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Biomedical subjects

W C Watson

Publications and source records attributed to W C Watson.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1978

Globus and headache: common symptoms of the irritable bowel syndrome.

Persons with the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have a significantly higher prevalence of globus and migraine-like headache than age-matched control subjects. On the other hand, persons with organic disease of the esophagus or colon may have a reduced prevalence of functional symptoms involving the opposite end of the gastrointestinal tract. The dispersed pattern of symptoms in IBS suggests that some agent, such as a hormone, may be acting systemically.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Symposium on diarrhea. 2. Clinical diagnosis of the causes of diarrhea.

Elucidation of the cause of diarrhea is facilitated by considering which of three principal determinants are of relevance in a particular case. These determinants relate to the onset (whether diarrhea is acute or chronic), to infection or an absence ofinfection and to the presence in the stool of blood or mucus, or both. Diagnosis is also facilitated by taking an accurate and full history, conducting a physical examination, performing sigmoidoscopy and, with proper care, attempting a therapeutic diagnosis. Findings from investigations should then enable one to arrive at a diagnosis. The diagnosis can be reached in an orderly fashion by classifying the types of diarrhea into eight categories: with respect to the acute or chronic onset a case of diarrhea may be noninfectious, without blood or mucus in the stool; noninfectious, with blood or mucus, or both; infectious, without blood or mucus; and infectious, with blood or mucus in the stool.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1977

Evaluation of immunosuppressive potential of cryogenine using developing and established adjuvant arthritis in rats.

Both developing (Days --1-+12 relative to inoculation) and established (Days +18-+29) stages of Mycobacterium butyricum adjuvant-induced polyarthritis in rats were treated orally with cryogenine (100 mg/kg/day), a prototype anti-inflammatory (phenylbutazone, 100 mg/kg/day), or a prototype immunosuppressive (cyclophosphamide, 6 mg/kg/day). During developing adjuvant arthritis, cryogenine and phenylbutazone significantly reduced the nonimmune-mediated inflammation in the inoculated hindpaw. Neither cryogenine nor phenylbutazone provided protection against the development of the delayed-onset, immune-mediated inflammation and the reduction in growth rate seen after Day +12 in unmedicated rats. Cyclophosphamide failed to reduce the nonimmune-mediated inflammation, but it provided significant protection against both the delayed-onset, immune-mediated inflammation and the reduced growth rate. During established adjuvant arthritis, cryogenine and phenylbutazone were effective against the established inflammation, while cyclophosphamide was ineffective. These results confirm the known anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive activities of phenylbutazone and cyclophosphamide, respectively, and indicate that cryogenine lacks immunosuppressive capability at the effective anti-inflammatory dosage level used.

Alkaloids↗
PubMed1977

Celiac axis compression: experience with 20 patients and a critical appraisal of the syndrome.

Twenty patients with celiac axis compression were treated surgically during a 5-year period. Fifteen remain asymptomatic, two are partially improved, two are unimproved, and one has been lost to follow-up. The main presenting symptom was upper abdominal pain--constant in some, intermittent in most--and the main diagnostic clue was a loud, localized systolic bruit in the midepigastrium. All had angiographic confirmation of the diagnosis. Ten had previous surgery (appendectomy, cholecystectomy, vagotomy, and pyloroplasty), without relief. The authenticity of celiac axis compression as a symptom-producing entity is difficult to establish objectively because the main treatable symptom is pain. However, eight of these patients gained weight, three have shown improvement in pancreatic function, and one of the unimproved patients still has an occluded celiac axis. A critical review of the literature of this controversial topic is included.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Hypergastrinemia and gastric acid hypersecretion in uremia.

Twenty-one chronic hemodialysis patients were investigated. While only two had radiologic evidence of peptic ulceration, three had markedly elevated basal acid outputs, thirteen had significantly elevated maximal acid outputs and seven had fasting duodenogastric reflux. Elevated fasting serum gastrin levels and prolonged gastrin circulation following stimulated endogenous release were also demonstrated. The abnormalities in gastric function may be explained by fasting and stimulated hypergastrinemia.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Carnosinase activity of human gastrointestinal mucosa.

Carnosinase, the dipeptidase which hydrolyses carnosine and other histidine-containing dipeptides, was assayed in mucosal tissues of the human and of the rat gut. Kinetic properties of the intestinal enzyme were found to be similar to carnosinase of other animal tissues. Little or no activity was detected in human gastric or colonic mucosa, and the levels were lower in duodenal than jejunal mucosa. The distribution of carnosinase is similar to that of the disaccharidases. Mean carnosinase activity was 8-8 units/g weight in 15 patients with histologically normal mucosa compared with 5-7 units in five with villous atrophy. The enzyme levels increased with histological improvement of the mucosa in patients with coeliac disease on a gluten-free diet. Tolerance curves for carnosine and its constitutent amino acids showed malabsorption of the dipeptide in a patient with carnosinase deficiency. It is concluded that the intestinal mucosa has much less hydrolase activity for carnosine than for glycylglycine and other dipeptidases, and the relatively slow hydrolysis appears to be the rate-limiting step in the total absorptive process.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

Detection and quantitation of tetanus antitoxin in blood donations.

Passive haemagglutination and IEOP have been used both to detect and to measure tetanus antitoxin in human donor sera. Forty percent of blood donors had detectable antitoxin but only 9% had levels suitable for production of human antitetanus immuoglobulin (larger than or equal to 2 IU/ml). The incidence of high titre antitoxin was significantly greater in men and was unrelated to the ABO blood group system. The prevalence of antitoxin in selected donor groups and immunized staff is shown.

ABO Blood-Group System↗