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Biomedical subjects

R Herrington

Publications and source records attributed to R Herrington.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Efficacy and safety of tianeptine in the treatment of depressive disorders in comparison with fluoxetine.

BACKGROUND: Depression is treated by a great variety of antidepressant treatments. SSRIs (such as fluoxetine) are well known: it is, however, sure that further progress is needed and the search for antidepressants with other mechanisms of action (such as tianeptine) or different efficacy is still of interest. METHODS: A multinational study compared tianeptine with fluoxetine in 387 patients with Depressive Episode, or Recurrent Depressive Disorder, or Bipolar Affective Disorder (ICD-10), in a double-blind parallel group design. They were treated for six weeks. RESULTS: At inclusion, no significant difference between groups was shown. Final MADRS scores were 15.7 and 15.8 with tianeptine and fluoxetine, respectively (ITT population) (p = 0.944). MADRS responders were 58% and 56% with tianeptine and fluoxetine, respectively (p = 0.710). No statistical difference was observed for the other efficacy parameters. Thirty-six withdrawals occurred in each group, without any difference for the reasons of discontinuation. There was no major difference between groups for the other safety parameters. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, both tianeptine and fluoxetine exhibited a good efficacy and safety.

Adolescent↗

Shell disease in river cooters (Pseudemys concinna) and yellow-bellied turtles (Trachemys scripta) in a Georgia (USA) lake.

A disfiguring shell disease was detected in river cooters (Pseudemys concinna) and yellow-bellied turtles (Trachemys scripta) from Lake Blackshear, Georgia (USA). The turtles used were part of a mark-recapture study conducted from September 1991 to June 1993. Histologic changes on four turtles included acute segmental necrosis of the epidermis, followed by ulceration, necrosis of the underlying dermis and dermal bone, and exaggerated remodeling of bone. Additional findings included visceral inflammatory lesions and bacterial infection, sepsis and marked trematode ova granulomatosis. The cause of the shell lesions was not determined.

Animals↗

von Willebrand factor characterization of a severe dry-heat treated factor VIII concentrate, AHF (high purity).

Eight batches of a severe dry-heat treated (80 degrees C for 72 hours) Factor VIII concentrate manufactured by the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories (CSL Ltd.) were analysed for the following von Willebrand factor-related (vWf) activities: ristocetin cofactor activity (vWf:RCof), collagen binding activity (CBA), vWf antigen levels (vWf:Ag), vWf multimeric analysis and 2-stage FVIII clotting activity (VIII:C). The average potency per vial of vWf:Ag was 440 +/- 80 units, vWf:RCof 500 +/- 60 units, CBA 350 +/- 50 units and VIII:C 242 +/- 36 International Units. Multimeric analysis indicated the presence of high molecular weight multimers and a triplet structure slightly different to normal plasma. Viral inactivation studies using a marker virus, Sindbis, demonstrated that the terminal severe dry- heating step reduced the viral load in the product by greater than 6 log10TCID50/ml. This CSL Ltd. FVIII concentrate may thus provide a safer, purer and more convenient source of vWf than cryoprecipitate. Clinical studies to establish product efficacy in patients with von Willebrand's disease are underway.

Blood Protein Electrophoresis↗

Use of plasma with high levels of ionised calcium in the production of model scale coagulation factor concentrates.

We have attempted to exploit the Ca2(+)-dependent stability of factor VIII in producing factor VIII concentrates of higher yield. Plasma levels of ionised calcium were increased in two ways: (a) whole blood collection into half-strength citrate CPD anticoagulant, leading to free Ca2+ levels of ca 120 microM and (b) apheresis collection of plasma which was then recalcified to free Ca2+ levels of ca 300 microM under heparin cover. Coagulation factor concentrates were prepared using model versions of our industrial scale manufacturing methods. Factor VIII yield was increased through low citrate collection. This did not compromise factor IX yield or thrombogenic potential. Use of recalcified heparinised plasma did not lead to any improvement in factor VIII yield and resulted in a marked drop in factor IX recovery, possibly from interference by heparin of factor IX binding in ion-exchange chromatography. The benefits accruable through the use of half-strength citrate CPD anticoagulant support the continued evaluation of this preservative in large scale blood collection and fractionation. The deleterious effects of heparin in charge-mediated plasma fractionations may pose serious difficulties in harvesting vitamin K dependent factors.

Anticoagulants↗

Effects of plasma collection systems and processing parameters on the quality of factor IX concentrate.

Using pilot-scale production of our present factor IX (II and X) concentrate, we have studied the effects of starting plasma source and processing parameter on two in-vitro indicators of product quality - yield and thrombogenic potential. Plasma source did not affect factor IX yield but had a marked effect on thrombogenic potential. Factor IX concentrates produced from plasma derived through centrifugation-based technology showed significantly higher thrombogenic potential than products derived from plasma derived through a filtration-based system. Removal of Cohn fraction I prior to ion-exchange chromatography resulted in a drop in factor IX yield and thrombogenic potential, as did heat treatment to 80 degrees C for 72 h. We conclude that a membrane-filtration-based plasmapheresis system may be the preferred method of plasma procurement for factor IX concentrate production.

Chemical Fractionation↗