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Biomedical subjects

M Biggs

Publications and source records attributed to M Biggs.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

The application of prompt-gamma neutron activation analysis to borehole logging for coal.

The PGNAA technique was tested for the in-situ determination of ash, Fe, Si, Al and density of coal seams in water-filled boreholes. The technique is also able to determine in situ the deformation temperature of coals for which a correlation exists between the deformation temperature and the percentage of Al, Si and Fe present in coal. The logging tool employed a 2.5 microg 252Cf neutron source.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Phase II study of thalidomide in the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma multiforme.

Treatment options and prognosis remains poor for patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme. These tumors are highly vascularised and over express angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor and may potentially be responsive to antiangiogenic therapies. We present the results of a phase II trial of Thalidomide, an antiangiogenic agent, in the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma multiforme. Patients were treated with 100 mg/day of Thalidomide, increased at weekly intervals by 100 mg to a maximum tolerated dose of 500 mg/d. Forty-two patients were enrolled, with 38 patients being assessable for response and 39 for toxicity. Two patients (5%) achieved a partial response and 16 (42%) had stable disease. The median survival was 31 weeks and the 1-year survival was 35%. Patients who had a partial response or stable disease had either a stabilisation or improvement in quality of life scores or performance status. Overall Thalidomide was well tolerated with no grade 4 toxicities and no treatment related deaths. The median maximum tolerated dose was 300 mg/day. The most common toxicity was fatigue to which patients developed tachyphylaxis. There was no correlation demonstrated with plasma vascular endothelial growth factor levels and response or survival. Thalidomide is a well-tolerated drug that may have some activity in the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma. Optimum dosing with antiangiogenic agents is currently under investigation. Chronic low dose therapy may be required to see conventional responses or improvements in time to progression. The dose required to achieve optimal biological impact may be better defined once we have established reliable surrogate endpoints.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

ECT remission rates in psychotic versus nonpsychotic depressed patients: a report from CORE.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the relative efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in psychotic and nonpsychotic patients with unipolar major depression. METHODS: The outcome of an acute ECT course in 253 patients with nonpsychotic (n = 176) and psychotic (n = 77) unipolar major depression was assessed in the first phase of an ongoing National Institute of Mental Health-supported four-hospital collaborative study of continuation treatments after successful ECT courses. ECT was administered with bilateral electrode placement at 50% above the titrated seizure threshold. The remission criteria were rigorous: a score <or=10 on the 24-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) after 2 consecutive treatments, and a decrease of at least 60% from baseline. RESULTS: The overall remission rate was 87% for study completers. Among these, patients with psychotic depression had a remission rate of 95% and those with nonpsychotic depression, 83%. Improvement in symptomatology, measured by the HRSD, was more robust and appeared sooner in the psychotic patients compared with the nonpsychotic patients. CONCLUSION: Bilateral ECT is effective in relieving severe major depression. Remission rates are higher and occur earlier in psychotic depressed patients than in nonpsychotic depressed patients. These data support the argument that psychotic depression is a distinguishable nosological entity that warrants separate treatment algorithms.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

The zygomaticotemporal approach with medial petrosectomy for intradural lesions.

The zygomaticotemporal approach with medial petrosectomy offers an alternative exposure for intradural lesions anterior to the brain stem. It improves access for tumours of the clivus and facilitates proximal control in low lying and giant basilar artery aneurysms. Twenty-three patients were operated on using this approach (12 aneurysms of the posterior circulation and 11 tumours). The permanent complications experienced with this exposure were ipsilateral hearing loss (two cases) and facial nerve palsy (one case). The experience in this series shows it is a useful alternative in accessing this difficult area. Copyright 1999 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

Genital injuries following sexual assault of women with and without prior sexual intercourse experience.

BACKGROUND: The literature on sexual assault has not directly addressed the question of genital injuries in women without prior sexual intercourse experience. Given the paucity of research and the current importance of physical evidence in the criminal justice system, this study was designed to document the type and site of genital injuries from sexual assault in women without and with prior sexual intercourse experience. METHODS: The charts were reviewed of 132 women who had been sexually assaulted and had sought medical treatment at the Sexual Assault Care Centre (SACC), Women's College Hospital, Toronto, within 10 days after the assault. Half (66) of the women reported that, at the time of the assault, they had no prior sexual intercourse experience. The Sexual Assault Evidence Kit in each patient's file was reviewed to ascertain the type and location of genital injuries. Types of injuries were classified into 3 categories (nonperforating soft-tissue injuries, lacerations or current bleeding) and locations into 6 categories (labia majora and minora, posterior fourchette and introitus, hymen, vagina, cervix, and anus). RESULTS: Significantly more women without than with prior sexual intercourse experience had visible genital injuries (65.2% v. 25.8%, p < 0.01). However, of the women without prior experience, only 9.1% had hymenal perforation. Analyses of the data for only women with genital injuries indicated no difference between those without and those with prior sexual intercourse experience in the overall mean number of injured sites (1.65 and 1.47 respectively) or in the mean number of sites with nonperforating soft-tissue injuries (0.349 and 0.706), lacerations (0.953 and 0.471) and bleeding (0.279 and 0.294). INTERPRETATION: The results suggest that genital injuries are more common in women without prior sexual intercourse experience but that substantial proportions of all women, regardless of their prior sexual experience at the time of assault, will not have visible genital injuries. Emergency department staff and members of the criminal justice system need to be aware of the variable presentation of genital trauma related to sexual assault in women with and without prior sexual intercourse experience.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Interviewing children about trauma: problems with "specific" questions.

A methodological ambiguity is described that may well adversely affect the quality of information provided by young child witnesses. Because the information children provide during interviews is sometimes the only evidence in forensic situations, its quality is a serious concern. "Specific" questions are often necessary to elicit enough information, but we describe a confusion between wh- questions (which request particular information) and yes/no questions (which merely require confirmation or disconfirmation). Research in which children are systematically interviewed about stressful medical experiences is reviewed, and we present results of a pilot investigation in which 2- to 13-year-old children were interviewed about traumatic injuries necessitating hospital treatment. Yes/no questions were problematic for preschoolers. Implications for testimony are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Phytosterolaemia in three unrelated South African families.

Phytosterolaemia (beta-sitosterolaemia), a rare, autosomal recessive disorder, has not hitherto been reported in Southern Africa. We report four new homozygous patients, from three unrelated families with significant beta-sitosterolaemia (6.6-11.3%), campesterolaemia (2.2-4.6%) and clearly detectable, though unquantified, levels of cholestanol. Three of the four patients had characteristic cutaneous and tendinous xanthomas within the first decade of life. The fourth patient, a 5 year old, was free of xanthomas despite persistently elevated concentrations of plant sterols in her plasma. All our patients were female bringing the male:female ratio in reported cases to 8:23. All were at or below the 50th percentile for height and weight, and presented at some stage with borderline, hypochromic anaemia associated with red cell abnormalities and thrombocytopaenia. The oldest patient showed suggestive clinical evidence of atherosclerosis affecting her aorta, ileofemoral bifurcation and possibly coronary arteries. All homozygotes responded to a diet restricted in phytosterols and the administration of cholestyramine with falls in plasma sterols of up to 68%. The recent discovery of a possible inherited defect in the synthesis of HMG CoA reductase in patients with phytosterolaemia makes this disorder a model system for studying the biological role of this enzyme in regulating the absorption and clearance of sterols other than cholesterol, and the factors governing the sterol composition of cell membranes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

The automated implantable cardioverter.

The automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillatory (AICD) is becoming the treatment of choice for patients with ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. The widespread use of the AICD is requiring nurses in a variety of settings to become familiar with the device and device-patient interactions. This article attempts to define specific issues and nursing interventions relative to the AICD.

Aftercare↗