Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

D F Scott

Publications and source records attributed to D F Scott.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Palpation of the femoral and popliteal pulses: a study of the accuracy as assessed by agreement between multiple observers.

Six vascular surgeons independently examined 44 legs in patients with suspected peripheral arterial disease. Each surgeon recorded whether the femoral and popliteal pulses were present or absent, and if thought to be present, whether they were normal or reduced in amplitude. Interobserver agreement was determined by calculating both observed agreement (Po) and agreement after correction for chance (kappa-k). The results were calculated both for each possible pair of surgeons and as an overall value for all possible pairs combined. Agreement as to whether pulses were present or absent was significantly better than expected by chance but was only moderately good (overall kappa for femoral pulse = 0.53, and overall kappa for popliteal pulse = 0.52). More often than not, agreement as to whether the pulses were normal or reduced was no better than expected by chance (overall kappa for femoral pulse = 0.15, and overall kappa for popliteal pulse = 0.01). For each assessment, agreement was no better for the more experienced than the less experienced pairs of surgeons. The results indicate that more objective methods than pulse palpation are required to determine whether there is significant disease in the aorto-iliac and femoro-popliteal arterial segments.

Arterial Occlusive Diseases↗
PubMed1986

On the anticonvulsant and psychotropic properties of clobazam--a preliminary study.

Preliminary studies of patients who had brain damage, intractable epilepsy, and mental subnormality showed that clobazam in small doses (20 to 30 mg/day) was beneficial, and indicated that a more detailed investigation was worthwhile. In this study, 30 patients were followed up for at least 18 months in a continuing open-ended study. Fit frequency was found to be markedly reduced, few side effects have occurred, and the visual analogue scales and the Middlesex Hospital Questionnaire have shown improvement. "Breakthrough" has not been a problem at the dose level of 20 to 30 mg/day when given in addition to conventional anticonvulsant regimes, usually carbamazepine, phenytoin, or valproate. In the meanwhile, other psychosocial problems (for example, employment and marital problems) have improved. It therefore seems that clobazam is a useful additional drug in conventional anticonvulsant regimes.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Hormonal influence on experimental infections by a toxic shock strain of Staphylococcus aureus.

Subcutaneous infection chambers in rabbits were infected with a strain of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from a patient with toxic shock syndrome. Estrogens (mestranol and 17-beta-estradiol) protected male rabbits and prolonged survival. Neither androgens (testosterone and dihydrotestosterone) nor progesterone affected the susceptibility of intact or ovarihysterectomized female rabbits.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Immunological protection of rabbits infected with Staphylococcus aureus isolates from patients with toxic shock syndrome.

Toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) isolated from the growth medium of Staphylococcus aureus 1169 and 555 was used to immunize male rabbits before infection with either a TSST-1+ or a TSST-1- strain of S. aureus isolated from cases of TSS. None of the immunized rabbits died as a result of the infections, whereas 50% of the nonimmunized rabbits infected with the TSST-1- strain, D4508, and 75% of those infected with the TSST-1+ strain, 555, died. Western blots of crude extracellular protein preparations probed with sera from immunized rabbits indicated that the TSST-1- strain produces a 30,000-molecular-weight protein that cross-reacts with antiserum to TSST-1. Because both organisms caused similar diseases in rabbits, we propose to designate the cross-reacting protein as TSST-2.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

A survey of carotid surgery.

One hundred consecutive case notes of patients undergoing internal carotid thrombendarterectomy (TEA) were reviewed in each of seven major teaching hospitals to establish the pattern of practice of carotid surgery. In particular, details of risk factors, indications for surgery, operative details and results of surgery were available for comparison for each hospital compared to the remaining group. An overall mortality rate of 3.3%, which varied between hospitals, from 1% to 6%, was noted. Similar mortality rates were observed when the indication for surgery was transient ischaemic attack (TIA), pre-existing stroke or asymptomatic stenosis.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

Left and right cerebral hemisphere differences in the occurrence of epilepsy.

Differences in function between the cerebral hemispheres are well documented for normal subjects and, in diseased states, these are used to lateralize and localize a dysfunction. However, the difference in frequency of occurrence of left vs. right hemisphere lesions and the greater likelihood of epilepsy occurring on the left have received scant attention. In the present study patients with a diagnosis of meningioma or cerebral abscess were identified from the EEG computer file. After operation the meningioma patients with predominantly left-sided tumours showed a statistically significant greater chance of developing seizures, similarly those with left-sided cerebral abscess. Considering a larger group of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy from a variety of causes, a left-sided EEG focus occurred more frequently - and was statistically significant - than a right-sided or bilateral disturbance. The full explanation of these results is not clear but they suggest that the hemispheres function differently in patients with a cerebral disorder like epilepsy, as is known to be the case in normal subjects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Unusual EEG patterns in coma, and their evolution.

A 23-year-old chronic asthmatic patient is reported who showed successively four different EEG patterns within a 7 day period of unconsciousness following cardio-respiratory arrest. The initial record was dominated by alpha activity, then beta activity supervened, to be followed by spindle components. Finally an isoelectric tracing occurred before death. A computer file search for all cases of unusual EEG coma patterns was carried out. It failed to reveal any other patient with a similar sequence, but various types of evolution were noted. Such features are seen in only a very small percentage of comatose patients, and in the context of cardio-respiratory arrest are almost invariably fatal.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Enhanced susceptibility of male rabbits to infection with a toxic shock strain of Staphylococcus aureus.

Artificial infection chambers in rabbits were infected with a toxic shock strain of Staphylococcus aureus in an attempt to determine the nature of the enhanced virulence of toxic shock strains relative to non-toxic shock strains of staphylococci. The results showed that rabbits immunized with either neutral or acidic proteins were protected from the lethal effects of these infections. Male rabbits were found to be significantly more susceptible to these infections than female rabbits. Castration rendered both sexes equally susceptible to lethal infections. Numerous tissues from all infected rabbits were examined histologically, and most of the pathological findings involved lymphoid tissue. Of special interest was the observation that unprotected male rabbits which died had evidence of lymphoid depletion and that surviving rabbits, both male and female, usually manifested lymphoid hyperplasia. No other pathological response was noted which would characterize these infections, but immunized rabbits had a diminished level of thymic cortex involution that was not different between the sexes.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Stress and epilepsy: the value of a benzodiazepine--lorazepam.

Twenty four patients with drug resistant epilepsy were given lorazepam and placebo added to their pre-existing drug regime. With lorazepam there was a significant reduction in seizures, especially in those with focal and partial complex attacks. The drug proved effective whether or not the patients regarded stress as a trigger to their seizures, but on the Middlesex Hospital Questionnaire there were differences between those with high and low scores.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Cerebral function monitor studies in neonates.

Cerebral function monitor (CFM) recordings were obtained from 107 neonates, considered by pediatricians to be neurologically normal on discharge from hospital. Maturational changes in sleep patterns for the tracings over the conceptional age range 30 to 43 weeks were quantified and the resulting EEG measures analyzed statistically. When tracings obtained from neonates of less than three weeks chronological age were considered, significant correlations were found with the weight of the neonate at the time of the recording. For tracings of premature neonates obtained at the mean chronological age of six weeks a relationship was found between EEG measures and Apgar scores. These results are discussed in relation to the mature neonatal EEG, and it is suggested that the CFM provides a simple additional method of assessment.

Apgar Score↗
PubMed1984

Too many fits.

Continuing seizures for the chronic patient with epilepsy require careful assessment. In practice, attention to unsatisfactory drug therapy compounded by poor compliance is most rewarding. Reappraisal of the psychological aspects in the widest sense can be revealing and new diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities can be uncovered.

Adolescent↗