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Biomedical subjects

J Hiscox

Publications and source records attributed to J Hiscox.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Non-invasive assessment of cardiac output in children.

BACKGROUND: Stroke distance, the systolic velocity integral of aortic blood flow, is a linear analogue of stroke volume; its product with heart rate is minute distance, analogous to cardiac output. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of assessing cardiac output in children with a simple non-invasive Doppler ultrasound technique, and to determine the normal range of values. METHODS: Peak aortic blood velocity, stroke distance, and minute distance were measured through the suprasternal window in 166 children (mean age 9.6 years, range 2-14) using a portable non-imaging Doppler ultrasound instrument. RESULTS: The technique was well tolerated by all the children participating. Mean peak aortic blood velocity was 138 cm/s and was independent of age. Mean stroke distance was 31.8 cm and showed a small but significant increase with age; mean minute distance was 2490 cm and fell with age, as did heart rate. CONCLUSIONS: Suprasternal Doppler ultrasound measurement of stroke distance is a convenient, well tolerated, non-invasive technique for the assessment of cardiac output in children. The normal range of values during childhood has been established. The technique has great potential for assessing hypovolaemia in children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

A pilot study to assess the sensitivity and specificity of an intrasound device in the diagnosis of ankle fractures.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the use of a simple intrasound device in the detection of malleolar fractures in the accident and emergency (A&E) department. METHODS: Patients aged 16 to 70 years with ankle injuries presenting within 24 hours were considered for inclusion in the study. Those patients with bony tenderness, inability to weight bear, and swelling were examined with a simple intrasound device before x-ray examination. A positive result of discomfort, pain, withdrawal response, or combinations or these was noted. RESULTS: The device had a sensitivity of 85% and a specificity of 52% in detecting malleolar fractures. CONCLUSIONS: The use of intrasound in the detection of malleolar fractures cannot be relied upon alone, but it may help to limit the number of x rays taken unnecessarily. A further study is proposed to confirm these findings.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Control of TGEV mRNA transcription.

Coronavirus proteins are translated from a nested set of subgenomic mRNAs which have common 3' termini with unique 5' extensions. Evidence suggests that coronavirus mRNAs are generated by a mechanism of leader primed transcription. Leader RNA binds to consensus sequences upstream of each gene on full length negative strand viral RNA and transcription proceeds to the 5' end of the negative strand to produce the nested set of mRNAs. Even though this gives rise to polycistronic mRNA species only the 5' extension of each mRNA is translated to give the viral proteins. The leader RNA for TGEV is about 90 nucleotides long and contains the sequence which recognises the leader binding sites on the negative strand RNA. Evidence suggests that the length of the leader binding sequence may be involved in transcriptional control of individual mRNAs. In order to investigate this a virus specific mRNA isolation method was developed to measure the relative amounts of mRNAs synthesised during an infection of LLC-PK1 cells with TGEV (strain FS772/70). Thus the relative quantity of each mRNA can be determined and correlated with the variation in size of the leader binding site.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Section 9 police statement: a guide for junior doctors.

In England and Wales the police require medical evidence in crimes committed against a person. This will take the form of either a verbal statement given to a police officer under his/her direction, or a written report compiled by the doctor. Police surgeons regularly compile these reports without any complications. However, for many junior doctors they have potential pitfalls. This article is aimed primarily at junior doctors and GPs who are asked infrequently to provide medical evidence in criminal cases.

Crime↗