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Biomedical subjects

M Mills

Publications and source records attributed to M Mills.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Electrophoretic variability in the phosphatase system of the yellow-fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti.

Alkaline and acid phosphatases in five inbred strains of the yellow-fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, were compared by vertical polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. 1. Polymorphic and monomorphic zones of enzyme activity were observed among both alkaline and acid phosphatases. 2. In the alkaline phosphatase system, seven electrophoretic zones of enzyme activity were detected; all but two of the seven zones showed electrophoretic variability. 3. In the acid phosphatase system, four electrophoretic zones of enzyme activity were detected; all but one of the four zones showed electrophoretic variability. 4. Absence of enzyme activity was observed in some zones and strains among both alkaline and acid phosphatases.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMed1982

Intraoperative retrograde balloon angioplasty of the left anterior descending coronary artery for reperfusion of jeopardized proximal branches.

Sequential left anterior descending artery stenoses often entrap diagonal and septal branches of significant but subgraftable diameter. These branches are routinely not perfused by middle or distal left anterior descending saphenous vein grafts implanted beyond the second lesion. We attempted to improve perfusion of such branches in nine patients using retrograde intraoperative balloon angioplasty. During coronary surgery, specially designed angioplasty catheters 2-3 mm in diameter were introduced through the coronary arteriotomy and passed retrogradely across the distal lesion. The balloon was inflated two to four times at 4-7 atmospheres. The size of the lesion was assessed before and after angioplasty using graduated coronary probes. Dilatation was successful in all cases. Probe-determined lesion diameter increased from 1.1 +/- 0.4 mm to 2.0 +/- 0.4 mm, an increase of 109 +/- 8%. In selected patients, intraoperative balloon angioplasty is a promising adjunct to coronary surgery. The clinical significance and long-term effectiveness of this procedure require further evaluation.

Aged↗
PubMed1981

Inpatient evaluation of aggression in psychiatric patients.

The authors rated violent and violence-related behavior of patients on a psychiatric intensive care unit, and found that despite the restricted environment such behaviour was manifested to a considerable degree. The amount of violent behavior was significantly correlated with admission Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale ratings on measures of thought disorder and schizophrenic thinking, but not with ratings of hostility.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

The effects of maternally administered pethidine or epidural bupivacaine on the fetus and newborn.

The continuous fetal heart rate rate pattern, condition of the baby at birth and its subsequent behaviour were compared in three groups of infants whose mothers received during labour either no drugs, intramuscular pethidine or epidural bupivacaine. The blood levels of pethidine and bupivacaine were measured at delivery in a maternal vein, and umbilical artery and vein, and in the newborn during the first 48 hours of life. The only significant changes in the fetal heart rate pattern occurred in association with maternal hypotension or uterine hyperstimulation. The Apgar scores at one minutes were 7 or less in more infants in the intramuscular pethidine and epidural bupivacaine groups as compared with the controls. There were no differences in the Apgar scores at five minutes. Neonatal behaviour during the first six weeks of life was not significantly affected by pethidine or epidural bupivacaine when compared with the control group. Pethidine and bupivacaine were shown to cross the placenta freely. The half-life of these drugs in the newborn was longer than in the adult.

Anesthesia, Epidural↗
PubMed1978

Reduced red blood cell carbonic anhydrase activity in a patient with nephrolithiasis.

Low levels of red blood cell (RBC) carbonic anhydrase (CA) activity in hemoglobin-free hemolyzate (HFH) were found in 2 children with nephrolithiasis when compared to age-matched controls. The lowest levels were consistently found over a two year period in a 6 1/2 year old boy (U.P.) whose renal calculi contained uric acid, ammonia, calcium carbonate and oxalate. His RBC CA values ranged from 1.4-2.7 U/g Hb compared with levels of 3.9-5.3 U/g Hb in control subjects. Statistical comparisons of the mean values for U.P., 2.06 U/g Hb, and his age-matched control subjects, 4.46 U/g Hb, revealed a significant difference (P = less than 0.001). Similar reductions in RBC CA activity were found in his father--2.0 and 2.1 U/g Hb compared with 3.3 and 3.9 U/g Hb in adult controls. HFH CA activity was not decreased in the mother or sister. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of HFH from 4 of the children and the father of U.P. was abnormal. However, this abnormal electrophoretic pattern could only be demonstrated when the gel was run for 120 minutes and not when it was run for 80 or 160 minutes. We have identified a patient and his father with low levels of RBC CA activity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Red blood cell carbonic anhydrase activity in children with distal renal tubular acidosis.

Red blood cell carbonic anhydrase activity was studied in three children with distal renal tubular acidosis, the parents of one of the patients, and in control subjects. Although each patient had distal renal tubular acidosis as defined by an inappropriately high urine pH in the face of a systemic metabolic acidosis, hyperchloremia and a low (U-B)pCO2, they differed in that two had deafness. The deafness was inherited as an autosomal recessive mode in one and by an autosomal dominant gene in the other. Red blood cell carbonic anhydrase activity was determined in hemoglobin-free hemolysate by the esterolytic action of the enzyme on the substrate p-nitrophenyl acetate. The two isoenzymes, B and C, of carbonic anhydrase were identified using polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis. The red blood cell carbonic anhydrase activity of nine control children aged 2-10 years was 3.8 (3.2-5.0) units/g Hb. The values obtained from the three patients were 3.0, 3.7, and 4.36 units/g Hb. These did not differ from those of the control subjects. No abnormalities were found in the ratios of the B and C peaks or in their electrophoretic mobility.

Acidosis, Renal Tubular↗
PubMed1976

Immunological monitoring and immunotherapy in carcinoma of the lung.

One hundred and seven patients with carcinoma of the lung underwent immunologic testing, and 62 of these patients were randomized to an immunotherapy protocol comparing the effects of Pasteur strain BCG, either alone or combined with allogeneic tumor cells, to the effects of no immunotherapy. Patients with residual disease left at the time of surgery or with metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis showed no increase in survival as a result of this form of immunotherapy. An insufficient number of patients with less advanced disease, in whom we would expect the most beneficial effect, have been entered in this study. In general, we were unable to document substantial effects of immunotherapy on the immunologic parameters tested. Only in recall antigen skin testing was there a statistically significant increase in reactivity in the immunotherapy groups. Tests of general immune status appeared to have a predictive value in monitoring lung cancer patients. Anergic patients had a poorer prognosis than did patients who demonstrated skin test reactivity. Patients with normal percentages of lymphocytes (T cells) forming rosettes with sheep erythrocytes at 29 degrees C were generally normal in other tests of immune competence. In serial studies of rosette formation, all patients who developed recurrent disease had a pattern of depressed or falling rosette values, and these abnormalities occurred an average of 3.1 months prior to clinical detection of recurrence. Patients with large-cell anaplastic carcinoma were found to have a significantly higher incidence of depressed rosette levels than the other histologic types. Both large and small-cell anaplastic patients had significantly depressed lymphocyte proliferation by mitogens and allogeneic cells. Although lung cancer patients have been described as immunologically depressed, they are capable of recognizing tumor-associated antigens. When tested in leukocyte migration inhibition assays with tumor-associated antigens, the majority of the patients in our study were found to be reactive. The use of a 3 M KCl extract of pleural effusion cells from a patient with pulmonary adenocarcinoma has given good reactivity and specificity in lung cancer patients of all histologic types. In addition, these patients have been shown to respond in a mixed lymphocyte/tumor interaction to tumor-associated antigens (Dean, 1976b).

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1976

Congenital tricuspid insufficiency. Definition and review.

Simple congenital tricuspid insufficiency (CTI) has, up to now, been loosely included with the larger Ebstein's anomaly (EA) group. Certain pathologic and clinical features of CTI deserve definition and a place apart from EA. A review of the literature has produced 20 clinical cases for analysis to which we add two cases successfully treated surgically. The high mortality in the neonatal age group (14 of 14) continues to be a formidable challenge, but the older survivors (2 of 8) would appear to have better prospects, based on our limited experience.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Effects of visual presentation of caloric values on food buying by normal and obese persons.

The effects of the visual presentation of the caloric values of food on the food buying behavior of 450 normal, overweight, and obese female subjects were studied, in a cafeteria setting. The caloric signs significantly decreased the total number of calories bought across all three weight groups. No differences were found among the three weight groups, either in the effect of the presentation of the caloric signs or in the total number of calories bought. The implications of these results were discussed, both in terms of present-day research on obesity as well as in terms of a large scale modification of eating behavior.

Behavior Therapy↗
PubMed1976

Twenty-four hour membrane oxygenation in dogs without anticoagulation.

Is systemic heparinization or heparin-bonded circuitry better than no anticoagulation during 24 hours of cardiopulmonary bypass? We compared blood pressure, coagulation state, oxygenator function, and scanning electron microscopic appearance of the circuits. There were three groups of five dogs each: Group I had no anticoagulants; Group II received systemic heparization; Group III perfusions utilized heparin-bonded circuits. Group I animals all survived, whereas 80 percent (four fifths) in Group II and 20 percent (one fifth) in Group III survived. Arterial pressures were better maintained in Group I as compared to Groups II and III. The coagulation parameters were similar in all groups. Oxygenator function was maintained at normal in all groups. No thrombi were present in any of the circuits following perfusion. The surfaces in Group I had less debris on them compared to Groups II and III. Animals that died had fibrin thrombi present in tissues examined histologically. Systemic heparinization had no advantage over no heparin in this study. The striking similarity of the coagulation state between Groups I and II and better preservation of the surfaces in Group I were unexpected. Heparin-bonded circuits were unsatisfactory when compared to no anticoagulation and systemic heparinization. Additional experiments with various species with and without anticoagulation must be done to determine the best guidlines for human cardiopulmonary bypass.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

Debilitating ossifying fibromas of a white-tailed deer associated with ear tagging.

A 2.3 kg partially ossified fibroma developed apparently within a 4-1/2 month period near a tag inserted in the right ear of a 5-1/2 year old white-tailed doe (Odecoileus virginianus). This growth caused an abnormal head carriage, disturbed feeding and resulted in emaciation. Secondary partially ossified fibromas developed at the left ear tag and in the right external acoustic meatus. The latter fibroma penterated the tympanic membrane. The puncture wounds in the ears associated with the aluminum tags probably provided sites for virus infection and subsequent fibromatosis.

Animals↗