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Biomedical subjects

R Laughlin

Publications and source records attributed to R Laughlin.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Exposure to breastmilk in infancy and the risk of breast cancer.

Early childhood nutrition may affect the subsequent risk of breast cancer in adulthood. We examined the association of having been breastfed with risk of breast cancer in a case-control study of women age 40-85 years in western New York. Cases (N = 528) had newly diagnosed primary, pathologically confirmed breast cancer; controls (N = 602) were randomly selected from the same community and were frequency matched on age. Having been breastfed was associated with decreased risk. The multivariate adjusted odds ratio was 0.74, and the 95% confidence interval was 0.56-0.99. We found little difference in the association for pre- and postmenopausal women despite a much higher frequency of breastfeeding among the older women. These findings indicate that early nutriture in general and bottle feeding in particular may relate to breast cancer development in adulthood.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Effects of nutritional copper deficiency on the biomechanical properties of bone and arterial elastin metabolism in the chick.

Increased bone fragility was observed in chickens fed diets containing less than 1 ppm copper. Using a device that was designed to measure torsion during fracture, it could be demonstrated that bone from copper-deficient chicks fractured with less deformation and torque than bone from control chicks. The collagen of bone from copper-deficient chicks appeared to contain fewer cross-links than normal bone. The introduction of artificial cross-links into collagen from copper-deficient chick bone by formaldehyde and NaBH4 treatments improved bone strength and strain (deformation) so that it was comparable with normal bone. Copper deficiency blocks the formation of cross-links in collagens and elastin from various tissues. It is felt that the bone fragility related to nutritional copper deficiency is the result of decreased bone collagen cross linking. Arterial elastin metabolism was also investigated. By radioactively labeling arterial soluble elastin (tropoelastin) in vivo by an intraperitoneal injection of [G-3H]valine, it could be demonstrated that copper deficiency appeared to reduce its rate of metabolic turnover. Soluble elastin or tropoelastin is assumed to be the precursor of mature or insoluble elastin. The observations presented here are consistent with the view that by retarding the steps associated with elastin cross-link formation, the incorporation of soluble elastin into mature elastin may be retarded as well.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Spontaneous fusion in scoliosis after instrumentation without arthrodesis.

The technique of subcutaneous rod insertion without exposure of the curve has been proposed as a method of controlling the progression of scoliosis while allowing the spine to grow. We review the literature and present three patients whose spines spontaneously fused unexpectedly while undergoing this form of treatment. The fusion occurred posteriorly, and continued anterior growth led to increased deformity from the crankshaft phenomenon. Based on this experience, the authors recommend careful follow-up and early anterior fusion when the crankshaft phenomenon is observed.

Child↗