The environmental aspects of the post-polio syndrome.
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Adult↗
Biomedical subjects
J Butler
Publications and source records attributed to J Butler.
Assay of disaturated phosphatidylcholine in amniotic fluid as a test of fetal lung maturity: experience with 2000 analyses.
We determined concentrations of disaturated phosphatidylcholine (DSPC) in nearly 2000 amniotic fluid samples obtained either transabdominally or as vaginal pools. Here we report our comparison of these DSPC values with the lecithin/sphingomyelin (L/S) ratios for amniotic fluid samples obtained from diabetic and nondiabetic pregnancies and also between transabdominally or vaginally collected samples uncontaminated by blood or meconium. DSPC measurement is at least as good as the L/S ratio in predicting the absence of respiratory distress syndrome. DSPC concentrations were, however, lower in diabetic than in nondiabetic pregnancies, supporting the hypothesis that DSPC synthesis may be impaired in fetuses of diabetic mothers. Visually uncontaminated samples collected transabdominally or vaginally, when grouped according to length of gestation, have similar DSPC values but different L/S ratios. Thus, even in the absence of blood or meconium, DSPC may be a more useful test than the L/S ratio for vaginally pooled samples.
Amniotic Fluid↗
Intraspecific chick/chick chimaeras: dystrophic somitic mesoderm transplanted to a normal host forms muscles with a dystrophic phenotype.
Intraspecific chick/chick chimaeras were prepared by transplanting thoracic somitic mesoderm from donor chick embryos with hereditary muscular dystrophy to replace extirpated brachial somites of normal host embryos at stage 13 (48-52 h in ovo). Since the wings of unoperated dystrophic embryos exhibit significantly reduced motility between day-10 in ovo (day-10E) to day-15E, this parameter was used as a marker both to verify the viability of the transplant and to assess if the dystrophic phenotype of impaired functional activity is preserved in the mutant wing muscles innervated by brachial nerves of normal embryos. Our motility analyses of the chimaeras confirmed that transplanted thoracic somitic mesoderm gives rise to brachial musculature and that the experimental muscles maintained the inherent dystrophic phenotype.
Animals↗
Preservation of normal lung regions in the adult respiratory distress syndrome. Analysis by computed tomography.
In this report, we challenge the commonly held assumption that the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a homogeneous process associated with generalized and relatively uniform damage to the alveolar capillary membrane. We studied 13 patients with ARDS, comparing the pulmonary parenchymal changes seen by standard bedside chest roentgenograms with those seen by computed tomography of the chest. Three patients demonstrated generalized lung involvement by both radiologic techniques. In another eight patients, despite the appearance of generalized involvement on the standard chest x-ray film, the computed tomographic scans showed patchy infiltrates interspersed with areas of normal-appearing lung. Two patients showed patchy involvement by both techniques. The fact that ARDS spares some regions of lung parenchyma is useful knowledge in understanding the gas-exchange abnormalities of ARDS, the variable responsiveness to positive end-expiratory pressure, and the occurrence of oxygen toxicity. The problem of regional inhomogeneity should also be kept in mind when interpreting lung biopsy specimens or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in patients with ARDS.
Adult↗
Evidence from pulse radiolysis and flash photolysis of the environment of tryptophan and tyrosine in the coat protein of fd phage.
Charge transfer has been observed between oxidised tryptophan-26 units and the tyrosine-21 or -24 of the coat protein of fd phage. The transfer is likely to be intramolecular. The rates suggest that the aromatic units are in a rigid region and that they may have at least two different environments. No apparent interaction occurs with the DNA, consistent with tryptophan and tyrosine units not being in contact with the bases.
Bacteriophages↗
Impaired muscle-nerve interaction (motility) characterizes the brachial region of dystrophic embryos.
During development ex ovo, the avian mutant with an hereditary form of muscular dystrophy demonstrates biochemical, histochemical, and physiological (functional) abnormalities which may result from impaired muscle-nerve interaction. To investigate if impaired functional activity also characterizes the dystrophic process during development in ovo, limb motility, an index of embryonic functional muscle-nerve interaction, was compared between normal and dystrophic embryos from day 6E through day 16E. A highly significant reduction in this parameter was exhibited by dystrophic wings from day 11E to day 14E inclusive. In contrast, genotypically dystrophic hind limbs demonstrated values equivalent to normal legs. Thus, in the dystrophic embryo, impaired muscle-nerve interaction characterized the brachial region exclusively during a specific period of embryogenesis.
Aging↗
The apparent inhibition of superoxide dismutase activity by quinones.
It has been demonstrated that several quinones can modify the activity of bovine copper superoxide dismutase by undergoing equilibrium reactions with superoxide radicals. The extent of this apparent inhibition correlates with the one electron reduction potentials of the quinones and the equilibrium constants of the semiquinone radical/superoxide radical reactions. Various rate constants have been estimated including those for the reactions of semiquinone radicals with cytochrome c and with superoxide dismutase. Semiquinone radicals cannot be dismutated by superoxide dismutase.
Animals↗
Mild androgen insensitivity presenting with sexual dysfunction.
A man presented with sexual dysfunction and was found to have elevated serum levels of both gonadotropins and T, suggesting AIS. Small external genitalia were the only phenotypic abnormality. Serum T levels increased appropriately in response to hCG and CC, but the patient was severely oligospermic, and testicular biopsy study revealed profoundly impaired spermatogenesis. Studied on androgen receptors in genital skin fibroblasts were normal. PAIS with a virtually normal male phenotype can present in adulthood with sexual dysfunction as well as infertility. As with the syndrome of complete AIS, androgen receptor studies indicate that this is a heterogeneous group of disorders.
Adult↗
Post-partum depression and the effect of nomifensine treatment.
The purpose of this study was to examine the difference in certain hormonal and biochemical parameters in post-partum depressed women and age and status matched post-partum, non-depressed controls and study the effect of 6 weeks treatment with nomifensine on these parameters in the depressed group. The parameters examined were: plasma oestradiol, progesterone and prolactin concentrations, platelet 3H-serotonin uptake and alpha-2adrenoceptor density and lymphocyte beta-adrenoceptor densities. There was a significant decrease in platelet serotonin uptake rate in the depressed pre-treatment group as compared to controls. Six weeks treatment with nomifensine normalized the rate of uptake in the depressed group. Lymphocyte beta-adrenoceptor density was increased in the untreated depressed group as compared to the control group. This difference was also eliminated by 6 weeks of nomifensine treatment. Both plasma prolactin levels and platelet alpha-adrenoceptor density were decreased in the depressed group following 6 weeks treatment with nomifensine. There was no difference between the untreated depressed and control groups in any of the other parameters studied.
Blood Platelets↗
Factors affecting bronchial blood flow through bronchopulmonary anastomoses in dogs.
Most of the bronchial arterial blood flow (Qbr) drains through bronchopulmonary anastomoses into the pulmonary circulation, and the remainder goes into the systemic venous system via the bronchial veins. We studied the relationship between blood flow through bronchopulmonary anastomoses, and alveolar pressure and pulmonary vascular pressures as well as hydrostatic pressure in the bronchial veins in 10 adult dogs. The pulmonary artery and vein of the experimental left lower lobes (LLL) of open-chested, anesthetized dogs were isolated and connected to reservoirs. That part of the Qbr that flowed through bronchopulmonary anastomoses into the reservoirs was continuously measured at constant pulmonary vascular pressures of 0 cm H2O relative to the lung base. Any bronchial blood volume that retained within the LLL was estimated from changes in lobe weight. The lobe was distended with 5% CO2 and air, at alveolar pressures of 5, 10, or 20 cm H2O in a random sequence. Because bronchial veins drain into the azygos vein, the bronchial venous pressure was elevated by snaring the azygos vein. The mean anastomotic Qbr was 4.4 +/- 1.1 (mean +/- SEM) ml/min and it decreased by 23 and 39% when alveolar pressure was raised from 5 cm H2O to 10 and 20 cm H2O respectively (p less than 0.05). Approximately 75% of the total anastomotic Qbr was collected from the pulmonary venous reservoir at all alveolar pressures. When both pulmonary artery and venous pressures were increased higher than the alveolar pressure (zone III), azygos snaring increased the anastomotic Qbr by 13 and 31% at alveolar pressures of 10 and 20 cm H2O, respectively (p less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Animals↗
Hypoxia and hypercarbia increase bronchial blood flow through bronchopulmonary anastomoses in anesthetized dogs.
We studied the effect of systemic hypoxemia and hypercarbia on the bronchial blood flow in open-chested, anesthetized dogs. The pulmonary artery and vein of the left lower lobe (LLL) were isolated with cannulas and connected to reservoirs set at atmospheric pressure relative to the base of the LLL. That fraction of the bronchial arterial flow (Qbr) to the LLL, which flowed through the bronchopulmonary anastomoses into these reservoirs, was continuously measured. The LLL was inflated continuously with 6% CO2 and air at a constant alveolar pressure of 10 cm H2O. Systemic arterial O2 tension (PaO2) and arterial CO2 tension (PaCO2) were varied by separately ventilating the right lung through a bifurcated endotracheal tube. A 10-min period was allowed for stabilization after each change in experimental condition. Anastomotic Qbr was measured for 5 min during each experiment. In separate animals, similar studies were performed before and 30 min after intravenously administered indomethacin (6 mg/kg body weight). During normoxic conditions when PaO2 was 79 +/- 8 torr (mean +/- SEM), the mean anastomotic Qbr was 5.7 +/- 2.0 ml/min (n = 9). This flow increased to 8.3 +/- 2.5 ml/min (p less than 0.05) during hypoxemic conditions (PaO2, 38 +/- 3). The anastomotic Qbr increased from 5.8 +/- 1 to 9.0 +/- 2 ml/min (p less than 0.005) when PaCO2 was increased from 23 +/- 1 to 47 +/- 2 torr (n = 11). Pretreatment with intravenously administered indomethacin blocked both the hypoxemia-induced (n = 4) and hypercarbia-induced (n = 4) increases in anastomotic Qbr. We conclude that both hypoxemia and hypercarbia increased the anastomotic Qbr through a mechanism involving cyclooxygenase products of arachidonic acid.
Anesthesia, General↗
Infarction of a growth hormone-secreting macroadenoma during a TRH test.
Pituitary infarction occurring immediately after TRH injection (200 micrograms) is reported in a patient with gigantism due to a growth hormone-secreting pituitary macroadenoma. Evidence of infarction was seen in CSF and in serial CT scans. Regression of symptoms and sign of acromegaly, abolition of abnormal growth hormone secretion, and virtually complete anterior and partial posterior pituitary failure rapidly followed. The infarction was probably initiated by a hypertensive response to TRH. TRH testing in acromegalic subjects may require smaller doses of TRH to avoid unwanted pressor responses.
Acromegaly↗
The development of a multidisciplinary plan for evaluation of the long-term health effects of the Mount St. Helens eruptions.
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Air Pollutants↗
Evaluation of physical health effects due to volcanic hazards: the use of experimental systems to estimate the pulmonary toxicity of volcanic ash.
Shortly after Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980, a number of laboratories began to investigate the effects of volcanic ash in a variety of experimental systems in attempts to predict effects that might occult in the lungs of humans exposed to volcanic ash. The published results are remarkably consistent, despite the use of non-uniform ash samples and variability in the experimental approaches used. The data indicate that volcanic ash, even in high concentrations, causes little toxicity to lung cells in vitro and in vivo, as compared with effects of free crystalline silica, which is known to be highly fibrogenic. Volcanic ash does not appear to be entirely inert, however, possibly because of low concentrations of free crystalline silica in the ash. The published experimental studies suggest that inhaled volcanic ash is not likely to be harmful to the lungs of healthy humans, but the potential effects of volcanic ash in patients with pre-existing lung diseases are more difficult to ascertain from these studies.
Air Pollutants↗
Unpaired electron migration between aromatic and sulfur peptide units.
Cysteine thiyl radicals (Cys/S.) were found capable of one-electron oxidation of tyrosine. Equilibration occurred, using Cys and Gly-Tyr, with an equilibrium constant of K5 = 20 +/- 4 at pH 9.15: Cys/S. + Tyr in equilibrium Cys + Tyr/O. (5) Hence the reduction potentials of these couples differ at pH 9.15 by E(Cys/S., Cys) - E(Tyr/O., Tyr) = 80 mV. Oxidation of Trp-Gly by Cys/S. was not detectable from pH 7 to 12. The methionyl radical cation (Met/S.N), formed via .OH-attack on Met-Gly, reacts with Trp-Gly to generate the indolyl radical (Trp/N.). New results on intramolecular Trp/N.----Tyr/O. transitions indicate that the reaction requires direct contact between the two redox centers. Various possible pathways for migration of unpaired electrons between peptide units are compiled in a scheme.
Cysteine↗
Fate of brachial muscles of the chick embryo innervated by inappropriate nerves: structural, functional and histochemical analyses.
The extent of interaction between brachial muscles and foreign (thoracic) nerves of the chick embryo was determined during an extended period of development in ovo from the perspectives of innervation pattern, function (motility analyses), muscle growth (quantitative analyses of muscle volume) and fibre-type expression (myosin-ATPase profiles). Results indicated that according to all parameters analysed, initially a compatible union existed between the foreign nerves and their muscle targets. During subsequent stages of development, deterioration of the once compatible relationship emerged, until eventually denervation of muscles, i.e. an actual loss of intramuscular nerve branches, was observed. The process of denervation, which proceeded at a differential rate among individual muscles, however was restricted to brachial muscles derived from the premuscle masses of the wing bud. In contrast, brachial muscles of myotomal origin were spared the fate of wing-bud-derived muscles and maintained a successful union with the foreign nerves.
Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
Metabolic and hormonal responses to cooling the fetal sheep in utero.
The metabolic and hormonal effects of cooling 10 fetal sheep in utero (115-142 days of gestation) for 2h were studied. The fetal core temperature fell by 2.81 +/- 0.14 degrees C while the maternal temperature fell 0.86 +/- 0.15 degrees C. This hypothermia caused a significant rise in the fetal and maternal plasma glucose concentrations (P less than 0.001) and a fall in the fetal insulin concentrations (P less than 0.01). The fetal plasma lactate and cortisol concentrations rose rapidly (P less than 0.01) while the growth hormone fell (P less than 0.01) and remained low until cooling ceased when a rapid rebound occurred. There was no significant change in any of the fetal iodothyronines and no elevation of nonesterified free fatty acid concentrations, in contrast to the rapid rise (P less than 0.01) which occurred when newborn lambs were cooled. These observations demonstrate that appropriate glucose, insulin, lactate and cortisol responses to hypothermia have differentiated by 120 days of gestation. However, neither a thyroid hormone response nor an elevation in free fatty acid levels was observed. Thus not all components of the thermogenic response to hypothermia can be demonstrated in the late gestation fetail sheep in utero.
Animals↗
Hepatic resection for metastases of the colon and rectum.
Hepatic resection is the treatment of choice for a solitary metastatic deposit from a primary carcinoma of the large intestine in the absence of extrahepatic disease. This study was done to evaluate hepatic resection in the treatment of multiple hepatic metastases from carcinoma of the colon and rectum. Sixty-two patients underwent hepatic resection with an over-all operative mortality of 10 per cent, but a recent (1968-1981) mortality of 2 per cent. Three, five and ten year survival rates were 50, 34 and 21 per cent, respectively. No significant differences in survival patterns were noted comparing site (colon versus rectum), time interval from diagnosis of the primary to diagnosis of metastases (synchronous versus metachronous), sex (male versus female), size of the metastatic lesion (less than 5 centimeters versus greater than or equal to 5 centimeters) or number of metastatic lesions (single versus multiple). The pathologic stage of the primary carcinoma of the large intestine significantly (p less than 0.05) influenced survival patterns after hepatic resection with Dukes' B primary tumor having a median survival time of 123 months versus 27 months for patients with Dukes' C primary tumor. Sixty-seven per cent of those with a recurrence did so within the liver. Adjuvant chemotherapy had no demonstrable effect on survival patterns. Further improvement in survival statistics will require more sensitive staging procedures and effective adjuvant therapy, particularly for patients with Dukes' C primary carcinoma of the large intestine.
Adult↗