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Biomedical subjects

C Davidson

Publications and source records attributed to C Davidson.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

New child abuse spectrum in an era of increased awareness.

Three hundred eight-two children were evaluated for abuse or neglect during a 30-month period in a pediatric clinic in a county hospital. Fifty-one percent presented for sexual abuse, 34% for physical abuse, and 15% for neglect. Thirteen children were hospitalized. Children examined for sexual abuse had a mean age of 5.8 years and a median age of 5 years; 71% had normal findings on examination, including 48% of those with a history of penetration. Fourteen children were brought for evaluation on the basis of caretakers' misinterpretation, overconcern, or malice. The current spectrum of patients seen for child abuse or neglect reflects increased public and professional awareness of the problem. Earlier recognition of abuse, especially greater readiness to consider sexual abuse, brings younger, less physically injured children to the clinic.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1987

Dietitian-patient communication: a critical appraisal and approach to training.

This paper argues that dietetic interviews are strongly influenced by the traditional model of the medical consultation. Evidence concerning the limitations of this model, in terms of patient satisfaction and compliance, for both doctor-patient and dietitian-patient communication, is reviewed. The interpretation of this evidence suggests that dissatisfaction and non-compliance are related to two sets of variables: cognitive and socio-emotional. A programme of training on communication and counselling skills for dietetic students, which aims to enable students to address these problems, is described and a short-term evaluation by the students of this programme is reported. The paper concludes with an evaluation of the course by staff members and some comments as to possible future trends in dietetic education.

Communication↗
PubMed1986

General medicine in the 'eighties.

The general physician with or without an interest is directly responsible for the initial and continuing care in most acute medicine. Specialty interests cover the whole range of medicine but in most instances are subordinate to the claims of general medicine. Consultants in district general hospitals carry a bigger caseload in acute medicine than their colleagues in teaching hospitals, and this has implications for undergraduate and postgraduate training. The management of patients in intensive care units remains very much the task of the general physician. The general physician will continue to be an essential member of the hospital service in the foreseeable future.

Emergencies↗
PubMed1986

Relations between erythrocyte lithium efflux, blood pressure and family histories of hypertension and cardiovascular disease: studies in a factory workforce and hypertension clinic.

Sodium-dependent lithium efflux was measured in erythrocytes from 399 factory workers and 125 patients attending a hypertension clinic. Thirty-two factory workers had unsuspected essential hypertension (diastolic blood pressure phase V greater than 90 mmHg). These subjects had the same average erythrocyte lithium efflux as those with normal blood pressure, whereas lithium efflux was increased on average in the clinic hypertensives. Lithium efflux was greater in those subjects from both groups who had a family history of high blood pressure. Our clinic hypertensives did not have raised lithium efflux when they were matched for family history; the increased lithium efflux in the group as a whole (and in analysis of published reports) was explained by an excess of subjects with a family history of hypertension. Furthermore, when a family history of hypertension was present, lithium efflux was increased on average only in those whose relatives also had a cardiovascular event associated with their high blood pressure. These results, in conjunction with detailed analysis of the distributions of lithium efflux within the groups, suggest that, though not linked to blood pressure itself, an increase in lithium efflux is an inherited marker for those at risk from the cardiovascular complications associated with high blood pressure.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Enalapril in moderate to severe hypertension: a comparison with atenolol.

Patients with moderate to severe essential hypertension (mean untreated supine blood pressure 190/112 mm Hg) received once daily enalapril 20-40 mg or atenolol 50-100 mg, supplemented if required by hydrochlorothiazide 25-100 mg, in a randomized observer-blind trial. Both regimens produced a highly significant reduction in supine and standing blood pressure. There was no significant difference in the antihypertensive effects of enalapril and atenolol when they were used as monotherapy. After hydrochlorothiazide was added to patients not achieving 'target' blood pressure, the fall in systolic pressure was significantly greater in the enalapril group than in the atenolol group, despite similar dosage of hydrochlorothiazide in the two groups. At the end of 6 months' treatment, a supine diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg or below was achieved in 74% of patients on enalapril plus hydrochlorothiazide and 56% of patients on atenolol plus hydrochlorothiazide. This difference was not statistically significant. A small rise in plasma urea and creatinine was observed in the enalapril group and a small rise of urea only in the atenolol group. These changes were statistically significant but of uncertain clinical importance. This study confirms that once daily enalapril and atenolol, both alone and in combination with hydrochlorothiazide, are effective drugs in the management of moderate to severe hypertension.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Bruising: a useful physical sign in ruptured knee joint.

The clinical distinction of a ruptured knee joint or popliteal cyst from a deep venous thrombosis is important in the planning of treatment, particularly to avoid anticoagulant therapy. Bruising, which may be severe, may occur when inappropriate anticoagulants are administered. It is less well recognised that spontaneous bruising may occur with a ruptured knee joint even when anticoagulant therapy has not been given. A case is presented which demonstrates this useful physical sign and shows also the value of the patient's history in eliciting the diagnosis. The bruising extended to the foot, its gravitational and propulsive advance being halted by the pressure of footwear. This appearance has not been emphasised in the rheumatology literature.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

A study of two diuretic/potassium combinations in heart failure.

The effect of potassium supplements was studied in 28 patients taking long term frusemide (40-80 mg daily). Plasma potassium fell when supplements were stopped, and rose towards prior values on the potassium/frusemide combination, Diumide K. In a crossover study in 14 of these patients comparing equivalent doses of frusemide, Diumide K (frusemide 40 mg, potassium 8 mmol), bumetanide, and Burinex K (bumetanide 0.5 mg, potassium 7.7 mmol) plasma potassium was lower on frusemide than on bumetanide. On Diumide K and Burinex K plasma potassium rose significantly but did not reach the levels on prior therapy. Small doses of potassium in combined formulations seem to be effective in countering the mild hypokalaemia caused by loop diuretics.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

[Influence of the educational course on the future of young persons thought to be mentally deficient].

A survey of mental deficiency among children was carried out in 1967 in the department of Haute-Vienne by the Centre International de l'Enfance and the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale. A representative sample of the children was examined, with data recorded under paediatric, social, and psychological (including an intelligence quotient test, the "WISC") criteria. This study was resumed in 1974 and 1978 in order to determine how the children--by then, between 20 and 26 years of age--had fared. Among the 325 studied, it appears that those educated in specialized facilities succeeded less well than those who followed a normal curriculum. Only 39% of the former vs 58% of the latter won a diploma; 27% vs 17% were fired from jobs; 23% vs 9% experienced adaptation difficulties at work. Even when the IQs and the socioprofessional category of the parents are the same, the differences concerning diplomas (particularly in general, as opposed to professional, education) persist, as do problems in the workplace.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Insulin receptors in calf and human retinal blood vessels.

A system for isolation of capillaries from the retina has been adapted to biochemical studies in vitro. Insulin receptors were identified in human and calf retinal blood vessels. Binding of 125I insulin by calf retinal blood vessels takes place through high affinity (low capacity) and low affinity (high capacity) receptor sites. Insulin binding is inhibited by glucagon, and cGMP and proinsulin. Dissociation of insulin receptor protein or lipid with Triton X-100 or phospholipase results in significant decreases in 125I insulin binding by retinal blood vessels. Dissociation of insulin bound occurs only at 0 degrees C which may be due to rapid internalization of insulin at higher temperatures. Activities of cAMP and cGMP phosphodiesterases and cyclase of retinal vessels were not significantly changed by incubation with insulin. At high concentrations in the media human growth hormone stimulates and then inhibits I125 insulin binding by retinal capillaries.

Aged↗
PubMed1983

Retinal atrophy induced by intravitreous colchicine.

Colchicine is known to inhibit axoplasmic transport in ganglion cells. Previous studies have shown considerable, but largely reversible, retinal changes after low dosages of intravitreal colchicine in experimental animals. In the present study, the effects of 1.0 to 100 micrograms of intravitreal colchicine in monkeys were studied by ophthalmoscopy, light microscopy, and electron microscopy. Optic atrophy was ophthalmoscopically evident within 4 weeks after a single dose of 10 micrograms or more. Morphologic changes included progressive swelling of retinal neurons, accumulation of a fibrillogranular material, displacement of organelles, and loss of microtubules. Plasmalemmal rupture was observed in ganglion cells and in photoreceptors after as little as 1 microgram of colchicine. Relative sparing of the cone cells was noted. The retina of monkeys appears to be more sensitive to intravitreal colchicine than that of certain lower animals.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

The heterogeneity of essential hypertension. Relation between lithium efflux and sodium content of erythrocytes and a family history of hypertension.

The lithium efflux and sodium content of erythrocytes were measured in 75 patients with untreated essential hypertension. The average values of both were higher than those of normotensive control subjects. Values above the range in the controls were found only in patients with a family history of hypertension, and in these the frequency of raised lithium efflux was 76% and of raised sodium content was 36%. Measurement of lithium efflux and sodium content, together with the family history, allows patients with essential hypertension to be categorised into four groups.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

The early and late effects of digoxin treatment on the sodium transport, sodium content and Na+K+- ATPase or erythrocytes.

1 Erythrocyte sodium content, sodium transport (ouabain sensitive sodium flux Eos, and ouabain sensitive efflux rate constant ERCos) sodium, potassium activated ouabain sensitive adenosine triphosphatase (Na+K+ATPase) and plasma digoxin were measured in patients during acute digitalisation and in patients who were on long-term digoxin treatment. 2 In the six patients who were studied during digitalisation, the ERCos and Na+K+ATPase activity decreased and erythrocyte sodium content increased during days 2-4 treatment, but there was no change in Eos. 3 In 39 patients on long term digoxin therapy (2-119 months) the erythrocyte sodium content was normal, but the erythrocyte Na+K+ATPase activity was higher than the control group. When the results from these 39 patients were divided according to the duration of treatment it was found that the erythrocyte sodium content was higher in patients treated for 2-4 months than in patients treated for longer periods and the erythrocyte Na+K+ATPase activity increased with duration of treatment. In eight patients (duration of treatment greater than 29 months) in whom ERCos and Eos were measured, ERCos and Eos were higher than the control group. 4 The results suggest that the effects of digoxin on erythrocytes which occur during acute digoxin treatment do not persist in the long term. 5 The possible explanation for the higher ERCos, Eos and Na+K+ATPase activity in patients treated with digoxin for more than 2 months is discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1981

Arthropathy in Dressler's syndrome.

Three patients developed a polyarthritis in association with Dressler's (post-myocardial infarction) syndrome. Joint involvement was more pronounced in the upper limbs and persisted many months after other features of Dressler's syndrome had settled. In 2 cases the findings in the joints were slight and might have been overlooked but for the persistently raised ESR. There was a prompt symptomatic response to prednisone.

Arthritis↗
PubMed1981

An universal and accurate replica technique for scanning electron microscope study in clinical dentistry.

One of the main concerns of dental research is the observation of the oral tissues and the materials applied to the dentition. The changes in composition and structure of the outer surfaces and the materials deposited on these surfaces are of special interest. In the literature, a variety of replica techniques for these purposes is described (Grundy in 1971 [12]; Saxton in 1973 [25]). The use of these techniques is limited because of artifacts in the samples, and a restricted resolution power resulting from useful magnifications in the order of 800x. An accurate and universal replica technique for the examination of specimens to be viewed under the SEM has been developed. The first impression is made by a light body silicone elastomer (President Coltene). The positive replica is made by electrodeposition of copper in an electro plating bath (Acru plat 5 electronic, Dr. Th. Wieland, D-7530 Pforzheim). The reliability and accuracy of this replica technique was verified by a scanning electron microscopic comparison of the replicas and the actual structures of etched enamel. To illustrate the applicability of the replica technique to structures with much lower hardness, also high resolution images of dental plaque were produced. The copper surface offers a perfect, original and proper electroconductive medium that withstands the bombardment of electrons and the relatively severe conditions in the scanning electron microscope. Reproducibility was accurate as judged by the duplication in position, size, and shape of the fine detail at magnifications of 7500x offering a resolution of 25 nm.

Bacteria↗