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Biomedical subjects

J R Francis

Publications and source records attributed to J R Francis.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Heterotopic ossification in unidentified skeletal remains.

Heterotopic ossification is a benign, ectopic bone growth that develops in muscle and other soft tissue. The exact cause is poorly understood, but it is a rarely serious complication of soft tissue trauma. Its most common form, myositis ossifications traumatica, occurs as a secondary complication of direct muscle injury. However, other forms are less common and can result from specific pathologic conditions, such as spinal cord trauma and metabolic disorders. In patients who have had spinal cord injury and subsequent paraplegia, heterotopic ossification often results in ankylosis of the hip and a loss in range of motion. Ectopic ossification occurs below the injury site, and, although the specific muscle groups can vary, it usually involves those for which the origin and insertion involve the anterior pelvis and proximal femur. In dried bone, heterotopic ossification can appear as a smooth, irregularly shaped benign tumor of mature bone, extending from the surface but not invading the cortical bone. These tumors range in size from a few millimeters to several centimeters. Because heterotopic ossification is often associated with specific types of injuries, it has a unique anthropological use in forensic cases.

Femur↗
PubMed1998

Use of significance image to determine patterns of cortical blood flow abnormality in pathological and at-risk groups.

UNLABELLED: The purpose of this work was to determine whether certain pathological groups and other groups at risk for neurological damage exhibited distinctive patterns of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) abnormality. METHODS: HMPAO SPECT images obtained from six groups of subjects were compared with a normal cortical rCBF atlas, based on multivariate, voxel-by-voxel methods. In each case, a significance image was outputted, highlighting voxels with deficits of > or =3 s.d. of normal. Abnormal patterns were examined for the six groups, which comprised a further 40 normal volunteers, 18 diver controls, 50 divers with decompression illness (DCI), 34 boxers, 23 schizophrenics and 21 subjects with Alzheimer's disease. RESULTS: The percentages of abnormal cortical voxels for each group were 0.41%, 0.53%, 1.38%, 1.05%, 0.56% and 2.24%, respectively. The percentages of images in each group with at least one lesion of 10 or more connected abnormal voxels and at least 10 lesions of two or more connected voxels, respectively, were 8% and 8% (normal volunteers), 17% and 11% (diver controls), 38% and 38% (divers with DCI), 41% and 29% (boxers), 26% and 13% (schizophrenics) and 90% and 48% (subjects with Alzheimer's disease). This suggests that multiple small lesions are as common as single large lesions for divers with DCI but not for patients with Alzheimer's disease or schizophrenia. Large lesions are located predominantly in the parietal and inferior temporal regions for Alzheimer's disease, in the parietal and occipital regions for divers with DCI and boxers and in the inferior frontal region for schizophrenia. CONCLUSION: It appears that the groups considered here do have different rCBF patterns and that the significance image is a useful way of demonstrating this fact.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

The viability of an abbreviated version of the Holtzman Inkblot Technique with older adults.

Multiple regression analyses of Holtzman Inkblot Technique (HIT; Holtzman, Thorpe, Swartz, & Herron, 1961) factor scores were conducted to empirically determine the viability of a short form of the HIT with older adults. Although R2 values were acceptable, the contribution of individual cards to total factor scores was dubious at best. These data suggest that the development of a short form of the HIT for use with older adults is premature and requires more systematic research to justify its viability.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Toward the equivalence of the HIT and HIT 25 in community-residing older adults.

In a study by the first author wherein 102 community-residing older adults were administered the Holtzman Inkblot Technique (HIT), data collected were analyzed regarding the equivalence of the HIT and the HIT 25. Although alpha coefficients and split-half correlations were low when single-response-per-card data were analyzed, corrected Spearman-Brown coefficients were more supportive of the use of the HIT 25 with older adults. These data suggest that although a shortened form of the HIT may be useful with aged persons, research exploring the substantive bases for creating a shortened version of the HIT is nevertheless necessary.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1991

Dental health and dental care requirements for young handicapped adults in Wessex.

The dental health status and treatment requirements of 195 young handicapped adults living in the Wessex Health Region are reported. These young adults, aged 25-34 years, attended adult training centres on a daily basis in each of the districts in Wessex Region. The amount of untreated caries was higher and the periodontal status worse for this group than would normally be expected in young adults in this age range. The dental care received was related to the ability of the subject to comprehend and co-operate with the operator. Nearly half the subjects could receive routine treatment in a normal surgery and about a quarter were likely to require hospitalisation and general anaesthesia to achieve any treatment. The community dental service should play an important role in organising and supervising preventive strategies, with the aim of improving oral hygiene for these young handicapped adults, which should materially improve their periodontal health.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Communicative efficacy of psychotherapy research.

Practitioners have claimed that information relevant to psychotherapy application is not regularly provided in professional journals. A survey of the 1985-1987 psychotherapy outcome literature investigated the extent of specific points of information in journal reports. Results partially support the complaint that pertinent information is not routinely available. No content area addressed found consistent representation. Noticeable deficiencies were tabulated for specific categories of patient demographics, disorder description, and replication studies. This suggests an underacknowledgement of the practical utility, both clinical and empirical, of common points of fact.

Follow-Up Studies↗
PubMed1987

A comparison of three delivery methods of chlorhexidine in handicapped children. I. Effects on plaque, gingivitis, and toothstaining.

In handicapped groups, the maintenance of oral hygiene can be a major problem, and chemical plaque control offers many advantages. This study compared the effectiveness of chlorhexidine gluconate, delivered as a 0.2% mouthrinse, a 0.2% spray, and a 1% gel in trays, in controlling dental plaque and gingival bleeding in a group of 49 spastic children. All three delivery methods produced an improvement in plaque and gingival bleeding scores. However, the gel was significantly more effective than either the mouthwash or the spray. There was no significant difference between delivery methods in the amount of tooth staining.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1987

A comparison of three delivery methods of chlorhexidine in handicapped children. II. Parent and house-parent preferences.

As part of a study of chlorhexidine used for plaque control in handicapped children, preferences and difficulties with the three delivery methods were evaluated by questionnaire. The delivery methods were a 0.2% mouthwash, 0.2% spray, and 1% gel in trays. Responses from parents and house parents revealed the least preference for, and most difficulties with, the gel in trays. The spray was the most popular and 96% of the respondents would be prepared to use this indefinitely as a method of oral hygiene. The most effective method was the gel in trays, but results of the questionnaire suggested that the respondents would be unwilling to use it for prolonged periods. The importance of user acceptance and compliance to the long-term success of oral hygiene methods was evident.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1979

Bed load transport by submerged jets.

Some similarities are presented between the bed load transport of noncohesive grains in long rivers and at a local, jet-induced scour. Experiments are described in which a submerged two-dimensional slot nozzle, inclined downward, eroded a deep sand bed. The rate of erosion at the very beginning of a scour was evaluated and compared with river data by use of the idea of "stream-power." Empirical relationships for the two cases are similar, although the geometry of the boundaries is quite different.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1976

Urinary excretion of c-hydroxy derivatives of methaqualone in man.

1. Six monohydroxy metabolites of methaqualone have been identified by g.l.c.-mass spectrometry in the urine of healthy human subjects who received therapeutic doses (250 mg) of the drug (Melsed) daily for ten day. 2. The three major metabolites were 2-methyl-3-(2'-hydroxymethylphenyl)-4(3H)-quinazolinone, 2-methyl-3-(2'-methyl-3'-hydroxyphenyl)-4(3H)-quinazolinone and 2-methyl-3-(2'-methyl-4'-hydroxyphenyl)-4(3H)-quinazolinone. Three minor metabolites in descending order of importance were 2-hydroxymethyl-3-o-tolyl-4(3H)-quinazolinone, 2-methyl-6-hydroxy-3-o-tolyl-4(3H)-quinazolinone and 2-methyl-8-hydroxy-3-o-tolyl-4(3H)-quinazolinone. 3. The 8-hydroxy metabolite is identified as a urinary metabolite or methaqualone in humans for the first time.

Administration, Oral↗