Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

D Murray

Publications and source records attributed to D Murray.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

RJR Nabisco's cartoon camel promotes camel cigarettes to children.

OBJECTIVES: To determine if RJR Nabisco's cartoon-theme advertising is more effective in promoting Camel cigarettes to children or to adults. To determine if children see, remember, and are influenced by cigarette advertising. DESIGN: Use of four standard marketing measures to compare the effects of Camel's Old Joe cartoon advertising on children and adults. SUBJECTS: High school students, grades 9 through 12, from five regions of the United States, and adults, aged 21 years and over, from Massachusetts. OUTCOME MEASURES: Recognition of Camel's Old Joe cartoon character, product and brand name recall, brand preference, appeal of advertising themes. RESULTS: Children were more likely to report prior exposure to the Old Joe cartoon character (97.7% vs 72.2%; P less than .0001). Children were better able to identify the type of product being advertised (97.5% vs 67.0%; P less than .0001) and the the Camel cigarette brand name (93.6% vs 57.7%; P less than .0001). Children also found the Camel cigarette advertisements more appealing (P less than .0001). Camel's share of the illegal children's cigarette market segment has increased from 0.5% to 32.8%, representing sales estimated at $476 million per year. CONCLUSION: Old Joe Camel cartoon advertisements are far more successful at marketing Camel cigarettes to children than to adults. This finding is consistent with tobacco industry documents that indicate that a major function of tobacco advertising is to promote and maintain tobacco addiction among children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Effect of thiols on micronucleus frequency in gamma-irradiated mammalian cells.

The effects of the thiols cysteamine, WR-1065, and WR-255591 on radiation-induced micronucleus (MN) frequency and cell killing were compared in cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells. MN were measured using the cytochalasin B assay of Fenech and Morley (1985), which minimizes the effect of cytokinetic perturbations on MN expression. The dose-response curves for MN induction were curvilinear both for control cells at doses between 1.5 and 4.5 Gy and for thiol-treated cells at doses between 3 and 9 Gy. Protection against MN induction by each thiol was independent of radiation dose. Furthermore, there was a close correlation between the degree of modification of MN induction and cell survival by each thiol, i.e., the MN frequency closely predicted the survival level regardless of the presence of absence of the thiols. A similar predictive relationship has also been reported by us for cell survival and DNA double-strand break (DSB) induction in this cell line following treatment with these same thiols. Collectively, these data support the hypothesis that, for DNA-repair-proficient mammalian cells treated with radiomodifying agents that do not alter DNA-repair processes, MN and DSB induction are predictive of the level of radiation lethality and of each other.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Isolation and characterization of nitrogen mustard-sensitive mutants of Chinese hamster ovary cells.

Three nitrogen mustard-sensitive lines of Chinese hamster ovary cells were isolated from mutagenized cultures using the procedure of Thompson et al. (1980). The lines, designated NM1, NM2 and NM3, were 2.1-, 17- and 6.8-fold more sensitive to nitrogen mustard, respectively, than their parent, wild-type, line as determined by the dose required to kill 90% of the cells, IC90. Patterns of cross-sensitivity to other DNA-damaging agents including ultraviolet light, cis-diamminedichloroplatinum, and other alkylating agents were determined for each line. Analysis of these results suggests that the phenotypes of the mutant lines are different from those lines reported previously.

Aminacrine↗
PubMed1991

Counselling patients with HIV infection about laboratory tests with predictive values.

Laboratory tests, including CD4 counts, p24 antigen, raised levels of B2 microglobulin, neopterin and CMV antibodies, have been established as important predictive markers of disease progression in patients with HIV infection. As HIV antibody testing becomes more accepted in medical practice, counselling about these laboratory predictors of progression can help patients and doctors plan together the patients' care and treatment. Addressing patients' main concerns at each stage of investigation and illness may help them to plan ahead of crises, reduce stress, and enhance communication between patients and health care providers.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Changing patterns in the workload of a district HIV/AIDS counselling unit 1987-90.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the changing workload of an HIV/AIDS counselling unit between 1987 and 1990. DESIGN: Retrospective examination of data collected by the HIV/AIDS counselling unit between 1987-90 on the number of counselling sessions with patients, family members and staff. SETTING: An HIV/AIDS counselling unit established in 1987 in a London teaching hospital. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Number of new referrals to the HIV/AIDS counselling unit and the number of follow-up sessions. Number of counselling sessions with family members, hospital staff and people making telephone contact with the unit. RESULTS: New referrals to the HIV/AIDS counselling unit increased from 117 (1987-88) to 926 (1989-90). Follow-up appointments increased from 403 to 2016 in the same period. Telephone counselling sessions increased five-fold, and counselling sessions with family members nearly ten-fold over the three year period. Staff consultations doubled. CONCLUSION: The increase in the HIV/AIDS counselling unit's workload may be partly attributable to the rising incidence of AIDS in the community, reflecting earlier patterns of HIV infection. In addition, new HIV/AIDS services were developed in the hospital between 1987 and 1990. These included the establishment of a same-day HIV test and result clinic; integrated management of patients with HIV/AIDS, with an emphasis on early intervention in HIV infection; specialist services for families, antenatal clinic attenders and others affected by HIV; and the appointment of a designated HIV/AIDS consultant. New approaches to counselling and training health care providers in counselling skills will assume increasing importance in meeting future demand for HIV/AIDS counselling.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗
PubMed1991

The role of DNA flow and image cytometry in the evaluation of body cavity fluids.

In addition to conventional cytomorphologic study, 50 body cavity fluid specimens (benign and malignant) were analyzed by both flow cytometry (FCM) and image cytometry (ICM) in order to evaluate the potential application of these techniques in the diagnosis of malignancy. While 88% of the fluids were similarly classified by FCM and ICM as being either diploid (66%) or nondiploid (22%), with similar DNA index values, nondiploid peaks were identified by ICM alone in 12% of the fluids. Aneuploid populations were present in 92% of the cytologically positive fluids and in 15% of the cytologically negative fluids. All of the latter fluids came from patients who clinically had tumors involving the respective body cavities. These results show that (1) both FCM and ICM are useful adjuvant techniques in the evaluation of body cavity fluid specimens and (2) ICM is superior to FCM in the identification of small aneuploid subpopulations. The identification of aneuploid populations by either method is highly suggestive of malignancy.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Encapsulated medullary carcinoma of the thyroid. A morphologic study including immunocytochemistry, electron microscopy, flow cytometry, and in situ hybridization.

An unusual encapsulated medullary carcinoma of the thyroid is reported. Immunocytochemistry and electron microscopy did not prove conclusively the cytogenesis of the tumor; however, in situ hybridization, by demonstrating the presence of calcitonin mRNA, revealed that the tumor is of C-cell derivation. Because these tumors have an unpredictable biologic behavior, it seems more appropriate to designate them as encapsulated medullary carcinoma than as C-cell adenoma. Immunocytochemistry for calcitonin and carcinoembryonic antigen as well as flow cytometry for DNA ploidy may be valuable techniques to assess prognosis of these tumors.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Characterization of the role of melanoma growth stimulatory activity (MGSA) in the growth of normal melanocytes, nevocytes, and malignant melanocytes.

Melanoma growth stimulatory activity (MGSA) was originally described as an endogenous growth factor for human melanoma cells. To test the hypothesis that an MGSA autocrine loop is responsible for the partial freedom from growth control observed in nevocytes and melanoma cells, MGSA growth response and MGSA mRNA/protein levels were examined in these cells compared with normal melanocytes. As a single agent, or in combination with other factors, MGSA stimulated the growth of normal human epidermal melanocytes as well as other growth promoters for melanocytes. Nevocytes were not as responsive to exogenous MGSA as melanocytes. MGSA mRNA was minimal or not detected in cultured normal melanocytes, although the protein was present when the cells were cultured in the presence of serum/growth factors and absent when serum/growth factors were omitted. In contrast, MGSA mRNA was constitutively expressed in the absence of exogenous growth factors in cultures established from benign intradermal and dysplastic nevi and melanoma lesions in different stages of tumor progression. Nevus cultures contained immunoreactive MGSA protein in the presence of serum but were negative or only faintly positive in the absence of serum. Melanoma cell lines were positive for MGSA protein in both the presence and the absence of serum. Thus, continued expression of both MGSA mRNA and MGSA protein in the absence of exogenous hormones or serum factors may correlate with partial freedom from growth control exhibited by malignant melanocytes.

Blotting, Northern↗
PubMed1990

Resistance to 4-(9-acridinylamino) methanesulphon-m-anisidide (m-AMSA) in human myeloid leukaemia.

Sublines of a human myeloid leukaemia cell line, KBM-3, with increasing degrees of resistance to the antileukaemic agent 4'-(9-acridinlylamino) methanesulphon-m-anisidide (m-AMSA) were evaluated for their response to this drug using a clonogenic assay to measure cell survival and alkaline elution to assess m-AMSA induced DNA strand breakage. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to map the protein profiles of the various cell lines. The resistant lines were obtained by intermittent exposure of the KBM-3 cells to the highest tolerated concentration of m-AMSA so that the culture would be repopulated only by the most resistant subpopulation after each exposure. Two distinct phases were apparent during the development of resistance. During the first 14 months of intermittent exposure to maximally tolerated concentrations of m-AMSA, the cells developed low-degree m-AMSA resistance (5-7-fold as compared with the parent line, as measured by cell survival). This low-degree resistance was characterised by a somewhat suppressed level of DNA strand breakage and no measurable change in cellular protein levels. Subsequently, a single escalation of the m-AMSA retreatment concentration resulted in a cell population that was approximately 100-fold resistant, as assessed by cloning. This rapid phenotypic change temporally coincided with the acquisition of an almost complete refractoriness to m-AMSA-induced DNA strand breakage and the loss of a cellular 76 kDa protein. We suggest that the loss of this protein is important for the development of a highly m-AMSA resistant phenotype.

Amsacrine↗
PubMed1990

Comparative effect of the thiols dithiothreitol, cysteamine and WR-151326 on survival and on the induction of DNA damage in cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells exposed to gamma-radiation.

We compared the ability of three thiols--dithiothreitol (DTT), cysteamine and WR-151326--to protect aerated Chinese hamster ovary cells from the lethal and DNA-damaging effects of gamma-radiation. These results were compared with earlier measurements for WR-1065 and WR-255591. The time-course and the concentration dependence of protection against cell killing was determined after 10 Gy of gamma-rays. The aminothiols cysteamine and WR-151326 protected at much lower extracellular concentrations than the simple thiol DTT; however, there was no clear difference between the behaviour of cysteamine, WR-151326, WR-1065 and WR-255591 in this respect. Protection by DTT and cysteamine was complete within 1 min, whereas for WR-151326, WR-1065 and WR-255591 about 30 min was required before protection began to reach a plateau. Based on these data, complete radiation survival curves were generated for each thiol and protection factors calculated. Effects on the induction of DNA single-strand breaks (ssb) and double-strand breaks (dsb) by gamma-rays were measured using alkaline (pH 12.1) and neutral (pH 7.0 and 9.6) elution, respectively. All three thiols protected against ssb induction, although to a significantly lower extent than against cell killing measured under identical conditions. Each thiol also protected against dsb induction. After high radiation doses the protection factors for dsb induction were also less than the protection factors for cell survival; however, when dsb were assayed using the low-dose replicate plating neutral elution method, the relative effect of each thiol on cell survival and on dsb induction appeared to be equivalent. The hierarchy of protection against both ssb and dsb induction (based on the extracellular thiol concentration required to produce a given degree of protection) was similar to that for cell survival, i.e., WR-151326 congruent to cysteamine less than DTT.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Erotomania in relation to childbirth.

A case of erotomania in relation to childbirth is reported. There was a good response to treatment and no evidence of relapse at 18-month follow-up.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Hemodilution in orthognathic surgery.

The patient population for elective orthognathic surgery usually comprises young, healthy patients, in whom homologous blood transfusions should be avoided. Homologous transfusion poses substantial, potentially preventable risks to this patient population. In addition to autologous predonation, acute intentional hemodilution is an alternative that potentially avoids the use of homologous blood. Indications and contraindications for its use as well as initial results in two patients are presented. Further data and experience are required before this technique can be recommended for routine use.

Adolescent↗