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Biomedical subjects

P Conway

Publications and source records attributed to P Conway.

30 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Development of a PCR-based technique for detection of Helicobacter pylori.

A primer-set was designed for specific detection of genes that encode for 16S rRNA of Helicobacter pylori, using direct polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The primers were selected in the hypervariable regions, derived from a complete small subunit 16S rRNA sequence of the reference strain H. pylori CCUG 17874. The primer-set amplified a 537 base pair (bp) sequence specifically from chromosomal H. pylori DNA. Amplification of purified chromosomal H. pylori DNA was achieved at concentrations as low as 1 femto gram (fg), equivalent to 5 bacteria. Furthermore, as few as 1 lysed H. pylori cell was detected by this PCR technique. The specificity of the primers was 100%, since purified chromosomal DNA was detected from all 32 various H. pylori isolates, whereas no other bacteria species were detected, whether related to Helicobacter or not. The 16S rDNA primers successfully detected H. pylori in antral biopsy specimens collected from infected patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Bromodeoxyuridine-labelled apoptosis after treatment with antimetabolites in two murine tumours and in small intestinal crypts.

Antimetabolites are S-phase specific anticancer drugs. Administration of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) to tumour bearing mice was followed by treatment with cytosine arabinoside or hydroxyurea. Anti-BrdUrd immunocytochemistry visualised susceptible tumour and intestinal crypt cells at electron microscope level, showing unequivocally that cells that were in S-phase at the time of administration of the drugs subsequently died by apoptosis.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Prognosis for breast cancer surgery and radiation therapy compared with mastectomy alone. A retrospective analysis of 759 patients with stage I/II breast cancer.

Seven hundred fifty-nine patients with Stage I/II breast cancer who were treated with mastectomy alone (558 patients) or breast-conserving surgery and tangential irradiation (201 patients) were evaluated. Median follow-up time was 34 months. Axillary node status showed differences between treatment groups. Seventy-two percent of patients undergoing lumpectomy and radiation therapy (Lx) versus 35% of patients in the mastectomy group were pathologically node-negative, 18% Lx versus 30% mastectomy alone had one to three nodes positive, and four or more positive axillary nodes were seen in 35% of mastectomy alone patients. Reflecting this trend, overall survival (P less than 0.007), time to locoregional failure (P less than 0.0005), and time to any failure (P less than 0.0001) favored Lx patients. Correcting for axillary node status, significant differences persisted only for node-negative patients. Median actuarial survival time was 73 months for the mastectomy alone group (196 patients) versus 120 months for the Lx group (144 patients) (P less than 0.02), with significant differences also noted in time to local failure (P less than 0.003) and time to any failure (P less than 0.001). Stratification according to primary tumor size in patients who were node-negative yielded marked differences in time to locoregional failure in T1 (less than 2 cm) (P less than 0.0006) presentations, with analysis approaching significance for T2 (2 to 5 cm) lesions (P less than 0.06). Disease-free interval was greater in node-negative Lx patients for both T1 (P less than 0.007) and T2 (P less than 0.05) presentations. Overall survival was not significantly different in node-negative Lx patients when primary tumor size was considered. Improved prognosis was identified in node-negative patients undergoing breast-conserving surgery and radiation therapy over mastectomy alone. Theoretical considerations included eradication of occult microscopic disease within the chest wall by tangential irradiation.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Radiation therapy in a case of systemic mastocytosis: evaluation of histamine levels and mucosal effects.

Plasma histamine levels were obtained during palliative radiation therapy of the spine involved with systemic mastocytosis in a 68-year-old woman. Baseline plasma histamine levels were obtained before irradiation and compared to levels obtained on the third, fifth, eighth, and tenth treatment days. Despite concerns regarding histamine release with mast cell destruction following irradiation, plasma histamine levels remained within normal limits. No change in dermatologic or other systemic manifestations were observed. No untoward systemic or localized sequelae associated with mast cell degranulation in response to the administered large field of radiation was observed. Effective palliation was accomplished, and it was concluded that radiation therapy can effectively be applied in treatment of systemic mast cell disease without significant morbidity.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Inhibition by antibiotics of the bacterial response to long-term starvation of Salmonella typhimurium and the colon microbiota of mice.

The number of viable cells of two strains of Salmonella typhimurium and the number of viable cells and the cell size of the colon microbiota of mice were examined during non-growing conditions after exposure to antibiotics with known modes of action. Salmonella typhimurium starved for 1, 2, 4, 5, 12 and 20 d in a phosphate buffer saline solution and subsequently exposed for 2 and 6 h showed the following characteristics. The protein synthesis inhibitors gentamicin and tetracycline, the RNA synthesis inhibitor rifampicin and the membrane potential inhibitor polymyxin all impaired survival of starved cells. The reduction in the number of viable cells caused by the addition of gentamicin, rifampicin and polymyxin was generally more pronounced with extended exposure to energy and nutrient deprivation. Both 2- and 6-h exposure of tetracycline, however, had diminishing inhibitory effects after 20 d compared with 5 d of starvation. Control experiments to verify non-growing conditions in the starvation regime showed that DNA and cell wall synthesis inhibitors had no inhibitory effect after 24-h starvation. The rough mutant strain displayed a lower sensitivity to a hydrophobic rather than a hydrophilic inhibitor as compared to the smooth wild-type strain. The cell size reduction but not viability was partly prevented by protein synthesis inhibitors as seen for both in vivo and in vitro colon microbiota studies.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Review and replications of a 'core-course' in behaviour therapy for psychiatric nurses.

The advent of the nursing process and the success of behaviour therapy in psychiatry have created a need for a revised emphasis on nursing practice and education. This paper outlines an in-service, 'core-course' in behaviour therapy which addresses this need. The results from an initial and very comprehensive evaluation of the course are presented in terms of the attitudes, knowledge and skills of 65 nurses. We then give a summary of seven subsequent replications of the course in different British National Health Service psychiatric hospitals. These involved nurses in the organization and running of the core-course, and, together with the very favourable results, they illustrate one strategy for developing nurses' proficiency in behaviour therapy.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

Pharmacologic mechanisms of action of antidepressants.

In addition to standard types of antidepressants such as the TCAs and MAOIs, there are now newer drugs that have chemical structures and pharmacologic properties quite distinct from those of the original antidepressants. The various classes of antidepressants do have some properties in common, though, particularly an ability to down-regulate central beta-adrenergic receptors after their repeated administration. However, whether all types of antidepressants act through the same mechanism is not known.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Enhanced stereotyped response to amphetamine after pretreatment with small doses of molindone.

Pretreatment of rats with small doses of the antipsychotic drug, molindone, enhanced the stereotyped behavioral response to amphetamine. In order to determine whether molindone enhanced amphetamine-induced stereotypy by the same mechanism as chronic administration of amphetamine or drugs that inhibit central noradrenergic transmission, the effect of these drugs on the stereotyped behavior produced by beta-phenethylamine (PEA) was compared. Following the administration of phenoxybenzamine, reserpine and diethyldithiocarbamate, the stereotyped response produced by beta-phenethylamine was intensified. In contrast, neither molindone nor chronic pretreatment with amphetamine altered beta-phenethylamine-induced stereotypy. As shown previously with chronic amphetamine pretreatment, molindone also failed to enhance the stereotyped response produced by apomorphine. However, in contrast to the effects of chronic administration of amphetamine, molindone both increased the striatal concentration of dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and blocked the ability of small doses of apomorphine to decrease this dopamine (DA) metabolite. The doses of molindone that blocked the apomorphine-induced reduction in the concentration of DOPAC in the striatum correlated with the doses that enhanced amphetamine-induced stereotypy. Since the decrease in DOPAC in the striatum produced by apomorphine is thought to be mediated through the stimulation of striatal DA autoreceptors, these results suggest that molindone enhances amphetamine-induced stereotypy by selectively inhibiting DA autoreceptors.

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid↗
PubMed1979

Tissue binding of warfarin.

The binding of C-14 warfarin to liver, kidney, and skeletal muscle was evaluated among rats ranging in age from 29 to 832 days. Binding extensiveness was greatest for liver and least for skeletal muscle. The mean fraction bound remained relatively constant for each tissue among animals of all but the oldest age group. The oldest animals exhibited a lower fraction bound in each tissue. The influence of decreased tissue binding on its temporal profile in the blood is discussed.

Aging↗
PubMed1978

Inability of accumulated metabolic byproducts of uremia to alter the extent of warfarin binding in charcoal treated plasma.

The addition to charcoal treated normal and charcoal treated uremic plasma of four metabolites which accumulate during uremia--uric acid, beta -phenylpyruvic acid, guanidinosuccinic acid, and p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid--failed to produce a warfarin binding defect. Charcoal treatment corrected the warfarin binding defect in uremic plasma, however it diminished the extent of warfarin binding to normal plasma. These observations rule out the possibility that uric acid, beta -phenylpyruvic acid, guanidinosuccinic acid, or p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid contribute to the warfarin binding defect in uremia, and suggest that free fatty acids have no role in the warfarin binding defect.

Blood Proteins↗