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Biomedical subjects

R W Harland

Publications and source records attributed to R W Harland.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

Association of increased prostaglandin E2 content in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and intrathoracic malignancy.

Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), a metabolite of arachidonic acid, plays an important role in immunoregulation. We have previously reported an increased PGE2 content in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in 18 patients who had primary lung cancer as compared with 6 patients who had benign lung diseases and 10 normal smokers. In this article, we report our further observation, including additional 73 patients with primary lung cancer, 11 patients who had carcinoma other than lung cancer with and without lung metastases, and 24 patients with various benign lung diseases. Prostaglandin E2 content of BALF in patients with primary lung cancer and patients with extrathoracic cancer with lung metastases was markedly increased to 283.7 +/- 423.8 and 278.3 +/- 303.4 pg/ml, respectively. In contrast, patients who had extrathoracic cancer without lung metastases and patients with benign lung diseases had PGE2 content in BALF of 22.6 +/- 6.6 and 27.2 +/- 12.4 pg/ml, respectively. Values between the subgroups of patients with lung cancer (primary and metastatic) and patients with benign diseases or extrathoracic cancer without lung metastasis were significantly different (p < .001). Follow up of eight patients who successfully underwent surgical resection of cancer showed decreased levels of PGE2 in all but two patients. Although the exact cause and mechanism of the observed increase of PGE2 in BALF of patients with lung cancer are not clear at this point, current study together with our previous observations clearly indicates that the presence of lung cancer, both primary and metastatic, is associated with an elevated PGE2 content of BALF. The clinical significance of this observation is not known. However, an increased amount of PGE2 in BALF might adversely affect the course of lung cancer, because PGE2 is a down regulator of immune response against infection and neoplasm. Further investigations into the mechanism(s) and the role of PGE2 in BALF are warranted.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Lung carcinoma in a patient with Lucite sphere plombage thoracoplasty.

A patient with a history of pulmonary tuberculosis was treated in 1949 with Lucite sphere plombage thoracoplasty. She subsequently developed squamous cell carcinoma of the lung despite having no history of exposure to known carcinogens associated with the development of squamous cell carcinoma. The patient's lung carcinoma developed adjacent to the plombage space. Lung carcinoma has not previously been reported in association with Lucite sphere plombage.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Trends in the prevalence of asthma and dyspnoea in first year university students, 1972-89.

The prevalence of asthma and dyspnoeic symptoms were studied in undergraduates from Ireland, north and south, entering Queen's University Belfast in the years 1972, 1978, 1983, 1986 and 1989. The records of students' compulsory entry medical examination, including responses to questions on dyspnoeic symptoms in a health screening questionnaire, were reviewed. Between 1972 and 1989, the 12-month period prevalence of asthma increased from 1.3% to 2.84% (p < 0.001). This increase was not accounted for by the changes in the sex, or socioeconomic structure of the student body. In non-asthmatics the prevalence of dyspnoea rose from 5.49% to 8.30% (p < 0.01). In students with diagnosed asthma, the proportion with dyspnoeic symptoms did not significantly increase (p = 0.167). There was a greater than two-fold increase in the prevalence of diagnosed asthma in this population between 1972 and 1989. The prevalence of asthma was higher in rural than in urban students. There was also an increased reporting of dyspnoea in non-asthmatics, the significance of which is unclear.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Anal tuberculosis: report of two cases and literature review.

Tuberculous involvement of the anus is an extreme rarity. We report two cases of anal tuberculosis and discuss the clinical features, the difficulty in differentiating from Crohn's disease, and the diagnostic aspects in the context of the pertinent medical literature.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Alpha 1-adrenoceptor mediation of urinary bicarbonate excretion.

The adrenoceptor mechanism that mediates the reduction of urinary sodium (UNa V) and bicarbonate (UHCO3 V) excretion during 1.0-Hz renal nerve stimulation (RNS) was evaluated in 21 anesthetized dogs. In each animal RNS decreased UNa V and UHCO3 V without changing mean arterial pressure, renal blood flow, or glomerular filtration rate. After these initial responses, dogs were administered phentolamine [2.0 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 intrarenal artery (ira); n = 7], prazosin (0.7 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 ira; n = 5), (+/- )-propranolol (2.0 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 ira; n = 4), or atenolol (50 mg/kg iv; n = 5) and the renal responses to RNS were again tested. Both the antinatriuretic response and reduction of UHCO3 V during RNS were abolished by alpha 1/alpha 2-adrenoceptor blockade with phentolamine and by alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonism with prazosin. beta-Adrenoceptor blockade with (+/- )-propranolol (beta 1/beta 2) or atenolol (beta 1) did not alter either the decrease in UNa V or UHCO3 V after RNS. These results provide further evidence that, during low-frequency RNS, reduction of UNa V is mediated in part by carbonic anhydrase-dependent bicarbonate reabsorption. These antinatriuretic responses and decreases in UHCO3 V during 1.0-Hz RNS are mediated by adrenergic neurotransmitter stimulation of alpha 1-adrenoceptors.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Students' awareness of and attitudes to AIDS.

Students' attitudes to and knowledge and awareness of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) was assessed by questionnaire. The recent information campaign reached a high proportion of the sample of 1063 students and television was the most memorable medium. Students were generally aware that AIDS was not associated with social contact but there was confusion about the risk of infection from donating or receiving blood, with 17.9% of blood donors now less willing to donate blood. Most of the students were aware that the condom reduces the risk of spread of AIDS sexually but there was no indication of widespread condom usage among the 399 students who admitted they were sexually active; 39.1% of this group used condoms alone or with other protection. Almost half the sample (47.6%) would like to have the opportunity to have their blood tested for the AIDS virus; 96 students would prefer this to be at a clinic and 59 of them would not wish their family doctor to know the result. A high proportion of the sample considered that AIDS victims should be cared for at home or in a special hospice.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1985

Mechanisms of antinatriuresis during low-frequency renal nerve stimulation in anesthetized dogs.

The influence of 1.0 Hz renal nerve stimulation (RNS) on the renal excretion of sodium and bicarbonate was determined in anesthetized dogs before and during inhibition of renal bicarbonate reabsorption. RNS decreased both urinary sodium and bicarbonate excretion without changing arterial pressure, renal blood flow, or glomerular filtration rate. Pharmacological blockade of bicarbonate reabsorption with acetazolamide prevented RNS-induced decreases in bicarbonate excretion and reduced the antinatriuretic response. Physiological blockade of tubular bicarbonate reabsorption with intrarenal sodium bicarbonate infusion (1 M) abolished both the antinatriuretic response to RNS and the decrease in bicarbonate excretion. This physiological blockade of neurogenic antinatriuresis resulted from alkalinization of the urine and/or peritubular blood rather than an increase in filtered sodium load, because during intrarenal infusion of 1 M sodium chloride RNS concomitantly decreased sodium and urinary bicarbonate excretion. Since antinatriuretic responses and the decrease in bicarbonate excretion response to RNS were significantly decreased by blockade of bicarbonate reabsorption (with acetazolamide and intrarenal sodium bicarbonate infusion), antinatriuresis during RNS is partly mediated by a mechanism dependent on intact bicarbonate reabsorption. The data suggest that renal nerve activity may participate in the normal regulation of acid-base balance via changes in bicarbonate excretion.

Animals↗