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Biomedical subjects

C E Osborn

Publications and source records attributed to C E Osborn.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Research review: A comparison of levels of job satisfaction between traditional hospital coders and coders using computerized encoders.

Computerized encoders that assist medical record department coders in making ICD-9-CM disease and operative code selections have been available for approximately 10 years but there have been no studies to evaluate job satisfaction among coders using this technology. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a difference in job satisfaction between coders who use computerized encoders and those who do not. The Job Descriptive Index was mailed to hospital medical record departments in Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati, Ohio; the return rate was 93.5 percent. Results indicated that individuals in these three cities coding by the traditional manual method were more satisfied with their jobs than those who used computer technology. The coders in the traditional group were more challenged by their jobs and had more positive interactions with their peers and supervisors. Also traditional coders were satisfied with the pay they received; coders using computerized encoders believed that their pay was inadequate.

Abstracting and Indexing↗
PubMed1993

Sensory integration by the dorsal spinocerebellar tract circuitry.

Monosynaptic connections from sensory receptors to the dorsal spinocerebellar tract are believed to have a significant role in the transmission of sensory information to the cerebellum. However, predominant polysynaptic connections with highly convergent afferent input suggest a functional organization based on integrated sensory representations. We explored this possibility by examining the responses of dorsal spinocerebellar tract neurons to inputs from muscle receptors. We compared results from two sets of experiments designed to activate receptors in the gastrocnemius-soleus muscles. In one set (135 cells) we stimulated muscle receptors by stretching the isolated muscles and in the other set (194 cells) the muscle receptors were activated by passive foot flexion, which concurrently activated cutaneous and joint receptors as well. Population responses of the spinocerebellar neurons were quite different for the two types of stimuli. Foot flexion elicited long-latency excitatory responses in a majority (53%) of the cells, while muscle stretch elicited a large fraction of early peaking excitatory responses (28%) and inhibitory responses (38%). The long-latency responses to flexion could not be accounted for by specific cutaneous inputs or by possible delayed reflex contractions. We concluded that both types of population response resulted from the muscle stretch and therefore the responses of dorsal spinocerebellar tract cells to these stimuli do not simply reflect the activity in specific classes of sensory receptors.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Parallel distributed network characteristics of the DSCT.

1. We examined the functional organization of the dorsal spinocerebellar tract (DSCT) and found that it is similar to that of a parallel distributed network having widespread connectivity among parallel elements. The prevailing view is that the DSCT provides receptor-specific information to the cerebellum regarding muscle and cutaneous inputs from the hindlimbs, but that view does not consider the convergent inputs to DSCT neurons from multimodal polysynaptic pathways. 2. Spontaneously active DSCT neurons respond to peripheral stimulation with changes in their firing probability. We characterized the temporal patterns of poststimulus excitability changes for a large number of neurons using principal component analysis. The response of each neuron was represented by a response vector in three-dimensional principal component space, in which similar vectors represent responses having a similar waveform for their poststimulus activity patterns. 3. We compared the responses of large populations of DSCT units to two types of stimuli: small (3-8 deg) passive rotations of the foot at the ankle of an intact limb (234 cells) and stretch or contraction of an isolated muscle group (gastrocnemius-soleus, 168 cells). Most of the cells tested had significant responses (P < 0.05) to both types of stimuli (40-78% responded to muscle stimulation and 88% to foot rotation), and they exhibited similar patterns of poststimulus activity. Long-lasting inhibitory responses and excitatory responses with a range of peak times (< 10- > 60 ms) were prevalent in all cases. The population response to each stimulus was characterized by the relative incidence of response types among the units in a representative sample of the population. 4. The time course of excitability changes induced in DSCT cells by the stimuli could have been determined primarily by the presynaptic circuitry or by postsynaptic factors intrinsic to the DSCT cells. The evidence presented suggests that the selection of response waveforms and their distribution among the DSCT cells was determined presynaptically. We found that individual cells were capable of diverse responses to different stimuli. 5. Sample groups of 7-30 cells were selected at random and also on the basis of the similarity of their responses to one type of stimulus. The distributions of response types among the cells of the sample groups were compared to the distributions for the entire population recorded for each stimulus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Research review: differentiation of roles and functions of medical record practitioners.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the actual and appropriate roles and functions of medical record practitioners varied by credential, current position, years of medical record experience, and size of facility. The actual role describes what practitioners are currently doing in the workplace; the appropriate role describes what practitioners believe they should be doing in the workplace. For both the actual and appropriate roles, current position was the most discriminating variable, and credential was the least discriminating variable. Lack of discrimination is most likely due to the similarity in the professional components of medical record administration and medical record technician educational programs.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1990

Drug use trends in a nuclear power facility: data from a random screening program.

This paper has detailed the creation, implementation and results of the new Two Strike, Random Model substance screening program at Southern California Edison's San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. This program, the fourth in an evolutionary process beginning in 1984, shows good results after one year of operation. Although not without its difficulties, the reduction in substance screen failure rates achieved thus far provides incentive to continue the quest for a truly drug free workplace.

California↗
PubMed1989

Components of the responses of a population of DSCT neurons determined from single-unit recordings.

1. Impulse activity of single units belonging to the dorsal spinocerebella tract (DSCT) was recorded in response to electrical stimulation of peripheral muscle nerves at group I intensities. The responses for 187 units were determined using a spike train analysis technique that facilitates the comparison of poststimulus response time course across units (response probability function, RPF; 16). 2. The poststimulus changes in impulse activity were represented in the waveform of the RPF. Principal component analysis was used to determine the component waveforms that were common to the responses across units. The analysis showed that there were a few waveforms that dominated the majority of the responses (85% of the total variability was accounted for by five principal component waveforms). 3. A cluster analysis based on three principal component waveforms revealed seven major groups of responses according to the patterns of their poststimulus activity. These response types were composed of different combinations of short- or long-latency excitation and inhibition. The same clusters were formed regardless of response amplitude or the source of the stimulus. 4. The responses were characterized by three general features, revealed by the first three principal components. The primary feature was the sign of the response, either mostly excitatory or inhibitory. The second feature was a distinction between a short- (up to 15 ms) and long- (approximately 30 ms) latency to peak response, and the third feature was the appearance of two separate phases of opposite sign in some of the responses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Components of responses of a population of DSCT neurons to muscle stretch and contraction.

1. Impulse activity of 264 units of the dorsal spinocerebellar tract (DSCT) was recorded during random contraction or stretch in hindlimb muscles. Contractions were evoked in either the isolated gastrocnemius-soleus (GS) muscles or the intact limb during crossed-extensor reflexes; stretches were applied to the isolated GS. 2. The time course of poststimulus changes in spike activity of DSCT neurons was determined from the response probability function (RPF; Ref. 15). These data were analyzed using principal component and cluster analysis to group the responses according to the RPF waveforms. 3. The responses to each type of stimulus displayed a remarkable similarity in time course, regardless of the type of stimulus used. The responses were also similar to those observed previously during single shock nerve stimulation (14). 4. The most reasonable explanation for these results is that the time course of excitability changes in DSCT neurons is determined less by particular types of receptors or patterns of afferent fiber activity than by the circuitry and afferent pathways impinging on the neurons of the DSCT. 5. The functional organization of DSCT suggested by these results includes a wide divergence from sensory receptors along polysynaptic pathways to DSCT neurons and considerable convergence onto each neuron from a diversity of receptors. Individual DSCT cells may respond to stimuli with one of a few stereo-typical response patterns yet the distribution of those patterns among the units of the DSCT population may be unique for each stimulus.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Drug use trends in a nuclear power company: cumulative data from an ongoing testing program.

This article has traced the evolution of Southern California Edison's San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) from fledgling nuclear facility to one of the largest nuclear power installations in America. Paralleling this growth has been an increasing sophistication and commitment to preserving the public trust through efforts to eliminate substance abuse in the workplace. Southern California Edison's substance abuse program has grown and changed in many ways. The results of this change were presented through data gathered at SONGS. These efforts continue to be directed toward an ultimate goal--the creation of a truly drug-free workplace. Work continues.

California↗
PubMed1988

A method for determining the primary effect of a stimulus in tonically firing neurons using spike train analysis.

We present a novel method for measuring changes in the timing of spikes evoked by a stimulus in single neurons. The result provides an unambiguous separation of the stimulus effect from effects due to intrinsic spike train patterns. This separation facilitates the comparison of responses in different neurons. The analysis is based only on the spike train and requires no models of the underlying cell behavior.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1988

The extent of polysynaptic responses in the dorsal spinocerebellar tract to stimulation of group I afferent fibers in gastrocnemius-soleus.

We investigated the extent of the distribution of polysynaptic connections to the dorsal spinocerebellar tract (DSCT). Recording from a randomly selected population of DSCT units, we found that over 60% responded to maximal stimulation of group I afferent fibers in the gastrocnemius-soleus muscle nerve. Most of the responses had a time course or latency consistent with polysynaptic activation. The extensive distribution of this input into the pool of DSCT neurons suggests that input from muscle nerves in general is widely distributed to these neurons. The results further imply that the DSCT plays a more integrative role in the transmission of information from the hindlimb to the cerebellum than has been previously supposed.

Afferent Pathways↗
PubMed1987

Correlation analysis of muscle receptor discharge during active contractions of the cat medial gastrocnemius muscle.

The spike trains of afferent fibers innervating muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs in the medial gastrocnemius muscle were recorded during spontaneous contractions in either decerebrate cats or decapitate cats treated with L-dopa. For each afferent fiber, the approximate location of its receptor within the muscle was determined. Cross-correlation histograms were compiled from the simultaneously recorded spike trains of pairs of afferent fibers (Ia, Ib, spindle II) to determine if the degree of temporal correlation in their discharge was related to the mutual proximity of the receptors they innervated within the muscle. The frequency of occurrence and degree of correlated activity between pairs of muscle afferents, regardless of receptor type, was much greater in the decerebrate preparations than in the decapitate-L-dopa preparations. However, in all cases, the extent of correlated activity appeared to be unrelated to the relative locations of the receptors. The results suggest that the degree to which the discharge patterns of muscle receptors display temporal correlations and thereby potentially reinforce the "sensory partitioning" (5) of their parent muscle is strongly dependent on the type of preparation used, and thus by inference, dependent on the central state of the animal.

Afferent Pathways↗