Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

L Smith

Publications and source records attributed to L Smith.

At least 595 records · Page 33Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Body frame size: validity of self-appraisal.

The validity of self-appraisal of body frame size was investigated in 72 college-aged subjects (39 males and 33 females). Validity was assessed by comparing self-appraised frame size versus the quantitative "HAT" formulation, which includes stature and two trunk diameters. Frame size was also assessed separately, for each subject by an expert rater. Results showed that the expert rater was in error 28% in comparison to the criterion frame size estimation, while 41% of the subjects were in error in assessing their own frame size, in comparison to the HAT criterion. The expert rater and self-appraisal differed by 33%. When analyzed by sex, it was revealed that the females were more inaccurate in assessing their frame size, in comparison to the criterion, than were the males. The consequences of inaccurate frame size assessment, in terms of ideal weight from the Metropolitan tables was discussed. Also, data were presented on a different sample of 103 females classified into percentage fat categories of less than 20%, 20 to 30%, and more than 30% which illustrated no statistical differences in skeletal dimensions, including frame size.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Time course of ventilatory response to carbon dioxide after intravenous diazepam.

Dual isohypercapnic studies on the time course of depression following intravenous diazepam permit detailed analysis of changes in the ventilatory response to carbon dioxide. The mean slope of the CO2 response curves of eight healthy volunteers dropped from 2.38 to 1.21 1 . min-1 . mmHg-1 ( P less than 0.05) within three minutes after injection of diazepam 0.4 mg/kg. Twenty-five minutes after injection, the slope was only 1.49 1 . min-1 . mmHg-1, still significantly lower than control (P less than 0.05). At 30 min, the slope has increased to 1.73 1 . min-1 . mmHg-1 and was no longer different from control at the 0.05 level of significance. There was also a significant correlation between the slope of the CO2 response curve and level of consciousness (r = 0. 81). There was little or no displacement of the response curve at any selected ventilation except as accounted for by the slope change. The authors conclude that ventilatory depression resulting from intravenous diazepam begins within one minute and lasts at least 25 min after injection.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Models of nursing as the basis for curriculum development: some rationales and implications.

Within this paper the notion of a model of nursing as a basis for curriculum development is explored. Firstly the factors which a curriculum developer in nursing might take under initial consideration are discussed. It is then argued that a nursing faculty must identify and define its conceptualization of nursing and what it is to be a nurse. The process of conceptualizing nursing itself is examined. The paper goes onto argue that once a nursing faculty has reached a consensus view as to what constitutes nursing, then it either designs or selects a model of nursing which supports their particular conceptualization. Educational literature is cited to support the view that curriculum design, process and content are interrelated and that student learning is facilitated when the relationship between these three factors is coordinated. It is suggested that a nursing curriculum can achieve such an integration if a model of nursing is used as the conceptual framework. Finally some of the implications of adopting a model of nursing are stated.

Curriculum↗
PubMed1982

The effect of variant chromosomes on reproductive fitness in man.

Reproductive fitness of carriers of heterochromatic variants of the human karyotype was found to be normal. The method was based on a comparison between known carriers and known non-carriers from the same pedigree in respect of live births, generation time and survival of offspring to reproductive age. A subset of the data had been included in an earlier study in which reproductive fitness of carriers was found to be significantly reduced. Our analysis suggests that the result may have been fortuitous, since it was not supported by the additional data. There was no evidence of heterogeneity between carriers of different types of variant or of different sex. There were indications of increased fetal losses to carriers, but the number of spontaneous abortions was insufficient to produce a detectable effect on gross reproductive fitness.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗
PubMed1982

Monoclonal antibody to streptococcal group B carbohydrate: applications in latex agglutination and immunoprecipitin assays.

Two monoclonal mouse antibodies with specificities for group B streptococcal capsular antigens were evaluated in assays for the identification of group B streptococci (GBS). One of these antibodies (A9) was shown to precipitate group B carbohydrate antigen in reactions with both purified group B antigen and antigen present in autoclave or enzyme extracts of GBS. A9 antibody was also specific for group B antigen in gel diffusion reactions with extracts of Lancefield group A, B, C, D, F, and G streptococci and was a highly sensitive reagent in detecting soluble group B antigen by counterimmunoelectrophoresis. Antigen extracted from all five serotypes of GBS was shown to be precipitated by A9 antibody. A second monoclonal antibody (C8) was reactive with intact GBS but did not precipitate soluble antigen in bacterial extracts. In contrast with what has been shown for polyclonal rabbit anti-group B antiserum, neither antibody was significantly inhibited in binding or precipitation assays by high concentrations of free rhamnose or other monosaccharides of carbohydrates found in group B antigen. Rhamnose, the most abundant carbohydrate of the group B antigen, does not appear therefore to be an immunodominant determinant in the binding of A9 or C8 antibody. The epitopes of both monoclonal antibodies are exposed on the surface of live as well as heat-fixed GBS cells. A9 antibody-coated latex particles were compared with a commercially available polyclonal latex agglutination reagent and shown to be equally sensitive and specific in the detection of soluble group B antigen in urine and cerebrospinal fluid from patients with GBS infections. Because of its uniformity and defined antigen specificity, which includes reactivity with all five serotypes of GBS, A9 antibody offers the potential of an improved immunodiagnostic reagent for the identification of GBS.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Campylobacter jejuni enteritis and reactive arthritis.

A further case of reactive arthritis following Campylobacter jejuni enteritis is reported. The interim results of a small prospective study are discussed. It may be desirable to do serological studies for campylobacter infection in the investigation of mono- or polyarthritis of acute onset.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Initiating support groups for pediatric house officers.

Several research studies document the stress of residency training and suggest that support groups may provide house officers with opportunities to release tension, and to attend to their feelings about their experiences. In planning such groups, consideration should be given to the need for this kind of program, its organization, and the means by which it can be evaluated.

Humans↗
PubMed1982

Effects of vitamin A on the behaviour of migratory neural crest cells in vitro.

It has been proposed elsewhere that the teratogenic effects of retinoids on craniofacial morphogenesis are caused by a disturbance of the migration of cranial neural crest cells. The effects of 3.5 X 10(-5) M and 3.5 X 10(-6) M-retinol on the migration of avian neural crest cells in vitro have been investigated by monitoring cell morphology, locomotory behaviour, fibronectin distribution and actin-microfilament organization. Retinol retards migration by affecting cell-to-substratum adhesiveness. Cells exposed to medium containing retinol are less adherent to the substratum, and although the cell surface is very mobile, are unable to extend or maintain lamellipodia. As a consequence the cells do not actively translocate. Fibronectin distribution at the cell surface is sparse, possibly as a result of shedding, and actin distribution remains diffuse. At the retinol molarities used all these effects are reversible. Thus cells allowed to recover in normal medium flatten out, display lamellipodia and commence active translocation. Fibronectin becomes organized into a fibrillar array and actin microfilaments become organized into cables. The period needed for this recovery is directly related to the molarity of retinol during the initial exposure; after recovery the retinol-treated cells are virtually indistinguishable from control cells. We propose that in vivo the effects of retinoids might be to impair cell-extracellular matrix interaction, thus impeding a cell's ability to migrate through that matrix. Contrary to previous suggestions, the in vivo effects are probably not in any way 'specific' to neural crest cells but are more accurately considered as 'selective', in that any cell undergoing migration would be similarly affected.

Actins↗
PubMed1982

Degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis: results of operative treatment.

The results of decompressive laminectomy in 22 patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis are reported. The average follow-up period was 29 months. Twelve of the 15 patients with marked stenosis (a minimum anteroposterior (a.p.) diameter of the spinal canal in extension of 10 mm or less) and all 7 patients with moderate stenosis (a minimum a.p. diameter between 11--14 mm) obtained relief from leg pain. A pseudovascular syndrome was observed in 12 of the 15 patients with marked and in 2 of the 7 patients with moderate spinal stenosis. Of these patients, 10 obtained increased (7 patients unlimited) walking distance postoperative. Vertebral fusion was not performed in any of the patients. Slight vertebral slip (2--5 mm) occurred postoperatively in 4 out of 20 patients whose follow-up examination included dynamic roentgenogram of the spine. Five of the 15 patients with marked spinal stenosis also suffered from severe osteoarthritis of the hip. Total hip replacement subsequent to laminectomy was performed in 4 patients and excellent results were achieved for both the spinal and the hip operations.

Aged↗
PubMed1982

A longitudinal study of low birthweight children: reproductive, perinatal, and environmental precursors of developmental status at three years of age.

The study includes all children (N = 62) with birthweight below 2000 grams, born within a 15 months period at a municipal hospital in Oslo, Norway. Since there are no private hospitals, and home births are almost non-existent, children born at the municipal hospital constitute a cross-section of the population. Low birthweight children made up 2.3% of all births in the hospital during the 15-month period. A wide range of medical data concerning pregnancy, delivery, and the perinatal period was collected. On the basis of these data an optimality index was determined for each child. Intellectual assessments were made at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 36 months. Observation of the home environment was made at 6 months. Parents were interviewed about their children's behavioral problems, the language skills were assessed, at 36 months. Children who at 3 years of age had poor performance on the Stanford-Binet and on the Reynell receptive scale, were among those who had had a low optimality index. The optimality index did not discriminate children with low scores on the Reynell expressive scale, spontaneous to MLU, and the behavioral questionnaire. Children with a low optimality index, but who performed well on the Stanford-Binet and on the Reynell receptive scale had higher SES, as compared with children with a low optimality index who had poor performance on these measures at 3 years. Therefore environmental factors may modate the influences of reproductive and perinatal risk.

Adolescent↗