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Biomedical subjects

S Fernando

Publications and source records attributed to S Fernando.

27 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

A randomised double blind comparative study of low level laser therapy following surgical extraction of lower third molar teeth.

A randomised, double blind comparative study was undertaken to assess the efficacy of low level laser therapy in the reduction of postoperative pain and swelling in patients undergoing the extraction of bilaterally impacted mandibular third molar teeth. Healing of the sockets was also compared after 1 week. A group of 64 patients had one randomly-selected operation side treated with a semi-conductor laser and the other side with an apparently identical but non-operating model. Complete data were obtained from 52 of the 64 patients. The results showed that there was no evidence of a difference in pain and swelling on the third day after operation between laser and placebo sides. There was no difference between the two sides when they were assessed for healing 7 days after surgery.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Racial stereotypes.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Black or African American↗
PubMed1987

Biological and chemical studies on overheated brewed coffee.

Vapour formed from overheated decaffeinated coffee was condensed and tested for mutagenicity using the Ames assay in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98 and TA100. Vapour produced at 73 and 100 degrees C exhibited no mutagenicity. The basic fraction of vapour produced at 350 degrees C showed weak mutagenicity towards strains TA98 with metabolic activation. The chemical analysis of this fraction identified pyridines and pyrazines as the major constituents. None of the compounds identified in this fraction has been reported as mutagenic when tested in the Ames assay.

Caffeine↗
PubMed1985

Fragile X syndrome: associated neurological abnormalities and developmental disabilities.

The fragile X syndrome is a frequent cause of developmental disabilities. It is associated primarily with nonprogressive X-linked mental retardation. The neurodevelopmental abnormalities of 25 males and 3 females are described. Mental retardation was mild in 4, moderate in 11, severe in 6, and profound in 2 patients, while 4 patients had only learning disabilities. The presence or absence of a developmental disability could not be determined in the youngest (8 months). Seven patients had had infantile autism and 7 had epilepsy. Generally no major focal neurological abnormalities were observed but most of the patients exhibited minor signs. The severity of developmental disabilities in our patients varied between and within families and between genders. All adult males had macroorchidism. Unusual facial features were present in 13 males but none were seen in the females. Familial occurrences were found in 18 cases (64%); 10 cases (36%) were sporadic. Overall, males were more severely affected than females. Diagnostic tests including computed tomographic scans, electroencephalograms, and evoked potentials did not disclose any specific abnormalities.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Suicide among psychiatric patients of a district general hospital.

Twenty-two psychiatric patients who committed suicide while receiving hospital treatment or within 3 months of discharge from psychiatric care were studied using general population statistics, a random sample of 100 psychiatric patients and a control group matched individually with the hospital suicides. The rate of suicide among psychiatric in-patients was over 50 times that in the general population. A higher vulnerability to suicide was detected among in-patients (v. other patient groups), men (v. women) and middle-aged patients (v. older and younger patients). Suicides were differentiated from controls in having suffered more losses (P less than 0.05), being psychiatrically ill for the first time (P less than 0.05), having a past history of deliberate self-harm (P less than 0.05), and not receiving a schizophrenic diagnosis (P less than 0.02). People with mid-life crises, patients who swing rapidly into depression while receiving treatment, and individuals who are judged to be depressed because of personal problems may carry a particularly high suicide risk during psychiatric treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Racism as a cause of depression.

Racism is not just an added stress to individuals of minority ethnic groups (identified as racial groups) but is a pathogen which generates depression. In analysing this within a social model of depression indicating a few ways in which racism subtly - and not so subtly - affects self esteem, causes losses in a psychological sense, and promotes a sense of helplessness (Table 2) I have indicated ways in which this perspective should influence treatment. A more complex scheme summarising the matters raised in this paper are given in Table 3. It should be acknowledged that in depression (as in any other psychiatric illness), the patient is implicated in the genesis of the condition one way or another, but the emphasis given in this paper to a "victim" approach is deliberate and necessary. In dealing with depression among people who are victims of social condition be it racism or the unemployment it is all too easy to see the individual as the problem. We then see solutions merely in terms of changing or treating the individual and really get into quite a mess. For example the author was recently talking to a G.P. about a man who had become depressed because of unemployment. The G.P. wanted to give him an antidepressant. Yes X is "good for unemployment" he was told. He did not see the joke. The emphasis had already shifted. Even if we recognise the effects of racism in causing identity crises, low self esteem or a sense of helplessness, we must of course help the individual but we must keep reminding ourselves that the problem is not really the low self esteem or whatever, but the racism.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Depression↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Modulation of mitogen-independent hepatocyte proliferation during the perinatal period in the rat.

Late gestation fetal rat hepatocytes can proliferate under defined in vitro conditions in the absence of added mitogens. However, this capacity declines with advancing gestational age of the fetus from which the hepatocytes are derived. The present studies were undertaken to investigate this change in fetal hepatocyte growth regulation. Examination of E19 fetal hepatocyte primary cultures using immunocytochemistry for 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation showed that approximately 80% of these cells traverse S-phase of the cell cycle over the first 48 h in culture. Similarly, 65% of E19 hepatocytes maintained in culture under defined mitogen-free conditions for 24 h showed nuclear expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). These in vitro findings correlated with a high level of immunoreactive PCNA in immunofluorescent analyses of E19 liver. In contrast, E21 (term) liver showed little immunoreactive PCNA. The in vivo finding was recapitulated by in vitro studies showing that E21 hepatocytes had low levels of BrdU incorporation during the first day in culture and were PCNA negative shortly after isolation. However, within 12 h of plating, E21 hepatocytes showed cytoplasmic staining for PCNA. Although maintained under mitogen-free conditions, PCNA expression progressed synchronously to a nucleolar staining pattern at 24 to 48 h in culture followed by intense, diffuse nuclear staining at 60 h which disappeared by 72 h. This apparently synchronous cell cycle progression was confirmed by studies showing peak BrdU incorporation on the third day in culture. Whereas DNA synthesis by both E19 and E21 hepatocytes was potentiated by transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha), considerable mitogen-independent DNA synthesis was seen in hepatocytes from both gestational ages. These results may indicate that fetal hepatocytes come under the influence of an exogenous, in vivo growth inhibitory factor as term approaches and that this effect is relieved when term fetal hepatocytes are cultured.

Animals↗