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Biomedical subjects

K Griffiths

Publications and source records attributed to K Griffiths.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Attribute processing in patients with graphical copying disability.

This study investigated whether defective copying of multiple-line figures in lesion patients is associated with a deficit in perceptually processing and copying elementary attributes. Lesion and Control patients were assessed on a copying test comprising multi-line figures, and on parallel perceptual and motor forms of single-attribute tasks for Size, Orientation, Angle, Position and Direction. Copying test performance was correlated with perceptual attribute performance for the Lesion but not the Control group. Mean attribute performance of the Lesion patients who showed a copying disability (defined as a copying performance below the minimum performance of the Control group) was inferior to that of the non-disabled and Control subjects. The non-disabled patients did not differ from the Controls on any of these tasks. Performance in the copying test for left- and right-hemisphere patients did not differ, but left-hemisphere patients showed less impairment in the simple attribute tasks. The results are discussed in terms of the role of elementary perceptual deficits in copying disability and hemispheric differences in the nature of this condition.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Evaluation of biopsy techniques for androgen receptor assay in human prostatic tissue.

Androgen receptors were assayed in nuclei prepared from human benign hypertrophic prostate tissue obtained at retropubic prostatectomy by transurethral resection (TURP) and by cold punch resection. Androgen receptor was not detected in 70% of the transurethrally resected samples, and in those cases where receptors were observed they showed no correlation with enucleated samples. However, androgen receptors were detected in all cold punch resected samples and enucleated tissue with similar concentrations evident in samples from the same gland. These results suggest that prostate specimens collected by TURP are not suitable for androgen receptor analysis, whereas the technique of cold punch resection yields prostate samples that are more reliable for a correct evaluation of androgen receptor content.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

Immunocytochemical assay for estrogen receptors applied to human prostatic tumors.

An immunocytochemical assay using a monoclonal antibody to estrogen receptor was applied to frozen sections of 43 prostatic tumors. In addition, in 16 tumors the results of the immunocytochemical assay were compared with those obtained using an enzyme immunoassay for estrogen receptor, a tritiated ligand binding assay, and a histochemical procedure using fluorescein-labeled estradiol conjugates. Specimens from 14 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia and 29 patients with prostatic carcinoma were analyzed in assays in which human breast carcinoma specimens of high, medium, low, or negative estrogen receptor content acted as controls. The intensity of nuclear staining and the percentage of stained cells in the breast sample controls correlated well with estrogen receptor content as determined by both the enzyme immunoassay and the tritiated ligand binding assay. None of the fixed, frozen sections from the 43 prostatic tumors exhibited nuclear staining of either the benign or the malignant epithelial cells or of the stromal components. Negative results were also obtained with the tritiated ligand binding assay. The majority of prostatic samples were negative when using the enzyme immunoassay but four specimens had a mean value of 6.2 fmol/mg protein which is just above the sensitivity of the assay. Using fluorescein-labeled estradiol conjugates both cytoplasmic and nuclear binding was observed in the prostatic samples which did not correlate with the results obtained by the other three procedures.

Histocytochemistry↗
PubMed1986

Quantitative common carotid artery blood flow: prediction of internal carotid artery stenosis.

Common carotid artery (CCA) blood flow was measured noninvasively with a pulsed Doppler duplex scanner modeled after the Octoson (Ultrasonics, Inc., No. Yonkers, N.Y.). The aim of the study was to determine normal values and to assess the accuracy of CCA flow as a predictor of internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis. One hundred one people who did not have disease were studied; the overall mean flow rate was 395 +/- 79 ml/min (mean +/- S.D.). There was no significant correlation with age, height, or body surface area but there was with body weight (p less than 0.05). A statistically significant difference was evident between men (424 +/- 88 ml/min) and women (371 +/- 62 ml/min) (p less than 0.001). The intrasessional variation (S.D./mean) was 13% and the intersessional variation, 16%. No significant difference was seen between the sides. Ninety-two patients who had carotid angiography were studied and the flow rates compared with the degree of ICA stenosis on each side. The flow rate for mild ICA stenosis (1% to 39%) was 404 +/- 109 ml/min, for moderate stenoses (40% to 69%), 390 +/- 91 ml/min, and for severe stenoses (70% to 99%), 351 +/- 109 ml/min. There was a significant difference in flows only between mild and severe grades of stenosis of the ICA (p less than 0.01). With unilateral stenosis, comparison of flow values in the normal and affected sides showed the greatest discriminatory power when the absolute difference of flow values was taken (p less than 0.005).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Duplex scanning of the portal vein and portasystemic shunts.

This article describes the preliminary findings of a Duplex ultrasound technique that enables the patency of the portal circulation and portosystemic shunt patency to be determined. In addition, the equipment allows the noninvasive measurement of quantitative rates of blood flow in these vessels. Portal vein flow was 952 +/- 273 ml/min in 10 normal subjects after an overnight fast and increased by 50% at 30 minutes in response to a standard 660-calorie liquid meal. Thirteen portosystemic shunts were scanned, and hemodynamic information was obtained from 10. Three of the four patients who had a Warren shunt performed 3 to 4 years earlier had portal vein occlusion. There is evidence of an increase in flow through the Warren shunt on feeding, suggesting a hemodynamic connection to the mesenteric side of the circulation. The apparatus, technique of examination, and the characteristics and difficulties with particular types of shunts are described.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Evaluation of an enzyme immunoassay for estrogen receptors in human breast cancers.

An estrogen receptor enzyme immunoassay kit (ER-EIA) has been evaluated in 70 human breast carcinomas against a routine cytoplasmic [3H]estradiol binding assay (ERU). A linear correlation between the ER-EIA and the ERU was observed for binding values up to 400 fmol/mg of cytosol protein. Above this value, the ERU underestimates the concentration of receptor. The ERU gave a lower number of estrogen receptor-positive tumors (50 of 70) than did the ER-EIA assay (59 of 70). In the ERU-negative ER-EIA-positive tumors, receptor values as determined by the ER-EIA assay all fell below 50 fmol/mg of protein (mean, 19.9 +/- 4.2 fmol/mg of protein). Application of an exchange procedure which estimates the total steroid binding capacity of the cytosol gave positive results in 7 of 9 ERU-negative ER-EIA-positive tumors (mean, 16.9 +/- 2.95 fmol/mg of protein). Subdivision of the binding data according to the menopausal status of the patient indicates low receptor values in premenopausal women by each assay. A correlation between the ER-EIA assay and the histological grade of tumors was observed; Grade I well-differentiated tumors were all positive, while Grade II and III tumors were 86% and 75% positive, respectively. No correlation between the ER-EIA assay and tumor lymph node stage or tumor size was observed.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

The effect of prolactin on human BPH epithelial cell proliferation.

Epithelial cell monolayers derived from specimens of human benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) tissue by an explant culture technique were cultured with prolactin in the presence and absence of androgens. Proliferation of the cells was measured by both autoradiographic assessment of [3H]-thymidine uptake and stathmokinetic procedures. Prolactin significantly stimulated the growth of these cells in the concentration range 0.5 mIU/ml to 10 mIU/ml but was inhibitory at a concentration of 100 mIU/ml. In the presence of testosterone (1 X 10(-7) M), prolactin at low concentrations (greater than 1 mIU/ml) but not at 10 mIU/ml, the concentration at which all other experiments were performed, produced a further stimulation in the proliferation. The increase in growth seen with cells cultured with 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (1 X 10(-7) M) was reduced with addition of prolactin at high concentrations (10-100 mIU). When the fetal calf serum used in the cultures was stripped of endogenous steroids, prolactin still increased cell proliferation, although to a reduced extent. This indicated that the effects of prolactin were not dependent on the presence of androgens.

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMed1985

A prognostic index for the clinical management of patients with advanced prostatic cancer: a British Prostate Study Group investigation.

Patients with histologically proven carcinoma of the prostate (n = 186) were initially assessed and followed up according to the standardized protocol of the British Prostate Study Group, urologists from which contributed patients to this investigation. These patients were given either endocrine therapy or orchidectomy as first line treatment; the ratio of the number of patients receiving these two treatments was similar in each group of subjects compared for survival. Prognostic indices were derived for all patients and for those classified according to the presence (M1) or absence (M0) of metastases. The prognostic indices were derived from clinical and hormone data obtained at initial presentation. Whereas the degree of tumor differentiation and plasma testosterone concentrations were significant prognostic factors in both M0 and M1 disease, growth hormone was only significant in M1 patients, where age was also of borderline significance; elevated growth hormone, higher Gleason grade, younger age, and lower testosterone indicated a poorer prognosis in M1 patients. These findings indicated the feasibility of selecting a poor prognostic group of patients that may derive benefit from a more aggressive therapy.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1985

Validation of observed differences in the utilization of antihypertensive and antidiabetic drugs in Northern Ireland, Norway and Sweden.

The amount of antihypertensive and antidiabetic drugs based of defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day varies two to three fold between Northern Ireland, Norway, and Sweden. We explored whether variations based on the universally applied defined daily doses might be accounted for by national differences in the actual average prescribed daily doses. Use of prescribed daily doses for antihypertensive drugs resulted in Northern Irish and Norwegian consumption figures which were respectively 40 and 21% lower than the Swedish one, compared to 38 and 25% when defined daily doses were used. The effect of population age-sex differences on the gross defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day figures was determined by applying the Northern Irish or Norwegian age-sex group proportions to Swedish age-sex specific sales data. Taking population differences into account would have resulted in antihypertensive drug use being 21 rather than 38% less in Northern Ireland and 18 rather than 25% less in Norway. Also adjustment for prescribed daily doses left an unexplained difference of 23% between Sweden and Northern Ireland and 14% between Sweden and Norway. For oral antidiabetics use of prescribed daily doses resulted in a Northern Irish - Swedish difference of 62% compared to 67% when defined daily doses were used. Simultaneous adjustment for population differences and prescribed to defined daily dose variations left a 52% difference.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Evaluation of luteal-phase salivary progesterone levels in women with benign breast disease or primary breast cancer.

Salivary progesterone concentrations were determined in premenopausal parous women with a mean age of ca. 40 yr who had a history of either benign breast disease (n = 15) or primary breast cancer (n = 15) and in a group of age-matched healthy women (n = 15). Saliva samples were collected at 09.00 and 21.00 hr daily for one complete menstrual cycle and progesterone concentration was measured by radioimmunoassay. Characteristic luteal-phase progesterone profiles were observed in all subjects in each of the three groups but no statistical intergroup differences could be demonstrated for age-matched subjects in each group. These studies indicated that ovarian dysfunction, as judged from salivary progesterone concentrations, was not apparent in older premenopausal women with a history of benign breast disease or primary breast cancer when compared with age-matched controls.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Mammographic parenchymal patterns: value as a predictor of hormone dependency and survival in breast cancer.

The relation between the parenchymal pattern of the breasts as demonstrated on a mammogram and the estrogen-receptor status of the primary tumor in 337 patients with operable invasive breast cancer has been studied. These factors have also been correlated with the response to endocrine therapy in 92 patients who subsequently developed secondary disease. It has been shown that patients with a DY pattern are more likely to develop tumors that are estrogen-receptor (ER) positive (p = 0.01). Patients with secondary disease who have a DY pattern are more likely to respond to endocrine therapy (p = 0.001). The DY pattern has been shown to be at least as good an indicator of the probability of response to endocrine therapy as the estrogen-receptor status, and a combination of the two factors better than either taken singly. In a series of 141 postmenopausal women, the DY pattern, as determined at the time of mastectomy, was associated with significantly improved survival (p = 0.001). Mammographic parenchymal pattern could form the basis for selecting patients for endocrine therapy where no estrogen-receptor assay is available.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1985

The use of salivary steroids to monitor circadian rhythmicity on expeditions in the arctic.

The circadian variation in salivary cortisol concentration was investigated in four men during a traverse on foot, of the Greenland ice cap and of salivary cortisol and testosterone on a summer expedition to Spitzbergen. In both instances circadian rhythmicity was demonstrated both before leaving the U.K. and throughout the expedition. The acrophase of the rhythms followed the changes in activity patterns on both expeditions although there was a dissociation between the cortisol and testosterone following an acute 8 hr phase shift in Spitzbergen. The mesor of cortisol in both instances tended to be higher than in the U.K. but the difference was never statistically significant. This work demonstrates the feasibility of using salivary steroid concentrations to investigate their circadian rhythmicity in circumstances where frequent blood sampling would be precluded.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

The relationship of background mammographic pattern to hormone dependency in breast cancer.

We have studied the relationship between mammographic parenchymal pattern of the breast and oestrogen receptor (ER) status in the primary tumour in 337 patients with operable invasive breast cancer, and the response to endocrine therapy in patients subsequently developing secondary disease. Patients with dysplastic (DY) parenchymal pattern are significantly more likely to develop tumours which are ER-positive. In 92 patients who subsequently developed secondary disease, those whose primary tumour arose in a DY pattern breast were significantly more likely to respond to endocrine therapy irrespective of their ER status.

Breast↗
PubMed1984

Therapeutic significance and the mechanism of action of the LH-RH agonist ICI 118630 in breast and prostate cancer.

The influence of the LH-RH agonist ICI 118630 on circulating levels of the pituitary gonadotrophins LH and FSH and the gonadal steroids oestradiol, progesterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone and testosterone has been studied in phase I clinical trials of the drug in patients with advanced breast or prostate cancer. ICI 118630 initially stimulated plasma levels of LH and FSH. On continued treatment however, the drug reversed this response and produced a rapid decline in plasma testosterone and progesterone in male and female patients respectively. Plasma oestradiol concentrations equivalent to those seen in oophorectomised or postmenopausal women were eventually produced in all 5 female patients treated with ICI 118630. In one patient however persistent follicular activity occurred until her third menstrual cycle. No appreciable side effects of the drug were observed. These data indicate that ICI 118630 initiates a castration-like endocrine response and has potential in the treatment of hormone dependent tumours of the breast and prostate.

Breast Neoplasms↗