Biomedical subjects

J Heilman

Publications and source records attributed to J Heilman.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Pedal symphalangism in modern American and Japanese skeletons.

Pedal symphalangism is a surprisingly common heritable trait of the human foot. In individuals exhibiting the trait, the joint between the intermediate and distal phalanges of one or more lateral toes never develops, resulting in toes with two phalanges rather than three. This study was undertaken to explore variation in the frequency of pedal symphalangism among groups with widely different geographic ancestry, and to consider the applicability of this trait to skeletal biological distance studies. A total of 460 Euro-American, 191 African-American and 99 Japanese skeletons were examined for presence of pedal symphalangism. The American individuals date to the first half of the 20th c, while the Japanese individuals date to the late 19th and early 20th c. Although the country of ancestry is unknown for most of the American individuals, the Euro-Americans appear to be largely northern European, with roots in Germany, Ireland and Scandinavia, while the African-Americans are primarily descendants of slaves with roots in west African countries such as Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Sierra Leone. Frequencies of fifth toe pedal symphalangism were calculated and compared among all three samples and found to be significantly higher in modern Japanese (83.7%) than in either Euro-Americans (46.4%) or African-Americans (44.0%). The Euro- and African-American frequencies were statistically indistinguishable for symphalangism of the fifth toe. In the fourth toe, however, the opposite result was found. The African-American frequency (7.9%) was significantly higher than the Euro-American frequency (2.6%), while no difference was found between the African-Americans and Japanese (11.7%). Since fourth toe pedal symphalangism has never been observed in the absence of fifth toe involvement, some of the same genes are clearly involved in producing the trait in both toes. However, differences in the pattern of fourth and fifth toe expression among the three groups identified in this study suggest that additional genetic or developmental factors may play a role in expression of pedal symphalangism in each of the toes.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Evaluation of a waterless, scrubless chlorhexidine gluconate/ethanol surgical scrub for antimicrobial efficacy.

A new waterless surgical hand preparation containing 1% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) and 61% ethyl alcohol was evaluated for antimicrobial efficacy in comparison with a standard 4% CHG surgical scrub and a 61% ethyl alcohol control. Clinical studies were based on the Tentative Final Monograph for Health-Care Antiseptic Drug Products (TFM) (proposed rule) and the Standard Test Method for Evaluation of Surgical Hand Scrub Formulations (ASTM E1115-91). Two randomized, blinded, well-controlled clinical studies involving 137 healthy subjects were conducted to evaluate the antimicrobial effectiveness of the CHG/ethanol hand preparation in producing an immediate and persistent reduction in the normal bacterial flora of the hands. The CHG/ethanol hand preparation was applied without scrubbing or the use of water, and a standard 4% CHG reference product was applied with a scrub brush in 2 traditional 3-minute surgical scrubs. In 1 study, a 61% ethanol vehicle control treatment was applied without scrubbing or use of water. During a 5-day period, each study subject performed a series of 11 surgical scrubs with 1 of the test treatments. After the first treatment on days 1, 2, and 5, surgical gloves were worn for 3 or 6 hours. Bacterial samples were taken with the glove-juice technique at 1 minute, 3 hours, and 6 hours after treatment. The immediate bactericidal effect of the CHG/ethanol hand preparation after a single application resulted in a 2.5-log reduction in normal flora. This bactericidal effect persisted throughout the studies and eventually increased to a 3.6-log reduction after the 11th scrub on day 5. The log reductions of the CHG/ethanol hand preparation proved to be significantly better (P <.05) than that of the 4% CHG product at each sampling interval on days 1 and 2 and the sampling at 6 hours on day 5 and significantly better than the 61% ethanol vehicle at all times. The combination of 1% CHG and 61% ethanol had significantly greater microbial reduction than either the 4% CHG (without ethanol) or the 61% ethanol vehicle (without CHG).

Adult↗

PubMed1993

A uniform with uniformity.

Clothing is a powerful form of non-verbal communication, conveying socio-economic status, occupational role and even the authority and power vested in that role. The traditional hospital nursing uniform reflects its historic military and religious foundations, and, many would say, the servile rank of the wearer.

Clothing↗

PubMed1982

Comparative efficacy of colestipol and clofibrate in type IIa hyperlipoproteinemia.

A multiclinic study was performed comparing colestipol hydrochloride, clofibrate, and placebo in 245 patients with type IIa hyperlipoproteinemia. Eighty-five subjects took colestipol hydrochloride in progressive doses of 15, 20, and 30 g/day; 87 took 2.0 g/day of clofibrate; and 73 took placebo over the six months of study. Colestipol lowered total cholesterol level 20.9% in comparison with clofibrate (14.6%) (statistically significant at months 3, 5, and 6), and lowered low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level 28.8% in comparison with clofibrate (14.8%) (significant at months 2, 4, and 6, all times measured). High-density lipoprotein cholesterol level remained unchanged in all groups. Clofibrate lowered total triglyceride levels 22.5%, compared with an increase of 12.5% in the colestipol group and 11.1% in the placebo group (significant at all time intervals). Colestipol was more effective than clofibrate in lowering the cholesterol fractions associated with increased cardiovascular risk.

Adolescent↗