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Biomedical subjects

D Williams

Publications and source records attributed to D Williams.

At least 703 records · Page 39Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Characteristics of autism as assessed by the Diagnostic Assessment for the Severely Handicapped-II (DASH-II).

The present study involved 1245 individuals with severe and profound mental retardation. Individuals with and without autistic features as assessed by the DASH-II were compared on demographic variables and symptomatology. The core and associated features of autism in severely and profoundly mentally retarded population were identified. Characteristics of persons with autistic disorders are reviewed, and the implications of the results are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Anemia as an indicator of nutrition in children enrolled in a Head Start program.

A retrospective chart review was conducted on the records of 467 children who were enrolled in the Head Start program in Alachua County, Florida, which is one of four counties in Florida cited among the 150 worst "hunger counties" in the United States by the Harvard University School of Public Health. The children were examined in the 1989-1990 school year by a team of nurse practitioners, and the data were analyzed to determine the incidence and distribution of anemia. Twenty-five percent of the sample was white, and 75% was black. One half of the white children and 20% of the black children attended schools in rural areas. The mean sample hematocrit value was 35.7%. Twenty-one percent of the sample had hematocrit values of less than 34.0%. More black children were anemic in both rural and urban groups. Black males had the highest rate of anemia at 27.3%; white females had the lowest rate of anemia at 9.8%. These data show that anemia is a serious problem among children from low-income families and suggest that government nutrition programs such as food stamps and WIC are not meeting the needs of these children.

Anemia, Hypochromic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comprehensiveness of well child checkups for children receiving Medicaid: a pilot study.

Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) is a Medicaid program designed to provide comprehensive well child care for children from low-income families. Each EPSDT checkup should include a physical examination; medical history; assessment of development, nutrition, and immunizations; assessment of hearing, vision, and dental status; and anticipatory guidance. This pilot study of the medical records of 76 children receiving EPSDT checkups in six rural counties in North Carolina provided a preliminary assessment of whether EPSDT checkups included the required components. The study showed that health care providers frequently did not provide adequate documentation of the care provided at the checkup, and it raised questions as to whether children received the required components of the EPSDT checkup.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The effect of acute ethanol (EtOH) exposure on protein kinase C (PKC) activity in anterior pituitary.

Alterations in the protein kinase C (PKC) pathway may interrupt anterior pituitary luteinizing hormone (LH) synthesis and/or secretion, which may impair normal reproductive function. Work by our laboratory and others has shown that EtOH has profound deleterious effects on the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. The present study focuses on PKC translocation from the cytosol to the membrane of anterior pituitary after acute EtOH exposure. Serum levels of LH were measured at three time points (15, 30, and 90 min) after an IP injection of either saline or 3 g/kg EtOH in adult castrated male rats. LH levels dropped significantly (p < 0.03) in EtOH-injected compared to saline-injected control animals. In the same animals, EtOH significantly suppressed PKC localization at its active site at the pituitary cell membrane (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that the mechanism of EtOH's suppression of LH is mediated, at least in part, through a decrease in PKC translocation to the anterior pituitary cell membrane.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Characteristics of depression as assessed by the Diagnostic Assessment for the Severely Handicapped-II (DASH-II).

Fifty-seven individuals with severe and profound mental retardation (18 with a DSM-IV diagnosis of depression, 19 with a Diagnostic Statistical Manual, 4th edition diagnosis of autism, and 20 who meet no criteria for an emotional disorder) were studied. The validity of the Diagnostic Assessment for the Severely Handicapped II depression subscale was evaluated to determine its value in categorizing individuals in these two groups. Suggestions were made for diagnosing depression in persons with severe and profound mental retardation. In a second study the above individuals were compared on symptomology to assess comorbidity with related symptoms. These "core," peripheral, or associated features of depression were identified. Implications of the findings for describing and defining depression in these persons are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sex determination by PCR analysis of DNA extracted from incinerated, deciduous teeth.

Establishing the biological sex of human remains is a very important part of identifying victims of fire when severe soft tissue destruction has occurred. Deciduous (children's) teeth were exposed to a range of incineration temperatures 100-500 degrees C for 15 minutes. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification was used to identify specific human amelogenin regions. There was successful identification of human biological sex, from deciduous teeth exposed to incineration temperatures of 200 degrees C and below, using standard ethidium bromide gel staining. There was greater sensitivity using fragment analysis by laser induced fluorescence which achieved sex identification from some teeth heated to 400 degrees C.

DNA↗
PubMedDate not supplied

ACNM essential documents: a midwife's suit of armor.

As the oldest professional midwifery organization in the United States, The American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM) represents the profession of midwifery in the United States and sets standards for education, certification, and practice. The ACNM has generated and revised several critical documents that provide guidance for the scope of midwifery practice, individually and collectively. This article reviews essential ACNM documents and their role in supporting professional midwifery.

Credentialing↗
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Hysteresis in the perception of motion direction as evidence for neural cooperativity.

When elements of a parallel network, such as the human brain, are extensively interconnected, the network can exhibit 'cooperative behaviour'. Such behaviour, which is characterized by order-disorder transitions, multi-stable states, and a form of memory called 'hysteresis', has been observed in human stereopsis and has motivated models of stereopsis that incorporate cooperative networks. More recently, cooperative phenomena have also been observed in human visual motion perception. This report strongly supports a cooperative interpretation of motion perception by demonstrating hysteresis in the perception of motion direction. The results agree quantitatively with a mathematical model incorporating nonlinear excitatory and inhibitory interactions among direction-selective elements.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of resistance training on bone parameters in young and mature rats.

1. Osteoporosis is a major public health problem that is predicted to worsen over the next decade and preventative strategies that increase bone strength have become the focus of substantial research. 2. Although mechanical load is a primary factor in the acquisition and maintenance of skeletal tissue, the type of exercise used and when in life it is most effectively prescribed remain inconclusive. 3. The present study compared 10 weeks of resistance training in both young and mature female Sprague-Dawley rats and measured bone density and body composition by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and biomechanical properties by three point bending tests of the tibia and femur. 4. No significant differences were observed for any of the bone parameters when comparing exercise and control groups at either age. This was despite using a comparable training protocol to that in humans and using loads of approximately 150% bodyweight. 5. The present study concludes that more intensive work programmes of resistance training or different outcome measures are required when using animal models for skeletal research.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Duffy antigen changes on red blood cells stored at low temperature.

Red blood cells stored in saline solution for two weeks at 12 C lose some of their Fya, Fyb, and Fy3 antigenicity. At the same time substances with specific inhibitory activity against appropriate Duffy antibodies appear in the saline. Similar changes could not be recognized in time-expired commercial reagent red blood cell samples.

Blood Group Antigens↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Controlled release tacrine delivery system for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative condition that affects approximately 5 million people and is the fourth leading cause of death in America. Tacrine is one of the three drugs approved by the FDA for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. However, the drug has a short biologic half-life of 2-3 hr and gastrointestinal, cholinergic, and hepatic adverse reactions that are associated with high doses of the drug. The aim of our study was to formulate a controlled release delivery system of tacrine that could be used to minimize the side effects associated with the drug. Microparticles of tacrine were formulated using poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG). PLG and tacrine were dissolved in mixed organic solvents and added to a polyvinyl alcohol solution that was stirred at a constant rate. The organic solvent was evaporated overnight and the formed microparticles were collected by filtration, dried, and sieve-sized. The effects of such formulation variables, as molecular weight of polymer, stir speed during preparation, and drug loading on encapsulation efficiency (EEF), and in vitro release profiles of tacrine were investigated. An increase in the molecular weight of polymer from 8,000 to 59,000 and 155,000 resulted in approximately 10-fold increase in EEF, but the rate of release decreased with increasing molecular weight. Stir speed during preparation had an effect on the EEF but not on the rate of release. Drug loading did not have a significant effect on the EEF but had an effect on the rate of tacrine release. The results suggest that tacrine could be delivered at controlled levels for weeks for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Resident perspectives of EMS as a subspecialty.

OBJECTIVE: Emergency medical services (EMS) is frequently considered to be a subspecialty of emergency medicine (EM) despite the unavailability of subspecialty certification. An assessment of future interest in EMS subspecialization and the perceived educational needs of potential EMS physicians was performed in order to provide data to leaders responsible for development of this subspecialty area. METHODS: A survey concerning EMS subspecialization issues was distributed to 2,464 members of the Emergency Medicine Residents Association (EMRA). Questions addressed demographic information, interest in EMS, educational issues, and desired credentials. The response rate was 30% (n = 737). All surveys were analyzed by the Pearson chi-square probability and Mantel-Haenszel tests for linear association. RESULTS: A moderate to very high interest in EMS medical direction was expressed by 84% of the respondents, with 14% interested in full-time EMS positions. This interest increased with years of training (p < 0.0001). Almost 89% believed that EMS physicians should have special preparations prior to practice beyond EM residency training. Fewer than half (44%) thought that an EM residency provided sufficient preparation for a significant role in EMS, and this perception increased in intensity with years of training (p < 0.0052). Interest in EMS fellowships (24%) would increase to 36% if subspecialty certification were available (p < 0.0001). Thirty-nine percent believed subcertification should be required of all EMS medical directors if available. CONCLUSIONS: Many EM residents have an interest in active participation in EMS on either a part-time or a full-time basis. Most respondents think EMS is a unique area requiring focused education beyond an EM residency. Interest in EMS fellowships would greatly increase if subspecialty certification were available.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A comparison of rating scales for the alcohol-withdrawal syndrome.

This paper reviews the literature on the use of rating scales within the treatment of the alcohol-withdrawal syndrome. A computer-assisted literature search identified trials of therapy for and rating scales used in alcohol-withdrawal states. Eighteen rating scales were identified. There is a wide variation in symptom items included in these scales. Scales also vary in their length and ease of application. We conclude that it is important to use validated and reliable assessment scales in research if proper comparisons of treatments for the alcohol-withdrawal syndrome are to be made.

Anxiety↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The drug treatment of alcohol withdrawal symptoms: a systematic review.

A computer-assisted and cross-reference literature search identified trials of therapy for alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Those with a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled design were systematically assessed for quality of methodology. Fourteen studies were identified investigating 12 different drugs. The quality of methodological design, even among this highly selected group of published studies, was often poor. Study populations were generally under-defined, most studies excluded severely ill patients, control groups were poorly matched, and the use of additional medication may have confounded results in some studies. Twelve different rating scales were used to assess severity of symptoms. All 12 compounds investigated were reported to be superior to placebo, but this has only been replicated for benzodiazepines and chlormethiazole. Further research using better methods is required to allow comparison of different drugs in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal symptoms. On the evidence available, a long-acting benzodiazepine should be the drug of first choice.

Alcoholism↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The roles of biomedical maintenance branch, automation management & informatics departments throughout a clinical information systems's life cycle.

The introduction of new technology, such as a Clinical Information System (CIS), requires hospitals to re-evaluate the roles of the Biomedical Maintenance Branch, Automation Management, and Informatics departments. This paper describes the process a 400-bed hospital underwent to resolve role ambiguity among the three activities. The institution's goal was to reach an optimal solution to using the resources offered by each activity through redrawing lines of responsibilities. This experience demonstrated that relationships among departments are dynamic and vary depending on the stage of the CIS life cycle.

Biomedical Engineering↗
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Logrolling: establishing consistent practice.

Logrolling is a common patient care procedure performed by many health care workers. The purpose of logrolling is to maintain alignment of the spine while turning and moving the patient who has had spinal surgery or suspected or documented spinal injury. Achieving consistency in logrolling practice across patient care settings is particularly challenging, but necessary for patient safety and satisfaction. A multidisciplinary group of health care providers developed regional policies and procedures for logrolling, logrolling with cervical spine (C-spine) precautions, and collar care. The process used for establishing best practice, staff education, and implementation is described.

Humans↗