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Biomedical subjects

M A Ross

Publications and source records attributed to M A Ross.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Are physicians' ratings of pain affected by patients' physical attractiveness?

The degree to which physical attractiveness and nonverbal expressions of pain influence physicians' perceptions of pain was investigated. Photographs of eight female university students were represented in four experimental conditions created by the manipulation of cosmetics, hairstyles, and facial expressions: (a) attractive-no pain, (b) attractive-pain, (c) unattractive-no pain, and (d) unattractive-pain. Each photograph was accompanied by a brief description of the patient's pain problem that was standard across conditions. Medical residents (N = 60) viewed the photographs and rated each patient's pain, distress, negative affective experience, health, personality, blame for the situation, and the physician's own solicitude for the patient. The results showed that physicians' ratings of pain were influenced both by attractiveness of patients and by nonverbal expressions of pain. Unattractive patients, and patients who were expressing pain, were perceived as experiencing more pain, distress, and negative affective experiences than attractive patients and patients who were not expressing pain. Unattractive patients also received higher ratings of solicitude on the doctor's part and lower ratings of health than attractive patients. Physician's assessments of pain appear to be influenced by the physical attractiveness of the patient.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Three-dimensional reconstruction of the myofiber pattern in the fetal and neonatal mouse heart.

A methodology for three-dimensional reconstruction from serial sections and interactive computer graphics is described briefly. This methodology was applied to study the morphogenesis of the cardiac myofiber pattern in the fetal and neonatal mouse heart (ventricles). Few organized in-plane myofibers were found in the myocardial wall before 12 days postconception, but many fibers were observed in the very numerous trabeculae at all times up to birth. However, beginning at about 12 days, the number of fibers in the myocardial wall increases rapidly: these are seen predominantly in the transverse plane. The neonatal mouse heart, especially the left ventricle, resembles a small adult muscular artery. But the global myofiber pattern in the mouse heart at these stages appears to be more complex than might be inferred from earlier studies of the local myofiber pattern at a few sites in the ventricles of a few species of adult mammals. In particular, the pattern in and adjacent to the interventricular septum appears quite complex.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Emergency department revisits.

We reviewed the charts of patients returning within 72 hours to our emergency department to determine whether monitoring revisits is a useful quality assurance indicator. Patient visits for June and December 1987 were selected to eliminate a potential seasonal difference. Of the 13,261 visits during these two months, 455 (3.4%) were revisits within 72 hours. Charts were available on 444 patients, of whom 407 (91.7%) represented cases in which the return and the initial visits were clearly related. Charts were reviewed for deficiencies in medical management, appropriate prescribed follow-up, patient education, and patient compliance. Suspected medical management problems were discussed by the three senior authors, and a consensus decision was made. Return visits were considered avoidable if a deficiency was noted in at least one of the areas listed above. There were 297 unscheduled related return visits, 96 (32.3%) of which were avoidable. Of these avoidable visits, 38 (39.6%) had medical management deficiencies, 14 (14.6%) had inappropriate prescribed follow-up, 20 (20.8%) had not been given proper education, and 35 (36.5%) were due to patient noncompliance. Of the 110 scheduled return visits, there was one (0.9%) deficiency in medical management and none in the other categories. Of the unscheduled return visits, 146 (49.2%) returned within 24 hours; 89 (30.0%) between 24 and 48 hours; and 62 (20.8%) between 48 and 72 hours. Of the avoidable visits, 85% returned within 48 hours, as did 92% of those with medical management deficiencies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Emergency Service, Hospital↗
PubMed1988

Does dexamethasone suppress the Mazzotti reaction in patients with onchocerciasis?

The Mazzotti reaction is a frequent complication in patients with onchocerciasis being treated with diethylcarbamazine (DEC); and more severe manifestations of this reaction may be unacceptable in many patients. It has recently been demonstrated that prednisone modifies the severity of this reaction and reduces the microfilaricidal activity of DEC. A clinical trial was performed at the National Leprosy Training Center in Wau, Sudan, to evaluate the clinical and histologic effect of the use of corticosteroids in patients receiving DEC. Administration of a low dose of dexamethasone (3 mg/day), begun after onset of the Mazzotti reaction, modifies the progression of the Mazzotti reaction without interfering with the microfilaricidal efficacy of DEC. Pretreatment with low-dose dexamethasone--prior to beginning DEC therapy--prevents the development of the Mazzotti reaction and greatly reduces the microfilaricidal activity. Administration of diphenhydramine, after onset of the Mazzotti reaction, has no effect on the course and intensity of the Mazzotti reaction nor on microfilaricidal activity. We recommend that low-dose corticosteroids be administered in conjunction with DEC--after onset of the Mazzotti reaction--and that they be tapered rapidly.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Elevated arterial pressure and postexertional ST-segment depression in middle-aged women.

Of ten healthy women, 43 to 61 years of age, four exhibited 1 mm. or more of upsloping ST-segment depression after maximal exercise, using the Bruce multistage treadmill protocol; the other six did not. Cardiac output (direct Fick) was not different in the two groups, wither at rest or during exercise. The women with ST-positive responses were older (56 vs. 51 years) and heavier (relative weights 109 per cent vs. 102 per cent), and their resting mean systemic pressures were higher. Their systemic and pulmonary mean arterial pressures during the last five minutes of upright exercise were significantly higher (P less than 0.001) than those in the ST-negative group. Although the ratio of systemic to pulmonary mean arterial pressures was higher at rest, it progressively fell during exercise in the ST-positive group. Polarcardiographic display of the Frank ECG during the first 3 minutes of recovery after maximal exercise showed significant differences between the ST and T of the two groups. At initial recovery, MS-phi greatly exceeded 10.6 mV. which is sensitive PCG ischemic exercise criterion in the ST-positive group. Although the number of observations is limited, it is concluded that greater hemodynamic stress imposed on the subendocardium by elevated pressures, rather than by any significant functional evidence of restriction in coronary blood flow, probably explains much of the postexertional ST-segment depression after maximal exercise.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Nonuniform subendocardial fiber orientation in the normal macaque left ventricle.

Fiber-angle changes in tangential planes through the heart wall are described in two macaque left ventricles at four equatorial and three near-apical sites. At each site, starting at a strongly negative angle at the epicardium, the fibers swing circumferentially short of midwall and continue their progressive climb to positive angles. Angles depart from the steady climb in the subendocardial region, and beyond the endocardium a wide scatter of fiber angles persist into the free trabeculae, the profuseness of which motivated this study. An interface is described histologically, coinciding with the fiber-angle deviations in the subendocardial sections, which divides the compact region of the wall from the trabeculated region. A dual function is postulated for the mural portion of the trabeculated region of the heart wall.

Animals↗
PubMed1974

Immunological studies of Brown recluse spider venom.

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of Loxosceles reclusa venom demonstrated that only one of seven or eight major (plus three or four minor) protein components caused necrosis in guinea pig skin. Sephadex gel filtration separated the venom into three major peaks, the second peak of which contained the dermonecrotic activity. Hyperimmunization of rabbits with increasing doses of venom from L. reclusa produced potent precipitating antisera, and the rabbits became resistant to lesion development. Ouchterlony-type immunodiffusion and immunoelectrophoretic studies revealed six to seven distinct precipitation lines, one of which stained intensely for esterase activity. Immunohistochemical techniques failed to detect any protease, lipase, catalase, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, or amylase activity in the venom. The spreading activity of recluse spider venom in guinea pig skin was inhibited as much as 71% by antivenom. Venom preincubated with antivenom was unable to incite lesions in guinea pig skin. Passive immunization of guinea pigs 18 h before an injection of venom conferred venom resistance upon the animals. Local injections of antivenom immediately after intradermal injections of venom markedly reduced the dermal lesion. Heparin reduced the local and systemic effects of venom when preincubated with whole venom or when administered systemically before an intradermal injection of venom. Treatment of whole venom with the chelating agent ethylenediaminetetraacetate did not inhibit its necrotic activity. Transfer studies from a 24-h lesion indicated that the necrotic activity was localized and remained active in tissue for at least 24 h but not for 5 days. No lesions developed when high concentrations of venom were intradermally injected into the skin of sacrificed guinea pigs, indicating that an interaction of body constituents and venom is essential for the development of a lesion.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Fatty acid metabolism in neurodevelopmental disorder: a new perspective on associations between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia and the autistic spectrum.

There is increasing evidence that abnormalities of fatty acid and membrane phospholipid metabolism play a part in a wide range of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. This proposal is discussed here in relation to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, developmental coordination disorder (dyspraxia) and the autistic spectrum. These are among the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood, with significant implications for society as well as for those directly affected. However, controversy still surrounds both the identification and management of these conditions, and while their aetiology is recognized as being complex and multifactorial, little progress has yet been made in elucidating predisposing factors at the biological level. An overview is provided here of the contents of this Special Issue, which contains a selection of reports from a unique multidisciplinary workshop involving both researchers and clinicians. Its purpose was to explore the possibility that ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia and autism fall within a phospholipid spectrum of disorders. This proposal could explain the high degree of co-morbidity between these conditions, their aggregation within families and relation to other psychiatric disorders, and a range of associated features that are already well known at a clinical level. The existing evidence for fatty acid abnormalities in these disorders is summarized, and new approaches are outlined that have the potential to improve both the identification and the management of these and related neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗