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Biomedical subjects

K Carroll

Publications and source records attributed to K Carroll.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Dysgonic fermenter-3: a bacterium associated with diarrhea in immunocompromised hosts.

We describe two patients with chronic diarrhea associated with dysgonic fermenter-3 (DF-3) infection. One patient had common variable hypogammaglobulinemia and the other hand chronic idiopathic neutropenia and human immunodeficiency virus infection. Specific stool culture techniques were necessary to isolate DF-3. The organism was sensitive to clindamycin, tetracycline, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Antibiotic therapy eradicated the organism and the diarrhea resolved in both patients. DF-3 is a little-recognized organism associated with diarrhea in the immunocompromised patient. It should be suspected when routine evaluation and stool cultures are not diagnostic.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Skin infections in Tanna, Vanuatu in 1989.

Skin infections are an important health problem in Vanuatu and other Pacific island countries. In this study, 18,223 people, representing 90% of the population of the southern island of Tanna in Vanuatu, were examined. Scabies was found in 16% of those screened, with 24% of children under 10 years affected. Other skin infections were predominantly furuncles, abscesses, impetigo and cellulitis and were found in 12% overall and in 16% of children under 10 years of age. These infections were found to be more common in larger households and in the vicinity of the volcano Yasur. Strategies for prevention and management of skin infections in Vanuatu are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

A critical analysis of the use of sialic acid determination in the diagnosis of malignancy.

The measurement of serum sialic acid in sera from individuals with leukemia, breast, gastrointestinal, lung and bladder cancers, brucellosis and manic depression is described. The serum sialic acid levels were also examined in mice bearing Landschutz ascites tumours. The presence of sialic acid-enriched glycopeptides in serum was shown. The results indicate that while sialic acid may be significantly elevated in sera of some tumour-bearing individuals, it is not solely tumour-derived. Its application as a tumour marker is limited and requires critical analysis.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Psychiatric diagnoses of treatment-seeking cocaine abusers.

In a sample of 298 cocaine abusers seeking inpatient (n = 149) or outpatient (n = 149) treatment, rates of psychiatric disorders were determined by means of the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Research Diagnostic Criteria. Overall, 55.7% met current and 73.5% met lifetime criteria for a psychiatric disorder other than a substance use disorder. In common with previous reports from clinical samples of cocaine abusers, these overall rates were largely accounted for by major depression, minor bipolar conditions (eg, hypomania, cyclothymic personality), anxiety disorders, antisocial personality, and history of childhood attention deficit disorder. Affective disorders and alcoholism usually followed the onset of drug abuse, while anxiety disorders, antisocial personality, and attention deficit disorder typically preceded drug abuse.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

In vitro immunization of human tonsilar lymphocytes: effects of PWM and rIL-6.

We previously described a system for the in vitro immunization of human tonsilar lymphocytes under serum-free conditions in the presence of muramyl dipeptide and rIL-2 (1). Further studies with this system reveal possible roles for PWM and rIL-6 in the immunization process. The addition of these factors led to an increase in the levels of antibody produced in lymphocyte cultures. The time of addition of these factors was found to be important in determining the extent of their effects on the overall yields of antigen-reactive cells.

Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine↗
PubMed1991

Fluconazole failure in the treatment of invasive mycoses.

Fluconazole is a recently licensed antifungal agent that has gained widespread use in the medical community. Despite a lack of controlled trials in invasive fungal infections, this agent is often prescribed because of ease of administration and concern over amphotericin B toxicity. Three cases of systemic fungal infections in which fluconazole use resulted in unambiguous microbiologic and clinical failure are reported.

Amphotericin B↗
PubMed1991

Failure of Micro Media FOX Microdilution System to detect decreased susceptibility of Streptococcus pneumoniae to penicillin.

Twelve isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae with decreased susceptibility by oxacillin screen were susceptible by the FOX panel (Micro Media Systems, Cleveland, Ohio), a commercial microdilution system designed for fastidious organisms. These organisms were found to be moderately susceptible or resistant by broth macrodilution and agar dilution methods. This discrepancy indicates that the FOX panel is not reliable for susceptibility testing of S. pneumoniae.

Diagnostic Errors↗
PubMed1991

Yaws infection in Tanna, Vanuatu 1989.

Yaws has been resurgent in the island of Tanna in southern Vanatu in the 1980's. Screening, conducted in 1988 and in 1989 during a mass treatment program identified a total of 464 clinical cases from the population of 20,200, a rate of 23 per thousand. Most of these (82%) were under 15 years of age. Serology was performed on 286 of which 23% were VDRL positive. Primary care services had been hampered in controlling yaws by difficulties with transport, isolation, community resistance and the lack of skilled personel to diagnose yaws and arrange prophylactic treatment. A mass screening and treatment program was implemented in 1989 with 91.8% coverage. This program was designed to work in the context of primary health care and thus has enhanced the relationship between the health services and local villagers. The program was successfully integrated with other health activities including health education, treatment of other diseases and vector control.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1990

Effects of coumarins, haematoporphyrins and acridine orange on the viability and growth of Landshütz ascites tumour cells, in the presence and absence of photoradiation.

The effects of haematoporphyrin (Hp), haematoporphyrin derivative (HpD), coumarin, 7-hydroxycoumarin, 4-hydroxycoumarin, amino-methyl-coumarin acetic acid and acridine orange, with and without photoradiation, on Landschutz ascites tumour (LAT) cells were examined. Hp, HpD and acridine orange showed a significant effect on LAT cell viability following photoradiation. However, coumarin or its derivatives had no significant effect on LAT cell viability, with or without photoradiation, over 18 h. Coumarin alone had a significant effect on viability of LAT cells, in vitro, over a period of 9 days. This effect was verified by transplantability studies. Coumarin and 7-hydroxycoumarin both exhibited cytostatic effects on LAT cell growth.

Acridine Orange↗
PubMed1990

Optimal fixation of cells for use in solid-phase ELISA.

Glutaraldehyde (GA) is commonly used to achieve the stable fixation of whole cells onto microtitre plates for use in solid-phase ELISA. Concentrations of GA greater than 0.10% (v/v) were found to result in increased levels of non-specific binding of antibodies in ELISA. However, the use of 0.05-0.025% (v/v) GA permitted the stable fixation of cells whilst minimizing the non-specific effects seen with higher GA concentrations. The binding of cells onto microtitre plates was also found to be highly variable depending on both the type of plates and the nature of the cells being used.

Aldehydes↗
PubMed1990

Parameters involved in the in vitro immunization of tonsilar lymphocytes: effects of rIL-2 and muramyl dipeptide.

A method for the in vitro immunization of human tonsilar lymphocytes is described. This method allows for the sensitization of B-cells against various antigens under serum-free medium conditions. The medium is supplemented with defined concentrations of antigen, rIL-2 and muramyl dipeptide to boost the immune responses. This method may prove useful for the generation of antigen reactive B-cells for use in human monoclonal antibody production and the study of the effects of other lymphokines on the in vitro immune response.

Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine↗
PubMed1989

Transcriptional activation of bacteriophage lambda DNA replication in vitro: regulatory role of histone-like protein HU of Escherichia coli.

Initiation of bacteriophage lambda DNA replication in vivo and in crude in vitro systems is strongly dependent on transcription at or near the lambda replication origin (ori lambda). Through its capacity to prevent RNA polymerase-mediated 'transcriptional activation' of lambda DNA replication, the lambda cI repressor is capable of negatively regulating initiation of lambda DNA replication, even when all required replication proteins are present. Surprisingly, the strict requirement for transcriptional activation of lambda DNA replication was lost when lambda replication was initiated in an in vitro system composed of nine purified replication proteins [Mensa-Wilmot et al. (1989) J. Biol. Chem., 264, 2853-2861]. We have found that crude extracts of Escherichia coli contain proteins that are capable of restoring the physiological linkage between transcription and ori lambda-dependent replication when they are added to the nine-protein replication system. The protein primarily responsible for this effect has been purified and identified as protein HU, a histone-like protein that is a major constituent of the bacterial nucleoid. HU, when present at a 1:1 weight ratio with supercoiled ori lambda plasmid, is a potent inhibitor of lambda DNA replication in the nine-protein replication system. However, when the ori lambda template is transcribed by E. coli RNA polymerase, the HU-mediated inhibition of lambda DNA replication is abolished. HU does not inhibit propagation of lambda replication forks. Instead, HU apparently interferes with the assembly or function of nucleoprotein structures containing the E. coli DnaB helicase that are formed at ori lambda prior to priming and DNA synthesis. We suggest that the chromatin structure of the template DNA in the region surrounding ori lambda plays a central role in the negative regulation of the initiation of lambda DNA replication in vivo.

Bacterial Proteins↗