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Biomedical subjects

S Taylor

Publications and source records attributed to S Taylor.

At least 469 records · Page 26Linked to original sources
PubMed1978

The confrontation with death and the renewal of life.

Several writers have argued that a majority of suicidal acts are "gambles with death". A distinction is made between cases where the gamble with death is merely consequential (i.e., arising from ignorance, apathy, indifference) and cases where it is the very essence of the act. Typically in these latter cases others are excluded from possible intervention. The individual is thus playing a game of "pure" chance. Death is summoned and challenged in order that life may continue. It is argued, from an interactionist perspective, that such acts are desperate efforts to confirm existance in situations of extreme uncertainty and represent a distinct form of what Shneidman has called "egotic" suicide.

Attitude to Death↗
PubMed1978

Antilipolytic effects of chlorophenoxyisobutyrate and warfarin in adipocytes.

This study was designed to examine whether displacement of free fatty acids (FFA) from albumin (BSA) can explain the antilipolytic effect of chlorophenoxyisobutyrate (CPIB). Warfarin, which binds to albumin with equal affinity, was used to test the generality of this mechanism. The procedure was to measure the concentration of free drug needed to inhibit hormone-stimulated lipolysis in isolated rat epididymal fat cells, and the effect on this process of albumin, which binds both FFA ligand and drug. The free drug concentration was initially obtained by ultrafiltration studies with albumin and 14C-labeled CPIB or 14C-labeled warfarin in the absence of cells. When epinephrine-activated lipolysis was measured, inclusion of 0.3 mM albumin decreased the free CPIB concentration required for 50% inhibition from 1.8 mM (-BSA) to 0.08 mM. Warfarin also inhibited lipolysis more effectively in the presence of albumin, with 50% inhibition at 0.06 mM (+BSA) vs. 0.7 mM (-BSA). Both drugs showed a similar high-affinity binding constant to albumin of n = 1, k = 2--4 X 10(5) M-1, and both competitively displaced [14C]stearate, provided that a hydrophobic trap was present. The results are consistent with the possibility that the antilipolytic effect of CPIB and warfarin is mediated by way of a competitive displacement of FFA from albumin, or an analogous cellular binding site, with subsequent feedback inhibition of lipolysis.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1977

Methotrexate compared with placebo in lung cancer.

Two hundred thirty-nine patients with microscopically proven, inoperable bronchogenic carcinoma were allocated at random to receive twice weekly I.M. injections of either methotrexate at "high dose" of 0.06 mg/kg/dose or methotrexate at "low dose" of 0.2 mg/kg or visually indistinguishable placebo in the same volume of 0.1 ml/kg for four months. Twelve patients were invalidated for procedural reasons. Objective response (greater than or equal to 50% tumor regression) was dose-related with 21% of 48 patients with measurable disease on high -ose, 11% of 37 patients on low dose, and 6% of 32 patients on placebo. Corresponding response rates for epidermoid carcinoma were 35% of 23 patients, 9% of 11 patients, and 0 of 13 patients. Responders in the two treatment groups had a three to four fold increase of median survival (p less than .05). Non-responders on high and low dose methotrexate lived as long as patients on placebo. Leukopenic patients in all three treatment groups lived substantially longer than patients without leukopenia less than 4,500/mm3, irrespective of presence or absence of objective response. All three regimens were well tolerated. None of the patients had life-threatening toxicity. It is concluded that methotrexate at "high dose" is a potentially useful drug for temporary palliation of epidermoid carcinoma of the lung.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1977

Parathyroidectomy: extent of resection and late results.

Opinion is divided as to the necessary extent of parathyroid resection in primary hyperparathyroidism. Some surgeons urge that subtotal parathyroidectomy be performed routinely, while others reserve subtotal resections for patients with parathyroid hyperplasia. In a review of 102 patients treated by parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism and subsequently followed up for an average of 6 years, there were 73 patients with parathyroid adenoma, 26 with hyperplasia and 3 with carcinoma. The adenoma was not found at the first operation in only 3 cases; in the other 70 after removal of the adenoma no further hypercalcaemia was observed during the follow-up period. Persistent or recurrent hypercalcaemia was a problem in 9 out of the 26 patients with primary hyperplasia who had inadequate resection at the first operation, and also in the 3 patients with carcinoma. Experience shows that peroperative biopsy with frozen section of all the parathyroids is useful in confirming their identity and can be a guide to the type of disease present and the appropriate extent of resection.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1977

Bradshaw lecture, 1976. Thyroid medullary carcinoma.

The main characteristics of medullary carcinoma of the thyroid are its non-follicular histological appearance, resulting from its origin from the parafollicular C cells, its secretion of calcitonin, providing a relatively simple diagnostic test, and its equal sex incidence, in contrast to all other diseases of the thyroid. Sporadic cases are seen and it occurs in familial groups, with autosomal dominant inheritance, when it is associated with phaeochromocytoma and parathyroid hyperplasia to form the second type of multiple endocrine adenomatosis (MEA2). These last features make it necessary in every case of medullary carcinoma of the thyroid to examine other members of the family and to investigate the possibility of concomitant adrenal and parathyroid disease. The priorities of treatment when these are present and the indications for total thyroidectomy are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

The rhythm of the normal human heart.

The 24-hour cardiac rhythm was studied in 86 subjects (41 male, 45 female) aged 16-65 years, after exclusion of 15 additional volunteers with suspected abnormalities. The electrocardiogram was recorded continuously for two 24-hour periods. In this apparently normal population, 10 subjects (12%) had disturbances of rhythm which are widely believed to be of serious prognostic significance; they included frequent ventricular ectopic beats, R-on-T and multifocal ventricular ectopic beats, bigeminy, and ventricular tachycardia. Supraventricular tachycardia, infrequent ventricular ectopic beats, junctional rhythm, and second-degree heart block were also observed, and if these are included most of the subjects showed some disturbance of rhythm. Bradyarrhythmias and tachyarrhythmias were equally common in waking hours and during sleep. These disturbances were not confined to the older age-groups. Heart-rate but not the number of arrhythmias was significantly higher in smokers.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Riedel's thyroiditis.

Riedel's thyroiditis is a rare chronic inflammatory disease of unknown aetiology and may be one manifestation of multifocal fibrosis. Four patients were seen over a period of 12 years and unusual presentations in 3 of them caused difficulty in diagnosis. The aetiology and methods of treatment are discussed.

Asphyxia↗
PubMed1976

Radiology in Mendelson's syndrome.

Four cases of Mendelson's syndrome (acid pulmonary aspiration) are presented. They all demonstrate an acute diffuse alveolar filling pattern. This appearance is by no means specific. However, in the absence of other causes for this pattern and of evidence of left ventricular failure the radiologist may alert the clinician to the correct diagnosis. Early recognition of this syndrome will result in prompt treatment which differs significantly from that of other causes of this radiographic appearance. The differential diagnosis is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Hyperparathyroidism: retrospect and prospect.

The history of hyperparathyroidism is outlined and the diagnosis and treatment of its various causes reviewed with reference to a series of 153 patients operated on for hyperparathyroidism in the past 20 years. In 119 cases the condition was primary, being due to a tumour or hyperplasia. Future developments in this field are briefly considered.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1976

Results for serum cholesterol and triglycerides by gas-liquid chromatography, as compared with a continuous-flow technique.

We assessed the usefulness of gas-liquid chromatography forthe routine and reference measurement of cholesterol and triglycerides (triacylglycerols). Compared with results obtained by an AutoAnalyzer II method, correlation was good with both serum specimens (triglycerides, r = 0.88; cholesterol, r = 0.90) and lipoprotein fractions isolated by ultracentrifugation (triglycerides, r = 0.98; cholesterol, r = 0.98). However, none of the comparisons was completely free of analytical bias, and in general the AutoAnalyzer method underestimated the cholesterol value and overestimated triglycerides. The obvious advantage of the AutoAnalyzer is its greater analytical speed, but the chromatographic method appeared to be more accurate and precise and to suffer less from interfering substances, and in addition gave information about the cholesterol ester and triglyceride composition. We expect gas-liquid chromatography to be of major importance in the calibration of other analytical methods.

Autoanalysis↗
PubMed1975

Occurrence of other endocrine tumours in primary hyperparathyroidism.

In a review of a hundred and nineteen patients with primary hyperparathyroidism an unexpectedly high number (17.5%) were found to have evidence of associated endocrine disease and were deemed to have multiple endocrine adenomatosis (M.E.A.). The clinical pattern of hypercalcaemia in no way distinguished these patients from other hyperparathyroid patients. M.E.A. was most commonly found in patients with several diseased parathyroid glands.

Adenoma↗