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Biomedical subjects

B Schaefer

Publications and source records attributed to B Schaefer.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Adrenal gland weight and suicide.

The purpose of this study is to determine if there is an anatomical correlate, namely adrenal hypertrophy, among people who have committed suicide. The adrenal weights and other relevant information were collected prospectively from 118 consecutive coroner's cases of sudden death in the province of Ontario. No statistically significant difference was found between the adrenal weights of those who had committed suicide, whether violent or non violent, and those dying suddenly of causes not self-inflicted. This was true irrespective of the age of the subjects, their sex or the centre at which the autopsy was performed. This finding does not support the findings of an earlier report of increased adrenal weight in successful suicides. The incidental finding of increased adrenal weight in all subjects is of some significance.

Adrenal Glands↗
PubMed1992

Sexual abuse and psychiatric symptoms in an epileptic population.

One hundred and seven consecutive patients attending the outpatient epilepsy clinic at a teaching general hospital were assessed by clinical interview for a history of sexual abuse. Questionnaires dealing with overall psychiatric symptomatology i.e., (SCL-90), (TSC-40) and depression (ZSRDS) were also used. The majority of subjects were single (60%), living at home (76.6%) and had an average age of 29 years. The mean duration of epilepsy was 18.8 years and the seizures were controlled with medication in 65.2% of patients. Ten (9.3%) of the subjects had been sexually abused. This frequency of sexual abuse is lower than in the general population and among psychiatric patients. The specific form of sexual abuse consisted of sexual intercourse (n = 4), fondling (n = 4) and oral sex (n = 2). The sexually abused subjects had significantly higher scores on the anxiety subscale of the SCL-90 and depression score on the ZSRDS than non-abused subjects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

A randomized clinical trial of cognitive marital therapy.

Thirty-three couples with severe marital discord referred to a psychiatric outpatient department were randomly assigned to Cognitive Marital Therapy or a control group. Cognitive Marital Therapy is a brief, structured couple therapy, which involves spouses in reciprocal self-disclosure of personal constructs. The control group received the same number of sessions of self-disclosure from a programmed marital enhancement text. Personal distress, marital adjustment, marital quality, and aspects of self-disclosure were measured before and after treatment. Symptoms of depression as well as somatic and compulsive complaints showed significant improvement in both groups. The wives exhibited a trend suggesting that they were making more self-disclosures to their spouses after counseling. No discernable differences in outcome were found between the marital therapy group and the control group. Marital intimacy and marital satisfaction did not improve significantly over the course of 10 therapy sessions. This study suggests that the role of self-disclosure in marital therapy needs further clarification.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1989

X-linked olivopontocerebellar atrophy.

We present a kindred with a relatively pure cerebellar degeneration that demonstrates X-linked recessive inheritance. The unique clinical picture of affected patients in our kindred is characterized by an infantile onset of ataxia; very slow rate of progression; normal strength, reflexes, and sensation; and cerebellar degeneration with involvement of the olive and pons demonstrated by neuroimaging techniques. The distinction between this and other reported olivopontocerebellar degenerations is made on the basis of the clinical features and mode of inheritance. It is not clear if the distinct clinical pattern in this kindred represents variable expression of a previously reported condition, allelic variance of previously reported kindreds, or a separate clinical entity. Molecular analysis, currently underway, may help settle the issue.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Alpha-1 adrenoceptor-mediated positive inotropic effect and inositol trisphosphate increase in mammalian heart.

The positive inotropic effect of the alpha-1 adrenoceptor agonist phenylephrine was accompanied by a concentration-dependent increase in inositol trisphosphate (IP3) in electrically driven left auricles isolated from rat hearts. Further analysis of the myocardial phosphoinositide pathway revealed an additional increase in inositol phosphate and inositol bisphosphate with a concomitant decrease in phosphatidylinositol phosphate and phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate. The decrease in phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate and increase in IP3 preceded the increase in force of contraction. All effects were antagonized by the alpha-1 adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin. For comparison the effects of the beta adrenoceptor agonist isoprenaline were studied. Isoprenaline produced a positive inotropic effect similar to that of phenylephrine but all phosphoinositide products remained unaffected. The influence of lithium and calcium ions were studied systematically. The stimulatory effect of phenylephrine on inositol phosphates was lithium-dependent. Without lithium phenylephrine did not detectably affect the phosphoinositide turnover. Phenylephrine caused a maximal increase in inositol phosphate, inositol bisphospate and IP3 at 10 mmol/l of lithium. Lithium itself had a concentration-dependent positive inotropic effect. However, lithium did not enhance the positive inotropic effect of phenylephrine. Variation of the extracellular concentration of calcium did not influence the stimulatory effect of phenylephrine on inositol phosphates indicating that inositol phosphate turnover does not require the presence of extracellular calcium. It is concluded that the stimulation of myocardial phosphoinositide breakdown generating an increased IP3 turnover may be involved in the mechanism(s) whereby alpha-1 adrenoceptor stimulation exerts an increase in myocardial force of contraction.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Dominantly inherited craniodiaphyseal dysplasia: a new craniotubular dysplasia.

We describe a mother and her male infant affected with a craniotubular dysplasia characterized by severe craniofacial hyperostosis and sclerosis with obliteration of paranasal sinuses and foramina of the skull base. Subsequent severe bilateral hearing loss and facial diplegia with relative sparing of the optic nerves were noted. The long bones show extreme asymmetric hyperostosis and sclerosis of the diaphyses and evidence of a modelling defect in the metaphyses. The spine, ribs, clavicles, and pelvis all show some degree of sclerosis and defective modelling, but are less severely involved. According to the definition by Gorlin, this disorder would best be classified as craniodiaphyseal dysplasia. Distinguishing features in these two patients as contrasted to previously described cases include a greater degree of hyperostosis and sclerosis than that described for other patients with craniodiaphyseal dysplasia, apparent dominant transmission, and significant metaphyseal involvement.

Adult↗