Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

S Wilkinson

Publications and source records attributed to S Wilkinson.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Generalized peritonitis due to spontaneous rupture of pyometra.

Spontaneous rupture of pyometra is a rare cause of generalized peritonitis. Only a few cases have been recorded in the English medical literature, most of which were associated with gynaecological malignancy. We have recently treated a patient with generalized peritonitis due to ruptured pyometra, in which there was no evidence of malignancy or other cervical disease. From comparison with the other published case reports, several features deserve emphasis.

Aged↗

Acute solitary diverticulitis of the transverse colon in a child. Report of a case.

Solitary colonic diverticula are rare. Most have been described in the cecum or ascending colon. Solitary diverticula of the transverse colon are extremely rare, and there are only a few reports in the English medical literature, all occurring in adulthood. This paper reports the case of a 13-year-old girl with a solitary, true diverticulum of the transverse colon, presenting as acute diverticulitis.

Acute Disease↗

Peripherally acting enkephalin analogues. 1. Polar pentapeptides.

The design, synthesis, and biological activity of a series of highly polar enkephalin-related pentapeptides are reported. These analogues incorporate structural features that exclude them from the central nervous system and thereby restrict their action to peripherally located receptors. Hydrophilic analogues were obtained by introduction of polar D-amino acid residues at position 2 and, in certain cases, by conversion of the N-terminal amino group of the Tyr residue to a guanidino function. The peptides were synthesized by classical solution methods. All compounds demonstrated in vitro opioid activity in the GPI and all were shown to possess antinociceptive activity in chemically induced writhing models. The analgesic effects were shown to be predominantly peripherally mediated by antagonism of antinociception with the peripheral antagonist N-methylnalorphine. Comparative data obtained in writhing and hot-plate tests were also supportive of a peripheral mode of action. Compound 13a, L-tyrosyl-D-arginylglycyl-L-4-nitrophenylalanyl-L-prolinamide (BW 443C), was identified as having a favorable pharmacological profile, indicating a high level of peripheral selectivity, and worthy of further investigation.

Analgesics↗

In vitro generation of tumour-specific lymphocyte reactivity to colonic carcinoma cells. Comparison with normal colonic mucosa cells.

Purified tumour cells and normal mucosa cells from fresh human colorectal cancer resection specimens, and T-cell-enriched autologous peripheral blood lymphocytes, were mixed in short-term (6 day) mixed lymphocyte-tumour cell (MLTC) microcultures. Lymphocyte stimulation was measured by 3H-thymidine uptake, and a stimulation index (SI = [lymphocytes vs tumour cells (cpm)-tumour cells (cpm)]/[lymphocytes (cpm)] greater than 3 was regarded as significant. Significant lymphocyte reactivity was found in 10/15 patients with colon carcinoma. However, 1 patient with autologous tumour reactivity, also showed significant stimulation against autologous normal mucosa cells, suggesting tumour-associated reactivity. Maximum stimulation occurred most frequently at a lymphocyte:tumour cell ratio of 2:1 and with nylon wool-passaged lymphocytes.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Granulomatous lobular mastitis.

The clinical and pathological features of nine cases of granulomatous mastitis were compared with those of 10 cases of duct ectasia/periductal mastitis (DE/PM), all of which were associated with active granulomatous inflammation. Granulomatous mastitis affects a younger age group, and although there is some overlap with DE/PM, it has distinctive pathological features, particularly a lobule centred distribution, for which the term "granulomatous lobular mastitis" is recommended. There is a strong tendency for persistence or recurrence. Our cases of granulomatous mastitis all occurred in parous women, five of them within three years of pregnancy. Awareness of this condition is important, because surgery does not offer the best treatment of recurrent disease, and trials of adequate drug treatment, including corticosteroids, are required.

Adolescent↗

Effect of a blood transfusion protocol and low dose steroid regime on renal transplant survival.

The effects of introduction of a low steroid regime and pre-transplant blood transfusion were evaluated. The kidney and patient survival rates for the period before such a policy was adopted were compared with the period after this policy. There has been a highly significant rise in patient survival rates to the present level of 95 per cent at three years. There was a similar rise in three year graft survival rates from less than 40 per cent to 66 per cent.

Actuarial Analysis↗

High frequency antigens of human erythrocyte membrane sialoglycoproteins, III. Studies on the EnaFR, Wrb and Wra antigens.

The nature of the common erythrocyte antigens EnaFR and Wrb, that are both absent from En(a-) cells, and the rare Wra receptor, apparently encoded by an allele of Wrb, was investigated. Various modification, fractionation or cleavage products of erythrocyte membranes were used in hemagglutination inhibition assays. The EnaFR and Wrb antigens were shown to represent labile structures within the residues approx. 62-72 of the major (MN) sialoglycoprotein that require lipids, at least for complete expression of antigenic activity. During the course of these experiments, the arrangement of the MN glycoprotein's peptide chain with respect to the lipid bi-layer was also studied, using various proteinases. Furthermore, the MN glycoprotein was found to aggregate with the major membrane protein (band 3) in the presence of Triton X-100. The Wra antigen was shown to exhibit properties that differ considerably from those of the Wrb receptor. Analyses on the MN glycoprotein, isolated from the red cells of the only known Wra homozygote and two WraWrb individuals, did not reveal any amino-acid exchange within the residues 40-96 of the molecule. Therefore, the Wr locus that determines the presence or absence of the Wrb antigen on the MN glycoprotein might influence the post-translational modification of amino-acid residues, the structure of tightly bound lipids or the aggregation of the MN glycoprotein with a different protein such as band 3.

Blood Group Antigens↗

Fibro-adenoma of the breast.

A retrospective study of 134 patients with a clinical diagnosis of fibro-adenoma of the breast indicated that histological confirmation of this diagnosis is made in only 50 per cent. The majority of the others have a diagnosis of benign mammary dysplasia. Eight patients had an unsuspected carcinoma, all but one being above the mean age for the fibro-adenoma group. The natural history of fibro-adenoma is not known precisely. In view of the high sensitivity of fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of malignant disease, we believe that there is justification to carry out a prospective study to determine this. In this study women with a clinical diagnosis of fibro-adenoma will be carefully observed provided they are less than 35 years of age and fine-needle aspiration cytology reveals no malignant cells.

Adenofibroma↗

A revision of body surface area estimations.

The results from the present study indicate that the equation of Dubois and Dubois (1916), now in common use for estimating body surface area, is not the most accurate of those available. Our new equation is based on the measurement of body weight and upper calf circumference only. It accounts for a large percentage of the total variance (88.9%), and has a low standard error of estimate (0.05 m2), which suggests that this equation may be more useful in the estimation of human body surface area than many of the equations previously produced. Direct comparisons of the accuracy of other workers' equations is difficult to assess due to the different methods by which the equations have been produced and expressed. We do not advocate the use of different equations for males and females because the data indicate that the present equation probably applies equally well to both sexes.

Adolescent↗

Operative aid to combined synchronous mastectomy and latissimus dorsi breast reconstruction.

A special frame is described which has been designed to hold the upper trunk and arm of patients firmly in the lateral position during the operation of combined synchronous mastectomy and latissimus dorsi breast reconstruction. The frame has prevented movement at the shoulder joint and distraction on the brachial plexus which resulted in brachial plexus palsy in two out of 15 patients in whom the operation was performed with a conventional arm support.

Breast↗

A comparison of psychological and medical treatment of the irritable bowel syndrome.

Twenty-four subjects completed a study comparing the efficacy of a psychological treatment package suggested by Latimer (1983) and the best medical regime available in the treatment of the Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Initial anxiety levels were high in both groups and were reduced in the psychological, but not medical, condition. IBS symptoms and associated behaviours were reduced equally in both conditions.

Adult↗

High frequency antigens of human erythrocyte membrane sialoglycoproteins. I. Ena receptors in the glycosylated domain of the MN sialoglycoprotein.

The specificity of various allo- and autoantibodies, which agglutinate normal erythrocytes, but do not react with En(a-) red cells and normal erythrocytes, treated with trypsin (anti-EnaTS) or ficin (anti-EnaFS), was investigated. Various fragments and modification products of the major (MN) red cell membranes sialoglycoprotein were used in hemagglutination inhibition assays. Six anti-EnaFS sera were found to be directed against the residues approx. 46-56 of the molecule. Five of these require the carbohydrate unit, attached to Thr50, for binding. One anti-EnaTS serum was found to be directed against the residues approx. 36-42. Another antibody with anti-EnaTS specificity was shown to react with the residues 31-39 in some of the MN sialoglycoprotein molecules, namely those not glycosylated at a certain position (probably Thr33). A third anti-EnaTS serum, directed against the sequence domain around Lys30, was also found to react only with a fraction of the molecules, apparently due to the variable attachment of oligosaccharides in that region. The heterogeneity of glycosylation, detected by these two sera, appears to account for the partial tryptic and chymotryptic cleavage in this domain of the MN sialoglycoprotein, which has been described previously. Heterogeneity of the glycosylation at various positions of the molecule could be established by the isolation and analysis of peptides.

Amino Acid Sequence↗