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D Albert

Publications and source records attributed to D Albert.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Standardized data collection and coding in eye disease epidemiology: the Uveal Melanoma Data System.

The Uveal Melanoma Data System of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary is a computerized data-base designed for data management and analysis with a broad range of clinical research applications. The system was created in 1980 and has evolved to include standardized data collection forms for all aspects of uveal melanoma patient care such as initial examination, treatment, and follow-up, as well as precoded forms for computer entry, which facilitate quality control measures and data analysis. Excerpts from current versions of these forms are presented. The Uveal Melanoma Data System has been used for a variety of clinical epidemiologic investigations. Examples of its application, including descriptive studies, prognostic factor studies, and treatment evaluations, are discussed. The model has potential broad application for clinical ophthalmic research in other specialty areas.

Data Collection

The dose dependent effect of cyclic AMP on ribonucleotide reductase in mitogen stimulated mononuclear cells.

Cyclic adenosine monophosphate arrests proliferating T lymphocytes in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Here we demonstrate that exogenous and endogenous elevations in cyclic AMP concentration result in diminished mitogen stimulation, cell cycle arrest, and decreased ribonucleotide reductase messenger RNA concentrations in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. At lower concentrations (less than 1mM) of dibutyryl cyclic AMP that do not generate cell cycle arrest there is inhibition of ribonucleotide reductase activity without decreased messenger RNA concentration for the M2 subunit of ribonucleotide reductase. However, at higher concentrations of dibutyryl cyclic AMP there is G1 cell cycle arrest and reduced M2 specific messenger RNA concentration. Thus, cyclic AMP inhibition of lymphocyte activation may occur by different mechanisms that are dose dependent.

4-(3-Butoxy-4-methoxybenzyl)-2-imidazolidinone

Acoustic reflectometry as an aid to the diagnosis of glue ear.

In assessing the usefulness of the acoustic reflectometer we have evaluated its performance on a selected group of patients, finding it to be of equivalent predictive value to those screening tests in common use. We feel that the advantages of the instrument combined with its performance will provide the general practitioner with a useful diagnostic aid.

Acoustic Impedance Tests

Sebaceous carcinoma of the ocular adnexa: radiotherapeutic management.

A total of 30 patients with histologically confirmed sebaceous carcinoma of the ocular adnexa were evaluated at our institution from 1974-1986. There were 18 women and 12 men in the series with a median age of 61 years. Ten cases received radiotherapy with curative intent. Four patients were treated definitively with doses ranging from 45-63.0 Gy over 4-7 weeks. Six patients received post-operative radiotherapy to the parotid bed and ipsilateral cervical lymph node chain for parotid metastases developing within 36 months of initial surgical treatment. Patients with lower lid lesions and significant pagetoid histologic components were more likely to develop parotid lymph node metastases. Local control at the primary site after radiation and/or surgery was 90% with follow-up ranging from 2-10 years. Overall disease specific actuarial survival at 5 years was 96%. Radiation therapy is an effective treatment modality in adnexal sebaceous carcinoma. With employment of careful technique and state-of-the-art technology, long term local control and survival with satisfactory cosmetic and functional results can be anticipated.

Adenocarcinoma

Connective-tissue disease following breast augmentation: a preliminary test of the human adjuvant disease hypothesis.

It has been proposed that scleroderma in particular or connective-tissue diseases in general may be caused by exposure to silicone-containing materials used for breast augmentation. We performed a historical cohort study to estimate the point prevalence of this potential complication sometimes referred to as "human adjuvant disease." Three-hundred and seventy-eight patients who underwent augmentation mammaplasty with silicone-containing envelope-type prostheses from 1970 through 1981 were surveyed. Regional musculoskeletal syndromes, fibrositis, or osteoarthritis occurred in a third (38 of 125) of our responders. No patient developed an inflammatory systemic rheumatic disease during the period of observation (mean 6.8 years for the 125 subjects). Using calculations based on risk for development of rheumatic disease, it does not appear likely that augmentation mammaplasty is a significant or major inducer of inflammatory connective-tissue diseases in general. However, the number of patients surveyed was small, and our results must be considered preliminary. We could not exclude a specific risk for the development of scleroderma.

Adult

Cobalt plaque versus enucleation for uveal melanoma: comparison of survival rates.

Two hundred and twenty-three patients treated by cobalt plaque for uveal melanoma were compared with 416 patients treated by enucleation for uveal melanoma in terms of patient survival. The median follow-up time for the patients treated by cobalt plaque was 4.3 years. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were calculated up to five years following treatment based on time to tumour-related deaths. Cox's proportional hazards multivariate analysis was performed to determine which variables were related to melanoma-related deaths while controlling for age, size, and location of the tumours. Statistically significant predictive factors were location of tumour and largest tumour dimension. There was not a statistically significant difference in survival between patients treated by cobalt plaque and those treated by enucleation.

Adolescent

Lectin receptors of amyloid in corneas with lattice dystrophy.

We analyzed lectin binding patterns of amyloid glycoconjugates in patients with lattice dystrophy of the cornea. Results of paraffin and frozen sections differed in some instances. With paraffin sections, three lectins--wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), Ricinus communis agglutinin I (RCA-I), and concanavalin A (Con A)--stained the abnormal deposits. In frozen sections, the abnormal deposits were stained by five lectins--WGA, RCA-I, Con A, peanut agglutinin (PNA), and soybean agglutinin (SBA). In paraffin sections, PNA and SBA did not stain amyloid deposits. In both paraffin and frozen sections, some lectin-positive deposits corresponded to the Congo red-positive material, whereas others were present surrounding and encroaching on the Congo red-reactive material. This study demonstrates that WGA-, RCA-I-, Con A-, PNA-, and SBA-positive abnormal deposits are present in corneas with lattice dystrophy. Since lectins bind to specific sugar residues, we conclude that the abnormal deposits consist, at least in part, of glycoconjugates and that these glycoconjugates contain oligosaccharides with N-acetylglucosamine/sialic acid, mannose/glucose and terminal beta-galactose residues and chains with terminal beta-galactose-N-acetylgalactosamine disaccharides.

Adult

Relationship of stressful housing conditions to the onset of diabetes mellitus induced by multiple, sub-diabetogenic doses of streptozotocin in mice.

The effect of the stress of crowded housing conditions (10 mice/cage) on the onset of diabetes after multiple, sub-diabetogenic doses of streptozotocin (MSZ) in male C57BL/KsJ mice was investigated. Prior to MSZ treatment, the group-housed and individually-housed animals had similar plasma glucose levels, while the former group's plasma corticosterone (CS) levels were elevated (54 +/- 8 ng/ml, p less than 0.03; 166% of the latter group). The group-housed animals became hyperglycemic (253 +/- 23 mg/dl) 2 days after the MSZ (day 7), with maximum hyperglycemia (506 +/- 23 mg/dl) developing by day 10. The individually housed animals did not become hyperglycemic until day 10 (303 +/- 24 mg/dl, p less than 0.001), and did not reach maximal hyperglycemia until between days 31 and 46, when plasma glucose levels were no longer different from the group-housed mice (507 +/- 37 mg/dl). There was a significant and progressive rise in CS levels of the stressed animals, reaching 218 +/- 25 ng/ml at day 46. The rise in CS of the unstressed animals was not significant until day 46, when the mean value reached 96 +/- 19 ng/ml (p less than 0.001 vs. basal). However, even at the conclusion of the experiment, the mean CS in the stressed animals was still 227% of that in the unstressed group (p less than 0.001). These studies demonstrate that the effects of stress (biochemically documented as an increase in CS levels) act synergistically with streptozotocin to promote an earlier onset of diabetes mellitus in males of this murine strain.

Animals

A method for assessing potential bias among cancer patients recorded as "dead of other causes." Application to cases of intraocular melanoma.

By applying the Cox regression model to 226 cases of intraocular melanoma, the authors detected a statistical association between tumor-related measurements and 42 deaths that were recorded as due to causes other than melanoma within 10 years of follow-up. This association may reflect a number of events, including errors in assignment of cause of death and confounding from any one of several sources.

Eye Neoplasms

Meconium ileus: is a stoma necessary?

During the 15 years from 1970 to 1984, 38 infants, all with cystic fibrosis, were treated for meconium ileus at The Montreal Children's Hospital and Ste-Justine Hospital for Children. Thirteen patients (34%) had complicated meconium ileus that included 7 perforations (2 colon, 5 ileum), 4 volvulus, and 2 atresia with meconium pseudocyst. In this group, various operations were done: resection with primary anastomosis for atresia, or resection with enterostomy for peritonitis or volvulus. One died shortly after surgery. Of 25 patients with uncomplicated meconium ileus (66%), one died shortly after arrival from respiratory distress, leaving 24 patients available for study. Gastrografin enema was attempted on 20 patients with eight successes (40%). Of the remaining 16 patients with unresolved meconium ileus, nine were treated with laparotomy and ileostomy, and one with laparotomy and T-tube irrigation. Six patients were treated by laparotomy and enterotomy for irrigation with N-acetylcysteine and evacuation by Fogarty catheter, a technique not widely used. No one succumbed in this group. This latter method of management is recommended for patients with simple uncomplicated meconium ileus.

Cystic Fibrosis

Spontaneous deep vein thrombosis in childhood and adolescence.

Deep vein thrombophlebitis (DVT), unrelated to intravenous catheters, is unusual in children. During the period between 1970 to 1984, 15 cases of spontaneous DVT were seen at The Montreal Children's Hospital. The female to male ratio was 2:1. Age ranged from 10 to 17 years. Venogram was positive in the 14 patients in whom it was done. Significant factors were related to the DVT in 12 patients: oral contraceptives, pelvic fracture, Ewing's sarcoma and chemotherapy, brain tumor, nephrotic syndrome, and ulcerative colitis (2, one of whom developed the DVT 3 months before the onset of gastrointestinal symptoms). The sites of thrombophlebitis encountered were left iliofemoral vein, right iliofemoral, right tibial, and left subclavian. Three patients developed pulmonary emboli, which were recurrent in two and required iliac vein ligation or inferior vena cava clipping. Treatment usually consisted of intravenous heparin followed by oral anticoagulants for 3 to 6 months. Two patients received streptokinase with good results. All the patients recovered. With a limited follow-up (6 months to 5 years), we have not seen any postphlebitic sequelae.

Adolescent

Alterations in stromal glycoconjugates in macular corneal dystrophy.

Nine biotinylated lectins were used as histochemical probes to localize the carbohydrates residues of glycoconjugates in normal corneas and in corneas with macular and granular dystrophy. The lectin binding patterns of normal corneas and of corneas with granular dystrophy were indistinguishable from one another, but were distinctly different from those found in corneas with macular dystrophy. Concanavalin A reacted weakly with normal corneal stromal matrix, but stained stromal matrix of corneas with macular dystrophy intensely. Furthermore, unlike the normal corneal matrix, stromal matrix of corneas with macular dystrophy reacted positively with wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), Ricinus communis agglutinin I (RCA-I), Ulex europeus I, Dolichos biflorus, Bandeiraea simplicifolia I, Bandeiraea simplicifolia II, and soybean and peanut lectins. This study demonstrates specific alterations in glycoconjugates which occur in the corneal matrix of patients with macular dystrophy, namely the presence of oligosaccharides with terminal alpha-fucose, beta-galactose, N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylgalactosamine residues, and oligosaccharide chains with a beta-galactose-N-acetylgalactosamine sequence.

Adult

Intussusception.

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Child

HLA-DR4 in ankylosing spondylitis with different patterns of joint involvement.

Fifty patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) confined to the spine and sacroiliac joints were compared with 50 cases of AS complicated by various patterns of non-axial joint involvement. Radiological and clinical features were evaluated and HLA-DR4 typing was carried out. This antigen was found in 16% of 200 normal individuals in 18% of patients suffering from exclusively axial AS, and in 54% of patients with additional purely peripheral joint involvement (wrist, finger, ankle, toe). The possibility that HLA-DR4 represents a non-specific marker for peripheral arthritis in patients with ankylosing spondylitis is discussed.

Adult