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Biomedical subjects

S R Miller

Publications and source records attributed to S R Miller.

53 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Association between prognosis and hormone receptors in women with breast cancer.

Axillary node involvement, hormone receptors, tumor differentiation, and obesity have been linked to breast cancer prognosis. We have evaluated which of these factors have an independent association with disease-free survival using the Cox Proportional Hazards model. The study was carried out in 377 patients with breast cancer who underwent mastectomy and axillary node dissection between 1977 and 1984. In the univariate analysis all of the above factors were associated with differences in disease-free survival, and all entered the stepwise model. Among women with negative nodes and those with one to three positive nodes, tumor differentiation was a significant indicator of prognosis, while hormone receptors did not have prognostic significance. The opposite was noted in women with four or more involved nodes, among whom negative hormone receptors was the only significant marker of poor prognosis together with presence of obesity. Among young women node involvement and hormone receptors were significant prognostic indicators, while among older women all four variables were independent prognostic markers. These results indicate a marked heterogeneity among subgroups of women with breast cancer in relation to prognostic markers.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Fecal steroid excretion and degradation and breast cancer stage.

Evaluation of excretion and degradation of fecal steroids in 74 women with breast cancer in relation to stage, tumor size, and histopathologic nodal status revealed significant differences in relation to stage of disease and tumor size. The level of total fecal steroids (mean +/- SD in mg/g dry wt) in patients with Stage I disease was 40 + 20, Stage II = 56 +/- 32, and Stage III = 75 +/- 57 (P = 0.006). Secondary fecal steroids in women with Stage I disease were 26 +/- 16, Stage II = 40 +/- 27, and Stage III = 57 +/- 34 (P = 0.003). Fecal steroid excretion and degradation was significantly higher in women with larger tumors, whereas nodal status did not contribute to observed differences indicating that dissemination of disease did not influence the results. These differences were noted to be independent of obesity since similar patterns of fecal steroid excretion were noted within the subgroups of both lean and obese women. Increased levels of total fecal steroids and secondary compounds apparently contribute to tumor promotion and may reflect a potential for excess estrogen synthesis since intestinal bacteria have the ability to synthesize estradiol, estrone, and 3,17-methoxyestradiol from secondary steroids present in the colon.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1981

Serum cholesterol and human colon cancer.

Comparison of serum cholesterol levels in a matched case-control study indicates that patients with colon cancer have serum cholesterol levels lower than those of controls. In 133 pairs matched by age and sex, serum cholesterol levels were 188 +/- 42 mg/dl for cases and 213 +/- 42 mg/dl for controls (paired t-test = 5.08; P less than 0.001). Following stratification by tumor stage, significant differences in serum cholesterol levels persisted between cases with advanced tumors (Duke's classification C1, C2, and D) and controls (mean serum cholesterol difference, 41 +/- 41 mg/dl; paired t-test = 6.16; P less than 0.001) but not between cases with early tumors (Duke's classification A, B1, and B2) and controls, although the same trend was noted. Matching of 130 early tumors to advanced tumors showed that women, but not men, had a significantly lower serum cholesterol level with advancing disease. The findings support the concept that low serum cholesterol levels observed in colon cancer patients may be the result of the metabolic influence of advanced tumors, at least in women, and may not necessarily precede tumor formation.

Cholesterol↗
PubMed1977

Influence of training in visual perceptual discrimination on drawings by children.

This study attempted to determine empirically the influence of visual perceptual remediation on drawing utilizing educationally handicapped children of elementary age as subjects. The 34 girls and 78 boys were of average intelligence, with one-half of the subjects evidencing measured visual perceptual dysfunction. In each experimental group, 14 visual perceptually impaired (learning disabled) and 14 non-perceptually impaired (learning disordered) children received instruction on one of three commercially available visual perceptual remedial materials, Controls (28 subjects) received no special training. Prior to the training, subjects' drawings were collected, as well as after the 12-wk. intevention period by five graduate students in art education. The analysis of variance used to determine the effects of the intervention program on seven specified descriptors of drawing behavior yielded only one statistically significant descriptor, "Non-awareness of Social Situations and Self vs Awareness of Social Situation and Self." There were no differences between the perceptually impaired and non-impaired subject groups on any of the drawing tasks.

Art↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cocaine concentrations in fetal C57BL/6 mouse brain relative to maternal brain and plasma.

Cocaine concentrations in maternal plasma and brain and fetal brain of mice were evaluated as a model for fetal brain exposure during maternal cocaine use. On days 12-18 of gestation, mice (C57BL/6; N = 5-7/group) received SC cocaine-HCI: 20 or 40 mg/kg. Maternal plasma and brain (accumbens and caudate nuclei removed), and fetal brain were collected at 0.5, 1, and 2 h following the last injection. Analysis was by GC-MS. Brain cocaine levels in the dams declined from 9.6 to 3.4 and 20.9 to 12.5 micrograms/g [corrected] during the 0.5-1-h period after the low and high doses, respectively, and were 7.5-14.3 times greater than plasma levels. The corresponding fetal brain concentrations changed from 1.6 to 1.3 and 2.9 to 3.4 micrograms/g [corrected]. By 2 h, brain cocaine concentrations in dams declined to approximately 10% of their 0.5-h values, with a slower drug decay occurring in fetal brain. Maternal plasma cocaine concentrations correlated with those of maternal brain (r = 0.94, p < 0.01) and fetal brain (r = 0.69, p < 0.01). The present results indicate that cocaine accumulates to a lesser extent in fetal brain than in maternal brain of C57BL/6 mice; however, the duration of exposure appears to be more sustained in the fetus, a phenomenon that may have toxicological implications for human in utero cocaine exposure.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The hemostatic effect of fibrin glue on graft donor sites.

One of the main uses of topical fibrin glue is hemostasis. Fibrin glue from pooled human plasma has been used in Europe for many years. It was used for fixation of skin grafts as early as 1944. Because of the risk of hepatitis and now of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, this compound has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in the United States. It is now possible to make fibrin glue from a single unit of blood. Many blood banks have this capability, and burn centers in the United States are beginning to report its use in skin grafting procedures performed on patients with burns. In an effort to document a hemostatic effect, a prospective double-blind study was designed. Donor sites of patients with burns undergoing skin grafting were studied to provide a uniform wound; anatomic location varied, particularly with respect to gravity. Half of each donor site was sprayed with thrombin and fibrin glue, and the other half was sprayed with thrombin and placebo. A large absorbent pad was placed over the gauze dressing, and all dressings were collected and weighed by the investigators at 6 and 18 hours after the operation. Ten patients have been studied to date. In five patients slightly more bleeding occurred in the site treated with fibrin. One patient had no difference, and four had slightly less bleeding on the donor site treated with fibrin. No significant difference could be found in this initial study group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Burns↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Children's fears: a review of the literature with implications for nursing research and practice.

Research reports of child's fears were reviewed from a developmental perspective. These studies suggested that as children's fears change with age they become more complex, varied, and realistic. It was concluded that longitudinal studies of children's fears are needed to support or refute the developmental pattern suggested by these studies of distinct age groups at one point in time. It is also suggested that sex, social class, family relationships, and the media be considered in investigations of the development of children's fears. Implications for practice focused on the use of this information in helping parents deal with fears that concern children as they move through childhood.

Age Factors↗