Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to C Sutton.
Improved management of diabetic pregnancies at Lautoka Hospital, Fiji, in 1976 resulted in a neonatal survival rate of 100%. Management included attempts to control the maternal blood glucose concentrations with insulin and delaying delivery until there was enough surfactant in the liquor to ensure a viable infant. The techniques are simple to use and require only minimal technological facilities.
A rapid treatment approach to common sexual dysfunctions has been used in treating 59 couples, including 74 symptomatic individuals. Using a multidisciplinary team approach in an intensive 2 1/2 day workshop format, symptom improvement has been obtained in 86.5% of the dysfunctional individuals, with complete symptom reversal in 63.5%. The intensive workshop format has resulted in a saving of both patient and professional time and is seen as a viable and successful alternative to more time-consuming approaches of treating various sexual dysfunctions.
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BACKGROUND: African Americans have traditionally made little use of the Cancer Information Service (CIS), an information and education program of the National Cancer Institute, for smoking cessation assistance. This study evaluated whether a targeted communications campaign utilizing strategically placed radio and television advertisements in combination with community outreach could lead more adult African American smokers to call the CIS for smoking cessation information and materials. METHODS: Fourteen communities, served by four CIS regional offices, were carefully matched on demographic variables and then randomly assigned to either an experimental or a control group. Six radio advertisements targeting African American smokers to call the CIS for help in quitting smoking were developed and pretested for three different black-oriented formats. One television spot also was produced and pretested. The audio portion of the television ad was utilized as a seventh radio spot for the general programming formats. These advertisements were placed on selected radio and television stations reaching predominantly African American adult audiences. Also, copies of a videotape designed to motivate African American smokers to quit and to call the CIS for help in quitting were widely disseminated through community-based organizations in each experimental market. The aim was to increase the number and proportion of quitting-related calls to the CIS from African Americans within experimental communities. RESULTS: The call volume from African American smokers was significantly higher in the experimental communities than in the control communities (P < 0.008). The call rate from African American men was higher than typically observed. Overall, African Americans in the experimental communities reported radio more often than television as the way they heard about the CIS. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that paid targeted advertising, using radio as a primary channel, is an effective method of reaching an underserved population at risk. Future research directions are discussed.
BACKGROUND: African Americans remain a critically underserved group for smoking cessation interventions. This study tested the effectiveness of a tailored, culturally sensitive intervention for African American smokers who called the NCI Cancer Information Service (CIS) for help to quit smoking. METHODS: This paper presents results of a 2-year study of tailored counseling strategies among African American smokers (n = 1,422) who called four regional CIS offices in response to a radio-based media campaign in 14 communities. Callers were randomly assigned to receive either the standard CIS quit smoking counseling and guide (Clearing the Air) or counseling and a guide (Pathways to Freedom) tailored to the quitting needs and barriers of African American smokers. Callers were predominantly female (63.6%). ages 20-49 (88%), with a high school education or more (84%). Median smoking history was 17 years; median smoking rate was 20 cigarettes/day. Standard (n = 689) and Tailored (n = 733) group subjects did not differ on most baseline measures. RESULTS: On most measures, Standard and Tailored counseling/guides received similar ratings, but the Tailored guide was rated as having more appealing photos (P = 0.001) and as being more appropriate for family members (P = 0.003). Six-month follow-up with 893 subjects (response rates were 63% Standard, 62% Tailored, ns) showed significantly more quit attempts (P = 0.002) and greater use of prequitting strategies (P < 0.05) among Tailored than among Standard subjects, but no differences in self-reported 1-week abstinence (14.4% Standard, 16.2% Tailored) (ns). An opportunistic 12-month follow-up of subjects recruited in the last year of the study (n = 445) (response rates were 57% Standard, 60% Tailored, ns) showed a significantly higher quit rate (15.4% Standard, 25.0% Tailored) for Tailored subjects (P = 0.034). CONCLUSIONS: Results show promise for tailored approaches to boost quit attempts and success rates among African American smokers.
Methotrexate, a potent inhibitor of the ubiquitously expressed enzyme dihydrofolate reductase, induces limb and facial anomalies that resemble vascular disruptions in their evolution and final outcome. Previous studies suggest that inhibition of dihydrofolate reductase is responsible for methotrexate-induced embryopathy, although specific sites of methotrexate activity have not been well defined. In this report, we show that constitutive expression of a methotrexate-resistant form of dihydrofolate reductase in transgenic embryos and their placentas ameliorates methotrexate teratogenicity. However, expression of the transgene in maternal tissues had no significant protective effect. The results confirm the role of dihydrofolate reductase inhibition in the pathogenesis of methotrexate-induced birth defects and provide a foundation for future studies of targeted transgene expression in select embryonic or placental cell populations.
Previous studies have shown a positive association between pain and depression, though evidence supporting a direct link between these two variables is less robust. Using a placebo-controlled trial, the authors examined the analgesic and antidepressant efficacy of paroxetine (20 mg) in chronic low back pain sufferers. The authors examined the associations among pain, depression, disability, and illness attitudes. Paroxetine showed no effects on pain or depression compared with placebo; however, subjects randomized to paroxetine were more likely to reduce concomitant analgesic medication. The cross-sectional association of depression and pain at baseline (r = 0.2, P = 0.02) was weaker than the association between depression and disability (r = 0.3, P = 0.004). Similarly, the association of change in depression scores with change in pain (r = 0.25, P = 0.016) was weaker than change between depression and disability (r = 0.49, P<0.0005). Whereas the relationship between pain and depression became nonsignificant when disability and illness attitudes were controlled, the relationship between depression and disability remained highly significant when pain and illness attitudes were controlled. These data are consistent with the association between pain and depression being wholly modulated by disability and illness attitudes, with no direct relationship between pain and depression.
In order to evaluate the implantation technique and reliability of conversion at different temperatures, a miniaturized intravascular endoprosthesis (IVEP) composed of thermal shape-memory effect TiNi alloy was delivered via a catheter into a 37 degrees C water mock circulatory loop (MCL) with a flow of 100 ml/min. The 2.5 mm diameter wire coil IVEP was torsion reduced to 1.4 mm, mounted on a modified balloon angioplasty catheter, and delivered into the MCL. Shape-memory conversion was activated thermally by injecting normal saline (3, 5, or 10 ml) at 45 degrees, 50 degrees, 55 degrees, 60 degrees, 65 degrees, or 70 degrees C, while the local temperature (Tp) at the endoprosthesis site was monitored by a thermocouple. Inconsistent completed conversions of the IVEP were produced by injecting 10 ml of 60 degrees C, or 5 ml of 65 degrees C normal saline, which raised the Tp to 45 degrees to 53 degrees C. Complete conversion of the IVEP to 2.5 mm was produced consistently by injecting 10 ml of 65 degrees C or 5 ml of 70 degrees C saline, which raised Tp to 55 degrees C for less than 1 sec. This moderate Tp (55 degrees C) for such a short duration was shown to be a reliable method for remote conversion of the IVEP after catheter delivery. Knowledge of the minimum temperature and volume for consistent, complete conversion of the IVEP has permitted simple, safe conversion during in vivo studies. Delivery after balloon angioplasty is envisioned to either treat acute dissection with occlusion or to prevent chronic restenosis, in order to further improve the safety and efficacy of balloon angioplasty procedures.
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The advent of laparoscopic surgery has enabled gynaecologists to re-evaluate the traditional approaches to hysterectomy. Until the 1940's hysterectomy involved retaining the cervix because the simpler operation avoided damage to the ureter and prevented ascending infection, which was an important consideration before the advent of antibiotics. In order to reduce the risk of developing cervical carcinoma the cervix was traditionally removed at hysterectomy over the last 50 years. Since it is possible to remove the area where cervical carcinoma develops and with the development of an effective screening programme for cervical carcinoma, this needs no longer to be a consideration. A more logical approach to laparoscopic hysterectomy would be to retain the cervix but remove the transformation zone and in so doing there is less risk to the ureter, less postoperative urinary dysfunction, virtually no disturbance to the lower genital tract, thus resulting in little or no impairment of sexual enjoyment.
The past decade has witnessed a transition from classic surgery to minimally invasive surgery through multiple small incisions under endoscopic vision. Although these operations present many technical difficulties and often take longer, they usually reduce the hospital stay and allow earlier return to full activity.