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Biomedical subjects

B Hennessy

Publications and source records attributed to B Hennessy.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

Prevalence of head and facial trauma in current senior intercounty hurlers.

Head and facial injury are a major cause of morbidity associated with the game of hurling. A questionnaire-based study was undertaken to survey the attitude of some of the country's top senior intercounty players towards the use of protective head and facial wear and their experience of injuries relating to the head and face. Player's experience of head and facial injury will be reported here. Forty five players completed the survey. Thirty nine players (86.7%) have received injuries to the head and face during their careers. Thirteen (33.3%) of these players received such injuries on at least 5 occasions. Twenty five players (64.1%) have received eye injuries, 14 (56%) of which were described as serious by the players. Only 6 (42.9%) of these 14 players underwent a subsequent eye examination. In conclusion, these findings underscore the necessity of both compulsory head and facial protection and less haphazard access to specialist care.

Adolescent↗

Circulating stem cells and tissue repair.

Stem cells are defined as cells that have clonogenic, self-renewing capacities and the capability to differentiate into multiple cell lineages. Whereas embryonic stem cells are derived from mammalian embryos in the blastocyst stage and can generate terminally differentiated cells of all 3 embryonic germ layers, adult human stem cells are capable of maintaining, generating, and replacing terminally differentiated cells within their own specific tissue as a consequence of physiologic cell turnover or tissue injury. The traditional idea of organ-restricted stem-cell differentiation is now being challenged by the suggestion that adult stem cells retain developmental plasticity. Preclinical and clinical studies described in this review provide evidence that within the blood circulate not only progenitor cells that differentiate into hematopoietic cells, but also stem/progenitor cells which can participate in the homeostasis, repair and replacement of solid organ tissues. In addition to the occurrence of cell fusion, there are 4 suggested mechanisms of adult stem cell differentiation into solid organ cells. Preclinical data support these models particularly that of transdifferentiation as the most likely model, allowing stem/progenitor cells to differentiate across lineage, tissue, and germ layer boundaries. There is increasing evidence that we can manipulate in vivo circulating adult stem cells to repair or regenerate solid organ tissue, which offers potential clinical benefit in the treatment of many hereditary and acquired diseases.

Animals↗

Systemic reperfusion injury during arm replantation requiring intraoperative amputation.

This case describes the attempted replantation of an arm following its traumatic amputation. After a five-and-a-half hour ischaemic time, perfusion of the arm was re-established. However over the ensuing hours, the patient developed hyperkalaemia, acidaemia and severe hypotension requiting high dose inotropic support. Ultimately re-amputation was necessary to treat the systemic effects of the ischaemia reperfusion syndrome.

Adult↗

Use of Leu3a/3b for the accurate determination of CD4 subsets for measurement of intracellular cytokines.

BACKGROUND: Identification of human T-helper cell subsets is possible by measurement of intracellular cytokines after coincubation of lymphocytes with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), calcium ionophore, and brefeldin A for up to 20 h. However, exposure to PMA leads to internalization of membrane CD4 and to loss of resolution of the CD4+ cells. Detection of CD3+CD8- cells or preselection of CD4+ cells prior to stimulation is more cumbersome than direct measurement of CD4+ cells. We report the use of the Leu3a/Leu3b multiclone for the accurate determination of CD4 cells after PMA stimulation. METHODS: Peripheral blood lymphocytes were isolated from healthy normal donors and the proportion of CD3+ / CD4+ T cells was determined by flow cytometry before and after incubation with PMA, calcium ionophore, and brefeldin A for 20 h using a variety of anti-CD4 monoclonal antibodies. RESULTS: The Leu3a/3b multiclone reagent was the only anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody capable of resolving more than 98% of the initial CD4+ events after incubation with PMA. CONCLUSIONS: The higher signal-to-noise ratio associated with Leu3a3b reagent, compared with other CD4-specific antibodies available, allows the direct and accurate identification of the CD4 subset even after PMA treatment of cells.

CD4 Antigens↗

Total synthesis of 25-hydroxy-16,23E-diene vitamin D3 and 1 alpha,25-dihydroxy-16,23E-diene vitamin D3: separation of genomic and nongenomic vitamin D activities.

Separation of genomic and nongenomic vitamin D activities was achieved by structural modification of 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 by introduction of 16 and 23E double bonds. The modified compound 3, lacking a 1 alpha-hydroxy group, exhibits only nongenomic activity. Its 1 alpha-hydroxy relative 4 expresses fully both genomic and non-genomic activities. A total synthesis of analogues 3 and 4 is described.

Animals↗

Autologous stem cell transplantation in myeloma: the St James's Hospital experience, 1997-2003.

BACKGROUND: High-dose treatment with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has become the standard of care for patients with myeloma below the age of 65 years. AIMS: We report an audit of 60 patients (median age: 52.5 years) who underwent ASCT in the National Bone Marrow Transplant centre in St James's Hospital in Dublin between 1997 and 2003 inclusive. METHODS: Clinical and laboratory data were retrieved from patient medical records and hospital information management systems. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients had IgG, 11 IgA, 1 IgD, 9 light chain and 3 non-secretory MM. Fifty-seven (95%) patients received anthracycline-corticosteroid combination chemotherapy prior to autografting. There was no transplant-related mortality (TRM). Complete (CR) and Partial Responses (PR) were seen in 16 (29.6%) and 29 (53.7%) of those evaluable (n = 54 (90%)). The actuarial Progression-Free (PFS) and Overall Survival (OS) rates at five years are 13% and 55% respectively. CONCLUSION: Centre outcome is comparable to published international series and supports the use of ASCT in the treatment of this malignancy.

Aged↗

High dose chemotherapy and stem cell support for poor risk and recurrent nonseminomatous germ cell cancer: initial experience with sequential therapy.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 20% of patients with germ cell tumours do not respond fully to standard therapy, or relapse after treatment. The prognosis of these patients is poor with conventional chemotherapy. Preliminary data suggest that they may have a higher durable response rate with high dose chemotherapy and peripheral blood stem cell support. AIMS: To treat a group of testicular cancer patients, either with relapsed disease or with poor prognostic features initially, with high dose chemotherapy and stem cell support, and evaluate their outcome. METHODS: Five patients with testicular cancer were treated with high dose chemotherapy and stem cell support. Of these, four underwent this treatment as salvage therapy and one patient with poor prognostic features was treated as primary treatment. RESULTS: At an average follow-up of 18 months, four patients remain free of disease while one patient has developed relapse. CONCLUSION: This report provides further support for high dose chemotherapy in this setting although randomised, controlled trials are essential to clarify its use.

Adult↗