infections in immunocompromised hosts as well as in normal individuals. In the present study, purified cryptococcal capsular polysaccharide antigen was examined for its effect on several parameters of immune response and its ability to induce immune response to itself. Injection of the antigen into mice resulted in a dose-related specific antibody response which was detected at the individual antibody plaque-forming-cell level by a hemolytic assay in gel. Relatively low doses of cryptococci induced a maximal response, whereas higher doses resulted in a markedly depressed response. The antibody response to the cryptococcal capsular polysaccharide antigen appeared to be T cell independent and regulated by suppressor T cells, since mice injected with antilymphocyte serum or antithymocyte serum showed specific antibody responses to the antigen that were higher than those of untreated mice. It also markedly affected the in vitro mixed-lymphocyte reaction when added to cultures of mouse spleen cells being challenged in vitro with mitomycin C-treated allogeneic cells. The lower doses stimulated the response, whereas higher doses suppressed it. The macrophage response to yeast cells but not opsonized sheep erythrocytes was also modulated by the cryptococcal antigen.
Animals↗
The relative efficacy of indoprofen compared with opioid-analgesic combinations.
This double-blind, parallel-design study used postsurgical dental outpatients as subjects. The patients self-administered a single dose of one of the study medications when they estimated their pain to be of moderate or severe intensity. The study medications were 200 mg of indoprofen, 650 mg of acetaminophen, 650 of acetaminophen with 60 mg of codeine, 650 mg of acetaminophen with 100 mg of d-propoxyphene N, and a placebo. On a report form, data were recorded on baseline pain and then hourly for four hours, intensity of pain, relief of pain, and side effects were reported. Also, an overall evaluation was recorded. Data were analyzed with the use of analysis of variance and Duncan's Multiple Range test. All four active treatments were statistically superior to placebo for sum pain intensity difference, total relief of pain, and overall evaluation parameters. Both opioid-analgesic combinations showed small additive effects over acetaminophen alone, and indoprofen was superior to both combination treatments and acetaminophen alone.
Acetaminophen↗
Increased risk of bacterial endocarditis with idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis.
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Adult↗
Degradation of the polysaccharide component of gonococcal lipopolysaccharide by gonococcal and meningococcal sonic extracts.
An extract made from the supernatant of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Gc2 strain 1291 degraded the Gc2 polysaccharide antigen. Chemical analysis of this polysaccharide indicated it contains glucose, galactose, glucosamine, galactosamine, glucosamine-6-phosphate, heptose, 2-keto-3-deoxyotonate, and ethanolamine and is the polysaccharide component of gonococcal lipopolysaccharide. Degradation of the polysaccharide by sonic extracts resulted either in complete loss of antigenicity and immunogenicity or in partial degradation to subunits that could inhibit the Gc2-specific hemagglutination inhibition. The factors responsible for degradation were destroyed by heating at 100 degrees C for 5 min or by Pronase digestion, but were unaffected by ribonuclease, deoxyribonuclease, Mg2+, Ca2+, or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. The process was pH dependent, with optimal activity occurring at pH 7. Sonic extract supernatants from group B and C meningococcal strains contained degrading properties, whereas similar extracts produced from Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Streptococcus pneumoniae type II failed to degrade the Gc2 polysaccharide.
Amino Acids↗
Immunogenicity of gonococcal Gc2 polysaccharide: comparative studies with pneumococcal type III polysaccharide and Salmonella typhosa Vi antigen.
A plaque assay technique was used to assess the immunogenicity of a gonococcal cell wall polysaccharide (Gc2 antigen) in BALB/c mice. The Gc2 antigen was shown to be immunogenic, and the kinetics of the response differed from that of a pneumococcal polysaccharide (SSS-III) and a polysaccharide antigen of Salmonella typhosa (Vi antigen). In addition, using antithymocyte sera, the T-lymphocyte dependency of these antigens was investigated. The immune response to the Gc2 antigen was demonstrated to be dependent on a population of helper T cells, whereas the response to SSS-III appears to be regulated by suppressor T cells. There appears to be marked differences in the immune response of mice to different bacterial polysaccharides.
Animals↗
Diagnosis and the treatment planning of the orthognathic patient.
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Face↗
Replicate studies comparing the relative efficacies of aspirin and indoprofen in oral surgery outpatients.
The results from the present studies confirm that indoprofen is an orally effective analgesic drug. Both the 100- and 200-mg dosages of indoprofen demonstrated superior analgesic activity when compared to 600 mg aspirin.
Adult↗
Rib artifacts in electron beam tomography: incidence and severity without and with the cone beam reconstruction algorithm.
Electron beam tomography (EBT) may be compromised by rib artifacts. Two hundred forty-seven abdominal studies were performed without (Group A, n = 222) or with (Group B, n = 25) the cone beam algorithm. One hundred eighty-six (83.8%) and nine (36%) studies of Groups A and B, respectively, displayed some level of artifact. In Groups A and B, major, minor, and no artifacts were found in 115 (51.5%) and 0 (0%), 71 (32.3%) and 9 (36%), and 36 (16.2%) and 16 (64%) patients, respectively (p < 0.01). The cone beam algorithm improves EBT studies of the abdomen.
Algorithms↗
CT and MR imaging of primary cardiac malignancies.
Primary cardiac malignancies are rare tumors that are difficult to diagnose clinically. Different primary cardiac malignancies may have different clinical, morphologic, and radiologic features and intracardiac locations. Angiosarcoma is the most common primary cardiac malignancy. It tends to occur in the right atrium and involve the pericardium. Because of its tendency to hemorrhage, angiosarcoma often demonstrates areas of increased signal intensity with T1-weighted sequences. Undifferentiated sarcomas typically occur in the left atrium and have variable epidemiologic and radiologic features. Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common primary cardiac malignancy in children and is more likely than other primary cardiac sarcomas to involve the valves. Primary cardiac osteogenic sarcoma almost always occurs in the left atrium and frequently demonstrates calcification. Certain features (eg, broad base of attachment, origin at a site other than the atrial septum) help differentiate this tumor from left atrial myxoma. Leiomyosarcoma favors the left atrium and tends to invade the pulmonary veins and mitral valve. Fibrosarcoma also tends to occur in the left atrium and is often necrotic. Liposarcoma is very rare and usually manifests as a large, infiltrating mass. Foci of macroscopic fat are occasionally seen. Primary cardiac lymphoma occurs more commonly in immunocompromised patients, frequently involves the pericardium, and, unlike other primary cardiac malignancies, may respond to chemotherapy. The advent of cross-sectional imaging has allowed earlier detection of primary cardiac malignancies as well as more accurate diagnosis and characterization.
Calcinosis↗
CT and MR imaging of benign primary cardiac neoplasms with echocardiographic correlation.
Benign primary cardiac neoplasms are rare but may cause significant morbidity and mortality. However, they are usually treatable and can often be diagnosed with echocardiography, computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Myxomas typically arise from the interatrial septum from a narrow base of attachment. Fibroelastomas are easily detected at echocardiography as small, mobile masses attached to valves by a short pedicle. Cardiac fibromas manifest as a large, noncontractile, solid mass in a ventricular wall at echocardiography and as a homogeneous mass with soft-tissue attenuation at CT. They are usually homogeneous and hypointense on T2-weighted MR images and isointense relative to muscle on T1-weighted images. Paragangliomas usually appear as large, echogenic left atrial masses at echocardiography and as circumscribed, heterogeneous masses with low attenuation at CT. These tumors are usually markedly hyperintense on T2-weighted MR images and iso- or hypointense relative to myocardium on T1-weighted images. Cardiac lipomas manifest at CT as homogeneous, low-attenuation masses in a cardiac chamber or in the pericardial space and demonstrate homogeneous increased signal intensity that decreases with fat-saturated sequences at T1-weighted MR imaging. Cardiac lymphangiomas manifest as cystic masses at echocardiography and typically demonstrate increased signal intensity at T1- and T2-weighted MR imaging. Familiarity with these imaging features and with the relative effectiveness of these modalities is essential for prompt diagnosis and effective treatment.
Diagnosis, Differential↗
Polyarteritis nodosa: spectrum of angiographic findings.
The purpose of this study was to review the positive angiographic findings in patients with polyarteritis nodosa (PAN). The authors reviewed the angiograms of 56 consecutive patients (25 women and 31 men; age range, 18-81 years; mean age, 55 years) with PAN and arterial abnormalities consistent with necrotizing vasculitis. Aneurysms were present in 27 patients and segments of ectasia were present in seven patients, for a total of 34 (61%) of 56 patients with aneurysmal lesions. The remaining 22 (39%) patients had arterial lesions that were occlusive: luminal irregularity, stenosis, or occlusion. All but one of the patients with an aneurysm also had occlusive lesions. Therefore, 55 (98%) of the 56 patients were found to have occlusive lesions. Skeletal muscle arteries were affected in 18 patients, nine in the extremities. The most frequent finding in patients with PAN was occlusive arterial lesions. Although the presence of aneurysms increases specificity for the diagnosis of PAN, many patients have only occlusive lesions. Involvement of skeletal muscle arteries was common.
Adult↗