Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

D Greene

Publications and source records attributed to D Greene.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Isolated adrenal masses in nonsmall-cell bronchogenic carcinoma.

Computed tomography has become an important diagnostic modality in the preoperative staging of patients with bronchogenic carcinoma. The adrenal glands represent one of the most frequent sites of metastasis. Therefore, an isolated adrenal mass discovered on preoperative thoracoabdominal CT poses a diagnostic problem. Three hundred thirty patients with histologically proved nonsmall-cell bronchogenic carcinoma were evaluated. Thirty-two had adrenal masses without further evidence of disease in the abdomen. Eight of these 32 masses were metastases, 17 were proved adenomas, and seven did not undergo biopsy. Thus, in the patients with nonsmall-cell bronchogenic carcinoma, an isolated adrenal mass is more likely benign than metastatic, and biopsy is advocated prior to withholding potentially curative surgery.

Adolescent↗

Secretion of Saccharomyces cerevisiae killer toxin: processing of the glycosylated precursor.

Killer toxin secretion was blocked at the restrictive temperature in Saccharomyces cerevisiae sec mutants with conditional defects in the S. cerevisiae secretory pathway leading to accumulation of endoplasmic reticulum (sec18), Golgi (sec7), or secretory vesicles (sec1). A 43,000-molecular-weight (43K) glycosylated protoxin was found by pulse-labeling in all sec mutants at the restrictive temperature. In sec18 the protoxin was stable after a chase; but in sec7 and sec1 the protoxin was unstable, and in sec1 11K toxin was detected in cell lysates. The chymotrypsin inhibitor tosyl-l-phenylalanyl chloromethyl ketone (TPCK) blocked toxin secretion in vivo in wild-type cells by inhibiting protoxin cleavage. The unstable protoxin in wild-type and in sec7 and sec1 cells at the restrictive temperature was stabilized by TPCK, suggesting that the protoxin cleavage was post-sec18 and was mediated by a TPCK-inhibitable protease. Protoxin glycosylation was inhibited by tunicamycin, and a 36K protoxin was detected in inhibited cells. This 36K protoxin was processed, but toxin secretion was reduced 10-fold. We examined two kex mutants defective in toxin secretion; both synthesized a 43K protoxin, which was stable in kex1 but unstable in kex2. Protoxin stability in kex1 kex2 double mutants indicated the order kex1 --> kex2 in the protoxin processing pathway. TPCK did not block protoxin instability in kex2 mutants. This suggested that the KEX1- and KEX2-dependent steps preceded the sec7 Golgi block. We attempted to localize the protoxin in S. cerevisiae cells. Use of an in vitro rabbit reticulocyte-dog pancreas microsomal membrane system indicated that protoxin synthesized in vitro could be inserted into and glycosylated by the microsomal membranes. This membrane-associated protoxin was protected from trypsin proteolysis. Pulse-chased cells or spheroplasts, with or without TPCK, failed to secrete protoxin. The protoxin may not be secreted into the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum, but may remain membrane associated and may require endoproteolytic cleavage for toxin secretion.

Killer Factors, Yeast↗

The cost of radiotherapy treatments on a linear accelerator.

The cost of delivering a radiotherapy treatment on a linear accelerator is calculated. Items included in the cost are: cost of the accelerator itself, a simulator, a treatment planning computer, the treatment room, and the salaries of the radiographers and physicists concerned, as well as machine operating costs and interest charges. The cost of a beam direction shell is also calculated. The different costs are reduced to statements of cost per year (see Table IV for summary), and from these the cost of a course of treatment for a patient is arrived at on the basis of 800 patients treated per year. The cost comes out at pounds 137, plus pounds 70 for a beam direction shell, if one is used. Because the capital costs of radiotherapy treatment equipment are very substantial, it is often assumed that radiotherapy is a very expensive form of treatment. An analysis of treatment cost is presented, initially in terms of cost per year for equipment, special buildings, and staff at 1981 prices. Reduction of these figures to mean treatment cost per patient is based on the DHSS guideline for provision of radiotherapy services (HC(78)32), which suggests a figure of 800 patients to be treated per year as the number justifying the provision of a linear accelerator.

Costs and Cost Analysis↗

Dose levels outside radiotherapy beams.

The specification of a radiotherapy generator calls for the leakage radiation through the housing of the source to be 0.1% (the ICRP has recently (1982) changed this figure to 0.2% of the dose rate inside the useful beam). When a patient is irradiated, the dose level outside the useful beam is not only determined by this leakage radiation, but also by scattered radiation from the beam-defining system and from the treatment volume of the patient. Measurements have been made on a 300 kV X-ray unit, and on two different 4 MV and one 8 MV linear accelerators to determine the levels of leakage radiation and scattered radiation in air, and in a phantom comparable in size to the trunk of the patient. Similar measurements have also been made for a 15 MeV neutron generator. It is shown that for all these generators the dose delivered outside the radiation beam is determined mainly by the two scattering processes mentioned, and it is argued that for linear accelerators it would be feasible to increase the permitted level of leakage radiation by a factor of 2 or 3 without a significant increase in the stray radiation delivered to the patient.

Humans↗

The RBE of the leakage radiation from the Hiletron neutron therapy unit.

The RBE of the leakage radiation from the Hiletron 14.7 MeV neutron therapy unit has been measured using three sensitive biological systems in mice, which differ markedly in their radiobiological characteristics. These systems comprise type A spermatogonia and bone marrow stem cells, which are affected insignificantly by dose rate, and pigment abnormalities in hair follicles which are affected markedly by dose rate. For mice irradiated at 10 cm depth in a water phantom, the leakage radiation up to 40 cm from the beam axis was virtually as effective as the primary beam for the latter two biological systems, and for spermatogonia in mice when irradiated in air. At this distance, the total dose rate was about 0.2 cGy (rad) per minute (3% of that in the primary beam), and the gamma-ray component was about 70%. This equal effectiveness of the total dose for all three systems was considered fortuitous, and it implied high RBE values for equal effect with the small neutron component at far distances. Considering published data on RBE versus neutron energy, the evidence suggested either a positive interaction of neutron and gamma-ray components in killing bone marrow stem cells when the neutron component was less than 40% of the total dose, or an increased efficiency of neutrons when delivered at very low dose rates. However the components were additive in killing spermatogonia.

Air↗

X rays: 2-43 MV.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Humans↗

Fixation of tibial components of knee prostheses.

Twelve different tibial components were compared for fixation. The components included compartmental, anteriorly joined, posterior-cruciate retaining, and one-place with one, two, or three fixation posts; all-plastic or with a metal tray. The apparatus applied compressive load with anterior-posterior force, rotational torque, or varus-valgus moment. The relative deflections, both compressive and distractive, were measured between the component and the bone. The least deflections occurred with one-piece metal-tray components with one or two posts and with one-piece plastic components with a post on each side. Compartmental components deflected the most.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗

Neutron sensitivity of a carbon-walled CO2-filled ionisation chamber.

In an earlier publication, an expression was derived for the sensitivity of carbon walled, carbon dioxide-filled ionisation chamber, for low-energy neutrons. This expression has been extended to allow its use for high-energy neutrons, and has been used to make detailed calculations for a particular ionisation chamber irradiated with either 15 MeV or 5.5 MeV neutrons. These results of these calculations are compared with experimental values and, within the stated limits, reasonable agreement is obtained.

Carbon Dioxide↗

C lambda values.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Radiation Dosage↗