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Biomedical subjects

E Miller

Publications and source records attributed to E Miller.

At least 415 records · Page 23Linked to original sources

Carcinogenicity of fibrous glass: pleural response in the rat in relation to fiber dimension.

Seventeen fibrous glasses of diverse type or dimensional distribution induced different incidences of malignant mesenchymal neoplasms when implanted in the pleurae of female Osborne-Mendel rats for periods of more than 1 year. Neoplastic response correlated well with the dimensional distribution of fibers. Fibers less than or equal to 1.5 mu in diameter and greater than 8 mu in length yielded the highest probability of pleural sarcomas, and probability trends suggested that pleural sarcoma incidence increased with increasing lengths of fibers with diameters of less than 1.5 mu, Morphologic observations indicated that fibers less than or equal to 8 mu in length were inactivated by phagocytosis. In fibers greater than 8 mu in length, the correlation of carcinogenicity witth increasing length was difficult to explain. Since neoplastic response to a variety of types of durable fibers, particularly asbestos fibers, was similar, our experiments reinforce the idea that the carcinogenicity of fibers depends on dimension and durability rather than physicochemical properties and emphasize that all respirable fibers be viewed with caution.

Animals↗

The management of dementia: a review of some possibilities.

Evidence relating to the effects of therapeutic intervention on the behaviour of elderly demented patients is reviewed. Contrary to common prejudice there is strong evidence that improvements in functioning can be achieved by social and behavioural manipulations although maintaining such gains may be more difficult. There are some indications as to what type of intervention is likely to be most effective and some specific techniques that might be of use are discussed.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

Filtration characteristics of polyester mesh (Pall) micropore blood transfusion filter.

Stored human blood of varying age was passed through polyester mesh (Pall) micropore blood transfusion (pore size, 40 mu). Passage through the filter resulted in decreased screen filtration pressure (SFP) of the blood and increased filter weight. Mumerous microaggregates were removed, but SFP did not return to normal after filtration. On the basis of this research, we conclude that polyester mesh micropore blood transfusion filters are not as effective as Dacron wool (Swank) transfusion filters in removal of micro-aggregates from stored human blood. If a polyester mesh filter must be used, it is recommended that once occlusion of the filter has occurred, the filter should then be discarded and another inserted.

Blood Preservation↗

Gunshot wounds of the abdomen. A review of 277 cases.

During a five-year period from July 1968 throuhgh June 1973, 277 abdominal gunshot wounds (GSWs) occurred, the overall fatality of which was 10%. Abdominal exploration was done in all patients. No intra-abdominal injury was found in 40 patients (14%) and no death occurred in this group. There were 28 fatalities (12%) in 237 patients (86%) who had intra-abdominal injuries. Morbidity and mortality were related not only to the number of organs injured, but also to specific organs injured. The leading cause of early death was hypovolemia due to major vessel injuries. Septicemia was the most common cause of death if the patient survived the first 24 hours of hospitalization. Penetrating abdominal stab wounds and gunshot wounds must be considered separately, and mandatory routine abdominal exploration for all penetrating gunshot wounds is advised. In stab wounds to the abdomen, conservative management may be preferable.

Abdominal Injuries↗

A comparison of flexible and nonflexible plastic cannulae for performing first trimester abortion.

The safety and effectiveness of flexible and nonflexible plastic cannulae used in vacuum aspiration abortion for patients at 6 to 12 weeks' gestation were evaluated in a study of 1100 physically healthy women in Ljublijana, Yugoslavia. To minimize study biases, each type of cannulae was randomly assigned to 550 patients. To minimize evaluator bias, a second physician who was kept unaware of which cannula was used for particular patient was responsible for evaluating patients after the procedures. Both groups of patients were similar with respect to age, parity, marital status, formal education and gestational age. Higher rates of retained tissue and cannula obstruction were obtained with the flexible cannula. The two types of cannulae were not significantly different with respect to other criteria of evaluation.

Abortion, Induced↗

Microaggregate formation in stored human packed cells: comparison with formation in stored whole blood and a method for their removal.

Experiments were performed to compare the formation of microaggregates in stored human whole blood (WB) with that in stored packed cells (PC) and also to compare the effectiveness of standard blood transfusion filters with dacron wool (Swank) micropore transfusion filters in removing such microaggregates. After 5, 10, 15 and 20 days of storage SFP and debris weights of PC's were considerably greater than those of matched WB samples. Passage of either WB or PC's through standard blood transfusion filters resulted in small decreases in SFP and debris weights. Passage of either WB or PC's through dacron wool (Swank) transfusion filters led to striking and highly significant decreases in both SFP and debris weights. When stored PC's were diluted to the same hematocrits as their corresponding WB samples, SFP remained considerably elevated above those of the WB samples. On the basis of this research, it is concluded that centrifugation of blood during component separation leads to a significant increase in microaggregate formation over and above that which progressively occurs during storage and that the risk of pulmonary microembolization during transfusion with stored PC's is greater than that during WB transfusion. For this reason, dacron wool (Swank) filters should always be used when PC's are being transfused.

Blood Preservation↗

In vivo and in vitro cell-mediated responses in coccidioidomycosis. I. Immumologic responses of persons with primary, asymptomatic infections.

Chest roentgenograms of 58 children who were skin test positive to coccidioidin and resided in an area endemic for coccidioidomycosis revealed that 34 per cent had roentgenographic evidence of an inflammatory process, 14 per cent showed calcific densities, and 52 per cent showed no evidence of infection. The in vitro lymphocyte responses of children who had evidence of an inflammatory process (Group I) were compared with those of children who had calcific densities (Group II); those of children who were coccidioidin skin test negative and had normal chest roentgenograms (Group III); and those of patients who had active coccidioidomycosis (Group IV). The mean lymphocyte transformation responses (expressed as cpm times 10-(4)) of Groups I, II, III, and IV to a coccidioides antigen were 16.8, 19.5, 4.2, and 7.0, respectively. The mean migration inhibitory factor responses of these groups were 22.4, 20.0, 1.2, and 4.0 per cent, respectively. Thus, the over-all responses of children in Groups I and II were comparable to each other, whereas the responses of patients in Group IV were depressed to the extent that they were indistinguishable from those of coccidioidin skin test-negative donors in Group III. Follow-up chest roentgenograms taken 3 months after the immunologic assays were performed revealed that the one subject in Group I who had been nonresponsive in the lymphocyte assays had now stabilized his infection, as evidenced by calcifications. In contrast, the 2 subjects in Group I who had yet to stabilize their infection had exhibited strong in vitro lymphocyte responses. These findings suggest that primary, asymptomatic coccidioidomycosis is not associated with an immunologically nonresponsive state. However, patients with active, progressive coccidioidomycosis do have a depressed immunologic response to coccidioides antigens.

Adolescent↗

The transport of alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene in human blood.

The concentrations and distributions of major lipids (cholesterol, phospholipid, and triglyceride), tocopherol and carotenoids were determined in the plasma lipoprotein fractions (VLDL, LDL, and HDL) of (1) normal human subjects, (2) patients with hyperlipoproteinemia, and (3) patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria treated with oral beta-carotene and/or alpha-tocopherol. The distribution of tocopherol (in percent) was most closely correlated with the distribution of total lipids in the individual lipoproteins, while the major portion of beta-carotene was present in the low density lipoproteins, irrespective of the lipid distribution in the lipoproteins (except for one subject with hyperchylomicronemia). The alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene concentrations of plasma and RBC in patients treated with tocopherol and carotene were determined periodically for a one-year period. Plasma and RBC tocopherol concentrations showed a rapid, parallel increase in response to tocopherol supplementation. In contrast, the plasma and RBC carotene concentrations showed a much slower and nonparallel increase in response to carotene administration. When carotene supplementation was stopped, the elevated carotene levels in both plasma and RBC persisted for several months; the elevated plasma carotene level persisted longer than the raised RBC carotene levels. These results suggest that alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene are transported differently in the circulation and that the tissue storage and mobilization of these compounds are different.

Adult↗

Enzymes regulating glycogen metabolism in swine subcutaneous adipose tissue. I. Phosphorylase and phosphorylase phosphatase.

Glycogen phosphorylase from swine adipose tissue was purified nearly 700-fold using ethanol precipitation, DEAE-cellulose adsorption, AMP-agarose affinity chromatography, and agarose gel filtration. The purified enzyme migrated as one major and several minor components during polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Activity was associated with the major component and at least one of the minor components. The molecular weight of the disaggregated, reduced, and alkylated enzyme, estimated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis performed in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate, was 90,000. Stability of the purified enzyme was considerably increased in the presence of AMP. The isoelectric pH of the enzyme in crude homogenates was 6.3. The sedimentation coefficient of the purified enzyme (7.9 S) and that in crude homogenates (7.3 S) was determined by sucrose density gradient sedimentation. Optimal pH for activity was between pH 6.5 and 7.1. Apparent Km values for glycogen and inorganic phosphate were 0.9 mg/ml and 6.6 mM, respectively. The Ka for AMP was 0.21 mM. Enzyme activity was increased by K2SO4, KF, KCl, and MgCl2 and decreased by NaCl, Na2SO4, D-glucose, and ATP. Inhibition by glucose was noncompetitive with the activator AMP; inhibition by ATP was partially competitive with AMP. The purified enzyme was activated by incubation with skeletal muscle phosphorylase kinase. Enzyme in crude homogenates was activated by the addition of MgCl2 and ATP; activation was not blocked by addition of protein kinase inhibitor, suggesting that phosphorylase kinase in homogenates of swine adipose tissue is present largely in an activated form. Deactivation of phosphorylase a by phosphorylase phosphatase was studied using enzyme purified approximately 200-fold from swine adipose tissue by ethanol precipitation, DEAE-cellulose chromatography, and gel filtration. The Km of the adipose tissue phosphatase for skeletal muscle phosphorylase a was 6 muM. The purified swine adipose tissue phosphorylase, labeled with 32-P, was inactivated and dephosphorylated by the adipose tissue phosphatase. Dephosphorylation of both skeletal muscle and adipose tissue substrates was inhibited by AMP and glucose reversed this inhibition. Several lines of evidence suggest that AMP inhibition was due to an action on the substrate rather than on the enzyme. We have previously reported that the system for phosphorylase activation in rat fat cells differs in some important characteristics from that in skeletal muscle. However, both swine fat phosphorylase and phosphorylase phosphatase have major properties very similar to those described for the enzymes from skeletal muscle.

Adenosine Monophosphate↗