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Biomedical subjects

C Harrison

Publications and source records attributed to C Harrison.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Reporting of cases of non-accidental injury: a survey of parents' responses.

Parental responses to the process of referral to statutory bodies because of their child's suspected non-accidental injury were obtained using the questionnaire method. The results were analysed in terms of their demographic details, subsequent social and emotional adjustment together with an evaluation of parental perception of the service they received. Parents' reported some positive outcomes as a result of the referral, but the majority of responses highlighted the need to develop a model of investigation that offers more emotional support to parents, giving them more and better information and allowing their point of view to be heard and respected.

Australia↗
PubMed1994

Heterogeneity analysis in 40 X-linked retinitis pigmentosa families.

Analysis of genetic heterogeneity in 40 kindreds with X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP), with 20 polymorphic markers, showed that significant heterogeneity is present (P = .001) and that 56% of kindreds are of RP3 type and that 26% are of RP2 type. The location of the RP3 locus was found to be 0.4 cM distal to OTC in the Xp21.1 region, and that of the RP2 locus was 6.5 cM proximal to DXS7 in Xp11.2-p11.3. Bayesian probabilities of linkage to RP2, RP3, or to neither locus were calculated. This showed that 20 of 40 kindreds could be assigned to one or the other locus, with a probability > .70 (14 kindreds with RP3 and 6 kindreds with RP2 disease). A further three kindreds were found to be unlinked to either locus, with a probability > .8. The remaining 17 kindreds could not be classified unambiguously. This highlights the difficulty of classifying families in the presence of genetic heterogeneity, where the two loci are separated by an estimated 16 cM.

Bayes Theorem↗
PubMed1992

An outbreak of gastro-intestinal illness caused by eggs containing Salmonella enteritidis phage type 4.

Seven of nine people developed gastro-intestinal symptoms between 18 and 27 h after eating a trifle with a topping containing raw eggs. Salmonella enteritidis Phage Type (PT) 4 was isolated both from the faeces of affected persons and from eggs remaining in the same box as those used to prepare the topping. The findings show that eggs being produced and sold in the U.K. still contain S. enteritidis PT4 and that this is continuing to cause human infection.

Child↗
PubMed1991

Perioperative nursing on the Amazon River. An experience that made a difference.

We held a conference at the end of the team's visit. We concluded that there was a continuum of learning in both directions from both countries. Some of the problems and frustrations in medicine are the same worldwide. Leaving the US medical system to work in a remote area is a fascinating and exciting experience. Clean water, electricity, transportation, and food are not taken for granted in this area of the world. The next decade in an area like this holds many different plans, hopes, and projects. Nothing can be taken for granted. All that has been developed could be lost tomorrow. What we do makes a difference, whether it is in the jungles of Brazil or an OR in the United States. To see the health of the general population so markedly improved from our previous visit emphasized that point. Your skills as an OR nurse can be translated to other countries. An instrument may have a different name, but the use is the same. Operating room nursing on the Amazon River is the same, and it is different. You can and do make a difference to your patients each day. We found that the difference is less subtle in an area that has so little.

Brazil↗
PubMed1991

Extracellular organelles (prostasomes) are immunosuppressive components of human semen.

Numerous reports have ascribed immunosuppressive activity to human seminal plasma and there is growing agreement that much of this activity can be accounted for by the very high levels of E series prostaglandins present (up to 300 microM 19-hydroxy prostaglandin E). However not all suppressive activity is due to prostaglandin since several reports have appeared of high molecular weight active substances and we have found that stripped seminal plasma is still effective in inhibiting the mitogen-induced proliferation of lymphocytes. In this study such immunosuppressive activity has been separated by molecular size fractionation and the activity has been found to be particulate and corresponded to the previously reported prostasomes. These are trilaminar to multilaminar vesicles (150 nm diameter) which are secreted by the prostate. Pure preparations of prostasomes inhibited mitogen-induced lymphoproliferation in a dose-dependent manner with a concentration of prostasomes equivalent to 40% of that seen in seminal fluid giving 69% suppression of thymidine incorporation. The suppressive activity survived boiling and therefore was unlikely to be due to enzymatic action associated with these organelles. Interaction with the accessory cells, involved in full development of the lymphoproliferation induced by mitogen, was indicated and this possibility was supported by the demonstration of a direct effect of prostasomes on macrophage function using a mouse macrophage cell line. The prostasomes in semen may play a complementary role to the prostaglandins in neutralizing the immune defences of the female reproductive tract. This combination would allow the alloantigenic spermatozoa the best chance of achieving fertilization, but at the same time leave the recipient open to any infection present in the semen.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1990

Functional studies of bone marrow haemopoietic and stromal cells in the myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).

Long-term bone marrow culture (LTBMC) was used to investigate the proliferative behaviour of marrow cells from a spectrum of cases of the myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), and the results compared with those obtained in the conventional short-term clonal assay. Two broad patterns of growth were revealed in LTBMC. In one group the incidence of haemopoietic progenitor cells steadily declined to abnormally low levels at 4 weeks, while in a second group they were maintained near normal levels for periods of up to 7 weeks. These growth patterns, which were not predictable from clonogenic assays on the marrow cells prior to LTBMC, or from the morphology of the bone marrow, may reflect the stage of evolution of the disease. Further studies of clonality are required to establish whether or not patients exhibiting the second pattern have a potentiality to harbour residual normal haemopoiesis. LTBMC was also used to study the function of MDS marrow stroma in terms of its ability to sustain the growth of normal haemopoietic progenitor cells. Although the phenotype of the cultured adherent cell layer, obtained from some patients, was atypical, no consistent functional defect of MDS stroma could be identified by studying the level of haemopoiesis reached by normal cells seeded into MDS stroma.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Sex, drugs, and HIV infection in a New York City hospital outpatient population.

Persons attending outpatient clinics at Bellevue Hospital Center in Manhattan, New York City were invited to be tested for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In pretest counseling, males were asked if they had injected nonprescription drugs or engaged in sex with other men since January 1, 1977; if so, they were asked not to participate and were referred elsewhere for testing. Face-to-face interviews and HIV testing were completed for 1,119 subjects with no prior indication of HIV seropositivity. Willingness to participate in the study was significantly greater among women than men and among younger than older persons. After exclusion of two subjects with indeterminate HIV serology, seroprevalence was 6.3% (70/1,117) overall, 7.1% (26/368) among men, and 5.9% (44/749) among women. HIV seropositivity among female i.v. drug users was 37% (27/74). Among heterosexuals without other HIV risk factors, estimated seroprevalences were 2.7% (25/924) overall, 3.3% (10/305) among males, and 2.4% (15/619) among females. Among heterosexual men, the data suggested associations of HIV seropositivity with sex with prostitutes and sex with numerous partners. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that significant predictors of HIV infection among women were a history of sexual contact with a male intravenous drug user, recent last use of intravenous drugs, and long duration of residence in New York City. Sexual intercourse with persons from AIDS risk groups was reported by 11% of men and 18% of women. The modal method of birth control reported by both men and women was "no method".

Adult↗
PubMed1990

The use of cultured bone marrow cells in autologous transplantation.

The feasibility of ex vivo purging with long-term bone marrow cultures (LTBMC) for autologous transplantation in leukemia has been established. The procedure has been applied to patients with acute myeloid leukemia (in relapse or remission) and recently in one patient with chronic myeloid leukemia. The results in first remission AML are very encouraging with 4 out of 6 patients well and apparently disease free greater than 1 to 4 years post autograft. In patients transplanted with active disease, remissions of 6 to 8 months duration were seen in two patients transplanted in florid relapse. In a CML patient with 87% of his bone marrow cells Ph1 positive, there was a marked decline of karyotypically abnormal cells in culture. Reinfusion of the cultured cells into the patient resulted in engraftment with exclusively Ph1 negative cells. The therapeutic implications of LTBMC purging require further evaluation.

Bone Marrow Cells↗
PubMed1989

Characterization of surface polypeptides on different life-cycle stages of Theileria annulata.

We describe the characterisation of polypeptides located on the surface of Theileria annulata sporozoites, macroschizonts, piroplasms and infected lymphoblastoid cells using surface iodination techniques. The sporozoite stage exhibited a complex profile of surface polypeptides. However, using data from experiments with defined monoclonal antibodies, the sporozoite surface appeared to be composed of several distinct groups of related polypeptides. Analysis of the macroschizont detected seven surface polypeptides, while eight polypeptides were identified for the piroplasm stage. On the basis of molecular weight comparisons, one of the surface polypeptides appeared to be common to the sporozoite, macroschizont and piroplasm. Stage cross-reactive monoclonals failed to immunoprecipitate a surface-radiolabelled polypeptide, and this prohibited the characterisation of a stage common surface antigen. From the surface labelling studies of Theileria-infected and uninfected lymphoblastoid cell lines, we concluded that infection results in major changes at the surface of the host cell, including both the appearance and loss of specific polypeptides. By employing monoclonal antibodies which detect infection-associated determinants, and a polyclonal antiserum raised against a glycoprotein fraction of an infected cell lysate, surface-labelled polypeptides were specifically immunoprecipitated from extracts of infected cells. The polypeptide detected by monoclonal antibody 4H5 was characterised as an infection-associated glycoprotein which varies in molecular mass when immunoprecipitated from different infected cell lines. The identification of infection-associated glycoproteins on the surface of the lymphoblastoid cell suggests that these molecules may be recognised by the cytotoxic T cells of immune animals.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Red cell ferritin and iron overload in heterozygous beta-thalassemia.

Red cell ferritin was evaluated in 101 individuals with heterozygous beta-thalassemia to determine its clinical utility as an index for iron deficiency or overload in these subjects. The mean red cell ferritin for the total population was elevated threefold and showed a significant correlation with transferrin saturation, plasma ferritin, and HbA2 levels. Five of six subjects with reduced red cell ferritin had associated iron deficiency; a further five had iron deficiency and normal red cell ferritin. Normal red cell ferritin occurred in 51 subjects, and 44 had increased values. In the elevated red cell ferritin group, 21 individuals had associated normal plasma ferritin, and 23 had increased plasma ferritin. Only in the latter group was red cell ferritin significantly correlated with transferrin saturation and plasma ferritin. Ten individuals had a red cell ferritin greater than or equal to 150 attogram/cell, and liver biopsy performed in four showed grades II to IV iron overload. A clinical feature of subjects with both increased red cell and plasma ferritin levels was a high incidence of inappropriate iron administration. These findings suggest that red cell ferritin, particularly when combined with plasma ferritin, is a useful parameter for determining potential iron overload in individuals with heterozygous beta-thalassemia.

Adolescent↗