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Biomedical subjects

W P Johnson

Publications and source records attributed to W P Johnson.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1976

Sororal occurrence of diffuse esophageal spasm.

In this report, we have described two sisters with classical symptoms, radiological appearances, and manometric features of diffuse esophageal spasm. To the best of our knowledge, familial occurrence of this disorder has not been documented previously.

Esophageal Diseases↗
PubMed1976

Responses of the competent and incompetent lower oesophageal sphincter to pentagastrin and abdominal compression.

Responses of the lower oesophageal sphincter (LOS) to pentagastrin, given by continuous intravenous infusion in doses ranging between 0 and 9 mug/kg/h, and to external abdominal compression were measured by infused catheters in healthy subjects and in a group of patients with reflux oesophagitis. In separate experiments, pressures were measured both by sensors stationary within the LOS, and by repeated continuous withdrawals of sensors from stomach to distal oesophagus. In normal subjects, doses of pentagastrin within the physiological range (0.9 mug/kg/h) produced modest but statistically significant increases in LOS pressure. By comparison, sphincteric responses in patients with oesophagitis were small and a dose of 4-5 mug/kg/h was the lowest that produced a significant increase in LOS pressure. During abdominal compression increases in LOS pressure did not significantly exceed increases in intragastric pressure in either patients or normal subjects. This was so at all doses of pentagastrin that were tested. Hence, there was no evidence of synergism between the effects of pentagastrin and abdominal compression upon the LOS. We infer from our findings that gastrin does play a modest role in the physiological regulation of human LOS tone. Relative insensitivity of the incompetent LOS to pentagastrin represents, we believe, sphincteric muscle failure. Our results are not consistent with the hypothesis that LOS incompetence is due to loss or impairment of an adaptive response of the LOS to alterations in intra-abdominal pressure.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1972

In vivo formation of H2O2 in red cells during exposure to hyperoxia.

Chow-fed and tocopherol-deficient mice were given aminotriazole (AT), exposed to 100% O(2) at 60 pounds per square inch absolute for 1 hr (OHP), and red blood cells were assayed for catalase activity and lipid peroxide levels. A decrease of catalase activity (CA) in the presence of AT can be taken as evidence of excess formation or accumulation of H(2)O(2). No differences of CA were observed among chow-fed mice, with or without AT and/or OHP. Tocopherol-deficient mice with AT had lower CA (0.174+/-0.040) than chow-fed mice with AT (0.225+/-0.028) P < 0.01. Tocopherol-deficient mice with AT exposed to OHP had even lower CA, 0.137+/-0.024, P < 0.01.The data are consistent with the hypothesis that H(2)O(2) is formed or accumulated in excess in red cells of tocopherol-deficient mice, an effect that is enhanced in the presence of hyperoxia. They imply that tocopherol plays a role in the detoxification of H(2)O(2).

Animals↗