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Biomedical subjects

S M Bennett

Publications and source records attributed to S M Bennett.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

The effects of pyridostigmine bromide on progressive ratio performance in male and female rats.

Small doses of pyridostigmine bromide (PB) affect the acquisition and maintenance of food-maintained behavior in laboratory animals. The present experiment was designed to investigate the effects of this drug on food motivation. Male and female rats were trained to respond on a progressive-ratio schedule of reinforcement and treated with different doses of PB. PB dose-dependently decreased breaking points and response rates in male and female rats. Gender differences were not observed. The results indicate that decreased food motivation may be a factor that contributes to the behavioral effects of PB administration.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Risk of cardiovascular disease measured by carotid intima-media thickness at age 49-51: lifecourse study.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify the direct and indirect effects of fetal life, childhood, and adult life on risk of cardiovascular disease at age 49-51 years. DESIGN: Follow up study of the "Newcastle thousand families" birth cohort established in 1947. PARTICIPANTS: 154 men and 193 women who completed a health and lifestyle questionnaire and attended for clinical examination between October 1996 and December 1998. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Correlations between mean intima-media thickness of the carotid artery (carotid intima-media thickness) and family history, birth weight, and socioeconomic position around birth; socioeconomic position, growth, illness, and adverse life events in childhood; and adult socioeconomic position, lifestyle, and biological risk markers. Proportions of variance in carotid intima-media thickness that were accounted for by each stage of the lifecourse. RESULTS: Socioeconomic position at birth and birth weight were negatively associated with carotid intima-media thickness, although only social class at birth in women was a statistically significant covariate independent of adult lifestyle. These early life variables accounted directly for 2.2% of total variance in men and 2.0% in women. More variation in carotid intima-media thickness was explained by adult socioeconomic position and lifestyle, which accounted directly and indirectly for 3.4% of variance in men (95% confidence interval 0.5% to 6.2%) and 7.6% in women (2.1% to 13.0%). Biological risk markers measured in adulthood independently accounted for a further 9.5% of variance in men (2.4% to 14.2%) and 4.9% in women (1.6% to 7.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Adult lifestyle and biological risk markers were the most important determinants of the cardiovascular health of the study members of the Newcastle thousand families cohort at age 49-51 years. The limited overall effect of early life factors may reflect the postwar birth year of this cohort.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗
PubMed1999

Egg development, hatching and early life-history of Dissonus manteri (Copepoda), parasitic on the gills of coral trout, Plectropomus leopardus.

The early life-history of Dissonus manteri differs markedly from that of Caligidae and from that of its congener Dissonus nudiventris. The uniseriate egg strings are of typical caligid form, but the stage hatching from the egg is a preecdysis nauplius which moults immediately to the copepodid. The empty naupliar cuticle remains tethered to the egg string by a pair of posterior threads which attach to the internal surface of the egg membrane. The duration of egg development is 112 h and the mean duration of hatching is 5.2 h at 25 degrees C. Aeration and water movement are important for successful hatching. Under these conditions, hatching success is 94.8%, but decreases to 48.4% in static water with no aeration. Mean survival time of the copepodid in the absence of a host is 41.4 h at 25 degrees C. The reduction of early free-living stages in the life-cycle and the high survival rate from egg to copepodid could be important in future coral trout aquaculture, since the potential for re-infection by this parasite is very high.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

A comparison of faces scales for the measurement of pediatric pain: children's and parents' ratings.

Faces scales have become the most popular approach to eliciting children's self-reports of pain, although different formats are available. The present study examined: (a) the potential for bias in children's self-reported ratings of clinical pain when using scales with smiling rather than neutral 'no pain' faces; (b) levels of agreement between child and parent reports of pain using different faces scales; and (c) preferences for scales by children and parents. Participants were 75 children between the ages of 5 and 12 years undergoing venepuncture, and their parents. Following venepuncture, children and parents independently rated the child's pain using five different randomly presented faces scales and indicated which of the scales they preferred and why. Children's ratings across scales were very highly correlated; however, they rated significantly more pain when using scales with a smiling rather than a neutral 'no pain' face. Girls reported significantly greater levels of pain than boys, regardless of scale type. There were no age differences in children's pain reports. Parents' ratings across scales were also highly correlated; however, parents also had higher pain ratings using scales with smiling 'no pain' faces. The level of agreement between child and parent reports of pain was low and did not vary as a function of the scale type used; parents overestimated their children's pain using all five scales. Children and parents preferred scales that they perceived to be happy and cartoon-like. The results of this study indicate that subtle variations in the format of faces scales do influence children's and parents' ratings of pain in clinical settings.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Postoperative pain expression in preschool children: validation of the child facial coding system.

OBJECTIVE: The purposes of the study were threefold: (a) to determine whether a measurement system based on facial expression would be useful in the assessment of post-operative pain in young children; (b) to examine construct validity in terms of structure, consistency, and dynamics of the facial display; and (c) to evaluate concurrent validity in terms of associations with global judgments of the children's pain. PATIENTS: One hundred children between the ages of 13 and 74 months were video-taped for a maximum of 1 hour after arrival in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) at British Columbia's Children's Hospital. OUTCOME MEASURES: Videotapes were edited into 20-second blocks, randomly selected from each 2-minute time period taped during the hour following surgery, and coded for the presence or absence of 13 facial actions in the Child Facial Coding System (CFCS). RESULTS: Facial expressions were characterized primarily by the following constellation of actions: open lips, lowered brows, a deepened nasolabial furrow, mouth stretched wide in both horizontal and vertical directions, eyes squeezed shut or squinted, and raised cheeks. A principal components analysis indicated that these actions comprised a single factor, accounting for 55% of the variance in CFCS actions. Facial action summary scores were correlated with a visual analog rating of global pain, confirming that the CFCS has convergent validity. Facial action summary scores, i.e., pain displays, were at their lowest immediately after admittance to the PACU and just before the child's release from the PACU. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated that the CFCS serves as a valid measurement tool for persistent pain in children.

Child↗
PubMed1999

Manager, manage thyself!

As the environment surrounding the delivery of health care remains unpredictable, nurse managers are challenged to create new and innovative ways to meet the demands before them. The ever-increasing challenges and decreasing resources can have great impact on the stress level of even the most seasoned nurse manager. This article offers nurse managers 10 useful strategies to enhance their stress management skills. The key for successful stress management is taking time to care for oneself and thus remain an effective leader in the organization.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1998

Synthetic graft placement in the treatment of fascial dehiscence with necrosis and infection.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to describe the use of synthetic grafts in repairing fascial dehiscence complicated by fascial necrosis and infection after obstetric and gynecologic operations. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review of the operating room records at Hutzel Hospital (Detroit, Mich) was performed to find all cases of fascial dehiscence repaired during a 6-year period between January 1, 1991, and December 31, 1996. Patients with partial or complete disruption of the fascia with evidence of fascial necrosis and infection were included in this study. Demographic information; the initial surgical procedure, including type of incision; suture material; use of synthetic graft and closure technique for repair of dehiscence; postoperative complications, microbiologic results; antibiotic therapy; subsequent operations; length of hospital stay; and late complications were recorded. RESULTS: During the study period 52 patients underwent repair of fascial dehiscence; 36 of these had concurrent fascial necrosis and infection, including 4 women with necrotizing fasciitis. Eighteen patients were from the obstetric service and 18 were from the benign or cancer gynecology service. Ninety-one bacterial isolates were recovered from the infected wounds. Extensive fascial resection precluded closure without tension in 18 cases and necessitated synthetic graft placement to prevent evisceration. Graft materials included polypropylene (11 cases) and polyglactin (7 cases). Late complications of graft placement included extrusion of the graft in 3 patients and incisional hernia in 1. CONCLUSIONS: Extensive fascial débridement with resection prevents primary closure of wound dehiscence. Synthetic grafts permit primary closure of large fascial defects and can be used with extensive débridement in the presence of infection.

Abdominal Muscles↗
PubMed1998

Early life and later determinants of adult disease: a 50 year follow-up study of the Newcastle Thousand Families cohort.

The relative contribution of socioeconomic, behavioural and biological factors operating in fetal and infant life, childhood and adulthood to risk for cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases and non-insulin-dependent diabetes in middle age has become an important research issue. All 1142 babies born in Newcastle upon Tyne in May and June 1947 were recruited into a prospective cohort study of child health (the 'Thousand Families' study) and followed in great detail to the age of 15 y, with a brief further follow up at age 22 y. Children from poorer families were at greatest risk of severe respiratory tract infection in infancy. Children from professional and managerial families were on average taller and heavier throughout childhood than those from semi- and unskilled manual social classes. Repeated infections in early childhood greatly increased the risk of developing chronic respiratory disease by age 15 y. This paper outlines a new investigation designed to trace surviving members of this cohort and to chart the relationships between their socioeconomic circumstances, lifestyles, experiences and health from birth through to the present day. Existing data on socioeconomic circumstances and infections in infancy and childhood, infant nutrition, birthweight and physical development to age 22 y will be linked to information gained from a new study. This comprises a postal questionnaire survey of study members' adult health, socioeconomic circumstances and lifestyle, and a hospital based clinical examination including heart and lung function, glucose tolerance, blood lipids and anthropometric measurements at age 49-51 y. Out of a target sample of 979 people for whom sufficient data are available on the first year of life, 866 (88%) have been traced and 649 are still resident in the North of England. Those study members who have been traced are highly representative of the original cohort. The Thousand Families cohort provides a unique opportunity for detailed epidemiological study because of the wealth of data available on infant and childhood socioeconomic and family circumstances, all of which was collected prospectively. In addition, there has been comparatively little loss to follow-up since 1948.

Chi-Square Distribution↗
PubMed1997

Sheina orri (Myodocopa: Cypridinidae), an ostracod parasitic on the gills of the epaulette shark, Hemiscyllium ocellatum (Elasmobranchii: Hemiscyllidae).

The cypridinid ostracod, Sheina orri, was found on the gills of healthy epaulette sharks, Hemiscyllium ocellatum, collected from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Seventeen of the 28 fish examined had ostracods attached to their gills. Detailed investigation of the gills and ostracods using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy revealed that ostracods anchor themselves to the gill tissues using their mandibular and maxillular claws. These claws appear to be adapted for this purpose and the process of attachment causes some damage to the host tissues. The observation that ostracods were often located in distinct pockets, formed by local distortion of shark respiratory lamellae, strongly suggests that they had been attached to the gills for considerable time.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Physical fitness and its relationship to other indices of health status in children with chronic arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare aerobic and anaerobic fitness of a group of children w-th chronic arthritis with that of healthy controls, and to explore the relationship between physical fitness and other indices of health status in these children. METHODS: Thirty-one children aged 8 to 17 years with chronic arthritis of varying type and severity and 16 physically healthy controls participated in the study. Using a cycle ergometer, aerobic fitness was assessed by measuring peak oxygen uptake achieved in a 15 s period during exercise to volitional fatigue. Anaerobic fitness was assessed by measuring peak power in the legs in a 5 s period and total work completed (Wingate test). Joint pain experienced over the week before testing and during testing was measured using a 10 cm visual analog scale. Self-esteem was measured using the Self Perception Profile for Children Questionnaire. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between mean peak O2 uptake or mean peak anaerobic power for patients and controls; however, the mean values for both controls and patients were significantly lower than reported values for healthy children. Peak O2 uptake controlled for age, sex, and sum of skinfolds was negatively associated with disease severity, measured by physician global assessment (p = 0.04), but peak power was not. Neither aerobic nor anaerobic fitness were associated with disease activity measured by physician global assessment or active joint count, or with disease duration. There was a tendency for children with active arthritis to experience less pain during fitness testing than over the previous week (p = 0.06). Testing did not seem to exacerbate joint symptoms. Self-ratings of athletic competence were significantly correlated with peak O2 uptake achieved for children with arthritis (r = 0.43, p = 0.02), but not for controls. Global self-esteem was moderately correlated with self-rated athletic competence in controls (r = 0.49, p = 0.09), but was not in children with arthritis. CONCLUSION: In this sample of children, most of whom had limited joint involvement, we failed to demonstrate significant group differences in fitness between patients and controls. Disease severity may be related to fitness levels, but psychosocial factors may perhaps be more important determinants of fitness. Children with arthritis seem to have realistic perceptions of their own physical capabilities, and even those children who are less fit and perceive themselves as having less athletic competence do not appear to have lowered self-esteem.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Thermospray liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis of anti-AIDS nucleosides: quantification of 2',3'-dideoxycytidine in plasma samples.

Thermospray liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was investigated as a method for quantification of 2',3'-dideoxycytidine (DDC) from human plasma. A stable isotope analog of DDC ([15N2,2H2]DDC) was used as an internal standard. Selected ion monitoring of the protonated molecular ions for DDC and the internal standard was used to record mass chromatograms. The areas of the peaks in the mass chromatograms were used for quantification. The detection limit of DDC in this assay was 50 pg on-column. The calibration curve was linear over the desired range, 0.25-20 ng/ml. The major advantages of this assay over others are: no derivatization, high sensitivity, high specificity and short assay time.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1992

Utilization of potatoes for life support in space. V. Evaluation of cultivars in response to continuous light and high temperature.

Twenty-four potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars from different regions of the world were evaluated in terms of their responses to continuous light (24 h photoperiod) and to high temperature (30 C) in two separate experiments under controlled environments. In each experiment, a first evaluation of the cultivars was made at day 35 after transplanting, at which time 12 cultivars exhibiting best growth and tuber initiation were selected. A final evaluation of the 12 cultivars was made after an additional 21 days of growth, at which time plant height, total dry weight, tuber dry weight, and tuber number were determined. In the continuous light evaluation, the 12 selected cultivars were Alaska 114, Atlantic, Bintje, Denali, Desiree, Haig, New York 81, Ottar, Rutt, Snogg, Snowchip, and Troll. In the high temperature evaluation, the 12 selected cultivars were Alpha, Atlantic, Bake King, Denali, Desiree, Haig, Kennebec, Norland, Russet Burbank, Rutt, Superior, and Troll. Among the cultivars selected under continuous irradiation, Desiree, Ottar, Haig, Rutt, Denali and Alaska showed the best potential for high productivity whereas New York 81 and Bintje showed the least production capability. Among the cultivars selected under high temperature, Rutt, Haig, Troll and Bake King had best performance whereas Atlantic, Alpha, Kennebec and Russet Burbank exhibited the least production potential. Thus, Haig and Rutt were the two cultivars that performed well under continuous irradiation and high temperature conditions, and could have maximum potential for adaptation to varying stress environments. These two cultivars may have the best potential for use in future space farming in which continuous light and/or high temperature conditions may exist. However, cultivar responses under combined conditions of continuous light and high temperature remains for further validation.

Environment, Controlled↗
PubMed1991

Diurnal temperature fluctuation effects on potatoes grown with 12 hr photoperiods.

This study was designed to characterize the growth responses of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) to diurnal temperature fluctuations. Potato plants of two cultivars, Norland and Denali, were grown for 90 days under 12 hr photoperiod in walk-in growth rooms at the University of Wisconsin Biotron. The alternating temperature was 22 C light/14 C dark and compared to a constant 18 C as control. At all temperature regimes vapor pressure deficit was maintained at 0.62 kPa (70% relative humidity [correction of humdidity] at 18 C). Plant height, plant dry weight, tuber dry weight, and harvest index were overall greater under the warm light/cool dark alternating temperatures than under the constant temperature. The differences between temperature treatments were greater for Denali than for Norland. Alternating temperatures increased Denali tuber weights by 25%, but no significant increase was found with Norland. Also the total plant weight was increased over 20% with Denali, but increased with Norland in only one of the two replications of the experiment. This study documents that alternating temperatures are a benefit to some cultivars but may not be of benefit to all cultivars.

Environment, Controlled↗
PubMed1990

Synthesis and antiviral activity of some acyclic and C-acyclic pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine nucleoside analogues.

A series of acyclic and C-acyclic 7-deazapurine nucleosides have been synthesized and tested for antiviral activity. Reaction of the sodium salt of 2-amino-3,4-bis(aminocarbonyl)-5-(methylthio)pyrrole (6) with an appropriate electrophile gave pyrrole nucleosides which served as common intermediates to both the 7-deazaadenosine and the 7-deazaguanosine series. Several of these 5- and 5,6-substituted pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine nucleosides have shown activity against HIV virus in preliminary in vitro screens.

Antiviral Agents↗
PubMed1990

Control of continuous irradiation injury on potatoes with daily temperature cycling.

Two controlled-environment experiments were conducted to determine the effects of temperature fluctuations under continuous irradiation on growth and tuberization of two potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars, Kennebec and Superior. These cultivars had exhibited chlorotic and stunted growth under continuous irradiation and constant temperatures. The plants were grown for 4 weeks in the first experiment and for 6 weeks in the second experiment. Each experiment was conducted under continuous irradiation of 400 micromoles per square meter per second of photosynthetic photon flux and included two temperature treatments: constant 18 degrees C and fluctuating 22 degrees C/14 degrees C on a 12-hour cycle. A common vapor pressure deficit of 0.62 kilopascal was maintained at all temperatures. Plants under constant 18 degrees C were stunted and had chlorotic and abscised leaves and essentially no tuber formation. Plants grown under the fluctuating temperature treatment developed normally, were developing tubers, and had a fivefold or greater total dry weight as compared with those under the constant temperature. These results suggest that a thermoperiod can allow normal plant growth and tuberization in potato cultivars that are unable to develop effectively under continuous irradiation.

Environment, Controlled↗
PubMed1989

Behavioral treatment of night bingeing and rumination in an adult case of bulimia nervosa.

A 24-year-old female, diagnosed as bulimia nervosa with night bingeing and rumination, was treated by individual and group behavior therapy. A changing criterion design progressively adjusted the criterion for reinforcement as the treatment obtained diminution of night bingeing. Night bingeing was finally eliminated, without evidence of recurrence at 3 month and 2 year follow-ups. Rumination was regarded as a collateral behavior and diminished in tandem with reduction of night bingeing. Other improvements in bulimia nervosa were observed over the course of treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Utilization of white potatoes in CELSS.

Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) have a strong potential as a useful crop species in a functioning CELSS. The cultivar Denali has produced 37.5 g m-2 d-1 when grown for 132 days with the first 40 days under a 12-h photoperiod and a light:dark temperature cycle of 20 degrees C:16 degrees C, and then 92 days under continuous irradiance and a temperature of 16 degrees C. Irradiance was at 725 micromoles m-2 s-1 PPF and carbon dioxide at 1000 micromoles mol-1. The dried tubers had 82% carbohydrates, 9% protein and 0.6% fat. Other studies have shown that carbon dioxide supplementation (1000 micromoles mol-1) is of significant benefit under 12-h irradiance but less benefit under 24 h irradiance. Irradiance cycles of 60 minutes light and 30 minutes dark caused a reduction of more than 50% in tuber weight compared to cycles of 16 h light and 8 h dark. A diurnal temperature change of 22 degrees C for the 12-h light period to 14 degrees C during the 12-h dark period gave increased yields of 30% and 10% for two separate cultivars, compared with plants grown under a constant 18 degrees C temperature. Cultivar screening under continuous irradiance and elevated temperatures (28 degrees C) for 8 weeks of growth indicated that the cvs Haig, Denali, Atlantic, Desiree and Rutt had the best potential for tolerance to these conditions. Harvesting of tubers from plants at weekly intervals, beginning at 8 weeks after planting, did not increase yield over a single final harvest. Spacing of plants on 0.055 centers produced greater yield per m2 than spacing at 0.11 or 0.22 m2. Plants maintained 0.33 meters apart (0.111 m2 per plant) in beds produced the same yields when separated by dividers in the root matrix as when no separation was made.

Biomass↗