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Biomedical subjects

L A Pierce

Publications and source records attributed to L A Pierce.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Laser physics and physiology.

Laser light begins when an excited and unstable electron moves from its unstable state back to a more stable state producing energy in the form of a photon. Laser light is coherent which means that the light waves move in phase together in space and time. Laser light is monochromatic which means it is comprised of only one color or wavelength. Laser light is also collimated which means it is perfectly parallel and travels in a single direction with very little divergence. Medical lasers fall in the infrared and visible as well as ultraviolet portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and are available at different wavelengths. The wavelength of each laser partially determines the effect it will have on tissue. A specific wavelength or color can be used to selectively target a specific tissue such as hemoglobin, water, or melanin. Heat is produced by the laser, destroying the targeted tissues.

Humans↗
PubMed1996

Phagocyte chemiluminescence in pre-term infants.

Intact phagocyte function is a pre-requisite for successful defence against infection, but paradoxically, these cells may also play a major role in the pathogenesis of the infant respiratory distress syndrome. Phagocyte function is known to be deficient in pre-term infants, who are at risk of infection as a result, but these infants are also at risk of respiratory distress syndrome as a result of surfactant deficiency. Despite this, few longitudinal studies of phagocyte function have been performed in pre-term infants. We have used lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence to examine the respiratory burst of mixed samples containing polymorphonuclear leucocytes and monocytes of 100 pre-term infants at 48- to 72-h intervals during their admission to a neonatal care unit. Increased polymorphonuclear leucocyte chemiluminescence was associated with respiratory distress syndrome and the use of intermittent positive pressure ventilation. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed a slight, but significant depression of chemiluminescence in association with the use of gentamicin and penicillin when stronger influencing factors such as the presence of respiratory distress syndrome were taken into consideration. Measurement of phagocyte function by sensitive luminescence assays requires very little blood and may be useful in pre-term infants to follow the severity of respiratory distress syndrome. However, it is probable that other factors such as antioxidant capacity also have an important influence on the degree of tissue damage.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1995

Antibiotic effects on phagocyte chemiluminescence in vitro.

Phagocytes are an essential defence against infection. Since drugs which affect their function may alter the outcome of infections, we have studied the effect of nine antibiotics on phagocyte function in vitro. The effects of antibiotics on the respiratory burst function of phagocytes from healthy adult donors were investigated using lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence in response to serum-opsonised zymosan. Aminoglycosides showed dose-dependent suppression of polymorphonuclear leucocyte chemiluminescence, except streptomycin which caused enhancement. Erythromycin caused profound suppression of chemiluminescence from both polymorphonuclear leucocytes and monocytes. Benzylpenicillin and the cephalosporins caused variable suppression of phagocyte chemiluminescence: cefotaxime increased monocyte chemiluminescence in some experiments. None of the drugs produced suppression at clinically relevant plasma concentrations, but erythromycin and some other drugs are preferentially concentrated in phagocytes to levels which suppress their oxidative metabolism in vitro. It is therefore possible that some antibiotics alter phagocyte function: ex vivo studies of phagocyte function in patients taking antibiotics would be valuable.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗