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Biomedical subjects

B F Walker

Publications and source records attributed to B F Walker.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Nutritional and non-nutritional factors for 'healthy' longevity.

The far-reaching effects of the ageing of populations is being increasingly appreciated. Lengthening longevity, associated with decreasing family size, evokes rising charges, socioeconomically, and on health services. Information on these and other parameters is presented for developed and developing populations. Examples are given, with lessons to be learned, of long-living segments of populations, past and present. The roles of diet, physical activity, and smoking and alcohol consumption also of attitudes, are discussed. It is concluded that if the middle-aged and elderly could be persuaded to follow long-term practices associated with good public health, then morbidity could be compressed, and disability-free years extended. However, this goal could only be achieved with a high level of motivation.

Family Characteristics↗
PubMed1992

Melanoma of the external ear.

Management of melanoma of the external ear is controversial. Thirty-one patients treated for this disease were identified at our institution between January 1, 1974 and December 31, 1989. Follow-up was an average of 7.12 years (range 1-15). Local therapy performed included 16 wedge resections, 3 split thickness skin grafts after excision to the perichondrium, 10 partial and 2 total amputations. There were two local recurrences, four metachronous cervical metastases, and four distant metastases. Three elective and five therapeutic neck dissections were performed. Survivors at 1, 5, and 10 years were 93, 77, and 47%, respectively. There was no relationship between DNA ploidy, local surgical therapy, and eventual recurrence. Clinical stage and tumor thickness demonstrated a statistically significant correlation with likelihood of recurrence (P = .02 and .05). There is no evidence that melanoma of the ear has a poorer prognosis or different prognostic factors than melanoma at other cutaneous sites. In selected cases, local disease can be controlled by excision and skin graft rather than the more aggressive current procedures.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Perplexing features in the occurrence of dental caries and its relationship to sugar intake.

Epidemiologically, there are numerous perplexing features, insufficiently appreciated, in the occurrences of degenerative diseases, and in the roles of their risk factors. This applies particularly to dental caries, the commonest of all diseases, and the risk factor, sugar intake. In some contexts, caries scores are much lower, or are much higher, than expected. Moreover, even in contexts where outwardly the same risk factors are widespread, ranges of scores are much wider than would be expected. In all contexts, among groups and more especially among individuals, the association of caries experience and dietary intakes, particularly that of sugar intake, is limited. Accordingly, caution must be exercised in the over-blaming of sugar and in the overclaiming of benefits to be derived from reducing intake.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Primary carcinoid tumor of the urinary bladder.

A 62-year-old woman who presented with urinary frequency and microscopic hematuria was found to have a 1.2 x 1.0 x 0.6-cm polypoid carcinoid tumor of the urinary bladder. The tissue resected from the base after removal of the polypoid lesion disclosed a small focus of residual carcinoid tumor, associated with Brunn's epithelial nests, cystitis cystica, and cystitis glandularis. Tumor cells exhibited strong argyrophilia and weak argentaffinity. Immunohistochemical staining reactions were strongly positive for chromogranin and serotonin, and electron microscopy revealed characteristic dense-core granules. Flow cytometric evaluation revealed an aneuploid cell population with a DNA index of 1.20.

Carcinoid Tumor↗
PubMed1992

DNA ploidy and cell cycle analysis in ear malignant melanoma by flow and image cytometry.

Sixteen ear malignant melanomas (MM) were studied for ploidy and cell cycle analysis by flow and image cytometry. The results were compared with clinical (age, sex, stage), histologic (depth of invasion, level, type) and prognostic (recurrence, death) parameters. Single nuclear suspensions were obtained from fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor and adjacent normal tissue processed separately according to Hedley's technique. These, a "spiked" specimen of normal tissue and tumor, and a spleen diploid control were analyzed on a FACScan flow cytometer (Becton Dickinson, Mountain View, California, U.S.A.). Feulgen-stained Cytocentrifuge preparations of nuclear suspensions of normal, MM and diploid spleen were analyzed with the CAS 200 Image Analyzer (Cell Analysis Systems, Inc., Elmhurst, Illinois, U.S.A.) against commercial calibration rat hepatocytes defined as diploid. Six (37.5%) MM were diploid, and 10 (62.5%) were aneuploid; 8 (90%) were hypodiploid, for a high frequency. There were no statistically significant correlations between clinical, pathologic, prognostic or cell cycle analysis parameters and ploidy, although poor prognostic features tended to be in aneuploid lesions.

Cell Cycle↗
PubMed1991

Body image and eating behaviour in interethnic adolescent girls.

Reports of major dissatisfaction among adolescent girls over body shape and their associated eating behaviour, prompted determining anthropometric and questionnaire studies on series of rural and urban black, Indian, and white girls aged 14-19 years. Variables were concern over weight, desired weight loss, also practices regarding binge eating, fasting, vomiting and laxative use. Black girls have low weight-for-age, yet experience more obesity than white girls; yet weight reduction, although desired, is seldom seriously attempted. Indian girls have low weight-for-age, principally for genetic, not social class, reasons; they also, even some underweight, desired weight reduction. White girls are also dissatisfied, although less acutely than girls in the US. The current attitudes of South African adolescent girls, apart from extremes, are unlikely to seriously prejudice their health.

Adolescent↗