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Biomedical subjects

A G Taylor

Publications and source records attributed to A G Taylor.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

The relationship between psychological stress and insulin-dependent diabetic blood glucose control: preliminary investigations.

Clinical literature has frequently alluded to the role of psychological stress in diabetic blood glucose fluctuations. Past research in the area has been minimal and inconsistent. Recent methodological and measurement advances have made it possible to more accurately assess the impact of psychological stress on long-term diabetic control. Study 1 of this report found a significant positive correlation between the Hassles Scale and Hemoglobin A1 levels in a group of 59 adult insulin-dependent diabetic patients. Social Supports, Type A behavior, and reported therapeutic compliance neither correlated with hemoglobin A1 nor influenced the Hassles-Hemoglobin A1 relationship. In a separate sample of 123 subjects, Study II revealed that diabetic patients generally perceive stress as a very potent factor in blood glucose control, but that different stressors may have differential effects for different diabetic patients. A factor analysis of these data reveals three different stress dimensions of the perceived stress-blood glucose relationship: fight/flight, passive/ruminative, and positive affect.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Comparison of the Vi indirect fluorescent antibody test with the Widal agglutination method in the serodiagnosis of typhoid fever.

The indirect fluorescent antibody test using a whole Salmonella typhi Vi suspension as the antigen has been evaluated for the diagnosis of typhoid fever. Results using sera from 140 patients with S typhi infections proved on culture show the test to have good sensitivity. The test appears to be highly specific, although it has not yet been investigated with respect to typhoid vaccination or in the context of infections due to salmonellas other than S typhi.

Agglutination Tests↗
PubMed1984

Importance of viruses and Legionella pneumophila in respiratory exacerbations of young adults with cystic fibrosis.

From January to April 1980 46 young adults with cystic fibrosis were studied for evidence of infection with a wide variety of microorganisms, including viruses and Legionella pneumophila. Two groups of patients were investigated: a "deteriorated" group of 24 patients who had experienced an increase in lower respiratory tract symptoms and fall in lung function values in the course of one month before the start of the study and a "stable" group of 22 patients with no such deterioration. All serological tests were repeated at one month and then one year after the beginning of the study. A fourfold rise in titres of antibodies to various viruses, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Coxiella burnetii was obtained in seven (29%) of the deteriorated group but in only one (4.5%) of the stable group (p less than 0.05). One other patient showed a fourfold rise in L pneumophila antibody titre (on the basis of the indirect fluorescent antibody test), which was accompanied by a respiratory illness consistent with legionnaires' disease. Eight of the 46 patients (17.4%) had demonstrable titres of antibody against L pneumophila (1/32 or above).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

The use of flexible polyurethane foam in orthotics.

The casting of flexible polyurethane foam into a wide range of customised shapes has been found to offer a relatively straightforward solution to a number of problems associated with providing support for the physically handicapped. This note describes the techniques used for the production of such supports and reports on clinical experience of their use. A suitably prepared plaster cast of the patient, obtained in the usual way via vacuum consolidation of polystyrene beads, forms the lower surface of a wooden moulding box. Suitable quantities of the two chemicals, an isocyanate and a polyol, are then thoroughly and rapidly mixed together before being poured into the moulding box over which a weighted lid is placed to contain the foam and to improve its consistency. After removal, the finished product can then be trimmed and if necessary covered with fire-retardant leathercloth. To date polyurethane foam mouldings have been used with considerable success as seat cushions, seat backs and as spinal body supports which allow a patient to be nursed prone and supine following spinal fusion.

Construction Materials↗
PubMed1984

A phage typing system for Listeria monocytogenes and its use in epidemiological studies.

A phage-typing system for Listeria monocytogenes is necessary to eludicate its transmission and spread. We describe the general characteristics of a phage-typing system for L. monocytogenes and its use in selected epidemiological studies. Previously 78.4% of 823 strains of Listeria isolated in France between 1958 and 1978 were typable with a set of twenty phages isolaged from lysogenic strains. We now use twenty-seven phages; six derived from serovars 1/2a and 1/2b, eight from 4b, and thirteen from 4ab, 3c, 5, 6a and 6b. We used this system to examine 186 strains isolated during and after an outbreak in the province of Anjou which occurred during 1975 and 1976. One hundred and eight of these strains were of one phage type (octal code 000 420 000). Using this system we confirmed two cases of cross-infection in hospital neonates in England. Our results show that the reproducibility of the technique and the discrimination of the system are satisfactory for routine use. However, further testing and development of this system are underway.

Bacteriophage Typing↗
PubMed1983

Serological tests for Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 infections.

The indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) using a formolised yolk sac antigen (FYSA) has been shown to be a sensitive, specific test for legionellosis and results obtained on the same serum specimens in different laboratories agree closely. The rapid micro-agglutination test (RMAT) has the advantage of being semi-automatable and also sensitive and specific. Both tests gave negative results with sera from patients with infections due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia psittaci, Coxiella burnetti and other agents.

Agglutination Tests↗
PubMed1982

Diagnosis of Legionella pneumophila infections by means of formolised yolk sac antigens.

Formolised yolk sac antigens of Legionella pneumophila serogroups 1-6 were used to test 1792 serum specimens from 1431 patients with respiratory illness of serological evidence of Legionnaires' disease (LD). Thirty-five patients showed titres against the serogroup 1 antigen diagnostic for LD. Only two further cases were considered to have non-serogroup I infections (both serogroup 4) indicating that such infections are rare. Titres of greater than 1/16 against the serogroup 1 antigen occur in only 3% of subjects without LD and thus the demonstration of such a titre in patients with pneumonia during the early phase of illness can alert the clinician to the likelihood of LD. The supply of serogroup 1 antigen from the Division of Microbiological Reagents and Quality Control to routine diagnostic laboratories will be continued and monovalent serogroup 2-6 antigens will continue to be made available to reference laboratories.

Antigens, Bacterial↗