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Biomedical subjects

J Milton

Publications and source records attributed to J Milton.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

Pressure measurements during automatic breast compression in mammography.

Breast compression during X-ray mammography results in improved image quality at a lower radiation dose to the patient, and, as a consequence, the Department of Health recommends that automatic breast compression devices are fitted to mammographic X-ray units. However, the degree of breast compression is not standardized and can vary depending on the size of the patient, the particular mammography X-ray unit and the conditions of its use. A pressure measuring system was used to determine accurately the pressure on the breast. This system takes the form of a fluid-filled neonatal cuff connected to a pressure transducer by a fluid line. The pressure measuring system was calibrated and tested, first without and then with the patients, to assess its practical feasibility. The elements of the pressure measuring system, the techniques involved in its calibration and its use on patients in the clinical environment are described here. The system has proved to be a quick and simple method of relating the pressure on the breast to the pressure reading of the mammography X-ray unit.

Automation↗
PubMed1987

Frequency analysis of the sleep EEG in depression.

Eight patients with major depressive disorder (seven bipolar and one unipolar) and matched controls had sleep studies, on which frequency analysis of the electroencephalogram (EEG) was performed. Total sleep and sleep efficiency were decreased in the patients, but there was no significant difference in rapid eye movement (REM) latency between the two groups. Frequency analysis revealed no group differences in power in the delta band (0.23-2.5 Hz) or the whole EEG spectrum (0.23-25 Hz). These findings suggest that mean REM latencies are not always shorter in major depression. The results are discussed in light of a previous report of decreased delta energy in the sleep EEG of unipolar patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Effect of monocular occlusion on rotary pursuit performance.

An experiment was conducted comparing a monocularly occluded to a control group (n = 8 per group) on a rotary pursuit task over a 24-hr. period. The results show that, notwithstanding a practice effect, the monocular group exhibited a significant depression-enhancement effect previously reported only for measures of temporal visual acuity. Evidently this effect generalizes to more complex tasks.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Feasibility and usefulness of family record cards in general practice.

In order to determine the feasibility of family record cards in general practice a research secretary created cards for 1825 households from a practice of 10 600 patients. The capital cost was pound108 and the time taken by the secretary was 1638 hours, which is equivalent to a wage of pound1330 for a maximum grade secretary, assuming a 70% rebate paid by the family practitioner committee. Approximately six and a half hours of receptionist/secretarial time are needed each week to maintain the system. The doctors spent a mean of three minutes checking and completing the initial update of each card.Before the cards were introduced, most information about families was held in the doctors' heads, and little was written in the records even though the doctors considered family information relevant in 33% of consultations. After the introduction of family record cards the doctors had access to reasonably complete information about the family at 98% of consultations and the cards were used at 95% of consultations. The doctors believed the information was useful for establishing rapport, identifying patients' concerns, obtaining relevant history, forming diagnostic hypotheses and managing the present complaint. Trainees and locums found the cards more useful than principals.

England↗
PubMed1977

Countersymbiotic suicide.

In the course of studying the outcome of treatment for severely disturbed schizophrenics on a special ward, the authors encountered three instances of suicide with many features in common. All three cases involved young Hispanic male patients who demonstrated pathologically symbiotic relationships with their mothers. None had a history of overt suicide attempts prior to their actual death by jumping. These incidents occurred while the patients were en route to, or at, the maternal home on an unauthorized leave from the hospital. We present the case histories and offer a dynamic interpretation. In each case, it is likely that the underlying desire was to kill the mother. This either was not permissible or, alternatively, the patients' ego boundaries were not sufficiently clear to permit differentiation of self and mother. The patients saw any attempt, short of suicide, to loosen the symbiotic bond as being futile, hence, our terminology of the event as "countersymbiotic suicide."

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

Civil liberties versus involuntary hospitalization.

The authors examine the issue of involuntary hospitalization for mental illness with particular reference to legal rights and civil liberties. Follow-up data of patients treated on a closed ward, as well as other available evidence, indicate that society is not ready for the abolition of involuntary hospitalization. The authors believe that the most fundamental right of the patient is that of adequate treatment, and therefore this should take precedence over an absolute right to liberty.

Attitude↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Retrospective fusion of radiographic and MR data for localization of subdural electrodes.

Prior to epilepsy surgery, subdural electrodes are often implanted and monitored for a few days to identify the focus of abnormal electrical activity. During the implantation and subsequent brain resection, there may be uncertainty about the exact location of the electrodes with respect to features of brain anatomy such as specific gyral convolutions or lesions. In experiments with a phantom and patients, implanted electrodes were imaged with multiplanar skull radiographs (or CT scans). After retrospective registration with preimplantation MR data, the electrodes were mapped from these studies onto an MR-derived three-dimensional brain model. The resulting multimodality displays showed the relationship of the electrodes to brain anatomy. In one patient the position of each electrode with respect to a metabolic lesion was also displayed by mapping preimplantation PET data onto the same brain model. This new display of electrode positions may strengthen the interpretation of subdural electrical recordings and thereby reduce uncertainty in planning the resection of epileptic tissue.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Compatibility of medications with enteral feedings.

Administration of medications to patients with nasogastric tubes has traditionally been done in a bolus fashion. An alternative to this would be to mix the medications in the continuous drip enteral feeding with subsequent continuous administration. The purpose of this study was to determine the compatibility of select medications with Ensure, Ensure Plus, and Osmolite. We observed neither visible abnormalities in the mixtures nor change in pH of the enteral products after the addition of digoxin, theophylline, phenytoin, methyldopa, or furosemide. The addition of theophylline to all three enteral products caused a substantial increase in the osmolality. We also examined the concentrations of the mixtures to detect any changes occurring over the 12-hr infusion time. A wide variation in concentrations after the addition of phenytoin suspension was corrected by adding the injectable form to the enteral products. Digoxin and furosemide concentrations were essentially unchanged; however, the methyldopa concentration decreased up to 23% over the 12-hr study period. We, therefore, cannot recommend the addition of theophylline, phenytoin suspension, or methyldopa to the three enteral products tested.

Digoxin↗