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Biomedical subjects

F H Norris

Publications and source records attributed to F H Norris.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Alzheimer's disease amyloid peptide is encoded by two exons and shows similarity to soybean trypsin inhibitor.

To better understand the processing of the Alzheimer disease amyloid precursor protein, we have cloned and sequenced that region of the human genome coding for the amyloid peptide. Two exons separated by a 6.2kb intron define this region. Characterization of the A4 peptide amino acid sequence shows similarity to the structure of soybean trypsin inhibitor (Kunitz). Our observation describes a different region of PreA4 than the previously characterized domain of larger amyloid precursor molecules PreA4 751 and 770(2). Moreover, the exon organization, Kunitz domain duplication and transmembrane location of A4 suggest that PreA4 is similar to growth factor precursors and thus may be processed similarly.

Alzheimer Disease↗
PubMed1989

Psychological symptoms in older adults following natural disaster: nature, timing, duration, and course.

Using a prospective design with five follow-up intervals, the study addressed questions regarding the timing of onset, duration, course, and nature of psychological reaction to natural disaster. As participants in a statewide panel study, more than 200 older adults were interviewed both before and after two distinct floods occurred in southeastern Kentucky in 1981 and 1984. Exposure to these incidents, which differed in overall intensity, was assessed at both the individual and community levels. Personal loss was associated with short-term increases in negative affect, limited to one year postflood. Longer-term effects were more dependent on the level of community destruction. Exposure to high levels of community destruction was related to decreased positive affect up to two years postdisaster, whereas exposure to high levels of both community destruction and personal loss was predictive of increased negative affect for two years.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis severity scale.

The amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) severity scale has been developed to provide an ordinal staging system and a means of rapid functional assessment for patients with ALS. The scale allows an examiner to evaluate the symptoms of ALS numerically in four categories that describe speech, swallowing, lower extremity, and upper extremity abilities. These scores, combined with a vital capacity measured on a hand-held respirometer, provide a rapid, accurate assessment of a patient's disease status and can be used for treatment planning. The ALS severity scale has been shown to have an average estimated reliability coefficient of 0.95 between examiners. Speech ratings were correlated greater than 0.80 for objective speech measures. Rates of progression of the total score in a small group of patients ranged from -3.4 to -24.0 points/year with a mean of -11.3 points/year.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Prior experience as a moderator of disaster impact on anxiety symptoms in older adults.

As participants in a panel study, 234 older adults were interviewed before, as well as after, serious flooding occurred in southeastern Kentucky. Floods are not uncommon in this area, but these were more widespread than most, and resulted in both previously exposed and newly exposed subsamples of disaster victims. Flood impact was measured at both personal and community levels. With preflood symptoms controlled, there were modest flood effects on both trait anxiety and weather-specific distress in older adults without prior flood experience, but no flood effects in older adults who had been in floods before. Thus, the study provides support for the "inoculation hypothesis" and other conceptualizations that emphasize the advantage of being familiar or experienced with a stressor that is at hand. An implication is that "experienced" victims could be a valuable resource in prevention efforts.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

Antiviral therapy.

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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis↗
PubMed1987

Effects of attrition on relationships between variables in surveys of older adults.

Using data from a five-wave panel study of older adults, this study examined the potential for attrition to affect relationships among study variables. There were few differences between those respondents who completed all five waves and those who did not in either their initial matrices of correlations or in the equations that best predicted their Wave 2 health and depression. Relationships among variables also did not differ between respondents and persistent nonrespondents, between respondents and four specific attrition types, or between the original sample and various multiwave samples. In discussing the findings, the limited effects that attrition has on relationships between variables are contrasted to the stronger effects that attrition appears to have on mean levels of those variables, showing that the former does not necessarily follow from the latter. The findings support recent conclusions in the literature that the threat posed by panel loss is not as great as typically assumed.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

Older adult family stress and adaptation before and after bereavement.

As a part of a larger study, interviews were obtained from 63 older adults who had experienced the death of a spouse, parent, or child, and from 387 older adults who had not been bereaved. Three interviews were conducted before the death, one after. The study found that: (a) Bereavement itself did not affect health; (b) family stress increased as the time of death approached but diminished thereafter; (c) before the death, family stress was associated with worsening health; (d) after the death, health worsened if there had been no family stress preceding the death, but otherwise it improved; (e) after the death, however, psychological distress increased sharply, regardless of the level of prebereavement stress. Implications of the study for conceptualizations of grief and for understanding the life experiences of older adults are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1987

Trauma and ALS.

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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis↗
PubMed1986

The treatment of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis with interferon: a case report.

A child with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) received intraventricular alpha interferon (IFN) as experimental treatment. The course was monitored by colleagues in pediatric neurology, neuro-opthalmology and clinical psychology, also by monthly EEGS and brain CT scans. Two courses of IFN were administered. During the first course, improvement occurred nearly to the premorbid level of function. About 1 month after this trial was stopped, a severe recrudescence rapidly produced a thalamic state. A second trial of IFN resulted in less improvement. When the brain CT showed severe degeneration, the second trial was stopped. Intraventricular administration of alpha IFN was well tolerated in both courses of therapy. Alpha IFN has promise in the treatment of SSPE but the optimal dosage and duration of treatment are undetermined.

Adolescent↗