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Biomedical subjects

J Riley

Publications and source records attributed to J Riley.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Cardiac transplant patient at one year. Cyclosporine vs conventional immunosuppression.

From March 1, 1979 thru September 30, 1984 we performed 56 cardiac transplants (Tx). The first 32 patients received conventional immunosuppression therapy consisting of azathioprine/prednisone (I/P), while the subsequent 24 patients received cyclosporine/prednisone (C/P). Twenty-one of 32 I/P patients ages 39 +/- 3 years (SEM), and 16 of 24 eligible C/P patients ages 36 +/- 3 years, survived one year with follow-up through September 30, 1985. The one year post-transplant course of these 37 patients was evaluated by chart review. While donor ages are similar, ischemic time was shorter in the conventionally treated patients. The initial hospital stay for I/P vs C/P was 67 +/- 6 vs 33 +/- 3 days (p less than .05), at a total cost of $49,900 +/- $5,800 vs $53,800 +/- $10,000. During the first year following transplantation, the I/P patients required an additional 34 +/- 7 days of hospitalization, while C/P patients required 16 +/- 10 days. Over the first year, the number of infections and rejections differed at 2.8 +/- 0.6 per I/P patient vs 1.2 +/- 0.3 per C/P patient, and 2.5 +/- 0.4 per patient vs 1.5 +/- 0.3 per patient respectively (p less than .05). Renal function test results were better in the I/P group. Results of cardiac catheterization performed at one year were similar except for cardiac index and stroke volume index, both being higher in the C/P group. Coronary anatomy was considered normal in all. These data indicate that while overall survival is similar, a shortened post-transplant hospital course with fewer necessary hospitalizations, rejection episodes and infection episodes characterizes the first year in survivors receiving C/P immunosuppression. While both groups had multiple hemo-dynamic abnormalities as compared to normal subjects, cardiac index and stroke volume index were improved in the C/P group. Therapy with C/P represents an advance in immunosuppression for cardiac transplantation as compared to I/P; however, decreased renal function and diastolic hypertension were problems in the C/P group.

Arizona↗
PubMed1983

Recent advances in our understanding of pentastomid reproductive biology.

Pentastomids are arthropod parasites which attain maturity in the respiratory tracts of vertebrates. All pentastomids exhibit an obvious sexual dimorphism in that fully mature females are invariably much bigger than males. Unusually though, copulation, which happens only once in the lifetime of females, occurs when both sexes are approximately the same size and the uterus of the female is undeveloped. This is because sperm is stored in spermathecae which, being positioned at the junction of the oviduct and uterus, become more remote from the vagina as the uterus elongates during development. The provision of spermathecae for sperm storage allows oocytes, shed continuously from the ovary, to be fertilized from time to time. What renders this process quite remarkable, and possibly unique, is the extreme length of the patent period. In one species this can extend up to an estimated 10 years and is associated with an egg production of about 10(6) eggs/female/year. Spermathecal structure provides some clues as to how prolonged sperm storage and the continuous fertilization of oocytes is accomplished. The upper region of the access duct is a narrow, chitinized tube which tapers to as little as 3 microns diameter at the point of entry into the spermatheca. The chitinous (?) lining of the spermatheca is relatively impermeable and apparently functions to totally isolate sperm from external influences: stored sperm are arranged in bundles and whorls and remain totally quiescent and inactive during the storage period. The entire spermatheca is invested by muscle fibres, the contraction of which will express small numbers of sperms through the narrow access duct. These are then reactivated by secretions from the female reproductive tract: the extreme narrowness of the spermathecal duct provides the fine adjustment of the system. The narrowness of the duct also creates problems during the process of insemination, since sperm discharged directly into the female reproductive tract would be unlikely to find the spermatheca through such a structure. Accordingly, the male cirrus is much modified to directly penetrate the spermathecal duct during copulation. Sperms, stored in the male seminal vesicle, are apparently activated prior to sperm transfer, and swim along the cirrus to be guided directly into the spermathecal lumen. Some unusual variations on the normal pentastomid life-cycle are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Clinical toxicology of clotrimazole when administered vaginally.

Clotrimazole, a tritylimidazole and a new antimicrobial agent, produced itching and irritation of the vulva and vaginal area in less than 1% of the population (N = 131) studied. No abdominal cramps, headache or lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea were observed when 200 mg of clotrimazole was inserted deep in the vagina for several days.

Candidiasis↗
PubMed1979

The possible role of the frontal and sub-parietal gland systems of the pentastomid Reighardia sternae (Diesing, 1864) in the evasion of the host immune response.

The frontal and sub-parietal glands of the pentastomid Reighardia sternae elaborate lamellate secretion which is poured on to the cuticle. The entire surface of the cuticle, including the mouth, hook pits and reproductive apertures, is coated with secretion. Electron microscope studies indicate that the glands are continuously active, which implies a turnover of surface membranes. The postulated function of these membranes is to protect certain vital areas of the host--parasite interface, notably the pores of ion-transporting cells, from the host immune response. The available evidence suggests that pentastomids do evoke a strong immune response but since most are long-lived they must circumvent it. We believe the surface membrane system to be instrumental in this. Studies on another pentastomid, Porocephalus crotali in rats have shown that an immune response stimulated by a primary infection will kill subsequent infections and that the surface membranes are strongly immunogenic. Obvious parallels between this situation and that of schistosome infections in mammals are discussed. An alternative explantation of concomitant immunity is proposed.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Pulsatile buttock masses: gluteal and persistent sciatic artery aneurysms.

A case of persistent sciatic artery aneurysm in a 65-year-old woman was treated by exclusion and reconstruction with a saphenous vein graft. When cases such as this present as pulsatile buttock masses, arteriography is the most important diagnostic aide. It will indicate when the circulation must be reconstructed and when it is safe to simply ligate an aneurysm.

Aged↗
PubMed1976

Some observations on egg production and autoreinfection of Reighardia sternae (Diesing, 1864), a pentastomid parasite of the herring gull.

Egg production by Reighardia sternae, implanted at various stages of maturity into the interclavicular air sacs of captive gulls, is described. Females produce only 2900 eggs per lifetime over a short patent period of 1-3 days. The problem of a direct life-cycle in relation to this unusually low fecundity is discussed, and speculation is advanced concerning a possible parasitic behavioural trait which could facilitate direct transmission. The hazards of the latter are also offset by auto-reinfection.

Air Sacs↗
PubMed1975

Competition between two closely related Tetrabothrius cestodes of the fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis L.).

The two congeneic Tetrabothrius cestodes of the fulmar are so closely related that they can only be reliably distinguished by differences in the number of testes. The two species show a considerable distributional overlap along the intestine. Statistically it can be shown that high numbers of the common, anteriorly situated species (T. minor) affect the distribution of the rarer, more posteriorly situated species (T. procerus), causing the latter to occupy a more posterior site in the intestine. Several possibilities are discussed concerning the mechanism by which T. procerus is affected, and how this mildly competitive situation is maintained. It is probable that niche segregation between the two species is more or less complete, but that this is reinforced in concurrent infections by interactive site segregation.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

Some ultrastructural observations on the integument of a pentastomid.

The cuticle of the cephalobaenid pentastomid Reighardia sternae is described at various stages of the moult-intermoult cycle. The intermoult cuticle comprises four layers: an outer epicuticle; an underlying dense layer, the protein epicuticle; a fibrillar endocuticle; and a denser subcuticle. The overall similarity between the structure and composition of these layers and those of insects is discussed. However, the orientation of the chitin-protein fibres in the endocuticle does not show the rotating structure characteristic of many arthropod species, but this does appear in the sclerotized hooks. It is suggested that this comparatively loose, poorly oriented endocuticular structure produces a highly extensible cuticle which is precisely adapted to the specialize, endoparasitic habit of this species. Events at ecdysis, particularly the secretion of moulting fluid and the deposition of cuticulin, follow the insect pattern precisely. The phyletic significance of these observations is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

An experimental investigation of a direct life-cycle in Reighardia sternae (Diesing, 1864), a pentastomid parasite of the herring gull (Larus argentatus).

A direct life-cycle in Reighardia sternae, a cephalobaenid pentastomid of gulls was investigated: the work was prompted by a report of eggs and larvae recovered from the stomach and intestine of a naturally infected gull. Infective pentastomid eggs were obtained by surgically transplanting maturing female Reighardia, taken from freshly shot wild gulls, into captive recipients. Faecal material from birds thus artificially infected was collected daily and examined for eggs. Eggs were force fed to 33 hand-reared (from eggs or nestlings) juvenile gulls which were selected at random and sacrificed at intervals thereafter and examined for pentastomids. One hour after infection, primary larvae appear in the body cavity where they moult immediately. They grow steadily and by 27-35 days are sexually differentiated, and by 66 days have copulated. Fertilized females take a further 116 days to produce eggs by which time they are 7-6 cm long. The complex migrations undertaken by developing larvae in the gull, and the problems of the mechanism of direct transmission, are discussed.

Air Sacs↗