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Biomedical subjects

A Dale

Publications and source records attributed to A Dale.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

The value of the SARs in spatial and area-level research.

"The papers in this issue exemplify in various ways the value of the Samples of Anonymised Records (SARs) for Britain and Northern Ireland to spatial and area-level research. Before highlighting some of the strengths of the SARs for this type of analysis we give a brief overview of the structure and content of the SARs."

Data Collection↗
PubMed1998

Helicobacter pylori infection, gastric acid secretion, and infant growth.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori infection is very common in Gambian infants and children, who are also at risk of chronic diarrhoea and undernutrition. Acute H. pylori infection is associated with depressed gastric acid secretion, and loss of the gastric acid barrier may predispose to enteric infections. METHODS: In a prospective study a noninvasive test of gastric acid output (measurement of change in urine acid output before and after a feed) was performed on a population of Gambian infants at high risk of H. pylori infection. The 13C urea breath tests was used to measure the prevalence of H. pylori infection and growth was measured by serial anthropometry. RESULTS: In 101 infants aged 3 to 12 months, there was a significant relation between H. pylori infection and depressed urine acid output in those aged 6 months, during weaning when growth failure and malnutrition begin. Those infants with sustained H. pylori infection grew less well than those without. CONCLUSIONS: We speculate that H. pylori, acquired in infancy, could be a "key that opens the door" to enteric infection in childhood, leading to recurrent diarrhoea, malnutrition, and growth failure.

Breath Tests↗
PubMed1997

A new nausea model in humans produces mild nausea without electrogastrogram and vasopressin changes.

UNLABELLED: The standard human vection model utilized for nausea has been an optokinetic drum. This model may be difficult to extrapolate to the usual clinical setting. Our goals were to develop an experimental model which could induce low grade nausea in humans and to determine the relationship between mild nausea and changes in the electrogastrogram and plasma vasopressin concentrations. METHODS: Twenty-one volunteers (11 males, mean age: 37 years) participated. At baseline and throughout the study the electrogastrogram was monitored, blood was drawn for vasopressin assay and symptoms of nausea, dizziness and headache were rated on a 0-10-point scale. Subjects were semireclined in a darkened room while viewing moving bars of light rotating at a rate of 85 degrees s-1. Subjects were asked to rate their proneness to motion sickness and their current level of anxiety at baseline. RESULTS: Eight subjects developed mild to moderate (mean: 3.6) nausea during vection. Symptoms of nausea were correlated with a reported history of motion sickness (r = 0.49, P < 0.05) but not with anxiety (r = 0.14, P = 0.54). Degrees of nausea correlated with degrees of dizziness (r = 0.47, P < 0.05) but not with headache (r = 0.29, P = 0.14). Subjects who developed mild nausea were not significantly more likely to exhibit altered electrogastrogram or vasopressin than subjects who did not report nausea. Vasopressin levels during baseline and experimental conditions were highly correlated (r = 0.66, P < 0.005 and r = 0.55 P < 0.005, respectively) with reported baseline anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: (1) This new model in humans induced mild nausea that was unrelated to electrogastrogram and vasopressin abnormalities, (2) high correlation between anxiety and vasopressin suggests that vasopressin may not be directly related to nausea, and (3) these data indicate that onset of nausea mediated centrally can occur without associated electrogastrogram changes.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Locating the stranger rapist.

As part of a larger project evaluating aspects of offender profiling, an initial study was undertaken of the geographic aspects of approximately 300 sexual offences carried out by 79 stranger rapists. The objective was to focus further research on the topic into potentially useful channels, but information thought to be of immediate use to investigating officers was also produced. It was ascertained that at least one-fifth of the sample of stranger rapists were itinerant to a greater or lesser extent. Analysis of the cases where both the offender's address and the location where he approached the victim were known, indicated that the majority of attacks (75 per cent) were initiated within five miles of the offenders' homes. The apparent reasons for victims being approached unusually far away included targeting of locations where numbers of suitable victims were available; raping during relatively sophisticated property offences; 'prowling' or 'hunting' over large areas by subjects who spent considerable amounts of time so doing; access to transport; and familiarity with widely dispersed neighbourhoods, often due to the offender having lived in two or more locations. As a result of this work, future research on the geography of rape will be directed towards those aspects of the offences which have been identified as relevant to the distance between an offender's base and the site where he approached his victim.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Lavender oil and perineal repair.

The study examined the practice of adding six drops of pure lavender oil to bath water daily for 10 days following childbirth to reduce perineal discomfort. Mothers using the oil found it pleasant to use, and there were no side effects. The pattern of discomfort scores shows no statistical differences between groups. Those using lavender oil showed lower mean discomfort scores, particularly between days 3 and 5. Further studies might explore the effect of varying the amount of oil used or changing the mode of application.

Episiotomy↗
PubMed1994

The role of lavender oil in relieving perineal discomfort following childbirth: a blind randomized clinical trial.

Aromatherapy is a movement growth in popularity, but lacking scientific justification in the field of practice, although laboratory experiments are in evidence. Lavender oil is frequently selected for aromatherapy as having antiseptic and healing properties. More specifically, it has been used as a bath additive postnatally to reduce perineal discomfort. A blind randomized clinical trial is described, involving three groups of mothers, one using pure lavender oil, one a synthetic lavender oil and one an inert substance as a bath additive for 10 days following normal childbirth. Analysis of daily discomfort scores revealed no statistically significant difference between groups. It cannot be concluded that current practice results in a reduction of postnatal perineal discomfort at the dilution levels used. However, there is some consistency in results between the 3rd and 5th days, with those women using lavender oil as a bath additive recording lower mean discomfort scores. This is a time when the mother usually finds herself discharged home and perineal discomfort is high. A total of 635 women participated and no side-effects were found.

Baths↗
PubMed1992

Isolation of Helicobacter pylori from human faeces.

Helicobacter pylori is arguably the commonest chronic infection in man. However, its route of transmission is unknown. We have isolated viable H pylori from the faeces of an infected individual from The Gambia. The organism was cultured on selective media after concentration of faecal bacteria by centrifugation in a buffer equilibrated with a microaerophilic gas mixture. Growth characteristics, microscopic appearances, and enzyme activities were the same as those of a typical gastric isolate of H pylori. Protein preparations derived from the new isolate and the typical strain were antigenically similar, and had very similar electrophoretic profiles (including two major protein bands of 62 and 26 kDa, corresponding to the urease enzyme subunits). With the same technique, organisms with the colony morphology, growth requirements, enzyme activities, and microscopic appearances of H pylori were isolated from the faeces of 9 of 23 randomly selected children aged 3-27 months from a Gambian village with a high prevalence of H pylori infection in early life. Faecal-oral transmission is probably important in the spread of infection in such communities.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Lipoprotein lipase in heart and myocytes: characteristics with intralipid as substrate.

1. Intralipid is a suitable substrate for measuring lipoprotein lipase activity in the presence of other triacylglycerol lipases in heart and myocytes. 2. Triacylglycerol lipase activity in heart and myocytes was increased 10-fold in the presence of serum at pH 7.4 and 8.1. The serum-stimulated activity in myocytes was 95% inhibited by saturating concentrations of antiserum to lipoprotein lipase. 3. Both heparin-releasable and non-releasable lipoprotein lipase fractions had similar Km values for Intralipid and a similar pattern of inhibition by high density lipoprotein but different responses to heparin. 4. Isoproterenol did not alter lipoprotein lipase activity in cardiac myocytes.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Towards a process evaluation model for community-based initiatives aimed at preventing the spread of HIV amongst injecting drug users.

An action research model is presented for the evaluation of community-based interventions. The short- and long-term application of this model is illustrated by means of a study of a community drug team which was initiated to prevent the spread of HIV infection amongst substance misusers in south-west London. A client caseload of 155 was monitored over a year-long period and the results used to evaluate the extent to which the CDT had achieved its stated aims and objectives. Other tools used in the evaluation and monitoring were surveys of generic, specialist and general practitioner services, and needs assessment of samples of drug users. The potential of the model is explored, both in terms of its research role and in facilitating service development. The value of action research methodology in assessing HIV/AIDS prevention is stressed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Haemophilus influenzae infections in siblings: the need for prophylaxis.

An 8 month old child developed Haemophilus influenzae meningitis 12 days after his elder brother had developed epiglottitis. There is not at present in the United Kingdom a recognised policy for prophylactic treatment of contacts of patients with H influenzae infection. Variations in clinical practice were confirmed by the result of a survey of paediatricians in the Northern region.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1988

Just the ticket.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Financing, Government↗
PubMed1986

Comparison of buffering capacity in patients on hemodialysis and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

A standard acid loading test was used to assess the buffering capacity in 9 hemodialysis (HD) and 25 continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients. There was a significant increase in H+ concentration and a decrease in plasma bicarbonate levels after the acid loading in all patients; however, PaCO2 did not change significantly. CAPD patients tolerated the acid load better, at least in the first 2 h, than HD patients. The brief duration of experiments did not allow us to observe differences, if any, in the recovery rates between HD and CAPD patients. CAPD patients tolerated the acid load equally, whether studied with or without fresh dialysate in the peritoneal cavity. Their tolerance to the acid load did not change with an increasing duration of the CAPD therapy. Baseline values and acid tolerance curves were similar in CAPD patients on regular Dianeal (lactate 35 mEq/l) and Dianeal PD2 (lactate 40 mEq/l). It is concluded that the buffering capacity is marginally higher in CAPD than in HD patients, although the baseline acid-base parameters were essentially identical.

Acid-Base Imbalance↗
PubMed1984

Serial studies of pulmonary function in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. A prospective study.

Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) produces a nearly continuous state of iatrogenic ascites which may interfere with respiratory excursions of the diaphragm and compromise ventilatory function. Sitting and supine studies of pulmonary function and arterial blood gas analyses done serially in 13 patients undergoing CAPD showed a significant decline in pulmonary volumes immediately after the institution of CAPD; however, the decline was not accompanied by abnormalities in gas transfer. Pulmonary volumes returned to baseline values within two weeks in all patients, including those with preexisting mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is concluded that CAPD does not compromise pulmonary function in patients with normal pulmonary function or in those with mild COPD.

Adult↗