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Biomedical subjects

M M Cameron

Publications and source records attributed to M M Cameron.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Single blind, randomised, comparative study of the Bug Buster kit and over the counter pediculicide treatments against head lice in the United Kingdom.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of the Bug Buster kit with a single treatment of over the counter pediculicides for eliminating head lice. DESIGN: Single blind, multicentre, randomised, comparative clinical study. SETTING: Four counties in England and one county in Scotland. PARTICIPANTS: 133 young people aged 2-15 years with head louse infestation: 56 were allocated to the Bug Buster kit and 70 to pediculicide treatment. INTERVENTIONS: Home use of proprietary pediculicides (organophosphate or pyrethroid) or the Bug Buster kit. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Presence of head lice 2-4 days after end of treatment: day 5 for the pediculicides and day 15 for the Bug Buster kit. RESULTS: The cure rate using the Bug Buster kit was significantly greater than that for the pediculicides (57% v 13%; relative risk 4.4, 95% confidence interval 2.3 to 8.5). Number needed to treat for the Bug Buster kit compared with the pediculicides was 2.26. CONCLUSION: The Bug Buster kit was the most effective over the counter treatment for head louse infestation in the community when compared with pediculicides.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Cerebrospinal fluid hydrothorax caused by transdiaphragmatic migration of a ventriculoperitoneal catheter through the foramen of Bochdalek.

Cerebrospinal fluid hydrothorax is a very rare complication following ventriculoperitoneal shunting. The authors report a case of a 3-year-old girl who developed cerebrospinal fluid hydrothorax (caused by migration of the intra-abdominal catheter through the right vertebrocostal trigone of Bochdalek, the one most unlikely to be congenitally patent) and respiratory distress. The patient was successfully treated with thoracocentesis and shunt revision.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1997

Can house dust mite-triggered atopic dermatitis be alleviated using acaricides?

House dust mite (HDM) allergens are the most important triggers for atopic dermatitis. Reducing exposure to these allergens may alleviate clinical symptoms. Chemicals with acaricidal activity have been used to treat upholstered furniture, carpets and bedding with the aim to reduce HDM allergen exposure. These chemicals, by reducing HDM, can decrease the concentration of mite allergens in dust but improvements in clinical symptoms are not always apparent. Clinical improvement is more likely to occur if bedding has been treated rather than carpets and upholstery. Future control strategies should be aimed at treating bedding. Permethrin is a very efficient killer of mites. It is used topically to treat scabies and head lice and is impregnated in bed nets to prevent mosquito bites. Even when applied to the skin in high concentrations, it has a very low toxicity in humans and other mammals. Permethrin-impregnated bedding may prove to be the best control method in the treatment of HDM allergen-triggered atopic conditions.

Allergens↗
PubMed1995

Oviposition pheromones in insect vectors.

Oviposition aggregation pheromones occur in a range of insect groups including Diptera, where they mediate oviposition in four different families of disease vectors. In this paper, Philip McCall and Mary Cameron discuss the selection pressures favouring oviposition pheromones and speculate on their potential applications in disease monitoring and control.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1995

Sugar meal sources for the phlebotomine sandfly Lutzomyia longipalpis in Ceará State, Brazil.

In the Brazilian village of Boqueirão do Renato Parente, Ceará State, where visceral leishmaniasis is endemic, significant variation in the abundance of phlebotomine sandflies between different types of vegetation was demonstrated by castor oil sticky trap collections. Population densities of Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva) sandflies were higher in beans and maize crops than in the surrounding open and tree scrub. Significant relationships were detected between the abundances of sandflies and aphids, suggesting aphid honeydew as a potential food source. Sugar meal analysis, using high-performance anion exchange (HPAE) chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (PAD) and the cold anthrone test, was used to demonstrate that significantly more sandflies fed on bean plants contaminated with aphids and honeydew than on uncontaminated beans. Furthermore, higher concentrations of sugars were detected in flies which fed on aphid/honeydew-contaminated beans, suggesting that sugar was more easily available and/or that honeydew/aphids act as phagostimulants for sandflies. Amongst wild sandflies collected from a bean field, significantly more female sandflies were 'sugar-positive' than males, though the sugar concentrations in positive sandflies were similar for both sexes. The concentrations of di- and trisaccharides in sandfly homogenates, honeydew extracts and phloem exudates were very low.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

An association between phlebotomine sandflies and aphids in the Peruvian Andes.

As the composition of natural sugars in the diet of adult sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) may affect the development of Leishmania (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) in sandfly guts, and so play an important role in the epidemiology of leishmaniasis, there is increasing interest in the sources of sugars for wild sandflies. Advanced chromatography techniques have provided indirect evidence that wild sandflies feed on honeydew, a substance released by aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) when feeding. Our objective was to determine whether sandfly density can be influenced directly by the local density of aphids. Aphid density was determined by counting absolute numbers of aphids on alfalfa stems in Purisima Valley, Peru, where sandflies transmit Leishmania peruviana causing Andean cutaneous leishmaniasis (uta). Sandfly relative abundance was measured using sticky trap sampling repeatedly in alfalfa fields. Lutzomyia verrucarum accounted for 92% of the total sandflies collected. As there was a female bias in sandflies collected close to houses, only the numbers of male sandflies were used in analysis. Most of the adult aphids found feeding on alfalfa were either Therioaphis trifolii forma maculata (97%) or Acyrthosiphon pisum (3%). By regression analysis, a significant relationship was found between the density of Lu.verrucarum males and the density of adults of both aphid species. This is the first ecological study to support the hypothesis that aphid honeydew may be a source of sugar for sandflies.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Syringomyelia in children: six case reports and review of the literature.

We present six cases of syringomyelia in children below the age of 16 years seen during the last 8 years at the neurosurgical departments in the west of Yorkshire. The clinical presentation of syringomyelia in children is different from that in adults and magnetic resonance imaging is the investigation of choice. Because of the natural history of syringomyelia, the long-term results of surgical treatment are very difficult to evaluate accurately. Although our series is small, it does highlight the presentations and the methods of investigation. The diversity of pathology is noted; in particular any associated hydrocephalus or intramedullary tumour.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Free amino acids in wild-caught Phlebotomus perniciosus and P. perfiliewi (Diptera: Psychodidae).

Free amino acids occurring in wild Phlebotomus perniciosus and P. perfiliewi were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography. For both species the total concentration of amino acids, per unit weight, is over three times greater in females than in males. Qualitative inter-sex differences in amino acid compositions were also discovered: the most significant involving higher proportions of taurine and gamma-aminobutyric acid in females and higher proportions of arginine and glutamic acid in males. Although amino acid composition is consistent between females of both species, there are significant differences between males. The most important difference between males is an increase in tyrosine levels, at the expense of taurine, in P. perniciosus (as compared with P. perfiliewi). It is suggested that the intra- and inter-specific variation in amino acid composition identified in these studies could be due to ecological factors, such as differences in the sandflies natural amino acid sources (honeydew and/or plants), although a physiological explanation is not ruled out.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1991

The field response of Sri Lankan sandflies & mosquitoes to synthetic cattle-derived attractants.

This study examines the effect of synthetic cattle-derived odours, presented with Communicable Diseases Centre (CDC) miniature light traps for mosquitoes and also with sticky traps for sandflies, in Sri Lanka. The odours alone did not increase the trapping of mosquitoes and it is concluded that other stimuli, such as CO2, must also be present to obtain a positive response. Neither CDC light traps nor sticky traps were suitable for collecting large numbers of sandflies.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Effect of high-dose dexamethasone on outcome from severe head injury.

The conflicting evidence concerning the influence of high-dose steroids on intracranial pressure (ICP) and outcome following severe head injury has led to the institution of the prospective double-blind controlled trial reported here. Severely head-injured patients admitted to intensive care during a 3-year period were randomly allocated to a dexamethasone- or placebo-treated group. Adults in the steroid group received dexamethasone, 50 mg intravenously, as a bolus on admission to the neurosurgical unit, then 100 mg on Days 1, 2, and 3, 50 mg on Day 4, and 25 mg on Day 5 on continuous intravenous infusion. Children received proportionate intravenous dosages calculated on a weight basis. Severity of head injury was assessed from admission Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores and the appearance of the admission computerized tomography scan. Intracranial pressure (ICP) was monitored in all patients from the surface subarachnoid space. Outcome at 6 months was assessed using the Glasgow Outcome Scale. Steroid and placebo groups were similar in terms of admission GCS score, intracranial pathology, incidence of associated injuries, and time interval from injury to admission to intensive care. The ICP generally increased during the first 48 hours of intensive therapy; there was no difference in this trend between the steroid and placebo groups. A poorer outcome was observed in patients with elevated ICP who received steroids. No increase in the incidence of pulmonary, gastrointestinal, or other extracranial complications was seen in the steroid group. The 6-month outcome did not differ between the steroid and placebo groups. No advantage of high-dose dexamethasone on ICP trends or clinical outcome in the treatment of severe head injury has emerged from this study.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

beta-Adrenoreceptor-blocking agents and the blood-brain barrier.

1. Sixteen neurosurgical patients received (oral) beta-adrenoreceptor-blocking agents (beta-receptor blockers) for 3-22 days. 2. Lipophilic beta-receptor blockers (propranolol) and metoprolol appeared in cerebrospinal fluid at concentrations similar to the free drug plasma concentration. 3. Cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of beta-receptor blockers were poor predictors of brain concentrations. 4. Both lipophilic beta-receptor blockers appeared in high concentrations in the brain: the brain/plasma ratio was approximately 15:1. 5. Hydrophilic atenolol appeared at low concentrations in brain tissue (about 20 times lower than the lipophilic beta-receptor blockers): the brain/plasma ratio was approximately 0.1:1. 6. Central nervous system-related side effects associated mainly with lipophilic beta-receptor blockers possibly result from high brain tissue concentrations.

Atenolol↗
PubMed1978

Chronic subdural haematoma: a review of 114 cases.

One hundred and fourteen consecutive adult patients treated surgically for chronic subdural haematoma are described and their clinical features presented in detail. The diagnostic investigations are evaluated and a regime of surgical management is described. The three main modes of clinical presentation and the diagnostic role of carotid angiography are emphasised. It is suggested that the neurological state at the time of operation has no bearing on the prognosis and that, in particular, patients presenting in coma have a much better prognosis than might be expected. The average follow-up period was two years and the longest 11 years.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Adrenergic blockade in subarachnoid haemorrhage.

Over the last 15 years progressive interest has developed in the relationship between subarachnoid haemorrhage, sympathetic nervous system over-activity and the genesis of cerebral artery spasm. Following on from earlier work, vide infra, suggesting that adrenergic blockade might influence the course and prognosis of patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage, two double blind trials have recently been completed in Southampton. The first trial attempted to establish whether or not a single intracarotid injection of phenoxybenzamine improved the mortality and late morbidity of patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage. Results suggested that it did not. The second trial, comprising two groups of 50 patients each, attempted to assess the influence of prolonged treatment with propranolol on the course and prognosis of these subarachnoid haemorrhage patients. Early results suggest that, as with the alpha-blocker, the mortality and severe morbidity was not improved by beta-adrenergic blockade.

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists↗
PubMed1976

Surgical management of multiple neuraxial ependymomas. Case report.

A case is reported of a 13-year-old girl who required four operations in 4 years for the removal of multiple spinal, supratentorial and infratentorial ependymoma seedlings, and who remains well 2 1/2 years after the last operation. The place of radiotherapy and surgery are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The evolution of an oligodendroglioma into a primitive neuroectodermal tumour.

Oligodendrogliomas may comprise a biologically heterogenous group of tumours. There is disagreement about the relationship between their histological features and subsequent behaviour, and evolution of histologically typical oligodendrogliomas into more malignant neoplasms has been described. We describe a supratentorial oligodendroglioma in a 4-year-old boy which recurred 9 months after initial resection when it showed foci of histologically primitive cells, not present in the initial specimen. It recurred again at the same site 20 months later following a course of radiotherapy, but showed on this occasion the appearances of a primitive neuroectodermal tumour (PNET) with astrocytic and ependymal, but not oligodendroglial, differentiation. The evidence suggests evolution of an oligodendroglioma into a PNET, and raises the possibility that some oligodendrogliomas may arise by differentiation from a pool of proliferating primitive cells which may occasionally become the dominant population.

Brain Neoplasms↗