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Biomedical subjects

D E Johnson

Publications and source records attributed to D E Johnson.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources

Therapy and prognosis for male anterior urethral carcinoma: an update.

OBJECTIVE: The scarcity of reports evaluating the effect of current treatment strategies for male urethral carcinoma has prompted a review of our recent experience. Since our last report (1980), we have seen 23 patients with this disease. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review of 23 patients seen in our institution between 1979 and 1990 with this type of cancer. RESULTS: Fifty-two percent of our patients are alive without evidence of disease, after a mean follow-up of fifty months (range, 5 to 156 months). Treatment analysis indicates that distal urethrectomy and partial penectomy are adequate in controlling local disease for tumors arising in the fossa navicularis and penile urethra, respectively, and that en bloc excision of the penis, scrotum, prostate, and bladder together with resection of the inferior pubic rami, using myocutaneous flaps to cover the surgical defect, can provide long-term disease-free survival for patients whose tumor originates in the bulbomembranous urethra. Use of cisplatin-based chemotherapy resulted in a prolonged survival for patients who presented with metastatic disease. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the prognosis for patients with urethral carcinoma has improved, and some of the patients are having a prolonged disease-free survival due, in part, to more effective local and regional control and improved chemotherapy.

Adult↗

The effect of preincubation of human spermatozoa in milk on sperm penetration into zona-free hamster oocytes and on sperm binding to the human zona pellucida.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether preincubation of sperm in milk enhances the outcome of sperm penetration assay (SPA) and hemizona assay (HZA) when compared with preincubation in TES and Tris (TEST)-yolk. DESIGN: Sperm penetration assay and HZA were performed on milk and TEST-yolk preincubated spermatozoa. INTERVENTIONS: Ejaculates were washed and divided into two equal aliquots. An equal volume of heat-inactivated cow's milk (95 degrees C, 10 minutes) was added to one aliquot and an equal volume of TEST-yolk was added to the other aliquot. Both sperm mixtures were cooled slowly to 5 degrees C and incubated for 2 hours. They were then washed twice (400 x g for 8 minutes) with culture medium at 37 degrees C and processed for SPA and HZA. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Percentage of oocytes penetrated and the penetration index for the SPA. The number of sperm bound to hemizona and hemizona index for the HZA. RESULTS: Sperm preincubated in milk yielded significantly higher SPA results and hemizona index when compared with TEST-yolk. The penetration index and the number of sperm bound were high but were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Preincubation of sperm in milk enhances the SPA and HZA outcome when compared with TEST-yolk.

Animals↗

Landmark identification error in posterior anterior cephalometrics.

This study was designed to quantify the intraexaminer and interexaminer reliability of 52 commonly used posterior anterior cephalometric landmarks. The horizontal and vertical identification errors were determined for a sample of 33 skulls and 25 patients. The results show that there is a considerable range in the magnitude of error with different horizontal and vertical values. Interexaminer landmark identification error was significantly larger than intraexaminer error for many landmarks. The identification error was different for the skull sample compared to the patient sample for a number of landmarks. The relevance of knowing the identification error for each landmark being considered in a particular application was discussed.

Adult↗

Development and characterization of recombinant adenoviruses encoding human p53 for gene therapy of cancer.

We have constructed recombinant human adenoviruses that express wild-type human p53 under the control of either the Ad 2 major late promoter (MLP) or the human cytomegalovirus (CMV) immediate early gene promoter. Each construct replaces the Ad 5 E1a and E1b coding sequences necessary for viral replication with the p53 cDNA and MLP or CMV promoter. These p53/Ad recombinants are able to express p53 protein in a dose-dependent manner in infected human cancer cells. Tumor suppressor activity of the expressed p53 protein was assayed by several methods. [3H]Thymidine incorporation assays showed that the recombinant adenoviruses were capable of inhibiting DNA synthesis in a p53-specific, dose-dependent fashion. Ex vivo treatment of Saos-2 tumor cells, followed by injection of the treated cells into nude mice, led to complete tumor suppression using the MLP/p53 recombinant. Following a single injection of CMV/p53 recombinant adenovirus into the peritumoral space surrounding an in vivo established tumor derived from a human small cell lung carcinoma cell line (NIH-H69), we were able to detect p53 mRNA in the tumors at 2 and 7 days post-injection. Continued treatment of established H69 tumors with MLP/p53 recombinant led to reduced tumor growth and increased survival time compared to control treated animals. These results indicate that recombinant adenoviruses expressing wild-type p53 may be useful vectors for gene therapy of human cancer.

Adenoviruses, Human↗

Proteus mirabilis fimbriae: construction of an isogenic pmfA mutant and analysis of virulence in a CBA mouse model of ascending urinary tract infection.

Proteus mirabilis, a cause of urinary tract infection and acute pyelonephritis, produces a number of different fimbriae. An isogenic fimbrial mutant of P. mirabilis HI4320 was constructed by marker exchange with delta pmfA::aphA to determine the role of the P. mirabilis fimbriae (PMF) in hemagglutination and in virulence in the CBA mouse model of ascending urinary tract infection. The pmfA mutant, which did not express the 19,500-Da major subunit of PMF, colonized the bladders of transurethrally challenged CBA mice (n = 20 in each group) in numbers 83-fold lower than those of the wild-type strain (mutant, log10 4.87 CFU/g; wild-type strain, log10 6.79 CFU/g; P = 0.023). However, the mutant colonized the kidneys in numbers similar to those of the wild-type strain. Hemagglutination patterns of the mutant ruled out the involvement of PMF in both mannose-resistant, Proteus-like and mannose-resistant, Klebsiella-like hemagglutination. Similarly, PMF does not appear to be involved in adherence to uroepithelial cells (UEC), since the mutant was as adherent as the wild-type strain (mutant, 14.1 +/- 11.7 mean bacteria per UEC, 60% of UEC with > or = 10 bacteria; wild-type strain, 18.1 +/- 16.2 mean bacteria per UEC, 68% of UEC with > or = 10 bacteria; not significantly different). These data suggest a role for PMF in colonization of the bladder but not in colonization of kidney tissue. PMF appear not to be responsible for mannose-resistant, Proteus-like or mannose-resistant, Klebsiella-like hemagglutination.

Animals↗

Construction of an MR/P fimbrial mutant of Proteus mirabilis: role in virulence in a mouse model of ascending urinary tract infection.

Proteus mirabilis, a cause of acute pyelonephritis, produces at least four types of fimbriae, including MR/P (mannose-resistant/Proteus-like) fimbriae. To investigate the contribution of MR/P fimbriae to colonization of the urinary tract, we constructed an MR/P fimbrial mutant by allelic exchange. A 4.2-kb BamHI fragment carrying the mrpA gene was subcloned into a mobilizable plasmid, pSUP202. A 1.3-kb Kanr cassette was inserted into the mrpA open reading frame, and the construct was transferred to the parent P. mirabilis strain by conjugation. Following passage on nonselective medium, 1 of 500 transconjugants screened was found to have undergone allelic exchange as demonstrated by Southern blot. Colony immunoblot, Western immunoblot, and immunogold labeling with a monoclonal antibody to MR/P fimbriae revealed that MrpA was not expressed. Complementation with cloned mrpA restored MR/P expression as shown by hemagglutination, Western blot, and immunogold electron microscopy. To assess virulence, we challenged 40 CBA mice transurethrally with 10(7) CFU of wild-type or mutant strains. After 1 week, geometric means of log10 CFU per milliliter of urine or per gram of bladder or kidney for the wild-type and mutant strains were as follows: urine, 7.79 (wild type) versus 7.02 (mutant) (P = 0.035); bladder, 6.22 versus 4.78 (P = 0.019); left kidney, 5.02 versus 3.31 (P = 0.009); and right kidney, 5.28 versus 4.46 (P = 0.039). Mice challenged with the wild-type strain showed significantly more severe renal damage than did mice challenged with the MR/P-negative mutant (P = 0.007). We conclude that MR/P fimbriae contribute significantly to colonization of the urinary tract and increase the risk of development of acute pyelonephritis.

Animals↗

Placental transferrin receptor in diabetic pregnancies with increased fetal iron demand.

Augmented fetal hemoglobin synthesis during diabetic pregnancy increases fetal iron demand. To study the effect of increased fetal iron demand on placental transferrin receptor (TR), we utilized a monoclonal antibody to localize placental TR immunoreactivity and 125I-labeled transferrin to study TR binding characteristics in 10 placentas from poorly controlled diabetic mothers with increased fetal iron demand and 10 placentas from nondiabetic mothers. The infants born to the diabetics had higher cord serum C-peptide, erythropoietin, and hemoglobin concentrations, indicating fetal hyperinsulinemia and hypoxia, with augmented erythropoiesis and iron demand. TR immunoreactivity was localized to the syncytiotrophoblast in both groups, was greater in the diabetic group, and was inversely correlated with fetal storage iron (r = -0.75; P < 0.001). Scatchard analysis of 125I transferrin binding data confirmed greater receptor number (Bmax 17.9 +/- 2.2 vs. 12.6 +/- 1.3 pM/mg protein, P = 0.05), but reduced binding affinity [dissociation constant (Kd) 7.6 +/- 0.9 vs. 5.4 +/- 0.4 nM/l, P = 0.03] in the diabetic group. The TR staining intensity, Bmax, and Kd were each correlated with cord C-peptide, suggesting either a primary or secondary role for fetal hyperinsulinemia in TR expression. This study provides in vivo evidence that fetal factors, such as iron demand or hyperinsulinemia, influence regulation of placental TR in humans. The increase in placental syncytiotrophoblastic TR expression associated with reduced cord serum ferritin concentration suggests that the fetus utilizes both increased placental iron transport and mobilization of fetal iron stores to support augmented fetal erythropoiesis.

Erythropoiesis↗

Co-product fiber digestibility: kinetic and in vivo assessment.

Nutrient digestion and kinetic characteristics of alfalfa hay, brewers grains, beet pulp, and cottonseed hulls were studied in two experiments. In the first experiment, these feedstuffs were fed with a mineral/vitamin supplement in a 4 x 4 Latin square to eight ewes to determine total tract digestibilities by 8-d total collection and rates of passage using Yb as a marker. In the second experiment samples of the same feedstuffs were incubated in situ in four ruminally fistulated steers in a 4 x 4 Latin square design to quantify ruminal disappearance of NDF and ADF. Three Dacron bags were placed in the rumen for each of six time periods: 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h. Total tract digestibilities of DM ranged from 33% for cottonseed hulls to 78% for beet pulp. Digestibilities of NDF ranged from 32% for cottonseed hulls to 81% for beet pulp. Total tract retention times ranged from 74 h for beet pulp to 44 h for alfalfa. Retention time for alfalfa was lower (P < .05) than those for beet pulp or cottonseed hulls. Calculation of TDN values yielded values similar to those of NRC other than for cottonseed hulls, for which NRC values were 18 to 29% higher. Alfalfa hay and beet pulp were the feedstuffs with the most rapidly disappearing NDF, .124/h for alfalfa and .116/h for beet pulp, which were faster (P < .05) than those found in brewers grains and cottonseed hulls, .035 and .043/h, respectively. Potentially digestible NDF ranged from 55% for alfalfa hay to 94% for beet pulp.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animal Feed↗

Effect of frequency of supplementation and protein concentration in supplements on performance and digestion characteristics of beef cattle consuming low-quality forages.

Three experiments evaluated whether effects of altered frequency of supplementation on forage use and cow performance depended on supplement CP concentration and (or) grain type when fed to cattle eating low-quality forages. All experiments included supplementation frequency (daily = 7x; three times weekly = 3x) as one factor in a factorialized arrangement of treatments. In Exp. 1 and 2, the second factor was supplement CP concentration (10, 20, 30, and 40% CP), altered by changing the ratio of soybean meal to sorghum grain in supplements. Supplements were fed at 13.9 and 14.1 kg of DM/wk for Exp. 1 and 2, respectively. In Exp. 3, the second factor was supplement grain type (sorghum grain or corn) and supplements containing 21% CP were fed at 14.8 kg of DM/wk. In Exp. 1, eight ruminally fistulated steers (456 kg) consumed wheat straw ad libitum. Pregnant beef cows grazing dormant tallgrass prairie were used in Exp. 2 (475 kg; n = 128) and 3 (504 kg; n = 120). In Exp. 1, reducing supplementation frequency decreased (P < .01) straw intake but increased (P < or = .03) DM and NDF digestion. As CP concentration in supplements increased, straw DMI (P = .06) increased quadratically, whereas DM and NDF digestion increased linearly (P < .01). In Exp. 2, increasing CP concentration in supplements enhanced cows' ability to maintain BW and condition up to calving, with decreasing magnitude of difference between treatments at higher CP concentrations (P < .01). Increasing CP in supplements fed to the dams linearly (P = .05) increased calf weaning weight in Exp. 2. In Exp. 2 and 3, reducing supplementation frequency increased (P < or = .02) winter weight loss through calving. Grain type did not significantly affect most performance variables. In summary, response to supplementation frequency was not dependent on supplement CP concentration or grain type. Daily supplementation maximized forage intake and cow performance, although the magnitude of performance differences was not large.

Ammonia↗

Home health, nursing homes take patients from hospitals.

The fast-growing home health agencies and nursing homes are taking acute and subacute patients from the nation's hospitals, but their labor costs are soaring. And personnel problems may slow their growth, writes Donald E.L. Johnson

Data Collection↗