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Biomedical subjects

H Sullivan

Publications and source records attributed to H Sullivan.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Food costs and nutrition of aborigines in remote areas of northern Australia.

A locally-relevant "market basket" has been devised to help to assess the cost of usual food purchases for Aborigines who live in the Kimberley region. The range of foods in the market basket is relatively restricted, especially for fresh vegetables. In some communities, basic food items cost over 40% more than they would in the Perth metropolitan area. Price differentials and other difficulties encourage unsatisfactory dietary patterns for Aborigines in the region. A food-voucher system is proposed as one possible way to help to overcome serious nutritional imbalances for pregnant women and their infants and young children who are especially vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies. This proposal is likely to be politically unpopular, so other ways should be sought to help to improve the health of Aboriginal mothers and their children.

Costs and Cost Analysis↗
PubMed1984

Infection of a ventricular aneurysm and cardiac mural thrombus. Survival after surgical resection.

Infections of cardiac mural thrombi are rare, and because antemortem diagnosis is difficult and antibiotic therapy alone ineffective, the associated mortality has been significant. A patient with gram-negative bacillary infection of a mural thrombus is described. Gallium 67 citrate isotope scanning and two-dimensional echocardiography were helpful adjuncts in establishing the diagnosis. Surgical resection of the infected myocardial tissue and prolonged antimicrobial therapy were necessary for cure.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

Effect of stellatectomy on acid secretion and gastric release.

The stellate ganglia give rise to adrenergic fibers in the subdiaphragmatic vagus nerve which innervate the gut. Since stellatectomy causes a degeneration of these vagal adrenergic fibers, the purpose of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of stellatectomy on gastric acid secretion (GAS). GAS was measured in 6 dogs with gastric fistula before and after stellatectomy was performed; also the gastrin response to a meat meal was studied before and after stellatectomy . Acid secretion increased significantly at submaximal doses of pentagastrin after stellatectomy , while basal and meal stimulated gastrin levels did not change. Horner's syndrome developed in each dog. These results suggest that the vagal adrenergic innervation of the stomach is an inhibitor of GAS in the dog.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Parathyroid cysts: a report of eleven cases including two associated with hyperparathyroid crisis.

Eleven parathyroid cysts were found in 325 patients who underwent parathyroid operations. Ten cysts were located in the neck and one was located in the mediastinum. The cysts ranged in size from 1.6 to 10 cm with a mean of 3.9 cm. The patients who had cysts included six women and five men, and their ages ranged from 28 to 72 years with a mean of 51 years. In contrast to other reports that have suggested that most parathyroid cysts are nonfunctional, all but one of our patients had hyperparathyroidism, as evidenced by hypercalcemia, hypophosphatemia, and elevated parathyroid hormone level, which was corrected by cyst removal. The nonfunctional cyst first appeared to be an asymptomatic neck mass. Two patients had acute hyperparathyroid crises, which required emergency operations. It is postulated that the crises may have been the result of spontaneous necrosis of preexisting parathyroid adenomas. This is supported by the pathologic findings of degeneration and early organization as well as by the presence within the cyst of sanguineous fluid that contained a parathormone concentration greater than 100 times normal serum levels.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1982

Separation of human X and Y spermatozoa by albumin gradients and Sephadex chromatography.

Two methods of separating X and Y spermatozoa in human sperm were evaluated. In the first method, the semen was laid over bovine serum albumin in order to obtain high proportions of Y spermatozoa. The mean number of Y spermatozoa increased from 52% to 74%. For the second method, the semen was passed through columns of Sephadex G50 in order to increase the proportion of X spermatozoa. The X spermatozoa increased from a mean of 60% to 74%. The degree of separation in individual samples showed considerable variation in both methods. In some samples only a 6% change in the proportion of X and Y spermatozoa could be obtained, whereas in others the increase was 37%. The proportion of motile spermatozoa showed a marked increase with the Sephadex method.

Chromatography, Affinity↗
PubMed1980

Immunoglobulins in the semen of men with azoospermia, oligospermia, or self-agglutination of spermatozoa.

One hundred samples of semen showing azoospermia, oligospermia, self-agglutination of spermatozoa, or normal physiologic spermatozoa were examined for evidence of autoimmune disorders. Immunoglobulin A, secretory immunoglobulin A, and complements C3 and C4 were present in a greater proportion of abnormal samples than in normal ones. The immunoglobulin A content of the abnormal samples was markedly increased, and the immunoglobulin G level slightly increased, as compared with normal samples. These findings support the hypothesis that agglutination of spermatozoa in semen is an autoimmune mechanism. They also suggest that, although spermatozoa may activate the mechanism, it is possible that abnormalities of the male genital tract can stimulate the formation of spermatozoal antibodies.

Complement C3↗
PubMed1979

Improved survival after surgical therapy for chronic angina pectoris: one hospital's experience in a randomized trial.

Between 1972 and 1974, 121 patients with chronic stable angina pectoris and operative coronary artery disease, excluding significant left main coronary obstruction, were randomized to either medical therapy (60 patients) or surgical therapy (61 patients) as part of a larger Veterans Administration Cooperative Study of Surgery for Coronary Arterial Occlusive Disease. At the time of randomization, medical and surgical groups were similar with regard to clinical and hemodynamic features as well as degree of left ventricular impairment and extent of coronary disease. Follow-up to June 1, 1978, reveals significantly improved survival in surgical patients from 3 through 6 years after randomization. Sixteen cross-over patients (13 medical to surgery, and 3 surgical without surgery) do not appear to influence results. Results of this randomized study from a single hospital differ from the preliminary results of the larger cooperative study, primarily because of a higher mortality in the medical group. The medical mortality in our group is in keeping with other reports of the natural history of patients with angina pectoris, and we propose that the population of patients we randomized closely simulates the usual type of patient with chronic angina being considered for surgical treatment. Our good surgical results thus contrast significantly with the survival of medically treated patients, and this separates our study from the body of the Veterans Administration Cooperative Study.

Angina Pectoris↗
PubMed1977

Physiologic disposition of nabilone, a cannabinol derivative, in man.

Nabilone is a cannabinoid that is being evaluated in man as a potentially useful psychoactive drug. We found that nabilone was readily absorbed from the human gastrointestinal tract when administered orally as a coprecipitate with polyvinyl-pyrrolidone. The absorbed drug disappeared from plasma rather rapidly (half-life, approximately 2 hr), evidently due to extensive tissue distribution and rapid metabolism. The metabolites of nabilone persist in plasma for extended periods (half-life of total radioactivity exceeds 20 hr). Circulating metabolites include isomeric carbinols formed by reduction of the ketone in the 9-position of nabilone. Nabilone is eliminated in feces (about 65% of dose) and urine (20%). The excretory products in urine have not been identified, but metabolites that are labile to hydrolysis by beta-glucuronidase or sulfatase do not appear to be formed in significant amounts. A metabolite of nabilone in feces has been identified as a diol formed by reduction of the 9-keto group plus oxidation at the penultimate carbon of the dimethylheptyl side chain. The long duration of action of nabilone in the face of rapid and extensive metabolic elimination suggests that the pharmacologic effects, at least in part, may be exerted by one or more active metabolites.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1977

Reversal of advanced left ventricular dysfunction following aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis.

A series of 12 consecutive patients who underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR) for aortic stenosis complicated by severe left ventricular dysfunction was reviewed. Ventricular dysfunction was reflected by pulmonary congestion, edema, renal and hepatic dysfunction, and by severely depressed ejection fractions (mean, 13%; range equal to 0-20%). Aortic valve replacement was accompanied by mitral commissurotomy in 1 patient and aortocoronary bypass in 5. Three of 5 patients with greater than 50% coronary obstruction died without reversal of heart failure, and 1 of the 5 died after a stroke. The 1 survivor of this group has done well. All 7 patients with minimal or no coronary disease survived operation and are now in New York Heart Association Class I or II. Postoperative catheterization (2 to 12 months) in 6 patients showed improved cardiac index and filling pressures. Left ventricular diastolic volume fell from 159 to 82 ml/m2, and ejection fraction rose from 13 to 45%. We conclude that left ventricular dysfunction owing to aortic stenosis alone is reversible and that AVR results in great clinical improvement. When coronary disease is present, survival may be accompanied by great improvement but the operative mortality is much higher.

Aged↗
PubMed1977

The immunologic effects of husband's semen on donor spermatozoa during mixed insemination.

Artificial insemination was performed on four women with the husband's and donor's semen mixed. No pregnancies resulted after several inseminations. One woman also received artificial donor insemination without success. Seminal plasmas from the husbands were allowed to react with donor semen and were observed to produce immobilization and agglutination of the donor's spermatozoa. Two of the husbands' seminal plasmas had high levels of immunoglobulin A, and all contained complements C-3 and C-4, which suggests that the mechanism is immunologic. Artificial donor inseminations were performed, and in addition the couples were advised to refrain from sexual intercourse for 2 days prior to insemination, in order to eliminate the risk of husband's seminal plasma being on the wife's cervix. Within 1 month, three of the four women became pregnant. As a practical measure, it is proposed that the effect of husband's semen on donor spermatozoa be determined prior to performing mixed inseminations and that couples refrin from sexual intercourse for 2 days prior to donor inseminations.

Complement System Proteins↗
PubMed1977

Spermatozoal antibodies in human seminal plasma as a cause of failed artificial donor insemination.

Seven couples who were in a program of artificial donor insemination (AID) which had not resulted in a pregnancy were advised to abstain from sexual intercourse for 2 days prior to AID. Six of the wives became pregnant following this advice. Seminal plasmas from the seven husbands showed evidence of spermatozoal antibodies. They agglutinated or immobilized healthy spermatozoa and contained immunoglobulin A and complements C-3 and C-4. Immunoglubulin G levels in these seminal plasmas were slightly elevated. Blood sera from the same husbands also agglutinated normal spermatozoa or decreased their motility. A comparison of 33 women who were not advised concerning sexual intercourse prior to AID and 17 women who were advised revealed that 46% of the former group became pregnant, whereas in the advised group 88% achieved pregnancy. The conclusion is that abnormal semen may contain spermatozoal antibodies which adversely affect normal spermatozoa. In order to avoid the presence of spermatozoal antibodies on the wife's cervix, couples are advised to abstain from sexual intercourse, or to use a condom, for 2 days prior to AID.

Complement C3↗
PubMed1976

Surgical correction of truncus arteriosus in infancy.

An 8 week old infant with severe heart failure from type 1 truncus arteriosus underwent successful corrective surgery employing the Rastelli procedure with use of deep hypothermia and total circulatory arrest. Postoperative hemodynamic studies showed complete closure of the septal defect, disappearance of truncal stenosis, but presence of mild porcine valve stenosis. This procedure is possible even in very small subjects and is preferable to palliative pulmonary arterial banding.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1976

Antispermatozoal effects of human seminal plasma--an immunologic phenomenon.

Semen samples were obtained from seven men who had self-agglutination of spermatozoa, and a spermatozoal antibody in the immunoglobulin G (IgG) fraction of their blood. The seminal plasma of these men produced spermatozoal immobilization and agglutination when added to normal semen from healthy men. Analysis of the seminal plasma samples showed that they contained IgA and complements C-3 and C-4, whereas only 1 of 10 samples from normal men contained IgA, and none had complements C-3 and C-4. The IgG levels of the seminal plasma from the study group were higher than those of the controls. It is suggested that the mechanism of spermagglutination is one of autooimmunization in which the main antibody is IgA from the genital tract, augmented by a circulating antibody from the IgG fraction of the blood.

Autoantibodies↗
PubMed1976

Antispermatozoal immunoglobulin G in the sera of subfertile men.

Sera were obtained from seven men who had not fathered a child and whose semen showed self-agglutination of spermatozoa. These samples of sera produced considerably more immobilization and agglutination of spermatozoa and positive passive hemagglutination tests than did sera from men whose semen showed less than 10% self-agglutination of spermatozoa.

Autoantibodies↗
PubMed1975

Circulating antispermatozoa immunoglobulin G in men after vasectomy.

The sera from ten vasectomized men produced immobilization and agglutination of human spermatozoa and positive passive hemagglutination tests. Immunoglobulin G fractionated from the samples of sera produced similar effects. In these men, it appears that a circulating antibody, immunoglobulin G, was produced against spermatozoa after vasectomy. The sera from 22 men who had not undergone vasectomy did not cause spermatozoa immobilization or agglutination, and produced a negative passive hemagglutination test.

Adult↗