PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Environment Design”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Alcohol and retrograde memory effects: role of individual differences.

OBJECTIVE: When alcohol is consumed following learning, the effect on delayed, sober memory can vary from person to person. We examined a range of individual differences to look for predictors of this variability. METHOD: Male social drinkers (N = 65; average age 23.3 years) were exposed to emotionally charged verbal stimulus materials while sober. Participants consumed 1.0 ml/kg alcohol immediately afterward and remained in an environment designed to minimize retrograde interference. Stimulus recall and recognition were tested 24 hours later, when participants had breath-alcohol concentrations of zero. Relationship between memory scores and individual differences (in age, education, alcohol consumption, vocabulary, verbal learning, emotionality, mood state 24 hours after learning, response to alcohol, personality and alcohol expectancies) were determined. RESULTS: Only age and vocabulary were significantly associated with memory score following drinking, probably because they constrained initial understanding of the statements and mediated the effects of alcohol on memory consolidation. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of a given dose of alcohol on emotionally charged verbal memory are similar for men of equal age and verbal skill, but independent of other individual differences. It is most likely that alcohol affects incidental memory by nonspecific enhancement or interference processes.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

The psychometric and cardiac effects of pseudoephedrine in the hyperbaric environment.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To examine the psychometric and cardiac effects of pseudoephedrine at 1 and 3 atmospheres (atm) of pressure (0 and 66 feet of sea water, respectively), and to make recommendations about the agent's safety in the diving environment. DESIGN: Double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. SETTING: Monoplace hyperbaric chamber of a university hospital. SUBJECTS: Thirty active divers (mean age 38 yrs). INTERVENTION: A bank of seven tests was used to assess cognitive function during four different simulated dive combinations: placebo-1 atm, placebo3 atm, pseudoephedrine-1 atm, and pseudoephedrine-3 atm. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Heart rate and cardiac rhythm were recorded during all dives. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to analyze the effects of pseudoephedrine, depth, and drug-depth interaction. No significant, independent effects of pseudoephedrine were seen on any of the seven psychometric test scores (p>0.05), although the drug tended to increase anxiety scores (p=0.092). Depth resulted in a significant increase in anxiety scores (p=0.021) and a significant decrease in verbal fluency test scores (p=0.041); it had no significant effects on the other five psychometric tests (p>0.05). Pseudoephedrine caused a significant increase (p=0.036) in mean heart rate, and depth caused a significant decrease (p=0.013). Neither pseudoephedrine nor depth affected cardiac rhythm. CONCLUSION: Pseudoephedrine does not cause significant alterations in psychometric performance at 3 atm of pressure that might increase the risk of diving. Depth causes significant adverse effects on anxiety levels and semantic memory at 3 atm. Pseudoephedrine and depth have significant but opposite effects on heart rate; although, these effects are unlikely to be clinically significant during diving. It is unlikely that pseudoephedrine adds significant risk to the diver.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

The psychometric and cardiac effects of dimenhydrinate in the hyperbaric environment.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To examine the psychometric and cardiac effects of dimenhydrinate at 1 and 3 atmospheres (atm) of pressure (0 and 66 feet of sea water, respectively), and to make recommendations about the drug's safety in the diving environment. DESIGN: Double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study SETTING: Monoplace hyperbaric chamber of a university hospital. SUBJECTS: Thirty active divers (mean age 38 yrs). INTERVENTIONS: A bank of seven tests was used to assess cognitive function during four different dive combinations: placebo-1 atm, placebo-3 atm, dimenhydrinate-1 atm, and dimenhydrinate-3 atm. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Heart rate and cardiac rhythm were recorded during all dives. Repeated-measures multivariate analysis of variance was used to analyze the effects of dimenhydrinate, depth, and drug-depth interaction. Dimenhydrinate resulted in a significant decrease in scores of mental flexibility (trail-making, part B, p<0.05) but had no effect on scores in the six other psychometric tests (p>0.05). It had no effect on mean heart rate (p>0.05), although frequent unifocal ventricular ectopic beats occurred in two subjects after ingestion of the drug. Depth resulted in a significant decrease in verbal memory test scores (p=0.001) and mean heart rate (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Dimenhydrinate adversely affects mental flexibility. This effect, when added to the adverse effect of depth on memory, may contribute to the dangers of diving.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

Positive and negative reinforcement effects on behavior in a three-person microsociety.

Three-person groups, either of males or of females, resided for 6 to 12 days in a continuously programmed environment. Subjects followed a behavioral program that determined the sequential and contingent relations within an inventory of activities. The program consisted of positive reinforcement days and avoidance days. During a positive reinforcement day, each work unit completed by a subject incremented a group account. The account was divided evenly among the three participants at the conclusion of the study. During a negative reinforcement day, no money was earned, and the group was assigned work unit criterion that, if completed, prevented a reduction in accumulated earnings. During negative reinforcement days, subjects made aggressive verbal responses, which differed in magnitude among the four groups. These differences were evident in several distinct behavioral measures. Performances on components of the work unit were not demonstrably affected by the reinforcement schedules in effect, although during the avoidance condition one subject stopped working and another subject's productivity declined.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Efficacy of selamectin in the treatment and control of clinical signs of flea allergy dermatitis in dogs and cats experimentally infested with fleas.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether treatment with selamectin would reduce clinical signs of flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) in dogs and cats housed in flea-infested environments. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. ANIMALS: 22 dogs and 17 cats confirmed to have FAD. PROCEDURE: Animals were housed in carpeted pens capable of supporting the flea life cycle and infested with 100 fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) on days -13 and -2 and on alternate weeks with 10 to 20 fleas. On day 0, 11 dogs and 8 cats were treated with selamectin (6 mg/kg [2.7 mg/lb]). Dogs were retreated on day 30; cats were retreated on days 30 and 60. All animals were examined periodically for clinical signs of FAD. Flea counts were conducted at weekly intervals. RESULTS: Throughout the study, geometric mean flea counts exceeded 100 for control animals and were < or = 11 for selamectin-treated animals. Selamectin-treated cats had significant improvements in the severity of miliary lesions and scaling or crusting on days 42 and 84, compared with conditions on day -8, and in severity of excoriation on day 42. In contrast, control cats did not have any significant improvements in any of the clinical signs of FAD. Selamectin-treated dogs had significant improvements in all clinical signs on days 28 and 61, but in control dogs, severity of clinical signs of FAD was not significantly different from baseline severity at any time. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that topical administration of selamectin, even without the use of supplementary environmental control measures and with minimal therapeutic intervention, can reduce the severity of clinical signs of FAD in dogs and cats.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed2004

Effects of a whole-body spandex garment on rectal temperature and oxygen consumption in healthy dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a full-body spandex garment would alter rectal temperatures of healthy dogs at rest in cool and warm environments. DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: 10 healthy dogs. PROCEDURES: Each dog was evaluated at a low (20 degrees to 25 degrees C [68 degrees to 77 degrees F]) or high (30 degrees to 35 degrees C [86 degrees to 95 degrees F]) ambient temperature while wearing or not wearing a commercially available whole-body spandex garment designed for dogs. Oxygen consumption was measured by placing dogs in a flow-through indirect calorimeter for 90 to 120 minutes. Rectal temperature was measured before dogs were placed in the calorimeter and after they were removed. RESULTS: Rectal temperature increased significantly more at the higher ambient temperature than at the lower temperature and when dogs were not wearing the garment than when they were wearing it. The specific rate of oxygen consumption was significantly higher at the lower ambient temperature than at the higher temperature. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that wearing a snug spandex body garment does not increase the possibility that dogs will overheat while in moderate ambient temperatures. Instead, wearing such a garment may enable dogs to better maintain body temperature during moderate heat loading. These results suggest that such garments might be used for purposes such as wound or suture protection without causing dogs to overheat.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Isolation of Salmonella spp from the environment of dairies without any history of clinical salmonellosis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether Salmonella spp could be isolated from the environment of free stall dairies in Wisconsin without any history of clinical salmonellosis and determine the serotype and antimicrobial susceptibility of any Salmonella isolates recovered from the environment. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. STUDY POPULATION: 20 free stall dairies with no history of clinical salmonellosis. PROCEDURES: Dairy owners completed a questionnaire regarding management and production practices. Multiple swab samples were obtained from throughout the free stall facilities and submitted for bacterial culture for Salmonella spp. Odds ratios were calculated to compare herd-level risk factors between dairies from which Salmonella organisms were isolated and herds from which Salmonella organisms were not isolated. RESULTS: Salmonella organisms were isolated from 9 of the 20 (45%) dairies. Salmonella serotype Meleagridis was isolated from 4 dairies, S. Meleagridis and S. Kentucky were isolated from 2 dairies, S. Meleagridis and S. Cyprus were isolated from 1 dairy, S. Cerro was isolated from 1 dairy, and S. Corvallis was isolated from 1 dairy. All isolates were susceptible to all antimicrobial agents tested. None of the potential risk factors analyzed demonstrated a significant association with an increased likelihood of isolating Salmonella spp. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Environmental Salmonella contamination was demonstrated on free stall dairies with no history of clinical salmonellosis.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

State anxiety, performance accuracy, and work pace in a simulated pharmacy dispensing task.

This study examined the effects of scores on state anxiety on overall accuracy of performance and speed of working in a simulated pharmacy dispensing task. 75 undergraduates worked in a simulated pharmacy environment, designed by Schell and Grasha in 1998, to fill 42 mock orders for simulated pharmacy items. Participants' accuracy and work pace in the simulation, presimulation stress, and postsimulation perceived workload and state anxiety were measured. Analysis indicated that state anxiety and overall accuracy were strongly related. State anxiety appears to be one of the best predictors of errors in the simulated pharmacy dispensing task found so far, while the lack of relationship between work pace and accuracy was confirmed. Work pace predicted accuracy, indirectly, but only after statistically removing the effects of anxiety, task frustration, significant-other stress, and grade point average.

Anxiety↗
PubMed2002

Mimics: a symbolic conflict/cooperation simulation program, with embedded protocol recording and automatic psychometric assessment.

This paper describes an interactive software environment designed as a social interaction simulator with embedded comprehensive recording and flexible assessment facilities. Using schematized visual sketches similar to cross-cultural facial universals (Ekman, 1999), Mimics (Shmelyov & Aidman, 1997) employs a computer-game-like scenario that requires the subject to identify with an avatar and navigate it through a playing field inhabited by hosts who display a range of facial expressions. From these expressions (which are highly consequential), the player has to anticipate the hosts' reactions to the avatar (which may vary from friendly to obstructing or aggressive) and choose between negotiating with a host (by altering the avatar's facial expression), attacking it, or searching for an escape route. Comprehensive recording of player moves and interactions has enabled computation of several finegrained indices of interactive behavior, such as aggressive response styles, efficiency, and motivation in conflict/cooperation contexts. Initial validation data and potential applications of the method in the assessment of personality and social behavior are discussed.

Aggression↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Assessing the walkability of the workplace: a new audit tool.

PURPOSE: Walking can be incorporated into most people's daily routines if the process is made convenient by a well-designed built environment. Walkability rarely is assessed in the workplace, where adults spend much of their time. METHODS: From existing tools, we developed an instrument to audit walkability at a single government agency's facilities, which were located in multiple states. We used a five-point scale to evaluate nine elements of walkability: pedestrian facilities, pedestrian-vehicle conflicts, crosswalks, route maintenance, walkway width, roadway buffer, universal accessibility, aesthetics, and shade. Weighted scores ranged from 20 to 39 (poor), to 40 to 69 (fair), to 70 to 100 (good). RESULTS: Of 79 walking route segments surveyed on 10 agency campuses, 34% were rated poor, 32% fair, and 34% good. Repeat assessment of 20 walking route segments by three independent observers yielded similar scores. CONCLUSION: Facility planners may find this walkability instrument useful in identifying and eliminating barriers to convenient walking opportunities in workplaces such as office parks and university campuses.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Patient acceptance of outpatient treatment for inguinal hernia in Jos, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Patient acceptability constitutes an important component of outpatient treatment for hernias. It is essential that patients are properly selected so that only those who need admission are admitted and cared for with the limited available resources. It is also equally important that those who qualify for outpatient care are adequately informed that there is no added risk attributable to outpatient treatment and that they are free to accept or reject such treatment. OBJECTIVE: To determine the acceptability of day care treatment for inguinal hernia in our environment. DESIGN: Prospective cross sectional study. SETTING: Jos University Teaching Hospital. SUBJECTS: 121 selected patients were randomized to undergo elective inguinal hernia repair either as outpatients (61) or inpatients (60). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Six weeks after operation, an assessment of patients' opinion was made as to their preferred method. RESULTS: 52 of 61 day cases and 24 of 60 inpatients preferred outpatient treatment, while two daycare patients and 36 inpatients preferred hospital admission (p < 0.001). Altogether, acceptability rate for outpatient treatment was 68.6%. CONCLUSION: in carefully selected and adequately informed patients, outpatient elective inguinal hernia repair is readily acceptable.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Malaria infection and its consequences in school children.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the prevalence and consequences of malaria infection in school children in the Muea area and its environment. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: Muea area, South West Cameroon. SUBJECTS: Two hundred and fourty six randomly selected school children aged three to sixteen years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of malaria in the Muea area. Determination of parasitaemia. Measurement of haematocrit (PCV) values. Species identification. Consequences of malaria infection in terms of school days lost. RESULTS: Prevalence of malaria was 98% and highest prevalence rate (100%) and geometric mean parasite density (1520 parasites/microl of blood) occurred in the < or = 5 years age group. Prevalence of anaemia was generally low (10.8%) and there were no cases of severe anaemia (PCV < 20%). P. vivax-like parasites were detected for the first time in this area. Plasmodium falciparum was the predominant species (93%) followed by P. malariae (52%), P. ovale (42.7%) and P. vivax-like parasites (33.3%). Mixed infections also occurred. Fifty three out of 144 (36.8%) children lost a number of school days ranging from 0.5-14 days, with each child losing an average of 1.53 school days in a month. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of asymptomatic malaria in the Muea area is very high. P. vivax parasites were observed for the first time in the area, but this needs to be confirmed by molecular methods in future studies. Children lost school days as a consequence of malaria infection.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed1996

How forearm position affects grip strength.

OBJECTIVE: Several studies have indicated that changing body positions results in altered grip strengths. Although one might expect that grip strength would be influenced by the position of the forearm during gripping due to the biomechanical properties of the forearm and hand muscles, no investigations of this variable have been undertaken. METHOD: This study examined the effect on grip strength of moving the forearm among supinated, neutral, and pronated positions while maintaining the standard position recommended by the American Society of Hand Therapists. The mean of three grip trials in each position was recorded for each of 106 subjects. RESULTS: Grips in forearm supination were the strongest, followed by grips in the neutral position. Grips in pronation were the weakest. CONCLUSIONS: The changes in grip strength observed with variations in forearm position further support the necessity of a standard position for testing grip strength. The knowledge of how changes in body position affect the strength of the grip can be used to design environments and tools to maximize biomechanical abilities.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

[In vitro antimicrobial activities of quinolones, rifamycins and macrolides against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M.avium complex: attempt to establish new assay methods which accurately reflect therapeutic effects of test agents in vivo].

Profiles of expression of the antimicrobial activities of LVFX, KRM-1648 (KRM), and CAM against M. tuberculosis (MTB) and M. avium complex (MAC) residing in MONO-MAC-6 human macrophage like cells (MM6-M phi s) and A-549 human type II alveolar pneumocyte cells (A-549 cells) were determined. First, the antimicrobial activities of LVFX, KRM, and CAM against intracellular organisms of MTB Kurono and MAC N-444 strains were examined under conditions in which infected MM6-M phi s and A-549 cells were cultured for up to 7 days or longer in medium containing the antimicrobials at their Cmaxs in the blood, achievable after oral administration of clinical dosages of these drugs. The antimicrobial effects of LVFX and KRM against respectively MTB and MAC within A-549 cells were significantly less than the activities they displayed against the same organisms residing in MM6-M phi s. Notably, it was also found that KRM had a markedly larger MIC (0.25 microgram/ml) for MAC N-444 within A-549 cells than its MIC (0.008 microgram/ml) for the same strain residing in MM6-M phi s. Thus, the profiles of LVFX- and KRM-mediated killing or inhibition of intracellular MTB or MAC organisms in A-549 cells were markedly different from those observed for the organisms residing in MM6-M phi s. Second, invasive and multiplicative phenotypes of MTB and MAC organisms, which had been adapted to either an extracellular or intracellular environment (designated as E- and I-type organisms, respectively), were studied. In the case of MTB, I-type organisms (retrieved from infected MM6-M phi s after bacterial growth within the M phi s during 5-day cultivation) were less efficient than E-type organisms (prepared by cultivating the organisms in 7H9 medium) in entering MM6-M phi s, whereas I-type organisms were more efficient than E-type organisms in invading A-549 cells. On the other hand, in the case of MAC, infectivity of I-type organisms not only in MM6-M phi s but also in A-549 cells was larger than that of E-type organisms. Next, while I-type organisms of MTB and MAC displayed more vigorous replication within MM6-M phi s than E-type organisms, the growth rate of E-type organisms within A-549 cells was more rapid than that of I-type organisms residing in A-549 cells. These findings indicate that there are significant differences between E- and I-type organisms of MTB or MAC in ability to invade and multiply within M phi s (professional phagocytes) and alveolar epithelial cells (nonprofessional phagocytic cells).

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1998

Comparing virtual and real worlds for acrophobia treatment.

Traditional treatment of phobias involves a process of gradual exposure to the feared object. Virtual Reality (VR) environments have been used to effectively treat phobias by simulating feared situations, yet these initial studies have been performed by comparing the effect to no-treatment conditions. We are in the process of comparing VR exposure treatment to "gold-standard" in-vivo exposure treatment by replicating an actual in-vivo exposure area in a VR model. The process of controlling for differences between the two environments highlights a general procedure of selecting elements in virtual environment design, targeted towards producing particular emotional effects. It also raises questions about the necessity for highly realistic simulation in VR phobia treatment.

Behavior Therapy↗
PubMed1999

Health and safety standards in New Zealand mortuaries.

AIM: To establish the degree of compliance with health and safety standards in New Zealand mortuaries. METHOD: A mortuary audit tool was developed based mainly on British mortuary health and safety standards. This was tested and then applied to all identified mortuaries. RESULTS: Less than 50% (seven out of 15 institutions) met the standards required to carry out "basic" autopsies. Only one institution had mortuary facilities that were deemed suitable for "high risk" procedures. Where necessary, recommendations for improvements were made. CONCLUSIONS: New Zealand (and preferably Australasian-wide) standards need to be established and adopted for mortuaries. Some rationalisation of mortuary services so as to isolate risk (and improve quality control?) is necessary. People working in mortuaries need to adhere to stricter work practices while working in purpose-designed environments that minimise their risk.

Benchmarking↗