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Biomedical subjects

G Roberts

Publications and source records attributed to G Roberts.

233 records · Page 13Linked to original sources
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LeadScope: software for exploring large sets of screening data.

Modern approaches to drug discovery have dramatically increased the speed and quantity of compounds that are made and tested for potential potency. The task of collecting, organizing, and assimilating this information is a major bottleneck in the discovery of new drugs. We have developed LeadScope a novel, interactive computer program for visualizing, browsing, and interpreting chemical and biological screening data that can assist pharmaceutical scientists in finding promising drug candidates. The software organizes the chemical data by structural features familiar to medicinal chemists. Graphs are used to summarize the data, and structural classes are highlighted that are statistically correlated with biological activity.

Journal Article↗
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Termite control and other determinants of high body burdens of cyclodiene insecticides.

Breast milk fat concentrations of three cyclodiene insecticides--dieldrin, heptachlor epoxide, and oxychlordane--were measured in 797 primiparous women, and sources of exposure that contributed significantly to high body burdens were investigated. All three distributions were highly skewed to the right, with median concentrations falling between 0.007 and 0.039 mg/kg. Termite control of residence was associated consistently with being in the high-body-burden group for all three compounds, but the association was greatest for heptachlor. Age, socioeconomic status, residential area, smoking, and home use of insecticides were also associated with high body burden of one or more of the compounds, but the odds ratios were lower than those for termite control; the findings were inconsistent for the three compounds. The results for termite control remained statistically significant when we adjusted for the other factors; therefore, termite control of residence is an important risk factor for cyclodiene insecticide absorption.

Adipose Tissue↗
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An explanatory model of health promotion and quality of life in chronic disabling conditions.

BACKGROUND: Although previous studies have examined selected factors influencing health-promoting behaviors or quality of life, the complex interplay of these variables in persons with chronic disabling conditions has not been investigated. OBJECTIVE: To test an explanatory model of variables influencing health promotion and quality of life (Stuifbergen & Rogers, 1997) in persons living with the chronic disabling condition of multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS: A sample of 786 persons with MS (630 women and 156 men) completed a battery of instruments measuring severity of illness-related impairment, barriers to health-promoting behaviors, resources, self-efficacy, acceptance, health-promoting behaviors, and perceived quality of life. The proposed model was assessed and modified using the weighted least squares procedure (WLS), which is implemented by LISREL8 (Joreskog & Sorbom, 1993). RESULTS: The initial model was modified to obtain a recursive model with adequate fit, chi2 (8, N = 786) = 77, p < 0.05; GFI = 0.96; IFI = 0.98; CFI = 0.98. The antecedent variables accounted for 58% of the variance in the frequency of health-promoting behaviors and 66% of the variance in perceived quality of life. The effects of severity of illness on quality of life were mediated partially by health-promoting behaviors, resources, barriers, self-efficacy and acceptance. CONCLUSIONS: The final model supports the hypothesis that quality of life is the outcome of a complex interplay among contextual factors (severity of illness), antecedent variables (Stuifbergen & Rogers, 1997), and health-promoting behaviors. The strength of direct and indirect paths suggests that interventions to enhance social support, decrease barriers, and increase specific self-efficacy for health behaviors would result in improved health-promoting behaviors and quality of life. Further research using a longitudinal design is needed to clarify the effects of the interaction between health-promoting behaviors and trajectory of illness on quality of life for persons with chronic disabling conditions.

Adolescent↗
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Racial differences in the relaxation response of hypertensives.

Racial differences in the relaxation response of hypertensives maintained on diuretic were investigated by comparing blood pressure, muscle tension, and hand temperature changes occurring with biofeedback assisted relaxation. Resting blood pressures were not different in blacks compared with whites. Both black and white subjects decreased diastolic blood pressure significantly from baseline values, but only whites significantly decreased systolic blood pressure. Though both blacks and whites significantly decreased forehead muscle tension, black subjects showed no changes in finger temperature while whites increased temperature significantly. The lack of change in finger temperature in blacks may be a reflection of the increased peripheral resistance previously associated with the greater incidence of hypertension in the American black population.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗
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Unilateral nephrectomy in a juvenile llama.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation, and surgical management of a llama with an ectopic ureter. ANIMALS OR SAMPLE POPULATION: Nine-month-old female llama. RESULTS: The diagnostic evaluation included the use of computed tomography and an excretory ureterogram to confirm and identify the location of the ectopic ureter. Surgical management involved a unilateral nephrectomy. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Computed tomography is a valuable asset to diagnose the presence and terminal location of an ectopic ureter in llamas, and nephrectomy appears to be a viable procedure to resolve the subsequent urinary incontinence.

Animals↗
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Use of computed tomography to evaluate the intestinal tract of adult llamas.

In the llama, signs of colic are obscure and may be exhibited as persistent sternal recumbency and anorexia even in the presence of a surgical lesion. Diagnostic methods for evaluation of abdominal disorders are limited. As a result, surgical intervention may be prolonged and increase the risk of mortality and postoperative complications. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of computed tomography to evaluate the llama intestinal tract. Eighteen hours prior to the computed tomography scan, six llamas were given barium sulfate (15%) via an orogastric tube. Following induction of general anesthesia, the llamas were positioned in sternal recumbency, and 10 mm contiguous slices were obtained from the diaphragm to the tuber ischiadicum. Structures that were consistently identified included the first, second, and third compartments (C1, 2, and 3), small intestine, spiral colon, and ascending colon. C1 was easily identified in the cranial aspect of the abdomen due to its large size relative to the other compartments and characteristic saccules. C2 was located cranial, ventral, and to the right of C1, while C3 was visualized as a tubular structure to the right and ventral to C1 and C2, C3 was traced caudally until it turned dorsally and continued cranially to a dilated ampulla in the right cranial abdomen delineating the entrance to the small intestine. The spiral colon was identified consistently in the left ventral caudal abdomen. Structures that could not be conclusively identified included the cecum and mesenteric lymph nodes. Computed tomography allowed a consistent evaluation of the major intestinal structures associated with colic in the llama. Thus, computed tomography is a potentially valuable noninvasive diagnostic tool to effectively evaluate the abdominal cavity and differentiate medical from surgical lesions in the llama.

Ampulla of Vater↗
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The effect of an inhibitive weight-bearing splint on tone and function: a single-case study.

OBJECTIVE: This single-case study was designed to duplicate Smelt's (1989) study of the effects of the application of an inhibitive weight-bearing splint on upper-extremity muscle tone and function in a child with cerebral palsy. METHOD: Data on tone were collected by tracing the hand when weight bearing in the extended arm posture. Data on function were collected by observing block play for active grasp and voluntary release and ball play. RESULTS: Results indicate that after the application of an inhibitive weight-bearing splint, tone changed minimally, fine motor functional task changes were variable, and arm-hand position improved. Subjective reports by family and other caregivers, however, suggest that tone decreased and function increased. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest the need to find more accurate means of measuring changes of tone and function in children with cerebral palsy. Selection criteria for suitable candidates for the weight-bearing splint are presented.

Arm↗
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Humans↗
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A cost-benefit evaluation of helicopter transfers to the Beaumont neurosurgical unit.

A retrospective analysis of all consecutive helicopter transfers to the Beaumont neurosurgical unit was performed over a two year period from January 1994 to December 1996. There were 55 transfers, 55% of which were for trauma patients. Sixty two per cent were intubated prior to transfer. The mean length of stay at the referring hospital prior to transfer was 12.25 hours (range 3-98 hours). Twenty five per cent underwent a neurosurgical operation within 2 hours of arrival at the unit. Seventy eight per cent of patients either made a full recovery or were left with mild to moderate disability. Whilst helicopters do not seem to result in a marked reduction in total transfer time compared with 'blue light' ambulances, they do result in a shorter time being spent in the unstable transfer environment and this, in turn, might be associated with improved patient outcome.

Adolescent↗
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Directional coronary atherectomy in acute myocardial infarction.

Catheter-based intervention with directional coronary atherectomy (DCA) involving the surgical removal of obstructive plaque has been extensively studied in patients exhibiting stable and unstable angina. However, since no studies to date have evaluated the effectiveness of stand alone DCA as a primary treatment in the acute myocardial infarction (MI) setting, we conducted a five-year retrospective study of the early clinical and in-hospital outcomes of patients who underwent DCA within the 72-hour interval following acute MI. Our study included data obtained from a total of 30 acute MI patients treated between 1993 and 1998. Twenty-six of these patients (86%) met the criteria for angiographic success, while 11 (36%) showed less than 50% residual stenosis without the need for supplemental percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) or additional treatment for other major complications. Four (13%) of the patients exhibited negative outcomes including post-procedural MI, emergency coronary artery bypass grafting, abrupt vessel closure, hemorrhage necessitating vessel repair and transfusion, and death. Although stand alone DCA is not presently a common treatment, our results suggest it to be an effective and relatively safe procedure for acute MI. However, further studies involving a larger number of patients and a longer follow-up evaluation are needed for comparison of the relative effectiveness of this procedure with other treatments of acute MI.

Adult↗
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Audit of the relationship between episiotomy and risk of major perineal laceration during childbirth.

The beneficial effect of mediolateral episiotomy in reducing major perineal lacerations during childbirth has been questioned. In a test of the hypothesis of no association between episiotomy and the incidence of major perineal lacerations, the incidence of major perineal laceration was determined in three cohort groups in one maternity unit between 1984 and 1991. Among those undergoing non-instrumental delivery, no reduction in the incidence of major lacerations could be demonstrated following episiotomy. Among those undergoing episiotomy, the incidence of major lacerations was significantly higher following instrumental delivery.

Episiotomy↗