Biomedical subjects
M B Miller
Publications and source records attributed to M B Miller.
Slowness and the preceding preparatory interval effect in schizophrenia.
We measured the reaction times (RTs) of schizophrenic (n = 25), matched normal (n = 69), and bipolar (n = 14) subjects to a tone preceded by a preparatory interval (PI; the time between the warning signal and imperative stimulus) of varying length. RTs increase when the PI for the immediately preceding trial (the PPI) is longer than the PI for the current trial. Several studies have shown that this PPI effect (difference score) is heightened in schizophrenia. We replicated this finding. However, we found that the size of the PPI effect within groups increased with overall slowness and that the least squares regression line relating the PPI effect difference score to overall slowness did not differ between groups, nor did schizophrenic subjects' regression line differ from that of normal subjects. Group differences on the PPI effect were also analyzed by taking residuals for members of all groups from the normal subjects' regression line of the PPI effect difference score on overall slowness. Groups did not differ on these residuals, nor did schizophrenic subjects differ from normal subjects. We conclude that the heightening of the PPI effect in schizophrenia is like that observed in equally slow normal subjects. This finding suggests that the PPI effect does not appear to be a promising marker of a distinctive schizophrenic pathology.
Aesthetic anterior reconstruction using a combined periodontal/restorative approach.
Reconstruction of the maxillary anterior segment usually requires a combination of procedures to provide for optimal aesthetics, function, and comfort. The case presented incorporates ridge augmentation, ovate pontic receptor site preparation, and a unique resin-bonded bridge utilizing a fiber-reinforced framework and porcelain veneers. The learning objective of this article is to enhance the knowledge of multidisciplinary procedures.
Do we need another specialty?
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Walk, don't run.
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Case report: fourth branchial pouch sinus.
The fourth branchial pouch sinus is a rare anomaly of the branchial arch apparatus. The 31st reported case of a fourth branchial sinus is presented. A thorough understanding of the developmental anatomy of the branchial region is necessary for the detection and treatment of this entity. The diagnosis can be made with a high index of suspicion in patients with recurrent left neck infections by demonstration of a pyriform sinus tract on pharyngoesophagram. Treatment consists of complete surgical excision following exposure of the entire course of the sinus tract including its insertion into the apex of the pyriform sinus.
Questions and answers.
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Cystic masses of the head and neck: pitfalls in CT and MR interpretation.
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Power bleaching attempts to make a comeback.
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[Extrasystolic activity of the myocardium in pipe-rolling workers during their work].
A total of 30 apparently healthy male pipe-rolling workers having various working conditions and no resting ESG abnormalities in cardiac arrhythmias. A continuous ECG recording was performed in all the examinees during a working day, followed by interpretation of the records separately at rest and during work and automatic calculation of heart rate per min and of the number of supraventricular and ventricular premature contractions per hour. There was a heating microclimate- and hard labour-induced increase in heart rate and the number of premature contractions, ventricular premature contractions in particular.
[Effect of working conditions on myocardial contractility in tube-rolling mill workers].
Tetrapolar rheography, M-echocardiography and visual searching ++Doppler echocardiography were used to study the state of the myocardium in 228 practically healthy male workers engaged in different working conditions at a tube-rolling mill. Revealed were increased myocardium and myocardium contraction disorders resulting from physical over-load in combination with heating microclimate and noise. The contributors proposed approaches to the preclinical diagnosis of such changes, which could be applied to the elaboration of preventive measures.
[Potential for early diagnosis of myocardial contractility disorders in people working under unfavorable conditions].
As many as 76 practically healthy men, workers of the pipe rolling plant, were examined at rest and during bicycle ergometry using M-echocardiography and visual-retrieval doppler-echocardiography. At rest none of the examined manifested any disorders of myocardial contractility. During bicycle ergometry, workers engaged in physical labour, both easy and of medium gravity, showed a rise of myocardial contractility as the loading was increased (at usual temperatures). In persons engaged in hard physical labour and exposed to the heating microclimate, the stroke volume, ejection fraction and Vcf calculated according to the echocardiogram rose whereas no increment of the contraction and relaxation rates was recorded, which was recognized as a sign of depletion of myocardial contractility reserves.
Bacterial antigens and neutrophil granule proteins in middle ear effusions.
Otitis media with effusion is a significant cause of hearing loss in young children. We hypothesized that persistent bacterial antigens in middle ear effusions (MEEs) might act as chronic inflammatory stimuli causing release of neutrophil proteins. Concentrations of neutrophil lactoferrin and a 37-kd cationic bactericidal protein (CAP 37) were measured in 47 MEEs collected from 27 children at the time of tympanostomy tube placement. Antigens of Streptococcus pneumoniae were detected by latex particle agglutination and those of Haemophilus influenzae by dot-blot assay. Bacterial antigens were detectable in 24 (51%) of MEEs: S pneumoniae in 10 (21%), H influenzae in 12 (26%), and both antigens in 2 (4%). Concentrations of lactoferrin and CAP 37 in H influenzae antigen-positive MEEs were significantly higher than in either S pneumoniae antigen-positive or antigen-negative MEEs. We conclude that H influenzae antigen causes a greater middle-ear inflammatory response, as judged by neutrophil products, than does S pneumoniae antigen.
Rates of dissociation of steroid and thyroid hormones from human serum albumin.
A rapid filtration assay employing dextran-coated charcoal as acceptor particles for free hormone was used to measure rates of dissociation of steroid and thyroid hormones from human serum albumin. Modification of a previously described assay allowed measurements at 1-s intervals. Nevertheless, this still permitted only minimum estimates of the dissociation rate constants. The hormones studied were thyroxine, 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine, cortisol, corticosterone, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, estradiol, progesterone, and aldosterone. The apparent dissociation rate constant of the thyroxine-albumin complex at 37 degrees C was 1.3 +/- 0.2 s-1 (t 1/2, 0.5 s). The apparent dissociation rate constants of the other hormone-albumin complexes at 37 degrees C generally exceeded 2 s-1 (t 1/2 less than 0.35 s). Apparent dissociation rate constants at 4 degrees C were only slightly lower. These findings indicate that steroid and thyroid hormones dissociate from albumin rapidly compared with the 1-s capillary transit times that characterize many tissues.
Schizophrenic deficit in span of apprehension.
We investigated two hypotheses about the span of apprehension task in schizophrenia: (a) schizophrenics show performance deficit on the forced-choice (FC) version but not on the full-report (FR) version, and (b) schizophrenic impairment on the FC version is greater when the display subtends a wide visual angle than when it subtends a narrow one. Schizophrenic (n = 21) and normal (n = 22) groups were tested on 3 versions of the task. A narrow-angle FC version was matched psychometrically with a wide-angle one by use of a greater number of noise letters in the narrow version. Schizophrenics reported fewer correct letters than normals on the FR version but did not differ on either the wide or the narrow FC versions. The results imply that schizophrenic deficit is not specific to the FC version and that on the FC version, visual angle is not more important than number of noise letters for demonstrating schizophrenic deficit.
Nursing care delivery systems. A nursing administrative practice perspective.
The Nursing Administrative Practice Perspective (NAPP) is a macro, ecologic, open systems, conceptual model. This model guides the discovery, understanding, prediction, and use of key resources, structures, goals, and processes in the delivery of nursing care. NAPP encompasses and expands upon established domains of nursing, person, health, and environment as they influence nursing administration practice. A heuristic device, NAPP advances the understanding of relationships between nursing administrative practice, nursing care delivery systems, and organizations.