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Biomedical subjects

J A Ferguson

Publications and source records attributed to J A Ferguson.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Diagnosis of rectal and colon disease by the primary care physician.

Digital anorectal examination, combined with long proctoscopy, done without bowel preparation, constitutes a diagnostic tool remarkable for its comprehensive facility and for the basic role it plays in the systematic diagnosis of anorectal-colon disease. This venerable combination is a paragon of physical diagnosis with which flexible sigmoidoscopy cannot and need not compete. It is uniquely suited for use by the primary care physician in all his physical examinations and can greatly enhance early diagnosis of anorectal-colon cancer. It also has promising potential for mass screening. Clinical effectiveness of the procedure is evaluated in a survey of 1,200 patients in whom it was used.

Colonic Diseases↗
PubMed1978

Study of homologous and heterologous antibody response in California horses vaccinated with attenuated Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis vaccine (strain TC-83).

Of 359 horses vaccinated with attenuated Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) vaccine (strain TC-83), 87% developed hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) antibodies to VEE virus within 1 month. Blood from a subsample of 101 of the 359 horses was obtained over a 1-year period. Within 1 month after vaccination, 84% of the 101 horses had developed VEE HI antibodies, 87% had developed VEE-neutralizing (Nt) antibodies, and 78% had developed VEE complement-fixing (CF) antibodies. One year after vaccination, 58% of the horses had VEE HI antibodies and 73% had VEE Nt antibodies. The percentage of horses with VEE CF antibody titers dropped to a low level (46%) within 6 months after vaccination, and most horses were seronegative for VEE CF antibodies 1 year after vaccination. The presence of antibodies to heterologous (western equine or eastern equine encephalomyelitis, or both) alphaviruses suppressed VEE antibody formation in horses vaccinated with TC-83 vaccine. However, the proportion of horses that developed VEE antibodies exceeded levels that generally were believed adequate to suppress a VEE epizootic in a population. There was an 88% correlation between the HI and Nt tests for VEE antibodies.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Hemorrhoids, fistulae and fissures: office and hospital management--a critical review.

We have tried to present a comprehensive survey of present-day management of hemorrhoids, fistulae and fissures, be it in the office or in the hospital. There is great socioeconomic pressure lately for cost-containment, which is apt to effect better medical judgment in the selection of type and place of management. Minor operations can and should be done, as always, on an outpatient basis. General anesthesia is not a minor matter and hemorrhoidectomy is not a minor operation. The major function of outpatient service in the management of anal disease is that of accurate and comprehensive diagnosis. Hundreds of patients come to us only because they fear cancer and it is not enough for us to hunt for and treat the vague little disorders of which they complain. The incidence of cancer of the colon rectum in this country just recently has slightly surpassed that of lung cancer. Adjuvant treatments (e.g., chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy and their combinations) are promising but still in the investigational stage. Early diagnosis is our finest weapon with subsequent surgical management. The challenge and responsibility for early diagnosis of colorectal cancer is ours alone. We must first recognize it and then meet it firmly and squarely. We must feel for (digital rectal), look for (sigmoidoscopy), and search for (barium enema x-ray examination) colorectal cancer in all of our patients regardless of the insignificance of anal symptoms and anal findings. Our countrymen fear cancer. We have the devices to allay their fears or to cure their cancers if they are found early enough. We have a straightforward moral commitment and a national trust.

Ambulatory Care↗
PubMed1977

Lymphocyte blastogenic responses to allogeneic leukocytes and autochthonous tumor cells in colorectal carcinoma.

The blastogenic reactivity of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes (LNL) against normal allogeneic leukocytes and autochthonous colorectal carcinoma cells is evaluated in 36 patients, and correlated with the patient's Dukes classification. Mesenteric LNL react significantly better than PBL to allogeneic leukocytes in both Dukes B and C (p less than 0.05). There are too few patients in Dukes A and D to permit statistical evaluation but the trend is the same. By contrast, LNL fail to react to autochthonous tumor cells in all classes, except in a few Dukes B patients. The proportion of PBL reactivity to autochthonous tumor cells seems to increase for Dukes C and D. It is possible that specific lymphocyte reactivity in colorectal carcinoma may be related to the antigenicity and immunogenicity of the tumor.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗
PubMed1977

Epoxidation of aldrin to exo-dieldrin by soil bacteria.

Twenty-two strains of soil bacteria, including representatives of the genera Bacillus, Micromonospora, Mycobacterium, Nocardia, Streptomyces, Thermoactinomyces, and Pseudomonas and 10 unidentified gram-negative, motile, rod-shaped bacteria, were shown to degrade aldrin to its epoxide dieldrin. In every case, the exo-stereoisomer of dieldrin was produced exclusively.

Aldrin↗
PubMed1977

Antibody studies in ponies vaccinated with Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (strain TC-83) and other alphavirus vaccines.

Serologic studies in 24 ponies indicated that prevaccination antibodies to Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) virus (strain TC-83) had no influence on hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) antibody stimulation by western equine encephalomyelitis (WEE) or eastern equine encephalomyelits (EEE)-WEE vaccines. However, studies of the effects of VEE neutralizing antibodies on neutralizing antibody stimulation by the heterologous alphavirus vaccines were inconclusive. The VEE, WEE, and EEE antibody responses were studied in 18 VEE-vaccinated (strain TC-83) animals (13 ponies and 5 horses) at 9 to 14 months after challenge of immunity with virulent VEE virus. The VEE HI, and neutralizing antibodies in combination were associated with greater suppression of VEE antibody stimulation than were VEE neutralizing antibodies alone. The VEE geometric mean antibody titers (GMT) increased 26- and 64-fold for HI antibodies and for neutralizing antibodies, respectively, in 5 animals that had prechallenge exposure titers of VEE neutralizing antibodies only. In contrast, the GMT increased only threefold and eightfold for VEE HI antibodies and for neutralizing antibodies, respectively, in 8 animals that had prechallenge exposure titers of both VEE HI and neutralizing antibodies. Five animals which were seronegative for prechallenge VEE antibodies and had survived challenge exposure gave primary VEE-immune response. Protection in these animals may have resulted from high-titer cross-reacting antibodies to WEE or EEE viruses, or both. Changes in the GMT for WEE HI, neutralizing, and complement-fixation antibodies after challenge exposure were statistically insignificant. However, a statistically significant increase in the EEE HI-GMT occurred in ponies that had low (or no) prechallenge exposure titers of VEE antibodies.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Prevention of urinary retention by fluid restriction following anorectal operations.

In a carefully controlled prospective randomized study of 500 patients, the postoperative catheterization rate following anorectal surgical procedures was dramatically reduced by a combination of severe dehydration of the patients and reorientation of the nursing personnel to delay catheterization until the bladder is distended. The effectiveness of fluid restriction was clearly demonstrated.

Adolescent↗