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Biomedical subjects

J Marks

Publications and source records attributed to J Marks.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Measurement of the response of psoriasis to short-term application of anthralin.

Thirty-six patients with psoriasis were treated with short-term application of anthralin in three studies. (I) In thirteen patients 2% anthralin was applied daily to lesions on one arm for 60 min; (2) in ten patients 4% anthralin was applied daily to lesions on one-half of the body for 30 min; (3) in thirteen patients 2% anthralin was applied daily to lesions on one-half of the body for 30 min and the strength was increased to 4% and then 8% at intervals of 3 or more days, according to tolerance. Comparison was made with the response to conventional daily treatment with 0.05% to 1% anthralin. Progress was compared clinically by days to clearing, by measurements of plaque thickness with Harpenden calipers, by the frequency and severity of burning, and by patient preference. There was no significant difference in the times to clinical clearance between short-term and conventional anthralin treatments and the rate of decrease of plaque thickness was likewise similar. There was an excellent correspondence between time to reach half plaque thickness and the time for each plaque to clear clinically. There was increased burning with all the short-term treatments but the patients still preferred it. We conclude that short-term treatment with anthralin is as effective as continuous application, but that the increased burning is likely to limit its usefulness.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1983

The benzodiazepines--for good or evil.

The literature on benzodiazepine dependence is reviewed and analysed. Factors that lead to a higher risk of dependence include the duration of treatment, the dosage and dependence on other substances. The risk of dependence during therapeutic use of benzodiazepines is assessed, place in clinical context and methods for reducing withdrawal manifestations described. Social aspects of benzodiazepine use are discussed. An overall conclusion is drawn that the benefits from the use of benzodiazepines within good medical practice far outweigh their problems.

Anti-Anxiety Agents↗
PubMed1982

Child abuse in Georgia: a method to evaluate risk factors and reporting bias.

From July 1975 through December 1979, the Georgia Department of Protective Services Central Registry recorded population-based data on confirmed, non-confirmable, and ruled-out child abuse reports. We propose that reporting biases are reflected in the differential characteristics of confirmed and ruled-out reports of child abuse. Characteristics, households, or groups equally or more prevalent in the latter category cannot necessarily be considered associated with increased risk of child abuse, even if they are represented in the confirmed abuse population more than in the general public. Important examples of factors or categories for which an association was suggested in other studies but which are not supported by this analysis are: urban residence, teenage motherhood, infancy, and mothers and other female perpetrators. These are conditions or categories associated with greater surveillance; therefore, risk assessment is not possible using the data in this registry. Certain households do appear to be at increased risk for child abuse. These include large families, families without a biological mother or biological father, and families ever needing Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). This increased risk, however, is slight. Improved surveillance requires identification of reporting biases. A comparison of confirmed and ruled-out reports is an inexpensive and system-specific step toward achieving this aim.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1981

Relapse rate and long-term management of plaque psoriasis after treatment with photochemotherapy and dithranol.

The relapse rate of plaque psoriasis after initial clearing with the "Ingram" dithranol regimen or photochemotherapy was comparable when no maintenance treatment was given. It was estimated that psoriasis recurs to half of its pretreatment extent after about six months in half the patients. Maintenance treatment with photochemotherapy once a week or once every three weeks was useful in reducing the relapse rate. This study failed to show any statistical difference in relapse rates between these two maintenance schedules. If this finding turns out to be true over longer periods of study the maintenance schedule entailing treatment once every three weeks with its lower cumulative dose of long-wave ultraviolet light will clearly be preferable. The psoriasis in most patients was under better overall control with maintenance treatment than with intermittant clearing courses given when the extent of the psoriasis had become unacceptable to them. There was, however, a group of roughly one-fifth of patients who remained in satisfactory remission for over 16 months after initial clearing. Regular maintenance treatment was unnecessary in them. Much more information is needed on response to treatment in subgroups of patients to permit recognition from the start of which patients are likely to have long remission and which are not.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Polymorphic variants in human chromosome 15.

We found eight polymorphic variants in human chromosome 15 using Q, C, Q-C and Ag-NOR staining methods. These variants included brightly or dully fluorescent pericentric segments and satellites, giant satellites, increased amounts of short arm hetrochromatin (ph+) and darkly (C band-positive) or lightly (C band-negative) Giemsa-stained pericentric Q-negative segments. These staining properties indicated that the entire short arm of 15 contained at least four distinct chromatin segments: Q-negative centromeric heterochromatin, a Q-variable distal segment, a Q-negative satellite stalk, and Q-variable satellites, in that order, from proximal to distal ends. The BrdU-Hoechst 33258-stained R bands (RBH) and high resolution G subbands were also studied for karyologic characterization of chromosome 15. Most of these variants were reported also in 13, but insufficiently documented in other D and G chromosomes. Together with polymorpic pericentric fluorochromes seen in 3 and 4, Yq, and nonpathogenic t(D;Yq), the pattern of these variants can be used as karyologic fingerprints for identification of each individual and his or her cell explants both in vivo and in vitro.

Azure Stains↗