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Biomedical subjects

R Goodman

Publications and source records attributed to R Goodman.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Comparing the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Child Behavior Checklist: is small beautiful?

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a brief behavioral screening questionnaire that can be completed in 5 minutes by the parents or teachers of children aged 4 to 16; there is a self-report version for 11- to 16-year-olds. In this study, mothers completed the SDQ and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) on 132 children aged 4 through 7 and drawn from psychiatric and dental clinics. Scores from the SDQ and CBCL were highly correlated and equally able to discriminate psychiatric from dental cases. As judged against a semistructured interview, the SDQ was significantly better than the CBCL at detecting inattention and hyperactivity, and at least as good at detecting internalizing and externalizing problems. Mothers of low-risk children were twice as likely to prefer the SDQ.

Child↗
PubMed1999

Gabapentin in the acute treatment of refractory bipolar disorder.

BACKGROUND: Gabapentin, a new anti-epileptic agent, has been anecdotally reported to be effective in the treatment of mania. We systematically assessed the response rate in bipolar patients being treated adjunctively with gabapentin for manic symptoms, depressive symptoms, or rapid cycling not responsive to standard treatments. METHOD: Twenty-eight bipolar patients experiencing manic (n = 18), depressive (n = 5), or rapid-cycling (n = 5) symptoms inadequately responsive to at least one mood stabilizer were treated in an open fashion with adjunctive gabapentin. Illness response was assessed using the Clinical Global Impression Scale modified for bipolar disorder (CGI-BP). A 'positive response' was operationalized as a CGI response of much or very much improved. RESULTS: Fourteen of the 18 (78%) treated for hypomania or mania had a positive response to a dosage range of 600-3,600 mg/day. Patients with hypomania responded fastest, with a positive response achieved in 12.7 +/- 7.2 days. Patients with classic mania had a mean time to positive response of 25 +/- 12 days, and in patients with mixed mania it was 31.8 +/- 20.9 days. All of the five patients treated for depression had a positive response within 21 +/- 13.9 days. Only one of five patients with rapid cycling had a positive response. Gabapentin was well tolerated by all patients, with the most common side-effect being sedation. CONCLUSIONS: Gabapentin appears to have acute anti-manic and anti-depressant properties as an adjunctive agent for refractory bipolar illness. Prospective double-blind studies are needed to further delineate its acute efficacy when used as monotherapy and its prophylactic efficacy as monotherapy or in conjuction with other mood stabilizers.

Acetates↗
PubMed1999

The extended version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire as a guide to child psychiatric caseness and consequent burden.

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a brief behavioural screening questionnaire that asks about children's and teenagers' symptoms and positive attributes; the extended version also includes an impact supplement that asks if the respondent thinks the young person has a problem, and if so, enquires further about chronicity, distress, social impairment, and burden for others. Closely similar versions are completed by parents, teachers, and young people aged 11 or more. The validation study involved two groups of 5-15-year-olds: a community sample (N = 467) and a psychiatric clinic sample (N = 232). The two groups had markedly different distributions on the measures of perceived difficulties, impact (distress plus social impairment), and burden. Impact scores were better than symptom scores at discriminating between the community and clinic samples; discrimination based on the single "Is there a problem?" item was almost as good. The SDQ burden rating correlated well (r = .74) with a standardised interview rating of burden. For clinicians and researchers with an interest in psychiatric caseness and the determinants of service use, the impact supplement of the extended SDQ appears to provide useful additional information without taking up much more of respondents' time.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Application of magnetic field-induced heat shock protein 70 for presurgical cytoprotection.

To develop an alternative to hyperthermia for the induction of hsp70 for presurgical cytoprotection, we investigated the optimal exposure conditions for magnetic field induction of hsp70. Normal human breast cells (HTB124) were exposed to 60-Hz magnetic fields and hsp70 levels were measured following three different exposure conditions: continuous exposure up to 3 h, a single 20-min exposure, and a single 20-min exposure followed by repeated 20-min exposures at different field strengths. In cells exposed continuously for 3 h, hsp70 levels peaked (46%) within 20 min and returned to control levels by 2 h. Following a single 20-min exposure, the return of hsp70 levels to control values extended to more than 3 h. When cells underwent a 20-min exposure followed by repeated 20-min exposures (restimulation) with different field strengths, additional increases in hsp70 levels were induced: 31% at 1 h, 41% at 2 h, and 30% at 3 h.

Breast↗
PubMed1998

Long-distance transcriptional enhancement by the histone acetyltransferase PCAF.

Enhancers are defined by their ability to stimulate gene activity from remote sites and their requirement for promoter-proximal upstream activators to activate transcription. Here we demonstrate that recruitment of the p300/CBP-associated factor PCAF to a reporter gene is sufficient to stimulate promoter activity. The PCAF-mediated stimulation of transcription from either a distant or promoter-proximal position depends on the presence of an upstream activator (Sp1). These data suggest that acetyltransferase activity may be a primary component of enhancer function, and that recruitment of polymerase and enhancement of transcription are separable. Transcriptional activation by PCAF requires both its acetyltransferase activity and an additional activity within its N terminus. We also show that the simian virus 40 enhancer and PCAF itself are sufficient to counteract Mad-mediated repression. These results are compatible with recent models in which gene activity is regulated by the competition between deacetylase-mediated repression and enhancer-mediated recruitment of acetyltransferases.

Acetyltransferases↗
PubMed1998

Radiotherapy for unilesional mycosis fungoides.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the treatment outcome and natural history of patients with the diagnosis of unilesional mycosis fungoides, treated according to a prospective radiotherapy protocol in our institution since July 1975. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A total of 325 patients with the diagnosis of mycosis fungoides have been referred to the Department of Radiation Oncology at Allegheny University of Health Sciences from July 1975 through September 1996. Of these, 18 patients (5%) were classified as having unilesional mycosis fungoides and were irradiated with a curative intent using local electron fields. One patient received 22 Gy; 1 patient received 40 Gy, and the rest of the patients 30.6 Gy. Daily fractions ranged from 1.8 to 2.0 Gy. Treatments prior to radiation consisted of topical steroids and/or antifungal creams in the majority of patients, with temporary partial responses. One patient had received 2 years of topical mechlorethamine (HN2) and another patient had received topical carmustine solution (BCNU) without response prior to irradiation. RESULTS: The responses were measured clinically; posttreatment skin biopsy was not performed routinely unless there was clinical evidence of disease persistence. Complete response rate was 100%; all treated lesions cleared completely within 4 to 8 weeks after the completion of radiation. With a median follow-up of 43 months (range 12 to 240 months), 2 relapses have occurred, 2 and 71 months after the completion of radiation. Both relapses were confined to the skin and were remote from the original site. Both relapses responded to topical application of HN2. There have been no recurrences in the irradiated field nor systemic dissemination. No long-term side effects were found related to treatment, and all the patients are currently alive and without evidence of disease. Actuarial relapse-free and overall survival at 10 years are, respectively, 86.2% and 100%. CONCLUSION: Unilesional mycosis fungoides has a long natural history, is possibly the earliest manifestation of a malignant process, and local treatments, including local radiotherapy, result in long-term disease-free intervals and, possibly, cure. Total skin electron beam radiotherapy is not indicated for this disease entity.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Magnetic field activation of protein-DNA binding.

The mechanisms involved in sensing, signaling, and coordinating changes resulting from magnetic field-induced stress show substantial similarities to those of heat shock, e.g., magnetic field-induced heat shock 70 gene (HSP70) expression involves heat shock factor (HSF) activation and heat shock element binding. However, an additional requirement for transactivation of HSP70 expression by magnetic fields is the binding of Myc protein, indicating that additional elements and/or pathways are involved in the induction of HSP70 expression by magnetic fields. To investigate the possible participation of additional genetic elements in magnetic field-induced HSP70 expression, we examined both magnetic field exposure and heat shock on protein-DNA binding of the transcription factors HSF, AP-1, AP-2, and SP-1 in four human cell lines. The binding sites for these transcription factors are present in the HSP70 promoter. AP-1 binding activity, normally not increased by heat shock, was increased by magnetic fields; heat shock induced an increase only in HSF binding. Although intersecting and converging signaling pathways could account for the multiplicity of elements involved in magnetic field-induced HSP70 transcription, direct interaction of magnetic fields with DNA is also a possible mechanism. Because magnetic fields penetrate the cell, they could well react with conducting electrons present in the stacked bases of the DNA.

Binding, Competitive↗
PubMed1998

Myc-mediated transactivation of HSP70 expression following exposure to magnetic fields.

We investigated c-myc protein-binding sites on the HSP70 promoter as modulators of the induction of HSP70 gene expression in response to magnetic field stimulation (8microT at 60Hz) and whether the presence of c-myc protein potentiates transactivation of HSP70 expression. A 320 base pair region in the HSP70 promoter (+1 to -320) was analyzed. This region contains two c-myc-protein binding sites with consensus sequences located at -230 and -160 nucleotide positions (relative to the transcription initiation site) and overlapping with the region reported for the regulation of HSP70 gene expression by c-myc protein. This promoter region is upstream of other regulatory sequences, including the heat shock element (HSE), AP-2, and serum response element (SRE). Transfectants containing both c-myc protein-binding sites, HSP-MYC A and HSP-MYC B, and exposed to magnetic fields showed a 3.0-fold increase in expression of CAT activity as compared with sham-exposed control transfectants. Transfectants containing one c-myc binding site, HSP-MYC A, and exposed to magnetic fields showed a 2.3-fold increase in CAT expression. Transfectants in which both HSP-MYC A and HSP-MYC B binding sites were deleted showed no magnetic field sensitivity; values were virtually identical with sham-exposed controls. If the c-myc expression vector was not co-transfected with the constructs containing myc-binding sites, there was no difference in the expression of CAT activity between magnetically stimulated and sham-exposed controls, although both responded to heat shock. These data suggest that endogenous elevated levels of myc protein contribute to the induction of HSP70 in response to magnetic field stimulation.

Electromagnetic Fields↗
PubMed1998

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire: a pilot study on the validity of the self-report version.

The self-report version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was administered to two samples of 11-16 year olds: 83 young people in the community and 116 young people attending a mental health clinic. The questionnaire discriminated satisfactorily between the two samples. For example, the clinic mean for the total difficulties score was 1.4 standard deviations above the community mean, with clinic cases being over six times more likely to have a score in the abnormal range. The correlations between self-report SDQ scores and teacher- or parent-rated SDQ scores compared favourably with the average cross-informant correlations in previous studies of a range of measures. The self-report SDQ appears promising and warrants further evaluation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

The prevalence and correlates of specific learning difficulties in a representative sample of children with hemiplegia.

BACKGROUND: Children with hemiplegia have cerebral palsy affecting one side of the body due to damage to the opposite side of the brain. An investigation of the association between hemiplegia and specific learning difficulties (SpLD) provides a unique window on body-mind links and left brain/right brain differences. AIMS: The present study investigated the prevalence and correlates of SpLDs in children with hemiplegia. SAMPLE: A representative sample of 149 London children with hemiplegia aged between 6 and 10 included 59 children whose cognitive abilities and predicted academic ability were within the average range. METHODS: SpLDs were defined by ability-achievement discrepancy analysis. Differences between children with and without SpLDs were explored with a between-groups design. RESULTS: Children with hemiplegia had significantly more SpLDs than expected, with 36 per cent of these children having at least one SpLD. Children with and without SpLDs were similar in intelligence and demographic background, but the children with SpLDs had significantly more severe neurological impairments and a significantly higher rate of emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBDs) than comparison children. CONCLUSIONS: Three typical case studies are described and recommendations made for the early identification and remediation of SpLDs in children with hemiplegia.

Child↗
PubMed1998

Peer problems of children with hemiplegia in mainstream primary schools.

A representative sample of 55 mainstreamed 9-10-year-olds with hemiplegia were compared with all classmates on sociometric measures of popularity and friendship, and with 55 matched controls on measures of victimization. Children with hemiplegia were more rejected and less popular, had fewer friends, and were more often victimized; they were not more likely to be bullies themselves. These differences were not fully accounted for by group differences in teacher-estimated IQ and behaviour. Possible explanations range from neurologically determined deficits in mentalizing skills to peer prejudices about children with disabilities. The development of appropriate intervention strategies should be a high priority, particularly since peer problems not only result in current distress but also predict psychosocial problems in the future.

Child↗
PubMed1998

The longitudinal stability of psychiatric problems in children with hemiplegia.

A representative sample of 328 children with hemiplegia was assessed by behavioural screening questionnaires completed by parents and teachers; just under half were also individually assessed. Four years later, 90% of the sample were followed up by questionnaire. There was substantial continuity across time for most measures of psychopathology. Depending on the measures used, around 70% of children who were psychiatric "cases" initially were still cases 4 years later. In addition, around 30% of children who were not psychiatric cases initially had become cases 4 years later. In the pre-school years, externalising symptoms were predictive of later conduct and hyperactivity problems, whereas emotional symptoms were not predictive of later problems. In the school years, hyperactivity was particularly predictive of continuing psychiatric problems. Neurological, cognitive, demographic, and family factors did not add much predictive power once allowance had been made for the severity and type of the initial psychiatric problems. Since the psychiatric complications of childhood hemiplegia are persistent as well as common, they warrant increased clinical and research attention. All children with hemiplegia deserve careful monitoring for psychiatric problems, with a view to early intervention or the deployment of preventative approaches.

Child↗
PubMed1997

Electromagnetic field exposure induces rapid, transitory heat shock factor activation in human cells.

Stimulation of human promyelocytic HL60 cells by a 60Hz magnetic field at normal growth temperatures results in heat shock factor 1 activation and heat shock element binding, a sequence of events that mediates the stress-induced transcription of the stress gene HSP70 and increased synthesis of the stress response protein hsp70kD. Thus, the events mediating the electromagnetic field-stimulated stress response appear to be similar to those reported for other physiological stresses (e.g., hyperthermia, heavy metals, oxidative stress) and could well be the general mechanism of interaction of electromagnetic fields with cells.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed1997

Do electromagnetic fields interact directly with DNA?

The mechanisms whereby electromagnetic (EM) fields stimulate changes in biosynthesis in cells are not known. It has has generally been assumed that EM fields first interact with cell membranes, but this pathway may not be only one. Interactions with membranes are well documented, but recent studies of EM signal transduction in the membrane Na,K-ATPase are best explained by direct interaction of electric and magnetic fields with mobile charges within the enzyme. Interaction with moving charges may be a mechanism that is operative in other biopolymers. Recent studies on DNA have shown that large electron flows are possible within the stacked base pairs of the double helix. Therefore, gene activation by magnetic fields could be due to direct interaction with moving electrons within DNA. Electric fields as well as magnetic fields stimulate transcription, and both fields could interact with DNA directly. The mechanism of EM field-stimulated transcription may be related to the process in striated muscles, where endogenous electrical activity induces the synthesis of new proteins.

Cell Membrane↗