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Biomedical subjects

R A Ellis

Publications and source records attributed to R A Ellis.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

Benign fibrous pleural tumor with elevation of insulin-like growth factor and hypoglycemia.

We have reported the case of a 69-year-old woman with a hugh benign fibrous tumor of the left pleura and hypoglycemic seizures. Increased preoperative levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF II) were present; insulin level was low and plasma levels of somatomedin C were normal. After resection of the 2,400 gm tumor, blood sugar level has remained normal, and IGF II has fallen to normal limits. This appears to be the first reported case documenting elevated serum IGF II in association with a benign fibrous pleural tumor.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Development time, oviposition activity and onset of diapause in Culex tarsalis, Culex restuans and Culiseta inornata in southern Manitoba.

Development times and survival of immatures and reproductive diapause of adult females of Culex tarsalis, Cx. restuans and Culiseta inornata were investigated from hatching to adult emergence at 15, 20 and 25 degrees C in the laboratory and at natural temperatures and photoperiods in southern Manitoba. Based on patterns of oviposition in artificial pools operated from mid-April to the end of September and development time of the immature stages, 3 generations of Cx. tarsalis, Cx. restuans and Cs. inornata were possible in 1980 and 1981. In 1981, 70% of field-reared Cx. tarsalis females emerging in mid-August were in diapause. Field-reared Cx. restuans and Cs. inornata entered reproductive diapause 2-3 weeks later than Cx. tarsalis.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

An evaluation of a communication skills course for health visitor students.

This paper presents part of the findings of an extensive empirical evaluation of a communication skills training programme for health visitor students. The programme was designed to develop the health visitors' ability to communicate with clients. A wide range of interpersonal skills were addressed and the training format involved skill analysis, roleplay practice and video-recorded feedback. The method of evaluation included an appraisal of the health visitors' social behaviour in a roleplay of a home-visit to a pregnant client. Data were collected, both before and following training, in an attempt to assess changes in trainee behaviour. The analysis took the form of a detailed frequency measurement of behavioural elements of health visitor performance, and a global rating of social competence by independent judges. Results of the analyses indicated that 14 out of the 20 behavioural variables changed in the desired direction. Thus, for example, following training the health visitors used significantly more open questions and verbal encouragers, and significantly fewer multiple questions and interruptions when communicating with the client. They were also rated significantly higher on the rating scale for social competence following training. These findings would seem to suggest that the training programme had a considerable degree of success. The findings are discussed in terms of the implications for development of health visitors' social skills, the need for more sophisticated measures of social behaviour and for the formulation of a model of competent professional practice in this area.

Communication↗
PubMed1984

Drainage of interstitial fluid from different regions of rat brain.

Studies were carried out in anesthetized rats comparing dynamics and pathways of interstitial fluid (ISF) drainage from different regions of brain. Rates of drainage from brain and flow into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were estimated from the efflux from brain and influx into CSF of radioiodinated albumin (RISA) following microinjection into caudate nucleus, internal capsule, or midbrain: pathways of flow through the subarachnoid space and into lymph were traced from the distribution of horseradish peroxidase and/or Evans blue-labeled albumin after injection into brain. ISF drainage rates (mul X g brain-1 X min-1) estimated for the three injection sites were 0.18, 0.19, and 0.29, respectively. Flow of ISF into bulk CSF sampled from the cisterna magna accounted for 60-75% of efflux from midbrain but only 10-15% of efflux from caudate nucleus or internal capsule. RISA was concentrated in the subarachnoid space, relative to bulk CSF, in sleeves of adventitial tissue surrounding pericerebral arteries, possibly accounting for the low recovery of isotope from bulk CSF. From the subarachnoid space, some fluid drained via olfactory nerve sheaths to retropharyngeal lymph nodes.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Placentas in pregnancies complicated by maternal diabetes.

PDMs tend to be large and the size is generally in proportion to fetal size. Infarcts are both more numerous and more common in PDMs than in normal placentas. These reflect the in utero hypoxia found in IDMs. Placental infarcts are increased not only in cases of severe DM (classes D, F-R) but also mild and early DM (class A). We infer from this that maternal vascular disease may be present functionally long before pathologic changes can be detected by direct examination of vessels. More subtle evidence of hypoxia in PDMs, such as an increased number of syncytial knots, has been suggested by qualitative data but has not been confirmed by morphometric analysis. Other qualitative observations in PDMs include thickened basement membranes, flattened microvilli on trophoblasts, ectasia of capillaries and villous stromal edema; changes in intracellular organelles and structures include enlarged mitochondria, increased pinocytotic vesicles, and dilated profiles of endoplasmic reticulum. Quantitative morphometric analysis shows no differences between normal placentas and PDMs with regard to these changes. The transport and secretory functions of the placenta, especially important in pregnancy complicated by DM, are not addressed here. As our understanding of placental physiology enlarges, it will be useful to relate each function with its structural counterpart. Perhaps this review will in part provide rational data from which to proceed with the task.

Female↗
PubMed1984

Nailing down a diagnosis.

Nails can act as a barometer of an individual's health, offer clues to nutritional disturbances and serve as windows through which to view capillary changes associated with constitutional disease. Understanding growth and development of normal nails is essential to the identification and interpretation of nail pathology. Causes of onychopathology include genetic disease, trauma, tumors, dermatologic disease, miscellaneous acquired disorders and generalized systemic disease. Diagnosis is aided by the realization that the nails have a limited number of reaction patterns when disturbed by disease. Any of these reactions may manifest a host of disorders. Clinicians should remember to include the nails in patient assessment. The nails are interesting anatomical and physiological areas that can help make a diagnosis.

Aging↗
PubMed1983

Clinical responses to oxprenolol in the elderly.

Data from 6 controlled clinical trials of oxprenolol carried out in the United States were reviewed to determine the efficacy and tolerability of oxprenolol in patients aged greater than or equal to 55 years. All study designs but 1 called for dosage to be increased to a maximum of 480 mg/day. In a 10-week trial of oxprenolol versus placebo given twice daily, oxprenolol reduced diastolic pressure by 8 mm Hg, while placebo reduced it by 3 mm Hg. A comparison of once-daily with twice-daily dosing showed similar results for both groups: -12/-6 mm Hg for once-daily and -9/-8 mm Hg for twice-daily. There were 2 short-term studies comparing oxprenolol and placebo, both given in addition to hydrochlorothiazide. In the first, the change in blood pressure with oxprenolol was -18/-14 mm Hg and with placebo was +6/-3 mm Hg; only 3 of 14 patients receiving oxprenolol received a maximal dosage. In the follow-up study, most of the dosages were titrated to maximum; reductions were -9/-9 mm Hg with oxprenolol treatment and 0/-12 mm Hg with placebo. Two long-term studies compared oxprenolol and propranolol, also as combination therapy with hydrochlorothiazide. In the 14-week study, the reduction in blood pressure was slightly better with oxprenolol: -15/-15 versus -12/-11 mm Hg. In the 27-week study, almost half of the patients in the oxprenolol group received the maximal dosage. Blood pressure was reduced 2 or 3 mm Hg less with oxprenolol than with propranolol. Oxprenolol was well tolerated in the elderly; it produced a low incidence of typical beta-blocker side effects even when given in a once-daily regimen.

Aged↗
PubMed1981

Placental morphometric studies in diabetic pregnancies.

Placentae from 20 pregnancies complicated by diabetes mellitus were, by morphometric analyses, similar to 20 placentae from normal patients. Since the average gestation in this study was 1.5 weeks less in the PDM group, accelerated maturity rather than retarded villous development may be inferred. Based on maternal HbAIC determinations, neonatal morbidity and macrosomia, the morphometric similarities of PDM to control placentae in this series do not appear to be explained by normalization of maternal blood glucose levels in the diabetic group.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Localization of ouabain-sensitive, potassium-dependent nitrophenyl phosphatase in the rectal gland of the spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias.

Tissue from the digitiform rectal gland of the spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias, was fixed briefly by formaldehyde perfusion and studied for the specificity and localization of p-nitrophenyl phosphatase (NPP'ase) activity. The enzymatic activity was K+-dependent (56%) and ouabain-sensitive (67%-inhibition). The electron-dense reaction product (SrPO4) of the cytochemical reaction (Ernst, 1972b) was localized along the inner surfaces of the basolateral membranes of the secretory cells. It was absent from mitochondria nuclei, vesicles, and other organelles. The luminal surface of the secretory cells was slightly reactive. On the basis of (1) this pattern of localization for the sodium transport system, (2) the presence of extensive intercellular labyrinthine channels (Bulger, 1963) that would facilitate "standing gradients" (Diamond and Bossert, 1968), and (3) the specific distribution of the energy-providing mitochondria, we conclude that the concentration and electrochemical gradients recorded from the secreting gland (Hayslett et al., 1974) are maintained across the domains of the basolateral surfaces of the secretory cells.

4-Nitrophenylphosphatase↗
PubMed1975

Clinical studies with a new steroid--fluorometholone.

Thirty-four cases of uveitis, 26 anterior and 8 posterior, showed elevated intraocular pressure in 25 cases during treatment with local steroids as well as systemic steroids. The patients were treated with drugs to reduce the IOP, but this was not accomplished until the local steroids were stopped. Then a good anti-inflammatory response was obtained with fluorometholone, without further increase of the IOP during the whole treatment. Two cases of episcleritis and one case of allergic conjunctivitis that responded very well to local steroids but showed an increase of the intraocular pressure were treated with fluorometholone. The same anti-inflammatory response was obtained without any increase of the IOP. In our small series, a new steroid has been reviewed. No double-blind studies were done, and the series was not well controlled. But this preliminary result shows that fluorometholone can control inflammation in cases of uveitis, episcleritis, and allergic conjunctivitis as well as other steroids, but without increase of the IOP.

Conjunctivitis↗