Biomedical subjects

N Calder

Publications and source records attributed to N Calder.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Tracheoesophageal voice prostheses complications in north Glasgow.

The objectives of this study were to determine (1) the rates of complications, admissions to hospital and requirements for further surgery in patients fitted with tracheoesophageal fistula speech valves, and (2) whether any factors were predictive of complications. A case note review was undertaken of all patients undergoing a laryngectomy at Gartnavel General and Stobhill Hospitals over a 10-year period. One hundred patients were identified. Forty-five patients had complications from their valves, most commonly granulation tissue formation. Thirty-five had a least one admission related to complications and 34 required further surgery. Sixty-seven were vocalizing with the valve. Radiotherapy and valve type were not statistically significant in predicting complications in this study. Primary puncture was associated with a higher rate of complications, although the numbers undergoing secondary puncture were small.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Field investigation of advanced filtration for phosphorus removal from constructed treatment wetland effluents.

Three sorptive media, blast furnace slag, cement clinker, and gravel were investigated for their capacity to remove phosphorus in a subsurface flow constructed treatment wetland post-treatment filter. Three filters were designed: two containing a mixture of either slag and gravel or clinker and gravel, and one with gravel only as the control filter. They were installed as a demonstration polishing treatment step to a constructed treatment wetland treating residential wastewater collected from 137 mobile home units at the Sunny Creek Estates Mobile Home Park. The filters were commissioned during the summer of the field season, with the data gathering taking place over a period of one year. The slag filter consistently had the lowest outflow dissolved phosphorus concentrations (0.27 +/- 0.08 mg l(-1), n=21), whereas the clinker filter had the highest outflow dissolved phosphorus concentrations (0.72 +/- 0.20 mg l(-1), n=23). The clinker filter performed well below expectations based on previous laboratory investigations, possibly due to lower pH conditions encountered in the field study. All of the filters maintained relatively constant outflow concentrations of phosphorus below 1 mg l(-1), despite varying input conditions and environmental factors such as temperature and phosphorus loading, and the occurrence of net export of phosphorus from the wetland. Net export of phosphorus from the filters occurred in the winter months, which was attributed to the decrease in input phosphorus concentrations below the maintained outflow concentrations (leading to phosphorus desorption), rather than cold temperatures or failure of the filter. Although the exact mechanisms of phosphorus removal are still under investigation, the results from this field study allowed for recommendations to be made for improving phosphorus removal at the Sunny Creek Estates constructed treatment wetland, in addition to providing valuable information for new and existing constructed treatment wetlands in cold climate areas.

Adsorption↗

PubMed2005

Quality of life and voice following endoscopic resection or radiotherapy for early glottic cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To assess whether proposed voice and quality of life (QoL) outcome measures were likely to be acceptable to patients previously treated for early glottic cancer by either radiotherapy or endoscopic resection, as well as looking for differences in QoL and voice between treatments. DESIGN: Questionnaire-based cohort study. SETTING: Secondary care, three centres. PARTICIPANTS: All patients treated for T1a or in situ glottic carcinoma between 1997 and 2003. Fifty-three patients were identified; those who had undergone salvage surgery or radiotherapy were excluded. A proportion refused to participate or could not be contacted and two patients had died of unrelated causes. Thirty-six patients completed the trial with 18 from each treatment arm. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Quality of voice as assessed by three questionnaires, Voice Handicap Index (VHI), Vocal Performance Questionnaire (VPQ), Voice Symptom Score (VoiSS) and perceptual analysis of voice by Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia and Strained (GRBAS) assessment of vocal recordings. Quality of life as assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire (UW-QoL), and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT) questionnaire. RESULTS: All patients included in the trial were able to complete the questionnaires; however, 19% required assistance of some kind. GRBAS assessment showed no difference between groups for any criteria. All QoL questionnaires gave equivalent good scores. All of the voice questionnaires showed no statistical difference between groups except for the emotional subscale of the VoiSS which showed a significantly better score for the radiotherapy arm (P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: All outcome measures were applicable and acceptable to the patient group. Overall QoL and voice appears similar despite treatment arm, apart from the emotional subscale of the VoiSS. A randomized controlled trial is required to further assess this question.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

Case presentation: a novel way of treating acute cauliflower ear in a professional rugby player.

Acute auricular haematoma is a common problem in rugby players and can be difficult to treat due to re-accumulation of the fluid and can subsequently cause the unsightly cauliflower ear. We present a case of auricular haematoma affecting the central part of the pinna in a professional rugby player. This was treated successfully by aspiration and the use of silicone splints which allowed the player to continue training and competing.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Effects of lorazepam on fear-potentiated startle responses in man.

Sudden intense sensory stimuli elicit a cascade of involuntary responses, including a short-latency skeletal muscular response ('eyeblink startle response') and longer-latency autonomic responses. These responses are enhanced when subjects anticipate an aversive event compared to periods when subjects are resting ('fear potentiation'). It has been reported previously that the anxiolytic diazepam can suppress fear-potentiation of the eyeblink startle response in human volunteers. The present experiment aimed to confirm and extend these observations by examining the effect of another benzodiazepine, lorazepam, on the eyeblink and skin conductance components of the acoustic startle, and on fear-potentiation of these responses. Eighteen male volunteers participated in three weekly sessions in which they received oral treatment with placebo, lorazepam (1 mg) and lorazepam (2 mg), according to a balanced three-period, crossover, double-blind design. Two hours after ingestion of the treatments, electromyographic responses of the orbicularis oculi muscle and skin conductance responses were evoked by sound pulses during alternating periods in which the threat of an electric shock (electrodes attached to the subject's wrist) was present (THREAT) and absent (SAFE). The THREAT condition was associated with significant increase in the amplitude of the electromyographic (EMG) and skin conductance responses; there were also increases in baseline skin conductance, the number and amplitude of 'spontaneous' skin conductance fluctuations and self-rated anxiety. Lorazepam attenuated the effect of THREAT on self-rated anxiety and on the amplitude of the EMG response, but had no significant effect on fear-potentiation of the skin conductance responses. These results extend previous findings of the effect of diazepam on the fear-potentiated eyeblink startle response to lorazepam, and suggest that fear-potentiation of the later autonomic component of the startle response may be less sensitive to benzodiazepines than the fear-potentiated eyeblink response and self-rated anxiety.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

PubMed2004

Clinical pharmacology studies in UK Phase 1 units: an AHPPI survey 1999-2000.

AIMS: This study, conducted by the Association for Human Pharmacology in the Pharmaceutical Industry (AHPPI), was designed to determine the amount of Phase 1 activity in the UK in the period 1999-2000, the timelines involved for submissions to ethics committee and responses from ethics committees. METHODS: A questionnaire was completed by AHIPPI members from pharmaceutical companies with in-house phase 1 units, by Clinical Research Organizations (CRO's) and by academic centres. A few responses were also vailable from organisations that were not AHPPI members. Results were rendered anonymous and grouped by category. RESULTS: The response rate was > 98% and indicated that the vast majority of early drug research in humans is now CRO-based (82%). The total number of studies (as indicated by protocol numbers) was notably similar across the 2 years--629 in 1999 and 606 in 2000. Turnaround time for ethics committee review was a mean of 14 days. CONCLUSIONS: These data set important benchmarks for early-phase drug research in the UK where regulatory approval is not currently required. Furthermore, the information should be used as a guide if the competitive nature of such work in the UK is to be maintained as new national legislation is implemented following publication of the European Union (EU) Clinical Trials Directive.

Biomedical Research↗

PubMed2000