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Biomedical subjects

M Abbott

Publications and source records attributed to M Abbott.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Research in an antenatal clinic--the experience of the Nottingham Mothers' Stop Smoking Project.

The Nottingham Mothers' Stop Smoking Project was extremely successful in helping women to stop smoking during pregnancy and in reinforcing non-smoking behaviour. This paper describes the experience of undertaking the action research project in the antenatal clinic from the points of view of the researchers, women and midwifery staff. The article outlines the practical problems encountered in attempting to adhere to a research protocol. The implementation of the project involving friendly encouragement, a carbon monoxide monitor and the offer of self-help groups is described within the context of the busy antenatal clinic setting. Pregnant women's experience of the project and the views of midwifery staff are also presented. The feasibility of incorporating such projects into everyday activity is discussed.

Carbon Monoxide↗
PubMed1989

Identification of Branhamella catarrhalis in 2.5 min with an indoxyl butyrate strip test.

Branhamella catarrhalis, an occasional cause of human respiratory infections, unlike most other members of the family Neisseriaceae, produces a butyrate esterase. This is capable of breaking the ester linkage between butyryl groups and carrier molecules. B. caviae and B. ovis, which are rarely encountered in pathological specimens, also produce butyrate esterase. This property can be used as a rapid test in the identification of B. catarrhalis. The recently reported rapid test for butyrate esterase relies on the release of methylumbelliferate, which can be detected only by using UV light after 5 min of incubation. In the rapid test described here, indoxyl is liberated from indoxyl butyrate by butyrate esterase and spontaneously forms indigo in the presence of oxygen. B. catarrhalis can be distinguished from other oxidase-positive, gram-negative cocci after 2.5 min by inoculating the organism onto a filter paper strip containing this compound.

Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases↗
PubMed1987

Ultrastructural analysis of the effect of ethane dimethanesulphonate on the testis of the rat, guinea pig, hamster and mouse.

The morphological response of the testis of rats, guinea pigs. Syrian hamsters and mice to treatment with the cytotoxin ethane dimethanesulphonate was examined using light and electron microscopy. One to two days after a single administration of ethane dimethanesulphonate to adult rats, guinea pigs, and hamsters, the Leydig cells showed marked ultrastructural alterations suggestive of degeneration and cell death. The former alterations included karyopyknosis, cytoplasmic vesiculation and accumulation of lipid inclusions and large lipofuscin bodies. Fragments of necrotic Leydig cells were often engulfed by the interstitial tissue macrophages. The morphology of the seminiferous epithelium of these three species was unchanged from the morphology observed in vehicle-injected control animals. In contrast, multiple injections of ethane dimethane-sulphonate given to mice produced no ultrastructural alternation to Leydig cells yet the seminiferous epithelium exhibited disruption of spermatogenesis. Although the Leydig cells of the mouse appear resistant to ethane dimethanesulphonate, this agent exerts a selective cytotoxic action upon leydig cells of the rat, guinea pig and hamster thus identifying ethane dimethanesulphonate as a useful chemical for future endocrine and physiological studies of testicular function in three common laboratory species.

Acrylates↗
PubMed1987

High-dose photoirradiation of esophageal cancer.

Fifteen patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer were treated with phototherapy. Each patient had dysphagia and weight loss before therapy and could not be operated on because of the extent of the tumor or poor performance status. Patients received a photosensitizer (hematoporphyrin derivative) 72 hours before phototherapy and were then treated by light delivered by an argon pumped dye laser or gold metal vapor laser at powers up to 2.2 W and doses of 337 J/cm2. Fourteen patients received 24 treatments. The results were all patients achieved a tumor response. The depth of response depended on the dose and dose rate of radiation. There were four of 24 local complications (mediastinitis 3, bronchoesophageal fistula 1). These occurred in patients treated with a power of greater than 1.5 W. There were two complete pathologic remissions in patients with locally advanced cancer. In conclusion, phototherapy is an effective alternative to other forms of palliation and potentially may be an alternative to surgery in selected cases of locally advanced esophageal cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1987

Immunological capture of nucleic acid hybrids and application to nonradioactive DNA probe assay.

Antibodies specific for DNA:RNA hybrids were coated onto polystyrene test tubes and applied to hybridization assays involving DNA and RNA. Synthetic DNA probes complementary to 16S rRNA of Campylobacter were labeled with biotin and hybridized to ribosomal RNA directly in lysates of bacterial cells. After hybridization, DNA:RNA hybrids were captured with immobilized anti-DNA:RNA antibody, and the biotinylated probe was detected with streptavidin-horseradish peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7) conjugate. The assay was optimized to detect as few as 70,000 Campylobacter cells in a sample. We compared the utility of this hybridization assay with that of conventional microbiology methods by examination of 1448 stool samples from hospital clinical laboratories. The DNA hybridization assay had a sensitivity of 98.7% (75/76) and a specificity of 98.2% (1347/1372) and overall agreed with 98.2% of the conventional results for a test population that had a 5.2% incidence (76/1448) of Campylobacter infection. The assay is simple to perform and yields results within 2.5 h.

Antibodies↗
PubMed1986

Motoneurone numbers in rat neonatal lateral motor columns: use of antibody to choline acetyltransferase to identify motoneurones.

The number of motoneurones in the rat lumbosacral and brachial motor columns were determined during the neonatal period, following identification of the motoneurones with antibodies to the enzyme choline acetyltransferase. Motoneurone numbers declined by less than 15% between 21 days embryonic and 4 days postnatal. These observations suggest that there is little change in the population of motoneurones during the period of extensive loss of polyneuronal innervation of muscle.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Haemochromatosis presenting with a double Yersinia infection.

A patient suffering from diabetes mellitus presented with Yersinia pseudotuberculosis septicaemia and serological evidence of concomitant infection with Yersinia enterocolitica. He was later shown to have idiopathic haemochromatosis.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1986

Improved survival in esophageal cancer in the period 1978 to 1983.

The outcome of therapy of adenocarcinomas and squamous-cell carcinomas of the esophagus is so poor that the results of new approaches to therapy, such as the addition of radiotherapy or chemotherapy, are often compared with those achieved in historical controls. To determine the validity of this approach in cancers with a poor outcome, the results of therapy were analyzed at our institution from Jan 11, 1978 to Aug 9, 1981 (77 patients) and compared with the results achieved in the period from Aug 14, 1981 to Feb 19, 1984 (77 patients). The patients were evenly matched for prognostic factors. It was found that the median survival of the first group of patients (4 months) was significantly less (P less than .01) than that of the recently treated group (10 months). This was due to the better median survival of patients treated surgically from 4 months in the early group to 29 months at present (P less than .01). There was no change in the survival of the other patients. The major improvement in the outcome of surgery was due to the reduction of the perioperative mortality rate to less than 5%. There was no detectable change in patient selection for surgery. The results indicate that even in tumors with a very poor outcome, such as esophageal cancer, large changes in results can occur without a specific change in therapy, and that historical controls may be misleading.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1986

Toward removing uterine fibroids without surgery: subcutaneous infusion of a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist commencing in the luteal phase.

Intermittent sc injection of a LHRH agonist reduced uterine fibroid size in 5 women. Commencement of the LHRH agonist buserelin on day 21 of the menstrual cycle induced a marked increase in plasma LH and FSH concentrations, followed by rises in estradiol (E2) and progesterone. LH and FSH levels fell to within the normal range by 120 h after beginning buserelin, despite continuing administration of the agonist. After menstruation, marked sustained suppression of cyclical gonadotropin and steroid concentrations occurred: mean values of FSH, LH, and E2 were 4.9 +/- 0.5 (+/- SE) mIU/ml, 5.9 +/- 0.6 mIU/ml, and 47.9 +/- 10.8 pg/ml, respectively, during the 20 weeks of buserelin treatment. During treatment, E2 concentrations remained below 50 pg/ml in 98 of 116 weekly observations. Uterine fibroids shrank after 8 or 10 weeks of buserelin administration, as assessed by ultrasound or gynecological examination. Compared to their initial volume, mean uterine fibroid volume after 20 weeks of buserelin infusion decreased from 220 +/- 51 to 98 +/- 26 cm3, which was 39.4 +/- 6.9% of the pretreatment volume. We conclude that sc administration of a LHRH agonist beginning in the luteal phase markedly reduced the size of uterine leiomyomata, suppressed, but did not abolish, pituitary and ovarian function, and warrants further evaluation as an option or adjunctive therapy to uterine myomectomy or hysterectomy.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Effect of LHRH immunoneutralization on follicular development, the LH surge and luteal function in the stumptailed macaque monkey (Macaca arctoides).

A dose of 100 microliter of a potent ovine LHRH gamma globulin inhibited ovulation in the cyclic rat when administered at 12:00 h on the day of pro-oestrus. A dose of 10 ml of the preparation was administered i.v. to female stumptailed macaques to achieve circulating antibody titres 3-4-fold higher than in the rat. In an ovariectomized macaque, this caused a marked fall in serum concentrations of LH to less than 10% of pretreatment values and also a significant, though less pronounced, fall in FSH. Six monkeys were treated with the LHRH gamma globulin during the mid-late follicular phase of the cycle. In 2 monkeys in which serum oestradiol concentrations were less than 100 pg/ml at the time of antibody administration, the rising oestradiol levels were abruptly suppressed and the normal mid-cycle LH surge failed to occur. Serum concentrations of LH and FSH declined to low levels for 8-10 days after which time normal follicular development occurred. In the remaining 4 monkeys in which follicular development was more advanced as indicated by serum oestradiol concentrations of greater than 100 pg/ml, the antibodies induced either a transient decline or had no effect on the rising serum concentration of oestradiol. An LH/FSH surge followed by a rise in serum progesterone occurred in these macaques. When the antibodies were administered to a further 6 macaques, which had also been treated with oestradiol benzoate during the early follicular phase to induce an LH surge, the neutralization of LHRH again failed to block the surge even when the dose of antibody was increased to 20 ml. The results show that LHRH antibodies were unable to block the LH surge in the macaque. They contrast with results obtained with LHRH immunoneutralization in the sheep, rat, hamster, mouse and bird and suggest that the ability of oestrogen to induce an LH surge by acting directly on the LHRH-primed anterior pituitary gland is more dominant in the primate.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Effects of an LH-releasing hormone antagonist on the secretion of LH, FSH, prolactin and ovarian steroids at different stages of the luteal phase in the stumptailed macaque (Macaca arctoides).

The role of the pituitary gonadotrophins in controlling luteal function in the stumptailed macaque has been investigated by examining profiles of serum concentrations of LH, FSH, progesterone and oestradiol in daily blood samples from 13 monkeys during the menstrual cycle, and in blood samples taken at hourly intervals between 09.00 and 21.00 h on different days of the luteal phase in 13 cycles. The effects of acute withdrawal of gonadotrophins was investigated by administering a single injection of 300 micrograms LHRH antagonist/kg body weight at different stages of the luteal phase during 28 cycles. Although there were high basal values and marked fluctuations of bioactive LH during the first 4 days after the LH peak, progesterone profiles showed no corresponding short-term changes, there being a slow and steady rise in progesterone concentrations during the sampling periods. After day 5, basal LH secretion decreased, but high amplitude LH pulses were identified which were associated with episodes of progesterone secretion. Administration of the LHRH antagonist caused a suppression of bioactive LH and progesterone concentrations at all stages of the luteal phase, although some basal secretion of progesterone was maintained through the 24-h period of effective antagonist gonadotroph blockade. Luteal function recovered apparently normally in all monkeys treated in the early-mid-luteal phase. Serum concentrations of FSH and oestradiol fluctuated comparatively less during the 12-h sampling periods, and the antagonist had less suppressive effects on the concentrations of these hormones. The LHRH antagonist had no apparent effect on prolactin release.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Kinetics and distribution of 111Indium-labeled platelets in patients with homocystinuria.

Homocystinuria is an inborn error of metabolism involving a high incidence of thromboembolism. It sometimes improves with large doses of pyridoxine. We investigated the kinetics and distribution of 111Indoxine-labeled platelets in 11 normal volunteers and 12 patients with homocystinuria, none of whom had clinical evidence of acute thrombosis at the time of the study. Six of the patients were resistant to pyridoxine and had homocystinemia. There were no statistical differences in mean platelet-survival times between pyridoxine responders and nonresponders or between normal subjects and pyridoxine responders or nonresponders, regardless of whether a linear, exponential, or multiple-hit model was used to analyze the kinetic data. Plasma homocystine levels had no apparent effect on mean platelet-survival time. There was no abnormal accumulation of platelets in any of the patients, and the distribution of platelets in liver and spleen was similar to that in normal subjects. Our results suggest that the kinetics and distribution of platelets in patients with homocystinuria who have no clinical evidence of thromboembolism are normal. Thus, the data do not provide evidence for disordered platelet function or for an ongoing interaction of platelets with vessel walls in this condition.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Screening for metastases in breast cancer: an assessment of biochemical and physical methods.

Ten tumor markers were measured in serum or urine at approximately three month intervals in patients with breast cancer following mastectomy but before development of overt metastatic disease. In 23 patients who later had metastases, only three markers, alkaline phosphatase, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GT) were consistently abnormal prior to the development of detectable metastases in more than one patient. In half the patients, a "lead interval" of three months or more was obtained using these three markers and little advantage was obtained by the addition of any other biochemical marker. The value of these three measurements was then assessed in a larger group of patients and compared with other tests for metastases. Alkaline phosphatase, CEA, gamma-GT, clinical examination, and chest x-ray were the best indices of the metastatic state in breast cancer, being collectively abnormal in 98% of patients at first presentation with metastases. The authors recommend screening patients postoperatively with these five tests for metastases; more detailed tests should only be carried out if results of one or more these are abnormal.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗