Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to H Hughes.
This N of 1 study utilizes a withdrawal design with aggressive responses of a 27-year-old male exhibiting autistic behavior. The frequency of physical and verbal aggressive responses was decreased by reinforcing attempts to relax (utilizing EMG biofeedback) when discriminative stimuli for aggressive behavior were present.
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The effects of EMG biofeedback training on cursive handwriting were investigated for 4 girls and 5 boys in Grade 4. A significant reduction in EMG between the first baseline session and the last training session was obtained. Four of 5 characteristics of handwriting improved significantly. The need for carefully designed research comparing EMG biofeedback training and relaxation training was indicated. A self-control factor in handwriting was hypothesized.
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Patients with orbital varices form a diagnostically important group of those referred for ultrasonic study of orbital proptosis. Two cases are presented in which diagnosis of dilated orbital blood vessels was established by B scan ultrasonography. The echographic appearance of normal and dilated orbital vessels is discussed.
The finding that urine cortisol excretion was increased in patients with hypokalaemic hypertension induced by licorice addiction led to this study on the effect of licorice in normal subjects. Thirteen normal volunteers ate either 100 or 200 g licorice for 1-4 weeks and assessment of pituitary-adrenal function was made before, during, and 1 week after cessation of licorice ingestion. Urine cortisol excretion more than doubled in 10 of 13 subjects (mean, 33.8 +/- 15.6 SD before and 83.3 +/- 56 SD micrograms/24 h at 1 week after commencing licorice) and excretion rates similar to those observed in Cushing's syndrome were seen in 7 subjects (range, 91-226, compared to normal range of 11-82 micrograms/24 h). Urine cortisol excretion remained significantly elevated (P less than 0.01) above control levels for at least 1 week after licorice was withdrawn. Despite these increases, urinary steroid metabolite (tetrahydrocortisol, tetrahydrocortisone, tetrahydro-11-deoxycortisol, 17-ketogenicsteroids, and 17-ketosteroids) excretion was not affected, plasma cortisol and ACTH values were unchanged, and normal 0800-1600-h diurnal variation of plasma cortisol was maintained. The direct intraadrenal infusion of the active mineralocorticoid component of licorice, glycyrrhetinic acid, in two sheep with autotransplanted adrenal glands failed to stimulate cortisol secretion acutely. It is concluded from these studies that the licorice-induced changes in cortisol excretion are not a result of adrenocoritcal stimulation but more likely represent a change in the renal handling of cortisol.
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A relaxation method of handwriting improvement was examined. The experimental and no-treatment control groups were composed of 10 students receiving a poor rating on handwriting characteristics and the normal control group of 10 was composed of students receiving average ratings. All three groups received nine trials of writing. Only the experimental group received relaxation training during each trial. The handwriting of the experimental group improved significantly while that of the no-treatment control group remained the same. Although the handwriting of the normal control group also improved significantly, at posttest they were no longer significantly different from the experimental group.
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The effect of confectionery liquorice on electrolyte status and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone (RAA) axis was studied in 14 healthy volunteers. They ate liquorice in daily doses of 100 g or 200 g (equivalent to 0-7-1-4 g glycyrrhizinic acid) for one to four weeks. Plasma potassium concentrations fell by over 0-3 mmol/l in 11 people, including four who had to be withdrawn from the study because of hypokalaemia. One or more values of the RAA axis, especially plasma renin activity and urinary aldosterone concentrations, were considerably depressed in all subjects. These results show that potentially serious metabolic effects may occur in some people who eat modest amounts of liquorice daily for less than a week.
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The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and electrolyte levels in 11 patients with heart failure controlled on digoxin and frusemide were investigated after separate periods of Slow K, spironolactone, and amiloride therapy. When spironolactone or amiloride replaced Slow K, distinct parallel increments in the levels of renin, angiotensin II, and aldosterone resulted. Though plasma potassium was generally higher after spironolactone and amiloride than after Slow K, exchangeable potassium was similar with the three regimens. There was no significant relation between plasma potassium and concurrent exchangeable potassium.
Two patient with primary aldosteronism, one with a solitary adrenal adenoma and the other with bilateral nodular hyperplasia, are described. Both patients showed the classic features of primary aldosteronism in electrolyte and hormone patterns, but there were important differences in the biochemistry of their excised adrenal tissue. In addition, the injection of plasma from the patient with bilateral adrenal hyperplasia into the sheep's transplanted adrenal gland elicited a definite aldosterone secretory response, but there was no aldosterone response to the injection of plasma from the patient with a solitary adrenal adenoma. The findings support the hypothesis that an extra-adrenal stimulus may contribute to the pathogenesis of bilateral adrenal hyperplasia.
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Seven commercially available screening tests for rheumatoid factor and two quantitative tests have been compared with the standard Rose-Waaler test in a series of 477 sera from patients with various joint diseases. Markedly different results were obtained, and on the basis of our findings suggestions are made as to what we consider to be the most satisfactory currently available tests.