OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated information on over-the-counter (OTC) medication labels. Brand-name OTC products were examined to determine compliance with the Label Readability Guidelines recommended by the Nonprescription Drug Manufacturers Association (NDMA). Additionally, the use of pictures on OTC medication labels was assessed. The effect of pictures on other aspects of ...

Spasticity is still a challenge to clinicians and scientists. The participation of Ia, Ib, II, III and IV afferents pathways, as well as those related with presynaptic inhibition. Renshaw cells modulation, and alpha and gamma motoneurons hyperexcitability, in this medical problem are reviewed. A brief overview on the more common ...

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this investigation was to evaluate the degree of round window membrane obstruction in the native state. The implications for the perfusion of the inner ear via the intratympanic instillation of medications are addressed. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective chart review and a prospective intraoperative observation ...

Clinical evaluation of the osteoarthritic patient involves critical evaluation off the animal and associated medical history. The most useful diagnostic aids in veterinary practice include joint palpation, radiography, and arthrocentesis. Accurate patient assessment provides diagnostic and prognostic information as well as serving as a baseline for medical or surgical therapies.

The Physician Data Query (PDQ) is a computerised medical database aimed at communicating cancer-related information through computer technology. PDQ has been distributed in Europe since 1988 and in the U.S. since 1985. A study aimed at evaluating whether PDQ had reached a wide medical community was conducted among European PDQ ...

The histologic distinction between dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) and the fibrous type of benign fibrous histiocytoma (dermatofibroma, DF) may be extremely difficult. In this study, we evaluated the extent and pattern of immunoreactivity of both CD34 and factor XIIIa in a large number of DFSPs and DFs in order to determine ...

During the slaughtering season of February and March 1991, 559 capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) were tested for Trypanosoma evansi in two areas in Venezuela: El Frio Ranch and El Cedral Ranch. Blood and serum samples were evaluated for T. evansi. Forty-eight (9%) of 559 capybaras had T. evansi using the microcentrifugation ...

Werner Forssmann, André F. Cournand, and Dickinson W. Richards were awarded the Nobel Prize in 1956 for seminal work on heart catheterization, Forssmann for his pioneering self-experiment, and Cournand and Richards for establishing heart catheterization as a standard diagnostic and treatment procedure in cardiology. Forssmann's self-experiment pushed the boundaries of ...

Clinical trials designed to evaluate the efficacy of new anti-parkinsonian agents often employ an 'add-on' protocol in which patients with motor fluctuations on levodopa are randomized to receive active medication or placebo. Levodopa doses may not be increased, but can be decreased in response to dopaminergic side-effects such as increasing ...

Currently, marketed over-the-counter (OTC) medication labels were simulated and tested in a controlled environment to understand consumer evaluation of OTC label information. Two factors, consumers' age (younger and older adults) and label designs (picture-only, verbal-only, congruent picture-verbal, and noncongruent picture-verbal) were controlled and tested to evaluate consumer information processing. The ...

Neurobehavioral impairment is among the earliest indicators of a toxic insult on the nervous system. Neurobehavioral tests measure behavior impairment by noninvasive procedures that assess various performance and personality changes. Neurobehavioral tests have been used on groups of workers included in epidemiologic research studies; however, their suitability for an ongoing ...

Although a limited number of drugs make up the mainstay of treatment of endometriosis, many alternative medications have been used in an attempt to improve efficacy. Some have been rigorously evaluated and are of proven benefit, while others show promise in preliminary trials or in animal models. Proper methods of ...

Speech interfaces have the potential to address the data entry bottleneck of many applications is the field of medical informatics. An experimental study evaluated the effect of perceptual structure on a multimodal speech interface for the collection of histopathology data. A perceptually structured multimodal interface, using speech and direct manipulation, ...

Economic evaluation of pharmaceutical products, or pharmacoeconomics, is a rapidly growing area of research. Pharmacoeconomic evaluation is important in helping clinicians and managers make choices about new pharmaceutical products and in helping patients obtain access to new medications. Over the last few years, the scientific rigor of this field has ...

This paper examines the question of evaluation which has been largely neglected in the credit-based systems of continuing medical education adopted by the Medical Royal Colleges. These systems are seen to encourage a training model of continuing education and a scientific model of evaluation as measurement. By contrast, humanistic evaluation ...

Currently, there are few alternatives to the use of animals in toxicology for human risk assessment. Neurobehavioral toxicology is an emerging area in which complex performance capacity is evaluated during or following toxicological exposure. While a number of single tests and a few more complex neurobehavioral batteries exist, no fully ...

A 16-year-old Guatemalan adolescent presented for routine immunizations. She was still amenorrheic and appeared significantly younger than her stated age. Her evaluation revealed pubertal development and primary amenorrhea due to primary ovarian failure of unknown etiology, characterized by hypergonadotrophic hypogonadism with an infantile uterus and no visible adnexa. At the ...

This nuts and bolts chapter for clinicians who perform independent medical examinations delves into the details of a psychiatric disability evaluation-from why the handshake at the beginning of the session is so important, to how to examine a claimant's credibility. Pertinent points from the AMA's Guides to the Evaluation of ...

Radiographic or ultrasonographic evaluation of the urinary tract is required to consistently detect feline uroliths. Evaluation of clinical, laboratory, and radiographic findings facilitate "guesstimation" of the mineral composition of uroliths. Therapy should not be initiated before appropriate samples have been collected for diagnosis. The objectives of medical management of uroliths ...

Current and developing knowledge of mechanisms underlying the embryological development of congenital heart defects strongly suggests that medical evaluation should be extended to relatives of patients. Relatives may be found to have either subclinical or significant heart defects of specific forms that are phylogenetically related to the disorder of the ...

We report a 78-year-old German man of neither Mediterranean nor Jewish lineage who developed Kaposi's sarcoma localized to his penis. An evaluation for retrovirus infection or other causes of immunosuppression was negative. The nodules responded to radiotherapy with cobalt-60, rapidly involuting. The patient has no evidence of Kaposi's sarcoma for ...

Phthirus pubis, Linnaeus 1758 that causes phthiriasis is a common infestation disease. However, it is commonly be acquired in jails, brothels, and other similar places. The efficacy of four insecticides commercially known as Eurax, Elimite, Licid, and Benzanil was evaluated for controlling pubic lice in vitro. The four test insecticides ...

The presurgical evaluation of patients with medically refractory epilepsy begins with a thorough noninvasive approach, including ictal monitoring with scalp recording technique. The concept of convergence of evidence is used to determine the adequacy of the noninvasive localization. A variety of intracranial electrophysiologic studies can be employed when the noninvasive ...

The Active Digital Library at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center has created and implemented an educational software evaluation process to facilitate the timely recommendation for product acquisition. Using this process, breadth and depth of subject coverage, clarity of presentation, quality of construction, and ease of use are being assessed by ...

Using The Longitudinal Study of Aging, we determined the independent effects of nine self-reported medical conditions on the likelihood of developing specific instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) disabilities at three points in time. We controlled for demographic factors and self-reported health status. The various medical conditions differentially affect each ...

PURPOSE: To determine the frequency with which treatment plans based on findings at magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) match those based on findings at conventional x-ray arteriography (XRA) in the evaluation of symptomatic lower extremity ischemia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Two-dimensional time-of-flight (TOF) MRA was performed in 42 patients undergoing XRA for ...

PURPOSE: To compare the clinical performance of two high-copper amalgam alloys with different compositions by evaluating marginal fracture of each restoration over a 2-year period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Restorations of Valiant PhD and Zenith Premium alloy were placed in Class I and II cavity preparations in patients and evaluated at ...

As part of the Desert Shield/Desert Storm Registry at the VA Medical Center, Allen Park, Michigan, we have evaluated more than 600 patients since 1992. More recently, we have taken notice of patients appearing with common oral findings that were repetitive and similar in appearance. Their cause is currently unknown. ...

The purposes of this study were to determine the incidence of significant threshold shift (STS) for a large number of Naval fleet personnel, evaluate hearing conservation program (HCP) compliance for a large number of Naval ships, and determine whether two currently used compliance measures are useful means of evaluating HCP ...

The ongoing evaluation of endoscopic competence is an essential element of every medical and surgical endoscopic training program. The primary goal of this evaluation is to assure the greatest benefit for patients with digestive diseases. Observational methods to assess competence plus current guideline recommendations for certification and proctoring are discussed ...

Significant progress has been realized in the evaluation and treatment of erectile disorders during the past 15 years. The establishment of interdisciplinary teams and evolution of treatment centers have led to comprehensive, state-of-the-art evaluation and multiple innovative treatment options. Limitations in our knowledge, however, remain because age-related standards for diagnostic ...

Management of hemifacial spasm can actually be done medically, surgically and with Botulinum-A Toxin. The Botulinum-A Toxin treatment locally injected into the involved facial muscles offers a useful alternative to medical and surgical therapy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Botulinum-A Toxin for the treatment ...

A woman with excessive body hair may visit a physician with concerns about fertility and general health as well as appearance. Fortunately, the cause is usually benign, most often polycystic ovarian syndrome. However, life-threatening causes must be quickly ruled out. Hirsutism secondary to endocrinopathies and tumors can typically be recognized ...

In the present paper, three multiparametric coagulation instruments were evaluated with regard to chronometric tests for aPTT (CK-Prest and automated APTT), PT (Recombiplastin and Thromborel), fibrinogen and factors of the prothrombin complex. Analysis of within-run precision and linearity and comparative studies showed the analytical performances of the instruments to differ ...

We retrospectively evaluated three fluent asthmatic children who developed speech dysfluency following administration of theophylline. The dysfluency ceased in all three, following discontinuation of the medication. The medication was re-instituted in two patients, prompting return of dysfluency. It is unknown whether the patients had characteristics of "acquired stuttering" or "developmental ...

In 63 evaluable palliative care patients requiring intermittent bolus subcutaneous administration of medication, who were randomly assigned either a standard metal subcutaneous needle or a PTFE (Vialon) catheter, there was a significantly greater incidence of local reactions at the insertion site with the metal needles (9/30) compared with the PTFE ...

Anophthalmia is an absence of ocular tissue in the orbit. Important aspects in the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of both congenital and acquired anophthalmic patients are reviewed. Congenital and acquired anophthalmia differ in etiology, but many concepts of management can apply to either category. Specific steps in the evaluation and ...

PURPOSE: To determine the gynecologic surveillance practices of Connecticut physicians regarding asymptomatic, postmenopausal women receiving tamoxifen for breast cancer management prior to and following a National Cancer Institute (NCI) directive recommending ongoing study and annual pelvic examinations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An anonymous survey of 110 Connecticut medical oncologists, and 306 ...

In order to evaluate the medical, psychological and behavioral aspects of Williams-Beuren syndrome in adulthood, data were collected on 11 patients aged 17 to 66 years. The medical data did not confirm previous reports of significant morbidity. All adults were found to have a moderate or severe degree of mental ...

Most urologists' clinical experience is that infertility is a rare presenting sign of life-threatening medical disorders in men. Considering the current practice of infertile couples presenting to the gynecologist for initial evaluation and the popularity of assisted reproductive technology, many men are evaluated with a semen analysis alone and treatment ...

The performance of the Roche Cobas Argos 5Diff (Argos) automated haematology analyser was evaluated by comparison to manual blood film examination and a Coulter STKS (STKS) analyser. The Argos demonstrated excellent between and inter-batch imprecision for all parameters, except the MCHC, and good linearity for Hb, WBC and platelet count ...

To develop a modern appraisal of growth for Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, and Milking Shorthorn dairy heifers, data on heart girth and height at withers were collected from 1279 Ayrshire heifers (33 herds), 1819 Brown Swiss heifers (46 herds), and 565 Milking Shorthorn heifers (20 herds), ages 1 to 25 mo, ...

The present study is an evaluation of psychiatrist and psychologist patient care services from the Army's Ambulatory Care Data Base. The data from the present study did not reveal any evidence that psychiatrists performed patient care or medical services in any manner different from psychologists, with the exception that they ...

Articles published in medical journals often evaluate the survival and/or prognosis of a medical impairment. The conclusions of these articles can be very misleading if correct mortality methodology is not utilized. Authors evaluating survival in a cohort of individuals with Thalassemia Major concluded the prognosis was excellent. This was based ...

Coma in the pediatric patient is a medical emergency and must be dealt with in a rapid, organized way. Basic life support needs, evaluation of history, and physical examination are all of paramount importance and evaluation of these three critical areas must proceed simultaneously. Specific diagnoses must be treated appropriately, ...

This is a case study of Mercy Medical Foundation of Sacramento and its affiliation with Medical Clinic of Sacramento, Inc. It provides background on the development of the foundation, factors leading to the affiliation, evaluation of models, and analysis of how the organizational structure was developed. Finally, it discusses how ...

Titanium nitride (TiN) is regarded as a potential biomaterial for blood-contact applications. Its in vitro haemocompatibility has been evaluated already and gave promising results. The purpose of this study was to continue studying its 'biological' behaviour through an ex vivo evaluation. The material was a physical vapour deposition elaborated TiN ...

This article examines several criteria for the evaluation of software engineering environments (SEE) in medicine. The study is restricted to the evaluation of the SEE itself, not of its by-products which are the medical applications developed with the SEE. Basic principles for an evaluation methodology are presented. They consist in ...

The multidisciplinary evaluation of fatal dog bites in the context of a case is discussed. This approach emphasizes detailed examination of the animals including matching of bite marks, autopsy, and canine behavioral analysis. It further provides details such as contributory medical conditions, past animal behavior and physical evidence linking the ...

Using approaches based on "medical needs" and biological variation, goals for analytical accuracy were assessed to 0.072-0.15 expressed as relative deviations, and goals for analytical precision were estimated to 0.022-0.14 expressed as relative standard deviations. A representative clinical method was evaluated using a reference method. On this basis, it is ...