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Biomedical subjects

A Peacock

Publications and source records attributed to A Peacock.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

The development of an infection control link-nurse programme in a district general hospital.

Management of hospital-acquired infection is costly, and a vital part of risk management. It is also closely linked with the quality of patient care. Information regarding hospital-acquired infection is increasingly being sought by both purchasers and providers. This paper describes the setting up and development of an infection control link-nurse system over a four-year period in a district general hospital. It gives practical details of methodology and problems encountered. Emphasis is given to the incorporation of infection control principles into ward and departmental standard setting. Having set up the system, subsequent monitoring of the process by a clinical audit programme is described. The importance of the responsibility of staff, at ward and departmental level, in high-level infection control practice is discussed.

Hospitals, District↗
PubMed1996

Determination of trimethoprim and sulphadoxine residues in porcine tissues and plasma.

Healthy gilts and market-ready hogs were administered a single intramuscular (IM) injection of Borgal, a commercial formulation of trimethoprim-sulfadoxine (TMP-SDX), once or twice daily. The objectives were to determine if a newly-developed high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method would be suitable for measuring the residual concentrations of TMP in the plasma of these live animals, and to determine if the administration of this veterinary drug would leave measurable residues in their plasma and tissues at slaughter. Plasma and tissue concentrations of SDX and TMP from these animals were determined over a period of 14 d using thin-layer chromatography/densitometry (TLCD), and the newly-developed HPLC method, respectively. The lowest detectable limit (LDL) for SDX in plasma and tissue was 20 ppb by TLCD. The HPLC method had a LDL of 5 ppb for TMP in plasma and tissue. Both methods were then used to provide baseline data on the absorption and depletion of TMP and SDX from these healthy animals. It was observed that both TMP and SDX were readily absorbed into the blood and tissues, but TMP was eliminated much faster than SDX. No TMP residues were detected in the plasma of any of the gilts at and beyond 21 h after drug administration. Also, no TMP residues were detected in the plasma of any of the market-ready hogs 24 h after drug administration at either the label dose or twice the label dose. Sulfadoxine residues at concentrations above the maximum residue limit (MRL) of 100 ppb were, however, detected in the plasma, muscle, kidney, liver, and injection sites of hogs slaughtered 1 and 3 d after a single IM administration at the label dose. Although SDX residues were still detectable in the lungs, kidney, liver and plasma of some hogs 10 d after administration of the label dose and twice the label dose, these were below the MRL. Postmortem examination revealed necrosis and inflammation at the injection sites, but no visible deposits of the injected drug.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Improved arterial oxygenation with feed restriction in rapidly growing broiler chickens.

1. Rapidly growing broiler chickens fed ad lib. until 56 days, but feed restricted until 60 days of age, had higher arterial oxygen saturations, lower respiratory frequencies, total ventilations that were not different, and higher tidal volumes compared to those fully fed for 56 days. 2. Arterial oxygen saturation correlated negatively with respiratory frequency, but was not related to total ventilation or tidal volume. 3. Hypoventilation appeared not to be the cause of arterial oxygen desaturation. 4. Arterial oxygen desaturation correlated with the degree of right ventricular hypertrophy.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1990

"Pseudo reinfarction": a consequence of electrocardiogram lead transposition following myocardial infarction.

Unexpected or bizarre new electrocardiographic changes should alert the physician to the possibility of lead transposition and, if in doubt, the electrocardiogram should be repeated. The classic form of limb lead transposition leading to the appearance of dextrocardia is well recognized. We report a patient with myocardial infarction where lead transposition led to a diagnosis of reinfarction and to the inappropriate use of thrombolytic therapy.

Electrocardiography↗
PubMed1989

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and IGF-binding activity in normal and fast-growing chickens.

Insulin-like growth factor(IGF)-binding activity were characterized in sera normal, fast growing, and very fast growing chicken strains. In contrast to a previous report, specific IGF-binding activity was observed in this nonmammalian species. Age-related IGF-binding activity levels did not differ between strains. IGF-I levels were significantly higher for the normal as compared to the 2 fast growing strains. Chromatographic studies show that IGF-I is associated with acid-dissociable high MW complexes in chicken serum, and the MW patterns are similar to human serum. Circulating levels of IGF-I or IGF-binding activity do not account for accelerated somatic growth in inbred large-bodied chicken strains.

Aging↗
PubMed1985

Self-esteem of abused children.

Thirty-seven children admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of abuse at an average of 5.5 years previously were compared with 37 non-abused children matched for age, sex, ethnic group, school and social class. The mean age of the children with 8.9 years (range 4.6-14.0 years). Self-esteem in the children was assessed by means of a structured interview with the child and the Piers-Harris Self-Concept Scale. The abused children saw themselves as having significantly fewer friends than the comparison children and they played with friends less often. They were less ambitious than the non-abused children with regard to the sort of occupation they would like as adults and were significantly lower in self-concept on the Piers-Harris Self-Concept Scale. These results show that, as well as providing treatment for abusive parents, a long-term program which aims at improving interpersonal relationship skills and self-esteem is required for abused children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Mothers of abused children. A comparison study.

A group of 36 mothers whose children had suffered from child abuse at an average of 5 1/2 years previously was compared with a group of mothers of similar social class where there had been no reported instances of abuse of their children. There was no significant difference between the two groups with regard to marital, housing, or financial problems or in physical health. Statistically significant differences were found between the abuse and comparison group mothers in the following areas: the abuse group mothers (1) were less likely to have been brought up by their own parents; (2) had more negative feelings towards their fathers; (3) were more likely to have received help for an emotional disorder; (4) had higher expectations for their children; (5) perceived a greater number of personality problems in their children; and (6) were more likely to have assertive, demanding, and suspicious personality traits. It is possible that these maternal factors will influence the emotional development of their children.

Child↗
PubMed1985

Long-term effects of nonorganic failure to thrive.

Fourteen children admitted to the hospital at an average age of 12.5 years previously were reviewed in comparison with a group of children matched for age, sex, social class, and ethnic group. The children in the study group were smaller in height and weight, than children in the comparison group. They had lower scores on the verbal intelligence scale of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children--Revised, poorer language development, and less well-developed reading skills. They had lower social maturity and a higher incidence of behavioral disturbances. There were no differences between the study and comparison groups in family size, maternal age, family health, social isolation, and mothers' childhood experiences. The study group mothers had less knowledge about their children's education, were more anxious, and had a tendency toward concrete thinking. To prevent the long-term adverse effects of nonorganic failure to thrive, a more active, practical, and long-term program, begun at the time of presentation, is recommended.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Persisting characteristics of parents of battered children.

To study the personality of mothers whose children had suffered from child abuse in the past, a group of 36 such mothers was compared with a control group of mothers matched for social class. There was no difference between the two groups in pregnancy experience, in general health or in the number of family problems they had. The mothers from the study group had higher expectations for their children and perceived their children as having more personality problems than did the control mothers. The study-group mothers were less likely to have been brought up by their own parents, had more negative feelings towards their fathers, and were more likely to have received help for an emotional disorder than the control mothers. On formal testing, they were more likely to have suspicious, assertive, and demanding personality characteristics. As the majority of abused children remain in their natural families, these maternal factors are likely to influence the emotional development of their children. The children, as well as the parents, from families where child abuse has occurred should receive long-term supportive treatment to try to ameliorate some of the effects of these parental characteristics.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Development in children following abuse and nonorganic failure to thrive.

Thirty-nine children who had been abused an average of 5 1/2 years earlier and 14 children who had been admitted to the hospital with nonorganic failure to thrive (NOFTT) 13 years earlier were studied to look at similarities and differences in their development. Each group was studied in relation to a comparison group matched for age, sex, social class, and ethnic background. The abused children and those with NOFTT were similar in their language ability, and were significantly behind their comparison groups in language development, reading age, and verbal intelligence. The abused children, but not the group who had NOFTT, were significantly behind their comparison group in general intelligence, interpersonal relations, and self-concept, but in contrast to the children with NOFTT they were not delayed in social maturity. The long-term adverse sequelae of these two conditions emphasize the need for a long-term, child-centered approach.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

The development of abused children.

Thirty-nine children were reviewed who had suffered child abuse at an average of 5 1/2 years earlier. In comparison with a group matched for socio-economic status, the abused children performed significantly lower on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale, and were more delayed in language development and reading ability. Their teachers' assessments of behaviour showed significantly more abnormal profiles than in the comparison group. These differences could not be accounted for by the small proportion of known head-injuries in the abused group. Child abuse has long-term effects, so it is necessary that these children are thoroughly assessed at first presentation, and that they are followed with a specific programme aimed at preventing these sequelae.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Temperature corrections in routine spirometry.

Forced expiratory volume (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were measured in nine normal subjects with three Vitalograph and three rolling seal spirometers at three different ambient temperatures (4 degrees C, 22 degrees C, 32 degrees C). When the results obtained with the rolling seal spirometer were converted to BTPS the agreement between measurements in the three environments improved, but when the Vitalograph measurements obtained in the hot and cold rooms were converted an error of up to 13% was introduced. The error was similar whether ambient or spirometer temperatures were used to make the conversion. In an attempt to explain the behaviour of the Vitalograph spirometers the compliance of their bellows was measured at the three temperatures. It was higher at the higher temperature (32 degrees C) and lower at the lower temperature (4 degrees C) than at the normal room temperature. These changes in instrument compliance could account for the differences in measured values between the two types of spirometer. It is concluded that the ATPS-BTPS conversion is valid and necessary for measurements made with rolling seal spirometers, but can cause substantial error if it is used for Vitalograph measurements made under conditions other than normal room temperature.

Forced Expiratory Volume↗
PubMed1983

Response of pulmonary circulation to oral pirbuterol in chronic airflow obstruction.

The effects of the oral beta agonist pirbuterol on pulmonary haemodynamics and gas exchange were studied in nine patients with severe irreversible airflow obstruction and moderate arterial hypoxaemia. After administration of 15 mg pirbuterol pulmonary vascular resistance fell by 19% but cardiac output rose by 24%, so that pulmonary arterial pressure showed no significant change. Systemic arterial oxygen pressure fell by 7%, limiting the rise in oxygen delivery to 21%. All changes were significant at the 2% level. These results show that pirbuterol dilates the pulmonary bed at the cost of a slight worsening of gas exchange, which is compensated by an independent rise in blood flow.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗