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Biomedical subjects

S Fox

Publications and source records attributed to S Fox.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

First-trimester prenatal diagnosis for Huntington's disease with DNA probes.

Polymorphic DNA probes linked to the locus for Huntington disease (HD) were used for prenatal diagnosis of a 10-week fetus at 25% risk for the disease. The fetus proved to have a 48% risk of having inherited the HD mutation which was similar to that for the at-risk parent (50%). On this basis the parents elected to terminate the pregnancy. When appropriate family members are available and DNA studies are informative, prenatal diagnosis of HD with polymorphic DNA probes can determine the at-risk status of the fetus with 96% accuracy.

Adult↗

Myositis ossificans progressiva and pregnancy.

Myositis ossificans progressiva is a rare inherited ossifying condition of the striated muscle tissue. In the English language literature there is no reported association of this disease with an advanced state of pregnancy, nor is there any well-documented scientific data about the effect of pregnancy on this disease or of this disease on pregnancy. This report is about a patient with myositis ossificans progressiva carrying to 30 weeks' gestation and successfully delivering a viable female infant. The antenatal care and management problems of this case are discussed.

Adult↗

Subtotal colectomy for treatment of acquired megacolon in the dog and cat.

The case records of 4 cats and 1 dog with megacolon and constipation were reviewed to study the history, clinical signs, pathologic changes, and longterm results of surgical treatment. The 4 cats had idiopathic megacolon. The dog had megacolon secondary to dietary indiscretion. All animals had radiographic evidence of a large colon, which was confirmed by exploratory coeliotomy. Two of the cats and the dog had an intraoperative finding of megacecum as well. Subtotal colectomy was performed in all cases, with the ileocolic valve being removed in 3 of these cases. End-to-side anastomosis was used to restore the integrity of the bowel. All animals were treated successfully with this surgical technique, as judged by clinical response and owner satisfaction. Histologically, there were no consistent lesions to explain the cause of this disease in the cats.

Animals↗

Inhibition of platelet aggregation in whole blood by dipyridamole and aspirin.

We have examined the effects of dipyridamole on platelet aggregation in whole blood both in vitro and after administration to man. The effects of dipyridamole ex vivo were compared with those of aspirin and a combination of dipyridamole and aspirin. In vitro dipyridamole was most effective as an inhibitor of platelet aggregation induced by platelet activating factor (PAF) and low concentrations of arachidonic acid (AA). Its inhibitory effect was always potentiated by adenosine suggesting that its effect on aggregation may be via inhibition of adenosine uptake into blood cells. Ex vivo, dipyridamole, aspirin and the combination of these drugs inhibited the platelet aggregation induced by PAF and AA. Again, adenosine increased the degree of inhibition. These results stress the importance of measuring platelet aggregation in the natural whole blood environment for detection of the inhibitory effects of dipyridamole and suggest a mode of action for the drug.

Aspirin↗

A new paradigm for evolution.

Standard evolutionary theory sees little beyond the natural selection of random variation. Yet there is more to life.

Animals↗

Bilateral and synchronous squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix in a patient with uterus didelphys.

Reported herein is the case of a 30-year-old white woman who had a congenitally double uterus with two cervixes (uterus didelphys). Each cervix was diffusely involved by squamous cell carcinoma in situ that had progressed to a microinvasive stage of the same depth (0.8 mm) on each side. This coincidence was the more remarkable because it had taken place synchronously. A transmissible coital factor of a viral nature, ie, human papillomavirus infection, was suggested by the presence of koilocytotic atypia in both uterine cervixes.

Adult↗

Breast cancer screening: the underuse of mammography.

The early detection of breast cancer is promoted by the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the American College of Radiology (ACR) by encouraging the regular use of three types of screening: breast self-examination (BSE), the clinical breast examination, and mammography. In August 1983, the ACS publicized seven recommendations pertaining to screening, including a revised statement about the routine use of mammography for women between the ages of 40 and 49 years. In response to the ACS statement, the present study assessed compliance with the updated recommendations for all three types of screening. The results show reasonable rates of compliance for the BSE (53%-69%) and clinical examination (70%-78%). In contrast, only 19% of the women between the ages of 35 and 49 and 25% of the women older than 50 reported complying with the recommendation to undergo one baseline screening mammogram. In addition, only 9% of the mammograms were obtained for the early detection of disease, which is the rationale for the recommendation. In fact, it appears that mammography is being performed mainly for the diagnosis of symptomatic women instead of the screening of asymptomatic women. Some implications for health education by physicians and the professional education by physicians and the professional education of physicians in the use of mammography are discussed.

Adult↗

An intervention to increase mammography screening by residents in family practice.

Two groups of residents in family practice were used to evaluate the effectiveness of a multifaceted educational program that was designed to increase resident compliance with screening for breast cancer. In the experimental group, residents were given a two-hour seminar that responded to the literature on the difficulties of implementing preventive care in clinical practice; group consensus was developed for a more regular (exact frequency left to each resident) screening for women aged over 35 years, and specific barriers to breast cancer screening were analyzed and solutions presented whenever possible. In addition, these residents received two behavioral cues after the intervention to stimulate and reinforce referrals for mammography screening. The study was conducted over a period of one year, including a five-month preintervention period, a three-month post-intervention period, and a three-month follow-up period. As predicted, the increase in mean referral rate for the experimental group was significantly greater than for the comparison group. This increased rate of referral for mammogram was maintained for six months after the intervention. This intervention is easily reproducible in many residency training programs, especially those in family medicine and other small primary care programs.

Adult↗

Hippocrates unbound. China's medical education for the 1980s.

Working in a Beijing hospital for two years (1979 to 1981), I witnessed a metamorphosis of medical education in China. Walls have been whitewashed to mask discredited slogans of the past. Dining halls have been stratified to separate faculty, workers, and students. Since 1976, the academic program has doubled in length. Since 1979, revitalized basic science departments have enrolled postgraduates. "Worker-peasant-soldier" graduates of 1975 to 1980 have been recalled for remedial courses. Physicians from outlying provinces now staff city hospitals for terms of "advanced study." Barefoot doctors, highly regarded five years ago (but now considered to be only temporary expedients), face proficiency examinations. Doctors with shoes are also newly concerned about professional standards. Since 1977, prospective medical students take a nationwide entrance examination. Medical colleges now maintain transcripts and confer degrees. House staff, graduates of as long ago as 1964, are preparing for board examinations. Educational policy since 1977 is a determined reversal of trends of the preceding ten years.

China↗

Severity of psychiatric symptoms as a predictor of benefits from psychotherapy: the Veterans Administration-Penn study.

One hundred ten nonpsychotic opiate addicts were randomly assigned to receive paraprofessional drug counseling alone, counseling plus cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy, or counseling plus supportive-expressive psychotherapy. Patients were classified low-severity, mid-severity, or high-severity on the basis of the number and severity of their psychiatric symptoms. Overall, the addition of professional psychotherapy was associated with greater benefits than was drug counseling alone. Low-severity patients made considerable and approximately equal progress with added psychotherapy or with counseling alone. Mid-severity patients had better outcomes with additional psychotherapy than with counseling alone, but counseling did effect numerous significant improvements. High-severity patients made little progress with counseling alone, but with added psychotherapy made considerable progress and used both prescribed and illicit drugs less often.

Adolescent↗

Depolarizing action of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) on myelinated fibers of peripheral nerves.

The inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) has been shown to have a depolarizing action on myelinated axons of both mammalian and amphibian peripheral nerves. In initial in vivo observations intravenous injections of GABA caused an increase in the excitability of the low-threshold, fast conducting fibers of the superficial radial and median nerves of the cat. Similar, graded, reversible effects were confirmed (using changes in the amplitude/integral of the stimulus-evoked A-fiber submaximal compound action potential to assess excitability) in in vitro studies with the isolated, desheathed frog sciatic nerve. GABA caused a mean maximal increase in half-maximal action potential of 29.8% (S.E. +/- 2.7), with an ED50 value of 0.09 mM and Hill coefficient of 0.70. This effect did not appear to desensitize, and could be reversibly antagonized by both bicuculline and picrotoxin. Comparison of agonist sensitivities showed a rank order of potency with muscimol greater than 3-aminopropanesulfonic acid greater than GABA greater than beta-guanidinopropionic acid greater than imidazole-acetic acid greater than guanidoacetic acid greater than delta-aminovaleric acid. With structure activity analysis the maximal activity was found to be related to N+-C separation near the 5 A value. Partial substitution of chloride ions in the superfusate by isethionate reversibly depressed the effect of GABA. These observations support the conclusion that extrasynaptic receptors for GABA are present on the myelinated axons of peripheral nerves.

Animals↗

Second malignant tumors detected by needle aspiration cytology.

Between 1967-1980, 14 second primary cancers were detected by needle aspiration cytology in patients treated for malignant tumors. The interval between the first cancer and the occurrence of the second cancer varied from six months to 21 years. In all 14 cases, the cytologic diagnosis of the second cancer was later confirmed by histopathologic examinations. In 13 patients, the second cancer was dissimilar from the first one, and in one patient the two cancers were subtypes of lymphoproliferative tumors. In three patients the cytologic diagnosis falsely defined the subtype of the second cancer. Malignant lymphoma was the predominant tumor either as the first cancer (50%) or as the second cancer (43%). Thyroid cancer occurred as the second cancer in three patients. Needle aspiration cytology of all newly appearing lesions can be performed routinely during follow-up examinations to discriminate between relapsed disease and new malignant tumors.

Adult↗