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Biomedical subjects

C Phillips

Publications and source records attributed to C Phillips.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources

Referral adherence in an inner city breast and cervical cancer screening program.

BACKGROUND: Early detection and immediate follow-up treatment for cancer of the breast and cervix can reduce morbidity and mortality. This report describes adherence to follow-up appointments for suspected breast and cervical malignancies in a population of low-income black women who participated in a community-based nurse-managed screening program. METHODS: Components of the program that were part of the intervention included the following: a consistent referral mechanism augmented by a computerized tickler system; education of women about the importance of follow-up; and active nurse assistance in the follow-up process. Referral for follow-up of suspected malignancies or for other questionable findings was made to the public sector hospital clinics (86%) or to other providers of the women's choice (14%). RESULTS: Follow-up rates for suspected malignancies of the breast were high (92%) in this population of women, sometimes described as less likely to adhere to recommendations for continued care. In contrast, adherence rates for gynecologic conditions were lower (70%). CONCLUSIONS: This screening program and follow-up system has relevance to systems that serve similar groups of low-income women.

Adult↗

X-ray crystallographic structure of a papain-leupeptin complex.

The three-dimensional structure of the papain-leupeptin complex has been determined by X-ray crystallography to a resolution of 2.1 A (overall R-factor = 19.8%). The structure indicates that: (i) leupeptin contacts the S subsites of the papain active site and not the S' subsites; (ii) the 'carbonyl' carbon atom of the inhibitor is covalently bound by the Cys-25 sulphur atom of papain and is tetrahedrally coordinated; (iii) the 'carbonyl' oxygen atom of the inhibitor faces the oxyanion hole and makes hydrogen bond contacts with Gln-19 and Cys-25.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Cross-linking of surface IgM, but not surface IgD receptors, by soluble monoclonal antibodies primes murine B cells to secrete immunoglobulin in response to lymphokines.

We have previously reported the development of a two-step culture system in which soluble anti-mu monoclonal antibodies prime small resting murine B cells to secrete immunoglobulin (Ig) in response to restimulation with a mixture of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-5. Here we have extended these studies to investigate the effects of engaging surface IgD (sIgD). We find that, unlike anti-mu, three different anti-delta monoclonal antibodies did not prime B cells to secrete Ig. In addition, these anti-delta antibodies inhibited anti-mu-stimulated priming for Ig secretion, while enhancing DNA synthesis in response to anti-mu. Furthermore, anti-delta antibodies still inhibited anti-mu-induced priming when added 24-48 h after anti-mu. These results therefore suggest that triggering of sIgD on B cells induces a dominant inhibitory signal which is not necessarily dependent upon co-ligation of sIgM and sIgD receptors. In addition, these findings raise the possibility that ligating sIgM or sIgD receptors on mature B cells in the absence of T cell help, may produce different downstream effects.

Animals↗

Characterization of T-cell clones generated from skin of patients with psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: The infiltrating cells in psoriasis include a subpopulation of autoreactive T cells. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to further characterize skin-infiltrating T lymphocytes in patients with psoriasis. METHODS: Forty-five T-cell clones were generated from skin biopsy specimens from two patients. RESULTS: Phenotypic studies on 25 of 45 clones revealed that 19 (76%) of the clones were CD4+, 5 (20%) were CD8+, and 1 (4%) clone was CD4- and CD8-. Twenty-three clones were stained for identification of T-cell receptors. Twenty-two clones expressed alpha/beta T-cell receptors and one clone (CD4-/CD8-) expressed no T-cell receptor. Nineteen clones (42%) were autoreactive with no restriction to class I or class II HLA antigens. By contrast, proliferation of two of the seven clones was inhibited by class I monoclonal antibody, whereas proliferation of four of seven clones was inhibited by class II monoclonal antibody. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that skin-infiltrating lymphocytes in patients with psoriasis may recognize HLA-associated molecules, perhaps the peptide of the HLA groove. The recognition of the peptide is presumably inhibited when monoclonal antibody is bound to the HLA molecule.

CD4 Antigens↗

In vivo correlation of Doppler waveform analysis with arterial input impedance parameters.

Previous studies have confirmed that Doppler waveform analysis (DWA) offers a valid reflection of changes in peripheral vascular resistance. However, the ability of the pulsatility index (PI), a parameter of DWA, to reflect the dynamic components of the circulation, as assessed by arterial input parameters, remains uncertain. In addition, the state of the central circulation is considered an important factor influencing the accuracy of this technique. This study evaluated the ability of the aortic PI to reflect alterations of input impedance in a chronically instrumented lamb model that was subjected to pharmacologic alteration of the circulation. Pressure, volumetric flow and continuous-wave Doppler frequency shift measurements were recorded from the infrarenal abdominal aorta. The parameters of input impedance, peripheral vascular resistance (Zpr), characteristic impedance (Zo) and reflection coefficient (Rc), were determined and then correlated with changes in the aortic PI. Initially, perturbations of the circulatory state were created with a vasodilator, hydralazine (HY) and a vasoconstrictor, phenylephrine (PE). During a second set of experiments, the effect of the reflex heart rate (HR) responses on the PI was evaluated. This was accomplished by inhibiting reflex HR responses to these vasoactive agents with either trimethophan (TM) or atropine methyl bromide (AMB). In response to HY and HY with TM, significant decreases in the PI and impedance parameters occurred. Administration of PE and PE with AMB resulted in significant increases in PI and each of the impedance parameters. HY and PE induced changes in PI correlated significantly with changes in volumetric flow (r = 0.82, 0.80; p < 0.001), mean arterial blood pressure (r = 0.64, 0.70; p < 0.001) and Zpr (r = 0.77, 0.80; p < 0.001), but not with Zo (r = 0.34, 0.36) and Rc (r = 0.26, 0.31). However, when reflex HR responses were inhibited during the administration of the vasoactive agents, HY with TM and PE with AMB, induced changes in PI correlated significantly with Zo (r = 0.93, 0.89; p < 0.001) and Rc (r = 0.84, 0.83; p < 0.001), and the correlation with mean arterial pressure (r = 0.78, 0.87; p < 0.05) and Zpr (r = 0.92, 0.91; p < 0.05) was significantly greater. These findings indicate that the PI accurately assesses pharmacologically induced changes in the downstream arterial input impedance. The accuracy of this assessment is enhanced further when central circulatory factors such as changes in HR are considered.

Animals↗

Anterior tooth position and motivation for early treatment.

During 1989-90, 473 parents of children being screened at an orthodontic graduate clinic completed a self-report form about the child's dental/facial appearance, reasons for seeking care and referral paths. Almost all (85%) of the 313 parents of children under the age of 16 years expressed concern about the appearance of the child's teeth, and 44% reported the child had been teased about this. Only 14% of the parents reported that it was the child who had first noticed the need for treatment. The rank order of reasons for seeking treatment were appearance of teeth (85%), advice of dentist (73%), and appearance of face (46%). Using logistic regression, overjet and malalignment were observed to be significant predictors of the parent-report of the child being teased (odds ratios, OR, 5.5 and 2.4, respectively). Overjet predicted citing facial appearance as the reason for seeking treatment (OR 2.9), while age predicted patient-referral (OR 2.2) and overjet predicted parental referral (OR 3.0). Increased overjet is an important focus for early treatment and might accordingly be expected to influence the value of early intervention.

Adolescent↗

Recovery following orthognathic surgery: mandibular bilateral sagittal split osteotomy and Le Fort I osteotomy.

Thirty-eight patients, who underwent orthognathic surgery, reported their recovery period upon returning to work or school and returning to full activity. Twenty-six patients had isolated bilateral sagittal split osteotomies (BSSO) and 12 had isolated Le Fort I osteotomies (LFI). At 1 to 2 weeks postoperatively, 50% of the BSSO group had returned to work or school while none of the LFI group had returned. By 3 to 4 weeks, 81% of the BSSO group had returned to work or school while nearly one half of the LFI group still had not returned. The BSSO group returned to full activity earlier than the LFI group, although the differences were not statistically significant. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, weight, and vital signs were determined preoperatively and for 6 weeks postoperatively. The LFI group had a larger mean estimated blood loss, length of operation, and weight loss.

Absenteeism↗

Cephalometric measures as indicators of facial attractiveness.

Orthodontic treatment is frequently undertaken to improve facial appearance. However, the contribution of the components of malocclusion to perceptions of attractiveness is not clear. This study uses three panels of judges--undergraduates, dental students, and orthodontic residents--to quantify the associations between common objective measures of dental and skeletal anteroposterior disproportion and subjective perceptions of facial attractiveness. Consistent and similar correlations between anteroposterior measures and facial attractiveness rankings are shown for all three panels, with overjet being most strongly associated with rankings of attractiveness.

Adolescent↗

Soluble anti-mu monoclonal antibodies prime resting B cells to secrete immunoglobulins in response to interleukins-4 and -5.

Soluble anti-immunoglobulin (Ig) antibodies have been generally found to inhibit Ig secretion in B cells, via largely unknown mechanisms. To investigate this phenomenon further a two-step culture system was used in which B cells are primed for 24-72 h with various soluble monoclonal or polyclonal anti-Ig antibodies: after washing the cells were placed in readout cultures with a combination of interleukin (IL)-5 and IL-4. Using this protocol B cells primed with (mitogenic or nonmitogenic) anti-mu monoclonal antibodies differentiated into large numbers of IgM-secreting cells, comparable to responses to lipopolysaccharide. In contrast, priming with polyclonal rabbit anti-Ig or monoclonal anti-kappa antibodies, markedly inhibited Ig secretion induced by IL-4 + IL-5. In addition, anti-mu was markedly inhibitory if left in the readout cultures with the two lymphokines. These results, therefore, indicate that appropriate cross-linking of surface IgM receptors on B cells can prime the cells to secrete Ig when they are restimulated by T cell-derived lymphokines in the absence of anti-mu. In contrast co-ligation of both surface IgM and surface IgD receptors apparently results in powerful inhibition of Ig secretion, which is not reversed by stimulation with IL-4 plus IL-5.

Animals↗

Positional changes of the mandibular condyle assessed by three-dimensional computed tomography.

This investigation was designed to test the validity and reliability of three-dimensional computed tomography (3-D CT) for quantification of positional changes of the condyle in a laboratory model. The model consisted of a mounted dried human skull and a mandibular condyle attached to a micromanipulator. Controlled changes in condylar position were made and the condyle/fossa was imaged. Positional changes were measured by triangulation methods based on specific 3-D CT landmarks. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, analyses of variance to evaluate the sources of variability, and linear contrasts to evaluate the differences between observed and expected values. The results indicated that selection of appropriate anatomic landmarks for assessment of movement influences technique accuracy. The data also indicate that 3-D CT is most accurate in detecting inferior condylar movements. Lateral and posterior movements were assessed with less accuracy than the inferior positional changes. The clinical significance of these differences has yet to be determined.

Analysis of Variance↗

The effect of treatment on facial attractiveness.

Pretreatment and posttreatment frontal and profile slides of 13 orthodontic camouflage and 13 orthognathic surgery patients were shown to three panels of judges: an orthodontic, an oral surgery, and a "lay" panel of first-semester dental students. Each judge rated the facial attractiveness of the pretreatment and posttreatment views of each patient using a visual analog scale. A mean pretreatment and posttreatment score was then calculated for each treatment group for each judge. Paired t tests were used to compare the treatment groups and time periods. The orthodontic camouflage group was rated as significantly more attractive than the orthognathic surgery patients before treatment. There was no significant change in the facial attractiveness mean score for the orthodontic group, whereas the orthognathic surgery group was rated as showing a significant improvement. However, the orthognathic surgery group was still rated as being significantly less attractive after treatment than the orthodontics-only group.

Adult↗

Superior repositioning of the maxilla combined with mandibular advancement: mandibular RIF improves stability.

Postsurgical changes in 24 patients who had rigid internal fixation (RIF) of the mandible with screws after combined superior repositioning of the maxilla and mandibular advancement were compared with 53 patients who underwent the same surgery but who had intraosseous wire fixation, skeletal suspension wires, and 8 weeks of maxillomandibular fixation (MMF). During the first 8 weeks after surgery, the mean posterior relapse of the mandible was greater in the MMF group than in the RIF group (for example, -1.1 mm versus 0.15 mm at B point), and the percentage of patients with clinically significant vertical and horizontal changes was greater in the MMF group. By 1 year, there had been slight additional mean relapse in the MMF group (-1.5 mm net relapse at B point, with 42% of the patients showing 2 mm or more relapse). In the RIF group, the mandible was more likely to be repositioned forward than posteriorly (net mean change at B point, 0.7 mm forward; 33% had 2 mm or more forward movement). In the RIF group, all but one of the patients (96%) were judged to have an excellent clinical result; in the MMF group, the corresponding figure was 60%.

Adult↗

A comparison of outcomes of orthodontic and surgical-orthodontic treatment of Class II malocclusion in adults.

The treatment outcome for skeletal Class II malocclusion was reviewed in 33 nongrowing patients who were treated with orthodontics alone (by premolar extraction and tooth movement to camouflage the skeletal problem) and in 57 patients treated for similar problems with surgery and orthodontics (with mandibular advancement and with tooth movement to reduce rather than increase dental compensation for the skeletal deformity). Cephalometric and dental cast changes were scored to quantitate treatment effects. Two approaches were used to determine the treatment efficacy (the relative success of treatment): (1) whether the final value for a measurement criterion (such as an overjet and an ANB angle) fell within the normal range, and (2) the quantitative amount of correction produced relative to an "ideal" value. In addition, a panel of judges was used to rate esthetic changes from pretreatment and posttreatment facial slides. Both orthodontic treatment and surgical-orthodontic treatment improved the malocclusion as judged from dental casts. Surgery resulted in greater reduction of overjet and greater improvement in most cephalometric skeletal, dental, and soft tissue criteria. Before treatment, the surgical patients had lower esthetic ratings than the orthodontics-only patients. After treatment, the esthetic ratings for the orthodontic patients were unchanged. The surgical patients had improved but not to the pretreatment level of the orthodontics patients.

Adult↗

Stress, coping, and high-risk sexual behavior.

We examined the relation between stress, coping, and a high-risk sexual behavior (unprotected anal intercourse) in 398 nonmonogamous gay and bisexual men from the AIDS Behavioral Research Project in San Francisco. Unprotected anal intercourse during the previous month, the amount of stress experienced during the previous month in each of 10 domains, six types of coping (self-controlling coping, escape-avoidance, distancing, planful problem-solving, seeking social support, and positive reappraisal), and spiritual beliefs and spiritual activities were assessed through self-report. There was no relation between stress and unprotected anal intercourse. However, there was a relation between coping and unprotected anal intercourse. Subjects who reported unprotected anal intercourse used sex more of the time to help cope with stressful situations than did subjects who did not report unprotected anal intercourse. Unprotected anal intercourse was negatively associated with seeking social support and spiritual activities and positively associated with self-controlling coping, which involves keeping one's feelings to oneself, and positive reappraisal. The findings suggest that social aspects of coping may be a key to understanding differences between those who engage in high-risk sexual behavior and those who do not.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Rating of facial attractiveness.

Epidemiologic investigations of orthodontic treatment should include both objective clinical measures and elements of perceptual assessment in the definition of malocclusion and skeletal disproportion. The effect of dental training and the view of the face presented as a stimulus on judgments of facial attractiveness were evaluated using a method recommended by Howells & Shaw (1) for epidemiologic surveys. Three views (two full face and one profile) of 18 orthodontic patients were presented as stimuli to three panels of judges with different levels of dental training (16 orthodontic residents, 17 dental students, and 71 undergraduate students). Ratings for facial attractiveness were obtained using a visual analog scale. The visual analog scores given the series of 54 slides by each judge were then ranked to create a "location-free" outcome measure. Both the ratings and the rankings of these ratings differed significantly among the three views for 80% of the patients. However, no view was consistently rated or ranked as most attractive across all patients. The ordering of the views from least to most attractive for a given patient appears to be highly dependent on the patient being presented as stimulus. Future studies should consider showing multiple views of a subject simultaneously if the intent is to obtain an overall treatment need score that incorporates assessment of facial attractiveness. The patients were consistently rated as more attractive by the orthodontic residents than by either dental or undergraduate students. When the ranks were analyzed, there were significant differences between the panels but the consistent pattern of differences between the panels disappeared.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

Stability of surgical maxillary expansion.

Stability after transverse expansion of the maxilla via Le Fort I osteotomy with segments was evaluated in 39 patients. The average expansion was 5.4 mm at the second molars, decreasing almost linearly to 2.8 mm at the first premolars. Postsurgical relapse also was greatest at the second molars, averaging 2.6 mm. The percentage of relapse was greatest posteriorly, decreasing from 49% at the second molars to 30% at the first premolars. Considerable variability in stability followed surgery: Three-fourths of the patients had some relapse at the first molars (greater than 3 mm in 28%), but one fourth were stable. Sixty-two percent of the patients had a net posttreatment gain in arch width at the first molars. No correlation was found between transverse relapse and the type of presurgical orthodontic tooth movement, the use of rigid fixation, or the use of an auxiliary stabilizing arch wire. The amount of postsurgical relapse was significantly greater in those who had concurrent mandibular surgery. To improve clinical results with surgical expansion, we recommend (1) moderate overexpansion at surgery for major transverse changes, (2) maintenance of the occlusal splint for at least 6 weeks, and (3) use of a lingual arch wire or auxiliary labial arch wire to maintain molar width during postsurgical orthodontics.

Adult↗

Surgical versus orthodontic correction of skeletal Class II malocclusion in adolescents: effects and indications.

To clarify the effects of orthodontic versus surgical treatment and to distinguish more clearly those Class II patients who can be treated successfully with orthodontics alone, we compared three groups of adolescents: forty patients treated successfully with orthognathic surgery, 40 patients treated successfully with orthodontics alone, and 21 patients whose orthodontic treatment was judged to be unsuccessful. Successful surgical treatment was accomplished largely by bringing the mandible forward, but this involved vertically repositioning the maxilla, alone or in combination with advancing the mandible, in 40% of the patients. Successful orthodontic treatment resulted from a combination of retraction of the maxillary incisors and protraction of the mandibular incisors; most of the successfully treated group also had significant vertical growth, and 40% had greater than 2 mm anteroposterior growth. The unsuccessfully treated orthodontic patients initially had greater overjet, more severe mandibular deficiency, and greater anterior facial height than those treated successfully; they also had less retraction of the maxillary incisors and less growth during treatment. In Class II adolescents beyond the growth spurt, surgery is likely to be needed for successful correction of the malocclusion if the overjet is greater than 10 mm, especially if the distance from pogonion to nasion perpendicular is 18 mm or more, mandibular body length is less than 70 mm, or facial height is greater than 125 mm.

Adolescent↗

Recovery following orthognathic surgery and autologous blood transfusion.

Patients undergoing maxillary surgery, with or without mandibular surgery, were divided into two groups. One surgeon's patients served as controls and did not receive blood unless hemodynamically indicated. The remaining surgeons' patients were transfused regardless of their hemoglobin levels following surgery. An attempt was made to identify benefits or complications associated with the reinfusion of autologous blood, particularly in patients with "low blood loss." Patients were asked to record when they returned to their presurgical level of activity. Of the 46 patients in the study 14 (12 nontransfused, two transfused) were not back to full activity 6 weeks after surgery. Of the 32 patients that reported a return to full activity within the study period, transfused patients reported a significantly quicker return to full activity at 2 weeks, 3 weeks, and 4 weeks postoperatively than did their nontransfused counterparts, even when blood loss at surgery was minimal. No complications have occurred with this practice.

Adolescent↗