Biomedical subjects

E A Kelly

Publications and source records attributed to E A Kelly.

49 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1989

Expression of airway contractile properties and acetylcholinesterase activity in swine.

We studied the effect of maturation on contractile properties of tracheal smooth muscle from seventeen 2-wk-old swine (2ws) and fifteen 10-wk-old swine (10ws) in situ and in vitro. The response to parasympathetic stimulation was studied in situ in isometrically fixed segments. Contraction was elicited at lower frequencies [half-maximal response to electrical stimulation (ES50) = 6.7 +/- 0.05 Hz] in 2ws than in 10ws (ES50 = 9.1 +/- 0.4 Hz; P less than 0.01). Despite substantial differences in morphometrically normalized cross-sectional area in 2ws (0.012 +/- 0.003 cm2) and 10ws (0.028 +/- 0.001 cm2; P less than 0.01), maximal active tension elicited by parasympathetic stimulation was similar (12.4 +/- 3.2 g/cm in 2ws vs. 13.3 +/- 2.3 g/cm in 10ws; P = NS). In separate in vitro studies in 25 tracheal smooth muscle strips from 10 swine, concentration-response curves generated with potassium-substituted Krebs solution (KCl) were similar in 2ws and 10ws. In 58 other strips (10 swine), maximal active force elicited with acetylcholine (ACh) in 2ws was significantly greater than for 10ws (P less than 0.001). Removal of the epithelium had no effect. However, cholinesterase inhibition with 10(-7) M physostigmine augmented the response to ACh in 10ws (P less than 0.02) but not 2ws. We demonstrate increased force generation and sensitivity to vagal stimulation in 2ws vs. 10ws, which corresponds to increased reactivity to ACh in vitro. The relative hyperresponsiveness in 2ws is specific for cholinergic response and is attenuated at least in part by maturation of the activity of acetylcholinesterase enzyme.

Acetylcholinesterase↗

PubMed1989

Antenatal steroid therapy and 5-year outcome of extremely low birth weight infants.

Over a 63-month period beginning January 1, 1977, 258 infants with birth weights of 500-999 g were born alive at one tertiary perinatal center; 170 were offered full intensive care. The mothers of 67 (39.4%) of these 170 infants had been given betamethasone antenatally to accelerate fetal lung maturation. Of the 67 infants exposed to steroids antenatally, 46 (68.7%) survived their primary hospitalization, compared with 43 (41.7%) of the 103 infants who had not been exposed to steroids. This difference is highly significant (chi 2 = 10.7; P less than .005) but is biased because infants in the steroid group had a better prognosis. After adjustment for discrepancies in birth weight and gestational age and other confounding obstetric variables, survival in the steroid group remained substantially higher (relative odds of survival 1.85, 95% confidence intervals 1.16-2.86; P = .006). The improvements in survival were not at the expense of increased rates of chronic ill health or impairments of growth neurodevelopment up to at least 5 years of age. For extremely immature and extremely low birth weight infants, steroids are rarely contraindicated on fetal grounds.

Betamethasone↗

PubMed1988

In vivo effects of monoclonal anti-L3T4 antibody on immune responsiveness of mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni. Reduction of irradiated cercariae-induced resistance.

Mice can be partially protected against challenge infections of Schistosoma mansoni cercariae by either single or multiple exposure to irradiated cercariae (x-cerc). The participation of L3T4+ lymphocytes on this resistance phenomenon was evaluated by selectively depleting this cell population through in vivo administration of mAb anti-L3T4 (hybridoma GK 1.5) at three different times in relationship to the challenge infections. Treatment with anti-L3T4 before challenge such that depletion was effective during the time of cercarial skin penetration and dermal/s.c. residence significantly reduced the level of resistance induced by x-cerc sensitization. When treatment was delayed until after challenge, depletion of L3T4+ cells coincided with either the lung or post-lung/liver phases of schistosomular migration, and normal levels of x-cerc-induced resistance were induced. In contrast to once-immunized mice, mice hyperimmunized by five exposures to x-cerc and then depleted of L3T4+ cells at the time of challenge (skin phase) still expressed resistance to the challenge. These data suggest that when mice are sensitized only once with x-cerc the challenge infection provides a necessary immunologic boost which requires L3T4+ cells for effective expression of resistance. The requirement for this anamnestic effect by the challenge infection can be circumvented by hyperimmunization. Evaluation of the immune response of one-time sensitized or hyperimmunized mice demonstrated that cellular Ag-specific proliferative responses and mitogen-induced lymphokine production were abrogated after any of the various in vivo regimens of anti-L3T4 antibody. In contrast, immunoblot analysis of humoral responsiveness revealed a correlation between the expression of resistance and the ability of sera from immunized and anti-L3T4 treated mice to recognize a 75-kDa parasite antigenic component.

Animals↗

PubMed1986

Effects of immunomanipulations on resistance induced by irradiated Schistosoma mansoni cercarial sensitization of C57BL/6 and CBA/J mice.

Mice sensitized with radiation-attenuated Schistosoma mansoni cercariae were treated by a variety of procedures known to interrupt immunoregulatory circuitries in attempts to alter the resistance induced by irradiated cercarial sensitization. Both highly resistant C57BL/6 and the often poorly resistant CBA/J strains were examined. Immunomanipulations included adult thymectomy, or administration of different drugs in relation to the time of challenge infection (day 0). Adult thymectomy was performed 3 weeks prior to sensitization or 3 weeks prior to challenge. Drug treatment included cyclophosphamide given at a dose of 20 mg/kg on alternate days, day -11 through day +11, cimetidine at 50 mg/kg/day, day -7 through day +21, or indomethacin at 2.5 mg/kg/day, day 0 through day +10. In most experiments, irradiated cercarial sensitized C57BL/6 mice developed significant resistance which was not altered by the immunomanipulative regimens used. If however, as fortuitously occurred in two adult thymectomy experiments, irradiated cercarial sensitization did not induce significant resistance, immunomanipulation by adult thymectomy allowed the development of a significant protected state. Similarly, adult thymectomy or cimetidine treatment in concert with immunization of CBA/J mice conferred moderate, statistically significant levels of stable resistance in this normally "less resistant" strain.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

BACS: evolution of an integrated library system toward information management.

The evolution of the Washington University School of Medicine BACS integrated library system toward information management functions is outlined. The creation of a machine-readable database and its extension through telecommunications have consequences that reach beyond the functions of the library as we have perceived them. It is argued that libraries are flexible institutions that, with automation, are likely to enlarge rather than to diminish.

Catalogs, Library↗

PubMed1983

Technology at Washington University School of Medicine Library: BACS, PHILSOM, and OCTANET.

A brief overview of the Bibliographic Access and Control System developed by the Washington University School of Medicine Library is presented. Because the system has been described in two previous reports, this paper focuses on its relationship to other automated programs (i.e., PHILSOM and OCTANET), education of users, evaluation of the system, and outreach to the medical center. In operation for more than two years, BACS represents the computerization of much of the managerial and operational functions of the library, and marks the completion of stage 1 of the three stages of library evolution described in the AAMC report Academic Information in the Academic Health Sciences Center: Roles for the Library in Information Management.

Computers↗

PubMed1982

On-line intergrated library system: bibliographic access and control system of Washington University School of Medicine.

The on-line integrated library system is a relatively simple and logical concept. The perception that many library functions can be incorporated within one system, using a single data base, has led a number of practitioners to independently develop such systems. This paper describes the Bibliographic Access and Control System (BACS), developed by the Washington University School of Medicine Library, and identifies some of the underlying principles, components, and capabilities of this system from the vantage point of operational experience over one year.

Computers↗

PubMed1975