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Biomedical subjects

B Gardner

Publications and source records attributed to B Gardner.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Alterations in the lipid and lipoprotein composition of prairie dogs fed a high cholesterol diet.

Cholesterol feeding induced a marked hypercholesterolemia with a significant change in the chemical composition of different lipid and lipoprotein fractions. The change of lipoprotein composition in the prairie dog resembles that of human hyper-beta-lipoproteinemia. It is assumed that the mechanism of gallstone formation in humans is not identical to that of the prairie dog. The absolute increase in the hepatic free cholesterol in the prairie dog is due to the dietary cholesterol while the relative increase in free cholesterol in humans is due to a high FC/EC which is probably due to a defect in cholesterol esterification or cholesterol ester hydrolyzing activity.

Animals↗

Relation of number of positive axillary nodes to the prognosis of patients with primary breast cancer. An NSABP update.

The current findings completely affirm the validity of our original observations indicating the appropriateness of grouping primary breast cancer patients into those with negative, 1 to 3, or greater than or equal to 4 positive nodes. Results, however, reveal that there is a risk in combining all patients with greater than or equal to 4 positive nodes into a single group. Since there was a 25% greater disease-free survival and an 18% greater survival in those with 4 to 6 than in those with greater than or equal to 13 positive axillary nodes, such a unification may provide misleading information regarding patient prognosis, as well as the worth of a therapeutic regimen when compared with another from a putatively similar patient population. Of particular interest were findings relating the conditional probability, i.e., the hazard rate, of a treatment failure or death each year during the 5-year period following operation to nodal involvement with tumor. Whereas the hazard rate for those with negative, or 1 to 3 positive nodes, was relatively low and constant, in those with greater than or equal to 4 positive nodes the risk in the early years was much greater, but by the fifth year it was similar to that occurring when 1-3 nodes were involved, and not much different from negative node patients. The same pattern existed whether 4 to 6 or greater than or equal to 13 nodes were positive. When the current findings are considered relative to other factors with predictive import, it is concluded that nodal status still remains the primary prognostic discriminant.

Axilla↗

The effects of patient delay and symptoms other than a lump on survival in breast cancer.

This study examined the relationship of survival in breast cancer to delay in treatment and the presence of symptoms. Data were analyzed for 664 patients diagnosed from 1975-1979 at 15 hospitals in Brooklyn, New York. Pathologic risk factors were defined to classify breast cancer into less (Class I) or more aggressive (Class III) disease. Delay and survival were not significantly associated among women diagnosed with Class I disease. Delay was associated with poor survival for patients with Class III disease (P less than 0.001). The presence of symptoms other than a lump was associated with longer delay and poorer survival in patients with Class II and III disease. These findings suggest that the contradictory relationship between delay and survival reported by others may be due to variations in the proportions of slow and fast growing tumors and that fast growing tumors must be treated promptly for a successful result.

Breast Neoplasms↗

Quantitative quality control of antiglobulin reagents.

Double antibody radioimmunoassays have been developed for the quantification of anti-IgG, anti-C3, anti-C3c, anti-C3d and anti-C4 antibodies and for the determination of their binding constants. Assays were undertaken on 53 polyspecific antiglobulin reagents obtained from a variety of commercial and public sources. Concentrations of anti-IgG varied from 1.2 to 12.8 micrograms/ml in commercial products and from 0.4 to 6.0 micrograms/ml in public products. Concentrations of anti-C3 and anti-C3c varied from 0.1 to 1.0 micrograms/ml in most commercial products but in public products concentrations varied by more than 100-fold from 0.02 to 6.5 micrograms/ml. Concentrations of anti-C3d varied from 0.05 to 0.7 micrograms/ml in most commercial products and from less than 0.01 to 1.3 micrograms/ml in public products. Concentrations of anti-C4 varied from less than 0.01 to 0.18 micrograms/ml in commercial products and from less than 0.01 to 0.08 micrograms/ml in public products. Mean binding constants for commercial products were: anti-IgG 6.6 x 10(9) l/mol, anti-C3 4.6 x 10(9) l/mol, anti-C3c 5.3 x 10(9) l/mol, anti-C3d 0.4 x 10(9) l/mol and anti-C4 4.9 x 10(9) l/mol. Relationships were found between results obtained in quantitative assays of specific antibodies and independently performed serological assessments of potency. Anti-IgG was present in suboptimal concentrations for agglutination in several public products and anti-C3 and anti-C3c were in suboptimal concentrations for agglutination in many public and commercial products.

Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic↗

Functional affinity constants of subfragments of immunoglobulin G for Clq.

The functional affinity constants for Clq of subfragments if IgG1 representing the C gamma 2 (c gamma 2III) region or the whole C gamma 3 region of Fc (pFc'), have been measured by examining the ability of these fragments to inhibit the interaction between radiolabelled Clq and glutaraldehyde-treated human erythrocytes or aggregated human IgG. The value of the functional affinity constant for the C gamma 2III fragment was the same as that for Fc and that determined previously for monomeric IgG, indicating that all the elements necessary for Clq binding are contained in a single C gamma 2 domain. The pFc' fragment was inactive but a more degraded trypsin fragment from this region, at C gamma 3, showed the same affinity of binding for Clq as the C gamma 2III and Fc. These results confirm earlier findings that it is not combination of residues in the C gamma 2 which bind Clq which is responsible for their activity but their accessibility.

Binding Sites↗

Characterization of serum and liver lipids of gallstone-forming humans.

Liver biopsy and serum specimens obtained from patients with cholesterol gallstones and from a control group were analysed for their different lipids and lipoprotein fractions. The ratio of free cholesterol to esterified cholesterol (CF/CE) was significantly (P less than 0.001) higher in the livers of gallstone-forming patients. There was no significant difference in the levels of total lipids, total cholesterol, phospholipids and glycerides. Beta-lipoprotein fraction (LDL) was higher in gallstone-forming patients. It is concluded that the decrease in esterified cholesterol of gallstone-formers may provide an important clue to an understanding of the physiology and chemistry of stone-formation in humans.

Cholelithiasis↗

Treatment of primary breast cancer with chemotherapy and tamoxifen.

We studied the possibility that the addition of tamoxifen to L-phenylalanine mustard combined with 5-fluorouracil enhances the benefit from the latter two drugs that has been observed in women with primary breast cancer and positive axillary nodes. Recurrence of disease was reduced at two years in patients given the three-drug regimen whose tumor estrogen-receptor levels were greater than or equal to 10 fmol. Among patients greater than or equal to 50 years old treatment failure was significantly reduced (P less than 0.001): by 51 per cent in those with one to three positive nodes and by 64 per cent in those with four or more. Higher receptor levels were associated with a greater probability of disease-free survival. Patients less than or equal to 49 years old were less responsive: those with one to three positive nodes received no benefit from tamoxifen at any receptor level, whereas those with four or more appeared to have reduced treatment failure associated with higher receptor levels. This adjuvant chemotherapy is not indicated in patients less than or equal to 49 years old whose tumor receptor levels are below 10 fmol; there is a suggestion of benefit in patients greater than or equal to 50 years old whose levels are low.

Age Factors↗

Survival following breast cancer surgery in the elderly.

A retrospective analysis was performed on a series of 780 patients with breast cancer who underwent surgery, with emphasis on survival in the 138 patients over 70 years of age (elderly group). Absolute survival rates were determined using life table methods. Relative survival figures were derived from absolute figures by adjusting for expected longevity in each group. Patients over 70 years of age had overall 5 and 10 year absolute survival rates of 54% and 41%, respectively, which did not differ significantly from survival rates of younger patients. Relative five-year survival rates for the elderly were actually higher than those of younger patients, being 90% for those with local disease and 65% for those with regional disease. Survival in the elderly was comparable to that of younger patients, irrespective of race, type of surgery, histology or tumor size. These findings support the conclusion that there is little justification for avoiding conventional operative treatment in elderly patients with breast cancer solely on the basis of advanced age.

Age Factors↗

Tracheal or esophageal compression due to benign thyroid disease.

Tracheal or esophageal compression was present in 91 (33 percent) of 273 consecutive patients with benign goiter during a 7 year experience. The underlying disease was nodular colloid goiter in 66 percent, adenoma in 21 percent, thyroiditis in 9 percent and Graves' disease in 4 percent. The incidence of tracheoesophageal compression was higher in patients with thyroiditis (67 percent) than in those with colloid goiter (46 percent). Thirty of 91 patients were completely asymptomatic but had marked tracheal deviation on roentgenography. Two thirds presented with significant dyspnea, or dysphagia or both. A long history of goiter preceding the onset of symptoms and progressive worsening of compression symptoms after its onset were common in the latter group. Previous radiographs demonstrating significant tracheal deviation during a previous presymptomatic period were available in 11 of 36 dyspneic patients. Sudden tracheal occlusion developed in 3 percent and required emergency treatment. Tracheal compression occurred more often and when present was a more ominous symptom. Compression manifestations were more frequent in patients with multinodular goiter, were more likely to appear when the underlying disorder was thyroiditis affected the tracheal more often than the esophagus and were generally gradually progressive with time. A clinical spectrum ranging from a presymptomatic tracheal compression stage to one wherein progressive worsening of symptoms occurs is suggested. After symptoms of tracheal compression become clinically manifest, the occurrence of complete airway occlusion may be sudden and unpredictable. Early operation whenever roentgenographic evidence of tracheal deviation becomes manifest is recommended.

Adolescent↗

The use of danazol for ureteral obstruction caused by endometriosis.

We report 2 successfully treated cases of unilateral obstruction owing to endometriosis. Treatment consisted of danazol alone in 1 case and surgical freeing of the obstructed ureter in the other. Danazol alone can reverse completely ureteral obstruction caused by endometriosis but if secondary fibrosis has occurred surgical treatment may be necessary. This is the first case reported of complete resolution of unilateral ureteral obstruction owing to endometriosis using danazol therapy alone.

Adult↗

The influence of age upon the survival of adult patients with carcinoma of the colon.

Five hundred adult patients with carcinoma of colon were studied to determine the relationship between age and prognosis. Regardless of the stage of disease or curative or palliative operation, younger patients had a better prognosis. Deaths after three years postresection were usually due to associated disease, which probably accounts for the poorer prognosis in the older patient. The poor prognosis frequently reported in young patients with carcinoma of the colon usually applies to those less than 25 years of age who may have a different form of the disease.

Adult↗

Effect of triiodothyronine and reserpine on induction and growth of mammary tumors in rats by 3-methylcholanthrene.

This study was designed to investigate the effects of exogenous L-triiodothyronine (LT3) and reserpine administration on the induction and stimulation of 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC) mammary tumors. Two hundred-fifty-eight 30-day-old virgin 100 gm Sprague Dawley rats were divided into eight groups. Groups I-IV received either reserpine, LT3, both, or saline 22 days after tumor induction with 3-MC. Groups V-VIII were pretreated with either reserpine, LT3, or both for 29 days prior to tumor induction, and treatment was continued after tumor induction in all except Group VII. All rats were observed for tumor growth and sacrificed at seven months. Reserpine administration resulted in a protective effect against tumor induction in all groups in which it was used, with the most striking effects observed in the pretreated groups. Early LT3 stimulation of tumor formation was reversed by simultaneous administration of reserpine. Prolonged administration was unnecessary when both agents were administered prior to 3-methylcholanthrene.

Animals↗

Production of human IgM anti-D in tissue culture by EB-virus-transformed lymphocytes.

Lymphocytes obtained from two donors who were producing anti-D were transformed with Epstein-Barr virus and grown in tissue culture. The lymphoblasts from both donors produced anti-D antibody, which agglutinated Rh-positive cells in saline. Both antibodies belonged to the IgM class; the concentration of anti-D in the culture fluid from one of the donors was approximately 250--500 ng/ml and bound firmly to Rh-positive cells with a functional affinity constant of approximately 1 x 10(9) M-1.

ABO Blood-Group System↗

Training by threat.

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Education, Medical↗