Search PubMedSearch

Biomedical subjects

L Blackwood

Publications and source records attributed to L Blackwood.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Radiographic abnormalities in canine multicentric lymphoma: a review of 84 cases.

The thoracic and abdominal radiographs of 84 dogs with multicentric lymphoma were examined to identify the radiological abnormalities. The frequency of occurrence of individual changes, role of radiography in diagnosis, relationship of radiographic changes to hypercalcaemia and prognostic relevance of radiographic findings were assessed. Multiple abnormalities were more commonly seen than solitary changes. No radiographic abnormalities were seen in approximately one quarter of thoracic radiographs and one fifth of abdominal radiographs. Lymphoma could not be diagnosed on the basis of radiographs alone. Many of the features of lymphoma were non-specific, having numerous possible causes. Cranial mediastinal disease was neither a prerequisite for, nor a disproportionately common finding in, hypercalcaemic patients. The absence of radiological abnormalities may be a positive prognostic indicator for the individual patient. The differential diagnoses for the radiographic abnormalities seen in lymphoma are discussed.

Abdomen

Radiotherapy of oral malignant melanomas in dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate response to radiotherapy in dogs with oral malignant melanomas. DESIGN: Clinical trial. ANIMALS: 36 dogs with histologically confirmed oral malignant melanomas. PROCEDURE: The prescribed radiation dose was 36 Gy given in 4 fractions of 9 Gy at 7-day intervals. The primary radiation source was a linear accelerator. RESULTS: In 25 of 36 dogs, complete remission was achieved, and in 9 dogs, partial remission was achieved. Recurrence of the primary tumor was the cause of euthanasia of 4 dogs. Twenty-one dogs were euthanatized because of metastasis. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Radiotherapy was an effective palliative treatment for the primary tumor in dogs with oral malignant melanomas. However, rapid development of metastatic disease remained a major challenge.

Animals

Epitopes of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope glycoproteins recognized by antibodies in the sera of HIV-1-infected individuals.

Sera from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected study subjects and controls were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using 10 synthetic peptides to identify epitopes of HIV envelope glycoproteins (ENVgp) that were recognized by antibodies. Two epitopes of HIV ENVgp, ENVP466 (amino acids 466-481) and ENVP497 (amino acids 497-509), were recognized by antibodies in the sera of most HIV-infected individuals. The frequency of individuals with detectable serum antibodies to these two epitopes was not associated with the stage of HIV disease. Purified antibodies to ENV497 had only very weak neutralizing activity against infectious HIV. These data suggest that a particular dominant type of antibody response to HIV's ENVgp has minimal protective effects. These and other studies to identify and stimulate immune responses to selected epitopes of HIV antigens may be useful in the design of vaccines to prevent or treat HIV infections.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Latent variable models for the analysis of medical data with repeated measures of binary variables.

Consideration of within-subject dependencies is a key issue in modelling binary repeated measures medical data. Borrowing from recent developments in sociology and psychology, we demonstrate the applicability of a latent variable approach to the analysis of such data. In particular we present the Rasch model as a basic model for representing the relationship of subject and treatment parameters. The latent variable approach is useful in providing a theoretical framework for specifying dependencies exactly and also as a base for considering more complicated relationships between repeated measures variables.

Attitude to Health

Effects of interleukin 2 and large envelope glycoprotein (gp 120) of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) on lymphocyte proliferative responses to cytomegalovirus.

Lymphocytes from many HIV-infected asymptomatic individuals or patients with AIDS-related conditions (ARC) and from all AIDS patients were unable to proliferate in vitro in response to UV-inactivated cytomegalovirus (CMV). The addition of recombinant IL2 (rIL2) restored proliferative responses of lymphocytes from most HIV-infected asymptomatic individuals and ARC patients to levels similar to those of HIV-seronegative (HIV-) CMV-seropositive (CMV+) individuals. In contrast, rIL2 augmented CMV-specific lymphocyte proliferation of only 33% (6/18) of AIDS patients. Proliferative responses to CMV with or without rIL2 did not correlate well with the levels of CD4+ lymphocytes, HIV antigen levels or ratios of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes. Proliferative responses to CMV were inhibited by relatively high concentrations (greater than or equal to 10 micrograms/ml) of recombinant HIV envelope glycoprotein (rgp120) and this immunosuppression was completely overcome by rIL2. These results indicate that defects in antigen-driven lymphocyte responses of HIV-infected individuals are not simply the result of reduced numbers of CD4+ lymphocytes but are influenced by defects in IL2 pathways and by immunosuppressive effects of HIV gp120.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

First aid.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Emergencies

Epidemiology of gonorrhoea in native Alaskans.

Data on gonococcal infections confirmed by culture show that the native population of Alaska has an incidence rate many times higher than the other population groups; both sexes and all age groups are affected. In contrast to the remainder of the United States, where gonorrhoea occurs much more often in men, native Alaskan women are as likely to be infected as native Alaskan men.

Adolescent

Alaska native fertility trends, 1950-1978.

Fertility rates for Alaska Natives based on officially registered births have shown considerable change since 1950, reflecting the increasing incorporation of this group into the dominant American culture. Their fertility experience has in many regards been similar to that of developing countries during the process of modernization. A gradual rise in fertility prior to 1962 was most likely the result of increased fecundity due to declining breast feeding. The rapid decline after that time is seen as a response to increasing incentives for fertility control. The decline was facilitated by the beginning of family planning programs in 1965.

Adolescent