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Biomedical subjects

T F Scott

Publications and source records attributed to T F Scott.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Morphology and gelation of thermosensitive chitosan hydrogels.

The morphology of physical hydrogels is often difficult to examine due to the delicate nature of the system and therefore has not been studied in detail. Chitosan/GP (glycerophosphate salt) is a significant hydrogel in the biomedical and cosmetic fields as it is thermosensitive and contains less than 5% polysaccharide. The morphology of this system was examined with laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) to image the gel morphology. The images indicate that the gel is quite heterogeneous, and power spectra reveal a fractal-like morphology. A study of composition found that increasing chitosan concentration increased the amount of polymer-rich phase present in the gel, and that the smallest aggregates decreased in size.

Biocompatible Materials↗
PubMed2004

Colonization and maintenance of murine embryonic stem cells on poly(alpha-hydroxy esters).

The aim of this study was to determine the ability of various poly(alpha-hydroxy esters) to support the in vitro propagation of murine embryonic stem (ES) cells in an undifferentiated state. To this end, ES cell colonization, growth and Oct-4 immunoreactivity following a 48 h culture period upon poly((D,L)-lactide), poly((L)-lactide), poly(glycolide) and poly((D,L)-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) were assessed. By the analysis of live and dead cell number indices and Oct-4 immunoreactivity, ES cell colonization rate during a 48 h culture period was found to be significantly greater on PLGA compared to all the other unmodified poly(alpha-hydroxy esters) tested. Surface treatment of all polymers with 0.1m potassium hydroxide revealed a significant increase in ES cell live numbers when compared to all unmodified polymers, thus revealing a correlation between polymer content, hydrophilicity and colonization rate. These data suggest that surface treated poly(alpha-hydroxy esters) may be employed for ES cell scale up procedures and in tissue engineering applications requiring the colonization of scaffolds by ES cells in an undifferentiated state. According to such applications, once the designated scaffold has been colonized, ES cell directed differentiation into the desired and fully differentiated, functional adult tissue may then be effected.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2000

Short-term prognosis in early relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize a group of patients with early MS using prognostic factors and to determine whether these prognostic factors impact on short-term prognosis. METHODS: Data were collected prospectively on 98 patients newly diagnosed with MS in our MS clinic between 1990 and 1998 (average follow-up, 37 months from the time of onset of clinically definite MS [CDMS]). Six prognostic factors were recorded: age at onset, symptoms at onset, MRI status at onset and at diagnosis of CDMS, interval between the first and second attack, attack frequency in the first 2 years, and completeness of recovery from initial attacks. Completeness of recovery was determined using Expanded Disability Status Scale scores (EDSS). Progression was determined by final EDSS and changes in EDSS between initial presentation and final follow-up. RESULTS: Patients predicted to have low risk of progression of MS based on the prognostic factors represented 17% of our patient population (0 to 1 risk factor for progression). The patients with high risk of progression (4 to 6 risk factors) represented 24% of patients. Patients with a high number of risk factors did significantly worse than those with a small or medium number of risk factors in terms of final EDSS and progression to higher EDSS. At the time of diagnosis of CDMS, MRI findings suggestive of MS were seen in 84% of patients (suspicious in 13%, negative in 3%). CONCLUSION: Short-term prognosis was influenced by the presence or absence of a high number of these six risk factors.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Cerebral herniation after lumbar puncture in sarcoid meningitis.

A patient with chronic meningitis due to neurosarcoidosis became comatose within minutes of a lumbar puncture and died 24 h later. The diagnosis of neurosarcoidosis was made post mortem. Development of cerebral herniation may have been exacerbated by lumbar puncture. It was proposed that arachnoid villi dysfunction may have contributed to very high intracranial pressures in this patient, since post mortem examination revealed communication between the ventricles and outlet foramina of the fourth ventricle, and that herniation was in part due to an acute pressure differential caused by lumbar puncture.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Shunt-responsive dementia in sarcoid meningitis: role of magnetic resonance imaging and cisternography.

The authors report a patient with progressive cognitive and gait decline in association with sarcoid meningitis. The patient had evidence of active inflammation as determined by cerebrospinal fluid examination and was steroid dependent. Magnetic resonance imaging and radionucleotide cisternography were complementary in establishing the diagnosis of communicating hydrocephalus, and suggested that the patient would be shunt responsive.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

Transverse myelitis. Comparison with spinal cord presentations of multiple sclerosis.

We delineated the clinical and laboratory features that help distinguish acute myelopathic MS (MMS) from acute transverse myelitis (ATM), specifically testing the hypothesis that the symmetry of motor and sensory impairments at presentation can reliably distinguish between ATM and MMS. We reviewed 20 consecutive patients with ATM and 16 patients with MMS. Clinical criteria were used to assign patients to the ATM group. Patients assigned to the MMS group had onset of MS symptoms referable to the spinal cord and eventually fulfilled Poser's criteria for MS. The relative contribution of the symmetry of both motor and sensory symptoms for the accurate identification of ATM versus MMS was evaluated using a discriminant function analysis. Fifteen of 16 MMS patients and all 20 ATM patients presented with symptoms of motor dysfunction. Additionally, all patients in both groups presented with sensory complaints. MMS patients had asymmetric motor or sensory symptoms in all but one patient, whereas ATM patients exhibited symmetric weakness uniformly and symmetric sensory loss in all but one patient (statistically significant). None of the MS patients met criteria for ATM at presentation. None of the ATM patients developed MS over an average follow-up period of 4.5 years. In conclusion, MMS was easily distinguished from ATM in this study.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1997

Magnetic resonance appearance of cerebral lymphomatoid granulomatosis.

Lymphomatoid granulomatosis is an angiocentric lymphoproliferative process that involves the lungs. In a 52-year-old-man with lymphomatoid granulomatosis who presented with encephalopathy, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain demonstrated unusual multiple areas of enhancement that were both punctate and linear. These findings may be relatively specific for inflammation of deep cerebral vessels and have implications for MRI findings in other inflammatory cerebrovascular disorders.

Brain↗
PubMed1996

Characterization of major depression symptoms in multiple sclerosis patients.

Retrospective review of affective disturbances in 238 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) seen over a 6-month period revealed: 1) 51 patients (22%) received pharmacologic treatment for depressive symptoms during or within 4 years of the study period, and 17 (7%) received treatment for rapid mood swings; 2) among the 51 depressed patients, response rate to medication was extremely high; 3) relapse of depressive symptomatology after discontinuation of medication was also high (17/29); 4) first episodes of major depression frequently occurred during periods of MS progression or exacerbation, but first episodes also occurred during periods of relative clinical stability; 5) suicidal ideation was common (12 patients), but only 1 patient had a history of attempted suicide; and 6) side effects were tolerable in most patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Prolonged akinetic mutism due to multiple sclerosis.

A 25-year-old woman with multiple sclerosis and an affective disorder probably secondary to MS presented with multiple neurological signs and symptoms suggestive of active MS, most prominently akinetic mutism. Spinal fluid analysis and MRI supported a diagnosis of active MS. SPECT and EEG were nonspecifically abnormal. After 6 weeks of severe akinetic mutism refractory to one ECT treatment and trials of steroids and stimulants, the patient recovered spontaneously over a 2-month period. An acute brainstem lesion seen on MRI may explain this patient's akinetic mutism.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Measurement of treatment response to sertraline in depressed multiple sclerosis patients using the Carroll scale.

We studied 11 patients with stable multiple sclerosis (MS) with major depression in terms of response to Sertraline at 100 mg q.d. in an open label trial. Patients were evaluated with self assessment measurements (Carroll scale) prior to and during treatment. Only one patient discontinued the drug during the three month treatment trial, and this was due to perceived lack of efficacy by the patient. The remainder of the patients completed at least three months of treatment and had significant improvement in depressive symptoms by self assessment measurements. No patients experienced side effects. Sertraline appears to be well tolerated and effective in treatment of major depression in MS. The Carroll scale is an easily administered means of assessing treatment response, and correlated highly with our clinical impressions.

1-Naphthylamine↗
PubMed1994

Lymphocyte subsets in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a longitudinal study of B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes.

Changes in lymphocyte subset populations may provide clues to the dysimmune mechanisms involved in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The lymphocyte subgroup CD4+ CD45RA+, thought to be responsible for the induction of suppression is decreased in some patients with MS compared to controls. A possible role for another lymphocyte subset, CD19+CD5+ lymphocytes, has been proposed in autoimmune diseases and multiple sclerosis (MS). To expand this we studied CD4+CD45RA+ (T) lymphocytes and CD19+CD5+ (B) lymphocytes in nine patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and nine controls. The patients were examined monthly for an average of ten months and nine relapses were observed in seven patients. One patient underwent monthly gadolinium enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Normal percentages CD4+CD45RA+ lymphocytes were found in patients with RRMS. No significant abnormalities in the CD19+CD5+ lymphocyte subpopulation were noted, although a tendency for higher percentages of this subset (approaching statistical significance, P = 0.056) was detected.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1993

Midline cerebral malformations and schizophrenia.

To investigate a possible association of midline cerebral malformations with psychotic disorders, MRI and CT scans were blindly evaluated for 52 patients with schizophrenia, 9 with schizoaffective disease, and 79 consecutive nonpsychotic control subjects. Midline abnormalities were present in 10 of 61 patients (16.4%) versus 4 of 79 control subjects (5.1%; P < 0.05, chi-square). Of 52 schizophrenic patients, 8 had abnormalities of the septum pellucidum (SP): 5 had cavum vergae (CaV), 2 had cavum septum pellucidum (CaSP), and 1 had agenesis of the corpus callosum and SP. Of 9 schizoaffective patients, 2 had SP abnormalities: 1 CaV and 1 CaSP. Abnormalities of the SP, especially CaV, were significantly more frequent in women than in men (P < 0.02, chi-square).

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Diseases that mimic multiple sclerosis.

Because no one laboratory test is diagnostic of multiple sclerosis, evaluation involves careful exclusion of other possible diagnoses. Magnetic resonance imaging is a valuable tool in this process. Clues from a scan can confirm findings from the history and physical and laboratory examinations. Dr Scott compares typical findings of multiple sclerosis with those of the four diseases that are sometimes mistaken for this syndrome.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed1991

Cranial neuropathy.

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Carcinoma, Bronchogenic↗