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Biomedical subjects

M Marshall

Publications and source records attributed to M Marshall.

At least 379 records · Page 21Linked to original sources

Semiquantitative assessment of lower limb atherosclerosis from routine angiographic images.

In the present report a score system is introduced with the aim of analysing routine angiographic images. The system consists of a vectorial score, which codes the pattern of occlusions, stenoses and plaques, and of an additive score describing the severity of the lesions visualised. The technique is suitable for computerised data analysis.

Arterial Occlusive Diseases↗

Are frequent inner cannula changes necessary?: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of obstruction and colonization in adult patients in the surgical and medical intensive care units who received inner cannula changes daily versus those who did not. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental prospective study using a convenience sample of patients randomly assigned to one of two methods. SETTING: Mid-Atlantic university-affiliated tertiary care center. PATIENTS: Sixty patients within 24 hours of receiving a surgical tracheostomy. OUTCOME MEASURES: Obstruction and bacterial colonization of inner cannula. INTERVENTIONS: All inner cannulas were checked daily for obstruction and cultured on postoperative days 1 and 3. RESULTS: No statistically significant difference was noted in colonization (p = 0.13) between protocols, and no obstructions were noted in either. CONCLUSION: The study suggests that the routine practice in critical care units of changing tracheostomy inner cannulas may be unnecessary. Although the results of this study are limited, and may not be generalized to other populations, it demonstrates that practice standards related to the care of tracheostomy inner cannula need to be challenged.

Adult↗

Preliminary investigation into the recovery of explosives from hair.

Sampling of hair has proved to be a useful non-invasive method for detecting illicit drugs. This study examined the viability of hair as a surface from which explosive traces can be recovered and showed that as little as one-hour vapour exposure can result in measurable traces of explosives. Contamination of the hair may result from direct contact with explosive particles or from secondary contact by hand. Also the paper demonstrates that hair can concentrate explosive from the ambient vapour of a variety of military explosives. It was found that the amount of TNT picked up by the hair increased with time of vapour exposure. The data also suggested that unwashed hair may pick up more TNT than washed hair.

Air Pollutants↗

Reproductive health awareness: an integrated approach to obtaining a high quality of health.

The Georgetown University Institute for Reproductive Health has evolved a multi-dimensional approach to reproductive health education which has grown from their work in natural family planning and fertility awareness. This cohesive approach offers help to community, educational, and health organizations in providing knowledge and skills development in body/self-care, gender awareness, sexuality, and interpersonal communications.

Aging↗

Implementing reproductive health awareness: progress to date.

This paper describes the experience of various institutions in integrating a reproductive health awareness (RHA) approach into different health, school and community-based programs. RHA, an educational approach that evolved from the Institute's client empowerment approach to natural family planning and fertility awareness, is based on helping women and men to participate actively in their own family planning and reproductive health care by developing skills in self-observation, communication and self-advocacy. In addition to providing the Institute with an avenue for responding to the Cairo and Beijing mandates, RHA has also provided a means to introduce family planning, particularly natural methods of family planning, into programs and institutions. RHA has continued to evolve and strengthen during the process of field testing its contributions to existing reproductive health programs.

Awareness↗

Evaluation of Hypo-test, a semiquantitative audio urine-glucose analyzer for blind diabetic individuals.

Hypo-test (Hypoguard Ltd., Suffolk, United Kingdom), a new semiquantitative audio urine-glucose analyzer for blind diabetic individuals, was tested for accuracy and reproducibility against a laboratory glucose method, and for ease of operation by two blind diabetic subjects. Hypo-test results were accurate for urine glucose in the range 0-0.75%, but there was a pronounced tendency for results to be too low at higher urine-glucose concentrations. The reproducibility at high urine-glucose concentrations was poor, and the meter was too sensitive to delays or decreases in the prescribed timing procedure. However, the two blind diabetic subjects found the instrument easy to operate.

Adult↗

Stress management in dermatology patients.

The association of skin disorder with emotion has been recognised for some time. Maureen Marshall explores the use of stress management techniques such as relaxation, aromatherapy and therapeutic massage as a means of helping patients with dermatological conditions to cope with the pressures which may exacerbate their skin problems. Nurses, working in tandem with psychologists, have a key role to play in patients' emotional care, but greater commitment in terms of training and funding are required to prepare properly them for this function.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Policy and science of FMD control: the stakeholders' contribution to decision making. A call for integrated animal disease management.

Effective control of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)--prevention, surveillance and response--requires integrated animal disease management as a cooperative effort between stakeholders, scientists and decision makers, at all levels: local, national, regional and international. This paper suggests a process and outlines specific critical issues that need to be addressed in order to best use the science and technology that is available now and to develop new technologies that will lead to significant improvements. The overall objective is not to allow the disease or the disease control measures to damage, violate or destroy public health, the environment, or the economy, or to allow politics to drive disease control policies at the expense of the ethical relationship between man and animals. Critical issues of prevention, surveillance and response policies are examined, and specific recommendations are made to reduce the risk or effect of natural and deliberate introductions. For prevention: a) rapid portable diagnostics and provision of vaccines to control and eradicate the reservoirs of disease. b) alerts, leading to increased controls at borders, animal movement restrictions and biosecurity on farms. For surveillance: a) reporting of unusual symptoms, rapid diagnostics and identification of patterns. b) enhanced role of geographic information systems (GIS) linked to an IT system. c) collection, storage and sharing of disease information. For response policies: a) the role and implementation of stamping out and of vaccination. b) simulation exercises with stakeholder participation. For all aspects of FMD control, consideration should be given to: a) the composition, responsibilities and role of the balanced, permanently operational Expert Group in EU member states as specified in the EU FMD Directive. b) establishment of a balanced, permanently operational European Expert Group. c) establishment of both a European and an International FMD Task Force. Stakeholders need access to accurate, up-to-date, unbiased information about the science of disease control, how the technologies work and can be used, and an assurance that the technologies best fit for the required purpose will be used. Researchers need to work together to avoid duplications and gaps in their research and to recognise the benefit of new, and sometimes innovative, technologies. They also need feedback from stakeholders on the acceptability and best use of the technologies. A process to achieve these goals through an EU funded collaborative research project will be described.

Animals↗