Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

L Morrow

Publications and source records attributed to L Morrow.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Late-life spinal cord injury and aging with a long term injury: characteristics of two emerging populations.

Modern care of patients with spinal cord injury is leading to greater numbers of individuals surviving into old age and the emergence of a cohort that has sustained injury at an advanced age. The clinical characteristics of either group of patients has not been well characterized. Analyses from the Aging with a Long-Term Disability Research Program database, which is enriched by the presence of a high quality Spinal Cord Injury Service, revealed a population of 510 recently assessed individuals with a mean age of 50 years, ranging from 16 to 84 years. Twenty-three percent of the patients were at least 65 years of age. Spinal cord injuries were usually the result of automobile accidents in individuals injured younger than 50 years of age and falls in individuals injured when older than 50 years of age. Patients surviving late life injury are much more likely to have incomplete injuries predominantly affecting the cervical spine. A number of conditions were found to be more prevalent in older patients. These included carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, myocardial infarction, diabetes, kidney stones, pressure ulcers and hypertension. The development of diabetes, kidney stones and perhaps pressure ulcers was directly related to aging with SCI, but not just to aging alone. The better functional outcomes in late life spinal cord injury may be secondary to selective survival. The excess morbidity associated with late life spinal cord injury has significance for future planning of healthcare needs for the spinal cord injured patient.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Evaluation of chronic neurological sequelae after acute pesticide exposure using SPECT brain scans.

A case in which SPECT brain imaging was used in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic effects from acute acetylcholinesterase inhibitor poisoning is presented. The patient was exposed to an insecticide mixture containing phosphorothiate, pyrethrin, piperonyl butoxide, and petroleum distillates, which produced symptoms consistent with acute acetylcholinesterase inhibitor poisoning as well as an upper respiratory tract irritant. Delayed sequelae of gross neurologic symptoms followed, that is, coarse tremor, intermittent hemiballistic movements of the right arm and leg, flaccid muscular tone, fasciculations of muscle groups, muscle cramps, and sensory disturbances. A brain single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) scan was performed 34 mo postexposure, revealing significantly decreased blood flow to the left temporal lobe and to the right and left basal ganglia. The patient's paresthesias were treated with phenytoin, which resulted in worsening of her movement disorder. A trial of amantadine and selegiline (Deprenyl) resulted in a dramatic reduction in dysfunctional movements and ataxia. Post amantadine and selegiline therapy, brain SPECT images revealed significantly improved blood flow with minimally decreased blood flow to the right and left basal ganglia. The use of SPECT scan techniques helped to elucidate objective chronic central nervous system effects subsequent to an acute insecticide exposure and also assisted in the evaluation of the effectiveness of therapeutic intervention.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Mechanism of connective tissue techniques. I. The effect of dye concentration and staining time on anionic dye procedures.

Anionic dye connective tissue procedures were performed by staining for 5 min and 24 h with (a) 0.00018 M and 0.0018 M solutions of 28 dyes, and 0.018 M solutions of 21 dyes in saturated picric acid (SPA), and (b) 0.0018 M and 0.018 M solutions of 20 dyes in 1% (w/v) phosphomolybdic acid (PMA). The staining obtained with dyes in SPA was classified as selective (no cytoplasmic staining), moderately selective (traces of cytoplasmic staining) and non-selective (all other staining patterns). The staining of collagen and cytoplasm with dyes in PMA was separately classified on a scale of 1-5 (1 = no staining, 5 = maximum staining). The selectivity of the staining obtained with SPA with solutions of dyes at concentrations of 0.00018 M and 0.0018 M, and both staining times, was correlated (p < 0.001) with an empirical sulphonic acid constant (SAC) defined as the (number of dye sulphonic acid groups/dye molecular weight) x 10(3). Correlation with molecular weight was poor and was significant only when staining was performed with 0.00018 M dye solutions for 24 h. The dyes were divisible into three groups: group 1 (selectivity independent, or almost independent of staining time), group 2 (selective to moderately selective when staining was performed for 5 min), and group 3 (non-selective). The SAC of the group 1 dyes differed significantly from those of the group 2 and 3 dyes. Selectivity was essentially lost at dye concentrations of 0.018 M. The staining with acidic dyes (no amines or substituted amines) in PMA differed significantly (p < 0.001) from that obtained with amphoteric dyes (containing basic substituents).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1988

'Repetition strain injury': an Australian epidemic of upper limb pain.

An analysis is provided of a recent Australian epidemic of an upper limb regional pain syndrome known as 'repetition strain injury' (RSI). 'RSI' was originally attributed to occupational over-use of the upper limb and biomechanical and ergonomic solutions were sought. More sceptical commentators argued that 'RSI' was an epidemic form of hysteria. More recently, a consensus has emerged that the epidemic is attributable to a combination of factors: a change in the perception of endemic symptoms of upper limb pain; the iatrogenic effects of the term 'RSI' and the methods used to manage it; and complications of the medico-legal process in which many sufferers became entangled.

Arm Injuries↗
PubMed1987

Contributions of in vitro fertilization to knowledge of the reproductive endocrinology of the menstrual cycle.

The administration of ovarian stimulants to endocrine-normal women in IVF programmes gives the clinical endocrinologist an opportunity to modify natural folliculogenesis. Use of antioestrogens and/or gonadotrophins at the correct time has demonstrated that follicular atresia can be prevented and that multiple pregnancy-potent haploid ova can be obtained. Scrutiny of spontaneous menstrual cycles in patients who show unsatisfactory IVF responses has identified two new syndromes, premature follicle selection and occult ovarian failure, in these patients. The incidence of these disorders in fertile women is still unclear. Early results suggest that endocrine manipulations may overcome premature follicle selection and induce codominant folliculogenesis. Inhibin is a recently characterized ovarian protein which is increased in peripheral blood during IVF treatment. Results from IVF cycles suggest that plasma inhibin may be a new index of follicular function. Other potential indices of ovarian function, such as the luteal protein relaxin, may also develop from the application of basic research to IVF and advance knowledge of the human ovarian and menstrual cycles.

Estradiol↗
PubMed1987

Low level lead exposure and neuropsychological functioning in blue collar males.

To examine the interrelationships between normal aging, occupational lead exposure, and cognitive functioning, a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests was administered to 288 randomly-selected lead-exposed workers and 181 demographically-similar nonexposed controls. Contrary to previous reports, those workers with current blood-lead levels in the low to moderate range (less than 50 micrograms/dl) were found to perform as well as controls on measures of learning, memory, attention, visuospatial ability, and general intelligence. They differed from controls only on one measure of psychomotor speed and manual dexterity, the Grooved Pegboard Test, and these between-group differences were restricted to the older lead workers. It is likely that these results are secondary to lead-mediated neuromuscular damage. There is little support for the view that older adults with current blood lead levels in the low to moderate range are at risk for developing significant CNS dysfunction, even though they may have had a past history of excessively high blood lead levels.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Visuospatial impairment in Parkinson's disease. Role of perceptual and motor factors.

We investigated the role of perceptual and motor factors in visuospatial impairment in 30 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and 30 matched controls. All subjects were administered visuospatial tests, which included "visuoperceptual" tasks, requiring minimal motor responses, and "visuomotor" tasks. The performance of patients with PD was considerably impaired on several tasks from both groups, and this impairment was not related to depression or intellectual impairment. Patients in stage 3 of the disease tended to show the greatest impairment. Those in stage 1 (unilateral symptoms), however, tended to show more impairment than those in stage 2.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

Visuoperceptual and visuomotor abilities and locus of lesion.

Possible differential effects of laterality and caudality of cerebral lesions on simple visuoperceptual and visuomotor skills were examined. As expected, the right hemisphere lesion group was significantly more impaired than the left hemisphere lesion group. The effects of the caudality of lesion, however, yielded interesting results. While the right posterior group was worse than the right anterior lesion group, as expected, the left posterior lesion group was better than the left anterior lesion group. Our findings points to a possibility that the left hemisphere, especially the anterior region, might not be as silent in processing simple visual stimuli as has been accepted.

Brain Diseases↗
PubMed1983

Cerebral aneurysm: report of two cases and clinical update.

Two cases of cerebral aneurysms are presented. The first concerned a 26-year-old woman who complained of vague headaches and was found to have a saccular aneurysm of the internal carotid artery. The second involved a 45-year-old woman with a unilateral headache. Third-nerve palsy prompted an investigation that revealed multiple berry aneurysms. Therapy for the prevention of recurrent bleeding, as well as laboratory aids to index this risk, are discussed, and an update on medical and surgical treatments is presented.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Delta5-androstenediol: kinetics of metabolism and binding to plasma proteins in normal men and women.

Using the constant fusion and single injection technique the metabolic clearance rates (mean +/- SEM) for delta5-androstene-3beta, 17beta-diol (delta5-idol) were measured for 19 normal men (1311 +/- 67 1/24 h) and 10 normal women (858 +/- 63 1/24 h). The constant infusion technique yielded values for the conversation ratios for the transformation of delta5-diol to several products: dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)/delta5-diol of 0.06+/-0.01 for men and 0.05 +/- 0.01 for women, of delta5-diol sulfate/delta5-diol of 0.45 +/- 0.04 for men and 0.52 +/- 0.03 for women and of DHEA sulfate/delta5-diol of 5.53 +/- 0.26 for men and 5.02 +/- 0.42 for women. The single injection technique yielded rate constants (units) and volumes of distribution (liters) for delta5-diol; Ki = 34.3 +/- 4.3 for men and 35.0 +/- 3.9 for women, K2 = 63.7 +/- 4.1 for men and 75.1 +/- 4.2 for women, V1 = 23.1 +/- 3.2 for men and 11.9 +/- 2.3 for women, V2 = 14.8 +/- 3.7 for men and 9.2 +/- 3.2 for women. The mean delta5-diol plasma concentration was 1.08 +/- 0.10 ng/ml for 12 men and 1.17 +/- 0.16 ng/ml for 9 women. (he calculated blood production rates for delta5-diol were 1357 +/- 117 mug/24 h for 12 men and 969 +/- 131 mug/24 h for 9 women. The per cent binding (equilibrium dialysis) was higher for women (94.9 +/- 0.3) than for men (93.0 +/- 0.2). Paper electrophoresis showed that significant fractions of 3H-delta5-diol migrated with both the beta-globulin and albumin fractions. Estrogen administration to two normal men increased the per cent binding of delta5-diol to plasma proteins and decreased the metabolic clearance rate towards the values found for normal women.

Adult↗