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Biomedical subjects

C Anderson

Publications and source records attributed to C Anderson.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Diode laser treatment for retinopathy of prematurity: structural and functional outcome.

AIMS: The anatomical and functional outcome of 13 babies with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) treated with binocular indirect ophthalmoscope diode laser photocoagulation was assessed. METHODS: Thirteen babies (25 eyes) at median postmenstrual age (PMA) 25.5 weeks and median birth weight 725 g were treated with binocular indirect ophthalmoscope (BIO) diode laser photocoagulation when threshold retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) was detected at median PMA 35 weeks. Retinopathy was more severe in the nasal retina in 15 eyes. The median severity of retinopathy was 6 clock hours grade 3 disease. All babies were treated under general anaesthetic with no significant ocular or systemic complications during treatment. The median number of burns was 1200. RESULTS: Resolution of active retinopathy occurred 1-2 weeks following treatment in all but one baby. All eyes had favourable anatomical and functional outcome as defined by the Cryo-ROP study group at a median age of 19.5 months of follow up. CONCLUSION: BIO diode laser treatment is as effective as cryotherapy with less morbidity.

Female↗
PubMed1995

In situ biodegradation of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) in natural waters.

The biodegradation of samples of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)(P(3HB)), poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-10%-3-hydroxyvalerate)(P(3HB-co-10 %-3HV)), and poly 3-hydroxybutyrate-co-20%-3-hydroxyvalerate)(P(3HB-co-20%- 3HV)) was investigated in situ in natural waters. The degradation was studied by decrease in mass, molecular weight, and tensile strength. In two freshwater ponds the polymers were slowly degraded. After half a year of submersion the mass loss was less than 7%. After 358 days in a freshwater canal, 34% mass loss was recorded for the homopolymer, and 77% for the P(3HB-co-10%-3-HV) samples, while the P(3HB-co-20%-3HV) samples had completely disappeared. In seawater in the harbour of Zeebrugge, P(3HB) samples lost 31% of their initial mass, and the copolymers 49-52%, within 270 days. In all of these environments, the degradation rate was faster during the summer, when the temperature of the water was higher. No relevant changes in molecular weight could be detected, indicating that the degradation took place only at the surface of the samples. The degradation resulted in considerable loss of tensile strength of the copolymer samples. Ninety-two microorganisms, mainly bacteria, able to degrade P(3HB) in polymer overlayer plates, were isolated and identified by fatty acid analysis. The isolates from one freshwater pond belonged mainly to the bacterial genus Acidovorax, while the microorganisms from the other freshwater pond belonged to various bacterial genera, to Streptomyces, and to the mould genus Penicillium. Most of the 31 bacterial isolates from seawater were identified as Alteromonas haloplanktis. The results demonstrate that P(3HB) and P(3HB-co-3HV) samples are effectively biodegradable in natural waters under real-life conditions and reveal the biodiversity of the microflora responsible for this biodegradation.

Bacteria↗
PubMed1995

Comparison of sputum induction with fiber-optic bronchoscopy in the diagnosis of tuberculosis.

Microbiologic confirmation of pulmonary tuberculosis among patients whose sputum smear is negative is increasingly important because of greater incidence among immunocompromised hosts and emergence of drug-resistant strains. We prospectively compared sputum induction to fiber-optic bronchoscopy in the diagnosis of such patients. Consecutive patients referred for investigation of possible active pulmonary tuberculosis underwent sputum induction with hypertonic saline delivered by an ultrasonic nebulizer between 2 and 48 h before transnasal fiber-optic bronchoscopy. All specimens were examined for acid-fast bacilli with fluorescent microscopy and cultured for mycobacteria. Clinical information was abstracted from patient records, and X-rays were reviewed by two blinded readers. Among 101 participants, sputum induction was well-tolerated without complications and provided adequate samples in 93. Sensitivity of direct acid-fast bacilli smear of specimens from both techniques was low. Sensitivity and negative predictive value of culture from bronchoscopy specimens was 73% and 91% compared with 87% and 96%, respectively, for sputum induction when a specimen was obtained. Direct costs for bronchoscopy totaled Canadian $187.60 compared with Canadian $22.22 for sputum induction. Sputum induction was well-tolerated, low-cost, and provided the same, if not better, diagnostic yield compared with bronchoscopy in the diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Choice of treatment affects plasma levels of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 in noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) modulates the metabolic and mitogenic effects of IGFs. Although IGFBP-1 levels are abnormally high in insulin-dependent diabetes (IDDM), relatively little is known in NIDDM; conflicting data have suggested both high and low levels. We investigated whether treatment modifies IGFBP-1 levels in two groups of NIDDM patients. Study 1 examined fasting concentrations in groups of patients with NIDDM, comparable except for treatment type (sulfonylurea, n = 23; once daily insulin, n = 15; sulfonylurea plus once daily insulin, n = 14; multiple insulin injections, n = 9) and 25 nondiabetic subjects. In sulfonylurea-treated patients there were markedly reduced plasma IGFBP-1 concentrations (median, interquartile range in parentheses): control, 61.0 (36-96) micrograms/L; sulfonylureas alone, 31.5 (21-61) micrograms/L (P < 0.01); and sulfonylureas plus insulin, 31.5 (9-53) micrograms/L (P < 0.01). Once daily insulin was associated with values similar to those in the control group [62.0 (27-103) micrograms/L; P = NS], whereas IGFBP-1 levels were higher with multiple insulin injection therapy [156.0 (71-184) micrograms/L; P < 0.05]. Proinsulin levels were higher in sulfonylurea-treated patients, but there was no significant correlation between IGFBP-1 and proinsulin within any individual group. Study 2 examined the effects of treatment on the dynamics of IGFBP-1 levels between 0800-1900 h. In control subjects (n = 8), levels fell from 0800 h (mean +/- SEM, 22.4 +/- 5.2 micrograms/L) to 1000 h (14 +/- 5.2 micrograms/L), followed by a rise, more rapid after food, to a peak at 1240 h (20.6 +/- 3.7 micrograms/L). Levels then declined until 1500 h (10.7 +/- 2.9 micrograms/L), with a further postprandial peak at 1840 h (23.1 +/- 3.2 micrograms/L). Sulfonylurea therapy (n = 6) resulted in a complete loss of this pattern, with a marked fall in IGFBP-1 from 0800 h (22 +/- 2.7 micrograms/L) to less than 7 micrograms/L for the remainder of the study (area under the curve, 1150-1400 h, P < 0.001 vs. control). By contrast, in metformin-treated patients (n = 7), neither IGFBP-1 levels nor postprandial peaks were significantly different from those in the control group. Our findings suggest that in patients with NIDDM, the regulation of IGFBP-1 is markedly influenced by the choice of treatment.

Carrier Proteins↗
PubMed1995

Health and nutritional status of old-old African Americans.

This study reports the initial results of a baseline cross-sectional evaluation of the health and nutritional status of 58 old-old African Americans, 74 years of age and older, residing in low income housing complexes in metropolitan Oklahoma City. Although the population had a high overall functional status, cognitive status, and mood, there were a number of nutritional parameters suggestive of nutritional risk. In particular, 20% of subjects had relatively low serum albumin levels, 14% had serum cholesterol levels below 160 mg/dl, and a subset of the population reported low intake during 24 hour dietary recall. The National Center and Caucus on Black Aged report that 60% of African American elders live at or below the poverty level. These study findings suggest that the present cohort of African American elders may be at nutritional risk.

Black or African American↗
PubMed1995

Thyroid disease in older patients. Diagnosis and treatment.

Thyroid gland dysfunction is a relatively common clinical problem in elderly people and is associated with significant morbidity if left untreated. The clinical features of thyroid disease may be subtle, easily overlooked or misdiagnosed. Therefore, a high index of suspicion is necessary. If potentially serious sequelae are to be avoided, the selection and interpretation of thyroid function tests must be appropriate. It is particularly important to consider both the effect of concurrent illness and the effect of certain drugs on thyroid function tests. With recent methodological advances, thyroid function tests are now more reliable, though in certain situations they still need to be interpreted with caution. Once the diagnosis is established, the management of both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism is relatively simple and effective, though there are special considerations relating to elderly patients.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Human in vivo cutaneous microdialysis: estimation of histamine release in cold urticaria.

A novel bioanalytical in vivo sampling technique, cutaneous microdialysis, was used to follow the chronology of skin histamine release in 3 patients with cold urticaria and in 2 healthy volunteers. Laser Doppler perfusion imaging was used simultaneously to monitor the skin circulatory response. Microdialysis samples were collected at 10-min intervals and analysed by radioimmunoassay technique. Fifty minutes after probe insertion, the ventral forearm skin in the area of the dialysis membrane was provoked for 5-15 min with a 25 x 40 mm ice cube covered with plastic foil. In the cold urticaria patients, an up to 80-fold increase of histamine was observed, with peak levels 20-30 min after challenge. Histamine levels then fell to reach "baseline" levels within 50 min. In the healthy subjects, the histamine increase was earlier, less pronounced and of shorter duration. Cutaneous microdialysis and laser Doppler imaging offer new possibilities for the chronological multiparameter assessment of inflammatory skin disorders in vivo.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

The cellular dermal infiltrate in experimental immediate type cutaneous hypersensitivity.

A previously developed guinea pig model for the study of the dermal inflammatory cell infiltrate of allergic, toxic, and irritant reactions was adapted to the study of the immediate intradermal reaction to ovalbumin. Comparison of qualitative and quantitative counts of infiltrating cells at three levels in the dermis showed that counting 20 subepidermal fields starting from the injection point of the allergen gave reliable figures. The reaction showed microscopically two phases. The first was of rapid onset and characterized by a high proportion of neutrophils, unlike the picture seen in the previously studied (allergic and toxic) reaction types. In the second phase, which can be termed "late phase" reaction, mononuclear cells and basophil granulocytes predominated. The late phase of the reaction bears similarities to the delayed allergic contact reaction at the same timepoint in that the response was rich in basophils. There were, however, other differences; e.g. eosinophils and neutrophils were more common.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Health care delivery reorganization innovative outcome: universal computerized patient identification.

Twenty-three large employers in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area formed the business health care action coalition group (BHCAC) to obtain medical care for their employees and families. Requirements of BHCAC included: 1) detailed reporting of outcomes of both preventive and standard health care, 2) development and successful implementation of practice guidelines, and 3) development of a functioning automated medical record. The coalition was contracted to meet these requirements. A nonprofit foundation--the Institute for Clinical Systems Integration (ICSI)--was formed and the data standards committee created. To ensure registration information transmitted by network would be attached to the correct patient's computer file; a standardized registration data set was agreed upon to be recorded in a uniform manner. This innovative change has allowed, encouraged, and required that clinical data be transferable electronically among organizations. The following are the ICSI data standard requirements for ICSI member organizations: the Health Level 7 (HL7) is to be used for data transmission [1]. Fields to be used include: 1) Social Security Number (SSN): The SSN was chosen as the patient identifier for the reasons listed in [2]. Record the official SSN assigned by the Social Security Administration; record a pseudo-SSN if a social security number is not available following the Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital algorithm. 2) Name: Use the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Healthcare Informatics Standards Planning Panel (HISPP) and Message Standards Developers Subcommittee (MSDS) Standard for representation of a person's name [3]; completely record all of the person's legal name (including any punctuation, hyphenated and double last names); nicknames and appellations are to be recorded separately; salutations and suffixes are optional, but must be placed in separate computer fields from other name parts. 3) Gender: Allowable values include FEMALE, MALE, OTHER, UNKNOWN. 4) Date of Birth: Include the day, month, year (including century); permitted is approximate or estimated birth dates provided they are indicated as such. Use the ANSI HISPP MSDS standard for date representation [4]. 5) Address: Record at least one address; multiple addresses desirable identified by type or usage (i.E., home, business, office). Allow two or more lines for street, city, U.S. state or Canadian Province; identify by standard two-letter postal abbreviation--zip code (at least 5-digits, preferably 9) or postal code and country. 6) Home ID or Medical Record Number (MRN): Record if different than Social Security Number.

Female↗
PubMed1994

Purification and characterization of brain clusterin.

Clusterin, a 70-80 kDa sulfated glycoprotein found in numerous tissues, is also known as complement lysis inhibitor (CLI), apolipoprotein J, SP-40,40, TRPM-2, and SGP-2. In Alzheimer disease (AD), clusterin mRNA is increased, whereas clusterin protein is found in deposits of beta-amyloid (A beta). These studies characterized clusterin protein from human brain. In extracts from cortex and hippocampus, clusterin was about 40% higher in AD than in controls. Purified clusterin from human brain was slightly smaller than serum clusterin. Brain and serum clusterin were indistinguishable in the inhibition of complement-mediated hemolysis. Both serum and brain clusterin were indistinguishable in inhibiting the aggregation of A beta and promoting oxidative stress in rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells (MTT assay). The inhibition of A beta aggregation and enhancement of A beta toxicity by clusterin suggest new mechanisms in AD.

Alzheimer Disease↗
PubMed1994

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in high-grade malignant fibrous histiocytoma: prognostic value in 48 patients.

Grading based on histopathologic features is used to predict survival in soft-tissue sarcoma. However, variations in clinical behavior between tumors of the same grade motivate a search for additional factors that correlate with prognosis. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is expressed in proliferating cells during the G1, S and G2-phases. To evaluate a prognostic implication of PCNA, the tumors of 48 patients with malignant fibrous histiocytomas (13 grade III, 35 grade IV) with a minimum follow-up of 2 years were immunohistochemically studied. We used PC10, a monoclonal antibody (MAb) directed against PCNA, which allows cell proliferation in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor tissue to be evaluated. We applied a semiquantitative PCNA grading scheme to all stained nuclei of an entire slide. The 3-year metastasis-free survival rate was 0.87 for patients in grade A (low PLNA rate), and 0.14 for patients in grade C (high PLNA). Our findings show that immunohistochemical evaluation of cell kinetics in soft-tissue sarcomas by PCNA might be a useful adjunct to conventional tumor grading.

Adult↗