Dr Christian Research Articles

Adverse drug reactions — a practical guide to diagnosis and management. Edited by Dr Christian Bénichou. John Wiley & Sons

Adverse drug reactions — a practical guide to diagnosis and management. Edited by Dr Christian Bénichou. John Wiley & Sons

Ethical Considerations in Listing Fetuses as Candidates for Neonatal Heart Transplantation

SINCE Dr Christian Barnard performed the first adult heart transplant in 1967, this procedure has evolved into a lifesaving surgery for many people with end-stage cardiac function. The first efforts at neonatal heart transplantation were undertaken in 1967 and 1968. 1,2 Both of the infants died within a few hours, temporarily dampening enthusiasm for this procedure in the neonate. In the 1980s, with the advent of improved immunosuppression, solid-organ transplantation became a more feasible treatment for end-stage organ disorders, and interest in neonatal cardiac transplantation was renewed. In the United States, the number of cardiac transplants performed in children less than 1 year of age rose from two in 1984 to 82 in 1990. 3 By 1989, surgeons had performed pediatric cardiac transplantation in 61 centers. 4 Survival with 4 to 40 months of follow-up ranges between 63% and 84%. 5-7 Evaluations to date show normal growth and development of

Melanin-related biochemistry of IGR 1 human melanoma cells

Cultured melanoma cells have been of great value in the study of pigment metabolism. IGR 1 human melanoma cells, established by Dr Christian Aubert, produce melanin in large quantities. These cells have been used for isolation of human tyrosinase which enzyme has not previously been obtained in a pure form. IGR 1 cells contain large amounts of 5-S-cysteinyldopa which is the quantitatively most important catecholic amino acid. This review deals with the metabolism of dopa, cysteinyldopa, glutathionyldopa, cysteine and glutathione, compounds of central importance in pigment metabolism. The information available on tyrosinase, catecholic compounds and on thiols in IGR 1 melanoma cells makes these cells most suitable for further investigation of the metabolism of human melanoma cells.

The Changing Face of Asthma-Reply

<h3>In Reply.—</h3> In our articles, the intent was to demonstrate that recent trends are not an artifact resulting from diagnostic changes. The records systems used for our analyses were not designed to collect information on the many risk factors for asthma. The National Hospital Discharge Survey is based on a sample of hospitals and does not have data appropriate for small, local-area analysis of exposures to factors such as air quality or person-specific information. The US vital record system can be used to study small, local areas. However, death from asthma is a relatively infrequent event; hence, reliable statistics cannot be calculated for small populations, or even large populations over a small period of time. Dr Christian reasonably suggests that air pollutants may be influencing these recent trends. A number of experimental studies and analyses of health event clusters implicate various air pollutants as bronchial irritants. Questions related to asthma

Cardiac Transplantation in Children

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW In 1967, Dr Christian Barnard1 captured the imagination of the world's lay and medical communities when he performed the first human orthotopic cardiac allotransplant. Although the recipient survived for only 17 days, even this limited success spurred many centers around the world to attempt heart transplantation in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Interestingly, Dr Adrian Kantrowitz2 in Brooklyn, NY, had attempted a human neonatal cardiac transplantation nearly coincidentally with Dr Barnard's historic operation; the neonate survived only a few hours. Because of poor results secondary to rejection, infection, and donor shortage, most centers had abandoned their heart transplantation programs by the middle 1970s. Experience at the few centers that persisted with heart transplantation, Stanford University being the most notable, led to improved candidate selection and improved immunosuppression. The introduction of endomyocardial biopsy in 19733 for the diagnosis of rejection also contributed substantially to improved understanding and management of this complication. In the late 1970s, encouraging results from Stanford prompted renewed interest in the procedure. However, pediatric experience, even at Stanford, was limited to a small number of adolescents during the 1970s. In 1980, the introduction of a new maintenance immunosuppressive drug, cyclosporine A, led to improved survival because of less infection and better management of the rejection process.

Cardiac transplantation in children.

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW In 1967, Dr Christian Barnard1 captured the imagination of the world9s lay and medical communities when he performed the first human orthotopic cardiac allotransplant. Although the recipient survived for only 17 days, even this limited success spurred many centers around the world to attempt heart transplantation in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Interestingly, Dr Adrian Kantrowitz2 in Brooklyn, NY, had attempted a human neonatal cardiac transplantation nearly coincidentally with Dr Barnard9s historic operation; the neonate survived only a few hours. Because of poor results secondary to rejection, infection, and donor shortage, most centers had abandoned their heart transplantation programs by the middle 1970s. Experience at the few centers that persisted with heart transplantation, Stanford University being the most notable, led to improved candidate selection and improved immunosuppression. The introduction of endomyocardial biopsy in 19733 for the diagnosis of rejection also contributed substantially to improved understanding and management of this complication. In the late 1970s, encouraging results from Stanford prompted renewed interest in the procedure. However, pediatric experience, even at Stanford, was limited to a small number of adolescents during the 1970s. In 1980, the introduction of a new maintenance immunosuppressive drug, cyclosporine A, led to improved survival because of less infection and better management of the rejection process.