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Biomedical subjects

B Johnson

Publications and source records attributed to B Johnson.

At least 433 records · Page 24Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Secreted peptides as regulators of neuron-glia and glia-glia interactions in the developing nervous system.

Secreted peptides of the nervous system help to regulate neuron-glia and glia-glia interactions during development. These regulatory factors, referred to as glia-promoting factors (GPFs), act on specific classes of glia and include oligodendroglia-stimulating peptides, interleukin-1 (IL-1), colony-stimulating factors (CSF), and fibroblast growth factor (FGF). The maturity of secretory and target cells determines, in part, the ability of a factor to influence glial proliferation, activation, or differentiation. During neural development, GPFs help to control such fundamentally important events as cell movement, neurite outgrowth, and myelination.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Functional imaging of brain responses to repetitive sensory stimulation: sources estimated from EEG and SPECT.

This study examined the effect of modality of stimulation on two measures of cerebral function: (a) the scalp distribution of sensory evoked potentials and (b) the cerebral distribution of radiolabelled HMPAO. Steady-state stimulation in the auditory, somatosensory or visual modality was presented to six subjects. Scalp potentials were measured from a distribution of electrodes, and the radiopharmaceutical was injected through an indwelling intravenous catheter midway through the stimulation/recording session. Equivalent dipole sources estimated from the spatial distribution of the scalp potentials were found to be consistent with regions of high HMPAO uptake as imaged by Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT).

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

An observational study of attending rounds.

The authors conducted an observational study of attending rounds to determine the current status of this form of clinical teaching in a university-based internal medicine department. Using two forms of measurement, questionnaires and timed observations, we found that 63% of attending physician time was spent in the conference room, 26% in hallways, and only 11% at the bedside. Significant differences were found between estimated and actual times, particularly in discussing previously admitted patients, patient interactions, data reviews, topic presentations, and the category of "other" activities. These results provide a framework for appraising attending rounds and identifying areas that may be improved with a teaching workshop intervention.

Arizona↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Alcoholism: a challenging physician-patient encounter.

Physicians can be most helpful to alcoholic patients, whatever the stage of progression of their illness, by adopting the following strategies: 1. Become familiar with the interactional dynamics that result from denial so as to improve data gathering and interpretation, resulting in better diagnostic acumen. Expect to feel uncomfortable because of the interpersonal nature of alcoholism's defenses. Tolerate these feelings through helping the patient to see how uncomfortable he is because of the illness. 2. Adopt a nonjudgmental stance regarding the complex origins of the problem, and develop the skills to communicate respect and compassion to people who feel demoralized, ashamed, afraid, depressed, and hopeless. 3. Support and encourage the patient in surmounting the obstacles to accepting each day the responsibility for participating in whichever form of treatment fits his or her stage of the illness. 4. Refuse to give up on the patient, unless the patient manifests irreversible cognitive impairments that preclude participation in active treatment for alcoholism.

Alcoholism↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pediatric blood culture evaluation of the BACTEC PEDS Plus and the DuPont Isolator 1.5 systems.

A new nonradiometric BACTEC medium has been developed for culturing pediatric blood samples. The BACTEC PEDS Plus medium (BACTEC PED) consists of 20 ml of an enriched broth with resins. In contrast to the other aerobic BACTEC media, there is a lower concentration of sodium polyanetholesulfonate in the medium and more CO2 in the headspace of the vial. This study was conducted in two different pediatric settings to compare the performance of the BACTEC PED medium with the Du Pont Isolator 1.5 system (ISO 1.5) in terms of overall organism recovery and time to detection. Equal volumes of up to 1.5 ml were tested in both systems. A total of 4063 culture sets were analyzed, yielding 301 (7.4%) clinically significant isolates. Of these, 86 (29%) were recovered only from the BACTEC PED and 12 (4%) only from the ISO 1.5 (p less than 0.001). BACTEC PED recovered significantly more staphylococci and Enterobacteriaceae than ISO 1.5 (p less than 0.001 and p less than 0.005, respectively). Detection times of isolates recovered in both systems were comparable. For those patients on antibiotic therapy at the time of culture, 21 (37%) were positive only in the BACTEC PED, whereas two (4%) were positive only in the ISO 1.5. The nontherapy group had 61 (27%) organisms that were detected in BACTEC PED only and 9 (4%) in ISO 1.5 only. These results indicate that BACTEC PED is a significant advance in blood culture systems that will provide a sensitive method for detecting pediatric bacteremias.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A developmental model of addictions, and its relationship to the twelve step program of alcoholics anonymous.

A shift in the psychoanalytic literature is seen to have taken place in the 1960s, when psychoanalysts abandoned the psychoanalysis of patients suffering from addictions. This was due to poor outcomes, and assertions such as Kohut's, that addiction was not analyzable. The author asserts that there is a similarity in the psychological part of all addictions, and that this is seen in his work with addicted patients, including psychoanalysis of addicted patients. Addiction is presented as a pathological solution to a fixation during separation-individuation. This conceptualization helps to explain why such varying previous psychoanalytic formulations have been offered. The addictive solution to a fixation during separation-individuation is compared and contrasted to a similar fixation seen in patients suffering from borderline personality disorder and patients suffering from pathological narcissism. The developmental model presented clarifies how denial of addiction can be an interpersonal expression of an intrapsychic defense.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Three deaths involving triazolam--analytical aspects.

This case report describes three case histories and the analytical procedures used for the identification and quantification of triazolam. The levels of triazolam detected in the blood are interpreted with reference to those previously reported in the literature.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Developing laser-induced glaucoma in rabbits.

PURPOSE: An animal mode of glaucoma is necessary for the study of its pathogenesis and treatment. The purpose of this study was to create open-angle glaucoma using a laser in rabbits. METHODS: The trabecular meshwork of anaesthetized, adult, pigmented and albino rabbits was ablated internally using a diode laser via a gonioscopy lens, or externally through the limbus. In albino rabbits we used Chinese ink to pigment the angle and methylcellulose to open the iridocorneal angle. The eyes were examined weekly and histological assessment was performed. RESULTS: The success rate of intra-ocular hypertension was low (15%) and a result of synechial angle closure. A narrow angle prevented access of the laser beam to the trabecular meshwork and promoted damage to the ciliary processes located on the posterior iris. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the unique anatomy of the rabbit eye, laser-induced glaucoma is difficult to achieve. To create a successful model it is necessary to widen the iridocorneal angle, selectively damage the trabecular meshwork and reduce inflammation.

Animals↗