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Biomedical subjects

C Evans

Publications and source records attributed to C Evans.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

A note on the recovery of micro-organisms from an oil-in-water cream.

The isolation of micro-organisms from the oil-in-water Aqueous Cream BP, has been examined using a variety of solvent systems to disperse the cream prior to membrane filtration or direct inoculation. Pour-plate methods which utilize combinations of either peptone-water (containing 5% w/v polysorbate 80) or nutrient broth (containing 4% w/v Lubrol W) provided the most efficient recovery of Pseudomonas aeruginosa but still allowed less than 20% recovery. White spirit and isopropyl myristate allowed no recovery when used as dispersants. Recoveries of P. aeruginosa varied according to the source of the cream. A combination of 1% w/v polysorbate 80 in 0.1% w/v peptone-water and membrane filtration allowed 63.2% w/v and 67.0% w/v recoveries respectively of Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans from unpreserved aqueous cream, but gave unreproducible results for Escherichia coli and P. aeruginosa. Chlorocresol 0.1% w/v) did not meet the British Pharmacopoeial requirements for efficacy of antimicrobial preservatives when tested against C. albicans using membrane filtration to isolate the micro-organism.

Aspergillus niger↗
PubMed1985

Clinical trial of common treatments for low back pain in family practice.

The results of a multicentered randomised clinical trial are reported of bed rest and of a physiotherapy and education programme for patients who presented in family practice with an acute episode of low back pain. No beneficial effect of either treatment was observed on several clinical outcome measures, including straight leg raising, lumbar flexion, activities of daily living, and pain. In fact the results favoured early mobilisation over bed rest and suggested that the physiotherapy and education programme was doing more harm than good. Moreover, additional analyses, which focused on clinically interesting patient subgroups, discovered no subset of patients who benefited from either of the treatments under study. Having failed to identify any clinically important benefits, or other explanations for these negative results, we can only conclude that family doctors have little reason to prescribe either bed rest or isometric exercises to patients who suffer from low back pain.

Back Pain↗
PubMed1985

Prognostic uncertainty in terminal care: can the Karnofsky index help?

Members of a terminal care support team in a London health district recorded upper and lower estimates of prognosis on 42 patients during 149 visits. Just over half of the actual survivals were within the estimate limits, and the estimates tended to be overoptimistic. For the initial observations on each patient, a health status measure, the Karnofsky index, gave a closer correlation with the actual survival than the estimates. Better predictors of prognosis are needed by staff caring for terminally ill people.

Follow-Up Studies↗
PubMed1985

The radiological appearance of artificial urinary sphincters.

The increasing refinement of artificial anti-incontinence devices has provided new hope for incontinent patients. The aim of this paper is to show the design and function, and to indicate the use of radiology in evaluation of function, of the latest prostheses. The complications peculiar to these devices are illustrated and the use of radiology in identifying these complications is indicated.

Humans↗
PubMed1985

Application of flow cytometry to detection and characterization of Legionella spp.

Flow cytometry, using fluorescein-bound specific antibodies and propidium iodide, was shown to be effective in detecting Legionella spp. in cooling tower waters. The procedure was quicker and less labor intensive than fluorescent microscopy. The use of these procedures also identified qualitative differences, perhaps related to infectivity, in Legionella populations.

Air Conditioning↗
PubMed1985

Transient presence of an anti-D alloantibody.

A 37-year-old man with blood type O Rh-negative displayed a sudden, transient occurrence of an anti-D antibody shortly after receiving only type O Rh-negative packed red blood cells and Rh-positive random donor platelets. Testing of the blood products that were transfused demonstrated a high anti-D antibody titer in one of the packed red blood cell units that the patient received one day before the antibody was detected. Passively acquired antibodies should be routinely considered when evaluating the sudden occurrence of a positive indirect or direct antiglobulin test (Coombs' test) in a patient. Early recognition of this phenomenon will prevent unnecessary delays or inappropriate therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Analysis of a hospital-based stomatherapy service.

We have analysed the activities of a hospital-based stomatherapy service between 1980 and 1983. The average numbers of patients seen per annum included 395 out-patients, 307 in-patients and 116 home visits. Of the 276 in-patients with colostomies, 72% had underlying malignant disease; 17% were performed as emergencies and 51% were temporary stomas. Hospital mortality for patients with a temporary stoma was 19% and only 59% had their temporary stoma reversed. Only 45% of colostomy patients received preoperative counselling and 11% had no regular follow-up. Complications were recorded at some stage after colostomy in 25% but only 10% required surgical refashioning. Of the 184 in-patients with ileostomies, 52% had ulcerative colitis and 41% had Crohn's disease. Only 13% of ileostomies were performed as emergencies, and only 11% were temporary. In contrast to colostomy, 83% of ileostomy patients received preoperative counselling and adequate follow-up was provided for 98% of patients. Complications were recorded in 57% of patients after ileostomy but surgical reconstruction was needed in only 18%.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

Regulation of L-pyruvate kinase activity by insulin and glycolytic intermediates.

The presence of insulin and various carbohydrates in long term cultures of hepatocytes was studied to examine the mechanism by which insulin and glycolytic metabolites regulate L-pyruvate kinase activity. When hepatocytes were isolated from a control rat and cultured in the presence of insulin, a constant level of enzyme activity (16 EU/mg DNA) was maintained for 12 days. The L-pyruvate kinase activity in hepatocytes from refed rats initially was elevated (45 EU/mg DNA) and decreased to control values by the 5th day in culture. Cells isolated from a fasted rat initially contained a low level of L-pyruvate kinase activity (5 EU/mg DNA) which increased to control values by the 8th day in culture. The enzyme activity was 5 EU/mg DNA when control cells were cultured for 4 days in medium containing either glucose, glycerol or fructose without insulin; 10 EU/mg DNA in medium containing galactose and insulin but without glucose, glycerol or fructose; and 20 EU/mg DNA in medium containing both insulin and either glucose, glycerol or fructose. It is suggested that insulin is essential for the induction and maintainance of L-pyruvate kinase activity, that carbohydrates in the absence of insulin are unable to maintain the enzyme activity in cultures of hepatocytes, and that insulin and glycolytic metabolites may act synergistically to increase the activity of L-pyruvate kinase by increasing the synthesis of the enzyme.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Value of ultrasonic measurement of spinal canal diameter in general practice.

The diameter of the spinal canal was measured by ultrasonic scanning in 193 patients with back pain and 193 matched controls. The spinal canal was found to be significantly narrower in the patients compared with all 193 controls (p less than 0.01) and compared with 132 of the controls with no history of back pain (p less than 0.001), but measurement of canal size was found not to have any value in the prognosis or management of back pain in general practice.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

The long-term effect of glucagon on pyruvate kinase activity in primary cultures of hepatocytes.

Glucagon caused a marked decrease in the total L-pyruvate kinase activity of control hepatocytes maintained in monolayer culture (t1/2 = 54 h), while the addition of insulin to hepatocytes isolated from a fasted rat caused a four- to fivefold increase in the total enzyme activity. Maintenance of L-pyruvate kinase in control cultures of hepatocytes was shown to require insulin. However, when 1 microM glucagon was present in the medium, the total L-pyruvate kinase activity was not maintained even in the presence of 1 microM insulin, but rather the total L-pyruvate kinase activity of the cells steadily declined from 12.1 to 5.7 units/mg DNA by the 6th day in culture. The increase in the total L-pyruvate kinase activity of fasted hepatocytes cultured in the presence of insulin was shown to result from an increase in protein synthesis, since actinomycin D and cycloheximide blocked the insulin-induced increase in the enzyme activity. The addition of 1 microM glucagon to cultures of fasted hepatocytes also blocked the insulin-induced increase in total L-pyruvate kinase activity. Since glucagon decreased the total L-pyruvate kinase activity in control hepatocytes and blocked the increase in L-pyruvate kinase activity in fasted hepatocytes, it is suggested that, in addition to the phosphorylation of L-pyruvate kinase by a cAMP-dependent protein kinase, glucagon also acts to decrease the synthesis of L-pyruvate kinase in vitro.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Influence of multiple genes on the magnitude of the antibody response to bacterial polysaccharide antigens.

Studies conducted with F1 and F2 progeny of crosses between strains of inbred mice that differ greatly in their capacity to make an antibody response to type III pneumococcal polysaccharide, dextran B-1355, and lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli 0113 have shown that multiple genes influence the magnitude of the antibody response to these antigens. Other studies with hybrids derived from crosses between C3H/HeJ, CBA/N, and RIIIS/J mice have indicated that the genetic defects characteristic of these strains of mice are dissimilar and unlinked and that autosomal, as well as X-linked, genes control serum immunoglobulin M in unimmunized mice.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Referral and survival of patients accepted by a terminal care support team.

The first year's work of Bloomsbury terminal care support team has been analysed from routinely recorded information. The patients accepted by the team were of younger average age than all people dying from cancer within the catchment population. The median survival of patients after first contact with the team was 49 days, but survival of patients referred by general practitioners and hospital general physicians was substantially shorter than of those referred by hospital oncologists and radiotherapists. The growing number of district terminal care services suggests the need for continued research to develop guidelines for referral of patients and methods of evaluating the team's work.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

The value of ultrasound in previously undiagnosed renal failure.

Rapid advances in equipment and diagnostic criteria have made ultrasound sufficiently sensitive to replace high-dose urography (with its attendant risks and often lengthy examination time) as the initial imaging modality in renal failure. A prospective study was carried out in 56 patients (109 kidneys). All hydronephroses were accurately detected on ultrasound. 80% were due to obstruction, but showed no features that distinguished them from other causes of hydronephrosis. A diagnostic pathway is suggested.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Asthmatic responses to inhaled aminophylline: a report of two cases.

We report two cases of occupational asthma induced by the inhalation of powdered aminophylline during the process of its manufacture. In both cases bronchial challenges were positive, producing delayed onset reversible airway obstruction. An immunologic mechanism appears to be operative in one case.

Administration, Intranasal↗