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Biomedical subjects

J M Ferguson

Publications and source records attributed to J M Ferguson.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Discriminating placebo and drug in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) trials: single vs. multiple clinical raters.

A multisite, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was made of 177 patients with the diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder. After a 1-week placebo lead-in, they were randomized to 4 weeks of treatment by placebo or one of two doses of a novel, nonsedating compound that had demonstrated reduction of fear-avoidance behavior in animals. Efficacy was not demonstrated at a significant level. A further analysis of 142 patients who completed the treatment was undertaken to test the hypothesis that efficacy might be demonstrated by the single-rater procedure (SRP), which eliminates interrater error variance. The 80 patients who were examined by the same clinical rater for all six visits were compared with the 62 patients who had the multiple-rater procedure (MRP), ratings by two or more clinicians sequentially over the six visits. A two-way analysis of variance showed significantly greater discrimination of placebo and drug for the MRP group. The results provided no support for the frequent preference for the SRP. The MRP may include less psychotherapeutic interaction with the patient and less researcher bias in ratings.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Dothiepin versus doxepin in major depression: results of a multicenter, placebo-controlled trial. Prothiaden Collaborative Study Group.

BACKGROUND: The tricyclic antidepressant dothiepin is well established in Europe, but clinical experience with the drug in the United States is limited. METHOD: In a 10-week, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in the United States, the efficacy and tolerability of dothiepin and doxepin (both administered as a 150-mg nightly dose) were compared in 579 outpatients with major depression. RESULTS: Patients in both active treatment groups showed significant improvements in depressive symptoms, associated anxiety, and sleep parameters compared with the placebo-treated group. The adverse effect profile of dothiepin was superior to that of doxepin, particularly with respect to drowsiness, weight gain, and increased appetite. CONCLUSION: These results confirm that dothiepin is useful when a tricyclic agent is indicated for the treatment of depression.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

The use of electroconvulsive therapy in patients with intractable anorexia nervosa.

The history of the treatment of anorexia nervosa includes the majority of psychological and somatic therapies devised by psychiatrists, psychologists, and general physicians. We review the history of one of these treatments, electrical convulsive therapy (ECT), and discuss three patients treated with ECT for primary anorexia nervosa. Two had a positive response to this treatment, one did not. She later responded favorably to a course of treatment with fluoxetine.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Problems associated with ultrasonography of the canine ovary around the time of ovulation.

Real-time B-mode ultrasound imaging was carried out, using a scanner of moderate quality, on 40 fresh bitch cadavers to identify the presence of ovaries and significant ovarian structures. The results indicated that accurate identification of the ovaries depended on the presence of significant follicles or corpora lutea (CL). The findings were verified at post-mortem examination. The study was continued by scanning 35 live bitches using three different scanning units of increasingly improved quality to show that the process of ovulation could be assessed with reasonable accuracy with improved quality of equipment, although the exact fate of the follicle could not be imaged. The results were judged against assays for blood circulating progesterone. A final group of seven live bitches were scanned with a high-grade scanner using an annular phased-array transducer to attempt to image the process of ovulation. The non-echogenic follicle disappeared and was replaced by the CL that was hypoechoic with respect to surrounding tissue, thus allowing accurate assessment of the time of ovulation. This was confirmed by progesterone assay.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Acute phase proteins in canine pregnancy (Canis familiaris).

An acute phase response has been identified during mid-gestation in bitches by determination of the serum C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration. In four pregnant bitches, a large increase in CRP during mid-gestation was followed by a second increase after parturition. In three pregnant bitches, a similar increase was observed during mid-gestation but the second (post parturition) increase was not detected. In two pregnant bitches only a small rise was observed in mid-gestation. No increase in CRP was observed in the serum of two bitches that were not mated following oestrus or in the serum of two bitches that were mated but did not become pregnant. One bitch was diagnosed as pregnant by palpation but did not produce a litter and did not have a mid-gestation increase in CRP. However, this animal did show an acute phase response shortly after oestrus.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Molecular biological methods for monitoring oocyte maturation and in vitro fertilization in bitches.

Oocytes were collected from ovaries of bitches, at various stages of the oestrous cycle, after routine sterilization. Cumulus-enclosed oocytes were cultured for 0-72 h in a modified M-199 medium containing 10% oestrous bitch serum and 20 micrograms oestradiol ml-1. For oocytes surrounded by two or more layers of cumulus cells, an increase in the expression of mRNA transcripts for zona pellucida glycoprotein 3 (ZP3) was seen and reached peak levels after 48 h culture in vitro. Histological assessment showed that 39% of these oocytes had extruded their first polar body after 24 h culture in vitro. When these in vitro matured oocytes were transferred to oviduct cell monolayers and inseminated with fresh dog spermatozoa in Medium-199 supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum and 50 mg gentamicin sulfate ml-1, penetration of the zona pellucida started 1 h after insemination for oocytes that had been cultured for 48 and 72 h. At 12 h after insemination both male and female pronuclei were seen in 37.5% and 20% of the oocytes incubated for 48 and 72 h, respectively. No further development was seen.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Effects of medroxyprogesterone acetate or gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist on suppression of spermatogenesis in the dog (Canis familiaris).

Medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) was administered as a depot injection to two adult male dogs. One was injected with 75 mg as a depot injection once a month for 2 months and the other with 50 mg at 2-weekly intervals for 1 month, followed by 100 mg at 2-weekly intervals for a further 2 months. Two other male beagles were given gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists (nafarelin derivative no. 49947 and nafarelin acetate) at a dose of 50 micrograms day-1 for either 22 or 23 days. The profiles of luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone were monitored before and during the treatment periods, and changes in the dogs' testes, epididymides and prostate glands were determined post mortem. In the MPA-treated animals, LH was suppressed for only very brief periods. In contrast, in the dogs treated with GnRH agonist, LH and testosterone concentrations were suppressed for most of the treatment period. In the MPA-treated animals, histological changes were seen mainly in the head of the epididymis, and in the acrosome region of the spermatozoa still present in this region of the male reproductive tract. The acrosome, instead of being closely applied to the sperm head, was in contact only in the most anterior areas, with the remainder forming a fan-like projection, indicating increasing detachment from the sperm head. In the dogs treated with GnRH agonist there was clear evidence of cessation of normal spermatogenesis in most of the seminiferous tubules. Changes in the histology of the head of the epididymis were similar to (but more profound than) those found in the dogs treated with MPA. Seminal changes were demonstrated in ejaculates collected during the latter stages of the treatment period.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Comparison of endocrine changes and ultrasound as means of identifying ovulation in the bitch.

Twenty bitches were monitored through pro-oestrus and oestrus using both circulating plasma hormone levels and ultrasonic examination of the ovaries. Using luteinising hormone (LH) as being the generally accepted optimum indicator of the day of ovulation, comparisons were made of the accuracy of progesterone and ultrasound to identify ovulation. Progesterone agreed with LH in 12 of 20 bitches and was within one day in seven of the other eight. Ultrasound was less accurate in that only four of the 16 estimates agreed, with a further six being within one day. However, if only the bitches which were examined by ultrasound with the latest equipment were included, while only three of 11 coincided, six of the remaining eight were within one day of the LH estimated ovulation. It is concluded that, at present, of the rapid assessments, the measurement of plasma progesterone is a better estimator of ovulation than ultrasound.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Development of spontaneous echocardiographic contrast after surgical trauma.

To determine if hypercoagulability is associated with contrast, surgical trauma was studied in a canine model. Contrast increased in the right heart and aorta after laparotomy, but not after anesthesia alone in either the right or the left heart. The inferior vena cava had the largest amount of contrast after surgery, implying that contrast development was primarily a local response to injury. The cellular composition of this contrast was not determined, but it occurred in the absence of changes in systemic rheologic or hematologic parameters and was not affected by heparin administration.

Anesthesia, Intravenous↗
PubMed1992

The instrumental role of product information: a study of warning labels for non-prescription drugs.

The study extends work in informative labeling, fear appeals, and negative information effects. Respondents were given two labels from two packages, one of which contained the experimental treatment. Warning strength was manipulated at three levels: weak, medium, and strong. The data show that, unlike labels on prescription medications, non-prescription warning labels tend to discourage use of the product. Results have implications for information theorists, marketers, and public policy makers.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1991

Comparison of high purity factor IX concentrates and a prothrombin complex concentrate in a canine model of thrombogenicity.

A non-stasis canine model of thrombogenicity has been used to evaluate batches of high purity factor IX concentrates from 4 manufacturers and a conventional prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC). Platelets, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen, fibrin(ogen) degradation products and fibrinopeptide A (FPA) were monitored before and after infusion of concentrate. Changes in FPA were found to be the most sensitive and reproducible indicator of thrombogenicity after infusion of batches of the PCC at doses of between 60 and 180 IU/kg, with a dose related delayed increase in FPA occurring. Total FPA generated after 100-120 IU/kg of 3 batches of PCC over the 3 h time course was 9-12 times that generated after albumin infusion. In contrast the amounts of FPA generated after 200 IU/kg of the 4 high purity factor IX products were in all cases similar to albumin infusion. It was noted that some batches of high purity concentrates had short NAPTTs indicating that current in vitro tests for potential thrombogenicity may be misleading in predicting the effects of these concentrates in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Use of factor VII-deficient beagles bred by artificial insemination to evaluate mechanisms of thrombosis associated with prothrombin complex concentrates.

Artificial insemination with frozen semen was used to breed beagles homozygous for a deficiency in clotting factor VII, with plasma concentrations of 2-3% of normal adult beagle pooled plasma. The factor VII-deficient beagles were used to determine if factor VII activity has a role in the thrombogenic activity of prothrombin complex concentrates (PCCs) containing factors II, IX and X by evaluating changes in selected indicators of thrombogenicity. No differences were seen between the responsiveness of the factor VII-deficient and normal beagles, indicating that the thrombogenic activities of PCCs are mediated via effects on the intrinsic clotting system.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Understanding and assessing service quality in health maintenance organizations.

Health maintenance organizations (HMO's) have been one of the major innovations in providing healthcare. However, as the HMO enjoyed success as an alternative delivery system, competition among individual HMO's intensified. As a result, the 1990's will require continued attention to the effective delivery of quality services to clients. Providers of healthcare services must work toward establishing a strong competitive position in the marketplace which means that they will have to understand how their customers perceive value in the services rendered. The authors examine exchange relationships that occur in the HMO and offer an approach for analyzing the dimensions of service quality demanded by the HMO's constituents. Practical ways to enhance service quality are discussed.

Consumer Behavior↗
PubMed1991

Ovulation, fertilization and early embryonic development in the bitch (Canis familiaris).

Using circulating plasma hormone estimations, ovulation was monitored in bitches. The results obtained indicate that the timing of ovulation bears little relationship to alterations in sexual behaviour. The bitches were killed and reproductive tracts were removed at various intervals after ovulation and ova or embryos were recovered. The embryo stages were assessed visually and some were investigated histologically. Embryonic development, to early blastocyst stage, took place within the oviducts during the first 12 days after ovulation and there was a marked increase in size between the early and late blastocyst. A culture system using cells from the uterine tube supported the development of one 1-cell embryo to the morula stage.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Estazolam treatment of insomnia in generalized anxiety disorder: a placebo-controlled study.

Estazolam, a triazolobenzodiazepine with an intermediate elimination half-life, has been shown previously to be an effective and safe hypnotic in insomniacs without concomitant psychiatric illness. Our study of the efficacy of estazolam in patients with insomnia associated with generalized anxiety disorder began when 108 patients meeting criteria for generalized anxiety disorder (mean total score of Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety [HAM-A] = 22.0 +/- 3.1 [SD]) and insomnia were given single-blind placebo for 7 nights. Nine patients whose anxiety and/or insomnia improved were dropped as placebo responders. The remaining 99 patients were randomly allocated (1:1) to double-blind treatment with either estazolam 2.0 mg or matching placebo for 7 nights. Hypnotic efficacy, as determined by patient-completed sleep questionnaires, was statistically significant for estazolam 2.0 mg versus placebo for all sleep indices (p less than 0.01). Patients treated with estazolam 2.0 mg showed significantly greater improvement in anxiety than those receiving placebo on the mean total score of HAM-A ([placebo, -3.4; estazolam, -7.1; p less than 0.001] and without the insomnia item [placebo, -2.7; estazolam, -5.5; p less than 0.001]). Anxiety scores on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory showed greater improvement in the estazolam group, but without statistical significance (p = 0.237). Estazolam 2.0 mg is an effective hypnotic in patients with generalized anxiety disorder and appears to have a favorable anxiolytic action.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Insemination of beagle bitches with frozen semen.

Behaviour, vaginal cytology and plasma progesterone concentrations were monitored during oestrus in a group of 6 beagle bitches before intrauterine insemination with frozen semen. At intervals after insemination, the reproductive tracts were examined for evidence of conception, which occurred in 5 of the bitches. One pregnant bitch had received treatment with stilboestrol before insemination.

Animals↗