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Biomedical subjects

S Valentine

Publications and source records attributed to S Valentine.

32 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

The role of blood microfilters in clinical practice.

Blood filters have been available since the 1930s. In this review we evaluate the role of microaggregate filters (MF) in certain transfusion complications, namely non-haemolytic febrile transfusion reactions (NHFTR), pulmonary injury, thrombocytopenia, fibronectin depletion and histamine release. We review the latest generation of leucocyte depleting filters and discuss their role in preventing alloimmunisation, immunosuppression and CMV transmission. Finally, we provide a rationale for the role of blood microfiltration in the present day practice of intensive care medicine.

Blood Transfusion↗

Perceived credibility of children's sexual abuse allegations: effects of gender and sexual attitudes.

We investigated whether sex role stereotyping, adversarial sexual beliefs, acceptance of interpersonal violence, sex of the subject, characteristics of the child (age, sex), and characteristics of the alleged perpetrator (stranger, father) affect judgments of the credibility of children's reports that they have been sexually abused. Two hundred and fifty-five college students in a 3 x 2 x 2 factorial arrangement were given the Burt (1980) scales and asked to read a short vignette in which a child alleged that he/she was sexually abused and the accused male denied the abuse. Although the vast majority of subjects indicated that they believed the child was telling the truth, females rated the child's credibility significantly higher than males F(1, 253) = 6.29, p = .01226. No other significant relationships were found. The results imply that the vast majority of individuals in a college sample tended to believe children's sexual abuse allegations and that this credibility assessment is not influenced by characteristics of the child or perpetrator examined in this study. Implications of the truncated range of the dependent variable and of the Burt scales are discussed.

Adolescent↗

Epidural infusion of diamorphine with bupivacaine in labour. A comparison with fentanyl and bupivacaine.

We have compared the analgesic effects of three epidural infusions in a randomised, double-blind study of 61 mothers in labour. An initial dose of bupivacaine 0.5% 8 ml was followed by either bupivacaine 0.125%, bupivacaine 0.125% with diamorphine 0.0025% or bupivacaine 0.125% with fentanyl 0.0002%. All infusions were run at a rate of 7.5 ml/hour. Analgesia was significantly better in both the groups receiving opioids. Diamorphine was shown to be the more effective supplement to bupivacaine. The 5% incidence of pruritus in the opioid groups was less than that reported by earlier authors.

Analgesia, Epidural↗

Postoperative sore throat. A comparison after premedication with papaveretum/hyoscine or temazepam.

A randomised double-blind trial was conducted to study the use of two commonly used premedication regimens and the subsequent incidence of sore throat. Fifty adult patients who underwent routine surgery were anaesthetised in a standard fashion after premedication with papaveretum and scopolamine or temazepam, and interviewed after operation to assess the presence of sore throat. A significantly higher incidence of sore throat was associated with the use of papaveretum and scopolamine.

Adult↗

Overlapping T cell antigenic sites on a synthetic peptide fragment from herpes simplex virus glycoprotein D, the degenerate MHC restriction elicited, and functional evidence for antigen-Ia interaction.

Analysis of the B10.A T cell response to synthetic peptides representing the NH2-terminal 23 amino acids from the HSV glycoprotein D sequence revealed two antigenic determinants for T cells: one localized between residues 1-16 and the other between residues 8-23. The 1-16 site, which is helical, was recognized in the context of the Ia molecule, whereas the 8-23 site, which is nonhelical, was recognized in the context of the I-E molecule. The I-E-restricted response was found to be highly MHC degenerate in that T cell hybridomas specific for the 8-23 peptide responded to antigen on APCs derived from B10.A, B10.A(5R), and B10.A(9R) mice and showed differences in antigenic fine specificity with APCs of different haplotypes. These data support the idea of antigen-Ia interaction.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Success in old and new licensure examinations: pre-admission factors and academic performance.

Relationships of student and academic variables with nursing licensure examination scores were examined. During the years 1978-1984, 164 graduates of an integrated baccalaureate program took the old State Board examination and 159 took the new examination. Among the pre-admission variables, gradepoint average and student age were most useful in predicting exam scores. Nursing lecture courses were better predictors of success than clinical courses. Students who received A-grades in lecture courses scored relatively higher and B-students scored lower on the new licensure examination compared to the old examinations. Compared with their classmates, students entering the program as LPNs did markedly better on the new licensure examination than they did on the old examinations.

Achievement↗

A simple technique to distinguish rat from mouse chromosomes in T cell hybridomas.

Antigen-specific rat mouse T-cell hybridomas, prepared by fusing the BW5147 AKR thynoma with helper T cells from rats immunized with chicken ovalbumin, express both the rat and mouse major histocompatibility complex gene products. Using these functionally defined T-cell hybridomas, we have devised a technique based on the differential staining of the heterochromatin region of the rat and mouse chromosomes to distinguish the species of origin of the chromosomes. This technique should prove useful for screening potential hybrid cell lines and should aid in differentiating mouse from rat chromosomes for gene mapping studies.

Animals↗

Obesity-related complications of pregnancy vary by race.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate racial effects on obstetric complications in obese gravidas. METHODS: The obstetric database was reviewed for the period 6/1/94 to 3/31/97. All clinic patients delivering singletons were included. Obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 29 kg/m2 or more, or a pre-pregnancy weight of 200 pounds or more. Complications studied included hypertension, diabetes, cesarean delivery, and fetal macrosomia. RESULTS: Of 2,424 eligible subjects, 168 were obese (6.9%). Obese patients had higher rates of chronic hypertension and pregestational diabetes, as well as increased rates of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, fetal macrosomia, cesarean delivery, and operative vaginal delivery compared to nonobese patients. Of the obese patients, 105 (63%) were Hispanic, 39 (23%) were African American, and 24 (14%) were White; no Asian or Mixed/Other patients were obese. Mean BMIs of the obese subgroups did not differ (P = 0.14), but prepregnancy weights were greater in Whites than Hispanics (P < 0.002). Obese Hispanics had an increased rate of gestational diabetes (P = 0.04) and of infant weight > or =4,500 g (P =.03). Obese Hispanic and African American women were more likely than obese Whites to deliver by cesarean (P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Racial differences affect the complication rates in obese gravidas, and may influence prenatal counseling and pregnancy management.

Adult↗

Degree of burn, location of burn, and length of hospital stay as predictors of psychosocial status and physical functioning.

The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of psychologic and physical functioning of the victim with burn injuries from initial hospitalization to discharge. Thirty-one patients admitted to a burn center participated in the study and completed the Burn-Specific Health Scale. Most patients were men between 17 and 45 years of age. Length of stay in the hospital was bimodal, i.e., although about half stayed in the hospital for less than 15 days, about one fifth were hospitalized for more than 28 days. The study hypothesized that degree of burn, location of burn, and length of hospital stay would be associated with psychologic and physical functioning at the first-alert stage (stage of first orientation after burn injury) and the predischarge stage (immediately before discharge from the hospital). At the predischarge stage, the degree of the burn strongly predicted the patient's functioning. Patients with first-degree burns reported lower physical and psychologic functioning on every area of the Burn-Specific Health Scale. Conversely, at the first-alert stage, patients with third-degree burns reported higher psychologic functioning in certain areas (mental and social domains). Having a second-degree burn was not associated with reported psychologic or physical functioning. If the burn involved either the patient's hand or head, the location of the burn predicted certain areas of physical functioning at the first-alert and predischarge stage. Length of hospital stay predicted physical functioning; patients who stayed longer in the hospital reported lower mobility and hand function.

Activities of Daily Living↗