PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

B Davey

Publications and source records attributed to B Davey.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Paediatric lacerations and burns.

BACKGROUND: Paediatric lacerations and burns are common problems. OBJECTIVE: To discuss the management of lacerations and burns in the paediatric age group. DISCUSSION: A significant number of lacerations are minor and can be managed without hospitalisation, provided due care is paid to adequate assessment and pain relief. Minor burns can also be managed without hospitalisation. Frequent change of dressings should be avoided but any burn that is not healed within 7-10 days should be considered for possible skin grafting.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1995

A database for estimating normal spinal motion derived from noninvasive measurements.

STUDY DESIGN: A database for estimated normal spinal motion was derived using a noninvasive, high-resolution, computer-aided system, which tracks the motion of skin markers strategically placed on the spine. Forty normal subjects, selected from hundreds of possible subjects according to rigorous inclusion/exclusion criteria, were tested on the system. OBJECTIVES: Patterns of estimated spinal motion were analyzed as a function of load, age, and sex, confirming a correlation between the movement of spinal segments and the motion of skin markers. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The Workers Compensation Board of Quebec funded and supervised the experiments necessary to establish a normative reference database for a high-resolution motion analysis system that permits a noninvasive assessment of spinal function. A previous study examined the correlation between the movements of the skin markers and the underlying bony structures for trunk flexion. Skin movement cannot be random and contains information characterizing both the spine and its surrounding soft tissues. METHODS: A noninvasive dynamic imaging system was used to measure normal spinal function under free movement. A high-resolution three-dimensional camera system collected basic kinematic data from strategically placed skin markers over the lumbar spine while the activity of paraspinal muscles was being recorded with surface electromyography. The measurements were analyzed for consistent, specific patterns recognizable as normal lumbar spine skin motion and reflecting normal lumbar spine function. A comparison was made with previous radiographic studies to confirm the correlation between the motion of skin markers and lumbar spine function. RESULTS: Lumbar skin marker motion patterns in normal subjects were consistent and varied little with load; gender had no effect except in the initial phase of a movement. There was less mobility but similar coordination in older subjects. No inconsistencies with previous radiologic investigations were found for sagittal and lateral plane movement.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Acquisition of word meanings from context by deaf readers.

In this paper we examine issues concerning the acquisition of word meanings from context by deaf readers. Theories and research with hearing readers suggest several reader, text, and task factors which may influence this acquisition process, although a similar research base with deaf readers is lacking. It is our view that a variety of important questions remain unanswered concerning deaf readers' meaning acquisitions. This paper reviews relevant findings from recent investigations of how individuals use context in deriving word meanings. It details several exemplary studies and draws implications for future inquiry.

Deafness↗
PubMed1989

Socioeconomic differences in rates of cesarean section.

Increasing cesarean-section rates have focused attention on variations in the use of this procedure that appear to be independent of medical indication. We investigated the relation between the rate of primary cesarean section and socioeconomic status in a cohort of 245,854 singleton infants born to non-Hispanic white, black, Asian-American, and Mexican-American residents of Los Angeles County, California. On the basis of birth-certificate data for 1982 and 1983, a significant relation, independent of maternal age, parity, or birth weight, was found between the rates of primary cesarean section and socioeconomic status. Women who lived in census tracts with a median family income of more than $30,000 had a primary cesarean-section rate of 22.9 percent, as compared with 13.2 percent among women residing in areas with a median family income under $11,000. In women between the ages of 18 and 34, the incidence of reported complications of pregnancy or childbirth in the lowest-income group was 10.9 percent, as compared with 17.4 percent in the highest-income group (accounting for 42 percent of the difference in the rate of primary cesarean section between groups); the rate of primary cesarean section in the presence of complications in these two groups was 65.4 percent and 79.3 percent (accounting for 17 percent of the difference); and the primary rate in the absence of reported complications in these two groups was 6.4 percent and 10.5 percent (accounting for 41 percent of the difference). The rates of primary cesarean section were highest among non-Hispanic whites (20.6 percent), intermediate among Asian Americans (19.2 percent) and blacks (18.9 percent), and lowest among Mexican Americans (13.9 percent). Significant socioeconomic differences in these rates were observed in all four groups (P less than 0.01). We conclude that the rates of primary cesarean section vary directly with socioeconomic status and that this association cannot be accounted for by differences in maternal age, parity, birth weight, race, ethnic group, or complications of pregnancy or childbirth.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Socioeconomic differentials and neonatal mortality: racial comparison of California singletons.

The median family income of the zip code of maternal residence was used to estimate the presence and determine the extent of socioeconomic differentials in the neonatal mortality rates of a cohort of 401,399 white and of 66,577 black Californian singletons born from 1982 to 1983. The neonatal mortality rate in the white infants increased from 3.99 in mothers residing in zip codes with a median family income greater than $25,000 to 12.1 for mothers residing in zip codes with a median family income less than $11,000. With decreasing socioeconomic status there was also a significant increase in the percentage of white infants weighing less than 2,500 g (percentage of low birth weight increased from 3.75 to 8.33) and weighing less than 1,500 g (percentage of very low birth weight increased from 0.56 to 1.46). When the source of the socioeconomic difference in white neonatal mortality was partitioned, 77.4% was due to deterioration in the birth weight distribution and 22.6% to deterioration in the birth weight-specific mortality rates. For the black cohort, the neonatal mortality rate increased from 5.9 in the most, to 9.0 in the least affluent strata. Although decreasing residential median family income was associated with an increase in the percent low birth weight (8.19 v 12.86), the percentage of very low birth weight was not significantly different (1.59 v 2.10). When the source of the differential in black neonatal mortality was partitioned, only 29% was due to deterioration of the birth weight distribution, whereas 71% was secondary to less favorable birth weight-specific mortality rates.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Black or African American↗
PubMed1984

Circumcision. A review of the literature and survey of current practice.

Evidence suggests neonatal circumcision continues to be a common practice and that outmoded techniques are being used. Controversy and ignorance about normal care of the uncircumcised infant is widespread. More definitive teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels is required.

Balanitis↗
PubMed1983

Comparison of reading comprehension task performance for deaf and hearing readers.

The internal consistency, variability, and performance level of 50 deaf and 50 hearing subjects (with comparable SAT reading comprehension scores) were compared on two production (cloze and free-response) tasks and two recognition (multiple-choice and modified-cloze) tasks. Multiple-choice and free-response tasks were administered under both lookback and no-lookback conditions. Task consistencies and variabilities for deaf and hearing groups did not differ appreciably. Groups differed, however, with respect to mean level of performance. Deaf subjects' overall task performance level tended to be lower than that of hearing subjects, with the greatest differences noted in lookback and production conditions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Neural control of skeletal muscle cholinesterase: a study using organ-cultured rat muscle.

1. It has been proposed that the influence of innervation on the cholinesterase activity (ChE) of skeletal muscle and on end-plate ChE in particular is mediated by trophic substance(s) moved by axonal transport and released from nerve. We have tested this hypothesis using rat extensor digitorum longus (e.d.l.) and diaphragm muscles denervated in vitro for several days and then maintained in organ culture to assay putative trophic substance(s). 2. The cholinesterase activity (ChE) of rat extensor digitorum longus (e.d.l.) muscles decreased dramatically after 5 days of denervation in vivo as previously reported. The ChE of rat e.d.l. muscles denervated in vivo for 3 days and then maintained in organ culture for 2 days was essentially identical to that of muscles denervated 5 days in vivo. 3. The ChE OF E.D.L. MUSCLES DENERVATED IN VIVO FOR 3 DAYS AND THEN MAINTAINED FOR 2 DAYS IN CULTURE MEDIUM SUPPLEMENTED WITH SCIATIC NERVE OR INNERVATED MUSCLE EXTRACT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THAT OF MUSCLES DENERVATED IN VIVO FOR 5 DAYS OR DENERVATED IN VIVO FOR 3 DAYS AND THEN CULTURED FOR 2 DAYS IN CULTURE MEDIUM ALONE. Supplementing the culture medium with brain or spinal cord extract also significantly increased the ChE of organ-cultured e.d.l. muscles. 4. Supplementing the culture medium with liver or spleen extract or with the extract of muscle denervated for 3--7 days in vivo before extraction did not increase the ChE or organ-cultured e.d.l. muscles. 5. The effect of muscle extract on the ChE of organ-cultured e.d.l. muscles was dose dependent and occurred gradually reaching a maximum after approximately 24 h of culture. 6. Substance(s) which increased the ChE of organ-cultured e.d.l. muscles were found to accumulate in transected sciatic nerve in the region just proximal to the site of transection where substances moved by axonal transport are known to accumulate. 7. Media conditioned with neurally stimulated e.d.l. or diaphragm muscles caused a substantial and highly significant increase in the ChE of e.d.l. or diaphragm muscles denervated in vivo and then maintained in organ culture. Media conditioned in the same way with unstimulated muscles did not increase the ChE OF ORGAN-CULTURED MUSCLES. 8. The active substance(s) released by neural stimulation continued to be released when muscle contraction was blocked by adding D-tubocurarine to the medium during conditioning but the release of these substance(s) was significantly reduced when magnesium (10mM) was added to the medium during conditioning. 9 The substance(s) released by neural stimulation selectively increased ChE in the end-plate region. In diaphragm segments denervated in vivo and then maintained in medium conditioned with neurally stimulated muscle, there was a 102% increase in end-plate ChE but no detectable increase in background ChE. 10...

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Substances moved by axonal transport and released by nerve stimulation have an innervation-like effect on muscle.

Substances which have an innervation-like effect on the cholinesterase activity of organ-cultured rat extensor digitorum longus muscles are moved in nerve by axonal transport, are released from nerve by stimulation, and are present in innervated muscle but apparently absent from denervated muscle. Substances which increase the acetylcholine sensitivity of cultured muscles behave similarly.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Integration of stereoscopic DSA and 3D MRI for image-guided neurosurgery.

We demonstrate the feasibility and utility of using anatomical/vascular correlation in image-guided surgery, by interfacing a PC-based stereoscopic Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) analysis system to a three-dimensional (3D) image based surgical workstation that has been modified to allow presentation of stereoscopic images. Numerical values representing the position and angulation of a hand-held probe are transmitted to both systems simultaneously, enabling the probe to be visualized stereoscopically in both anatomical and vascular images during the surgical procedure. The integration of the patient's vascular and anatomical data in this way provides the surgeon with a complete overview of brain structures through which he is passing the electrode-guiding cannulas, enabling him to avoid critical vessels en route to the targets.

Algorithms↗