24 results on '"Biggs V"'
Search Results
2. Maternal intramuscular dexamethasone versus betamethasone before preterm birth (ASTEROID): a multicentre, double-blind, randomised controlled trial
- Author
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Crowther, CA, Ashwood, P, Andersen, CC, Middleton, PF, Tran, T, Doyle, LW, Robinson, JS, Harding, JE, Crowther, C, Ball, V, Holst, C, Robinson, K, Zhang, S, Robinson, J, Khong, Y, McPhee, A, Groom, K, Alsweiler, J, Eaglen, D, Hauch, H, Vallely, A, Angus, S, Chenia, F, Drew, A, Gavranich, J, Green, A, Jack, S, Mahomed, K, Sebastian, R, Turner, L, Baldwin, M, Dennis, A, Fisher, E, Gee, K, Gee, M, Strong, D, Boord, D, Edge, N, Marsh, M, Staehr, C, Chaplin, J, Gardener, G, Gray, P, Hurrion, E, Jardine, L, Kan, J, Lynn, L, Poulsen, L, Tremellen, A, Codner, T, Cubis, W, Downward, S, Dunn, C, Furey, J, Hansen, D, Lampropoulos, B, Masson, E, Peek, M, Sellar, S, Butterley, K, Chadwick, M, Davis, C, DePaoli, T, Green, L, Matzolic, T, Woodhead, G, Biggs, V, Henry, A, Lainchbury, A, Nesbitt-Hawes, E, Oei, JL, Rodrigues, C, Shand, A, Sutton, L, Welsh, A, Bowen, J, Hayes-Cameron, L, Howard, G, Jacobs, C, Milligan, J, Morris, J, Rickard, K, Sedgley, J, White-Matthews, K, Blandthorn, J, Brownfoot, F, Burnett, A, Callanan, K, Davis, N, Deluca, C, Duff, J, Howard, K, Hutchinson, E, Kelly, E, Kornman, L, Kuschel, C, Maxwell, D, McDonald, M, Poth, M, Co, J, Crowther, CA, Ashwood, P, Andersen, CC, Middleton, PF, Tran, T, Doyle, LW, Robinson, JS, Harding, JE, Crowther, C, Ball, V, Holst, C, Robinson, K, Zhang, S, Robinson, J, Khong, Y, McPhee, A, Groom, K, Alsweiler, J, Eaglen, D, Hauch, H, Vallely, A, Angus, S, Chenia, F, Drew, A, Gavranich, J, Green, A, Jack, S, Mahomed, K, Sebastian, R, Turner, L, Baldwin, M, Dennis, A, Fisher, E, Gee, K, Gee, M, Strong, D, Boord, D, Edge, N, Marsh, M, Staehr, C, Chaplin, J, Gardener, G, Gray, P, Hurrion, E, Jardine, L, Kan, J, Lynn, L, Poulsen, L, Tremellen, A, Codner, T, Cubis, W, Downward, S, Dunn, C, Furey, J, Hansen, D, Lampropoulos, B, Masson, E, Peek, M, Sellar, S, Butterley, K, Chadwick, M, Davis, C, DePaoli, T, Green, L, Matzolic, T, Woodhead, G, Biggs, V, Henry, A, Lainchbury, A, Nesbitt-Hawes, E, Oei, JL, Rodrigues, C, Shand, A, Sutton, L, Welsh, A, Bowen, J, Hayes-Cameron, L, Howard, G, Jacobs, C, Milligan, J, Morris, J, Rickard, K, Sedgley, J, White-Matthews, K, Blandthorn, J, Brownfoot, F, Burnett, A, Callanan, K, Davis, N, Deluca, C, Duff, J, Howard, K, Hutchinson, E, Kelly, E, Kornman, L, Kuschel, C, Maxwell, D, McDonald, M, Poth, M, and Co, J
- Abstract
Background: Antenatal corticosteroids given to women before preterm birth improve infant survival and health. However, whether dexamethasone or betamethasone have better maternal, neonatal, and childhood health outcomes remains unclear. We therefore aimed to assess whether administration of antenatal dexamethasone to women at risk of preterm birth reduced the risk of death or neurosensory disability in their children at age 2 years compared with betamethasone. We also aimed to assess whether dexamethasone reduced neonatal morbidity, had benefits for the mother, or affected childhood body size, blood pressure, behaviour, or general health compared with betamethasone. Methods: In this multicentre, double-blind, randomised controlled trial, we recruited pregnant women from 14 maternity hospitals in Australia and New Zealand that could provide care to preterm babies. Women were eligible for study inclusion if they were at risk of preterm birth before 34 weeks of gestation, had a singleton or twin pregnancy, and had no contraindications to antenatal corticosteroids. We randomly assigned women (1:1) to receive two intramuscular injections of either 12 mg dexamethasone (dexamethasone sodium phosphate) or 11·4 mg betamethasone (Celestone Chronodose), 24 h apart. The randomisation schedule used balanced, variable blocks that were stratified by hospital, gestational age, and number of fetuses (singleton or twins). We masked all participants, staff, and assessors to treatment groups. Analyses were by intention to treat. The primary outcome was death or neurosensory disability at age 2 years (corrected for prematurity). This study is registered with ANZCTR, ACTRN12608000631303. Findings: Between Jan 28, 2009, and Feb 1, 2013, we randomly assigned 1346 (78%) women who were pregnant with 1509 fetuses to groups: 679 (50%) women were assigned to receive dexamethasone and 667 (50%) women were assigned to receive betamethasone. 27 (4%) fetuses, infants, or children in the dexamethaso
- Published
- 2019
3. The Investigation of Multiple Identities in the Middle East
- Author
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Biggs, V., primary, Chezum, Tiffany, additional, Rothe, Ursula, additional, and Spector, Branwen, additional
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- 2015
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4. Long term developmental outcomes of pre-school age children following laser surgery for twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome
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McIntosh, J., primary, Meriki, N., additional, Joshi, A., additional, Biggs, V., additional, Welsh, A.W., additional, Challis, D., additional, and Lui, K., additional
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- 2014
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5. Successful Treatment of Invasive Bronchial Aspergillosis After Single-Lung Transplantation
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Biggs, V. J., primary, Dummer, S., additional, Holsinger, F. C., additional, Loyd, J. E., additional, Christman, B. W., additional, and Frist, W. H., additional
- Published
- 1994
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6. A comparison of a specialist women's alcohol and other drug treatment service with two traditional mixed-sex services: client characteristics and treatment outcome
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Copeland, J., Hall, W., Didcott, P., and Biggs, V.
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- 1993
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7. Verbal suppression and strategy use: a role for the right lateral prefrontal cortex?
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Lisa Cipolotti, David G. Walker, Gail Robinson, Vivien Biggs, Tim Shallice, Marco Bozzali, Robinson, G, Cipolotti, L, Walker, D, Biggs, V, Bozzali, M, and Shallice, T
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Adult ,Male ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Frontal cortex ,verbal suppression ,Prefrontal Cortex ,Audiology ,computer.software_genre ,behavioral disciplines and activities ,Sentence completion tests ,Brain Neoplasm ,Voxel ,medicine ,Reaction Time ,Humans ,strategy generation and use ,Hayling Test ,frontal cortex, neuropsychology ,Aged ,Neural correlates of consciousness ,Brain Mapping ,Language Tests ,Brain Neoplasms ,Verbal Behavior ,Neuropsychology ,Cognition ,inhibitory processe ,Middle Aged ,Cognitive test ,Frontal Lobe ,Stroke ,Frontal lobe ,Language Test ,Female ,Neurology (clinical) ,Psychology ,computer ,Neuroscience ,Human - Abstract
Verbal initiation, suppression and strategy generation/use are cognitive processes widely held to be supported by the frontal cortex. The Hayling Test was designed to tap these cognitive processes within the same sentence completion task. There are few studies specifically investigating the neural correlates of the Hayling Test but it has been primarily used to detect frontal lobe damage. This study investigates the components of the Hayling Test in a large sample of patients with unselected focal frontal (n = 60) and posterior (n = 30) lesions. Patients and controls (n = 40) matched for education, age and sex were administered the Hayling Test as well as background cognitive tests. The standard Hayling Test clinical measures (initiation response time, suppression response time, suppression errors and overall score), composite errors scores and strategy-based responses were calculated. Lesions were analysed by classical frontal/posterior subdivisions as well as a finer-grained frontal localization method and a specific contrast method that is somewhat analogous to voxel-based lesion mapping methods. Thus, patients with right lateral, left lateral and superior medial lesions were compared to controls and patients with right lateral lesions were compared to all other patients. The results show that all four standard Hayling Test clinical measures are sensitive to frontal lobe damage although only the suppression error and overall scores were specific to the frontal region. Although all frontal patients produced blatant suppression errors, a specific right lateral frontal effect was revealed for producing errors that were subtly wrong. In addition, frontal patients overall produced fewer correct responses indicative of developing an appropriate strategy but only the right lateral group showed a significant deficit. This problem in strategy attainment and implementation could explain, at least in part, the suppression error impairment. Contrary to previous studies there was no specific frontal effect for verbal initiation. Overall, our results support a role for the right lateral frontal region in verbal suppression and, for the first time, in strategy generation/use.
- Published
- 2015
8. The safety, feasibility, and efficacy of an 18-week exercise intervention for adults with primary brain cancer - the BRACE study.
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Sandler CX, Gildea GC, Spence RR, Jones TL, Eliadis P, Walker D, Donaghue A, Bettington C, Keller J, Pickersgill D, Shevill M, Biggs V, Morrison B, Jonker F, Foote M, Bashford J, and Hayes SC
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- Humans, Female, Male, Middle Aged, Adult, Aged, Resistance Training, Patient Compliance, Treatment Outcome, Feasibility Studies, Brain Neoplasms rehabilitation, Exercise Therapy methods, Quality of Life
- Abstract
Purpose: To determine the safety, feasibility, and potential effect of an 18-week exercise intervention for adults with primary brain cancer., Materials and Methods: Eligible patients were 12-26-weeks post-radiotherapy for brain cancer. The individually-prescribed weekly exercise was ≥150-minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, including two resistance-training sessions. The intervention was deemed "safe" if exercise-related, serious adverse events (SAE) were experienced by <10% of participants, and feasible if recruitment, retention, and adherence rates were ≥75%, and ≥75% compliance rates were achieved in ≥75% of weeks. Patient-reported and objectively-measured outcomes were assessed at baseline, mid-intervention, end-intervention, and 6-month follow-up, using generalized estimating equations., Results: Twelve participants enrolled (51 ± 19.5 years, 5 females). There were no exercise-related SAEs. The intervention was feasible (recruitment:80%, retention:92%, adherence:83%). Participants completed a median of 172.8 (min:77.5, max:560.8) minutes of physical activity per week. 17% met the compliance outcome threshold for ≥75% of the intervention. Improvements in quality of life (mean change (95% CI): 7.9 units (1.9, 13.8)), functional well-being (4.3 units (1.4, 7.2)), depression (-2.0 units (-3.8, -0.2)), activity (112.8 min (42.1, 183.4)), fitness (56.4 meters (20.4, 92.5)), balance (4.9 s (0.9, 9.0)), and lower-body strength (15.2 kg (9.3, 21.1)) were observed end-intervention., Conclusion: Preliminary evidence support that exercise is safe and beneficial to the quality of life and functional outcomes for people with brain cancer. Registration: ACTRN12617001577303.
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- 2024
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9. Fluency test generation and errors in focal frontal and posterior lesions.
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Robinson GA, Tjokrowijoto P, Ceslis A, Biggs V, Bozzali M, and Walker DG
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- Humans, Mental Processes, Neuropsychological Tests, Prefrontal Cortex pathology, Frontal Lobe diagnostic imaging, Frontal Lobe physiology, Verbal Behavior physiology
- Abstract
The number produced on fluency tasks is widely used to measure voluntary response generation. To further evaluate the relationship between generation, errors, and the area of anatomical damage we administered eight fluency tasks (word, design, gesture, ideational) to a large group of focal frontal (n = 69) and posterior (n = 43) patients and controls (n = 150). Lesions were analysed by a finer-grained frontal localisation method, and traditional subdivisions (anterior/posterior, left/right frontal). Thus, we compared patients with Lateral lesions to patients with Medial lesions. Our results show that all fluency tasks are sensitive to frontal lobe damage for the number of correct responses and, for the first time, we provide evidence that seven fluency tasks show frontal sensitivity in terms of errors (perseverations, rule-breaks). Lateral (not Medial) patients produced the highest error rates, indicative of task-setting or monitoring difficulties. There was a right frontal effect for perseverative errors when retrieving known or stored items and rule-break errors when creating novel responses. Left lateral effects were specific to phonemic word fluency rule-breaks and perseverations for meaningless gesture fluency. In addition, our generation output and error findings support a frontal role in novelty processes. Finally, we confirm our previous generation findings suggesting critical roles of the superior medial region in energization and the left inferior frontal region in selection (Robinson et al., 2012). Overall, these results support the notion that frontal functions comprise a set of highly specialised cognitive processes, supported by distinct frontal regions., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2021
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10. Comparative Effectiveness of Clinical and Community-Based Approaches to Healthy Weight.
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Fiechtner L, Perkins M, Biggs V, Langhans N, Sharifi M, Price S, Luo M, Locascio JJ, Hohman KH, Hodge H, Gortmaker S, Torres S, and Taveras EM
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- Body Mass Index, Child, Female, Health Promotion methods, Humans, Male, Pediatric Obesity ethnology, Poverty, Weight Reduction Programs organization & administration, Child Health Services, Hispanic or Latino, Pediatric Obesity therapy, Weight Reduction Programs methods
- Abstract
Objectives: The objective was to evaluate if 2 pediatric weight management interventions delivered to Hispanic, low-income children (one in a health center the other in a Young Men's Christian Association) were effective in reducing BMI. We hypothesized that they would be equally effective., Methods: A total 407 children aged 6 to 12 years with BMI ≥ 85th percentile receiving care at 2 health centers were randomly assigned to a healthy weight clinic (HWC) at the health center or to a modified Healthy Weight and Your Child (M-HWYC) intervention delivered in Young Men's Christian Associations. A total of 4037 children served as the comparison group. We completed a noninferiority test comparing the M-HWYC with the HWC, which was supported if the bounds of the 90% confidence interval (CI) for the difference in percentage of the 95th percentile (%BMIp
95 ) change did not contain what we considered a minimally clinically important difference, on the basis of previous data (0.87). Then, using linear mixed models, we assessed yearly changes in BMI among intervention participants compared with the comparison sites., Results: The mean difference in %BMIp95 between the M-HWYC and the HWC was 0.75 (90% CI: 0.07 to 1.43), which did not support noninferiority. Compared with the comparison sites, per year, children in the HWC had a -0.23 (95% CI: -0.36 to -0.10) decrease in BMI and a -1.03 (95% CI -1.61 to -0.45) %BMIp95 decrease. There was no BMI effect in the M-HWYC., Conclusions: We were unable to establish noninferiority of the M-HWYC. The HWC improved BMI, offering an effective treatment of those disproportionately affected., Competing Interests: POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The authors have indicated they have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)- Published
- 2021
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11. Design and Approach of the Healthy Weight Clinic Pediatric Weight Management Intervention Package and Implementation: Massachusetts-CORD 3.0.
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Fiechtner L, Castro I, Ayala SG, Velez DS, Lindros J, Perkins M, Baker A, Salmon J, Biggs V, Cannon-Smith G, Smith JD, Simione M, Gortmaker SL, and Taveras EM
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- Child, Health Status, Humans, Massachusetts, Research Design, Nutrition Therapy, Pediatric Obesity prevention & control
- Abstract
Background: Although proven effective interventions for childhood obesity exist, there remains a substantial gap in the adoption of recommended practices by clinicians. Objective: The aims are to: (1) package implementation and training supports to facilitate the adoption of the evidence-based Healthy Weight Clinic Pediatric Weight Management Intervention (PWMI) (based on three previous effectiveness trials); (2) pilot and evaluate the packaged Healthy Weight Clinic PWMI; and (3) develop a sustainability and dissemination plan. Design/Methods: We used the Consolidated Framework of Implementation Research constructs to create an Implementation Research Logic Model that defined the facilitators and barriers of the Healthy Weight Clinic PWMI. We linked these constructs to implementation strategies and mechanisms. Packaging and design will be informed by the core essential components and functions of the PWMI along with stakeholder engagement. Once the package is complete, we will pilot the PWMI by using a Type III effectiveness-implementation hybrid design. Implementation outcomes will be evaluated by using the RE-AIM framework. Results: We will create an integrated, multisystems level package for national dissemination. The package will include training and a suite of resources for primary care physicians and healthy weight clinic staff, including: patient and caregiver facing videos, patient and caregiver handouts, group curriculum guide, online provider trainings, and access to a virtual learning collaborative. Conclusion: The results will highlight the extent to which the package of the Healthy Weight Clinic PWMI facilitates the adoption of effective strategies for treating childhood obesity. Lessons learned will inform modifications to the Healthy Weight Clinic PWMI and strategies for future scaling.
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- 2021
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12. Planned Evaluation of the Healthy Weight Clinic Pediatric Weight Management and Implementation: Massachusetts-CORD 3.0.
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Fiechtner L, Sierra Velez D, Ayala SG, Castro I, Lindros J, Perkins M, Baker A, Salmon J, Biggs V, Cannon-Smith G, Smith JD, Simione M, Gortmaker SL, and Taveras EM
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- Child, Humans, Massachusetts, Primary Health Care, Research Design, Pediatric Obesity prevention & control, Quality of Life
- Abstract
Background: Despite evidence that offering multidisciplinary treatment for children with obesity is effective, access to evidence-based pediatric weight management interventions (PWMIs) is limited. The Healthy Weight Clinic PWMI is a multidisciplinary approach in primary care that improves BMI among children with a BMI ≥ 85th percentile. Objective: To describe the method by which we will evaluate the adoption, acceptability, and feasibility of integrating and implementing a multidisciplinary Healthy Weight Clinic (HWC) into primary care. Design/Methods: We used the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) domains and constructs to inform our implementation strategies. We will use a Type III hybrid effectiveness-implementation design to test our implementation strategies and improvement in BMI. Sources of data collection will include qualitative interviews with patient caregivers, HWC staff and surveys with HWC staff, patient caregivers, and electronic health record data. Our outcomes are guided by the Reach Effectiveness Adoption Implementation Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework. Results: We identified all five CFIR domains as integral for successful implementation. Some strategies to address barriers within these domains include online self-paced training modules for the HWC staff, a virtual learning collaborative, and engagement of site leadership. Outcomes will be measured at the patient and pilot site levels, and they will include patients reached, patient health outcomes such as BMI and quality of life, level of adoption, acceptability, feasibility, and sustainability of the PWMI. Conclusion: Our use of implementation science frameworks in the planning of Healthy Weight Clinic PWMI could create a sustainable and effective program for dissemination.
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- 2021
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13. Executive Dysfunction After Fourth-Ventricle Epidermoid Cyst Resection.
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Veretennikoff K, Coyne T, Biggs V, and Robinson GA
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- Brain Diseases pathology, Epidermal Cyst pathology, Epidermal Cyst surgery, Female, Humans, Middle Aged, Brain Diseases complications, Fourth Ventricle abnormalities
- Abstract
Intracranial epidermoid cysts are rare, comprising 0.2% to 1.8% of all primary intracranial expanding lesions, of which <5% occur within the fourth ventricle. Epidermoid cysts are frequently congenital, and patients often present in the fourth decade of life. These cysts produce symptoms as a result of mass effect on surrounding structures, most commonly the cerebellum and cranial nerves. Symptoms can include hearing impairment, trigeminal neuralgia (severe facial pain), facial tics, headaches, double vision, and facial palsy. However, no research has focused on the neuropsychological effects on a patient after surgical resection of these cysts. This case report presents the cognitive profile of a woman after resection of an epidermoid cyst in the fourth ventricle. The 49-year-old patient underwent neuropsychological assessment after removal of the cyst, completing a comprehensive set of cognitive tests of estimated premorbid intelligence, attention, memory, social cognition, language, visual perception, and executive functioning. Test results indicated executive dysfunction and reduced visuospatial memory in the acute stage after surgical removal of the epidermoid cyst. These findings suggest that cognitive deficits can occur after resection of space-occupying lesions in brain regions not typically associated with cognition. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the neuropsychological consequences of surgical removal of a congenital epidermoid cyst in the fourth ventricle. An understanding of the neuropsychological sequelae of this rare cerebral cyst will allow patients, families, and health professionals to better anticipate and manage postoperative difficulties.
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- 2018
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14. Rationale and design of the Clinic and Community Approaches to Healthy Weight Randomized Trial.
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Fiechtner L, Perkins M, Biggs V, Langhans N, Sharifi M, O'Connor G, Price S, Locascio J, Kuhlthau K, Kwass JA, Nelson C, Land T, Longjohn M, Lawson V, Hohman K, and Taveras EM
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- Child, Delivery of Health Care methods, Family Health, Female, Humans, Male, Medicaid, Outcome Assessment, Health Care, Poverty, Primary Health Care methods, United States, Body Mass Index, Body Weight, Health Behavior, Health Promotion methods, Pediatric Obesity diagnosis, Pediatric Obesity psychology, Pediatric Obesity therapy
- Abstract
Background: Recent studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of family-centered, pediatric weight management programs in reducing childhood obesity. Yet, programs to optimize the care of low-income children with obesity are needed. We sought to examine the comparative effectiveness of two, potentially scalable pediatric weight management programs delivered to low-income children in a clinical or community setting., Materials and Methods: The Clinic and Community Approaches to Healthy Weight Trial is a randomized trial in two communities in Massachusetts that serve a large population of low-income children and families. The two-arm trial compares the effects of a pediatric weight management program delivered in the Healthy Weight Clinics of two federally qualified health centers (FQHC) to the Healthy Weight and Your Child programs delivered in two YMCAs. Eligible children are 6 to 12 years old with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 85th percentile seen in primary care at the two FQHCs. Both programs are one-year in duration and have at least 30 contact hours throughout the year. Measures are collected at baseline, 6 months, and 1 year. The main outcome is 1-year change in BMI (kg/m
2 ) and percent change of the 95th percentile (%BMIp95 )., Conclusion: The Clinic and Community Approaches to Healthy Weight Trial seeks to 1) examine the comparative effects of a clinical and community based intervention in improving childhood obesity, and 2) inform the care of >7 million children with obesity covered by the Children's Health Insurance Program or Medicaid., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)- Published
- 2018
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15. Changes in Cognition and Decision Making Capacity Following Brain Tumour Resection: Illustrated with Two Cases.
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Veretennikoff K, Walker D, Biggs V, and Robinson G
- Abstract
Changes in cognition, behaviour and emotion frequently occur in patients with primary and secondary brain tumours. This impacts the ability to make considered decisions, especially following surgical resection, which is often overlooked in the management of patients. Moreover, the impact of cognitive deficits on decision making ability affects activities of daily living and functional independence. The assessment process to ascertain decision making capacity remains a matter of debate. One avenue for evaluating a patient's ability to make informed decisions in the context of brain tumour resection is neuropsychological assessment. This involves the assessment of a wide range of cognitive abilities on standard measurement tools, providing a robust approach to ascertaining capacity. Evidence has shown that a comprehensive and tailored neuropsychological assessment has greater sensitivity than brief cognitive screening tools to detect subtle and/or specific cognitive deficits in brain tumours. It is the precise nature and severity of any cognitive deficits that determines any implications for decision making capacity. This paper focuses on cognitive deficits and decision making capacity following surgical resection of both benign and malignant, and primary and secondary brain tumours in adult patients, and the implications for patients' ability to consent to future medical treatment and make decisions related to everyday activities., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
- Published
- 2017
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16. When does a strategy intervention overcome a failure of inhibition? Evidence from two left frontal brain tumour cases.
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Robinson GA, Walker DG, Biggs V, and Shallice T
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- Brain Neoplasms diagnostic imaging, Brain Neoplasms pathology, Cognition physiology, Female, Frontal Lobe diagnostic imaging, Humans, Language, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Reaction Time physiology, Brain Neoplasms psychology, Frontal Lobe pathology, Inhibition, Psychological
- Abstract
Introduction: Initiation and inhibition of responses are crucial for appropriate behaviour across different settings. Initiation and inhibition difficulties are well documented following frontal damage, although task differences have limited our understanding. The Hayling Sentence Completion Test was designed to assess verbal initiation and inhibition within the same task. This study investigates the ability of two patients with left frontal tumours (KI: high grade glioma; PM: meningioma) to use a strategy to overcome profound suppression failures on the Hayling Test., Method: KI and PM completed the Hayling Test and two experimental tasks. The Selection Investigation assessed verbal initiation on a sentence completion task that varied selection demands (high/low). The Suppression and Strategy Investigation assessed ability to implement four strategies aimed to override a suppression failure and facilitate production of an unconnected word., Results: On the Hayling Test, KI and PM initiated responses to complete high constraint sentences, in contrast to impaired suppression. KI benefitted minimally from strategies to overcome suppression failure although one strategy (object naming) was partially successful. KI's errors revealed fast suppression errors, in contrast to slow no responses, and selection ability was also impaired for verbal initiation. PM, however, implemented each strategy 100% to overcome a suppression failure and had no difficulty completing sentences meaningfully, regardless of selection demands., Conclusion: This first investigation of strategy implementation to overcome profound suppression impairments provides insights into verbal initiation, inhibition, selection and strategy mechanisms, which has implications for neurorehabilitation. Specifically, both patients had profound inhibition deficits but KI also presented with a selection deficit and was unable to implement a strategy. By contrast, PM's selection ability was intact but she was unable to generate, rather than implement, a strategy. We suggest that KI has both fast, uncontrolled semantic output and response inhibition difficulty, whereas PM's difficulty is underpinned by motivational factors., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2016
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17. Verbal suppression and strategy use: a role for the right lateral prefrontal cortex?
- Author
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Robinson GA, Cipolotti L, Walker DG, Biggs V, Bozzali M, and Shallice T
- Subjects
- Adult, Aged, Brain Neoplasms diagnosis, Brain Neoplasms epidemiology, Female, Frontal Lobe pathology, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Stroke diagnosis, Stroke epidemiology, Brain Mapping methods, Language Tests, Prefrontal Cortex pathology, Reaction Time, Verbal Behavior
- Abstract
Verbal initiation, suppression and strategy generation/use are cognitive processes widely held to be supported by the frontal cortex. The Hayling Test was designed to tap these cognitive processes within the same sentence completion task. There are few studies specifically investigating the neural correlates of the Hayling Test but it has been primarily used to detect frontal lobe damage. This study investigates the components of the Hayling Test in a large sample of patients with unselected focal frontal (n = 60) and posterior (n = 30) lesions. Patients and controls (n = 40) matched for education, age and sex were administered the Hayling Test as well as background cognitive tests. The standard Hayling Test clinical measures (initiation response time, suppression response time, suppression errors and overall score), composite errors scores and strategy-based responses were calculated. Lesions were analysed by classical frontal/posterior subdivisions as well as a finer-grained frontal localization method and a specific contrast method that is somewhat analogous to voxel-based lesion mapping methods. Thus, patients with right lateral, left lateral and superior medial lesions were compared to controls and patients with right lateral lesions were compared to all other patients. The results show that all four standard Hayling Test clinical measures are sensitive to frontal lobe damage although only the suppression error and overall scores were specific to the frontal region. Although all frontal patients produced blatant suppression errors, a specific right lateral frontal effect was revealed for producing errors that were subtly wrong. In addition, frontal patients overall produced fewer correct responses indicative of developing an appropriate strategy but only the right lateral group showed a significant deficit. This problem in strategy attainment and implementation could explain, at least in part, the suppression error impairment. Contrary to previous studies there was no specific frontal effect for verbal initiation. Overall, our results support a role for the right lateral frontal region in verbal suppression and, for the first time, in strategy generation/use., (© The Author (2015). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
18. Cognitive screening in brain tumors: short but sensitive enough?
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Robinson GA, Biggs V, and Walker DG
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Cognitive deficits in brain tumors are generally thought to be relatively mild and non-specific, although recent evidence challenges this notion. One possibility is that cognitive screening tools are being used to assess cognitive functions but their sensitivity to detect cognitive impairment may be limited. For improved sensitivity to recognize mild and/or focal cognitive deficits in brain tumors, neuropsychological evaluation tailored to detect specific impairments has been thought crucial. This study investigates the sensitivity of a cognitive screening tool, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), compared to a brief but tailored cognitive assessment (CA) for identifying cognitive deficits in an unselected primary brain tumor sample (i.e., low/high-grade gliomas, meningiomas). Performance is compared on broad measures of impairment: (a) number of patients impaired on the global screening measure or in any cognitive domain; and (b) number of cognitive domains impaired and specific analyses of MoCA-Intact and MoCA-Impaired patients on specific cognitive tests. The MoCA-Impaired group obtained lower naming and word fluency scores than the MoCA-Intact group, but otherwise performed comparably on cognitive tests. Overall, based on our results from patients with brain tumor, the MoCA has extremely poor sensitivity for detecting cognitive impairments and a brief but tailored CA is necessary. These findings will be discussed in relation to broader issues for clinical management and planning, as well as specific considerations for neuropsychological assessment of brain tumor patients.
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
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19. Selective preservation of the beat in apperceptive music agnosia: a case study.
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Baird AD, Walker DG, Biggs V, and Robinson GA
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Auditory Perception physiology, Brain Neoplasms complications, Brain Neoplasms psychology, Brain Neoplasms surgery, Cognition physiology, Craniotomy adverse effects, Humans, Male, Neurologic Examination, Neuropsychological Tests, Oligodendroglioma complications, Oligodendroglioma psychology, Oligodendroglioma surgery, Postoperative Complications psychology, Recognition, Psychology physiology, Agnosia psychology, Music psychology
- Abstract
Introduction: Music perception involves processing of melodic, temporal and emotional dimensions that have been found to dissociate in healthy individuals and after brain injury. Two components of the temporal dimension have been distinguished, namely rhythm and metre. We describe an 18 year old male musician 'JM' who showed apperceptive music agnosia with selectively preserved metre perception, and impaired recognition of sad and peaceful music relative to age and music experience matched controls after resection of a right temporoparietal tumour., Method: Two months post-surgery JM underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation including assessment of his music perception abilities using the Montreal Battery for Evaluation of Amusia (MBEA, Peretz, Champod, & Hyde, 2003). He also completed several experimental tasks to explore his ability to recognise famous songs and melodies, emotions portrayed by music and a broader range of environmental sounds. Five age-, gender-, education- and musical experienced-matched controls were administered the same experimental tasks., Results: JM showed selective preservation of metre perception, with impaired performances compared to controls and scoring below the 5% cut-off on all MBEA subtests, except for the metric condition. He could identify his favourite songs and environmental sounds. He showed impaired recognition of sad and peaceful emotions portrayed in music relative to controls but intact ability to identify happy and scary music., Conclusion: This case study contributes to the scarce literature documenting a dissociation between rhythmic and metric processing, and the rare observation of selectively preserved metric interpretation in the context of apperceptive music agnosia. It supports the notion that the anterior portion of the superior temporal gyrus (STG) plays a role in metric processing and provides the novel observation that selectively preserved metre is sufficient to identify happy and scary, but not sad or peaceful emotions portrayed in music., (Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2014
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
20. An outbreak of acute hepatitis B infection among injecting drug users in Inverclyde, Scotland.
- Author
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Stevenson J, Tannahill M, and Biggs V
- Subjects
- Acute Disease, Adolescent, Adult, Female, Hepatitis B prevention & control, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Scotland epidemiology, Disease Outbreaks, Hepatitis B epidemiology, Heroin Dependence epidemiology, Needle-Exchange Programs, Substance Abuse, Intravenous epidemiology
- Abstract
This large outbreak of acute hepatitis B infection among injecting drug users (IDUs) was precipitated by an increase in injecting heroin use in Inverclyde in the West of Scotland, between 1997 and 1999. Ninety-two cases of hepatitis B infection in residents of Inverclyde were reported to Argyll and Clyde Health Board from January 1996 to December 1999. An investigation of risk factors found 87% (80/92) of the cases were IDUs, of whom four-fifths were men. Fifty six per cent of cases were aged 20-29 years old and 12% were aged 16-19 years old. Further investigations among this close community of young and relatively inexperienced IDUs revealed that many admitted to sharing injecting equipment particularly spoons, water and filters. Only a minority had been using local needle exchange facilities in the area. After public consultation a second needle exchange was opened in 1998 staffed by a dedicated needle exchange development worker who has continued to develop harm reduction services locally.
- Published
- 2001
21. Vitamin A therapy for children with respiratory syncytial virus infection: a multicenter trial in the United States.
- Author
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Bresee JS, Fischer M, Dowell SF, Johnston BD, Biggs VM, Levine RS, Lingappa JR, Keyserling HL, Petersen KM, Bak JR, Gary HE Jr, Sowell AL, Rubens CE, and Anderson LJ
- Subjects
- Child, Child, Preschool, Double-Blind Method, Female, Humans, Infant, Male, Vitamin A adverse effects, Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections drug therapy, Vitamin A therapeutic use
- Abstract
Background: High dose vitamin A therapy is effective in reducing morbidity and mortality associated with measles infection. Children with acute respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection have low serum vitamin A concentrations., Methods: We performed a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of high dose vitamin A therapy among 239 children 1 month to 6 years of age to determine whether high dose vitamin A therapy would reduce morbidity associated with RSV infection., Results: There were no differences between the vitamin A and placebo recipients for most clinical outcomes; however, vitamin A recipients had-longer hospital stays than placebo recipients (5.0 days vs. 4.4 days, P = 0.01) after enrollment. This effect was significant for children who were older than 1 year (who also had received the highest doses of vitamin A), particularly among those at low risk for complications of RSV infection and those enrolled during the second study season. Serum retinol levels at enrollment were inversely correlated with severity of illness., Conclusions: We found no evidence of a beneficial effect of vitamin A for the treatment of RSV infection in children in the United States. There may be groups of children for which vitamin A has an adverse effect, resulting in longer hospital stays.
- Published
- 1996
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
22. Advocacy training during pediatric residency.
- Author
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Lozano P, Biggs VM, Sibley BJ, Smith TM, Marcuse EK, and Bergman AB
- Subjects
- Child, Clinical Competence, Faculty, Medical, Humans, Mentors, Organizational Objectives, Societies, Medical, Washington, Child Advocacy, Education, Medical, Graduate organization & administration, Internship and Residency, Patient Advocacy, Pediatrics education, Program Development
- Abstract
Despite broad concerns about the welfare of children, most pediatric residents are not able to engage in child advocacy during their busy training years. Yet residency can provide an opportunity for young pediatricians to learn valuable advocacy skills by undertaking an independent project with an experienced mentor. We describe the University of Washington Pediatrics Residency Program's experience in training interested residents in child advocacy. Basic requirements are that advocacy projects must not interfere with clinical training, resident participation must be voluntary, and faculty with advocacy skills must be available to help guide the residents. Four resident projects are outlined and guidelines for instituting such programs are presented.
- Published
- 1994
23. Chronic myelogenous leukemia after lymphoid irradiation and heart transplantation.
- Author
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Frist WH and Biggs VJ
- Subjects
- Adult, Humans, Male, Graft Rejection radiotherapy, Heart Transplantation, Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive etiology, Leukemia, Radiation-Induced etiology, Lymphatic Irradiation adverse effects
- Abstract
We have previously reported a case of recurrent cardiac rejection in a heart transplant recipient successfully treated with total lymphoid irradiation. Five years after transplantation chronic myelogenous leukemia was diagnosed in this patient. The long-term effects of total lymphoid irradiation in the heart transplant population have not been reported. Based on the known relationships among irradiation, gene translocations, and leukemia, we postulate that this patient's chronic myelogenous leukemia may be a long-term sequela of previous total lymphoid irradiation.
- Published
- 1994
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
24. Transplantation for pulmonary hypertension.
- Author
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Frist WH, Carmichael LC, Loyd JE, Merrill WH, Stewart JR, Biggs VJ, and Bender HW Jr
- Subjects
- Adult, Blood Pressure, Cardiac Output, Child, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Hypertension, Pulmonary physiopathology, Lung Transplantation methods, Middle Aged, Pulmonary Circulation, Stroke Volume, Vascular Resistance, Hemodynamics, Hypertension, Pulmonary surgery, Lung Transplantation physiology
- Published
- 1993
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