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Biomedical subjects

R Casey

Publications and source records attributed to R Casey.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Penetrating keratoplasty for bilateral acute corneal calcification.

A 76-year-old man with bilateral practolol-induced dry eyes developed atypical acute bilateral corneal calcification. Serum calcium, phosphate, and urea levels were within normal limits. The calcium deposition progressed rapidly to involve 90% of the right cornea. Right penetrating keratoplasty was performed with subsequent visual rehabilitation of the patient. Left tectonic penetrating keratoplasty was performed 8 weeks later after corneal perforation. The corneal specimens were examined by light and electron microscopy, which showed an atypical calcareous degeneration involving Bowman's layer as well as the full thickness of the stroma. Transmission electron microscopy showed the granular calcification to consist of extracellular, radially orientated aggregates of fine, needle-shaped crystals. Both transplants remained clear with no evidence of postoperative recurrence. To our knowledge this is the first report of bilateral penetrating keratoplasty for acute calcareous degeneration.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Obstetric and perinatal events: the accuracy of maternal report.

Physicians commonly rely on maternal recall of events during pregnancy, delivery, and the perinatal period. Investigators who are doing research in the reproductive and perinatal areas also rely on maternal recall. However, there is little information regarding its accuracy. This study evaluates the accuracy of maternal knowledge of events during pregnancy, delivery, and the perinatal period by comparing maternal report with information recorded on the medical records of the mother-infant pair. Results are presented as sensitivity, specificity, and chance-corrected agreement. Mothers demonstrated poor knowledge of pregnancy and delivery-room events. Agreement between maternal reports and hospital records was excellent for infant birth weight and type of delivery, and good for infant jaundice. However, other important areas of the infant's history, such as an evaluation for sepsis, were poorly recalled. The implications of these results are both medical- and research-specific. Physicians must be aware of possible inaccuracies in the mother's history and make every attempt to obtain the nursery discharge summary. In addition, researchers must verify the results of their data when relying on maternal recall, with the exception of infant birth weight and method of delivery.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Impaired emotional health in children with mild reading disability.

Children with reading disabilities are at risk for emotional difficulties. There is some evidence that reading-disabled children with high socioeconomic status may be at risk of having low self-esteem. We conducted a preliminary study of the impact of reading disability on children's self-esteem and emotional health in a select group of mildly impaired reading disabled children with well-educated parents who were well informed about reading disabilities. We interviewed 28 healthy, preadolescent boys and girls with mean reading delay of 9.0 months and 39 comparable nonreading disabled children who formed the control group. Children and parents completed the Harter's Self-Perception Profile. Parents completed the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist and Rand Mental Health Survey. We found that these mildly impaired reading-disabled children were more anxious and less happy than were nondisabled students despite having well-informed, well-educated parents (mean level of education = 17.0 years). Reading-disabled children considered themselves to be less competent scholastically, and their parents rated them as less competent than nondisabled children on all measures of self-esteem. These well-educated mothers tended to underrate their child's perceived scholastic competence. Controlling for behavior problems, Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist scores for social competence were lower for reading-disabled children. These findings suggest that the mildly impaired reading-disabled children with high socioeconomic status are at risk for low self-esteem and poor emotional health.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1991

Angiostatic steroids potentiated by sulfated cyclodextrins inhibit corneal neovascularization.

It is known that hydrocortisone can be converted to a potent angiogenesis inhibitor by coadministration with heparin or with a sulfated cyclodextrin. The activity of tetrahydrocortisol-S, a purely angiostatic corticosteroid, can be potentiated by beta-cyclodextrin tetradecasulfate as shown in this study. This drug "pair" and other pairs of corticosteroids and beta-cyclodextrin tetradecasulfate can be applied topically to inhibit corneal neovascularization. Endotoxin-induced corneal neovascularization in rabbits was treated with beta-cyclodextrin tetradecasulfate coadministered with either: hydrocortisone, tetrahydrocortisol-S, or 6-alpha-fluoro-17,21-dihydroxy-16-beta-methyl-pregna-4,9(11),diene,3, 20-dione. When optimal ratios of steroid and cyclodextrin were used, neovascularization was reduced to 13%, 26%, and 28% of untreated controls for the three steroids, respectively. Hydrocortisone-cyclodextrin drug pairs suppressed virtually all inflammatory cell infiltration (induced by endotoxin), whereas tetrahydrocortisol-cyclodextrin pairs only partially reduced inflammation. These results demonstrate that corneal neovascularization and corneal inflammation are separable processes and that the neovascularization may be treated specifically using angiostatic steroids without inflammatory activity.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1990

Opportunities for bioactive compounds in transgenic plants.

A variety of bioactive compounds have now been introduced into plants through recombinant DNA techniques. Early examples included genes encoding proteins conferring herbicide tolerance and insect or virus resistance. More recently, pharmacologically useful compounds such as enkephalin and immunoglobulin have been produced in transgenic plants. Modification of existing compounds to provide better nutritional value or improved functional properties is exemplified in the case of seed storage proteins. The value of RNAs as bioactive compounds for suppression of undesirable products and viral infection has now been demonstrated in plants. The developmentally regulated expression of novel bioactive compounds in defined tissues, and their targeting to specific subcellular locations, is becoming of ever increasing economic and sociological importance as knowledge of the molecular mechanisms involved accumulates.

Endopeptidases↗
PubMed1990

The effect of different alleles at the r locus on the synthesis of seed storage proteins in Pisum sativum.

Rocket immunoelectrophoresis was used to measure the accumulation of storage proteins in developing cotyledons of two Pisum sativum (pea) genotypes, that were close to isogenic except for the nature of the allele at the r locus. There was a marked decrease in legumin accumulation in the rr (wrinkled-seeded) genotype compared to the RR (round-seeded) genotype. The accumulation of vicilin did not differ greatly between the two genotypes. Pulse-labelling studies indicated that the differences in rates of accumulation of legumin between the rr and RR genotypes were a consequence of differences in rates of protein synthesis. Measurements of relative amounts of specific mRNAs, using cDNA clones as probes, showed lower amounts of legumin mRNA in developing cotyledons of the rr, compared to the RR, genotype. Both vicilin mRNAs and convicilin mRNA, the latter of which shows a similar temporal pattern of expression to those of the major legumin species, are relatively unaffected by the nature of the allele at the r locus. Nuclear run-on transcription experiments indicated no differences in the rate of synthesis of legumin transcripts in the rr and RR near-isolines. The consequences of homozygosity for the r allele on storage protein mRNA levels in vitro may be mimicked by manipulating the sucrose concentration of the culture medium.

Alleles↗
PubMed1990

Teaching about substance abuse in medical school.

Physicians often fail to diagnose and treat (or treat properly) alcoholism and other chemical dependence in patients. This failure may result from inadequate training, a sense of futility about effectiveness of treatment, belief that this is a social problem rather than disease or denial because the physician him/herself is from a family with substance abuse. A survey of 81 first year medical students identified six (7%) with past or present patterns suggesting abuse of alcohol or other drugs, five (6%) reporting both personal and immediate family abuse patterns, and 25 (31%) who reported such patterns in parents, grandparents or siblings. Students who are adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) often need emotional support while learning about alcoholism and its treatment. Medical school training about substance abuse must take these needs into consideration and provide services approved by, but insulated from, the dean's office to help students cope with effects of personal or family substance abuse.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed1989

The cDNA cloning of a pea (Pisum sativum) seed lipoxygenase. Sequence comparisons of the two major pea seed lipoxygenase isoforms.

Cloning and sequencing of two cDNAs from mRNA of maturing pea (Pisum sativum) seeds allowed the deduction of the complete amino acid sequence of a lipoxygenase polypeptide which is most similar to that of soya-bean lipoxygenase 2. The predicted Mr of this polypeptide is 97134, and its sequence permits comparisons between the lox2-type and the lox3-type lipoxygenase isoforms from pea and soya bean (Glycine max).

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Changing children's food preferences: parent opinions.

This study is the first systematic survey directed at discovering the beliefs and practices of parents with respect to the creation of likes or dislikes for food by their young children. Seventy-six American parents completed a questionnaire that asked for their spontaneous suggestions about ways to create food likes and dislikes, and probed their opinions of the effectiveness, and frequency of use, of 11 possible methods for creating food likes and six for creating dislikes. Favored methods for creation of likes most commonly invoked a positive social-affective context, such as indication to the child that parents like the food in question, or involving the child in preparation of the food. Coercive methods were thought to be ineffective. Contrary to the overjustification literature, parents thought that rewarding ingestion of a target food would be at least as likely to produce an increased liking for the food as using the target food as a reward. Parents were more forthcoming with suggestions for creating likes than for creating dislikes. While parents believe that mixing a target food with a highly desirable or undesirable food can change the preference for the target food, they rarely use this technique. Parents of children who were problem eaters showed no characteristic differences in training practices or attitudes.

Attitude↗
PubMed1988

The complete amino acid sequence of a pea (Pisum sativum) seed lipoxygenase predicted from a near full-length cDNA.

A near full-length cDNA for a pea (Pisum sativum) seed lipoxygenase was isolated and sequenced. It has a protein coding sequence (2583 bp), 5' (59 bp) and 3' (191 bp) non-coding regions, and a poly(A) tail (20 bp). The predicted amino acid sequence indicates a polypeptide of Mr 97,628 that shows about 86% amino acid identity with a soya-bean lipoxygenase 3 protein sequence [Yenofsky, Fine & Liu (1988) Mol. Gen. Genet. 211, 215-222]. The cDNA directs the transcription of mRNA that can be translated to give an anti-lipoxygenase-precipitable polypeptide in vitro.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1988

Isolation and characterization of a minor legumin and its constituent polypeptides from Pisum sativum (pea).

The purification and characterization of a minor legumin species from Pisum sativum is described. Electrophoretic data indicate that it corresponds to a legumin subunit pair previously designated L1. The beta-polypeptides of the minor legumin have a phenylalanine N-terminus. This is the first time that an amino acid other than glycine has been reported as the N-terminus of the basic polypeptides from legumin-like proteins from any plant species. Sequence analyses of the isolated alpha- and beta-polypeptides of the minor legumin show that it does not correspond to any of the three legumin gene families that have previously been defined on the basis of DNA hybridizations and genetic analyses.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1987

Legumin heterogeneity in Pisum.

Analyses of heterogeneity in legumin subunit patterns, legumin precursor polypeptides, and restriction fragments containing legumin genes have shown that Pisum (pea) genotypes vary in the extent of gene and polypeptide divergence but not in the degree of gene reiteration. Genotypes containing single and multiple alpha M subunits had the same numbers of legumin genes. The potential value of this heterogeneity in genetical analyses is outlined.

Electrophoresis↗
PubMed1987

Minor head trauma in children: an intervention to decrease functional morbidity.

Minor head trauma is common among children and evokes strong parental reaction. Parents often rush the child to an emergency department or consult their pediatrician by telephone despite the minor nature of the injury. In a previous report we showed that children with minor head trauma appear to have limitations in their usual daily activities and a high rate of school absenteeism. This study was a prospective, randomized trial of an intervention designed to reduce this functional morbidity after head trauma. Parents in the control group (n = 168) received routine discharge instructions. Parents in the intervention group (n = 153) received a discharge interview during which the nurse gave more explicit and behaviorally oriented instructions. The nurse also called intervention parents the next day to reassure them and to urge that the children return to their usual routine. One month after the injury a questionnaire was administered by telephone to assess physical health status, social or functional limitations, and behavior problems. The majority of parents (85%) were anxious, and this was not alleviated by previous experience with head trauma. Triage nurses incorrectly rated one third of the parents as not anxious. Physical health status, role activity indices, and behavior problems, were similar for the intervention and control groups 1 month after the head injury. Subsequent morbidity was highly correlated with parental anxiety. In managing children with minor head trauma, pediatricians and emergency department physicians must focus their discharge instructions on the parent's anxiety, emphasize the minor severity of the injury, and urge that the children return to their usual routine.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Establishment of calf trabecular meshwork cell cultures.

Trabecular meshwork cell cultures have been grown from excised calf aqueous outflow pathway tissue using two different methods. In one method, tissue explants were placed directly in culture dishes and primary cultures were established by those cells migrating from the tissue. In the second method, a cell suspension was generated by incubating trabecular tissue strips with 0.1% pronase, and the washed cells were used to seed primary cultures. The cell cultures generated by each method appeared to progress through morphological and biochemical changes characteristic of the cell type, although at different respective rates. Comparisons of the cell morphologies, biosynthetic activities, and growth characteristics of the respective subcultures suggested that similar cell populations were obtained by each method. These studies further suggested that sufficient quantities of calf trabecular cells could be grown in culture to permit biochemical and pharmacological studies of trabecular-cell metabolism.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

[Nasal reconstruction using the Converse frontal flap or a Washio retroauricular flap. Technical notes].

14 cases of nasal reconstruction by the Converse Scalping Flap or the Washio Temporo-auricular flap technique, over three years, led us to point out details necessary to insure the quality of the results. In particular, the Converse Flap must be thin; it never needs bone neither cartilage reinforcement when used in reconstructions of the two inferior third of the nose. The pedicle weaning method described allows the replacement of the scalp on thirteenth day. New data for the Washio technique are as following: --The mastoidian skin and not the retro-auricular skin must be used; --The back-cut of the scalp follows the AC line dating from three fixed points: A = helix root B = end of incision on the frontal hairline vertically to the fronto-orbital suture, and AB = AC = BC. This new data seem to warrant the fiability of the Washio flap, however the latter cannot dethrone the Converse flap, king flap of medio-facial reconstructions.

Humans↗