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Biomedical subjects

J Littlefield

Publications and source records attributed to J Littlefield.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

An instrument to evaluate alcohol-abuse interviewing and intervention skills.

At the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio from 1988 through 1990, the authors developed the Alcoholism Intervention Performance Evaluation (AIPE), a rating instrument for the evaluation of alcohol-abuse interviewing and intervention skills. Factor analysis of 51 rating items identified seven factors that accounted for most of the variability among the items; 35 were retained and assigned to the factor with which they correlated most highly, thus resulting in a seven-factor instrument with 35 items. The AIPE overall score had an interrater reliability of .73 (for four raters each rating approximately 30 videotaped simulated-patient interviews) and a test-retest reliability of .89 (for one rater rescoring 20 interviews after one month). The authors suggest that the individual scores for the seven factors can be used to provide instructional feedback to trainees and that the overall score can be used to certify interviewer proficiency.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed1979

The mode of action alginic acid compound in the reduction of gastroesophageal reflux.

This study was designed to evaluate quantitatively the mode of action of alginic acid compound (AAC) in the treatment of patients with symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux. Gastroesophageal scintigraphy using an orall administered Tc-99m sulfur colloid solution was used to demonstrate that AAC decreased significantly the gastroesophageal reflux index from (9.9 +/- 1.3) % to (6.5 +/- 0.8) % (p less than 0.05). No alteration of lower esophageal sphincter pressure was observed. After ACC was suitably labeled with Sr-87m, a dual-nuclide scintigraphic technique was used to show that most (greater than 75%) of the AAC was located in the upper half of the stomach in both normal subjects and patients with gastroesophageal reflux. In those subjects in whom reflux did occur after treatment with AAC, the Sr-87m-AAC refluxed into the esophagus preferentially compared with the liquid containing Tc-99m sulfur colloid. These findings suggest that AAC dimishes gastroesophageal reflux by means of its foaming, floating, and viscous properties.

Adult↗
PubMed1974

Computer-assisted analysis of chromosomal abnormalities: detection of a deletion in aniridia-Wilms' tumor syndrome.

A chromosome translocation, t(8p + ; 11q -), in a patient with aniridia and Wilms' tumor, appeared balanced by standard techniques, including trypsin banding. Computer analysis of optical microscope scanning profiles of chromosome pairs 8 and 11 revealed an interstitial deletion of the short arm of 8. Computer analysis coupled to the new banding techniques provides greater resolution for the detection of subtle chromosomal variations not recognized by banding methods alone.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A clinical laboratory program to improve performance of resident physicians.

In summary residents entering our program lacked many basic clinical laboratory skills. Without an organized curriculum in this area, residents make marginal or no gains in competence. A clinical laboratory program which is accessible and clinically relevant does influence residents' knowledge and skills. Whether supervised performance of tests or didactic teaching was responsible for improved test results in our residents remains to be determined. This is important to determine because of the financial restraints of most programs and the demands already present on most residents' time.

Clinical Laboratory Techniques↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Water content and water structure in CT and MR signal changes: possible influence in detection of early stroke.

Recent work by the authors and others has shown that MR imaging is more sensitive than CT in the detection of acute stroke. To separate the effects of water content and water structure on MR signal intensity, we undertook two sets of experiments that used simple model systems: gelatin gels with increasing water content and hardened hens' eggs. CT and MR were performed on both systems. On CT there was a direct linear relationship between CT attenuation (Hounsfield units) and the specific gravity of the gelatin gels, and an inverse relationship with water content. There was only a minimal change in the specific gravity of egg samples with hardening and, as expected on CT, no change in linear attenuation accompanying hardening. On MR there was a linear relationship between water content in gelatin gels and spin-lattice (T1) relaxation time (r = .92, p less than .01) and spin-spin (T2) relaxation time (r = .91, p less than .05). However, these changes were insufficient to explain the changes of signal intensity that occur in the brain with infarction. The simple cellular system with hens' eggs demonstrated that shortening of T1 and T2 accompanied egg hardening with minimal change in water content; the shift of water from bulk water to a bound or structured form was probably the basis of this phenomenon. We found that water structure and not merely water content is a significant mechanism underlying relaxation time changes and signal intensity changes in acute stroke.

Animals↗