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Biomedical subjects

D M Norris

Publications and source records attributed to D M Norris.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Prospective study of toxigenic Clostridium difficile in children given amoxicillin/clavulanate for otitis media.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate antibiotic-associated diarrhea and toxigenic Clostridium difficile in stool specimens obtained from children before and after 10 days of amoxicillin/clavulanate for otitis media. DESIGN: Children, 12 to 47 months of age, treated with amoxicillin/clavulanate for otitis media in an outpatient setting were enrolled. Stool specimens were obtained at enrollment, when diarrhea occurred and at the end of therapy. All stool specimens were tested for C. difficile toxins A and B by enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: Seventy-six children who had stool specimens collected at enrollment and after therapy were included in the analysis. None had C. difficile toxin in stool specimens at enrollment. Six (27%) of 22 children with diarrhea, and 4 (7%) of 54 children without diarrhea had C. difficile toxin present at completion of therapy (P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Toxigenic C. difficile was identified in 13% of children at the conclusion of amoxicillin/clavulanate therapy with a significantly higher frequency in children with diarrhea.

Amoxicillin↗
PubMed1994

Radiographic features useful for establishing patient identity from improperly labeled portable chest radiographs.

Radiologists in hospital practice often encounter radiographs that either bear no patient identification or are incorrectly labeled as those of a different patient. To avoid repeating these improperly labeled radiographs, and to establish correct patient identity, most radiologists compare these radiographs with previous radiographs of several patients. This happens most often with portable chest radiographs. To study the reliability of various surgical, pathologic, and anatomic features and to help establish a fast and accurate method of establishing the correct patient identity, we performed a retrospective study of 50 patients in the intensive care unit. The characteristic location and configuration of surgical material, fractures, and dense parenchymal/pleural scars with or without calcifications are extremely helpful in establishing patient identity. In the vast majority of patients who lack such characteristic surgical and pathologic features, the anatomic structures that are most reliable for identification purposes are, in order of decreasing reliability, the transverse processes of the first thoracic vertebrae and the adjoining tubercles of the first ribs, the spinous processes, and the scapular wings. We believe that this information will help radiologists to identify the right patient when radiographs are incorrectly labeled.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Visual laser ablation of the prostate: clinical experience in 108 patients.

Visual laser ablation of the prostate was performed on 108 patients (ages 44 to 84 years) as an outpatient procedure from May 1992 to October 1992. Preoperatively, the patients underwent digital rectal examinations, determination of prostate specific antigen levels and transrectal ultrasound guided biopsies when necessary to rule out the presence of prostate cancer. The Urolase laser fiber delivery system was used to transmit laser energy from a neodymium: YAG generator. For the 97 patients with preoperative and postoperative American Urological Association symptom index testing, scores decreased by an average of 12.59 (p < 0.001). For the 75 patients with preoperative and postoperative uroflow rates an average increase of 4.92 ml. per second (p < 0.001) was noted following the procedure. Only 3 patients required hospitalization for an average of 1.33 days. No patient required a blood transfusion. There have been no fluid or electrolyte abnormalities following visual laser ablation of the prostate. There have been no recognizable urethral strictures, deaths or postoperative sepsis. Only 3 patients experienced retrograde ejaculation. We found visual laser ablation of the prostate to be a cost-effective and less morbid alternative to traditional transurethral resection of the prostate.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Dynamism in practice: parenting within King's framework.

A dynamic approach to parenting in a neonatal intensive care unit provides a framework to test King's nursing theory. The framework is based on selected concepts from King's theory of goal attainment and current literature on parenting. The framework stresses the valuational components of human interaction. This article describes an attempt to move neonatal care from medicalization of parenting toward transaction between parents and nurses.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Inducible phytoalexins in juvenile soybean genotypes predict soybean looper resistance in the fully developed plants.

The hypocotyl of different soybean genotypes was tested for its inducible phytoalexin (i.e. glyceollin or coumestrol) accumulation and its inducible soybean looper resistance in response to chemical elicitation. A very highly insect-resistant soybean genotype (PI 227687) produced significantly more phytoalexins than a relatively insect-susceptible one (Davis) in response to the same chemical elicitation. The resultant standardized hypocotyl assay allowed quick categorization of unknown soybean genotypes regarding the level of insect resistance in the fully developed plants. Glyceollin was a better indicator of inducible resistance than coumestrol. Elicitor concentration influenced the amount of glyceollin and coumestrol accumulated. Younger seedlings (4-5 d old) responded stronger to chemical elicitation than did older ones (7-10 d old). The elicited accumulation of glyceollin showed a temporal pattern that peaked at 72 h. Accumulation of coumestrol showed a gradual increase. Elicitation of phytoalexins in juvenile soybean plants by sulfhydryl-binding reagents was found to be useful for the prediction of genotypic differences in the level of insect resistance in the fully developed plants.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1990

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy and the ureteral stone brush: initial results.

We present the initial results of a ureteral stone brush used in conjunction with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for impacted ureteral stones. We studied 31 cases of ureteral calculi that could not be manipulated back into the renal collecting system. In 18 cases a ureteral catheter was placed past the calculus, while in 13 a catheter could not be passed. With the stone brush unbypassed stones yielded a success rate similar to that for bypassed stones (84.6 versus 88.9%, respectively). We believe that this result is due to the ability of the stone brush to remove circumferential fragments from around the stone, allowing more shock energy to reach the core of the stone.

Humans↗
PubMed1990

Submucosal ureteral calculi: a new entity?

We describe 3 patients with ureteral calculi who failed multiple extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy treatments and whose stones could not be visualized by ureteroscopy despite radiological confirmation. We contend that these ureteral stones migrated submucosally and are refractory to the aforementioned treatment modalities. Each patient had a common presenting complaint of intermittent flank pain 5 years in duration, leading us to believe that long-standing stone impaction is a prerequisite for this entity. Our experience is reviewed.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Changes in ovarian ultrastructure and ecdysteroid titer during the aging process of female Xyleborus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae).

Striking ultrastructural and hormonal parameters of premature menopause and aging are reported in female Xyleborus ferrugineus fed cholesterol, rather than 7-dehydrocholesterol, as a sole dietary sterol. The titer of free ecdysteroids in such 63-day-old females remained abnormally elevated through the period of the ovarian cycle. A similar plateauing of such elevated titer also occurred in 147-day-old, irregularly cycling females fed only cholesterol as the dietary sterol. These hormonal changes in menopausing X. ferrugineus females seem especially analogous to the maintenance of an elevated concentration of 17-beta-estradiol through the estrous, as well as the proestrous, ovary of aged irregularly cycling rats. The highly abnormal ultrastructure of ovaries of X. ferrugineus females aged 216 days on a diet containing cholesterol as the sole sterol seems quite analogous to that of the nonovulatory follicles in older, irregularly cycling rats. Our new findings involving aging X. ferrugineus females indicate further the usefulness of an insect model to study aging processes.

Aging↗
PubMed1980

Ultrastructure of the prothoracic gland of variously aged female pupae of Xyleborus ferrugineus and associated ecdysteroid titers.

The prothoracic glands of female pupae of Xyleborus ferrugineus at three ages (0-h, 48-h, and 72-h-old) were examined for ultrastructural changes that correlate with high titers of ecdysteroids in the entire pupa. In all three ages, the prothoracic gland cells appear compact with a prominent nucleus. Lysosome-like structures with concentrically oriented internal membrane are observed in both 0-h and 72-h-old gland cells. Mitochondria are abundant in the glands of both ages, and rough endoplasmic reticulum is relatively sparse. Numerous microtubules are present in the prothoracic gland cells of 48-h-old female pupae that contain relatively high titers of ecdysteroids. Rough endoplasmic reticulum also is especially abundant at this age of the pupa. Ecdysone titers, estimated by the radioimmunoassay method (RIA), were 161.04 +/- 26.80 pg/mg, 704.25 +/- 69.02pg/mg and 298.72 +/- 26.80pg/mg body weight in 0-h, 48-h and 72-h-old female pupae, respectively.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Degradation of C-Labeled Lignins and C-Labeled Aromatic Acids by Fusarium solani.

Abilities of isolate AF-W1 of Fusarium solani to degrade the side chain and the ring structure of synthetic dehydrogenative polymerizates, aromatic acids, or lignin in sound wood were investigated under several conditions of growth substrate or basal medium and pH. Significant transformations of lignins occurred in 50 days in both unextracted and extracted sound wood substrates with 3% malt as the growth substrate and the pH buffered initially at 4.0 with 2,2-dimethylsuccinate. Degradation of lignin in such woods also occurred under unbuffered pH conditions when a basal medium of either 3% malt or powdered cellulose in deionized water was present. Decomposition of the lignin in these woods did not occur in cultures where d-glucose was present as a growth substrate. F. solani significantly transformed, as measured as evolved CO(2), both synthetic side chain (beta, gamma)-C- and U-ring-C-labeled lignins in 30 days under liquid culture conditions of only distilled deionized water and no pH adjustment. Degradation of dehydrogenative polymerizates by F. solani was reduced drastically when D(2) was the liquid medium. AF-W1 also cleaved the alpha-C from p-hydroxybenzoic acid and evolved CO(2) from the substrate, [3-C]cinnamic acid. Thus, the fungus cleaved side chain carbon from substrate that originally lacked hydroxyl substitution on the aromatic nucleus. Surprisingly, small amounts of C cleaved from aromatic acids by F. solani were incorporated into cell mass. Initial buffering of the culture medium to pH 4.0 or 5.0 with 0.1 M 2,2-dimethylsuccinate significantly increased F. solani degradation of all lignins or aromatic acids. Results indicated that AF-W1 used lignin as a sole carbon source.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1979

Intraoperative localization of renal calculi using the Polarex 2 C-arm image intensifier.

We present our experience with the C-arm image intensifier in the localization of renal calculi. We have found this technique to be exceptionally easy to use and extraordinarily efficient. However, unless the disk images are used primarily, rather than continuous fluoroscopy, the radiation exposure can be significant. This technique can be somewhat limiting in that exceptionally small stones or poorly opacified stones cannot be picked up easily.

Fluoroscopy↗
PubMed1977

Embryogenesis of Xyleborus ferrugineus (Fabr.) (Coleoptera, Scolytidae). I. External morphogenesis of male and female embryos.

A description of the external morphogenesis of male and female embryos of X. ferrugineus, derived from in vivo observation, is presented here. The embryogenesis of this beetle is typical of the Coleoptera, and is also similar in most respects to the generalized insect plan. Observed unusual aspects of X. ferrugineus embryogenesis include the precocious formation of primordial g/rm cells and their temporary exclusion from somatic blastoderm; the precocious in situ delineation of gnathal metameres, the closing of the gastral groove beginning at both ends and proceeding towards its middle, the formation of several paired lateral amnio-serosal folds, the formation of cellular processes between the amnion and serosa, and the absorption of the thoracic limbs to produce an apodous larva. The embryonic developmental picture provided here, and the previously established means of rearing X. ferrugineus in controlled laboratory culture jointly provide a promising basis for the further use of this insect in developmental studies.

Age Factors↗