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Biomedical subjects

A F Morris

Publications and source records attributed to A F Morris.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1978

Towards positive diagnosis of the irritable bowel.

A questionnaire to establish the presence of 15 symptoms thought to be typical of the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) was given to 109 unselected patients referred to gastroenterology or surgery clinics with abdominal pain or a change in bowel habit or both. Review of case records 17--26 months later established a definite diagnosis of IBS in 32 patients and of organic disease in 33. Four symptoms were significantly more common among patients with IBS--namely, distension, relief of pain with bowel movement, and looser and more frequent bowel movements with the onset of pain. Mucus and a sensation of incomplete evacuation were also common in these patients. The more of these symptoms that were present the more likely was it that the patient's pain or altered bowel habit, or both, was due to IBS. We conclude that a careful history can increase diagnostic confidence and reduce the amount of investigation in many patients with chronic abdominal pain.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1977

Effects of fatiguing isometric and isotonic exercise on resisted and unresisted reaction time components.

Fractionated resisted and unresisted RT for a knee-extension task was assessed on 12 male subjects over a 10-day treatment period. The first 4 days were baseline days and were designed to stabilize all RT values as well as strength measures. For the next 6 days the subjects were alternately administered isometric and isotonic exercise designed to fatigue the quadriceps musculature. Although significant strength decrements were manifested for both isometric exercise (57%) and isotonic exercise (35%), no changes were shown in the unresisted fractionated RT components. Conversely all resisted RT changes were manifested in the muscular component suggesting a peripheral site for neuromuscular fatigue.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

The accuracy of radiological and computer dianoses in small bowel examinations in children.

A prospective study has been made of the accuracy of the diagnoses made by radiologists and by two computer methods of prediction in 120 children having radiological examinations of the small bowel. The predicted diagnoses were calculated using the Bayesian and Relative Likelihood techniques. The results have been compared with the final clinical diagnoses, which have been considered to be "correct". It was found that in 94 (78 per cent) children with no small-bowel disease the correct diagnosis was made by the radiologist in 79 (84 per cent), by the Bayesian method in 86 (91 per cent) and by the Relative Likelihood method in 77 (82 per cent) children. In the 26 (22 per cent) children with small-bowel disease the correct diagnosis was made by the radiologist in 21 (81 per cent), by the Bayesian method in 13 (50 per cent), and by the Relative Likelihood method in 11 (42 per cent) children. The accuracy of the three methods of interpretation of signs has been compared using the diagnostic test rating index, which takes into account the false-positive and false-negative results, as well as the correct and incorrect results. The radiologist rating was 0-76, the Bayesian method 0-57 and the Relative Likelihood method 0-51. The index for the radiologist was significantly greater than that for the Relative Likelihood method (p less than 0-05). Computer predictions are based on observations made by the radiologist and may be affected by the initial selection of signs, the compression of information into a "normal" or "abnormal" format, and the size of the bank of information available. They offer an objective test of the significance of selected radiological signs. Computer diagnosis provides a useful research tool, but in this study was less accurate than the radiologist.

Bayes Theorem↗
PubMed1976

Electronic training devices for hand rehabilitation.

Several new electronic hand rehabilitation devices are shown. These devices, which can be assembled locally with minimal funds, are excellent information feedback devices that can be used effectively in hand rehabilitation. Electrogoniometers may be used for hand and wrist range-of-motion feedback. In addition, various pressure sensitive devices are illustrated and the way in which these devices may be used in hand rehabilitation are portrayed.

Electronics, Medical↗
PubMed1975

Factors determining blood phenylalanine in the neonatal period.

The effect of age, sex, birth weight and area of birth on blood phenylalanine has been studied in a group of 41 795 infants. The mean phenylalanine level in low birth weight infants was higher than in those of normal birth weight from six to over 43 days of age. There was a trend of increasing blood phenylalanine with age in both birth weight groups. No consistent difference was observed between the sexes. In several of the age and birth weight groups, infants living in urban areas had significantly higher blood phenylalanine levels than those in rural areas.

Age Factors↗