Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Knowledge Sources”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,765 records · Page 98Linked to original sources
PubMed2007

Controversies in the current management of lumbar hernias.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal wall surgery has changed dramatically in recent years. The current management of lumbar hernias should reflect the development of modern imaging techniques and new forms of noninvasive treatment. OBJECTIVE: To review and update knowledge on lumbar hernias. DATA SOURCES: Literature review using MEDLINE with the key words "lumbar hernia" for the years 1950 through 2004. For an analysis prior to this date (1750-1950), we used cases reported by Thorek. Our own study of 28 patients was also included. STUDY SELECTION: All articles reporting clinical cases on lumbar hernia. DATA EXTRACTION: Two reviewers analyzed the epidemiological, clinical, and treatment data of the articles. DATA SYNTHESIS: One hundred thirty-five clinical case articles and 8 studies with more than 5 patients, together with our personal experience of 28 cases, were analyzed. Nine percent of acquired lumbar hernia cases presented for emergency surgery, which means that a clinical diagnosis was completed with computed tomography in more than 90% of the cases. None of the published classifications has a therapeutic orientation. We present an original classification based on 6 categories and 4 types. In our study, there was a predominance of incisional hernias (79%), with no difference with regard to sex or location but with a predominance in the upper space (47%). Laparoscopic treatment accounts for 9% of the publications' cases and there is only 1 prospective comparative study. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a complete classification and tomography must be standard practice in the preoperative protocol of patients with lumbar hernia. The laparoscopic approach seems to be the best option for treating small or moderate defects; open surgery can be reserved for large defects and to salvage failures with the laparoscopic approach.

Hernia, Abdominal↗
PubMed2001

Fast determination of procyanidins and other phenolic compounds in food samples by micellar electrokinetic chromatography using acidic buffers.

Procyanidins are phenolic oligomers, mainly composed of (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin units that exhibit certain sensorial and physiological properties of interest (e.g., astringency and bitterness of food, antioxidant activity, etc.). This paper shows the development of a micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) method for the separation of three procyanidin dimers (B1, B2, and B3), their monomers ((+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin), and the cis- and trans-forms of p-coumaric acid. Separation conditions are optimized in terms of buffer pH, SDS concentration, and washing routine between injections. The best results in terms of peak resolution and reproducibility between separations were obtained with a MEKC running buffer at pH 5 with 100 mM SDS and a washing routine that includes a rinse step with 0.1 M sodium hydroxide. Using this new MEKC method it is possible to separate in less than 5 min the seven substances. More interestingly, it is demonstrated that the low pH used in this MEKC method allows one to obtain clean electropherograms when samples are injected. The method is shown to be reproducible between different days with relative standard deviation (RSD) values lower than 1% for migration times and lower than 7% for peak areas (3 days, 24 injections). The usefulness of this procedure to determine these compounds in effluents from food processing (i.e., soaking water from lentils, white beans and black beans) and in food by-products (i.e., almond peels) considered as potential procyanidin sources is demonstrated. To our knowledge, this is the first report of separation and determination of procyanidins in food samples done by capillary electrophoresis.

Biflavonoids↗
PubMed2004

Performance evaluation of cylindrical fiber optic light diffusers for biomedical applications.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Dosimetry for intracavity and interstitial light delivery requires next to the knowledge of tissue optical properties and models describing light propagation in tissue also exact knowledge of the spatial light source emission characteristics. However, the emission characteristics of cylindrical diffusers are often ill defined by the manufacturer, and not regularly determined by the end user, thus limiting the attainable dosimetry accuracy. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: Commercial cylindrical diffusers, with active diffusive lengths of 1-2 cm and outer diameters of </=1 mm, were evaluated regarding their photometric emission characteristics. In addition to traditional tests of homogeneity such as light intensity emitted along the diffuser length and around its circumference (polar angle), azimuth emission was also measured. RESULTS: It was demonstrated that the light emission distribution is specific to the diffuser manufacturer, and while good polar isotropy is often attained, azimuth isotropy can vary by more than a factor of 5. In hollow organs the latter can result in over treatment of tissue distal to the actual placement of the cylindrical diffusers. CONCLUSIONS: To enable light dosimetry and treatment planning for applications such as photodynamic therapy or interstitial laser hyperthermia or photocoagulation, standardization of emission properties reporting for optical fiber diffusers is required.

Equipment Design↗
PubMed2005

Factors affecting antibiotic prescribing pattern in pediatric practice.

To determine the proportion of children receiving antibiotics for common illnesses and to understand the antibiotic prescription ptern and factors influencing it, a cross sectional study was done among the private practitioners in Chennai, India 403 prescriptions by 40 physicians from selected health facilities were analyzed 79.9% of children with ARI (Acute respiratory infection) and ADD (Acute watery diarrhea) were prescribed antibiotics. Penicillins (43.9%) were the commonest antibiotic prescribed. Factors like postgraduate qualification, experience of physician, source and method of updating knowledge, inpatient practice setting and presence of fever influenced the antibiotic prescription.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2005

Determination of phthalate monoesters in human milk, consumer milk, and infant formula by tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS).

Daily exposure of humans to phthalates may be a health risk because animal experiments have shown these compounds can affect the differentiation and function of the reproductive system. Because milk is the main source of nutrition for infants, knowledge of phthalate levels is important for exposure and risk assessment. Here we describe the development and validation of a quantitative analytical procedure for determination of phthalate metabolites in human milk. The phthalate monoesters investigated were: monomethyl phthalate (mMP), monoethyl phthalate (mEP), mono-n-butyl phthalate (mBP), monobenzyl phthalate (mBzP), mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (mEHP), and monoisononyl phthalate (mNP). The method is based on liquid extraction with a mixture of ethyl acetate and cyclohexane (95:5) followed by two-step solid-phase extraction (SPE). Detection and quantification of the phthalate monoesters were accomplished by high-pressure liquid chromatography using a Betasil phenyl column (100 mmx2.1 mmx3 microm) and triple tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). Detection limits were in the range 0.01 to 0.5 microg L(-1) and method variation was from 5 to 15%. Analysis of 36 milk samples showed that all these phthalates were present, albeit at different concentrations. Median values (microg L(-1)) obtained were 0.11 (mMP), 0.95 (mEP), 3.5 (mBP), 0.8 (mBzP), 9.5 (mEHP), and 101 (mNP). We also analysed seven samples of consumer milk and ten samples of infant formula. Only mBP and mEHP were detected in these samples, in the ranges 0.6-3.9 microg L(-1) (mBP) and 5.6-9.9 microg L(-1) (mEHP).

Chromatography, Liquid↗
PubMed1989

Families in ICU: their needs and anxiety level.

In the course of their care-giving activities nurses deal with family members as well as with patients. The dimension of family involvement becomes even more crucial when patients are hospitalised in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The purpose of this study was to identify: 1. The perceived needs and anxiety levels of adult family members of ICU patients; 2. The relationship between perceived needs and situational anxiety levels; and 3. The sociodemographic factors having an influence on the needs and anxiety level of family members. Over a 10-week-period, a convenience sample of 207 subjects was formed from the total adult population of immediate family members visiting a patient in a 9-bed ICU of a 388-bed university hospital. The data were gathered by a face to face interview, a self-report questionnaire of the French version of the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory (Molter & Leske, 1983), and the A-Scale of the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, 1970). The major variables investigated were: family needs; situational anxiety; on-site sources of worry; level of knowledge with respect to the ICU setting from experience or pre-surgery education; and finally, sociodemographic data. The sample was predominantly female (75%) and the mean age was 45.43 s.d.-15.19, ranging from 18 to 91 years. The average number of respondents per family was 2.3 with a range of 1 to 5. The Situational Anxiety Scale of the STAI yielded a mean score of 47.88 +/- 12.02 ranging from 21 to 76.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Hot and cold in women's ethnotherapeutics: the American-Mexican West.

The purpose of this paper is to report the current status of hot/cold principles in the ethnotherapeutics of women of southwestern U.S.A., northwestern Mexico. The paper presents a secondary data analysis from three studies, including a data bank of Women's Ethnotherapeutic Agents derived from literature searches, interviews of women in research of Mexican American Grandmothers as Health Care Advisors, and research in the historical roots of the ethnotherapeutic agents used in contemporary domestic medicine. This report presents women's home remedies, what these remedies are believed to do, and the sources of this domestic therapy knowledge. It concentrates on persistence and change in one aspect of the theoretical base of these remedies, their humoral complexional classification. In the analysis of data from these studies, continuation of aspects of the hot/cold theory is demonstrated. It is suggested that the persistence is tacit, with the lack of articulated knowledge of humoral theory today stemming from the content of contemporary remedy books. Instead of arguing either diffusion or independent invention, commonly held ethnophysiological concepts are offered as a possible explanation for the persistence of hot and cold therapy practices.

Cold Temperature↗
PubMed1986

Hemispheric lateralization of functions related to emotion.

We have reviewed the evidence that processes and functions related to perception and expression of emotions are represented asymmetrically in the cerebral hemispheres. The literature describes three possible aspects of emotional lateralization: that emotions are better recognized by the right hemisphere; that control of emotional expression and related behaviors takes place principally in the right hemisphere; and that the right hemisphere is specialized for dealing with negative emotions, while the left is specialized for dealing with positive emotions. Evidence for the three hypotheses derives from methodologically diverse studies in unimpaired, brain-lesioned, and mood-disordered populations. Relatively little of the work has been precisely replicated, and conclusions rest on parallel lines of evidence from diverse sources. The present level of knowledge suggests a model of emotional control based on interactive inhibition between a right negatively biased and left positively biased hemisphere. However, the details of such a model, including the precise conditions under which emotion-related functions are lateralized, and the mechanisms of such lateralization have yet to be elucidated.

Brain↗
PubMed2004

Tandem mass spectrometric investigation of acylpolyamines of spider venoms and their 15N-labeled derivatives.

The fragmentation mechanism of the acylpentamine toxins 1-4 found in the venom of the spider Agelenopsis aperta has been investigated in detail. To identify the origin of the two doublets of unexpected fragment ions at m/z 129/112 and m/z 115/98, three synthetic 15N-labeled analogs 5-7 have been prepared and subjected to CID fragmentation on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. It appears that the unexpected doublet of fragment ions arises from an internal portion of the polyamine backbone after either a transaminative Zip reaction or a sequential fragmentation of the quasi-molecular ion. The second option has been proven by in-source CID experiments. The detailed knowledge of acylpentamine fragmentation mechanisms is essential for the correct characterization of isomeric compounds, particularly for coeluting compounds within complex mixtures such as spider venoms.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

[Replacement of prosthesis of the penis].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the series of patients who underwent replacement of their penile prosthesis between years 1990 to 1999, due to any kind of complication. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 85 patients underwent implantation, 13 different prosthesis models being utilized. It was replaced (once or more) in 15 of these patients (17.64%). The mean age at the moment of the replacement was 51.5 years. The most frequent surgical approach was the infrapubic one. RESULTS: A total of 32 prosthesis-replacement interventions were carried out. The main causes were: mechanical failure (13 cases, 40.62%); infection (10 cases, 31.25%); and corpus cavernosum perforation (five cases, 15.62%). Progressive increase of complications incidence with regard to the ordinal number of the implanted prosthesis was not observed. Best overall results: Mentor Mark II and AMS 700 Ultrex Plus. At present day, only eight (53.33%) out of 15 reimplanted patients use their prosthesis with normality. CONCLUSIONS: Those patients who undergo replacement of their penile prosthesis are potential sources for later complications. Their knowledge and proper handling is important in order to a progressive improvement of the final results, (above all if--such as our case--these ones are not suitable for conformity).

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Determination of organically bound tritium background level in biological samples from a wide area in the south-west of France.

In this paper, the authors describe a sensitive method for low-level non-exchangeable OBT determination. This methodology combines suitable sample treatment, a combustion apparatus for large-sized samples and low-background liquid scintillation spectrometry, along with precautions that substantially reduce the risks of sample contamination. Great care must be taken in the measurement of non-exchangeable OBT at environmental levels. Many authors have discussed the opportunities for cross-contamination between samples and contamination by exchange with the laboratory atmosphere. The authors also describe an application of the methodology to a large-scale sampling and measurement campaign, aimed at the determination of the environmental non-exchangeable OBT background level in tree leaves and ferns collected on the site and in the vicinity of a research centre located in the south-west of France, not far from Bordeaux. This study constitutes a "zero level" for the non-exchangeable OBT activity, as, to our knowledge, there is no tritium source within or in the surroundings of the sampled area capable of producing non-exchangeable OBT activities above the natural levels. Our analyses showed that non-exchangeable OBT activities in the collected samples were very low, ranging from below the detection limit (ca 0.7 Bq kg(-1) of dry material) to ca 2 Bq kg(-1) of dry material. These values are similar to the natural tritium background measured in water samples. No discrepancies can be shown between fern samples and oak tree leaf samples or between samples collected inside and outside the research site.

Environmental Monitoring↗
PubMed1999

Biomechanics of the knee: methodological considerations in the in vivo kinematic analysis of the tibiofemoral and patellofemoral joint.

The purpose of this review article is twofold: to report on the use of intracortical pins to measure three-dimensional tibiofemoral and patellofemoral joint kinematics and highlight methodological concerns associated with this procedure. Tibiofemoral and patellofemoral kinematics has been extensively investigated using reflective markers attached to the surrounding soft tissue of the calf and thigh. However, surface markers may not adequately represent true anatomical locations and skin movement artefacts present the most critical source of measurement error. Consequently, knowledge about skeletal tibiofemoral kinematics is limited, in particular abduction-adduction and internal-external rotations. Considerable questions remain regarding what constitutes normal motion of the knee. A way to avoid the problem of surface markers is use invasive markers to directly measure skeletal motion. To date, many co-ordinate systems have been used to describe three-dimensional skeletal kinematics of the lower limb in vivo. They include helical axes, finite helical axes, instantaneous helical axes, and the joint co-ordinate system based on local anatomic landmarks. Although each method accurately describes the relative motion in 6 d. of f., the differences in how the motion is partitioned may account for the differences across investigations. Additionally, the problem of defining the anatomical co-ordinate system makes comparisons across subjects and studies difficult since subtle differences may be caused by small deviations in the anatomical reference alignment. Cross talk is also a primarily a concern. For joints that articulate principally about one axis, the primary flexion/extension that is registered will be cross-talked into ab/adduction and internal/external rotations.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗
PubMed1995

Control of bovine viral diarrhea virus infection without vaccines.

Successful control and eradication of BVDV infection presuppose sufficient knowledge of its epidemiology, particularly sources of infection and ways of transmission. Furthermore, it is crucial to have tests that can be trusted to give the true infection of individual animals and indicate the infection status of herds. PI animals are considered to be the main source of infection. In preliminary experiments in Denmark, it was found that eradication in herds could be based on the identification and removal of PI animals. Actual and possible means of herd-to-herd transmission of importance for infection control are reviewed. Special attention is paid to the possibility of airborne transmission, which must be anticipated in areas with high BVDV prevalence and a high cattle population density. BVDV control programs have been initiated only in the Scandinavian countries including Finland, where the occurrence of BVDV varies from a very low prevalence in Finland to a very high prevalence in Denmark. The BVDV programs in Finland, Norway, and Sweden are basically the same. The primary aim of each is the identification of the herds free from infection and prevention of introduction of the infection to these herds. A secondary aim is to reduce gradually the number of infected herds. In Denmark, which has a high prevalence of BVDV, the program is a combined control and eradication program, and different tests are used. The control programs in Scandinavian countries and the eradication program in Denmark are described together with the tests involved. With respect to control, special emphasis is given to herd tests applied to bulk tank milk or to specially selected blood samples to indicate the infection status of individual herds. The initial bulk tank milk testings were the main basis for the conclusions that in Finland, Norway, and Denmark approximately 1%, 9%, and 39% of the dairy herds, respectively, seemed to have PI animals. With respect to eradication, an ELISA developed in Denmark for demonstration of virus in blood has proved to be extremely reliable for identification of PI animals. The BVDV programs are generally voluntary, although in Norway, where BVD is a notifiable disease, restrictions have been placed on infected herds to prevent a further spread of the infection. The annual losses in Denmark from BVDV have been calculated to be approximately 100 million DKr (17 million dollars), whereas the total costs of the control and eradication program for a 3-year period including testing of trade animals are estimated to be approximately 160 million DKr (27 million dollars).

Animals↗
PubMed2001

[Xenon anesthesia: from myth to reality].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the current knowledge concerning xenon anaesthesia. DATA SOURCES: References were obtained from computerized bibliographic research (Medline), recent review articles, the library of the service and personal files. STUDY SELECTION: All categories of articles on this topic have been selected. DATA EXTRACTION: Articles have been analysed for history, biophysics, pharmacology, toxicity and environmental effects and using prospect. DATA SYNTHESIS: The noble gas xenon has anaesthetic properties that have been recognized 50 years ago. Xenon is receiving renewed interest because it has many characteristics of an ideal anaesthetic. In addition to its lack of effects on cardiovascular system, xenon has a low solubility enabling faster induction of and emergence from anaesthesia than with other inhalational agents. Nevertheless, at present, the cost and arety of xenon limit its widespread use in clinical practice. The developement of closed rebreathing system that allowed recycling of xenon and therefore reducing its waste has led to a recent interest in this gas. Reducing its cost will help xenon to find its place among anaesthetic agents. An European multicentric clinical trial under submission will contribute to the discussion of the opportunity for xenon introduction in anaesthesia.

Anesthesia, Inhalation↗
PubMed2005

Preventing surgical fires: who needs to be educated?

UNLABELLED: BACKGROUND AND CASE STUDY: Surgical fires are rare but preventable. During facial surgery for a 68-year-old man, a fire broke out, resulting in first- and second-degree burns after a nasal cannula ignited in an oxygen-rich environment because of improper draping and tenting. DISCUSSION: Operating room (OR) fires can be prevented if any component of the "fire triangle"-fuels, ignition sources, and oxidizers-is reduced or eliminated. The use of supplemental oxygen in the OR via nasal cannulae, nebulizers, and oxygen cylinders must always considered a potential source of fire. Deficits in knowledge among the surgical team with respect to the prevention and management of surgical fires were apparent. A plan was put into place to improve fire safety education, entailing an educational program that is included in intern and resident orientation. Surgical fire safety training was also put into place for anesthesia and surgical faculty. The anesthesia preoperative evaluation was modified to include an assessment of the patients' ability to tolerate short periods without oxygen. Posters and signs are now displayed in each OR suite. A complete policy review and update ensures that at least two fire drills are performed annually. CONCLUSION: Surgical fires can usually be prevented by educating staff about risk and prevention strategies. Such education should be part of all undergraduate medical, nursing, and other allied health profession education.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

HIV/AIDS in rural India: context and health care needs.

Primary research on HIV/AIDS in India has predominantly focused on known risk groups such as sex workers, STI clinic attendees and long-distance truck drivers, and has largely been undertaken in urban areas. There is evidence of HIV spreading to rural areas but very little is known about the context of the infection or about issues relating to health and social impact on people living with HIV/AIDS. In-depth interviews with nineteen men and women infected with HIV who live in rural areas were used to collect experiences of testing and treatment, the social impacts of living with HIV and differential impacts on women and men. Eight focus group discussions with groups drawn from the general population in the four villages were used to provide an analysis of community level views about HIV/AIDS. While men reported contracting HIV from sex workers in the cities, women considered their husbands to be the source of their infection. Correct knowledge about HIV transmission co-existed with misconceptions. Men and women tested for HIV reported inadequate counselling and sought treatment from traditional healers as well as professionals. Owing to the general pattern of husbands being the first to contract HIV women faced a substantial burden, with few resources remaining for their own or their children's care after meeting the needs of sick husbands. Stigma and social isolation following widowhood were common, with an enforced return to the natal home. Implications for potential educational and service interventions are discussed within the context of gender and social relations.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed2005

Comparison of haloacetic acids in the environment of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Haloacetic acids (HAAs) are a family of compounds whose environmental concentrations have been extensively studied, primarily in Europe. Depending on the compound, their sources are believed to be both natural and anthropogenic. To better understand possible sources and contribute to the knowledge of the global distribution of these compounds, especially between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, samples of precipitation, soils, and conifer needles were collected from Canada, Malawi, Chile, and the U.K. Precipitation samples exhibited highest HAA concentrations in collections from Canada, and lowest in those from Malawi. Malawi samples contained measurable levels of monobromoacetic acid (MBA) (56 ng/ L) unlike those from most other locations (< 9 ng/L). Soil HAA concentration levels were highest in the U.K. (e.g., 7.3 ng/g average TCA) and lowest in Malawi (0.8 ng/g average TCA), with Chile having higher levels (4.8 ng/g average TCA) than Canada (3 ng/g average TCA). Malawi soils contained small amounts of MBA (2 ng/g), in common with the two most southern of the 11 Chilean sites. Analysis of soil cores (10-cm depth sliced at 1 cm) from sites in Malawi and Chile showed that trichloroacetic acid (TCA) generally declined with depth while mono- and dichloroacetic acid (MCA and DCA) showed no trend. MCA, DCA, and TCA concentrations in archived U.K. soil samples increased by factors of 2, 4, and 5-fold over 75 years while TFA showed no consistent trend. Monochloroacetic acid (MCA) was detected in pine needles collected from Malawi. U.K. needle samples had the highest concentrations of all chloroacetic acids (CAAs): MCA, 2-18 ng/g; dichloroacetic acid (DCA), 2-38 ng/g; and trichloroacetic acid (TCA), 28-190 ng/g. Conifer needles from Canada and Chile contained CAAs at levels ranging from < 2 to 16 ng/g wet wt. Trifluoroacetic acid concentrations generally declined with increasing elevation in the samples from the Rocky Mountains in western Canada. The results indicate that concentrations of HAAs are greatest in the industrialized Northern Hemisphere but there are significant amounts of these compounds in the less industrialized Southern Hemisphere.

Acetates↗
PubMed1999

Fishing in urban New Jersey: ethnicity affects information sources, perception, and compliance.

Recreational and subsistence angling are important aspects of urban culture for much of North America where people are concentrated near the coasts or major rivers. Yet there are fish and shellfish advisories for many estuaries, rivers, and lakes, and these are not always heeded. This paper examines fishing behavior, sources of information, perceptions, and compliance with fishing advisories as a function of ethnicity for people fishing in the Newark Bay Complex of the New York-New Jersey Harbor. We test the null hypothesis that there were no ethnic differences in sources of information, perceptions of the safety of fish consumption, and compliance with advisories. There were ethnic differences in consumption rates, sources of information about fishing, knowledge about the safety of the fish, awareness of fishing advisories or of the correct advisories, and knowledge about risks for increased cancer and to unborn and young children. In general, the knowledge base was much lower for Hispanics, was intermediate for blacks, and was greatest for whites. When presented with a statement about the potential risks from eating fish, there were no differences in their willingness to stop eating fish or to encourage pregnant women to stop. These results indicate a willingness to comply with advisories regardless of ethnicity, but a vast difference in the base knowledge necessary to make informed risk decisions about the safety of fish and shellfish. Although the overall median income level of the population was in the $25,000-34,999 income category, for Hispanics it was on the border between $15,000-24,999 and $25,000-34,999.

Black or African American↗