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Biomedical subjects

D F Smith

Publications and source records attributed to D F Smith.

444 records · Page 25Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

A study of current residents' knowledge of a former environmental health survey of their community.

A follow-up survey of current residents who live near the McColl waste disposal site was conducted to assess community knowledge of an environmental health survey that occurred in the same neighborhood 7 y earlier. Of the 193 eligible adults who participated in an interview (response rate = 73.4%), 35.8% reported having heard of the 1981 health survey; 48% of these (n = 33) reported hearing or seeing the results of the survey. Knowledge of the earlier survey was reported by 34.6%, 40.6%, and 35.7% of respondents in the high-exposure, low-exposure, and comparison areas, respectively. Recall was significantly associated with age (i.e., greater than 55 y), college education, and residence prior to 1981. Our findings suggest that both long-term and recent residents in the study areas know about the McColl waste-disposal site, but the majority of current residents in this sample do not know that the health of the community was assessed in 1981 and that no serious health effects associated with the site were identified. Future efforts to communicate findings of similar health studies should focus on individuals who have less education and on communication with residents who move into an area after a study has been conducted. Creative public participation and media relations should be developed to assure that the results of such studies reach the public.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Female physicians outscore male physicians and the general public on Type A scales in Denmark.

The Jenkins Activity Survey was used to measure four components of coronary-prone behaviors in large random samples of Danish male and female physicians and of men and women in the general public. As expected, men in the general public tended to score higher than women in terms of coronary-prone behavior. In contrast, female physicians scored higher than male physicians on several components of coronary-prone behavior related to career goals, ambitiousness, job involvement, and time urgency. The findings suggest that female physicians in Denmark may be influenced by psychosocial factors that make them particularly prone to develop and/or express coronary-prone behaviors.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Compression of the right pulmonary artery by aortic aneurysms: CT demonstration.

Two cases are presented in which compression of the right pulmonary artery by thoracic aortic aneurysm was demonstrated using dynamic CT. The patients initially presented with symptoms suggestive of pulmonary embolus and were found to have unilateral absence of perfusion on isotope lung scan. Computed tomography was useful in demonstrating pulmonary artery compression by aortic aneurysm as the cause in both cases, and in demonstrating an aortic dissection in one case.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

CT detection of aortocaval fistula.

We describe a patient in whom a secondary aortocaval fistula was diagnosed on dynamic CT by noting transient enhancement of the inferior vena cava simultaneously with maximum enhancement of the aorta. This pattern of caval enhancement is contrasted with the gradual increase and subsequent plateauing of caval opacification seen normally.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Surface coil MR evaluation of a lacrimal gland carcinoma.

Recognition of both bone involvement and extraorbital spread of tumor is essential for the correct diagnosis and treatment of lacrimal fossa masses. We present a case of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lacrimal gland where bone invasion and extraorbital extension were better defined with magnetic resonance imaging than with CT.

Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic↗
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Cervical spine anomalies in fetal alcohol syndrome.

Fifty cases of well-documented fetal alcohol syndrome were reviewed with the intent of describing the cervical vertebral anomalies. Thirty-eight cases had adequately detailed x-ray examination to be included in this study. Of these, 19 or 53% showed congenital fusion of two or more cervical vertebrae. The associated findings were minor anomalies on the intravenous pyelogram (IVP) in three of 18 IVPs done, mild to moderate microcephaly in 53%, and significant congenital heart anomalies in 41%. Although the vertebral anomalies bear a resemblance to the Klippel Feil syndrome, it is thought that the two syndromes are separate. The patterns of occurrence of the vertebral anomalies are different in the two groups, and the visceral expression of the disorder is also different. The major visceral anomaly in the Klippel Feil syndrome being in the genitourinary system and in the fetal alcohol syndrome being in the cardiovascular system. The patterns, however, are close enough to imply teratogenic event as the etiology in the Klippel Feil group. The occurrence of neck fusion in the fetal alcohol syndrome is common enough for it to be used in making the diagnosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Development of a novel scale to assess life fulfillment as part of the further refinement of a quality-of-life model for epilepsy.

We have been involved in developing a health-related quality-of-life model for use as an outcome measure in epilepsy. As part of the further development of this model, we have developed a measure of life fulfillment. This scale is based on methods previously described by Krupinski in 1980. The value of Krupinski's approach is the opportunity for patients to weight the numerous aspects of their quality of life and assess the discrepancy between their actual and desired circumstances. The life fulfillment scale has been shown to be reliable (alpha = 0.7) and valid. The scale is currently being applied to several clinical studies in epilepsy. We believe that the scale provides a valuable contribution to our health-related quality-of-life model.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The DaNeX study of embryonic mesencephalic, dopaminergic tissue grafted to a minipig model of Parkinson's disease: preliminary findings of effect of MPTP poisoning on striatal dopaminergic markers.

A multicenter study is under way to investigate the efficacy of allografting of embryonic mesencephalic neurons in a pig model of Parkinson's disease. We have first established that a stable parkinsonian syndrome can be established by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) intoxication of adult male Göttingen minipigs. We are now using positron emission tomography (PET) methods for testing the physiological responses to MPTP intoxication and the time course of the response to several treatment strategies. We now report preliminary results obtained in 11 pigs employed in the initial phase of the study; the completed study shall ultimately include 30 pigs. Animals were randomly assigned to one of five groups: 1) Control, 2) MPTP intoxication, 3) MPTP intoxication followed by allograft, 4) MPTP intoxication followed by allograft with immunosuppression, and 5) MPTP intoxication followed by allograft with immunosuppression and co-grafting of immortalized HiB5 cells, which had been manipulated to secrete glia cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) (approximately 2 ng GDNF/h/10(5) cells). MPTP was administered (1 mg/kg/day, SC) for 7-10 days until the pigs had developed mild parkinsonian symptoms of muscle rigidity, hypokinesia, and impaired coordination, especially of the hind limbs. Approximately 2 weeks after the last MPTP dose, animals received a T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, and a series of dynamic PET recordings. After the first series of PET scans, four grafts of porcine embryonic mesencephalic tissue (E28 days) were placed in each striatum of some MPTP-intoxicated pigs, using MRI-based stereotactic techniques. Immunosuppression of some animals with cyclosporin and prednisolone began just prior to surgery. Two more series of PET scans were performed at 4-month intervals after surgery. After the last scans, pigs were killed and the brains were perfused for unbiased stereological examination of cytological and histochemical markers in striatum and substantial nigra. The behavioral impairment of the animals (the "Parkinson's score") had been evaluated throughout the 8-month period. Kinetic analysis of the first set of PET scans has indicated that the rate constant for the decarboxylation of FDOPA in catecholamine fibers was reduced by 33% in striatum of the mildly parkinsonian pigs. The rate of association of [11C]NS-2214 to catecholamine uptake sites was reduced by 62% in the same groups of pigs. No significant difference was found in the binding potential of [11C]raclopride to the dopamine D2-like receptors in striatum of the MPTP-intoxicated versus control pigs. These preliminary results are suggestive that the activity of DOPA decarboxylase may be upregulated in the partially denervated pig striatum.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cost-benefit of combined use of acupuncture, Shiatsu and lifestyle adjustment for treatment of patients with severe angina pectoris.

Sixty-nine patients with severe angina pectoris were treated with acupuncture, Shiatsu and lifestyle adjustments, and were followed for 2 years. Forty-nine patients were candidates for coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG), whereas bypass grafting was rejected in the remaining 20 patients. We compared our endpoint findings with those of a large prospective, randomized trial comparing CABG with percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). The incidence of death and myocardial infarction was 21% among the patients undergoing CABG, 15% among the patients undergoing PTCA and 7% among our patients. No significant difference was found concerning pain relief between the three groups. Invasive treatment was postponed in 61% of our patients due to clinical improvement, and the annual number of in-hospital days was reduced by 90%, bringing about an estimated economic saving of 12,000 US $ for each of our patients. Despite the fact that the men in the present study, had significantly less positive expectations towards the outcome of the treatment, when compared to the women, there was no significant difference concerning the effect. The study suggests that the combined treatment with acupuncture, Shiatsu and lifestyle adjustment may be highly cost effective for patients with advanced angina products.

Acupressure↗
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Reperfusion hemorrhage following PTCA and thrombolysis for left main coronary artery occlusion.

Myocardial reperfusion hemorrhage has been reported in humans but rarely after percutaneous transluminal coronary artery angioplasty (PTCA) of occluded vessels and not after the reopening of left main occlusions. Three patients with infarct and cardiogenic shock and reperfusion hemorrhages after PTCA, with or without streptokinase infusion and reopening of acutely thrombosed left main coronary arteries are reported here. The effect of the reperfusion 24,9 and 7 h after symptom onset and 24,25 and 3 h before death is examined.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Gradient recalled echo MR imaging of the jugular foramen.

Axial T1-weighted spin-echo MR images have not proved to be effective in identifying normal structures in the jugular foramen. By correlating cryomicrotomic sections and axial T1-weighted gradient recalled echo images, we identified the neural and vascular contents of the jugular foramen. Further work with gradient recalled echo images is needed to determine the signal characteristics of jugular foraminal lesions.

Glomus Jugulare Tumor↗