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Biomedical subjects

P T Murphy

Publications and source records attributed to P T Murphy.

52 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

POEMS syndrome and Waldenström's macroglobulinaemia.

A 58 year old man presented with a three year history of impotence, night sweats and ankle swelling. On examination, the patient fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for POEMS syndrome, but was unusual in that he also had underlying Waldenström's macroglobulinaemia with IgM kappa paraproteinaemia. The patient was treated with intermittent chlorambucil and made a good recovery. POEMS syndrome has been described in association with osteosclerotic myeloma and Castleman's disease. The paraprotein involved is usually IgG or IgA with lambda light chains. This case indicates that the presence of lambda light chains is not essential for the pathogenesis of POEMS syndrome. It also emphasises the diversity of plasma cell dyscrasias that can manifest as POEMS syndrome.

Humans↗
PubMed1996

Successful use of topical retinoic acid in severe dry eye due to chronic graft-versus-host disease.

Topical retinoic acid has proved to be of variable benefit in a number of dry eye disorders of disparate aetiology, in which squamous metaplasia with keratinization of ocular epithelium is present. Its exact role in patients with dry eye however remains in dispute. We describe a case of severe dry eye due to chronic graft-versus-host disease, which was refractory to conventional therapy but which responded remarkably to topical retinoic acid with reversal of conjunctival keratinization and marked resolution of symptoms.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1995

Acute lymphoblastic transformation of essential thrombocythaemia.

Essential thrombocythaemia is a myeloproliferative disorder which may transform to acute myeloid leukaemia, especially following therapy with alkylating agents or radioactive phosphorus. We describe the rare occurrence of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia transformation in a patient with known essential thrombocythaemia.

Humans↗
PubMed1994

The distribution of brominated long-chain fatty acids in sponge and symbiont cell types from the tropical marine sponge Amphimedon terpenensis.

The tropical marine sponge Amphimedon terpenensis (family Niphatidae, order Haplosclerida) has previously been shown to possess unusual lipids, including unusual fatty acids. The biosynthetic origin of these fatty acids is of interest as the sponge supports a significant population of eubacterial and cyanobacterial symbionts. The total fatty acid composition of the sponge was analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry of the methyl esters. Among the most abundant of the fatty acids in intact tissue were 16:0, 18:0 and 3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-hexadecanoic (phytanic) acid. In addition, three brominated fatty acids, (5E,9Z)-6-bromo-5,9-tetracosadienoic acid (24:2Br), (5E,9Z)-6-bromo-5,9-pentacosadienoic acid (25:2Br) and (5E,9Z)-6-bromo-5,9-hexacosadienoic acid (26:2Br) were also present. The three brominated fatty acids, together with phytanic acid, were isolated from both ectosomal (superficial) and choanosomal (internal) regions of the sponge. Analysis of extracts prepared from sponge/symbiont cells, partitioned by density gradient centrifugation on Ficoll, indicated that phytanic acid and the three brominated fatty acids were associated with sponge cells only. Further, a fatty acid methyl ester sample from intact tissue of A. terpenensis was partitioned according to phospholipid class, and the brominated fatty acids were shown to be associated with the phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine fractions that are commonly present in marine sponge lipids. The phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylglycerol fractions were rich in the relatively shorter chain fatty acids (16:0 and 18:0). The association of brominated long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) with sponge cells has been confirmed. The findings allow comment on the use of fatty acid profiles in chemotaxonomy and permit further interpretation of LCFA biosynthetic pathways in sponges.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Identification and treatment of anaemia in older patients.

Anaemia in elderly patients should never be regarded as a normal physiological response to aging. Underlying causes must be investigated and treated in a similar manner to that used in younger adults. In addition to a thorough history and physical examination, basic investigations such as red cell indices and morphology, reticulocyte count, haematinic assays and occasionally bone marrow examination, will detect the underlying pathology in most cases. Anaemia may be classified, according to red blood cell mean corpuscular volume, into microcytic, macrocytic and normocytic types. Anaemia with an absolute reticulocytosis is due either to acute blood loss or haemolysis. Other anaemias, more frequently encountered in elderly patients, are hypoproliferative, and reflect depressed marrow production or impaired erythroid maturation. Examples include anaemia of chronic disease and iron deficiency and, less commonly, megaloblastic anaemia and anaemia due to primary bone marrow failure. The treatment of anaemia should aim to correct the underlying cause of the disorder and/or to improve the quality of the blood, e.g. by haematinic replacement therapy. Recombinant human erythropoietin has revolutionised the treatment of anaemia associated with chronic renal failure, while its role in other anaemias is currently under investigation. Regular blood transfusion may be required for some elderly patients with chronic anaemia. However, the attendant risks of this procedure, such as iron overload and viral hepatitis transmission, must be considered.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Isolation of brominated long-chain fatty acids from the phospholipids of the tropical marine sponge Amphimedon terpenensis.

Preliminary investigation of the phospholipid fatty acid composition of the tropical marine sponge Amphimedon terpenensis by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry revealed the presence of some novel brominated fatty acids. Two new brominated fatty acids, (5E, 9Z)-6-bromo-5,9-tetracosadienoic acid (2a) and (5E, 9Z)-6-bromo-5,9-pentacosadienoic acid (3a) were subsequently isolated from a chloroform/methanol (3:1, vol/vol) extract of the sponge and characterized as their methyl esters 2b and 3b. The known brominated fatty acid (5E, 9Z)-6-bromo-5,9-hexacosadienoic acid (4a) was also isolated. The new fatty acid methyl esters were confirmed as brominated delta 5,9 acid derivatives by chemical ionization mass spectrometry. The position of the bromine substituent was determined to be C-6 by nuclear magnetic resonance techniques while the stereochemistry of the two double bonds was deduced by nuclear Overhauser enhancement difference spectroscopy. The biosynthetic implications of the co-occurrence of the three brominated acids are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

The distribution of lipids and sterols in cell types from the marine sponge Pseudaxinyssa sp.

The sponge Pseudaxinyssa sp., unique in sterol and fatty acid composition, was cellularly dissected into fractions enriched in each of the major cell types present in the sponge: microbial symbionts (cyanobacteria), small sponge cells (pinacocytes and choanocytes), and large sponge cells (archeocytes and cyanophytes). Three phototrophic microbial symbionts were also isolated from the cell fractions and grown in culture. An unsymmetrical distribution of fatty acids and sterols was observed for the sponge cells: small cells contained larger quantities of long chain fatty acids (greater than C24) and smaller quantities of sterols than were present in the larger sponge cells. Moreover, the rare sterols 24-isopropylcholesterol predominated in the smaller sponge cells, whereas its 22-dehydro analog predominated in the larger sponge cells. Long chain fatty acids and sterols were not detected in the cultured microbial symbionts. This constitutes the first report of lipid variability according to cell type for this most primitive group of Metazoa.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Autologous stem cell transplantation in myeloma: the St James's Hospital experience, 1997-2003.

BACKGROUND: High-dose treatment with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has become the standard of care for patients with myeloma below the age of 65 years. AIMS: We report an audit of 60 patients (median age: 52.5 years) who underwent ASCT in the National Bone Marrow Transplant centre in St James's Hospital in Dublin between 1997 and 2003 inclusive. METHODS: Clinical and laboratory data were retrieved from patient medical records and hospital information management systems. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients had IgG, 11 IgA, 1 IgD, 9 light chain and 3 non-secretory MM. Fifty-seven (95%) patients received anthracycline-corticosteroid combination chemotherapy prior to autografting. There was no transplant-related mortality (TRM). Complete (CR) and Partial Responses (PR) were seen in 16 (29.6%) and 29 (53.7%) of those evaluable (n = 54 (90%)). The actuarial Progression-Free (PFS) and Overall Survival (OS) rates at five years are 13% and 55% respectively. CONCLUSION: Centre outcome is comparable to published international series and supports the use of ASCT in the treatment of this malignancy.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia associated with ulcerative colitis.

We describe only the second reported case of ulcerative colitis to develop autoimmune haemolytic anaemia following previous subtotal colectomy. After an unsatisfactory trial of corticosteroids and azathioprine, the haemolysis responded to splenectomy and removal of rectal stump and anal canal.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗