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Biomedical subjects

F Smith

Publications and source records attributed to F Smith.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

[Behavior characteristics of 10-year-old ex-neonatal intensive care patients].

Subject of study was the analysis of behavioral characteristics of 51 10-year-old ex-NICU patients at home and at school. Parental assessment of child behavior proved not to differ from the normative data. Teachers however reported more problematic behaviors, particularly with regard to the introverted behavior in boys. On the basis of these findings one can conclude that the prognosis for this patient group is better than expected. A plea is made for future research to focus on factors that will facilitate a more favorable behavior development.

Achievement↗

The influence of skin structure on permeability: an intersite and interspecies comparison with hydrophilic penetrants.

For reasons that are unclear, skin from various body sites has different permeability properties. We have used hydrophilic penetrants (water, ethanol, mannitol, and paraquat) to study the in vitro permeability of skin from marmoset (eight body sites), man, and rat. Skin structure (stratum corneum thickness and number of cell layers; epidermal and dermal thickness; number and area of hair follicle openings per mm2) was compared with permeability. There was no apparent relationship between skin structure and permeability to the most rapid penetrants, water and ethanol. Follicle area opening was the structural feature that varied most between species and between body sites. Different marmoset body sites showed a threefold range in follicle area but this did not appear to influence the absorption rates of the test penetrants. However, among the species there was an 80-times range in follicle area, which correlated with the observed differences in rate of mannitol and paraquat absorption. Thus, permeability could be related to inter-species differences in skin structure, but only with the relatively slowly absorbed test penetrants, mannitol and paraquat.

Animals↗

Personality as a vulnerability factor to depression.

One hundred and forty non-depressed primiparous women in a stable relationship completed two personality measures (the EPI and the IPSM) antenatally, and were then assessed for depression at several times post-natally. The risk of depression at six months was increased up to tenfold by high interpersonal sensitivity and threefold by high neuroticism. When previously depressed women were excluded from analyses, high interpersonal sensitivity and, to a lesser extent, high neuroticism were still associated with an increased risk of being depressed. Interpersonal sensitivity, as measured, is suggested as a refined personality risk factor to both the onset and recurrence of depression.

Depressive Disorder↗

Low protein/high calorie dietary regimen in the management of chronic renal failure. A preliminary study of Nigerian patients.

The progression of renal failure was evaluated in seven patients with established chronic renal failure (mean serum creatinine 4.17 mg%), while on a supervised dietary regimen consisting of low protein of high biological value (20-30 g/day), and a high calorie content (3000 kcal/day) for a period of between 18 and 28 months. Five other patients with a comparable degree of chronic renal failure whose protein intake was unrestricted (evaluated to vary between 40 and 60 g per day) served as controls. In the study group, serum creatinine levels stabilized or improved in five, while a moderate rise was observed in two. In contrast, a considerable and significant rise in serum creatinine values was observed in all the controls. Two significantly different slopes (P less than 0.01) were also obtained from the linear regression analysis of the reciprocal of serum creatinine values against time, for the two groups. Our preliminary observation of a beneficial effect of this regimen in our patients is particularly relevant to the developing countries because of the high prevalence of chronic renal failure against the background of grossly inadequate facilities for maintenance dialysis or renal transplantation.

Creatinine↗

Charles Darwin

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History, Modern 1601-↗

Enhancement of coxsackievirus B4 virulence by indomethacin.

The safety of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents in viral infections was assessed in a mouse model of coxsackievirus B4 neonatal myocarditis. Two-day-old mice were infected intraperitoneally with 10(4) TCID50 coxsackievirus B4 and then randomized to receive indomethacin or saline for 7 days. A number of them were killed on designated days. Mortality, viral titers, antibody, and interferon levels plus histopathologic changes in the heart were compared. Among treated animals, mortality was greater (22/45 vs 7/27; p = 0.07) and viral titers were higher on days 4 and 7 (p = 0.038 and 0.028, respectively). Interferon levels were lower on days 4 and 7 (p = 0.028 and 0.008, respectively), and histopathologic changes were more extensive on days 7 and 21 (p = 0.008 and 0.028, respectively). These findings show that indomethacin decreased interferon production, increased coxsackievirus4 titers, and enhanced the virulence of coxsackievirus B4. These results raise significant concerns about the safety of indiscriminate use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents during severe viral infections.

Animals↗

Modification of exercise-aggravated coxsackievirus B3 murine myocarditis by T lymphocyte suppression in an inbred model.

The effects of T lymphocyte suppression on coxsackievirus B3 (CB3) myocarditis and its augmentation by exercise were determined in this study. Three-week-old male C3H/HeN mice were divided into four groups. Group 1 mice were infected intraperitoneally (IP) on day 0 with CB3 10(2.5) TCID50, were made to swim daily from days 1 to 9, and were immunosuppressed with daily doses of cyclosporine A (25 mg/kg IP) from days -2 to 8, plus 0.1 ml antithymocyte 1.2 IgG 2a monoclonal antibody IP on day 0. Mice in group 2 were infected and made to swim daily from days 1 to 9. Mice in group 3 were infected and immunosuppressed as outlined. Mice in group 4 were infected IP with CB3. Mortality rates during the acute phase of infection (days 1 to 9) were as follows: group 1, 4% (1/25); group 2, 52% (13/25); groups 3 and 4, 0. Overall mortality rates through day 21 were as follows: group 1, 67% (17/25); group 2, 72% (18/25); group 3, 40% (10/25); and group 4, 4% (1/25). Mean viral titers in serum were highest in the immunosuppressed groups throughout the study. Myocardial viral titers (mean log10 TCID50) were higher in group 2 mice than in group 1 on days 6 (10(6.9) vs 10(4.6)) and 9 (10(8.4) vs 10(7)); however, these titers peaked in group 1 mice on day 13 (10(9.7)). Myocardial inflammation, necrosis, and mean heart weight/body weight ratios were lower in group 1 compared with group 2 on days 6 and 9 but were maximal on day 13 in group 1. Neutralizing antibody titers were lower in immunosuppressed mice on days 6 and 9; however, a rebound increase occurred on day 13.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Intraoperative intra-arterial urokinase infusion as an adjunct to Fogarty catheter embolectomy in acute arterial occlusion.

Sixteen patients, seven men and nine women (mean age of 66 years), with acute arterial ischemia were treated with operative thromboembolectomy by Fogarty catheterization and urokinase. Seven patients were diabetic, ten were hypertensive and six had prior vascular surgical treatment. The operative arteriograms confirmed vascular occlusive phenomenon. The ankle to brachial ratio was a mean of 0.02. Perioperatively, patients had anticoagulation with heparin systemically. All patients underwent transfemoral embolectomy using a Fogarty catheter. An initial retrieval of clots was accomplished, with documentation by arteriography, instillation of urokinase (50,000 units) and clamping of vessel for 15 minutes. Subsequent passage of the Fogarty catheter and repeat urokinase infusion resulted in further retrieval of clots and improvement by repeat intraoperative arteriography. All interventions resulted in clinical restoration of perfusion to the affected limb. Six patients had amputations of the lower extremities (one transmetatarsal and one below the knee) during the 30 day postoperative period. Improvement in distal run-off was demonstrated by intraoperative arteriography and increases in the ankle to brachial ratio from 0.1 to 1.04, with a mean of 0.54, were noted. No complications from bleeding occurred. One patient died postoperatively because of myocardial infarction. Salvage of the limb may increase with combined embolectomy and thrombolytic therapy.

Acute Disease↗

Cerebral perfusion deficits in dysbaric illness.

Decompression sickness (DCS) is usually categorised as type I (mild; peripheral pain, non-neurological) or type II (serious; neurological). Type II is regarded as predominantly a spinal cord disease with infrequent cerebral involvement. Cerebral perfusion was studied by injection of 99Tcm-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime and single photon emission tomography in 28 divers with confirmed incidents of DCS and cerebral arterial gas embolism (CAGE). Cerebral perfusion deficits were present in all 23 cases of type II DCS and in all 4 cases of CAGE. No deficits were present in the single case of type I DCS. Type II DCS should be recognised as a diffuse, multifocal, central nervous system disease.

Adolescent↗

Hypoxic cardiomyopathy: acute myocardial dysfunction after severe hypoxia.

Five cases of acute transient myocardial dysfunction in previously well people after severe hypoxic episode are described. In all cases the hypoxic episode was associated with drug overdose and its complications. Pulmonary infiltrates on chest X-ray consistent with pulmonary edema developed in four cases and gated heart pool scanning confirmed severe cardiovascular dysfunction in all cases.

Adult↗

Arginine vasopressin and acute, intravascular volume expansion in the human fetus.

There is presently no information concerning the ontogeny and control of arginine vasopressin (AVP) in the human fetus. AVP was measured in 22 nonanemic control fetuses and 7 fetuses with hemolytic anemia undergoing 13 intravascular transfusions. Each transfused fetus received pancuronium (0.3 mg/kg) and furosemide (2 mg/kg). Compared to the control group of nonanemic fetuses with hemolytic disease, AVP was significantly lower in the anemic fetus prior to transfusion (2.6 +/- 0.4 microU/ml versus 10.4 +/- 4.1 microU/ml, p less than 0.05). This suggests that hemolytic anemia is associated with a relative increase in fetal intravascular volume. Intravascular transfusion was associated with a significant increase in AVP (p less than 0.05). These findings could not be explained by changes in either blood pressure, plasma osmolality, or fetal oxygenation.

Anemia, Hemolytic↗

[The Kleine-Levin syndrome].

Two boys, aged 12 and 13 years, showed relapsing periods of somnolence and excessive eating, starting after a viral illness. One of them also showed periodic disturbance of sexual impulse control. The symptomatic periods were followed by symptom-free intervals in a highly characteristic pattern. This gave the clue to the diagnosis Kleine-Levin syndrome. The cause of this syndrome is unknown, in some cases a relationship between infectious disease or traumatic brain damage has been postulated. A dysfunction of the hypothalamus and associated structures is suspected. The syndrome has a rather favourable prognosis. The symptoms can be relieved by amphetamines, methylphenidate and probably also by lithium carbonate.

Adolescent↗