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Biomedical subjects

J Suni

Publications and source records attributed to J Suni.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Fifteen months' follow-up of intensive inpatient physiotherapy and exercise in ankylosing spondylitis.

Long-term effects of three or four-week inpatient physiotherapy and exercise courses were studied in 141 adult patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Eight cervical and thoracolumbar range of motion (ROM) measurements and straight leg raise test, vital capacity (VC) and fitness index were measured at the beginning and end of an intensive course and 15 months later. All nine mobility measurements, vital capacity and fitness index were significantly improved after the course. Fifteen months later only chest expansion and vital capacity had significantly deteriorated from the baseline, while CR, FFD and fitness index were still significantly better. Disease duration did not influence treatment results. We conclude that it is possible by means of intensive rehabilitation courses to prevent for more than one year deterioration of spinal function and fitness in AS patients irrespective of disease duration.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1995

The relative value of spinal and thoracic mobility measurements in ankylosing spondylitis.

The relative value of nine spinal and thoracic mobility measurements was investigated in 73 male patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). The value of a test was obtained by the relative ranks of validity, reliability and sensitivity to change. Validity was determined as age-adjusted correlation of the test result with AS-specific radiological changes in the lumbar spine. Reliability was determined as inter-observer error. Sensitivity to change was determined as change in test result during an intensive rehabilitation course. The five most valuable tests were rotation of the thoracolumbar spine (TR), finger-to-floor distance (FFD), the Schober test, thoracolumbar flexion and occiput-to-wall distance. Of these, FFD had high reliability and sensitivity ranks, but poor correlation with AS-specific spinal changes. TR had high validity and sensitivity ranks, and improvement of the measurement technology would probably result in a superior test for the follow-up of AS. Chest expansion and vital capacity had low ranks in all comparisons.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Zidovudine reduces intrathecal immunoactivation in patients with early human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of zidovudine on human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-associated central nervous system infection in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stage II or III disease. DESIGN: In an open-ended trial, patients received 500 mg of zidovudine twice a day for 12 months. Lumbar punctures, neurological, neuropsychological, and neuroradiological examinations were repeatedly performed during the trial period and were compared with pretrial values. In 11 patients post-trial neurological follow-up of 10 to 20 months was performed. PATIENTS: Initially, 14 volunteers with stage II or III disease and intrathecal synthesis of HIV-1-specific antibodies were enrolled. Additionally, patients had slight neuropsychological disturbance or brain atrophy unrelated to other agents than HIV-1. Two patients dropped out because of poor compliance. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Intrathecal and systemic immune and virological responses, cognitive performance, and brain images were repeatedly monitored. RESULTS: After 6 weeks of zidovudine therapy, initial low-grade pleocytosis and elevated levels of beta 2-microglobulin, both in cerebrospinal fluid and in serum samples, declined. Intrathecal HIV-1 antibody synthesis could no longer be detected in half of the patients after 12 months of zidovudine therapy. Patients with defective cognition transiently improved cognitive speed and flexibility after 6 months of therapy. Slight atrophic brain changes, however, remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: Zidovudine reduces intrathecal immuno-activation and transiently improves cognitive functioning in HIV-1-infected subjects who show evidence of central nervous system involvement by HIV-1 but are otherwise asymptomatic.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

CMV-induced class II antigen expression in various rat organs.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is thought to trigger acute or chronic allograft rejection by inducing the expression of MHC class II antigens in the graft. This induction may be mediated by gamma-interferon or directly by CMV. In this study, we have investigated which structures in the rat kidney, liver, and heart are responsive to CMV-induced class II expression in vivo. Rats were infected with rat CMV, the organs were harvested during the acute phase of infection, and the virus was demonstrated by culture from each organ. Direct CMV antigen detection was performed on frozen sections to demonstrate the detailed localization of CMV in the organs. In the kidney, CMV antigens were found in the vascular endothelium, in tubular cells, and scattered in the glomeruli. In the liver, the vascular structures and parenchyma contained CMV antigens. In the heart, CMV antigens were seen only in the capillary endothelium. Class II antigen expression was demonstrated by a monoclonal antibody and immunoperoxidase techniques. The induction of class II molecules was recorded in exactly the same cellular structures as those in which CMV antigens were detected.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

CSF follow-up in HIV-1 infection: intrathecal production of HIV-specific and unspecific IGG, and beta-2-microglobulin increase with duration of HIV-1 infection.

Ninety-nine sequential cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 28 human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1)-infected patients were analyzed during the follow-up of 9 months to 4 years. Intrathecal synthesis of HIV-antibodies and IgG (p < 0.01), and the levels of beta-2-microglobulin (beta 2m) in the CSF (p < 0.05) and serum (p < 0.01) increased with duration of HIV-1 infection. No effect of duration of HIV-1 infection was observed on the individual CSF white cell counts and the levels of blood-brain-barrier (BBB) permeability. In 13 patients with HIV-1-associated central nervous system (CNS) disease, the effect of duration was seen as an increase of the individual beta 2m levels in serum (p < 0.01). Moreover, 7 of 9 patients who developed neurological disease or showed its progression during the study increased the level of beta 2m in the CSF. All of them increased the level of beta 2m in serum. In 15 neurologically healthy subjects, the effect of duration was expressed as an increase of the level of individual beta 2m in CSF (p < 0.05) and intrathecal IgG synthesis (p < 0.01). In the AIDS group, the level of beta 2m in the CSF increased, but in less severe stages the dependency of the individual CSF parameters on disease duration was not found. Our results indicate that elevated levels of beta 2m in CSF and serum appear to predict progression of neurological and systemic diseases, respectively. Elevated beta 2m in the CSF of clinically intact individuals may indicate subclinical neurological disease caused by HIV-1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

AIDS Dementia Complex↗
PubMed1992

Effect of physiotherapy on spinal mobility in ankylosing spondylitis.

The efficacy of intensive inpatient physiotherapy was retrospectively analysed in 505 adult patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Eight different measures of thoracic and spinal mobility were collected from the patients' medical records. Recovery in terms of the following measures was 7 to 37% when results after rehabilitation were compared to those taken before: thoracolumbar flexibility (TLF) 15%, the Schober test 12.4%, occiput to wall distance (OWD) 30.8%, cervical rotation 22.6%, chin to chest distance (CCD) 21.7%, finger to floor distance (FFD) 36.6%, chest expansion (CE) 31.3%, vital capacity (VC) 7.4%. Changes in all measures were statistically significant (p less than 0.001). OWD, CE and FFD showed greatest improvement. The average increase in CE was about 1 cm in both sexes and the average increase in VC200 ml in men and 270 ml in women, which indicates improvement in ventilatory capacity. Mobility in the majority of patients improved, though in 2 to 8% range of motion (ROM) deteriorated during the course.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Synthetic peptides in HIV antibody screening and typing.

We have defined continuous native epitopes of HIV proteins by using a systematic epitope-scanning technology. We have demonstrated that there is a highly immunoreactive continuous native epitope region in the transmembrane protein gp41 of HIV-1 that is immunoreactive with all studied HIV-1 antibody-positive sera. The corresponding region in HIV-2 gp34 behaves similarly. There is a clear difference, however, between HIV type 1 and type 2 transmembrane proteins in the number of highly immunoreactive regions, when presented properly as synthetic antigens in solid-phase EIA, can provide tests unusually suitable for early and reliable diagnosis of HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections and for type-specific distinction of the two types of HIV infections.

Epitopes↗
PubMed1990

HIV antibodies in whole saliva detected by ELISA and western blot assays.

Paired serum and saliva samples were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot (WB) for the presence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibodies. The study group included 36 individuals known to be HIV seropositive and 14 healthy, seronegative controls. HIV antibodies were detected in all but one of the saliva samples of the seropositive subjects. In this particular patient, seroconversion was documented 1 week earlier by sequential testings. A further saliva sample obtained 2 months later was ELISA positive for salivary HIV antibodies. Antibodies against HIV proteins gp120 and gp160 were detected by Western blot assay in all saliva specimens taken from HIV seropositive subjects (including the ELISA-negative patient who seroconverted. Antibodies against other viral proteins (p65, p55, p51, gp41, p35, p24 p18) were found in saliva haphazardly without any clear-cut correlation with the clinical stage of the disease. Pretreatment of the saliva with protease inhibitor was essential for the diagnostic use of saliva for the detection of HIV antibodies by Western blot assay. Calculation of the ratio of titres in serum to those in saliva showed the highest ratios in symptomless subjects (mean +/- SD; 1844 +/- 1412) and the lowest in patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) (mean +/- SD; 811 +/- 445). The ratio of serum to saliva by ELISA showed a positive correlation with salivary flow rate, indicating a dilution of salivary HIV antibodies with increasing salivary flow rate. The gingival bleeding index was negatively correlated with the ratio, supporting the concept that salivary HIV antibodies transudate from blood to saliva via gingival fluid.

Blotting, Western↗
PubMed1990

Isolation of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) at autopsy one to six days postmortem.

Blood and tissue were studied for potential infectivity at autopsy of ten patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Special attention was paid to the possibility of detecting HIV in bone at craniotomy. Postmortem intervals were one to six days. Specimens for HIV isolation included skull bone, brain, blood, bone marrow, spleen, and lymph node, and cerebrospinal fluid in one case. HIV grew in culture from at least one specimen from eight autopsies, one of which was performed six days postmortem. HIV was recovered from the blood of five patients and the tissue of five patients, including three with negative blood cultures. Skull bone contained HIV in two cases. HIV also grew from native spleen specimens stored for up to 14 days postmortem at 20 degrees C. Recommended precautions, including those for bone, are indicated at autopsy of HIV-infected patients even after long postmortem intervals.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1989

Maturation of immunoglobulin G avidity after rubella vaccination studied by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (avidity-ELISA) and by haemolysis typing.

Two tests were introduced recently for assessment of the avidity of rubella immunoglobulin antibodies. In the quantitative test--avidity-enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)--IgG antibodies obtained from individuals shortly after primary infection with rubella virus are distinguished from those with past immunity by their antigen-elution characteristics. This method uses agents that disrupt hydrophobic bonds in proteins [Kamoun PP (1988): Denaturation of globular proteins by urea: Breakdown of hydrophobic bonds? Trends in Biological Sciences 13:424-425.]. In the semiquantitative, presumptive test--haemolysis typing--the low-avidity rubella-IgG antibodies are distinguished from the high-avidity antibodies by the quality of their haemolytic zones in a radial haemolysis test. In the present study, both tests were applied to sera taken before and after vaccination with two different strains (Cendehill or RA 27/3) of live attenuated rubella virus. It was found that after vaccination of previously nonimmune subjects, IgG synthesized during the first 2 months had a very low avidity; IgG avidity increased dramatically during the subsequent 4 months and less markedly between 6 and 12 months after vaccination. On the contrary, the initially high IgG avidity of previous immune vaccinees remained at an elevated level postvaccination. These results provide a basis for identification of recent primary rubella virus infections, or vaccination reactions, by the avidity of specific IgG and also for their separation from rubella reinfections.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Detection of cytomegalovirus by the early-antigen immunofluorescence test versus conventional tissue culture.

The two methods commonly used to diagnose cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections, conventional tissue culture and detection of early CMV nuclear antigen by immunofluorescence from cell culture, were performed in parallel on 597 clinical specimens. CMV was detected by the early-antigen test in 108 samples, of which 102 (94%) were detected 1 to 3 days after inoculation. Of these 108 CMV-positive specimens, seven were negative on conventional culture. Two samples negative in the early-antigen test were positive on conventional culture. Thus, CMV was detected in 110 specimens. A cytopathic effect in conventional tissue culture occurred 9 to 42 days after inoculation. The diagnosis of CMV infection was possible by the conventional method 29.6 +/- 12.7 days and by early-antigen immunofluorescence 1.9 +/- 1.5 days after obtaining the specimen. The rapid early-antigen test was slightly more sensitive than culture, and fewer samples were lost due to bacterial or fungal infections during incubation. Detection of CMV by conventional culture usually requires several weeks and provides a diagnosis only retrospectively. The main advantage of the early-antigen test is that a virologically proven diagnosis of CMV infection is available at an early stage.

Antigens, Viral↗
PubMed1989

CSF and serum beta-2-microglobulin in HIV infection related to neurological dysfunction.

Elevated (greater than 2.2 mg/l) CSF beta-2-microglobulin (beta 2m) level was found in 9 of 16 neurologically symptomatic patients but in only 4 of 21 who were neurologically symptom-free (P less than 0.01). Serum beta 2m concentration was elevated (greater than 2.5 mg/l) in 12 of 16 neurologically symptomatic patients but in only 8 of 21 symptom-free patients (P less than 0.01). When the CSF and serum beta 2m levels were related to various stages of HIV infection, the highest mean values for both CSF and serum were found in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), followed by lower values in AIDS-related complex (ARC), lymphadenopathy syndrome (LAS), and asymptomatic seropositive individuals (ASX), in decreasing order of preference. Our results suggest that elevated beta 2m in CSF and serum is related to the stage of general HIV infection and that elevated CSF beta 2m in the presence of intact BBB may be useful in evaluating CNS involvement in HIV-infected patients.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1989

Hyperimmune globulin therapy of clinical cytomegalovirus infection in renal allograft recipients.

Intravenous cytomegalovirus (CMV) hyperimmune globulin therapy was used in 24 episodes of proven CMV disease in 22 renal allograft recipients. All patients had fever up to 39-40 degrees C for at least 3 days. Many patients had thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, and/or elevation of serum transaminase levels. Five had pneumonitis. The diagnosis of CMV infection was confirmed by isolation of virus from urine or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid using a rapid culture method based on the demonstration of CMV early nuclear protein in cell culture monolayers and/or by the demonstration of CMV specific IgM antibodies. The hyperimmune globulin was given until fever disappeared. The infusions were well tolerated and no side effects were recorded. A clinical response defined as normalization of body temperature, occurred in 23/24 cases. One patient with septic fever and a fatal outcome had a superinfection with tuberculosis. Two other fatal complications were caused by invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and by multiple penetrating duodenal ulcers. Two reversible acute rejections and one recurrence of the original renal disease were recorded. 19/22 patients are alive, 18 with normal renal function. We conclude that hyperimmune globulin therapy is well tolerated and may help to control sever CMV infections in renal transplant recipients.

Aspergillosis↗