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Biomedical subjects

I Donaldson

Publications and source records attributed to I Donaldson.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Diencephalic idiopathic gliosis: an unusual hypothalamic syndrome of dermopathy, diarrhea and growth arrest.

This case report of a 16-year-old girl describes the association of chronic diarrhea and lower limb dermopathy with an unusual and widespread gliosis within hypothalamic and other diencephalic structures. This syndrome to our knowledge has not been previously reported. Hypothalamic disease was suggested during life by examination findings of sustained hypothermia, altered sleep-wake cycles and abnormal cortisol diurnal rhythms. Profound growth arrest from the age of 8 yr (growth velocity < 1.4cm/yr) despite normal levels of growth hormone and response to physiological stimuli were additional unusual features. Autopsy after sudden death at 16 yr showed extensive gliosis in hypothalamic and adjacent diencephalic structures with proportionately little neuronal loss--suggesting an unidentified stimulus to glial proliferation. In the absence of evidence of other organ dysfunction it is suggested that dermopathy and chronic diarrhea in this case may have an autonomic basis. The impaired tissue response to growth hormone could be due to chronic hypothermia or involvement of some other (unidentified) hypothalamic factor regulating growth velocity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

The use of learning contracts in the clinical area.

This paper examines the implementation and evaluation of learning contracts in the clinical area with a small group of RGN students who were 18 months into their programme. An action research approach was used with the researcher acting as participant observer. Data collection methods included questionnaire, students self-evaluation, nominal group evaluation and researchers notes. The results indicated that through using learning contracts the tutor can effectively facilitate learning in the clinical area. Data collected indicated that the students did benefit from the experience. An important aspect that was identified is the need for adequate preparation of all those involved. The paper concludes that, although there are limitations, contract learning is a useful and valuable strategy to use in the clinical area providing the tutor with an alternative model for clinical contact.

Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate↗
PubMed1992

A five year follow up of incus transposition in relation to the first stage tympanoplasty technique.

This study was set up, prospectively, to determine factors affecting the long-term hearing results of patients undergoing incus transposition as a second stage in ossicular reconstruction, following a successful drumhead repair in non-cholesteatoma ears. Seventy-one patients were entered into the study over five years from 1980-1985, 66 were available to be studied throughout the five year follow-up period. Nine weeks post-operatively, 74 per cent of all patients has an air-bone gap of less than 15 dB (48/66). The type of first stage procedure had a significant effect on the hearing levels in the final five year assessment. The most successful sub-group were those patients who had a cortical mastoidectomy and silastic sheeting inserted in the first staging procedure. The air-bone gap, of less than 15 dB, was maintained in 71 per cent of this group (17/24). The sub-group who had a simple myringoplasty as the primary procedure had a good initial hearing level. By five years, however, only 30 per cent of the patients had maintained the air-bone gap of less than 30 dB (3/11).

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed1979

Frey's syndrome.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Tinnitus: a theoretical view and a therapeutic study using amylobarbitone.

A hypothetical discussion of the mechanisms producing tinnitus has been described along with an outline of previous treatments given. A small group of 40 patients with troublesome tinnitus were studied, 20 of whom were treated with amylobarbitone, and the results have been presented. An attempt is made to compare the subjective assessment made by patients of their symptom with an audiometric assessment of the same symptom both before and after the study.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Fibrosarcoma in a previously irradiated larynx.

The patient presented in this report had a rare tumour occurring in a situation suggestive of a radiation-induced mesenchymal neoplasm. Attention is drawn to the need for prolonged follow-up in cases of squamous carcinomata of the larynx apparently disease free for many years following irradiation.

Aged↗
PubMed1976

The roles of noradrenaline and dopamine in contraversive circling behaviour seen after unilateral electrolytic lesions of the locus coeruleus.

Unilateral electrolytic lesions of the locus coeruleus in rats result in spontaneous ipsiversive rotation, which is then replaced by contraversive rotation. One week after lesioning, when spontaneous turning ceases, apomorphine and d-amphetamine elicit contraversive circling behaviour, which was not affected by noradrenergic receptor blockade but was abolished by dopamine receptor blockade. The drug-induced contraversive circling response was also reproduced by piribedil but not clonidine. Combined unilateral electrolytic locus coeruleus and substantia nigra lesions on the same side resulted in apomorphine- and d-amphetamine-induced ipsilateral rotational behaviour which was indistinguishable from that seen with substantia nigra lesions alone. In rats with unilateral locus coeruleus lesions, the dose of intrastriatally injected apomorphine required to produce circling was less on the lesioned than the non-lesioned side. Direct injection of noradrenaline into one substantia nigra caused contraversive circling. Direct injection of phenoxybenzamine into one substantia nigra followed by apomorphine caused ipsiversive circling. The results suggest that the circling behaviour seen after unilateral locus coeruleus lesions depends on an asymmetry of striatal dopamine receptor activity and are consistent with a proposed coeruleus-nigral noradrenergic pathway, which enhances impulse flow in the dopaminergic nigrostriatal system.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Stapedectomy. A non-personal series.

An attempt has been made to indicate from St. Thomas' Hospital what the likely outcome of stapedectomy would be when performed by a cross-section of the speciality at differing levels of training, and to indicate the complications encountered at this centre. Included in the review is a comparison of the results from polythene struct and vein graft replacement and piston replacement.

Audiometry↗
PubMed1976

Bromocriptine treatment in Parkinson's disease.

Thirty-one patients with Parkinson's disease were treated with the ergot alkaloid bromocriptine, a drug which stimulates dopamine receptors. Bromocriptine had a slight therapeutic effect in patients on no other treatment and an additional effect in patients on levodopa. The mean optimum dosage of bromocriptine, established over a 12 week period, was 26 mg daily. In 20 patients bromocriptine was compared with placebo in a double-blind controlled trial. Active treatment caused a significant (P less than 0.02) reduction in total disability and akinesia scores. The least disabled patients showed the greatest response. Side-effects of bromocriptine--nausea, vomiting, hallucinations, and abnormal involuntary movements--were similar to nature to those of levodopa. In most normal subjects, bromocriptine causes an increase in plasma growth hormone concentration. This was determined in 20 patients with Parkinson's disease after 1-15 mg bromocriptine. Only a single patient showed an obvious increase up to 120 minutes after dosage. Bromocriptine was not effective treatment in two patients who had not previously responded to levodopa and replacement of this drug by bromocriptine in patients with end-of-dose akinesia after chronic levodopa treatment did not totally abolish response swings.

Aged↗