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Biomedical subjects

M N Lewis

Publications and source records attributed to M N Lewis.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Constructs underlying measures of sensory-motor functions.

Many pathognomonic indicators of brain damage are characterized by deficits in sensory and/or motor functions. The strength of these pathognomonic signs has led to reliance on clinical administration and interpretation in the assessment of sensory and motor functions. Subsequently, the majority of measures designed to assess sensory and motor functions lack adequate reliability and psychometric confirmation of their utility. The Dean-Woodcock Sensory-Motor Battery (DWSMB) was designed to standardize the administration and interpretation of sensory-motor functions and has demonstrated satisfactory reliability. The present study further examined the psychometric properties of the DWSMB through factor analysis. It was hypothesized that at least two factors would emerge representing sensory and motor functions, respectively. A third possible factor that would reflect subcortical functioning was also hypothesized. Principal components analysis on data from over 600 participants supported a three-factor solution which accounted for 50.9% of the total variance. However, factor loadings revealed more dual loadings than expected, and factors emerged according to complexity rather than basic sensory, motor, and subcortical factors. Regardless, these data provide empirical evidence for the conceptualization of sensory-motor skills in a manner that incorporates subcortical abilities. These data also provide support for the underlying constructs of the DWSMB.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1984

Asthma induced by suggestion: is it due to airway cooling?

The effect of suggestion on the airway response to 10 inhalations of normal saline followed by doubling concentrations of isoproterenol was assessed in 12 normal and 30 asthmatic subjects. It was suggested that the first 5 saline solutions contained a bronchoconstrictor and that the second 5 contained a bronchodilator, or vice versa, and that the first 4 isoproterenol solutions were inert, whereas the last was a bronchodilator. Nine asthmatic, but no normal subjects, bronchoconstricted after saline inhalation, with a mean fall in specific airway conductance (SGaw) of 40%. This was dose-dependent and was abolished when inhalations were carried out at 37 degrees C 100% relative humidity. Suggestion did not affect the airway response to saline or isoproterenol in either group, but it did influence the subjective impression of airway caliber recorded on a visual analogue scale. In this study, the bronchoconstriction after saline inhalation, previously attributed to the effect of suggestion, was caused by airway cooling.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Asthma and suggestion: psychological or physical?

The effect of suggestion on the airway response to ten inhalations of normal saline followed by doubling concentrations of isoprenaline was assessed in 12 normal and 30 asthmatic subjects. It was suggested that the first 5 saline solutions contained a bronchoconstrictor and the second 5 a bronchodilator, or vice-versa, and that the first four isoprenaline solutions were inert whilst the last was a bronchodilator. Nine asthmatic but no normal subjects bronchoconstricted after saline inhalation with a mean 40% fall in specific airway conductance (sGaw). This was dose-dependent and abolished when inhalations were carried out at 37 degrees C 100% relative humidity. Suggestion did not affect the airway response to saline or isoprenaline in either group. We conclude that bronchoconstriction following saline inhalation, previously attributed to the effect of suggestion, is caused by airway cooling.

Asthma↗
PubMed1977

Coordinated education in dietetics.

Details essential in implementing coordinated education in the preparation of the professional dietitian are described. Consideration is given to semantics, with clarification of terms posing problems in the smooth evolution of coordinated programs. Four phases of transition from the traditional to the coordinated process are illustrated: (a) Integration of the clinical phase into the undergraduate years; (b) interrelation of subject matter among departmental courses; (c) trans-disciplinary coordination; and (d) on-going evaluation of the curriculum in terms of professional practice. Also addressed are barriers to change in professional education. The ultimate goals are a balance between standardization and accountability and a climate in which academia has the liberty to meet demands in an innovative fashion.

Clinical Competence↗