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Biomedical subjects

D Bradley

Publications and source records attributed to D Bradley.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Influence of Nitinol wire surface treatment on oxide thickness and composition and its subsequent effect on corrosion resistance and nickel ion release.

Medical implants and devices are now used successfully in surgical procedures on a daily basis. Alloys of nickel and titanium, and in particular Nitinol are of special interest in the medical device industry, because of their shape memory and superelastic properties. The corrosion behavior of nitinol in the body is also of critical importance because of the known toxicological effects of nickel. The stability of a NiTi alloy in the physiological environment is dependant primarily on the properties of the mostly TiO(2) oxide layer that is present on the surface. For the present study, a range of nitinol wires have been prepared using different drawing processes and a range of surface preparation procedures. It is clear from the results obtained that the wire samples with very thick oxides also contain a high nickel content in the oxide layer. The untreated samples with the thicker oxides show the lowest pitting potential values and greater nickel release in both long and short-term experiments. It was also found that after long-term immersion tests breakdown potentials increased for samples that exhibited lower values initially. From these results it would appear that surface treatment is essential for the optimum bioperformance of nitinol.

Alloys↗
PubMed2005

Psychosocial needs of boys in secure care for serious or persistent offending.

BACKGROUND: The mental health of child offenders who are detained in secure settings is a matter of great public and professional concern but there has been little systematic longitudinal research on the outcomes of these problems once the young person has returned to the community. The aims of the present study were to describe the psychosocial outcomes of boys in secure care and to establish if these outcomes were correlated with criminal outcomes. METHOD: Prospective cohort study of 97 boys whose average age was 14 years when they were admitted to secure units in the North West of England. The boys were followed up on average 2 years later, when outcome data were obtained on 81/97 (83%) cases. The main outcome measure was a standardised assessment of mental health, social and educational needs obtained by interview with the young person and corroborated in most cases by information from informants. All data were then reviewed by experienced clinicians who made best-estimate ratings of need 'blind' to the findings from the first phase of the study. RESULTS: The average number of needs requiring an intervention at follow-up (mean=3.4, sd=3.0) was much lower than before admission to secure care (mean=8.2, sd=2.5) (mean difference 4.9 needs, 95% CI 4.0 to 5.7). Educational and occupational needs were particularly well dealt with. However, many mental health problems persisted or worsened. For example, 31% had a need for treatment of substance abuse, a significant increase compared with when they were in secure care (percentage difference 21%, 95% CL 9.0% to 32.7%). No mental disorder predicted subsequent offending. CONCLUSIONS: Boys who have been in secure care continue to have a high rate of mental health problems. The mental health needs of this group are not, however, static but change over time and with changing circumstances. Services need to be designed to meet these changing needs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Potent thyrotrophin receptor-blocking antibodies: a cause of transient congenital hypothyroidism and delayed thyroid development.

OBJECTIVE: We describe an infant with surprisingly severe neonatal hypothyroidism due to transplacental passage of thyrotrophin receptor (TSH-R)-blocking antibodies (TBAb). DESIGN AND METHODS: TBAb were detected using a cell line which stably expresses the human TSH-R and a cAMP-responsive luciferase reporter by their ability to inhibit TSH-stimulated luciferase expression. Potent TBAb were detected in maternal serum and initially in the infant's serum but, in the latter, TBAb decreased over time to within the reference range by 3-4 months of age, illustrating the transient nature of this condition. RESULTS: The thyroid function of this child did not return to normal on withdrawal of thyroxine therapy at 16 months of age when he developed transient compensated hypothyroidism. CONCLUSIONS: We propose that the presence of potent TBAb in utero and in the first weeks of life may have implications for the development of a normally sized thyroid gland. We have demonstrated the presence of TBAb in the mother's milk and, as far as we are aware, this is the first such report. However, the TBAb in the milk probably did not contribute significantly to hypothyroidism in the child, given the reducing antibody titre in his circulation.

Autoantibodies↗
PubMed2002

Mental health needs of boys in secure care for serious or persistent offending: a prospective, longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: The mental health needs of children and adolescents in secure care are a matter of concern, but little systematic research has been done. Our aim was to assess the mental health, social, and educational needs of these young people in a prospective, longitudinal study. METHODS: We enrolled 97 boys aged 12-17 years who had been admitted to secure care. We assessed their needs (n=97) at the time of admission and 3 months later (n=90) with standardised interviews and psychometric tests. RESULTS: 26 (27%) boys had an intelligence quotient (IQ) of less than 70. The need for psychiatric help was high on admission to a secure unit, with the most frequent disorders being depression and anxiety. There were high rates of aggression, substance misuse, self harm, and social, family, and educational problems, and associated needs. The mean number of needs was 8.5 (SD 2.9) on admission and 2.9 (SD 2.4) after 3 months (mean difference 5.6, 95% CI 5.0-6.3). Areas in which needs were mostly met included education, substance misuse, self care, and diet. Areas where the frequency of need fell substantially, but remained high, were social and family problems, and aggressive behaviours. Psychological needs persisted, with new onsets of depression, anxiety problems, and post-traumatic-stress symptoms shortly after admission. The most frequently required interventions were psychological assessment and cognitive behavioural work. INTERPRETATION: Boys in secure care have many needs and a high rate of psychiatric morbidity. During the admission period, secure care units address some domains of need, but others remain unchanged or get worse. Psychological and psychiatric provision in secure units need to be improved.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Do pacts pay?

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News↗
PubMed2001

Early visual cortex: smarter than you think.

A recent study has provided elegant evidence that the early visual area V2 plays an important role in image segmentation, piecing together parts of an object with the help of stereoscopic clues.

Humans↗
PubMed2001

Stakeholder evaluation of a high-risk prenatal nutrition intervention program in Prince Edward Island.

Since 1971, a Prince Edward Island prenatal program has provided nutrition support to pregnant women at high risk for poor birth outcomes. Provincial changes in the delivery of health care services since 1986 have caused concern that the program is becoming less effective. The current research was designed to evaluate stakeholders satisfaction with the program; it was part of a larger study conducted in 1998 and 1999 to evaluate overall program effectiveness. Nutritionists (n=9), referring health professionals (n=57), and clients (n=50) completed a survey. The results indicated that program satisfaction was high for all stakeholders. Perceived program strengths included the counselling approach, program quality, food and income supplements, and accessibility. Perceived program weaknesses included inadequate staff/time, administrative requirements, limited communication/awareness, the counselling approach, and difficulty contacting clients. Recommendations for improvement fall into four key areas: staff services, program delivery, the counselling approach, and communication. The findings suggest that the components of prenatal education considered important vary among clients and staff, and that the relationship developed between staff and clients during counselling is an important contributor to program success.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗
PubMed2000

Therapeutic needs revive arsenic compound.

An arsenic compound, previously used as an insecticide, is set to become the latest addition to the armoury for treating a rare form of leukaemia. On 26 September 2000, the FDA announced the approval of Trisenox (arsenic trioxide) for the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL), which affects approximately 2000 people each year in the USA.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

LGC goes global?

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Journal Article↗