Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A J Doyle

Publications and source records attributed to A J Doyle.

30 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Development of kinaesthetic sensitivity and motor performance in children.

Kinaesthetic acuity of 100 children, aged from four to 13 years, was assessed and a developmental trend is described. The relationship between kinaesthetic acuity and motor performance on a range of motor tests commonly used for assessing children was also examined, and contrary to expectation no evidence of a relationship was discovered. There is little reported evidence for this relationship in the literature, and some possible reasons for this are discussed. A staircase procedure for threshold estimation was used and is described in detail.

Adolescent↗

Management of posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus in the preterm infant.

We studied the use of a subcutaneous ventricular catheter reservoir in 19 preterm infants with birth posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus. These infants were a poor risk for insertion of ventriculoperitoneal shunt due to their small size and hemorrhagic ventricular fluid at the time of diagnosis. The age at reservoir insertion was 29 +/- 9 days and the weight was 1,217 +/- 414 g. The reservoir was kept in place for 51 +/- 29 days with the removal of 527 +/- 421 mL of fluid by 57 +/- 42 taps. All infants tolerated the procedure well. Only two infants developed infection despite multiple reservoir taps. One infant expired due to unrelated causes. Three infants did not require a permanent shunt, while 15 infants had a ventriculoperitoneal shunt inserted prior to discharge at 3 to 4 months of age. We conclude that ventricular catheter reservoir is a safe and effective palliative procedure in the management of post hemorrhagic hydrocephalus in small preterm infants.

Apgar Score↗

Measurement of kinaesthetic sensitivity.

Two recent papers (Laszlo and Bairstow 1980, Bairstow and Laszlo 1981) have used the method of constant stimuli to measure kinaesthetic difference thresholds. If this method is used, however, certain constraints must be observed: these concern the values of the stimuli relative to the threshold, and the numbers of observations made at each value. Laszlo and Bairstow appear to have neglected these constraints, which must cast doubt on their results. In any case, the method of constant stimuli has largely been superseded by staircase techniques for threshold estimation, on grounds of economy of trials for a given level of accuracy in estimation. It is concluded, therefore, that the details of the method as described by Laszlo and Bairstow are unsuitable for testing kinaesthetic sensitivity, and that other methods are preferable.

Humans↗

Co-ordination of the school and general dental services in Rochdale, England.

The administrative process in the implementation of a scheme of co-operation between the school and general dental practitioner services to screen and treat children aged 14 years and above in an Area Health Authority is described. 84% of the target group were screened in periods amounting to 12 months. The uptake of treatment as assessed by return of notices of referral was only 1.5%. Interview of a sample of those referred revealed that 49% had been to a dentist within 6 months and of these 34% would not have otherwise attended. 13% had taken referral forms to practitioners. The implications of these findings are discussed and a more effective means of evaluating treatment uptake is proposed.

Adolescent↗

A marked difference in caries prevalence between 5-year-old children in two areas of Staffordshire, England.

The purpose of this study was to compare the dental caries experience of 5-year-old children in an urban and rural area of Staffordshire, England. The populations comprised 365 children and 206 children, respectively. 161 children in the urban area and 124 children from the rural area were examined. Those in the rural area had 44% less dental caries experience (P less than 0.01). The mean dmf of children with good dental cleanliness was similar in each area but there was a 39% and 33% interarea difference between those with fair and poor standards of dental cleanliness. A larger proportion in the rural area belonged to social classes 1 + 2 and fewer to social classes 4 + 5. A significant difference in dmf (P less than 0.01) between the areas in social classes 3N and 3M was found. Water supplies had less than 0.20 parts/10(6) fluoride. The interarea difference in caries prevalence cannot be fully explained by consideration of the variables of dental cleanliness, social class and waterborne fluoride. It is hypothesized that tooth resistance may differ between the areas. The study will be repeated to confirm the findings.

Child, Preschool↗

Comparison of humeral head retroversion with the humeral axis/biceps groove relationship: a study in live subjects and cadavers.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the axis of the humeral articular surface bears a more constant relationship to the bicipital groove than to the distal humerus. This finding could help intraoperative placement of a shoulder prosthesis in the most anatomic position. Magnetic resonance imaging was used in 41 live volunteers and 9 cadavers to measure the distance from the biceps groove to a line drawn perpendicular to the midpoint of the humeral articular surface. A cadaver model with a plastic humeral prosthesis was used to convert this biceps distance into an angular measurement. The relationship between the biceps distance and the retroversion angle of the humeral head with respect to the humeral epicondyles was analyzed. The biceps distance averaged 11.8 mm+/-3.5 mm (equivalent to 26.8 degrees+/-8.3 degrees), whereas retroversion averaged 26.8 degrees +/-12.2 degrees. This difference in variability is significant (P=.008). Placing the fin of a humeral head implant 12 mm posterior to the biceps groove reproduces normal anatomy better than the use of an arbitrary standard of 30 degrees to 40 degrees of retroversion.

Adult↗