In memoriam R. E. F. Matthews (1921-1995)
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History, 20th Century↗
Biomedical subjects
D Bellamy
Publications and source records attributed to D Bellamy.
Underrecognition of morbidity from stings of the red imported fire ant in the southeastern United States.
This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the health-seeking behaviors of a group of patients stung by red imported fire ants (RIFA) and the number of nursing referrals resulting in treatment. The following two research questions were asked: (1) Is there a delay in seeking the care of a board-certified allergist for symptoms of fire ant hypersensitivity? (2) Are nurses referring patients for treatment? The entire population of board-certified allergists in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina (n = 98) was sampled. A questionnaire was developed for the office nurses to use to collect information from allergy patients actually receiving fire ant injections (n = 257). Each patient reported on the reaction, when it occurred as well as age, sex, and county of residence. Descriptive statistics revealed that a delay of a month or more in seeking care of an allergist was experienced by 154 (56%) of patients who completed the questionnaire. The average delay was 1.8 years. The main source of referrals was a general practitioner or emergency room personnel. Nursing and other health professionals must recognize the problem and to institute prompt referral for treatment. In areas where RIFA colonies are spreading, they have to be fully informed and trained in effective primary and secondary techniques to prevent serious reaction to the stings of these ants.
Adolescent↗
Effect of repeated colloidal bismuth subcitrate treatment on the response of the rat gastric mucosa to the presence of luminal ethanol.
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of repeated colloidal bismuth subcitrate administration on the cellular populations of the fundic region of the rat stomach and to investigate the effect of such treatment, after initial ethanol damage, on the gastric response to a second challenge by ethanol. The administration of 240 mg of colloidal bismuth subcitrate per kilogram body weight, at 12 hour intervals, for 14 days, resulted in an increase in the density of the mucosal epithelial cells, but a decreased rate of epithelial cell division in the neck region. Comparison with placebo treated animals showed that the repeated administration of colloidal bismuth subcitrate after an initial ethanol challenge, decreased the degree of damage induced by a second ethanol challenge, enhanced the rate of tissue repair and prevented the establishment of persistent erosions.
Animals↗
Dietary restriction--a procedure with an undefined goal: a critical review of two recent books.
The publication of two books on the relationship between dietary restriction and aging has been taken as an opportunity to write a critical review on this field. The content of the two books is summarized and the implications of the major conclusions reached by the authors are appraised. It is concluded that dietary restriction should be more widely studied by gerontologists because of the light it throws on 'clocks' of aging, error detection and repair systems, and the possibilities of devising pharmacological control of these systems.
Aged↗
Degenerative diseases of ageing as problems of natural selection. A commentary upon the concept of 'normal ageing'.
(1) The field of experimental gerontology is reviewed in relation to past and current views on the definitions and origins of degenerative diseases in relation to ageing. (2) It is concluded that the present concensus defines age-related degeneration of cells, tissues and failures of homeostasis as expressions of the accumulation of chemical and metabolic errors, which cause deviations from the precise structural specifications of youth. (3) Errors accumulate because to commit resources to correct them would reduce the materials and energy that could be devoted to reproduction. (4) The evolutionary perspective is that the balance between error correction and reproduction was set by natural selection in past environments where most members of the population died from accidental death, at, or close to, peak reproductive performance. (5) This opens up a theoretical pharmacological perspective where it might be possible to treat degenerative diseases by the activation of error detection and repair mechanisms.
Aging↗
A cumulative dose comparison between salbutamol and fenoterol metered dose aerosols in asthmatic patients.
The potency and side effects of salbutamol and fenoterol inhalers have been compared in 8 asthmatic patients using a dose response curve. There was no significant difference in the absolute or percentage increase in FEV1 with the two treatments, but fenoterol caused a significantly greater (P less than 0.01) increase in heart rate than did salbutamol. A greater degree of bronchodilatation was observed with increased doses and we suggest that regular higher doses may provide better bronchodilatation and control of asthma in selected patients.
Albuterol↗
Single-dose etoposide in combination with vincristine and doxorubicin in the treatment of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC).
From July 1980, 104 consecutive patients with previously untreated small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) received vincristine 1.4 mg/m2, doxorubicin (Adriamycin) 40 mg/m2, and Etoposide (VePesid) 300 mg/m2 intravenously (as a single infusion) every 3 weeks. The overall response rate (complete response plus partial response) was 58%. In 47 patients with limited disease the response rate was 66% with 21/47 (45%) complete responders. Treatment was delivered on an outpatient basis. Toxicity was mild, and in 455 rapid infusions of etoposide, there have been no adverse reactions.
Adult↗
The effect of negative air ionization on the growth of four generations of laboratory rats.
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Air Ionization↗
Problems and resolutions in the development of the flexible plastic blood container (Carl W. Walter).
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Blood Transfusion↗
Inhibition of uncontrolled callus development in Helianthus tuberosus by platinum and titanium wire.
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Culture Techniques↗
Determination of extracellular pH and tissue temperature in transplantable rat tumors by use of inductive loop telemetry.
Radiotelemetry was used to determine changes in extracellular pH and tissue temperature during tumor development in rats of an inbred WAB substrain. A progressive decrease in the pH of the tumor tissue compared with the pH level in control tissue was observed, so that by 4 days after tumor implantation the tumor tissue was about 0.4 pH units lower than control values. Thereafter, tumor pH rose progressively to reach a value comparable with control levels at 8 days, when the experiment was terminated. No significant difference was detected between the temperature in the tumor tissue and the temperature in the control tissue. Therefore, the observed changes in pH appeared to be independent of temperature. Studies on the rate of tumor cell proliferation during the experiments demonstrated a significant inverse relationship between tumor cell mitotic rate and pH, with the highest rates of cell proliferation occurring at the time of lowest pH values.
Animals↗
Pulmonary disease in patients with Marfan syndrome.
Hospital case notes and chest radiographs of 100 patients with Marfan syndrome were investigated for evidence of pulmonary disease. The criteria for inclusion of details of a given patient in the study were the occurrence of Marfan abnormalities in at least two separate body systems (skeletal, cardiovascular, ocular) or in one body system where there was a family history of a classically affected first degree relative. Selection of cases was biased towards those with cardiorespiratory problems by virtue of the hospitals from which the patients were drawn. Forty eight patients underwent cardiac surgery. Eleven patients had a history of spontaneous pneumothorax, which had been recurrent in 10 cases and bilateral in six. Eight had had pneumonia or excessively frequent respiratory infections and two had bronchiectasis. Chest radiographs showed emphysematous bullae in five, upper lobe fibrosis in four, and aspergilloma in two. The cases reviewed together with other published evidence suggest that spontaneous pneumothorax and bullae are causally related to Marfan syndrome. The presence of idiopathic upper lobe fibrosis in four Marfan patients is interesting but provides insufficient evidence to assess possible causality.
Adult↗
Pulmonary tuberculosis complicated by haemophagocytic syndrome and rifampicin-induced tubulointerstitial nephritis.
The benign, or infection-associated, haemophagocytic syndrome (IAHS) is a rare bone marrow disorder of macrophage cell proliferation diagnosed most commonly in immune compromised patients who develop herpes type viral infections (Risdall et al. 1979). It has also been reported in association with bacterial infections and rarely with mycobacterial infection (Chandra et al. 1975; Mamoharon & Catovsky 1981; Bultmann et al. 1982). Despite being potentially reversible it may produce a life-threatening pancytopenia (Seligman et al. 1972). We report a further case of the haemophagocytic syndrome associated with Mycobacterium tuberculosis in which thrombocytopenia was the predominant feature. There were unusual features in the clinical presentation and the patient's treatment and recovery were subsequently complicated by rifampicin-induced renal failure.
Bone Marrow↗
The effect of dietary restriction on thymus autonomy.
Fifty percent dietary restriction allows for continued body growth in young animals, whereas in older animals this dietary regime resulted in a 25% drop in body weight over a 10-wk period. This resulted in a relatively low rate of mitosis in the thymus tissue from young animals so that thymus size was maintained in proportion with body weight. There was no evidence to suggest that the thymus glands from dietary restricted young animals could not maintain their role in immune function. In the older animals dietary restriction resulted in depletion of thymic lymphocytes, despite a relatively high rate of cell division. It is postulated that this may be a result of stress caused by the dietary regime.
Age Factors↗
Annual decline of lung function in pulmonary emphysema: influence of radiological distribution.
Fifty-six male patients with pulmonary emphysema and normal serum alpha 1-antitrypsin were followed for a minimum period of three years (range 3-13 yr) to observe the effects of the radiological distribution of emphysema on the annual rate of change of lung function indices. The subjects were placed in three categories--upper zone (UZ), lower zone (LZ), and generalised (G). The influence of smoking was taken into account with subjects in each radiographic category being divided into ex-smokers (group EX-S) and continuing smokers (group S). The rate of decline of FEV1, VC, TCO, and KCO was greater in group S than EX-S in all three x-ray categories. In group S, FEV1, VC, TCO, and KCO declined significantly faster in UZ emphysema than in G emphysema. In group EX-S, FEV1, TCO, and PaO2 declined significantly faster in UZ than G emphysema but VC remained unaltered. KCO and PaCO2 did not change significantly in any radiographic category in either group S or EX-S. Patients with G and LZ emphysema underwent very similar physiological changes over the course of time. Those with UZ emphysema, however, complained of exertional dyspnoea at an earlier age; a number of their lung function indices deteriorated at a faster rate than in patients from the other two categories, suggesting that UZ emphysema is a different disease entity.
Adult↗
Effects of ipratropium bromide and fenoterol aerosols in pulmonary emphysema.
In patients with radiological evidence of pulmonary emphysema the bronchodilator drugs fenoterol and ipratropium bromide produced a considerable increase in vital capacity and reduction in residual volume. The response to fenoterol was virtually complete 15 minutes after administration, but after ipratropium bromide vital capacity was still increasing at 60 minutes. The change in vital capacity was slightly greater with a combination of the two drugs than with either used alone. Changes in FEV1 and peak flow rate were small.
Aerosols↗
A comparative study of age involution of the bursa of Fabricius an thymus in birds.
The differential growth patterns of the bursa of Fabricius and thymus of Comet strain chicks were examined up to 60 days of age. It was found that the bursa increased in size, in relation to body weight, during the first 3 wk of life but thereafter underwent involution. The thymic tissue increased in weight throughout the period of investigation, from 3 to 58 days of age; when this total weight was related to the number of thymus glands, it was found that during the first days of life, thymus tissue was increased by the growth of pre-existing thymic glands but that this was followed by a phase when new thymus glands appeared with no increase in the size of the largest glands. Although the growth and involution patterns of the thymus and bursa differed it was found that, for each age group, a linear relationship existed between the bursa and thymus, suggesting that there may be a common control of development in the two organs.
Aging↗
The influence of cigarette smoking and its withdrawal on the annual change of lung function in pulmonary emphysema.
Fifty-six male patients with pulmonary emphysema were followed for a minimum period of three years (range 3-13), to observe the effects of smoking and smoking withdrawal. The subjects were divided into smokers (Group S) and ex-smokers (Group EX-S). Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and vital capacity (VC) declined at a significantly (p less than 0.001) faster rate in those who continued to smoke than in ex-smokers. No significant difference between the two groups was observed for kCO (permeability coefficient) and PaO2 (arterial oxygen tension). There was a significant (p less than 0.001) difference between the two groups in the annual change in body weight. We conclude that all patients with emphysema, even those with advanced disease, should be encouraged to stop smoking.
Albuterol↗