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Biomedical subjects

R J Parsons

Publications and source records attributed to R J Parsons.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Developing internality and perceived competence: the empowerment of adolescent girls.

A small group workshop, developed for Big Sisters of Colorado, Inc. to complement their traditional program, was evaluated to determine its effectiveness for working-class and underclass adolescent girls. The "Life Choices" program was successful with working-class Ss, resulting in increased internality and perceived competence for school success, social relationships and general life events. These Ss also increased their knowledge of both traditional and non-traditional career alternatives. However, the program did not succeed with underclass adolescent girls, who showed no increase in internality or knowledge of career alternatives and reported a significant decrease in perceived competence after completing the same program. It is suggested that the goals and strategies presented in such programs must be designed specifically for adolescents of different backgrounds if they are to result in empowerment of the participants.

Adolescent↗

Feto-maternal consequences of high-dose glucose infusion during labour.

The effects on the fetus of high doses of glucose given to the mother in labour to correct maternal ketonuria were investigated. Three groups of patients were compared: one group received 1 litre of 10% (w/v) glucose intravenously over 1 h, the second group received 1 litre of 0.9% sodium chloride solution intravenously over 1 h and the final group had no supplementary infusion. It was observed that whereas glucose administration rapidly corrected maternal ketonaemia, there was a significant fall in pH and a rise in lactate in fetal blood. These effects were not observed in the other two groups. It was concluded that the use of high doses of intravenous glucose in labour should be avoided.

Adult↗

The value of antenatal cardiotocography in the management of high-risk pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial.

The value of routine regular antenatal cardiotocography (CTG) in the management of high-risk pregnancy was assessed in a prospective randomized controlled study of 353 patients. All patients had a weekly CTG trace during the last 6 weeks of pregnancy and according to the random allocation the tracings were concealed from, or available to, the clinicians. Other methods of assessing fetal welfare were available to both groups. There was no significant difference between the concealed and revealed groups in the timing and mode of delivery, birthweights, Apgar score and neonatal morbidity. No apparent effect from the routine use of antenatal CTG in high-risk pregnancy was shown.

Adolescent↗

An assessment of continuous fetal heart rate monitoring in labor. A randomized trial.

Intrapartum continuous fetal heart rate monitoring has been routinely performed at the Jessop Hospital for Women for some years. However, no controlled trials had ever been performed to show its advantages over intermittent auscultation in low-risk patients. A prospective randomized study of 504 patients compared continuous fetal heart rate monitoring with intermittent auscultation. There was no significant difference between the two groups in neonatal deaths, Apgar scores, maternal and neonatal morbidity, and cord blood gases. The cesarean section rate was significantly increased (p less than 0.05) in the monitored patients but this did not seem attributable to fetal monitoring. No beneficial or deleterious effects of continuous fetal heart rate monitoring in labor were shown.

Adult↗

A flexible approach for on-line computerised quantification of intra-uterine pressure data.

Utilising simple mathematical techniques of differential calculus, a computer program has been developed for real time, on-line processing of uterine contractions with a small computer. The area under the intra-uterine pressure--time curve is calculated and two distinctive values of this area are printed on-line every 512 sec. The 'active area', which is the area above the resting tone, is calculated in addition to the 'total area'--that is, the area above 0 mmHg. This allows an objective and efficient assessment of uterine activity which may be used as a basis of comparison between individual patients and groups of patients.

Computers↗

Skinfold thickness as an indicator of neonatal hypoglycaemia in infants with birthweights over 2500g.

Some full-term infants with birthweights over 2500g suffer neonatal hypoglycaemia. These infants often appear to be poorly nourished, due to decreased amounts of subcutaneous fat. 100 normal term infants with birthweights over 2500g who were nursed, apparently asymptomatically, beside their mothers were chosen at random for study. As an objective indicator of malnourishment, standard deviation scores of skinfold thickness as a function of birthweight were derived from standards for each infant. Those infants with low skinfold standard deviation scores had significantly lower plasma glucose levels at four hours of age, but the correlation between plasma glucose and skinfold standard deviation scores, although significant, was too low for use as a screening method. The importance of finding an objective measurement for predicting neonatal hypoglycaemia in term neonates weighing over 2500g at birth is discussed.

Birth Weight↗