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Biomedical subjects

W Watson

Publications and source records attributed to W Watson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Bioelectrical impedance analysis in the measurement of the body composition of surgical patients.

The evaluation of nutritional status in surgical patients remains a difficult problem. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a new method of body composition analysis which is easily performed at the bedside. This study determined the accuracy of BIA in the measurement of total body water (TBW) and potassium (TBK) in a heterogeneous group of surgical patients. The resistance and reactance components of impedance were measured with a whole body impedance analyser. Tritiated water dilution and whole body monitoring were the reference methods for TBW and TBK analysis. With the BIA technique the coefficient of variation for the estimation of TBW was 8.1 per cent and for TBK was 6.4 per cent. Allowing for the errors of the reference methods these results show that BIA is of limited value in the estimation of TBW but may provide a useful index of TBK.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Immunoglobulin and cytokine production by neonatal lymphocytes.

Growth and differentiation of cord blood B cells were studied using T cell-depleted populations. In the absence of in vitro activation, cord blood B cells proliferated in response to cytokines including interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-4 (IL-4); anti-mu-stimulated cord B cells had a lesser response to IL-2 than adult cells. IgM synthesis by cord blood B cells was enhanced by interleukin-6 (IL-6) and decreased by IL-2. In cultures activated by Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (SAC), cord blood B cells produced lesser increases in IgM than adult B cells regardless of the cytokine added. Cord blood B cells produced no IgG or IgA with any cytokine preparation with or without SAC activation. Supernatants of cord blood T cells pulse-stimulated with phytohaemagglutinin and phorbol myristate acetate contained less IL-2 and IL-6 and had less growth and differentiation activity than adult T cell supernatants. The results confirm a limited cord blood B cell response and also suggest a limitation in production of B cell stimulatory lymphokines by cord blood T cells.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Utility of Leopold maneuvers in screening for malpresentation.

Malpresentation is a common complication of pregnancy. Using ultrasound as the gold standard, we prospectively tested Leopold maneuvers as a screen for nonvertex presentation in the third trimester. In our hands this technique performed poorly. Values for sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 28, 94, 24, and 95%, respectively, in a population with a 7% prevalence of noncephalic presentation. Much of the correlation between the screening and diagnostic tests seemed to arise from chance (kappa = 0.13).

Breech Presentation↗
PubMed1990

The bottom line.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Attitude to Death↗
PubMed1989

Secretion of antidiuretic hormone in neurosurgical patients: appropriate or inappropriate?

In neurosurgical patients with hyponatraemia (plasma sodium less than 130 mmol/l) and natriuresis, increased antidiuretic hormone (ADH) secretion may be appropriate rather than inappropriate. Ten such patients were studied prospectively to assess circulating ADH concentration and body fluid volumes. Compared with a control group, the mean plasma ADH level was significantly elevated (0.9 pmol/l (s.e.m. = 0.2) versus 0.2 pmol/l (s.e.m. = 0.1], the total body water was normal (101% (s.e.m. = 3) versus 100% (s.e.m. = 6], while the blood volume was significantly reduced (89% (s.e.m. = 3) versus 104% (s.e.m. = 5]. The elevated ADH level was therefore appropriate to a reduced blood volume. This suggests that, in neurosurgical patients with hyponatraemia, fluid restriction could be dangerous. Serial observations in this small group of patients showed that salt replacement and normal fluid intake resulted in a fall in the elevated ADH levels.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1988

A model to evaluate alternative methods of defibrillation threshold determination.

The voltage (or, equivalently, energy) at which defibrillation occurs for a specific episode of fibrillation can be represented by specifying or estimating the probability of successful defibrillation for each voltage or energy. This relation of voltage to probability is the probability function. For a series of attempts, the probability function predicts the frequency with which defibrillation will occur at a given voltage. By defining the defibrillation threshold (DFT) as the voltage at which the probability function takes on a specific value, say 50%, a method of defibrillation threshold determination can be evaluated by how accurately and precisely it estimates the "true" defibrillation threshold. By utilizing estimated probability functions from animals and humans, the relative performance of different methods of defibrillation threshold determination can be evaluated. Three methods were evaluated using published animal data and human clinical data: (1) stepping down to the first voltage that fails; (2) stepping up to the first voltage that succeeds; and (3) doing both 1 and 2 and averaging. In all cases, Method 3 has lower total error. Definitions of defibrillation threshold other than the 50% level can also be evaluated in this fashion.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Tumor stage mycosis fungoides in a patient treated with long-term corticosteroids for asthma and atopic-like dermatitis.

An association between atopy and the Sézary syndrome has been recognized in some patients. Our case represents an association between adult-onset asthma and atopic-like dermatitis, markedly elevated IgE levels, and the development of tumor stage mycosis fungoides (MF) in a patient receiving long-term corticosteroid therapy. The chronic eczematous dermatitis may have represented evolving MF in which the specific diagnosis was delayed by treatment with topical and systemic corticosteroids until advanced tumor stage disease. This case, in conjunction with prior reports, suggests that an atopic diathesis can be associated with both leukemic and nonleukemic forms of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed1979

Estimation of gestational and skeletal age in Macaca mulatta.

Results of qualitative and quantitative studies of prenatal skeletal development in Macaca mulatta are presented. Longitudinal radiographic observations were carried out on 20 monkeys of known gestational age, beginning on 120 days of gestation until the neonatal stage of skeletal development. These studies were based on multiple uterotomies on each pregnant female. The technique described provides accurate data on prenatal bone ossification, and permits an accurate estimation of fetal age in pregnant rhesus monkeys with unknown conception dates.

Age Determination by Skeleton↗
PubMed1978

Kaposi's varicelliform eruption in mycosis fungoides.

Kaposi's varicelliform eruption, caused by herpes simplex type 1, developed in a patient with mycosis fungoides four days after initiation of photochemotherapy with methoxsalen plus long-wave ultraviolet light (PUVA). He had a history of recurrent localized herpes infection. Vidarabine (adenine arabinoside) was used as treatment. Rechallenge with PUVA did not provoke another herpes infection. Kaposi's varicelliform eruption is rare in mycosis fungoides. Vidarabine may prove to be useful in the treatment of widespread herpes simplex.

Humans↗
PubMed1978

Coexistent psoriasis and bullous pemphigoid: a report of six cases.

Vesicles and bullae developed in six patients with psoriasis while they were undergoing therapy for their psoriasis. Skin biopsy specimens were taken from their lesions and studied for regular histopathologic findings and direct immunofluorescence. These studies confirmed that they had coexistent psoriasis and bullous pemphigoid. A review of the therapy that the patients were given incriminates anthralin, crude coal tar, ultraviolet light, and salicylic acid in the possible cause of the development of their bullous pemphigoid lesions.

Aged↗
PubMed1978

Methotrexate toxicity in the treatment of generalized pustular psoriasis.

In a sixty-seven year old woman with a seventeen-year history of psoriasis, generalized pustular psoriasis of von Zumbusch developed. She was treated with parenteral methotrexate in two divided doses over a one-week period. Severe acute granulocytopenia developed with a drop in the white blood cell count from 27,000 to 400. We postulate that the pustular psoriasis stimulated rapid proliferation of the granulocyte series with a high percentage of the precursor cells in the bone marrow in the S-phase of the cell cycle. The subsequent dose of methotrexate resulted in a blockage of DNA synthesis in these cells and subsequent failure of maturation beyond the mitotic compartment in the bone marrow. Caution is recommended in the use of methotrexate in patients with acute generalized pustular psoriasis.

Acute Disease↗