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Biomedical subjects

P Johnson

Publications and source records attributed to P Johnson.

702 records · Page 39Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Adjuvant radiotherapy in carcinomas of the uterine cervix: the prognostic value of hemoglobin levels.

Anemia has been associated with a poorer treatment response and reduced survival in women undergoing primary radiotherapy (RT) or radiochemotherapy for advanced cervical carcinoma. This study aimed to determine the influence of anemia on outcome in patients with cervical carcinoma undergoing adjuvant RT. Medical records were reviewed for 183 cervical cancer patients who had received adjuvant RT because of risk factors after radical surgery (n= 109) or inadequate primary surgery (simple hysterectomy; n= 74). Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were used to study hemoglobin levels before and during adjuvant RT in relation to recurrence-free and overall survival. Hemoglobin values > or =11 g/dL were considered normal, while those <11 g/dL indicated anemia. Hemoglobin levels before RT influenced significantly overall survival and recurrence-free survival across the whole group (overall survival--log rank(all patients)= 7.5; df = 1; P= 0.006). However, subgroup analysis showed that the observed difference was mainly due to the group of women who had undergone inadequate primary surgery (overall survival--log rank(inadequate surgery)= 10.8; df = 1; P= 0.001). Multifactorial regression analyses comparing hemoglobin before RT with grading and tumor stage confirmed the prognostic value of hemoglobin values. Maintaining normal hemoglobin values before and during adjuvant RT seems to be important, especially in patients who have had inappropriate simple hysterectomy, which may resemble a therapeutic situation.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Relaxation times of normal and atrophied muscle.

Magnetic resonance imaging is being used to investigate physiological changes induced by microgravity. Using human (bed rest) and animal (tail suspension) models simulating zero gravity, muscle atrophy was studied. Despite significant physiological changes in muscle mass, distribution of blood flow, and muscle water, no changes in muscle proton relaxation times were found at several different resonant frequencies (6, 10, 20, and 200 MHz). These results suggest that observed changes in relaxation times as reported in pathologic studies are likely due to the pathological changes and not the accompanying muscle atrophy.

Animals↗
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Test amnioinfusion to determine suitability for serial therapeutic amnioinfusion in midtrimester premature rupture of membranes.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether a test amnioinfusion procedure is useful in selecting cases of midtrimester preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) which may benefit from serial amnioinfusions if the initial fluid is retained. STUDY DESIGN: The Centre for Fetal Care database between 1992 and 2000 was reviewed for women with PPROM <26 weeks who had undergone amnioinfusion. Amniotic fluid index (AFI) was assessed before and after a test amnioinfusion procedure. Those who retained fluid > or =48 h underwent serial AFI assessment with a view to serial amnioinfusion when oligohydramnios recurred. RESULTS: Eighty-five amnioinfusion procedures were performed in 60 women with oligohydramnios. Nineteen of these women presented with confirmed PPROM at a median gestation of 19 (range 15-22) weeks and severe olighohydramnios (median AFI 1, range 0-3 cm), in whom 20 test amnioinfusions were carried out. Two amnioinfusions were abandoned during the procedure because of fetal bradycardia and both mothers opted for termination of pregnancy. Only 4 women retained fluid during the test amnioinfusion, 1 of whom miscarried at 19 weeks before serial amnioinfusion could be started. The remaining 3 underwent a median of 4 (range 1-6) serial amnioinfusion procedures; none had evidence of pulmonary hypoplasia. Thirteen (68%) leaked fluid within 48 h; within this group there was 1 subsequent miscarriage and 9 pregnancy terminations. The remaining 3 pregnancies resulted in livebirths 2 of which had pulmonary hypoplasia with 1 early neonatal death. Overall survival was poor (4/19), largely attributed to the high incidence of terminations in the presence of persistent severe oligohydramnios. In continuing pregnancies reaching viability survival was 67% (4 of 6). CONCLUSION: Three quarters of women with mid-trimester PPROM lose fluid at test amnioinfusion and therefore would not be suitable candidates for serial amnioinfusion. However, if infused fluid is retained, this allows subsequent serial amnioinfusion and prolongation of pregnancy in about 75%, with an attendant decrease in the risk of pulmonary hypoplasia. However, even successful serial amnioinfusion remains associated with procedure-related complications (i.e. chorioamnionitis, placental abruption) which themselves may predispose to preterm delivery.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Driving after a severe head injury.

The driving activities of 50 head-injury survivors were surveyed 6 months or more post-discharge. Of these, 21 (42%) possessed a valid drivers licence, but only 19 (38%) were actually operating motor vehicles at follow-up. Only measures of spatial/perceptual deficits were found to discriminate between groups of drivers and non-drivers. The recommendations of rehabilitation staff did not appear to have much influence on the final decision whether or not the survivor resumed driving activities. Most of the drivers did not report post-injury accidents or traffic violations, perhaps because several participants were restricting their driving activities. The willingness voluntarily to restrict driving behaviours may offer some head-injury survivors the opportunity to continue to enjoy this important daily living activity under selected circumstances.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Weight loss behaviors and smoking in college students of diverse ethnicity.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate weight concerns, weight-loss practices (including smoking) in an ethnically diverse group of university students (58% Hispanic). METHODS: Students (n=1,852) completed a survey addressing lifestyle behaviors and weight-control practices. RESULTS: A greater percentage of females than males practiced weight-loss behaviors. More Hispanic and non-Hispanic white students reported dieting, exercising, and using weight loss pills to lose weight. Only 4 of the females reported their primary reason for smoking was to control their weight. CONCLUSION: Gender as well as ethnicity was a dominant factor influencing weight-loss behaviors/concerns of these young adults.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Impact on the family of children who are technology dependent and cared for in the home.

PURPOSE: To compare the impact on family of four categories of technology-dependent children. METHOD: A purposive sample of families receiving both public and private services in 13 cities representing census regions included 848 primary caregivers of technology-dependent children ages 3 months to 19 years being cared for at home. A structured telephone interview was used. FINDINGS: A significant difference among the four types of technology dependency for impact on the family was found (MANOVA F test = 9.43; p = 0.0001). One-way ANOVA F tests showed that the means among the four groups varied on the subscale: financial burden, family social impact, and personal strains. CONCLUSION: The findings have implications for nurses who provide support and assistance to families with technology-dependent children.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Advances in surgical technology have enabled the concept of 'keyhole surgery' to become a reality. The author describes the technique of laparoscopic cholecystectomy and the advantages it offers over conventional methods of surgically removing the gall bladder.

Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic↗
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The Africentric Transtheoretical model in a school-based pregnancy prevention program.

This article describes the use of a socio-culturally specific framework for a pregnancy prevention program for low income 10 to 12 year old African American middle school girls. The framework expands earlier (Johnson, 1995) conceptualizations by combining African and African American frames of reference with behavior change processes to influence sexual decision-making among young adolescents.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Effect of carnosine and its N-acetyl derivative on the stability of erythrocytes in patients with alcoholism during abstinence].

The effects of carnosine, a natural dipeptide, and its derivative, N- acetyl-carnosine (Ac-carnosine), on the stability and shape of red blood cells obtained from abstinent alcoholics was studied. In the presence of both carnosine and Ac-carnosine, the erythrocytes of abstinent alcoholics show a statistically significant increase in their ability to resist acidic hemolysis. Investigations of microscope pictures also show that carnosine and Ac-carnosine have beneficial effects on the pathological state of abstinent alcoholic erythrocytes. The addition of carnosine and Ac-carnosine resulted in the normalization of cell morphology (in 12 and 17 out of 30 cases, respectively). These results may be due to the stabilizing and regenerating ability of these compounds on alcoholic erythrocytes.

Adult↗