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Biomedical subjects

A Leviton

Publications and source records attributed to A Leviton.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1979

Deficits in psychologic and classroom performance of children with elevated dentine lead levels.

To measure the neuropsychologic effects of unidentified childhood exposure to lead, the performance of 58 children with high and 100 with low dentine lead levels was compared. Children with lead levels scored significantly less well on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (Revised) than those with low lead levels. This difference was also apparent on verbal subtests, on three other measures of auditory or speech processing and on a measure of attention. Analysis of variance showed that none of these differences could be explained by any of the 39 other variables studied. Also evaluated by a teachers' questionnaire was the classroom behavior of all children (2146 in number) whose teeth were analyzed. The frequency of non-adaptive classroom behavior increased in a dose-related fashion to dentine lead level. Lead exposure, at doses below those producing symptoms severe enough to be diagnosed clinically, appears to be associated with neuropsychologic deficits that may interfere with classroom performance.

Attention↗
PubMed1979

Seasonal variation in the birth of left-handed schoolgirls.

The birth of left-handed girls in a school population displayed a seasonal trend, with a peak in November. No seasonal trend was seen in the birth of left-handed boys. The seasonal pattern of birth of left-handed girls is compatible with the hypothesis that nongenetic factors contribute to the occurrence of left-handedness.

Child↗
PubMed1979

Training in developmental pediatrics. How practitioners perceive the gap.

Ninety-seven randomly selected, board-certified pediatricians in five New England states were interviewed by two physicians to explore attitudes toward previous training and current sources of knowledge in developmental pediatrics. Formal training in development was rated as inadequate by 79%, of residency experience was viewed as highly valuable by only 30%, and 47% rated medical school as having no value. Although clinical experience was reported as a valuable source of knowledge by 99% of the sample, almost two thirds did not regard it as an adequate substitute for formal training. Frequent interdisciplinary communication was reported, and professional contacts were described as a highly valuable ongoing source of knowledge. Social class and size of practice did not correlate with differences in consultation patterns. A part-time longitudinal clinical experience for further education was preferred by 97%. Improved training with greater interdisciplinary content is needed.

Child↗
PubMed1979

Use of a self-administered questionnaire for detection of transient cerebral ischemic attacks: I. Survey of elderly persons living in retirement facilities.

A self-administered questionnaire designed to identify people with transient cerebral ischemia (TIA) in large population groups was distributed to approximately 10,000 elderly persons living in public and private retirement facilities in the United States. The population resided in eight cities, and 74% completed the survey. Transient focal neurological symptoms compatible with a diagnosis of TIA within the previous year were reported by 6.4% of the respondents. Uncertain manifestations of TIA, i.e., dizziness, light-headedness, or loss of balance, were noted by an additional 15.4%; the remaining 78.2% had no manifestations of this disorder. A clinical history for TIA was taken by a neurologist in a sample of 1,712 respondents to determine the validity of the questionnaire responses. Thirty (7.1%) of 423 persons presumed by the questionnaire to have TIA met the standard clinical criteria for the diagnosis. An additional 8 cases of TIA were found by the neurologist among the 1,289 interviewed persons presumed by the questionnaire to have uncertain TIA or no evidence of the disorder. The twelve-month period prevalence of TIA was estimated to be 8.2 per 1,000 in the total respondent population and 5.8 per 1,000 among those without a history of prior completed stroke. Despite the high proportion of false-positive neurological symptoms of TIA elicited by the questionnaire, this survey instrument nevertheless screened out for further study the 6% of the population in whom 55% of the TIAs occurred.

Aged↗
PubMed1979

Primary care approaches to developmental disabilities.

Ninety-seven board certified pediatricians who spend at least 75% of their professional working hours involved in the delivery of primary care in New England were interviewed to explore their attitudes and current clinical approaches to developmental disabilities. The majority of the pediatricians relied exclusively on clinical judgment and general observations for assessing developmental problems in their offices. Responsibility for preschool screening for potential learning problems and the assessment of school failure were considered appropriate pediatric concerns. Reported customary approaches to a variety of developmental problems were not affected by the size of the practice nor by the socio-economic status of the patient population. Patterns of referral for consultation appeared to be more dependent on the nature of the suspected disorder than on the characteristics of the physicians or their practices. The need for more rigorous training in the developmental aspects of child health has been emphasized. In order to meet this challenge, more precise techniques for pediatric developmental assessment and more conclusive evaluations of specific interventions will have to be produced.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1978

The thymus in infants with perinatal telencephalic leukoencephalopathy.

Selected organ weights and body measurements of intants with perinatal telencephalic leukoencephalopathy (PTL) were compared to those of infants without cerebral white matter abnormalities. Although infants with PTL tended to have lower values of all weights andmeasurements, only thymus and spleen weights were significantly lower in infants with PTL. Infants with PTL were much more likely than infants without PTL to have thymic atrophy histologically. These findings are compatible with hypotheses that PTL and its correlates-thymus atrophy and reduced organ weights-are manifestations of undernutrition, viral infection, and/or exposure to endotoxin.

Age Factors↗