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T Ferguson

Publications and source records attributed to T Ferguson.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

Evidence of New States Decaying into Xi(*)(c)pi.

Using 13.7 fb(-1) of data recorded by the CLEO detector at Cornell Electron Storage Ring, we report evidence of two new charmed baryons: one decaying into Xi(0')(c)pi(+) with the subsequent decay Xi(0')(c)-->Xi(0)(c)gamma, and its isospin partner decaying into Xi(+')(c)pi(-) followed by Xi(+')(c)-->Xi(+)(c)gamma. We measure the following mass differences for the two states: M(Xi(0)(c)gammapi(+))-M(Xi(0)(c)) = 318.2+/-1.3+/-2.9 MeV and M(Xi(+)(c)gammapi(-))-M(Xi(+)(c)) = 324.0+/-1.3+/-3.0 MeV. We interpret these new states as the J(P) = 1 / 2(-) Xi(c1) particles, the charmed-strange analogs of the Lambda(+)(c1)(2593).

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Observation of B --> phiK and B --> phiK*.

We have studied two-body charmless hadronic decays of B mesons into the final states straight phiK and phiK(*). Using 9.7 million B&Bmacr; pairs collected with the CLEO II detector, we observe the decays B- --> phiK- and B0--> phiK(*0) with the following branching fractions: B(B--->phiK-) = (5.5(+2.1)(-1.8)+/-0.6)x10(-6) and B(B0--> phiK(*0)) = (11.5(+4.5+1.8)(-3.7-1.7))x10(-6). We also see evidence for the decays B0-->phiK0 and B---> phiK(*-). However, since the statistical significance is not overwhelming for these modes, we determine upper limits of <12.3x10(-6) and <22.5x10(-6) ( 90% confidence level), respectively.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

Epidemiology of IgA nephropathy in central and eastern Kentucky for the period 1975 through 1994. Central Kentucky Region of the Southeastern United States IgA Nephropathy DATABANK Project.

Population-based incidence data for IgA nephropathy (IgAN) are available for some countries but not for the United States. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of IgAN in central and eastern Kentucky for 5- and 10-yr periods between 1975 and 1994 and to examine differences among patient groups between those periods. The incidence of IgAN was 5.4 cases per one million population per year (MPPY) for period 1A (1975 through 1979), increasing to 12.4 cases per MPPY for period 2B (1990 through 1994) (P < 0.001). Males had a 2.7 times higher incidence than females for period 1 (1975 through 1984) and 2.2 times higher for period 2 (1985 through 1994). For period 1A, the incidence for Fayette County, which includes the city of Lexington, was lower than that of the rest of the study area (P=0.26), whereas for period 2 the incidence was higher for Fayette County (P=0.052). During period 1, the highest incidence of IgAN for any age and gender group was 24.3 cases per MPPY for males ages 30 through 39. For period 2, the incidence for males was similar for each decade between ages 20 and 59 (approximately 19 cases per MPPY). No African-American was diagnosed during period 1, but in period 2 incidences for blacks and whites were similar (10.7 and 10.2 cases per MPPY, respectively). For the last 5 yr of the study (1990 through 1994), the incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) due to IgAN was 5.5 cases per MPPY: 8.4 for males and 2.7 for females. The incidence of IgAN in Kentucky for period 2B was still much lower than that in European studies, but the incidence of ESRD due to IgAN may be similar. Thus, IgAN may be as important a condition with respect to ESRD in Kentucky as it is in other regions of the world.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Enhanced de novo lipogenesis in the leptin-unresponsive pancreatic islets of prediabetic Zucker diabetic fatty rats: role in the pathogenesis of lipotoxic diabetes.

Overaccumulation of fat in pancreatic islets of obese ZDF fa/fa rats is believed to cause beta-cell failure and diabetes. Previously, we demonstrated that ZDF islets have an increased capacity to esterify fatty acids imported via the circulation. Here we examine the capacity of ZDF islets to synthesize fatty acids de novo. Compared with age-matched wild-type (+/+) control islets, acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC) mRNA was fivefold and sixfold higher and fatty acid synthetase (FAS) was fourfold and sevenfold higher in prediabetic and diabetic ZDF islets, respectively. Incorporation of label from [14C]glucose into lipids was 84% higher in ZDF islets and was not suppressed normally by fatty acids. Chronic hyperleptinemia, induced by adenoviral transfer of leptin cDNA, reduced ACC and FAS mRNA in +/+ islets by 93 and 80%, respectively, but did not decrease the high ACC and FAS expression in islets of fa/fa rats. Recombinant leptin cultured with islets isolated from +/+ rats lowered ACC and FAS expression by 66 and 47%, respectively, but had no effect in fa/fa islets. We conclude that de novo lipogenesis in islets is controlled by leptin and remains low in leptin-responsive islets. It is increased in leptin-insensitive fa/fa islets, contributing to the fat overload that leads to beta-cell dysfunction and diabetes.

Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase↗
PubMed1997

Health online and the empowered medical consumer.

BACKGROUND: Lay health care consumers' emergence as active participants in online health care networks is a powerful new technological pattern that promises to take the American health care system through all stages of cultural adaptation--substitution, innovation, and transformation. Soon everyone will recognize the fundamental changes online health has produced in the way we think and act about health care. A NEW ACADEMIC SUBSPECIALTY: A new subspecialty--consumer health informatics (CHI)--is covering two domains: (1) community CHI resources--the online networks, forums, databases, and World Wide Web sites that anyone with a home computer can access, and (2) clinical CHI resources--programs or systems developed by clinicians, system developers, or health maintenance organizations and provided to selected membership groups or patients. EXHIBITS: Sample communications among online self-helpers within their chat groups, e-mail exchanges, bulletin boards, and USENET newsgroups for chosen health topics show what is on their mind, how they get information, how they use it, and how they correct it. Sometimes, clinicians have observed, lay care offers higher quality than professional care. Lay self-helpers, such as the originator of the Brain Tumor Mailing List, have observed several potential benefits in linking online self-helpers and providers and at a very modest cost. FUTURE DIRECTIONS: In a coming six-level system of information-age health care, patient-consumers may seek what they need in the following order: individual self-care, family and friends, informal self-help networks, the professional as coach, the professional as partner, and the professional as authority.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Covert poisoning with difenacoum: clinical and toxicological observations.

1. The coumarin anticoagulant difenacoum was detected by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with multi-wavelength UV detection in plasma from a 41 years old man who presented with a severe deficiency of vitamin K-dependent clotting factors of unknown aetiology. A longitudinal toxicological study of the consequent coagulopathy is described. 2. Plasma concentrations of difenacoum declined from 0.97 to 0.11 mgl-1 in 47 days with a terminal half life of 11.7 days. Rifampacin (300 mg bd) had no apparent effect on the terminal half life of the drug. Subsequently plasma concentrations of difenacoum and descarboxyprothrombin (DCP) unexpectedly increased. 3. Seven months after exposure clotting times were prolonged. The patient continued to have episodes of epistaxis, haematoma, purpurae and bruising and he required frequent treatment with Fresh Frozen Plasma in additional to oral phylloquinone (200 mg day-1). 4. Intermittent and unexpected increases in plasma concentrations of difenacoum and descarboxypro-thrombin suggested that covert, repeated ingestion of the anticoagulant was the most likely cause of the poisoning. The measurement of low concentrations of plasma phylloquinone except following supervised ingestion of the vitamin indicated that as an outpatient, the subject was not compliant with treatment despite his protestations to the contrary. He continued to deny this even when confronted by laboratory findings and at no time did he ever admit to self-poisoning.

4-Hydroxycoumarins↗
PubMed1995

Cortisol excretion in essential hypertension.

A number of factors suggest that abnormalities of the adrenal cortex are present in essential hypertension. To determine whether altered cortisol excretion exists in essential hypertension, we have measured urinary free cortisol and cortisol to creatinine ratios in early morning urine specimens for 14 consecutive days. We have established a reference range for these parameters in 26 normotensive subjects. We have also compared these values in nine normotensive subjects and nine patients with essential hypertension closely matched for age, sex and body mass index. In the 26 normotensive subjects, urinary free cortisol was 240 +/- 13 nmol/l (mean +/- s.e.m) and cortisol to creatinine ratio was 22 +/- l. In the nine hypertensive subjects, urinary free cortisol was 238 +/- 48 nmol/l and cortisol to creatinine ratio was 20 +/- 3. We have not demonstrated an abnormality of cortisol excretion in essential hypertension.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Hydronephrosis of pregnancy.

During pregnancy, up to 90 percent of women have some degree of asymptomatic dilatation of the renal calyces, the renal pelves and the upper two-thirds of the ureters. Such changes occur in the face of increased renal blood flow and are well tolerated. However, the dilatation may be responsible for the increased propensity of asymptomatic bacteriuria to progress to symptomatic infection during pregnancy. Pathologic hydronephrosis manifested by acute pain, refractory urosepsis or even renal failure has been reported. A case of spontaneous extravasation of urine in a 19-year-old primigravida during the 28th week of gestation is reported. The ureteral obstruction in this patient required percutaneous nephrostomy drainage until delivery of the fetus.

Adult↗