PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

I Donaldson

Publications and source records attributed to I Donaldson.

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

A trial of tinnitus therapy with ear-canal magnets.

A double-blind trial of Takeda's treatment of tinnitus by placing rare-earth magnets close to the tympanic membrane was carried out on 50 patients. The trial failed to show significant benefit from this line of therapy.

Double-Blind Method↗
PubMed1988

A family with late onset autosomal dominant cerebellar degeneration.

A family is described in which 5 (4 female and 1 male) of 8 siblings from one marriage developed a late onset cerebellar degeneration. Four of the 5 affected persons presented separately to different neurologists. Because the original enquiries into family history were negative, and because of the exclusion of other recognised causes for the clinical picture, a diagnosis of idiopathic chronic cerebellar degeneration was made for the individual patients. All patients experienced their first symptoms between the ages of 48 and 55 years, with a gradual unremitting deterioration from the onset. Cerebellar atrophy was confirmed on CT head scan in all cases. Clinically, apart from the cerebellar ataxia, there were no consistent signs of degeneration of any other central or peripheral nervous system pathway. Geographical factors severely limited family contact, and consequently none of those afflicted was aware of similarly affected relatives. Hence, this particular family illustrates the great importance of obtaining a detailed, accurate family history and of assiduous follow-up of the entire family. Only after many years did it become obvious that multiple members of the family were affected by a similar neurological problem.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

Hypoglycemia masquerading as cerebrovascular disease (hypoglycemic hemiplegia).

Hypoglycemia produced hemiplegia with right-sided predilection in 16 patients initially suspected of having suffered a stroke. Fifteen patients had no demonstrable brain disease, and the hemiplegia cleared rapidly once the hypoglycemia was corrected. Invasive investigations such as carotid arteriography are not required in most patients. The features of hypoglycemia hemiplegia suggest that a selective neuronal vulnerability and not underlying focal brain disease is responsible in most cases.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Comparison between fascicular and whole sural nerve biopsy.

Sural nerve regeneration and sensation were evaluated in 16 subjects five or more years after fascicular or whole nerve biopsy. Conduction studies demonstrated successful nerve regeneration in all subjects who had whole nerve biopsy. Postbiopsy interrogation revealed no long-term pain or paresthesias but a high incidence of tactile-induced dysesthesias. No significant difference was seen when areas of sural sensory loss were compared in fascicular and whole nerve biopsy groups. We conclude that whole nerve biopsy should be recommended in preference to fascicular biopsy since it is simpler, has greater diagnostic potential, and allows for a more complete morphological evaluation.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1982

Spinal cord atrophy associated with arachnoiditis as demonstrated by computed tomography.

Two cases showing the features of spinal arachnoiditis on metrizamide myelography were examined by concurrent computed tomography. This showed severe atrophy and deformity of the spinal cord with its cross sectional shape changing dramatically from one segmental level to the next. These features may be the result of traction on the cord by arachnoid adhesions. Filling defects in the canal or apparent enlargement of the cord may result from pouches of subarachnoid space which are not in free communication with the contrast material.

Arachnoiditis↗
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↗