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Biomedical subjects

J McCormack

Publications and source records attributed to J McCormack.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

A simple method to quantify the changes in activities of daily living of long-stay nursing home populations.

This report describes a simple method to quantify changes in the activities of daily living (ADLs) over a 6-month time period in long-stay VA nursing home populations. In these institutions, each resident receives a score of one to five every 6 months describing the degree of dependence in eating, mobility, transfer and toileting ("patient assessment instrument" or PAI). From these data, quantitative indicators can be calculated for the studied population: the average score for each ADL at the beginning and end of the period, and the average 6-month change in this score; the proportions of all residents whose ADL score improved, remained unchanged or worsened; the proportion of initially independent residents whose ADL score worsened, and the proportion of initially dependent residents whose score improved. The method was applied in two VA nursing homes (A and B). The profiles of ADL outcomes in the two nursing homes differed in several respects. For example, in nursing home A, 80% or more of the population either remained unchanged or improved in ADLs and only 2 to 18% deteriorated. In nursing home B, on the other hand, only 50 to 60% of the population remained unchanged or improved and 36 to 50% deteriorated. For the initially independent residents, the frequency of deterioration of ADLs in nursing home B was several times greater than that in nursing home A. The described method of quantifying ADL outcomes could readily be applied to the PAI data that are available in all VA nursing homes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1993

Memory of Northern Irish Catholics and Protestants for violent incidents and their explanations for the 1981 hunger strike.

The aim of this study was to examine the memory of Northern Irish Catholics (n = 20) and Protestants (n = 21) for violent events which had occurred over the previous 11 years and their explanations for those events. It was predicted that Catholics would recall more events involving Catholic deaths than Protestants and that Protestants would recall more events involving Protestant deaths than Catholics. Although Catholics were as likely as Protestants to recall incidents which resulted in Protestant deaths, Protestants were less likely than Catholics to recall incidents involving Catholic deaths. Also, there were divergent explanations for the 1981 hunger strike with most Protestants attributing responsibility to factors internal to the hunger strikers and most Catholics attributing responsibility to factors external to the hunger strikers.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Relation of age to effects of phentolamine and phenylephrine on heart.

In the present study, the responses of neonatal and adult dog hearts to phenylephrine (PE) and phentolamine (PA) were investigated in order to determine the influence of age factors. PA resulted in the slowing of the heart rate, the prolongation of corrected sinus node recovery time, atrial refractory period (ARP), ventricular effective refractory period (VERP), and ventricular functional refractory period (VFRP), and a significant inhibition of conducting tissues in neonatal dogs. In contrast, no such effects were seen in adult dogs. PE had a positive chronotropic effect in neonatal dogs but no such effect in adult dogs. In conclusion, alpha-adrenoceptors played an important excitatory role in the neonatal dog heart.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1993

T cell tolerance. Giles F. Filley Lecture.

T cell tolerance to self is induced by several mechanisms. Immature T cells may die, and mature T cells may die or be inactivated by contact with self. While we do not understand completely what governs which of these courses will be adopted by an autoreactive T cell, 2 points are clear. Self is in part distinguished from nonself by the fact that the former is always present, while the latter is only intermittently in the body. Secondly, it seems that the default response for T cells is "off" rather than "on." That is, peripheral T cells will become tolerant to antigen unless some other phenomenon such as adjuvant triggers them to respond. One other point should be mentioned. In spite of the power of the mechanisms which causes self tolerance, tolerance is not complete. Autoreactive T cells specific for cryptic antigens, expressed in the brain or eye for example, can easily be demonstrated. Many autoimmune diseases may be caused by aberrant activation and exposure to target organ of these cells, rather than failure of the normal mechanisms of tolerance themselves.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Monoclonal large granular lymphocyte proliferation in SLE with HTLV-I seroreactivity.

A 60-year-old part Aboriginal woman was observed to develop severe neutropenia and a large granular lymphocyte (LGL) proliferation five years after the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Monoclonality of the CD3+, CD4-, CD8+ LGL population was confirmed using the novel approach of X-linked restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Indeterminate HTLV-I serology was present. The patient responded to steroid therapy. LGL proliferation in the setting of SLE and the use of X-linked RFLP analysis to define LGL clonality have not previously been reported.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1992

Clinical applications of magnetic resonance angiography.

Recent technical advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) now allow for the noninvasive study of blood flow in vessels, or magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). We describe several case reports involving the use of MRA and discuss its advantages in evaluating patients for carotid artery stenosis, intracerebral aneurysms, and arteriovenous malformations (AVMs).

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Iconographic dental typography. A dental character font for computer graphics.

The recent massive increase in available memory for microcomputers now allows multiple font faces to be stored in computer RAM memory for instant access to the screen and for printed output. Fonts can be constructed in which the characters are not just letters or numbers, but are miniature graphic icons--in this instance pictures of teeth. When printed on an appropriate laser printer, this produces printed graphics of publishing quality.

Computer Graphics↗