Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

W Aherne

Publications and source records attributed to W Aherne.

36 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1975

The characteristics of ferritin from human tissues, serum and blood cells.

1. The properties of ferritin in serum have been compared with those of ferritin from a number of tissues including blood cells. On anion-exchange chromatography with DEAE-Sephadex, the behaviour of human heart ferritin is different from that of liver, kidney or spleen ferritin. Reticulocyte ferritin appears to have similar characteristics to heart ferritin. 2. Serum ferritin from normal subjects and patients with various degrees of iron load, leukaemia or liver disease all have a much lower affinity for the anion-exchange column that any tissue ferritin, suggesting a difference in isoelectric point. The elution point of serum ferritin from patients with acute myeloblastic leukaemia is significantly different from normal. 3. Density gradient centrifugation in sucrose showed that ferritin in leucocyte extracts and partially purified ferritin from the serum of two patients with iron overload behaved as apoferritin rather than the iron-rich protein. 4. The results suggest that ferritin is modified during its entry into the plasma and that even in cases of iron overload the iron content of serum ferritin may be low. The findings are of importance in considering the origin of plasma ferritin, the clearance of ferritin from plasma and its role in iron metabolism.

Animals↗
PubMed1972

The significance of lymphocytic infiltration in neuroblastoma.

A study of the significance of lymphocytic infiltration was made in a retrospective series of 23 primary neuroblastomata. The degree of lymphocytic infiltration was estimated and scored in 5 categories. Non-parametric rank order statistical methods were used to establish quantitative correlations, particularly with the duration of survival. A significant positive correlation was found both in infancy and childhood. It was found, unexpectedly, that the presence of metastases did not invalidate the correlation between lymphocyte score and survival.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1971

The potential cell population doubling time in neuroblastoma and nephroblastoma.

Estimates are presented of the median potential cell population doubling time in five neuroblastomas and six nephroblastomas. The median time in the neuroblastomas was 4·2 days (101 hours) and in the nephroblastomas was 7·8 days (188 hours). Estimates of the duration of metaphase in the two kinds of tumour are also offered, based on the natural mitotic index in six neuroblastomas and five nephroblastomas. The findings are set in the context of a brief review of other studies on the cell population kinetics of human tumours. A more detailed but frankly speculative analysis is made of one nephroblastoma which suggests that cells are produced at the rate of at least 5 per 1000 tumour cells per hour, of which about 3 are lost.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1970

Pathological changes in virus infections of the lower respiratory tract in children.

The pathological changes are described in 22 children with proven or suspected virus infection of the lower respiratory tract. Two main patterns of disease were found: acute bronchiolitis and interstitial pneumonia. Particular viruses were not specifically associated with particular histological changes. The prime importance of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as a cause of disease and death in young infants is again shown. Structural lesions and clinical dysfunction correlate fairly well; in acute bronchiolitis the main lesion is epithelial necrosis when a dense plug is formed in the bronchiolar lumen leading to trapping air and other mechanical interference with ventilation: in interstitial pneumonia there is widespread inflammation and necrosis of lung parenchyma, and severe lesions of the bronchial and bronchiolar mucosa as well. The implications of these structural changes for clinical management are discussed. The possibility of a hypersensitivity reaction in the cot death syndrome is raised, mediated by a serum antibody-antigen-complement reaction.

Adenoviridae↗