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Biomedical subjects

J Simonson

Publications and source records attributed to J Simonson.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

[Telephone surveys. Advantages and drawbacks].

Telephone surveys have gained considerable importance in recent years. The present article describes advantages and drawbacks of this mode of data collection. Particular attention is devoted to a number of aspects involved: costs, computer-assisted fieldwork, response rates, special demands on sampling, use of incentives, survey participation and the role of telephone surveys in flexible mixed-mode survey designs. A concluding section offers some practical recommendations on carrying out telephone surveys.

Bias↗
PubMed1995

Isolation of bacteriophage infectious for Vibrio vulnificus.

Nine phage isolates infectious for Vibrio vulnificus and falling into four morphological groups were isolated from estuarine waters collected in Louisiana. Of the 60 V. vulnificus strains tested, 87% were susceptible to one or more of the isolates. With the exception of V. fluvialis, Vibrio species other than vulnificus were resistant to infection. A spectrum of enteric bacterial strains were similarly resistant. Susceptibility differences were seen between opaque (virulent) V. vulnificus strains and those with translucent (nonvirulent) colony types, with the former being more susceptible. Susceptibility patterns to infection by the nine phage isolates among the V. vulnificus test strains suggest that the latter may fall into several groups. Other aspects relating to the phage isolates are presented.

Antibiosis↗
PubMed1995

Dyspnea in ambulatory patients with SLE: prevalence, severity, and correlation with incremental exercise testing.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the prevalence and severity of dyspnea, and to correlate dyspnea with clinical features and exercise limitation in ambulatory patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: Twenty-five consecutive patients were evaluated with a validated pulmonary questionnaire, chest radiograph, 2-dimensional echocardiography, resting pulmonary function tests, and incremental exercise testing. RESULTS: Dyspnea was reported by 60% (95% CI 39-79) of patients; 20% (95% CI 7-40) had severe dyspnea (inability to dress without dyspnea) and 12% (95% CI 3-31) had moderate dyspnea (dyspnea after walking 100 yards). Compared to patients without dyspnea, patients with dyspnea were more likely to have had a history of clinical lupus involving the lung (80 vs 40%, p = 0.05), a lower total lung capacity (77.5 vs 94.8%, p = 0.002), and a reduced maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max of 53.4 vs 67.7%, p = 0.01). Patients with severe dyspnea and patients without dyspnea did not differ in duration of prednisone use, activity of disease, weight, or in frequency of Raynaud's phenomenon (p > 0.05). Only 4% of all patients had abnormal left ventricular motion on 2-dimensional echo; patients with moderate or severe dyspnea had normal left ventricular motion. Of the 5 patients with severe dyspnea, 4 (80%) had restrictive lung disease and 1 (20%) had an isolated diffusion defect. All patients with dyspnea had an abnormal exercise test, but so did 9/10 without dyspnea (p > 0.05). Severity of dyspnea correlated highly with maximum exercise tolerance measured by VO2max (R2 = 0.51, p = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: In ambulatory patients with SLE, dyspnea is common, frequently disabling, associated with a history of lupus involvement of the lung, and correlates highly with objective measures of exercise limitation.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

High dose oral amiodarone loading: electrophysiologic effects and clinical tolerance.

Although amiodarone is an effective drug for the treatment of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias, no standard oral loading dose protocol has been defined, and patients often undergo prolonged hospitalization for amiodarone loading. High dose (greater than 1,800 mg/day) oral loading has usually been reserved for unstable patients with incessant ventricular tachyarrhythmias. The current study was designed to 1) examine the clinical and electrophysiologic effects of a high dose oral amiodarone loading regimen in more stable patients; and 2) ascertain its safety and tolerance, possibly allowing shortened amiodarone loading periods and potentially decreased length of hospital stay. The study group included 16 patients with a history of recurrent ventricular arrhythmias and decreased left ventricular function, who were refractory to prior antiarrhythmic drug therapy. The oral loading protocol was 50 mg/kg per day of amiodarone for 3 days, then 30 mg/kg per day for 2 days, followed by maintenance therapy of 300 to 400 mg twice daily. Electrophysiologic testing was performed at baseline, on days 1 and 5 and during week 6. Amiodarone and desethylamiodarone levels were measured and symptoms monitored. Clinically, the high dose loading protocol was well tolerated in 15 of the 16 patients. Arrhythmias were rendered noninducible by day 1 in three patients and remained noninducible throughout the study period in two of the three. The remaining patients continued to have inducible ventricular tachycardia. Ventricular tachycardia cycle length and right ventricular effective refractory period both progressively increased significantly over baseline, starting on day 1. The 15 patients who remained in the study had no significant side effects during the loading period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1991

Syncope of unknown origin: clinical, noninvasive, and electrophysiologic determinants of arrhythmia induction and symptom recurrence during long-term follow-up.

Ninety-one consecutive patients with syncope of unknown origin underwent electrophysiologic studies (EPS). Univariate analysis identified the following variables: age, + signal-averaged ECG (SAECG), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), history of myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, left ventricular aneurysm, and history of sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (SMVT) on Holter; multivariate analysis identified +SAECG, LVEF, and history of SMVT as risk factors for induction of SMVT at EPS. All patients were followed up for 19.0 +/- 8.3 months and 17 had recurrence of syncope. Patients were divided into empiric, EP-guided, and no therapy groups. The EP-guided therapy group included all patients with SMVT at EPS. Recurrence rates among all three groups were similar. We conclude that: (1) Patients who have inducible SMVT at EPS can be identified using certain clinical and noninvasive variables. When these patients undergo EP-guided therapy, their rate of recurrence of syncope becomes compatible with that of patients who had no arrhythmia induced at EPS. (2) Empiric therapy does not offer any benefit over no therapy in reducing the rate of recurrent of scope.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

Rapid serological identification of Vibrio vulnificus by anti-H coagglutination.

Staphylococcus aureus Cowan 1 cells were armed with anti-flagellar (anti-H) antibody produced in rabbits immunized with flagellar core protein prepared from Vibrio vulnificus. This reagent was assessed by coagglutination for its capacity to agglutinate and identify V. vulnificus. A species-specific H antigen is expressed in the core proteins of the polar flagella of V. vulnificus. Of 435 V. vulnificus isolates identified bacteriologically, 432 (99.3%) were agglutinated in the slide test within 2 min after the addition of the anti-V. vulnificus H coagglutination reagent. Other than Vibrio pelagius, the reagent did not agglutinate 19 heterologous Vibrio spp. tested, including 290 V. cholerae, 22 V. mimicus, 395 V. parahaemolyticus, and 16 V. fluvialis isolates recovered from seafood and the marine environment. The serological resolution of the coagglutination reaction was enhanced if the organism under test was suspended in 0.1 M Tris buffer-0.1 mM EDTA-1.0% Triton X-100 (TET) for 24 h before serological examination. The TET buffer also increased the sensitivity of the coagglutination reaction 100-fold over that for isolates suspended in 0.3% formalinized phosphate-buffered saline before testing. The anti-H coagglutination test is a rapid, serologically specific, and inexpensive procedure for identifying V. vulnificus one step beyond primary isolation.

Agglutination Tests↗
PubMed1980

Infant saccadic eye movements to visible and previously visible targets.

Recent evidence has shown that 1- and 2-month-old infants localize a peripheral target by means of a series of saccades. Step size in a series was directly related to target distance, but within a localizing series did not vary appreciably as the line of sight approached the target. The current study examined whether, during localization of a peripheral target, step size and number of steps were determined prior to the first saccade in a localizing series. 2-month-olds viewed peripheral targets which either remained on (continuous condition) or were extinguished (interrupted condition) prior to target localization. It was found that on the majority of trials a series of saccades was made toward the target hemifield. In both conditions the size of each saccade in a multiple saccadic series was approximately equal within a given trial, but varied with initial target distance. Multiple saccades on both continuous and interrupted trials were similar in form, differing only in the total extent of eye rotation. This suggests that a similar oculomotor program was operating under both conditions.

Eye Movements↗
PubMed1975

A new pattern mouth stick.

The motivation for the severely handicapped tetraplegic patient in using the mouth stick is quite considerable as through this simple oral aid they are able to carry out small jobs and be involved in social activities. We feel that this modified pattern mouth stick fulfils the aims which we require of it.

Denture Design↗