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Biomedical subjects

Stephen Hamilton

Publications and source records attributed to Stephen Hamilton.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

The button-hole technique for nipple-areola complex reconstruction.

Nipple and areola reconstruction is an important component of breast reconstruction and numerous techniques have been reported. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. A novel variation in nipple-areola complex reconstruction utilising a 'Button-Hole' is presented which can be advantageous in women with smaller nipples. Review of thirteen patients with a mean follow up of 39 months showed durable Long-term results. In selected patients, this technique is a useful alternative to the many others currently employed.

Female↗
PubMed2005

Retroprosthetic membranes in AlphaCor patients: risk factors and prevention.

PURPOSE: To report retroprosthetic membrane (RPM) formation in association with AlphaCor and identify risk factors for their formation and strategies for prevention and management. METHODS: Review of AlphaCor data and case histories and literature review. RESULTS: RPMs occurred with AlphaCor in 14 (9.3%) cases. We find significant associations with systemic risk factors (race, hypertension, diabetes mellitus) rather than ocular history, but perioperative management may also be related to risk of RPM development. Histology demonstrates a fibrovascular tissue resembling scarred corneal tissue. Similar histologic findings have been reported for other devices. CONCLUSION: Retrocorneal membranes and RPMs with earlier keratoprostheses have frequently been reported without specific identifiable causes. Diabetes is known to be associated with intraocular membrane formation. This study demonstrates that systemic factors affect the risk of RPM formation with AlphaCor. In cases identified as at greater risk of membrane formation, peri- and postoperative therapies such as steroids, non-steroidals, heparin or rTPA should be considered. In our series, several therapeutic and surgical strategies appear effective but recognizing patients at increased risk pre-operatively and using preventive measures where indicated is likely to be key to minimizing the incidence of this complication.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Effect of imidazole on the solubility of a his-tagged antibody fragment.

A number of studies have demonstrated the limited solubility of single-chain Fv antibody fragments and its improvement by genetic engineering. This limits the stability of recombinant protein upon storage and the efficiency of chemical modification. The RAFT3 scFv used in the present work is specific for melanoma-associated proteoglycan and an attractive candidate for clinical radioimaging studies because of its unusual radiolabelling properties. However, when expressed with a c-terminal his(6) IMAC purification tag, the recombinant protein starts to precipitate after column elution and dialysis against PBS and reaches a concentration of soluble protein of approximately 150 microg/mL within a few days upon storage at 4 degrees C. We tested several commonly used buffer modifications (addition of detergents, high salt, amino acids) to improve the solubility and stability of the protein but without any major improvement. However, we found that, when the final dialysis step was omitted and the protein left in IMAC column elution buffer (PBS containing imidazole), it remained soluble. Furthermore, several months old and precipitated protein could be redissolved in this buffer without loss of antigen binding. This observation and the largely pH-independent nature of protein solubility suggest that neither salt bridges formed by the his(6) tail nor cross-linking of his(6) tails mediated by metal ions leached from the column during elution are responsible for the limited solubility of the protein in the absence of imidazole. The presence of imidazole did not interfere with radiolabelling and in vivo tumor targeting in a mouse model. The solubilizing and stabilizing effect of imidazole could be of use for his(6) tagged and poorly soluble recombinant proteins other than scFvs.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Naturally occurring mentoring in Japan and the United States: social roles and correlates.

Although the word "mentor"has traditionally been used to describe a relationship between an older adult and a younger person, recent work has extended its usage to relationships with peers and groups rather than with individuals and uncoupled the instrumental and affective qualities of the role. This paper examines (a) the extent to which adolescents' relationships with significant others in different social roles are characterized by mentoring and (b) the extent to which mentoring and other relationship functions covary. Adolescents' naturally occurring social relationships are explored in two very different contexts-Japan and the United States-that differ in the norms and patterning of social interactions. College students (N = 365) used questionnaires to describe the extent to which relations with significant others were characterized by mentoring. Results indicate striking similarity in the patterning of results in the two countries and support the traditional view of mentoring. Mentoring is most likely to occur in relationships with adults (especially parents), rather than with peers, and with same-gender, rather than other-gender associates. Mentoring by parents appears to covary with other aspects of positive relationships, but be more independent in relationships with unrelated adults or peers. Although more of the variability in experienced mentoring is attributed to differences between associates than to differences between adolescents in both the United States and Japan, this is especially true of the United States. Results suggest that although "classic" mentoring is most common in both countries, mentoring is somewhat less constrained by social role differences in Japan than is in the United States.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Can counselling take place in acute clinical mental health?

The environment in which acute clinical psychiatric nursing occurs actively militates against the possibility of 'counselling' taking place at a ward level. However, a proportion of mental health nurses working in this area continue to describe themselves as counsellors thus perpetuating a cycle of misconception. This article examines the reality of acute psychiatric service provision in an attempt to highlight that mental health nurses engaging with patient groups in this arena are actually demonstrating 'counselling skills practice'.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The evidence on quality of life for older people.

Quality of life is a major concern for older people and many factors contribute to how this group perceive the concept. Quality of life relates to the individual person therefore a good quality of life means different things to different people. Health care professionals must place an emphasis upon promoting quality of life and educating older people on how it can be optimised.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

How to use non-verbal signs in assessments of suicide risk.

Many tools routinely used by health professionals to assess suicide risk rely heavily upon verbal information received from patients during the course of an interview, despite the majority of interpersonal communication in the health care setting being of a non-verbal nature. A verbal statement of suicidal intent may be of little value as the person may be performing according to interviewer expectations and interview context. To facilitate more accurate and meaningful suicide risk assessment and effective clinical judgement, the non-verbal components of patient behaviour must be addressed and more specifically measured.

Humans↗