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Biomedical subjects

M Zimmerman

Publications and source records attributed to M Zimmerman.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Inhibition of human leukocyte elastase. 2. Inhibition by substituted cephalosporin esters and amides.

A variety of 7 alpha-methoxycephalosporin ester and amide sulfones were prepared and tested to determine the structure-activity relations for inhibition of human leukocyte elastase (HLE), a serine protease which has been implicated in several degenerative lung and tissue diseases. The most potent IC50 values were obtained with neutral, lipophilic derivatives, with the esters being more active than the amides. However, the best time-dependent inhibition in this series was observed with the p- and m-carboxybenzyl esters 7b and 7c. These results are discussed in terms of the proposed mechanism of inhibition as well as a molecular modeling study using the recently solved X-ray crystal structure of HLE.

Amides↗

DSM-III personality disorder dimensions.

Dimensional scores were computed for the 11 DSM-III personality disorders (PDs) in 797 relatives of psychiatric patients and never ill control subjects interviewed with the Structured Interview for DSM-III Personality Disorders. The distribution of scores for all 11 PD dimensions was skewed to the right. A principal components analysis with varimax rotation produced three factors that closely corresponded to DSM-III's suggested clustering of the PDs into eccentric, dramatic, and anxious types. Men scored significantly higher on the paranoid, schizoid, compulsive, antisocial, and narcissistic dimensions, whereas women had significantly higher histrionic, dependent, and avoidant scores. Age was negatively correlated with most of the PD dimensions, and the correlations were strongest with the four PDs in cluster 2 (histrionic, antisocial, narcissistic, and borderline). Each of the eight axis I disorders examined was associated with increased axis II pathology.

Adult↗

Variability in the application of contemporary diagnostic criteria: endogenous depression as an example.

Specified diagnostic criteria have been credited, in part, with improving diagnostic reliability. The authors hypothesize that nonuniform application of these criteria across different research centers has been one factor responsible for the failure to replicate research findings. For example, researchers using a narrow interpretation of the Research Diagnostic Criteria (RDC) have found a highly significant association between endogenous depression and a positive dexamethasone suppression test result, whereas researchers using a broad interpretation have failed to find the predicted relationship. The authors used two interpretations of the RDC and DSM-III endogenous/melancholia criteria to diagnose 60 depressed patients and found significant difference in rates of diagnoses and symptoms.

Adult↗

An estimation of dental treatment needs in two groups of refugees in Sweden.

The aim of this study was to estimate dental treatment need in groups of Chilean and Polish refugees in Sweden. Of the Nordic countries, Sweden accepts the greatest number of refugees. An average of 5000 refugees arrived annually in 1981-85, increasing to 15,000 during 1986-87. Refugees and their families now comprise 93% of non-Nordic immigration. In 1981-83 a sample of 193 Chilean and 92 Polish refugees in the county of Stockholm was selected for this study. Dental treatment needs were calculated in accordance with CPITN and the working study of Swedish dentistry, which formed the basis for the Swedish scale of dental fees for the National Dental Insurance Scheme. The estimated mean treatment time (+/- SD) in the Chilean sample was 6.9 +/- 2.3 h and in the Polish group 8.4 +/- 3.0; in comparison with estimated treatment needs in a Swedish material, both would be classified as extreme risk groups. There was no correlation between the number of months in Sweden and the estimated treatment needs. The results indicate a cumulative, unmet need for dental care in these groups. Barriers to ensuring adequate health care for immigrants persist; special outreach programmes, conducted by dental health personnel, may be an effective means of introducing immigrants to the Swedish dental care system.

Adult↗

The excitation of cutaneous nerve endings in a neuroma by capsaicin.

Spontaneous electrophysiological activity and excitation by capsaicin of regenerating sensory fibers has been studied using 1 to 20-week-old neuromas induced in rats by ligating and transecting the saphenous nerve. Overall, spontaneous activity occurred in 12% of fibers, and capsaicin at concentrations up to 1.0 microM excited 3.8% of all the A delta-plus C-fibers examined. There was a slight increase in the incidence of spontaneous activity, but not excitation by capsaicin, with increasing age of the neuromas. The responses to capsaicin were similar to those seen with normal saphenous nerve endings, including bursting discharges and desensitization with repeated applications. The results are considered in the context of the requirements for reexpression of normal sensory capacities on regenerating sensory nerve endings.

Action Potentials↗

Diagnostic criteria for melancholia. The comparative validity of DSM-III and DSM-III-R.

The psychometric properties and validity of the DSM-III and DSM-III-R definitions of melancholia were examined in 60 depressed inpatients. The prevalence of melancholia was significantly higher according to the DSM-III-R criteria, and the kappa-coefficient of agreement between the two definitions was .40. For both criteria sets, the internal consistencies and item-scale correlations were low. Both definitions were associated with overall symptom severity and the melancholia symptom subscale; however, only DSM-III melancholics scored higher on the nonmelancholia symptom subscale. The DSM-III-R criteria were associated with more of the predicted correlates of endogenous subtyping. According to both definitions, melancholics were characterized by less stress, greater symptom severity, and less frequent nonserious suicide attempts prior to admission. The DSM-III-R melancholic subtyping was additionally associated with a family history of antisocial personality and substance abuse, presence of a premorbid personality disorder, age, and a tendency to blame others for the depression.

Adult↗

DSM-III personality disorder diagnoses in a nonpatient sample. Demographic correlates and comorbidity.

Seven hundred ninety-seven first-degree relatives of normal controls and patients with a variety of psychiatric disorders were interviewed with the Diagnostic Interview Schedule and the Structured Interview for DSM-III Personality Disorders. Slightly more than one sixth of the sample received a personality disorder (PD) diagnosis, and of those with a PD, almost one fourth had more than one. The most prevalent diagnoses were mixed, passive-aggressive, antisocial, histrionic, and schizotypal PD. The demographic correlates and frequency of Axis I disorders in individuals with each specific PD were examined, and all but histrionic and passive-aggressive PDs had distinctive profiles.

Adult↗

Melancholia: from DSM-III to DSM-III-R.

On July 26, 1985, an ad hoc committee appointed by the APA Work Group to Revise DSM-III met and reviewed the research on the validity of the DSM-III criteria for melancholia. In this paper the proceedings of the meeting are related. After reviewing studies of the validity of the DSM-III melancholia criteria, the authors describe the committee's discussion of alternative proposals for DSM-III-R and the process of developing the new DSM-III-R criteria.

Depressive Disorder↗

HPA axis hyperactivity and recovery from functional psychoses.

Some patients with functional psychoses follow a chronic, deteriorating course and others recover; at present clinicians have essentially no established factors beyond diagnosis and chronicity to predict which course a psychotic patient might follow. Because data on diagnostic specificity suggested that the dexamethasone suppression test might provide another, much needed prognostic factor, the authors administered these tests to 98 consecutively admitted patients with nonmanic psychoses. High postdexamethasone cortisol levels (6 micrograms/dl or higher) at baseline predicted recovery from psychosis at 1 year, independent of episode chronicity and diagnosis. Diagnosis did not correspond well to test results but was itself an important predictor.

Adult↗

Personality disorder in the families of depressed, schizophrenic, and never-ill probands.

In a blind family study of 176 probands with nonpsychotic major depression, psychotic major depression, schizophrenia, or no history of DSM-III disorders, only the relatives of depressed probands with mood-incongruent psychotic features had a risk for personality disorders higher than that for the relatives of never-ill probands. The authors did not find a high rate of borderline personality in relatives of depressed probands or of schizotypal personality disorder in relatives of probands with schizophrenia or any psychosis. However, depressed probands with normal dexamethasone test results had a significantly higher familial loading for the DSM-III cluster of histrionic, antisocial, borderline, and narcissistic personality disorders.

Adult↗

Fluorouracil and recombinant alfa-2a-interferon: an active regimen against advanced colorectal carcinoma.

Based on in vitro studies that have demonstrated synergy between recombinant alfa-2a-interferon (rIFN alpha-2a) and the fluoropyrimidine, fluorouracil (5FU), against two human colon cancer cell lines, a pilot clinical trial was initiated to determine the effects of the combination of 5FU and rIFN alpha-2a in patients with advanced, unresectable colorectal carcinoma. A total of 30 patients were enrolled; all were evaluable. 5FU was administered as a loading course, 750 mg/m2 daily for 5 days by continuous infusion followed by weekly bolus therapy, rIFN alpha-2a, 9 MU, was administered subcutaneously three times per week. Of 17 previously untreated patients evaluable for response, 13 achieved a response. Three patients had disease progression. No previously treated patients had a major response. There was one death clearly related to therapy, an event preceded by watery diarrhea and neutropenic sepsis. Other toxicities were reversible and responded to dose reduction. With a median follow-up of 16+ months, median survival has not been reached among the previously untreated patient cohort. We conclude that the combination of 5FU and rIFN alpha-2a is an active regimen against disseminated colorectal cancer in previously untreated patients.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Precision of computerized measurement of marginal alveolar bone height from bite-wing radiographs.

The digitizer technique has previously shown good precision when applied to measurements of alveolar marginal bone height on unstandardized periapical radiographs of adults. In this study the precision of the digitizer technique was evaluated for direct measurement of alveolar bone height on unstandardized bite-wing radiographs of young subjects with intact cemento-enamel junctions. Measurements of the distance between the cemento-enamel junction and the alveolar crest at 432 sites gave an agreement of 96.5% within a margin of error of 0.3 mm. The T-test showed no significant difference between repeated measurements of the same site. Regression analysis showed that the order of magnitude of the distance between the landmarks did not influence the results. The mean difference between repeated readings of the same site was 0.09 mm at a confidence limit of 99.9%. The study confirms that the digitizer technique is a reliable method for measurement of alveolar bone height on unstandardized bite-wing radiographs of young subjects.

Adolescent↗

Urban helminthiasis in two socioeconomically distinct Costa Rican communities.

A survey on the prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and Hymenolepis nana was conducted in two adjacent, but socioeconomically distinct, urban Costa Rican communities: a squatter settlement and a community with access to modern sewage facilities. The prevalence of these infections was significantly higher in the former. Although squatter children (1-14 years old) were more heavily infected with A. lumbricoides and H. nana than squatter adults, the same pattern was not observed for T. trichiura. The results suggest that local community-based helminthic parasite surveys may more accurately portray the actual health status of socioeconomically diverse urban populations.

Adolescent↗

The reliability of the family history method for psychiatric diagnoses.

We evaluated the test-retest interrater reliability of the Family History Research Diagnostic Criteria (FH-RDC) in 58 depressed patients who described 341 first-degree relatives. Reliability was examined as a function of the threshold to determine caseness. In general, diagnostic reliability was good-excellent for specific FH-RDC disorders, but not for the residual category of other psychiatric disorder. A higher diagnostic threshold was associated with greater reliability, especially for the diagnosis of depression. Patient variance accounted for a greater percentage of the disagreements between the interviewers than did rater variance.

Data Collection↗

The heritability of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. A family study.

Ninety-one consecutively admitted patients with schizophrenia (n = 21), schizoaffective depression (n = 43), or psychotic depression (n = 27) entered a blind family study along with 36 never-ill controls. Though schizophrenia spectrum disorders clustered within families, they were not significantly more prevalent in the families of schizophrenic probands. In contrast, morbid risks for affective disorder clearly separated the families of psychotically depressed probands from the families of both schizophrenics and controls. Family study data for schizoaffective probands indicated links to both affective disorder and schizophrenia and suggested, as well, that a small number of patients with schizoaffective disorder may carry a genetic liability to both conditions.

Adult↗