PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Falk

Publications and source records attributed to J Falk.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Bed rest and increased diuretic treatment in chronic congestive heart failure.

To elucidate the effect of bed rest used as an adjunct to increased diuretic treatment, twelve patients with chronic congestive heart failure (CHF) had a 50% increase in loop diuretic dosage and were allocated to either continuous bed rest or bed rest during nights only. The 24-hour bed rest group reduced their weight significantly (mean +/- SEM: 2.00 +/- 0.79 kg, P less than 0.001), whereas the night bed rest group had no significant weight reduction (1.10 +/- 0.37 kg, 0.1 less than P less than 0.2) during three days of observation. Furthermore, the 24-hour bed rest group had a significantly increased diuresis (P less than 0.05) during the first day of the study and a tendency towards increased natriuresis. The cumulated diuresis for the two groups (24-hour bed rest versus night bed rest) during the three days of study were 7773 +/- 700 ml and 5861 +/- 909 ml (0.05 less than P less than 0.1), respectively. Plasma concentrations of adrenaline, noradrenaline, renin and aldosterone were increased, as measured in the supine position. No significant differences were found between the two groups. Plasma concentrations of antidiuretic hormone were within normal limits. In conclusion, continuous bed rest is a reasonable adjunct to diuretic treatment in patients with CHF.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Lymphocytotoxic activity of monoclonal immunoglobulins in plasmalymphocytic diseases.

95 of 1,019 (9.3%) sera with monoclonal immunoglobulins (MIg) were found to have cold-reacting lymphocytotoxins (LCT). There was no difference in the prevalence of LCT in multiple myeloma, macroglobulinemia, cancer, lymphoma or benign monoclonal gammopathy. Prevalence of LCT was similar in various classes and types of MIg with the exception of the IgG/lambda group in which LCT were more common than in IgG/K (p = 0.013). IgMs had the most potent whereas IgAs had the weakest LCT activity. MIg were purified from 61 LCT-positive sera. 25 pure MIg (41%) had LCT activity. In the rest, LCT activity resided in other fractions. 64 sera with LCT were tested against B and T cells; 56% were equally cytotoxic to B and T cells, 39% killed more B cells and 5% killed more T cells. 18 purified lymphocytotoxic MIg killed both B and T cells. When serial dilutions of sera, and of purified MIg were tested, in all but one instance the reactivity with the T cells weakened more than that with the B cells. Lymphocytotoxins absorbed to and eluted from the peripheral blood lymphocytes or separately from B or from T cells retained LCT activity against B and T lymphocytes. It may be concluded that about one tenth of sera with M components have lymphocytotoxic activity and that in about 40% of these positive sera, this activity is related to the monoclonal immunoglobulins. LCT react with both B and T cells. Antilymphocyte activity of MIgs may play a role in immunoregulatory abnormalities in plasmalymphocytic diseases.

Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity↗
PubMed1983

Mechanism of enhanced humoral response in rodents by a synthetic polymer.

We previously reported that administration of a low molecular weight (MW=800) synthetic polymer, NED 137, significantly increases humoral and cellular immune responses in the rat. The effect of NED 137 on the murine humoral response to T-dependent (TD) and T-independent (TI) antigens was studied in C57 BL/6, CBA/J and Balb/c mice. The TD antigens (SRBC, DNP-DA with adjuvant) or TI antigen (DNP-Ficoll) were administered simultaneously with NED 137. The polymer significantly increased the direct PFC response to all antigens tested in normal mice. However, it could not restore the PFC response to SRBC in athymic (nu/nu) mice. The effect of NED 137 on accessory cells was studied by the assessment of the in vitro response to SRBC in normal and macrophage-depleted rat spleen cultures. The polymer stimulated both, the primary and secondary IgM response and its immunopotentiating activity was the greatest in macrophage-depleted spleen cell preparations. The lack of effect of NED 137 in systems devoid of functional T cells, dependency on and specificity for a sensitizing antigen and its ability to stimulate a secondary response suggest that this polymer does not act as a "conventional" B-cell polyclonal activator.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1982

Biochemical and immunologic heterogeneity of Ia glycoproteins isolated from a chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Ia glycoproteins have been isolated from human chronic lymphocytic leukemic cells (CLL) by Lens culinaris chromatography and by filtration on ACA-34 Ultrogel. Ia antigenic activity, measured by inhibition of the cellular radioimmunoassay, was separated by gel filtration into 2 fractions, peak I and peak II. Monoclonal antibodies, produced against peak II glycoproteins, appear to recognize different antigenic determinants of Ia molecules. Monoclonal antibody 18a4 reacted with Ia molecules of peaks I and II, whereas monoclonal antibodies 18c2 and 18d5 reacted almost exclusively with peak II molecules both in the cellular radioimmunoassay and by immunoprecipitation. In addition to antigenic differences, minor variations in the apparent m.w. of the Ia polypeptide chains were observed between peaks I and II. These results indicate the existence of antigenically distinct subsets of Ia molecules that are separable by gel filtration.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1980

[Conscious instead of instinctive behavior: efficient replacement of the mother-child relationship in residential nurseries].

When the mother of the human baby must be permanently replaced, a solution must be found which is not based upon the spontaneous behavior of the substitute. The nurse-child relationship in any residential nursery, efficiently replacing the mother-child relationship, differs from that relation in its essential characteristics. The origins, motivation and the elements composing the relationship are different, as well as its future. Any demand on the nurse to assume an attitude similar to the instinctive maternal one is false and dangerous. While intensifying the personal characteristics of care, the nurse should always keep in mind that it is not her own child she is rearing. In spite of her devotion, feelings and affectionate exchanges with the child, she must consciously remain in line with her profession. While showing warmth to all the children in her guard, the residential nursery nurse must control her attachment to prevent the children from becoming objects of her unlimited and uncontrolled emotions. The results of catamnestic studies on former pupils of the Loczy Institute in Budapest seem to prove that the institutional model used protects the child from serious deficiencies, insures good development and organization of the personality and gives him a good basis for relationships with other people.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Gastrointestinal blood loss. Effect of aspirin, fenoprofen, and acetaminophen in rheumatoid arthritis as determined by sequential gastroscopy and radioactive fecal markers.

The feasibility of determining the exact site and amount of drug-induced gastric bleeding was tested. Fourteen patients with rheumatoid arthritis received equivalent therapeutic doses of the antinflammatory drugs aspirin, 4 gm/day, and fenoprofen calcium, 2.4 gm/day, in randomized order for seven days. Acetaminophen was given for 14 days just prior to each of these periods. By fiberoptic gastroscopy, antral ulceration and acute mucosal lesions were found in seven patients following aspirin ingestion, in one taking fenoprofen, and in none taking acetaminophen. Fecal blood loss in four-day stool collections, quantitated by autologous chromium 51-labeled erythrocytes shed into the stool averaged 5.0 ml/day while taking aspirin, 2.2 ml/day while taking fenoprofen calcium, and 0.8 ml/day while taking acetaminophen. The mean blood loss was greater for those in whom gastric lesions developed while taking aspirin than for those in whom lesions did not develop. The short-term risk of erosive gastritis was greater for aspirin than fenoprofen.

Acetaminophen↗
PubMed1977

HLA B27 in rheumatoid factor-negative polyarthritis.

Eighty-three consecutive patients with rheumatoid factor-negative polyarthritis seen during a 1-year period were evaluated clinically, radiologically, and with the B27 test. Patients with definite spondylitis, juvenile chronic polyarthritis, a collagen disease, a known metabolic arthropathy, or primary generalized osteoarthritis were excluded. The patients could be classified into two groups independent of any knowledge of B27 testing. Twenty-five had a spondylitic "variant" syndrome. These could be diagnosed on clinical grounds, and included a male preponderance and a high frequency of B27 positivity. Fifty-eight patients, who could generally be classified by American Rheumatism Association criteria as having definite or classic rheumatoid arthritis, included a female preponderance and a normal prevalence of B27. Thus the B27 test was not more helpful than clinical diagnosis in the classic spondylitic variant syndromes, nor did it separate out a population of patients from among the seronegative rheumatoid arthritis group.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Detection of monocyte specific antigen on human acute leukaemia cells.

Heteroantisera with specificity for human monocyte and macrophage antigens (HuMa) have been tested for activity against peripheral blood cells from patients with acute leukaemia. Using indirect immunofluorescence, blast cells from 25/27 patients with acute myelomonocytic leukaemia were reactive with anti-HuMa antisera, whereas blasts from 19/20 patients with acute myeloblastic leukaemia and 13/13 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia were not reactive. The F(ab1)2 fragment of the antibody retained specific activity. Activity of whole serum against myelomonocytic blast cells was specifically removed by absorption with macrophages. These observations indicate that circulating blast cells from patients with acute myelomonocytic leukaemia may carry differentiation antigens characteristic of monocytes and macrophages.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Intra-articular injection of high-molecular hyaluronic acid. An experimental study on normal adult rabbit knee joints.

High-molecular hyaluronic acid was injected repeatedly into normal knee joints of adult rabbits. Histologically the articular cartilage was not affected by this treatment. The content of chondroitin sulphate, assessed by a histochemical method, was not altered and neither was the water content of the hyaline articular cartilage. On the other hand, in the synovial membrane of joints treated with hyaluronic acid a diffuse infiltration of plasma cells and lymphocytes was observed, indicating that the hyaluronic acid administered exerts its action via the synovial membrane.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

The prevalence of tuberculosis and positive tuberculin skin tests in a steroid-treated asthmatic population.

The prevalence of active tuberculosis and positive tuberculin skin tests was assessed in 132 corticosteroid-treated asthmatics for an evaluation period that represented 620 corticosteroid-years of therapy. There was no evidence of active tuberculosis in any of these patients. Positive intermediate-strength tuberculin tests were present in 28% of patients and correlated with increased age. In patients treated with daily corticosteroids, tuberculin negativity was associated with a higher dose of corticosteroids. Positive second-strength tuberculin tests were found in 42.3% of the patients with negative intermediate-strength tests and also correlated with increased age. Based on these data as well as the prevalence of significant liver disease in older patients receiving isoniazid (INH), routine INH chemoprophylaxis for corticosteroid-treated asthmatic patients, regardless of their tuberculin cutaneous reactivity, is not indicated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

The allotransplantation of partial joints in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee.

Nine allografts replacing part of the knee have been carried out in 8 patients. In all patients the graft was incorporated without clinical evidence of rejection. In one case a low grade infection was brought under control without surgery and thus far has not impaired the results. All patients have a good functional range of movement and the alignment of the knee has been maintained by the grafts which display little or no collapse at all. Histological evidence in one case revealed cartilage viability at 14 months. Two years interim observations are encouraging enough to continue on with this technique in the knee with disease severe enough not to be helped by osteotomy but not so diffusely damaged as to require total knee arthroplasty.

Aged↗
PubMed1975

A simple freezing and storage method to preserve the stimulating function of leukocytes in the mixed leukocyte reaction.

Human peripheral blood leukocytes retain their capacity to function as stimulating cells in the one way MLR after freezing and storage at - 70 degrees C by a simple and inexpensive method. This storage method facilitates the use of a standard stimulating pool of cells from three donors which may provide a quantitative assay for testing the ability of cells to respond to allogeneic cells in culture.

Freezing↗