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Biomedical subjects

D Cook

Publications and source records attributed to D Cook.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

LH and FSH secretion and responses to GnRH and TRH in patients with clinically functionless pituitary adenomas.

Serum concentrations of LH and FSH and their response to the separate administration of GnRH (100 micrograms i.v.) and TRH (200 micrograms i.v.) have been studied preoperatively in 12 patients with a clinically functionless pituitary adenoma, of whom nine (3F: 6M) were found to secrete gonadotrophins in vitro. In three patients with a gonadotrophin-secreting adenoma (GSA) the pulsatile release of LH and FSH was also assessed preoperatively. An elevated serum FSH was recorded in six of nine patients with a GSA, and was subnormal in one, whilst an elevated LH was recorded in only two and was subnormal in six. A doubling of LH occurred in only four of the nine patients after GnRH and in three of six after TRH. None of the three patients with a non-GSA was shown to have an aberrant response to GnRH or TRH. In patients with a GSA, pulsatile release of LH and FSH was usually asynchronous and neither hormone demonstrated any regular harmonic pattern. These data show that in patients with a GSA the serum FSH level is usually elevated but this is not invariable, and the LH may well be low. Pathological responses of LH are frequently found following the administration of either GnRH or TRH and these stimulation tests should be performed separately in patients presenting with a clinically 'non-functioning' pituitary tumour to assist in the preoperative diagnosis. The absence of normal LH and FSH pulsing also appears to be a feature of GS adenomas, and suggests that tumorous gonadotrophin secretion is not under physiological control by hypothalamic GnRH.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1990

The detection of antibodies to the glycoprotein X antigen of pseudorabies virus.

The persistence of antibodies to glycoprotein X (gpX) in the serum of pigs experimentally infected with pseudorabies virus (PRV) was determined using an anti-gpX enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Antibodies to gpX were detected for at least 365 days postchallenge in nonvaccinated pigs. Previous sensitization of pigs by vaccination with S/PRV had no apparent effect on the antibody response of pigs to gpX postchallenge. In determining previous exposure of pigs to PRV strains containing the gpX gene, the anti-gpX ELISA was highly specific, but its sensitivity was lower than the standard serological procedures currently used for detecting PRV antibodies.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

The influence of social factors on common mental disorders. Destabilisation and restitution.

This study distinguishes between processes that cause individuals to experience symptoms--destabilisation--and those that are associated with loss of symptoms over time--restitution. It is shown that different clinical, social, and personality variables are associated with each of these processes. Where destabilisation is concerned, it is shown that different variables were associated with the development of symptoms of anxiety and those of depression. Different variables were associated with restitution, and they did not show the same relationship with the symptom dimensions of anxiety and depression as those which were associated with destabilisation.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1990

High-dose intravenous immunoglobulin in the treatment of demyelinating neuropathy associated with monoclonal gammopathy.

We treated 2 patients with IgM monoclonal paraproteinemic demyelinating peripheral neuropathy (PPN) with monthly intravenous human immunoglobulin. Both patients had a steadily progressive course in spite of steroid and other immunosuppressive therapy for 3 years before starting the immunoglobulin therapy. Both had a rapid clinical improvement noticeable 5 to 10 days after the 1st immunoglobulin infusion lasting on the average of 3 to 6 weeks. Retreatment caused improvement after each consecutive infusion. There were no significant adverse side effects. High-dose IV human immunoglobulin can be a useful therapy in the treatment of PPN and warrants a large-scale controlled therapeutic trial.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Strategic plan creates a blueprint for budgeting.

Effective healthcare organizations develop budgets that reflect and support a strategic plan. Senior managers set a framework that expresses the hospital's future strategic objectives. The budget enables executives to determine which specific service lines are profitable or unprofitable. Administrators and clinicians at all levels are involved in the budgeting process.

Budgets↗
PubMed1989

Relationship between CT attenuation changes and post-traumatic CSF-CKBB-activity after severe head injury in man.

In order to evaluate if it is practically possible to assess the volume of contused brain tissue from the CT pictures, a comparison has been carried out between the size of the cerebral contusion(s)--as estimated from the CT scans--and the post-traumatic CSF-CKBB activity, in a series of 29 patients with severe head injury. A clearance curve for the elimination of CKBB from the CSF was constructed. The relation between contusion volume and CSF-CKBB-activity was not statistically significant, while the relationships between contusion volume and outcome, and between CSF-CKBB, as estimated at 6 hours after from the clearance curve, and outcome, were.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Intraoperative ultrasound of the liver affects operative decision making.

The surgeon operating upon patients with primary or metastatic hepatic cancers must determine if resection is feasible and, if it is, the magnitude of required resection. In an attempt to determine which tests best aid the surgeon in these determinations, the authors prospectively compared preoperative computed tomography (CT) of the liver and intraoperative ultrasound (IOU) in 42 patients with liver tumors who underwent 45 exploratory operations. The primary diseases included colorectal cancer metastases in 27 patients, hepatoma in 11 patients, and metastatic cancers of other origins in 4 patients. In the 42 patients there were 89 identified hepatic lesions that were confirmed to be malignant by resection, biopsy, or continued growth on follow-up CT. The sensitivity of either test for detecting these lesions was 69/89 (77%) for CT and 87/89 (98%) for IOU. Resection was not feasible in 13 patients. Five had extrahepatic disease, 4 had more nodules discovered by IOU, 3 were found by IOU to have involvement of all three hepatic veins by tumor and 1 patient had portal-vein invasion. Alternatively, in four patients tumors thought to involve all three hepatic veins by CT were shown to be free of at least one hepatic vein, thereby permitting resection. In one patient who had been previously operated upon, a tumor thought to involve the remaining right hepatic vein was seen to be free of the vein, also permitting resection. Regarding the extent of resection, IOU was also helpful. Lesser procedures than anticipated were proved possible by IOU in seven patients. A more extensive resection was shown to be necessary by IOU in two patients. Thus, IOU affected the operative management in 22 of 45 operative episodes (49%). It was conclude that IOU is superior to both preoperative CT and surgical exploration in assessing both the feasibility and the extent of resection required for primary and secondary hepatic cancers. In the authors' experience, IOU is the most sensitive indicator of number of lesions present in the liver. In addition, the ability of IOU to determine hepatic venous anatomy is a helpful adjunct in determining resectability of liver tumors.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

The incidence of anabolic steroid use among competitive bodybuilders.

The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of anabolic steroid use among competitive male and female bodybuilders in Kansas and Missouri. A profile was established for users and non-users of anabolic steroids. The results of this study indicated that more than half of the male bodybuilders (54%) were using steroids on a regular basis compared to 10 percent of the female competitors. The types of steroid used were investigated and revealed that on average, four different types of anabolic steroid were used during the year, with individual use ranging from one to fifteen different types; including Dianabol, Deca Durabolin, Anavar, Testosterone, Androl 50, Winstrol, Primobolan, Equipoise, Finaject, Parabolin, HCG, Primacetate, Enanthate, Halotestin, and Maxibolin, in order of the most to least frequently used. The female bodybuilders reported that they had used an average of two different steroids including Deca Durabolin, Anavar, Testosterone, Dianabol, Equipoise, and Winstrol. The principal reason bodybuilders used steroids was related to their perception that these drugs were an important factor in winning competitions. Another important motivating factor for use was consistent with reports that significant gains in strength could be achieved by including anabolic steroids as part of the training regimen in spite of the reported adverse side-effects.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Decision support in the 1990s: the future is now.

A wide variety of interpretations seem to exist regarding decision support systems. The authors shed some light on what the technology really offers, and how it can be applied within a healthcare setting.

Decision Support Systems, Management↗
PubMed1989

Long-term survival of kidney grafts.

1. In the long-term period, the half-life effectively measured loss rate. For HLA-identical sib donors the half-life was 25 years; for parental donors, 13 years; and for cadaver donors, 8 years (now possibly 11 years). 2. HLA-A,B,DR matching exerted the greatest effect on half-life, for a half-life of 17 years was achieved for cadaver donors. This rate was not quite as high as that for A,B,DR matched siblings but was higher than the one haplotype mismatched parental donor transplants. 3. Caucasian recipients had a half-life of 8 years compared to 5 years for black recipients. 4. Excellent centers had a 10-year half-life compared to 5 years for fair centers. 5. Cold ischemia time over 24 hours, recipient age over 55, and donor age of 50-60 had a small effect on the half-life in the order of 1 to 3 years. 6. Among the short-term factors that affect the 1-year graft survival, there was a 12% difference between excellent and fair centers. An 11% difference between A,B,DR matched transplants and 6 A,B,DR mismatched grafts was noted. First-cadaver donor grafts had a 10% higher graft survival at 1-year than second grafts. Other factors together with the difference in 1-year graft survival between the extremes were as follows: sensitization 9%, race 8%, transfusion 6%, donor age 6%, diabetic 3%, recipient age 3% and cold ischemia 1%. Thus more factors affect short-term survival than long-term survival.

Cohort Studies↗
PubMed1988

An unusual virus from the parasitic wasp Cotesia melanoscela.

Certain strains of the braconid parasitoid Cotesia melanoscela carry two different viruses within their ovaries, one of which (here designated CmV2) is apparently not a polydnavirus. Virus replication occurs in the ovarian calyx and in some other tissues of both male and female parasitoids; as yet, no replication has been observed in the testis, however. In addition, CmV2 is one of only two parasitoid viruses known to replicate in host insect larvae, and we not show that this virus is also capable of replicating in vitro; the virus is nevertheless nonpathogenic for gypsy moth larvae. The virus is not transmissible per os, either to host animals or to larvae of parasitoid strains lacking it. CmV2 is stably maintained within strains carrying it apparently by a vertical transmission mode involving the maternal line; transmission via the male germ line could not be demonstrated. While purification of the virus was not achieved, preliminary work allows us to suggest the genome consists of a single double-stranded DNA molecule of approximately 125 kb.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Caudate nucleus and memory for egocentric localization.

A large body of evidence suggests that the caudate nucleus (CN) plays a critical role in the processing of spatial localization information. Furthermore, evidence has begun to accumulate that the CN is involved in the processing of a very specific class of spatial cues, namely, egocentric cues (localization with reference to the organism). This is in contrast to allocentric localization, where an organism localizes on the basis of cues external to the organism. One would then predict that lesions to the CN should disrupt performance on any tasks that depend chiefly on egocentric spatial cues, while leaving performance on allocentric tasks intact. To test this prediction, two groups of rats were trained on two different egocentric memory tasks and two different allocentric memory tasks. Specifically, one group of rats was trained on an adjacent-arm (egocentric) and an 8-arm radial maze task (allocentric). A second group of rats was trained on a right-left discrimination (egocentric) and a place-learning task (allocentric). After training, both groups received bilateral lesions of the CN. Results showed that CN-lesioned animals were profoundly impaired on retention of the egocentric tasks. In sharp contrast to this, the same animals were not or were only transiently impaired or transiently affected on allocentric tasks. Sham-operated controls were either unimpaired or transiently affected on all tasks. These findings further support the idea that the CN plays a critical modulatory role in the processing of egocentric spatial and not allocentric spatial cues.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Effect of a hypoglycaemic agent M&B 39890A on glucagon secretion in isolated rat islets of Langerhans.

Administration of the compound M&B 39890A lowered serum glucose levels significantly (p less than 0.001) in genetically obese mice, while no effect on serum insulin levels was observed. In in vitro experiments with isolated rat islets of Langerhans M&B 39890A inhibited arginine-stimulated glucagon release at all concentrations tested (0.5, 5.0 and 50 mumol/l). Insulin secretion was not inhibited by M&B 39890A (0.5 and 5.0 mumol/l), but was slightly decreased at 50 mumol/l. M&B 39890A (5 mumol/l) also inhibited glucagon secretion in vitro in the presence of 2 mmol/l, 6 mmol/l and 20 mmol/l glucose, while exerting no effect on insulin secretion. These results suggest that the hypoglycaemic action of M&B 39890A may be due to its direct and selective effect on glucagon secretion; this appears to operate by a mechanism different to that of glucose.

Animals↗