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Biomedical subjects

G D Hart

Publications and source records attributed to G D Hart.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Clinical evaluation of Rho(D) immune globulin (human) in Canada.

-During 1966, clinical trials were conducted in three Canadian centres to determine the safety and efficacy of Rh(0)(D) immune globulin (human) in preventing isoimmunization by the Rh(0)(D) antigen in Rh-negative women delivering ABO-compatible Rh-positive infants.The candidates were randomly divided into control and treated groups; the treated mothers received an intramuscular injection of 300 mug. of anti-Rh(0)(D) within 72 hours of delivery. Follow-up antibody screening tests were conducted on the sera of all patients six to nine months post partum.Of the 175 control patients, 11 or 6.2% became actively immunized to the Rh antigen, whereas complete protection against maternal Rh immunization was observed in the 191 treated patients.

ABO Blood-Group System↗

The influence of morphology on prognosis in acute leukemia.

The presence of definite cytoplasmic granulation in at least some of the malignant cells was used as the sole criterion to separate 156 patients with acute leukemia into two groups: 110 with myeloblastic (AML), and 46 with lymphoblastic or stem cell leukemia (ALL). The median survival from the onset of symptoms in patients with AML was 20 weeks, and those with ALL 37 weeks. The difference in survival in these two groups is much greater for patients under the age of 25 than for those over the age of 25.

Adolescent↗

Prophylaxis for CMV should now replace pre-emptive therapy in solid organ transplantation.

Cytomegalovirus is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in transplantation. Controversy exists concerning whether prophylactic or pre-emptive therapy is the optimal strategy for preventing CMV disease. In addition, CMV impacts the transplanted graft, transplant recipient and transplant programme beyond just causing CMV disease; thus questioning whether 'asymptomatic' CMV replication should also be prevented. In this Forum article, prophylactic therapy is advocated as the preferred approach for preventing CMV disease. Prophylactic therapy has a large body of supportive controlled clinical studies demonstrating its efficacy and cost effectiveness. In addition, prophylactic therapy has the benefit of preventing other herpes viruses and other opportunistic superinfections by reducing the immunosuppressive effects of CMV. Moreover, a small but growing body of information suggests that prophylactic therapy may also have a beneficial effect on organ outcomes, including rejection. In contrast, pre-emptive therapy is limited by its reliance on intensive surveillance, which presents logistical difficulties and requires perfect patient compliance. Ambiguity still exists concerning the best surveillance method and its effect on patient-care costs. Each proposed diagnostic approach has limitations, which are affected by the prevalence of CMV in the population studied, the particular assay employed, and the frequency of surveillance. The suggested benefits of pre-emptive therapy, such as decreased cost, fewer adverse medication effects and less antiviral resistance have not been adequately proven in head-to-head clinical studies. We therefore support the proposition that transplant patients at risk for any level of CMV replication will significantly benefit from effective antiviral prophylaxis.

Antiviral Agents↗

Blood group testing of ancient material with particular reference to the mummy Nakht.

An international multidisciplinary team performed an autopsy on the mummy of Nakht, a 16-year-old Egyptian boy who died 3200 years ago. Excavation records and translation of hieroglyphics provide a positive identification. The histological techniques, both at the light and electron microscope levels, demonstrate remarkable preservation of normal and diseased structures. Splenic material and dark brown substance obtained from the inside of the sigmoid sinus of Nakht, during the examination of the contents of the cranial cavity, were tested using the SMM and IAT procedures. Repeated testing of the splenic material using SMM produced no agglutination and was complicated by hemolysis of the absorbed group O cells due to contaminating bacteria and fungi. However, when used in the IAT, splenic material gave a positive result for blood group B. The sigmoid sinus material produced a positive reaction for blood group B when used with the SMM and with the IAT. The blood cells recovered from Nakht are believed to be the oldest known preserved human red and white blood cells. The authors also believe that the testing techniques employed in this study are reliable and hence feel confident that the Egyptian boy Nakht, who is 3200 years old, was blood group B.

Adolescent↗

Human breast carcinoma cell lines: ultrastructural, genotypic, and immunocytochemical characterization.

Two new breast carcinoma cell lines, designated as UISO-BCA-1 and UISO-BCA-2, have been established from pleural effusions of postmenopausal women. Both cell lines show properties of mammary epithelial cells, such as positive immunoreactivity to cytokeratins and human milk fat globulin, presence of desmosomal junctions, numerous microvilli, intracytoplasmic duct-like vacuoles and tonofilaments. UISO-BCA-1 and UISO-BCA-2 cells differ from each other with respect to cellular morphology, ultramicroscopic details, immunoreactivity to Her-neu oncogene protein, chromosomal mode and in vivo and in vitro growth rates. UISO-BCA-1 cells are well-differentiated (as evident from their morphology and ultrastructural details) and hyperploid (42-114 chromosomes). In vitro, UISO-BCA-1 cells are fast growing, with a population doubling time of 31.2 +/- 9.6 hrs (n = 4), and are tumorigenic (100%) in athymic nude mice. In contrast, UISO-BCA-2 cells are poorly differentiated, but are also hyperploid, with 54-64 chromosomes. UISO-BCA-2 cells are slow growing in vitro (population doubling time: 56.0 +/- 5.0 hrs [n = 4]) and have limited tumorigenic potency (20-40%). Both these cell lines are estrogen and progesterone receptor (less than 10 fmol/mg protein) negative.

Aged↗