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Biomedical subjects

B A Walker

Publications and source records attributed to B A Walker.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1978

Milieu therapy with the adolescent sociopath.

This paper defines sociopathy, presents current research experimentation being conducted and findings as to its causes and treatment. Also presented is a description of a milieu therapy program for the adolescent sociopath. Both preventive and active treatment methods in this program are discussed. The value of the milieu therapy approach is shown in its attempt to keep the adolescent sociopath engaged in constructive activities and relationships in order to overcome antisocial behavior patterns. With the failure of individual therapy alone to reinforce normal living patterns and overcome lack of socialization functions in the adolescent sociopath, a more comprehensive and effective approach is required. Such an approach is described in which the following are stressed: 1) prevention of incarceration, 2) prevention of rejection by parents, peers and teachers, 3) active treatment of hyperkinesis and specific learning disabilities, 4) utilization of "sponsors," and 5) multiple therapist (family, group, individual) programs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Prenatal diagnosis of renal anomalies.

Within the past 24 months, we have performed prenatal diagnostic studies in 4 pregnancies known to be at risk for well-described genetic syndrome involving renal abnormalities, ie, Meckel syndrome, Roberts syndrome, and bilateral renal agenesis. The diagnostic techniques utilized were ultrasonographic scanning (B-mode and grey scale), biochemical assays, and radiographic evaluation. The ultrasound finding common to the 3 affected cases was extreme oligohydramnios, which we considered indirect evidence that renal anomalies were present. The ultrasound scans of the fetuses affected with Meckel and Roberts syndrome demonstrated anechoic cystic spaces in the abdomen, representing the enlarged dysplastic cystic kidneys. An encephalocele was well demonstrated by B-mode scan in the fetus with Meckel syndrome. The absence of normal limbs in the Roberts syndrome was evident on serial grey scale scans of the fetus. Biochemical and radiographic studies provided results consistent with the suspected diagnoses. The importance of providing genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis to families at risk is emphasized.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMed1977

Relationship of nailbiting to sociopathy.

The incidence of nailbiting in 62 sociopath subjects was compared with that in 62 nonsociopath matched controls utilizing the Cornell Medical Index Health Questionnaire. Results indicated that the incidence of nailbiting in primary sociopaths (48 per cent) was significantly greater (p less than .01) than the incidence of nailbiting in the control group (24 per cent). Implications of these findings are discussed in terms of the significance of nailbiting in sociopaths, particularly the relationship of nailbiting and anxiety in primary sociopathy.

Antisocial Personality Disorder↗
PubMed1977

Prenatal diagnosis of bilateral renal agenesis.

Bilateral renal agenesis (BRA), or Potter's syndrome, is a rare genetic disorder in which agenesis of the kidneys is associated with pulmonary hypoplasia and characteristic facial features. Oligohydramnios or virtual absence of amniotic fluid is found in most pregnancies with BRA. Clinical observation and serial ultrasonography scans made it possible to diagnose BRA prenatally in a fetus at risk. Postmortem examination confirmed the diagnosis.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1975

Carbohydrate metabolism in dystrophia myotonica.

Serum insulin, blood sugar, and growth hormone levels were measured in response to a 50g oral glucose tolerance test in 10 patients with proven dystrophia myotonica. Three patients belonged to one family; seven patients had no known family history of the disease. One patient, a chronic invalid aged 56 years, produced a mild diabetic glucose tolerance curve and a delayed prolonged rise in serum insulin. Six of the group, including the three affected members from one family, exhibited normal glucose tolerance and fasting serum insulin values, but a markedly exaggerated rise in peripheral insulin levels maximal at 30 and 60 min. This abnormality showed no correlation with age of onset of the disease nor with severity of the muscle weakness. Growth hormone levels were normal in all of the patients studied. It is concluded that an excessive rise in circulating immunoreactive insulin in response to glucose is a common abnormality in dystrophia myotonica and reflects genetic heterogeneity in this condition. Futhermore, if the index patient in a family demostrates this abnormality, it is suggested that the 30- or 60-min blood insulin level during a glucose tolerance test is a useful methold of intra-family screen-ing for asymptomatic heterozygotes at an early stage before the development of physical defects.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Priming and signal transduction in neutrophils.

The priming response is a common feature for almost all agents which activate neutrophils. The priming response is associated with a number of events such as degranulation, receptor upregulation, increases in [Ca2+]i and the production of lipid second messengers. For each of these associated events there are data to suggest that priming can also occur in their absence. These contradictions suggest that either the true mechanism for priming has not been found or that there are multiple pathways by which the primed state can be reached. The latter is more likely to be the case.

Calcium↗