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Biomedical subjects

G G Harrison

Publications and source records attributed to G G Harrison.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Method for the safe and rapid pretransfusion warming of stored blood: an in vitro and in vivo evaluation of a radiofrequency (RF) instrument.

Inadvertent hypothermia due to massive infusion of stored blood can be prevented by pretransfusion warming. One approach is the heating of individual packs by means of electromagnetic conduction, which is a method safely used over the last 25 years. The prototype instrument, which has now been re-engineered, can effectively raise the temperature of a unit of blood to approximately 33 degrees C in less than 3 minutes. Using this new model, we found, in vitro, a modest increase in free plasma haemoglobin, but this was not accompanied by any change in potassium or lactic dehydrogenase levels and the mean red cell fragility was unaltered. In vivo, the survival of autologous red cells that had been stored for 33 days and then infused as a concentrate, having a mean haematocrit of 0.60, was measured at 24 hours and 21 days. Each donor acted as his own control. In paired studies, pretransfusion radiofrequency heating was shown to have no deleterious effect when compared to measurements using the unwarmed blood pack. It is concluded that this method can be recommended as safe.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Malignant hyperthermia. An historical vignette.

This paper reports previously unpublished accounts of the deaths in 1915 and 1919 of two members of the same family during general anaesthesia. The deaths were subsequently ascribed to a 'hereditary susceptibility' to chloroform. Contemporary evidence is presented which suggests that these deaths were among the very earliest examples of malignant hyperthermia to be described.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1991

Plasma response to oral beta-carotene in Guatemalan schoolchildren.

The response to oral doses of beta-carotene (0 mg, n = 10; 15 mg, n = 20; and 30 mg, n = 21) was studied in 51 Guatemalan children aged 8-15 y, with mean fasting plasma retinol concentrations of 1.72 +/- 0.38 mumol/L. Beta-carotene was delivered with a chocolate drink containing 8.4 g fat. Serial blood sampling was performed at intervals up to 48 h. Circulating retinol concentrations remained relatively constant. The maximum increases in plasma beta-carotene after the 30- and 15-mg doses for all subjects occurred at 24 h and were 0.29 and 0.23 mumol/L, respectively. Time of maximum increase for individuals varied and average maxima over the 48-h period for individuals were 0.13 and 0.26 mumol/L for the 15- and 30-mg-treatment groups, respectively. Increased plasma beta-carotene concentrations were not predicted by recent intake of dietary vitamin A, fasting plasma concentrations, or anthropometric measurements.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1991

Determinants of pregnancy outcome and newborn behavior of a semirural Egyptian population.

Several potential determinants of birth weight and neonatal behavioral organization, ie, maternal anthropometry, food intake (energy, protein, and plant- and animal-source foods), morbidity, and household socioeconomic status, were followed systematically in a semirural Egyptian population during greater than or equal to 6 mo of pregnancy. In early pregnancy mothers were generally normal weight to moderately overweight. Their mean energy intake, largely from plant sources, was approximately 8.37 MJ/d (2000 kcal/d) during trimesters 2 and 3. Early (3 mo) pregnancy weight and weight gain during trimesters 2 and 3 were significantly positively related to birth weight Z scores. The best predictor model examined for birth weight included early pregnancy weight, weight gain, and length of gestation (R2 = 0.45). Early pregnancy weight and maternal intake of animal-source foods were significant positive predictors of the newborn's orientation and habituation behavior, respectively. Habituation and orientation measures assess the infant's early ability to process information.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Do methoxyflurane and enflurane induce hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes?

The effect of acute anaesthetic (1,0 MAC) and chronic subanaesthetic (0,1 MAC) exposure to methoxyflurane and enflurane on the levels of several liver enzymes is reported. Methoxyflurane appears to be an enzyme-inducing agent similar to spironolactone, whereas enflurane does not appear to be an inducing agent for any of the enzymes studied.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

The effect of exposure to halogenated anaesthetics on liver glutathione levels in rats. An index of hepatotoxicity.

Having studied anaesthetic drug interactions in rats, we report the effects of halogenated anaesthetics on the liver glutathione levels and histology, as well as the results of the enhancement of these effects by microsomal enzyme induction. The anaesthetic agents studied included methoxyflurane, halothane, ethrane, chloroform and fluroxene. While exposure of rats to methoxyflurane, helothane and ethrane produced no significant changes in hepatic glutathione levels, or in liver histology, exposure to chloroform and fluroxene produced marked depression of liver glutathione, especially after microsomal enzyme induction. Furthermore, rats exposed to thses agents after enzyme induction developed gross centrilobular necrosis and died. It is suggested that the study of the effects of any new anaesthetic agent on liver glutathione levels could be a valuable screening test of its hepatotoxic potential, before its clinical trial.

Anesthetics↗
PubMed1978

Death attributable to anaesthesia. A 10-year survey (1967--1976).

The mortality associated with 240 483 anaesthetics administered over 10 years at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, is reported. The frequency of death to which anaesthesia contributed was 0.22 per 1000 anaesthetics (compared with 0.33 per 1000 in the previous 10 years). These deaths were responsible for 2.2% of the total mortality from surgery. Two-thirds of the "anaesthetic" deaths were attributable to (in order of frequency): (a) hypovolaemia; (b) respiratory inadequacy following myoneural blockade; (c) complications of tracheal intubation; (d) inadequate postoperative care and supervision.

Anesthesia↗
PubMed1978

Monitoring trends in food utilization: application of an archaeologcial method.

Archaeological methods were utilized to monitor trends in food purchase and utilization behavior in Tucson, Arizona households through the analysis of household refuse. As a supplement to traditional methods of collecting data on food consumption, the study of household refuse can provide information on short-term trends in behavior and on food discard. Between 1973 and 1975, households studied decreased the amount of food brought into the home and decreased their purchase of selected animal protein foods. Lower-income tracts, in addition, increased their purchase of grain products, substituted cheaper for more expensive food intems, and decreased food discard. While these data do not reflect nutritional status, they provide a unique view of the socioeconomic and behavioral patterns that in large part determine nutritional status.

Archaeology↗
PubMed1978

Interaction of maternal and neonatal obesity.

Maternal weight and height before pregnancy and weight gain during pregnancy were recorded for each of 109 mothers who were delivered of normal infants after gestations of 37 to 43 weeks. Infant parameters obtained included gestational age, birth weight, bilateral mid-arm circumference, and eight skin fold thickness measurements. The eight skin fold thicknesses were summed (SSFT) for each infant. Infants with SSFTs greater than 40 mm (N = 8) for the group were classified as "fatter" infants. All of the fatter infants were large for gestational age (LGA), but accounted for only one third of the LGA infants in the study. Birth weight, length, and cross-sectional mid-arm fat area were significantly increased in the fatter LGA group when compared to other LGA infants. Cross-sectional mid-arm muscle area was not significantly different for the fatter LGA infants compared to the other LGA group. Mothers were defined as obese or nonobese according to pregnant weight for height. Obese mothers had infants with significantly increased SSFTs when compared with infants of nonobese mothers. Mulitple regression analysis showed that both prepregnant weight for height and weight gain during pregnancy were associated with increased subcutaneous fat in the neonate. Weight gain during pregnancy was associated with increased neonatal fatness and length, while prepregnant weight for height was associated with neonatal fatness independent of neonatal length.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1977

Cardiac arrest.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Anesthetics↗
PubMed1976

Some aspects of the hepatic metabolism of ethrane.

From our studies of the rat we report observations on three aspects of the interaction of ethrane and liver. 1. Interaction of ethrane with cytochrome P450 in vitro. 2. The effect of ethrane administration on glutathione levels in vivo. 3. The effects of repeated ethrane administration in the absence and presence of microsomal enzymic induction on liver morphology. We conclude that ethrane has little or no propensity for damaging the liver.

Animals↗