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Biomedical subjects

M Bierman

Publications and source records attributed to M Bierman.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Effects of continuous lateral rotation therapy on pulmonary complications in liver transplant patients.

BACKGROUND: When liver transplant candidates and recipients suffer from pulmonary complications of immobility, the results can be life-threatening. Continuous lateral rotation therapy has been reported to decrease complications of immobility. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether continuous lateral rotation therapy decreases the duration of mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit length of stay, incidence or resolution of atelectasis, incidence or onset time of lower respiratory tract infection and pneumonia. METHODS: Sixty-nine subjects admitted to a liver transplant intensive care unit at a university teaching hospital were randomly assigned to continuous lateral rotation therapy or a stationary bed. All subjects were mechanically ventilated for 24 hours and had a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 11 or less upon admission to the study. Subjects were followed until out of bed, unable to rotate for 3 consecutive days, or transferred from the intensive care unit. Data and chest roentgenogram results were collected on admission and daily during the study. Sputum culture results were obtained if available as part of normal patient care. RESULTS: Incidence of lower respiratory tract infection was significantly lower and length of time to occurrence of lower respiratory tract infection was significantly longer in the continuous lateral rotation therapy group than in the stationary bed group. CONCLUSIONS: Although continuous lateral rotation therapy did not affect duration of mechanical ventilation, length of stay, or incidence of atelectasis, it was effective in decreasing the incidence of, and increasing onset time to, lower respiratory tract infection in the liver transplantation population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Atheroembolic renal disease: experience with 22 patients.

Atheroembolic renal disease (ARD) following an arteriographic procedure developed in 17 patients over a 107-month period in which 14,998 procedures were performed at two hospitals. The incidence of ARD per arteriographic procedure was 0.1%. A review of all nephrology consults during this same period identified five patients with ARD unrelated to a procedure (spontaneous disease). ARD was diagnosed 5.3 +/- 0.9 weeks following an arteriographic procedure. Patients most likely to be diagnosed with ARD were those recently undergoing arteriography (77%), the elderly (mean 69.9 years), males (73%), Caucasians (95%) and patients with renal insufficiency prior to arteriography. In the patients who had arteriography, the baseline serum creatinine increased significantly from a mean of 3.0 +/- 0.6 mg/dl to 6.6 +/- 1.1 mg/dl at the time of diagnosis (P < .05). The mortality rate of 16 patients who progressed to end stage renal disease was significantly greater (75%) than 6 patients who recovered renal function (17%; P < .05).

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Plasmid cloning vectors for the conjugal transfer of DNA from Escherichia coli to Streptomyces spp.

We have constructed cloning vectors for the conjugal transfer of DNA from Escherichia coli to Streptomyces spp. All vectors contain the 760-bp oriT fragment from the IncP plasmid, RK2. Transfer functions need to be supplied in trans by the E. coli donor strain. We have incorporated into these vectors selectable antibiotic-resistance markers (AmR, ThR, SpR) that function in Streptomyces spp. and other features that should allow for: (i) integration via homologous recombination between cloned DNA and the Streptomyces spp. chromosome, (ii) autonomous replication, or (iii) site-specific integration at the bacteriophage phi C31 attachment site. Shuttle cosmids for constructing genomic libraries and bacteriophage P1 cloning vector capable of accepting approx. 100-kb fragments are also described. A simple mating procedure has been developed for the conjugal transfer of these vectors from E. coli to Streptomyces spp. that involves plating of the donor strain and either germinated spores or mycelial fragments of the recipient strain. We have shown that several of these vectors can be introduced into Streptomyces fradiae, a strain that is notoriously difficult to transform by PEG-mediated protoplast transformation.

Bacteriophages↗
PubMed1987

Transverse myelitis and optic neuritis in systemic lupus erythematosus: a case report with magnetic resonance imaging findings.

We describe a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus who developed transverse myelitis and optic neuritis. Magnetic resonance imaging showed the presence of an abnormal signal in a normal-sized spinal cord which corresponded to the patient's neurologic deficit. No abnormality was recognized in either optic nerve. Magnetic resonance may prove to be a useful imaging modality for the diagnosis of a transverse myelopathy in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Protamine sulfate causes pulmonary hypertension and edema in isolated rat lungs.

The polycation protamine sulfate increases microvascular permeability in the kidney by reducing glomerular charge. We have exposed the pulmonary vasculature to protamine sulfate to determine whether electrical charges play a role in protein permeability in lung vascular beds. In anephric rats, protamine sulfate increased hematocrit approximately 25%. With protamine sulfate doses of 0.08 and 0.04 mg/g body wt, lung blood-free wet-to-dry weight ratios were increased (5.24 +/- 0.8 and 4.89 +/- 0.7) compared with control (3.85 +/- 0.3) (P less than 0.05). In isolated, ventilated, and perfused lungs 0.04 mg/g body wt protamine sulfate increased pulmonary arterial pressure from 5.2 +/- 1.4 to 16.3 +/- 3.9 mmHg (P less than 0.01). These lungs gained weight and lung wet-to-dry weight ratios were significantly increased (15.33 +/- 4.26 compared with 6.04 +/- 0.24 for control lungs). Poly-L-lysine, another polycation, also caused significant increases in pulmonary arterial pressure, lung weight, and lung wet-to-dry weight ratios. The addition of diphenhydramine to the perfusate 10 min before the addition of protamine sulfate did not prevent these changes. Heparin (90 U/mg protamine sulfate) reversed the abnormalities. Pulmonary arterial pressure (7.0 +/- 1.1 mmHg) was not significantly different from the control value, lung weight did not increase, and the lung wet-to-dry weight ratio was 6.24 +/- 0.23 (P greater than 0.05). We conclude that polycations have a significant effect on pulmonary vascular resistance and perhaps on permeability.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Menstrual function and renal transplantation.

Patients with chronic renal insufficiency usually have menstrual dysfunction. Recent methods of managing chronic renal failure include renal transplantation. In a few instances, previously infertile women have become pregnant. We have studied 23 women who have undergone renal transplantation. Our findings support previous contentions that menstrual irregularity is frequent among women with chronic renal insufficiency. Amenorrhea was the prevailing disturbance and it was not reversed by hemodialysis. Renal transplantation was associated with a return of normal menstrual patterns in 60% of our patient population, and 4 patients experienced pregnancy. These findings support our recommendation of reproductive counseling for all women between the ages of 15 and 50 years who are treated by renal transplantation.

Adolescent↗