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Biomedical subjects

M P Flynn

Publications and source records attributed to M P Flynn.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

A serum-free culture method for myeloma progenitors in vitro: proliferative and immunophenotypic characteristics.

Methods for forming multiple myeloma (MM) colonies are difficult because nonproliferative, but viable, plasma cells can survive for several weeks in culture and because MM cells tend to clump readily, forming pseudo-colonies. The present study describes a method for growing pure myeloma colonies in serum-free conditions in which genuine myeloma growth is unequivocally demonstrated. Growth was observed in 17 of 32 MM bone marrow samples. After a delay of 3-5 weeks, during which most cells died, Ig light-chain-restricted colonies emerged, expanded for approximately 3 weeks, and then showed no evidence of further proliferation. Cell doubling time was 8-10 days, and a significant number of cells in all cultures expressed Ki-67, having earlier lacked this nuclear proliferation antigen. In addition, colony formation was abrogated by irradiation, and two of eight cultures were successfully replated in 0.8% methylcellulose. Phenotypic analysis revealed a mixed population of plasma cells (RFD6+) and B-lymphocytes (CD19+, CAL-LA-), and cells were consistently Epstein-Barr virus negative. Culture of myeloma bone marrow by this serum-free method will allow appraisal of the role of various recombinant growth factors.

Antigens, Viral↗
PubMed1989

Type II hyperprolinaemia in a pedigree of Irish travellers (nomads).

We describe a study of 312 subjects in 71 families near related to a proband with type II hyperprolinaemia. The subjects were Irish travellers (nomads) among whom consanguineous marriage and high fertility are common. Thirteen additional cases of type II hyperprolinaemia were discovered; all were offspring of consanguineous unions. A further 50 subjects were found to have mild hyperprolinaemia. We found a strong association between type II hyperprolinaemia and seizures during childhood but no significant association with mental handicap. Most adults with type II hyperprolinaemia enjoyed normal health and there was no evidence that maternal hyperprolinaemia compromised fetal development. The documented association between type II hyperprolinaemia and seizures may be related to the neuromodulatory or reducing-oxidising effects of proline and pyrroline-5-carboxylate, respectively, that has been shown in vitro. Alternatively, another genetic defect closely linked to the type II hyperprolinaemia allele could be the explanation.

1-Pyrroline-5-Carboxylate Dehydrogenase↗
PubMed1987

Effects of altering surface glycoprotein composition on metastatic colonisation potential of murine mammary tumour cells.

This study has examined cells from naturally-occurring murine mammary tumours to ascertain whether cell surface glycoproteins play a significant role in colonisation of the lungs after intravenous inoculation. It was found that gel electrophoretic analysis of membrane extracts and lectin adsorption studies did not reveal any consistent differences in glycoprotein composition of cells from tumours which can heavily colonise the lungs relative to ones from tumours which cannot do so or to cells from pulmonary metastases. Also, alteration of structural and functional properties of surface glycoproteins by treatment with succinylated lectins or with drugs such as tunicamycin and swainsonine, which inhibit glycosylation of membrane proteins, had no specific effects on metastatic colonisation of the lungs. Tunicamycin apparently decreased capability to form experimental metastases but also diminished tumourigenicity on subcutaneous inoculation, although it did not affect tumour cell viability in vitro. This information supports earlier studies from this laboratory involving enzymic digestion of the surface of living tumour cells before inoculation and demonstrates that the pulmonary colonisation capability of these mammary tumour cells can withstand global disorganisation of membrane glycoprotein structure and composition. This implies that either the surface glycoproteins are not important in the colonisation process, or that these tumour cells have great capability for rapid repair of their surfaces. It is concluded that a clear answer to whether surface glycoprotein composition has a decisive role in pulmonary colonisation by these mammary tumour cells requires introduction of stable heritable traits into tumour cell populations by genetic manipulation.

Alkaloids↗
PubMed1987

The Ring disaster.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

History, 20th Century↗
PubMed1975

Organochlorine content of milks, dairy products and animal feed ingredients: Ireland 1971-1972.

Milks (bovine and human) and dairy products (butter, cheese, skim and whey powders, calf-replacer, casein, butter-oil and dietetic food) were collected during 1971/2 throughout Ireland together with a more limited samples of the 10 major animal feed ingredients, and analysed for organochlorine insecticide residues using electron-capture gas chromatography. The different materials contained low or negligible levels of chlorinated insecticides. Apart from some of the animal feed ingredients the DDT residues were generally the predominant contaminants detected together with lower levels of gamma-BHC (lindane), aldrin/dieldrin and heptachlor/heptachlor epoxide. The maximum levels of these insecticides in the bovine milk and dairy products (511, 100, 62 and 21 mug/kg fat respectively) constitute only 50% or less of the Codex Tolerance Limits. The correspondingly low residue levels in the human milk (maxima of 128, 1, 1, and 5 mug/kg fat respectively) which at most represent insecticidal ingestion by infants equivalent to 13, 0-05, 5 and 5% respectively of the WHO/FAO acceptable daily intake for DDE, gamma-BHC, aldrin/dieldrin and heptachlor/heptachlor epoxide again pose no obvious health hazards and are strongly indicative of negligible organochlorine contamination in the general diet. The samples of animal feed ingredients examined also contained trace levels of ogranochlorines (maxima of 0-9, 0-1, 1-6 and 1-0 mug/kg respectively). More extensive monitoring of the residues in animal feed ingredients (the most probable source of milk contamination is advocated, and the desirability of tolerance limits for insecticides in animal feeds discussed.

Aldrin↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Midland Health Board staff and impact of cuts.

An analysis of the 2,719 staff of the Midland Health Board at 31 December, 1988 was made, on the basis of work done. This showed that 7.4% of the staff were engaged on administrative work. The pay cost of the administrative staff was 5.2% of total remuneration and 3.3% of all direct payments made by the health board. Between January, 1986 and the end of 1988, staff numbers were reduced by 293 (9.7%). Of these, 189 (64.5%) were catering, housekeeping and maintenance staff. In the same period medical staff increased by 5 (3.3%), paramedicals increased by 11 (10.4%) and administrators were reduced by 12 (4.2%).

Cost Control↗