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Biomedical subjects

C Cornell

Publications and source records attributed to C Cornell.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Pseudohyperphosphataemia in patients with multiple myeloma.

The phosphate concentrations were measured in 41 patients who had multiple myeloma with paraproteinaemia using four different methods to compare the incidence of pseudohyperphosphataemia. The direct acid/molybdate method produced the highest number of anomalous results. The erroneously high phosphate concentration was attributable to the presence of turbidity in the reaction mixture. No association was found between paraprotein type and occurrence of turbidity. The direct acid/molybdate method was unreliable in patients with serum paraproteins and should therefore not be used for the measurement of phosphate concentration in such patients.

Biochemistry↗
PubMed1991

Abnormally-fucosylated haptoglobin: a cancer marker for tumour burden but not gross liver metastasis.

A previous study has shown that there are high levels of an abnormally-fucosylated form of haptoglobin (FHp) in the blood of cancer patients (Thompson & Turner, 1987b). In this study, we investigated the expression of this substance in serial blood specimens from women with ovarian or breast cancer who were undergoing cytotoxic chemotherapy. The level of FHp was related to patient response to therapy status, this latter index being an indirect determination of tumour burden. FHp levels did not correlate with gross liver metastasis (as shown by CT scans or the blood levels of liver enzymes). This conclusion was further supported by results from patients with hepatocellular cancer. FHp was elevated in most of these patients, but the pattern of change did not correlate with variations in the level of the hepatoma marker, alpha-foetoprotein. It seems likely that FHp is produced by the liver. Primary and secondary tumours could release substances, such as cytokines, which interfere with fucose metabolism in the liver.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

How we solved the overcrowding problem in our emergency department.

Overcrowding in emergency departments presents serious problems to both patients and hospital staff. At Scarborough (Ontario) General Hospital this problem was becoming potentially dangerous until a hospital committee instituted a series of changes that dramatically improved the situation. A geriatrician was appointed to assess and care for the increasing number of elderly and chronic care patients. The beds in various services were reallocated, and more beds were given to the medical service. Surgeons agreed to perform more surgery on an outpatient basis, and the Short-Stay and Ambulatory Procedures units were expanded to handle more procedures. In addition, the implementation of a physician-managed admission system ensured the appropriate admission of patients. The entire system is monitored, and the committee meets regularly to deal with any problems.

Crowding↗
PubMed1989

Omental angiogenic lipid fraction and bone repair. An experimental study in the rat.

A lipid material extracted from the omentum has previously been shown to contain a potent angiogenetic activator (20), capable of creating intense vasoproliferation in traumatized tissues (19). This study was undertaken to analyze the efficacy of local administration of this omental lipid fraction on osseous vascularization and bone repair. An osteoperiosteal segmental femoral defect in the rat was replaced by a demineralized allogenic bone graft exposed to continuous local delivery of omental lipid via an implanted miniosmotic pump. Saline solution delivered in the same way served as a control. Neovascularization and bone formation in the transplant were quantitatively evaluated by means of dynamic radioisotopic bone imaging, radiographic photodensitometry, microangiography, and biomechanical testing. Compared with the control group, the omental lipid angiogenic fraction-treated specimens showed an 80% overall increase (p less than 0.001) in bone density as well as a twofold increase (p less than 0.001) in regional blood perfusion, maximal at 2 weeks following surgery. At 12 weeks, biomechanical testing demonstrated significantly higher union rate (p less than 0.05) and strength (p less than 0.01) in the treated specimens as compared with the controls. These data demonstrate that the omental lipid fraction factor has potent angiogenic properties that enhance bone blood perfusion and bone regeneration.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed1988

Urinary protein and enzyme excretion in patients receiving chemotherapy with the cis-platinum analogs carboplatin (CBDCA, JM8) and iproplatin (CHIP, JM9).

Urinary protein and enzyme excretion was measured in 33 patients with solid tumours receiving chemotherapy with the cis-platinum analogs carboplatin (JM8, CBDCA) and iproplatin (JM9, CHIP). The patients were given up to six courses of the drugs at 4-week intervals, and serial urine samples were collected weekly for periods up to 28 weeks. Overall there was no significant increase in the alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LD), and N-acetyl glucosaminidase (NAG) excretion of the first posttreatment samples compared with the pretreatment samples. During the course of treatment there were transient increases in all three enzymes, some quite marked. There was no consistent increase in urinary protein or enzyme excretion during the period of treatment, suggesting that there was no cumulative nephrotoxicity. There was no change in creatinine clearance or urinary beta 2-microglobulin content. Iproplatin appeared marginally more toxic on the basis of elevated NAG and ALP during the second half of the treatment periods compared with the first (P less than 0.01 and less than 0.025, respectively).

Acetylglucosaminidase↗
PubMed1987

Differential reactivity of alpha-fetoprotein with lectins and its usefulness in the diagnosis of various liver diseases.

Serum from 38 patients with liver disease and elevated serum AFP concentration was subjected to affinity chromatography on concanavalin A (Con A) and lentil lectin. More than 70% of the serum AFP of the 18 patients with primary liver cancer (PLC) or the 12 patients with cirrhosis or chronic active hepatitis (BLD) bound to Con A, less than 70% of the serum AFP of 8 patients with metastatic liver disease (MLD) bound to Con A. On the other hand less than 20% of the serum AFP of the BLD patients but more than 20% of the serum AFP of the PLC or MLD patients bound to lentil lectin. Thus reactivity of serum AFP towards Con A and lentil lectin provides a simple test that can be used in the differential diagnosis of BLD, PLC and MLD.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Serum human pancreatic elastase I levels in pancreatic disease.

The serum elastase concentration has been measured in 25 healthy individuals, sixteen patients with tumours involving the pancreas, nine patients with acute pancreatitis and nine patients with chronic pancreatitis. The elastase concentrations were increased in those with pancreatic tumours particularly when the head of the pancreas was involved. In acute pancreatitis, the serum elastase showed a proportionally greater increase than did the serum amylase and maintained abnormal levels for a longer period. In six out of nine patients with chronic pancreatitis the serum elastase level was within the reference range for healthy individuals.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

An initial appraisal of the value of serum carbohydrate antigenic determinant (CA 19-9) levels in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Serum CA 19-9 levels have been determined in 20 patients with pancreatic cancer, 18 patients with primary hepatocellular cancer, 15 patients with metastatic liver disease and 10 patients with colorectal cancer. Market elevations 3 times the upper limit of normal were found in all 20 patients with pancreatic cancer, 10 out of 15 with metastatic liver disease and 7 out of 18 with hepatoma. As serum AFP and CEA levels are normal in those with pancreatic cancer, the serum CA 19-9 level provides a sensitive and specific test for this malignancy.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

Assessment of serum CA 19.9 as a tumour marker in patients with carcinoma of the bladder and prostate.

CA 19.9, a carbohydrate structure definable by a monoclonal antibody, is a useful tumour marker in the serum of patients with gastrointestinal malignancy. We report for the first time an assessment of its value in patients with cancer of the bladder and prostate. Elevated levels were found in six of 12 patients with invasive or metastatic bladder cancer but in only two of eight patients with superficial tumours. All patients with cancer of the prostate had levels within the normal range. A long-term study of its value in monitoring disease activity in patients with cancer of the bladder is warranted.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗
PubMed1987

Initial assessment of tumor-associated antigen CA-125 in patients with ovarian, cervical, and testicular tumors.

Serum CA-125, a glycoprotein antigen, has been measured in serum of patients with ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, or nonseminomatous germ-cell tumor of testis. Increased concentrations were found in 21 of 27 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer and two of three patients with ovarian teratoma. Changes in CA-125 concentrations in serum during chemotherapy mirrored the progress of the disease as assessed by clinical and radiological evidence. Although CA-125 provides no real asset for diagnosis, it should have value as a marker for monitoring response to chemotherapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Serial serum AFP heterogeneity changes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma during chemotherapy.

Serum alpha fetoprotein (AFP) is heterogeneous, one form binding to the lectin concanavalin A (conA) and the other not. The relative amounts, of the two forms in the serum of patients has diagnostic applications in differentiating between primary hepato-cellular carcinoma and metastatic liver disease. In 36 patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma, the conA-nonreactive form of AFP comprised less than 20% of the total (range 1.6%-19.2%; median 8.7%), whereas in 13 patients with metastatic liver disease the conA-nonreactive form comprised more than 20% of the total (range 26.6%-91.7%; median 57.6%). Four patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma were treated with CB3717, and serial changes in the serum AFP characteristics were examined. In two patients in whom the total serum AFP concentration fell, the percentage of the conA-nonreactive fraction, initially less than 20% rose steadily. In two other patients the total serum AFP did not fall significantly and the proportion of the conA-nonreactive fraction remained below 20%.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗
PubMed1979

A comparative study of a BCNU containing 4-drug program versus MOPP versus 3-drug combinations in advanced Hodgkin's disease: a cooperative study by the Cancer and Leukemia Group B.

A prospective randomized trial by CALGB examined the relative value of four chemotherapy regimens in 537 patients with stage III B and IV Hodgkin's disease. A new combination BOPP, derived by substitution of BCNU for nitrogen mustard in the MOPP regimen, was compared to MOPP and to two 3-drug regimens, derived by removing the procarbazine in BOPP (BOP) or removing the alkylating agent (OPP). The 4-drug programs gave significantly higher frequency of complete remissions (BOPP 67%, MOPP 63%) than the 3-drug regimens (BOP 40%, OPP 42%), and significantly longer duration of remission and survival. BOPP had a therapeutic activity equal to MOPP, and was accompanied by less toxicity. After 6 cycles of induction chemotherapy, responding patients, both CR and PR, were continued on maintenance chemotherapy for 3 years. No significant difference in relapse rate was demonstrated following maintenance treatment with either vinblastine, chlorambucil, or chlorambucil plus monthly vincristine + prednisone doses. Nor could a reinforcement phase late in the maintenance program be shown to influence the relapse rate. The median survival for all patients entered on the 4-drug programs was 5 years, while the median has not yet been reached at 6 years for those patients, who obtained CR.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Increased nuclear size in BHK21 cells after treatment with non-toxic levels of calf thymus histones.

The effect of treatment with either whole calf thymus histones, or individually isolated histones, or polyarginine, or polylysine, on the nuclear size of BHK21 cells has been investigated. Incubation of the cells with mixed histones (12.5--44 microgram/ml) for 1 h considerably increased nuclear size. Increasing the histone concentration and/or the incubation time resulted in a decrease in the effect and could result in no change in nuclear size. Treatment of the cells with polyarginine or polylysine did not affect nuclear size. Experiments with individually isolated histones showed that the nuclear size effect was almost exclusively due to the histone H4. It is argued that the changes observed most likely resulted from interaction of H4 with the nucleus, and could reflect the properties of this particular histone molecule.

Animals↗