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Biomedical subjects

D R Ferguson

Publications and source records attributed to D R Ferguson.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Pruritus of cholestasis treated with plasma perfusion.

Patients with uncontrollable pruritus secondary to cholestatic liver disease were subjected to plasma perfusion in an attempt to remove the toxins responsible for this symptom. The improvement in the degree of pruritus was dramatic and surprisingly long-lasting in five of six patients. One patient had a response more difficult to evaluate. Serum bile acids levels fell in all patients in whom pruritus improved but not in the patient who responded less favorably.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Failure of LeVeen shunting in refractory ascites--a view from the other side.

We have reviewed our experience with 11 patients treated with LeVeen peritoneovenous shunts during a 22-month period from March, 1976, through December, 1977, to assess long-term results and shunt patency. Nine patients had follow-up studies to assess shunt patency at a mean of 26 months. After insertion of the shunt, the mean weight loss was 7.9 kg at hospital discharge. At 26-month follow-up evaluation, six patients had minimal ascites (responders), whereas five had massive ascites (nonresponders). Of the six responders, three patients with nonfunctioning shunts lost an average of 15.8 kg of ascites, three whereas with patent shunts lost an average of 15.0 kg. Eight of 11 patients (73%) required revision or replacement of the shunt because of malfunction; clotting was the most common cause of failure. We conclude that the role and effectiveness of LeVeen peritoneovenous shunts remain questionable. They may cause diuresis, maintain it, or not be responsible for it all. Clinical reports that cite their effectiveness should document patency of these shunts.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Post-natal development of amiloride sensitive sodium transport in pig distal colon.

1. Both electrophysiological properties and unidirectional Na and Cl fluxes have been determined across distal colons taken from pigs during early post-natal development. 2. The transmural potential difference (Vms) was 5 mV in the new-born and 10 mV in the 4 day old colon. The short circuit current (Scc) showed a three to sixfold increase during the first 10 days of post-natal life. The microvillar membrane potential (Vm) fell from about -45 mV in the new-born to -40 mV in the 4 day old colon. 3. Amiloride had no effect on Vms, Scc or Vm, measured in the new-born animal. It reduced Vms and Scc, caused a hyperpolarization of Vm and increased the microvillar membrane/basolateral membrane resistance ratio (Rm/Rs) in colons taken from older animals. 4. The Scc of distal colons taken from new-born and 1 day old pigs was only half that predicted from unidirectional measurements of Na flux. This discrepancy, which could not be completely accounted for by net CL absorption, disappeared in the older animals. 5. Net transport of Na doubled during the first 24 h of post-natal life. Part of this transport took place through an amiloride sensitive, non-electrogenic, pathway. 6. It is suggested that Na uses mainly a non-electrogenic pathway to cross the mucosa of the new-born pig. This pathway is replaced by an electrogenic amiloride sensitive mechanism in older animals. Aldosterone is thought to initiate these changes in Na tranport.

Amiloride↗
PubMed1979

Aldosterone induced changes in colonic sodium transport occurring naturally during development in the neonatal pig.

1. Serum concentrations of aldosterone in later fetal, 3-6 week old and adult pigs are of the order of 300 pg ml.-1. This increases to about 2000 pg ml.-1 in the period immediately after birth. 2. Canrenoate injected into pigs from birth onwards stops the increase in colonic short-circuit current, seen to take place normally during early postnatal development. Amiloride has little or no effect on the short-circuit current of colons taken from canrenoate injected pigs. 3. Canrenoate stops the post-natal increase in colonic Na influx (and therefore net transport) seen to occur under normal conditions. 4. There is in the neonatal pig distal colon a portion of Na transport which appears to be resistant to inhibition by amiloride or canrenoate. 5. There is a second portion of Na transport, increasing in importance as the piglets become older, which is electrogenic and which is electrogenic and which is inhibited by prior injection of canrenoate. It is assumed that this fraction of Na transport is influenced by aldosterone. 6. There is a third part of Na transport, maximal in colons taken from one day old animals, which appears to be non-electrogenic. This is also blocked by prior injection of canrenoate. 7. The physiological relevance of these findings is discussed.

Aging↗
PubMed1978

Familial and nonfamilial benign recurrent cholestiasis distinguished by plasma disappearance of indocyanine green but not cholylglycine.

To determine whether a defect in uptake of organic anions is present in patients with benign recurrent cholestasis, the plasma disappearance of simultaneously injected indocyanine green and cholyglycine-1-14C was measured in eight patients with asymptomatic benign recurrent cholestasis, four with the familial type, as well as 22 healthy control subjects. Evans blue was also simultaneously injected to permit correction for variation in blood volume and speed of mixing. Uptake of indocyanine green was decreased in all three patients with nonfamilial benign recurrent cholestatsis, but normal or increased in the four patients uith the familial form of the disorder. By contrast, cholyglycine-1-14C uptake was abnormal in one patient with each type of the disorder. Thus, patients with nonfamilial benign recurrent cholestasis have a defect in indocyanine green uptake, and patients with benign recurrent cholestasis are heterogeneous with respect to organic anion uptake.

Cholestasis↗
PubMed1977

Hepatotoxicity in acetaminophen poisoning.

Evidence of severe liver damage was found in a young women who ingested an overdose of acetaminophen in a suicide attempt. Clinical features included prolonged nausea and vomiting and pain and tenderness over the liver. Biochemical findings included an SGOT value of over 3,000 and a prolonged prothrombin time, with normal alkaline phosphatase and near normal serum bilirubin. Spontaneous recovery was complete.

Acetaminophen↗
PubMed1975

The effect of diuretics on Na+-K+-ATPase and c-AMP levels in toad bladder epithelial cells.

Na+-K+-ATPase was inhibited by 1 times 10-4M ethacrynic acid and mercuderamide, and by 1 times 10-3M hydrochlorothiazide and furosemide. A modification of Gilman's (1970) protein displacement assay has been used to measure c-AMP levels in toad bladder epithelial cells. Vasopressin (50 mU/ml) caused c-AMP levels to rise from 4.27 to 9.27 pmol/mg protein. Ethacrynic acid had no effect on cellular c-AMP levels after 10 min exposure to the drug, but at 90 min caused a reduction of both basal and vasopressin stimulated levels. Furosemide caused an apparent rise in c-AMP levels, dilution ratio measurements indicated interference by this drug in the assay procedure, mecuderamide also caused substantial interference with the c-AMP assay. Hydrochlorothiazide had no effect on basal or hormone stimulated levels of c-AMP. It was concluded that the inhibition of sodium transport produced by ethacrynic acid in toad bladder is probably due to inhibition of adenylate cyclase, an effect not shared by other dieuretics.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1975

Glucose- and phlorrhizin-protected thiol groups in pig intestinal brush-border membranes.

Purified brush borders, prepared fro newborn pig intestine, were incubated in the presence of 203Hg-labelled p-chloromercuribenzenesulphonic acid and the membrane proteins later separated by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. The presence of either D-glucose or phlorrhizin, during a preliminary incubation in non-radioactive p-chloromercuribenzenesulphonic acid, increased the subsequent binding of the 203Hg-labelled compound to a protein of molecular weight 31500. This increase appeared to be specific for the low-molecular-weight protein, provided that the concentration of protecting agent used corresponded to that used to produce a biological response in the intact tissue. These results are discussed in relation to the known properties of other presumptive sugar carriers isolated from different membranes.

Animals↗