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Biomedical subjects

N Weaver

Publications and source records attributed to N Weaver.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Taking STOX: developing a cross disciplinary methodology for systematic reviews of research on the built environment and the health of the public.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To develop a cross disciplinary literature search methodology for conducting systematic reviews of all types of research investigating aspects of the built environment and the health of the public. DESIGN: The method was developed following a comprehensive search of literature in the area of housing and injuries, using 30 databases covering many disciplines including medicine, social science, architecture, science, engineering, environment, planning and psychology. The results of the database searches, including the type (or evidence) of research papers identified, were analysed to identify the most productive databases and improve the efficiency of the strategy. The revised strategy for literature searching was then applied to the area of neighbourhoods and mental health, and an analysis of the evidence type of references was carried out. In recognition of the large number and variety of observational studies, an expanded evidence type classification was developed for this purpose. MAIN RESULTS: From an analysis of 722 citations obtained by a housing and injuries search, an overlap of only 9% was found between medical and social science databases and only 1% between medical and built environment databases. A preliminary evidence type classification of those citations that could be assessed (from information in the abstracts and titles) suggested that the majority of intervention studies on housing and injuries are likely to be found in the medical and social science databases. A number of relevant observational studies (10% of all research studies) would have been missed, however, by excluding built environment and grey literature databases. In an area lacking in interventional research (housing/neighbourhoods and mental health) as many as 25% of all research studies would have been missed by ignoring the built environment and grey literature. CONCLUSIONS: When planning a systematic review of all types of evidence in a topic relating to the built environment and the health of the public, a range of bibliographical databases from various disciplines should be considered.

Databases, Bibliographic↗
PubMed1998

Age limitation on provision of orthopedic therapy and orthognathic surgery.

Canadian orthodontists were surveyed by mail to determine the latest skeletal age at which they would recommend orthopedic therapy and orthognathic surgery and the earliest at which they would recommend orthognathic surgery. For the purposes of this introductory study, orthopedic therapy implied stimulation of physiologic response using appliance force, without specification of appliance type. Response rate from 512 orthodontists was 65% (n = 334), with the response rate by item varying from 92% to 95%. By Greulich and Pyle standards, the latest recommended age for orthopedic therapy was at 97% completion of skeletal growth (females 13.5 years, males 15 years), whereas the earliest recommended age for orthognathic surgery was when skeletal growth is 99% complete (females 14.9 years, males 16.5 years). Surgery would be recommended by 32% of respondents for a patient before the age of 8 years, if deformity is severe. For orthognathic surgery, respondents either perceived no age maximum or recommended 69 years, the maximum age on the questionnaire item. Orthodontists' traits influenced recommendations for timing treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

A population-based study of the association of medical manpower with county trauma death rates in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between measures of medical manpower available to treat trauma patients and county trauma death rates in the United States. The primary hypothesis was that greater availability of medical manpower to treat trauma injury would be associated with lower trauma death rates. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: When viewed from the standpoint of the number of productive years of life lost, trauma has a greater effect on health care and lost productivity in the United States than any disease. Allocation of health care manpower to treat injuries seems logical, but studies have not been done to determine its efficacy. The effect of medical manpower and hospital resource allocation on the outcome of injury in the United States has not been fully explored or adequately evaluated. METHODS: Data on trauma deaths in the United States were obtained from the National Center for Health Statistics. Data on the number of surgeons and emergency medicine physicians were obtained from the American Hospital Association and the American Medical Association. Data on physicians who have participated in the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Advanced Trauma Life Support Course (ATLS) were obtained from the ACS. Membership information for the American Association for Surgery of Trauma (AAST) was obtained from that organization. Demographic data were obtained from the United States Census Bureau. Multivariate stepwise linear regression and cluster analysis were used to model the county trauma death rates in the United States. The Statistical Analysis System (Cary, NC) for statistical analysis was used. RESULTS: Bivariate and multivariate analyses showed that a variety of medical manpower measures and demographic factors were associated with county trauma death rates in the United States. As in other studies, measures of low population density and high levels of poverty were found to be strongly associated with increased trauma death rates. After accounting for these variables, using multivariate analysis and cluster analysis, an increase in the following medical manpower measures were associated with decreased county trauma death rates: number of board-certified general surgeons, number of board-certified emergency medicine physicians, number of AAST members, and number of ATLS-trained physicians. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms previous work that showed a strong relation among measures of poverty, rural setting, and increased county trauma death rates. It also found that counties with more board-certified surgeons per capita and with more surgeons with an increased interest (AAST membership) or increased training (ATLS) in trauma care have lower per-capita trauma death rates.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Black or African American↗
PubMed1985

Comparative evaluation of the API 20S and AutoMicrobic gram-positive identification systems for non-beta-hemolytic streptococci and aerococci.

The API 20S system (Analytab Products, Plainview, N.Y.) and the AutoMicrobic Gram-Positive Identification system (GPI; Vitek Systems, Hazelwood, Mo.) were evaluated for their capacity to identify the non-beta-hemolytic streptococci and aerococci to the species level. The 20S system identified 86% (six of seven strains) of nonhemolytic group B streptococci, whereas 100% of the same group B streptococcal strains were correctly identified by the GPI system. With both systems 99% (134 of 135 strains) of four species of group D enterococcus strains and 92% (24 of 26 strains) of the Aerococcus spp. strains were identified. The 20S system identified 84% (41 of 49 strains) of three species of group D non-enterococcus strains. The GPI system identified 96% of the same group D non-enterococcus strains. The 20S system identified 84% (190 of 226 strains) of 10 species of viridans streptococci; however, supplemental conventional tests were required to identify 49% (110 of the 226 strains) of the viridans strains to the species level. The GPI system identified 79% of the same viridans streptococci without the need for supplemental tests. Both systems identified 84% (161 of 192 strains) of the seven most commonly occurring viridans Streptococcus spp. The 20S system identified 82% (75 of 92 strains) and the GPI system identified 84% (54 of 64 strains) of Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Bacteriological Techniques↗
PubMed1982

Evaluation of seven commercial oxidase test products with Pasteurella.

Seven commercial oxidase reagents were tested with 50 isolates each of Pasteurella multocida and P haemolytica. Each group of organisms consisted of a variety of serotypes from many locations and animal sources. Pasteurella multocida and P haemolytica were expected to be 90% oxidase-positive; however, only 2 commercial reagents were positive for greater than 90% of P multocida isolates. These were the Taxo N Dics and the Bacto-Differentiation Discs Oxidase. Only the Taxo N Discs were positive for greater than 90% of P haemolytica isolates. The 5 other commercial reagents demonstrated a variety of results. Pathotec Cytochrome Oxidase Strips were not positive with any of the 100 isolates tested. Correlation was not observed between dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine vs tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine and the percentage of positive reactions.

Bacteriological Techniques↗
PubMed1981

Identification of Pasteurella multocida and Pasteurella haemolytica by API 20E, Minitek, and Oxi/Ferm systems.

Fifty serotyped isolates each of Pasteurella multocida and Pasteurella haemolytica were tested on the API 20E strip (Analytab Products, Plainview, N.Y.), the Oxi/Ferm tube (Roche Diagnostics, Nutley, N.J.), and the Minitek system (BBL Microbiology Systems, Cockeysville, Md.). None of the rapid test systems reliable identified these organisms. With the API system, discrepancies between expected and actual results for the oxidase test and nitrate test frequently resulted in misidentification or no identification. The Minitek system misidentified 68% of the P. haemolytica isolates. The Minitek identification of Pasteurella depends on 100% positive xylose reactions, whereas only 56% of the P. haemolytica strains were positive for xylose fermentation. The Oxy/Ferm system, instead of giving a definitive identification, in most instances merely placed Pasteurella in a category of similar organisms.

Bacteriological Techniques↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Flight paramedic scope of practice: current level and breadth.

This study's objective was to determine the current level and breadth of flight paramedic scope of practice. A six-item survey of lead flight paramedics in 158 air medical programs addressed five issues: 1) Certifications required above state certification; 2) Procedures included in scope of practice; 3) Medications flight paramedics are allowed to administer; 4) Requirements needed to expand scope of practice; and 5) Views on establishing a National Flight Paramedic Certification to alter their scope of practice. Eighty programs out of the 90 respondents (89%) stated that they utilize flight paramedics. Of these 80 programs that use flight paramedics, 76 programs (95%) require certification in ACLS, 65 (81%) in PALS, and 50 (63%) in BCLS. Paramedics are allowed to perform cricothyroidotomy in 68 programs (85%), pericardiocentesis in 24 (30%), and tube thoracostomy in 23 (29%). Medications approved for administration include streptokinase in 37 programs (46 %), r-TPA in 48 (60%), and succinylcholine in 50 (63%). In 61 programs (76%), the scope of practice is determined solely by the air medical director. Eighteen respondents (23%) believe that the development of a National Flight Paramedic Certification Program would alter their scope of practice. In conclusion, flight paramedic scope of practice varies enormously. Since most medical directors have the authority to alter flight paramedic scope of practice and few programs believe that a National Flight Paramedic Certification would alter their practice, medical directors should work directly with flight paramedics to expand their scope of practice.

Air Ambulances↗