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Biomedical subjects

B O'Keefe

Publications and source records attributed to B O'Keefe.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Urban diffuse sources of faecal indicators.

Increasing concern about bathing water quality in Scotland has led to renewed interest in diffuse sources, as well as the already closely monitored municipal sewage effluents and combined sewer overflows (CSOs) that have been the subject of multi-million pound capital expenditure schemes for several years. Early investigations of diffuse sources focused on rural land uses. This paper is an initial effort to consider the possible significance of urban diffuse sources. A review of the potential for diffuse urban sources includes consideration of sewage pollution in surface water sewers, as well as non-human sources such as pigeon and other bird roosts, and faecal material from pets such as dogs and cats. Portobello beach in Edinburgh is the case study selected, because of earlier work done by Scottish Water and SEPA. The Figgate Burn crosses Edinburgh to discharge onto the beach at Portabello, and pollution sources in its catchment are described. Additional information is reported from Dunfermline, where the sewer network has provided examples of three ways in which sewage pollution can occur in urban streams, and also Scottish examples of measures to control some non-human sources (e.g. SUDS).

Animals↗
PubMed2002

The use of local accident and emergency injury surveillance to monitor the impact of a lay safety community programme.

To study prospectively the injury patterns in under 14 year olds presenting to casualty. To use this information to assess the impact of a local Community Childhood Accident Prevention Project (CCAPP) Prospective injury surveillance was collected on all attendees under 14 years of age. Casualty attendance for the members of the Safety Club and matched controls were analysed. Of the 4,267 attendees there was the expected male predominance. 2,261 (53%) of injuries occurred at home, 574 (13.5%) on the road, 553 (13%) at school with 202 (4.7%) during sports. Priority areas noted were high falls > 1 metre, road accidents, burns and poisonings. Those participating in the program demonstrated significantly (p-value < 0.05) reduced admission rates and head injury rates when compared to non-participants. The above database allows us to analyse injury patterns and to assess the success of an EU-sponsored local injury prevention campaign in areas of high social deprivation.

Accident Prevention↗
PubMed1994

Computer assisted serum/biological fluid storage: hemophilia serum/plasma bank.

Samples are drawn from hemophiliacs to retrieve plasma and serum for testing and storage. The samples for testing are tested and the results compiled using a database computer program. The samples for storage are coded and stored at -70 degrees C under controlled conditions. The location of the samples is then entered into the database computer program. The results of the tests, or the stored sample location, can be easily retrieved using the computer.

Blood Banks↗
PubMed1990

The antiphospholipid syndrome: prevalence among patients with stroke and transient ischemic attacks.

PURPOSE: The prevalence of the antiphospholipid syndrome was determined prospectively in patients presenting with stroke and transient ischemic attacks. An attempt was made to define a subset of stroke patients at risk for this syndrome on the basis of their clinical features. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty-one consecutive patients with stroke and transient ischemic attacks were assessed. Tests used for the laboratory diagnosis of the antiphospholipid syndrome included four phospholipid-dependent coagulation tests for detection of the lupus anticoagulant, and two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for antibodies to phospholipid. RESULTS: Three of 51 patients (6%, 95% confidence intervals 0% to 12.0%) had a lupus anticoagulant and the clinical features of the antiphospholipid syndrome. Seven patients had clinical features suggestive of the syndrome but negative laboratory tests. Those patients who were clinically unlikely to have this syndrome also had negative laboratory tests. CONCLUSION: In a series of 51 unselected patients presenting with stroke and transient ischemic attacks, three had the antiphospholipid syndrome. The clinical features of this syndrome are helpful in identifying this group of patients. The role of the lupus anticoagulant in the pathogenesis of stroke remains to be defined.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Sensitivity of the thrombin clotting time and activated partial thromboplastin time to low level of antithrombin III during heparin therapy.

The thrombin clotting time (TCT) has been used at our institution, along with the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), for monitoring heparin therapy. We have observed that, in some patients, a discrepancy develops between the heparin levels predicted by the TCT and the aPTT with the TCT consistently predicting a lower heparin level than the aPTT. An inverse relationship was noted between the functional antithrombin III (AT-III) level and the magnitude of this discrepancy.

Antithrombin III↗
PubMed1984

'Normal' haemostasis parameters: a study in a well-defined inborn population of preterm infants.

Coagulation studies were performed in a well-defined inborn population of preterm neonates in cord blood and arterial blood obtained at age 48 h. Eighty infants fulfilled all the inclusion criteria. Our results show an increase in the hepatic vitamin K1 dependent and independent factors with postnatal age. The APTT became shorter, the factor II-VII-X, alpha 2-antiplasmin, plasminogen activities and fibrinogen level rose with increasing postnatal age. We found no change in the platelet parameters measured with postnatal age except that the megathrombocyte index was increased at age 48 h in infants less than 29 weeks gestation. There was little change with gestational age of any factors except the vitamin K1 dependent factors. Factor II-VII-X activity rose and the APTT became shorter with increasing gestational age. Many of the haemostasis results did not fall within the normal adult range. We discuss the significance of 'abnormal' and 'normal' results in preterm infants.

Blood Coagulation↗
PubMed1984

Intraventricular haemorrhage and haemostasis defects.

Twenty five of 106 preterm infants of 34 weeks' gestation or less developed intraventricular haemorrhage within the first 48 hours of life. A comparison of infants with and without intraventricular haemorrhage showed no significant differences in their haemostatic parameters at birth. At age 48 hours the group with intraventricular haemorrhage showed a prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time and reduced factor II, VII, and X activity. There was a significant correlation between the severity of intraventricular haemorrhage and the degree of haemostasis abnormality both in cord blood and in blood obtained at age 48 hours. Those infants sustaining grade IV intraventricular haemorrhage had a significantly prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time, reduced factor II, VII, and X activity; and a decreased fibrinogen concentration at birth. At age 48 hours these defects were accompanied by reduced platelet counts and an increased megathrombocyte index. Although intraventricular haemorrhage is multifactorial, we postulate that correction of haemostasis abnormalities at birth may prevent progression to more severe grades of haemorrhage.

Blood Coagulation Disorders↗
PubMed1983

Lymphocyte migration in inbred Syrian hamsters with acute measles virus encephalitis.

The migratory pattern of 51Cr-labeled adult lymphocytes, as measured by 51Cr concentration in various tissues, was followed in inbred weanling Syrian hamsters infected intracranially with measles virus. Donor-labeled lymphocytes were inoculated intracardially into infected and control recipients. Increased passage of labeled lymphocytes across the blood-brain barrier was first seen on day 3 post virus inoculation and 1 day prior to development of clinical signs of acute measles encephalitis. 51Cr concentration in the brain increased progressively along with neurologic signs until the death of the hamsters. Aberration of lymphocyte migration peripherally, manifested by reduced presence of labeled cells in lymph nodes and spleen, first occurred 4 days post virus inoculation in those hamsters with clinical signs of disease. By days 5 and 6 post virus inoculation, the concentration of 51Cr in lymph nodes was 30% and 20%, respectively, of that in lymph nodes of control hamsters. Concentration of labeled lymphocytes in lymph nodes and spleen of the occasional virus-inoculated animal that appeared clinically well at time of autopsy was always greater than that in ill hamsters, and was closer to and sometimes equal to the concentration in the corresponding tissues of control hamsters. Thus, increased passage of labeled lymphocytes into the brain and decreased recovery of labeled lymphocytes in lymph nodes and spleen occurred concomitantly with increased neurologic signs of disease. No differences in presence of labeled cells in other tissues tested (liver, lung, thymus and blood) between infected and control hamsters were noted. Labeled lymphocytes from either measles virus or ovalbumin-immunized donors appeared to pass more readily into the brains of ill recipients than labeled lymphocytes from unimmunized donors.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Cell-mediated cytotoxicity toward measles virus-infected target cells in randomly bred Syrian hamsters.

Cell-mediated cytotoxicity (CMC) toward measles virus-infected cells was studied by a (51)Cr release assay with spleen cells from hamsters inoculated with measles virus (strain Lec) or control antigen and with spleen cells from normal hamsters. Spleen cells from measles virus-inoculated hamsters showed greater CMC toward infected than toward noninfected target cells (designated specific CMC). Specific CMC was maximal 7 days after virus inoculation and was declining by 9 to 10 days. Effector cells were present in a nonadherent cell population. Specific CMC was reduced after treatments of effector cells with antithymocyte serum plus complement. The decrease in cytotoxicity was greater toward infected target cells than toward noninfected target cells. Treatment of infected target cells with antimeasles serum did not increase specific CMC by effector cells from the majority of virus-inoculated hamsters. CMC toward infected target cells by normal spleen cells (natural killer cells) or spleen cells from hamsters inoculated with control antigen was approximately the same as, or more often less than, CMC toward noninfected target cells. Natural killer cells were present in a nonadherent cell population. Treatment of natural killer cells with antithymocyte serum plus complement caused a similar decrease in cytotoxicity toward both infected and noninfected target cells. This study demonstrated virus-specific cellular cytotoxicity of effector spleen cells from measles virus-inoculated hamsters. Although the data were compatible with T cells as the source of effector cells in the virus-specific CMC, definitive identification could not be made. Additional membrane markers for better characterization of hamster lymphocyte subpopulations are required.

Animals↗