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Biomedical subjects

Thomas D Griffin

Publications and source records attributed to Thomas D Griffin.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

Understanding the delayed-keyword effect on metacomprehension accuracy.

The typical finding from research on metacomprehension is that accuracy is quite low. However, recent studies have shown robust accuracy improvements when judgments follow certain generation tasks (summarizing or keyword listing) but only when these tasks are performed at a delay rather than immediately after reading (K. W. Thiede & M. C. M. Anderson, 2003; K. W. Thiede, M. C. M. Anderson, & D. Therriault, 2003). The delayed and immediate conditions in these studies confounded the delay between reading and generation tasks with other task lags, including the lag between multiple generation tasks and the lag between generation tasks and judgments. The first 2 experiments disentangle these confounded manipulations and provide clear evidence that the delay between reading and keyword generation is the only lag critical to improving metacomprehension accuracy. The 3rd and 4th experiments show that not all delayed tasks produce improvements and suggest that delayed generative tasks provide necessary diagnostic cues about comprehension for improving metacomprehension accuracy.

Cognition↗

Acral persistent papular mucinosis.

Acral persistent papular mucinosis is a rare subtype of localized lichen myxedematosus. For half a century, this disease has endured a controversial and constantly evolving classification. We describe a patient who presented with discrete, flesh-colored papules on the hands, wrists, and forearms in a distribution consistent with acral persistent papular mucinosis. Histology was also constant with this disease, showing a well-circumscribed deposition of mucin in the upper and mid dermis that spared a small grenz zone. The changing nomenclature and diagnostic requirements of acral persistent papular mucinosis that have allowed it to remain a topic of debate are examined through a comprehensive review of the literature. All reported cases are reviewed.

Female↗

Protracted calciphylaxis, Part I.

Calciphylaxis is a serious and often lethal condition that mostly affects patients with renal disease. Patients with calciphylaxis typically have variable degrees of cutaneous necrosis on initial presentation. An unusual, protracted course of calciphylaxis without cutaneous ulcerations has been encountered in the case of a 46-year-old woman. Thirteen additional cases with similar presentation will be discussed in part II of this article. Calciphylaxis may include several clinical presentations, ranging from an acute, rapidly fatal course to an indolent, more benign variant.

Biopsy↗

Protracted calciphylaxis, Part II.

An unusual protracted course of calciphylaxis without cutaneous ulcerations has been encountered in 14 cases. Calciphylaxis may include several clinical presentations ranging from an acute, rapidly fatal course to an indolent, more benign variant. Calciphylaxis should be included in the differential diagnosis for patients with kidney disease presenting with a clinical picture of panniculitis. Patients with renal disease with a characteristic clinical presentation with or without cutaneous ulcerations should undergo an urgent biopsy to confirm the diagnosis.

Adult↗

Basal cell carcinoma presenting as a large pore.

BACKGROUND: Certain facial lesions clinically appear as large pores, and when examined microscopically, they are found to be basal cell carcinomas (BCCs). OBJECTIVES: The purposes of this study were to determine the clinical and histologic characteristics of certain large-pore facial lesions, which, on microscopic examination, are found to be BCCs and to identify, if any, a clinical profile of the patients who might be prone to development of such large-pore BCCs. METHODS: Microscopic examination of biopsy tissue, obtained from patients who presented clinically with characteristic large-pore lesions of the face during the years 1988 to 2000, was performed. RESULTS: Eleven biopsy specimens from 10 patients who presented with long-standing, gaping pores in the center of the face were shown to be BCCs with features of follicular differentiation and focal keratinization. These patients also had thick, sebaceous skin, and most were users of tobacco. CONCLUSION: Enlarged pores or pits in the center of the face, present for a long period in patients with thick sebaceous skin, should be examined for evidence of BCC. These large-pore lesions may be BCCs with histologic features of follicular differentiation.

Adult↗