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Biomedical subjects

B Morris

Publications and source records attributed to B Morris.

158 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Oxidative damage to protein and alterations to antioxidant levels in human cutaneous thermal injury.

Evidence that oxygen free radicals may be contributory to further tissue damage in the events following cutaneous thermal injury supports a role for interventional therapy using antioxidants. However, previous work has relied almost entirely on animal-based models with little clinical information available. Also, methods used to support an oxidative role in thermal injury have relied almost exclusively upon the use of lipid peroxidation studies. Further work substantiating a contributory role of free radicals is therefore required using additional methodology before considering antioxidant therapy aimed at retarding tissue damage. We investigated general oxidative damage to protein in burn blister fluid by quantifying the protein carbonyl levels from 11 patients admitted with superficial or partial thickness burns. Total antioxidant capacity was also assessed, together with measurement of protein and the antioxidants uric acid and bilirubin. Data were compared with values obtained for serum in healthy volunteers. Following thermal injury, burn blister fluid protein carbonyl level was increased by almost 50 per cent (P = 0.005) compared with normal serum. Antioxidant scavenging capacity, protein and bilirubin were all significantly reduced, but uric acid unaltered compared with control values. The present data support a role for oxidative damage in cutaneous thermal injury.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Suppression of the contact hypersensitivity response following topical exposure to 2-butoxyethanol in female BALB/c mice.

The effects of route of exposure, time of exposure and metabolism of 2-butoxyethanol (BE) on the contact hypersensitivity response (CHR) were evaluated in female BALB/c mice. Mice were either orally exposed to 50, 150 or 400 mg BE/kg or topically exposed to 0.25, 1.0, 4.0 or 16.0 mg BE on the ear and the oxazolone (OXA)-induced CHR evaluated by measuring ear thickness before and after OXA challenge. While no modulation was observed following oral exposure to BE, topical exposure resulted in a significant decrease in the CHR. Application of 4.0 mg BE in 4:1 acetone and olive oil (AOO) vehicle at the time of sensitization, challenge or both, decreased the CHR by 18%, 18% and 22%, respectively. A time course study of the effects of topical exposure to 4.0 mg BE/ear during the challenge phase of the CHR revealed that BE must be applied at the time of OXA challenge to significantly reduce the ear swelling response. In order to determine if metabolism of topically applied BE was required for suppression of the CHR, butoxyacetic acid (BAA), the primary metabolite of BE, was applied to the ear immediately following OXA challenge. No topical dose of BAA (2.0,4.0 and 8.0 mg BAA/ear) administered in this study altered the CHR. Blocking the metabolism of BE by oral administration of 4-methylpyrazole (MP), further reduced OXA-induced ear swelling when compared to mice exposed to BE without MP treatment. Taken together, these studies indicated that suppression of the CHR in mice following topical exposure to this glycol ether was due to the activity of BE itself and was not dependent on metabolic activation of the compound. Further studies were undertaken to identify a potential mechanism of BE-induced reduction of the CHR. Epidermal cells from untreated BALB/c mice were isolated and exposed to BE in vitro (10(-12), 10(-10), 10(-8), 10(-6) and l0(-4) M BE). In vitro exposure to BE at these concentrations did not significantly affect expression of MHC class II surface protein or protein synthesis in epidermal Langerhans cells, failing to provide in vitro evidence that BE-associated suppression of the CHR is associated with a reduction in MHC class II expression.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A comparative analysis of Mhc DRB3 polymorphism in the American bison (Bison bison).

The degree of genetic polymorphism at the DRB3 locus in the major histocompatibility complex (Mhc) of the North American bison was investigated by PCR and DNA sequence analysis. Nine different alleles were characterized in a selected sample of 20 animals. The genetic distances between alleles were as large as usually found at highly polymorphic Mhc loci in other species. A comparative analysis of the DRB3 polymorphism in bison and cattle revealed an extensive sharing of sequence motifs. The result clearly shows a transspecies persistence of DRB3 allelic lineages in the two species. Consequently a significant amount of Mhc polymorphism has been maintained through the population bottleneck that bison experienced in the late nineteenth century. An analysis of the pattern of sequence polymorphism among bison and cattle DRB3 alleles strongly suggested that interallelic recombination has contributed significantly to the generation of allelic diversity at this locus.

Alleles↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Echinococcus granulosus in wildlife in and around the Kosciuszko National Park, south-eastern Australia.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the distribution of Echinococcus granulosus in wild dogs and foxes and hydatidosis in wildlife coexisting with foxes and wild dogs in and around Kosciuszko National Park. DESIGN: Prospective and ad hoc surveys by necropsy of definitive and intermediate hosts. PROCEDURE: Wild dogs and foxes were trapped at one location in the Kosciuszko National Park and at 7 locations around the periphery of the Park. Feral pigs, macropodid marsupials, wombats, and feral goats were collected at some of the same locations. The animals were humanely killed, their small intestines removed in the field, the contents collected, preserved and examined microscopically. All internal organs of intermediate hosts were examined for hydatid cysts. Unidentified lesions were examined histologically. RESULTS: Echinococcus granulosus tapeworms were found in wild dogs from all locations. Prevalence ranged up to 100% with worm burdens up to 300,000 worms. Prevalence in foxes ranged up to 50% in animals recovered from 5 locations. The worm burdens were usually less than 50 E. granulosus per fox. Hydatid cysts were found in all macropodid species. Prevalence (69%) and cyst fertility (100%) were highest in swamp wallabies (Wallabia bicolour). Prevalence of cysts in feral pigs ranged up to 49%. Less than 22% of the cysts were fertile. No cysts were found in any of the wombats or feral goats. CONCLUSION: Echinococcus granulosus occurs commonly in wildlife in and around the Kosciuszko National Park. High numbers of fertile cysts in swamp wallabies, a favoured dietary item for wild dogs in this region, suggests swamp wallabies are pivotal in maintaining transmission. Physical contact with wild dogs and foxes or accidental contact with wild canid faeces is a public health risk.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A case of aural myiasis in Australia.

A case of aural myiasis that involved Calliphora nociva in an 18-month-old boy is reported. This is thought to be its first documentation. Medical practitioners are encouraged to preserve entomological material from all cases of human myiasis so as to improve the knowledge of the species which are responsible for the condition in Australia.

Australia↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of stings of Australian native bees.

Five cases of stings by native bees are reported. The reactions were various and include a fatality as a result of the sting of a presumed Lasioglossum sp. (Halictidae). The effects of stings from Lasioglossum spp., Homalictus dotatus (Cockerell) (Halictidae), and Euryglossa cf adelaidae Cockerell (Colletidae) are described. The rarity of severe allergic reactions to native bees and the rarity of stings by the same species makes a programme of immunotherapy inappropriate.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Witness protection.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Emergency Service, Hospital↗
PubMedDate not supplied

An intragastric trichobezoar: computerised tomographic appearance.

A 26-year-old lady presented with a history of abdominal pain and distension since two months. The ultrasound examination showed an epigastric mass, which was delineated as a filling defect in the stomach on barium studies. The computerised tomographic scan showed a gastric mass with pockets of air in it, without post-contrast enhancement. This case highlights the characteristic appearance on computerised tomography of a bezoar within the stomach, a feature that is not commonly described in medical literature.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of two transdermal nitroglycerin systems: Transderm-Nitro and Nitro-Dur.

Sixty-four patients with stable angina pectoris were enrolled in a four-week, multicenter, office-based study to compare the adhesive properties of an patients' preferences for two transdermal nitroglycerin systems, Transderm-Nitro (TDN) and Nitro-Dur (ND). Each patient simultaneously wore one 0.2 mg/hr (formerly 5 mg/24 hr) TDN patch and one 0.2 mg/hr ND patch. At the first and last study visits, patients completed questionnaires that assessed preferences based on ease of application, handling, and removal; ease of removing the backing; overall adhesion; adhesion under certain conditions; comfort; curling or rolling; and skin irritation. Each day of the study, patients recorded the number of anginal episodes experienced, frequency of sublingual nitroglycerin use, patch adhesion, and problems at the sites of application or any other medical problems. Differences in adhesive properties were statistically significant in favor of TDN over ND (P less than or equal to 0.001). Of the TDN patches, 98.5% adhered completely, compared with 81.8% of the ND patches. No serious or unexpected adverse reactions occurred. Overall, patients preferred TDN to ND by a statistically significant margin (P = 0.0002).

Adhesives↗