Search PubMedSearch

Biomedical subjects

L Palm

Publications and source records attributed to L Palm.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

Sleep and wakefulness after treatment for craniopharyngioma in childhood; influence on the quality and maturation of sleep.

Craniopharyngiomas are situated in immediate vicinity of sleep regulating structures in the basal forebrain area, and the tumor and its treatment might influence the regulation of sleep and wakefulness. In 10 patients treated for craniopharyngioma nighttime sleep quality and daytime vigilance were examined with polygraphic sleep records and multiple sleep latency tests (MSLT). Two girls and 8 boys, 7.1-22.9 years of age, were studied after a follow-up time of 1.5-16.1 years postoperatively. The results were compared to those of 18 normal children. The regulation of the ultradian sleep rhythm was normal but the ability to maintain nighttime sleep was severely disturbed. The patients had an increased number of awakenings and spent long time awake during two recorded nights. Two patients had excessive daytime somnolence during this examination, one after severe sleep disturbance, the other without any known cause. The pattern of sleep and vigilance did not change in puberty in the expected fashion. The disturbances may well have an impact on the psychosocial situation of the patients.

Adolescent

Sleep and wakefulness in preadolescent children with deficits in attention, motor control and perception.

In 10 children with deficits in attention, motor control and perception (DAMP), the relation between daytime vigilance and night-time sleep quality was examined with polygraphic sleep recordings, multiple sleep latency tests and measurements of reaction times. Two girls and eight boys, 6-12 years of age were studied. Eighteen normal children served as controls. Normal sleep regulation and sleep quality was found, but the children with DAMP tolerated the recording procedure less well than the controls. Most patients did not suffer from increased daytime sleepiness, but at MSLT 3, patients had short sleep latencies as in daytime hypersomnolence. Reaction times were significantly longer among the patients than among the controls. It is proposed that the findings may be related to functional changes in the forebrain.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity

Correction of non-24-hour sleep/wake cycle by melatonin in a blind retarded boy.

A 9-year-old, blind boy with severe mental retardation with a chronic sleep/wake disturbance had a circadian rhythm of 24.75 hours and an internal desynchronization of the endogenous rhythms. Treatment with oral melatonin given at 6 PM induced a regular sleep/wake pattern. Melatonin, in this patient, convincingly entrained the endogenous rhythm to the appropriate chronological 24-hour day.

Blindness

Evaluation of information on dental health care at child health centers. Differences in educational level, attitudes, and knowledge among parents of preschool children with different caries experience.

The aim of this study was to interpret the manner in which information on dental health care, systematically offered at child health centers, is assimilated among parents of preschool children with different caries experience. The material comprised children who, on the basis of defined criteria were classified as 'healthy' or 'diseased' with regard to caries and restorations. The investigation was mainly performed as telephone interviews with the parents. The results showed no difference between the groups with regard to diet, oral hygiene, and use of fluorides. However, parents of healthy children had a statistically significantly higher level of education than parents of diseased children. The level of education did not influence the knowledge as such but rather the ability to put the knowledge into practice. Parents of healthy children claimed to a greater extent than parents of diseased children to have received a combination of verbal and written information. This could be because the first group had a greater interest in assimilating new information and in creating a two-way communication with the informer. This is probably an effect of the level of education and confirms that it is essential to make people aware of the information's importance rather than merely teaching facts.

Attitude to Health

Effects of a community risk factor reducing programme on weight, body fat distribution, and lipids in obese women.

All women aged 45-64 (n = 1084) in the community of Strömstad, Sweden, were invited to a health survey aimed at identifying cardiovascular risk factors. Adiposity as a risk factor was defined as body mass index (BMI: kg/m2) greater than or equal to 30 or waist-to-hip ratio (W/H ratio; cm/cm) greater than or equal to 0.82 or both. All persons who fulfilled these criteria for adiposity (n = 208) were invited to an educational programme. Of these 208 women, 31 per cent were willing to take part in the educational programme. Participants with W/H ratio greater than or equal to 0.82 but BMI less than 30 reduced their body weight, BMI, waist circumference. W/H ratio and serum triglyceride levels significantly, compared to the corresponding non-participants. Their triglyceride levels were reduced by 21 per cent. Participants with BMI greater than or equal to 30 and W/H less than 0.82 only reduced their body weight and BMI significantly. It seems justified to pay special attention to subjects with abdominal adiposity when planning for preventive work in women.

Abdomen

Sleep and wakefulness in normal preadolescent children.

Eighteen healthy children, 9 boys and 9 girls, between 8 and 12 years of age were examined with polygraphic sleep records, multiple sleep latency tests (MSLTs), and measurements of reaction times. Sleep was recorded at home on Oxford Medilog 9 channel cassette tape recorders (Oxford Medical Systems, Abingdon, U.K.) and sleep staging was performed from the screen of the display unit. Two consecutive nights were recorded. MSLT was done in the laboratory. The subjects were given 30 min to fall asleep on four occasions during the day after the last recorded night of sleep. Reaction times were measured repeatedly between each MSLT trial. More slow wave sleep was found in this study compared to others. Also, the first night effect was slight. It is proposed that this is due to the fact that the recordings were performed at home. The initial sleep cycle was incomplete in almost all subjects. A sleep stage with traits of both rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM could be seen in this cycle, probably representing an abortive REM period. MSLT confirmed the low daytime sleepiness in healthy preadolescent children. A sleep latency of 10 min or less on two or more sleep trials, or a daily mean sleep latency of less than 20 min, is rarely seen in this age group. The reaction times were within normal limits for the age of the subjects. Nighttime sleep values, daytime sleep latencies, and reaction times were not correlated in these normal-sleeping children.

Arousal

Automatic versus visual EEG sleep staging in preadolescent children.

Ambulant sleep polygrams were obtained from 14 normal subjects (9 boys and 5 girls) and from 3 boys with attention deficit disorder. The children were aged 8-12 years. Two consecutive nights were recorded with an eight-channel electroencephalographic (EEG) tape cassette recorder. The results were analyzed automatically by the Oxford Medilog 9000 Sleep Stager and by visual scoring from the Medilog Display Unit. Twenty-seven nights were analyzed; 7 nights were excluded because of electrode problems or other technical failures. The main sleep stage shifts and the length of sleep cycles as measured from the hypnogram of the automatic printout agreed well with corresponding values from our visual scoring. In the automatic scoring, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep time was shorter and slow wave sleep was longer than in the visual rating. This can be explained partly by specific properties of the EEG in this age group. The Oxford Medilog 9000 sleep stager can be used to survey sleep quality, but the results must be carefully checked visually. In cases of EEG pathology or sleep abnormalities in childhood it is doubtful if any time or labor is saved by using automatic scoring.

Child

Duplication 18p with mild influence on the phenotype.

Duplication 18p was found in a 12-year-old girl whose father carried a balanced translocation involving the same chromosome segment, t(18;21)(p11;p11). Our patient had delayed speech development, mild psychomotor retardation, epilepsy, and minor anomalies, including a low nasal bridge, anti-mongolian eye slant, low-set ears, and narrowly arched palate. These findings are compared with eight previously published cases.

Child

Mapping studies and expression of genes located on human chromosome 11, band q23.

Chromosome translocations and deletions may alter cellular proto-oncogenes and result in cellular changes that are important in the pathogenesis of malignancy. The region 11q23 is frequently involved in human malignancy. Utilizing a leukemic cell line with a reciprocal translocation involving 11q23 and somatic cell hybrids derived from this cell line, we analyzed five genes assigned to 11q23: NCAM, CD3D, CD3E, THY1, and ETS1. Our data showed no evidence of direct involvement of these genes in this leukemia but enabled a partial genetic map of this important region of the human genome to be constructed: 11cen--NCAM--CD3([G, D], E)--parallel--(ETS1, THY1)--11qter.

Animals

Focus groups--some suggestions.

In this article, the use of focus groups in health information campaigns is discussed from a mass communication theory point of view. The authors argue that information campaigning to a large degree is suffering from a "we-know-best" type of professionalism, and that the defining of the audience, its perception of health related concepts and its needs is often done with a lack of sensitivity and empathy. Focus group discussions could be used to help the health campaigner to define relevant target groups and to test how concepts and messages are received, perceived, interpreted, understood and accepted. Focus groups can be used to help formulate concepts and arguments, to reveal counterarguments that are triggered by the campaign arguments, and to test whole information campaign units.

Communication

Infantile spasms and neuronal heterotopias. A report on six cases.

Six infants with infantile spasms are presented, three primarily considered idiopathic and three symptomatic. Autopsy unexpectedly revealed heterotopias, cortical dyslamination, and other brain malformations in all six cases. No history of any etiologic moment during the neuronal migratory period of early gestation was found. It is concluded that wide-spread disturbances of CNS morphology should always be considered in cases of infantile spasms.

Abnormalities, Multiple

Nephrosis and disturbances of neuronal migration in male siblings--a new hereditary disorder?

Two male siblings (a boy aged 2 years 10 months at death and a male fetus aborted in gestational week 22) showed similar brain and kidney malformations, comprising paraventricular heterotopias, central canal abnormalities (including hydrocephalus in the boy), and glomerular kidney disease with proteinuria. There were no known hereditary diseases in the families of the parents, and there was one healthy sibling of either sex. The malformations thus seem to be hereditary in an autosomal or possibly X linked recessive fashion.

Cerebral Ventricle Neoplasms

Bladder function after hemipelvectomy.

Bladder function was studied in seven patients, 5 to 90 months after hemipelvectomy. The urological investigation comprised i.v. urography, micturition-cysto-urethrography, cystoscopy, cystometry and urodynamic investigations in terms of simultaneous flow and pressure measurements. Hemipelvectomy was found not to give rise to disturbances in micturition.

Adolescent

Urodynamic evaluation of female incontinence.

Several diseases of the female bladder are accompanied by stress incontinence or some other form of incontinence. By using micturition cystourethrography, visualizing the bladder in lateral views, with simultaneous recording of micturition pressure and flow, a distinction may be made between the individual diseases, as they often exhibit characteristic radiological configurations and urodynamic patterns. It is also possible, by comparing with measurements in control material, to decide the best physiological method of abolishing the incontinence. This method of examination has proved particularly suitable in cases with a history of unsuccessful operation for incontinence. Stress incontinence has been found to be associated mainly with descent of the bladder, a reduced urethral resistance, and cystoceles; it also occurs as a sequel to radical operations on the true pelvis and in a number of neurological diseases. In practically all cases it has been possible to abolish incontinence by the following surgical plan: descent of the bladder to be treated by colpoperineoplasty, reduced urethral resistance and incontinence following radical hysterectomy or extirpation of the rectum by colposuspension, and cystoceles by reduction of the cystocele and colpoperineoplasty.

Cystoscopy

Daytime sleep tendency before and after discontinuation of antiepileptic drugs in preadolescent children with epilepsy.

In 9 preadolescent children treated for epilepsy who had been free from seizures long enough for treatment to be discontinued, daytime vigilance was studied before and after discontinuation of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). Comparisons were made with healthy controls. Multiple sleep latency test (MSLT), EEG, and a questionnaire were used. As part of the analysis of the MSLT, a new measure, the daily average sleep tendency (DAST), was constructed to overcome the problems with data censoring of the classic MSLT analysis. The patients had significantly (p less than 0.001) higher daytime sleep tendency, even after drug discontinuation, than controls, a result that could neither be attributed to AED treatment nor to recent epileptic seizures or complicated epilepsy.

Anticonvulsants