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Biomedical subjects

G Woodruff

Publications and source records attributed to G Woodruff.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Characterisation of [125I][MePhe7]neurokinin B binding to tachykinin NK3 receptors: evidence for interspecies variance.

Human tachykinin NK3 receptors expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells were characterised using the novel radioligand [125I]iodohistidyl,[MePhe7]neurokinin B ([125I][MePhe7]neurokinin B). [125I][MePhe7]neurokinin B was shown to label human NK3 binding sites with high affinity in a saturable and reversible manner. The rank order of affinity of a range of tachykinin ligands confirmed that the tachykinin receptor expressed was the NK3 receptor type. An interspecies comparison of NK3 binding sites revealed pharmacological differences between human, guinea pig and rat tachykinin NK3 receptors. The NK2 selective antagonist SR 48968, inhibited binding of [125I][MePhe7]neurokinin B to NK3 binding sites with Ki values of 287 nM and 205 nM in human and guinea pig respectively, but was > 30-fold less active in the rat.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

The presentation of children with amblyopia.

This study reports the presentation of 961 children who underwent amblyopia treatment at seven orthoptic centres in the United Kingdom. We confirmed previous authors' findings of a small but significant increased incidence of left-sided compared with right-sided amblyopia overall. For pure anisometropic amblyopia this difference was very marked and a possible pathophysiological mechanism is proposed. The mean age of presentation for anismetropic, strabismic and mixed amblyopia was 5.6, 3.3 and 4.4 years, respectively. Neither sex nor race affected the age of presentation. Despite their older age, children with pure anisometropic amblyopia had the best initial visual acuity, with 25% of anisometropes having an initial visual acuity of less than 6/18 compared with 39% of strabismics and 50% of mixed amblyopes. The ages and initial acuities of the strabismic patients in this series are at least as favourable as those of patients reported from outside the UK. There were variations in the age and proportion of patients presenting with anisometropic amblyopia at the different centres, suggesting a failure in the referral of anisometropic amblyopia of importance in interpreting epidemiological studies.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1994

Factors affecting the outcome of children treated for amblyopia.

The outcome of treatment for amblyopia and the factors that affect this are not well understood. A major reason for this has been the exclusion from previous large studies of a sometimes unknown number of patients because of failure to comply with treatment. This paper analyses the outcome of amblyopia treatment in a retrospective review of the orthoptic records of a cohort of 961 children treated for amblyopia at seven centres who first attended in 1983. The final visual acuity was recorded by Snellen or matching methods in 894 children (93%). Of these, 48% achieved 6/9 or better, 35% less than 6/9 but better than or equal to 6/18, and 17% achieved less than 6/18. The outcome was best for pure anisometropic amblyopia, intermediate for pure strabismic amblyopia and least good for mixed strabismic and anisometropic amblyopia with a final visual acuity of 6/10.2, 6/12.8 and 6/14.8 respectively. While the age at start of treatment did not correlate with final visual acuity both poor initial visual acuity and poor compliance were associated with poor outcome. The main factor affecting the outcome of amblyopia treatment is the initial visual acuity. Comparison with the literature suggests that the results of treatment in this country may be falling far short of what would be possible in ideal circumstances with unlimited resources.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1994

Social deprivation and age at presentation in amblyopia.

BACKGROUND: Amblyopia is the most common visual disability in children. Early treatment is thought to be more effective, and therefore factors affecting the age at presentation are important. A relationship between social deprivation and access to health care and screening services is well known. We hypothesized that social deprivation might be associated with later presentation of amblyopia, particularly of anisometropic amblyopia which depends on vision screening for referral. METHODS: Data from a historical cohort of 897 children with amblyopia, from seven UK orthoptic clinics, were used to test this hypothesis. Social deprivation was measured by the Townsend score of the ward in which the child lived. RESULTS: A relationship between social deprivation and age at presentation was found in children with anisometropic amblyopia even after adjusting for differences between clinics (p = 0.01) but no similar association was evident in children with amblyopia associated with strabismus. There was a difference of 22 months in the average age at presentation between children with anisometropic amblyopia in the most deprived and least deprived areas of the study. CONCLUSIONS: If screening for anisometropic amblyopia is to be undertaken, priority should be given to screening children from areas of social deprivation.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1992

Occlusion for amblyopia: a comprehensive survey of outcome.

The results of a long term follow up of all patients from a single health district started on occlusion for amblyopia in 1983 are reported. Three hundred and sixty-eight patients started treatment, their average age was four years seven months, the average amount of daily occlusion was 1.5 hours and the average length of follow up was 31 months. 37% of cases achieved a final visual acuity of 6/9 or better and another 33% a visual acuity of 6/12 or 6/18.23% did not achieve 6/18 and treatment of these patients was regarded as failure. Data for the remainder (7%) were incomplete. The success rate of occlusion treatment varied little with the age of starting treatment. The group with combined strabismus and anisometropia responded least well to treatment.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1992

Ophthalmic day case surgery: the role of a dedicated day case unit.

A study was undertaken to examine all cases admitted to a new ophthalmic surgical day case unit during its first six months of operation. This paper describes the experience gained in establishing the unit, including operational management, and outlines the factors contributing to the unit's success. A quarter of the patients usually admitted as inpatients have been treated in the day unit, and day case surgery rarely results in unplanned inpatient admission, or subsequent readmission. Provided strict admission criteria are followed, the results show that this facility can accommodate a wide range of common ophthalmological procedures, and that general anaesthesia is compatible with day case management.

Ambulatory Surgical Procedures↗
PubMed1991

The incidence and prevalence of amblyopia detected in childhood.

We present incidence estimates for amblyopia using data from a study of a cohort of 364 children from a single English county who were referred during 1983 for occlusion therapy. Using a criterion of a visual acuity of 6/12 or worse to define amblyopia, we estimate that 3.0% of the county's children develop the condition. Successful treatment of some of these children means that 1.9% will remain amblyopic as adults.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Daycase cataract surgery.

The increasing demand for cataract surgery, combined with limited resources, has created renewed interest in daycase admission. We have audited the results of all daycase and inpatient cataract surgery in a large unit over a six-month period to determine the factors influencing daycase admission and surgical outcome; 34% of cataract patients were admitted as daycases in the study period. Neither distance travelled by the patient nor age appear to influence daycase admission. However, the differing policies of the individual consultant surgeons resulted in a wide variation in the number of operations performed on a daycase basis by each firm. The rate of preoperative complications was unaffected by daycase admission, by the grade of surgeon operating, or by the type of anaesthetic employed. Only 2.1% of daycase admissions resulted in unplanned inpatient admission on the day of surgery, with another 2.1% being readmitted within six months of surgery. Late cancellation of surgery was much lower for daycases (0.4%) than for inpatients (5.1%).

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Primary Ewing's sarcoma of the orbit presenting with visual loss.

A case of primary Ewing's sarcoma of the orbit and paranasal sinuses in a 6-yearold boy is reported. The child presented with headaches and unilateral visual loss. Loss of vision as a result of optic nerve involvement with primary Ewing's sarcoma is extremely rare.

Blindness↗
PubMed1987

Improved photographic assessment of the pupils in the syndromes of Horner and Holmes-Adie.

The use of photographic methods to assess pupillary abnormalities has usually been restricted to the measurement of anisocoria in light and darkness. An improved, accurate and relatively inexpensive photographic technique of recording pupillary movement was described, and tested in normal individuals and in the Horner and Holmes-Adie syndromes. A modern SLR camera, preprogrammable for exposure frequency and interval, was used for serial flash-lit photographs of the eyes during the course of darkness and near vision/accommodation reflexes. Measurement of pupillary diameter from these photographs permitted graphs of pupillary reflexes to be drawn that resemble traces obtained by other authors, who used less readily available and cumbersome cinematographic and electronic infra-red pupillometric methods. In Horner's syndrome, the affected pupil was invariably smaller, and the anisocoria was more marked in bright light or darkness, depending on the individual. The rate of dark mydriasis was abnormally slow, and most effectively quantified by measuring the pupillary 'half opening time', which was the interval required for the initial 50% of dark-induced pupillary dilatation. Constriction of tonic pupils during near vision/accommodation in subjects with the Holmes-Adie syndrome was consistently slow, and these pupils also failed to dilate fully in darkness. The amplitude of the darkness and near vision accommodation reflexes correlated significantly. The diverse pathophysiological mechanisms implicated by these changes were discussed.

Adie Syndrome↗
PubMed1987

Functional scoring of the field of binocular single vision in patients with diplopia.

A simple method for scoring the field of binocular single vision (BSV) is presented. The field is plotted on the Goldmann Perimeter using the III-4e target. The method gives greater weight to functionally important areas, especially the primary and reading positions. Several cases illustrate the application of the proposed scoring system by correlating patients' subjective disabilities with their diplopia scores. The method is more precise than any previous scheme and provides a quantitative measure that makes the examination of patients with diplopia more accessible to legal evaluation and numerical analysis.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Self-inflicted corneal injuries in children with congenital corneal anaesthesia.

Severe corneal ulceration related to self-inflicted injury in the presence of congenital corneal anaesthesia is described in four boys under 2 1/2 years of age. The ulcers had failed to heal until it was recognised that the children were scratching their own eyes. The application of arm splints allowed rapid healing. Although corneal ulceration is a recognised complication of congenital corneal anaesthesia, this preventable cause of the ulceration has not previously been recognised. In two cases there were isolated recurrences which healed quickly with the reapplication of splints. All four children had good vision initially, and, although there were no overt gross development abnormalities, two had neurological signs on detailed investigation suggesting cerebellar or brain stem malformation and one had unilateral anophthalmos, talipes equinovarus, and patent ductus arteriosus. All the children showed normal intellectual development. Whether the eye scratching behaviour was the primary cause of the ulceration or merely an aggravating factor, the identification of this abnormal behaviour is important in any child with idiopathic corneal ulceration, as even in the presence of congenital corneal anaesthesia the eyes heal quickly with effective splinting of the elbows. It is therefore important to test sensation of the cornea and face and to consider the possibility of self-inflicted injury in children with refractory corneal ulceration, as in our cases there were no other consistent diagnostic features.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1978

Chimpanzee problem-solving: a test for comprehension.

An adult chimpanzee was shown videotaped scenes of a human actor struggling with one of eight problems and was then shown two photographs, one of which depicted an action or an object (or both) that could constitute a solution to the problem. On seven of the eight problems, the animal consistently chose the correct photograph. This test problem-solving comprehension permits the animal's knowledge about problem-solving--its ability to infer the nature of problems and to recognize potential solutions to them--to be examined.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Map reading by chimpanzees.

Infant chimpanzees, after watching a small black-and-white closed-circuit television picture of a familiar caretaker walking out into an outdoor field and disappearing from sight, were more successful in finding the person than if they had been given no such cue; and their performance approximated that which obtained after they had seen the same scene normally, via direct perception.

Animals↗