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Biomedical subjects

J Lawrence

Publications and source records attributed to J Lawrence.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Current status of bioassay procedures to detect and quantify previous exposures to radioactive materials. Bioassay Procedures Working Group.

This report was prepared by a working group established by the Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) for the purpose of assessing the current capabilities of bioassay methods that can be used to determine the occurrence and magnitude of a previous internal deposition of one or more radionuclides. The first five sections discuss general features of the use of in-vitro bioassay samples to achieve this purpose. The remainder of the report is focused on the possible use of urine bioassay procedures to detect and quantify internal depositions of radionuclides that may have occurred in United States occupation troops in Hiroshima or Nagasaki, Japan, prior to 1 July 1946, or to personnel who participated in atmospheric nuclear weapons tests conducted between 1945 and 1962. Theoretical calculations were made to estimate the quantities of various radionuclides produced in a 20-kiloton (kt) nuclear detonation that might still be present in measurable quantities in people today if they were exposed 25 to 40 y ago. Two radionuclides that emerged as good choices for this type of bioassay analysis were 90Sr, which emits beta particles, and 239,240Pu, which emits alpha particles. The current status and future prospects of chemical procedures for analyzing in-vitro urine bioassay samples for these two radionuclides were examined to determine the minimum amounts that could be detected with current methods and how much one might expect the sensitivity of detection to improve in the near future. Most routine 239,240Pu bioassay analyses involve detection by alpha spectrometry. The current minimum detectable amount (MDA) is about 0.74 mBq L-1 (20 fCi L-1), but this could be lowered to 74 muBq L-1 (2 fCi L-1). An MDA of 0.74 mBq L-1 (20 fCi L-1) is adequate for routine bioassay analyses but is too high to detect most uptakes of 239,240Pu that may have occurred 25 to 40 y ago. Methods under development that are or can be much more sensitive and have lower MDAs than alpha spectrometry for 239Pu are fission track analysis and mass spectrometry. Currently, the fission track analysis method has an MDA of about 19 muBq L-1), and this may eventually be lowered to 1.9 muBq L-1 (0.005 fCi L-1). The current MDA for 239Pu by mass spectrometry is about 7.4 mBq L-1 (200 fCi L-1), but the potential exists that it could be lowered to a value of about 0.37 muBq L-1 (0.01 fCi L-1).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Feces↗
PubMed1990

The effect of age on small bowel adaptation and growth after proximal enterectomy.

We examined the effect of age on the adaptive capacity of small bowel mucosa following 60% enterectomy. Two groups of male Fischer 344 rats (3 mo old and 26 mo) underwent either a mid-small bowel transection and reanastomosis (control) or 60% proximal enterectomy beginning at the duodenojejunal junction. Rats were sacrificed at 5, 14, and 21 days after operation, and the mucosa was weighed and assayed for DNA, RNA, protein, and polyamine concentration and content. Ornithine decarboxylase activity was also measured in ileal mucosa at 5 days after surgery. Young rats had completed the adaptive hyperplastic response within 2 weeks after operation by all biochemical measurements; similar adaptation was not seen until 3 weeks after operation in the old rats. We conclude that although the capacity to achieve intestinal adaptation after enterectomy is preserved into old age in rats, this compensatory response is delayed.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1990

An adaptation of the Miller patient classification system for the postanesthesia care unit at Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario.

Using the Miller Patient Classification framework, a descriptive three-phase study was carried out in order to develop a classification system specifically for the PACU of the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario. This study contributes further understanding of the complexities of developing a reliable classification system for the pediatric PACU.

Hospitals, Pediatric↗
PubMed1989

Diffuse osteosclerosis in hairy cell leukemia.

We describe two patients with a new clinical pathologic syndrome of diffuse osteosclerosis in association with hairy cell leukemia. In both patients bone marrow biopsies could not be obtained due to extremely hard bones and inability to insert the biopsy needle; neither patient had a history of bony pain or fracture. The osteosclerotic process in one patient stabilized after successful treatment of her hairy cell leukemia with interferon alpha and deoxycoformycin suggesting that the osteosclerosis observed was related to the underlying malignant disease. Possible etiologic mechanisms are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Nurses' perceptions of pain in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Pain in neonates has only recently become the focus of clinical and research attention. Measurement of pain in this population presents special problems. Neonatal nurses were selected as observers and recorders of neonatal pain behavior, as they are in constant contact with neonates undergoing aversive procedures, and thus have special expertise in this area. This study used a questionnaire to examine the perceptions of neonatal nurses as to the indicators and causes of different intensities of pain. Nurses used similar classes of behavior to indicate pain, but varied somewhat in the specific behavioral indicators for different levels of pain. A very wide range of sources of pain was identified.

Child Behavior↗
PubMed1989

Twenty-four-hour variations in ornithine decarboxylase and acid phosphatase in mice.

Polyamines are essential for cell growth and differentiation. Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is the rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis. Acid phosphatases (AP) are lysosomal enzymes that are important in normal intracellular metabolism. Twenty-four-hour variations in these enzymes may be important in understanding the temporal responses of different tissues to various stimuli. The purpose of this study was to examine a variety of tissues for fluctuations in the levels of ODC and AP over a 24-hr period. Significant circadian variations in the amount of ODC activity were observed in all tissues examined. Activity of AP varied with time of day in the liver, kidney, and heart. The highest and lowest measurements of ODC activity were as follows: liver, 81.5 +/- 7.0, 47.9 +/- 4.4; colon, 11.7 +/- 1.2, 3.1 +/- 0.7; stomach 3.1 +/- 0.4, 0.9 +/- 0.1; kidney, 420.9 +/- 0.9, 67.5 +/- 0.8; and heart, 4.7 +/- 1.0, 2.5 +/- 0.2. The highest and lowest measurements of AP activity were as follows: liver 3.8 +/- 0.1, 2.8 +/- 0.1; kidney, 3.4 +/- 0.1, 1.9 +/- 0.1; and heart, 2.6 +/- 0.1, 2.0 +/- 0.1. These findings suggest that rhythmic fluctuations in polyamine biosynthesis and lysosomal enzymes may influence other metabolic pathways differentially throughout 24 hr.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMed1988

Phosphorylation of platelet actin binding protein protects against proteolysis by calcium dependent sulfhydryl protease.

When Actin Binding Protein (ABP) isolated from human blood platelets is phosphorylated in vitro with a cyclic AMP dependent kinase it becomes resistant to proteolysis by the Calcium Dependent Sulfhydryl Protease (CDSP). This protection against proteolytic cleavage is specific for CDSP since phosphorylation of ABP does not protect against proteolysis by trypsin, papain and thermolysin. Thus, there appears to be a distinct phosphorylation site on the ABP molecule which is essential for regulating the initial proteolytic degradation of ABP by CDSP.

Blood Platelets↗
PubMed1988

Microbial contamination and growth in total parenteral nutrition solutions.

TPN bags (196) and giving sets were subjected to microbiological examination following administration within a busy nutrition ward. Of these, five (2.6%) were found to be contaminated with coagulase-negative Gram-positive cocci. In all but one instance the contamination was restricted to the terminal ends of the giving sets rather than to the nutrition bag itself. Isolation of micro-organisms from the ward environment suggested that the contamination had arisen extrinsically during the setting up of the infusions. Isolates from the contaminated products, together with type species of Escherichia coli and Candida albicans, were examined with respect to their growth requirements and used to challenge four TPN formulations. Growth and survival of the organisms was monitored for up to 21 days. In all instances significant numbers of organisms were recovered after 72 h. Significant growth of the Staphylococcal isolate and C. albicans occurred over the initial 48-72 h incubation, this appeared to be greater in extent for the lipid-containing formulations. The temperature of storage of the formulation was the major determining factor for microbial growth and survival. No survivors were recovered, however, from any formulation after 21 days.

Candida albicans↗
PubMed1988

Rearrangement of both immunoglobulin and T-cell receptor genes in a prolymphocytic variant of hairy cell leukemia patient resistant to interferon-alpha.

We describe a patient with the so-called "prolymphocytic variant" form of hairy cell leukemia (HCL) resistant to treatment with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha). Analysis of immunoglobulin (Ig) and T-cell receptor-beta (TCR beta) gene rearrangements from serial peripheral blood mononuclear cell specimens (MNCs) confirmed not only the B-cell nature of the disease, but also the subsequent emergence of a morphologically indistinguishable population of cells with a clonal TCR beta rearrangement in addition to the original Ig gene rearrangement. With the exception of a transient increase in peripheral blood T cells during treatment with deoxycoformycin (DCF), the MNCs remained essentially constant throughout therapy with no evidence of a co-existing T-cell clone to account for the TCR beta rearrangement. Although MNCs from this patient bound significantly less IFN-alpha than did MNCs from other HCL patients, the binding was of high affinity with a kd similar to that of control cells. The number of IFN-gamma receptors on our patient's MNCs was four times higher than the number of IFN-alpha receptors and was similar to the number of IFN-alpha receptors on MNCs from HCL patients responsive to IFN-alpha. While various treatments including IFN-alpha, DCF, chlorambucil, splenectomy, leukopheresis, and IFN-gamma were not able to change the clinical progression of the disease, they may have provided an opportunity for the divergent TCR beta rearranged clone to expand and displace the initially dominant clone.

Aged↗