Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

G Hill

Publications and source records attributed to G Hill.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

The treatment of Wilson's disease with zinc. IV. Efficacy monitoring using urine and plasma copper.

Progress has been made in establishing the efficacy and safety of oral zinc as a maintenance therapy for Wilson's disease. It is important to develop simple, noninvasive monitoring methods to assure the adequacy of zinc therapy in individual patients. In this paper we report the use of 24-hr urine copper and plasma copper measurements to monitor efficacy of zinc maintenance therapy in 30 Wilson's disease patients. In examples of therapeutic inadequacy such as noncompliance, these values increase. With continued long-term adequate therapy, they remain stable or decrease. These two simple monitoring tools appear to be very useful in monitoring Wilson's disease patients receiving zinc therapy.

Ceruloplasmin↗
PubMed1987

Mediastinal emphysema in marrow transplant recipients.

Six of 146 patients at our institution developed mediastinal emphysema following marrow transplantation. Five patients were the recipients of marrow from their HLA fully matched sibling donors and one patient had an autologous marrow transplant. Features common to all included single-dose total body irradiation and high-dose systemic adrenocorticosteroids. Five of the patients had clinical and radiological evidence of recent or active interstitial pneumonitis. The clinical implications and possible aetiologies of mediastinal emphysema developing in the post-transplant patient are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Yaws reappears.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Disease Outbreaks↗
PubMed1985

Recidivism, perceived problem-solving abilities, MMPI characteristics, and violence: a study of black and white incarcerated male adult offenders.

This study examined recidivism, perceived problem-solving abilities, type of offense, and personality characteristics in an incarcerated male population. Twenty black males and 32 white males were selected systematically from inmate populations. The MMPI, its special scales, and the PSI scales were analyzed; F, L, Re, and Do scales reported significant results. Recidivists scored significantly higher than nonrecidivists on the impulsive scale of the Problem Solving Inventory. Black recidivists generated significantly higher scores on the F scale than did black or white nonrecidivists. The Pd scale reported a significant main effect for type of offense (p less than .05). Offenders incarcerated for violent crimes scored higher on the Pd scale than the nonviolent criminals. This research study demonstrated the utility of the MMPI and the PSI in discriminating between nonviolent and violent criminals.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Variable distributions of serum creatine kinase reference values. Relationship to exercise activity.

Although the effect of exercise on serum creatine kinase (CK: EC 2.7.3.2) activity is well known, no standard protocol for blood collection conditions has been developed. Variable frequency distributions of CK activities have been reported for reference range samples from different laboratories and have been attributed to laboratory differences. In this study the frequency distributions of creatine kinase activities (CK: EC 2.7.3.2) in serum samples obtained from the same groups of volunteers varied from a normal Gaussian distribution, to skewed distributions, on different occasions. In one collection extremely high CK values followed the performance of an eccentric exercise step test 5-8 days previously. In 2 students serum CK activities had not returned to resting values 12 and 15 days later. Peak serum CK values occurred within 24 h of other types of exercise. Serum CK frequency distributions in blood samples obtained from a group of nurses was skewed, whereas the distribution in mothers of school children was Gaussian. When repeat samples were obtained from the nurses after instruction to avoid exercise, the distribution became Gaussian. In view of the increasing levels of physical activity in the community, a standard protocol for serum CK analysis is required, in which exercise activity over the previous three weeks should be documented. Test subjects should be counselled to avoid unusual eccentric exercise and sampling should include 3 tests at least 1 week apart.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Nationwide study of the susceptibility of the Bacteroides fragilis group in the United States.

A nationwide susceptibility survey of the Bacteroides fragilis group was continued at New England Medical Center in 1983. A total of 555 strains were obtained from eight centers in the United States. In addition to the nine antimicrobial agents studied in the two previous years, three other agents were added to the evaluation: cefamandole, cefuroxime, and cefonicid. The results for the strains tested with the original nine drugs in 1983 were compared with those for 1,292 isolates tested in 1981 and 1982. The most active beta-lactam drug was piperacillin, which had an 8% resistance rate. Cefoxitin resistance increased from 10% in 1982 to 16% in 1983. High rates of resistance to cefotaxime, cefoperazone, cefamandole, cefonicid, and cefuroxime were encountered. No metronidazole- or chloramphenicol-resistant isolates were found during the 3 years of the study. Susceptibility patterns varied at the eight hospitals: the outbreak of cefoxitin resistance reported in 1982 at New England Medical Center remitted, while a high clindamycin resistance rate was documented at one hospital in 1983. These data indicate the need for determining the susceptibility patterns for the B. fragilis group of organisms at each hospital.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1985

Wilson disease of the brain: MR imaging.

Twenty-three patients with biochemically proved Wilson disease underwent magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the brain. Positive findings, believed secondary to this condition, were found in 15 subjects. Findings varied among patients, but there were striking similarities between certain groups of patients. Areas of abnormal signal were seen in the lenticular, thalamic, caudate, and dentate nuclei, as well as in the brain stem; in these areas, the abnormalities were bilaterally symmetric. A smaller number of patients had asymmetric focal white-matter lesions. Correlation of the MR findings with clinical symptoms was generally good. Repeat imaging was performed on five patients at intervals ranging from 4 to 8 months; none showed significant interval change.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Brainwashing in tuberculosis management.

Staff at Raihu Health Centre have made the current tuberculosis (TB) programme work for the majority of patients. A variety of health education techniques have been developed. Follow-up has been strengthened in several ways. Initiative and enthusiasm must come from officers-in-charge of health centres to make TB control programmes work. Effective health education, efficient field follow-up and an operational Aid Post set-up are vital for the successful control of tuberculosis, whatever drugs or regimes are in use.

Community Health Centers↗
PubMed1985

Decreased natural killer cell activity in patients with zinc deficiency with sickle cell disease.

Zinc deficiency is associated with depression of a number of immune responses. To assess the relationship of zinc and natural killer activity, we studied natural killer activity in adults with sickle cell disease and in two normal volunteers rendered zinc deficient by dietary restriction. Natural killer activity was significantly lower in patients with sickle cell disease and zinc deficiency (5.1 +/- 2.9 lytic units per 10(6) cells) than in controls (11.7 +/- 5.0 lytic units per 10(6) cells). In the two volunteers, natural killer activity declined during zinc restriction and returned to near initial levels with zinc repletion. These results suggest that zinc deficiency is associated with a lowering of natural killer activity.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Antimicrobial susceptibilities of 1,292 isolates of the Bacteroides fragilis group in the United States: comparison of 1981 with 1982.

A susceptibility survey of 537 strains of the Bacteroides fragilis group from eight centers in the United States was continued at the Tufts New England Medical Center in 1982. The results were compared with those of 755 organisms analyzed in 1981. Nine antimicrobial agents were tested by an agar dilution method. The respective percentages of resistance for 1981 and 1982 were as follows (%): cefoxitin, 8 and 10; moxalactam, 22 and 12; cefotaxime, 54 and 48; cefoperazone, 57 and 54; piperacillin, 12 and 7; clindamycin, 6 and 3; metronidazole, 0 and 0; chloramphenicol, 0 and 0; and tetracycline, 63 and 59. Regional differences in resistance rates were found. Declines in resistance to moxalactam, piperacillin, and clindamycin were noted at the participating hospitals. An outbreak of cefoxitin resistance was noted at the Tufts New England Medical Center, where the rate increased from 14 to 30%. The various species of the B. fragilis group had differing patterns of resistance; B. fragilis was the most susceptible species. Significant cross resistance among the beta-lactam agents was found. These data indicate the need to determine the susceptibility patterns of the B. fragilis group organisms within each hospital.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1984

Affinity of temocillin for Escherichia coli K-12 penicillin-binding proteins.

Temocillin is a 6 alpha-methoxy penicillin which shows poor affinity for the penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) of Escherichia coli K-12 when tested by competition with [14C]penicillin G or [125I]penicillin X. When the reaction conditions for the radiolabeled penicillin used in this procedure were modified by lowering the temperature (2 degrees C) and reducing the incubation time (3 min), temocillin showed a much higher affinity for PBP-3 and improved affinity for the other PBPs, with the exception of PBP-2. Direct labeling procedures with [14C]temocillin also showed that the compound had affinity for PBPs 1a and 3. These results are more consistent with the effects of temocillin on the morphology of E. coli than the poor affinity values obtained by the classical competitive procedure. Reasons for the disparity between these assay systems are discussed.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1983

Genetic screening of newborn in Australia. Results for 1981.

Since screening of newborn infants for phenylketonuria (PKU) by the Guthrie bacterial inhibition assay was established in the 1960s, 3 017 703 infants have been tested in Australia. Two hundred and fifty-one cases of PKU (0.83/10 000) and six cases of the variant forms of malignant hyperphenylalaninaemia (MHPA) (0.02/10 000) have been detected. In 1981, 11 infants with PKU were detected. Screening for congenital hypothyroidism was carried out in seven States, and 66 new cases were detected in 1981 (2.13/10 000). In Adelaide, 154 310 infants have been tested for galactosaemia and a total of seven cases have now been detected (0.45/10 000). In New South Wales, 35 955 infants have been tested for cystic fibrosis of the pancreas, and 17 cases were found (4.73/10 000).

Australia↗
PubMed1983

Tricyclic triarylethylene antiestrogens: dibenz[b,f]oxepins, dibenzo[b,f]thiepins, dibenzo[a,e]cyclooctenes, and dibenzo[b,f]thiocins.

The bridging groups O, S, CH2CH2, and SCH2 were used to produce a series of 26 tricyclic triarylethylenes. Their in vitro binding to rat uterine estrogen receptor was measured in a competitive binding assay. Antifertility and uterotrophic tests in rats showed that antiestrogenic activity was present. The most interesting series had a basic side chain, and the most potent compounds were 3-[2-(dimethylamino)ethoxy] -10-ethyl-11-(4-hydroxyphenyl)dibenzo[b,f]thiepin (7b) and 3-[2-(dimethylamino)ethoxy]-11-ethyl-12-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5,6-dihydrodibenzo[a,e]-cyclooctene (7c), which had good binding (approximately 50% relative to estradiol) and good antiestrogenic activity (ca. one-half of the potency of tamoxifen, III). In this series, the O-bridged compound was the least active, and this is interpreted in terms of the flatness of the dibenzoxepin ring system. Sedative activity was found in some of the compounds.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Serum lipid and apolipoprotein A and B levels in familial hypercholesterolemia.

Serum lipid and apolipoprotein A (apo A) and B (apo B) levels were studied in a family with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), which comprised two heterozygous parents, five heterozygous children, one homozygote and one normal child. Lipid levels were compared with those of age- and sex-matched normal controls. All subjects with FH had total serum cholesterol and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels greater than the 90th percentile value for the reference range. High density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were less than the corresponding 13th percentile in heterozygous subjects. The homozygous child had grossly elevated levels of LDL-C and apo B, and very low levels of HDL-C and apo A. The most powerful discriminating variable between normal, heterozygous and homozygous family members was the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio.

Adolescent↗