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Biomedical subjects

M A Murphy

Publications and source records attributed to M A Murphy.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Intracranial metastasis from carcinoma of the paranasal sinus.

Carcinomas of the paranasal sinuses are locally invasive tumors that only occasionally metastasize. The tumor may spread intracranially by local invasion through the dura into the frontal lobes and extension along the vidian nerve. We describe two cases of cerebellar metastasis in patients with local recurrence and discuss the mechanism of spreading. It is possible that more aggressive treatment of these tumors, which results in longer survival, may be associated with an increased incidence of intracranial metastasis.

Carcinoma↗
PubMed1991

A new method for assessment of cultured cardiac myocyte contractility detects immune factor-mediated inhibition of beta-adrenergic responses.

BACKGROUND: Potentially reversible congestive heart failure accompanies disease states associated with an immune cell myocardial infiltrate such as cardiac allograft rejection and inflammatory myocarditis. We therefore examined the hypothesis that immune cells can produce noncytotoxic alterations in cardiac function. METHODS AND RESULTS: A novel system to evaluate cultured cardiac myocyte contractility was developed using neonatal rat cardiocytes grown on human amniotic membrane segments. Spontaneous synchronous cell beating produced macroscopic distortion of these membranes. Movement of free-floating membranes anchored within a perfusion chamber was visualized under low-power microscopy and measured from recordings of the rhythmic displacement of membrane-adherent markers. Additions of graded concentrations of isoproterenol to the perfusate produced up to threefold increases in the initial contractile phase velocity (contractile index), with an EC50 of 10(-7) M. When the extracellular Ca2+ concentration was increased from 0.9 to 3.6 mM, 2.43-fold increases in this index occurred. Myocytes incubated for 72 hours in the presence of dilutions of medium conditioned by activated rat splenic macrophages and lymphocytes exhibited an isoproterenol contractile index inhibited by 62% compared with control cells. In contrast, responses of supernatant-exposed and control cells to increased extracellular Ca2+ concentrations were not significantly different. Parallel studies of increases in myocyte intracellular adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate concentrations in response to isoproterenol stimulation demonstrated correlative inhibition that was specific for exposure to medium conditioned by immune cells. CONCLUSION: Thus, a new method of in vitro cardiac contractility assessment that has significant advantages over existing systems has been developed and characterized. This new method has enabled description of an inhibitor of cardiac contractile function produced by activated immune cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Thoracic intramedullary haematoma as a complication of warfarin: case report and literature review.

Spontaneous intraspinal haematomas due to anticoagulants are uncommon, and usually extradural or subdural. Intramedullary haematomas are particularly rare, and only two case reports were found in the literature. We report a case of a thoracic intramedullary haemorrhage in a 61 year old man who had been commenced on warfarin 1 month previously, following aortic valve replacement. The literature is reviewed and reversal of warfarin effects, imaging and recommendations for treatment are discussed.

Hematoma↗
PubMed1990

Implantation metastasis of pineoblastoma after stereotactic biopsy. Case report.

A case is reported of implantation metastasis occurring 2 months after stereotactic biopsy of a pineoblastoma was performed in an 18-month-old child. Although implantation metastasis is well recognized after needle biopsy of solid tumors, it has not been described following stereotactic biopsy of a brain tumor. Implications for the role of stereotactic biopsy in the management of brain tumors is discussed.

Biopsy, Needle↗
PubMed1989

Amyloidosis of the nervous system.

Various types of amyloid fibril deposits occur in the nervous system with unique clinical characteristics and pathogeneses. Genetic mutations cause the familial amyloidotic polyneuropathies and acquired polyneuropathies occurring particularly in patients suffering from hypernephromas and myelomas also result from the production of abnormal proteins. Amyloid fibril deposits in cerebral plaques and vessels consisting of beta-protein are seen in acquired and familial Alzheimer's disease and in Down's syndrome individuals over 40 years of age. This amyloid fibril deposition could result from a mutational, transcriptional or post-translational alteration in these pathologic processes with most evidence supporting the latter. Other diseases including hereditary cerebral hemorrhage of the Dutch type and Batten's disease involve beta-amyloid deposition. The features of the familial and transmissible forms of the spongiform encephalopathies are associated with the prion protein which comprises the amyloid fibril deposits in these conditions. This wide variety of nervous system disorders having amyloid deposits as their primary or subsidiary characteristic make studies of these conditions intriguing models for research workers in clinical, pathologic and molecular biologic fields.

Amyloidosis↗
PubMed1989

Psychological coping and the management of pain with cognitive restructuring and biofeedback: a case study and variation of cognitive experiential therapy.

Pain is generally recognized as being influenced by multiple psychological factors. Cognitive experiential therapy may use cognitive restructuring with imagery and hypnosis. The restructuring of negative cognitive, affective, behavioral, and physiological states occurs through six stages. This case study illustrates the use of cognitive restructuring and biofeedback with a woman hospitalized for depression and a chronic pain syndrome consisting of tension headache pain. Measures of headache pain (frequency, intensity), skin temperature, and assessment with the Millon Behavioral Health Inventory consisting of broad categories and scales were taken at pretest, posttest and follow-up. The biofeedback treatment alone showed some physiological improvement. Cognitive restructuring and biofeedback resulted in improvements on the Millon, and reduction of headache symptoms at the posttest. Gains on the Millon broad categories of personality coping styles and psychosomatic correlates were maintained at follow-up and chronic headache pain was not reported. Self-report headache frequency and intensity decreased over time with the cognitive restructuring and biofeedback approach.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1989

Effects of nearpoint visual stress on psycholinguistic processing in reading.

To date, there have been few studies to evaluate directly the relationship between binocular visual stress and reading performance. This study employed the cloze procedure to demonstrate the effects of nearpoint stress on performance and efficiency in reading comprehension. Using 19 third year optometry students as subjects, binocular stress was simulated by -2.00 D lenses. Performance, as determined by the time to complete the task, was significantly reduced (p less than .03), but no significant differences in accuracy scores were measured.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Clinical spectrum of primary empty sella turcica.

Over recent years empty sella turcica has become more frequently diagnosed with high resolution computerized tomography and the associated clinical abnormalities have been better described. In this article the spectrum of clinical presentation is based on a review of 26 cases with six illustrative case reports. Recommendations for management and further assessment are presented. It is important for clinicians to be aware of the varying presentations of this syndrome, since it should not be considered simply as an incidental finding. A patient diagnosed with empty sella syndrome requires clinical and endocrine evaluation, and appropriate follow-up as determined by initial test results.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Effects of exposure to salty drinking water in an Arizona community. Cardiovascular mortality, hypertension prevalence, and relationships between blood pressure and sodium intake.

A high level of sodium (440 mg/L) in the water supply of Gila Bend, Ariz, caused concern because of apparently elevated rates of hypertension in Gila Bend Papago Indians. We surveyed 342 Gila Bend Papago Indians and 375 non-Indians from July to September 1983. Participants 25 years of age and older were interviewed for health risk factors, water consumption, and dietary sodium and calcium intake and had height, weight, blood pressure, and urinary sodium and potassium levels measured. No consistent associations were found between any of the sodium values and systolic or diastolic blood pressure. Mean blood pressures for the Gila Bend whites were lower in most age groups than in comparison US white populations. The prevalence rates of hypertension in Gila Bend were not significantly higher than national rates.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Preparing faculty to use and develop computer-based instructional materials in nursing.

This paper identifies the need for more specific guidelines in preparing faculty to use and develop computer-based instructional materials. Cory's model for faculty development is described and planning considerations are outlined. Finally, components of this multifaceted approach to faculty development--identifying available resources, emphasizing the current uses of computers, providing computer literacy/faculty awareness sessions, focusing on the instructional use of microcomputers, collaboration, and communication--are discussed.

Computer-Assisted Instruction↗
PubMed1986

Typological analysis of MMPI personality patterns of drug dependent men.

This study replicated Types I and II of Berzins, Ross, English and Haley's (1974) initial typological research with a drug dependent sample. In this research, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) profiles of 447 drug dependent men were submitted to Johnson's (1967) hierarchical clustering procedure. The hierarchical clustering procedure yielded nine small but clinically meaningful personality subtypes. These types were compared to Berzin's (Berzins et al.) profiles and categorized into three diagnostic classes: character disorder, 42% of the sample; neurotic characters, 35% of the sample; and borderline disorder, 23% of the sample. The profiles were discussed with respect to the scale similarity and differences within the diagnostic class. The results were discussed, with implications for treatment and further research efforts with the drug dependent population.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Long-term sequelae of group B streptococcal meningitis in infants.

The long-term outcome and admission features predictive of outcome were determined for 61 patients with group B streptococcal meningitis treated between 1974 and 1979. Infection was rapidly fatal in 13 patients (21%). Among the 48 survivors, 38 (79%) 3 years of age or older were available for comprehensive evaluation. Excluding five who had died before age 3 years, the mean age at evaluation was 6.0 years (range 3.3 to 9.0 years). Among survivors, 11 (29%) had severe neurologic sequelae, eight (21%) had mild to moderate deficits, and 19 (50%) were functioning normally. Analysis of predictive features revealed a significant risk of death or severe impairment among infants who at hospital admission were comatose or semicomatose, had decreased perfusion, total peripheral WBC less than 5,000/mm3, absolute neutrophil count less than 1000/mm3, and CSF protein greater than 300 mg/dl (P less than or equal to 0.05). These data indicate that, although mortality from group B streptococcal meningitis has declined, approximately half of the survivors of acute infection have some degree of morbidity when evaluated at ages permitting the detection of language delay and borderline or mild mental retardation.

Cognition Disorders↗
PubMed1985

The health and educational status of adolescents with congenital rubella syndrome.

As part of a longitudinal study of children with congenital rubella syndrome, 53 adolescents between 16 and 18 years of age were surveyed to determine their health and educational status. The findings were compared with those at the 18-months evaluation. At 16 to 18 years neurosensory impairments, cerebral dysfunction and organic behaviour syndromes were predominant, but the majority of children had multiple handicaps. A higher proportion had hearing loss. Although all the hearing-impaired children were begun in oral-based educational programs, 90 per cent of those with severe to profound hearing-loss diagnosed before the age of 18 months had changed to total or manual communication. Those with mild to moderate hearing-loss diagnosed after 18 months primarily communicate orally. The educational implications of these findings are discussed.

Adolescent↗