Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J A Cameron

Publications and source records attributed to J A Cameron.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Conjunctival ophthalmomyiasis caused by the sheep nasal botfly (Oestrus ovis)

Three patients had conjunctival ophthalmomyiasis caused by the ovine nasal botfly. All patients had a sudden onset of redness, tearing, and foreign-body sensation of the affected eye. One to nine Oestrus ovis first-instar larvae were removed from the bulbar or palpebral conjunctiva of each patient. Symptoms and clinical signs resolved after mechanical removal of the larvae. Specific taxonomic diagnosis of O. ovis larvae was determined on the basis of characteristic conformation of the terminal end of the larval caudal segment as seen by use of light microscopy.

Adult↗

Squamous cell carcinoma of the cornea.

We treated two patients with primary squamous cell carcinoma of the cornea without involvement of the corneoscleral limbus. Superficial keratectomy and cryotherapy in one patient and penetrating keratoplasty in the other patient resulted in no recurrence of the tumor after 46 and nine months, respectively. Actinic damage and late manifestation caused by poor vision in both eyes of both patients may have been the risk factors for development of this tumor.

Adult↗

Endophthalmitis from contaminated donor corneas following penetrating keratoplasty.

We encountered six (0.2%) cases of endophthalmitis resulting from contaminated donor corneas between January 1983 and July 1990 following a total of 3000 consecutive penetrating keratoplasties. Causative organisms in the three cases of fungal endophthalmitis were Torulopsis glabrata, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus flavus; the three cases of bacterial endophthalmitis were due to Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis. All organisms were resistant to gentamicin in the preservation media. A significantly higher incidence of endophthalmitis was noted in patients receiving corneas from a Sri Lankan eye bank (1.25%) than in those receiving US eye bank tissue (0.14%). Donor rim cultures are important to identify those patients at increased risk of developing endophthalmitis, enabling earlier diagnosis and more specific treatment should endophthalmitis occur.

Adolescent↗

Triorganotin inhibition of rat cardiac adenosine triphosphatases and catecholamine binding.

Triorganotins have been reported to affect heme metabolism as well as the cardiovascular system. Our recent studies indicated that these organotins inhibit cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-transport and cAMP-stimulated phosphorylation of specific proteins involved in Ca2+ transport, suggesting their interference with cardiac adrenergic function. The present study determines the effect of three organotins--tributyltin bromide (TBT), triethyltin bromide (TET) and trimethyltin chloride (TMT)--on rat cardiac ATPases and catecholamine binding, since these phenomena are involved in cardiac function. Cardiac membrane fraction was prepared from heart ventricles of male Sprague-Dawley rats. All three organotins inhibited cardiac Na+,K(+)-ATPase, [3H]ouabain binding, K(+)-activated p-nitrophenyl phosphatase (K(+)-PNPPase) and oligomycin-sensitive (OS) and oligomycin-insensitive (OI) Mg(2+)-ATPase in a concentration-dependent manner. K(+)-PNPPase was less sensitive to these triorganotins when compared to Na+K(+)-ATPase, suggesting that triorganotins affect the Na(+)-pump activity by acting on the Na(+)-dependent phosphorylation process. OS Mg(2+)-ATPase was more sensitive to these organotins when compared to OI Mg(2+)-ATPase, confirming their potent effect on the enzymes of oxidative phosphorylation. The order of potency is TBT greater than TET greater than TMT. TET and TMT, but not TBT, inhibited [3H]norepinephrine and [3H]dopamine binding to cardiac membranes in a concentration-dependent manner, the effect being more with TET. These results suggest that triorganotins inhibit sodium pump activity as well as ATP synthesis. Since Na+,K(+)-ATPase is involved in the active transport of catecholamines, triorganotins not only inhibited the catecholamine transport but also to some extent affected catecholamine binding, thus interfering with cardiac function.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Inhibition of Ca2+ transport associated with cAMP-dependent protein phosphorylation in rat cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum by triorganotins.

Organotin compounds have been shown to interfere with cardiovascular system. We have studied the in vitro and in vivo effects of tributyltin bromide (TBT), triethyltin bromide (TET) and trimethyltin chloride (TMT) on the cardiac SR Ca2+ pump, as well as on protein phosphorylation of SR proteins, in order to understand the relative potency of these tin compounds. All the three tin compounds inhibited cardiac SR 45Ca uptake and Ca(2+)-ATPase in vitro in a concentration-dependent manner. The order of potency for Ca(2+)-ATPase as determined by IC50, is TBT (2 microM) greater than TET (63 microM) greater than TMT (280 microM). For 45Ca uptake, it followed the same order i.e., TBT (0.35 microM) greater than TET (10 microM) greater than TMT (440 microM). In agreement with the in vitro results, both SR Ca(2+)-ATPase and 45Ca uptake were significantly inhibited in rats treated with these tin compounds, indicating that these tin compounds inhibit cardiac SR Ca2+ transport. cAMP significantly elevated (70-80%) the 32P-binding to SR proteins in vitro in the absence of any organotin. In the presence of organotins, cAMP-stimulated 32P-binding to proteins was significantly reduced, but the decrease was concentration dependent only at lower concentrations. The order of potency is TBT greater than TET greater than TMT. In agreement with in vitro studies, cAMP-dependent 32P bound to proteins was significantly reduced in rats treated with TBT, TET and TMT. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the cardiac SR revealed at least 30 Coomassie blue stainable bands ranging from 9 to 120 kDa.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Epikeratoplasty for keratoglobus associated with blue sclera.

Patients with keratoglobus and blue sclera as part of a generalized connective tissue disorder are at a high risk of developing corneal perforations either spontaneously or after mild trauma. Six patients (6 eyes) between the ages of 2 and 16 years of age (mean, 7.5 years) with keratoglobus, blue sclera, hypermobile joints, and consanguineous parents were treated by epikeratoplasty, using commercially prepared 12.5-mm lenticules. Surgery was performed for tectonic support and/or visual improvement and was successful in five of six patients with a follow-up period of 11 to 27 months (mean, 21 months). One lenticule was removed because the epithelium did not heal. Peripheral interface opacities occurred in three patients.

Adolescent↗

Climatic droplet keratopathy with corneal amyloidosis.

Climatic droplet keratopathy (CDK) is a degenerative disease of the cornea, highly prevalent in Saudi Arabia. It is characterized by aggregates of small, golden-yellow globules that accumulate in the subepithelial layers, Bowman's layer, and the superficial stroma of the cornea. The authors report on 22 patients (40 eyes) with CDK and lattice lines in the cornea. The condition occurred late in life (mean age, 67 years). It was bilateral in 82% of patients, with no family history of lattice dystrophy or systemic amyloidosis. These lines were found in all layers of the stroma. Results of histopathologic and electron microscopic examination of the lattice lines confirmed the presence of amyloid. Results of immunohistochemical examination showed evidence of deposition of AP protein. The cause of these deposits in the cornea is not known, but the authors speculate that environmental factors causing CDK also may play a role in the deposition of protein AP in the cornea. The contribution of trachoma to the degenerative changes in the cornea and secondary amyloidosis could not be ruled out, as all patients had inactive trachoma. Climatic droplet keratopathy with corneal amyloidosis, therefore, represents a form of "lattice degeneration" of the cornea.

Adult↗

Contamination of donor cornea: postpenetrating keratoplasty endophthalmitis.

Nine cases (0.41%) of bacterial and fungal endophthalmitis developed out of a total of 2,210 consecutive penetrating keratoplasties performed between November 1983 and April 1989. Five of the nine cases (0.23%) had endophthalmitis related to donor tissue contamination. The donor tissue of these cases had a storage time of greater than 5 days. A retrospective analysis of 1,399 consecutive corneoscleral rim cultures showed a contamination rate of 29%. The most common organisms isolated were Propionibacterium 26%, diphtheroids 24%, Staphylococcus epidermidis 22%, and fungi 9%. There is a statistically significant increase (p less than 0.005) in the percentage of contaminated donor rims with a preservation time of more than five days. The risk of developing endophthalmitis is 12 times greater with a positive donor rim culture. Prolonged preservation of donor tissue can be a risk factor in developing endophthalmitis.

Adolescent↗

The effect of retinoic acid on positional memory in the dorsoventral axis of regenerating axolotl limbs.

We investigated the effect of retinoic acid (RA) on pattern regulation in the dorsoventral (DV) axis of regenerating axolotl limbs. Half and double half dorsal and ventral zeugopodia (lower arms or legs) were amputated through their distal ends, and 4 days later the animals were injected intraperitoneally with 50 (large animals) or 100 (small animals) micrograms RA/g body wt. Half and double half dorsal and ventral zeugopodia of uninjected axolotls, and sham-operated zeugopodia of untreated and RA-treated limbs served as controls. Skeletal patterns and the DV muscle patterns of control and experimental regenerates were then analyzed. Sham-operated zeugopodia of uninjected animals regenerated normally. Sham-operated, RA-treated zeugopodia regenerated normally with proximodistal duplications. Sixty percent of uninjected control dorsal half zeugopodia, 80% of control ventral half zeugopodia, and 100% of control double dorsal and double ventral zeugopodia regenerated distally, but the regenerates did not reconstitute the muscle pattern of the missing half. Thirty-eight percent of RA-treated ventral half zeugopodia and 78% of RA-treated double ventral zeugopodia failed to regenerate distally. Of those cases that did regenerate distally, none regenerated the muscle pattern of the missing half. By contrast, 100% of RA-treated dorsal half zeugopodia regenerated distally and all completed the normal DV muscle pattern. Forty-one percent of RA-treated double dorsal zeugopodia failed to regenerate, but of the remainder that did regenerate, 50% completed the normal DV muscle pattern. These represented eight cases, six of which regenerated single limbs, and two of which regenerated twin limbs, each with a normal DV muscle pattern. We interpret these data to mean that RA ventralizes the positional memory of blastema cells in the DV axis.

Ambystoma↗

Effect of chlordecone (Kepone) on calcium transport mechanisms in rat heart sarcoplasmic reticulum.

Previous studies from our laboratory have indicated that chlordecone (Kepone CD), an organochlorine insecticide, inhibited cardiac sodium pump activity and catecholamine uptake suggesting that CD may interfere with cardiac function. Sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) calcium pump has an important role in myocardial contraction and relaxation, besides Na+ transport. Since CD interferes with cardiac Na+ ion translocases, we have studied CD effects on cardiac SR calcium pump activity. Experiments were carried out both in vitro and in vivo. SR was isolated from heart ventricles of male Sprague-Dawley rats. Cardiac SR Ca2(+)-ATPase. 45Ca-uptake and cAMP as well as calmodulin (CaM) dependent protein phosphorylation were measured. Ca2(+)-ATPase was differentiated into low affinity and high affinity forms by measuring the activity using 50 and 0.7 microM free Ca2(+)-respectively. CD in vitro inhibited 45Ca-uptake by SR in a concentration dependent manner with an IC50 value of 7 microM and SR 45Ca-uptake was totally inhibited at 20-30 microM CD. In agreement with this, both high affinity and low affinity Ca2(+)-ATPases, which are involved in Ca2+ transport across membranes, were also inhibited by CD in a concentration dependent manner with IC50 values of 0.7 and 3.2 microM respectively. Both Ca2(+)-ATPase and 45Ca-uptake by cardiac SR were significantly lower in rats treated with CD (25, 50 or 75 mg/kg) when compared to control rats. cAMP as well as CaM significantly elevated the 32P-binding to SR proteins in vitro to about 70-80%. In the presence of CD, this 32P-binding was reduced, however, not concentration dependent.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Corneal ectasia in vernal keratoconjunctivitis.

The type of corneal ectasia, the presence of breaks in Descemet's membrane, and the success with contact lens wear or penetrating keratoplasty were studied in 61 patients with corneal ectasia and vernal keratoconjunctivitis. There were 53 patients with keratoconus, 5 with pellucid marginal corneal degeneration, 2 with keratoglobus, and 1 with superior corneal thinning. The high rate of hydrops and the corneal ectasia itself may be related to excessive eye rubbing. Success with contact lens wear or penetrating keratoplasty in vernal keratoconjunctivitis patients with keratoconus is less than in patients with keratoconus alone.

Adolescent↗

Risk factors for intraoperative complications in 1000 extracapsular cataract cases.

A prospective study of the risk factors in extracapsular surgery was carried out between October 1984 and April 1986. One thousand extracapsular cataract extractions were performed by seven physicians. Decreasing pupil size was the only statistically significant risk factor for vitreous loss (P = 0.0002). Zonular breaks occurred more commonly with pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PX) (P less than 0.0001), with decreasing pupil size (P less than 0.0001), and with one surgeon who used the Simcoe aspirating needle (Storz) exclusively (P = 0.0001). It is acknowledged that it is very difficult to standardize what constitutes a small zonular break; hence, the increase in zonular breaks recorded by this surgeon may have been due only to his using less stringent criteria than the others. Capsule breaks had no significant risk factors at the 0.01 level. High myopia, advanced cataract, glaucoma, advanced age, and diabetes mellitus were not found to be risk factors for vitreous loss, zonular breaks, or capsular breaks.

Adult↗