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Biomedical subjects

A Green

Publications and source records attributed to A Green.

At least 415 records · Page 23Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Sunscreen use on Queensland beaches.

The prevalence of use of sunscreens was assessed in an environment of high ultraviolet (UV) exposure by surveying 117 males and 126 females on two Queensland beaches. Using a questionnaire, information was obtained about their application of sunscreen on the day of participation in the study, thus eliminating recall error. It was found that 71% of the female and 68% of the male beach-goers sampled had applied sunscreen, 47% of which had the maximum Sun Protection Factor (15+) rating. There was no significant association found between usage and either skin colour or socio-economic status. Although 88% used a waterproof formulation, only 61% reapplied the sunscreen directly after swimming. Sunscreen was not applied to all exposed body parts, with over half of the subjects neglecting ears and lower limbs. Reported major reasons for use were to avoid skin cancer (44%), and to avoid sunburn (43%). The results of this study can assist in evaluating the effectiveness of present sun-protection campaigns in the short term.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

The epidemiology of pacemaker implantations in Fyn county, Denmark.

Throughout the last three decades the number of patients with pacemakers has increased. Registers of pacemakers and pacemaker patients have been established to monitor, for example, the battery life expectancy and patient data. We have analyzed the registry for Fyn county, Denmark, which includes data on incidence, prevalence, and mortality rates among patients with pacemakers during the period from 1964 to 1990. The analyses show that the prevalence rate is steadily increasing as a result of a combination of an increasing incidence rate and a stable mortality rate among the pacemaker patients. Based on the development in the first almost 30 years of pacemaker implantations, two trends of the future prevalence of pacemaker patients are projected. Provided constant mortality rates and expected incidence rates of 300 per million person years and 350 per million person years, respectively, the prevalence will reach a plateau of 2.7 per 1,000 persons and 3.1 per 1,000 persons, respectively, within the next 25 years.

Denmark↗
PubMed1991

Localized nodular synovitis of the ankle: a case report.

Localized nodular synovitis of the ankle in a 52-year-old male was treated with excision. Extensive articular destruction of the talar dome was noted. The diagnosis was confirmed by histology. A report of a similar lesion was not found.

Ankle↗
PubMed1991

Postoperative treatment of nonmetastatic visible residual neuroblastoma: a Pediatric Oncology Group study.

The Pediatric Oncology Group (POG) evaluated in a prospective study the hypothesis that patients who had localized, visible residual neuroblastoma without regional lymph node involvement after surgery (POG stage B) have a favorable prognosis when treated with moderate intensive chemotherapy. Eligible patients were initially treated with five courses of Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide; Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., Evansville, IN) and Adriamycin (doxorubicin; Adria Laboratories, Columbus, OH) followed by surgery (CY/AD +/- surgery). Those patients not achieving a complete remission (CR) crossed over to five courses of cisplatin and teniposide (PL/VM) +/- surgery. Radiation therapy (XRT) was given to selected patients who still were not in CR after the crossover therapy. Of the 61 eligible patients, 38 (62%) patients achieved CR after CY/AD proven by clinical (31) or surgical (seven) evaluation. One (2%) patient in clinical partial remission (PR-C) entered CR without further therapy. Nineteen (31%) patients achieved CR with the following salvage therapies: surgery (five), PL/VM +/- surgery (five) followed by XRT (three) or autologous bone marrow transplant (ABMT) (one) and further courses of CY/AD +/- PL/VM instead of courses of PL/VM (five). The overall CR rate was 95% (58 of 61). Four patients had recurrence of the disease. The probability of being disease-free at 3 years after initial or salvage therapy was estimated at 84% (SE, 5%). The overall prognosis of children older than 1 year and younger than 1 year was similar (P = .26). If, however, the three remission deaths (all younger than 1 year) were censored, there was only one other failure in 32 children younger than one versus seven of 29 children older than 1 year (P = .018). These results confirm the excellent prognosis for patients with POG stage B neuroblastoma and indicate that most patients are curable with CY/AD +/- surgery, and those not achieving CR with this therapy are curable with alternate therapy.

Abdominal Neoplasms↗
PubMed1991

Evidence for impaired coupling of receptors to Gi protein in adipocytes from streptozocin-induced diabetic rats.

Adenosine and prostaglandins of the E series inhibit lipolysis in adipocytes by binding to cell surface receptors. This inhibition is mediated via Gi. It has been reported that Gi is almost absent in livers from diabetic rats. Therefore, we have evaluated the sensitivity of adipocytes from diabetic rats to the adenosine analogue N6-phenylisopropyl adenosine (PIA) and to prostaglandin E1 (PGE1). Diabetes was induced with streptozocin (65 mg/kg i.v.), and after 7 days, adipocytes were isolated. Lipolysis (measured in the presence of adenosine deaminase) was inhibited by PIA and PGE1 in both control and diabetic cells. However, the dose-response curves were markedly shifted to the right in the cells from diabetic rats. The IC50 for PIA was 0.30 +/- 0.02 nM in controls and 0.83 +/- 0.08 in diabetic rats (P less than 0.001), and the IC50 for PGE1 was 3.16 +/- 0.18 nM in controls and 5.26 +/- 0.57 nM in diabetic rats (P less than 0.02). These findings indicate decreased sensitivity to both adenosine and PGE1. Adipocyte membranes were isolated from control and diabetic rats. Adenosine receptors (measured by binding of 125I-labeled hydroxy-PIA) were not altered in cells from diabetic rats. However, the ability of Gpp(NH)p (a nonhydrolyzable GTP analogue) to inhibit adenosine-receptor binding was markedly decreased in membranes from diabetic rats, suggesting a change at the level of Gi. The alpha-subunits of Gi1, Gi2, Gi3, and Gs were quantitated on Western blots with a series of recently characterized anti-peptide antisera. This revealed that the amounts of each of these G proteins were normal in membranes from the diabetic rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1991

Mesenteric blood flow in patients with diabetic neuropathy.

We examined flow velocities in the superior mesenteric artery and celiac artery in normal controls (group C, n = 11), diabetic patients (group D, n = 8), and diabetic patients with clinically evident autonomic neuropathy (group DN, n = 6) to further define the usefulness of duplex examination in the evaluation of the mesenteric circulation in normal and disease states. By use of a 3 MHz duplex scanner, peak systolic velocity, peak diastolic forward velocity, end-diastolic forward velocity, and peak diastolic reverse velocity were measured in centimeters per second before and after a standardized meal. The vessels' diameters in centimeters were also measured. After the meal peak diastolic reverse velocity disappeared in all patients. The average vessel diameter in the superior mesenteric artery (0.7 cm) and celiac artery (0.8 cm) did not change. Flow velocities in the celiac artery were not significantly altered by the meal. In the control group, peak systolic velocity in the superior mesenteric artery increased 38%, peak diastolic forward velocity rose 66%, and end-diastolic forward velocity increased by 70%. In the diabetic nonneuropathic group the changes were 15%, 98%, and 100%, respectively. These changes were statistically significant (p less than 0.01). On the other hand, the patients with diabetic autonomic neuropathy presenting a picture of gastroparesis did not exhibit the expected increases in postprandial velocities. Moreover, this alteration in blood flow velocity, although similar to that encountered in patients with intestinal angina, did not appear to be due to occlusive arterial disease on the basis of clinical examination and B-mode scanning.

Autonomic Nervous System Diseases↗
PubMed1990

Incidence and determinants of skin cancer in a high-risk Australian population.

In a Queensland community, we surveyed the incidence of basal-cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous-cell carcinoma (SCC), and associated risk factors. In December, 1986, 2,095 residents were examined by dermatologists for skin cancer. Of these, 1,770 further participated in a follow-up postal survey in December, 1987, regarding all skin cancers in the preceding 2 years, and 87 reported being treated for skin cancer in the 2-year period between December 1985 and November 1987. The estimated annual incidence rates of non-melanoma skin cancer in men and women aged 20-69 years were 2,389/100,000 and 1,908/100,000 respectively, with an overall ratio of BCC cases to SCC cases of 4.5 to one. While both tumour types occurred more commonly in fair-complexioned people, the risk associated with high sun exposure was greater for SCC than for BCC. Clinical signs of solar skin damage, especially the number of solar keratoses on the face, were the strongest predictors of both types of skin cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Early "step-down" transfer of low-risk patients with chest pain. A controlled interventional trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether providing private practitioners with triage criteria for their low-risk chest pain patients would safely enhance bed utilization efficiency in coronary and intermediate care units. DESIGN: Prospective, controlled, interventional trial using an alternate month study design. SETTING: A large teaching community hospital. PATIENTS: Cohort of 404 low-risk patients with chest pain for whom a diagnosis of myocardial infarction has been excluded and who have not sustained complications, required interventions, or developed unstable comorbidity. INTERVENTIONS: During intervention months, private practitioners caring for low-risk patients in the coronary and intermediate care units were contacted 24 hours after admission. Physicians were informed that the transfer of low-risk patients to nonmonitored beds could probably be done safely, based on the results of a pilot study. The practitioner had the option of agreeing to or deferring patient transfer. During control months, physicians were not contacted in this way. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Use of the triage criteria by private practitioners reduced lengths of stay in the intermediate and coronary care units by 36% and 53%, respectively. Bed availability increased by 744 intermediate and 372 coronary care unit bed-days per year. Charges decreased by $2.6 million per year and profits improved by $390,000 per year. There were not significant differences in complications between control and intervention patients and in no case (95% CI, 0% to 1.6%) did the triage criteria adversely affect quality of care. CONCLUSIONS: The early transfer triage criteria may be a safe and efficacious decision aid for improving bed utilization in intermediate and coronary care units. In addition, this study shows the feasibility of and potential benefits from applying practice guidelines at a community hospital.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Expression of T cell antigen receptor heterodimers in a lipid-linked form.

The interaction of the T cell receptor for antigen (TCR) with its antigen-major histocompatibility complex ligand is difficult to study because both are cell surface multimers. The TCR consists of two chains (alpha and beta) that are complexed to the five or more nonpolymorphic CD3 polypeptides. A soluble form of the TCR was engineered by replacing the carboxyl termini of alpha and beta with signal sequences from lipid-linked proteins, making them susceptible to enzymatic cleavage. In this manner, TCR heterodimers can be expressed independently of the CD3 polypeptides and in significant quantities (0.5 milligram per week). This technique seems generalizable to biochemical and structural studies of many other cell surface molecules as well.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed1990

Down-regulation of Gi sub-types by prolonged incubation of adipocytes with an A1 adenosine receptor agonist.

We have reported previously that prolonged incubation of adipocytes with (-)-N6-phenylisopropyl adenosine (PIA) (an A1 adenosine receptor agonist) down-regulates A1 adenosine receptors. There was a concomitant decrease in pertussis toxin catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of a 41-kDa peptide thought to be the alpha-subunit of Gi. To determine whether this represents true down-regulation of the G-protein, and if so which of the three known forms of Gi are down-regulated, we have used antipeptide antisera specific for Gi alpha-subunits. Serum SG1 recognizes alpha i1 and -2, I1C recognizes only alpha i1, and I3B recognizes alpha i3. Rat adipocytes were maintained in primary culture for up to 7 days with 0-1000 nM PIA. Crude membrane preparations were analyzed by Western blots. There was almost complete loss of alpha i1 and -3, and about 50% loss of alpha i2 from PIA-treated cells. The loss of each alpha i was detectable after 24 h with 300 nM PIA and maximal by 4 days. After 4 days, down-regulation was detectable with 3 nM and maximal with 100 nM PIA. Antiserum BN2 demonstrated approximately 50% loss of G-protein beta-subunits in cells treated with 300 nM PIA for 4 days. When cells were incubated for 4 days with 300 nM PIA and then washed to remove PIA, alpha i1, -2, and -3 and beta-subunits returned to control levels within 5 days. Antiserum CS1 detected normal amounts of both the 43- and 47-kDa forms of Gs alpha in PIA-treated cells. We conclude that Gi alpha-subunits are down-regulated along with the adenosine receptor in rat adipocytes.

Adenosine↗
PubMed1990

Plasma chloride and alkalaemia in pyloric stenosis.

Fifty infants with infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis were studied prospectively to evaluate the reliability of plasma chloride estimation in the assessment of the acid-base status on admission and during correction of alkalaemia. Four cases were subsequently excluded because of a breach of the study protocol, leaving 46 cases in the study. Seventeen (37 per cent) were normoacidaemic on admission; 13 had plasma chloride concentrations of greater than or equal to 106 mmol/l and four had chloride concentrations of 100-105 mmol/l on admission. Twenty-nine (63 per cent) were alkalaemic on admission; six cases had chloride concentrations of 100-105 mmol/l and 23 cases had concentrations of less than 100 mmol/l. Of those 29 cases requiring correction of alkalaemia, normoacidaemia was achieved at a plasma chloride concentration of greater than or equal to 106 mmol/l in 21 cases (72 per cent) and at a concentration of 100-105 mmol/l in eight cases (28 per cent). Plasma chloride is a reliable parameter in the assessment and correction of alkalaemia in infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis provided that a concentration of at least 106 mmol/l is the goal.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗
PubMed1990

Stress in surgeons.

A sample of 1000 members of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland was circulated with a postal questionnaire relating to their occupational stressors, their type A coronary-prone behaviour and their mental health. Six hundred and seventy-two (67 per cent) useable forms were returned anonymously. The major individual stressors were: (1) the interference of the job with personal life, (2) general administration, and (3) the number of patients in clinics. Type A behaviour was similar to that of other professional groups. Surgeons showed mean scores significantly higher than the general population on two subscales of the mental health index (free-floating anxiety and hysterical anxiety). The findings for the few female surgeons (2 per cent) were similar to those in men but they did not exhibit raised free-floating anxiety levels.

Adult↗