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Biomedical subjects

T Patterson

Publications and source records attributed to T Patterson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Sleep-disordered breathing and periodic limb movements in sleep in older patients with schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Since the prevalence of both sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and periodic limb movements in sleep (PLMS) increase with age, we explored whether older schizophrenia patients would have a high incidence of SDB and PLMS. Correlations between sleep and clinical variables were also examined. METHODS: Fifty-two patients (mean age = 59.6 years, SD = 8.9) had their sleep/wake, respiration, and leg movements recorded using a modified Medilog/Respitrace portable recording system plus oximetry. A battery of clinical, psychosocial, and motor disturbance variables were collected by research center staff. RESULTS: Forty-eight percent of these patients had at least 10 respiratory events per hour of sleep. These patients reported more symptoms of daytime sleepiness than patients with fewer than 10 events per hour. The relatively high prevalence of SDB in this group may contribute to overall sleep disturbances, and does not appear to be a result of high body mass index. Only 14% of the patients had at least five limb movements per hour of sleep, suggesting the prevalence of PLMS is much lower than expected in this age group. The number of leg jerks was inversely related to symptoms of tardive dyskinesia. CONCLUSIONS: The disturbance of sleep in these patients may be due, in part, to SDB, but is unlikely due to PLMS.

Age Factors

Effects of dietary taurine supplementation or deprivation in aged male Fischer 344 rats.

Taurine is a sulfur amino acid that is present in high concentration in mammalian tissues and previously has been reported to decline in a number of tissues with advancing age. The aims of the present study were to examine: (1) the effects of dietary taurine supplementation; (2) the effects of taurine-free diets; (3) the ability of aged rats to conserve urinary taurine; and (4) the consequences of these dietary manipulations on some biochemical parameters. Male F344 rats (n = 30/group) 18 months of age were placed on control diets, diets supplemented with 1.5% taurine in the drinking water, or a taurine-free diet for 10 months. An adult control group (12 months old at the end of the study) on normal diets was included for comparison purposes. Significant (P < 0.05) age-related declines in taurine content were observed in the spleen, kidney, eye, cerebellum and serum. Taurine supplementation corrected these deficits in tissue content in aged rats and in many cases increased taurine content above that of adult controls. Urinary excretion of taurine was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced in aged rats indicating an increased need to conserve taurine. Taurine-deficient diets did not further exacerbate the age-related decline in tissue taurine content, suggesting biosynthetic adaptations to the lack of dietary taurine. Dietary taurine supplementation blunted age-related declines in serum IGF-1 and increases in serum creatinine and blood urinary nitrogen (BUN). These studies suggest that advanced aging results in a taurine-deficient state that can be corrected by dietary supplementation.

Aging

Pseudosparing of the endplate: a potential pitfall in using MR imaging to diagnose infectious spondylitis.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to describe a potential pitfall in using MR imaging to diagnose infectious spondylitis called "pseudosparing" of the endplate, in which the diseased endplate appears to be better defined than a healthy endplate. CONCLUSION: Poor definition of the endplate is a classic radiographic finding in infectious spondylitis; on MR imaging, however, increased conspicuity, or "pseudosparing," was common in our study. Pseudosparing occurs when the normal chemical shift artifact seen in healthy endplates is lost as a result of infiltration of the bone marrow by a pathologic process.

Adult

Neurophysiologic effects of retrograde cerebral perfusion used for aortic reconstruction.

OBJECTIVE: The results of neurophysiologic monitoring using somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) and electroencephalography (EEG) were analyzed to determine if retrograde cerebral perfusion (RCP) supported central nervous system electrical function during surgery that required temporary interruption of antegrade cerebral perfusion (IACP). DESIGN: A prospective, observational study. SETTING: A university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen adult patients who underwent aortic reconstruction using RCP and three patients who underwent thoracic aortic operations using hypothermic circulatory arrest without RCP. INTERVENTIONS: SSEPs and EEG were monitored continuously throughout the operation. Regression analysis was performed to determine the factors that affected the rate of decrease in SSEP amplitudes during IACP and the time required for SSEP and EEG activity to recover after antegrade cerebral perfusion (ACP) was restored. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The amplitude of SSEPs that were elicited decreased over time after IACP. The mean +/- standard deviation (SD) time required for the brachial plexus (Erb's point), cervicomedullary junction (N13), and brainstem (N18) SSEPs to decrease to 0.5 of their original amplitude after IACP were 30 +/- 2, 19 +/- 2, and 16 +/- 2 minutes, respectively. The rate of decrease in the N18 SSEP amplitude after IACP correlated positively to the fraction of no-flow time (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: RCP attenuated the rate of decay in SSEP amplitudes during IACP. This suggested that RCP had a measurable physiologic effect on central nervous system function and may increase the time that ACP can be safely interrupted.

Adult

Jackknife-based method for measuring LRP onset latency differences.

A new method based on jackknifing is presented for measuring the difference between two conditions in the onset latencies of the lateralized readiness potential (LRP). The method can be used with both stimulus- and response-locked LRPs, and simulations indicate that it provides accurate estimates of onset latency differences in many common experimental conditions.

Computer Simulation

Community immunization programme in response to an outbreak of invasive Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C infection in the Trent region of England 1995-1996.

Between 8 December 1995 and 16 January 1996 seven laboratory confirmed cases of septicaemia owing to infection with Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C strains and one highly probable case of meningococcal septicaemia occurred in three electoral wards in south Rotherham and the Retford area of north Nottinghamshire. All cases occurred among children aged 1-17 years. One patient died. The public health response to this outbreak was the largest community prophylactic antibiotic and immunization programme against meningococcal infection, to date, in the United Kingdom. The target group for each Health Authority was 8900 for Rotherham Health Authorities and 8000 for North Nottinghamshire Health. Local logistical factors led to differences in the implementation of the programme by each Health Authority. At the completion of each programme, 8320 doses of vaccine had been administered (92.5 per cent coverage) during the Rotherham Health Authorities programme and 7660 (95.7 per cent coverage) during the North Nottinghamshire Health programme. The additional financial cost of the exercise amounted to approximately Pounds 125000 for each Health Authority. This paper describes the evolution of the outbreak, the decision-making process resulting in the immunization programme in each Health Authority, the implementation of each programme, problems identified and lessons learned.

Adolescent

Spinal dural arteriovenous malformations. Intraoperative evoked potential evidence for pathophysiology. A case report.

STUDY DESIGN: This case report details intraoperative evoked potential changes during surgical removal of a T8 dural arteriovenous malformation. OBJECTIVES: The pattern of changes in somatosensory-evoked responses during surgical correction of spinal dural at arteriovenous malformation can illuminate the pathophysiologic process behind the clinical symptoms. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Arteriovenous malformation of the spinal dura can manifest with multiple symptoms, including progressive myelopathy and pain. The pathophysiologic process behind these symptoms could be either direct compression of the spinal cord by the arteriovenous malformation, ischemia resulting from the cord, or increased venous pressure. METHODS: To investigate these hypotheses further, the results of posterior tibial evoked potentials obtained during surgical removal of a T8 dural arteriovenous malformation were analyzed. RESULTS: At baseline, the cortical (P40) potential was markedly prolonged bilaterally. During surgery, just after the dura was opened, a marked increase was observed in the latencies of the P40 and P60 components of the evoked response on the right, which began to resolve as soon as the arteriovenous malformation was occluded. Only minimal changes were seen on the left. CONCLUSIONS: These results are most consistent with the increased venous pressure hypothesis for the pathogenesis of neurologic symptoms in dural arteriovenous malformations.

Aged

Detection of stroke during cardiac operations with somatosensory evoked responses.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to determine if monitoring of intraoperative somatosensory evoked potentials could be used to detect stroke during cardiac operations and to establish indicators of cerebral ischemia based on changes in these potentials. METHODS: Twenty-five patients undergoing cardiac operations underwent preoperative and postoperative neurologic examinations as well as intraoperative recording of somatosensory evoked potentials. Detailed analysis of the waveforms of these potentials was performed. RESULTS: Two of the 25 patients had intraoperative strokes. These patients and only these patients had changes in their somatosensory evoked potentials during the operation suggesting cerebral ischemia. The unilateral disappearance of the cortical somatosensory evoked potential waves correlated significantly with the clinical outcome of stroke (p < 0.004). Ischemic changes were detected in real time and were related to the removal of the aortic crossclamp in one patient and to the initiation of cardiopulmonary bypass in the other. CONCLUSIONS: Somatosensory evoked potentials can detect intraoperative stroke during cardiac operations. Acute, unilateral decreases in amplitude of the cortical potential are more useful than changes in latency in detecting intraoperative stroke.

Adult

Microdilution antifungal susceptibility testing of Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans with and without agitation: an eight-center collaborative study.

The growth patterns observed in the trailing wells when fluconazole is being tested may give rise to readings that suggest resistance or increased MICs for known susceptible strains. We conducted a multicenter study to evaluate the intralaboratory and interlaboratory reproducibilities of a method that uses agitation to disperse these types of growth. Ten strains of Candida albicans and five strains of Cryptococcus neoformans were tested against fluconazole, flucytosine, and amphotericin B by using a microdilution adaptation of the proposed reference method of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards for yeasts (M27-T). The endpoint criterion used before agitation was consistent with the M27-T recommendation, while a criterion of 50% or more reduction of growth compared with the control was used after agitation. The results of this study showed that use of agitation and the modified endpoint criterion both improved intralaboratory and inter-laboratory agreement and increased the frequency of interpretable MICs. The MICs obtained by this method were comparable to those obtained by the broth macrodilution M27-T method. Like M27-T, this method was not able to definitely distinguish amphotericin B-susceptible from -resistant strains, although the MICs for the resistant strains were consistently higher than those for the susceptible ones. The findings imply that agitation should be seriously considered when antifungal agents, particularly fluconazole, are tested in a microdilution format.

Amphotericin B

Caught in the middle.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Administrative Personnel

Psychiatric morbidity associated with acquired immune deficiency syndrome-related grief resolution.

This study examined acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related grief resolution and psychiatric morbidity in 286 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive and HIV-negative gay men examined between 1989 and 1993 in San Diego, CA. Psychiatric morbidity, mood ratings, and bereavement assessments were obtained using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R, Hamilton Rating Scales for Depression and Anxiety, and Texas Revised Inventory of Grief. Sixty percent of the men (N = 171) reported a loss within the previous 12 months. Eighteen percent of the bereaved met criteria for unresolved grief. No differences were evident in lifetime psychiatric disorders, yet men with unresolved grief demonstrated an elevated prevalence of current major depression and panic disorder when compared with resolved grievers. Clinician sensitivity to the grief process and its relationship to psychiatric complications is an important component of comprehensive psychiatric and medical care of men at high risk for HIV during this era of AIDS.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

A collaborative approach to reduce hospitalization of developmentally disabled clients with mental illness.

Developmentally disabled clients with a concomitant mental illness are often underserved or inappropriately treated because of interorganizational barriers, leading to unnecessary hospitalization and lengthy delays in community placement. To overcome these barriers, agencies responsible for developmental disabilities and mental health services in Spokane County in Washington State developed a collaborative system of care in 1989. An interagency consortium was established to promote coordination of services between the community mental health center, the state hospital, the county human services agency, the state's regional developmental disability service agency, the state institution for the developmentally disabled, and several community agencies serving developmentally disabled persons. Between 1990 and 1992, admissions of developmentally disabled persons to the state hospital were more likely to be appropriate admissions of persons suffering from a mental illness, developmentally disabled clients were discharged more efficiently, and crisis respite services were used in place of hospitalization. In addition, anecdotal reports indicated a reduction of interagency tensions.

Community Mental Health Services

An investigation into the default rate at the Fife colposcopy clinic: implications for target setting.

BACKGROUND: High default rates have been reported from the Fife colposcopy clinic in recent years. However, it was felt that this rate was misleading, as many patients who defaulted initially attended subsequent appointments. It was therefore decided to determine the default rate of a cohort of new patients given appointments at the clinic. The objective of the study was to determine the attendance rates for these new patients, between the dates they were first invited to their various appointments and the dates that their notes were subsequently examined as part of this study in September 1992. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of new patients invited to the Fife colposcopy clinic was undertaken. The notes of 200 new patients who had been invited during the eight-month period January-August 1991 were selected by systematic sampling. The dates that they had attended for their new patient assessment/treatment, first follow-up and second follow-up appointments were recorded. Attendance rates were then calculated using an incomplete life-table method. Patients were censored if they failed to attend their assessment/treatment or review appointments by 1 October 1992. RESULTS: The study demonstrated that 96 per cent of patients attended their first treatment appointment within six months of their appointment date, 91 per cent of first review patients attended within six months, and 88 per cent of second review patients attended within four months. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that there are two distinct groups of defaulters: those who default initially but subsequently re-attend, and those who default completely. We have named these type A and type B defaulters, respectively. This means that attendance within a certain period of time should also be used to monitor clinic attendance in addition to simple mean attendance rates. As patients who default completely may be more likely to have a severe histological lesion, further work is required to identify factors associated with this type of patient.

Adult

Solubilized HLA class I antigen enzyme-linked immunoassay to identify HLA-typing reagents.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of sHLA in a solid-phase EIA as a rapid and sensitive way to identify potential IgG HLA class-I-typing reagents. To evaluate the efficacy of the sHLA EIA, we used the assay to screen 259 HLA-A, -B, and -C antisera that our laboratory had procured using the standard NIH LCA. A positive result obtained by the sHLA EIA, which was defined as an EIA ratio of 3 SD above the mean of 91 anti-HLA-negative sera, revealed that 91% (79 of 87) of the A-locus-typing reagents were positive, 96% (150 of 156) of the B-locus antisera were positive, and only 75% (12 of 16) of the C-locus reagents were positive. The typing reagents that were negative by EIA (n = 18) fell into two categories. First, 38% (7 of 18) were negative by sHLA EIA, as they were IgM-typing reagents (NIH LCA reactivity ameliorated by DTT). The second group of the 11 remaining typing reagents had a mean EIA ratio of 1.0 +/- 0.246 (mean +/- 1 SD), which was significantly (P < 0.001) higher than the mean of the 91 negative controls that were used to establish the negative cutoff. The overall sensitivity of the sHLA EIA to detect HLA class-I-directed IgG was 97.2%.

Female

Effects of marijuana history on the subjective, psychomotor, and reinforcing effects of nitrous oxide in humans.

An experiment using marijuana users and non-users was conducted to assess whether the reinforcing, subjective, or psychomotor effects of nitrous oxide were influenced by a subject's drug history. Subjects in the first four sessions sampled 40% nitrous oxide in oxygen and 100% oxygen (placebo), and then over the next three sessions, chose which agent they wished to inhale. Choice distributions between the two groups did not differ significantly, and nitrous oxide choice rates were less than 50% in both groups. However, a history of marijuana use appeared to intensify some of the subjective effects induced by nitrous oxide inhalation.

Administration, Inhalation