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Biomedical subjects

A J Anderson

Publications and source records attributed to A J Anderson.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy with chest radiation therapy in limited stage small cell lung cancer. A prospective, randomized trial.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of concurrent chest radiation therapy on response rate, recurrence, and treatment toxicity among patients with limited stage small cell lung cancer who are receiving combination chemotherapy. DESIGN: Randomized trial with a median follow-up of 57 months. SETTING: A single government institution--the National Cancer Institute. PATIENTS: Consecutive sample of 96 patients with histologically confirmed small cell lung cancer that was confined to the hemithorax of origin or mediastinal and supraclavicular nodes, and which could be encompassed within a tolerable radiation portal ("limited stage"). All patients were followed until death or the end of the study period. INTERVENTIONS: Chemotherapy: Cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and lomustine in 6-week cycles alternating with vincristine, adriamycin, and procarbazine in 6-week cycles, for a total of 48 weeks. Radiation therapy: Chest irradiation to 40 Gy in 15 fractions over 3 weeks, given simultaneously with the first chemotherapy cycle. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The combined therapy led to a significantly higher response rate (complete responses, 81%, compared with partial responses, 43%; 95% Cl for the difference, 20% to 56%), significantly improved local control of the chest tumor (p less than 0.001), and significantly longer survival (p less than 0.035) (median, 15.0 months, compared with 11.6 for chemotherapy alone). The combined therapy produced significantly more myelosuppression, weight loss, esophagitis, and pulmonary dysfunction. There were more infections and deaths from toxicity in the combined treatment group, but the differences between groups were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: A regimen of combined chemotherapy and chest radiation therapy given concurrently is superior to chemotherapy given alone in inducing remission and prolonging survival in patients with limited stage small cell lung cancer, and the benefit of combined therapy is reduced by its greater toxicity.

Actuarial Analysis↗
PubMed1987

Risk factors among patients undergoing repeat aorta-coronary bypass procedures.

It is estimated that as many as 7% of patients who have an aorta-coronary bypass operation will require a second bypass procedure within 10 to 12 years. Using information from the Milwaukee Cardiovascular Data Registry, we matched 166 men who underwent two coronary bypass operations at least 6 months apart, between 1968 and 1981, with 428 patients who had a single procedure. Patients were matched according to date of operation and left ventricular wall motility function for analysis of risk factors for repeat operation. Elevated triglyceride levels were found to be the strongest risk factors associated with reoperation. In addition, both younger age and less complete revascularization during the first operation were significant predictive factors of repeat operation. The results suggest that efforts to reduce plasma triglyceride levels and ensure adequate revascularization may significantly reduce the need for repeat coronary bypass.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1987

Hickman catheter clots: a common occurrence despite daily heparin flushing.

Central vein thrombosis is the major Hickman catheter complication in our patient population. After noting clots attached to the disposable infusion plug of these catheters, we prospectively determined whether the presence of clots indicated a high-risk group for thrombosis. Forty-three patients (41 with solid tumor, two with acute leukemia) were studied. Catheters were flushed daily with heparin (10 units/ml), and urokinase (5000-10,000 units) was injected when blood could not be drawn. Clots within the catheter lumen were detected visually after expressing, onto a 4 X 4-inch gauze pad, the first 5-10 ml of admixed blood and flush solution or iv infusion fluid drawn from the catheter prior to blood drawing. Clots were detected in 153 of 508 specimens (30%). Forty of 43 patients had clots, varying in length from fragments to 5 cm, in at least one specimen. Inpatients and outpatients had a similar percentage of clotted specimens. Eight patients developed clinical (six) or autopsy-proven (two) thrombosis. There was no difference between patients with and without thrombosis in percent of discards positive for clots. This study indicates that clots are frequently present in the lumina of Hickman catheters. It is likely that these clots embolize to the lungs when catheters are flushed. Consequences of embolization are unknown.

Blood Specimen Collection↗
PubMed1985

Effects of fasciculin 2, an anticholinesterase polypeptide from green mamba venom, on neuromuscular transmission in mouse diaphragm preparations.

Fasciculin 2, a polypeptide from green mamba (Dendroaspis angusticeps) venom, causes an increase in the twitch response of mouse phrenic nerve-hemidiaphragm preparations to indirect stimulation. Intracellular recording reveals that fasciculin 2 augments neuromuscular transmission by increasing the amplitude and duration of endplate potentials. Its action is not reversed by washing. Interactions with neostigmine confirm that fasciculin 2 acts as an anticholinesterase. It has no presynaptic actions on transmitter release or postsynaptic receptor blocking actions. On chicken muscle preparations, fasciculin 2 has no anticholinesterase actions. Because of this selectivity and its apparent irreversibility, fasciculin 2 should be useful in characterizing different forms of acetylcholinesterase.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

The effects of protease inhibitor homologues from mamba snake venoms on autonomic neurotransmission.

Five protease inhibitor homologues isolated from mamba venoms were tested for facilitatory actions on autonomic neurotransmission using isolated smooth muscle preparations. Dendrotoxin from the eastern green mamba (Dendroaspis angusticeps) was the most consistent in augmenting the responses to sympathetic stimulation in vas deferens preparations and to parasympathetic stimulation in chick oesophagus preparations. Toxin I from the black mamba (D. polylepis) venom augmented the neurally evoked responses in vas deferens preparations, and toxin K from the same venom augmented neurally evoked responses in chick oesophagus preparations. Proteins B and E from D. polylepis venom, as well as bovine pancreas trypsin inhibitor, had no significant facilitatory action on either smooth muscle preparation. The mechanism of the augmentation of neurally evoked responses produced by toxin I on vas deferens preparations, and dendrotoxin on chick oesophagus preparations, was investigated using a variety of drugs which interfere with cholinergic and adrenergic transmission. It is concluded that dendrotoxin and toxin I increase evoked transmitter release in the autonomic nervous system by a direct action on nerves.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Nonoperative management of traumatic facial nerve palsy.

Forty-five patients with facial nerve palsy resulting from head injury were treated nonoperatively between 1975 and 1981. Of 31 patients who had polytomography, temporal bone fractures were demonstrated in 29. In 44 of 45 injuries, satisfactory clinical improvement in motor function was noted, including 65% (overall) who showed complete recovery. Fracture direction on polytomography, results of electromyography (performed in ten cases), and time of onset of paralysis were not correlated with outcome. The present findings suggest a limited role for early surgery in closed traumatic facial nerve palsy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Reduced phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and tyrosine ammonia-lyase activities and lignin synthesis in wheat grown under low pressure sodium lamps.

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv Fremont) grown in hydroponic culture under 24-hour continuous irradiation at 560 to 580 micromoles per square meter per second from either metalhalide (MH), high pressure sodium (HPS), or low pressure sodium (LPS) lamps reached maturity in 70 days. Grain yields were similar under all three lamps, although LPS-grown plants lodged at maturity. Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and a tyrosine ammonia lyase (TAL) with lesser activity were detected in all extracts of leaf, inflorescence, and stem. Ammonia-lyase activities increased with age of the plant, and plants grown under the LPS lamp displayed PAL and TAL activities lower than wheat cultured under MH and HPS radiation. Greenhouse solar-grown wheat had the highest PAL and TAL activities. Lignin content of LPS-grown wheat was also significantly reduced from that of plants grown under MH or HPS lamps or in the greenhouse, showing a correlation with the reduced PAL and TAL activities. Ratios of far red-absorbing phytochrome to total phytochrome were similar for all three lamps, but the data do not yet warrant a conclusion about specific wavelengths missing from the LPS lamps that might have induced PAL and TAL activities in plants under the other lamps.

Ammonia-Lyases↗
PubMed1985

Tissue nitrogen-sparing effect of high protein diet in mice with or without ascites tumor treated with Acinetobacter glutaminase-asparaginase.

Forty-eight tumor-free mice and 32 mice bearing Ehrlich ascites tumor were randomized into 2 treatments, Acinetobacter glutaminase-asparaginase (AGA) (600 IU/kg/day for 7 days) and 0.9% NaCl controls, and into 2 or 3 isocaloric diets, normal protein (NP) (20 g protein/100 g diet), high protein (HP) (58 g protein/100 g diet), and zero protein (ZP) (tumor-free mice only). In tumor-free, NP-fed mice, AGA caused percentage reductions (P less than 0.01) in the nitrogen content of liver (50%), intestine (42%), thymus (89%), spleen (75%), and carcass (20%), but HP prevented this effect on intestine and carcass and caused percentage increases in the nitrogen content of liver (53%), intestine (36%), thymus (122%), and carcass (25%). In Ehrlich ascites tumor mice (NP or HP fed) AGA caused markedly lower (P less than 0.01) tumor burdens and increased nitrogen content of intestine (HP), kidney (NP and HP), and spleen (NP and HP). Ehrlich ascites tumor, AGA-treated, HP-fed mice ate 31% less food (P less than 0.01) (compared to NP) but HP resulted in percentage increases in the nitrogen content of liver (18%; P = 0.05), intestine (25%; P less than 0.05), and thymus (164%; P less than 0.01). In the Ehrlich ascites tumor, AGA group the HP diet caused higher hematocrit and serum total protein (both, P less than 0.05). Adverse nutritional effects of AGA seen in normal mice were markedly diminished in tumor-bearing animals. The observed nitrogen-sparing effects of the high protein: energy ratio may be relevant to humans and to other forms of neoplasia and chemotherapy.

Acinetobacter↗
PubMed1984

The association of smoking with cardiomyopathy.

We investigated the possibility that smoking has an association with ventricular wall-motion abnormalities that is independent of its known association with coronary occlusion. We studied 4763 men between the ages of 35 and 74 who had diagnostic coronary angiography and ventriculography. We considered three kinds of wall-motion abnormalities: hypokinesis in one to four ventricular segments, hypokinesis in five to six ventricular segments (diffuse hypokinesis), and akinetic or dyskinetic wall motion in at least one segment. Among men younger than 55, the relative risk of diffuse hypokinesis was 2.78 (1.1 to 6.99) for heavy smokers as compared with nonsmokers. Adjusting for the degree of coronary occlusion or eliminating subjects with a history of myocardial infarction did not change this relative risk. Among men who were 55 or older the relative risk (odds ratio for heavy smokers as compared with nonsmokers) was not significant (0.55 to 2.28). Regardless of age the relative risk of akinesis or dyskinesis, adjusted for coronary stenosis, was significant: 1.84 (1.28 to 2.65) for men under 55 and 1.57 (1.12 to 2.19) for men 55 or older. These results suggest that smoking is related to both cardiomyopathy and transmural myocardial infarction and that the relationships are largely separate from the association of smoking with coronary stenosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Coronary-prone behavior attitudes in moderate to severe coronary artery occlusion.

This study was undertaken to clarify the relationship between coronary artery occlusion (CAO) and coronary-prone behavior attitudes (CPBA) in a large coronary arteriography population. A group of 2451 male patients responded to a questionnaire prior to coronary arteriography. Ten questions from the questionnaire, selected to form a scale measuring CPBA, were found to be reliably associated with standard measures of Type A behavior. No differences in CPBA were found when the group was divided into mild, moderate, and severe CAO, but angina pectoris (AP) tended to increase from mild to severe CAO. Multiple regression analysis confirmed that CPBA were independently associated with AP but were not associated with CAO. These findings suggest that angina pectoris is an important intervening variable between CPBA and CAO and that the relationship of AP in a population should be carefully considered before conclusions are drawn as to the relationship between CPBA and CAO.

Angina, Unstable↗
PubMed1984

The effect of bromocriptine in the polycystic ovary syndrome.

The effect of chronic administration of bromocriptine to 20 patients with the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was studied. All patients had normal serum prolactin levels. Bromocriptine 7.5 mg daily was administered for up to 1 year and the biochemical and clinical responses assessed at 3-monthly intervals. Over a period of 3 to 12 months significant reductions in serum LH levels, LH/FSH ratios and in plasma testosterone were observed. In 14 patients, blunting of the previously enhanced LH response to LHRH was observed. Clinical improvement also occurred, most notably in menstrual function. In 12 out of 20 patients a monthly cycle was established and in a further three there was an increase in the frequency of menstruation towards normal. Eleven out of 20 patients ultimately noted a subjective improvement in hirsutism. We conclude that bromocriptine, given to patients with polycystic ovarian disease, inhibits LH hypersecretion, leading to restoration of cyclic ovarian function and reduced androgen synthesis.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Importance of white blood cells in platelet storage.

Platelet concentrates from 290 healthy donors collected in CPD anticoagulant and PL-146 polyvinylchloride containers were stored for 72 h at 22 +/- 0.5 degrees C under standard conditions to investigate variables affecting the quality of stored platelets. In addition to the expected inverse relationship between pH and platelet count (p less than 0.001), a significant inverse correlation between pH and white blood cell count (WBC) was also noted (p less than 0.01). Platelets from female donors developed a lower pH than those from male donors; this difference could not be accounted for by any of the variables analyzed other than sex. To investigate the relationship between WBC and pH further, 15 units of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) were depleted of WBCs by slow centrifugation prior to being stored for 3 days. This resulted in a mean loss of 10% of the platelets and 75% of the WBCs. The average post-storage pH of the 15 WBC-poor concentrates (7.06 +/- 0.02) was significantly higher than that of routinely prepared concentrates containing the same number of platelets (6.54 +/- 0.43) (p less than 0.001). Production of lactic acid and consumption of glucose was markedly diminished in leukocyte-poor concentrates. These data suggest that WBCs significantly affect the metabolic activity of platelet concentrates and that the quality of stored platelets can be improved by reducing the number of contaminating leukocytes. Measurement of leukocytes may be important in quality control of platelet concentrates.

Blood Platelets↗
PubMed1984

Cystine antagonism of the antibacterial action of lactoperoxidase-thiocyanate-hydrogen peroxide on Streptococcus agalactiae.

Cystine reduction in Streptococcus agalactiae, resulting in sulfhydryl formation, may account for antagonism of the antibacterial effect of lactoperoxidase-thiocyanate-hydrogen peroxide when cystine is present in excess of the amount needed for maximum growth. Accumulation of cystine by S. agalactiae and its reduction to form sulfhydryl compounds were demonstrated. The reduction of cystine appeared to occur by a couple reaction between glutathione reductase and glutathione-disulfide transhydrogenase activity, both of which were found in the supernatant fraction from cell homogenates. NADPH-specific glutathione reductase activity was found in the pellet and supernatant fractions from cell homogenates. Two sulfhydryls were formed for each mole of NADPH used during cystine reduction. The information presented offers a plausible explanation of how cystine, when present in excess of growth needs, may be reduced to generate sulfhydryl compounds which neutralize the antibacterial effect of lactoperoxidase-thiocyanate-hydrogen peroxide on S. agalactiae.

Cystine↗
PubMed1984

Differences between lipopolysaccharide compositions of plant pathogenic and saprophytic pseudomonas species.

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) were obtained by washing cells of plant pathogenic and saprophytic Pseudomonas species with saline (fraction 1) and then with saline-EDTA (fraction 2). The cells subsequently were extracted with phenol to yield a third aqueous preparation (fraction 3). Each fraction type contained the LPS components, lipid A, heptose, 2-keto-3-deoxy sugar, and neutral and amino sugars. The neutral sugar compositions of fractions 1, 2, and 3, although similar within a species, differed between the Pseudomonas species. The LPS of two pathovars (pv.) of Pseudomonas syringae had glucose and rhamnose as major components: 13 (+/-3)% glucose and 87 (+/-3)% rhamnose for P. syringae pv. pisi and 18 (+/-5)% glucose and 76 (+/-2)% rhamnose for P. syringae pv. syringae. Fucose was present in addition to glucose and rhamnose for P. syringae pv. phaseolicola (68 [+/-8]% rhamnose, 14 [+/-1]% fucose, and 14 [+/-5]% glucose) and P. syringae pv. tabaci (24 [+/-2]% rhamnose, 54 [+/-3]% fucose, and 17 [+/-1]% glucose). The LPS from different races of P. syringae pv. pisi and P. syringae pv. phaseolicola could not be distinguished by neutral sugar composition. Three saprophytic species, P. aeruginosa, P. fluorescens, and P. putida, also produced LPS which had different proportions of rhamnose, fucose, and glucose. The LPS from three isolates of P. putida were distinct in possessing a high proportion of amino sugar and containing glucose as the major neutral sugar component (86 to 100%). The LPS fractions from plant pathogenic and saprophytic Pseudomonas species did not elicit browning or phytoalexin production in treated dark red kidney bean cotyledons or red Mexican bean leaves. Rather, chlorosis of the LPS-treated leaf tissue was observed.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1984

Facilitation of transmitter release by neurotoxins from snake venoms.

Toxins C13S1C3 and C13S2C3 from green mamba venom (Dendroaspis angusticeps) acted like dendrotoxin to increase acetylcholine release in response to nerve stimulation in the chick biventer cervicis preparation. Proteins B and E from black mamba venom (Dendroaspis polylepis) had no prejunctional facilitatory activity. All four proteins are trypsin inhibitor homologues. Binding of a prejunctional facilitatory toxin (Polylepis toxin I) to motor nerves was rapid and did not require the presence of Ca2+ or nerve stimulation. Binding was not prevented by protease inhibitors that lacked facilitatory actions. Prejunctional facilitatory toxins also augmented transmitter release in the chick oesophagus and the mouse vas deferens preparations. The effects were rapid in onset and could wane spontaneously. 125I-labelled dendrotoxin bound specifically to rat brain synaptosomes with a KD of about 3 nM. Binding was prevented by native dendrotoxin but not by beta-bungarotoxin or atropine. It is concluded that prejunctional facilitatory toxins affect transmitter release at many types of nerve endings in addition to motor nerve terminals. From consideration of the structures of active and inactive molecules, it is thought that binding of the active toxins may involve several exposed lysine residues.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Prototheca zopfii isolated from bovine intramammary infections.

In vitro antimicrobial susceptibility tests were carried out on 48 strains of Prototheca zopfii, an achlorophyllous algae causing refractory mastitis in dairy cows; 27 antimicrobials were evaluated. All strains were susceptible to both myxin and nystatin. In addition, 22 strains were susceptible to amphotericin B, 21 to polymyxin B, and 18 to gentamicin. Only 1 strain was susceptible to kanamycin. All strains were resistant to ampicillin, bacitracin, carbenicillin, cephalothin, chloramphenicol, clotrimazole, cloxacillin, erythromycin, flucytosine, ketoconazole, lincomycin, miconazole, neomycin, nitrofurazone, novobiocin, oleandomycin, penicillin, rifampin, streptomycin, tetracycline, and vancomycin.

Animals↗