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Biomedical subjects

G Simpson

Publications and source records attributed to G Simpson.

105 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Delusion of parasitosis or chronic tactile hallucinosis: hypothesis about their brain physiopathology.

The abnormal belief of having the skin infested by parasites is a syndrome with different etiologies. Approximately 12% of cases are induced by another patient with the same syndrome. In noninduced cases, two physiopathological brain mechanisms have been proposed: a delusion, or a primary abnormal tactile sensation with a secondary delusional elaboration. These two hypotheses have been characterized by Berrios as cognitive and sensorialist approaches, respectively. Although modern literature defines this syndrome as a delusion, early literature, particularly German, described both approaches, and even emphasized the sensorialist approach, classifying it as a chronic tactile hallucinosis. A thorough review of the literature suggests both mechanisms may be possible.

Brain↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Do breath tests really underestimate blood alcohol concentration?

It has been reported that in the fully postabsorptive state, breath test results underestimate actual blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in 86% of the population. Reanalysis of the data on which this conclusion was based indicates 77% of these subjects were actually underestimated, and 23% were overestimated. Further refinements indicate 68% had their actual BAC underestimated, 16% were acceptably close to the actual BAC, and 16% were overestimated. Perhaps more importantly, comparison of this data with other results indicates fully postabsorptive status may not occur until more than three hours after drinking. Consequently, breath test results may tend to overestimate actual BAC for significant amounts of time after the peak BAC has been reached.

Breath Tests↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Medicolegal alcohol determination: comparison and consequences of breath and blood analysis.

The concentration of alcohol in blood or breath has come to be regarded as the most objective indicator of impaired driving ability for medicolegal and other purposes. Regardless of the analytical method employed, there is substantial uncertainty about impaired driving ability at a particular alcohol concentration because of large differences in response among individuals to a given dose of alcohol. There is additional uncertainty associated with the particular analytical method used. Since breath alcohol analysis is the most common method employed for medicolegal purposes in the U.S., this method is compared to blood alcohol analysis in order to estimate its reliability and explore the numerous consequences resulting from the use of these methods. Results from blood and breath analyses are often used interchangeably, even though they are not necessarily equally valid indicators of impaired driving ability. To satisfy fundamental legal and scientific principles, it is concluded that the total uncertainty involved in a determination of impaired driving ability must be reported or otherwise accounted for in medicolegal applications.

Breath Tests↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A four-dimensional probabilistic atlas of the human brain.

The authors describe the development of a four-dimensional atlas and reference system that includes both macroscopic and microscopic information on structure and function of the human brain in persons between the ages of 18 and 90 years. Given the presumed large but previously unquantified degree of structural and functional variance among normal persons in the human population, the basis for this atlas and reference system is probabilistic. Through the efforts of the International Consortium for Brain Mapping (ICBM), 7,000 subjects will be included in the initial phase of database and atlas development. For each subject, detailed demographic, clinical, behavioral, and imaging information is being collected. In addition, 5,800 subjects will contribute DNA for the purpose of determining genotype- phenotype-behavioral correlations. The process of developing the strategies, algorithms, data collection methods, validation approaches, database structures, and distribution of results is described in this report. Examples of applications of the approach are described for the normal brain in both adults and children as well as in patients with schizophrenia. This project should provide new insights into the relationship between microscopic and macroscopic structure and function in the human brain and should have important implications in basic neuroscience, clinical diagnostics, and cerebral disorders.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Scuba diving medical examinations in practice: a postal survey.

OBJECTIVE: To assess variability of opinion regarding fitness to dive among doctors currently doing diving medical examinations. DESIGN: Anonymous, reply-paid postal survey containing 15 clinical scenarios for which respondents were asked to declare the prospective scuba diver fit, unfit, fit after investigation or to offer specialist referral. PARTICIPANTS: All 81 doctors in Queensland, identified as members of the South Pacific Underwater Medical Society, who had completed approved training in underwater medicine, and who were doing diving medical examinations in June 1998. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Variability in responses, and agreement with our interpretation of the action recommended by Australian Standard (AS) 4005.1-1992, the medical standard for fitness to scuba dive for recreational divers. RESULTS: 52 of the 81 questionnaires were returned (64% response rate). There was a wide variety of opinion about fitness to dive for all 15 hypothetical cases, with 70% consensus about unfitness in only four cases (one of which should have been referred according to AS guidelines) and fitness in only two cases (both of which should have been referred according to AS guidelines). No case was considered either fit or unfit by all respondents. Only 17.6% of responses recommended specialist referral, although the AS guidelines suggest that 10 of the 15 cases should be referred. One doctor failed 13 of the 15 potential divers outright and another passed seven outright and failed only four. For each case that the AS guidelines firmly indicate as unfit to dive, at least one respondent passed the hypothetical prospective diver as fit. CONCLUSIONS: There is no consensus among doctors who perform diving medical examinations as to what constitutes fitness to dive; current guidelines need to be improved.

Australia↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Nurses' attitudes toward computerization in clinical practice in a British general hospital.

The growth of information technology systems associated with the organizational reforms of the British Health Service has given rise to a need to understand nurses' attitudes toward computerization. Several studies in the United States have identified various factors that influence nurses' computer-related attitudes but such studies in the United Kingdom are rare. This study sampled 208 nurses in a general hospital of approximately 500 beds, and measured their computer-related attitudes using Stronge and Brodt's questionnaire. Demographic data specifically related to the UK scene also were collected. Although nurses' computer-related attitudes generally were positive, significant differences were found in relation to age, length of service as a trained nurse, job title, type of nursing unit, and length of service at the study hospital. Brodt and Stronge also found significant differences related to length of time as a trained nurse and nursing unit, but not for length of service or age. Discussion of the study findings suggests that the UK scene is not dissimilar to that in the United States. However, comparison of findings with Brodt and Stronge's work raises some questions about trends in nurses' computer-related attitudes and about the usefulness of computer technology to professional nursing practices.

Aging↗