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Biomedical subjects

J Horton

Publications and source records attributed to J Horton.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Albendazole versus praziquantel in the treatment of cerebral cysticercosis: clinical evaluation.

One hundred consecutive patients presenting with symptoms and signs of neurocysticercosis, confirmed by neuroimaging techniques, were randomly assigned to treatment with either praziquantel 50 mg/kg/d for 15 d or albendazole 15 mg/kg/d for 30 d. All patients were treated in addition with steroids for 45 d. Follow-up was for 90 d for response to treatment and at least 1 year for recurrence. Although similar numbers of patients showed no improvement in neuroimaging criteria at 3 months, the response to albendazole was more pronounced with larger numbers showing marked improvement or disappearance of lesions. Resolution of the presenting neurological signs and symptoms was also more frequent in the albendazole group. Electroencephalographic changes also became normal. The use of steroid cover eliminated the headache frequently present during the first few days of treatment and permitted severe cases to be treated. Both albendazole and praziquantel appeared to be effective at the doses used, with albendazole showing a slightly better overall response.

Albendazole↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cardiac complications of halofantrine: a prospective study of 20 patients.

Halofantrine, increasingly used for treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria, is a normally well-tolerated amino-alcohol with very few side-effects, but torsades de pointes ventricular tachycardia due to halofantrine has been reported in a few patients with a congenital long QT interval (Romano-Ward syndrome). We performed a prospective study of the cardiac effect of halofantrine in 20 patients with 48 h ambulatory electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring; the halofantrine levels in their serum were also determined. Minimal ECG changes were noted, with lengthening of the QT interval without clinical symptoms. This effect was dose-dependent and can be very severe in cases of pre-existing cardiopathy; it also occurs in patients without any pre-existing cardiopathy. In order to reduce the likelihood of such incidents, which are admittedly rare, we suggest performing electrocardiography on all patients before initiating treatment with halofantrine.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Perceptions of community nutrition and health needs in the Lower Mississippi Delta: a key informant approach.

OBJECTIVE: Key informants' perceptions of nutrition and health needs in their southern rural communities were assessed prior to nutrition intervention planning. DESIGN: This cross-sectional survey used in-person interviews. SUBJECTS/SETTINGS: A sample of 490 individuals from 12 professional and lay roles in 8 community sectors in 36 counties in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi was chosen. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: Factor analysis was carried out on reported food, nutrition, and health problems and contributing factors. The General Linear Models procedure identified within- and between-subject effects for factors. Tukey's post hoc tests identified differences between sectors and states. Frequencies and weighted rankings were computed for health problems. RESULTS: Key informants rated individual-level factors (food choices, education, willingness to change, health behavior) as more important than community-level factors (food and health care access, resources) with regard to nutrition and health problems and contributors to problems. The number one health problem was hypertension. IMPLICATIONS: Key informants are knowledgeable about nutrition and health problems, contributing factors, and available resources. Individual factors were perceived as more important contributors to nutrition and health problems providing valuable information for planning nutrition interventions.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

P-Nitrobenzoic acid alpha2u nephropathy in 13-week studies is not associated with renal carcinogenesis in 2-year feed studies.

The objective of this study was to characterize the renal toxicity and carcinogenicity of p-nitrobenzoic acid in F344 rats. Dose levels in 13-week and 2-year studies ranged from 630-10,000 ppm and 1,250-5,000 ppm, respectively. At 13 weeks, renal lesions included minimal to mild hyaline droplet accumulation in male rats and karyomegaly in male and female rats. At 2 years, renal lesions included proximal tubule epithelial cell hyperplasia in male rats and oncocytic hyperplasia in high-dose male and female rats, and a decreased severity of nephropathy in males and females. The hvaline droplets in renal tubular epithelial cells of male rats at 13 weeks were morphologically similar to those described in alpha2u-globulin nephropathy. Using immunohistochemical methods, alpha2u-globulin accumulation was associated with the hyaline droplets. In addition, at 13 weeks, cell proliferation as detected by PCNA immunohistochemistry was significantly increased in males exposed to 5,000 and 10,000 ppm when compared to controls. Cytotoxicity associated with alpha2U-globulin nephropathy such as single-cell necrosis of the P2 segment epithelium or accumulation of granular casts in the outer medulla did not occur in the 13-week study. In addition, chronic treatment related nephrotoxic lesions attributed to accumulation of alpha2u-globulin such as linear foci of mineralization within the renal papilla, hyperplasia of the renal pelvis urothelium and kidney tumors were not observed. Although there was histologic evidence of alpha2u-globulin accumulation in male rats at 13 weeks, the minimal severity of nephropathy suggests that the degree of cytotoxicity was below the threshold, which would contribute to the development of renal tumors at 2 years.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Antibody levels in Ethiopian children five years after vaccination with two different doses of hepatitis B vaccine: is there a need for booster vaccine?

It was hypothesized that, following effective initial vaccination, a booster dose of hepatitis B vaccine will not be necessary in areas of hyperendemicity for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. A total of 314 Ethiopian children, ranging from two to 14 years old, were alternatively vaccinated with 10 and 20 micrograms hepatitis B vaccine doses, using the initial, one- and six-month schedule. Five years later, 210 of the vaccinees were retested for anti-HBV surface antibody titres. Both 10 and 20 micrograms doses of hepatitis B rDNA yeast vaccine were equally immunogenic and protective against HBV infection for at least five years despite marked reduction of mean antibody levels and geometric mean titres, with 11% of the vaccinees showing antibodies below the protective level. For firm further recommendations a longer follow-up period of vaccinees is suggested.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Histomorphology and ultrastructure of spontaneous pulmonary neoplasms in strain A mice.

The microscopic and ultrastructural characteristics of spontaneous pulmonary neoplasms in strain A (strA) mice are described. Fifty-one spontaneous lung tumors were identified in 34 out of 57, 11-23-month-old male strA/Hen mice. Grossly, all tumors appeared as yellow-white, discrete nodules ranging in size from 1.0-10 mm. Tumor types were randomly distributed throughout the lung; however, the right lung lobes were most frequently involved. Histologically, tumors were classified as adenoma (34/51) or carcinoma (17/51) as defined by standard histopathologic criteria. Adenomas were usually less than 4 mm in diameter and had solid (16/34), papillary (10/34), or mixed (8/34) histologic growth patterns. Carcinomas were usually greater than 4 mm in diameter and had papillary (13/17) or mixed (4/17) histologic growth patterns. Ultrastructurally, benign tumors consisted of solid or papillary areas of neoplastic type II-like cells. Cells comprising malignant tumors had varying ultrastructural characteristics ranging from well-differentiated alveolar cell types to undifferentiated cells having intracytoplasmic osmiophilic dense bodies, vacuoles, or few specialized organelles commonly observed in mature nonneoplastic pulmonary epithelial cells.

Adenoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Re-resection with brachytherapy for locally recurrent soft tissue sarcoma arising in a previously radiated field.

PURPOSE: The use of further radiotherapy among patients with soft tissue sarcoma that recurs in a previously irradiated area is controversial. Presented is a review of our 7-year experience with brachytherapy for recurrent soft tissue sarcoma. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of 26 patients who underwent perioperative brachytherapy between 1990 and 1997 for recurrent soft tissue sarcoma. In all cases, the sarcoma recurred within a previously irradiated field. After-loading brachytherapy catheters were placed at the time of surgical extirpation of the sarcoma within a single-plane implant by use of 1-cm intercatheter spacing. Insertion of the radioactive 192Ir wire was delayed until the fifth to seventh postoperative day to allow initial wound healing. The prescribed dose rate for the 192Ir wire ranged between 50 and 80 cGy an hour, and the dose was specified at 0.5 cm from the plane of the implant. The anatomic locations treated included lower extremity (N = 10), upper extremity (N = 7), trunk (N = 7), and head and neck (N = 2). RESULTS: Total tumor extirpation, confirmed by negative frozen section margins, was accomplished in all cases. The mean dose of external-beam irradiation received before brachytherapy was 55.6 Gy +/- 1.8 Gy (range, 30.0 to 70.3 Gy). The mean dose of radiation prescribed at the implant procedure was 47.2 Gy +/- 1.6 Gy (range, 11.0 to 50.0 Gy). A tissue transfer flap was placed over the bed of resection in 13 cases. Complications occurred in five patients including, three with wound breakdown, one with osteonecrosis, and with neuralgia. Operative intervention was required in four of the five patients with complications; each of the patients requiring operative intervention for wound-related complications had undergone primary wound closure without tissue transfer. Recurrence of disease occurred in 13 patients: nine local and four distant metastases. The median follow-up was 16 months (range, 2 to 73 months). The 5-year local recurrence-free, distant recurrence-free, disease-free, and overall survival rates after brachytherapy were 52%, 75%, 33%, and 52%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Re-irradiation of recurrent soft tissue sarcoma by brachytherapy in conjunction with resection can be performed with acceptable complication rates. Local control can be achieved for the majority of patients who would otherwise require more radical surgical procedures.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Phase II trials with procarbazine (NSC-77213), streptozotocin (NSC-85998), 6-THIOGUANINE (NSC-752), and CCNU (NSC-79037) in patients with metastatic cancer of the large bowel.

One hundred and ninety-seven patients with measurable metastatic cancer of the colon have been treated with one of four anticancer drugs which have had little prior trial in this disease. Objective tumor responses lasting a median of 9 weeks occurred with 0.5 g/m of streptozotocin given intravenously every week (10 percent), 130 mg/m of CCNU given orally every 6 weeks (10%), 1.0 mg/kg/day of 6-thioguanine given orally (8%), and 3 mg/kg/day of procarbazine given orally (3%). Performance status declined more rapidly with streptozotocin and 6-thioguanine and the median survival time was less (12 and 16 weeks respectively) than with procarbazine and CCNU (23 and 20 weeks respectively). This study suggests that procarbazine given in this way is ineffective but trials of streptozotocin or 6-thioguanine combined with other agents active against colon cancer should ensue as well as further exploration of the usefulness of other nitrosoureas.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗