Antibiotic therapy: a guide to adverse effects.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to D G Ross.
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The allelic forms of the HLA-DQB gene have been recognized as susceptibility markers of type 1 diabetes mellitus. One of these alleles, the DQw3.2 (DQw8), accounts for the well-documented association of the DQw3 locus with the disease. This report describes a method using the polymerase chain reaction mismatch technique to amplify the three different DQw3 allele sequences in 26 insulin-dependent diabetic patients. Primers were designed that differed only at one base at the growing end of their sequences. Using a common oligonucleotide primer located downstream in the first domain of the DQB gene and three other primers located at the other end of the sequence being amplified, it was possible to identify and distinguish the DQw8 allele from the other two closely related alleles (DQw7, DQw9). This method, which could be useful in excluding HLA-related susceptibility to diabetes mellitus, is rapid and nonisotopic, and indeed could be adapted to investigate any DNA sequence polymorphism.
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The sensitivity and specificity of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the detection of mycobacteria in paraffin-embedded tissues and in crude lysates of mycobacterial cultures were assessed. Sections of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues were deparaffinized and then subjected to a simple proteinase K and boiling lysis procedure. These preparations were used directly for PCR amplification of the 383 bp segment of the gene encoding the 65 kDa mycobacterial surface antigen. Crude lysates of mycobacteria were used as positive controls. The specificity of the PCR products was confirmed by Southern blot using a region-specific digoxigenin-labeled oligonucleotide probe and chemiluminescent detection. The 383 bp diagnostic fragment was visualized in 11 of 12 acid-fast bacilli (AFB) stain/culture-proven-positive blocks. Crude lysates of mycobacteria were detected to a sensitivity of approximately 80 organisms. Amplified fragments from paraffin-embedded tissues and mycobacterial cultures of M. tuberculosis, M. avium-intracellulare, and saprophytic mycobacteria were distinguished by digestion with Nar 1 restriction endonuclease. These results suggest that PCR amplification followed by restriction enzyme digestion of the PCR product is a rapid, specific, and highly sensitive technique for the detection and speciation of mycobacteria in paraffin-embedded tissues.
Current literature on the computerisation of Intensive Care Units indicates that many human factor considerations are relevant to the design and introduction of computer systems and to the evaluation of such systems within this environment. This paper aims to review and summarise essential points from the literature.
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Specialised ICUs have improved the care of the critically ill patient, but in doing so produce a deluge of patient data. Microprocessor based systems can optimise both collection and efficient utilisation of such data. In Aberdeen we have developed a general ICU shell which is portable and can be configured to individual ICU needs. The following article describes the Aberdeen ICU System built around this shell.
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The additive solution, ADSOL, was evaluated for its suitability in the extended storage of previously frozen, deglycerolized red blood cells. In vitro comparison with red cells suspended in 0.2% dextrose 0.9% saline showed that ADSOL allowed for significantly enhanced adenosine triphosphate preservation throughout the storage period (greater than 2.2 mumol/g Hb beyond 14 days) and for significantly reduced hemolysis (less than 1% beyond 14 days). After 10 days of storage in ADSOL the mean recovery after transfusion was 90% (index of therapeutic effectiveness, 77%). No bacterial contamination was observed. The results suggest that this currently approved additive solution could be used to store red cells for 14 days following thawing, thus avoiding one of the principal drawbacks of frozen red cells.
Platelet concentrates collected by continuous flow automated apheresis (Fenwal CS-3000) were compared with those collected by manual apheresis to determine whether the prolonged centrifugation and vigorous resuspension affected platelet viability and in vitro function. Paired autologous reinfusion studies (111Indium) of 5 normal donors showed no significant differences in the mean percent recoveries (50.8 +/- 7.0% vs 53.8 +/- 4.0%) or survivals (174 +/- 23 h vs 188 +/- 10 h) for platelets collected by manual versus automated apheresis. Platelets collected by automated apheresis had a significantly higher level of beta-thromboglobulin release, but there were no significant differences between platelets collected by the two methods in regard to other in vitro parameters (ATP levels, LDH released, hypotonic shock response) believed to reflect platelet activation, injury, and malfunction. These results suggest that only slight activation of platelets takes place during automated apheresis.
This study evaluates the performance characteristics of the copper sulfate screening test in routine bloodmobile operations and compares the performance of the copper sulfate test with that of a miniphotometer method of hemoglobin measurement. The copper sulfate and miniphotometer tests provide equivalent pass/fail classification of male donors with a high sensitivity and total efficiency. For female donors, both test methods show substantially lower sensitivity and total efficiency than for male donors; however, the miniphotometer is significantly more sensitive than the copper sulfate test in identifying eligible female donors. The distribution of donor hemoglobin values relative to cutoff values for acceptance may explain the male-female differences in screening test performance characteristics.
A 59-year-old woman underwent a partial nephrectomy to remove a 7-cm cystic mass involving the left portion of a horseshoe kidney. Microscopically, the cyst was lined by tall columnar mucosecretory cells resembling endocervical cells. The lesion is believed to represent the benign counterpart of mucinous adenocarcinoma of the renal pelvis.
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The theoretically desirable characteristics of fluidic timing devices for use in automatic ventilators are discussed. The principal limitation of most timers described is the separate control of inspiratory and expiratory time. It is more convenient to have one control for frequency and a separate control for I:E ratio. Two new circuits are described which allow this independent adjustment of frequency and I:E ratio.
Granulocytic sarcoma (chloroma) is a localized tumefaction of immature granulocytes that is typically seen in association with myelogenous leukemia. The primitive cell population seen in biopsy material may be misinterpreted as histiocytic lymphoma or other sarcoma unless additional studies are performed. We saw a 36-year-old woman with promyelocytic leukemia in remission who had the signs and symptoms of an acute coalescent mastoiditis. Histologic examination of the surgical specimen, however, demonstrated a granulocytic sarcoma. Our case exemplifies some of the difficulties that may be encountered in the diagnosis of granulocytic sarcoma and illustrates the point that symptoms of an inflammatory process in a patient with a diagnosis of leukemia must be regarded with a degree of suspicion.
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