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Biomedical subjects

S T Young

Publications and source records attributed to S T Young.

34 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Multiple productivity measurement approaches for management.

Managers may desire an approach to combining multiple productivity measurements into one score. This article demonstrates two approaches to aggregating multiple measurements, data envelope analysis (DEA) and the Multicriteria Performance/Productivity Measurement Technique (MCP/PMT). These methods are applied to actual hospital materials management data and do not result in significantly different results. The productivity analysis must then be tempered according to managerial judgement.

Efficiency↗

The filter properties of the arterial beds of organs in rats.

The frequency properties of arterial beds in organs were studied by temporarily ligating the renal, the gastric, the splenic or the superior mesenteric arteries of rats. Blood-pressure waves of the tail arteries were recorded before and during the ligations, and were analysed by Fourier's transformation. Their frequency spectra have been found to change profiles following specific patterns with the ligations of different arteries. The results were significant with regard to the frequency selectivities of the organic arterial beds. Such frequency properties can be clearly explained when the circulation system is viewed as an electrical circuit network in which the organic arterial beds work as filters.

Animals↗

Laparoscopic nephrectomy in a porcine model.

Laparoscopic nephrectomy was performed in 15 male pigs, the procedure was successful in 14. Extraction of the intact kidney through a 5-cm lower abdomen incision was done in 7 animals; complete destruction and evacuation of the kidney was accomplished by a round-knife suction device through a 1-cm port in another 7 pigs. Grossly, the specimen consisted of sausage-like tubular renal tissue and a small amount of tissue debris. Pathology revealed that the glomerular and tubular structures were well preserved, no interstitial hematoma could be found. Four ports were usually used, one 1-cm umbilical camera port, one 0.5-cm port for ureter traction, and two 1-cm working ports along the midclavicular line. All the pigs recovered uneventfully. The average operation time was 3 h 20 min. The application of endo-GIA (United States Surgical Corporation) for renal hilum reduced the operative time to 2 h 20 min. Complications included renal vein tear during endoclip application and cutting in the first case, mild subcutaneous emphysema in 2 cases. This first pig received exploratory laparotomy for the repair and ligation of the renal vein. No more major complications occurred with increasing experience. From this porcine experiment, we conclude that the combination of laparoscopy, a tissue destroyer and an endobag for the entrapment of kidney seem to be a promising technique for clinical nephrectomy.

Animals↗

Cocaine induces striatal c-fos-immunoreactive proteins via dopaminergic D1 receptors.

The protooncogene c-fos produces a phosphoprotein, Fos, which regulates gene transcription processes. In neuronal systems, Fos has been proposed to couple synaptic transmission to changes in gene expression by acting in the cell nucleus in concert with other proteins to form complexes in the promoter regions of target genes. We report here that the acute administration of a single dose of the indirect-acting dopaminergic agonist cocaine increases multiple Fos proteins in rat caudate nucleus. The increase is dose-dependent and is apparent immunocytochemically at 1 hr, maximal at 2 hr, and absent 48 hr after treatment. The increase seen immunocytochemically is composed of several molecular weight species as assessed by Western blotting of proteins from isolated striatal cell nuclei. Administration of the specific dopaminergic receptor antagonists sulpiride and SCH-23390 prior to cocaine support a significant role for D1 but not for D2 receptors in mediating this effect. These data indicate that D1 dopamine receptors are linked to a cellular immediate-early gene system(s) and suggest an action of cocaine at one or more levels of gene expression via modulation of transcriptional processes in activated cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

[The tracing of brain tissue and 3-D imaging display CT image application: 3-D recursive tracing].

The size and the shape of brain tissue offer lots of information for clinical diagnosis and treatment. The commercial imaging systems, such as x-ray computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonant image (MRI), always display only two dimensional (2-D) image, which makes quantitative diagnosis of the variation of brain tissue very difficult. Furthermore, some tissue may be connected through little vessels, which is also difficult to identify using discrete 2-D image. In this study, we processed CT image data using an general purpose IBM personal computer. A new three dimensional (3-D) recursive tracing algorithm was proposed. This new algorithm can automatically extract the image of brain tissue in each 2-D image. The information obtained was therefore used to reconstruct 3-D image. This system allows user to observe 3-D size and shape of brain tissue from arbitrary view. Such 3-D image can also be used to calculate the volume of tissue. Using overlay projecting method, it can display skin, bone, brain tissue and gray material at the same time. Such display method accurately shows the relative position of each tissue and offer physicians important information for diagnosis and treatment.

Algorithms↗

Specific frequency properties of renal and superior mesenteric arterial beds in rats.

In order to investigate the effects of arterial beds on pressure waveforms in arteries, the pressure waves observed in the rat tail artery were resolved into their Fourier moduli before and during ligation of the left renal artery and the superior mesenteric artery. Consistently different patterns of waveform changes in the tail artery were seen on occlusion of these vessels. Ligation of the renal artery reduced, and of the superior mesenteric artery increased, the pressure harmonics over most of the spectra. These results imply that to study the changes in the pressure contours as the observation point is moved downstream, one may have to account separately for the contributions of individual arterial beds. This is relevant in considering the degree to which it is appropriate for data to be amalgamated in models of the systemic arterial bed.

Animals↗

Materials management in investor-owned, nonprofit government, and other general hospitals.

This article compares investor-owned, nonprofit government, and other general hospitals in Georgia in the areas of materials management practices, systems, and performance. Findings reveal investor-owned hospitals paid less for supplies but did not demonstrate performance in other areas that was superior to that of other types of hospitals.

Analysis of Variance↗

Transurethral prostatectomy with computer-monitored resectoscope.

Based on the difference in electrical conductivity between hyperplastic prostatic tissue and tissue of the surgical capsule, we have developed a monitoring computer that distinguishes the former from the latter. The computer sounds an alarm when the cutting loop of the resectoscope touches the capsule, followed by an automatic cut-off of the power source 0.4 s later; thus inadvertent perforation of the surgical capsule can be avoided in most cases. The function of the computer has been tested in 73 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. The results show that, with Nesbit's technique of transurethral resection, tiny perforations of the surgical capsule, usually 1 to 2 mm in diameter, occurred in all 30 patients operated on without computer monitoring, but only 3 of 73 computer-monitored patients had such an occurrence. There was a slight increase in the weight of resected prostatic tissue among the computer-monitored patients, but the difference between the time spent on the procedure between the two groups of patients was not significant. Apart from its monitoring function, the computer may reduce eye strain and mental stress in the surgeon, especially when resecting a large hyperplastic prostate.

Aged↗

An instrument using variation of resistance to aid in needle tip insertion in epidural block in monkeys.

A new method is proposed to detect the entrance of a needle into the epidural space. Measuring the changes in electric resistance during the insertion of the needle through different tissues in the interspinal space can help anesthesiologists judge whether and when the needle has entered the epidural space. This preliminary, animal study showed that the proposed method performed quite satisfactorily. The electric resistance of the tissues in the interspinal space varied from 1.57 +/- 1.22 k omega to 2.93 +/- 1.14 k omega, and the resistance of the epidural space varied from 9.00 +/- 1.12 k omega to 14.64 +/- 1.25 k omega. The difference was statistically significant (p less than 0.001). This difference in the resistance can be used to verify placement of the tip of the needle in the epidural space and help anesthesiologists administer epidural anesthesia.

Anesthesia, Epidural↗

Autostage sperm tracing system for semen evaluation.

To overcome the limitation of the microscope field, the study proposed an autostage sperm tracing system (ASTS), which could trace a particular sperm for a long time and distance. The ASTS was constructed by assembling a commercial microscope, an image frame grabber, a personal computer, and a motorized stage. Its performance was tested by evaluating 6 semen samples and by comparing the evaluation with those of other semen evaluations. The ASTS broke through the limitation of the microscope field and traced a particular sperm as long as possible. It analyzed the sperm track and calculated the motility parameters, such as curvilinear velocity (Vcl), straight-line velocity (Vsl), and linearity (L(in)). The sperm quality was then evaluated in real time, and the user could decide to capture or abandon a particular sperm in the IVF The ASTS enables users to evaluate sperm progression for a long time and to have the global quality of a particular sperm in real time. Its open structure has the flexibility for micromanipulating a semen sample, and has the potential application associated with a modern IVF technique.

Algorithms↗

New system for long-term monitoring of sperm motility: EDTA effect on semen.

Many drugs act as sperm stimulants and are of clinical value for male infertility. Current research deals with the physiological mechanisms of sperm motility/sperm stimulation and how long the effect lasts. For such a study, long-term monitoring of sperm motility becomes essential for traditional semen evaluation. A new system was designed to deal with the microscopic images of semen. Its performance was evaluated by studying the effect of EDTA on sperm motility. EDTA increased sperm curvilinear velocity (Vcl) and straight-line velocity (Vsl) by 31 and 20%. EDTA also prolonged the duration of motility by 68 and 61%, respectively. However, EDTA had less effect on the linearity of forward progression (Lin). The proposed system can analyze semen and does well at monitoring sperm motility for short term and long term. It may be valuable to test the possible role of sperm stimulation for male infertility and assisted reproduction.

Algorithms↗

Implementation of a patient-centred and physician-oriented healthcare information system.

Integration of information has enabled expeditious operation in air transfer, banking, shopping, and stock brokerage, but not in healthcare. Existing health information systems (HIS) are concerned too much with departmental performance and charge billing, and neglect the end users--the patients and the physicians. The resultant HIS then has divergent operation to antagonize the physicians, and has fragmented data to the disadvantage of patients. Recognizing the problems and the trend of HIS, this study proposed and implemented a patient-centred and physician-oriented HIS in a Urology clinic. The proposed HIS had patient care as its core, and accurately coded the patient's diagnoses and therapy information. It also offered a friendly environment and complete function for the physician to administrate medical records and to provide healthcare services. The HIS had client/server structure and an open system to protect the hardware investment and the software implementation. It will be the key to success in complete hospital environments.

Hospital Information Systems↗