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Biomedical subjects

C J Watkins

Publications and source records attributed to C J Watkins.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Patterns of respiratory illness in the first year of life.

This paper describes a study of respiratory illness during the first year of life in a cohort of infants who were born between 1975 and 1978 to mothers who were registered with two inner London group general practices. The types of respiratory illness and their relation to the season of the year and season of birth of the child are examined. The relations among the frequency and type of respiratory illness and several social and family factors that have previously been shown to be associated with high levels of respiratory morbidity are also described.

Family↗
PubMed1985

CL115,347, an analogue of prostaglandin E2. Peripheral circulatory effects of single ascending doses administered transdermally in normal subjects and in patients with Raynaud's phenomenon.

The beneficial effects of intra-arterial or intravenous infusion of the prostanoid products of anachridonic acid, PGE and prostacyclin (PGI2) are well documented. More recently an analogue of PGE2, (CL 115,347, American Cynamid Co.) has become available. This substance is absorbed transdermally from a patch placed on the skin. In a placebo-controlled trial the vasodilatory effect of single incremental dosage, 500 mcg, 1000 mcg and 1500 mcg, was measured in a temperature-/humidity controlled laboratory in normal subjects and in patients with primary and secondary Raynaud's phenomenon. The optimal dosage proved to be 1000 mcg; the effect may last for 84 hours; higher dosage may be associated with a "steal" phenomenon.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1983

Tyrosine administration enhances dopamine synthesis and release in light-activated rat retina.

Exposure of dark-adapted albino rats to light (350 lux) significantly elevated retinal levels of the dopamine metabolite dihydroxyphenyl acetic acid during the next hour; their return to a dark environment caused dihydroxyphenyl acetic acid levels to fall. Retinal dopamine levels were increased slightly by light exposure, suggesting that the increase in dihydroxyphenyl acetic acid reflected accelerated dopamine synthesis. Administration of tyrosine (100 mg/kg, i.p.) further elevated retinal dihydroxyphenyl acetic acid among light-exposed animals, but failed to affect dopamine release among animals in the dark. These observations show that a physiological stimulus--light exposure--can cause catecholaminergic neurons to become tyrosine-dependent; they also suggest that food consumption may affect neurotransmitter release within the retina.

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid↗
PubMed1982

Doctor diagnosis and maternal recall of lower respiratory illness.

Epidemiological studies of respiratory illness in childhood have used the mother's recall of her child's respiratory illness experience as a measure of the frequency with which these illnesses occur. This paper explores the relationship between the diagnosis by the doctor of lower respiratory illnesses and the recall by the mother of the occurrence of these illnesses in a cohort of children in the first year of life. While there is a poor relationship between doctor diagnosis and maternal recall of these illnesses, the group of children reported by their mothers to have had bronchitis or pneumonia in the first year of life appear to suffer more respiratory illness than those children whose mothers recall no such illnesses.

Bronchitis↗
PubMed1981

Developmental changes in brain indoles, serum tryptophan and other serum neutral amino acids in the rat.

The rates at which brain neurons synthesize and release serotonin depend in part on brain tryptophan concentrations; these, in turn, vary directly with serum (or plasma) tryptophan, and inversely with the serum concentrations of other large neutral amino acids (LNAA). Concentrations of serum tryptophan, LNAA and brain indoles were examined in samples drawn at noontime from rats aged 0-59 days. Developmental changes in serum tryptophan largely paralleled those in the tryptophan/LNAA ratio, and brain tryptophan concentrations. Brain serotonin and 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) levels also increased postnatally; the changes in 5-HIAA tended to parallel those in brain tryptophan while those in serotonin did not.

Aging↗
PubMed1981

Medical audit in general practice - fact or fantasy?

This paper describes how the quality of medical care provided by general practitioners for patients suffering from cardiac failure was assessed. A peer group of general practitioners provided the criteria of adequate process and outcome of care. The impact of a flow sheet design of medical record on the quality of care was tested in a controlled study. Although there were significant improvements in the process measures as a result of the new medical record, there was no measurable benefit in terms of outcome. The particular problems of defining criteria of care in general practice are described and the usefulness of methods of measuring quality whose validity is in doubt is questioned.

Aged↗
PubMed1980

Evaluation of a patient education manual.

A randomised controlled trial has shown that introducing a health education booklet describing the management of six common symptoms resulted in fewer consultations for the symptoms described by families receiving this booklet compared with a control group. A sample of the mothers in each group was subsequently followed up by an interview, at which a questionnaire was administered. This was designed to measure the mother's knowledge of the management of the symptoms described. The booklet did not lead to any increase in knowledge in the mothers receiving it. The questionnaire did, however, show that 76% of the mother had consulted the booklet at some time in the year of the study and 28% had consulted it in the three months before interview. The important result was a fall in the new request for care for the symptoms described in the booklet. This may be interpreted as indicating that what patients need to respond appropriately to common symptoms of illness is a simple reference manual rather than an educational programme designed to increase their knowledge about the management of illness.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1979

The relationship between breast and bottle feeding and respiratory illness in the first year of life.

The relationship between breast or bottle feeding and the incidence of bronchitis and pneumonia in the first year of life was examined in a birth cohort of nearly 2000 children born in Harrow, England, in 1963--65. Fewer episodes of acute bronchitis and pneumonia were reported in children who were breast-fed than in children who were bottle-fed. Firstborn children were more likely to be breast-fed than subsequent children. Mothers who smoked were less likely to breast-feed their babies. Although birth order and parental smoking have been shown to be associated with bronchitis and pneumonia in the same cohort, the association between feeding pattern and respiratory illness history persisted when these and other important factors were taken into account.

Birth Order↗