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Biomedical subjects

J McCarthy

Publications and source records attributed to J McCarthy.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Sonography after splenic embolization: the wedge-shaped acute infarct.

After undergoing therapeutic transcatheter embolization of the splenic artery for treatment of portal hypertension, 11 consecutive patients were evaluated with sulfur colloid scintigraphy and real-time sonography of the left upper quadrant to determine which method was better for follow-up evaluation of the spleen. Six splenic infarcts were documented by both imaging methods; sonography, however, demonstrated the characteristic wedge shape of the infarct in four of the six cases. There were no cases of splenic abscess formation. Sonography should be the primary method for evaluation of the spleen after transcatheter embolization and can help in planning treatment to avoid abscess formation.

Abscess↗
PubMed1983

Neurite extension by peripheral and central nervous system neurons in response to substratum-bound fibronectin and laminin.

Dissociated neurons from embryonic chick dorsal root and sympathetic ganglia (peripheral neurons) and from spinal cord and retina (central nervous system neurons) were cultured on plastic substrata treated with purified fibronectin and laminin. Both central and peripheral neurons attached to and extended neurites on laminin. In contrast, only peripheral neurons initiated neurites on fibronectin; central neurons cultured under identical conditions aggregated into clusters and did not extend neurites. Neurite length, number of neurites initiated, and extent of neurite branching on fibronectin- and laminin-treated substrata were evaluated and compared with similar measurements of neuronal response to poly-L-lysine-treated plastic. Poly-L-lysine provides an adhesive surface for neurite elongation, but fibronectin and laminin appear to promote more rapid neurite elongation. Our observations suggest that neuronal interaction with these glycoproteins may involve neuron-specific cell surface components. These responses to laminin and fibronectin in vitro may be related to the presence or absence of these glycoproteins in specific extracellular environments during specific developmental stages.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Effects of a pyridine derivative thromboxane synthetase inhibitor and its inactive isomer in endotoxic shock in the rat.

1 We investigated the effects of a pyridine derivative thromboxane synthetase inhibitor and its inactive ortho isomer on arachidonic acid metabolism and pathophysiological sequelae of endotoxic shock. In vehicle-treated rats, 30 min after intravenous S. enteritidis endotoxin (15 mg/kg), plasma iTxB2 (the stable metabolite of thromboxane A2) increased from non-detectable levels (less than 100 pg/ml) to 763 +/- 250 pg/ml (n = 10). Plasma i6-keto-PGF1 alpha (the stable metabolite of prostacyclin, PGI2) increased to 1850 +/- 426 pg/ml, (n = 9) and plasma iPGE increased to 2350 = 560 (n = 5). Pretreatment with the pyridine active (PA) meta isomer (30 mg/kg i.p.) significantly (P less than 0.05) suppressed iTxB2 to 390 +/- 31 pg/ml (n = 10) although 6-keto-PGF1 alpha levels (1294 +/- 358 pg/ml, n = 5) and plasma iPGE (2847 +/- 1103 pg/ml, n = 5) were not significantly different from the shocked control values. In contrast, pretreatment with, the pyridine inactive (PI) ortho isomer did not significantly affect endotoxin-induced iTxB2 (1431 +/- 194 pg/ml, n = 5) or i6-keto-PGF1 alpha synthesis (628 +/- 266 pg/ml, n = 5). 2 Pretreatment of rats with the Tx synthetase inhibitor, PA, significantly enhanced (P less than 0.05) survival and prevented splanchnic infarction relative to both endotoxin shocked control rats and those pretreated with the PI isomer. 3 Significantly reduced lysosomal labilization, hepatocellular dysfunction and elevations in serum fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products were seen only in groups pretreated with the PA isomer. 4 The beneficial effects of the latter compound in endotoxic shock thus appear to be due to inhibition of Tx synthesis, since its ortho isomer did not inhibit TxA2 synthesis nor did it protect against endotoxic shock.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha↗
PubMed1983

Effects of aminophylline on respiratory center and reflex activity in premature infants with apnea.

Fourteen preterm infants with apnea (body weight, 1052 +/- 44 g; gestational age, 30.2 +/- 0.5 wks; and postnatal age, 9.9 +/- 1.5 days) were studied in an effort to evaluate the effects of aminophylline on respiratory center output and respiratory reflex activity in the preterm infant with idiopathic apnea. This was done by using the airway occlusion technique. The infants were studied before and 48 h after aminophylline was begun as a treatment for apnea. Occlusion pressure, which reflects respiratory center output, was measured at 100 msec after occlusion started (P100) and at its maximum (Pmo). P100 increased from 2.4 +/- 0.2 to 3.1 +/- 0.2 cmH2O (P less than 0.005), and Pmo from 6.1 +/- 0.7 to 8.8 +/- 1.0 cmH2O (P less than 0.001) after aminophylline therapy was started. The % prolongation of inspiratory time during the occluded breaths, when compared to the unoccluded breaths increased from 26.2 +/- 10.6 to 55.8 +/- 12.5% (P less than 0.01). This reflects a significant increase in the strength of the Hering Breuer reflex. Effective elastance, a measure of respiratory load compensation, was significantly higher during aminophylline treatment. It increased from 1.09 +/- 0.14 to 1.33 +/- 0.14 cmH2O/ml (P less than 0.02).

Aminophylline↗
PubMed1983

Survey of audiovisual standards and practices in health sciences libraries.

A survey of audiovisual (AV) practices in health sciences libraries was conducted by the Audiovisual Standards and Practices Committee of the Medical Library Association. The objective was to determine the variety and extent of AV practices currently in use in health sciences libraries, as a preliminary step toward developing AV standards.

Audiovisual Aids↗
PubMed1983

Inflamed fibronectin: an altered fibronectin enhances neutrophil adhesion.

Recent investigations have emphasized the role of activated granulocytes in mediating vascular endothelial injury in the pathogenesis of shock lung. In vitro studies have indicated that tight adherence of the neutrophil to the endothelium is crucial for the development of cellular injury. Fibronectin is critical to cell-to-substratum and cell-to-cell interactions. Since fibronectin resides in plasma, on endothelial cell surfaces and is secreted into cell matrices, the adhesive properties of fibronectin must be modulated, lest universal cell agglomeration occur, yet be enhanced when cell attachment is appropriate. In these studies, treatment of fibronectin-coated surfaces with neutrophil release products increased the adhesion of activated neutrophils. Similarly, endothelial cells treated with neutrophil release products become a more adherent substrate for neutrophils. This enhanced adherence generated by treatment of fibronectin with neutrophil supernatants is inhibitable by heat and the lysosomal proteinase inhibitor, pepstatin-A. Neutrophil release products cause proteolytic fragmentation of fibronectin and enhanced fibronectin immunofluorescence on endothelial cells. In addition, neutrophils are more injurious to endothelial cells that have been pretreated with neutrophil release products. Neutrophils may enhance their own adherence to endothelial cells by altering fibronectin, and this altered, or "inflamed," fibronectin may serve as an amplifier of inflammation.

Cell Adhesion↗
PubMed1983

Public policy and female sterilization in Costa Rica.

For 20 years, female sterilization has been increasing in popularity as a contraceptive method in Costa Rica. However, contraceptive sterilization has never been allowed explicitly under Costa Rican law. In 1976 the Costa Rican National Assembly instituted more stringent guidelines regarding medical sterilizations in order to eliminate contraceptive sterilizations, which had been occurring under relatively loose interpretations of national policy. Data from the 1976 National Fertility Survey and the 1981 Contraceptive Prevalence Survey indicate that the change in policy had only a short-term effect. Period sterilization rates fell substantially after 1976 but rebounded considerably by 1980, and the estimate of the proportion of married women who will ultimately be sterilized was approximately .5 for the periods both before and after 1976.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

A note on maritally-disrupted men's reports of child support in the June 1980 Current Population Survey.

Data from the June 1980 Current Population Survey on fathers' reported provision of financial support to children from previous marriages living elsewhere is compared to previously published tabulations from the April 1979 CPS of women's receipt of child support payments. The comparison indicates that the number of men with children from previous marriages living elsewhere is substantially underreported in the June 1980 CPS. Because of the apparent underreporting, the data on the provision of financial support should be interpreted with caution.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Maternal mortality. A review of maternal deaths over twenty years at the National Maternity Hospital, Dublin.

A retrospective study of the causes of maternal mortality over the past 20 years in the National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, was undertaken. Anaesthesia contributed to 4.4% of all maternal deaths and to 5.7% of 'true' maternal deaths. In the last 10 years studied it did not contribute to maternal mortality. It was concluded that anesthesia was not a major cause of maternal mortality in this hospital.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Fibronectin enhances in vitro monocyte-macrophage-mediated tumoricidal activity.

Control of neoplastic proliferation reflects in part monocyte/macrophage destruction of target cells--destruction that evidently requires cell-cell interaction. We herein show it to involve the natural plasma opsonin, fibronectin. With two cultured human tumor lines--Malme melanoma and CAK-I renal carcinoma cells--addition of fibronectin, purified to homogeneity, enhances macrophage-mediated cytotoxicity 2--4-fold (p less than 0.01). Both fresh human monocytes or the U-937-cultured macrophage line become more lethal to tumor cells with added fibronectin. The fibronectin-enhanced monocyte and U-937 tumoricidal activity occurred in a dose-dependent fashion. Specificity of fibronectin's action was validated by use of affinity-purified rabbit antifibronectin antibody, which completely abated its enhancement of tumoricidal activity. Enhancement of tumoricidal activity did not occur when monocytes or U-937 were exposed to fibronectin-coated plates. However, the addition of soluble fibronectin to fibronectin-coated plates was then capable of enhancing cytocidal activity. These studies demonstrate that human fibronectin is capable of increasing both fresh and cultured human monocyte tumor-directed cytotoxicity. Fibronectin appears to be a potentially important circulating molecule that may favorably influence human monocyte tumor cell cytotoxicity.

Cell Communication↗
PubMed1981

Treatment of acute low pressure pulmonary edema in dogs: relative effects of hydrostatic and oncotic pressure, nitroprusside, and positive end-expiratory pressure.

Severe pulmonary edema sometimes develops despite normal pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (Ppw). The equation describing net transvascular flux of lung liquid predicts decreased edema when hydrostatic pressure is reduced or when colloid osmotic pressure is increased in the pulmonary vessels. We tested these predictions in a model of pulmonary capillary leak produced in 35 dogs by intravenous oleic acid. 1 h later, the dogs were divided into five equal groups and treated for 4 h in different ways: (a) not treated, to serve as the control group (Ppw = 11.1 mm Hg); (b) given albumin to increase colloid osmotic pressure by 5 mm Hg (Ppw = 10.6 mm Hg); (c) ventilated with 10 cm H(2)O positive end-expiratory pressure (Peep) (transmural Ppw = 10.4 mm Hg); (d) phlebotomized to reduce Ppw to 6 mm Hg; (e) infused with nitroprusside, which also reduced Ppw to 6 mm Hg. Phlebotomy and nitroprusside reduced the edema in excised lungs by 50% (P< 0.001), but Peep and albumin did not affect the edema. Pulmonary shunt decreased on Peep and increased on nitroprusside, and lung compliance was not different among the treatment groups, demonstrating that these variables are poor indicators of changes in edema. Cardiac output decreased during the treatment period in all but the nitroprusside group, where Ppw decreased and cardiac output did not. We conclude that canine oleic acid pulmonary edema is reduced by small reductions in hydrostatic pressure, but not by increased colloid osmotic pressure, because the vascular permeability to liquid and protein is increased. These results suggest that low pressure pulmonary edema may be reduced by seeking the lowest Ppw consistent with adequate cardiac output enhanced by vasoactive agents like nitroprusside. Further, colloid infusions and Peep are not helpful in reducing edema, so they may be used in the lowest amount that provides adequate circulating volume and arterial O(2) saturation on nontoxic inspired O(2). Until these therapeutic principles receive adequate clinical trial, they provide a rationale for carefully monitored cardiovascular manipulation in treating patients with pulmonary capillary leak.

Albumins↗