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Biomedical subjects

A Wise

Publications and source records attributed to A Wise.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Embolisation in the management of peripancreatic pseudoaneurysm--a case report.

Peripancreatic pseudoaneurysms are an unusual cause of haemorrhage in patients with chronic pancreatitis and pseudocysts. We describe a 28 year old alcoholic male with documented chronic pancreatic pseudocysts, who presented with melaena and a large pulsatile epigastric mass. Ultrasound and digital subtraction angiography revealed a pseudoaneurysm of the gastroduodenal artery. This was successfully embolised with stainless steel coils. Surgical intervention in such cases is associated with high mortality, and the role of embolisation as an initial therapy is well established. The role of embolisation as definitive therapy is less clear.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Binding of zinc and calcium to inositol phosphates (phytate) in vitro.

Inositol compounds with three to five phosphate groups (IP3-IP5) were produced by hydrolysis of phytate (inositol hexaphosphate, IP6) and their binding affinities for calcium and zinc investigated at neutral pH with relative concentrations that had been found in a range of students' meals. Zn solubility was negligible at many of these concentrations, with less Zn bound to precipitates of Ca-IP6 than Ca-IP5. The capacity to precipitate Zn at these ratios fell between IP5 and IP3. Zn was partially desorbed by soluble chelators (histidine and picolinate), especially when it had been adsorbed to preformed Ca-IP precipitates. A lower proportion of Zn was accessible to soluble chelators from Ca-IP4 than the other compounds. IP3-IP4 were hydrolysed by phytase more readily than IP5-IP6.

Calcium↗
PubMed1989

Liver disease and bile duct abnormalities in adults with cystic fibrosis.

A quarter of adults with cystic fibrosis, 57 of 233, had abnormal liver function. Patients with hepatic dysfunction were further investigated by ultrasound, hepatobiliary scintigraphy, and endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC). 17 of the 23 patients studied had abnormalities on imaging. All 15 patients who underwent ERC had abnormal intrahepatic ducts, but only 2 had stricture of the common bile duct. These findings suggest that, in patients with cystic fibrosis, intrahepatic impairment of biliary drainage may be important in the pathogenesis of liver disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Vasculitis complicating cystic fibrosis.

Twelve patients with skin vasculitis complicating cystic fibrosis are described. Seven of these were proven histologically and of these two had systemic vascultitis. Staining of vasculitic tissue by the avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase technique using both monoclonal and polyclonal antisera directed against Haemophilus influenzae, staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa did not consistently reveal any bacterial antigens in these tissues. In one patient the vasculitis appeared secondary to ranitidine. There was no evidence of autoimmune disease in any of the patients. Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies were detected in the serum of 40 per cent of the patients with vasculitis complicating cystic fibrosis but in none of 61 controls with cystic fibrosis (but without vasculitis) matched for age and sex and with similar bacteriological flora of sputum.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Visual system toxicity following intra-arterial chemotherapy.

We studied the effects of intra-arterial chemotherapy on the visual system of 29 consecutive patients with gliomas. As expected, infra-ophthalmic carotid infusion of cisplatin or carmustine (BCNU) was associated with clinically apparent anterior visual pathway lesions. Electroretinography revealed retinal dysfunction in patients without clinical abnormalities. Supra-ophthalmic carotid infusion of cisplatin or BCNU caused no retinal or optic nerve lesions. Electroretinography was abnormal in only one of these patients. Our results indicated that BCNU and cisplatin cause ischemic damage and are toxic to both retinal and neural tissue in patients with gliomas.

Brain Neoplasms↗
PubMed1987

Dietary intakes of phytate and its meal distribution pattern amongst staff and students in an institution of higher education.

1. Seventy-six students and staff at Robert Gordon's Institute of Technology weighed all items of food consumed for 1 week. 2. Mean phytate-phosphorus intakes ranged from 141 mg for female students to 237 mg for male students. Breakfast was proportionally a more important contributor to daily phytate intakes than to calcium, zinc, and energy intakes. Cereals were the most important contributors to the phytate at breakfast, whilst wholemeal and brown bread were more important at lunch and the evening meal. 3. The phytate: Zn molar ratio was distributed amongst meals similarly to the more complex ratio, (Ca x phytate):(Zn x energy) (CP:ZE); both ratios have been suggested as useful predictors of Zn availability. CP:ZE ranged more widely when calculated for meals than for days, and therefore some meals could be associated with poor Zn availability whilst others could compensate with higher availability. Subjects with the highest values for CP:ZE were mostly amongst the group of nutrition students.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

The hepatic conversion of some heterocyclic amines to bacterial mutagens is modified by dietary fat and cholesterol.

Groups of Sprague-Dawley rats were fed on diets containing increasing amounts of beef dripping, but having a constant cholesterol content. One group of rats was fed on a diet containing no dripping and no added cholesterol (control). We have studied the ability of individual hepatic S9 preparations to activate the cooked food mutagens 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ), 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (MeIQ) and 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQX) to bacterial mutagens using Salmonella typhimurium TA98 as indicator. Hepatic preparations from animals fed on a high cholesterol, low-fat diet were less effective in activating the mutagens than preparations from rats fed on the control diet. It was also observed that the capacity of hepatic preparations to activate these mutagens increased as the amount of dripping in the diet increased. These results suggest that it is the triglyceride rather than the cholesterol content of beef dripping which promotes increased mutagen activation capacity in the liver.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Cystic fibrosis in adolescents and adults.

Three hundred and sixteen patients with cystic fibrosis were seen at the Brompton Hospital during 1965-83; 178 (56.3%) of them were male and 136 female, and their ages ranged from 12 to 51 years. Most patients presented in infancy with respiratory symptoms and malabsorption, but 19 (6%) were diagnosed in adult life, three in their 30s. Pulmonary disease was almost universal (99.7%), being responsible for 97% of all deaths and three quarters of hospital admissions. All patients had developed a productive cough by the age of 21 and over half before the age of 5. Many complained of wheezing, but reversible airflow obstruction was present in only 40% of those tested. Minor haemoptysis was very common (62%), but major episodes less so (10%). Pneumothorax was seen in 61 cases (19%), and was often recurrent. Some irreversible airflow obstruction was present in all patients with pulmonary disease. Two patients have been followed for over 20 years without showing appreciable decline in lung function. Thirty five patients (11%) had no symptoms of malabsorption. Acute meconium ileus equivalent was seen in 16% and a chronic partial obstruction with episodic symptoms in a further 19%. Diabetes mellitus developed in 36 patients, 13 of whom were insulin dependent. Hepatomegaly was common (29%), often occurring without abnormal results in biochemical tests of liver function; only 1% of patients developed portal hypertension with varices and ascites. Skin reactions to at least one common allergen, including Aspergillus fumigatus, were positive in 70%, but very few patients suffered from hay fever or eczema. One hundred and twenty one patients have died, 97% from infection or other pulmonary complications, and 195 were alive in December 1983 (mean age 23 years). Seventy eight per cent of patients were in full time education or full or part time employment, or were housewives, and only 41 were unemployed for reasons for health. Many patients are married and 10 women have borne children. Most patients were admitted to hospital only three or four times during the period of follow up and 50 individuals (16%) have never been in hospital at all. The improvement in prognosis and quality of life for adults with cystic fibrosis should encourage a positive attitude in those who care for them.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Food habits and nutrition education--computer aided analysis of data.

Nutrition education messages should take into account the food habits of those who are to be educated. These can be revealed by computer analysis of weighed intake data, which has been collected for calculation of nutrient intakes. Seventy-six students and staff at Robert Gordon's Institute of Technology weighed their food for 1 week and the records were used to determine the frequency of consumption of foods and portion sizes, as well as nutrient intakes. There were only very minor relationships between the number of different foods chosen and nutritional variables. Nutrition students had successfully changed the frequency of consumption of certain foods relative to others and as a result consumed diets containing a lower proportion of energy from fat. Messages to non-nutrition students might profitably incorporate those beneficial changes that nutrition students had easily accomplished. This study revealed that certain (otherwise common and nutritionally unsound) food choices were not a major part of the subjects' habits, and could be given low priority in educational messages. It was suggested that foods exhibiting high variability of portion weight might be under greater individual control and hence more amenable to change. A study of the distribution of portion weights reveals information about number of slices, biscuits, etc, taken in each portion. This varied for different kinds of biscuit. It was concluded that messages should target specific foods rather than stress variation in the diet. It is suggested that educators should consider whether messages would be more effective in terms of frequency of consumption or size of portion for particular groups. The meal distribution pattern also shows which foods are most commonly consumed at home or in the canteen, hence whether education might be best directed to the individual or the caterer, respectively.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Effect of mixtures of dietary fibres on the enzyme activity of the rat caecal microflora.

The enzyme activity of the caecal microflora from weanling rats was determined after feeding 1 of 3 basal diets (purified fibre-free; purified plus cellulose; and stock), with or without additional dietary fibre (pectin, i-carrageenan or carboxymethylcellulose 5% w/w). The wet weight of caecal contents and total bacterial numbers were similar for the purified fibre-free and purified plus cellulose diets, yet were significantly higher in animals fed the stock diet. Pectin supplementation of the basal diets had no effect of caecal bacterial numbers, but significantly increased total nitrate reductase activity per caecum except when added to stock diet. Carrageenan decreased caecal bacterial numbers and most enzyme activities with both purified diets, and to a lesser extent with the stock diet. Carboxymethylcellulose increased bacterial numbers and enzyme activities, particularly beta-glucosidase and nitrate reductase when added to the purified diet but not when added to either the purified diet plus cellulose or the stock diet. The results demonstrate that the effects of dietary fibre components on the rat caecal microflora are dependent upon the initial fibre content of the diet base.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Supraophthalmic intracarotid infusion of BCNU for malignant glioma.

We treated five patients with 11 supraophthalmic infusions of BCNU at 200 mg/m2 every 2 months. All three patients with residual tumors showed marked CT response after one infusion. Two patients with bilateral tumors had no response on the contralateral side. All four evaluable cases showed evidence of BCNU neurotoxicity. CT findings superficially resembled tumor recurrence, but white matter changes, nonspecific gyral enhancement, and delayed calcification were more indicative of neurotoxicity. There were no procedure-related complications. One autopsy suggested that direct parenchymal damage might be responsible for delayed neurotoxicity. Supraophthalmic BCNU infusion, at this dosage, is too toxic for cerebral tissue.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

The effect of diet on the mammalian gut flora and its metabolic activities.

The review will encompass the following points: A brief introduction to the role of the gut flora in the toxicology of ingested food components, contaminants, and additives, including known pathways of activation and detoxication of foreign compounds and the implication of the flora in enterohepatic circulation of xenobiotics. The advantages and disadvantages of the various methods of studying the gut flora (classical bacteriological techniques, metabolic and enzymological methods) will be critically discussed with special reference to their relevance to dietary, toxicological, and biochemical studies. Sources of nutrients available to the gut flora will be described including host products (mucus, sloughed mucosal cells, hormones, proteins) and exogenous nutrients derived from diet. An account of the problems involved in studies of dietary modification with special reference to the use of stock laboratory animal diets, purified diets, and human dietary studies. The influence of dietary modification on the flora will be assessed on the basis of changes in numbers and types of bacteria and their metabolic activity, drawing on data from human and animal studies. The effects of manipulation of the quantity and quality of protein, fat, and indigestible residues (fiber) of the diet will be described together with their possible implications for toxicity of ingested compounds.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1985

Interactive computer programs for applied nutrition education.

DIET2 and DIET3 are programs written for a Dec2050 computer and intended for teaching applied nutrition to students of nutrition, dietetics, home economics, and hotel and institutional administration. DIET2 combines all the facilities of the separate dietary programs already available at Robert Gordon's Institute of Technology into a single package, and extends these to give students a large amount of relevant information about the nutritional balance of foods (including DHSS and NACNE recommendations) prior to choosing them for meals. Students are also helped by the inclusion of typical portion weights. They are presented with an analysis of nutrients and their balance in the menu created, with an easy mechanism for ammendation of the menu and addition of foods which provide the nutrients that are lacking. At any stage the computer can give the proportion of total nutrient provided by each meal. DIET3 is a relatively simple program that displays the nutritional profile of foods and diets semigraphically.

Computer-Assisted Instruction↗