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Biomedical subjects

W Taylor

Publications and source records attributed to W Taylor.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Corrosive burns of the esophagus and stomach: a recommendation for an aggressive surgical approach.

During a six-year period ending in December, 1980, 62 patients with a history or clinical evidence of corrosive ingestion were admitted into our institutions. The majority were adults who had attempted suicide. Strong alkali (lye), the most common corrosive agent involved, was ingested by more than half of the patients (39). The remaining 23 patients had ingested weak alkali or nonalkali corrosive agents. Of the 27 patients with severe esophagogastric burns (second- and third-degree), a 43.5% incidence overall, liquid lye was responsible in 21, including 7 of 8 patients with extensive full-thickness esophagogastric necrosis. In sharp contrast, only 1 of the 23 patients who had ingested weak alkali or nonalkali corrosive agents had serious esophagogastric injury. In the first two years of this review, the management approach was the so-called standard one (esophagoscopy, steroids, antibiotics, and dilation) (Group 1). The results were disappointing. In 5 of 9 patients with endoscopic findings of second-degree burns, stricture requiring dilation developed, and all 4 with extensive full-thickness esophagogastric necrosis died. In contrast, during the last four years, with the adoption of a more aggressive surgical approach, that is, early surgical intervention including the use of an intraluminal esophageal stent and radical resection as indicated, missed or delayed diagnosis of full-thickness esophagogastric necrosis with its prohibitive mortality was avoided and the complication of severe esophageal stricture was virtually eliminated (Group 2).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Acquisition of circadian bioluminescence data in Gonyaulax and an effect of the measurement procedure on the period of the rhythm.

During measurements of the circadian (approximately 24-hr) rhythms of spontaneous bioluminescence in the marine dinoflagellate Gonyaulax polyedra, the individual cultures in vials were shielded from otherwise constant dim light for 1-3 min every 20-60 min by a photomultiplier housing that was moved from vial to vial. The high-frequency dark pulses caused a small but consistent shortening of the free-running circadian period, but there was no indication that the dark pulses caused entrainment. Hardware and software components of the microcomputer-controlled data collection system are described. A microcomputer controlled the movement of the photomultiplier and acquired the data via an analog-to-digital converter. The algorithms distinguished and separately recorded background glow, intermittent flashes, and total light from populations ranging in number from 10(3) to 10(5) cells in volumes from 1 to 10 ml. Fast video display techniques allowed continuous on-line viewing of incoming data, together with a display of the data recorded over the preceding day or two. Detection of mechanical and software errors coupled with recovery systems maintained high reliability of data collection.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Assessing the severity of the neurological component of the hand-arm vibration syndrome.

In view of the observation in epidemiologic studies that the neurological component of the hand-arm vibration syndrome develops first, a conservative measure of the presence and progression of the syndrome may be obtained from the degree of numbness and loss of fine touch. Degraded tactile spatial resolution, as measured by step and gap detection with an esthesiometer, has been found, on the average, in stages 2 and 3 of the Taylor-Pelmear classification for vibration-induced white finger (VWF). Present evidence suggests that this occurrence is due to the degeneration of slowly adapting (type I) and, possibly, fast adapting (type I) mechanoreceptors, and/or their nerve fibers. The apparatus commonly employed for measuring vibrotactile perception thresholds in clinical studies records the sensitivity of fast adapting type II mechanoreceptors (pacinian corpuscles), which play no role in step or gap detection. They may, however, provide early evidence of neurological changes occurring in the syndrome, as a significant degradation in the threshold of fast adapting type II receptors appears to develop, on the average, before stage 2 of VWF.

Fingers↗
PubMed1986

Physiological noise and its influence on vibrotactile perception thresholds.

Vibration of physiological origin (physiological noise) was studied when a small diameter probe, attached to a vibrator and accelerometer for the determination of vibrotactile perception thresholds, was held in contact with a fingertip. The acceleration spectrum consisted of a broad plateau between 0.1 and 10 Hz, where the power spectral density was about -20 dB re 1 (m/s2)2/Hz, and it fell rapidly with increasing frequency above 10 Hz. Substantial contributions from respiration (0.2-1 Hz), blood circulation (1-5 Hz), and hand tremor (6-8 Hz) could be identified. The physiological noise was largely independent of subject, contact force, and probe diameter, and it was approximately equal in amplitude to the threshold of the vibrotactile perception. Current knowledge of the masking and adaptation of vibrotactile signals indicates that vibrotactile thresholds in the frequency range 2-250 Hz may be influenced by the magnitude of this physiological noise under some conditions of flesh stimulation.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

A clinical assessment of seventy-eight cases of hand-arm vibration syndrome.

After the obtainment of an occupational history the following objective tests were carried out: esthesiometry, light touch, pain, temperature appreciation, Tinel's and Phalen's test, grip strength, Allen's test, and cold provocation (10-12 degrees C for 1 min). The 78 subjects were categorized (Taylor-Pelmear classification) according to the number, severity, and extent of the blanching attacks; sensory loss; musculoskeletal complaints; and interference with work and domestic and social activities. Four of the subjects had unequal hand assessments. It was not possible to correlate stage assessment with the objective tests on an individual basis. On a group basis, staging correlated with esthesiometry using the improved designs of Carlson et al. Cold provocation produced white finger attacks in only 50% of the cases. In some work processes (road ripping) of the subjects, damage to digital arteries and nerves was confined to the thumb and index and middle fingers. Four subjects had advanced tissue necrosis of the fingertips resulting from the use of hand-held pneumatic percussive tools. There was no evidence to support the view that the hand-arm vibration syndrome affects the central autonomic nervous system.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Inhibition of esterase activity and an undercounting of circulating monocytes in a population of production workers.

A cross-sectional review of routine employee health status examinations has identified an undercounting of circulating monocytes associated with an inhibition of a surface monocyte esterase, alpha-naphthyl butyrate esterase. It is postulated that this inhibition is associated with an organophosphate used in the production process. Correlation with routine measures of health status are presented.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Children's multiple vitamins: overuse leads to overdose.

A suburban Ontario community hospital encountered 21 +/- 1 overdoses of children's multiple vitamins yearly between 1978 and 1981. Of these, 35% involved one particular cartoon character preparation. Parents were surveyed to determine whether this particular preparation resulted in a disproportionate number of accidental overdoses. However, the use of vitamins with a cartoon character format did not lead to a greater risk of overdose than did conventional preparations. Of the 1051 families who had given multiple vitamins to their children 34 (3%) had experienced an overdose. The number of vitamin preparations used by each family was the most powerful determinant of overdose (p less than 0.001). The risk of accidental overdose increased from 1.5% with one multiple-vitamin preparation to 8% with four or more preparations. Among all the variables examined, exposure was the most important element in the risk of multiple-vitamin overdose.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Factors influencing adolescents' responses to regimens of naproxen for dysmenorrhea.

The efficacy of different regimens of naproxen sodium for relief of dysmenorrhea in female adolescents was compared and the effect of other social/psychologic factors on the response to treatment tested. Following pretesting, 45 female adolescents were randomly assigned in a double-blind fashion to one of five treatment regimens and were followed up after 1, 2, and 3 months of treatment. There was a dose-related response to naproxen sodium therapy, with subjects receiving loading doses of 550 mg reporting better symptom relief than subjects receiving loading doses of 275 mg. During the first month of treatment, adolescents who reported increased life crisis events experienced greater symptom severity following naproxen therapy. Also, adolescents who reported more severe dysmenorrhea symptoms following three months of naproxen therapy had significantly lower self-concepts than adolescents who reported less symptoms following treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Effects of short-term treatment with a combined oestrogen-progestin oral contraceptive on biliary lipids and cholesterol saturation index in young women.

The effect of daily ingestion for 7 days of ethinyloestradiol (30 micrograms) plus DL-norgestrel [0.5 mg] (Eugynon-30) on the lipid composition of duodenal bile in 8 healthy young women was investigated from the fifth day after onset of menstrual bleeding. This treatment did not significantly affect the concentrations of cholesterol, phospholipid and total bile acids expressed as mmol/l, nor the mean molar percentage of phospholipid. However, the treatment caused a significant increase in the mean molar percentage of cholesterol which was accompanied by a significant decrease in the mean molar percentage of total bile acids. The cholesterol saturation index of the bile of 7 subjects was elevated after treatment while both serum cholesterol and testosterone were significantly reduced. The results show that administration to healthy young women, not previously exposed to oral contraceptives, with a low oestrogen-progestin preparation for only 7 days produces a more lithogenic bile, accompanied by a decrease in serum cholesterol and plasma testosterone concentrations.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Bluetongue virus infection in Costa Rican and Colombian cattle.

Bluetongue virus (BTV) group antibodies are widely distributed in Costa Rica and Northern Colombia; prevalence is highest at lowest altitudes. Clinical evidence of bluetongue (BT) infection in cattle is not seen. Evidence exists of the circulation of BTV serotypes 6 and 14 in Costa Rica and BTV serotype 12, 14 and 17 in Northern Colombia in the period 1981-1983. Culicoides insignis is implicated as a probable vector in Colombia.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and disease course in North American patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a prospective study.

It has previously been reported that antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) levels determined at diagnosis against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-specific membrane antigens (MA) are predictive of disease course following therapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). In general, survival was significantly shorter following therapy in patients with low ADCC titers at diagnosis versus those with high titers. To examine this further, a prospective study on North Americans with different histopathological types of this disease was initiated approximately 5 years ago. The results to date tend to support the conclusions drawn from the retrospective study for patients with the more poorly differentiated types (WHO 2 and WHO 3) of this disease. Over the first 3 years of this study, approximately 75% of the patients in the "high" category have remained clinically disease-free for 3 years or longer as opposed to approximately 35% of the patients in the "low" group. Disease progression rates were calculated to be approximately four times higher in the low group. Similar trends were noted in actual survival rates over a 3-year period. ADCC titers were in general found to be relatively stable in sequential serum samples from the same patient, with some exceptions. With the exceptions, however, changes in ADCC titers also reflected disease course. These results indicate, therefore, that anti-EBV ADCC titers are predictive of disease course in patients with the poorly differentiated types of NPC.

Actuarial Analysis↗
PubMed1984

The fixed cervical lymph node.

A series of almost 2000 patients with squamous carcinoma of the head and neck is presented. Seven percent of the patients had massive fixed glands at the time of presentation. The incidence of fixed nodes varied between sites, and increased with increasing T-stage of the primary tumor. Forty percent of the patients were treated; the most common cause for withholding treatment was advanced age. Radiotherapy did not produce a significant prolongation of survival, but surgery did. Resection of the mandible, the skin of the neck, and the external carotid artery proved to be valuable procedures both in terms of palliation and survival; radical surgery produced a 5-year survival of approximately 15%.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗
PubMed1984

The effects of long-term administration of methyltestosterone on the development of liver lesions in BALB/c mice.

Male and female BALB/c mice were treated orally with 5 mg/kg body weight of methyltestosterone for 10 months. Age-matched control animals received no steroid treatment. The livers of all animals were examined by standard histopathological methods. Hepatocellular dysplasia was found in livers of all treated mice, but not in control animals. The extent and severity of this dysplasia showed a sex difference. Most of the male mice (55/78) developed severe dysplasia and in 23/78 the dysplasia was only moderate; the corresponding numbers for female mice were: mild, 15/71; moderate, 48/71 and severe dysplasia, 8/71. Microscopic hepatocytic nodules were found in 6/78 males and 7/71 females. Hepatocellular carcinoma was seen in one male mouse. These findings indicate that methyltestosterone appears to act as a weak total hepatocarcinogen under the experimental conditions used.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Analysis of morbidity and outcome of infants weighing less than 800 grams at birth.

To ascertain the morbidity, outcome, and prediction of survival of infants weighing less than 800 gm at birth, we reviewed all newborn and follow-up records for this group who were treated at The Medical Center between 1978 and 1981. Of the 71 infants in this category, 12 survived and underwent comprehensive evaluations between six and 36 months of age. Nine of the 12 infants had no abnormalities on neurologic examination; ten had developmental quotients greater than 70; one was severely visually impaired; and three had evidence of growth retardation. Factors correlating with nonsurvival included a birth weight of less than 700 gm, asphyxia, fused eyelids, hypothermia, and male sex. We conclude that, although mortality is high, survivors can have a satisfactory outcome.

Adult↗