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Biomedical subjects

D J O'Brien

Publications and source records attributed to D J O'Brien.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Control of fly strike in sheep by means of a pour-on formulation of cyromazine.

Cyromazine, a triazine insecticide, was used as a pour-on preparation to prevent blowfly myiasis in sheep kept in pairs of neighbouring farms in two locations. In 1987 one of the farms in each location used conventional dipping with a diazinon dip while the other used the pour-on treatment. The results achieved with the pour-on preparation compared favourably with the results of conventional dipping and the incidence of blowfly strike was substantially lower than the proportion affected among the untreated groups on the same farms. The 1988 trial results confirmed the efficacy of the pour-on treatment for up to 13 weeks and that retreatments at eight-weekly intervals could reduce the incidence of fly strike to zero.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1991

Electronic weaponry--a question of safety.

Electronic weapons represent a new class of weapon available to law enforcement and the lay public. Although these weapons have been available for several years, there is inadequate research to document their safety or efficacy. Two of the most common, the TASER and the stun gun, are reviewed. The electronic weapon was initially and still is approved by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission; its approval was based on theoretical calculations of the physical effects of damped sinusoidal pulses, not on the basis of animal or human studies. These devices are widely available and heavily promoted, despite limited research into their safety or efficiency and despite recent animal studies documenting their potential for lethality.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Feasibility of reversible pulmonary artery banding: early results and intermediate-term follow-up.

Development of a reversible pulmonary artery band might obviate the need for a second cardiac surgical procedure in children with some forms of congenital heart disease. We evaluated a segmented Silastic-coated Dacron mesh band 2 to 4 mm wide sewn together with absorbable 2-0 polydioxanone suture for use as a reversible pulmonary artery band. Nine puppies 6 to 8 weeks old (mean weight, 5.8 kg) underwent placement of this pulmonary artery band. All survived the operation with a mean initial systolic gradient of 6.5 +/- 1.6 mm Hg and underwent cardiac catheterization at monthly intervals for 3 months. Two puppies died of right ventricular failure. The remaining puppies underwent balloon angioplasty with balloons 20 to 25 mm in diameter. No complications resulted from balloon angioplasty, but 1 puppy died 24 hours later of unidentified causes. Balloon angioplasty decreased the mean gradient from 46.7 +/- 6.8 mm Hg to 6.7 +/- 2.6 mm Hg. Angiography showed an increase in mean diameter of the site of the pulmonary artery band from 5.2 +/- 1.0 to 10.8 +/- 1.7 mm Hg. There was no evidence of vessel injury on angiograms. Fourteen months after balloon angioplasty, the mean gradient was 22.3 +/- 17.0 mm Hg. Our data demonstrate that a functionally reversible pulmonary artery band constructed of segmented Silastic-coated Dacron mesh and 2-0 polydioxanone suture is feasible.

Angioplasty, Balloon↗
PubMed1989

Prehospital blind nasotracheal intubation by paramedics.

Blind nasotracheal intubation attempts by paramedics in the field were prospectively reviewed. In particular, we analyzed the frequency, success rate, complication rate, frequency of performance by each paramedic, indications, and patient outcome. Blind nasotracheal intubation was attempted in 324 patients and successful in 231. The average success rate for medical patients was 72.2% (195 of 270 attempts) and for trauma patients was 66.7% (36 of 54 attempts). This difference was not significant (P greater than .05). Even with 59.8% of the 82 participating paramedics attempting blind nasotracheal intubation less than four times over the 19-month study period, the average success rate was 71.3%. There was a significant increase in success when blind nasotracheal intubation was attempted more than three times during the study period (P less than .005). Major complications occurred in 0.9% (three) of the patients. The overall complication rate was 13% (42). The incidence of complications tended to decline with increasing paramedic frequency but did not reach statistical significance (P greater than .05). Blind nasotracheal intubation is a safe initial field airway approach in spontaneously breathing patients in whom there are no contraindications. Even with a low frequency of performance, success and complication rates are acceptable.

Allied Health Personnel↗
PubMed1986

Use of a colouring agent in approved dips as an aid in identifying dipped sheep.

A fat soluble dye was identified as a suitable colourant for mixing with approved dips during the statutory winter dipping period. The optimum concentration of the dye was 0.4 per cent. It uniformly dyed the sheep and depending on the breed persisted on the fleece for three to six months. Any dye that remained on the wool at shearing (six to eight months after dipping) was washed out by scouring solutions containing non-ionic and anionic detergents. The dye did not alter the efficacy of the commonly used insecticides.

Animal Identification Systems↗
PubMed1986

The impact of aeromedical helicopter programs on emergency medicine resident training: resident attitudes, perceived risks, and benefits.

Using emergency medicine residents as helicopter flight physicians is a recent evolution in residency training. In an effort to study the impact such a system has on residents in emergency medicine, residents participating in helicopter transport were surveyed at 10 programs in the United States. The potential survey field was 118 residents with (81%) responding. Generally helicopter transport was perceived to be educational (80%), enjoyable (88%), and safe (74%). A total of 75% felt that benefits of transport outweighed the risks, despite an increase in aeromedical helicopter fatalities in 1985. In six of ten programs residents wore shoulder restraints, in two they wore helmets, and in no program were fire-retardant clothing worn on a regular basis. Of the 72 residents involved in mandatory participation, 69% would continue flying in a voluntary system. Although it is clear that selected patients benefit from aeromedical transports, refined triage protocols as well as further studies to identify the costs and benefits of such transport programs to participating emergency medicine residents are needed. Flight safety equipment including helmets, shoulder-harness restraints, and fire-retardant suits are underutilized at all programs surveyed.

Aircraft↗
PubMed1979

Influence of fulvic acid on bacteriophage adsorption and complexation in soil.

The effect of fulvic acid, the major fraction of natural soluble organic matter, on the adsorption of MS2 bacteriophage to soil was investigated in controlled laboratory experiments. Batch experiments together with scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray analysis showed that fulvic acid complexed phage, which prevented its adsorption to soil. Phage strongly adsorbed to soil in the absence of fulvic acid. Phage which was complexed with fulvic acid was not irreversibly inactivated and could become viable under proper conditions, illustrating the importance of assay and elution procedures in the recovery of virus from aqueous solutions.

Adsorption↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Airway management of aeromedically transported trauma patients.

The airway management of 176 consecutive traumatized patients aeromedically transported from the scene of injury was reviewed. In particular, the frequency of performance and time requirements for both blind nasotracheal intubation and cricothyrotomy were analyzed. Airway control was attempted in 70 (39.5%) patients and successful in 67 (95.7%). The average scene Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of these 70 patients was 7.16 (SD = 3.94) and ranged from 3 to 15. For the remaining 106 patients the average GCS was 14.3 (SD = 1.36) and ranged from 6 to 15 (P less than .0005). The scene trauma score (TS) of the two groups was 10.2 (SD = 3.11) and 15.2 (SD = 1.38), respectively (P less than .0005). In the field, blind nasotracheal intubation by an emergency physician (n = 59) or paramedic (n = 3) was successful in 62 of 65 cases (95.1%). The complication rate for this procedure was 4.6%. Cricothyrotomy was performed in two patients. Only three orotracheal intubations were performed. The remaining three patients were nasotracheally intubated in the emergency department. Neuromuscular blockade was not used in either setting. Despite the difference in patient acuity, there was no statistically significant difference in scene or transport times between those patients emergently intubated and those who were not (P greater than .05).

Aircraft↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The evolution of air transport systems: a pictorial review.

The air transport of patients began over seventy years ago in primitive biplanes. The ability to fly over the obstacles of the battlefield created enthusiasm in both the military and the medical communities. With the advent of vertical flight, the need for conventional runways was obviated allowing for casualties to be transported directly from the site of injury. After their introduction as air ambulances in 1945, helicopters soon supplanted ground ambulances with their speed and versatility. By the mid-1960s, civilian casualties were being transported by helicopter as regional trauma care developed in the United States. Today aeromedical programs continue to expand rapidly, even as closer scrutiny of their efficacy, cost, and safety are explored. A pictorial review highlighting the evolution of air transport systems is presented.

Aircraft↗