Cell biology. Ubiquitous cycles of repair.
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Cell Cycle↗
Biomedical subjects
L Johnston
Publications and source records attributed to L Johnston.
A randomized, double-blind comparison of sulbactam/ampicillin and clindamycin for the treatment of aerobic and aerobic-anaerobic infections.
In a randomized, prospective, double-blind trial, sulbactam/ampicillin was compared with clindamycin in terms of efficacy and safety for the treatment of bacterial infections. Both sulbactam/ampicillin and clindamycin were given with gentamicin when this course was indicated by clinical or laboratory findings. In five patients the site of infection was pleuropulmonary; in 14, bone; in 11, skin and soft tissue; and in one, intraabdominal. The commonest anaerobes isolated were anaerobic cocci and Bacteroides species; the commonest aerobic and facultative bacteria were Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and various gram-positive cocci. All of six assessable patients given sulbactam/ampicillin alone had satisfactory clinical responses, as did seven of nine patients given sulbactam/ampicillin plus gentamicin, all of six patients given clindamycin alone, and six of nine patients given clindamycin plus gentamicin. Pathogens were totally or partially eradicated in four of five, eight of nine, four of five, and three of nine assessable patients given these same regimens. Adverse reactions and laboratory abnormalities were relatively uncommon. Overall, sulbactam/ampicillin was as effective as clindamycin in the treatment of aerobic or mixed aerobic-anaerobic infections; however, the concomitant use of gentamicin was frequently required with both regimens.
Aged↗
Heterogeneity of late-infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis.
PURPOSE: Late-infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (LINCL), an autosomal recessively inherited lysosomal storage disorder characterized by autofluorescent inclusions and rapid progression of neurodegeneration, is due to CLN2 gene mutations. However, CLN2 mutation analysis has failed to identify some clinically diagnosed "late-infantile" NCL cases. This study was conducted to further characterize genetic heterogeneity in families affected by LINCL. METHODS: DNA mutations in the CLN1, CLN2, and CLN3 genes that underlie INCL (infantile NCL), LINCL, and JNCL (juvenile NCL), respectively, were studied with molecular analyses. RESULTS: A total of 252 families affected by childhood NCL were studied. Of 109 families clinically diagnosed as having LINCL, 3 were determined to have either INCL or JNCL by identification of mutation(s) in CLN1 or CLN3. Six families diagnosed initially as having JNCL were found to have LINCL based on the finding of mutations in the CLN2 gene. In addition, several novel mutations were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical and genetic heterogeneity of LINCL was demonstrated in nine LINCL families studied.
Aminopeptidases↗
Treatment of verruca vulgaris with topical cidofovir in an immunocompromised patient: a case report and review of the literature.
Lesions caused by verrucus vulgaris are commonly refractory to therapy and may become large, painful, or disfiguring in immunocompromised patients. Cidofovir is a potent nucleoside analog antiviral agent shown to have in vitro and in vivo activity against a broad spectrum of DNA viruses. We report a successful use of topical cidofovir to treat verruca vulgaris lesions in a highly immunocompromised patient, who was not considered a candidate for conventional therapy.
Administration, Topical↗
Family members' perceptions of communications in late stage cancer.
A study of patterns of communications in families with a terminal cancer patient being treated at three urban institutions revealed that may first-order relatives (spouses, children, siblings) of patients did not have a communication link to the physician, especially if direct communication was not established at the time of diagnosis. Family members were frequently critical of the way information was communicated, yet relied upon the physician's interpretation of the patient's status to form their own opinion of the patient's future. Intra-familial communications regarding illness and dying were frequently discordance and guarded, leading to preceptions that the patient was withdrawing, and fostering a reliance upon the hospital for terminal care. More than half of the family members were uncomfortable visiting the patient in the hospital, experiencing feelings of helplessness, or sensing helplessness in the patients. Bearing the patient's pain was seen as particularly difficult.
Adaptation, Psychological↗
Validation of cardiac single photon emission tomography of labeled intracoronary microspheres as a method to measure changes in distribution of coronary blood flow.
Single photon emission tomography (SPECT) combined with intracoronary dual-labelled microspheres (Tc-99m and In-111) is a technique that can potentially measure changes in regional coronary blood distribution. To validate the ability of microspheres to measure regional coronary flow distribution, we studied this method in 5 pigs to evaluate 3 specific questions: Does the lack of attenuation correction affect the calculation of relative concentrations of microspheres? Do Tc and In microspheres have similar imaging characteristics? Is there correlation between tomographic concentrations of tracer activity and tissue concentration of microspheres? Tc and In albumin microspheres were injected selectively down the left anterior descending coronary artery, and dual-isotope SPECT imaging of the whole heart was carried out. The heart was then sliced and the slices imaged directly on the collimator. Finally the slice was sectioned and well counted. The correlation coefficient (R) between SPECT profiles and direct camera profiles was 0.91. The R between In and Tc counts was also excellent at 0.93. Comparing SPECT profiles and well counting, the R was 0.79 for Tc and 0.72 for In microspheres, with the standard error of estimate less than 8.7% and 14.5% respectively about the mean value. Therefore; SPECT of intracoronary microspheres does correspond to tissue concentrations of microspheres, lack of attenuation correction does affect the correlation but not to a significant extent, In and Tc microspheres have very similar imaging characteristics. SPECT of dual intracoronary microspheres may provide a potentially useful tool to assess distribution of regional coronary blood flow.
Animals↗
The physiological requirements of Soccer refereeing.
The movement patterns and heart rate responses of Soccer referees during matches were examined. A movement analysis was performed using a grid method and subjects wore a PE 3000 heart rate monitor during the match. The mean distance (+/- SD) covered was 9,408 m (+/- 838m) which comprised: walking (18.9%), jogging (46.6%), running/striding (12.1%), sprinting (6.2%) and backwards movement (16.2%). If walking and jogging are pooled as low intensity activity and high intensity work is defined as running/striding and sprinting then the majority of distance was covered by low intensity activity (65.5%). No differences in the total distance covered during the two halves was evident. However, in the second half the subjects walked more than in the first half (p < 0.01), while they ran/strode more in the first when compared to the second half (p < 0.01). The subjects' mean heart rate during the first and second halves was not significantly different and were 163 and 162 beats per minute (b.min-1) respectively. If the theoretical maximum heart rate for each subject (220-age) is used, the major percentage of the time was spent at heart rates above 85% HRmax. Based upon the distance results of this study, the major energy source for Soccer refereeing would appear to be the aerobic system with the anaerobic system contributing to ATP production to a lesser extent. The results of this study suggest that refereeing at a high level places a significant physiological demand upon these athletes; they therefore require specialised assessment and training.
Adult↗