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Biomedical subjects

J Murphy

Publications and source records attributed to J Murphy.

At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Expression of HLA-DR, DQ and DP antigens and interleukin-2 receptor on synovial fluid T lymphocyte subsets in rheumatoid arthritis: evidence for "frustrated" activation.

Synovial fluid and peripheral blood T lymphocytes were examined from 10 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 2 controls. T lymphocytes from inflammatory fluids were activated as shown by their increased size and expression of class II MHC antigens. Of the T cells, 60% were DR positive, 19% DP positive and 29% DQ positive. More Leu 2a than Leu 3a cells were HLA-DR positive. In contrast, few T cells expressed Tac. We conclude that T cell activation is taking place but is incomplete or "frustrated".

Adult↗
PubMed1987

The anemia of thermal injury: partial characterization of an erythroid inhibitory substance.

Anemia is one of a large number of systemic changes occurring in severely burned patients and has a multifactorial etiology including hemorrhage, hemolysis, and depression of the rate of erythropoiesis. In previous studies, it was found that serum of burned humans and animals contained a substance(s) capable of interfering with red cell colony formation in vitro. Here are reported studies done in an attempt to characterize further the inhibitory activity. The molecular weight was more than 50,000 daltons by ultrafiltration. By gel filtration an inhibitory region was identified with an approximate molecular weight range of 140-290,000. Treatment of sera with proteolytic enzymes resulted in loss of activity suggesting that the inhibitory substance(s) was a protein. Ion exchange chromatography indicated that the inhibitor was an acidic protein. It is suggested that this material participates in the pathophysiology of the anemia of thermal injury by depressing red cell production.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Human retroplacental sera inhibit the expression of class II major histocompatibility antigens.

Since factor(s) present in human pregnancy sera may interfere with HLA-DR expression on antigen-presenting cells which could account for fetal immune tolerance, we decided to investigate HLA-DR expression on the human myeloid macrophage cell line U937 using the monoclonal antibody RF DR2 and flow cytometry. Following incubation of U937 cells with recombinant interferon gamma (rIFN gamma) and fetal calf serum, 76% of the cells were HLA-DR positive. In contrast, when U937 cells were incubated with retroplacental serum (RP) only 40% of them were positive for HLA-DR and the mean fluorescent intensity for the cell population was significantly diminished. By performing these experiments at 37 and at 4 degrees C we concluded that a factor or factors present in RP bind onto and mask class II major histocompatibility (MHC) antigen expression.

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMed1986

Calcium antagonists in mania: a double-blind study of verapamil.

Five of seven acutely manic patients improved significantly when taking verapamil but not placebo in a double-blind crossover study. This finding adds support to two other formal studies of verapamil, several case reports of verapamil in manic patients, and one small study of nifedipine suggesting that some calcium antagonists may have antimanic properties. Indirect evidence links this antimanic action to correction of a disturbance of intracellular calcium dynamics in affective disorders. However, the effectiveness of calcium antagonist drugs could also be related to some property other than interference with the action of calcium within brain neurons.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Diagnosis of adenocarcinoma in transurethral resectates of the prostate gland.

The often-posed question of how much prostate tissue should be examined microscopically to detect carcinoma in transurethral prostatectomy specimens was approached by prospective study and probability analysis. Transurethrally resected prostate specimens were weighed, totally embedded, and examined histologically in 151 consecutive cases. Resected fragments and fragments involved by carcinoma were enumerated for each case. Adenocarcinoma was diagnosed in 39 (25.8%) of the cases. Specimens containing carcinoma had a mean of 111 total fragments, with a median of 3 and mean of 7 positive fragments. In two clinically unsuspected cases of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, the number of fragments involved by carcinoma was small (2 of 164 and 4 of 190 fragments). Assuming that study of a single microscopic section of a fragment determines whether carcinoma is present, probability formulations are presented expressing the likelihood that at least one fragment containing cancer is found in randomly selected fragments from a specimen. To achieve a 95% probability of detecting carcinoma in TUR specimens, a minimum of 95% of the fragments must be examined if one fragment contains a carcinoma, 63.1% of the fragments if three contain carcinoma and 25.8% of the fragments if 10 contain carcinoma. Literature review indicates many authors recommend examining fewer fragments of transurethrally resected prostate tissue than this study indicates are required to diagnose carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1986

Mapping and complementation studies of the gene for release factor 1.

In Escherichia coli the release factor 1 protein (RF1) recognizes and terminates translation at UAG and UAA codons. Using the technique of ColE1 plasmid integration in polA strains, we have mapped the cloned gene for RF1 to 27 min on the E. coli chromosome. This is the same location as that of the uar gene in which temperature-sensitive mutations increase the suppression of UAG and UAA alleles. In this study we proved that the uar mutation lies in the gene for RF1 by complementation of the uar phenotype with plasmids carrying the RF1 gene and by cloning the uar allele onto the RF1 plasmid by means of homologous recombination. In addition, complementation and P1 mapping data suggest that sueB is also a mutation in the same position as the RF1 gene. We propose that the gene for RF1 be named prfA after protein release factor.

Alleles↗
PubMed1986

Comparison of urinary glycosaminoglycan excretion in rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, myocardial infarction, and controls.

Urinary glycosaminoglycan (GAG) excretion was measured in 24 patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) before and after treatment with conventional second-line agents. Urinary GAG excretion was also measured in normal controls, patients with osteoarthritis (OA), and patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI). Total GAG excretion was increased in the RA group and fell after second-line therapy (p less than 0.01). More low than high molecular weight GAG was excreted in the active RA group, and this pattern was reversed after treatment. Excretion of total, high and low molecular weight GAG in the OA group did not differ significantly from controls. Total GAG excretion was increased in the MI group when compared with controls (p less than 0.02) and consisted mainly of high molecular weight GAG. The serial measurement of urinary GAG provides a further index of disease activity and may help to monitor response to treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Myasthenia gravis in identical twins.

The literature records myasthenia gravis in five sets of monozygous twins; we report another pair in which monozygosity was determined by blood group analysis, HLA typing, and mixed lymphocyte culture. Acetylcholine receptor antibodies were strongly positive in both twins. Poor response to anticholinergic medication and thymectomy necessitates low-dose daily maintenance prednisone for a normal life-style. The probability of myasthenia developing in the unaffected monozygotic twin is highest soon after diagnosis in the proband and an unaffected twin should be followed indefinitely.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Compliance and the elderly hypertensive.

In the control of chronic disease no therapeutic regimen is successful unless it is complied with. A number of studies have indicated that compliance with tablet-taking may be as low as 40%. Patients with hypertension are frequently on a number of different anti-hypertensive agents, and if they have other chronic disorders they may take as many as 10 different drugs and up to 40 tablets per day. It is therefore not surprising that compliance is poor. To achieve compliance requires education of the patient, reduction in the number of drugs and simplification of the drug regimen. Methyldopa was used in a crossover study on a once- or twice-daily basis. Blood pressure was measured at the same time each day 2 hours after the morning dose. Compliance was assessed by tablet count and by blood pressure control, which was better on once-a-day therapy. Over a 6-week period 95% of medication was taken on the once-daily compared with 84% on the twice-daily regimen. In a subsequent study atenolol once per day replaced propranolol given 3 times per day. Blood pressure was lower on atenolol and tablet compliance was 94% compared with 74% on thrice-daily propranolol therapy. In addition, many patients admitted not taking the midday dose. The effect of dietary advice was then monitored by 24-hour urine electrolytes. When advice was given superficially by the doctor, urine sodium fell from 186 mmol/day to 165 mmol/day. When seen on one occasion by a dietitian and given diet sheets, it fell from 182 to 135 mmol/day. When seen at repeated visits by the dietitian and the advice modified according to sodium excretion, urine sodium excretion fell from 188 to 83 mmol/day. Supplemental oral potassium is often given as antihypertensive medication and up to 6 tablets per day may be administered. Compliance decreased as the number of tablets increased. Compliance was 92% on 1 tablet, 83% on 2 tablets, 68% on 3 tablets, 75% on 4 tablets (usually taken as 2 tablets twice a day) and 58% when on 6 tablets per day. The compliance with diuretic-taking was 96%. When given amiloride/hydrochlorothiazide the compliance was 93% and this elevated plasma potassium more than high dose supplemental potassium. In a recent study people on 3 or more drugs for blood pressure control were placed on a low salt diet and their drugs replaced with enalapril.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗