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H Archer

Publications and source records attributed to H Archer.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

A decade of pre-diagnostic assessment in a case of familial Alzheimer's disease: tracking progression from asymptomatic to MCI and dementia.

Detailed study of the very earliest phases of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is seldom possible, especially those changes preceding the development of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which may occur years before diagnosis. Knowledge of imaging and neuropsychological features of these early stages would add insight into this poorly understood phase of the disease. We present data from a subject who entered a longitudinal study of individuals at risk of familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD), as a healthy volunteer with no memory complaints, undergoing 12 assessments between 1992 and 2003. Longitudinal MRI, neuropsychological and clinical data are presented over the decade preceding this man's diagnosis, through the asymptomatic and prodromal preludes to his presentation with MCI and on to eventual conversion to AD.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Cell phenotype specific kinetics of expression of intratracheally injected manganese superoxide dismutase-plasmid/liposomes (MnSOD-PL) during lung radioprotective gene therapy.

Intratracheal (IT) injection of manganese superoxide dismutase-plasmid/liposome (MnSOD-PL) complexes prior to whole lung irradiation of C57BL/6J mice provides significant protection from acute and chronic irradiation damage. We determined the duration of increased MnSOD biochemical activity and differential expression of a hemagglutinin (HA) epitope-tagged MnSOD transgene. HA-MnSOD-PL was IT injected at doses of 0-1000 microg, and mice were killed 1,2,3 or 4 days later. Other groups of mice were irradiated to 20 Gy to the pulmonary cavity 24 h after injection and killed at the same time points as non-irradiated mice. Both non-irradiated and irradiated groups of mice showed increased MnSOD biochemical activity with plasmid dose that plateaued at 100 microg of MnSOD plasmid DNA. In control mice, MnSOD biochemical activity decreased at 2, 3 or 4 days after injection. In irradiated mice, MnSOD biochemical activity decreased at day 2 but increased on days 3 and 4. HA-MnSOD expression decreased in broncheoalveolar macrophages and alveolar type-II cells 3 days after injection in non-irradiated and irradiated mice, but remained elevated in endothelial and epithelial cells past 4 days. The data provide a rationale for every second-day administration of intrapulmonary MnSOD-PL in clinical trials of radioprotective gene therapy. This should be sufficient to provide radioprotection during radiation treatments.

Animals↗

Acute haemorrhagic leukoencephalopathy: two case reports and review of the literature.

Acute haemorrhagic leukoencephalopathy is a rare, rapidly progressive disease of cerebral white matter associated with high fatality. The few known patients surviving have all been treated with early instigation of immuno-modulatory therapy. Here we describe two cases of this disease and underscore the importance of considering this diagnosis in the differential for any individual presenting with progressive neurological signs, an antecedent flu-like illness, and early changes on CT showing widespread disease of white matter.

Adult↗

Controlled trial of chemical disinfection of urinary drainage bags. Reduction in hospital-acquired catheter-associated infection.

A controlled, prospective trial was conducted on an orthopaedic ward to test the use of peroxide disinfection of drainage bags as the only measure taken to affect the rate of hospital-acquired, catheter-associated urinary tract infection (UTI). A significant reduction (P less than 0.05) in the number of patients with catheter-associated UTI occurred with the use of bag disinfectant when compared with patients in whom this technique was not used. We consider this technique to be suitable for the management of catheterised patients on general hospital wards to reduce catheter-associated UTI and environmental spread of their bacteria.

Aged↗