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Biomedical subjects

G Ross

Publications and source records attributed to G Ross.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Mixed sex wards.

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Female

Chronic neurodegenerative disease associated with HTLV-II infection.

Although human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV) type I is known to cause a number of diseases, there has been no convincing evidence of pathological changes after infection with the related virus, HTLV-II. We have found an endemic focus of HTLV-II infection among members of an American Indian population in New Mexico, USA. We set out to determine the pathological consequences of HTLV-II infection in this population and identified two sisters (aged 59 and 46 years) with a disease superficially resembling the myeloneuropathy induced by HTLV-I. These women had a syndrome similar to the olivopontocerebellar atrophy variant of multiple system atrophy, and HTLV-II infection was confirmed by western blot and the polymerase chain reaction. Thus, HTLV-II may, like HTLV-I, cause a progressive neurodegenerative disease.

Ataxia

Effect of N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester on arterial pressure and on vasodilator and vasoconstrictor responses: influence of initial vascular tone.

Intravenous N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) 0.3, 3 and 30 mg/kg produced a dose-dependent increase of blood pressure in urethane-anesthetized rats. Similar pressure responses occurred in rats after ganglionic or adrenergic blockade, hemorrhage or acetylcholine infusion. L-NAME potentiated the pressor response to phenylephrine in pentolinium-treated rats. L-NAME increased the depressor effect of acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside and shortened the acetylcholine response. Phenylephrine potentiated the magnitude but not the duration of the acetylcholine response and had no effect on the duration or magnitude of sodium nitroprusside-induced hypotension. L-NAME potentiated the initial fall of blood pressure induced by a 5 min acetylcholine infusion but had no effect on the pressure drop at the end of infusion. These results suggest that basal production of nitric oxide (NO) is not related to vascular tone and do not support the view that acetylcholine releases NO from resistance vessels in vivo.

Acetylcholine

Hand preference, prematurity and developmental outcome at school age.

Information was obtained on the hand preference of 88 premature and 80 matched full-term children at 7-8 years old. These children were also evaluated for neurologic status, IQ, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and learning disabilities. Although the difference on hand preference was not significant, 12% more of the premature children than the full-term children were left- or mixed-handed. Results showed that, among premature children, there is an association between non-right-handedness and cognitive and behavioral deficits and that left-handed children show relative clumsiness with the non-preferred hand.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity

Cosmetic and functional outcomes of breast conserving treatment for early stage breast cancer. 1. Comparison of patients' ratings, observers' ratings, and objective assessments.

The cosmetic and functional results of breast conserving therapy were evaluated in a sample of 76 patients with early stage breast cancer, treated by wide local excision, axillary dissection and postoperative radiotherapy between 1975 and 1985. A comparison was made between patients' ratings, independent ratings by two observers (an oncology nurse and a radiation oncologist) and objective measurements. In approximately 40% of the cases, moderate to large differences in the appearance of the treated versus the untreated breast were reported by patients and clinical observers alike. When evaluated on an individual level, the observers' ratings showed relatively high inter-rater agreement (kappa = 0.64), but low levels of concordance were found between the patients' and observers' ratings (kappa < 0.10). Approximately half of the patients reported limited arm or shoulder function, generally mild in nature. Compared to the patients', the observers' ratings of arm edema were significantly lower, indicating 20% mild and 5% more severe swelling. Objective measures of cosmesis and function correlated moderately with the observers' and patients' ratings. Both cosmetic and functional results were found to be significantly related to time elapsed since treatment, with patients treated longer ago exhibiting more problems. The cosmetic and functional outcomes were not related to the patients' age. The results suggest that the patients' opinion can provide important additional information in the evaluation of cosmetic and functional results of breast conserving treatment.

Adult

Cosmetic and functional outcomes of breast conserving treatment for early stage breast cancer. 2. Relationship with psychosocial functioning.

The relationship between cosmetic and functional results of breast conserving therapy and psychosocial functioning was examined in a sample of 76 patients with early stage breast cancer, who received treatment between 1975 and 1985. The patients were interviewed at their homes regarding breast cosmesis, arm functioning and psychosocial health, and subsequently attended the hospital for independent assessment of cosmetic and functional outcomes by clinical observers. High levels of psychological distress, disturbance of body image, and decreased sexual functioning were noted in approximately one-quarter of the study sample. About half of the patients expressed heightened concern with disease recurrence and their future health. Psychosocial problems were only modestly associated with treatment-related cosmetic and functional outcomes, as determined by clinical ratings and objective assessments. The patients' own ratings of breast cosmesis and arm functioning exhibited somewhat higher correlations with self-reported psychosocial functioning. In particular, a significant association was noted between the patients' ratings of overall cosmesis and arm edema and their body image (r = 0.48 and r = 0.43, respectively). The association between cosmetic and functional results and self-reported psychosocial health was strongest among those patients younger in age and treated longer ago. These findings suggest that, in order to evaluate the impact of breast conserving therapy on the patients' quality of life, the patients' own assessments of cosmetic and functional outcomes should be used as a primary source of information.

Adult

Opportunistic 'catch-up' immunisation at entrant school medicals: parental attitudes and uptake.

The immunisation records of all 735 primary schoolchildren eligible for the entrant school medical examination in the Louth and District Unit were scrutinised for completion of primary and booster immunisations. Forty-six (6.26%) were identified as requiring one or more immunisations and, of these, just over half (52%) needed all (i.e. diphtheria, tetanus, polio, and MMR). Completion of prophylaxis was offered to the children at the time of their attendance for the routine entrant school medical No parents disapproved of the offer of immunisation as part of the entrant school medical. The additional school medical sessional time required to incorporate immunisation averaged at four minutes per child. Opportunistic immunisation at the entrant school medical was found to be acceptable both to parents and schools, and is an effective and efficient means of 'mopping up' incomplete primary and booster immunisations in districts where the overall uptakes are already high.

Attitude

Acetylcholine vasodilation of resistance vessels in vivo may not entirely depend on newly synthesized nitric oxide.

Blood flow was measured in denervated hind limbs of pentobarbital-anesthetized cats. Intravenous NG-methyl-L-arginine, 3-30 mg/kg did not affect the magnitude or duration of vasodilation produced by intra-arterial acetylcholine. Intra-arterial NG-methyl-L-arginine induced hind limb vasoconstriction and reduced the duration but not the magnitude of the acetylcholine vasodilator response. The results suggest that acetylcholine-induced hind limb vasodilation may not entirely depend on newly synthesized nitric oxide.

Acetylcholine

The effect of dentin pre-treatment and heat-augmented cure on marginal gap formation of a dentin bonding agent.

This study evaluated the effect of enhancing the cure of a DBA and the effect of dentin surface pre-treatment on marginal gap formation. Dentin cavities were prepared on extracted teeth and were pre-treated either with EDTA or phosphoric acid. Marginal leakage was expressed as percent length of margins with gaps. The mean percent length of margins with gaps for the chemically cured groups ranged from a maximum of 97% to a minimum of 85%. For the chemical/thermal-cured group, the mean percent length of margins with gaps was 95%, 95%, 73%, 35%, and 65%, corresponding to the following: pretreatment, no pre-treatment, EDTA, and phosphoric acid for 60, 15, or five s, respectively. SEM micrographs showed partial removal of one smear layer with EDTA and total removal of the smear layers with phosphoric acid. It is concluded that dentin pre-treatment methods have an effect on the percent length of margins with gaps when the DBA used had its cure supplemented with heat.

Acid Etching, Dental

Pharmacology of endothelium-derived nitric oxide and nitrovasodilators.

Nitric oxide is the active chemical species responsible for the vasodilator action of nitroglycerin, nitroprusside, and related nitrovasodilators. The most potent vasodilator and inhibitor of platelet aggregation known, nitric oxide was recently discovered to occur endogenously as the endothelium-derived relaxing factor. The pharmacology of endothelium-derived nitric oxide is virtually identical to that of the clinically used nitrovasodilators. Although endothelium-derived relaxing factor or endothelium-derived nitric oxide seems to be important in animals, its significance in humans still needs to be shown. We review the recent discoveries in the identification, biosynthesis, metabolism, and biologic actions of endothelium-derived nitric oxide, its significance in humans, and its relation to the clinically used nitrovasodilators.

Animals

Educational status and school-related abilities of very low birth weight premature children.

Eighty-eight premature children with birth weights less than or equal to 1500 g were evaluated at ages between 7 and 8 years old to determine their academic status in comparison with those of a matched full-term group. Results showed that a much higher proportion of the premature children required special educational interventions (48%) than either the full-term children (15%) or the New York State public elementary school population (10%). More than half of the premature children who received educational intervention were neurologically impaired or had below normal intelligence. The entire group of premature children differed significantly from the matched full-term group on IQ score and on tests of verbal ability, school achievement, and auditory memory. Lower socioeconomic status children performed significantly less well on each type of these measures and on a measure of attention than children of the higher socioeconomic status group. There was an interaction of prematurity and social class on Full Scale IQ, verbal tests, academic achievement, and attention, with lower socioeconomic status premature children scoring lowest on these measures. The subset of premature children normal in both IQ and neurologic status did not differ significantly from a matched normal full-term group on any cognitive measures other than arithmetic ability, but they continued to have significantly lower academic achievement scores.

Cerebral Palsy

The neuromotor behavior of preterm and full-term children by three years of age: quality of movement and variability.

Thirty-six preterm and full-term children were seen during the first year of life and at 3 years old. The Neuromotor Behavioral Inventory (NBI)-Version for 3 Year Olds (a 5-category measure of Gross Motor and Fine Motor Development, Reaction to Movement, Neurological Reflexes and Reactions, and Neuromotor Outcome) was used with three groups: healthy preterm, sick preterm, and healthy full term. The groups differed in gross motor, fine motor, reaction to movement, and neuromotor outcome at 3 years of age with the greatest difference between the sick preterm group and the other groups. Quality of movement deteriorated between 12 months and 3 years. Increased frequency of "suspect" or "abnormal" outcomes during the first year was associated with an unfavorable outcome at 3 years of age. Variability, i.e., a change in outcome from one time to another, was not associated with an unfavorable outcome when frequency of unfavorable outcome during the first year was taken into account. Prematurity, perinatal illness, and frequency of unfavorable outcome during the first year were found to have an adverse impact on neuromotor behavior.

Brain Damage, Chronic

Polyamine accumulation and vasogenic oedema in the genesis of late delayed radiation injury of the central nervous system (CNS).

Polyamine (PA) accumulation has been associated with blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption and vasogenic oedema after cold injury. PAs and water content were measured in a rat spinal cord model of late-delayed radiation injury and were found to be elevated at paralysis. The elevated PA levels could be significantly reduced by treatment with difluoromethylornithine (DFMO). In unirradiated rats DFMO reduced putrescine to undetectable levels after 10-12 weeks. These data suggest that blockade of PA synthesis may be useful in treating the vasogenic oedema of radiation injury and may improve CNS radiation tolerance.

Animals