Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

B Anderson

Publications and source records attributed to B Anderson.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Venereology as a specialty in Australia.

The development of venereology as a medical specialty began in 1979-1981 with the formation of multidisciplinary venereology societies in each state, followed by annual convention of an advocacy body, the National Venereology Council of Australia, which also included governmental representatives. In 1988 the Australian College of Venereologists was incorporated as a professional training body, and in 1992, the first Chair in Sexual Medicine was established by the Universities of Sydney and New South Wales. In parallel, the role of the nursing profession as active participants evolved dramatically: nurses work within the context of the health care team, with clinical, teaching, and outreach responsibilities, and by collaborating or initiating research. Sexual and Reproductive Health nursing is recognised as a specialist area, and the Australian Sexual Health Nurses Association (ASHNA) was inaugurated in 1991. Sexual Health Counselors come from a range of disciplines which represent the shift in focus from disease control to education and prevention, and which encompass sexual dysfunction, gender identity issues, sexual assault, and the empowerment of clients. Within the repertoire of many health care workers in sexually transmissable disease services are skills in the ¿new¿ public health (particularly health promotion), and an understanding of cultural influences on sexuality. ¿Sexual Health¿ has become the preferred name for such services.

Australia↗
PubMed1994

Hepatitis B virus infection and vaccination status of high risk people in Sydney: 1982 and 1991.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the change in prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection among "at risk" patients attending the Sydney Sexual Health Centre between 1982 and 1991 and to determine the hepatitis B vaccination status of the 1991 group. STUDY POPULATION: Consecutive patients attending the Centre between 1 July and 31 December 1991 who belonged to at least one of the following risk groups: men who have sex with men (n = 351); female prostitutes (n = 124); and injecting drug users (n = 153). DESIGN: Hepatitis B infection status was assessed on the basis of patient history and blood testing. All patients without a history of hepatitis B infection or vaccination were offered screening for serum markers of hepatitis B infection. Hepatitis B infection status was correlated with age, sex, country of birth, sexual behaviour and injecting drug use and was analysed separately according to risk category. RESULTS: The prevalences of any hepatitis B marker were: men who have sex with men 38.2% (61.0% in 1982; P < 0.0001); local female prostitutes 14.1% (28.8% in 1982; P = 0.024); international female prostitutes 58.4%; and injecting drug users 42.0%. Of those in the 1991 sample without a history of hepatitis B infection, 27.6% of men who have sex with men, 27.9% of local female prostitutes, 18.2% of international female prostitutes and 7.1% of injecting drug users were vaccinated. CONCLUSIONS: The significantly lower prevalences of serum markers of hepatitis B infection among men who have sex with men and local female prostitutes when compared with 1982 suggest widespread adoption of safer sexual practices. The high prevalence of chronic hepatitis B infection among international female prostitutes indicates a potentially significant source of sexually transmitted hepatitis B infection in Sydney. The low vaccination rates provide an argument for mass vaccination against hepatitis B.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

A review of children's dying in a paediatric intensive care unit.

AIM: To identify methods of treatment withdrawal, staff support and follow up of families with children dying in a paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). METHOD: A retrospective review of the 25 children who died in the PICU over 1992 was made. RESULTS: There were two groups of patients. Group A (16 children) had cessation of active treatment. The decision to cease treatment took a median time of 16 hours and was always made in consultation with other specialists and family. Cessation of artificial ventilation was the most common mechanism of treatment withdrawal. Supplemental morphine was administered to 8 children. Group B (9 children) had continuation of active resuscitation until death. The child's family was present at the time of death in both groups. Te Whanau Atawhai (a Maori liaison group) played an active support role to 18 families. Follow up of bereaved families and staff support was poor. CONCLUSIONS: Family members are willing to take an active part in the decision making process regarding management of the dying child. This process is multidisciplinary, time consuming and difficult. Valuable assistance for all ethnic groups was gained through the services of Te Whanau Atawhai. Consideration should be given to allowing parents to stay during acute resuscitation of a critically ill child. There were deficiencies of both parental and staff followups. As a consequence, we have introduced a grief education and support service through the, child and family psychiatric service for families and staff.

Child↗
PubMed1994

Introduction of continuous regional techniques for postoperative paediatrics patients: one years' experience from two hospitals.

AIM: To review the use, safety and efficacy of continuous regional techniques in children and neonates. METHODS: The records of all children who received postoperative continuous regional analgesic techniques during the year 1992 at the Starship Children's Hospital and Waikato Base Hospital were reviewed. In both post operative care units orders, procedures and protocols were standardised. RESULTS: A total of 80 children received these techniques. Patients were cared for in high dependency nursing areas. The two techniques used were epidural and interpleural analgesia. Epidural: The majority (68) had epidural catheters and of these 13 infants were in their first month of life. Major problems occurred in six (9%) of children receiving epidurals--two blocks failed completely, two suffered subarachnoid puncture, one had respiratory depression and one developed a foot-drop. The blockade failure and subarachnoid punctures occurred early in the establishment of paediatric epidural analgesic services. Minor problems included the necessity for morphine supplementation in three (4%) children, leaks about the catheter in seven (10%), nausea and vomiting in six (9%), two (3%) developed pruritus and one block was ceased because of concerns expressed about masking symptoms of compartmental compression. Interpleural: twelve patients were treated with this technique. One neonate suffered a convulsion. CONCLUSION: Major continuous regional techniques in paediatric patients are effective, but because of potential complications, there is a requirement that these blocks be performed, monitored and cared for by staff experienced and trained with these procedures.

Anesthesia, Conduction↗
PubMed1994

Life events and the research diagnostic criteria endogenous subtype. A confirmation of the distinction using the Bedford College methods.

BACKGROUND: Despite the advances in biological and psychosocial assessment methods, reliable distinction between depressed patients with endogenous presentations or melancholic symptom features and those with nonendogenous presentations has remained elusive. METHODS: Ninety patients with histories of frequent unipolar episodes classified as endogenous or nonendogenous by the Research Diagnostic Criteria were interviewed with the Bedford College Life Events and Difficulties Schedule regarding the 6 months before onset of their most recent episode of depression. RESULTS: Patients meeting the Research Diagnostic Criteria for definite endogenous subtype differed significantly from patients with nonendogenous features in terms of the proportion experiencing severe life stress in the 6 months before onset of their depressive episode (P < = .04). Furthermore, survival analysis revealed a closer temporal association between severe event and depression onset among patients with nonendogenous features (P < .02). CONCLUSION: Even among patients with a history of multiple recurrences of depression, psychological stress plays an important role in the timing of onset of episodes characterized by nonendogenous features.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1994

What is a normal CA125 level?

CA125 is a coelomic epithelial antigen which is widely used to monitor residual disease in patients undergoing chemotherapy for ovarian cancer. Interpretation of serum CA125 levels has been based on a normal value of 35 U/ml which was derived by screening a young, general population of blood donors which included women with intact reproductive systems. This study addresses the issue of what constitutes a normal serum CA125 level following successful surgical therapy for gynecologic malignancy. Three hundred ninety-three CA125 values were measured in 145 patients after an elapsed time of at least 1 year following completion of surgical therapy for early-stage endometrial or cervical adenocarcinoma. All patients were without evidence of recurrent disease. The mean duration of followup was 4.3 years with a median of 3.7 years. Sixty-seven percent of the CA125 values were less than 10 U/ml; 95% were less than or equal to 20 U/ml. The median value for this patient population was 7.5 U/ml with a mode of 7.1 U/ml. There was no correlation between patient age and CA125 levels. These data suggest that the normal value for CA125 used for patient follow-up after treatment for gynecologic adenocarcinoma needs to be redefined. Our data support an upper limit of normal of 20 U/ml and encourage further study on the clinical impact of this new definition.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1994

A case-control study of mesothelioma and employment in the Hawaii sugarcane industry.

We conducted a case-control study of 93 mesothelioma cases and 281 cancer controls to determine whether sugarcane workers exposed to biogenic silica fibers were at increased risk of mesothelioma. We found no important excess risk of mesothelioma in sugarcane workers [odds ratio (OR) = 1.3; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.4-3.8] when we excluded all control subjects with cancer of sites suspected of being associated with asbestos exposure. We could not identify any sugarcane workers who developed mesothelioma and worked in jobs where high exposure levels of biogenic silica fibers have been measured. We did confirm that mesothelioma risk in Hawaii is associated with probable occupational asbestos exposure. Work at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard was associated with a 10-fold increase in mesothelioma when we excluded controls with cancer of sites related to asbestos exposure (OR = 10.1; 95% CI = 2.6-56.6). Work in the medical industry was also associated with an unexpected increased risk for mesothelioma (OR = 4.2; 95% CI = 1.2-15.5).

Agricultural Workers' Diseases↗
PubMed1994

Detection of Rochalimaea henselae DNA by polymerase chain reaction from suppurative nodes of children with cat-scratch disease.

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was designed to amplify DNA from Rochalimaea henselae, Rochalimaea quintana and Afipia felis in the purulent material from lymph nodes in three patients with clinical cat-scratch disease (CSD) and two patients with lymphadenitis from other causes. All of the patients with CSD had positive immunofluorescent antibody serology for R. henselae, while none of the controls was positive. PCR amplification confirmed the presence of R. henselae DNA and the absence of R. quintana and A. felis DNA in the purulent material from CSD patients. PCR samples from control patients were negative. The PCR amplification of R. henselae DNA was performed quickly and with great sensitivity and specificity. It confirmed the presence of R. henselae in the CSD patients and eliminated the need for more extensive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Bartonella henselae↗
PubMed1994

Bacteriophage-like particle of Rochalimaea henselae.

An extracellular particle approximately 40 nM in diameter was detected in culture supernatant from the fastidious bacterium Rochalimaea henselae. This particle has at least three associated proteins and contains 14 kbp linear DNA segments that are heterogeneous in sequence. The 14 kbp DNA was also present in R. henselae cells as an extrachromosomal element for all 14 strains tested. Despite attempts to induce lysis of R. henselae, plaque formation was not observed. A similar particle, also containing 14 kbp DNA, was observed in Bartonella bacilliformis, and may be analogous to a bacteriophage that has been described elsewhere for B. bacilliformis.

Bacteriophages↗
PubMed1994

Detection of Rochalimaea henselae DNA in specimens from cat scratch disease patients by PCR.

A PCR assay was developed by using degenerate primers that allow amplification of a 414-bp fragment of DNA from the rickettsia-like organisms Rochalimaea henselae and R. quintana. Internal oligonucleotides were used as hybridization probes, permitting rapid differentiation of these two Rochalimaea species. DNAs from 12 different isolates of R. henselae were amplified with the PCR primers, and the resulting 414-bp PCR product hybridized only with the R. henselae-specific probe. DNAs from four different isolates of R. quintana were amplified and produced a PCR product of the same size that hybridized only with the R. quintana-specific probe. DNAs from isolates of R. elizabethae, R. vinsonii, Bartonella bacilliformis, and Afipia felis failed to amplify the 414-bp fragment in the PCR assay. This two-step assay was applied to DNAs extracted from 16 fresh (unfixed) lymph node biopsy specimens and nine aspirates from patients with clinical cat scratch disease (CSD) to assay for the presence of R. henselae or R. quintana DNA in these samples. Twenty-one (84%) of 25 lymph node samples from CSD patients were positive for R. henselae, while none were positive for R. quintana. The characteristic 414-bp fragment was not amplified from eight lymph node tissue samples from non-CSD cases. These results provide evidence that R. henselae, and not R. quintana, plays the central role in the etiology of CSD.

Bacteriological Techniques↗
PubMed1994

Characterization of human antibody responses to four corners hantavirus infections among patients with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a human disease caused by a newly identified hantavirus, which we will refer to as Four Corners virus (FCV). FCV is related most closely to Puumala virus (PUU) and to Prospect Hill virus (PHV). Twenty-five acute HPS serum samples were tested for immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibody reactivities to FCV-encoded recombinant proteins in Western blot (immunoblot) assays. All HPS serum samples contained both IgG and IgM antibodies to the FCV nucleocapsid (N) protein. FCV N antibodies cross-reacted with PUU N and PHV N proteins. A dominant FCV N epitope was mapped to the segment between amino acids 17 and 59 (QLVTARQKLKDAERAVELDPDDVNKSTLQSRRAAVSALETKLG). All HPS serum samples contained IgG antibodies to the FCV glycoprotein-1 (G1) protein, and 21 of 25 serum samples contained FCV G1 IgM antibodies. The FCV G1 antibodies did not cross-react with PUU G1 and PHV G1 proteins. The FCV G1 type-specific antibody reactivity mapped to a segment between amino acids 59 and 89 (LKIESSCNFDLHVPATTTQKYNQVDWTKKSS). One hundred twenty-eight control serum samples were tested for IgG reactivities to the FCV N and G1 proteins. Nine (7.0%) contained FCV N reactivities, 3 (2.3%) contained FCV G1 reactivities, and one (0.8%) contained both FCV N and FCV G1 reactivities. The epitopes recognized by antibodies present in control serum samples were different from the epitopes recognized by HPS antibodies, suggesting that the control antibody reactivities were unrelated to FCV infections. These reagents constitute a type-specific assay for FCV antibodies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Marcus Gunn pupil.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Afferent Pathways↗