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Biomedical subjects

S J Roberts

Publications and source records attributed to S J Roberts.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

The menstrual myth revisited.

In an age when research is sweeping away many long-held medical misconceptions, the body of knowledge surrounding women's menstrual cycle remains tainted by age-old myths and taboos. These myths not only reflect inaccuracies, but also perpetuate "theories" about women's behavior that can be detrimental. It is not only in the personal realm, but in the political as well, that this issue gains importance. As long as policy-makers are influenced by suspicions about cyclic symptoms, women's emotional and intellectual stability will be questioned, with consequent repercussions in disability and employment practices. As nurses we have a vested interest in investigations that will establish a new data base from which to draw fresh insights, not only because it is relevant for female clients, but also because nursing as a profession is composed largely of women. As Wilma Scott Heide (1973) observes, "nursing suffers from the same oppression, prejudices, and limitations as women in our society." In other words, the problems of women are the problems of nursing.

Female↗
PubMed1980

Pharmacological screening of new chemical entities in human subjects and methods of data handling.

1 A system is described for screening new chemical entities in normal human subjects, which is designed to search for novel drug actions at an early stage of drug development. 2 In single (subject) blind experiments, doses are increased incrementally from one subject to next, with immediate feed-back of results from each dose. 3 As many physiological variables as possible are recorded, for which a purpose-designed apparatus system was constructed, and connected to a computer. 4 To overcome problems of inter-subject variability, the need for sensitivity, and to identify drug-related effects from the mass of data generated, a novel data management system was developed, and physiological profiles of volunteer subjects were built up to provide control data. 5 Results from a validation experiment in which isoprenaline was infused intravenously at different rates are presented and discussed.

Dose-Response Relationship, Drug↗
PubMed1980

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma.

Seven cases of malignant fibrous histiocytoma are reported. Two patients had tumour involving the scrotum and small-gut mesentery, which are unusual primary sites, while three others with pulmonary metastases are alive five years since the appearance of these metastases. A review of the histogenesis, biological behaviour and the treatment of these uncommon tumours suggests that the prognosis is good even in the presence of advanced local or metastatic disease. Radiotherapy controlled the primary lesion in one patient and was effective in treating pulmonary metastases in three, suggesting that these tumours do show a response to radiotherapy. The prophylactic use of radiotherapy and chemotherapy awaits further evaluation.

Aged↗
PubMed1979

Deaths from ischaemic heart disease and infant mortality in England and Wales.

Death rates from ischaemic heart disease (IHD) in English and Welsh counties are correlated, in both men and women, with the infant mortality rates of those counties when the individuals whose deaths are considered were young, thus confirming previous findings in Norway. In England and Wales, however, there is an equally good correlation between deaths from IHD and infant mortality patterns up to and including that for the same time period as the IHD deaths. The British data provide no grounds for concluding from these relationships that living conditions during early life per se bear a causal relationship to deaths from IHD.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Consultation-liaison scheme for self-poisoned patients in a general hospital.

In a prospective clinical trial 276 self-poisoned patients consecutively admitted to hospital were randomly allocated to medical teams or to psychiatrists for an initial psychiatric assessment and a decision about "disposal." Junior doctors and nurses received instruction in this work. While awaiting the outcome of the trial the randomisation was continued for 13 months and 729 allocations were made altogether. Physicians requested psychiatric opinions for roughly one in five of their patients. In other respects medical teams performed similarly to psychiatrists. Provided that due attention is given to teaching junior staff and to ensuring that psychiatric treatment and social-work support are available once patients have been assessed, such a consultation-liaison scheme could be adopted in other hospitals. This would help to change unfavourable attitudes towards self-poisoned patients and contribute to the general training of doctors and nurses.

Education, Medical, Continuing↗
PubMed1977

Hodgkin's disease: results of treatment with combination chemotherapy.

Combination chemotherapy, which consisted of nitrogen mustard, a vinca alkaloid, procarbazine, and prednisone, was given to 60 patients with disseminated or recurrent Hodgkin's disease. A complete remission of disease was observed in 41 patients, with a median duration of 35+ months. The longest continuing remission was 89 months, and 52% of patients who achieved a complete remission were alive five years from the start of treatment. In contrast, patients who only had a partial remission (11 patients), or failed to respond to therapy (8 patients) fared badly, with a less than 50% survival rate at one year. Response to drug therapy could not be predicted on the basis of sex, age or tumour histology, but patients who had previously received both radiotherapy and chemotherapy had a poor prognosis. Drug toxicity was substantial, but was considered acceptable in view of the clear benefit of treatment to most patients. Further improvement in the outlook of patients with advanced Hodgkin's disease is likely to result from modifications of current drug regimens, possibly combined with non-radical radiotherapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

Advanced non-Hodgkins' lymphomas: response to treatment with combination chemotherapy and factors influencing prognosis.

Response to combination chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisone (COP) and specific factors influenceing prognosis were evaluated in 70 patients with stage III or IV non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Complete remissions (CR) were observed in 40% of patients, with a total response rate of 88%. The median duration of CR was 8 months, but 50% of patients were in continuing CR. High rates of CR were associated with: (a) well-differentiated lymphocytic cytology, (b) tumour nodularity, (c) normal blood lymphocyte counts at diagnosis, and (d) disease stage IIIA. These same factors also showed a positive correlation with 5-year-survival rates from diagnosis. It is suggested that patients with advanced non-Hodgkin's lymphomas do not form a homogeneous treatment group, but warrant a differential therapeutic approach based on the prognostic determinants stated above. The study provides further support for the prognostic usefulness of Rappaport's classification of these tumours.

Adolescent↗