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Biomedical subjects

S E Thomas

Publications and source records attributed to S E Thomas.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Modification of a Nutritional Questionnaire for Older Adults and the ability of its knowledge and attitude evaluations to predict dietary adequacy.

This paper outlines the modification of the Nutritional Questionnaire for Older Adults (NQOA) to determine the extent to which knowledge and attitude can predict dietary adequacy. Aged adults (65 years or older) who participate in the Title III-C congregate meal program at a small community Senior Center in Alabama (n = 22) served as subjects for this study. Knowledge and attitude were shown to be weak predictors of dietary adequacy with regard to specific components, but were found to significantly predict adequate nutritional intake as measured by both RDA and by food group standards.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Quantitative evaluation of AFO use with myelomeningocele children.

Although the sample size is small, results are very positive for the use of AFO's with the myelomeningocele child. The increase in pertinent gait parameters in conjunction with a decrease in excess hip, knee, and ankle flexion demonstrate the benefits gained in using AFO's to assist the myelomeningocele child in ambulation. Further, the decrease in excess muscle activation time and co-contraction facilitate a decrease in energy expenditure, thus allowing for more ambulation the limited results from this study provide a basis from which further research may be gleaned. The use of quantitative measures in evaluating the benefits of AFO's provides objective data from which future design and application recommendations may be made.

Ankle Joint↗
PubMed1989

Caregiving demands and appraisal of stress among family caregivers.

Ambulatory treatment for cancer has increased patients' self-care requirements and placed demands on family members to manage the illness and treatment side effects at home. This exploratory study was undertaken to assess family caregiving demands (load) and to examine caregivers' appraisals of the illness/caregiving experience. Forty-seven persons involved in the care of patients receiving radiotherapy for cancer were observed. Appraisal of stress was measured with the Appraisal of Caregiving Scale (ACS). This newly developed measure, derived from cognitive appraisal theory, is designed to assess the intensity of four possible appraisals of caregiving: harm/loss, threat, challenge, or benign. Participants also completed the Caregiver Load Scale, a measure of the time spent in caregiving activities. Satisfactory reliabilities were obtained for both measures. Family caregivers reported spending the most time in providing transportation, giving emotional support, and in extra household tasks. They received the most assistance from family and friends, and made minimal use of professional services. Caregiver load was correlated positively with the length of time on treatment and with patient dependency. Caregivers in the poorest health, those with less education, and those of lower socioeconomic status had higher scores on the ACS appraisals of harm/loss and threat. Older caregivers had significantly higher challenge and benign appraisals. There was a strong positive correlation between caregiver load and the harm/loss and threat appraisals. Findings suggest a need for frequent reassessment of demands on family caregivers throughout the course of treatment and offer direction for future research.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

An active sodium transport inhibitor released from spontaneously hypertensive and normotensive rat fetal hypothalamic cells in culture.

An inhibitor of active sodium transport (Na+ + K+-ATPase inhibitor), partially purified from the culture medium of fetal rat hypothalamic cells, has been shown to possess vasoactive properties. In order to explore whether fetal hypothalamic neurons from spontaneously hypertensive rats produce higher concentrations of the inhibitor than produced by those from normotensive rats, we cultured hypothalamic cells from both sources. An average of 10(6) cells per hypothalamus was obtained, and heat-treated (80 degrees C for 10 minutes) culture medium (120 ml) after lyophilization yielded 0.8 g of material. After Sephadex G-15 chromatography, 0.5 g of lyophilized medium from fetal hypothalamic neurons of spontaneously hypertensive rats yielded 254 +/- 47 arbitrarily defined units of Na+ + K+-ATPase inhibitory activity compared with 238 +/- 59 units from identical material of normotensive source. These studies show that the production of the hypothalamic Na+ + K+-ATPase inhibitor is not increased at the fetal stage in the spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Cimetidine and chlorpheniramine in the treatment of chronic idiopathic urticaria: a multi-centre randomized double-blind study.

One hundred and twenty patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria, who entered a study at five centres (Sheffield, London, Bristol, Cardiff and Leeds) were treated with therapeutic doses of the H1 antagonist chlorpheniramine for 6 weeks. Histamine H1 non-responders (40 patients) were entered into a double-blind study and received chlorpheniramine plus cimetidine 400 mg q.d.s. (21 patients) or chlorpheniramine plus placebo (19 patients) for a further 8 weeks. The most important response measure was the change from baseline of the total symptom score: an assessment of the number and duration of new weals and degree of itching. There was a statistically significant difference between the average response in the two treatment groups in favour of chlorpheniramine plus cimetidine after 4 and 8 weeks' treatment (P less than 0.05 and P less than 0.01, respectively). No significant side-effects related to treatment were noted.

Chlorpheniramine↗
PubMed1987

The hospital and the law.

Hospitals in the United States are finding that with the increase in litigation more use is being made of specialized legal firms and many hospitals are moving towards appointing in-house legal counsel. In 1986 a survey was conducted to ascertain the legal needs of Victorian public hospitals. The results of the survey indicate that legal matters are a minor concern to the majority of hospitals.

Data Collection↗
PubMed1986

Cyclosporine.

Cyclosporine is a fungal metabolite increasingly used as an immunosuppressive agent in organ transplantation. It provides immunosuppression primarily through reversible inhibition of T-lymphocytes, without myelotoxicity. Cyclosporine appears to inhibit primary activation of helper cells and to decrease the production of lymphokines by these cells. Cyclosporine becomes widely distributed into tissue compartments and is metabolized primarily by the liver. Serum trough levels, measured by radioimmunoassay or high pressure liquid chromatography, are commonly monitored and sometimes used for dose adjustments. Cyclosporine has been used in human renal, cardiac, liver, bone marrow, and pancreatic transplantation, as well as in other experimental animal models. It has a narrow therapeutic index, with major complications arising from nephrotoxicity, hypertension, and hepatotoxicity. Cyclosporine also has some antischistosomal and antimalarial activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Transplantation of human malignant and premalignant skin lesions of epidermis to nude mice.

Lesions of solar keratoses and squamous cell carcinoma maintained their histological appearance and an increased tritiated thymidine autoradiographic labelling index after being grafted on to nude mice. However, the values for their mean epidermal thickness and individual cell size appeared to decrease slightly during the 24-week period of study. As judged by the immunolocalization of involucrin antibodies, the grafts maintained a human epidermal antigenic profile. However, immunolocalization studies with HLA antibodies showed only a patchy positivity in the original premalignant lesions and were negative after grafting. These results indicate the potential value of the nude mouse as a model for studying the progress of premalignant and malignant skin lesions in an immunologically privileged non-human site and further indicate that solar keratoses can be maintained independently of systemic donor influences.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

An inexpensive portable monitor for measuring evaporative water loss.

The measurement of evaporative water loss from the skin, using a ventilated chamber, usually requires two high-accuracy devices for the measurement of the inflow and outflow relative humidity. The water-loss rate is proportional to the difference between the inflow and outflow relative humidity, and a sensor with low absolute accuracy can be used if the same sensor measures both relative humidities. The system described uses an inexpensive sensor to measure the water-loss rate with an accuracy of 10%.

Costs and Cost Analysis↗
PubMed1985

Plantar hyperkeratosis: a study of callosities and normal plantar skin.

Although callosities of the plantar skin are common and often disabling, little is known of their pathology or the reasons for their persistence. In this study plantar epidermal structure and cell renewal were investigated in patients with callosities and normal, age-, sex- and site-matched control subjects. Tritiated thymidine autoradiographic labeling indices were increased in the calluses but the dansyl chloride fluorescence clearance time was prolonged, reflecting the increased thickness of the stratum corneum. The number of corneocytes that could be removed from the surface of callosities by a standardized stimulus was considerably increased compared to controls but after adhesive tape stripping no such increase was observed. The density of corneocytes as measured on Percoll gradients was decreased in corneocytes from callus compared to normal plantar skin, and their volume was increased. These observations suggest that there are differences in epidermal differentiation due to an increased rate of epidermal cell production in plantar skin affected by callosity.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Measurement of sebum excretion rate and skin temperature above and below the neurological lesion in paraplegic patients.

The sebum excretion rate (SER) was measured above and below the neurological lesion in seventeen male and four female paraplegic patients and at comparable sites in a similar number of age-matched controls. There was no significant difference between paraplegics and controls for forehead SER. For the thigh SER there was a highly significant difference between paraplegics and controls (t = 6.27:P less than 0.001), the level for paraplegics being twice that for controls. Simultaneous thigh skin temperature measurements showed no significant difference between paraplegics and controls.

Acne Vulgaris↗
PubMed1985

Waiting lists--an overview.

In Victoria waiting lists for public hospitals have increased dramatically in the past year. Public concern about this phenomenon has led to demands for greater resources to be channelled into health care. The research from Britain indicates that the problem of waiting lists is complex. A number of measures are suggested to help solve the problem of waiting lists and their management. Many of these measures are possible through the reallocation of existing resources.

Appointments and Schedules↗