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Biomedical subjects

J Miller

Publications and source records attributed to J Miller.

At least 1,081 records · Page 60Linked to original sources
PubMed1978

Counselor effectiveness in a methadone maintenance program.

Counselor effectiveness for 253 heroin addicts in a methadone maintenance program was studied. The results of patient urinalysis for heroin use was chosen to assess counselor effectiveness. No significant differences in heroin use were found for the following groups of patients: 1. Those with multiple ex-addict (EA) counselors. 2. Those with multiple nonaddict (NA) counselors. 3. Patients with time periods with EA counselors followed by time periods with NA counselors, or vice versa. 4. Those with a single NA counselor. 5. Those with a single EA counselor. Patients with no counselor for one-third or more of each study period were found to have a significantly greater percent of urines positive for heroin.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Waste of dental pain.

The effects of dental disease on the population are difficult to describe to the lay public in terms which that public will appreciate. An attempt has been made to quantify the impairment of the quality of life which results from uncontrolled dental disease. Studies indicated that each person could have three to four days of dental pain a year which could be equivalent to 200 million days of toothache per year in the United Kingdom. Only 15 per cent of those who had toothache did seek dental advice for it. This represented a waste and an impairment in the quality of life. It is proposed that estimates of days of dental pain could prove an index of the quality of life of a population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Proximal radial artery-cephalic vein fistula hemodialysis.

We describe a technique of proximal radial artery-cephalic vein fistula for hemodialysis. This is a useful method in patients with previously failed fistulas in the distal forearm or in diabetics in whom there is occlusive distal disease of the radial artery. This was used in 20 patients, with a patency rate of 90% over a follow-up period of 6 to 52 months and without any complications.

Arteries↗
PubMed1977

Some chemical and nutritional properties of feather protein isolates containing varying half-cystine levels.

Feather (keratinous) protein isolates containing 2.8 and 7.2% half-cystine were prepared. Solubility of the former increased to 100% between pH 6 and 12, whereas, that of the latter reached only 2.5% at pH 12. Tests showed that mixtures of sodium dodecyl sulfate and 2-mercaptoethanol were needed to completely solubilize the high half-cystine protein, and that sodium dodecyl sulfate alone or in combination with urea and/or 2-mercaptoethanol increased solubilization of the low half-cystine product. The rates of these reactions are further increased by heat. Dry heat denatured the low half-cystine isolate more readily than the high half-cystine product; moist heat denatured both at a similar rate. Gel electrophoretic properties were unique for each keratinous product. Only the low half-cystine isolate ahd desirable functional properties in that it formed thick, viscous mayonnaise-like emulsions and desirable foams. Functional properties of this isolate were improved dramatically by adjusting the pH from 5.0 to 8.2 or by a two-step change from pH 5.0 to 4.0 to 8.2. Apparent nitrogen digestibility of the two keratinous isolates was greater than 90% as measured by rat growth and by pepsin-HCl digestion.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1977

Gore-Tex grafts for replacement of the superior vena cava.

In an effort to evaluate polytetrafluoroethylene (Gore-Tex) as a replacement for large veins, tubular grafts of the material were substituted for the precava in 33 mongrel dogs weighing 15 to 30 kg. Thirteen dogs had grafts 10 cm long by 12 mm wide with a 15-to 30 micron pore size; 15 dogs had grafts of the same length and width from 90-micron pore size material; and 5 dogs had grafts 5 cm long by 12 mm wide, of 90-micron pore size Gore-Tex. The effect of Gore-Tex tubes with and without spiral support and the differences in anatomical positions of the grafts were evaluated in terms of patency. Dogs were killed if a venogram showed occlusion of the graft. Twelve dogs survived 90 days; the longest survivor was killed at eleven months. At postmortem examination, the graft was patent but extremely narrow at the atrial end. Modification in the fabrication of Gore-Tex may eliminate factors contributing to graft failure; experiments longer than 90 days are necessary to evaluate Gore-Tex as a large vein replacement material. The 90-micron pore size material used in this experiment was unsuitable as a canine venous substitute.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Impact of oculomotor retraining on the visual perception of curvature.

Observers viewed a computer-generated display consisting of horizontally oriented, concave-up curved lines. The position of these curves was contingent on the horizontal position of the eye so that, in order to change fixation errorlessly, from one point to another on the curve, the eye would have to execute a purely horizontal movement. In Condition H this was achieved by moving the curves horizontally, so that the minimum point was always at the horizontal eye position location, thus simulating the effect of viewing a line through a wedge prism on a contact lens. In Condition V it was achieved by moving the curves vertically so that the point fixated always had the same vertical location. In both conditions eye movements were reprogrammed rapidly to eliminate the vertical components of the saccades that were present at the start. While a small, but significant, amount of perceptual adaptation was obtained in Condition H, none at all was obtained in Condition V. The results are interpreted as not in support of such theories of perceptual adaptation to curvature distortion as require a close relationship between motor learning and perceptual change.

Adaptation, Ocular↗
PubMed1977

Prolonged allograft survival with niridazole, azathioprine, and prednisolone.

The immunosuppressive properties of niridazole, an antihelminthic drug, have been investigated in rats. When given orally in a dose of 50 mg/kg, it extended the median survival of cardiac allografts from 7 to 20 days. The immunosuppressive effect was not increased by giving either azathioprine or prednisolone concurrently but when all three drugs were combined, immunosuppression was profound and only two of eight grafts were rejected. Drug combinations incorporating niridazole at a lower dosage or for a shorter period were less effective, and azathioprine and prednisolone on their own or used together prolonged graft survival only marginally in this model. It is concluded that niridazole is a powerful immunosuppressive drug in this species and a synergistic effect can be obtained by using it in combination with azathioprine and prednisolone.

Animals↗