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Biomedical subjects

J Brooks

Publications and source records attributed to J Brooks.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

The prenatal detection of the fragile X chromosome: review of recent experience.

The fragile X chromosome has been identified in specimens from 17 male and 10 female fetuses in 11 laboratories throughout the world, obtained from at least 79 fetuses at increased risk for the fra(X) syndrome. Of these, 19 were confirmed, 6 were pending, 1 was negative and 1 could not be confirmed. Twenty-five of the 79 cases were studied in our laboratory (Institute for Basic Research [IBR]) and resulted in fra(X) demonstration in specimens from 3 male and 5 female fetuses. All 3 males and 2 of the 5 females have been confirmed. When amniocytes from the two confirmed female fetuses were exposed to FUdR after culturing in Chang medium, fra(X) frequencies were virtually negative indicating that Chang medium should not be used in fragile X studies at least when FUdR is used to induce fragility. Finally, amniocytes from a fra(X) male fetus studied in 3 different laboratories exhibited strikingly different frequencies. To date, we have experienced no false-positives or negatives, but the latter case was controversial. It is recommended that laboratories undertaking fra(X) prenatal detection use a combination of at least two different proven induction systems as well as complementary DNA marker studies to prevent false negative diagnosis.

Amniocentesis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

College women's attitudes and expectations concerning menstrual-related changes.

The present study examined college women's expectations, attitudes, and knowledge about menstrual-related changes in order to provide a more complete picture of how women perceive the experience of menstruation and to explore the interrelationships of these variables. The women responded to the Moos Menstrual Distress Questionnaire as if they were premenstrual and as if they were intermenstrual in order to examine expectations about symptom changes for themselves. They also responded to a series of agree/disagree items, which yielded five dimensions of attitudes or styles of coping with menstruation. In general, the results suggested that these college women accepted menstruation rather routinely and did not perceive it as overly disruptive. Furthermore, it appears that beliefs about menstruation are more complex than previously thought, involving differential perceptions of physical versus psychological symptoms and a variety of dimensions of menstrual-related attitudes.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Guidelines in practice: the effect on healing of venous ulcers.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of guidelines on vascular assessment, compression usage, dressing selection, and healing rates of patients with a venous ulcer. DESIGN: Prospective descriptive intervention evaluation. SETTING: Oxfordshire Community National Health Service (NHS) Trust, United Kingdom. PATIENTS: 40 consecutive prospective patients seen by Oxfordshire district nurses, either at home or at a wound clinic coordinated by district nurses located in a surgery office. INTERVENTION: The Guideline for Diagnosis and Treatment of Venous Leg Ulcers (University of Pennsylvania) and the Oxfordshire Leg Ulcer Guideline. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Time to healing, compliance with vascular assessment, compression usage, and nursing costs. MAIN RESULTS: 91% of patients had a vascular assessment; all patients were treated with compression. Mean time to healing was 8 weeks and was not related to dressing selection or type of compression (short- versus long-stretch bandage). Nursing costs were slightly higher for wounds that healed after 12 weeks and were treated with a long-stretch bandage (Pound Sterling 170.00 [$250.00] vs Pound Sterling 272.00 [$395.00]). CONCLUSION: Use of compression was influenced by guidelines that emphasize a vascular assessment. Choice of dressing or type of compression was not a significant factor in healing rates.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Identification of a vimentin-reactive Peptide associated with ocular lens membranes as cytokeratin.

We wished to identify a 44-kD peptide isolated from lens membrane fractions which has apparent immunoreactivity to antivimentin and to antiphakinin. Urea-soluble proteins from rat lens membrane fractions were separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis, transferred to polyvinylidene fluoride membranes and probed with monoclonal antibodies to vimentin or cytokeratins, or a polyclonal antibody to phakinin. The monoclonal antibody to vimentin recognized the expected protein (M(r) = 56 kD, pI = 5.1) and several smaller and more acidic peptides including a 44-kD spot with a pI of 4.9. A similar pattern of immunoreactivity was found with commercially available purified vimentin. The polyclonal antibody to phakinin recognized the expected protein (M(r) = 52 kD, pI = 5.0) and several smaller and more acidic peptides, including a 44-kD spot with a pI of 4.9. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectroscopy analysis of the tryptic digest of the spot corresponding to 44 kD and pI of 4.9 identified neither vimentin nor phakinin but did identify peptides derived from ovalbumin (added to samples as an internal standard) and cytokeratin 1. Antibodies which recognize cytokeratin 1 reacted weakly with a 44-kD peptide which comigrated with the 44-kD vimentin-immunoreactive peptide in adjacent lanes of single-dimension SDS polyacrylamide gels. The 44-kD acidic (pI = 4.9) peptide which reacts with a monoclonal antibody to vimentin may be derived from cytokeratin 1.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Blood coagulation and plasma fibrinolytic enzyme system pathophysiology in stroke.

Plasma fibrinogen chromatography is a method for quantification of high molecular weight fibrinogen complexes (HMWFC), native fibrinogen and other fibrinogen derivatives in plasma. Enchanced formation of fibrin, intravascular coagulation, thrombus formation, etc., are reflected by elevation of plasma HMWFC, and the method distinguishes between subjects with normal and pathological rates of fibrin formation. Serial standard blood coagulation assays, including plasma fibrinogen chromatography, and neurological studies were performed on 220 patients admitted to a stroke unit. Findings from patients with cerebral infarction were compared against those of three control groups: (1)normals, (2)a stroke control group and(3)a stroke risk factor group. Plasma HMWFC findings were significantly (p less than 0.001) higher in the stroke risk factor group than in the normals. Plasma HMWFC values were significantly higher (p less than 0.001) in the cerebral infarction patients than in any of the control groups, and plasma fibrinogen, plasminogen, alpha1-antitrypsin and alpha2-macroglobulin also were significiantly higher (p less than 0.001) in the patients. The greater the degree of initial neurological deficit, the greater were plasma HMWFC values (p less than 0.001), and high HMWFC values were associated with poor clinical outcome. Plasma HMWFC values were significantly higher (p less than 0.001) in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage and cerebral embolism. These findings docunment the fact that a high proportion of stroke patients have coagulopathy, characterized by pathological enhancement of fibrin formation.

Antithrombins↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Bowel function of long-term tube-fed patients consuming formulae with and without dietary fiber.

Diarrhea, constipation and subsequent laxative use are chronic problems in long-term enterally fed patients. We have conducted a double-blind randomized crossover study to evaluate the effects of two enteral formulae (Enrich, 12.8 g of dietary fiber per 1000 kcal and Ensure, fiber-free) on stool frequency, fecal weight, laxative use, gastrointestinal tolerance and bowel function in chronic care tube-fed patients. Twenty-eight subjects (24 male, 4 female) completed the study. Mean daily number of stools and mean daily fecal wet weight in Enrich-fed patients were not significantly different from those of patients receiving Ensure. Ensure-fed patients required significantly more laxatives (p = 0.02) than those receiving Enrich. There were 26 reports of diarrhea in the Ensure-fed group as compared to 6 in the Enrich-fed group, and this difference was significant (p = 0.006). Reporting rates for constipation were not significantly different in the two groups. At the end of the study, the bowel function of 57.1% of patients receiving Enrich was improved when compared with that of 14.3% of Ensure-fed patients, and this difference was significant (p = 0.005). These results suggest that the addition of dietary fiber to enteral formulae improves gastrointestinal tolerance and bowel function, and reduces laxative use in long-term enterally fed patients.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Neurologic complications following intranasal administration of heroin in an adolescent.

OBJECTIVE: To describe an adolescent patient who developed a stroke following intranasal administration of heroin. CASE SUMMARY: A 17-year-old adolescent with no prior medical problems "snorted" an unknown quantity of heroin. The patient developed respiratory failure, shock, and seizures. When he regained consciousness, the patient had evidence of hypoxic-toxic encephalopathy on neuropsychologic examination. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an infarct in the globus pallidus region of the brain. DISCUSSION: Serious neurologic complications following intranasal administration of heroin have been reported rarely in children. Correlations between findings on neuropsychologic examination and magnetic resonance imaging following drug overdoses have likewise been rarely described. We reviewed literature pertaining to the etiology, pharmacology, and pathophysiology of neurologic complications resulting from heroin intoxication. CONCLUSIONS: As the use of intranasal heroin is increasing in the pediatric population, healthcare professionals should be aware of the various potentially serious complications that may occur.

Administration, Intranasal↗