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Biomedical subjects

M A Fisher

Publications and source records attributed to M A Fisher.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Prevalence of benzimidazole-resistance in equine cyathostome populations in south east England.

In order to study the prevalence of benzimidazole-resistance in equine cyathostomes, 30 stables in south east England were selected according to strict criteria but with minimum bias to provide three matched groups of 100 horses. One group was treated with fenbendazole, one with pyrantel embonate and the third was left untreated. The overall efficacies of fenbendazole and pyrantel embonate, as judged by the faecal egg-count reduction test, were 56.3 and 95.8 per cent, respectively. The numbers of horses at individual stables were too small to draw conclusions at each stable, but whereas efficacies greater than 85 per cent were recorded for pyrantel at 26 of 27 stables, the corresponding figure for fenbendazole was five of 27. Cyathostomes accounted for more than 90 per cent of the larvae cultured from faeces before and after treatment. Trichostrongylus axei was detected on 20 sites, but Strongylus species were present on only five. In the area of the survey, benzimidazole-resistance was very widespread in stables which used benzimidazole anthelmintics regularly and had more than nine horses per stable, but the benzimidazole-resistant cyathostome strains were adequately controlled with the non-benzimidazole anthelmintic pyrantel embonate.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

AAEM Minimonograph #13: H reflexes and F waves: physiology and clinical indications.

Motoneurons can be activated both reflexly and antidromically following electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves. These H reflexes and F waves are clinically useful responses which interface at the level of the peripheral nerves and the spinal cord. Because these responses are commonly employed in the electrodiagnostic evaluation of patients, an understanding of their physiology and clinical applications is important. These are reviewed. Reasoning from the physiology, both the value and limitations of H-reflex and F-wave studies are considered for disorders of peripheral nerves, roots, and the central nervous system. Theoretical concepts about the physiology and pathophysiology of the nervous system based on H-reflex and F-wave data are also discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Use of a triple-lumen catheter for umbilical venous access in the neonate.

We describe the use of a triple-lumen catheter inserted through the umbilical vein for infusion of vasoactive substances, fluids, and blood products, and also for withdrawal and exchange transfusion of blood and central venous pressure monitoring. Catheter malfunction occurred in 5 of 16 cases and was related to leaks or inability to draw blood via the desired port. No complications were attributable to catheter insertion or use.

Catheterization, Peripheral↗
PubMed1992

Somatosensory evoked potential surgical monitoring. Observations during combined isoflurane-nitrous oxide anesthesia.

Somatosensory evoked potentials are used to monitor the integrity of the of the spinal cord during surgical procedures where the spinal cord is at risk. Changes in somatosensory evoked potential latencies and amplitudes can indicate impending structural damage. This use of somatosensory evoked potentials is complicated by the effects of nonsurgical factors, including anesthetics. Fifty patients were studied during surgery to determine the effects of coadministered isoflurane and nitrous oxide on cortical and subcortical somatosensory evoked potentials potentials following stimulation of the tibial and median nerves. Analysis revealed statistically significant correlations between expired isoflurane concentrations and prolongation of scalp and cervical latencies, and a negative correlation between nitrous oxide concentrations and scalp amplitudes. Scalp somatosensory evoked potential latencies were also positively correlated with procedure duration, unexplained by other variables. These data emphasize the complexity of interpreting somatosensory evoked potential changes during surgical monitoring, and indicate that separate, defined physiologic effects of an anesthetic can be manifest even when more than one anesthetic is administered.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Endothelin-1 stimulates DNA synthesis and proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells.

Endothelin-1 (ET-1), a 21-amino acid peptide released from the endothelium, elicits a variety of biological effects that include vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) contraction, release of secondary mediators, and cell proliferation. The present study was undertaken to examine the proliferative potential of ET-1 toward pulmonary artery VSMC in culture. In the presence of low serum and epidermal growth factor (EGF), ET-1 stimulated marked DNA synthesis and proliferation of VSMC. The contributing factor from serum appeared to be platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) because the antibody to PDGF eliminated the stimulatory activity. The antibody to EGF also prevented the stimulation, suggesting that both PDGF and EGF are required for the full expression of the VSMC growth-promoting activity of ET-1. A paradoxical aspect of ET-1 effect on VSMC was the ability of ET-1 to inhibit the EGF-stimulated DNA synthesis when the two factors were added together to a high baseline DNA synthetic activity. The inhibition was prevented if ET-1 was added 12-18 h after the addition of EGF or if ET-1 and EGF were added to a protein kinase C-depleted VSMC. The inhibition by ET-1 may be mediated by protein kinase C activation followed by inhibition of EGF binding to its receptor. The results indicate that ET-1 under appropriate conditions can modulate the growth of pulmonary artery VSMC in both positive and negative directions.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Somatosensory evoked potentials in the evaluation of lumbosacral radiculopathy.

We performed lower extremity somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) studies in 59 patients with signs or symptoms suggestive of lumbosacral radiculopathy and compared them with results of myelography with post-myelogram CT (myelogram/CT), MRI, and other electrodiagnostic studies. Of 38 patients with abnormal myelogram/CTs, 32 had abnormal SEPs, while 11 demonstrated EMG abnormalities. All 21 patients with normal myelogram/CTs had normal SEPs. SEP improved electrodiagnostic sensitivity in patients with weakness or reflex changes as well as in those with sensory deficits only. SEP was less sensitive in patients in whom spinal stenosis was the only radiographic finding. MRI generally corresponded well with the results of myelogram/CT and SEP but overestimated the significance of disk bulges in some patients. SEP is useful in the electrodiagnostic evaluation of lumbosacral radiculopathy, particularly when EMG is nondiagnostic.

Back Pain↗
PubMed1991

Inhibition of motoneuron discharge by peripheral nerve stimulation: an F response analysis.

F waves were recorded from the abductor pollicis brevis stimulating the median nerve at the wrist. These data were compared to responses obtained after preceding supramaximal stimulation of digital fibers of the second (II) finger or the median nerve at the wrist. The time between conditioning and test stimuli were 50 msec. Following conditioning stimuli, F wave latencies were significantly increased while F amplitudes, durations, and persistences were all decreased. Chronodispersion was not significantly affected. These changes were associated with increased repetition of individual F responses. The most prominent changes were found after stimulation of fibers of digit II but only at levels of stimulation supramaximal for the sensory nerve action potential. Some, but relatively limited, changes were present after stimulation of digital fibers of the fifth finger. The results are consistent with afferent fiber, probably A delta, inhibition of antidromic motoneuron activation with associated decrease in central motor neuron pool excitability. The study also demonstrates that, except for chronodispersion, changes in F waves found with peripheral nerve injury may also occur due to physiological changes in the central nervous system.

Electric Stimulation↗
PubMed1991

Analysis of equilibrium and kinetic measurements to determine thermodynamic origins of stability and specificity and mechanism of formation of site-specific complexes between proteins and helical DNA.

The concentration and nature of the electrolyte are key factors determining (1) the equilibrium extent of binding of oligocations or proteins to DNA, (2) the distribution of bound protein between specific and nonspecific sites, and (3) the kinetics of association and dissociation of both specific and nonspecific complexes. Salt concentration may therefore be used to great advantage to probe the thermodynamic basis of stability and specificity of protein-DNA complexes, and the mechanisms of association and dissociation. Cation concentration serves as a thermodynamic probe of the contributions to stability and specificity from neutralization of DNA phosphate charges and/or reduction in phosphate charge density. Cation concentration also serves as a mechanistic probe of the kinetically significant steps in association and dissociation that involve cation uptake. In general, effects of electrolyte concentration on equilibrium constants (quantified by SKobs) and rate constants (quantified by Skobs) are primarily cation effects that result from the cation-exchange character of the interactions of proteins and oligocations with polyanionic DNA. The competitive effects of Mg2+ or polyamines on the equilibria and kinetics of protein-DNA interactions are interpretable in the context of the cation-exchange model. The nature of the anion often has a major effect on the magnitude of the equilibrium constant (Kobs) and rate constant (kobs) of protein-DNA interactions, but a minor effect on SKobs and Skobs, which are dominated by the cation stoichiometry. The order of effects of different anions generally follows the Hofmeister series and presumably reflects the relative extent of preferential accumulation or exclusion of these anions from the relevant surface regions of DNA-binding proteins. The question of which anion is most inert (i.e., neither accumulated nor excluded from the relevant regions of these proteins) remains unanswered. The characteristic effects of temperature on equilibrium constants and rate constants for protein-DNA interactions also serve as diagnostic probes of the thermodynamic origins of stability and specificity and of the mechanism of the interaction, since large changes in thermodynamic and activation heat capacities accompany processes with large changes in the amount of water-accessible nonpolar surface area.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Anions↗
PubMed1991

Microleakage in alloy-glass ionomer lined amalgam restorations after thermocycling.

Marginal microleakage was measured around amalgam restorations lined with alloy-glass ionomer cement and coated with a glass ionomer varnish. Preparations were made in 48 human extracted mandibular molar teeth. Alloy-glass ionomer liners and varnishes were placed into selected preparations. Tytin amalgam was inserted into all of the teeth and left unburnished and unpolished. Half of the total samples were thermocycled for 5 days and the remainder were left in deionized water. The teeth were immersed in a 0.5% methylene blue dye and sectioned vertically with a diamond saw. Microleakage was scored visually at x100 magnification, and the data were analysed using the Mann-Whitney U-test (P less than or equal to 0.05). Thermocycling did not have a significant effect on microleakage, except when both an alloy-glass ionomer liner and varnish were used. Overall, the use of an alloy-glass ionomer liner made the most significant difference in reducing microleakage.

Coloring Agents↗
PubMed1991

Thrombin-mediated release of lipids from pulmonary artery endothelial cells promotes neutrophil adherence.

We previously have described the ability of alpha-thrombin (the native procoagulant enzyme) to stimulate adherence of neutrophils to pulmonary artery endothelial cells. In the present study, we observed that conditioned medium factors released by alpha-thrombin (10(-8) M) treatment of cultured ovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells increased neutrophil adherence to naive pulmonary artery endothelial monolayers. This effect was independent of any residual alpha-thrombin present in the medium. In contrast to thrombin-induced neutrophil adherence, adherence of neutrophils mediated by the conditioned medium was not inhibited by the anti-CD18 monoclonal antibody 60.3, indicating a CD18-independent mechanism. The factors generated by the action of alpha-thrombin on endothelial cells also resulted in concentration-dependent neutrophil migration. The neutrophil adherence- and migration-promoting activities were isolated in the ether portion after extraction of the conditioned medium. Chromatographic analysis showed that the active components (which resolved into two peaks by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography) were relatively hydrophilic low molecular weight lipids without phosphorus or amino acids. Reconstitution of these peaks indicated that they mediated neutrophil adhesion and migration responses. The results indicate that lipid factors promoting neutrophil adhesion and migration are generated by the action of thrombin on pulmonary artery endothelial cells. The generation of these factors may contribute to the amplification of the lung inflammatory response after pulmonary intravascular coagulation induced by thrombin.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1989

Renal candidiasis in the rat: effects of ureteral obstruction and diabetes.

The effect of ureteral obstruction on the course of renal candidiasis in a rat model was studied, using both normal and diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats, and a clinical isolate of Candida albicans. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin injection 1 week prior to inoculation and transabdominal ligation of the left ureter. On day 9 post inoculation, mean titers of Candida were similar in right and left kidneys of obstructed rats. Mean left renal titers for obstructed and control rats were similar (log10 2.68 CFU/g +/- 0.73 (SE) vs. log10 2.21 +/- 0.09, P greater than 0.01). Diabetes produced higher renal titers of Candida, regardless of the presence of ureteral obstruction (log10 5.74 CFU/g +/- 0.57 (SE) vs. log10 2.21 +/- 0.09, P less than 0.01). Animals treated for one week with amphotericin B showed a marked difference in Candida titers between obstructed and control animals (log10 4.14 CFU/g +/- 0.45 (SE) vs. 1.57 +/- 0.38) for both kidneys, and between obstructed and nonobstructed kidneys in the same animals.

Amphotericin B↗