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Biomedical subjects

W B Young

Publications and source records attributed to W B Young.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Effect of anti-prostaglandin therapy in experimental parainfluenza type 3 pneumonia in weaned, conventional calves.

An acute pneumonia was induced experimentally in 10, 10- to 12-week-old conventional calves by administration into the upper airways of a pathogenic strain of parainfluenza type 3 (PI3) virus. The experimental calves had been selected on the basis of freedom from clinical evidence of respiratory and other diseases, freedom from current infection by PI3 virus as judged by repeated nasopharyngeal swabbing and freedom from earlier PI3 virus infection as judged by their lack of significant levels of serum antibody to that virus. The infection procedure was deemed to have been successful in that infection was established with subsequent seroconversion, clinical signs of a febrile pneumonia arose soon after the administration of virus, histopathological changes characteristic of PI3 pneumonia developed and the presence of PI3 virus antigen was demonstrated by immunofluorescence in association with those lesions. Treatment of five of the pneumonic calves was carried out on days 1, 2 and 3 of the trial using the anti-prostaglandin compound flunixin meglumine and that treatment appeared to be of benefit in that in the test calves there was a prompt cessation of coughing with fewer fevers and lower respiratory rates as compared with the untreated controls. The drug did not appear to influence PI3 infection rates but its administration was associated with a marked reduction in the extent of pulmonary consolidation, probably as the result of its known ability to limit the acute inflammatory response.

Acute Disease↗

Evolution of bone disease over 10 years in 135 patients with terminal renal failure.

An objective radiographic study of erosions, fractures, and periarticular and vascular calcification was made in a series of 135 patients over 10 years of maintenance haemodialysis therapy. The four lesions progressed at different rates, consistent with variation in the response of tissues to a changing biochemical milieu and deficiency in vitamin D metabolites. The half time for development of individual radiographic signs was 3.4 years for vascular calcification, 9 years for fractures, 16 years for periarticular calcification, and 22.9 years for erosions. Calcification of the dorsalis pedis artery seen as a developing ring or tube was an early and valuable sign of disturbed calcium metabolism. In these patients renal osteodystrophy is a chronic condition with a prolonged time course.

Adolescent↗

A study of six patients with hypertrophy of the gastric mucosa with particular reference to albumin metabolism.

Six patients with hypertrophy of the gastric mucosa (Menetrier's disease) have been studied. An incorrect diagnosis was initially made in four patients. The correct diagnosis was suggested by the appearances either of barium meal radiographs of the stomach or at gastroscopy. Estimates of both basal and maximal gastric acid secretion were within normal limits. A definitive histological diagnosis requires an adequate full-thickness biopsy of the wall of the stomach; a peroral gastric mucosal biopsy is of no value in this context. There was no evidence of premalignant change in the histological material available but five of the patients were shown to have concomitant superficial gastritis. Subtotal gastrectomy in four of the patients was followed by a striking amelioration of abdominal pain, which was only temporary in one patient. Albumin metabolism was studied in five of the patients, four of whom had concomitant superficial gastritis. None of the patients had hypoalbuminaemia. However, the fractional catabolic rate of albumin measured with ((131)I)-albumin was shown in four of these patients to be increased, while the absolute catabolic rate was similar to that in control subjects. Similar results were obtained for albumin synthesis in three of the patients using the ((14)C)-carbonate method. In two of the patients subtotal gastrectomy was associated with a marked reduction of the fractional catabolic rate of albumin and in one, using ((125)I)-fibrinogen, with a relatively less marked reduction in the fractional catabolic rate of fibrinogen. These results indicate that abnormal albumin metabolism can be demonstrated in patients with this syndrome in spite of normal plasma albumin concentrations. The detection of the abnormal albumin metabolism can be of diagnostic value in patients with this gastric lesion. The abnormalities of albumin metabolism found are consistent with excessive loss of albumin into the stomach and the presence of superficial gastritis could have contributed to protein loss.

Adult↗

Interior turns in globular proteins.

Reverse turns are specific sites in proteins at which the polypeptide chain changes its overall direction. This category of secondary structure enables the chain to turn a corner, and its frequent occurrence is the geometric basis for the ultimate globular shape of the protein. beta-Turns in particular are comprised of four consecutive residues with a stereochemistry that constrains the turn to be polar. In consequence, turns are almost always situated at the surface of the protein, in contact with solvent water. We have searched proteins of known structure and find that, on occasion, a turn may be buried within the hydrophobic interior of the molecule. In every instance of a buried turn, one or more solvent molecules were also found in a hydrogen-bonded complex with main-chain atoms of the turn residues. These bound water molecules appear to function as an integral part of the protein structure.

Chymotrypsin↗

Cardiac risk factors and the use of triptans: a survey study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe current practice in triptan use. BACKGROUND: Triptans are effective migraine treatments that cause chest symptoms in some patients. True cardiac ischemia is rare. Design.-Headache specialists and family practitioners completed questionnaires regarding the times when triptans are contraindicated, obtaining electrocardiograms (ECGs), and giving the first dose in the office. RESULTS: Sixty-five headache specialists and 67 family practitioners responded. Headache specialists saw an average of 36.3 patients with headache per week. Family practitioners saw an average of 7.2. Family practitioners and headache specialists had similar opinions regarding the age at which triptans were contraindicated with various numbers of risk factors. Sixty-one percent of headache specialists and 50% of family practitioners would not use a triptan at any age for patients with more than three risk factors (P = NS). Ten percent of headache specialists obtained an ECG for all patients being prescribed triptans, while no family practitioners did (P =. 008). Ten percent of both family practitioners and headache specialists never obtained an ECG, even with multiple cardiac risk factors. Headache specialists obtained ECGs more often than family practitioners (P <.002 for one to three risk factors). Family practitioners were more likely to give the first dose of the triptan in the office regardless of cardiovascular risk (58% versus 20%, P <. 001). Forty-five percent of headache specialists and 2% of family practitioners never gave the first dose in the office (P <.001). Family practitioners gave the first dose in the office more readily than headache specialists in patients with no risk factors (P =.001), but not for one or more risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: No consensus exists among family practitioners or headache specialists about when to avoid using a triptan due to excessive cardiac risk factors, when to obtain an ECG prior to using a triptan, and when to give the first dose of a triptan in the office. Headache specialists are more likely to obtain ECGs, whereas family practitioners are more likely to give the first dose of a triptan in the office.

Adult↗

Managed healthcare consumer protection initiatives.

This three part series on health legislation describes the policy shift toward regulating the private healthcare system to ensure adequate consumer protection and access to health insurance. Still burning from the failed 1993-1994 healthcare reform effort, Congress and the White House are looking only for incremental policies necessary to reduce the federal deficit and protect the public white the private healthcare system continues to undergo major transformation. In this series, the author discusses Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal program revisions: consumer protection legislation aimed at unacceptable managed care practices: and incremental health insurance proposals aimed toward segments of the uninsured.

Consumer Advocacy↗

Decision making. Stability of clinical decisions.

Clinical decisions of 101 medical-surgical nurses were examined for stability. Results indicate that slightly more than 50% of the subjects made stable clinical decisions or decisions not likely to be reversed with minor changes in the clinical data. The findings also reveal that stability was related to hospital setting and country in which the nurses received their education. The authors provide possible explanations for these observations, and recommendations for nursing education and practice.

Clinical Competence↗

Should continuing education be public policy?

A survey of Illinois registered nurses reveals a striking relationship between employment setting and participation in continuing education programs. It suggests that public policy mandating CE participation may not be the best way to increase such participation among those nurses least inclined to do so.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

An analysis of posthospitalization telephone survey data.

As part of a study of patient-centered care outcomes that requires the ability to be interviewed by telephone after hospitalization, 4,600 adult patients on 118 medical-surgical units in 17 midwestern hospitals selected by stratified random sampling were identified as potential subjects. This article describes response-rate differences and reasons for nonparticipation by gender, age, ethnicity, and race. Issues related to understanding and reporting response rates, reducing losses due to ineligibility, dealing with refusals, and tailoring survey approaches to special populations are discussed.

Adult↗