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Biomedical subjects

L Wright

Publications and source records attributed to L Wright.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

An augmented structured interview for measuring subcomponents of the Type A behavior pattern.

The authors note an increasing interest in certain subcomponents of the Type A behavior pattern (TABP) such as time urgency, perpetual activation, and anger in versus anger out. Based on that observation they pilot tested twenty-four newly created interview items designed to augment those of the commonly employed Structured Interview (SI). Nineteen of the twenty-four items were then selected for use in more precise assessment of the four TABP subcomponents mentioned above. These new items, in combination with those of the existing SI, were labeled the Augmented Structured Interview (ASI). Obtained data on the ASI items support the need for assessing Type A subcomponents (instead of relying solely on a global measure of the TABP). The data also suggest that TABP subcomponents are best assessed by means of interview items rather than self report measures. The ASI is recommended for both clinical and research purposes as a supplement to the SI, which to date has proven to be the best means for measuring global Type A tendencies.

Anger↗
PubMed1989

The nature of an intragenic suppressor of the Escherichia coli dnaA508 temperature-sensitive mutation.

Escherichia coli strain E508 (dnaA508) is temperature-sensitive for dnaA function. A mutant with an intragenic suppressor of the dnaA508 mutation, called PR1, has been isolated. The suppressor mutation(s) allow initiation of DNA synthesis at 42 degrees C and, like dnaA cold-sensitive mutants, PR1 grows poorly at 32 degrees C. Two-dimensional gel analysis indicates that DnaA protein is overproduced in PR1. Transcriptional analysis indicates two to three times the number of dnaA and dnaN transcripts in PR1, as compared to a wild-type dnaA+ strain. The dnaA gene from PR1 has been cloned and found to complement the original dnaA508 mutation, as well as dnaA46, but not dnaA5. Sequencing of the dnaAPR1 gene reveals three separate base changes, two of which result in nonconservative amino acid substitutions and the third is a change in the start codon from GTG to ATG.

Alleles↗
PubMed1989

Hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal function in anorexia nervosa and bulimia.

Patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) exhibit neuroendocrine abnormalities that may result solely from emaciation or may reflect defective endocrine mechanisms which are intrinsic to disordered eating even in the absence of starvation. To distinguish these possibilities, we have studied indices of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) function in 9 patients with AN, 12 normal weight patients with bulimia and recent or current oligomenorrhea, and 8 normal weight controls. Measurement of 24-hour luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion with 30-min sampling revealed significantly fewer LH secretory spikes and a trend toward lower mean 24-hour LH levels in both bulimic and anorectic patients than in controls. Stimulation with gonadotropin releasing hormone produced elevated LH responses in the bulimic group and blunted LH responses in the anorectic group. Stimulation with estradiol revealed diminished LH augmentative responses and a trend toward diminished follicle stimulating hormone augmentative responses among bulimic as well as AN patients compared to controls. In each instance, the bulimic group tended to show within-group heterogeneity, with some individuals falling within the AN range. These findings suggest that HPG axis abnormalities in eating disordered patients cannot entirely be attributed to emaciation and that factors other than subnormal weight contribute to disturbed hypothalamic-pituitary functioning in these patients.

Amenorrhea↗
PubMed1988

Development and characterization of a human cell line from an ovarian mixed Müllerian tumor (carcinosarcoma).

A cell line derived from a human ovarian carcinosarcoma was established in tissue culture and in nude mice. Two sublines, LDF and HDF, separated by discontinuous density centrifugation were also established from the parent line JoN. The cloning efficiency of the JoN line was 21%. Morphologic features of adenocarcinoma cells characteristic of the parent JoN cells were retained in the sublines and clones; all lines showed the same karyotype and DNA content (pseudodiploid and pseudotetraploid). Keratin, as demonstrated immunohistochemically, was strongly expressed in the parent line JoN and the xenograft tumor, but not at all in the LDF sublines and only moderately in the HDF sublines. Vimentin, however, was expressed in neither the parent line JoN nor the xenograft tumor, but was present in both sublines. Transglutaminase and plasminogen activator activity was high in the parent line JoN. Neither, sublines nor clones showed the same high enzyme activity as the parent line. It is concluded that this human tumor line JoN is comprised of epithelial cells, capable of multidirectional differentiation.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Moving Millie.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-cortical activity in anorexia nervosa and bulimia.

We studied hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-cortical (HPA) activity in nine underweight women with anorexia nervosa, 12 women of normal body weight with bulimia, and nine control subjects. The measures of HPA activity were the pattern of plasma cortisol secretion over 24 hr and the responses of plasma cortisol to dexamethasone suppression and to low dose ACTH stimulation. The patients with anorexia nervosa had significantly elevated 24 hr concentrations of plasma cortisol compared to the controls and showed significantly less cortisol suppression following dexamethasone. There was no difference between patients with anorexia nervosa and controls in the rise in plasma cortisol following ACTH. On most measures of HPA activity, the normal weight patients with bulimia were indistinguishable from the controls. These results suggest that HPA activity is normal in most patients of normal body weight with bulimia and that the psychological and behavioral disturbances common to both anorexia nervosa and bulimia are, in the absence of significant weight loss, insufficient to produce major alterations in HPA activity.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1987

Indicators of perinatal asphyxia.

Creatinine phosphokinase and its isoenzymes (myocardial-specific MB and brain-specific BB) are elevated in the presence of specific tissue injury. The value of this serum marker as an objective indicator of perinatal asphyxia was studied. Forty-nine patients with gestational ages ranging from 36 to 42 weeks were prospectively studied. Patients who by interpretation of the fetal heart rate tracing alone were diagnosed as having fetal distress demonstrated significantly lower pH (p = 0.001) and base excess (p less than 0.0001) in umbilical venous blood. Umbilical venous cord MB (p less than 0.05) and BB (p less than 0.01) were increased in this group. Abnormal fetal heart rate patterns correlate well with acid-base abnormalities and elevated creatinine phosphokinase values. These tests may demonstrate more efficient and improved indicators of tissue injury and damage from perinatal asphyxia than clinical observation alone.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗
PubMed1986

Health psychology for children: a step-child/stepping stone.

This paper presents the position that health psychology for children is not given proper attention in mainstream health psychology, which is primarily adult in orientation. It is proposed that the neglect of child-related problems in the recent Proceedings of the National Conference on Training in Health Psychology exemplifies the general orientation of mainstream health psychology, which views children's health problems primarily in terms of their effect on adult health rather than as problems that need current and immediate attention. We propose that applying a developmental perspective to the health psychology field would be one way of highlighting the fact that children's problems are unique and that children need to be viewed as something other than potential consumers of adult health psychology services or as agents for the prevention of adult health problems.

Child↗
PubMed1985

Effect of antibiotic therapy on the clinical course of streptococcal pharyngitis.

We examined the effect of antibiotic therapy on the clinical course of group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal (GABHS) pharyngitis in 260 children. After a throat culture had been obtained, each child was evaluated for the presence of predetermined signs and symptoms, and was then randomized in a double-blind manner to receive penicillin V, cefadroxil, or placebo. Of the 194 children with throat cultures positive for GABHS, 68 received penicillin V, 70 received cefadroxil, and 56 received placebo. Approximately 18 to 24 hours later, each patient returned for reevaluation. Significantly fewer children who had received either penicillin or cefadroxil had persistence of each of the three objective signs and each of the three subjective symptoms than did children who had received placebo. In addition, the evaluating physician, parents, and patients all believed that significantly fewer of the patients given antibiotic failed to demonstrate overall clinical improvement.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

The holographic storage of study models.

The storage and recall of dental study models pose major problems for orthodontists. This problem may be solved by taking holographic films of study models. A method is described for their fabrication and some preliminary measurements are reported. The image produced by this method has a measurable three-dimensionality which can be produced at a very reasonable cost.

Dental Records↗
PubMed1984

An open trial of MAO inhibitors in bulimia.

Twelve bulimic women with prominent depression and anxiety were treated with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). A dramatic response was seen in 10 cases. The implications of this open clinical trial for the understanding and treatment of bulimia are discussed.

Adolescent↗