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Biomedical subjects

M J Berry

Publications and source records attributed to M J Berry.

114 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
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Exercise training and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: past and future research directions.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of death and disability in the United States. It is characterized by symptoms of breathlessness that result in sedentary lifestyle, physical deconditioning, and reduced quality of life. Previous research has shown that exercise training in patients with COPD will improve physical function and may help improve the quality of life. Unfortunately, the majority of these previous studies have not been pursued with adequate scientific rigor and the conclusions regarding the efficacy of exercise as an adjunct in the treatment of COPD are equivocal. The purpose of this article is to review the previous research that has focused on the effects of exercise training on individuals with COPD, to examine the problems with this previous research, and to emphasize the need and identify topics for further outcome-based research.

Aging↗
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Evaluating and understanding performance testing in COPD patients.

PURPOSE: There is increasing interest in the use of performance tests to assess physical function among patients with debilitating diseases. The purpose of this study was to describe the measurement properties of a performance test battery used in the Reconditioning Exercise and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Trial and to explore how well-selected physiologic and psychosocial measures explained test performance. METHODS: To assess test-retest reliability of the performance tests, older patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n = 30) completed, on two different occasions, a 6-minute walk for distance, a timed stair climb, and a timed elevated-arm task. In addition, stepwise regression analyses were conducted on a larger sample (n = 209) to examine how effective conceptually relevant physiologic and psychosocial variables were at explaining variation in task performance. RESULTS: Results showed that all three performance tasks had good test-retest reliability (all coefficients > 0.80) and shared variance in expected directions with VO2peak, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), and self-reported disability. Regression analyses suggest that VO2peak, FEV1, self-efficacy, and self-reported disability are important variables to consider in attempts to understand performance-related disability in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). CONCLUSIONS: The physical performance test battery appears to be a reliable means of assessing physical functioning in older patients with COPD. Furthermore, findings support the important role that VO2peak plays in task performance and suggest that patients' perceptions should be given careful consideration when attempting to understand physical decline in clinical settings.

Aged↗
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Histologic changes and wound healing response following 10-pulse noncontact holmium:YAG laser thermal keratoplasty.

BACKGROUND: Noncontact holmium:YAG laser thermal keratoplasty (Ho:YAG LTK) is a promising new technology for correction of hyperopia and astigmatism. We studied the acute histologic changes and wound healing response following Ho:YAG LTK performed with treatment parameters encompassing those used in clinical studies. METHODS: We performed 10-pulse noncontact Ho:YAG LTK on three human corneas 1 day before their removal at penetrating keratoplasty and on six New Zealand white rabbit corneas followed for up to 3 months. Tissues were studied with light and transmission electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The amount of acute tissue injury increased according to the pulse radiant energy. In human corneas, changes in the irradiated zones included epithelial cell injury and death, loss of fine filamentous structure in Bowman's layer, disruption of stromal lamellae, and keratocyte injury and death. In the rabbit corneas, similar acute changes were noted. By 3 weeks, epithelial hyperplasia and stromal contraction were present. Wound healing in the rabbits included repair of the epithelial attachment complex, keratocyte activation, synthesis of type I collagen, partial restoration of stromal keratan sulfate and type VI collagen, and retrocorneal membrane formation. CONCLUSIONS: Noncontact Ho:YAG LTK produces acute epithelial and stromal tissue changes and in rabbit corneas stimulates a brisk wound healing response.

Animals↗
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Counselling practice: a questionnaire study.

A study was carried out to establish an understanding of what the term 'counselling' meant to a sample of 150 qualified psychiatric nurses working in a maximum security special hospital. There appeared to be a lack of understanding of the term, with very little supervision of the counselling work nurses undertook, and insufficient training to help nurses improve their knowledge of the subject. The authors call for proper supervision, further research into staff training needs, and more courses and propose that nurses involved in counselling should have no ward managerial responsibility for the patients being counselled.

Counseling↗