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T Murphy

Publications and source records attributed to T Murphy.

119 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Walking the tightrope: balancing health and drug use.

This article stems from a study on San Francisco drug users and their health care experiences. Two hundred thirty-eight study participants were administered depth interviews and questionnaires to reveal a variety of health concerns and health behaviors. For these analyses, which focused on health practices and risky behaviors, the sample was divided into two groups: marijuana users, and other drug users (including methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and crack). The findings indicate that drug users behave similarly to the general population regarding health practices, such as eating regularly, sleeping regularly, taking vitamins, and exercising. One finding of interest was the high-risk sexual behaviors of the young, educated marijuana users. A majority of participants demonstrated strong concerns for their health and well-being, and further encouragement on this front is advised. Future research and directions for interventions are recommended.

Adult↗
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Haemophilus influenzae type b infections in day care attendees: implications for management.

Haemophilus influenzae type b is a major cause of several infectious syndromes in young children, the most important of which is meningitis. The mortality rate for H. influenzae meningitis in the United States is less than 10%; 10%-15% of survivors are left with neurologic sequelae. Children in day care may be at increased risk for acquiring primary invasive H. influenzae infection, although the mechanism of increased risk and the age of increased susceptibility are not known. Three prospective studies estimated the risk of subsequent or secondary infections as significantly lower than that observed in age-susceptible household contacts; a retrospective analysis suggested a different conclusion. Asymptomatic carriage rates of H. influenzae type b in day care centers vary widely. A retrospective analysis suggested that the administration of rifampin might have prevented subsequent infections in day care contacts; prospective studies are necessary to convincingly demonstrate the efficacy of rifampin prophylaxis among day care contacts. Acquisition of H. influenzae type b carriage has occurred even among those previously treated with rifampin. Until further data are available, rifampin prophylaxis is usually reserved for use in those facilities in which two or more cases of invasive disease have occurred within 60 days. The impact of the H. influenzae type b capsular polysaccharide vaccine on the epidemiology of disease in day care facilities is not known. However, because the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of the H. influenzae capsular polysaccharide vaccine are strikingly age-related, we recommend immunizing children in day care at 24 months.

Age Factors↗
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Incidental atypical pheochromocytoma in sporadic type IIb von Hippel-Lindau disease.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the features of an incidentally discovered atypical pheochromocytoma in an asymptomatic patient with normal blood pressure and the de novo appearance of sporadic type IIB von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease. METHODS: We review the clinical manifestations, radiographic findings, and unusual features of a large, atypical pheochromocytoma diagnosed in a patient with the rare type IIB phenotype of VHL disease. RESULTS: A 46-year-old man, who sought medical assistance in the emergency department after a motorcycle accident, had an abdominal roentgenogram that revealed extensive left suprarenal calcification. Computed tomography of the abdomen demonstrated a densely calcified left adrenal mass, bilateral renal cysts, and pancreatic calcifications. The patient was normotensive and asymptomatic and had no history of hypertension. He had undergone resection of a cerebellar hemangioblastoma at age 36 years and a partial left nephrectomy for a renal cyst at age 7 years. Routine biochemical screening demonstrated increased urinary vanillylmandelic acid and normetanephrine levels as well as an elevated plasma norepinephrine level. The adrenal mass was notable for the absence of increased signal intensity on T2-weighted magnetic resonance images. The patient was diagnosed with the type IIB phenotype of VHL disease and underwent resection of a 10.5-cm, 124-g benign pheochromocytoma. CONCLUSION: Our case emphasizes the importance of recognizing that pheochromocytoma may occur in association with sporadic VHL disease, that not all pheochromocytomas have an increased signal intensity on T2-weighted magnetic resonance images, and that routine biochemical testing for pheochromocytoma is important in all patients with an adrenal "incidentaloma."

Journal Article↗
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Multiple promoter and splicing mRNA variants of the epididymis-specific gene EP2.

The EP2 gene codes for a family of androgen-dependent, epididymis-specific secretory proteins. Using probes derived from human HE2 cDNA, a chimpanzee epididymal cDNA library was screened. Five variants of chimpanzee EP2 cDNA were identified. Variant 1 (EP2A) is the chimpanzee ortholog of HE2. Variant 2 (EP2B) has an alternative 5' end. Variant 3 (EP2C) has an alternative 3' end. Two additional variants were identified by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis. Variant 4 (EP2D) and variant 5 (EP2E) appear to lack an exon, resulting in a shift in the open reading frame. Presumably, the 5 variants originate from the same gene and result from alternative promoters and alternative splicing. Each of the putative proteins encoded by these variant messages has a leader sequence characteristic for a secretory protein. After removal of the leader sequence, each of these proteins is predicted to consist of 1 or 2 out of 4 possible peptide modules. Two of these modules have no recognizable homology to known proteins. The other 2 modules have a distribution of cysteine residues characteristic for beta-defensins, a family of proteins with antimicrobial activity.

Alternative Splicing↗