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Biomedical subjects

M J John

Publications and source records attributed to M J John.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Feasibility of non-surgical definitive management of anal canal carcinoma.

The management of anal canal carcinoma has evolved over the last decade, with the combination of radiotherapy (RT) and chemotherapy (CT) offering a definitive alternative to surgery or RT alone. Twenty-two patients with basaloid/cloacogenic/squamous cell carcinoma of the anal (13 with T3-T4 lesions), were treated with synchronous RT (30.00 to 45.00 Gy in 3 1/2 to 5 weeks) and CT X 2 courses (Mitomycin C 15 mg/m2 I.V. bolus + 96 hours 5FU infusion). This regimen differed from the conventional Nigro regimen in that higher doses of RT and 2 courses of Mitomycin C were used and both CT courses were given synchronously with RT. Three patients with residual disease were salvaged with an additional course of CT and local RT, without surgery. Acute side effects including perineal dermatitis, diarrhea, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia were reversible or transient. Twenty patients are alive and free of disease 17 to 62 months (median 45 months) following initiation of treatment. Two patients died at 7 months without evidence of disease at autopsy. These results compare favorably with other series employing RT alone, AP resection alone, and to those employing similar CT-RT regimens as well, in terms of disease-free survival rate (100%), complete response rate (19/22 or 86%), salvage rate without surgery (3/3), and acceptable morbidity. These results may be attributed to an optimal balance of RT and CT doses and refinements in RT technique which are detailed in our report.

Adult↗

The isolation and characterization of lysozyme from human foetal membranes: a comparison with the enzyme from other sources.

Lysozyme (muramidase) was isolated from an acidic extract of human foetal membranes by adsorption and elution from octadecyl silica. It was further purified by gel-filtration and ion-exchange. The final product was homogeneous by high performance liquid chromatography (h.p.l.c.) and electrophoresis. It was indistinguishable from human milk lysozyme by all criteria investigated, including amino acid composition, electrophoretic mobility, retention time on h.p.l.c. and sequence of the first nine residues. Human uterine decidual tissue was shown to contain a similar concentration of lysozyme to foetal membranes. The enzyme was also present at lower concentrations in amnion, placenta and amniotic fluid.

Amino Acids↗

Haematological and haemopoietic studies in an air-breathing fish on cyanocobalamin and folacin deficient diet.

Experimental deficiencies of cyanocobalamin and folacin separately and in combination were induced in an air-breathing teleost fish Channa punctatus with the help of a complete vitamin test diet. Cyanocobalamin deficiency produced normocytic hypochromic anaemia while the folacin deficiency as well as the combined deficiency of both vitamins produced macrocytic hypochromic anaemia. Leucocytosis was observed in the individual and combined deficiencies of these vitamins with significant increase in thrombocytes and decrease in neutrophil population. The relative population of different developing stages in erythropoiesis showed significant change. Thus small lymphoid haemoblast decreased in number while young and mature reticulocyte populations increased. Recovery to normal condition could be obtained by restoring deficient groups of fishes to complete vitamin test diet fortified with an initial i.m. administration of 0.01 mg/g and 0.02 mg/g body wt. of cyanocobalamin and folacin respectively. A comparison of deficiency effects on C. punctatus with Labeo rohita shows that the former, a carnivorous species with higher Hb content in peripheral blood is more susceptible to deficiency than the latter, a herbivorous species of fish with lower Hb values.

Anemia, Hypochromic↗

Limited sequence homology between porcine and rat relaxins: implications for physiological studies.

We have isolated rat relaxin as a single chromatographic component and determined its complete amino acid sequence. Comparison with porcine relaxin reveals a clear sequence homology but the extent of this is much more limited than expected, with only 21 of 53 residues (39.6%) in corresponding positions being identical. In contrast 47 of 51 residues (92.2%) are identical between porcine and rat insulins. These findings suggest that relaxin has been less constrained to conserve its structural features during evolution than has insulin, since the original duplication of a common ancestral gene. Relaxins as a group (and rat and porcine relaxins in particular) show poor immunological cross-reactivity despite a common biological activity. The finding of extensive sequence differences as well as conserved residues between porcine and rat relaxins provides a possible structural basis for these observations, and should facilitate identification of a localized receptor-binding surface region of relaxin. A further important implication of this limited sequence homology is that physiological (and clinical) studies with relaxins should whenever possible be carried out with hormone preparations from the same species.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Quality of care.

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Breast Neoplasms↗

Patterns of care study decision tree and management guidelines for esophageal cancer. American College of Radiology.

PURPOSE: The Patterns of Care Study (PCS) of the American College of Radiology periodically develops a decision tree and current management guidelines for major malignancies where radiation has an important role. The decision tree is a framework which depicts the division of patients into treatment groups. The treatment guidelines are useful in management and also serve as a starting point for quality assessment. For the first time, PCS decided to develop consensus management guidelines for esophageal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A consensus panel was convened to define the key issues and develop guidelines for esophageal cancer management. A modified Delphi process was used to achieve consensus. RESULTS: The consensus panel developed guidelines for the management of patients with adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus with a Karnofsky performance status of over 50. Patients with clinical stage I or II esophageal cancer can be treated with curative intent using either a primary surgical or primary chemoradiation approach. For patients with clinical stage III malignancy, where the most common approaches are palliative, surgical resection is generally not recommended and chemoradiation is the preferred treatment. CONCLUSION: The PCS has developed treatment guidelines for esophageal cancer based on consensus committee deliberations. These guidelines can be useful for those who manage esophageal cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗