Biomedical subjects

D Willis

Publications and source records attributed to D Willis.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMed1988

Granuloma inguinale (donovanosis) in women.

A ten-year review (1973-1983) revealed 13 cases of documented granuloma inguinale at Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta. The patients' ages ranged from 17 to 77, with the majority in their early 20s. The initial presentation of granuloma inguinale included large, fungating labial ulcers, labial swelling, vaginal discharge, rectovaginal fistulae and hematuria. Common presumptive diagnoses included carcinoma, herpes, syphilis and granuloma inguinale. The final diagnosis was made with cytology and/or tissue examination with the help of special stains to demonstrate the causative organism, Calymmatobacterium granulomatis. Granuloma inguinale is rare and difficult to diagnose, but with physician awareness, cytology and biopsy, it should not be missed.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1987

Evaluation of latex-based heterophile antibody assay for diagnosis of acute infectious mononucleosis.

The diagnosis of an acute episode of infectious mononucleosis (IM) is made on the basis of clinical symptoms and serological evidence for development of heterophile antibodies. In an effort to obtain a very sensitive and specific assay for diagnosis of IM, we have developed MERISTAR:IM. The MERISTAR assay uses latex beads coated with purified bovine heterophile antigen. We compared the sensitivity and specificity and performance characteristics of the latex-based test to those of the commercially available erythrocyte-based Monospot test with serum samples from 363 suspected-IM patients and controls. A total of 28 samples from patients with confirmed IM were positive with the MERISTAR assay, while only 23 of the samples were positive with the Monospot assay. The two assays had equal specificity, as each test gave two false-positive results. In the technical performance of the assay, the MERISTAR assay was simpler and faster to perform than the Monospot assay.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1986

Intracranial interstitial radiation.

Primary malignant brain tumors are fatal, with 90% of patients having these tumors dying within two years following diagnosis. Cranial interstitial radiation therapy, a technique under investigation to control these tumors, involves implantation of radioactive iodine 125 seeds into the tumor bed by stereotaxic technique. The interstitial radiation technique, monitoring of radiation, and nursing care of patients are discussed. Case histories are presented, along with discussion of results attained using this therapy, and its future.

Adult↗

PubMed1984

Nucleotide sequence of an immediate-early frog virus 3 gene.

We have used "gene walking" with synthetic oligonucleotides and M13 dideoxynucleotide sequencing techniques to obtain the complete coding and flanking sequences of the gene encoding a major immediate-early RNA (molecular weight, 169,000) of frog virus 3. R-loop mapping of the cloned XbaI K fragment of frog virus 3 DNA with immediate-early RNA from infected cells showed that an RNA of approximately 500 to 600 nucleotides (the right size to code for the immediate-early viral 18-kilodalton protein of unknown function) hybridized to a region within 100 base pairs of one end of the XbaI K fragment; no evidence for splicing was observed in the electron microscope or by single-strand nuclease analysis. Further restriction mapping narrowed the location of the gene to the XbaI end of a 2-kilobase-pair XbaI-Bg/II fragment, which was bidirectionally subcloned into the bacteriophage pair mp10 and mp11 for sequencing. Mung bean nuclease mapping was used to identify both the 5' and the 3' ends of the mRNA. The 5' end mapped within an AT-rich region 19 base pairs upstream from two in-phase AUG start codons that were immediately followed by an open reading frame of 157 amino acids. Another AT-rich sequence was found at -29 base pairs from the 5' end of the mRNA start site; this sequence may function as a TATA box. The 3' end of the message displayed considerable microheterogeneity, but clearly terminated within a third AT-rich region 50 to 60 base pairs from the translation stop codon. The eucaryotic polyadenylic acid addition signal (AATAAA) was not present, a finding to be expected since frog virus 3 mRNA is not polyadenylated. Both the single-stranded mp10 clone of the XbaI-Bg/II fragment and a 15-base oligonucleotide complementary to the region flanking the two AUG translation start codons inhibited translation of the immediate-early 18-kilodalton protein in vitro, confirming the identity of the sequenced gene. As the regulatory sequences of this gene did not resemble those of known eucaryotic genes or of the cytoplasmic vaccinia virus, we conclude that frog virus 3 has evolved unique signals for the initiation and termination of transcription.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1982

Oxygen therapy and long-term pulmonary outcome of respiratory distress syndrome in newborns.

A previous report has shown no difference between the clinical outcome of infants exposed to a high oxygen (O2) regimen and those exposed to a low O2 regimen for the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Mechanical ventilation was not used in either group. In the present study, pulmonary function tests were performed on 14 survivors receiving the low O2 regimen (low O2 group) and on nine receiving the high O2 regimen (high O2 group) ten years after their initial illness. Similar evidence of abnormalities of large airways was found in both groups of prematurely born children that was comparable with that previously reported for normal prematurely born children. There was evidence in the high O2 group similar to that reported for ventilated survivors with RDS exposed to a high concentration of O2. From these data, it was concluded that neonatal exposure to high O2 concentrations in the absence of mechanical ventilation is capable of causing long-term change in small airways.

Airway Resistance↗

PubMed1982

Onset of respiration in infants delivered by cesarean section.

We studied the ventilatory parameters and the pattern of breathing including the onset of respiration in 20 healthy infants immediately after cesarean-section delivery. In eight of the infants further measurements were obtained at 60 min of life. The pattern of breathing immediately after delivery is very irregular with a marked tendency to keep the lung inflated mainly through interruptions of expiration. After the first expiration some air remains in the lung representing the formation of functional residual capacity (FRC). FRC obtained with the first breath is proportional to the previous inspired volume and is the largest contribution towards the full establishment of FRC. Tidal volume and FRC of the first breath are similar to that reported in babies delivered vaginally, which suggests that the forces required for lung inflation are similar in the two groups of infants. The first breath tends to be deeper and slower and has a longer expiratory time than subsequent breaths. At 60 min of life the respiratory pattern becomes more regular, tidal volume is further decreased, and respiratory frequency is increased through a reduction of expiratory time.

Adult↗

PubMed1980

Extraneous drug use in methadone-supported patients.

Weekly urine specimens were collected and analysed from 231 patients receiving daily oral methadone support from the Western Australian Alcohol and Drug Authority over all or part of an eight-week period. Patients were assigned to three dosage groups. The study revealed that patients receiving 80 mg or more of methadone per day had significantly higher levels of extraneous drugs than patients receiving lower daily doses. The levels of extraneous drugs were found to be low compared to the findings of researchers elsewhere. Possible factors contributing to the increased usage of extraneous drugs are suggested, and disadvantages of high methadone dosage are indicated.

Adult↗

PubMed1979

Sequelae of caffeine treatment in preterm infants with apnea.

Growth, neurologic, and ophthalmologic assessments were done in 21 low-birth-weight infants given caffeine for neonatal apnea and in 21 matched control infants. Caffeine significantly decreased the need for and the duration of mechanical ventilation. No difference in growth and development was noted between the control and caffeine-treated infants. A high incidence of cicatricial retrolental fibroplasia was observed in both control (10/21) and caffeine-treated infants (7/18).

Apnea↗

PubMed1974