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Biomedical subjects

D J Harper

Publications and source records attributed to D J Harper.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

No net loss of fish habitat: a review and analysis of habitat compensation in Canada.

The achievement of No Net Loss (NNL) through habitat compensation has rarely been assessed in Canada. Files relating to 124 Fisheries Act Section 35(2) authorizations issued by Fisheries and Oceans Canada for the harmful alteration, disruption, and destruction of fish habitat (HADD) were collected and reviewed. Data extracted from these files were pooled and analyzed to provide an indication of the types of HADDs that have been authorized in Canada, what habitats have been affected, and what habitat management approaches have been used when compensating for HADDs and monitoring and ensuring the success of the compensation. Determinations regarding the effectiveness of habitat compensation in achieving NNL were made. Impacts to 419,562 m2 of fish habitat from the 124 authorized HADDs were offset by 1,020,388 m2 of compensatory habitat. Eighty percent of the authorizations had compensation ratios (compensation area:HADD area) of 2:1 or less, and 25% of the authorizations had a compensation ratio that was less than 1:1. In-channel and riparian habitat were the most frequently impacted habitats. Urban development and roads and highways resulted in the greatest areal loss of habitat. The compensation option that was most often selected was the creation of in-kind habitat. The mean duration of post-construction monitoring programs was 3.7 years. Determinations of NNL could only be made for 17 authorizations as a result of poor proponent compliance with monitoring requirements and the qualitative assessment procedures used by the monitoring programs. Adequate resources, proper training, and standardized approaches to data management and monitoring programs are required to ensure that the conservation goal of NNL can be achieved in Canada.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

The role of the family physician in the day care setting.

Injuries and infectious respiratory, gastrointestinal and dermatologic diseases are common in day care settings. Most day care injuries are contusions, abrasions and cuts involving the head and extremities. Impact-absorbing surfaces under playground equipment, safely-proofing of all play areas, increased staff supervision, and staff and parental education might reduce injuries by as much as 75 percent. Respiratory illnesses are the most common day care infections. Chemoprophylaxis with rifampin is required for all close contacts of children infected with Haemophilus influenzae type B and Neisseria meningitidis. Diarrheal illness may be caused by viral pathogens, bacterial agents such as Shigella, Campylobacter or Salmonella, or parasitic infections caused by Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium. Strict hand-washing procedures, especially before food preparation and after toileting, may reduce diarrheal illness by 50 percent. Head lice (Pediculosis capitis) and scabies are common dermatologic infections spread by direct contact and through clothing, bedding and hair brushes. Screening and treating affected children with permethrin preparations and thoroughly washing bedding and clothing are necessary to stop outbreaks. Use of universal precautions for the handling of stool is essential to prevent the spread of both ordinary diarrheal illnesses and serious infections such as hepatitis A and B, human immunodeficiency virus and cytomegalovirus.

Child↗
PubMed1994

The professional construction of 'paranoia' and the discursive use of diagnostic criteria.

This study examined the ways in which five mental health professionals talked about paranoia. A discourse analysis (Potter & Wetherell, 1987) suggested that interviewees positioned themselves, and were themselves positioned, by a number of discourses, or systematic ways of talking, in relation to this topic. These discourses appeared to serve a number of functions including the maintenance of professional legitimacy. Interviewees used a number of rhetorical strategies (including exploiting the range and ambiguity of diagnostic definitions, criteria and theories) in order to meet challenges, for example that paranoid beliefs might be true.

Delusions↗
PubMed1994

Absent-mindedness and shop-lifting--a case study.

This article briefly reviews the literature describing the role of absent-mindedness in shop-lifting. In addition, a case study is described which illustrates how a psychological formulation of such cognitive failures can aid the forensic clinician's understanding of shop-lifting.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Aminoglycoside dosing in burn patients using first-dose pharmacokinetics.

Burn patients have altered aminoglycoside pharmacokinetics, which often result in subtherapeutic serum concentrations when these drugs are administered by conventional dosing (CD) methods. First-dose (FD) pharmacokinetic calculations can be used in these patients to determine an appropriate dosing regimen. We reviewed our experience with FD methods (12 patients) and CD methods (14 patients). Therapeutic levels were achieved more promptly in the FD group than in the CD group (44.4 +/- 8.1 vs. 97.1 +/- 12.5 hours; p < 0.005). Therapeutic serum concentrations were achieved with the first set of steady-state levels in 11% of CD patients and in 67% of FD patients (p < 0.005). The FD group required significantly fewer dosing changes (2.1 +/- 0.3) than did the CD group (3.7 +/- 0.7, p < 0.005). These data demonstrate that aminoglycoside dosing using first-dose pharmacokinetics results in improved maintenance of therapeutic serum concentrations compared with conventional methods in burn patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Nurses' attitudes and satisfaction in two psychogeriatric wards: their structure and correlates.

This study investigated the structure and correlates of previously published job satisfaction and attitude measures for nurses through an analysis of responses from staff working in two psychogeriatric wards. A number of inter-correlations were found between the attitude and satisfaction scales. Factor analysis revealed that one of the attitude scales was multi-dimensional and it is suggested that future research should not assume the uni-dimensionality of attitude and satisfaction constructs. It is concluded that psychometric research has important limitations, that a multiplicity of research strategies (both quantitative and qualitative) should be employed in future investigations and that more importance should be accorded to the organizational context of job satisfaction.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1992

Defining delusion and the serving of professional interests: the case of 'paranoia'.

This paper examines the related concepts of paranoia and delusion from a broadly social constructionist perspective. Through an analysis of the American Psychiatric Association's (1987) definition of delusion, inherent inconsistencies and implied philosophical assumptions are highlighted. It is argued that psychiatric definitions are not merely academic and clinical but are a site of political and professional interest. The implications of such an analysis are discussed with particular reference to developing new directions for research and clinical practice.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Motivation and drug dependency: a preliminary evaluation of an assessment tool.

This paper describes a pilot project examining whether two research-based assessment instruments following a conflict model of dependency are of any clinical use. It is argued that the information they provide about client motivation towards treatment and about supporting and hindering influences during withdrawal is important for clinicians of any profession involved in a service to drug users.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Triton X-100 activates nucleoside triphosphate-dependent, recBC-dependent DNA synthesis in toluene-treated Escherichia coli.

Escherichia coli cells whose chromosome replication has been terminated in vivo, either by growth into stationary phase or by incubation of a mutant carrying a temperature-sensitive initiation mutation under restrictive conditions, are inactive in in vitro DNA synthesis as measured in toluene-treated cells. Addition of the non-ionic detergent Triton X-100 to such inactive systems results in a marked stimulation of ATP-dependent in vitro DNA synthesis. This Triton-stimulated DNA synthesis appears to proceed by a semi-conservative mechanism, in that DNA synthesized in vitro in the presence of a density labeled precursor bands in CsCl equilibrium centrifugation at a hybrid density. Neutral sucrose gradient centrifugation demonstrates that most of this hybrid material exhibits a molecular weight in excess of 1 X 10(7). Triton-stimulated synthesis requires the presence of DNA polymerase III, as does normal in vivo replication. We show here, however, several anomalous properties of the DNA synthesis in the Triton/toluene system. In particular, Triton-stimulated synthesis is absent in cells harboring a recB mutation which lack the ATP-dependent exonuclease V, an enzyme implicated in recombinational repair synthesis in vivo. Furthermore, the ATP requirement for Triton-stimulated synthesis is relatively non-sepcific, and a variety of nucleoside triphosphates can effectively substitute for ATP. Finally, despite their high molecular weight in neutral sucrose gradient centrifugation, Triton-stimulated DNA synthesis generates DNA molecules of low molecular weight (less than 500 000) as determined by alkaline sucrose gradient centrifugation. In contrast, DNA synthesis in the normal toluene-treated cell system is not dependent on recB activity, shows a nearly absolute requirement for ATP which cannot be replaced by other nucleoside triphosphates, and produces molecules of far greater molecular weight as measured on alkaline sucrose gradients. Taken altogether the data strongly suggest that Triton activates an unusual form of DNA synthesis in toluene-treated cells which shows both repair and replicative aspects. These results caution against the use of Triton-activated toluene-treated cells system, for studying simple replicative DNA synthesis.

Cell Division↗