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Biomedical subjects

H Johnson

Publications and source records attributed to H Johnson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Reappearance of calcitonin gene-related peptide-like immunoreactivity in the dorsal horn in the long-term dorsal root transected rat.

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-immunoreactive (IR) fibers in the rat dorsal horn superficial laminae vanish almost completely 3 weeks following unilateral dorsal rhizotomy. After a prolonged survival (20 weeks) of dorsal rhizotomy there is, however, a reappearance of CGRP-IR fibers in the corresponding laminae of the dorsal horn. The density of such IR fibres showed a clear gradient with the lowest number found in the midlesion region and an increase in density towards the neighboring, intact segments. In normal as well as lesioned rats, no neurons intrinsic to the dorsal horn contained detectable levels of CGRP-like immunoreactivity (LI). Furthermore, no cells could, by use of in situ hybridization, be demonstrated to contain detectable levels of mRNA encoding for CGRP in the dorsal horn. Based on these findings, we suggest that the CGRP-IR fibers observed following long-term survival of dorsal rhizotomy derive from proliferating collateral branches of primary afferents of neighboring intact segments.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Prognostic factors in node-negative breast cancer.

One hundred patients with node-negative breast cancer were examined to analyze the influence of tumor size, nuclear grade, and DNA content determined by flow cytometry on overall survival. Patients with diploid cancers lived significantly longer than those with aneuploid cancers (126 +/- 8 vs 80 +/- 11 months). Patients with an S-phase fraction less than 10% lived significantly longer than those with S-phase fractions 10% or greater (122 +/- 8 vs 85 +/- 10 months). Tumor size had the major impact on survival, and multivariate analysis of variance by the Cox proportional hazards model showed the greatest effect on prognosis. Tumor grade did not significantly influence overall survival.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1992

Prognostic significance of DNA measurement determined by image analysis in human breast carcinoma.

The nuclear DNA of human breast carcinoma cells was studied by image analysis using archival paraffin-blocked tissues from two groups of patients with breast cancers. One group had survived greater than 10 years (N = 20) and the other less than 3 years (N = 26) after the initial diagnosis. Cellular preparations were made from pepsin-digested deparaffinated sections. The nuclear DNA was stained with Feulgen stain and measured by a computerized image analysis system. The data show that in addition to nodal status the pattern of DNA histograms obtained from image analysis can provide powerful prognostic information in breast carcinoma. The prognostic value of DNA histogram patterns may be independent of nodal status.

Breast↗
PubMed1992

Factors influencing wound dehiscence.

Thirty-one abdominal fascial wound dehiscences occurred in 2,761 patients undergoing major abdominal surgery during a 5-year period (1%). Twenty-two specific local and systemic risk factors were analyzed and compared with the risk factors of a control group of 38 patients undergoing similar procedures without dehiscence. Through multivariate analysis, each factor was assessed as an independent statistical variable. Significant factors (p less than 0.05) were found to include age over 65, wound infection, pulmonary disease, hemodynamic instability, and ostomies in the incision. Additional systemic risk factors that were found to be significant included hypoproteinemia, systemic infection, obesity, uremia, hyperalimentation, malignancy, ascites, steroid use, and hypertension. Risk factors not found to be important independent variables included sex, type of incision, type of closure, foreign body in the wound, anemia, jaundice, and diabetes. When dehiscence and control groups were combined, 30% of patients with at least five significant risk factors developed dehiscence, and all the patients with more than eight risk factors developed a wound dehiscence. There was an overall mortality of 29%, which was directly related to the number of significant risk factors. The co-existence of 9 risk factors portended death in one third of the patients, and all the patients with more than 10 risk factors died.

Abdominal Muscles↗
PubMed1992

Galanin- and CGRP-like immunoreactivity coexist in rat spinal motoneurons.

We can report, that by the use of indirect immunofluorescence techniques, that rat spinal motoneurons contain galanin-like immunoreactivity (LI). Furthermore, that galanin and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-LI coexist in a number of spinal motoneurons. Co-localization could be demonstrated as thoracic, lumbar as well as sacral spinal cord levels in individual neurons by studying adjacent sections each stained by one of the two antisera, as well as by double labelling experiments. Small neurons, within the gamma-motoneuron and interneuron size-range, were also positive for galanin-LI.

Aging↗
PubMed1992

The role of a saliva control clinic in the management of drooling.

This paper describes a saliva control clinic which has been established at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne. A team involving two speech pathologists, a paediatrician, a plastic surgeon and a dentist has assessed and managed 68 young people over a period of 2 years. Treatment options have included behavioural programmes, trial of oral appliances, medication and surgery. This multidisciplinary approach has been useful in developing assessment techniques and formulating recommendations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Role reversal.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Fear↗
PubMed1992

An experience abroad.

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Cross-Cultural Comparison↗
PubMed1991

Behavioural risk factors among young adults in small areas with high mortality versus those in low-mortality areas.

A community-based cross-sectional survey of behavioural risk factors for premature mortality was carried out on a group of 354 adults aged 25-44 from previously identified high-mortality 'black-spots' in Dublin who were compared with 333 others from low-mortality areas. In the black-spot areas, 50.9% of respondents were current smokers versus 28.5% in low-mortality areas and 14.6% took 'sufficient' exercise versus 31.4% in low-mortality areas. People living in black spots were also less likely to make 'healthy' dietary choices than those in low-mortality areas. There is a higher prevalence of behavioural risk factors for premature mortality among young adults living in electoral wards/district electoral divisions (DEDs) with high standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) from all causes than among those in areas with low SMRs. A health promotion programme aimed at increasing exercise levels, reducing smoking and encouraging healthy eating should be aimed at young adults in DEDs with high SMRs.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Preliminary study of the protective effect of the calcium channel blocker, nifedipine, on adriamycin-induced tissue injury.

The effect of nifedipine, an oral calcium-channel blocker, on adriamycin-induced wound healing was studied. Nifedipine was administered to animals prior to treating with adriamycin. The healing strengths of cecal, fascial, and skin anatomoses were measured. Animals treated with adriamycin alone had significant decreases in healing strength compared to controls: for cecum at postoperative days (POD) 7 and 14; for skin at PODs 14, 21, and 28; for fascia at POD 28. Overall, nifedipine reduced the impact of adriamycin injury on the strength of healing incisional anastomoses. Nifedipine also appeared to protect collagen synthesis at anastomotic sites from adriamycin-induced impairment.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Effect of allopurinol on adriamycin-induced impairment of wound healing.

Use of antineoplastic drugs perioperatively requires an understanding of their potential effects on healing wounds. Adriamycin is an antineoplastic drug with a wide range of antitumor activity. Prior studies have demonstrated that adriamycin impairs skin wound healing but these studies have offered limited explanations for the mechanism of action of the drug vis á vis impairment of healing wounds. In this study we investigated the effect of a xanthine oxidase inhibitor, allopurinol, on adriamycin-induced tissue injury to determine the role oxyradicals might play in reducing wound-breaking strength. Sixty-four Buffalo rats were studied. Eight animals were used to establish drug tolerances. Fifty-six animals were divided into four experimental groups; saline control (2 mL IP), allopurinol control (4.3 mg/kg po), allopurinol-adriamycin (4.3 mg/kg po + 6 mg/kg IV, respectively), and adriamycin (6 mg/kg IV). Animals treated with adriamycin alone had significantly reduced weight at postoperative day (POD) 7 compared to control groups (p less than .025). Bowel-bursting strength (BBS) of the animals treated with adriamycin alone was also significantly decreased at POD 7, compared to controls (p less than .025), and by POD 14 the animals treated with adriamycin alone had a significantly decreased fascial tensile strength, compared to the saline control (p less than .05). At no point did the animals treated with both allopurinol and adriamycin show a significantly decreased weight, BBS, or fascial tensile strength compared to control animals. Allopurinol appeared to protect against adriamycin toxicity on healing wounds. These results suggest that xanthine oxidase and possibly superoxide radicals play an important role in mediating adriamycin toxicity on healing wounds.

Allopurinol↗
PubMed1991

Anatomic distribution of colonic cancers in middle-class black Americans.

Clinical experience with 80 cases of colorectal carcinoma in middle-class black patients, focusing principally upon site and stage of the tumors and extent of survival, is presented. Data support the clinical impression that blacks have relatively more proximal colonic tumors than the general population. They also suggest that early full study of the colon, including barium enema with air contrast or colonoscopy (opposed to flexible sigmoidoscopy), is highly indicated in screening or work-up for earlier diagnosis in patients, especially blacks suspected of having polyps or carcinoma of the colon. These data do not provide evidence that these middle-class patients, with their comparative socioeconomic advantages, have significantly improved survival over previously reported series of blacks.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Effect of chronic enalapril treatment on enzymes responsible for the catabolism of angiotensin I and formation of angiotensin II.

We have investigated the effect of chronic administration of enalapril on the carboxypeptidases responsible for the formation of angiotensin II from angiotensin I and other peptidases known to recognize angiotensin I as a substrate in the rat. These studies have shown an increase in activity in rate of formation of des-Leu-angiotensin I in both kidney S2 and P2 centrifugal fractions as well as a decrease in the rate of degradation of angiotensin I substrate. Similar increases in the formation of A(1-8) have been observed in kidney using A(1-9) as substrate. These two enzyme activities have been named carboxypeptidase K1 and K2, respectively to reflect their presence in rat kidney. These changes were accompanied by significant decreases in the activity of an amastatin-sensitive aminopeptidase and endopeptidase 24.11 in the kidney P2 fraction. These data suggest that chronic treatment with ACE inhibitors may differentially affect the activity of other enzymes capable of degrading angiotensin causing a substantial re-direction of angiotensin metabolism.

Aminopeptidases↗
PubMed1990

Hospital readmissions, otolaryngology, and the diagnosis related group hospital payment system.

An analysis of otolaryngologic patients requiring readmission was conducted at our institution during a 4-year period to determine the number of readmissions per patient and the time between discharge and hospital readmission. Readmitted otolaryngologic patients were found to have had greater hospital resource utilization, financial risk under diagnosis-related group payment, and mortality, compared with those patients not readmitted to our facility. For patients readmitted to otolaryngologic services (21.2% of total otolaryngologic patients), 20.4% of the readmissions occurred within 30 days of hospital discharge. Of these, 39.3% required one hospital readmission, 16.3% required two readmissions, and 46.4% of the patients called for three or more hospital admissions. Clinical factors were identified that resulted in a greater incidence of otolaryngologic readmission. Otolaryngologic patients readmitted to other clinical services were also studied. This analysis loads to the conclusion that inequities exist within the diagnosis related group hospital payment system vis-à-vis otolaryngologic readmissions. The results of these data also demonstrate leverage points in which we will be able to focus outpatient services for otolaryngologic patients requiring readmission and potentially decrease inpatient hospital expenditures in the days ahead.

Academic Medical Centers↗
PubMed1990

Peripheral nerve section induces increased levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-like immunoreactivity in axotomized motoneurons.

By use of fluorescence immunohistochemistry it is shown that sciatic nerve section in cat and rat induces increased levels of immunoreactive calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in axotomized motoneurons. In the rat, this effect was clearly seen at 2-5 days postoperatively, but could not be demonstrated after 11-21 days. These findings are discussed in relation to previously proposed roles for CGRP in motoneurons.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Use of benzhexol hydrochloride to control drooling of children with cerebral palsy.

The use of benzhexol hydrochloride to control drooling was evaluated in a group of 20 children with cerebral palsy. Drooling was measured before treatment and then repeatedly until an optimal dosage of benzhexol hydrochloride was attained. 17 of the 20 children showed an improvement in drooling, and side-effects were minimal. This type of medication appears to be useful in the treatment of drooling.

Cerebral Palsy↗
PubMed1990

The DRG hospital payment system, surgical readmissions and cost containment.

We analyzed all adult surgical patients requiring readmission to the surgical service of an acute care academic hospital for a four-year period (1/1/85-12/31/88). We stratified surgical readmissions by the number of times the patient was readmitted to surgery (from one to five times). For surgical patients 41.1 per cent of the readmission population was readmitted more than once, only 4.4 per cent were readmitted five or more times. Patients requiring three or more admissions generally had the greatest hospital resource utilization, financial risk under DRG payment, and mortality, compared with other surgical readmissions. This analysis suggests that within the surgical readmission population resource parameters may differ by the number of readmissions per patient. Factors were identified which corresponded to a greater likelihood of surgical readmission, and possibly allow the focus of outpatient services which may reduce hospital inpatient costs in the future.

Academic Medical Centers↗