Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M Berry.
First documented case of biliary cystadenoma in a non-white elderly female is described, showing (so called) low-density daughter cysts within the mother cyst emphasising the fact that presence of daughter cysts within a mother cyst cannot be considered pathognomonic of hepatic hydatid cyst.
An unusual location of pancreatic pseudocyst in the renal parenchyma in a patient of chronic calcific pancreatitis is reported. The role of computed tomography in its detection is also high-lighted.
Open adoption is becoming a common element of preparation for and ongoing services in infant and special-needs adoptions. This article discusses the results of a recent survey of 1,268 adoptive parents (1,396 adoptions) in California, in which questions were asked concerning openness and ongoing contact with biological parents. Postplacement contact with biological parents was common in this sample, and adoptive parents seemed cautiously comfortable with contact, with some exceptions.
Between 1988 and 1994, 24 patients underwent 32 procedures for pulmonary metastases. Primary tumours were gastrointestinal, malignant melanoma, osteogenic sarcoma, renal cell carcinoma, head and neck cancer and finally testicular carcinoma. Age ranged from 16 to 78 years, with a female/male ratio of 7/17. Pulmonary metastasectomy was performed in 9 cases through median sternotomy, in 21 cases through thoracotomy and in 2 cases by thoracoscopy. In 9 cases repeated resection was necessary. Overall mortality was 0% (95% confidence limits are 0.00 +/- 14.25). Computed tomography of the chest in combination with tumour markers, were most important during follow-up to detect recurrent disease. The overall 5-year actuarial survival and disease-free survival were 0.56 +/- 0.17 and 0.30 +/- 0.14 respectively. With regard to testicular carcinoma 5-year actuarial survival was 100%. Pulmonary metastasectomy is a recommended procedure in the treatment of selected patients with metastatic pulmonary disease. Resections should be as conservative as possible and if necessary, repeated. In our study this procedure proved especially effective in case of testicular carcinoma.
Cases coming to the attention of child protective service agencies are increasingly complex and difficult, while the number of trained staff members has decreased substantially over the last 10 years. Some states are attempting to improve the situation by implementing a certification process for staff members in child welfare service. This article describes the Texas initiative to do so, identifies problems in planning and implementation, and discusses implications for practice.
Exposures associated with blood lead levels greater than 40 micrograms/dL in young children who live in lead-contaminated homes have been well documented. As the action level for lead is reduced, activities that contribute to lower levels of lead exposure must be identified. A child's eating habits and related hygiene behaviors are major hand-to-mouth activities that have been largely overlooked in the study of activities contributing to lead ingestion. To examine this subject, a survey questionnaire for caretakers of young children was developed. The objective of the questionnaire was to characterize food-related activities of young children and to identify behavioral indicators of lead exposure. The association between food- and hygiene-related behaviors and blood lead levels among 60 children between 13 and 36 months old with low-to-moderate blood lead levels was examined in homes that had been identified as containing lead in paint and house dust. The participants were enrolled in the Children's Lead Exposure and Reduction Study in Jersey City, New Jersey. Blood lead levels of children 13-24 months old did not differ significantly from those of children 25-36 months of age (10.1 and 11.3 micrograms/dL, respectively). Differences in eating habits and hygiene behaviors were found for the two age groups. Bivariate analyses found that the primary behavioral indicators of blood lead levels were determined by whether the child prepared his/her own food and whether the child ate food that had been on the floor. This factor was dependent on age. Children 13-24 months old had significantly elevated blood lead levels if these behaviors exhibited. No significant differences were found, however, for children 25-36 months old. Several food-related habits were also associated with blood lead levels. Eating hamburgers, doughnuts, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and cold cuts were associated with elevated blood lead levels in 13-24-month-old children, while eating vitamins, raw vegetables, and yogurt were associated with lower blood lead levels in this age group. For children 25-36 months old, eating hamburgers and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches was associated with elevated blood lead levels, while yogurt consumption was associated with lower blood lead levels.