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Biomedical subjects

F C Bennett

Publications and source records attributed to F C Bennett.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Effectiveness of the Denver Developmental Screening Test with biologically vulnerable infants.

The Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST) was initially developed specifically to identify children with mental retardation. However, its use in screening low birth weight and other biologically at-risk infants for motor problems is widespread. In view of the absence of biologically vulnerable children in the DDST standardization sample, and the limited validational support available for its use with children under 30 months of age, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the DDST in screening 62 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit graduates during infancy. Categorical results (Normal, Questionable, Abnormal), obtained in the home setting by DDST, were compared with results of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Follow-up Clinic evaluations. There was a marked underselection of the DDST's categorical results in identifying those infants with suspect or abnormal findings on the more detailed clinic evaluations. However, the effectiveness of the screeners' clinical impression ratings (based on observations made during administration of the DDST) in identifying infants with positive criterion results was encouraging. These findings suggest that, although the DDST's categorical results may be of limited value in screening biologically vulnerable infants, administration of the DDST may provide a useful framework for more systematically observing and documenting significant qualitative aspects of an infant's developmental status, particularly for the screener who is less experienced in neuromotor assessment. These observations need to be defined further, and validated.

Developmental Disabilities↗
PubMed1985

Follow-up of infants receiving cranial ultrasound for intracranial hemorrhage.

Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) was detected in 38 preterm neonates, using cranial ultrasonic (US) scanning. Forty-three preterm neonates examined during the same period but who had no cranial US evidence of ICH were also identified. Neurodevelopmental follow-up was performed at a mean age of 22.3 months on these 81 children. As a group, children with ICH demonstrated developmental indexes in the normal range but about ten points lower than children without ICH. The outcome in survivors of grade III ICH was quite similar to the outcome in survivors of grades I and II ICH. Survivors of grade IV (intraparenchymal) hemorrhage had a worse outcome. Cerebral palsy was significantly more prevalent in children with ICH. Only two thirds of children without ICH had a completely normal outcome, reinforcing the concept that factors other than ICH alone contribute to neurodevelopmental morbidity in this population.

Cerebral Hemorrhage↗
PubMed1985

Co-localization of non-histone protein BA with U-snRNPs to the same regions of the cell nucleus.

Using indirect immunofluorescence, nuclear non-histone protein BA was localized in a normal rat liver cell line. Protein BA antibodies immunostained nuclear structures producing a speckled immunofluorescent staining pattern. Nuclear structures stained with protein BA antibodies were sensitive to DNase I digestion, but not to RNase. The speckled pattern of nuclear fluorescence observed with protein BA antibodies was similar to that reported earlier for Sm antibodies, which react with U-snRNPs. Using double-label indirect immunofluorescence, the Sm antigen was shown to be concentrated in the same regions of the nucleus which contain protein BA. Immunoblot analysis of total nuclear proteins with the two antibodies demonstrated that protein BA and the major Sm antigen have similar molecular weights, but are antigenically distinct. In addition, they differ in their extractabilities from the cell nucleus.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Neuromotor development of graduates of the neonatal intensive care unit: patterns encountered in the first two years of life.

The neurodevelopmental course of 219 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit graduates followed prospectively over 2 years was determined on retrospective chart review. Mild neuromotor abnormalities during the first year were identified in 50%, three-quarters of which proved transient with normal development at 2 years of age. Moderate abnormalities were identified in 7%, half of which proved transient. Severe neuromotor abnormalities were identified in 20%, two-thirds of whom had cerebral palsy at 2 years. Persistent noncerebral palsy neuromotor abnormalities remained in one-third of those in the severe abnormality group, one-half of those in the moderate abnormality group, and one-quarter of those in the mild abnormality group. As birthweight decreased, the incidence of always normal development and transient neuromotor abnormalities decreased while the incidence of persistent neuromotor abnormalities increased. Small for gestational age infants demonstrated a slightly higher incidence of persistent abnormalities than their appropriate for gestational age counterparts. No significant sex differences were observed.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1984

Teaching developmental pediatrics to pediatric residents: effectiveness of a structured curriculum.

A national Task Force on Developmental Pediatrics was convened in 1979 to produce a curriculum for pediatric residents pertaining to the detection, assessment, and management of children with atypical development. During a 2-year period, the task force developed a structured curriculum composed of specific goals, educational objectives, and matched learning activities that identified and described the basic knowledge, skills, and attitudes of developmental pediatrics to be acquired during a pediatric residency. Subsequently, the curriculum was implemented and evaluated in 11 pediatric programs with a developmental pediatrics rotation. On a seven-point subjective scale, the mean resident (n = 64) rating of the curriculum's usefulness was 6.0 and of their perceived competence in the skills of developmental pediatrics was 5.2; the mean percent of this competence attributed to the curriculum-based rotation was 56.6. On an objective case management test, residents who used the curriculum scored significantly (P less than .005) higher than those who did not. These results suggest the efficacy of structured curricula in pediatric resident education.

Child↗
PubMed1984

Predictive validity of the "Movement Assessment of Infants".

Early identification of neuromotor deficits, cerebral palsy or other neurological handicaps, is a focus of concern for neurologists, pediatricians, and developmental therapists. Among infants at risk for developing these handicaps are those with low birthweight, idiopathic respiratory distress syndrome, and early central nervous system insults. The Movement Assessment of infants (MAI), a neuromotor assessment tool, was developed for the purpose of evaluating high-risk infants participating in the University of Washington's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Followup Clinic. The predictive validity of the MAI was evaluated for 246 infants for whom assessments had been completed at four months and for whom at least one set of followup data was available at either one or two years of age. Correlations between the MAI total risk score and all five of the outcome measures at one and two years were highly significant. The clinical relevance of this study in the use of the MAI as an evaluation tool for identifying infants with neuromotor dysfunction is discussed.

Cerebral Palsy↗
PubMed1983

An improved procedure for the 'dot immunobinding' analysis of hybridoma supernatants.

The recently introduced dot immunobinding assay is well suited as a rapid and sensitive procedure for the analysis of those hybridoma clones that are producers of a specific antibody. We present a modification of the dot immunobinding assay which utilizes a single nitrocellulose sheet for up to 96 assays. By using a single nitrocellulose sheet, sample manipulation is greatly reduced, reaction conditions can be better standardized and a comparison of background reactivities is provided. Results are presented which demonstrate the effectiveness of this modified dot immunobinding assay.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Mortality in infants discharged from a neonatal intensive care unit.

In a three-year period, 3.8% (43) of 1,123 infants discharged from one neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) subsequently died, the vast majority before 1 year of age. Sudden infant death syndrome was responsible for 28% of the deaths, congenital heart disease for 25% of the deaths, chronic lung disease for 16%, and trauma, infections, and chromosomal disorders each accounted for 5% of the deaths. Postdischarge death rates in the three-year study period remained stable, while infant mortality in the NICU decreased from 26.5% to 16.3%. This study suggests that decreasing mortality among infants treated in NICUs is not necessarily reflected in improved postdischarge death rates and that the vast majority of deaths in these infants are currently not preventable.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Antibodies to a nucleolar protein are localized in the nucleolus after red blood cell-mediated microinjection.

To determine whether red blood cell-mediated microinjection of antibodies can be used to study nuclear protein localization and function, we microinjected antibodies that have been shown to react specifically with nucleolar acidic phosphoprotein C23 into Walker 256 cells. The intracellular distribution of microinjected anti-C23 antibodies and preimmune immunoglobulins were determined by immunofluorescence. At 3 h after microinjection, affinity-purified anti-C23 antibodies were localized in the cytoplasm and nucleolus. At 17 h after microinjection, the affinity-purified antibody was localized to those nucleolar structures previously shown to contain protein C23. Furthermore, the antibody remained localized in the nucleolus for at least 36 h after microinjection. In contrast to the results obtained with specific antibodies, preimmune immunoglobulins remained in the cytoplasm 36 h after microinjection. These results indicate that red blood cell-mediated microinjection of antibodies can be used to study nucleolar and nuclear antigens.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Management of childhood "hyperactivity" by primary care physicians.

A questionnaire assessing current clinical approach to the problem of childhood hyperactivity was mailed to 910 primary care physicians in the state of Washington. A response of 462 (50.8%) was obtained. Pediatricians assess and manage hyperactivity in a manner significantly different from that of family physicians or general practitioners. Age of physician also accounted for significant differences, although to a lesser degree than type of training. Few differences were determined by size of community. An overall high prevalence of the problem of hyperactivity was apparent. Combined use of stimulant medications, behavioral programs, and special diets was common.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1983

Vitamin and mineral supplementation in Down's syndrome.

The claim that large, nonspecific doses of vitamins and minerals improve the performance of mentally retarded children has recently reappeared in both the scientific literature and the public media. This hypothesis was examined in a double-blind, case-control study involving 20 home-reared children with Down's syndrome between 5 and 13 years of age. Children were randomly assigned by matched pairs to either a vitamin/mineral group or placebo group for an 8-month study period. No significant group differences or suggestive trends were found in any tested area of development or behavior, including intelligence (IQ), school achievement, speech and language, and neuromotor function. No group differences in appearance, growth, or health were seen. No support was found for the orthomolecular hypothesis in school-aged children with Down's syndrome.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Growth and development of infants weighing less than 800 grams at birth.

A prospective study of infants weighing less than 800 g at birth and cared for in a single neonatal intensive care unit between 1977 and 1980 was conducted. Neonatal mortality was 80%; neurodevelopmental outcome was assessed in 16 of the 18 survivors. Mean birth weight for these 16 was 730 g; mean gestational age was 26 weeks. Perinatal asphyxia, respiratory distress, apnea, mechanical ventilation, and chronic pulmonary disease were commonplace. Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, seizures, sepsis, or meningitis did not occur in survivors. Of the 16 infants, 13 (81%), including all three with birth weight less than 700 g, were without major CNS handicaps and were developing appropriately at 6 months to 3 years of age. Only one of the 16 had clearly subnormal mental development. None had a major visual or hearing impairment. Apgar scores at one and five minutes were significantly related to outcome; apnea, mechanical ventilation, and chronic pulmonary disease were not. These data suggest that a remarkably hopeful outcome is possible for the few survivors of extremely low birth weight.

Apgar Score↗
PubMed1982

School performance of children with birth weights of 1,000 g or less.

Twenty-five of the 45 long-term survivors with birth weights of 1,000 g or less who were cared for in the University of Washington, Seattle, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit from 1960 to 1972 were examined at a mean age of 10.6 years. Seven of the 25 children (28%) had one or more major neurologic or sensory handicaps. Sixteen (64%) have been or presently are in a special education program. Only seven children (28%) are currently rated by their teachers to be achieving at or above grade level. Arithmetic reasoning, mathematics achievement, and reading comprehension were specific weaknesses. Fine and gross motor skills were impaired. Perceptual skills were impaired to a lesser degree.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Hyaline membrane disease, birth weight, and gestational age. Effects on development in the first two years.

Mean mental and motor developmental test scores (Bayley scales) at 4, 12, and 24 months of age were determined for 161 graduates of a neonatal intensive care unit during the period 1977 through 1979. Analysis of variance for our data showed significant effects of hyaline membrane disease (HMD) on mental and motor development at 4 months, but disappearance of these effects at 12 and 24 months of age. Conversely, birth weight was not significantly related to developmental performance at 4 months, but was strongly related to both mental and motor performance at 12 and 24 months of age. Gestational age was significantly related to mental performance at 24 months of age. No relationship was found between HMD and major CNS handicapping conditions; both birth weight and gestational age were highly related to the occurrence of neurologic handicaps. Of the three variables assessed, birth weight was the best predictor of neurodevelopmental outcome.

Birth Weight↗