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Biomedical subjects

H Birch

Publications and source records attributed to H Birch.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1989

The acute phase response in the rodent.

In the rodent, the general response to acute inflammation and tissue damage is characterized by a complex rearrangement in the pattern of concentrations of proteins in the plasma leading to an increase in the sedimentation rate of erythrocytes, an increase in leukocyte concentration in the bloodstream, and a decrease in the hematocrit. Body temperature changes only slightly or not at all. The reasons for the change in plasma concentrations of proteins are changes in their rates of synthesis in the liver. Degradation of plasma proteins is not affected. The details of the acute phase response evolved in the interaction of species with their environment. Therefore, it is not surprising to find differences in the details of the acute phase response among species. For example, alpha 2-macroglobulin is a strongly positive acute phase reactant in the rat, but not in the mouse; C-reactive protein is a strongly positive acute phase protein in the mouse, but is not found in the rat. An inducible acute phase cysteine proteinase inhibitor system, which has evolved from a primordial kininogen gene, has been observed so far only in the rat. The changes in the synthesis rates of acute phase proteins during inflammation are closely reflected by corresponding changes in intracellular mRNA levels. In the liver, the capacity to induce the acute phase pattern of synthesis and secretion of plasma proteins probably develops around birth. Changes in mRNA levels are brought about by changes in transcription rates or by changes in mRNA stability. Kinetics of mRNA changes during the acute phase response differ for individual proteins. The main signal compound for eliciting the acute phase response in liver seems to be interleukin-6/interferon-beta 2/hepatocyte stimulating factor, whereas interleukin-1 leads to typical acute phase changes in mRNA levels only for alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, albumin, and transthyretin. Plasma protein genes are expressed in various extrahepatic tissues, such as the choroid plexus, the yolk sac, the placenta, the seminal vesicles, and other sites. All these tissues are involved in maintaining protein homeostasis in associated extracellular compartments by synthesis and secretion of proteins. Synthesis and secretion of plasma proteins in paracompartmental organs other than the liver is not influenced by the acute phase stimuli.

Acute-Phase Proteins↗
PubMed1979

A review of psychoactive drug-involved deaths in nine major United States cities.

Detailed psychosocial and biomedical data were collected in 2,000 psychoactive drug-involved deaths occurring from 1972 through 1974 in nine large cities in the United States. The cases were selected representatively by the medical examiners or coroners in each city. Also, proficiency studies were carried out of the toxicological laboratories associated with these nine cooperating data collection centers. There were striking intercity psychosocial and biomedical differences in these psychoactive drug-involved deaths. These differences were based not simply in demographic regional population differences but also on the kinds of psychoactive drugs used as well as the role of the drug in contributing to death and whether the death was a result of an accident, suicide, homicide, or unknown intent. Also, a lack of uniformity was demonstrated in the quality control of the toxicological laboratories associated with the offices of these nine medical examiners or coroners, which suggests varying degrees of accuracy in resulting medicolegal diagnoses. Hence national programs of drug abuse deterrence or prevention and treatment should deal specifically with the variety of psychoactive drug-involved deaths occurring in different urban areas rather than approaching these problems globally as if they were uniform and homogeneous, and our toxicological proficiency studies accentuate the importance of mandatory quality control studies for all toxicological laboratories in the United States.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

The use of tienilic acid in nephrotic syndrome: a clinical study.

The diuretic and uricosuric activities of tienilic acid 250--50 mg daily over a minimum six week period have been studied in seven patients with the nephrotic syndrome secondary to glomerulonephritis proven by renal biopsy. Tienilic acid failed to control oedema in one patient who had to be withdrawn. In the six other patients a hypouricaemic effect with increased urate clearance was noted. No consistent effects were noted with respect to the serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. No side effects were observed. It is concluded that in nephrotic patients tienilic acid behaves as a mild diuretic with consistent hypouricaemic and uricosuric effects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Normal vaginal axis.

Vaginograms were done on 20 normal women to determine the exact axis, length, and direction of the normal vagina. The vagina was found to be a curved organ with a distinct upper portion that has an axis between the third and fourth sacral vetebrae. The importance of restoring this axis in pelvic surgery, especially for vault prolapse, is discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Reversal of ethanol intoxication in humans: an assessment of the efficacy of L-dopa, aminophylline, and ephedrine.

The effect of postethanol treatment with L-Dopa, aminophylline and/or ephedrine was investigated. In one experiment, healthy, male, moderate drinkers ingested ethanol (0.8 g/kg) and then either L-Dopa (1.5 g), or placebo. In a second experiment, subjects ingested ethanol followed by aminophylline (200 mg), ephedrine (50 mg), aminophylline (200 mg) plus ephedrine (50 mg), or placebo. Double-blind, within-subjects, crossover designs were employed. Treatment with L-Dopa significantly reduced ethanol's effect on the electroencephalogram, motor coordination, and divided attention performance (t-test for paired data). Treatment with aminophylline and/or ephedrine also significantly reduced ethanol's effects on the electroencephalogram and motor coordination. The ethanol-antagonism may result from central noradrenergic stimulation.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Reversal of ethanol intoxications in humans: an assessment of the efficacy of propranolol.

The effect of post-ethanol ingestion of a single dose of propranolol on acute intoxication was studied in 13 healthy male volunteers. A within subjects, double-blind, crossover design was employed. Each subject participated in two experimental sessions. In each session, subjects took a battery of tests under three conditions: Sober, Alcohol (0.8 g/kg) and Alcohol (1.1 g/kg) + Pill, in that order. The pill contained propranolol (40 mg) in one session and placebo in the other. Ethanol significantly reduced motor coordination, memory and divided attention performance and altered mood scores. Propranolol significantly increased ethanol's effects on divided attention, inebriation ratings and the electroencephalogram without significantly altering blood alcohol concentrations. There was no indication that propranolol antagonized any of ethanol's effects. These results agree with studies indicating that ethanol's effects are increased by a reduction in the functional capacity of central catecholamine systems. It is suggested that central catecholamine-stimulating drugs may reverse some of ethanol's effects.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

A comparison of suicide and non-suicide deaths involving psychotropic drugs in four major U.S. cities.

By use of a standard reporting form, extensive data were gathered on 651 deaths involving psychotropic drugs and recorded with the Coroner's or Medical Examiner's Office in each of four major U.S. cities. Thirty-six per cent of these deaths were listed as "Definitely Suicide" and 44% were listed as "Non-Suicide." A comparison was made of the age, sex, race, occupational category, and type of drug involved for each of these two groups, by city. In general, the Suicide group tended to be older, from higher occupational levels, and more often female. Blacks were under-represented among the Suicides but over-represented among the Non-Suicides. Suicide deaths tended to be associated with barbiturates, analgesics, and/or sedatives, while the Non-Suicides usually died from an accidental abuse of narcotics, usually heroin. These findings tended to be similar for each city, although some inter-city differences were noted.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Analysis of results of toxicological examinations performed by coroners' or medical examiners' laboratories in 2000 drug-involved deaths in nine major U. S. cities.

Data were collected on 2000 deaths in which psychoactive drugs were involved. The data were submitted by medical examiners or coroners in nine U. S. cities from their case files. The 2000 cases comprise a representative sample from each of these cities of deaths from psychoactive drugs between 1972 through 1974. This report details inter-city differences in methods and practices of the toxicological examination as well as the type and numbers of drugs reported. Even when the same analytical method was used in various cities, there were differences in extraction solvent and extraction pH. Of the 3909 drugs detected, 2945 were quantitated; the number of drugs quantitatively measured per case studied ranged from a low of 0.82 for New York to a high of 2.20 for Washington, D.C. The number of different drugs quantitatively measured varied from 16 for New York to 30 for San Francisco; however, New York qualitatively assayed for the presence of a total of 25 drugs. The number and type of drugs found per case varied. Methadone, for example, was found in 60% of the cases reported by New York and in 49% of the cases from Washington, D.C., but in only about 10% of cases reported by Philadelphia, Dallas, Miami, and San Francisco, and in less than 1% of Los Angeles and Cleveland cases; it was not reported by Chicago. Phenmetrazine-caused deaths were reported only by Dallas (one case) and Washington, D.C. (29 cases). From the data as a whole, information is presented for 33 drugs as to the concentration in physiological tissues and fluids. Analysis of single psychoactive drug cases and single-drug-plus-ethanol cases shows that, in the presence of ethanol, the toxic blood concentration of imipramine, amytriptyline, meprobamate, thioridazine, morphine, propoxyphene, methaqualone, and all barbiturates was decreased by an average of 50%.

Forensic Medicine↗
PubMed1975

Unit activity in posterior association cortex of cat.

1. "Association" neurons in the posterior middle suprasylvian gyrus of cat were found to be predominantly polysensory, with 82% of the units in the chloralose-anesthetized preparation responding to auditory, visual, and somatic stimuli. There was no evidence of response differentiation associated with cortical depth distribution. Most units responded with a short-latency response (median 35-60 ms) to all stimulus modalities, with the response to visual stimulation occurring at the shortest latency. Among polysensory cells, almost half responded with equal probability to auditory, visual, and somatic stimulation. The visual stimulus was the most potent for those cells responding with a higher probability to a single modality. Varying degrees of response complexity were noted in some cells in terms of changes in responsivity over time, discharge to stimulus offset, and inhibition of spontaneous activity. The unitary discharge was seen to occur on the negative peak and slope of the locally recorded evoked potential. When only the larger amplitude spikes were analyzed, most of the unitary activity occurred on the negative peak of the evoked potential. Almost half of trimodally responsive cells displayed similar phase relationships between unitary activity and evoked potentials for all three modalities. The absolute refractory period for most cells was from 200 to 300 ms, with relative refractory periods extending up to 30 s...

Anesthesia, General↗