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Biomedical subjects

B J Bailey

Publications and source records attributed to B J Bailey.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Publication in otology and neuro-otology: dos and don'ts.

INTRODUCTION: Medical publication continues to be important to academicians, physicians in private practice, researchers and corporate sponsors. This article provides valuable dos and don'ts for authors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Literature review and personal experience of the author. RESULTS: Advice is provided for understanding the publishing world, the peer-review process, duplicate publication, authorship, and dos and don'ts for successful authors. CONCLUSIONS: Publishing is a competitive art and science. The key to success is the submission of a proper manuscript that contains important, new, scientific information of value to the readers.

Humans↗
PubMed2001

Computed tomographic venography is specific but not sensitive for diagnosis of acute lower-extremity deep venous thrombosis in patients with suspected pulmonary embolus.

PURPOSE: Duplex ultrasound scanning (US) is the accepted standard means of diagnosis for lower-extremity suprageniculate deep venous thrombosis (LE-DVT). Computed tomographic venography (CTV) has been proposed as an alternative modality for diagnosis of LE-DVT in patients with suspected pulmonary embolism (PE). This study compared CTV with US as a means of diagnosing acute LE-DVT. METHODS: A retrospective review of US and CTV scans from 136 patients with suspected PE who underwent both studies to exclude acute LE-DVT at a single institution was performed. Studies were reviewed and coded in a blinded manner. US was considered to be the reference test. Direct costs of each study were determined by using commercial software. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity rates of CTV were 71% and 93%, respectively. The positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy rates of CTV were 53%, 97%, and 90%, respectively. DVT localization was the same in eight of 10 cases in which the results of both US and CTV were positive. CTV costs and charges per study were greater than those of US by $46.88 and $602.00, respectively. CONCLUSION: CTV is specific, but has a lower sensitivity rate and positive predictive value for the diagnosis of acute LE-DVT compared with US. Additionally, CTV is more costly than US scanning. Because of the lower sensitivity rate and positive predictive value and the increased cost of CTV, US remains the screening study of choice in cases of suspected acute LE-DVT.

Costs and Cost Analysis↗
PubMed2001

Hormones and handedness.

BACKGROUND: The Wessex Growth Study has monitored the growth and psychological development of short normal (SN) and average height control subjects since they entered school in 1985/1986. During psychometric testing, we found that 25% SN compared to 9% control subjects wrote with their left hand. The short group also attained significantly lower scores on measures of IQ and attainment and displayed less internalisation of control. Laterality, however, is thought to be influenced by the intrauterine environment and has been associated with pubertal delay. At recruitment, short children had a relatively low birth weight, delayed bone age and were more likely than controls to be short for family. OBJECTIVES: To determine if birth conditions were associated with lateral preference and whether laterality could account for the differences found during the psychometric assessment or predict pubertal timing of SN children. METHODS: Subjects were classified as right- (RH) or left-handed (LH) according to the writing hand and the data were investigated examining the effect of handedness and stature. RESULTS: RH and LH SN children were no more likely to suffer birth complications than those of average height. Psychometric testing did not reveal any significant differences between RH and LH SN children and their patterns of growth appeared to be similar. However, both RH and LH SN children scored less well on tests of cognitive ability and analyses of covariance revealed significant gender/handedness effects for both the timing of puberty and final height. CONCLUSIONS: The increase in left-handedness among SN children did not appear to be related to adverse birth conditions, but it may be that the hormones responsible for growth and development also play some part in brain laterality and cognitive development.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Association of azinphos-methyl with rat erythrocytes and hemoglobin.

To investigate whether hemoglobin might serve as a biomarker of exposure to azinphos-methyl (AZM) encountered by agricultural workers, we exposed rats to [14C]azinphos-methyl ([14C]AZM). We administered single doses of 1.5 mg/kg, 3 mg/kg, or 6 mg/kg of [14C]AZM by gavage to rats and collected blood 3 days later. We found a dose-dependent association between radioactivity and erythrocytes and hemoglobin (measured by liquid scintillation spectrometry). In another experiment, we administered a single dose of 3 mg/kg [14C]AZM by gavage to rats and collected blood 3, 11, 15, and 22 days after administration. Radioactivity continued to be associated with erythrocytes and hemoglobin at all time-points. Brain and plasma acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities were not significantly inhibited, nor did we observe signs of acute toxicity in any of the treated animals. Loss of radioactivity associated with erythrocytes and hemoglobin over the study period was consistent with the expected kinetics of erythrocyte turnover, indicating adduct stability. Approximately 0.49%, 0.43%, 0.39%, and 0.32% of the original radioactivity was recovered in the hemoglobin 3 11, 15, and 22 days, respectively, after administration. These data support our hypothesis that AZM may form a hemoglobin adduct and may be useful as a biomarker of AZM exposure.

Acetylcholinesterase↗
PubMed2000

Biomedical research leaders: report on needs, opportunities, difficulties, education and training, and evaluation.

The National Association of Physicians for the Environment (NAPE) has assumed a leadership role in protecting environmental health in recent years. The Committee of Biomedical Research Leaders was convened at the recent NAPE Leadership Conference: Biomedical Research and the Environment held on 1--2 November 1999, at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland. This report summarizes the discussion of the committee and its recommendations. The charge to the committee was to raise and address issues that will promote and sustain environmental health, safety, and energy efficiency within the biomedical community. Leaders from every important research sector (industry laboratories, academic health centers and institutes, hospitals and care facilities, Federal laboratories, and community-based research facilities) were gathered in this committee to discuss issues relevant to promoting environmental health. The conference and this report focus on the themes of environmental stewardship, sustainable development and "best greening practices." Environmental stewardship, an emerging theme within and outside the biomedical community, symbolizes the effort to provide an integrated, synthesized, and concerted effort to protect the health of the environment in both the present and the future. The primary goal established by the committee is to promote environmentally responsible leadership in the biomedical research community. Key outcomes of the committee's discussion and deliberation were a) the need for a central organization to evaluate, promote, and oversee efforts in environmental stewardship; and b) immediate need to facilitate efficient information transfer relevant to protecting the global environment through a database/clearinghouse. Means to fulfill these needs are discussed in this report.

Biomedical Technology↗
PubMed1999

Pubertal growth of the short normal girl.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the timing, magnitude and duration of the pubertal spurt for short normal and average height girls, to compare these with Tanner's standard and to investigate predictors of pubertal growth. METHODS: The growth of 46 short normal and 55 control girls, identified at school entry, was monitored throughout puberty. Height and weight were measured at 6-month intervals from which body mass index (BMI) was derived. Annual velocities were calculated and used to estimate the age and magnitude of peak height velocity (PHV). Age of menarche was recorded to the nearest month. Parents provided information on the child's medical and social history. RESULTS: The mean age at PHV, the magnitude of PHV and age at menarche were similar for both groups and close to Tanner's 50th centile values. Pre-pubertal BMI predicted age at menarche for short and control girls, accounting for 17% of the variance. There was a tendency for early maturing girls of average stature to have greater PHV. However, this relationship was not observed in short girls, nor did any other variable, genetic or environmental, predict the timing or magnitude of their pubertal spurt. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed puberty in short normal girls is unlikely and their growth during puberty is comparable to girls of average height. The pubertal variables measured remain close to Tanner's original standards for both groups, suggesting the lack of a secular trend towards earlier puberty in girls. The onset of menstruation is influenced by pre-pubertal BMI. However, the clinician should be aware that short normal girls have normal pubertal growth and that no genetic or environmental variable can predict the timing or magnitude of their growth spurt.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Physicians' role in environmental issues.

Our health and the health of our patients are linked closely to the quality of our environment. As physicians, we ourselves must learn and then we must educate our patients about the importance of preventing health-endangering pollution of our air, water, food, and soil. As busy physicians, we need access to the most current, important new scientific information regarding environmental degradation where our patients work and live so we can appreciate the clinical problems that some patients present to us today. The National Association of Physicians for the Environment (NAPE) is an organization of physicians and 46 medical professional societies serving to promote protection of the environment as a fundamental responsibility of physicians and other health professionals. NAPE sponsors national conferences, promotes the publication of current "best practices" information in various general and specialty areas, and serves as a national forum for the discussion of issues and dissemination of scientifically valid information needed for physician and patient education.

Benchmarking↗
PubMed1998

Combined Epstein-Barr virus and human papillomavirus infection in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been shown to be a likely etiologic agent in nasopharyngeal carcinogenesis. Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) have previously been identified in numerous upper aerodigestive tract carcinomas. This pilot study was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of combined EBV and HPV infection in 17 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPCA) using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The primary goal was to determine if the presence of HPV could be correlated with molecular, histologic, or clinical parameters. There were seven patients with undifferentiated NPCA (World Health Organization [WHO] type III) and 10 patients with squamous cell carcinoma (WHO type I). All 17 patients had stage IV disease at presentation. EBV was identified in 15 patients (88.2%), and HPV subtypes were identified in samples from nine patients (52.9%). All HPV-positive cases were also EBV positive. Western blot analysis of six samples showed a high level of expression of c-myc and cdc2 kinase and a low level of p53 protein in NPCAs that contained both HPV and EBV (n = 3). Increased expression of c-myc and cdc2 kinase was seen in the cases that contained EBV only, but to a lesser extent (n = 2). These findings indicate an effect of the virus on cellular proliferation and differentiation. Similarly, an elevated level of Rb protein was found only in the HPV-containing NPCAs. Moderate differentiation (keratinization) occurred in four of eight HPV-negative and none of the nine HPV-positive NPCAs. (All HPV-positive cases were poorly differentiated or undifferentiated.) This difference is statistically significant for this sample size (P < 0.03). There was a trend for the group that was HPV positive to have WHO III histology and for the HPV-negative group to have WHO I. The presence of HPV could not be correlated with any clinical parameters in this small group of patients with advanced disease; however, these data suggest that coexistence of EBV and HPV infection may be a factor in the pathogenesis of NPCA and may have an effect on regulation of cellular proliferation and differentiation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Growth monitoring: testing the new guidelines.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of recent guidelines from the UK joint working party of child health surveillance recommending that all children be measured at age 5 and again between 7 and 9 years of age to determine how many normal school age children are likely to be referred for specialist assessment. METHODS: The longitudinal data of 486 children measured by school nurses in a community setting were examined and compared with measurements made in a research setting by a single, skilled observer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Number of children identified as having abnormal stature (< 0.4th or > 99.6th centile) and abnormal growth rate height standard deviation score (HSDS) change > 0.67). RESULTS: The community survey identified seven (1.4%) children as having abnormal stature (four short, three tall), 11 (2.3%) were identified as "slow growing", and nine (1.9%) increased their HSDS by more than 0.67. These results were comparable to data collected in ideal research conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Following the recommendations would not result in an excess number of inappropriate referrals. However, this study highlights several unresolved issues such as interobserver variability and time interval between measurements. A large scale prospective study should be considered to establish realistic and cost-effective criteria before implementation of a national screening programme.

Body Height↗
PubMed1997

Predictors of residency performance: a follow-up study.

In a 1990 study we investigated resident applicant characteristics associated with successful matching into otolaryngology. Of the 175 applicants studied, 87 matched, for a 49.7% success rate. Successful matching was much more likely for applicants with a history of excellent academic achievement in medical school. Of the 88 applicants who did not match during the year that was originally studied, 30 matched to otolaryngology in subsequent years. Of the 58 who never matched in otolaryngology, there is no evidence of board certification for 30. Of the other 28, 12 are board certified in anesthesia; 3 in radiology; 2 each in family medicine, internal medicine, general surgery, psychiatry, and physical medicine, and rehabilitation; and 1 each in pathology, emergency medicine, and dermatology. Of the total of 117 who matched in otolaryngology, 109 began residency training, and 107 finished otolaryngology training. Program directors answered questionnaires about 100 of 107 of these residents, detailing aspects of residency performance. The only correlation found between a highly satisfactory residency performance and characteristics that could be evaluated at the time of interviewing for residency positions was with excellent academic performance in medical school.

Certification↗