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Biomedical subjects

J A Hunt

Publications and source records attributed to J A Hunt.

149 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Epitrochlear lymph nodes as a site of melanoma metastasis.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of epitrochlear lymph node metastasis for patients with melanomas on the hand or forearm is disputed, and management guidelines for these nodes are unclear. METHODS: The records of 13,139 consecutive melanoma patients were reviewed to document the incidence of metastatic disease in epitrochlear nodes. The frequency of direct lymphatic drainage to epitrochlear nodes was determined for 109 patients with melanomas of the distal upper limb who had undergone preoperative lymphoscintigraphy. RESULTS: Nine of 801 patients (1.1%) with upper limb primary melanomas developed metastatic disease in an epitrochlear node, and one other patient with an occult primary tumor did so. Six of these ten patients underwent elective axillary node dissection at the time of surgery for epitrochlear node disease, and three were found to have metastatic disease in an axillary node. Epitrochlear node metastasis occurred in only two of 83 (2.4%) patients with upper extremity melanoma who underwent therapeutic axillary dissection. Of the 109 patients who underwent lymphoscintigraphy, four (3.7%) demonstrated lymphatic drainage to an epitrochlear node. CONCLUSIONS: Epitrochlear nodal involvement from melanoma of the distal upper extremity is rare, and routine epitrochlear node clearance at the time of either elective or therapeutic axillary dissection for upper extremity melanoma is not indicated. However, it is desirable to perform an axillary dissection whenever surgery for metastatic disease in an epitrochlear node is performed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Monocyte adhesion and adhesion molecule expression on human endothelial cells on plasma-treated PET and PTFE in vitro.

The aim of this study was to evaluate in vitro the inflammatory potential of endothelialized surfaces of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) after ammonia gas plasma modification. HUVECs grown on polystyrene and HUVECs stimulated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) were used as controls. At day 1 and day 7, surfaces were evaluated for U937 cells and HUVECs using flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. Plasma-treated PET (T-PET) and treated PTFE (T-PTFE) increased U937 cell adhesion compared to the negative control but this was not statistically significant. Maximal adhesion of U937 cells to HUVEC was observed on TNF-alpha stimulated endothelium with significant differences between day 1 and day 7. There was a small increase in U937 cell adhesion to plasma-treated PET compared to PTFE on both day 1 and day 7, but this was not statistically significant. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated two patterns of distribution for monocyte adhesion on materials. On T-PET the cells were positioned in clusters attached to HUVECs and on T-PTFE the cells were randomly distributed on HUVECs and material. The effects of plasma-treated PET and PTFE on HUVEC adhesion and proliferation were also studied. On day 1 there were slight increases in the growth of HUVECs on both of T-PET and T-PTFE but this was not statistically significant. On day 7, cell number increased significantly on all of surfaces compared to the negative control. The results demonstrate that the plasma treatment of PET and PTFE with ammonia improves the adhesion and growth of endothelial cells and these surfaces do not exhibit a direct inflammatory effect in terms of monocyte adhesion. Plasma-treated PTFE enhances HUVECs growth and was less adhesive for monocytes as compared with treated PET. The monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells on surfaces can be used as a tool for the evaluation of material surface modification and further to study the mechanisms of cell to cell interactions in response to surfaces.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Use of tactile techniques for self-monitoring of blood glucose in visually impaired patients with diabetes mellitus.

Twenty-eight patients with type I diabetes mellitus, legally blind as a result of proliferative retinopathy, were recruited into a program designed to teach and evaluate tactile methods for self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG). Vision ranged from "blind" to "able to read large print." Techniques with wipe-off strips (Chemstrip bG or BM Test BG, Boehringer-Mannheim, Canada Ltd., Dorval, Quebec, Canada) use the opposite hand as a guide, operation of timing devices by touch, and special methods for labeling and storing strips. Methods with wash-off strips (Dextrostix, Ames Division, Miles Laboratories, Rexdale, Ontario, Canada) employ the fingers as a guide in directing the wash water. The accuracy of tactile methods was documented. Clinical parameters of glucose control improved in patients with adequate data after 6 mo of tactile SMBG. Glycosylated hemoglobin in 17 patients decreased from 11.3 +/- 2.1% to 9.4 +/- 1.5% (P = 0.005). Patients experienced significantly fewer reactions and low blood sugar readings as well as lowering of mean blood glucose values from 158 +/- 56 to 141 +/- 51 (P = 0.025).

Adult↗