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Biomedical subjects

P Marcus

Publications and source records attributed to P Marcus.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Improving dental epidemiologic data collection with computers.

A computerized dental data recording system (DDRS) was developed for the New England Elder Dental Study to improve data quality and increase field staff efficiency. The DDRS displays video screens similar to traditional paper forms to record data on coronal and root caries, dentate and denture status, subacute bacterial endocarditis screening, gingival bleeding, calculus, and periodontal attachment level. DDRS provides facilities for date and exam-component time tracking, on-line contextual comments, random record retrieval, editing, data backup, and data output in various data formats. This study compared the DDRS with a paper-form system for data entry accuracy. Dental caries and periodontal disease measurement data from 38 subjects were recorded on paper forms and independently entered using DDRS. The DDRS identified 150 illogical data errors, 39 inconsistent data errors, 7 invalid data and 34 miscellaneous data errors. Four technicians with field experience using both paper forms and DDRS reported time savings using DDRS in the field. DDRS has the potential for additional time savings by minimizing the time for data coding, cleaning, and management. Results demonstrate that DDRS could improve the quality of oral epidemiologic data by mandating strict adherence to protocols, preventing errors, and increasing field efficiency.

Computers↗
PubMed1991

Acupuncture treatment for industry.

The general public has become increasingly interested in a variety of so-called 'alternative' therapies. These can range from the well-established to the downright eccentric. One of those which has the most scientific research to support it is acupuncture. Dr Paul Marcus explains what acupuncture treatment is, what medical conditions it is best used for and the importance of using medically qualified acupuncturists.

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed1988

Area postrema stimulation induced cardiovascular changes in the rat.

The studies described here have utilized electrical stimulation techniques to examine the effects of activation of neural elements within the area postrema (AP) on cardiovascular control mechanisms. A total of 45 urethananesthetized male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in these experiments. Low-frequency electrical stimulation (10 Hz, 200 microA) in the AP resulted in rapid onset (less than 2 s), short-lasting (less than 5 s after end of stimulation) decreases in mean arterial blood pressure (-34.8 +/- 2.7 mmHg, n = 17 rats). In contrast, similar stimulation in the adjacent nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) caused similarly timed increases in blood pressure (+43.1 +/- 6.7 mmHg, n = 5 rats). Activation of neural elements within the AP was found to significantly (Student's t test, P less than 0.01) reduce heart rate, an effect that was also specific to the AP site as similar stimulation in the NTS was without effect. These data support an important role for AP in cardiovascular control mechanisms. They demonstrate that stimulation in AP results in rapid reversible decreases in mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate. Such findings further emphasise the potential roles of this circumventricular structure in autonomic control mechanisms.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Paraventricular nucleus stimulation causes gastroduodenal mucosal necrosis in the rat.

The effects of stimulation in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus on the development of gastrointestinal ulceration have been examined in urethan-anesthetized male Sprague-Dawley rats. Electrical stimulation (200 microA, 60 Hz, 100-microseconds pulse width) in the PVN was performed for 1 h, after which samples of the stomach and duodenum were fixed for subsequent histological assessment of damage. Such damage was scored, blindly, on a 0 (normal) to 3 (severe) scale. Stimulation in the PVN resulted in necrosis and hemorrhage in both the stomach (mean damage score of 1.8 +/- 0.3) and duodenum (1.7 +/- 0.4). In contrast, similar stimulation in regions immediately adjacent to the PVN was found to be without significant effect on the stomach (0.3 +/- 0.1) or duodenum (0.6 +/- 0.2). In a second series of studies PVN stimulation following bilateral vagotomy resulted in damage scores (stomach: 0.2 +/- 0.1; duodenum: 0.1 +/- 0.1) that were significantly reduced compared with the PVN-stimulated vagal-intact group (P less than 0.05) but were not significantly different from the group stimulated in regions outside the PVN (P greater than 0.1). These data suggest an important role for PVN efferents influencing medullary vagal preganglionic neurons in the development of acute gastroduodenal ulceration.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Superfund and contamination of workers' homes.

Although originally conceived as a means to clean up abandoned hazardous waste sites, at least one state is now attempting to use the Superfund (CERCLA) legislation as a means to recover the costs of a home contamination incident. This case has not been litigated yet. If the state is successful, however, the Superfund program would be expanded not only to cover waste disposal practices but also industrial hygiene practices. Industries thus need to review the nature and disposition of their waste material and their industrial hygiene practices in order to assess their full potential exposure under Superfund. The small amounts of chemicals that may leave a factory on workers' clothing and shoes someday could develop into a costly home decontamination project. If a review of past and present industrial hygiene practices reveals that home contamination could have occurred, an industry should take an offensive (as opposed to defensive) role in correcting the problem. Not only can taking the initiative in remedying a problem help minimize damage to employee health, morale and public opinion, but clean-up costs can be reduced as well without sacrificing the quality of the remedial action.

Decontamination↗
PubMed1984

Psychological aspects of cosmetic rhinoplasty.

This paper summarises some of the major findings of a doctoral research entitled "Psychological Aspects of Cosmetic Rhinoplasty" carried out when the author was working in the United Kingdom on a thesis that was accepted for the degree of PhD by the University of London. From the point of view of the clinical psychologist there can be no doubt that cosmetic rhinoplasty does have largely beneficial short- and long-term psychological and behavioural effects on patients who request the operation and several observations and experiments are described to account for the efficacy and therapeutic value of this operation.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Some preliminary psychological observations on narcissism, the cosmetic rhinoplasty patient and the plastic surgeon.

From the point of view of the clinical psychologist, one important dimension of the psychological experience of the typical cosmetic rhinoplasty (CR) patient that has been underemphasized in the psychological and plastic surgery literature is the patient's narcissism. The author's aim is to facilitate the plastic surgeon's understanding and management of these patients by putting the disparate aspects of their behaviour into a unifying theoretical framework. A total of 41 CR patients from the UK, who had been referred through the National Health Service, were interviewed, psychologically tested and clinically assessed at varying times before and after surgery. A control group of patients undergoing wisdom teeth extractions were also interviewed and tested. The CR patient's narcissism was manifest, for example, in their self-absorption, inadequate self-esteem and fantasies of ideal beauty which was observed in his/her pre- and postoperative behaviour. Some suggestions on the management of the CR patient with narcissistic problems are offered to surgeons and hospital staff in order to maximize the clearly beneficial psychological and behavioural effects of CR.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

S-carboxymethylcysteine in otitis media with effusion. (A double-blind study).

S-carboxymethylcysteine syrup (SCMC); brompheniramine, phenylephrine with phenylpropanolamine elixir (BPP); and a placebo were compared in a double-blind trial in 58 children with otitis media with effusion (OME). All patients underwent myringotomies after an initial period of medical treatment. SCMC, but not BPP, was significantly better than the placebo in speeding up resolution of the effusion after surgery, as judged by pure tone audiometry, showing this drug to be a useful adjunct to the surgical management of OME. It should also be considered as an alternative to surgery.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Pulmonary gangrene occurring as a complication of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Eighteen well-documented cases of pulmonary gangrene as a complication of bacterial pulmonary infections have been reported in the literature. These infections were due to Klebsiellapneumoniae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Hemophilus influenzae. We describe four patients with pulmonary tuberculosis who developed pulmonary gangrene. Vascular thrombosis and arteritis were found in three of these four patients, and this vascular complication seems to be necessary for the development of pulmonary gangrene.

Aged↗