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Biomedical subjects

V Douglas

Publications and source records attributed to V Douglas.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Competencies of midwives with single or dual qualifications at the point of registration in Scotland.

OBJECTIVE: to compare and contrast competencies of midwives with single or dual qualifications at the point of registration in Scotland. DESIGN: self-completing survey using the Glasgow Royal Maternity Hospital's Skills' Inventory by midwives at the point of registration and by Supervisors of Midwives analysed using non-parametric statistical tests. Content analysis of semi-structured interviews with experienced midwives and Supervisors of Midwives. SETTING: midwifery education and practice settings throughout Scotland. PARTICIPANTS: 157 midwives at the point of registration, 166 Supervisors of Midwives. MEASUREMENTS: Mann-Whitney and Kruskal Wallis analysis of skills of midwives at the point of registration in prenatal, labour, post-natal, neonatal areas and extended skills areas. FINDINGS/IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: all newly qualified midwives in Scotland, regardless of their educational preparation, are capable of providing care for women and babies in normal midwifery situations. While support for the direct entry programmes has been clearly demonstrated, this is not unanimous, although as more direct entry midwives take up positions, attitudes are becoming more positive.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Living with a chronic leg ulcer: an insight into patients' experiences and feelings.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to ascertain patient need and help health-care professionals to understand the effects of chronic leg ulceration from a patient's perspective. METHOD: A qualitative grounded theory approach was used. A purposeful sample of eight participants (six females and two males) was selected. All were under the care of a district nurse and had over a year's history of venous leg ulceration. Data were collected by interview. RESULTS: Five major categories developed, relating to the 'physical experience', 'loss of control', 'vision of the future', 'carer's perspective' and 'health-care professional and patient relationship'. CONCLUSION: Although the physical and psychological effects of leg ulceration featured prominently in this study, these were heavily influenced by the relationship between the participant and the health-care professional.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1999

Ultraviolet and ionizing radiation enhance the growth of BCCs and trichoblastomas in patched heterozygous knockout mice.

Basal cell carcinomas, the commonest human skin cancers, consistently have abnormalities of the hedgehog signaling pathway and often have PTCH gene mutations. We report here that Ptch+/- mice develop primordial follicular neoplasms resembling human trichoblastomas, and that exposure to ultraviolet radiation or ionizing radiation results in an increase in the number and size of these tumors and a shift in their histologic features so that they more closely resemble human basal cell carcinoma. The mouse basal cell carcinomas and trichoblastoma-like tumors resemble human basal cell carcinomas in their loss of normal hemidesmosomal components, presence of p53 mutations, frequent loss of the normal remaining Ptch allele, and activation of hedgehog target gene transcription. The Ptch mutant mice provide the first mouse model, to our knowledge, of ultraviolet and ionizing radiation-induced basal cell carcinoma-like tumors, and also demonstrate that Ptch inactivation and hedgehog target gene activation are essential for basal cell carcinoma tumorigenesis.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Control of group C meningococcal disease in Australian aboriginal children by mass rifampicin chemoprophylaxis and vaccination.

An outbreak of 12 cases of meningitis, 11 caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C, occurred at Doomadgee from September, 1990, to April, 1991. The incidence of meningitis was 17.55/10(3) person-years. Only children aged 1-10 years were affected. In October, 1990, or shortly thereafter, 473/509 children aged between 1 and 15 years inclusive had one dose of Mencevax AC. From the time of vaccination until April, 1991, a further eight cases occurred, six in vaccinated children. Vaccine efficacy in 1-15 year olds was calculated as 77%. Despite this, in April, 1991, the prevalence of antibody to group C polysaccharide in vaccinated children (78%) was not significantly different from that in unvaccinated children and adults. 46 nonresponders were revaccinated, and, in February, 1992, 78% had antibodies to group C polysaccharide. In April, 1991, an estimated 3.0% of the population had group C organisms, carriage being directly related to household crowding. In June, 1991, 2 months after mass prophylaxis with rifampicin, none of these individuals were carriers. In October, 1991, the carriage rate of group C organisms was 0.64%. There have been no further cases caused by the epidemic strain. Although uncrowded housing is a basic need, mass chemoprophylaxis and two doses of vaccine for children should be used in similar outbreaks.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

The effects of reward and punishment on reaction times and autonomic activity in hyperactive and normal children.

The performance of hyperactive and control children was compared on a delayed reaction time task under three reinforcement conditions: reward, punishment, and reward plus punishment. Hyperactives had slower and more variable reaction times, suggesting an attentional deficit. Although each of the three reinforcement conditons was successful in improving reaction times for both subject groups, reward led to a significant increase in impulsive responses in the hyperactive children. Autonomic data revealed that reward also increased arousal to a greater extent than punishment or reward plus punishment. Although resting skin conductance was not different in the two groups of subjects, hyperactives produced fewer specific autonomic responses to signal stimuli.

Arousal↗
PubMed1971

Comparison of the effects of chlorpromazine, dextroamphetamine and methylphenidate on the behaviour and intellectual functioning of hyperactive children.

Chlorpromazine, dextroamphetamine and methylphenidate were significantly superior to placebo in producing overall improvement in the behaviour of hyperactive children. Chlorpromazine was effective for the majority of the children, but reduced only hyperactivity, having no demonstrable effect on distractibility, aggressivity or excitability. Both stimulants produced more goal-oriented behaviour and reduced distractibility. Methylphenidate was the most effective of the drugs in prpducing exceptional improvement. All three active drugs had to be discontinued in a few of the children because of side effects. Not all hyperactive children were benefited by the drugs.No background variables (with the exception of mother-child relationship) were found in the present studies to predict favourable response to the drugs.Methylphenidate became our drug of choice for this group of hyperactive children.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Menopause and hormone replacement therapy from holistic and medical perspectives.

Myths and other issues surrounding menopause are examined on the basis of historical and current literature from medicine, psychiatry, and psychiatric nursing, and on current research. Changes in the psychiatric view of menopause and mental illness reflect a more holistic view of menopause. Some effects of menopause during this normal transitional phase of a woman's life are explored with respect to the developmental, physiological, and cognitive/psychosocial domains. Concepts of menopause as disease or as normal development are discussed as well as issues related to "care or cure" interventions for menopausal women. Evidence supports the need for systematic longitudinal research studies on the use of hormone therapies to provide information on their long-term effects on the menopausal woman. The use of hormone therapies alone or in conjunction with other holistic interventions is discussed. Nurses have a professional responsibility to come to terms with the continuing conflict related to hormone therapies so that they may provide appropriate nursing interventions to celebrate this passage rather than deny it.

Attitude to Health↗