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Biomedical subjects

J B Ferguson

Publications and source records attributed to J B Ferguson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Retinal venous beading with recurrent preretinal hemorrhage.

PURPOSE: To report a patient with idiopathic retinal venous beading and recurrent preretinal hemorrhage. METHOD: Case report of a 17-year-old girl with bilateral retinal venous beading, greater in the left eye than in the right eye, and recurrent preretinal hemorrhage in the left eye. RESULTS: Complete blood cell count, platelet count, blood glucose level, and hemoglobin electrophoresis were normal. Fluorescein angiography showed normal retinal arterial and venous filling with no evidence of retinal capillary nonperfusion or neovascularization. CONCLUSION: Idiopathic retinal venous beading may be associated with recurrent preretinal hemorrhage, even in the absence of retinal ischemia or neovascularization.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Speech training aids for hearing-impaired individuals: II. Configuration of the Johns Hopkins aids.

Two interrelated personal computer (PC) based speech training aids have been developed: one for use in a school or clinic, the Speech Training Station (STS); and the other for the deaf child's home, the Speech Practice Station (SPS). The STS monitors speech production by microphone, electroglottograph, and pneumotachograph. The SPS system uses only the microphone input. Both systems utilize commercially available board-level hardware and a custom analog preprocessor board for the analysis of the acoustic and/or physiologic inputs. The school system has been used by speech therapists for diagnosis, training by game playing, and specification of exercises for the SPS. The home system provides directed speech practice between therapy sessions.

Child↗
PubMed1981

A five-day ward as part of a comprehensive surgical service.

The role of a five-day ward was examined as part of an audit of the work of a general surgical unit. The four levels of care for elective operations were main ward, five-day ward, major day care, and minor day care. In a prospective study 2000 consecutive patients were followed through their hospital courses from the first referral to the surgical clinic to the postoperative follow-up visit. The aim was to measure the surgical needs of this population and to determine the rates of success or failure in carrying through the planned care. One thousand and forty-five (52%) of the referred patients were put on waiting lists, and of these, 975 (93%) completed their hospital course within the two years of the study. The surgeons chose five-day ward care for 28% of the patients, major and minor day care for 8% and 33% respectively, leaving only 30% who were judged to require care in the main ward. Selections were validated by postoperative interview, which showed that 82% had followed the expected hospital course, and by monitoring deviations from planned care. Four per cent of the five-day ward patients required transfer to the main ward and 3.3% required readmission. Patients managed in the five-day ward were on average younger and the conditions less urgent than those in the main ward. We conclude that a five-day ward can fulfil a large and important part of a general surgical service provided that its function is closely integrated with other parts of the service and that patients are accurately assessed in the outpatient clinic.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Surgical decision making.

The decision-making process in a general surgical outpatient clinic has been studied by following the course of 2000 consecutive newly referred patients of whom 1045 were put on surgical waiting lists. Surgeons were asked to record their reasons for selection for each of four levels of care: main ward, 5-day ward, day bed unit or minor outpatient surgery. Selections were influenced by social and psychological factors in 12 per cent of patients, the remaining 88 per cent were determined by the medical history or physical condition. The decision was assessed by monitoring the progress in hospital and the outcome at a follow-up clinic. In 84 per cent of patients arrangements had gone according to plan. Eleven (1.75 per cent) of 5-day or day care patients were transferred to a higher level of care and 13 (1.4 per cent) of the total series were re-admitted. Surgeons were asked to forecast the duration of postoperative stay. Thirty-six per cent were discharged on the day forecast, 63 per cent within 24 h and 75 per cent within 48 h. Forecasts of length of stay for hernias and varicose veins were accurate but were usually underestimated for major surgery. It is concluded that for the majority of general surgical patients the selection of the level of care and the forecast of postoperative stay were sufficiently reliable to allow confident and definite advice to be given to the patient and to allow resources to be efficiently used.

Decision Making↗
PubMed1977

Purification and properties of a soluble protein activator of rat liver squalene epoxidase.

A soluble rat liver protein, termed "supernatant protein factor" (SPF), that stimulates microsomal squalene epoxidase has been purified approximately 11,000-fold. The most highly purified preparation obtained by isoelectric focusing shows a single coincident peak for activity and protein (the isoelectric point, pI, was 6.74). SPF is about 95% pure, judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and it migrates to a position corresponding to an apparent molecular weight of 47,000. An amino acid analysis of SPF is presented, and the properties of SPF and of the various soluble protein activators of microsomal sterol biosynthesis described by other laboratories are compared.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1971

Bifunctional inhibitors of pepsin.

Two bifunctional reagents designed to probe the active site of pepsin and other acid proteinases are described. One of these, the bisdiazoketone 1,1-bis(diazoacetyl)-2-phenylethane inactivates pepsin at pH 5.0 much more rapidly than the corresponding monodiazoketon 1-diazoacetyl-2-phenylethane, whereas the other, the bromodiazoketone dl-1-diazoacetyl-1-bromo-2-phenylethane is less effective in this regard. The inactivation is greatly accelerated by the presence of Cu(II), and the pH dependence of the process is consistent with the interaction of the enzyme with the metal complex of the carbene derived from the reagent. The bisdiazoketone appears to react stoichiometrically with pepsin in a 1:1 ratio to form a product whose apparent molecular size is the same as that of untreated pepsin. The inactivation of pepsin by the bromodiazoketone is accompanied by the release of stoichiometric amounts of bromide ions and the formation of a major product whose apparent size is similar to that of pepsin, and a minor component larger than the untreated enzyme.

Azo Compounds↗