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Biomedical subjects

R West

Publications and source records attributed to R West.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Stability of Le Fort I osteotomy with maxillary advancement: a comparison of combined wire fixation and rigid fixation.

PURPOSE: This study compares two types of fixation: intraosseous wires, skeletal suspension wiring, and maxillomandibular fixation (combined wire fixation; CWF) with rigid internal fixation (RIF) in patients who underwent Le Fort I osteotomy to correct maxillary hypoplasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients were operated on by the same surgeon using a standard technique, which included bone grafting. The 12 patients in group A were treated with CWF for 4 weeks. Group B was made up of 13 patients who had RIF and training elastics for 4 weeks. Cephalometric analysis using a commercial software package was performed on radiographs that were taken immediately preoperatively (T1), 1 day postoperatively (T2), and at least 1 year postoperatively (T4). The position of the maxilla in relation to the cranial base and Frankfort plane at each time interval was compared. RESULTS: Postsurgical horizontal change (maxillary position change from T2 to T4) for both groups was in the posterior direction. In group A, six patients had less than 1 mm change, three had 1 to 2 mm change, and three had > 2 mm change. In group B, 10 patients had less than 1 mm change, three had 1 to 2 mm change and 0 had > 2 mm change. Comparison of mean values of groups A and B suggested improved stability with rigid versus wire fixation in the horizontal plane; however, statistical analysis of adjusted mean values showed no significant difference. Vertical changes in maxillary position were also measured from postoperatively to 1 year (T2 to T4). The vertical changes were minimal in those cases of maxillary advancement where no vertical changes were planned; however, there was a statistically significant (P = .0024) improved stability with RIF versus combined wire fixation cases. Comparison of adjusted means showed double the amount of vertical setting 1 year postoperatively in the CWF group. CONCLUSION: Overall, 22 of 25 patients with horizontal maxillary advancement had excellent stability at 1 year. Observed trends suggest that RIF may have improved stability over CWF.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Lactose pellets--a new approach to oral vaccination of village chickens against Newcastle disease.

Newcastle disease in village chickens in developing countries can now be controlled with vaccines containing thermostable, avirulent V4 virus delivered on food. Logistical problems arise because 7 to 10 g of food vaccine must be allowed for each chicken. Lactose-based pellets have been prepared that contain an immunizing dose of V4 virus in a single pellet, even after long periods of storage. Protective levels of antibody were generated in chickens fed individual pellets, or in groups of chickens fed vaccine pellets mixed with normal food. Chickens receiving vaccine pellets developed a level of protection against challenge with virulent Newcastle disease virus similar to that achieved with vaccine added to food. This process when refined will allow the preparation of vaccine in regional laboratories and delivery without refrigeration to villages.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1995

Measles and rubella antibody response after measles-mumps-rubella vaccination in children with afebrile upper respiratory tract infection.

The effect of concurrent afebrile viral upper respiratory tract infection (URI) on measles and rubella serum antibody response after measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination was determined in 580 1-year-old children, 369 with URI and 211 without URI, with the use of preimmunization and postimmunization sera. The presence of URI during the preceding 28 days, at the time of, or up to 7 days after immunization had no effect on the antibody response to either the measles or the rubella component of the vaccine. These findings support the recommendation that MMR vaccine be give to children at the recommended age regardless of the presence of afebrile viral URI.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1995

Regular smokers, lifetime very light smokers, and reduced smokers: comparison of psychosocial and smoking characteristics in women.

This study compared stable very light smokers (VLS; less than 6 cigarettes a day) with regular smokers (RS; greater than 14 cigarettes a day) in a cohort of women followed up for 1 year. The VLS showed evidence of inhaling the cigarette smoke. They were not novice smokers, nor were they under particular pressure to limit their smoking. Among the 61 VLS, 34 had at one time smoked more than 10 cigarettes per day. These "reduced smokers" were broadly similar to the lifetime VLS, who differed from RS in several important respects. In a multiple logistic regression, education and smoking patterns in relatives were independently associated with very light versus regular smoking. Familial factors and personal resources may protect against dependence among those who use tobacco.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Alcoholics' beliefs about responsibility for, and recovery from, their condition.

A study was carried out with a sample of in-patients and out-patients in an alcohol treatment programme examining beliefs about where responsibility lay for their condition and recovery from it. Brickman et al. [1] proposed a framework for understanding these beliefs consisting of four 'models'. In each model responsibility for causing the problem and for resolving it is considered either to lie with the individual or with other factors. The results indicated that the alcoholics' beliefs could not readily be understood in terms of this framework. As regards the cause of their condition, belief in the role of luck, personal responsibility and acceptance of a disease model emerged as independent factors. With regard to responsibility for recovery, belief in personal responsibility, the value of treatment and support and the importance of motivation emerged as separate factors. Belief in personal responsibility for causing the problem was significantly associated with acceptance of responsibility for recovery. Adoption of a disease model was negatively associated with belief in the importance of motivation in recovery. Treatment satisfaction was positively correlated with belief in the importance of treatment and support but not other dimensions. Younger patients tended to accept a lower level of personal responsibility for their condition. The results indicate the alcoholics tend to adopt quite specific beliefs about their condition and that satisfaction with a particular treatment regimen is related to belief in the value of treatment rather than any particular model concerning where responsibility for their condition and recovery from it lies.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1995

Outcome of patients with neurotrauma: the effect of a regionalized trauma system.

A system of regionalized trauma care was introduced to Sydney in early 1992. This study was carried out to assess the effect of regionalization on the outcome of patients suffering major head injury within the central Sydney area. A prospective before and after study extending over 3 years and centred on the time of designation of Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPAH) as a trauma centre, was the methodology used. The study group consisted of all patients admitted with head injury (Glasgow Coma Score < 9; admission systolic blood pressure > 90 mmHg; Injury Severity Score > 15) to RPAH from the central Sydney area. Outcome criteria include survival rates, transfer numbers, and time to definitive neurosurgical care. Fifty patients were entered during the first 18 months of the study, and 38 during the second 18 months. Fifteen in the first group required evacuation of intracranial mass lesions, as did nine in the second group. The overall mortality fell from 42 to 26% (P = 0.13). During the study period there were 77 primary retrievals and 20 required evacuation of mass lesions. The median time from injury to commencement of operation in these patients was 2 h 13 min (range 1 h 3 min-5 h 35 min). There were 11 transfers, four requiring craniotomy. The median time from injury to surgery was 7 h 24 min (range 3 h 2 min-10 h 25 min; P < 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Comparison of commercial enzyme immunoassay kits with plaque reduction neutralization test for detection of measles virus antibody.

Four commercially available enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kits were evaluated in comparison with the plaque reduction neutralization (PRN) test for detection of measles virus antibody. The EIA kits, Enzygnost (Behring), Diamedix, Vidas (bioMerieux Vitek), and Measlestat (Biowhittaker), were assessed with two PRN cutoff titers: a PRN titer of 8, the lowest detectable antibody level by the PRN test under the test conditions, and a titer of 120, which has been shown to be the minimum protective antibody titer. At a PRN cutoff titer of 8, the sensitivity was 88.2, 91.1, 74.6, and 69.8% for Behring, Diamedix, Vidas, and Biowhittaker EIA tests, respectively, with negative predictive values ranging from 22.7 to 45.5%. The specificity was 93.8% for Diamedix and 100% for the rest. At a PRN cutoff titer of 120, the sensitivity and specificity, respectively, were 100 and 90.7% (Behring), 98.2 and 58.8% (Diamedix), 90.6 and 94.5% (Vidas), and 85.7 and 96.4% (Biowhittaker). At this PRN cutoff titer, the negative predictive values of all EIA tests improved considerably, ranging from 70.7 to 100%. The EIA results showed an excellent association with PRN results when the PRN titers of the test samples were either < 8 or > 1,052. Discrepancies occurred especially when testing samples having PRN titers in the range of 8 to 120, indicating lack of sensitivity of the EIA tests in detecting measles virus antibody at low levels. Maternally derived measles virus antibody at this level has been shown to interfere with measles vaccine response in children and hence has implications from the standpoint of measles immunization. The ready availability, ease of operation, and rapid turnaround time are strong plus points of the EIA kits, and they could be useful in a clinical laboratory setting for routine application, but they may have limited use in vaccine-related studies and seroepidemiological surveys.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1995

Medical audit: the role of an orthopaedic preoperative clinic.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the usefulness of an orthopaedic preoperative clinic. DESIGN: Observational study of patients who attended the preoperative clinic. SUBJECTS: Thirty patients who attended the clinic over a three-month period. SETTING: Orthopaedic Outpatient Department. RESULTS: Twelve of the 30 patients had their operation postponed as a result of the visit. CONCLUSIONS: The existence of a preoperative orthopaedic assessment clinic is justified. Use of such a clinic should lead to the cancellation of fewer operations due to the patient being unfit for surgery.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Preliminary expansion of the resonant recognition model to incorporate multi variable analysis.

The Resonant Recognition Model (rrm) uses digital signal processing methods to investigate protein structure-function; and links the biological function of protein families to unique characteristic frequencies. The rrm originally used a single set of variables: the electron ion interaction potential (EIIP). Here the rrm has been expanded to include 242 sets of variables to analyse a sample of protein families. Despite the evident increase in complexity of the data, distinguishing patterns can be observed between the different protein families. The thus-obtained Signature Profiles (SP) indicate that proteins having similar overall functions may be identifiable and differentiated from others by their characteristic frequency signatures far more readily than with the single variable rrm spectra.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Overview: a comparison of withdrawal symptoms from different drug classes.

Whereas early formulations of addictive behaviour placed great emphasis upon withdrawal as a defining feature, current views focus more upon compulsive use as its central characteristic. However, the withdrawal syndrome continues to occupy an important place in the study of the addictions. It is interesting both in its own right and in relation to the development and maintenance of the compulsive use of drugs. Despite the attention devoted to withdrawal phenomena over many years, precise demarcation of the withdrawal symptoms associated with drugs of dependence has proved difficult to achieve. Withdrawal from all drugs of dependence appears to lead to mood disturbances although the extent to which these are due to the pharmacological actions of the drugs or to other physiological or psychological processes is unclear. Sleep disturbance is also common, although again direct links with the pharmacological actions of the withdrawn drug are yet to be established. Withdrawal from alcohol, benzodiazepines and opiates is often associated with somatic symptoms. In the former two cases, these can involve sweating, tremor and occasionally seizures. Perceptual disturbances have also been reported. In the case of opiates, flu-like symptoms are often reported, including muscle aches and gastric disturbances. In the case of nicotine, heightened irritability has been established as a direct pharmacological withdrawal effect. Characterization of stimulant withdrawal is still uncertain. There is little evidence of somatic symptoms but depression may occur as a result of a physiological rebound. There is also uncertainty over what role pharmacological withdrawal symptoms play in maintaining compulsive use.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1993

The prevalence of bad headaches including migraine in a multiethnic community.

AIM: Overall and ethnic specific prevalences of bad headache including migraine, for the New Zealand population, are unknown. A study was carried out in South Auckland to estimate prevalence and to explore ethnic differences in doctor attendance for the diagnosis and management of bad headaches. METHODS: Telephone interviews were administered to respondents selected by random digit dialing of households. RESULTS: 40.6% of the respondents suffered from bad headaches. 54.5% of these had the characteristics of bad headache with features symptomatic of migraine. Trends in the prevalence of bad headache with features symptomatic of common migraine, peaked between the ages of 30-49 years in both men and women. A difference was seen in the prevalence of bad headache with aura, with or without common migraine features, when ethnic groups and gender were examined. The difference in prevalence of aura was particularly noticeable between Pacific Island men and women. Although there was no difference between ethnic groups in doctor attendance, headaches were more likely to be labelled as migraine in Europeans than in the Polynesian groups. CONCLUSION: Ways in which people perceive and report their bad headaches have a bearing on management by general practitioners. Although no overall ethnic predominance was seen, there was a gender difference amongst Pacific Island people in reporting bad headaches with aura. The labelling process, and thus the management by general practitioners does demonstrate likely ethnic differences.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Effects of a traffic club on road safety knowledge and self-reported behaviour of young children and their parents.

Children in seven counties in eastern England and in six counties in a control region were interviewed just prior to the start of the introduction of a major traffic club scheme. Similar interviews were carried out in the experimental and control regions one year later. The traffic club increased the extent to which parents attempted to teach road safety to their children. In addition, the proportion of children who were said by parents to run ahead was reduced in the experimental compared with the control region after one year of traffic club operation. However, there was no evidence that parents exerted closer supervision of their children's behaviour in the streets. Children from nonmanual socioeconomic backgrounds did considerably better than those from manual backgrounds in terms of knowledge of road safety and were less likely to be left to play or ride bikes unsupervised in the streets. Male children were more knowledgeable about road safety, but were more likely to engage in potentially dangerous behaviour when out than were female children. The results showed that the traffic club scheme in its first year of operation had some impact of the behaviour of its target group but probably did not affect parental supervision. To inform the development of future schemes of this kind, it may be necessary to find out more about why many parents exert limited supervision of very young children in the streets.

Automobile Driving↗