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Biomedical subjects

M Michael

Publications and source records attributed to M Michael.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

[Chronic hepatitis treated with alpha-interferon].

The newest results on the interferon treatment of chronic viral hepatitis on the ground of controlled trials are reported. In chronic type B hepatitis about 35 percent of patients, while in chronic type C hepatitis 80 percent of patients showed good response, though in the latter disease relapse is frequent following the stop of interferon treatment. In hepatitis Delta infection further therapeutic studies are warranted. The duration of the interferon treatment in chronic viral hepatitis is still an unsolved question.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed1992

Lipopolysaccharide priming potentiates calcium ionophore stimulated human placental prostaglandin E2 release in vitro.

In this study, the effect of bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide; LPS) and of LPS priming on the in vitro release of PGE2 from human placental explants was investigated. Both LPS and the calcium ionophore A23187 significantly stimulated PGE2 release (P less than 0.05). Simultaneous exposure of placental explants to both LPS and A23187 revealed no additive or synergistic stimulation of PGE2 release. LPS priming of placental tissue significantly increased A23187-stimulated PGE2 release when compared to non-LPS-primed tissues. The addition of exogenous arachidonic acid (the substrate for PGE2 synthesis) also significantly (P less than 0.05) stimulated PGE2 release. There was, however, no significant further stimulation of PGE2 release following LPS priming in arachidonic acid treated explants. These data suggest that LPS not only increases basal PGE2 release in human placentae, but also potentiates agonist-stimulated PGE2 release, possibly by increasing tissue capacity for endogenous arachidonic acid liberation.

Calcimycin↗
PubMed1991

High mortality among patients with the leukemoid reaction and alcoholic hepatitis.

We describe a patient with severe alcoholic hepatitis, markedly elevated white blood cell count, and high fever. After review of the English literature, we discovered reports of other cases similar to our case. The striking feature in all of these cases was a high short-term mortality rate, despite predictions of a favorable outcome. We therefore believe these patients represent a subgroup of patients with alcoholic hepatitis and that the leukemoid reaction is a poor prognostic sign in this disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Regulation of the human immune response to ragweed pollen by immunotherapy. A controlled trial comparing the effect of immunosuppressive peptic fragments of short ragweed with standard treatment.

A new allergenic preparation consisting of peptic fragments of short ragweed has been tested for its clinical effectiveness. Such enzymatically derived fragments have been shown in prior murine studies to retain the T epitopes of the original allergen but to have a severe reduction in the number of B epitopes. Three groups of ragweed hayfever patients were placed on pre-seasonal immunotherapy. One group received a conventional ragweed preparation that had been enriched for antigen E (Amb a I), designated as Pool 2. The second group was given fragments of Pool 2 (fSRW) prepared by peptic digestion and the third group was injected with histamine as a placebo. Groups treated with the fSRW and Pool 2 had significantly reduced symptom-medication scores compared with the placebo-treatment group. However, fSRW-treated patients fared significantly better than Pool 2 patients (P less than 0.02). fSRW injections caused a significant rise in preseasonal specific IgG, antibodies as well as suppression of the seasonal anamnestic specific IgE increase. Similar, but not quite as marked changes occurred with Pool 2 treatment. fSRW was well tolerated and non-toxic. Thus, allergen modification by enzymatic degradation, as demonstrated here, appears to be a promising new approach for allergen immunotherapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Screening for genetic disorders: therapeutic abortion and IVF.

This paper examines a proposal to make use of IVF techniques to provide an alternative to therapeutic abortion of fetuses with genetic abnormalities. We begin by describing the proposed procedure, and then show that, considered in itself, it is morally on a par with therapeutic abortion. However, once the wider practical implications are brought into view, the proposed new procedure loses its initial appeal. The pros and cons are not sufficiently clear-cut entirely to rule out the IVF procedure, so the paper concludes by indicating some further complications which may follow, should the procedure come to be adopted.

Abortion, Therapeutic↗
PubMed1985

Chloroacryloyl amides and alpha-methylenelactones from naltrexone, oxymorphone and fentanyl.

A series of chloroacryloyl amides and alpha-methylenelactones were prepared from naltrexone and oxymorphone and some chloroacryloyl amides from fentanyl were prepared as potential Michael acceptors and irreversible ligands. The relative rates of Michael additions of p-methoxybenzenethiol to the double bonds were measured in an NMR spectrometer. The IC50's in rat brain homogenates and the irreversible binding to rat brain membranes were determined. In the methylene-lactone series, it was found that both the alpha and beta isomers derived from naltrexone and oxymorphone were excellent Michael acceptors, but only the beta isomers were more active in the opioid binding assays. The beta isomer derived from naltrexone was an irreversible ligand whereas the oxymorphone analogue was active only in the presence of 100 mM NaCl. In the chloroacryloyl series, only the alpha-chloroacryloyl amide derived from beta naltrexamine proved to be an irreversible binding ligand in the absence of NaCl. It was an excellent Michael acceptor. Under the conditions of our experiments, beta-FNA was a poor Michael acceptor and did not behave as an irreversible ligand in rat membranes.

Acrylates↗