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Biomedical subjects

J Allender

Publications and source records attributed to J Allender.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

HIV-related training programs for health care professionals: findings from a collaborative assessment.

Seeking to avoid duplication of effort, evaluators from twelve separate HIV-related training programs worked together to share information, assessment tools, measurement instruments, and preliminary findings across programs. Each training program focused on preparing health care professionals to meet the growing demands of the AIDS epidemic and specifically address psychosocial issues of care. The collaborative effort of program evaluators included an examination of experiences across programs and yielded recommendations for needs assessments, process evaluation procedures, and outcome measures. This paper focuses on the findings from an analysis of needs assessments and process evaluations across twelve HIV-related training programs in eleven areas of the country.

Forecasting↗
PubMed1992

Comparing obligatory to nonobligatory runners.

This study compares "obligatory" runners (runners who continue to run despite clear physical injury or contraindications) to nonobligatory runners. Both groups scored within the normal range on most psychological test indices. The two groups had more similarities than differences. The obligatory runners did present more significant elevations of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory scales than did the nonobligatory runners. Based on their responses to the semistructured interview, the obligatory runners were significantly more concerned and rigid about weight control than the nonobligatory runners and the obligatory runners were more likely to prefer being alone. Obligatory runners were more preoccupied with their bodies and reported more positive changes in self-concept and a greater sense of control over their lives since they had begun to run. Female runners reported more satisfaction with and more positive effects from running than did male runners. Strenuous exertion is known to increase prolactin in male and female runners. Clinical research studies suggest that an increase in prolactin is associated with an obsessive preoccupation with diet and/or exercise.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Controlled clinical trial of cannabidiol in Huntington's disease.

Based on encouraging preliminary findings, cannabidiol (CBD), a major nonpsychotropic constituent of Cannabis, was evaluated for symptomatic efficacy and safety in 15 neuroleptic-free patients with Huntington's Disease (HD). The effects of oral CBD (10 mg/kg/day for 6 weeks) and placebo (sesame oil for 6 weeks) were ascertained weekly under a double-blind, randomized cross-over design. A comparison of the effects of CBD and placebo on chorea severity and other therapeutic outcome variables, and on a Cannabis side effect inventory, clinical lab tests and other safety outcome variables, indicated no significant (p greater than 0.05) or clinically important differences. Correspondingly, plasma levels of CBD were assayed by GC/MS, and the weekly levels (mean range of 5.9 to 11.2 ng/ml) did not differ significantly over the 6 weeks of CBD administration. In summary, CBD, at an average daily dose of about 700 mg/day for 6 weeks, was neither symptomatically effective nor toxic, relative to placebo, in neuroleptic-free patients with HD.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Effects of subject variables on attitude change and knowledge acquisition in an AIDS education program.

The need for improved knowledge and attitudes about HIV infection and HIV-infected clients has been documented, as has the effectiveness of AIDS education programs in affecting change in these characteristics of health care workers. Analyzing a sample of 336 health care providers, the current study assessed the impact of subject variables on knowledge and attitude change for health care providers after educational programs of 4 to 8 hours. Results indicated that several subject characteristics were significantly related to pretest levels of attitudes and knowledge. However, these same subject variables did not affect the degree of change on the attitude and knowledge scales. The importance of AIDS educators understanding the impact of subject variables on change is discussed.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1989

Processing of emotional cues in patients with dementia of the Alzheimer's type.

Previous research on patients with dementia of the Alzheimer's type (DAT) has focused primarily on intellectual and memory deficits. The present study investigated another aspect of cognitive functioning, that of processing of emotional cues. Subjects included 30 DAT patients and 13 normal controls who were asked to identify emotional expressions in pictured faces and in tone of tape recorded sentences. A battery of neuropsychological tests was also administered. DAT patients were impaired on all tasks as compared to controls of comparable age, education and previous occupation. Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that the two emotional tasks were the most highly correlated of all the tasks for the patient sample. This relationship is discussed as validating the emotional tasks as measures of emotional cue processing rather than reflecting deficits based only on other task dimensions.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

Parameters that bias the measurement of airborne concentration within a respirator.

This paper describes the theoretical basis upon which a test system has been set up to evaluate the sampling error associated with in-facepiece sampling on half-mask respirators. The in-facepiece sampling technique evaluated in this study is the one currently used in the U.S. to conduct quantitative facepiece fit testing. An experimental design was developed to study the sampling bias associated with in-facepiece sampling when selected parameters of the man/respirator system were varied. The results indicated that significant errors can be made in estimating concentration within a respirator when the current in-facepiece sampling technique is employed. Sampling bias was determined when in-facepiece samples were collected only during the inhalation phase of the respiratory cycles. They were found to range from greater than -99% to greater than +98%. The mean sampling bias was -17 +/- 38%. When measured in-facepiece concentrations were used to calculate a fit factor the resulting range was 44 to 4728 even though the actual fit factor was only 87. Based upon the data presented, it was hypothesized that faceseal leakage was streamlining within the respirator cavity. As a result, quantitative facepiece fit data on half-mask respirators may be biased by the large measurement error.

Acetone↗
PubMed1984

Workplace protection factor measurements on powered air-purifying respirators at a secondary lead smelter--test protocol.

A study was conducted at a secondary smelter to evaluate the workplace performance of the 3M Model W-344 and Racal Model AH3 powered air-purifying respirators ( PAPR ) equipped with helmets and high efficiency filters. The research protocol developed for obtaining leakage measurements in the field provides for proper respirator fitting, use, wear, maintenance and worker supervision, all of which are problems commonly associated with data acquisition when field testing respirators. The protocol proved to be very workable, even though it required extensive worker and equipment monitoring. Based upon the successful implementation of this protocol, the performance of these PAPRs should be indicative of their best performance under the workplace conditions experienced in this study. This research protocol is proposed as a model for conducting field studies on other types of respirators as well as the basis on which to develop new and improved field test procedures. The results of one such study are presented in a comparison paper.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗