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Biomedical subjects

K Oberle

Publications and source records attributed to K Oberle.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

The clinical value of magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of meniscal disorders.

This prospective double-blind study was designed to evaluate the capability of magnetic resonance imaging to serve as a diagnostic tool in patients who have a clinically suspected disorder of the meniscus. The imaging studies provided a diagnostic accuracy of 72 per cent, a sensitivity of 88 per cent, and a specificity of 57 per cent. The positive and negative predictive values were 66 and 83 per cent. The diagnostic sensitivity was 94 per cent for lesions of the medial meniscus; this value differed significantly from that of 78 per cent for lesions of the lateral meniscus (p less than 0.05). The 37 per cent specificity for lesions of the medial meniscus was extremely low compared with the rate of 69 per cent for lesions of the lateral meniscus (p less than 0.01). In the intermediate part of the meniscus, the diagnostic sensitivity was 37 per cent on the medial side and 23 per cent on the lateral side; these values were significantly less than the average of 74 per cent for the other meniscal segments (p less than 0.001). The imaging studies provided an over-all accuracy of 67 per cent in the detection of degeneration of the meniscus, 78 per cent in the identification of meniscal tears, and 82 per cent in the delineation of postoperative lesions.

Adolescent↗

Immunodominant epitopes of the adhesin of Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

Overlapping octapeptides from the amino acid sequence of the adherence protein of Mycoplasma pneumoniae were synthesized and used as the antigen in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with serum samples from M. pneumoniae-infected patients. Of a sequence of 338 amino acids positioned between leucine 801 and leucine 1139, only two regions with immunodominant continuous epitopes were detected. The immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin M antibodies of child and adult patients reacted especially with the NH2-(810)-W-I-G-N-G-Y-R-Y peptide but also reacted with the NH2-(1124)-F-T-D-F-V-K-P-R peptide.

Adhesins, Bacterial↗

A prospective study to identify the fall-prone patient.

A prospective study in 16 patient care units in two institutions was conducted to assess patients' risk of falling. Three types of patient care units were utilized (acute medical and surgical, long term geriatric and rehabilitation areas), with 2689 patients over a 4-month period rated daily for fall risk using the Morse Fall Scale. Differences in mean fall score were evident between the acute care areas and the long term and the rehabilitation areas. Examination of the scores in the acute care institution by length of stay, showed different patterns of fall risk; the mean score of the long term patients showed less variation and higher scores. Patients' falls were analyzed by fall score and type of fall. All types of falls (anticipated physiological, unanticipated physiological and accidental), and the severity of injuries increased, with increasing scores indicating clinical validity of the scale.

Accidental Falls↗

Effects of two "lipid-lowering" diets on plasma lipid levels of patients with peripheral vascular disease.

Fifty subjects with peripheral vascular disease were randomly assigned to either the American Heart Association Hyperlipidemia Diet C (AHA, N = 23) or a higher fiber, low fat diet based on the Pritikin maintenance diet (HFD, N = 27) and studied for a 12-month period. Diet counseling was provided, and the subjects were encouraged to exercise regularly, to decrease their consumption of salt, alcohol, and caffeine, and to restrict cigarettes as much as possible. Dietary intake data showed that energy distribution was approximately 49% and 64% carbohydrate, 20% and 22% protein, and 31% and 14% fat for the AHA and HFD groups, respectively. Cholesterol and dietary fiber intakes averaged 201 mg and 23 gm per day, respectively, for the AHA group and 108 mg and 43 gm per day, respectively, for the HFD group. Generally, both groups showed tendencies toward decreased serum triglycerides, cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol and increased HDL cholesterol. The HFD group achieved a significant decrease in serum cholesterol (at month 12) (p less than .01). The only significant between-group difference was in serum cholesterol at 4 months (p less than .01), with the lower value in the HFD group. There was a consistent negative correlation between dietary fiber and serum cholesterol levels (p less than .01). Average weight loss was 4.1 kg for the AHA group and 6 kg for the HFD group. We concluded that both dietary regimens, combined with exercise, can be of benefit to patients with peripheral vascular disease.

Aged↗

Effects of dietary manipulation on vascular status of patients with peripheral vascular disease.

In a one-year, double-blind clinical trial, 45 patients with peripheral vascular disease (PVD) were randomly assigned to either the American Heart Association Hyperlipidemia Diet C (n = 20) or a low-fat, high-fiber, complex carbohydrate diet similar to the Pritikin Maintenance Diet (n = 25). Vascular status and blood lipid levels were monitored at 0, 2, 4, 6, and 12 months. Walking distance increased significantly in both groups, with no difference between groups. No vascular parameters changed significantly, suggesting that increased walking distance was due to improved metabolic capacity of the muscle. A trend toward lower blood lipid values was observed, with no significant differences within or between groups. We conclude that while patients with PVD benefit from a program of diet and exercise, there is no apparent advantage to the more difficult complex carbohydrate diet.

Aged↗

The nature of advanced practice nursing.

In attempting to define "advanced practice," we argue that nursing as such is teleological or goal-directed with those goals being defined by the patient or client in interaction with the nurse. In helping the patient meet identified goals, the nurse requires 2 kinds of knowledge-general and particular. General includes theory (know what/why), pattern recognition (know what), and practical knowledge (know how). Particular (know who) is personal knowledge about the patient. The advanced practice nurse, by virtue of graduate education, is able to move beyond the familiar and experientially learned. He or she makes a deliberate attempt to situate self in a dialectic between general and particular knowledge in such a way that the interplay opens possibilities. Knowing when a particular action would be most helpful is defined as practical wisdom. We argue that a highly developed sense of practical wisdom is the hallmark of advanced practice.

Education, Nursing, Graduate↗