Biomedical subjects
M McGovern
Publications and source records attributed to M McGovern.
Effects of iopamidol and iohexol in rat lungs following experimental aspiration.
Experimental aspiration of water soluble contrast agents was performed on rats via transoral endotracheal injection. Iopamidol, iohexol and diatrizoate were the contrast agents tested. One group of rats received normal saline as a control. Adjusted lung weights were measured at 2 and 24 hours post aspiration. Radiographs were taken at 2 and 24 hours post aspiration and scored for abnormal pulmonary air space density. Diatrizoate alone demonstrated an increase in adjusted lung weights. Diatrizoate, iopamidol and iohexol showed abnormal pulmonary air space disease on radiographs at 2 hours but not at 24 hours. Histopathologic examination of rat lungs following aspiration of all three contrasts showed pulmonary vascular congestion and perivascular edema. Iopamidol showed evidence of acute cellular inflammation. Iohexol provoked a pulmonary alveolar macrophage response.
EBM/11 reactivity in malignant histiocytosis.
A patient presented initially with a testicular mass, which on biopsy had morphological features consistent with malignant histiocytosis. The tumour cells labelled strongly with EBM/11, a murine monoclonal antibody with high specificity for cells of the human mononuclear phagocyte system. Subsequent clinical and laboratory studies confirmed the diagnosis. As poorly differentiated tumour cells reacted with EBM/11, this antibody may be useful in positively identifying malignant tumours with histiocytic differentiation from malignancies of other types where morphological detail alone is inconclusive in tumour classification.
Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Recent developments and the potential expansion of the donor pool.
Graft versus host disease is a preventable complication of allogenic bone marrow transplantation. A complex biological manoeuvre has enabled us to achieve this. Unfortunately T-cell depletion of the donor marrow shifts the delicate immunological balance in favour of the recipient immune system. The consequence has been an increased risk of graft rejection and leukaemia relapse. It is necessary to shift this balance back in favour of the donor (derived) immune system. This can be achieved by increasing the immunosuppressive power of the 'conditioning' chemoradiotherapy. Toxicity considerations limit our scope although single fraction fast dose rate radiotherapy appears to diminish the risks inherent with T-cell depletion. Logically an approach with greater promise will be to use specific immunological means of eliminating the recipient T lymphocytes in vivo. Early experience with a monoclonal anti-lymphoid antibody in vivo in an HLA matched unrelated donor programme suggests that this approach has great promise whilst lacking toxicity. We hypothesise that a shift in immunological superiority to the donor derived immune system will not only allow T-cell depletion whilst minimising the risk of graft rejection, but also enhance the anti-leukaemic properties of the graft. Of further interest will be the potential for application of lymphokines (e.g. IL2) without increasing the risk of lethal graft versus host disease.
Gliclazide: the effects on lipids in type II diabetes.
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A multiple perspective analysis of schizophrenics' symptoms and community functioning.
The present investigation examined the extent of agreement among schizophrenic clients, hospital clinicians, and independent evaluators' views of the client's symptoms and community functioning status using the Symptom Checklist-90, the Denver Community Mental Health Questionnaire, and the Personal Adjustment and Role Skills Inventory. The results suggest there is significant agreement among viewpoints and that this finding is generalizable across community assessment instruments. The average shared variance among the three perspectives across the three instruments was .68. The estimates of shared variance between the SCL-90, the DCMHQ, and the PARS ranged from .54 to .85, indicating these outcome instruments measure a common phenomenon or share significant method variance. The previously assumed necessity of multiple perspective assessment as the only valid approach is challenged.
Eliminating a severely retarded blind adolescent's tantrums using mild behavioral interruption: a case study.
A blind 19 yr old severely retarded man was referred for behavior therapy because of violent and disruptive tantrums. Previous behavioral strategies had failed for various reasons. A very mild, brief, vestibular oriented physical procedure was designed to provide a low level disruptive effect. Intervention consisted of loud teacher demands to stop and work appropriately as well as guiding him through one 360 degrees turn while standing. The data demonstrated rapid and long term success in eliminating the client's tantrums. The results were interpreted in terms of a behavioral interruptor of a chained sequence allowing refocusing of client attention and increased levels of reinforcement.
A naturalistic assessment of partial-hospital treatment.
Three hundred fifty-eight consecutive admissions to 13 partial hospitals were evaluated over an 8-month period. The design of the study focused on an unobstrusive measurement process involving clinical judgment of outcome. Analyses revealed that the clinical judgment process generated data which were both reliable and valid. The results of the study indicate that partial-hospital treatment is most effective for chronic and acute schizophrenic conditions, paranoid schizophrenia, and affective disorders and least so far patients diagnosed as adjustment disorders. Patients in the organic and neurotic diagnostic categories tended to remain stable. As in previous research, the pretreatment levels of the dependent variables were the best predictors of improvement, but the present study also reveals that progressive amounts of partial-hospital treatment lead to a greater improvement in patient functioning.
Severe megaloblastic anaemia of pregnancy.
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Cardiac, respiratory and metabolic changes during static exercise and voluntary heart rate acceleration.
Various ventilatory and metabolic parameters were monitored in 12 subjects while they performed each of three tasks: Voluntary cardiac acceleration with the aid of continuous heart rate feedback; a static hand-grip exercise at 1/3 maximum voluntary contraction; and a combined task involving both voluntary acceleration and exercise. Task order was counterbalanced across subjects and there were six 30 sec trials of each task. While reliable cardiac accelerations were recorded throughout, they were substantially greater with the combined task. This confirmed previous findings attesting that individuals can voluntarily elevate heart rate above levels induced by standard physical loads. However, the pattern of results for oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production, with the most substantial increase in both also occurring for combined voluntary acceleration and exercise, suggested that the cardiac elevations superimposed on exercise levels were largely non-specific, i.e. they involved additional energy expenditure. Respiration volume increased during the performance of all three tasks, with the greatest increase again occurring in the combined tasks. The precise respiratory adjustments, in terms of rate and tidal volume, varied subtly among tasks; while all three tasks produced a rise in respiration rate, only the combined task increased tidal volume.
Issues in implementing prenatal screening for cystic fibrosis: results of a working conference.
PURPOSE: To summarize a conference convened to examine how cystic fibrosis screening might appropriately be introduced into routine prenatal practice. METHODS: Participants included experts from various relevant disciplines. Systematic reviews and data from individual trials were presented; issues were identified and discussed. RESULTS: Judged by published criteria, prenatal cystic fibrosis screening is suitable for introduction. Screening can be performed cost-effectively by identifying racial/ethnic groups at sufficient risk and then using either of two models for delivering laboratory services. Validated educational materials exist. Ethical issues are not unique. CONCLUSIONS: Once adequate facilities for patient and provider education, testing, counseling, quality control, and monitoring are in place, individual programs can begin prenatal screening for cystic fibrosis.
Caring for special babies. 1. The ethics of neonatology.
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Caring for special babies. 2. Separation of the baby from the parents.
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Uninvited guests.
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