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Biomedical subjects

M Mason

Publications and source records attributed to M Mason.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Self-injurious behavior: a state-wide prevalence survey of the extent and circumstances.

A state-wide prevalence survey was conducted to determine the extent and circumstances of self-injurious behavior (SIB) among institutionalized mentally retarded individuals with 13.6% of the population (1,352 individuals) identified as being self-injurious from the approximately 10,000 clients in Texas' 13 residential facilities serving the mentally retarded. It was found that: (a) 89.8% of the clients were severely and profoundly mentally retarded; (b) differential therapeutic treatment modalities may have occurred according to the sex of the client; (c) 58.4% of the clients engaged in more than one SIB response topography; (d) 57% of the clients emitted SIB at least once per day; (e) 55% of all clients were aggressive toward others, with a higher incidence of aggression, property destruction, and sleep disturbances among clients who received psychoactive medication; and (f) 33.1% of the clients were on formalized positive treatment programs and 6.8% of the clients were on formalized aversive programs. Discussion highlights the extent and circumstances to which SIB exists and the need to implement effective and appropriate programming.

Aggression↗
PubMed1986

Rehabilitation home visits.

This chart review study describes 40 geriatric hip fracture patients focusing on the in-home functional and environmental assessment done before discharge from a rehabilitation hospital. Patients were aged 65 to 96 years. Before hospitalization all ambulated independently and three-quarters required limited or no social support. On discharge, none ambulated independently and all required support. Discharge plans for three patients were changed by the home visit, resulting in two nursing home placements. The role and structure of the rehabilitation home visit are outlined together with the common safety recommendations and equipment needs. The home visit assessment form is presented. The rehabilitation home visit is a practical tool to help achieve successful home discharge for elderly hip fracture patients. It is particularly useful in discharge planning for elderly patients with hip fracture, amputation, or stroke.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1986

Gonadotropin-secreting pituitary adenoma with concomitant hypersecretion of testosterone and elevated sperm count. Treatment with LRH agonist.

Hypersecretion of both FSH and LH was demonstrated in a man with pituitary macroadenoma, who also presented elevated levels of blood testosterone and an increased sperm count. The patient underwent transsphenoidal surgery followed immediately by cranial irradiation. Immunocytochemical analysis of the tumour revealed the presence of FSH, LH, TSH and the alpha-subunit. Gel chromatography of the serum on Sephadex G-100 revealed immunoactive FSH, LH and the alpha-subunit which coeluted with the labelled standards of corresponding hormones. Blood levels of both gonadotropins and testosterone remained persistently elevated up to one year following surgical decompression of the tumour and radiotherapy. It was decided to treat this patient with sc administration of 100 micrograms D-Trp6-LRH biweekly. After 20 weeks, LRH-analogue treatment resulted in the reduction of serum FSH and LH levels and a diminishing in tumour size as assessed by computed tomography scan of the pituitary. This report shows that in a patient with clinically and biochemically documented gonadotropin-secreting adenoma, inducing a state of persistent gonadal hyperfunction, pituitary surgery and cranial irradiation failed to normalize the biochemical abnormality; however, therapy with D-Trp6-LRH agonist induced clinical, biochemical and radiologic improvement.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1986

Using a nursing-workload index to validate hospital pharmacy productivity.

The use of a nursing-workload-index indicator generated by the Medicus patient classification system was explored as a means of simplifying and validating a manual pharmacy-workload-reporting system. The pharmacy department of this 290-bed hospital monitors 14 activities in its productivity-measurement process. In an effort to validate this process, a 20-week study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between the nursing-workload-index data and the number of hours required to provide pharmaceutical services. Number of patient days and the nursing index were compared with respect to their reliability in predicting pharmacy workload. A significant correlation was found between the nursing index and the number of hours earned for pharmacy activities (with or without hours earned for processing admissions and discharges). Significant correlations were also found when the patient-days indicator was used, but those relationships were not as strong. The nursing-workload-index indicator studied was useful in validating the workload data generated by the pharmacy department.

Efficiency↗
PubMed1985

Comparative study of three methods of plastic embedding in diagnostic dermatopathology.

Three methods of plastic embedding were assessed for their value in routine dermatopathology. The J B 4, Taab embedding, and Taab transmit techniques were compared for quality, convenience, and safety. The Taab transmit method was the most satisfactory method, being both rapid and simple. An additional advantage is that the resin can be removed and the immunoperoxidase technique carried out on thin sections.

Histological Techniques↗
PubMed1985

Regulation of cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate phosphodiesterase in Friend erythroleukemia cells.

Friend erythroleukemia cells contain only a single form of cAMP phosphodiesterase with high affinity for substrate. It is activated by treatment with various proteases including those present in snake venom. The activity of this enzyme is increased about 2-fold when the cells are either cultivated in the presence of cAMP or in the presence of compounds which are capable of generating cAMP in vivo, such as isoproterenol, epinephrine and prostaglandins. The enzyme produced in the presence of cAMP is modified in such a way that it is no longer susceptible to activation by treatment with proteases. The activation and modification obtained in vivo can be duplicated in cell-free extracts of Friend cells, if they are incubated in the presence of cAMP and ATP. A possibility thus exists that the phosphodiesterase is activated by its substrate by phosphorylation.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗
PubMed1984

A trojan horse goes to court: Bolger v. Youngs Drug Products Corp.

In Bolger v. Youngs Drug Products Corp., the Supreme Court held that a statute prohibiting the mailing of unsolicited advertisements for contraceptives was unconstitutional as applied to Young's advertisements for condoms. The decision rested on a balancing of the first amendment's grant of free speech with the Government's interest in safeguarding an individual's privacy. The Court noted that the advertisements promoted the flow of information on contraception, and pertained to constitutionally protected private activity. This Case Comment argues that the Court's decision is sound and criticizes the view of the concurring opinion that shielding individuals from potentially offensive speech is a substantial governmental interest. The Comment concludes that the Court's decision expands upon precedent which established an individual's right of privacy regarding the use of contraceptives.

Advertising↗
PubMed1983

Graft-versus-host disease and survival in patients with aplastic anemia treated by marrow grafts from HLA-identical siblings. Beneficial effect of a protective environment.

One hundred thirty patients with severe aplastic anemia were conditioned with cyclophosphamide for transplantation of marrow from HLA-identical siblings. The patients were selected for the present analysis according to the criterion of sustained marrow engraftment. Of the 130 patients, 97 are now alive between 1.4 and 11 years (median, 5) after transplantation. Twenty-nine of the thirty-three who died had either acute or chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Our analysis was directed at identifying factors predicting GVHD and survival after transplantation in patients. Our key findings were that moderately severe to severe acute GVHD had a strong adverse influence on survival; that a protective environment significantly reduced mortality, which corresponded in part to a reduction in and delayed onset of acute GVHD; that refractoriness to random-donor platelet infusions at transplantation adversely influenced survival, particularly among patients with acute GVHD; and that increasing age was associated with increased mortality.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Studies in the mechanism of phenylethylamine uptake by rabbit erythrocytes.

The mechanism of phenylethylamine (PEA) uptake by in vitro rabbit erythrocyte preparations involve both a larger component of passive diffusion and an Na+-dependent facilitated transport system. This is reflected by the fast rate and lack of saturation of PEA erythrocyte uptake, and by the decrease in PEA tissue/medium ratio when the amine was incubated in an Na+-free medium or in the presence of ouabain. Results obtained after the addition of iodoacetamide or by the use of glucose-free medium suggest the Na+-K+ gradient as the driving force responsible for operation of the carrier mechanism. Preliminary results indicate that amphetamine PEA share a similar mechanism for their uptake by rabbit erythrocytes. At the levels normally present in rabbit blood (c. 1 X 10(-8)M), about one-third of the PEA is found in the serum and only a very small portion of it (less than 1%) is present as the "biologically active" non-ionized amine. Most of the remaining phenylethylamine is bound to plasma protein or inside the erythrocytes.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Marrow transplantation from HLA-identical siblings for treatment of aplastic anemia: is exposure to marrow donor blood products 24 hours before high-dose cyclophosphamide needed for successful engraftment?

The present study in patients with aplastic anemia was undertaken to determine whether exposure of recipients to donor blood products 24 hr before preparation with cyclophosphamide (1) enhanced the rate of sustained engraftment of marrow from HLA-identical siblings as suggested by animal experiments, (2) increased the rejection rate, in particular in transfused patients who may already have been exposed to donor antigens by blood products, or (3) was of no relevance to the outcome of transplantation of marrow from HLA-identical siblings. One-hundred fifty-five patients were studied, of whom 78 received blood products from the marrow donor 24 hr before cyclophosphamide and 77 did not. A binary logistic regression analysis was applied to the data, simultaneously considering five previously known risk factors for rejection. Results showed that preceding transfusion of donor blood products had neither a significant beneficial nor detrimental effect on the incidence of sustained engraftment.

Anemia, Aplastic↗
PubMed1983

Investigation of circular asymmetry in cancer mortality of Hiroshima and Nagasaki A-bomb survivors.

Data on Hiroshima and Nagasaki A-bomb survivors are used to investigate, for each city, possible circular asymmetry in cancer mortality around the hypocenter. Using the Cox regression method and controlling for age ATB, sex, followup year, distance from the hypocenter, and type of shielding, it is found that in Hiroshima cancer mortality was significantly higher in the westerly direction from the hypocenter. Mortality from stomach cancer, leukemia, and colon cancer were higher in the westerly direction. In Nagasaki, only lung cancer exhibited circular asymmetry, and was significantly higher in the westerly direction. For various reasons, the results tend to support the possibility of an asymmetry in radiation dose in Hiroshima, but not in Nagasaki. Also, possible asymmetry in nondose variables associated with cancer is suggested in both cities, particularly in variables associated with lung cancer. Indications for future work and implications for future dose-mortality investigations are discussed.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1983

Determination of glucose, sucrose, lactose, and ethanol in foods and beverages, using immobilized enzyme electrodes.

An enzyme electrode coupling immobilized oxidase enzymes with a hydrogen peroxide-sensitive electrode is described. An enzyme or enzymes are immobilized in a thin microporous membrane which fits directly over a platinum anode held at +0.700 V relative to a Ag/AgCl2 reference electrode. When an enzyme substrate diffuses into the membrane, hydrogen peroxide is produced. The hydrogen peroxide is then oxidized at the platinum anode, producing an electrical current that is directly proportional to hydrogen peroxide concentration, and hence substrate concentration. Glucose and sucrose in cereal samples, lactose in cheese, and ethanol in beer and wine were determined using enzyme electrodes. Relative precision of replicate analyses was better than +/- 2% and agreement with AOAC methods was good.

Beverages↗
PubMed1982

Recognition time for letters and nonletters: effects of serial position, array size, and processing order.

Three experiments address the question of whether end-effects (the advantage for the first and last letters in multi-letter arrays) are due to sensory or cognitive factors. The basic strategy used was to compare letters with symbol stimuli that do not lend themselves to top-down processing. Serial position functions using central fixation were obtained in the first experiment for letters, digits, and symbols. End-effects were present with both letters and digits, indicating that processes limited to word recognition cannot be responsible for end-effects. Five-symbol arrays, however, yielded U-shaped reaction time functions, with poorest performance at the initial and terminal positions. The effects of array size and retinal placement were investigated with letters and symbols in a second experiment. Multi-letter and symbol arrays differed primarily in that letters showed end-effects that were independent of retinal placement, whereas symbols did not. The conclusion that multi-letter and symbol arrays are not processed in the same way was tested in a third experiment. Using a paradigm that eliminated processing order as a variable, the experiment obtained identical effects of ordinal position within an array for letters, digits, and symbols. It is concluded that sensory factors cannot provide a viable account of letter end-effects and that letter and nonletter comparisons can improve our understanding of the sensory and cognitive factors involved in letter perception.

Discrimination Learning↗
PubMed1982

Interactions of aspirin and other potential etiologic factors in an animal model of Reye syndrome.

Recent studies of Reye syndrome (RS) patients have suggested aspirin treatment as a possible factor in the etiology of this often fatal childhood disorder. the relationship of aspirin treatment to other factors that have been strongly implicated (influenza, ammonia toxicity) cannot be examined directly in patients because aspirin treatment is usually initiated by family members in the prodromal period before RS is diagnosed. In this report we describe the use of an animal model for RS in examining the interactions of these several potential etiological factors. Hyperammonemia and coma were produced in young male ferrets by a brief feeding of an arginine-deficient diet. The effects of influenza infection or aspirin treatment (or both) of control and hyperammonemic ferrets on their serum levels of ammonia, glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT;L-aspartate:2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase, EC 2.6.1.1), ornithine carbamoyltransferase (OCT; carbamoylphosphate:L-ornithine carbamoyltransferase, EC 2.1.3.3), bilirubin, and salicylate were studied. Liver levels of lipids, proteins, and several urea-cycle enzymes were also determined in the comatose ferrets and compared with those of untreated controls and of controls treated with influenza or aspirin, or both. Synergism of these three factors (hyperammonemia, influenza infection, and aspirin treatment) in causing RS-like alterations in these parameters was observed.

Ammonia↗