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Biomedical subjects

M Cohen

Publications and source records attributed to M Cohen.

At least 847 records · Page 47Linked to original sources

[Pharmacological study of pirprofen].

Pirprofen is a new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Its formula is 2 - (3 - chloro - 4 (3 - pyrrolin - 1 - yl)-phenyl) propionic acid. As demonstrated by the nitrogen nucleus and the the 2 pKA values, the molecule is similar to that of an amino acid. The classical pharmacological studies have proven its powerful anti-inflammatory action. Certain new techniques have enabled the identification of the mechanism of action of pirprofen in the inflammatory process. In addition, pirprofen seems able to slow down the evolution of certain experimental models of osteoarthritis. The mechanism of this effect is unknown.

Animals↗

Insulin syringes: dangers of dead space.

To assess the accuracy and reproducibility of various U100 insulin syringes in the hands of diabetics, we devised a method to measure individual insulins injected from the syringe. We found alarming inaccuracies with dead-space-containing syringes when two insulins were mixed in the syringe before injection; these errors exceeded 100% with low doses. Reproducibility of dose was also poor with dead-space syringes. Syringes with minimal dead space overcome these problems and we recommend that all diabetics who mix insulins should use these syringes.

Humans↗

Decreased nocturnal plasma melatonin peak in patients with estrogen receptor positive breast cancer.

Plasma melatonin concentrations were determined over a period of 24 hours in 20 women with clinical stage I or II breast cancer. In ten of the patients, whose tumors were estrogen receptor positive, the nocturnal increase in plasma melatonin was much lower than that observed in eight control subjects. Women with the lowest peak concentration of melatonin had tumors with the highest concentrations of estrogen receptors. A significant correlation was found between the peak plasma melatonin concentration and the tumor estrogen receptor concentration in 19 of the patients. These data suggest that low nocturnal melatonin concentrations may indicate the presence of estrogen receptor positive breast cancer and could conceivably have etiologic significance.

Adult↗

Pilot studies using melanoma tumor-associated antigens (TAA) in specific-active immunochemotherapy of malignant melanoma.

Highly purified melanoma TAA which induce melanoma-related cellmediated immune responses have been further characterized using hyperimmune TAA antisera after affinity chromatography for double immunodiffusion-immunoelectrophoresis and indirect immunofluorescence studies. An additional study of antigenic modulation was performed in 23 nonanergic and seven anergic melanoma patients, tested simultaneously with melanoma TAA prepared from primary and metastatic tumors, which had been obtained from one patient at different time periods. The results of pilot clinical trials are reported, including toxicity, timing and dosage studies in 20 patients and subsequent studies of patients with metastatic melanoma treated at three separate centers, using a single lot of purified, allogeneic melanoma TAA. The results of these latter studies in 51 patients with Stage III (distantly metastatic) melanoma and in five patients with earlier stages of disease indicate that: (1) when the interval from primary therapy to recurrence is greater than one year and when liver, bone and brain are not involved, partial or total clinical regression may be noted in up to 25% of patients with metastatic disease receiving immunochemotherapy; (2) when total regression does occur, the effect usually lasts from one to three years; (3) cytoreductive (debulking) surgery, when possible, in cutaneous, nodal retroperitoneal, and visceral regions may enhance the response to specific active immunochemotherapy, although some debulked patients had less tumor burden and this factor alone may lead to an improved prognosis in patients undergoing any subsequent treatment; (4) when circulating inhibitory factors are modified through preimmunization chemotherapy, an enhanced host response may be seen; and (5) Cancer Serum Indices (CSI) may be useful in predicting recurrence and in following tumor load and response to therapy. Information obtained from these studies suggest the need for further trials to determine the effect of immunization on patients with earlier stages of disease where recurrence rates remain high, and to evaluate the mechanisms of tumor rejection or tumor progression in the face of immune stimulation.

Adult↗

Intracranial arteriovenous fistulas in infancy--haemodynamic considerations.

The clinical, electrocardiographic and radiological features and cardiac catheterization findings in 3 young infants with large intracranial arteriovenous fistulas are presented. In addition to the congestive cardiac failure, the haemodynamic disturbances which give rise to central cyanosis, pulmonary hypertension and, in some instances, poor peripheral pulses, are discussed. The cyanosis in these children may have been the result of a combination of right-to-left shunting at atrial or ductal level, as well as intrapulmonary shunting in association with pulmonary engorgement. Left ventricular dysfunction, with elevated end-diastolic pressures, appeared to be most marked in those cases in which poor peripheral pulses were present. Increased pulmonary arterial pressures (considerably greater than systemic arterial pressure in 2 of the cases) are considered to be due to a combination of the obligatory left-to-right shunt which results from the fistula, and to the super-added effect of altitude (1765 metres) with resultant pulmonary vasoconstriction.

Female↗

Mortality related to cardiac catheterization and angiography.

During a 14-month period, 75 deaths occurring in relation to 53,581 cardiac catheterizations were consecutively and prospectively reported to the Registry Committee of the Society for Cardiac Angiography. Three of the patients died several days after their catheterization from an unrelated cause and are excluded from this analysis. There were 21 patients (group I) who arrived at the laboratory in extremis and whose deaths were expected irrespective of the catheterization. Most of these patients suffered from recent myocardial infarctions and cardiogenic shock, or had complex congenital malformations. In 35 patients (group II), a cardiovascular complication occurring during the catheterization resulted in death. In 16 patients (group III) catheterization seemed uneventful, but death occurred suddenly 10 min to 10 h after the procedure. Of these 16 patients, eight had left main coronary artery obstruction greater than or equal to 90%, five had three-vessel disease all with 90% obstructions, one had 2-vessel disease both with 90% obstructions, and who had critical aortic stenosis. The 51 unexpected deaths (groups II and III) were considered to be causally related to the procedure, a mortality rate of 0.10%. Subsets with an increased mortality rate (M), were patients with: a) left main disease greater than 50% (M = 0.94%); b) ejection fraction less than 30% (M = 0.54%); c) NYHA class III or IV (m = 0.24%); d) age over 60 years (M = 0.23%); or e) three-vessel disease (M = 0.13%). In conclusion, catheterization related mortality occurs mostly in patients with far advanced cardiac disease. Nearly 1/3 of the unexpected deaths occurred suddenly after a seemingly uneventful procedure. Close monitoring after catheterization of patients with similar characteristics (left main disease greater than or equal to 90%, or three-vessel disease all greater than or equal to 90%) might disclose avenues for reducing mortality occurring after catheterization.

Adolescent↗

A psychiatric rehabilitation treatment program: can i recognize one if i see one?

Over the last several decades there has been a tremendous growth in the number of community-based settings that indicate that they provide rehabilitation programming to persons with severe psychiatric disabilities. Questions can be raised, however, as to the extent to which these settings are actually providing programs that are rehabilitative in nature. Ten essential ingredients of rehabilitation programming are presented for use in discriminating between programs that are rehabilitation oriented and programs which are rehabilitation in name only. The articulation of these ten essential ingredients can serve as a guide for the continued development of community-based settings which attempt to provide comprehensive rehabilitation programming.

Adult↗

Alcoholism as a risk factor in methadone maintenance. A randomized controlled trial.

A randomized controlled trial of 625 addicts on methadone maintenance identified 105 (17 percent) as active alcoholics, 47 (8 percent) as inactive alcoholics, and 473 (75 percent) as nonalcoholics. Subjects were followed for up to 29 months (mean 53.7 weeks) to assess the influence of alcoholism on the rehabilitative process. During the study, alcohol consumption significantly decreased (p less than 0.001) in active alcoholics. Indexes of productive activity on entry or during follow-up revealed no significant differences between active alcoholics and other patients with the exception of alcohol-related hospitalizations (p less than 0.001). Behavioral indexes consistently improved with treatment in all patients, being greatest among active alcoholics (p less than 0.01). During the study, 28 (7 percent) of 399 nonalcoholics were recategorized as active alcoholics, and remission from alcoholism was noted in 28 (27 percent) of patients who were initially classified as alcoholic. These findings suggest that alcoholism does not significantly affect rehabilitation from narcotic use and therefore should not be cause for detoxification from methadone maintenance.

Alcoholism↗

Unusual non-metastatic nodules in the lungs of children with cancer.

The recognition of unusual non-metastatic causes of lung nodules in children with cancer is important. Appropriate therapy depends on an accurate diagnosis. Four patients are presented with lung nodules due to round pneumonia, round atelectasis, radiation pneumonitis and inflammatory pseudotumour. Clinical and radiographic features of these disorders are discussed. Awareness of these uncommon nodules is important if they are to be diagnosed accurately.

Adolescent↗

The follicular primordial cyst - odontogenic keratocyst.

Primordial cysts are often associated with unerupted teeth. Superimposition may result in a 'dentigerous cyst' appearance radiographically. There is usually no direct connection between the cyst lining and the follicle of the unerupted tooth. These have been termed envelopmental primordial cysts. In some instances, however, the primordial cyst actually surrounds the crown and the cyst lining is attached to the neck of the tooth in a true dentigerous relationship. We have called these lesions follicular primordial cysts. That portion of the lining immediately adjacent to the neck of the tooth consists of reduced enamel epithelium whereas the rest of the cyst is lined by typical primordial cyst epithelium. We believe that the follicular primordial cyst is extrafollicular in origin and suggest that it arises following eruption of a tooth into the cyst cavity in exactly the same manner as it would erupt into the oral cavity.

Dentigerous Cyst↗

Synthesis and comparison of some cardiovascular properties of the stereoisomers of labetalol.

A useful method for the separation of labetalol into its two racemic diastereomers, as well as a stereoselective synthesis of its four stereoisomers, is described. The absolute stereochemistry of each isomer was determined by analysis of the DC spectra and confirmed by X-ray analysis. The alpha- and beta 1-adrenergic blocking properties, as well as the relative antihypertensive activities, have been measured in rats. The R,R isomer, 2a (SCH 19927), possesses virtually all of the beta 1-blocking activity elicited by labetalol and displays little alpha-blocking activity. In contrast, the S,R isomer, 3a, has most of the alpha-blocking activity. Of the four isomers, only 2a has antihypertensive potency comparable to that of labetalol. These findings, coupled with published data showing that labetalol possesses beta-adrenergic mediated peripheral vasodilating activity deriving essentially from its R,R isomer, lead to the following conclusion: The antihypertensive activity of labetalol can be ascribed to at least three identified complementary mechanisms, beta-adrenergic blockade, beta-adrenergic mediated vasodilatation, and alpha-adrenergic blockade, whereas the antihypertensive activity of 2a derives from the first two mechanisms only.

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists↗

Cloned endogenous retroviral sequences from human DNA.

We have screened a human DNA library using as probe a chimpanzee sequence that contains homology to the polymerase gene of the endogenous baboon virus. One set of overlapping clones spans about 20 kilobases and contains regions of DNA sequence homology to the gag p30, gag p15, and polymerase genes of Moloney murine leukemia virus. Furthermore, the spacings are the same as in Moloney virus between these sequences and a 480-nucleotide region that has the structural characteristics of a 3' copy of the long terminal repeat sequence. Hybridization of the cloned DNA to restriction digests of human DNA indicates that the human genome contains only two copies closely related to the sequence and approximately equal to 10 less closely related copies. This retroviral sequence appears to have been in its present chromosomal location prior to the divergence of man and chimpanzee because the human and chimpanzee clones have 3--4 kilobases of identical 3' flanking sequence.

Base Sequence↗

Effects of fentanyl on the response of plasma beta-endorphin immunoreactivity to surgery.

Beta-endorphin appears to play a definite role in the biologic response to stress and in the endogenous mechanism of pain perception. Opiates exogenously administered during surgery decrease or even suppress the activation of "stress hormones" such as ACTH and cortisol. In the present study, the authors tried to assess the effects of fentanyl administration on plasma beta-endorphin immunoreactivity PBE(ir) during surgical stress. In one group of nine patients, a standard enflurane-based general anesthetic technique without opiates was used for a staging laparotomy. A second group of ten patients undergoing the same type of surgery received fentanyl (10-20 micrograms/kg) as the primary anesthetic drug. In both groups, multiple blood samples were collected prior to, during, and after surgery, following the same time protocol. PBE(ir), plasma cortisol and, in five patients, plasma ACTH were determined by radioimmunoassay. There was no significant change in PBE(ir) in either group after anesthetic induction. Unlike the enflurane group, the fentanyl group did not demonstrate any significant increase from baseline in PBE(ir) during surgery. There was a significant group difference between enflurane and fentanyl in PBE(ir) levels for both "early" and "late" surgery values, but not for the "awake" values (recovery period) where both groups had elevated PBE(ir) levels. Plasma cortisol and plasma ACTH changes followed a trend similar to those of PBE(ir). The suppression of both cortisol and PBE(ir) responses during surgery after administration of fentanyl provides further evidence for the involvement of the endorphin system in the stress response and for its physiologic association with the hypothalamo pituitary axis.

Adult↗

Behavioral versus pharmacological treatments for essential hypertension--a needed comparison.

Comparison of mild-to-moderate essential hypertension patients treated for 6 weeks by antihypertensive medication versus metronome-conditioned relaxation versus biofeedback versus a mild exercise control procedure showed that those on medication achieved the greatest decrease in blood pressure. The relaxation and biofeedback groups decreased more than the mild exercise group, as predicted, but not significantly more. The differences in benefits of the groups were not a function of group differences in initial blood pressure levels nor in compliance. Nor did the groups differ in the side effects that are usually associated with medications. A second phase of 6 weeks with another treatment or combination of treatments did not add significantly. Some characteristics of patients moderately predicted treatment benefits, for example, high scores on the Jenkins Activity Survey Scales (1) [Type A, S or H], for the relaxation and biofeedback treated patients predicted which patients received greater benefits.

Adult↗

The effect of alcoholism in methadone-maintained persons on productive activity: a randomized control trial.

The effect of alcoholism on indices of productive activity was determined in a prospective, randomized, and controlled study of alcoholism in narcotic addicts undergoing methadone maintenance (MM) therapy. Indices of productive activity included: percentage of persons engaged in productive activities; number of days worked per quarter; number of arrests per quarter; number of hospitalizations; and days of hospitalizations per quarter. Baseline as well as longitudinal data were obtained on operative alcoholics (OA), inactive alcoholics (IA), and nonalcoholics (NA). OA patients were subsequently randomized to a control group or groups receiving either abstinence-oriented insight group therapy or controlled drinking-oriented behavioral modification group therapy. The retention rate in MM of OA versus NA during the 29-month clinical phase of the study did not differ significantly. Similarly, no significance was reported with respect to any index of productive activity. Indices of productive activity in OA undergoing treatment as compared to those randomized to the control group also did not reveal any significant differences. The compliance of OA in seeking and maintaining therapy for their alcoholism, however, was sufficiently poor so that any conclusions concerning the effectiveness of therapy on indices of productive activity should be viewed cautiously.

Alcohol Drinking↗