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Biomedical subjects

M Peters

Publications and source records attributed to M Peters.

At least 325 records · Page 18Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Failure to find a relationship between mnestic skills of octogenarians and aluminum in drinking water.

High concentrations of aluminum (greater than 80 micrograms/l) in drinking water have been related to an elevated incidence of Alzheimer's disease. Mnestic and naming skills of residents living for greater than 15 years in districts with high (98 micrograms/l) or low (4 micrograms/l) aluminum concentrations [Al] in the drinking water were evaluated in a population survey by examining 800 residents aged 81 to 85 using the mnestic subtest of the Mini Mental Status test (Zurich variant). The mnestic and naming performance of the octogenarians did not differ between the high- and low-content-areas. Since 73% of dementias are at least partly caused by Alzheimer's disease in the area examined and because the short test used discriminates demented from healthy octagenarians as well as tests involving extensive examinations, the findings of this study suggest with a high probability that the [Al] of drinking water is not an essential factor in the pathogenesis of senile dementia. The serum [Al] the urinary [Al] and the urinary [Al]/creatinine ratio were measured twice in ten clinically diagnosed Alzheimer patients and ten controls in both areas. No significant difference was found, which confirms the negative epidemiological findings.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Midwives' day.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Anniversaries and Special Events↗
PubMed1991

Sex, handedness, mathematical ability, and biological causation.

An important part of Benbow's (1988) assertion that sex differences in mathematical ability are primarily due to biological factors is the link between a trait that is assumed to reflect differences in brain organization (left-handedness) and mathematical giftedness. It is shown that the link between mathematical giftedness and an increased prevalence of left-handedness is not convincing. However, Benbow's (1986) data do show a convincing link between strong right-handedness and the lack of mathematical giftedness, in agreement with Annett and Manning's (1990a, 1990b) recent work.

Aptitude↗
PubMed1991

Sex differences in human brain size and the general meaning of differences in brain size.

Contrary to commonly held convictions, there is no clear association between brain size and body parameters in humans. Within sexes, once age and health status are controlled for, there is no significant association between brain size and body height for females. For males, body height accounts for no more than .04% of the variance in brain size. The relation between brain weight and body weight is even less clearly defined. Nevertheless, there are large and significant differences in brain size between the sexes. If no adequate body parameters can be found that scale to brain size within the sexes, the marked dimorphism between males and females makes it even more difficult to find a common set of parameters that allow evaluation of brain size differences between sexes. Within and across sexes, there is no convincing link between a limited measure of behavioural capacity (IQ) and brain size. This leads to the more general question: Why would one expect such a link, and, if it is not found, what does this mean in the context of general theories of cortical function?

Animals↗
PubMed1991

A 37-channel DC SQUID magnetometer system.

A 37-channel DC SQUID magnetometer system has been built for biomagnetic studies. The SQUID loop of each magnetometer serves as the active sensing element, thereby eliminating the need for flux coupling circuits. The magnetometers are located approximately 3 cm above the outer dewar bottom. The SQUIDs are directly coupled to highly simplified read-out electronics using only five wires per channel; no helium temperature impedance matching circuits are required. Each channel can be independently inserted into or removed from the dewar. Using a novel electronic noise reduction technique the system white and 1 Hz flux density noise values are typically 5 and 10 fT Hz-1/2, respectively, including the noise contribution of the in-house fabricated dewar and the magnetically shielded room. The two parts of the data-processing system allow independent handling of the acquisition and analysing task. Two example measurements demonstrate the advantage of the electronic noise reduction method.

Equipment Design↗
PubMed1991

A re-evaluation of the osteoarticular manifestations of psoriasis.

A distinctive peripheral arthropathy associated with psoriasis is well recognized, the classical pattern describing an asymmetrical oligoarthritis with predominant distal interphalangeal joint (DIP) involvement. There is some dispute about the frequency of this classical pattern and of the pattern of symmetrical polyarthritis resembling rheumatoid arthritis. Some of the dispute may be a result of loose definitions. In this clinical and scintigraphic study of 50 patients with psoriatic arthritis we have used tighter definitions of disease pattern and have found that 68% of this group had a symmetrical polyarthritis similar to that found in rheumatoid arthritis. Yet, arthritis associated with psoriasis differs from rheumatoid arthritis in a number of ways including the pattern of joint involvement, extra-articular osseous features, and radiological changes. Scintigraphic changes in psoriatic arthritis suggest that subclinical involvement of the manubriosternal and sternoclavicular joints is common, suggesting an association between psoriasis vulgaris and arthro-osteitis. A modified classification of the osteoarticular manifestations of psoriasis is proposed.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Alpha-interferon combined with immunomodulation in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B.

Interferon has profound anti-viral, anti-proliferative and immunomodulatory effects. Future studies should be directed at observing how the immunomodulatory effects predict a response in certain groups of patients. Interferon is very useful in chronic hepatitis B but may require the addition of a steroid pulse. Individuals with low serum ALT appear to benefit most from a steroid pulse. Therapy should be given with a great deal of caution in patients with decompensated liver disease, as one may precipitate the untimely demise of the patient even though viral replication is decreased. One of the patients in the IFN study in fact did have decompensation after prednisone therapy, which subsequently led, a couple of months later, to a variceal haemorrhage. In summary, in treating hepatitis B viral infection, no single agent is totally effective and perhaps the combination of suppressing viral replication and augmenting the immune system is the optimal way to eradicate the virus. At present, an adequate response is found in only about 30-40% of patients even with 'optimal' therapy.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1991

Cytidine deaminase activity, C reactive protein, histidine, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate as measures of disease activity in psoriatic arthritis.

Cytidine deaminase activity, C reactive protein, histidine, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were measured in 36 subjects with psoriatic arthritis of varying disease duration and severity. Although cytidine deaminase activity may provide an integrated measure of synovial inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis, neutrophil accumulation in psoriatic plaques compromises this measure in psoriatic arthritis. Low histidine concentrations confirm that this amino acid provides a non-specific index of synovial inflammation. In psoriatic arthritis high C reactive protein concentrations seem to be associated with extensive joint destruction. In this study the erythrocyte sedimentation rate was found to be the best laboratory guide to clinical disease activity in psoriatic arthritis.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Feedback of laboratory usage and cost data to clinicians: does it alter requesting behaviour?

In a 1 year prospective study we evaluated the effect of feedback of laboratory data on the requesting behaviour of physicians in general medicine. Data on within-hours and out-of-hours clinical chemistry laboratory usage and revenue expenditure for inpatients and outpatients, expressed in terms of clinical workload, were supplied monthly to a group of three consultant physicians in general medicine. With these data the physician could monitor his performance over a period of time and compare it with that of his peers. Two consultants in general medicine who received no information served as controls. Over a period of 6 months, there was a 25%, 13% and 18% decrease in tests (P less than 0.01), requests (P less than 0.05) and revenue expenditure (P less than 0.01) per outpatient visit, respectively, in the intervention group of physicians following the introduction of feedback when compared to their baseline period and to the control group. The decrease (P less than 0.01) was in the commonly requested and 'seemingly cheap' tests. There was no significant change in laboratory use and expenditure on inpatients. The feedback of laboratory data was acceptable to the physicians, raised their awareness of laboratory usage and costs and decreased laboratory workload and expenditure.

Feedback↗
PubMed1991

The effects of a synthesis of nursing practice course on senior nursing students' self-concept and role perception.

This study investigated the effects of a Synthesis of Nursing Practice course on senior nursing students' self-concept and perception of role competencies. Seventy senior baccalaureate nursing students enrolled in the Synthesis of Nursing Practice course participated in the study during their last semester in the program. The Tennessee Self-Concept Scale was used to measure self-concept and the Slater Nursing Competencies Rating Scale was used to measure perception of role competencies. These instruments were administered at the beginning of the Synthesis of Nursing Practice course and immediately following completion of the course. A t-test was used to assess the differences between pre- and posttest group means. The study findings indicated a significant increase in the students' self-concept (p = .10) and perceived role competencies (p = .001). Implications of the findings for nursing education are discussed.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed1991

Laterality and motor control.

Lateralization in motor control, exemplified by handedness, is a publically observable lateral asymmetry. The understanding of causation of lateral asymmetry in movement is poor for two major reasons. First, structural limitations underlying lateral bias cannot be compelling in the sense that laterality is completely specified. Second, interacting sources of lateral bias are probably represented at several levels of the central nervous system, with some sources being many steps removed from the executing motor structures. Both factors permit flexibility in terms of which side does what. I suggest two approaches to improve understanding of mechanism. First, use of bimanual tasks which reduce flexibility in lateral expression and therefore provide more information than unimanual tasks. Second, analysis of task performances in terms of what levels of lateral specialization are likely to be involved. Such analyses will be especially useful in the understanding of hand use in left-handers who perform different skilled tasks with different hands.

Female↗
PubMed1991

[Passive smoking and non-smoker protection--results of an inquiry by staff of the public health office of Frankfurt City in February 1991].

Passive smoking is one of the most abundant sources of indoor air pollution with adverse health effects. Regulations for prevention of passive smoking in the working place are mandatory. In February 1991, the members of the health department of Frankfurt were asked by questionnaire about passive smoking at their working site, their complaints about health problems because of passive smoking and their proposals for regulations for the protection of non-smokers against passive smoke. This investigation was very well accepted, 77% returned their questionnaire. About 75% felt troubled by passive smoking, depending on their own smoking behaviour (100% of the ex-smokers and 53% of the smokers, who did not want to quit smoking). Non-smokers as well as smokers proposed total smoking prohibition for the canteen and the toilets. The conformity in the smoker's and the nonsmoker's proposals for the protection of non-smokers was surprising. After the good acceptance of the investigation we hope for the same acceptance for the planned regulations.

Air Pollution, Indoor↗