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J M Stevenson

Publications and source records attributed to J M Stevenson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Frequency of recording of diabetes on U.S. death certificates: analysis of the 1986 National Mortality Followback Survey.

We used data from the 1986 National Mortality Followback Survey to estimate the frequency of recording of diabetes on death certificates and to determine factors associated with recording of diabetes among decedents aged 25 years and older who died in the U.S. in 1986. Among 2766 decedents for whom a history of diabetes was provided by a personal informant, diabetes was recorded on an estimated 38.2% of death certificates and was listed as the underlying cause of death on an estimated 9.6%. The frequency of recording of diabetes was strongly related to age and duration of diabetes--among those aged 25-44 years who had had diabetes for 15 or more years, the frequency of recording was 71.9%. When other listed causes of death included conditions that may have been related to diabetes, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes was recorded between 45 and 70% of the time, depending on the other causes. Diabetes is usually not recorded on death certificates, and the likelihood of recording is related to decedent characteristics, particularly age, duration of diabetes, and co-morbidity.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Stages 1 and 2 epidermoid carcinoma of the glottic larynx: involvement of the anterior commissure.

Data on 55 patients with stages 1 and 2 epidermoid carcinoma of the glottic larynx treated from 1978 to 1988 were retrospectively reviewed. Twenty-six patients had involvement of the anterior commissure (AC). Local and ultimate local control rates achieved, respectively, with mean follow-up of 41 months (range, 6-120 months), were as follows: 92% and 100% for patients without AC involvement and stage T1a lesions, 60% and 80% for patients without AC involvement and stage T2 lesions, 100% and 100% for patients with AC involvement and stage T1a lesions, 100% and 100% for patients with AC involvement and stage T1b lesions, and 75% and 100% for patients with AC involvement and stage T2 lesions. There was no correlation between the degree of response at completion of treatment and local control. There was no difference in the local control rate of patients with and without involvement of the AC. Factors associated with a decreased local control rate include extensive subglottic extension and use of a single lateral field technique. Surgical salvage after failure of radiation therapy is effective and can be performed with acceptable morbidity.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗
PubMed1992

Trends in diabetes and diabetic complications, 1980-1987.

OBJECTIVE: Although diabetes is a major source of morbidity and mortality in the United States, only recently has a unified national surveillance system begun to monitor trends in diabetes and diabetic complications. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We established a diabetes surveillance system using data for 1980-1987 from vital records, the National Health Interview Survey, the National Hospital Discharge Survey, and the Health Care Financing Administration's records to examine trends in the prevalence and incidence of diabetes, diabetes mortality, hospitalizations, and diabetic complications. RESULTS: From 1980 through 1987, the number of individuals known to have diabetes increased by 1 million--to 6.82 million. Age-standardized prevalence for diabetes increased 9% during this period, from 25.4 to 27.6/1000 U.S. residents (P = 0.03). The incidence of diabetes increased among women (P = 0.003), particularly among those greater than 65 yr old (P = 0.02). Age-standardized mortality rates (for diabetes as either an underlying or contributing cause) per 100,000 individuals with diabetes declined 12%, from 2350 to 2066. Annual mortality rates from stroke (as an underlying cause and diabetes as a contributing cause) and diabetic ketoacidosis declined 29% (P = 0.003) and 22% (P less than 0.001), respectively. During these 8 yr, hospitalization rates for major CVD and stroke (as the primary diagnoses and diabetes as a secondary diagnosis) increased 34% (P = 0.006) and 38% (P = 0.01), respectively. Also during this period, hospitalization rates increased 21% for diabetic ketoacidosis (P = 0.01) and 29% for lower-extremity amputations (P = 0.06). From 1982 through 1986, treatment for end-stage renal disease related to diabetes increased greater than 10% each year (P less than 0.001). The prevalence of diagnosed diabetes was nearly twice as high in blacks as in whites (P = 0.04). Blacks also had increased rates of lower-extremity amputation (P = 0.02), diabetic ketoacidosis (P less than 0.001), and end-stage renal disease (P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes surveillance data will be useful in planning, targeting, and evaluating public health efforts designed to prevent and control diabetes and its complications.

Amputation, Surgical↗
PubMed1992

Seasonal variation in venison quality of mature, farmed red deer stags in New Zealand.

Two studies involving 20 red deer (Cervus elaphus) stags were conducted to determine the effects of season on venison quality. In each study, five sexually mature red deer stags were slaughtered immediately preceding the rut (autumn) and five were slaughtered after the rut. Stags slaughtered postrut had lower carcass weights (25 to 30%) than those slaughtered prerut. Average bodywall thickness measurements above the 12th rib (an indicator of fat thickness) were approximately 31 mm prerut compared with 3 to 7 mm postrut. Individual muscles and retail cuts (which included subcutaneous and intermuscular fat) were heavier in prerut carcasses. There were significant decreases in intramuscular fat in both the longissimus muscle and the semimembranosus muscle. Postrut longissimus muscle steaks appeared brighter and(or) fresher than the other groups; color acceptability was negatively correlated (P less than .05) with fat content. Prerut streaks from both muscles were more tender than postrut steaks from those muscles. Overall desirability and tenderness were highly correlated (r = .94 and .82 for longissimus muscle and semimembranosus muscle, respectively).

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Development of physical fitness standards for Canadian Armed Forces younger personnel.

The purpose of this study was to develop minimum physical fitness standards based on common task criteria for personnel younger than 35 years of age in the Canadian Armed Forces. A random sample of 66 men and 144 women performed the Exercise Prescription (EXPRES) test and five physically demanding tasks that simulated common military tasks. Common cutting scores were selected as the point at which 75% of the total weighted sample passed each task. Since there were significant differences between the sexes in task performance and technique execution, the groups were analyzed separately. Results indicated a range in variance of 14 to 48% between military task performance and physical fitness test score, thus suggesting that fitness measures are a poor predictor of task performance. Because of the low variance observed the passing group of each task was treated as a representative sample of subjects whose fitness profiles were indicative of those able to meet task criteria. The 5th percentile fitness scores of the passing group were proposed as the minimum fitness standard. These conditions resulted in fitness standards that were physically more demanding for women than for men.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

A family study of Gilles de la Tourette syndrome.

Previous studies have demonstrated that Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (TS) is a familial disorder and that chronic tics (CT) and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) appear to be etiologically related to the syndrome. In the present study we report the results from a study of 338 biological relatives of 86 TS probands, 21 biologically unrelated relatives of adopted TS probands, and 22 relatives of normal subjects. The 43 first-degree relatives of the adopted TS and normal probands constituted a control sample. The rates of TS, CT, and OCD in the total sample of biological relatives of TS probands were significantly greater than in the relatives of controls. In addition, the morbid risks of TS, OCD, and CT were not significantly different in families of probands with OCD when compared to relatives of probands without OCD. These findings provide further evidence that OCD is etiologically related to TS.

Humans↗
PubMed1991

Stairclimbing kinematics on stairs of differing dimensions.

The purpose of this study was to provide a kinematic description of the task of stair ascent and descent. Fifteen women were divided into short, medium, and tall subject groups. Three testing staircases of different riser and tread dimensions were used. Temporal and cinematographic data were collected simultaneously via switchmats and a high-speed camera, respectively. Measures of stairclimbing gait cycle duration, swing and stance phase durations, cadence, and velocity appeared to be systematically related to subject height. Stance (19% to 64%) and swing (36% to 81%) phase durations varied considerably depending on stair dimensions during stair descent. Less variation was observed in stance (50% to 60%) and swing (40% to 50%) values during tasks of stair ascent. Individuals appeared to adjust to stair dimensions by varying the flexion/extension patterns of the knee rather than those of the ankle or hip. Depending on the staircase climbed, knee flexion angles ranging from 83 degrees to 105 degrees were required. Stair dimensions, therefore, appeared to influence the temporal and angular kinematics of the lower limb during stairclimbing.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Single camera photogrammetric technique for restricted 3D motion analysis.

The purpose of this study was to use a single camera to determine the true elbow flexion angle with the arm plane oriented arbitrarily with respect to the camera. A mathematical theory was developed and a mechanical arm model was constructed to validate the theory. A static weightlifting skill was analysed to investigate the viability of the technique on the human subject. The validation of the theory showed the error associated with the elbow flexion angle was reduced from as high as 108 degrees when uncorrected to within 3 degrees when corrected by the technique. The elbow flexion angle of the human arm can be calculated to within 6 degrees of error for static weightlifting skill analysis.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1989

The relationship between eggshell porosity and air space gas tensions measured before and during the parafoetal period and their effects on the hatching process in the domestic fowl.

The partial pressure of gases in the air space were measured before and during the parafoetal period for domestic fowl eggs of the same initial weight but varying in eggshell conductance. Embryos developed and hatched normally from eggs with a wide range of shell conductance and resultant air space gas partial pressures. Air space PO2 levels measured just before pipping ranged from 55 to 65 mm Hg in low and high conductance eggs, respectively, whilst PCO2 levels ranged from 75 to 55 mm Hg. With increasing shell conductance embryos membrane-penetrated and pipped the shell later, but hatch time was unaffected. Membrane penetration and external pipping appeared to occur in response to the partial pressures of gas in the air space but not in response to one particular level of air space PO2 or PCO2. During the parafoetal stage air space PO2 decreased at about 3.8 mm Hg/h and air space PCO2 increased at about 1.8 mm Hg/h and these rates of change were unaffected by eggshell conductance.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Isoinertial tests to predict lifting performance.

Previous research has found isoinertial strength testing to be superior to isometric and isokinetic strength testing for prediction of task performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate tests on an isoinertial lifting machine (ILM) and their ability to predict performance on actual lifting tasks. Sixteen male subjects performed two lifting tasks: maximum box lift to truck-bed height of 1.35 m; and 'speed lifts' of 60 concrete blocks (each 22.7 kg) to the same height. These performance tests were compared to three ILM tests: a maximal lift to 1.83 m, a second maximal lift to 1.52 m, and an endurance test that entailed 60 timed ILM lifts of 22.7 kg to 1.83 m. Pearson product-moment correlations between ILM tests and performance tasks varied from r = 0.55 to 0.71. Therefore, the isoinertial test protocols employed in this study were able to account for only 30% to 50% of the variance in the performance of maximal lifting and endurance tasks. In was concluded that prediction of maximal lifting ability or endurance ability using an ILM might be enhanced by closer approximation of specific task variables, or by inclusion of dynamic parameters to measure technique.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

An examination of social typologies in autism.

A system proposed by Wing and coworkers for subtyping autistic individuals on the basis of social interaction is examined in 78 autistic, 39 atypical, and 32 nonautistic, developmentally disordered individuals. Clinical ratings and questionnaire data based on the proposed subtypology were employed. Clinicians were able to reliably group both autistic and nonautistic cases into the three subtypes; these subtypes were strongly related to IQ. Issues relating to the validity and utility of this subtypology are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Method for determining vertebral body positions in the sagittal plane using skin markers.

A method by which the location of vertebral bodies can be estimated from the external profile of the spine in the sagittal plane is described. The technique involves a normalization of the curve from T1 to L5 and approximation using a cubic spline. Mapping functions are developed that enable the transformation of a skin profile to a vertebral centroid curve. Data were obtained for 13 subjects between the ages of 13 and 17 who had undergone lateral spinal radiographs with radiopaque skin markers over the vertebral spinal processes. Results suggested that vertebral body centroids could be estimated from the skin profile to a precision having a standard error of the estimate of 0.4 cm. This was improved to 0.2 cm if the lumbar curve were considered separately.

Humans↗
PubMed1988

Methodology to measure the transient effect of occlusion on skin penetration and stratum corneum hydration in vivo.

The effect of short duration occlusion on skin penetration and stratum corneum water content was studied in vivo in eight human subjects. Percutaneous absorption of hexyl nicotinate was monitored non-invasively by laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) following each of three randomly assigned pre-treatments: untreated control, 30 min occlusion with a polypropylene chamber and 30 min occlusion followed by exposure to ambient conditions for 1 h. Stratum corneum water content after the same pre-treatments was measured with the dielectric probe technique. The local vasodilatory effect of the nicotinic acid ester was quantified using LDV by the onset of increased blood flow, the time of maximal increase in response, the magnitude of the peak response and the area under the response-time curve. Each of these parameters was significantly different, immediately following occlusion, from the untreated control values. However, if the occluded site was exposed for 1 h prior to hexyl nicotinate application these parameters did not differ significantly from the controls. Stratum corneum water content (expressed as a percentage of a maximal value) showed the same behaviour: the pre-treatment control value was 31.8 +/- 4.8%; after 30 min occlusion, this had risen to 46.9 +/- 6.2%; 1 h later, the reading had returned to 32.1 +/- 6.2%. There was a significant correlation between stratum corneum water content and area under the LDV response-time curve. It appears, therefore, that this method may be useful for quantifying the relationship between increased stratum corneum hydration and enhanced percutaneous absorption in vivo in man.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Steady-state model for plasma free and platelet serotonin in man.

A steady-state physiological flow model has been developed for predicting plasma free serotonin (5-HT), and platelet 5-HT, concentrations in man. The basic assumptions of the model are that 5-HT is produced in the wall of the intestine, enters the portal circulation at a constant rate, and is cleared by the lung, liver, kidney, and capillary bed. When a priori best estimates of the 5-HT production rate and organ extraction efficiencies were substituted into formulae describing the model, a predicted value for plasma free 5-HT of 304 pg/ml was obtained, in good agreement with a previously observed mean (+/- SE) of 387 +/- 84 pg/ml. The effects of varying production rate and extraction efficiency parameters on predicted levels of plasma free 5-HT are examined. The practical implications of the model and its possible utility in elucidating the causes of altered plasma free or platelet 5-HT seen in certain conditions are discussed.

Blood Platelets↗
PubMed1987

Time and age trends for sinonasal cancer in Connecticut incidence and US mortality rates.

Population-based rates for sinonasal cancer are examined in US mortality data among whites and in Connecticut incidence data. The observed rates are fitted to a log-linear model in order to examine the effect of each of the three variables, age, period and cohort, simultaneously for each sex. For Connecticut incidence, there is little evidence of either an increase or decrease from 1865 to 1955 birth cohorts. For the US mortality rates, from the 1875 to 1950 birth cohorts, there is a decline by more than twofold in men and more than threefold in women. Monitoring of those trends is discussed with respect to increases in exposure to cigarette smoking and formaldehyde. Regarding the age distribution, both incidence and mortality data are consistent: men show a linear increase of the log (rate) with log (age) in a fashion characteristic of other epithelial nongynecologic malignancies; for women, in contrast, there is a downward curvature around age 50 followed by an upward curvature in the 55 to 70 age range. The rate in most postmenopausal age groups is 20% to 67% of the rate expected on the basis of a linear increase of the log (rate) with log (age). The age patterns in women are similar to "Clemmesen's hook" observed for female breast cancer. There is evidence that the pattern in female subjects differs significantly from that for male subjects. The female age pattern requires confirmation in other populations. An etiologic role for sex hormones is hypothesized in view of that age distribution and in view of physiologic and laboratory observations.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1986

Pharmacodynamic measurement of percutaneous penetration enhancement in vivo.

Enhanced skin penetration of hexyl nicotinate was measured in human subjects using laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV). The local pharmacodynamic response (vasodilatation) to hexyl nicotinate permitted the kinetics and extent of penetration to be evaluated following topical application of 10 mM drug in a 60:40 v/v propylene glycol: isopropyl alcohol vehicle. Prior to hexyl nicotinate administration, the application site was either untreated (control) or subjected to one of four 30-min pretreatments: (a) occlusion with a polypropylene chamber; (b) occlusion (as in a) in the presence of 0.3 mL of the vehicle; (c) occlusion (as in a) in the presence of 0.3 mL of the vehicle containing 25% 2-pyrrolidone; and (d) occlusion (as in a) in the presence of 0.3 mL of the vehicle containing 25% laurocapram (1-dodecylhexahydro-2H-azepin-2-one). The time-course and magnitude of the LDV response were characterized by the onset of action, time to peak, peak height, and area under the curve (AUC). The onset of action and time to peak were significantly shortened, and the peak height and AUC significantly increased with pretreatments a-d. For example, time to peak values were 35 +/- 4, 29 +/- 3, 22 +/- 5, 19 +/- 4, and 17 +/- 4 min for control and pretreatments a-d, respectively (n = 8). Pretreatments with vehicle, vehicle plus 2-pyrrolidone, and vehicle plus laurocapram did not cause LDV-detectable alterations in skin blood flow. The data support, therefore, a novel, simple, noninvasive, and objective demonstration of enhanced skin penetration of hexyl nicotinate in humans.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

The use of propranolol in the treatment of anxiety disorders.

The authors review the available literature on the use of propranolol in the treatment of anxiety disorders. First studied in 1966, propranolol has been shown to be most effective in the control of certain somatic symptoms associated with anxiety. Despite these studies, however, it is still not certain where this beta-adrenergic blocker fits into the overall treatment of anxiety disorders. Reasons for this uncertainty and other related problems are discussed.

Anxiety↗