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Biomedical subjects

S Gallagher

Publications and source records attributed to S Gallagher.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Acceptable workloads for three common mining materials.

A series of psychophysical lifting studies was conducted to establish maximum acceptable weights of lift (MAWL) for three supply items commonly handled in underground coal mines (rock dust bags, ventilation stopping blocks, and crib blocks). Each study utilized 12 subjects, all of whom had considerable experience working in underground coal mines. Effects of lifting in four postures (standing, stooping under a 1.5 m ceiling, stooping under a 1.2 m ceiling, and kneeling) were investigated together with four lifting conditions (combinations of lifting symmetry and lifting height). The frequency of lifting was set at four per min, and the task duration was 15 min. Posture significantly affected the MAWL for the rock dust bag (standing MAWL was 7% greater than restricted postures and kneeling MAWL was 6.4% less than stopped); however, posture interacted with lifting conditions for both of the other materials. Physiological costs were found to be significantly greater in the stooped postures compared with kneeling for all materials. Other contrasts (standing versus restricted postures, stooping under 1.5 m ceiling versus stopping under 1.2 m ceiling) did not exhibit significantly different levels of energy expenditure. Energy expenditure was significantly affected by vertical lifting height; however, the plane of lifting had little influence on metabolic cost. Recommended acceptable workloads for the three materials are 20.0 kg for the rock dust bag, 16.5 kg for the ventilation stopping block, and 14.7 kg for the crib block. These results suggest that miners are often required to lift supplies that are substantially heavier than psychophysically acceptable lifting limits.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1991

Application of the murine anti-Gd-2 antibody 14.Gd-2a for diagnosis and therapy of neuroblastoma.

We have tested the sialoganglioside monoclonal antibody Gd-2a for scintigraphic diagnostic and for immunotherapy in children with neuroblastoma stage IV. We could confirm tumor sites with Gd-2a scans in 1/2 children. Doses of 20-60 mg/m2 were administered daily for 5-10 days. 2/2 children with multiple tumor sites showed significant tumor regression. Four children, treated preventively, are still in clinical remission. One child showed tumor progression despite Gd-2a treatment. Adverse effects included itching, rashes, and pain.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Acceptable weights and physiological costs of performing combined manual handling tasks in restricted postures.

Eight healthy, male underground coal miners (mean age = 36.9 yrs +/- 4.5 SD) participated in a study examining psychophysically acceptable weights and physiological costs of performing combined lifting and lowering tasks in restricted head-room conditions. Independent variables included posture (stooping or kneeling on two knees), task symmetry (symmetric or asymmetric), and vertical lift distance (35 cm or 60 cm). All tasks were 10 min in duration and were performed under a 1.22 m ceiling to restrict the subject's posture. Subjects were required to raise and lower a lifting box every 10s, and asked to adjust the box weight to the maximum amount they could handle without undue strain or fatigue. During the final 5 min of each test, data were collected to determine the energy expenditure requirements of the task. Results of this study demonstrated that psychophysical lifting capacity averaged 11.3% lower when kneeling as compared to stooping. Subjects selected 3.5% more weight in asymmetric tasks, and lifted 5.0% less weight to the 60 cm shelf compared to the 35 cm shelf. Heart rate was not significantly affected by posture, but was increased an average of 4 beats/min in asymmetric conditions, and by 3.5 beats/min while lifting/lowering to/from the high shelf. Oxygen uptake was increased by 9% when stooped, by 10% when lifting/lowering asymmetrically, and by 8.2% when performing the task to the high shelf. Results of this study indicate that, wherever possible, materials that must be lifted manually in low-seam coal mines be designed in accordance with the decreased lifting capacity exhibited in the kneeling posture.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Lifting in four restricted lifting conditions: psychophysical, physiological and biomechanical effects of lifting in stooped and kneeling postures.

Many underground coal mines are less than 1.2 m in height, and require that manual lifting tasks be performed in restricted postures (usually stooped or kneeling). Unfortunately, little is known about how these postures affect the underground coal miner's capabilities to perform such work. A previous Bureau of Mines study indicated that lifting capacity is greater when stooped than kneeling when lifting under a 1.2 m roof height (Gallagher et al, 1988). However, many low-seam coal mines present even more restricted headroom than 1.2 m. Therefore, a study was conducted to: (1) examine the psychophysical lifting capacity of low-seam coal miners under four restricted lifting conditions, (2) investigate the associated metabolic costs, and (3) analyse the electromyography (EMG) of trunk muscles when lifting in these restricted positions. Subjects were 12 coal miners accustomed to handling materials in restricted postures (mean age = 35.9 yrs +/- 6.4 SD). Results of this study indicated that lifting capacity was greater when the subjects could assume a stooped posture than when kneeling (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the metabolic cost was greater in the kneeling posture for heart rate (p < 0.001), oxygen consumption (p < 0.001), minute ventilation (p < 0.05] ), and respiratory exchange ratio (p < 0.05), despite the fact that miners lifted less weight in this posture. Analysis of the EMG data indicated increased activity of the electores spinae when kneeling (p < 0.001), but higher latissimus dorsi activity when stopped (p < 0.001). The findings of this study indicate that the weight of supply items should be reduced approximately 14-18% when the kneeling posture must be used for lifting.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1989

Symmetric and asymmetric manual materials handling. Part 1: Physiology and psychophysics.

To study the physiological and psychophysical costs of symmetric and asymmetric manual materials handling, two tasks were performed by 30 industrial subjects. In both tasks, box weight and handle position were varied. The symmetric task, lifting and lowering between floor and conveyor, showed handles to be beneficial. The asymmetric task was palletizing and depalletizing 36 boxes between a pallet and a conveyor. Both palletizing and depalletizing proved strenuous for females with heart rates exceeding 140b/min. All handle positions were better than No Handles, but the best handle position changed from asymmetric for 9 kg boxes to symmetric for 13 kg boxes. The effect of handles was equivalent to a weight change of 1-2 kg for Heart Rate and Rated Perceived Exertion, but much higher (2-14 kg) for Body Part Discomfort measures.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Symmetric and asymmetric manual materials handling, Part 2: Biomechanics.

Earlier studies of the biomechanics of handle placement and angles on boxes in Manual Materials Handling have been limited to sagittally symmetric tasks. This study extends the results to a palletization/depalletization task with considerable asymmetric movement. Part 2 shows how body posture, hand/handle interface, and disc compressive force change in this asymmetric task. The results were not too different from the earlier studies of symmetric tasks, except that a 'traditional' handle position in the upper part of each lateral face (the 2/2 position) proved more effective than had been anticipated.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Light-mediated changes in two proteins found associated with plasma membrane fractions from pea stem sections.

Irradiation of etiolated pea (Pisum sativum L.) seedlings with white light affects two proteins, both of monomer molecular mass near 120 kDa. Both proteins have been detected in association with plasma membrane fractions. The first is identifiable in that it becomes heavily phosphorylated when the membranes are incubated with exogenous ATP. The second of these proteins is phytochrome, as determined by electrophoretic transfer (Western) blot analysis. Measurable phosphorylation and phytochrome (the latter detected by antigenicity) decline when the tissue is irradiated with white light prior to membrane isolation and in vitro phosphorylation. The phosphorylated protein is probably not phytochrome for three reasons. (i) It shows a slightly different distribution in sucrose gradients. (ii) Red light causes a gradual decline in the phytochrome that is associated with membrane fractions but has a negligible effect on the phosphorylatable protein; blue light, on the other hand, causes significantly slower loss of phytochrome than does red light but brings about a rapid decline in the phosphorylation signal. (iii) The molecular masses are not identical. The association of both proteins with membrane fractions is probably neither ionic nor, at least for the phosphorylatable protein, the consequence of entrapment of soluble proteins in vesicles formed during tissue extraction. Phytochrome is lost from the membrane fractions during irradiation, as judged by loss of antigenicity. Whether the phosphorylatable protein is lost, a specific kinase is lost, phosphatase activity increases, or phosphorylatable sites are blocked as a consequence of blue light treatment is not known.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1987

Multiple microsample analysis of intratumor estrogen receptor distribution in breast cancers by a combined biochemical/immunohistochemical method.

A multiple microsample analysis of estrogen receptors (ER) was performed on 81 samples obtained from 21 human breast cancers using a biochemical (BC) and immunohistochemical (IHC) method. Qualitative agreement occurred in 96% of the cases. Using both the percentage of cells staining specifically for ER as well as the intensity of staining (Histoscore) a semiquantitative correlation between the two analyses was obtained. Large variations in cellularity and the percentage of cells that stained specifically for ER existed within individual tumors. In most cases the variation in intensity of staining was minimal. Both the level and distribution of ER in different areas of individual tumors were calculated using a correction for differences in cellularity amongst samples. Heterogeneity in ER level as well as distribution was found in some tumors. In addition, a "checkerboard" type of staining with intermixed ER positive and ER negative cells was observed. This combined BC/IHC method may provide specific information about intratumor ER heterogeneity not available from either method alone.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Influence on patient management of general practitioner direct access to radiological services.

We have looked at the effect of open radiological access on patient management during a 2-year prospective study in the radiology department of a teaching hospital and two general practices. Five hundred and thirty consecutive requests for radiological examination were studied. Chest radiographs (29.8%) and barium meals (17.4%) were the investigations most commonly requested. At the time of referral general practitioners indicated that if open radiological access had not been available, 78% of the patients would have been referred to specialist clinics. They also indicated that with a normal initial radiological examination only 12% would need referral to a specialist department. Open access appears to save outpatient consultations.

Ambulatory Care↗
PubMed1987

Peripartal changes in serum alkaline phosphatase activity and lactate dehydrogenase activity in dairy cows.

Peripartal serum alkaline phosphatase activity and lactate dehydrogenase activity were measured in 30 dairy cows in order to examine the association between retained fetal membranes and enzyme activity. Daily blood samples were obtained from pregnant cows, starting 15 days before the expected day of calving until eight days after parturition. Sera from 15 cows which retained fetal membranes longer than 24 hours and 15 cows which shed fetal membranes within six hours after parturition were analyzed for alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase enzyme activities. Mean alkaline phosphatase enzyme activities ranged from 15.93 to 32.6 U/L in retained and nonretained placenta cows. There was a trend towards higher serum alkaline phosphatase activities in retained placenta cows but the differences were not significant among the groups (P greater than 0.05). Mean lactate dehydrogenase activities ranged from 307.2 to 438.86 U/L in nonretained and retained placenta cows. Lactate dehydrogenase enzyme activities in nonretained and retained placenta cows were similar (P greater than 0.05). The alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase enzyme activities peaked at the time of parturition in both groups. However, the differences in alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase activities on different days within non-retained and retained placenta cows were significant (P less than 0.05). Results indicate that prepartal changes in alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase enzyme activities are not predictive of placental retention postpartum.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed1986

Oxalate degradation by gastrointestinal bacteria from humans.

Anaerobic bacteria that metabolize oxalic acid have only recently been isolated from the rumen and from other gastrointestinal habitats. They constitute a new genus and species, Oxalobacter formigenes. This report presents the first comparison of cultural counts of these organisms from human feces and indicates that numbers as high as 10(7)/g may be present in feces from normal humans. Rates of oxalate degradation by mixed bacterial populations in feces from seven normal humans ranged from 0.1 to 4.8 mumol/(g X h). With fecal samples from eight patients that had undergone jejunoileal bypass surgery, rates were much lower [0-0.006 mumol/(g X h)]. We propose that oxalic acid degradation by Oxalobacter formigenes may influence absorption of oxalate from the intestine and that lower rates or lack of oxalate degradation in the colons of jejunoileal bypass patients may contribute to the increased absorption of dietary oxalate and the hyperoxaluria commonly associated with such patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Adrenal insufficiency and bilateral adrenal enlargement: demonstration by computed tomography.

A patient presented with fever, malaise and a staphylococcal wound infection occurring 3 weeks after severe haemorrhage from a lacerated brachial artery. There were no clinical features to suggest Addison's disease but abdominal computed tomography to exclude abdominal sepsis showed bilateral adrenal gland enlargement with preservation of adrenal shape. This was consistent with resolving adrenal haemorrhage or infarction and endocrinological investigations confirmed primary adrenal failure.

Adrenal Glands↗
PubMed1985

Hot air breathing: effects of elevated wet bulb temperatures on tissue temperatures of the mouth.

Six healthy young men breathed room air or one of nine hot humid air conditions on separate days for one hour while walking on a treadmill (40% VO2 max). Inspired wet bulb temperatures ranged from 18.9 (room air) to 49.3 degrees C. Tissue temperatures in the mouth were measured by means of thermocouples placed on the tongue and hard palate. Analysis of variance on repeated measures showed significant increases in both tongue and hard palate tissue temperatures (p less than 0.001) as a result of increasing wet bulb temperatures; however, core temperature and heart rate were not affected (p greater than 0.05). Ratings of subjective discomfort increased proportionally with increases in wet bulb temperature of the inspired air. It was concluded that wet bulb temperature of inspired air is a valuable measure to uses in studying temperature responses of mouth tissues when inhaling hot humid air, particularly when investigating human tolerance levels in order to recommend federal standards for the design of breathing apparatus.

Adult↗