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Biomedical subjects

D Cunningham

Publications and source records attributed to D Cunningham.

At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Comparison of interleukin-6 levels in the bone marrow of multiple myeloma patients with disease severity and clonogenicity in vitro.

Fifteen of 25 bone marrow aspirates from 23 patients who presented or had been treated for multiple myeloma at the Royal Marsden Hospital produced myeloma colonies (MY-CFUc) in vitro. There was no correlation between disease severity and the level of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in bone marrow plasma nor was there any evidence that the level of IL-6 was higher in bone marrow aspirates from patients whose tumour produced MY-CFUc in vitro compared with those who did not. The mean level of IL-6 in the whole group of patients was 0.41 ng/ml (range 0.1-0.66 ng/ml), a value similar to that found in plasma from normal donor bone marrow, 0.42 ng/ml (range 0.14-0.62 ng/ml). Separation of peripheral blood cells from serum 24 h after collection, compared with 2 h after collection, resulted in a substantial increase of IL-6 in the serum. The results suggest that levels of IL-6 in bone marrow plasma is not a monitor of disease severity in multiple myeloma (MM) and that the collection and separation of blood and/or bone marrow samples into the cellular and aqueous components should be performed using standardized conditions to minimize inter-sample variation resulting from the release of IL-6 from the cellular components.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1991

Biotechnology awareness study, Part 1: Where scientists get their information.

A model study, funded by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and conducted by the Southeastern/Atlantic Regional Medical Library (RML) and the University of Maryland Health Sciences Library, attempted to assess the information needs of researchers in the developing field of biotechnology and to determine the resources available to meet those needs in major academic health sciences centers. Nine medical schools in RML Region 2 were selected to participate in a biotechnology awareness study. A survey was conducted of the nine medical school libraries to assess their support of biotechnology research. To identify the information needs of scientists engaged in biotechnology-related research at the schools, a written survey was sent to the deans of the nine institutions and selected scientists they had identified. This was followed by individual, in-depth interviews with both the deans and scientists surveyed. In general, scientists obtained information from three major sources: their own experiments, personal communication with other scientists, and textual material (print or electronic). For textual information, most study participants relied on personal journal subscriptions. Tangential journals were scanned in the department's library. Only a few of these scientists came to the health sciences library on a regular basis. Further, the study found that personal computers have had a major impact on how biotechnologists get and use information. Implications of these findings for libraries and librarians are discussed.

Awareness↗
PubMed1991

Biotechnology awareness study, Part 2: Meeting the information needs of biotechnologists.

The second part of the biotechnology awareness study focused on health sciences libraries and how well they are meeting the needs of biotechnologists working in the study's nine medical centers. A survey was conducted over a three-month period to assess the demand for biotechnology-related reference services at nine libraries and the sources the librarians used to answer the questions. Data on monographic and current serial holdings were also collected. At the end of the survey period, librarians were asked for their perceptions about biotechnology research at their institutions and in their geographic areas. Their responses were compared to the responses the scientists at the nine schools gave to the same or similar questions. Results showed few biotechnology-related reference questions were asked of the librarians. The recorded questions dealt with a range of biotechnology subjects. MEDLINE was used to answer 77% of the questions received during the survey period. More detailed notes in MeSH and a guide to online searching for biotechnology topics were suggested by the librarians as ways to improve reference service to this group of researchers. Journal collections were generally strong, with libraries owning from 50% to 87% of the titles on a core list of biotechnology journals compiled for this study. All libraries subscribed to the five titles most often cited by the scientists surveyed. Generally, librarians were unaware of the biotechnology-related research being done on their campuses or in their geographic areas.

Awareness↗
PubMed1991

Management of vomiting associated with cytotoxic therapy.

Recent advances in the understanding of emesis have resulted in the development of serotonin 3 receptor antagonists. The careful use of these drugs and other conventional antiemetic agents can substantially reduce the nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy and improve the quality of life for cancer patients undergoing treatment.

Antiemetics↗
PubMed1990

Dexamethasone can potentiate the anti-emetic action of a 5HT3 receptor antagonist on cyclophosphamide induced vomiting in the ferret.

A new group of selective 5HT3 antagonists are proving to be effective anti-emetics for cytotoxic and radiation induced vomiting in both animal models and man. Current anti-emetic regimens often benefit from combination therapy, in particular the efficacy of metoclopramide (which can be a weak 5HT3 antagonist), can be improved by combination with dexamethasone, another anti-emetic. Hence it was of interest to evaluate whether a 5HT3 receptor antagonist GR38032F could be improved by combination with dexamethasone. Vomiting induced by cyclophosphamide in the ferret was observed after pre-treatment with dexamethasone alone or in combination with GR38032F. Animals were also observed for signs of 'nausea'. Dexamethasone alone proved a weak anti-emetic in this system but did have significant effects on 'nausea'. GR38032F has previously been shown to be capable of totally controlling emesis due to cyclophosphamide in the ferret. Here a dose of GR38032F that is not 100% effective was employed; this was shown to have effects on 'nausea' but most interestingly its anti-emetic action was increased by combination with dexamethasone. This may be important for the minority of patients whose vomiting is not completely controlled by GR38032F alone.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Aromatase inhibition in advanced prostatic cancer: preliminary communication.

We report the results of the first use of a steroidal aromatase inhibitor, 4-hydroxyandrostenedione (4-OHA, CGP 32349), in the palliation of patients with advanced, hormone resistant, prostatic cancer. Twelve of 19 patients (63%), who had relapsed following castration and other therapies, gained significant pain relief following weekly intramuscular injections of 4-OHA. Five patients (31%) experienced a transient 'tumour flare', represented by an increase in bone pain soon after commencing treatment. The mechanism of action of 4-OHA in palliating patients with advanced prostatic cancer is obscure at present, but may represent an important new treatment modality which may lead to greater insight into prostatic biology.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Polymerase chain reaction for detection of dissemination in gastric lymphoma.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect malignant lymphoma cells with the bcl-2 gene rearrangement in the peritoneal washings and bone marrow of a patient with an apparently localised gastric lymphoma. After four courses of cytotoxic drug treatment the cells could no longer be detected in either site. PCR is a useful addition to the staging investigations of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and can also be used to monitor response to treatment.

B-Lymphocytes↗
PubMed1989

Experience with intermediate-dose (110-120 mg/m2) epirubicin.

A total of 23 patients with advanced malignancies received escalating doses of epirubicin (100-120 mg/m2) i.v. at 3-week intervals; 15 had received previous chemotherapy. In all, 46 courses of chemotherapy were given. Mucositis (grade II or III) occurred in 47% of courses at 120 mg/m2, but in only 15% of courses at 115 mg/m2. Myelotoxicity was manifest as leucopenia, with a median white blood count nadir of 1.9 (range, 0.8-7.0) x 10(9)/l. Nausea and vomiting were generally well controlled by prophylactic antiemetic therapy. Alopecia was WHO grade 0 in 2 patients, grade I in 1, grade II in 5 and grade III in 14. No renal or hepatic toxicity was noted, and there were no episodes of congestive cardiac failure. One fatal coronary thrombosis (proven at post-mortem examination) occurred 48 h after a dose of 115 mg/m2. Four patients developed thrombophlebitis at the injection site that was not dose-related; it occurred at doses between 100 and 120 mg/m2. Two patients who had been given chemotherapy in the past had complete responses (one penile carcinoma, one gastric carcinoma). Six patients had partial responses, including two with breast cancer, one with gastric cancer and three with sarcoma. Intermediate-dose epirubicin was well tolerated up to 120 mg/m2, when mucositis became a significant clinical problem. Preliminary data suggest promising activity in gastric cancer, breast cancer and a variety of sarcomas.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

A large outbreak of Salmonella enteritidis phage type 4 associated with eggs from overseas.

In February 1989 the largest reported outbreak to date in the United Kingdom of Salmonella enteritidis phage type 4 (PT4) infection occurred following a wedding reception at a hotel. One hundred and seventy-three people met the case definition of illness of whom 118 had the organism isolated from their stools. A further 17 were found to be S. enteritidis PT4 positive, but were asymptomatic. Lightly-cooked, egg-based sauces were the epidemiologically proven vehicles of infection. Investigations showed this outbreak to be the first to implicate imported European eggs as the source of infection. An unusual feature of this outbreak was a reported incubation period of less than 3 h for some of the confirmed cases of salmonellosis.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Unpredictable zero drift in intravascular micromanometer tipped catheters during long term pulmonary artery pressure recording: implications for catheter design.

Zero drift may be a cause of imprecision when micromanometer tipped catheters are used for intravascular pressure measurement over long periods of time. Drift of only a few mm Hg may represent a significant error when accurate recording of low vascular pressures is required. To overcome this problem a micromanometer tipped catheter has been modified so that it can be calibrated easily while it is in the circulation. Laboratory testing has demonstrated that when zero drift occurs this intravascular "reference calibration" is a valid linear function of true zero (r = 0.999). As the sensitivity of the catheter is unaffected by zero drift, it is possible to measure pressure accurately by compensating for this zero drift. During dynamic testing of two catheters, there was a mean net drift over 24 h of -0.54 mm Hg. Clinical evaluation of the catheter was undertaken in the human pulmonary circulation in eight patients (two for 48 h, five for 24 h and one for 8 h). In contrast to the laboratory findings, over the first 4 h after catheterisation there was a phase of rapid zero drift: the net drift was -1.9 (SD 3.3) mm Hg with a range of drift of 5.5 (7.4) mm Hg. Subsequently there was gradual drift: the net drift between 4 and 24 h was -0.44 (2.1) mm Hg with a range of drift of 2.8(1.0) mm Hg; and the net drift between 24 and 48 h was 3.7(2.1) mm Hg with a range of drift of 4.1(1.9) mm Hg. During long term intravascular pressure measurement with micromanometer tipped catheters, zero drift may occur unpredictably and should be quantified.

Ambulatory Care↗
PubMed1989

Impedance changes during catheter ablation and their relationship to electrical arcing and clinical efficacy.

This study has used high energy ablative shocks in saline and in man to characterize the complex, energy dependent behavior of the impedance at the electrode-tissue interface. In vitro shocks showed a fall in impedance when an arc was formed, due to formation around the electrode of a vapor globe rendered conductive by the arc. Following arc extinction, this same vapor globe insulates the electrode, and subsequently collapses, forming a shock wave, and allowing current flow to resume. Shocks delivered to tissue specimens exhibited progressively higher impedance and less insulation as contact pressure was increased. In vivo, lesser degrees of insulation during arcing shocks were associated with greater clinical efficacy.

Animals↗