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Biomedical subjects

T Murphy

Publications and source records attributed to T Murphy.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Variability of the intracardiac electrogram: effect on specificity of tachycardia detection.

Correlation has been described as a method of high sensitivity to distinguish ventricular arrhythmias from sinus rhythm but the specificity of this algorithm has not been assessed. Ten patients with a history of chronic ventricular tachycardia were studied. The ventricular endocardial electrogram was recorded during sinus rhythm at rest immediately following exercise and during their clinical ventricular tachycardia. Each complex recorded during these sample periods was correlated with a template constructed during sinus rhythm at rest. Although for each patient the range of correlation values obtained at rest were clearly separated from those obtained during ventricular tachycardia, in 69% of cases there was overlap of the range in sinus tachycardia and ventricular tachycardia.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Assessing difficulties in the hospital treatment of children and adolescents.

There are few studies of treatment difficulty with children and adolescents. The authors describe a preliminary phase of research in this area, specifically the development of a set of rating scales to assess factors in treatment difficulty, a study of interrater reliability, and factor analyses of the content of these scales. The next steps in this ongoing research project are outlined.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Characteristics of chloride-dependent incorporation of glutamate into brain membranes argue against a receptor binding site.

Although membrane sites from brain, labelled with [3H]glutamate (Glu) under sodium-free conditions, are thought to represent excitatory receptors, certain anomalous characteristics of the kinetics of apparent binding raised the question of whether transport might contribute to this process, prompting a closer examination of it. Hyperosmolar media and low incubation temperatures (4 degrees C) both led to decreases in the apparent specific binding of [3H]glutamate to membranes from the brain of the rat in the presence of chloride. Furthermore, only 15% of the [3H]glutamate, bound at 37 degrees C, was dissociable when the membranes were then cooled to 4 degrees C. The binding of [3H]glutamate was increased in the presence of certain dipeptides such as L-phenylalanyl-L-glutamate (Phe-Glu); and the binding augmented by the presence of Phe-Glu, was also sensitive to temperature and osmolarity of the incubation buffer. Sonication of membranes in 5 mM glutamate increased the apparent binding of [3H]glutamate and abolished the stimulatory effect of Phe-Glu. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that chloride-dependent association of [3H]glutamate with membranes from brain reflects, in part, a sequestration process, which may be driven by glutamate exchange.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

On changing Indian eligibility for health care.

We analyzed the ramifications and potential effects of a pending regulation that restricts Indian eligibility for health care. The most serious implication is a dwindling of support for Indian health care while the health of Indians continues to lag behind that of all other groups in the United States. Empirical analysis in one service area of the Indian Health Service (IHS) in Oklahoma reveals Indians of lower blood quantum to be younger, lower utilizers of expensive medical services, especially hospitals. The sudden loss of health care benefits from IHS will be detrimental not only to this population and to an ever increasing number of Indians in the future but also to the local service units in the Indian Health Service.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Immunity to Haemophilus influenzae type b in young adults: correlation of bactericidal and opsonizing activity of serum with antibody to polyribosylribitol phosphate and lipooligosaccharide before and after vaccination.

Naturally acquired humoral immunity is thought to protect adults against serious infections due to Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). Antibody to the polyribosylribitol phosphate (PRP) capsule is generally considered protective; antibody to lipooligosaccharide (LOS) or outer membrane protein (OMP) may also play a role. Serum from 23 of 50 healthy young adults had no bactericidal effect (BE) against Hib yet opsonized these organisms for approximately 30% uptake by polymorphonuclear leukocytes. The degree of bactericidal and opsonizing activity in serum from the other 27 subjects generally correlated with the level of antibody to PRP but not to LOS or OMP. However, serum from some individuals had levels of antibody to PRP as high as 4.9 micrograms/ml without BE, and seven of 27 subjects with BE had antibody levels of less than 1 microgram/ml. After vaccination with 20 micrograms of conjugated PRP, the level of antibody to PRP was greater than 5 micrograms/ml in all 50 subjects. BE appeared in 22 of those who originally lacked it, and opsonization increased to approximately 50%.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Influence of alcohol and caffeine consumption on caffeine elimination.

Ten healthy male volunteers were each studied on four separate occasions to assess the role of regular caffeine and alcohol intake on caffeine elimination. Antipyrine disappearance was also studied as an established quantitative test of hepatic microsomal function. Regular caffeine intake in high doses for 1 week failed to alter either antipyrine or caffeine pharmacokinetics. In contrast, alcohol intake of 50 g/day significantly prolonged caffeine half-life by 72% (P less than 0.005) and diminished caffeine clearance by 36% (P less than 0.0005). However, antipyrine kinetics were unaltered. These results demonstrate that alcohol, in amounts commonly consumed, is a strong inhibitor of caffeine metabolism.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Maximum transfusion rates in neonates and infants.

A common method of rapid transfusion in neonates and infants is to manually inject an appropriate volume of blood using a syringe connected to a 3-way tap in the infusion tubing. We measured the maximum infusion rates this technique could generate through small bore cannulae (22 ga-25 mm, 24 ga-19 mm), and compared the efficiency of a range of syringe sizes. We also compared infusion rates generated by this technique with those obtained using a pressure pump chamber in the giving set. The manual syringing technique using a 10 ml syringe was the most efficient for all the fluids tested, providing infusion rates through the 22 ga cannulae of 64 ml/min for packed cells, 73 ml/min for whole blood and 105 ml/min for 0.9% saline.

Blood Transfusion↗
PubMed1984

Granulomatous hepatitis in Yersinia enterocolitica bacteraemia.

Bacteraemia caused by Yersinia enterocolitica was associated in a 60-year-old diabetic man with right upper-quadrant abdominal tenderness and abnormal liver function tests. Biopsy of the liver demonstrated granulomas with acute necrosis. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of granuloma formation in the human liver associated with this infection. Yersinia enterocolitica should therefore be added to the list of organisms associated with granulomatous hepatitis in human beings.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1984

Phenytoin induced gingival overgrowth in institutionalized epileptics.

In a cross-sectional, epidemiological study of phenytoin induced gingival overgrowth in 77 institutionalized persons with epilepsy, the severity of the gum lesions was quantified by means of a precise new technique. Lesion severity was then compared statistically to other clinical and laboratory parameters. Positive correlations were detected between overgrowth severity and gingival inflammation, probing depths, calculus accumulation, plaque score and the measurement gingival margin to mucogingival junction (GM-MGJ). No correlation was observed between lesion severity and patients age, daily drug dosage, plasma or saliva phenytoin level, or salivary concentration of the major phenytoin metabolite.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Salivary phenytoin levels in institutionalized epileptics.

Measurement of phenytoin (PHT) levels in saliva has been advocated as a monitor of plasma levels, and therefore of effective dosage. All studies to date have been performed on outpatients. We have now analyzed whole saliva from 62 mentally retarded, institutionalized, PHT-treated persons with epilepsy. Both PHT and its major human metabolite, 5-(para-hydroxyphenyl)-5-phenylhydantoin (pHPPH) were measured using gas-liquid chromatography. We detected large inter-individual variations in saliva PHT and pHPPH levels. Data were ranked and subjected to statistical analysis according to Spearman. Significant positive correlations were detected between daily PHT dose and plasma total PHT concentration, plasma PHT and salivary PHT, and daily dose and salivary PHT level. When data were categorized and analyzed according to the type of medication being administered in addition to PHT, different results were obtained. Polypharmacy can influence drug and metabolite levels and relationships in institutionalized persons with epilepsy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Regional vs systemic effect of cis-dichlorodiammine platinum (II) on squamous cell carcinoma in rats.

Utilizing a model that compares the effects of chemotherapeutic agents given regionally vs systemically in the same animal, the effects of cis-dichlorodiammine platinum (II) (cis-platinum) were evaluated. Squamous cell carcinoma was implanted at the bases of both ears of Fisher-344 rats. By retrograde cannulation of a branch of the external carotid artery, tumors on the right were treated by intra-arterial infusions of varying doses of cis-platinum while tumors on the left were treated only after systemic circulation of the same drug. The investigators found that cisplatinum is effective in decreasing the rate of tumor growth compared to control animals treated with saline; however, they found no difference in the rate of growth between tumors treated regionally vs systemically and therefore no advantage in the intra-arterial administration of the drug at the doses and rates of infusion tested.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Differential diagnosis and mental illness.

In considering the argument that Thomas Szasz advances on behalf of his claim that there is no mental illness, it becomes evident that despite his stated assumptions, moral valuations are necessarily tied up with assessment of disease. By following his remarks about differential diagnosis, it becomes evident that behavior is the occasion for differential diagnosis, that behavior determines which anatomical deviations are counted as diseases, and that Szasz's insistence on autonomy introduces his own moral assumptions into the concept of disease. Consequently, although none of these considerations disproves Szasz's conclusions about the existence of mental illness, neither can his argument support the weight of that conclusion.

Acting Out↗
PubMed1981

Furazolidone and quinacrine. Comparative study of therapy for giardiasis in children.

Furazolidone and quinacrine hydrochloride were compared for efficacy, toxicity, and ease of administration in 45 young children with giardiasis. With the initial course of therapy, the cure rate was 89% (17/19) with furazolidone and with quinacrine it was 64% (9/14) in children less than 5 years and 92% (11/12) in older children. Cure rates for all courses of therapy were 92% (24/26) with furazolidone and 53% (9/17) and 92% (12/13) in the younger and older children, respectively, treated with quinacrine. Quinacrine failure was usually due to severe vomiting. When re-treated with furazolidone, patients were cured. The disadvantages of furazolidone are the large volume of doses and the expense. In this study, furazolidone was more effective and better tolerated than quinacrine for the treatment of giardiasis.

Adolescent↗