PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

D Corrigan

Publications and source records attributed to D Corrigan.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Relationship between knee extension force and stand-up performance in community-dwelling elderly women.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the relationship between knee extension force and stand-up performance. DESIGN: Prospective, cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational. SETTING: Community. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-five community-dwelling women 60 or more years old. INTERVENTIONS: Information pertaining to stand-up performance was gathered via structured questions. The time to complete 1 sit-to-stand from a bench of known height (16in) was obtained in conjunction with subjects' ratings of perceived exertion (RPEs) relative to the task. Bilateral lower extremity knee extension strength was measured with a hand-held dynamometer and normalized against body weight. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Total knee extension forces (raw and body-weight normalized values) generated by each subject were correlated with 3 measures of stand-up performance. RESULTS: Low to moderate correlations (r = -.323 to -.526) were found between knee extension forces and the stand-up performance measures of bench stand time and stand-up difficulties. Normalized knee extension force had a higher correlation than raw knee extension force with stand-up difficulties and RPE. Correlations were higher when the curvilinear nature of the relationship was taken into account. The highest correlation was between normalized knee extension force and the RPE associated with the bench stand task (r = -.767). CONCLUSION: Knee extension force offers an important but incomplete explanation of stand-up performance from low surfaces by elderly women. Interventions leading to increased knee extension force may improve stand-up performance.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2001

Development of a bioassay for phytochemicals using Daphnia pulex.

The freshwater cladoceran Daphnia pulex was explored as an alternative to Artemia salina for the biological screening of phytochemicals. This paper reports on the results of screening 27 compounds, and comparisons are made with screens using Artemia salina. The effect of miniaturisation of the assay system was investigated. Petri-dish based tests were performed for the 27 compounds using 10 daphnids at each of 5 concentrations (1 - 1000 mg l(-1)). Potassium dichromate was used as a control and the number immobile after 24 hours were counted. Results were expressed as EC(50) values. The active compounds (EC(50) < 25 mg l(-1)) comprised mainly adrenoceptor agonist alkaloids, while the cytotoxins vincristine and colchicine, and several antibiotics were relatively non-toxic towards Daphnia. The method was validated by comparative bioassay of A. belladonna fractions. Overall, this screen compared favourably with those based on Artemia. Daphnia were sensitive to a wide range of biologically active molecules including CNS-stimulants, anti-malarials, narcotics and anti-spasmodics, and the sensitivity was broader than previously seen with Artemia. The screen is perhaps limited by the lack of sensitivity to cytotoxins, but this might be overcome by altering the test criteria.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

A broad range of forces is encompassed by the maximum manual muscle test grade of five.

This retrospective study summarizes the range of knee extension forces associated with the manual muscle test grade of 5. The range of the forces (>560 Newtons) was large and encompassing of more than 86% of measurable forces. These findings help to explain the insensitivity of manual muscle testing and why it has such a profound ceiling effect.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Hepatic enzyme abnormalities in children on triple therapy for tuberculosis.

Standard chemotherapy for tuberculosis (TB) in children uses hepatotoxic drugs. Published data and guidelines on monitoring of liver function during TB treatment are often contradictory and not directly relevant to the pediatric population. We carefully monitored 43 children (age 6.6 years, 0.7-15.1 [median, range]; 49% male; 72% Caucasian) being treated for TB infection (n = 8) or disease (n = 35) with triple therapy, using pyrazinamide, rifampicin, and isoniazid in standard recommended doses. Children on other hepatotoxic drugs were excluded. Measurements of liver function tests (LFT) included aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), and bilirubin, and they were checked before and a median of 5 times (1-23) during treatment. Only one child had mildly abnormal LFTs pretreatment. Thirteen children (n = 13, [30%]; age 7.6 years, 1.8-10.9; 54% male; 77% Caucasian) developed abnormal LFTs (> mean + 2 SD) and of these 10 had TB disease. Eight of the 13 had mildly elevated enzymes (< twice upper limit of normal) while in five, all with disease, the enzymes were more markedly raised. In the group with normal LFTs (n = 30, [70%]; age 6.6 years 0.7-15.1; 47% male; 70% Caucasian) 25 had disease (83%). Liver enzyme elevation occurred early (1.65 weeks, 0.6-16.6). Only two children had symptoms (one jaundice, one pruritus) with treatment being stopped temporarily only in the jaundiced child. Otherwise, LFTs normalized without interrupting treatment. We conclude that elevated liver enzymes are not uncommon in children receiving triple therapy for TB, generally occurring early in treatment. Symptoms are rare. Current British Thoracic Society and American Thoracic Society guidelines (that if LFTs are normal prior to treatment then further monitoring should only be performed if clinically indicated) seem adequate for children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Comparison of resistance of fungal spores to gamma and electron beam radiation.

The irradiation sensitivity of fungal spores to either gamma or electron beam irradiation was evaluated in distilled water. The D10 (the dose required to reduce the initial population by 90%) gamma values ranged from 0.236 to 0.416 kGy and from 0.209 to 0.319 kGy for Penicillium and Aspergillus species, respectively. The D10 electron beam values ranged from 0.194 to 0.341 and from 0.198 to 0.243 kGy for Penicillium and Aspergillus species, respectively. Of the aspergilli species evaluated, only half exhibited significantly (P < 0.05) greater sensitivity to the electron beam treatment compared to gamma irradiation. Four of the six penicillia species evaluated also exhibited significantly (P < 0.05) higher sensitivities to electron beam treatment.

Electrons↗
PubMed1994

The effects of aerobic and anaerobic exercise conditioning on resting metabolic rate and the thermic effect of a meal.

This study examined resting metabolic rate (RMR) and thermic effect of a meal (TEM) among athletes who had participated in long-term anaerobic or aerobic exercise. Nine collegiate wrestlers were matched for age, weight, and fat-free weight with 9 collegiate swimmers. Preliminary testing included maximal oxygen consumption, maximal anaerobic capacity (MAnC) for both the arms and the legs, and percent body fat. On two separate occasions, RMR and TEM were measured using indirect calorimetry. VO2max was significantly higher in the swimmers while MAnC was significantly higher in the wrestlers for both the arms and the legs. RMR adjusted for fat-free weight was not significantly different between groups. The differences in total and percentage of TEM between the groups were not statistically significant, and there were no differences in baseline thyroid hormones. These data suggest that despite significant differences in VO2max and WAnT values following long-term aerobic and anaerobic exercise training, resting energy expenditure does not differ between these college athletes.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Two seasons of weight cycling does not lower resting metabolic rate in college wrestlers.

Over the course of 2 yr, we prospectively studied the effect on resting metabolic rate (RMR) of multiple cycles of weight loss followed by regain in six weight cycling collegiate wrestlers (WC) (mean age = 19.0 yr) compared with 12 weight stable, physically active, nonwrestling controls (C) (mean age = 20.9 yr), whose body composition was similar to the wrestlers. Furthermore, during the second year of the investigation, a group of six nonweight cycling collegiate wrestlers (NWC) (mean age = 18.8 yr) were included in the analyses. The WC had previously undergone at least three seasons of weight cycling and continued this pattern during each year of the study. For the WC, RMR was determined by indirect calorimetry before and after a 6-month season of weight cycling for each of two consecutive years. A similar time frame was followed for measurement of RMR in the C, while for the NWC, pre- and postseason RMRs were measured only during the second year. During the 2 yr, the WC had significantly higher (P < 0.05) pre- and postseason measures of RMR compared with the C. A separate analysis comparing all three groups during the second year showed that RMR was not different for WC and NWC, and that RMR was higher for both wrestling groups compared with C. In this prospective study, weight cycling did not increase the thermogenic efficiency of collegiate wrestlers compared with either nonweight cycling wrestlers or weight stable controls, who were not wrestlers.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Resting metabolic rate in weight-cycling collegiate wrestlers compared with physically active, noncycling control subjects.

To determine the effect of multiple cycles of weight loss and regain on resting metabolic rate (RMR), we compared RMR between 12 weight-cycling collegiate wrestlers (means age 19.4 y) with a minimum of three previous seasons of weight cycling and 13 weight-stable nonwrestlers of similar weight and body composition (means age 20.6 y). RMR was measured before, during, and after a 6-mo wrestling season. Wrestlers exhibited a significantly higher baseline RMR compared with the control subjects (p less than 0.05). During the season when wrestlers had lost weight for competition, RMR was reduced (p less than 0.05) but was not significantly lower than that of the weight-stable control subjects. After a season of weight cycling and the final weight regain, the wrestler's postseason RMR was similar to preseason values and higher than the postseason RMR of the control subjects (p less than 0.05). Participation in numerous cycles of weight loss and regain did not lower RMR in these competitive athletes, as has been previously suggested.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The identification of drugs of abuse in the Republic of Ireland during the years 1968-1978.

A survey of the composition of 4,933 exhibits submitted for laboratory analysis by the Drug Squad of the Irish police during the years 1968-1978 indicated an increase in the level of non-medical drug consumption in the Republic of Ireland. Cannabis was the most widely encountered drug. Barbiturates constituted a considerable proportion. Amphetamines were rarely found; this was attributed to the unique legislation controlling the storage and sale of amphetamines. Various substances were sold as drugs of abuse. For example, Datura was sold as cannabis which caused a considerable concern because of its toxicity. The recognition of a drug-related problem of some significance in Ireland during 1968 led to the formation of a drug squad in the Irish police. Since that time a total of 4,933 exhibits arising from arrests and drug seizures have been submitted for laboratory analyses. These exhibits ranged from "normal" pharmaceutical formulations (tablets, ampoules, etc.) to unknown powders and a large number of more unusual items (table 1). The drugs were identified using an appropriate combination of microscopic, chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques (1, 2).

Amphetamines↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Drug abuse in the Republic of Ireland: an overview.

An assessment of the nature and extent of drug abuse, based on the synthesis of different available indicators, shows that since 1979 there has been an alarming increase in drug abuse among young people in Ireland. Surveys of schoolchildren and young people indicate a sixfold increase in drug experimentation. The number of heroin addicts and other opiate addicts seeking treatment increased 5-6 times during the period from 1979 to 1983. The growing drug problem is also reflected in the increasing number of cases of hepatitis B and of drug-related deaths. A recent study carried out in a northern part of Dublin has revealed that 10 per cent of young people in the "15-24-year" age group were addicted to heroin, while another study has found that only 2.2 per cent of the youth in a southern suburb of Dublin were heroin addicts. Disrupted family life appears to be the major risk factor underlying heroin abuse among young people.

Adolescent↗