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Biomedical subjects

R M Taylor

Publications and source records attributed to R M Taylor.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Acalculous biliary pain: diagnosis and selection for cholecystectomy using the cholecystokinin test for pain reproduction.

A prospective double blind placebo controlled study was conducted on 41 patients with a clinical diagnosis of acalculous biliary pain (ABP) and 10 healthy volunteers. Cholecystokinin (CCK) ( Kabivitrum , Uxbridge ) was given intravenously (1 Ivy Dog Unit/kg) over 5 min in a randomized crossover study using normal saline as a placebo infusion. All referred patients had undergone at least one normal oral cholecystogram, abdominal ultrasound and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy before infusions. Twenty-six patients developed pain in response to the CCK infusion and not the placebo, and the pain did not differ from their spontaneous pre-infusion pain as measured by the McGill Pain Questionnaire and a Visual Analogue Pain Scale. Fourteen patients developed no pain with either infusion, and one developed pain with both placebo and CCK. All patients whose pain was reproduced (CCK-positive) underwent cholecystectomy and peroperative cholangiography. Operative findings were normal in all of the CCK-positive group except one in whom a small common bile duct stone was found. Histopathology of resected gallbladders was abnormal in 24 out of 26 cases, but all patients operated on remained pain-free at follow-up (mean 11 months, range 2-24 months). Repeat CCK infusion postoperatively failed to bring on pain in any of the postoperative group. The CCK infusion test is a simple, cheap, bedside or out-patient procedure which will identify true acalculous biliary pain which will respond well to cholecystectomy.

Biliary Tract Diseases↗
PubMed1984

Seborrheic dermatitis in a rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta).

Seborrheic dermatitis was diagnosed in an adult, rhesus monkey presenting with erythematous, exfoliative and focally exudative skin lesions distributed over the perioral, perirhinal and brow regions of the face. Similar areas of involved skin also were observed on the extremities. Lesions appeared to be exacerbated during increased experimental utilization. Histopathologic changes in skin biopsy specimens of affected skin included acanthosis, parakeratosis, spongiotic edema, vascular ectasia, and mild lymphohistiocytic infiltrates.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

In situ subpopulations of lymphocytes in human colorectal carcinomas.

Subpopulations tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes were studied in 13 patients with colorectal carcinoma using cryostat immunohistochemistry. Murine monoclonal antibodies (MAB) to the surface phenotype of lymphocyte subpopulation were used in an indirect immunoperoxidase method to demonstrate T (MAB OKT3), T helper (MAB OKT4), T suppressor (MAB OKT8) and B lymphocytes (MAB B1). Langerhans cells were demonstrated using MAB OKT6. All cells reacting with each monoclonal antibody were more prevalent in the stroma of the tumour than within the sheets of malignant cells. In both these areas, OKT8-positive cells were significantly more numerous than OKT4-positive cells, as estimated quantitatively by point counting on a fixed grid. In uninvolved areas of normal mucosa, OKT4-positive lymphocytes were in the majority. OKT6-positive cells were present in large numbers within tumour cells and in close association with lymphoid aggregates. The presence of large numbers of OKT8-positive cells in situ in human colorectal carcinomas may be a cellular mechanism in favour of tumour growth. OKT6-positive cells in situ suggest that mechanisms for antigen processing and presentation are well represented in human colorectal carcinomas.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1983

The role of protease in immunoregulation.

Whilst immunodepression is widely recognized in patients subject to trauma or chronic disease, the mechanism of this process is poorly understood. We found that most of the lymphocyte suppressive activity of plasma from severely ill patients was attributable to the protein alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2 M) and low molecular weight peptide (less than 10000). The only major variation in alpha 2 M concentration was found in patients subject to trauma, when it was depressed at times of high plasma suppressive activity. In order to explain qualitative immunosuppressive differences in alpha 2 M we studied its functional role as the main route for binding and degrading proteolytic enzyme (protease). In normal plasma minor degrees of protease complex formation to alpha 2 M caused greatly increased suppressive activity due principally to alpha 2 M and the abnormal appearance of low molecular weight peptide (less than 10000). Study of protease inhibitor function in patients suffering from acute or chronic illness suggested that in these patients their plasma becomes immunosuppressive due to inadequate handling of protease, resulting in alpha 2 M-protease complexes or inhibitory peptides persisting in the circulation. Opportunities for background immunoregulation by altering protease metabolism are considered.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1983

A possible mechanism of immunoregulation produced by alpha 2-macroglobulin.

Most of the plasma suppressive activity was associated with alpha 2M in both normal subjects and cancer patients. alpha 2M binding to physiological levels of proteases was associated with an increase in the ability to suppress lymphocyte reactivity in the TEEM test. alpha 2M binding to proteases released a peptide that was a component of the alpha 2M; this peptide suppressed lymphocyte reactivity to mitogenic, antigenic, and allogenic stimuli in the TEEM test and in the lymphocyte transformation assay. Physically and biologically similar peptides have been found in the plasma of cancer patients and patients with thermal burns, uremia, and acute pancreatitis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1983

Intravenous methylprednisolone at the time of renal transplantation.

Ninety-five consecutive transplants performed prior to the introduction of methylprednisolone bolus at transplantation were compared to 136 consecutive transplants performed after the policy change. No difference was found in the incidence of reversible or irreversible rejection in the two groups. The treated group were exposed to a higher total dose of steroid than the non-treated group. Routine bolus methylprednisolone therapy at transplantation is not recommended.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

A new mechanism of humoral immunodepression in chronic renal failure and its importance to dialysis and transplantation.

Whilst chronic renal failure (CRF) patients are known to have an impaired immune response the explanation is unclear. We investigated the immunosuppressive effect of plasma from CRF patients on an in vitro assay of normal lymphocyte function. One hundred and sixty regular dialysis patients had significantly greater plasma suppressive activity (PSA) than that of normal healthy subjects. PSA decreased after haemodialysis but increased after blood transfusion. Renal allograft recipients with low PSA were more likely to have accelerated rejection. Assay of the functional capacity of plasma for inhibiting protease (e.g. plasmin, thrombin, trypsin) suggest that high PSA is associated with the excess formation of protease-inhibitor complexes and liberation of immunoregulatory peptide (less than 10,000 daltons).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Superiority of B locus matching over other HLA matching in renal graft survival.

Graft survival after 348 consecutive first cadaver-donor renal transplants was significantly improved by HLA matching when recipients who had received pretransplant blood transfusions were matched with their kidney donor for two HLA-B locus antigens. No other type of HLA matching significantly improved graft survival in transfused recipients nor did any type of HLA matching in non-transfused recipients. Matching for one HLA-DR antigen had no benefit in transfused recipients. Only two patients received kidneys matched for both DR antigens and only two of those in whom DR matching had been performed had not been transfused. These results indicate that pretransplant blood transfusion and selection of graft recipients predominantly on the basis of HLA-B matching has significantly reduced the renal graft rejection rate in Newcastle upon Tyne over two years. Thus, HLA-B antigen matching should be adopted as the main criterion for kidney sharing between transplant centres.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Incest: the school's role.

Most would agree that sexual abuse/incest is harmful to the family structure as well as individual family members. Numerous people have been traumatized, some irreparably, due to their involvement in an incestuous relationship. The school must become a leader in and advocate for a reduction in the incidence of sexual abuse/incest. The school presently has mechanisms for the detection, intervention and prevention of incestuous behavior. School personnel must assume their legal and, perhaps more importantly, moral responsibility to protect and promote the health and welfare of children. School personnel must be aware of the existence of incest, be cognizant of indicators, be observant for its detection, decide to become involved, report and follow-up on the report and be a support group for community agencies and the family. School personnel can make the difference. As it has been said, "If schools are not or will not be part of the solution, could they be part of the problem?"

Child↗
PubMed1981

Concanavalin A-induced chemiluminescence in rat thymus lymphocytes. Its origin and role in mitogenesis.

1. The luminol-dependent chemiluminescence of rat thymocytes responding to concanavalin A can be resolved into glucose-dependent and glucose-independent portions. 2. The glucose-dependent portion, supported by D-glucose and D-mannose oxidation, is inhibited by catalase (200 microgram/ml), amobarbital (1 mM) and hexose analogues that block D-glucose uptake. Thus concanavalin A may activate, transiently, an NAD(P)H oxidase that utilizes reducing equivalents derived from the oxidation of exogenous glucose to give dismutation products of O2- (including H2O2) as its major products. 3. The glucose-independent portion is inhibited by eicosa-5,8,11,14-tetraynoic acid but not by indomethacin. It may therefore be associated with the conversion of hydroperoxy intermediates of arachidonic acid metabolism to hydroxy products by the lipoxygenase pathway. 4. Preincubation of thymocytes for 18 h in serum-free medium enhances the subsequent chemiluminescent response to concanavalin A severalfold and evokes the response at a lower threshold concentration. The incorporation of [3H]thymidine by preincubated cells is similarly enhanced at low doses of concanavalin A, whereas the response to optimal doses is unaltered. 5. Catalase does not inhibit the enhanced incorporation of [3H]thymidine obtained in response to concanavalin A, but instead amplifies the response to low doses in the same manner as preincubation.

5,8,11,14-Eicosatetraynoic Acid↗