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Biomedical subjects

E Frank

Publications and source records attributed to E Frank.

At least 361 records · Page 20Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Subretinal neovascularization after focal argon laser for diabetic macular edema.

The authors reviewed four cases of iatrogenic subretinal neovascularization after focal argon green photocoagulation for clinically significant diabetic macular edema. An inappropriate combination of small spot size with a high-power setting is the common feature in each case of iatrogenic subretinal neovascularization. Close follow-up with fluorescein angiography is used to identify iatrogenic subretinal neovascularization at an early, treatable stage. All four patients responded favorably to laser photocoagulation of the subretinal neovascular membrane.

Choroid↗
PubMed1988

Peripheral specification of sensory connections in the spinal cord.

During development, primary sensory neurons innervate peripheral targets and then form central connections appropriate to these targets. Sensory neurons induced to innervate novel peripheral targets by surgical manipulations in Rana catesbeiana tadpoles form central connections appropriate to their novel targets even when they must project into novel areas of the spinal cord to do so. The selectivity displayed by sensory neurons innervating different peripheral targets suggests that they may acquire distinctive biochemical properties from their targets that endow them with affinities for appropriate central neurons.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Patient data system for monitoring shunts.

Rapidly locating accurate data on a patient's shunt system is often extremely difficult. We have developed a simple system to fill a perceived need for recording current data on a patients shunt. This system employs an easily updated record in the patient's hospital or clinic chart as well as a wallet-sized data card for the patient or his family to carry. The data in the chart include the configuration of the patient's current shunt system and a graphic record of previous shunt problems. The small patient data card describes the age of the shunt system and its current configuration. We have found that this system provides assistance in the routine follow-up of patients with shunts and plays an extremely necessary role in the emergency evaluation of these patients, particularly when an emergency evaluation is undertaken in facilities distant from the location of regular treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Sex differences in recurrent depression: are there any that are significant?

The authors report on sex differences in a group of 230 patients with recurrent depression. Male and female patients were similar in clinical characteristics and baseline measures of severity. Some sex differences in depressive symptoms were apparent, especially as reflected by self-report instruments. The women reported more appetite and weight increase, more somatization, and expressed anger and hostility. The men demonstrated a more rapid response to treatment. Various interpretations of these findings are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Personality pathology in recurrent depression: nature, prevalence, and relationship to treatment response.

Personality assessments of 119 treatment-responsive patients with recurrent unipolar depression revealed that nearly half of the patients (48%) showed some personality disturbance. The most common personality features were avoidant (30.4%), compulsive (18.6%), and dependent (15.7%). Factor analyses of personality data in this homogeneous population yielded results that were consistent with previous factor analytic studies of personality features and clinical descriptions of depressed patients. Most notably, a discriminant function analysis using personality variables alone was able to distinguish (with 65% accuracy) between patients who responded normally to treatment and those who responded more slowly.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Possible role of antidepressants in precipitating mania and hypomania in recurrent depression.

This prospective study examined the incidence of mania or hypomania in 230 patients with recurrent depression treated with imipramine. Overall, only six individuals (2.6%) developed hypomania, representing 0.9% of those in the acute phase and 2.5% of those in the continuation phase of drug treatment. Patients with a history of bipolar II depression (N = 33) did not have a greater incidence of hypomania than those with unipolar depression (N = 197). Younger patients did not switch to hypomania more rapidly than older ones, and women were not more likely to switch than men. Systematic assessment of mania, stringent diagnostic criteria, and the recurrent nature of the sample may account for this low incidence of hypomania compared to that reported by other investigators.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Preoperative evaluation of cervical radiculopathy and myelopathy by surface-coil MR imaging.

During a 2-year period, 256 patients were screened for cervical radiculopathy and myelopathy with surface-coil MR images and plain films. Selected patients had follow-up examinations including CT, myelography, and CT myelography. Thirty-four of these patients underwent cervical spine surgery after MR imaging, which disclosed a total of 50 abnormalities in three major categories: herniated disks, bony canal stenoses, and intradural lesions. MR correctly predicted 88% of all surgically proved lesions compared with 81% for CT myelography, 58% for myelography, and 50% for CT. Missed herniated disks on either MR or CT myelography usually were the result of technically suboptimal studies caused by motion artifacts on MR and beam-hardening artifacts on CT myelography. Small osteophytes adjoining herniated disks sometimes were not predicted on MR, although such osteophytes invariably were seen on plain films and were palpable during standard anterior cervical diskectomy procedures. Herniated disks in the lateral root canals found in two patients appeared to be detected more readily by CT myelography than by MR. All proved lesions were detected by either screening MR images and plain films or by follow-up CT myelograms. MR replaced invasive evaluations by myelography and CT myelography in 32% of preoperative patients. We conclude that MR images, combined with plain films, offer an accurate, noninvasive test for the preoperative evaluation of cervical radiculopathy and myelopathy, while CT myelography is the preferred follow-up examination.

Cervical Vertebrae↗
PubMed1987

Development of synaptic connections between muscle sensory and motor neurons: anatomical evidence that postsynaptic dendrites grow into a preformed sensory neuropil.

The anatomical development of muscle sensory arbors and dendrites of brachial motoneurons in the spinal cord of the bullfrog was studied by labeling both types of cells with horseradish peroxidase. Sensory and motoneurons were labeled in tadpoles (stages XV-XVIII) by backfilling the triceps nerve in vivo with HRP throughout the stages in development when functional monosynaptic connections between these cells are first being formed. Individual triceps motoneurons were injected with HRP in other tadpoles at the same developmental stages. By stage XV, triceps sensory afferents already projected to and arborized in the ventral sensory neuropil region of the spinal cord where sensory-motor connections are made. In contrast, the dendrites of triceps motoneurons rarely were present in this region until stage XVI. By stage XVII, triceps dendrites in this region were common and they intermingled with the collaterals of muscle sensory axons. Thus, sensory axons supplying limb muscles grow into the future neuropil region well in advance of the arrival of motoneuronal dendrites. Electrophysiological studies have shown that the connections between triceps sensory and motor neurons are already specific at stage XVII, as soon as monosynaptic potentials between these cells can be detected (Frank and Westerfield: J. Physiol. (Lond.) 343:593-610, '83). The present anatomical results demonstrate that the processes of sensory and motor cells are not in close anatomical proximity before this time; thus the selection of appropriate synaptic partners must occur from the outset.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Chondromyxoid fibroma of the petrous-sphenoid junction.

A case of primary chondromyxoid fibroma of the petrous and sphenoid bones extending into the posterior clinoid process, sella, and cavernous sinus in a 26-year-old man is reported. The presence of this tumor was heralded solely by the progressive paresis of the abducens nerve. The occurrence of this tumor is exceedingly rare, and to our knowledge, this is the first report of a primary chondromyxoid fibroma in the parasellar region. The natural history of this tumor, its pathologic diagnosis, and its treatment will be discussed with reference to this unusual case.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Reliability of NPT scoring and visual estimates of erectile fullness.

We report the reliability of nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT) scoring and visual estimates of erectile fullness performed by a group of eight registered polysomnographic technologists (RPSGTs). We achieved overall good to excellent interrater reliability (as measured by coefficients of variation, CVs) for seven widely used electrographic measures of NPT activity: number of episodes, categorization of episodes (full or partial), total tumescence changes, tip change, base change, duration of episode, and duration of 80% maximum tumescence. In two different visual estimate trials using photographs, separated by 2 weeks, female technologists (n = 4) made mean visual estimates of erectile fullness that were significantly higher than those of male technologists (n = 4). In addition, the CVs among the female technologists on visual estimates was consistently lower than those of the males. Higher correlations, however, were found between male technologists' estimates of fullness versus buckling force than for female technologists' estimates. Thus, the gender of a technologist may affect visual estimates of erectile fullness during NPT assessment.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Do nocturnal penile tumescence recordings alter electroencephalographic sleep?

While concurrent monitoring of sleep is considered to be a necessary component of evaluating nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT), in order to ensure that NPT data are not invalidated by fragmented sleep or diminished REM sleep, it is not known whether NPT recording itself disrupts sleep beyond the expected first night effect. In this study of 42 outpatient men with major depression and 36 normal control subjects, we found no effect of NPT recording on measures of sleep continuity, proportion of NREM to REM sleep, or REM sleep in either depressed or healthy control subjects.

Depressive Disorder↗
PubMed1987

The aftermath of rape. Profiles of immediate and delayed treatment seekers.

Seventy-eight sexual assault victims who sought treatment within 1 month of their assaults were compared with 40 victims who delayed seeking treatment. Demographic, rape situation, and psychiatric history characteristics were examined as were postrape symptom profiles and responses to treatment. More of the delayed treatment seekers were raped by a "friend," and fewer used physical means to defend themselves against the assailant. With respect to symptomatology, delayed treatment seekers reported considerable rape-related distress and were more anxious and significantly more fearful than were recent rape victims. Implications for clinical practice and for the tailoring of services for victims of sexual assault are suggested.

Anxiety Disorders↗
PubMed1987

Acute orbital pseudotumor: ocular emergency on a general medical service.

We have reported a case of acute orbital pseudotumor, an idiopathic inflammatory process that usually responds dramatically to corticosteroids. Untreated, severe proptosis and eventual optic neuropathy may result. Although its signs and symptoms may cause confusion with infectious, endocrinologic, traumatic, allergic, and neoplastic ophthalmopathies, the acute onset, rapid progression, and characteristic CT picture are nearly pathognomonic of orbital pseudotumor. When both the clinical and CT findings are compatible with this diagnosis, a therapeutic trial of oral corticosteroids can be undertaken. It is important for the primary physician to be aware of this disease to facilitate appropriate diagnosis and treatment, avoiding unnecessary surgical intervention and possible complications.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1987

Double-blind, placebo-controlled immunotherapy with a high-molecular-weight, formalinized allergoid in grass pollen allergy.

Specific immunotherapy is effective in grass pollen allergy with standardized extracts and formalinized allergoids; but systemic reactions are not uncommon. A high-molecular-weight (greater than 85,000 daltons), formalinized allergoid was investigated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study to assess its safety and efficacy. Twenty patients received a placebo and 39 the allergoid using a rather aggressive protocol. Five patients developed a mild and transient systemic reaction with high doses of allergoid and one had a more severe reaction requiring treatment. Nasal challenges performed with orchard grass pollen grains showed that the threshold number of grains eliciting nasal symptoms was significantly (p less than 0.01) greater in the treated group. This group had significantly (p less than 0.01) less nasal symptoms during the season and specific IgG levels were significantly (p less than 0.01) elevated. There was a significant (p less than 0.01) correlation between nasal challenges and nasal symptoms during the season but no correlation between IgG and symptoms. There was no dose-dependent effect of allergoids.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Relapse in recurrent unipolar depression.

Treatment of the acute phase of recurrent depression has become both routine and successful in the last decade, but the rates of relapse and recurrence remain a problem. In this study a combined psychopharmacologic/psychotherapeutic approach to the acute and continuation treatment of unipolar depressed patients was used. For 59 patients who completed the continuation phase of treatment, the relapse rate after 8 weeks of recovery was 8.5%. Since other recent studies of recurrent depression have reported relapse rates of 15%-22%, these results suggest that there are advantages in combined treatment.

Acute Disease↗