Neonatal Sucking Behaviors

Neonatal sucking responses or behaviors have been of great interest to researchers and clinicians since the early 1800s. Since 1960, there has been a resurgence of interest in the objective study of sucking behaviors in both the psychological and medical literature. The studies have examined both nutritive and non-nutritive sucking measurements. Sucking behaviors have been studied to understand the development of the feeding mechanism as well as to track neurobehavioral development. The relationship between sucking behaviors and behavioral organization of the newborn are considered, along with a historical perspective of sucking measurements, relevant literature on nutritive sucking, physiologic correlates, differences in breast and bottle feeding patterns, non-nutritive sucking, and factors that modify sucking organization. Implications for nursing practice will be discussed.     

Risk factors for delayed immunization among children in an HMO.

OBJECTIVES. Improving the timely delivery of childhood immunizations has become a national imperative. This study aimed to identify nonfinancial predictors of delayed immunization among patients with good financial access to preventive care. METHODS. This prospective cohort study used telephone interviews and a computerized immunization tracking system to evaluate 13-month-old children (n = 530) in a regional group-model health maintenance organization. RESULTS. More than one third of parents interviewed did not know when the next immunization was due. Thirteen percent were late for the measles-mumps-rubella immunization, recommended at 15 months of age, by 90 days or more. Independent predictors of delayed immunization included having a larger number of children (odds ratio [OR] = 1.4, P < .01), not having a regular doctor (OR = 2.9, P < .05), not knowing when the shot was due (OR = 2.0, P < .01), and not worrying about the risks of shots (OR = 1.4, P < .05). CONCLUSIONS. Financial access alone does not guarantee timely childhood immunization. In managed care settings, which may cover increasing numbers of children under health care reform, interventions are needed to better inform parents of when immunizations are due.     

Pycnogenol® as an Adjunct in the Management of Childhood Asthma

A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study involving 60 subjects, aged 6-18 years old, was conducted over a period of 3 months to determine the effect of Pycnogenol® (a proprietary mixture of water-soluble bioflavonoids extracted from French maritime pine) on mild-to-moderate asthma. After baseline evaluation, subjects were randomized into two groups to receive either Pycnogenol® or placebo. Subjects were instructed to record their peak expiratory flow with an Assess® Peak Flow Meter each evening. At the same time, symptoms, daily use of rescue inhalers (albuterol), and any changes in oral medications were also recorded. Urine samples were obtained from the subjects at the end of the run-in period, and at 1-, 2-, and 3-month visits. Urinary leukotriene C₄/D₄/E₄ was measured by an enzyme immunoassay. Compared with subjects taking placebo, the group who took Pycnogenol® had significantly more improvement in pulmonary functions and asthma symptoms. The Pycnogenol® group was able to reduce or discontinue their use of rescue inhalers more often than the placebo group. There was also a significant reduction of urinary leukotrienes in the Pycnogenol® group. The results of this study demonstrate the efficacy of Pycnogenol® as an adjunct in the management of mild-to-moderate childhood asthma.     

Primary intraorbital meningioma and schwannoma--a rare association

Primary intraorbital meningioma and Schwannoma are rare tumours. For them to occur concurrently, or one following soon after another should be considered a curiosity. We present a 40 year old male who reported with proptosis of the right eye and a meningioma was removed surgically. Within 3 months symptoms recurred and a schwannoma was removed at surgery from the same site. Interesting features of the lesion are presented and discussed.     

Does listening to the sound of yourself chewing increase your enjoyment of food?

Background  

The aim of the current study is to investigate the relationship between physical anhedonia and psychopathological parameters, pharmacological parameters or motor side-effects in a sample of inpatients with schizophrenia in an acute episode of their illness.     

Balloon angioplasty for native coarctation of the aorta in children and adults: factors determining the outcome.

Balloon angioplasty was performed in 46 patients (age 2-40 yr) with discrete native coarctation of aorta. Patients with associated patent ductus arteriosus, aberrant subclavian artery and aneurysms were excluded. The peak systolic gradient across the coarcted segment decreased from 52.1 +/- 18.5 mmHg to 18.6 +/- 14.8 mmHg (p less than 0.001), and the diameter of the coarcted segment increased from 3.6 +/- 1.7 mm/m2 to 9.1 +/- 3.2 mm/m2 (p less than 0.001). Follow-up haemodynamic and angiographic studies performed in 21 patients at 13.1 +/- 6.9 months after angioplasty, showed good results in 15 patients. Four patients undergoing haemodynamic study and 4 other patients undergoing noninvasive evaluation were graded as having bad results at follow-up. In 5 of these patients the poor results were due to primary failure of angioplasty in relieving the gradient, and three developed re-coarctation after initial fall in the trans-coarctation gradient. Four risk factors were identified on univariate analysis, which were associated with significantly larger residual gradients at follow-up: (1) size of isthmus/size of coarcted segment ratio less than 3.0; (2) size of post-coarctation descending aorta/size of isthmus ratio greater than 1.75; (3) size of coarcted segment after angioplasty/size of coarcted segment before angioplasty ratio less than 2.0; and (4) size of balloon/size of coarcted segment ratio less than 3.0. The presence of one or more risk factors was associated with bad late results. On multivariate analysis the ratio of balloon size/coarcted segment size was found to be the sole independent predictor of the late outcome (p less than 0.02).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)