We describe a new computer-based, automated method for the assessment of in vivo cerebral vasospasm. Arterial diameter measurements were performed on post-processed digital substraction angiographic images, using "pixel" as the unit. Vasospasm which was difficult to detect by visual inspection could be measured by the "stenosis quantification" program. A computer-assisted method such as we describe might decrease the risk of subjective errors.

Angiography, Digital Subtraction↗

PubMed1993

Finger clubbing in gastrointestinal polyposis.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Digital subtraction sialography: technique, advantages and results in 107 cases.

Sialographic examinations with the digital subtraction technique were performed in 107 salivary glands (90 parotid and 17 submandibular) of 99 patients. Diagnostic and technical advantages of the digital imaging and subtraction for sialography were investigated. Superior quality enabled detailed imaging of the entire ductal system. Reduced radiation exposure, short examination time and almost painless examinations with good patient tolerance proved to be the major advantages of digital subtraction sialography as a diagnostic tool.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1988

A novel lymphocyte activation antigen present on allospecific primed lymphocytes and defined by the monoclonal antibody VG01.

This study describes VG01, a monoclonal antibody to a novel lymphocyte activation antigen. The cells reacting with VG01 were first characterized by indirect immunofluorescence and fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis. The antigen defined by VG01 was expressed on circulating T lymphocytes (23.8 +/- 9.0) and on the majority of large granular lymphocytes and monocytes (greater than 90%), while granulocytes stained weakly. All other cells tested so far--thymocytes, hematological malignancies and several cell lines--were negative. Upon activation with mitogens or allogeneic cells more than 90% of the transformed lymphocytes became VG01-positive. The kinetic studies demonstrated that the antigen defined by VG01 lags the expression of the IL-2 receptor by 48 hr and remains present for up to 18 days after stimulation in culture. Thus, this antigen does not seem to be involved in the initial steps of T cell activation and its expression continues after cell division has stopped. Assays with purified sorted populations showed that lymphocyte proliferation to mitogens and in mixed lymphocyte culture came primarily from the VG01- population. The responding cells became VG01+ during activation--and when alloantigen-primed lymphocytes were sorted and restimulated with the original stimulators, all the in vitro memory response came from the VG01+ population. Thus, VG01 antibody is efficient in selecting for alloreactive T lymphocytes in vitro and has potential for selective modulation of immune responses. Its reactivity with activated T cells and NK cells may also help define a common functional program for these two cell types, adding to the understanding of their mechanism of action and/or their origin.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

PubMed1986

Immunotherapy of primary immunological aborters: rationale for the use of pooled cryopreserved purified normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Patients with recurrent spontaneous abortions have been successfully treated in many centers with third-party immunization directed to a putative TLX antigen system. This immunotherapy requires the screening of a large number of donors to match the patients' red blood cell (RBC) phenotype and has the potential risks associated with transfusions from 30 to 50 donors. Our modified approach to third-party immunization is to use irradiated frozen-stored purified lymphocytes pooled from five normal donors. Mononuclear cells from normal donors are obtained in a cell separator. After sedimentation and Ficoll-Hypaque separation, the cells are stored in liquid N2. The RBC depletion of the final preparation is of the order of 5 to 6 logs, theoretically decreasing the need for RBC phenotyping except for the Rh system. Using a highly sensitive fluorescence-activated cell sorter technique and an ADCC assay, we found that ABH, Rh, Fya Fyb, Jka Jkb, MNS, and Kell antigens are either not expressed by cryopreserved human mononuclear cells, or, if so, they are below the level of detection of these highly sensitive assays. We conclude that the use of pooled frozen mononuclear cells is an adequate alternative for immunotherapy. It decreases the transfusion risks associated with exposure to a large number of donors and the need for RBC phenotyping, making this modality of treatment more accessible.

ABO Blood-Group System↗

PubMed1984

Quantitation of helper factor activity. II. Inhibition of antibody binding.

A sensitive direct assay has been developed to quantitate antigen specific helper factors (ThF). The assay depends on the ability of ThF to block the binding of free antibody to immobilized antigen. It has been used to follow the course of purification of ThF produced in short-term cultures of in vitro primed helper cells and purified by affinity chromatography on antibody and antigen immunoabsorbents. The identity of the ThF was confirmed by assaying its biological activity and by its reactivity with anti-Ia antibody and with a monoclonal anti-ThF.

Animals↗

PubMed1983

Neutrophil adherence in chronic liver disease and fulminant hepatic failure.

Abnormal adherence of neutrophils to nylon fibre in vitro was found in blood from 17 of 51 (33.3%) patients with chronic or acute liver disease of different aetiologies. Patients with chronic liver disease had a much wider range of values than the controls and the sub-group with alcoholic cirrhosis had significantly higher adherence (72.4 +/- SD 6.2%) than that of controls (65.8 +/- SD 5.2%). The patients with chronic active hepatitis (68.2 +/- 12.7%) or primary biliary cirrhosis (69.2 +/- 6.6%) were not different from controls. Significantly reduced neutrophil adherence (56.2 +/- 8.7%) was found in blood from patients with fulminant hepatic failure. These abnormalities in neutrophil adherence may be due to the effects of the split components of serum complement and dependent on the degree and duration of exposure of the neutrophils. Defects in neutrophil adherence may in part contribute to the increased susceptibility to infection in patients with acute and chronic liver disease.

Cell Adhesion↗

PubMed1982

Neutrophil adherence during hemoperfusion in fulminant hepatic failure.

Neutrophil adherence to nylon fibre packed in plastic syringes was determined in blood from patients with fulminant hepatic failure, both before and during charcoal hemoperfusion carried out with prostacyclin infusion and resin hemoperfusion without prostacyclin. During charcoal hemoperfusion there was a progressive decrease in neutrophil adherence, reaching the lowest value at 4 h (30.4 +/- SE 4.8%). After completion of hemoperfusion the adherence value returned to the pre-perfusion level (53.0 +/- 8.4%). These effects are probably attributable to the PGI2 infusion. No marked changes in neutrophil adherence were observed during resin hemoperfusion.

Cell Adhesion↗

PubMed1981

ATP-induced formation of an associated complex between microtubules and neurofilaments.

Neurofilaments (also called 10-nm filaments or intermediate filaments) from bovine brain were incubated with microtubule protein at 37 degrees C in the presence or absence of 1 mM ATP and in a buffer that allowed microtubule assembly. Falling-ball viscometry revealed that the (non-Newtonian) apparent viscosity of the ATP-containing mixtures is 5-20 times greater than that of the mixtures prepared without ATP. A larger ATP-dependent increase in viscosity (approximately 100-fold) was seen when purified tubulin replaced microtubule protein. The magnitude of the increase depended on the concentrations of both neurofilaments and tubulin. The presence of both neurofilaments and assembled microtubules was necessary for the increase to occur. The viscosity was drastically reduced by stirring or by cooling of the mixtures to 0 degrees C. Sedimentation velocity experiments, conducted at 35 degrees C on mixtures previously incubated at 35 degrees C, revealed the presence of a fraction of very rapidly sedimenting material (sedimentation coefficient greater than 1000 S) in the ATP-containing solutions but not in those prepared without ATP. It is concluded that an ATP-induced complex is formed between microtubules and neurofilaments. The observed complex may reflect interactions between microtubules and neurofilaments that are significant in vivo.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed1980