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Biomedical subjects

M H King

Publications and source records attributed to M H King.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Analysis of the T-cell receptor V beta usage in monozygotic and dizygotic twins living in a Plasmodium falciparum endemic area in west Africa.

To investigate the influence of genetic and/or environmental factors in the development and shaping of the human peripheral T cell repertoire the authors studied the T-cell receptor (TCR) V beta usage in 10 adult monozygous (Mz) and nine dizygous (Dz) twin pairs living in a Plasmodium falciparum endemic area in West Africa. The TCR repertoire was determined using a small panel of anti-V beta specific monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) using conventional immunofluorescence assays. The results revealed that the V beta repertoire was similar to that recently described for a Caucasian population using a similar panel of antibodies. The frequencies of particular V beta genes tested were influenced neither by anti-malarial antibody titres nor by parasite densities, indicating that the P. falciparum parasite is not a dominating factor in determining the peripheral T cell repertoire. All donors were human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class I and II typed; no association was found between the expression of any V beta genes and MHC haplotype. The V beta usage was more concordant within the Mz than within the Dz pairs. For a group comprising four HLA class II identical individuals, the average within-pair difference was significantly greater than for the whole Mz group, but similar to that seen for the total Dz group. Thus, the data suggest that genetic, rather than environmental, factors have a profound effect on the shaping of the human circulating T cell repertoire and that the major genetic factors are encoded by non-HLA class II genes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Histopathologic observations on human eyes following neodymium: YAG laser cyclophotocoagulation for glaucoma.

PURPOSE: Although Nd:YAG laser cyclophotocoagulation has been extensively used for nearly a decade in treatment of severe glaucoma, there have been remarkably few reports (each of them extremely brief) of histopathological examination of glancomatous human eyes that had been so treated. We undertook this study to provide further details regarding the nature of the lesions produced in this type of ciliary ablation. METHODS: We chose three representative cases in which a glaucomatous human eye had been subjected to Nd: YAG cyclophotocoagulation, and was subsequently enucleated. To better understand the temporal evolution of the lesions, we selected eyes that were enucleated 1 day, 20 days, and 3 months, respectively, after they had been treated with noncontact Nd: YAG laser cyclophotocoagulation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: (1) energy levels ranging from 4.4 Joules to 5.6 Joules were effective in producing appropriate lesions; (2) direction of the laser beam 1 to 1.5 mm behind the limbus caused severe destructive lesions of the pars plicata: (3) toward the periphery of the individual treatment sites, the stroma and ciliary muscle continued to exhibit severe degeneration, as did the epithelium lining the valleys between the crests of the ciliary processes; but in those peripheral zones of individual treatment sites, the epithelium lining the crests of the ciliary processes survived and appears normal; (4) bleb-like separations of the ciliary epithelium from the adjacent stroma, particularly along the posterior aspect of the ciliary body lesions, are a prominent early feature of Nd:YAG cyclophotocoagulation; (5) the pigmented epithelium is more vulnerable to laser energy than is the nonpigmented epithelium of the ciliary body; (6) the destruction of the ciliary epithelium is permanent; (7) deeply pigmented persons have more melanocytes in the ciliary body muscle and stroma than do more lightly pigmented individuals, a circumstance that renders the tissues more vulnerable to laser energy; (8) the ciliary muscle was always severely damaged; (9) no scleral injury was observed other than evanescent, focal areas of edema of the deep sclera; and (10) except in the episclera, inflammatory cells were strikingly few in number, a circumstance providing support for the clinical observation that eyes treated with laser cyclophotocoagulation exhibit less of an inflammatory response than do those treated with cyclocryotherapy.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Towards better discharge summaries: brevity and structure.

In an investigation of the communication between Hospital and General Practitioners, 99 General Practitioners were asked by means of a postal questionnaire to state the relative importance they attached to the issues of speed of delivery, format, author, and the content of the discharge summaries. The issue of speed of delivery proved to be a central and recurrent theme in the replies received, with a clear demand for increased speed and efficiency in Hospital-General Practitioner communication. In addition, an overwhelming support was revealed for summaries in the form of short prioritised problem lists, as opposed to longer conventional prose accounts. This response proved to be independent of the style of summary being received by the General Practitioners in the study. With a clear need nationally to improve communication with General Practitioners, consideration should be given to adopting prioritised problem lists as a means of upgrading the quality of data sent to General Practitioners.

Communication↗
PubMed1991

Leber's idiopathic stellate neuroretinitis.

Leber's idiopathic stellate neuroretinitis, originally known as Leber's stellate maculopathy, is an uncommon syndrome characterized by unilateral optic disc swelling followed by the development of a macular star due to leakage of capillaries within the optic disc. It is seen in patients 50 years of age or younger and usually resolves spontaneously without visual sequelae. This entity should be recognized and distinguished from more serious diseases causing septic neuroretinitis or papillitis. We present a case which was initially thought to be septic retinitis.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Fat induced hypertension in rabbits: the effects of dietary linoleic and linolenic acid.

It has been suggested that dietary linoleic and gamma-linolenic acid may be hypotensive. Fat enriched diets increase blood pressure, and the effects of linoleic and linolenic acids on this increase have been investigated. After a control period on a low fat diet, rabbits were given four fat enriched diets containing different proportions of linoleic, gamma-linolenic and alpha-linolenic acids for 8 weeks, and returned to the low fat control diet for 3 weeks. Blood pressures were measured non-invasively every day. Blood pressures increased from the 4th week of fat feeding. The blood pressure increase at 8 weeks was 10%, 13%, 15% and 14% respectively for primrose, starflower, safflower and olive oils (all P less than 0.001). Return to the low fat control diet for 3 weeks restored blood pressures to near control values. These results do not support the suggestion that either linoleic or gamma-linolenic acids are effective antihypertensive agents.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Health microplanning in the developing countries: a systems approach to appropriate technology.

A method of systematically planning the technical details of personal health care in the developing world is described. In contrast to national health plans of the traditional kind--"macroplans"--those for health technology have to be minutely detailed. They have therefore been termed "microplans". (They have also been called health care packages, but this term has other usages). A microplan is defined as an integrated set of components (instructions for technologies, equipment lists, teaching aids, evaluation instruments, etc.) prepared nationally to support a particular health care subsystem. The rationale for a microplan is that the whole is more than the sum of its parts. A microplan is itself a system in two senses. First, the technologies in a given microplan need to be organized so as to support one another. Second, the components in a microplan must themselves be integrated into a system. A microplan can be applied to induce change and so improve the technical quality of existing services. It can also be used to train new workers. More importantly, it ties educational programs to service needs. Since the technology for dealing with disease is so similar all over the developing world, once a "master microplan" for a particular subsystem has been prepared, it can be adapted readily to the needs of individual countries.

Decision Making↗
PubMed1976

Acupuncture loci: a proposal for their classification according to their relationship to known neural structures.

Much confusion and frustration has been caused by the inability of workers in acupuncture to demonstrate the exact nature of acupuncture loci or to identify them in neuroanatomic terms. This study reviews 70 selected, commonly-used acupuncture loci. Loci were determined by their traditional descriptions and checked with a neurometer and calibration-stable stimulator. It was found that acupuncture loci may be classified into at least three types: Type I correspond to a known anatomical entity-the motor point of a muscle; Type II to the focal meeting of superficial nerves in the sagittal plane; and Type III lie over superficial nerves or plexuses. As a first step toward acceptance of acupuncture by the medical profession, it is suggested that a new system of acupuncture locus nomenclature be introduced, relating them to known neural structures. Perhaps an international committee of interested workers should be struck.

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed1972

Amotivational syndrome: the real management problem of schizophrenia.

Impaired insight is a prominent feature of the schizophrenic syndrome, and failure to take major tranquillizers by the oral route has resulted in many relapses. The introduction of the long-acting phenothiazine fluphenazine enanthate (Moditen Enanthate) has greatly facilitated the control of the florid symptoms of this disorder by transferring most of the responsibility for phenothiazine administration from the patients to the clinic or family physician. The educational maturing process, to enable these patients to cope with the challenges of adult life and the reality of their condition, can be handled more effectively through a therapeutic team approach, operating within the framework of a structured program, than by the traditional psychiatrist/patient relationship alone.

Aftercare↗