PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Wolk

Publications and source records attributed to M Wolk.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Development of fetal haemoglobin-blood cells (F cells) within colorectal tumour tissues.

AIM: To evaluate the sources of fetal haemoglobin (HbF) as an indicator in cancer. An immunohistochemical study was carried out on some of the most common kinds of cancer. All of these cancers had serologically high levels of HbF as evaluated previously. METHODS: Immunoaffinity-purified anti-HbF was immunohistochemically used to study F cell distribution in the following cancers: colorectal adenocarcinoma, urinary bladder transitional cell carcinoma, brain tumours, lung carcinoma, breast adenocarcinoma, leukaemia, Burkitt's lymphoma and endometrial carcinoma. RESULTS: In colorectal adenocarcinoma, HbF-containing red blood cells (FRBC) were present within thin-walled vessels or were disposed in dense clusters within the tumour. Some of these cells were nucleated or binucleated HbF-erythroblasts or HbF-normoblasts (FNBS). In two cases, high levels of mitoses within HbF-erythroblasts were observed. In half of the cases with transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder, regional intratumoral blood vessels were found to contain 5-50% FRBC. In the other tumours examined, F cells were not observed. FRBCs, however, were occasionally observed in the regional lymph nodes of some of these cancers. CONCLUSIONS: The evaluation of HbF as a potential plasma marker is suggested by the high concentration of FRBCs in colorectal tumours. The apparent development of FRBCs in colorectal tumour tissues is an interesting observation, as these cells were previously thought to develop in medullary or lymphoid tissues. It is thus suggested that the colonic microenvironment may stimulate extramedullary fetal-type haematopoiesis.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2004

Blood cells with fetal haemoglobin (F-cells) detected by immunohistochemistry as indicators of solid tumours.

AIMS: Fetal hemoglobin (HbF) is an established serological indicator of cancer. However, its distribution in tumour tissues is rarely investigated. Therefore, HbF was studied immunohistologically in different cancers characterised by high blood HbF concentrations. METHODS: Anti-HbF was immunoaffinity purified and used to study HbF immunohistochemically in the following cancers: germ cell tumour (GCT), trophoblastic disease (TD), lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), multiple myeloma (MM), and ovarian adenocarcinoma (OA). RESULTS: In GCT a distinction was made between tumours substantially without HbF positive red blood cells (F-RBC) and those with F-RBC. Those without F-RBC were non-metastatic mature teratomas and dermoid cysts. Those containing F-RBC were mainly embryonal carcinomas and metastatic teratomas. HbF positive myeloid cells (F-MLC), HbF positive normoblasts (F-NBS), and F-RBC were common in the bone marrow and in the lymphoid tissues of lymphoma, MDS, and MM. In TD, normal and nucleated F-RBC were seen in the trophoblastic villi in one case with incomplete molar pregnancy (ICM) but not in other cases of ICM and complete molar pregnancy. However, F-RBC and F-MLC were seen in the decidua of both types of TD. Generally, F-cells were observed either within blood vessels or concentrated in certain areas of the neoplastic tissue. CONCLUSIONS: HbF was evaluated as an inducible marker within different tumour tissue blood cells. The dual distribution of these cells-circulating in the blood or concentrated in areas of the neoplastic tissues-might reflect the two independent serological indicators of HbF: one in whole blood and the other in plasma of patients with cancer.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗
PubMed2000

[Multiresistant Escherichia coli from elderly patients].

We examined all ceftriaxone-resistant Escherichia coli isolates obtained from clinical samples during 16 months (1 Dec. '97-31 Mar. '99). A total of 97 resistant isolates from 36 patients were obtained, mostly from urine specimens. Of these patients, 35/36 were over 75 years old, most lived in nursing homes, were dependent on nursing in their daily lives, and were incontinent and/or had indwelling catheters. All 97 isolates had similar susceptibility profiles: resistant to ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, ampicillin, amoxycillin/clavulanate, tricarcillin/clavulanate, aztreonam, and cefuroxime; decreased susceptibility to ceftazidime and cefepime; and susceptible to imipenem and meropenem. Double-disc tests indicated that all strains produced extended spectrum beta-lactamase(s). All the isolates belonged to 1 of 3 E. coli serotypes: 79 were 0153:H31, 13 were 0142:H10, and 5 were 0102:H6.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) in hospitalised Arab infants from Judea area--west bank, Israel.

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and other related enterotoxigenic species were isolated from 176 (44%) of 399 infants hospitalised in 'Caritas Baby Hospital' in Bethlehem, during April-December 1993. Ninety four of the patients infected by ETEC, were clinically evaluated. Most of them suffered from diarrhoea, quite often with fever and vomiting. Dehydration occurred in 58.3% of the patients and failure to thrive (FTT) in 28.5% of them. Severe illness resulted in marasmus in five patients and in the death of two others. Most of the ETEC strains (84%) were of ST toxin type. Correlation was found between the degree of toxigenity and the severity of the gastroenteritis. The most prevalent ETEC "O' serogroups were 0-6, 0-20, 0-8, 0-86, 0-126, 0-128 and 0167. Colonization Factors Antigens (CFAs) were identified in 36% of the isolates, CFAI was characteristic of group 0-126 and 0-128. In the principal O-groups there were high percentages of sensitivity to the antibiotics ceftriaxone, nalidixic-acid, gentamicin and norfloxacin, with resistance to anoxycillin, tetracycline and cotrimoxazole.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1995

Whither the PRO? Analysis of the effectiveness of three Medicare peer review organizations in a Florida hospital.

The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a peer review organization (PRO) on patient mortality rate in a not-for-profit, 988-bed community hospital in Florida. The number of deaths per hospital discharge (mortality) was compared prior to the Professional Foundation for Health Care (PFHC) holding the contract as the Medicare PRO (1983), during two years in which the PRO was fully active (1990 and 1991), during the year limited PRO activities were conducted (1992), and when PRO activities were again fully expanded (1993). All Medicare hospital discharges, including deaths, were included from January through May during 1983, 1990 through 1993. There was no intervention. Patient mortality as a determinant of PRO effectiveness was evaluated prior to the PRO, during a portion of the years the PFHC held the contract as the Medicare PRO, and an identical time period one year later with limited PRO review and again the following year when full reviews returned. The number of deaths did not change significantly. Mandated peer reviews of care to inpatient hospital Medicare beneficiaries did not significantly improve health care as measured by mortality.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance Plans↗
PubMed1995

Epidemiological aspects of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli diarrhoea in infants in the Jerusalem area.

BACKGROUND: As most of the clinical laboratories in Israel do not use toxigenicity testing as a routine procedure in cases of Escherichia coli gastroenteritis, current information regarding clinical and epidemiological aspects of infection by enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) is lacking. This survey aimed at retrieving that information by conducting routine enterotoxigenicity tests in a clinical laboratory for patients suspected of E. coli gastroenteritis. METHODS: The survey population included 415 children < or = 2.5 years old with gastroenteritis, during the second half of 1992. Fresh first stool cultures were checked daily for toxigenicity by ELISA. Thereafter the serotypes, and the colonization factor antigens (CFAs) were evaluated for the ETEC strains. RESULTS: in 86 of the 415 children (20.7%) we found ETEC. Half these strains would have not been reported as pathogenic without this routine toxigenicity test. CFA were defined in 48 (55.8%) of the ETEC strains. The most common serogroups were O-153, O-6, O-126, and O-128.

Agglutination Tests↗
PubMed1993

Association between high concentration of antibodies to insulin and some diseases common in the elderly.

Antibodies to insulin (IA) were measured by graded hemagglutination in 164 patients and in 90 control subjects aged 18-65 years. The greatest prevalence of these antibodies was found in patients with the organic mental syndrome, of whom 70% (n = 110) had an antibody concentration above the normal 95th percentile. Among patients with diabetes, hypertension and cerebrovascular accidents, 42% had a high concentration of IA, while in all other geriatric patients (n = 21) the concentration of these antibodies was within the normal range.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Fetal hemoglobin screening in whole blood and in plasma of cancer patients.

Fetal hemoglobin (HbF) screening was performed on 296 cancer patients. In almost 80% of the patients with active disease (n = 197) and 35-60% of those with inactive disease (n = 99), the concentration of HbF in the blood was above the normal range. Among patients with metastatic breast carcinoma (n = 27), 89% had a high HbF concentration. The HbF level was significantly higher (p less than 0.001) in patients with active disease than in those with inactive disease. There is evidence of an ectopic production of HbF into the plasma of patients, but it will be necessary to develop a method for the prevention of hemolysis in order to establish this claim.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[A thermostable toxin-producing E. coli and infantile diarrhea].

An E. coli strain producing only a thermostable toxin (ST) and belonging to serogroup 0153 (ETEC 0153; ST) was isolated from the stools of 9 infants with diarrhea, 4 of them premature, during the last half of August, 1988. All the 4 prematures passed frequent fluid stools. In 5 of the 9 infants, other pathogens were found in addition to the ETEC strain, including rotavirus, Plesiomonas and Shigella sonnei. Until recently, ETEC strains like that described were considered rare all over the world. During the past 2 years ETEC strains belonging to that serogroup and toxin type were reported as a major cause for infantile diarrhea in Spain in 5 outbreaks. Infantile diarrhea caused by an ETEC strain in Israel is reported here for the first time.

Bacterial Toxins↗
PubMed1988

Evaluation of fetal hemoglobin in various malignancies with reference to the patients' age.

Concentration of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) was measured in the blood of 172 cancer patients with solid tumors. The patients' age groups were compared with matched age groups of normal controls. Above the age of 50, a significant difference was found between patients and normal controls. In 70% of the patients with active disease, the concentration of HbF was above the normal range. There were indications that by reducing HbF concentrations irradiation of patients interferes with the evaluation of the results. In addition to whole blood, HbF was also measured in the plasma of 35 patients; the average HbF concentration in this group was found to be twice as high as that of the controls.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Promotion of wound healing by yeast glucan evaluated on single animals.

The effectiveness of yeast glucan in the acceleration of wound healing was evaluated in mice, rats and guinea pigs. In all experiments comparison between glucan treatment in one hind leg and saline treatment as control on the other leg was made on identical wounds. The degree of healing in the two legs was evaluated macroscopically and classified as follows: 1. healing more advanced in glucan treated wound marked by (+). 2. No significant difference between the two legs marked by (0). 3. Healing more advanced in the control wound, marked by (-). During the days when the differences were most obvious, 60% to 80% of the animals showed more advanced healing in the glucan treated wound, 20% to 40% showed no significant difference; and 0 to 15% showed more advanced healing in the control, saline treated wound. The average time for complete wound healing was reduced by about 18% as a result of glucan treatment. The histological analysis shows that the acceleration of wound healing was mediated by early arrival of macrophages to the wound area in the glucan treated wounds.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Improved haemagglutination reagent for detecting antibodies to insulin in diabetic and non-diabetic young and old patients.

A stable reagent of insulin-coated erythrocytes was developed for easy measurement of antibodies to insulin. For this measurement, the principle of graded haemagglutination (GH) was successfully applied. All of 100 healthy, young- to middle-aged controls, had no detectable antibodies. The incidence of antibodies was not higher in diabetic patients injected with highly purified porcine insulin, than in those not injected. A high incidence of antibodies to insulin was found among chronic elderly patients, amounting to 41% of the symptomatically non-diabetic and 77% of the diabetic.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Graded hemagglutination inhibition for quantification of human fetal hemoglobin.

We describe a hemagglutination system for quantification of fetal hemoglobin (HbF), especially at low concentrations. This system consists of three components: (a) sheep erythrocytes coated with purified HbF, (b) sheep antiserum of human HbF made specific for the gamma-chain, and (c) human blood lysate with a known concentration of HbF as the standard. We can measure the whole range of HbF proportions in human blood, from 100% down to 0.01%. Statistical analysis showed that our measurements agreed with those made by the methods of alkali denaturation and radial immunodiffusion. Reproducibility of the method is shown by the low CVs for six repeated measurements. Low concentrations of HbF not measurable by other methods are easily assayed. We offer examples of the clinical utility of data on low concentrations of HbF.

Aged↗
PubMed1982

Continuing medical education in New York County: physician attitudes and practices.

New York County physicians were surveyed by questionnaire concerning their attitudes and practices regarding continuing medical education (CME). There were 1,558 responders, and they included those practicing in shared health facilities (SHF) and random samples of academicians on the faculties of the four medical schools and of the entire physician population of Manhattan. Reading professional books and journals was regarded as by far the most important CME activity by all three groups of physicians, and this activity consumed about four hours per week. All physicians spent several days and often as much as two weeks per year attending professional meetings and formal postgraduate courses. The former were rated as not very useful and the latter as quite useful for CME. Major impediments to CME participation for all groups were time away from home and practice, expense, loss of income, and scheduling problems. Relevance, quality, and organization of CME courses were not major impediments. SHF physicians differed little from other physicians in their attitudes, perceptions, and practices concerning CME.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1982

The antigens of the chick blastula: a comparison between the epiblast, primary hypoblast, yolk entoderm, and extraembryonic yolk by immunoprecipitation in agar.

Antisera to chicken embryo epiblast, primary hypoblast, extraembryonic yolk, and yolk entoderm were elicited in rabbits. Extracts from the different sources were tested for their immunoprecipitation by these antisera in immunoelectrophoresis and double diffusion in agar (Ouchterlony) tests. The main findings were as follows: 1) Antigens recovered in the soluble fractions of the cells of the full hypoblast stage (Eyal-Giladi and Kochav, Stage XIII) are immunologically identical to antigens from the extraembryonic yolk, 2) Similar patterns of precipitation lines were formed between the soluble fractions of both the epiblast and primary hypoblast, and the different antisera. The epiblast and the primary hypoblast differed in 1-2 precipitation lines only, 3) The most prominent antigenic differences between the primary hypoblast and the epiblast reside in the microsomal fraction as revealed by immunoelectrophoresis, and 4) For all four sources of antigens which were compared, it was found that the electrophoretic mobility of the antigens migrating closest to the catodic end is modified according to the ratio of solvent to solute during the preparation of the lyophilized antigen.

Animals↗