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Biomedical subjects

D Mooney

Publications and source records attributed to D Mooney.

68 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Bilateral ovarian carcinoma with bilateral uveal melanoma.

A case of bilateral uveal melanoma in a 60-year-old woman in association with primary bilateral ovarian carcinoma is described. This is the first case in which ultrastructural studies have been performed on the ocular tumours. Seven previously described cases are summarised, and the extreme rarity of such reports would suggest that this may indeed be a new syndrome.

Adenocarcinoma, Papillary↗

Conformational changes in rat liver chromatin after liver regeneration.

N-Pyrenemaleimide, a fluorescent probe that specifically labels histone H3 of rat liver chromatin in situ, was used to monitor the accessibility of histone H3 in chromatin isolated from rat liver at different times during degeneration. At times of maximum DNA synthesis (18--24 h after hepatectomy), the accessibility of the probe was found to be markedly (40--50%) increased. This increase is abolished, however, by treatment of the chromatin fibres with high salt (2 M-NaCl) or detergent. Tryptophan fluorescence was also enhanced at points of maximum DNA synthesis, suggesting that some non-histone tryptophan-containing protein was being synthesized. The polarization of the labelled histone H3 is not markedly altered, suggesting that fibre aggregation or dissociation does not occur. Mononucleosomes extracted from sham-operated and hepatectomized animals did not exhibit any difference in binding to the probe. Also, analysis of the chromatin protein by electrophoresis on detergent- and acid/urea/ Triton-X-100-containing polyacrylamide gels showed no detectable difference in histone H3 : 1, H3 : 2 or H3 : 3 subclasses.

Animals↗

The in situ labeling of histone H3 in chromatin by a fluorescent probe.

A sulfhydryl-specific fluorescent probe, N-3-pyrene maleimide, has been shown to label with high efficiency the sulfhydryl groups of histone H3 in nonsheared chromatin. The probe labels chromatin preparations obtained by mild homogenization or nuclease treatment of rat liver and mouse thymocyte, but not chick erythrocyte nuclei. Mononucleosomes from all nuclear preparations are labeled by the probe. The reaction is inhibited by prior reaction of the chromatin with N-ethyl maleimide. The reaction kinetics show fast and slow components representing reactions with cysteinyl sulfhydryl groups and lysyl epsilon-amino groups, respectively. Dissociation of the chromatin by urea (6 M) or sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) increases the fluorescence intensity (2-3 fold) and is maximal at approx. 0.01-0.02% (w/v) SDS. Histones extracted from the labelled chromatin show that approx. 80-90% of the label is associated with the histone fraction and column chromatography of this fraction shows that the label is primarily associated with histone H3. Labelling of the isolated histone fractions shows significant labelling only of histone H3. The intrinsic fluorescence of tryptophan is quenched by the labelled histone H3, but not by iodide, suggesting that non-histone (tryptophan-containing) proteins lie in close proximity to the labelled histone H3 but are not immediately accessible to external solvent. The labelled chromatin exhibits fluorescence anistropy, the anistropy parameter being 0.19 +/- 0.003 for chromatin, 0.05 +/- 0.01 for mononucleosomes and 0.0 for isolated histone H3. This demonstrates the restriction placed on the label's mobility by the chromatin fiber. The formation of a superhelix at 60-100 mM NaCl has been monitored with the probe. An increase in fluorescence intensity at 80 mM NaCl is observed with intact chromatin (but not H-1 depleted chromatin) followed by dissociation of the octamer in 1.50-2.0 M salt accompanied by a large increase in labelling.

Animals↗

Epidemiology of an outbreak of infectious syphilis in Alberta.

An outbreak of 1089 cases of infectious syphilis (primary, secondary and early latent) which occurred in the province of Alberta from 1981 to 1987 was analysed by stage of disease, age, sex, sexual preference and geographic distribution. The majority of cases occurred between 1983 and 1985 inclusive. Men accounted for 75.8% of the study population. The majority of men (71%) and women (98.5%) were heterosexual. Of the infected women, 58.7% were North American Indians and many worked as prostitutes. There was clustering in urban locations with 71.8% and 17.7% of cases reported in Edmonton and Calgary, respectively. Clinical signs of syphilis were more commonly present in men than women. Contact tracing played an important role in controlling the outbreak with 15.9% of men and 44.7% of women being diagnosed and treated as a result of this activity.

Adolescent↗

The mesentery as a laminated vascular bed for hepatocyte transplantation.

The small bowel mesentery provides a unique structure of a large vascularized surface area to support hepatocyte transplantation. Cell-seeded polymeric matrices can be juxtaposed in a relatively atraumatic manner between leaves of mesentery such that adequate exchange of nutrients and diffusion of gases can proceed in the interim while neovascularization occurs. Hepatocytes obtained from (RHA) Wistar rats by collagenase perfusion were seeded onto non-woven filamentous sheets of polyglycolic acid 1 x 3 cm in size and 2 mm thickness to a density of 500,000 cells/cm2. Twenty-six recipient Gunn rats (UDP-glucuronyl transferase deficient) underwent laparotomy. Hepatocyte-ladened polymer sheets were placed between leaves of mesentery. Eight sheets were placed per animal and the leaves were approximated, creating a functional implant 1 x 3 x 2 cm. Biopsies between 5-99 days after implantation revealed neovascularization, moderate inflammatory reaction and the presence of viable hepatocytes in 96% (25/26). Immunoperoxidase studies using anti-albumin antibody substantiated hepatocyte specific function in implants. HPLC profiles of bile from Gunn rats transplanted with hepatocytes from congeneic (RHA) rats demonstrated the presence of bilirubin conjugates. There were no conjugation fractions seen in control gunn rats without hepatocyte transplantation. Although total serum bilirubin did not significantly decrease, conjugated bilirubin was identified in 46% (12/26) animals after transplantation with congeneic hepatocytes. We conclude that the mesentery of the small bowel provides a large vascularized surface for cell transplantation. Large numbers of metabolically active hepatocytes can engraft, vascularize, and show function. The mesentery may be a potential bed for clinical hepatocyte transplantation.

Animals↗