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Biomedical subjects

A Robertson

Publications and source records attributed to A Robertson.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Leptin-induced decrease in food intake in chickens.

The effect of intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of leptin was investigated using broiler and Single Comb White Leghorn (SCWL)-type chickens. These represent relatively fast- and slow-growing birds, respectively. The i.c.v. injection of leptin decreased food intake in both broilers and Leghorns in a dose-dependent manner. The most efficacious dose appeared to be 10 microg in both types of chickens. Water intake was generally not affected by leptin, indicating that this effect was not due to general malaise. It appears that leptin can act within the central nervous sytstem of birds to decrease food intake.

Aging↗
PubMed2000

Patterns of body weight in the Baltic Republics.

OBJECTIVE: Previously recorded rates of obesity in the Baltic Republics have been among the highest in the world although little is known about how they vary within the population. This study investigates the distribution of body mass index (BMI) and obesity in these countries. DESIGN: Three cross-sectional surveys conducted in the summer of 1997. SETTING: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. SUBJECTS: Representative national samples of adults with measured weight and height (Estonia: n=1154; Latvia: n=2292; Lithuania: n=2096). RESULTS: Between-country differences are particularly large among women: women from Latvia and Lithuania are approximately three times as likely to be obese as those from Estonia (17.4%, 18.3%, 6.0% respectively); only about one-third of this difference is explained by the sociodemographic and behavioural factors studied. In men, the prevalence of obesity varied only slightly among countries (Estonia: 9.9%; Latvia: 9.5%; Lithuania: 11.4%). While the prevalence of obesity increases with age within each republic, particularly in women, it is not associated with nationality or urban/rural region, and no consistent association is observed with income. Obesity is inversely related to education in Latvia and in Lithuanian women. Latvian men and women and Lithuanian men who smoked had a lower prevalence of obesity than non-smokers. Leisure time physical activity was not associated with obesity. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity is a major health problem in the Baltic Republics, particularly among Latvian and Lithuanian women. The lack of association between obesity and most demographic, socioeconomic and behavioural factors suggests that the problem is generalized. Health promotion strategies aiming at preventing and controlling excess weight gain in the Baltic Republics will need to target the general population.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Long-term prognosis of crown-fractured permanent incisors. The effect of stage of root development and associated luxation injury.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to investigate pulp healing responses following crown fracture with and without pulp exposure as well as with and without associated luxation injury and in relation to stage of root development. PATIENT MATERIAL AND METHODS: The long-term prognosis was examined for 455 permanent teeth with crown fractures, 352 (246 with associated luxation injury) without pulpal involvement and 103 (69 with associated luxation injury) with pulp exposures. Initial treatment for all patients was provided by on-call oral surgeons at the emergency service, University Hospital (Rigshospitalet), Copenhagen. In fractures without pulpal involvement, dentin was covered by a hard-setting calcium hydroxide cement (Dycal), marginal enamel acid-etched (phosphoric acid gel), then covered with a temporary crown and bridge material. In the case of pulp exposure, pulp capping or partial pulpotomy was performed. Thereafter treatment was identical to the first group. Patients were then referred to their own dentist for resin composite restoration. RESULTS: Patients were monitored for normal pulp healing or healing complications for up to 17 years after injury (x = 2.3 years, range 0.2-17.0 years, SD + 2.7). Pulp healing was registered and classified into pulp survival with no radiographic change (PS), pulp canal obliteration (PCO) and pulp necrosis (PN). Healing was related to the following clinical factors: stage of root development at the time of injury, associated damage to the periodontium at time of injury (luxation) and time interval from injury until initial treatment. Crown fractures with or without pulp exposure and no concomitant luxation injury showed PS in 99%, PCO in 1% and PN in 0%. Crown fractures with concomitant luxation showed PS in 70%, PCO in 5% and PN in 25%. An associated damage to the periodontal ligament significantly increased the likelihood of pulp necrosis from 0% to 28% (P < 0.001) in teeth with only enamel and dentin exposure and from 0% to 14% (P < 0.001) in teeth with pulp exposure. CONCLUSIONS: In the case of concomitant luxation injuries, the stage of root development played an important role in the risk of pulp necrosis after crown fracture. However, the primary factor related to pulp healing events after crown fracture appears to be compromised pulp circulation due to concomitant luxation injuries.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Successful free flap transfer and salvage in sickle cell trait.

The presence of sickle cell haemoglobin is generally regarded as a contraindication to free tissue transfer. We present the case of a 42-year-old male with sickle cell trait who had free transfer of a latissimus dorsi flap to cover a gunshot wound to his thigh. His initial haemoglobin S was 36%. Early flap failure from venous thrombosis was successfully salvaged by re-anastomosis to alternative vessels.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Early discharge with drain in situ following axillary lymphadenectomy for breast cancer.

One-hundred and two women had axillary lymphadenectomy for breast cancer and were randomised to early discharge with axillary drain in situ on the third postoperative day or standard duration 7 day hospital stay. The two groups did not differ with respect to seroma formation, wound infection or psychological profile as measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Spielberger State Trait and Anxiety Inventory. Patient satisfaction levels were high in the early discharge group. The results confirm that early discharge after axillary lymphadenectomy is safe, practicable and satisfactory for patients. Such a policy offers considerable resource savings.

Clinical Trial↗
PubMed2000

Alcohol consumption in the Baltic Republics.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Premature mortality associated with alcohol intake is of particular concern in several countries of the former Soviet Union. This study explored self reported alcohol consumption (beer, wine, spirits) and its determinants in the Baltic Republics. DESIGN: Cross sectional surveys conducted in 1997. SETTINGS: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. PARTICIPANTS: Representative samples of adults age 19-64 (Estonia n=2010; Latvia n=2258; Lithuania n=2139). METHODS: Between country differences in the frequency of alcohol intake were estimated. The odds of consuming alcohol weekly according to socioeconomic characteristics (age, ethnicity, rural/urban area, education, income) were calculated using multiple logistic regression analyses, adjusting for all variables simultaneously. MAIN RESULTS: The proportion of respondents consuming alcohol weekly varied by country (p<0.001) (men: Estonia=61% Latvia=41% Lithuania=55%; women: Estonia=26% Latvia=8% Lithuania=14%). Within each country, this proportion decreased with age in both sexes (p<0. 001), and increased with income in women (p<0.01). In Estonia, the odds of drinking alcohol weekly was significantly lower in respondents of Russian than of Estonian ethnicity (odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI): men=0.51 (0.36, 0.71); women=0. 57 (0.39, 0.81)). In Lithuania, the odds was higher in highly educated men than in those with a low education level (OR=1.48 (1.01, 2.17)). Daily alcohol intake was higher in Estonia than in the other countries, as was the percentage of respondents drinking heavily (equivalent to 80 g/day). CONCLUSIONS: Approximately half the men and one in six women in the Baltic States reported consuming alcohol at least weekly. Age and income were the strongest and most consistent correlates of the likelihood of consuming alcohol weekly. Ethnic differences were observed only in Estonia.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Respiratory syncytial virus infection in children hospitalised with acute lower respiratory tract infection.

BACKGROUND: Data are lacking on respiratory syncytial virus. (RSV) respiratory tract infections in children from developing countries. OBJECTIVE: To determine the importance of RSV as a cause of acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRTI) in Cape Town children. METHODS: Children younger than 2 years of age admitted to hospital with ALRTI over a 15-month period from 1 June 1995 to 31 August 1996 were studied prospectively. Sociodemographic data, risk factors for severe RSV disease, clinical signs, diagnosis and hospital course were documented. A nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA) for detection of RSV by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) was obtained in all cases. The NPA of every fifth child was sent for viral culture. RESULTS: A total of 1,288 patients (60% male, 40% female) with a median age (25th-75th percentile) of 6 months (2-11 months) was enrolled; 32.4 had one or more risk factors for severe RSV infection. Pneumonia was diagnosed in 62.2%, bronchiolitis in 20.6%, laryngotracheobronchitis (LTB) in 8% and other respiratory illnesses in 9.2%. Mild disease, requiring admission to an overnight ward, was documented in 38.1%, while 48.9% and 13% respectively had moderate and severe disease requiring admission to a general ward and intensive care unit (ICU). Supplemental oxygen and mechanical ventilation were required by 68.9% and 8.5% of patients, respectively. The median duration of hospital stay was 5 days (range 1-10 days). RSV EIA was positive in 16.4% of cases, and there was no difference in detection rates according to diagnosis. Viral culture performed in 162 of the 1,288 study patients (12.6%) grew RSV in 11.7% of cases, adenovirus in 3.7%, para-influenza virus type 3 in 2.5% and influenza B virus in 0.6%. Patients who tested RSV EIA-positive did not significantly differ from those who tested negative with regard to demographic variables, clinical diagnoses, risk factors for RSV or length of hospitalisation. The only significant difference noted was the presence of hyperinflation, which occurred in 70.1% of EIA-positive patients compared with 57.1% of those testing negative (P = 0.0005). The mortality rate (2%) was similar for both groups. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that RSV is an important cause of hospitalisation in infants and young children with ALRTI. Distinguishing RSV from other ALRTIs is difficult because of similarity in clinical presentation among children.

Data Interpretation, Statistical↗
PubMed2000

Use of patches and whole body sampling for the assessment of dermal exposure.

There has been a growing awareness of the importance of dermal exposure in recent years. A wide range of techniques are employed to measure exposure, of which surrogate skin techniques such as patch sampling and whole body sampling are frequently used. One of the problems associated with dermal sampling is that different methods often produce different results due to differences in the principles involved in sample collection. As a consequence little progress towards establishing dermal exposure limits has been made. Both patches and clothing act as passive samplers and are intended to collect all of a substance deposited on them. This paper details the principles underlying patch and whole body sampling and outlines some of the advantages and disadvantages of each. A conceptual model has recently been proposed for dermal exposure and the role that surrogate techniques may play in the application of this model is discussed. Finally, suggestions are made as to how these techniques may be made more relevant and areas of future research highlighted.

Bandages↗
PubMed2000

Making it real....

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Communication↗
PubMed2000

Intramedullary nailing of tibial fractures: how often are post-operative radiographs needed?

A series of 53 closed tibial fractures were treated with interlocking intramedullary nailing. Excluding the routine postoperative radiographs at the time of surgery, a median number of seven radiographs were taken per patient (range 2-13). In total, 343 radiographs were taken after the postoperative film. Of these 343 radiographs, only nine (3%) radiographs led to a decision for clinical intervention. No radiograph in the first 10 weeks after surgery changed management. A reduction in the use of post-operative radiography after tibial nailing is recommended.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Video time!

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Attitude to Health↗