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Biomedical subjects

W Taylor

Publications and source records attributed to W Taylor.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Noise levels and hearing thresholds in the drop forging industry.

A-weighted equivalent continuous noise levels for hammer and press operations in a drop-forging industry were determined using both tape recordings of the noise and personal noise dosimeters. The results indicated average A-weighted Leq values of 108 dB for hammer operators and 99 dB for press operators. Comparison of hearing level statistics for 716 hammer and press operators and 293 control subjects indicated the severe hazard to hearing of impact noise exposures. For mean exposure times of less than 10 years, hearing levels for the press (99 dB) and hammer (108 dB) operator age groups are nearly identical, and in the latter case are less than those predicted for exposure to equivalent continuous noise. For long-term exposures of 10 years or more, the results of this study indicate that hearing losses resulting from impact noise in the drop-forging industry are as great or greater than those resulting from continuous noise.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Effect of the air hammer on the hands of stonecutters. The limestone quarries of Bedford, Indiana, revisited.

In the limestone quarries of Indiana, USA, pneumatic percussive hammers replaced the mallet and hammer around 1900. By 1917 the air hammer was being used exclusively for periods of eight to ten hours a shift. In 1918 Alice Hamilton investigated an unusual "disease" in these stonecutters of Bedford, Indiana, who complained of "attacks of numbness and blanching of the fingers coming on suddenly under the influence of cold and then disappearing." The prevalence of vibration induced white finger (VWF) found in this population of 38 stonecutters was 89%, with decreased light touch, pain, and temperature appreciation in advanced cases. In 1978 a VWF research team revisited these limestone quarries. During the 60 year interval the stonecutting industry had contracted from 4000 workers in 40 quarries in 1918 to 3-400 in 10 quarries in 1978, with only 50 employees remaining in the Bedford area. In a population of 30 stonecutters the prevalence of VWF in 1978 was 80%, with similar sensory loss in light touch, pain, and temperature appreciation. Between 1918 and 1978 no change had taken place in the design of the air hammers used for stonecutting. Vibration levels of 4859 metres/s2 on the chisel, and 2010 metres/s2 on the barrel were measured over a frequency range 6.3 to 1000 Hz. The fundamental frequency was 75 Hz. These measured vibration levels are outside the ISO/DIS/5349 (1979) recommended limits for human exposure to vibration transmitted to the hand. The VWF data presented in this paper, and those originally reported by Hamilton in 1918, call for an immediate redesign of stonecutting pneumatic hammers in order to remove one cause of Raynaud's phenomenon of occupational origin.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Are membrane properties essential for the circadian rhythm of Gonyaulax?

Membrane properties of whole cells of Gonyaulax polyedra were measured by fluorescence polarization. Circadian changes of fluorescence polarization exist in exponentially growing cultures. They show an amplitude larger than that of stationary cultures, indicating that a part of the change is due to or amplified by an ongoing cell cycle. Measurements of parameters of the circadian glow rhythm were analyzed for possible correlation with the membrane data. Considerable differences (Q10 = 2.5-3.0) in fluorescence polarization were found in cultures kept at different temperatures ranging from 15 to 27.5 degrees C. The free-running period length at different temperatures, on the other hand, differed only slightly (Q10 = 0.9-1.1). Stationary cultures showed higher fluorescence polarization compared with growing cultures, whereas the free-running period lengths did not differ in cultures of various densities and growth rates. Temperature steps of different sign changed the fluorescence polarization slightly in different directions. The phase shift of 4-h pulses (-5, -9, +7 degrees C) resulted in maximal phase advances of 4, 6, and 2 h, respectively. The phasing of the phase-response curves was identical in all these experiments, a finding not to be expected if the pulses act via the measured membrane properties. Pulses of drugs that change the fluorescence polarization (e.g., chlorpromazine and lidocaine) did not or only slightly phase-shift the circadian rhythm.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Effect of nicotine chewing gum as an adjunct to general practitioner's advice against smoking.

This study was designed to see whether the offer and prescription of nicotine chewing gum would enhance the efficacy of general practitioners' advice to stop smoking. A sample of 1938 cigarette smokers who attended the surgeries of 34 general practitioners in six group practices were assigned by week of attendance (in a balanced design) to one of three groups: (a) non-intervention controls, (b) advice plus booklet, and (c) advice plus booklet plus the offer of nicotine gum. Follow up was done after four months and one year. The results show a clear advantage for those offered the nicotine gum (p less than 0.001). After correction for those who refused or failed chemical validation and those who switched from cigarettes to a pipe or cigars, the proportions who were abstinent at four months and still abstinent at one year were 3.9%, 4.1%, and 8.8% in the three groups, respectively. These percentages are based on all cigarette smokers who attended the surgeries including those who did not wish to stop and those in the gum group who did not try the gum (47%). The effect of the offer and prescription of gum was to motivate more smokers to try to stop, to increase the success rate among those who tried, and to reduce the relapse rate of those who stopped. The self selected subgroup of 8% who used more than one box of 105 pieces of gum achieved a success rate of 24%. It would be feasible and effective for general practitioners to include the offer of nicotine gum and brief instructions on its use as part of a minimal intervention routine with all cigarette smokers. A general practitioner who adopts such a routine with similar success could expect to achieve about 35-40 long term ex-smokers a year and so save the lives of about 10 of them. If replicated by all general practitioners throughout the country the yield of ex-smokers would be about one million a year.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Application of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) serology to the diagnosis of North American nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

A cooperative study was established among a number of institutions in the USA to determine the clinical value of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) serology for the diagnosis of different histopathological types of North American nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) including occult primary tumors. One hundred-twenty-four patients with confirmed NPC have now been entered into the study. For each patient, anti-EBV antibody titers were determined at diagnosis and related to the histopathology as classified according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The results suggest that certain anti-EBV antibodies are of potential value for the diagnosis of undifferentiated types of NPC but not for the well-differentiated cancer. The IgA anti-VCA antibody response is the most specific for this disease and of the greatest diagnostic value when used alone or in combination with the anti-EA test. These tests have also been used successfully for the detection of occult NPC. These results indicate that these tests can be useful aids to the clinician for the diagnosis of certain histopathologic types of this disease.

Antigens, Viral↗
PubMed1983

Hyaline-vascular variant of angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia with systemic manifestations and response to corticosteroids.

We report two cases of angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia of the hyaline-vascular type. The patients were atypical in having systemic complications, which are much more commonly seen in the plasma cell variant of this disorder. In each case, the diagnosis was established some years after the initial presentation. Both patients presented with unusual systemic manifestations. The exact mechanism underlying the associated features is unknown, but these cases provide some evidence that the disease is primarily a vascular proliferative or inflammatory disorder. All manifestations of the disease responded to the administration of prednisolone with rapid reduction of dosage to less than 10 mg daily. Maintenance therapy may be required to prevent relapse.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Ataxia in four horses with equine infectious anemia.

In 4 horses with equine infectious anemia (EIA), the predominant clinical sign was ataxia. Other clinical and laboratory findings often associated with EIA included weight loss, anemia, pyrexia, thrombocytopenia, hemorrhages, hypergammaglobulinemia, and high activity of biliary epithelial enzymes. Neuropathologic findings were nonsuppurative granulomatous ependymitis, meningitis, and encephalomyelitis and plasmacytic-lymphocytic infiltration of the brain and spinal cord. The onset of neurologic signs corresponded to the acute stage of infection in at least 2 horses, and the signs developed at least 18 months after infection in 1 case. Cerebrospinal fluid from 3 of the horses contained high concentration of protein and white cells, although changes in 1 horse may have been associated with a prior traumatic attempt to collect CSF. By comparison, CSF from 3 ponies inapparently infected with EIA was normal. Active production of anti-EIA antibody in the CSF was suspected on the basis of serologic findings.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Lipid accumulation in the neointima formed in normally fed rabbits in response to one or six removals of the aortic endothelium.

In previous experiments it was shown that repeated mechanical or immunologic injury to the arterial intima of normally fed rabbits induced lesions morphologically identical with human atherosclerosis. These regressed in size and lipid content when the injury stimulus was removed. By contrast, repeated injury directed to removal of only the endothelial layer induced lesions in which lipid accumulated in areas of endothelial regeneration and increased with time. In the present report the lesions associated with multiple and with a single episode of endothelial removal, using a Fogarty balloon catheter, are compared. Lipid accumulates in areas of endothelial regrowth following one endothelial injury and is similar in amount to that at comparable time intervals following the first of multiple balloon removals of the endothelium. There is much more lipid in areas of endothelial regrowth than in areas that remain uncovered by endothelium, the lipid tends to increase with time, and there is more lipid in the abdominal aortic than in the thoracic aortic lesions. A correlation was found between lipid content and thickness of lesions, especially in response to multiple removals of the endothelium. Multiple removals resulted in thicker lesions than a single injury. There appeared to be a positive relationship between the level of blood cholesterol and the amount of lipid deposited in areas of endothelial regrowth. This is consistent with trapping of low density lipoprotein by glycosaminoglycans in the neointima covered by regenerated endothelium.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

The effect of cholesterol feeding on gallbladder bile acids of the rabbit. Evidence that lithocholic acid is a primary bile acid in the rabbit.

The bile acid in gallbladder bile of rabbits fed a normal diet or one containing 2% (w/w) cholesterol have been determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The predominant bile acids in normally fed rabbits were 3 alpha, 7 alpha, 12 alpha-trihydroxy-5 beta-cholan-24-oic acid (cholic acid), 3 alpha, 12 alpha-dihydroxy-5 alpha-cholan-24-oic acid (allodeoxycholic acid) and 3 alpha, 12 alpha-dihydroxy-5 beta-cholan-24-oic acid (deoxycholic acid) with very much smaller amounts of 3 alpha-hydroxy-5 beta-cholan-24-oic acid (lithocholic acid) and 3 alpha, 12 beta-dihydroxy-5 beta-cholan-24-oic acid. In the cholesterol-fed animals the lithocholate became a predominant bile acid. Sulphated bile acids accounted for less than 1% of the total bile acids. It is proposed that lithocholic acid may be a primary bile acid in the cholesterol-fed rabbit, formed by an alternative pathway of biosynthesis involving hepatic mitochondria.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

The reliability of IgA antibody to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) capsid antigen as a test for the diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Since patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma were first reported to have elevated levels of IgA antibody to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in their sera, workers in a number of countries have studied the possibility that this assay could be used in the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with this disease. In the United States, a collaborative project involving seven centers has been established to investigate the potential value of IgA antibody to EBV viral capsid antigen (VCA) as a clinical tool. In this report, we will summarize the results obtained from three studies: a comparison of EBV serology in three laboratories; a retrospective study of 37 nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients and controls, and a prospective study of 126 NPC patients and 683 controls, including 149 patients with other malignancies involving the head and neck. The study of testing comparability in three laboratories demonstrated the feasibility of using this assay in a number of laboratories. The retrospective study confirmed the difference in IgA antibody titers between NPC patients and matched controls. The prospective study showed a relationship between IgA antibody titers and histopathology but not disease stage. IgA antibody titers were elevated more frequently in patients with nonkeratinizing or poorly differentiated types of NPC than for the well-differentiated squamous cell carcinomas. While IgA antibodies to EBV VCA appear to be of value in the early detection and diagnosis of NPC, it is possible that additional serologic tests for immunity to EBV, such as IgG antibody to VCA or early antigen (EA), will improve even further the clinical value of EBV serology in the management of NPC.

Antibodies, Viral↗