Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

C Smith

Publications and source records attributed to C Smith.

At least 685 records · Page 38Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Drinking on television: a content analysis of recent alcohol portrayal.

The portrayal of alcohol on British television was examined in a systematic sample of 50 programmes broadcast in 1988. Nearly three-quarters of the programmes contained visual or verbal references to alcohol. On average, there was a reference to alcohol in every six and a half minutes of programming. Alcohol was most prominently featured in fictional programmes, particularly in one soap opera, Eastenders. A third of the programmes showed specific brands of alcohol. It is estimated that the portrayal of alcohol in Britain's most popular programmes is worth pounds 487 million of free promotion to the alcohol industry per annum. Nevertheless, in comparison with an earlier study, carried out in 1986, there appeared to be fewer alcohol images. A number of recommendations are made for further action and monitoring of alcohol portrayal.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1991

Relation of baseline microbial parameters to future periodontal attachment loss.

The relationship between the level of subgingival species at baseline and subsequent attachment loss in a subject was examined. 38 subjects (14-71 years) with prior evidence of periodontal destruction were monitored 2x for pocket depth and attachment level at 6 sites per tooth at baseline and 2 months. A subject was considered to exhibit new attachment loss if 1 or more sites increased 3 mm or more in attachment level in 2 months. Subgingival plaque samples were taken at the baseline visit from the mesial aspect of each tooth (28 sites) using Gracey curettes. Samples were dispersed, diluted and plated on Trypticase soy agar supplemented with 5% sheep blood. After 7 days of anaerobic incubation, the colonies were lifted onto nylon filters, lysed and the DNA fixed to the filters. Digoxygenin-labeled DNA probes were used to enumerate 14 subgingival species. 17 of 38 subjects (44.7%) exhibited new attachment loss in 2 months. The % of the total viable count of each species was averaged for each subject. The species enumerated and the mean % of the total cultivable microbiota averaged across the active and inactive subjects were as follows; B gingivalis 2.3, 1.2; W. recta 1.3, 0.6; B. intermedius I 2.5, 2.0; B. forsythus 1.5, 1.2; A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype a 1.1, 0.8; F. nucleatum ss vincentii 1.1, 1.0; S. intermedius 2.0, 1.9; P. micros 1.5, 1.5; B. intermedius II 1.6, 1.7; A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype b 0.4, 0.6; S. sanguis I 1.8, 2.1; S. sanguis II 2.7, 3.0; V. parvula 3.9, 4.2; C. ochracea 0.9, 1.8.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Relation of counts of microbial species to clinical status at the sampled site.

The purpose of the present investigation was to relate clinical characteristics at a site to the frequency of detection, absolute counts and proportions of 14 subgingival species. Subgingival plaque samples were removed by curette from the mesial surface of 2299 teeth in 3 healthy and 87 subjects with periodontal attachment loss. Samples were dispersed, diluted and plated on Trypticase soy agar supplemented with 5% sheep blood. After 7 days of anaerobic incubation, colonies were lifted onto nylon filters, lysed and the DNA fixed to the filters. Digoxygenin-labeled DNA probes were used to identify colonies of each test species. Measurements of pocket depth, attachment level, recession, redness, bleeding on probing and suppuration were made at each sampled site. Total viable counts at sites ranged from 10(3) to greater than 10(8) and were strongly related to pocket depth. Mean total counts at sites less than 3 mm averaged 4.6 x 10(6), while mean counts at sites greater than 7 mm averaged 2.0 x 10(7). Species enumerated and % of sites colonized were as follows; V. parvula 44; S. sanguis II 36; B. intermedius I 33; C. ochracea 31; B. intermedius II 30; S. sanguis I 29; B. gingivalis 27; S. intermedius 25; P. micros 24; W. recta 23; F. nucleatum ss vincentii 18; B. forsythus 15; A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype a 10; A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype b 8. Counts of B. intermedius II were higher at sites which exhibited gingival redness while B. intermedius I was higher at sites which bled on probing. A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype b was more frequent and at higher mean % at sites without recession. The opposite was true for S. sanguis II. B. gingivalis was somewhat more prevalent and at higher levels at suppurating sites. B. gingivalis, B. intermedius I and II and B. forsythus were found more frequently and at higher levels at sites with deeper pockets, while V. parvula was less prevalent at sites with pocket depths less than 4 mm. B. gingivalis, B. intermedius I and A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype b increased with increasing pocket depth in both localized and widespread disease subjects, but mean counts were higher in the localized disease subjects at any pocket depth. Only W. recta was found at higher levels at deep sites in widespread disease subjects when compared with similar sites in localized disease subjects. No suspected pathogens were detected in 38% of shallow sites, 31% of intermediate sites and 22% of deep sites, 2/3 of deep pockets, but less than 1/2 of shallow pockets harbored at least 2 of the suspected pathogens.

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans↗
PubMed1991

Effects of intravitreal dexamethasone on concentration of intravitreal vancomycin in experimental methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis endophthalmitis.

Intravitreal corticosteroids in the treatment of bacterial endophthalmitis remain controversial. We utilized an experimental rabbit model of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis endophthalmitis (i) to calculate the intravitreal vancomycin concentration in rabbit eyes receiving intravitreal vancomycin alone or in combination with intravitreal dexamethasone and (ii) to determine whether an intravitreal steroid has any effect on intravitreal vancomycin levels. All right eyes were infected and all left eyes were uninfected. The rabbits were divided into two treatment groups: (i) 32 eyes (group I) were injected with intravitreal vancomycin, 1.0 mg (0.1 ml); (ii) 32 additional eyes (group II) were injected with intravitreal dexamethasone, 400 micrograms (0.1 ml), in addition to vancomycin. Measurement of intravitreal vancomycin concentration was performed following sacrifice, utilizing a microbiologic agar diffusion assay. Analyses of intravitreal vancomycin concentrations were performed by using model-independent parameters, with area under the concentration-time curves derived by trapezoidal approximation. The intravitreal vancomycin concentration was significantly lower in both uninfected and infected group II eyes (P less than 0.002). Analysis of intravitreal vancomycin concentration-time relationships was performed by using a nonlinear least-squares regression program; data best fit a one-compartment model. In addition, no vancomycin-dexamethasone interaction could be demonstrated. The reduced level of intravitreal vancomycin in the presence of intravitreal dexamethasone may have important clinical implications.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Women's health: potential for better coordination of services.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the proportion of women attending a genitourinary medicine clinic (GUMC) who are in need of contraception and the proportion of women attending a family planning clinic (FPC) who may require screening or treatment for sexually transmitted disease (STD). DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: A large FPC (17,600 attendances by women a year) and a large GUMC (20,060 attendances by women a year) in an inner London health district. SUBJECTS: All clients attending the two clinics in consecutive weeks (356 GUMC and 335 FPC). In addition a non-random cluster of other women attending the same clinics later in the year were interviewed in depth (21 GUMC and 20 FPC). RESULTS: Of women at the GUMC 10.4% (95% CI 7.2-13.6) were at risk of unwanted pregnancy and not using contraception. Women aged under 20 years and women not registered with a general practitioner (GP) were more likely to be in this group. A further 13.8% may have been using contraception unreliably as they were not obtaining contraception from a GP or FPC. Of women at the FPC 1.8% (95% CI 0.3-3.2) complained of symptoms of genitourinary infection. In-depth interviews showed that some women assumed the staff at both clinics would counsel them in all aspects of sexual health. CONCLUSIONS: The opportunities presented at GUMCs to reduce the incidence of unwanted pregnancy and the opportunities presented at FPCs to reduce the incidence and prevalence of STD should not be missed.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Bone marrow transplantation: clinical and radiologic aspects.

With the advent of histocompatibility typing, use of bone marrow transplantation for treating hematogenous cancer has dramatically increased. Marrow grafting is preceded by intense immunosuppressive, marrow ablative treatment, usually with high-dose chemotherapy and whole-body irradiation. Because the recipient may be immunocompromised for months after transplantation due to this regimen, complications are numerous. Complications are classified according to the following intervals: pre-engraftment (from pretransplantation treatment to engraftment), postengraftment (3 months afterward), and delayed (longer than 3 months after engraftment). Pre-engraftment complications include bacterial, fungal, and viral infections; tissue-damaging effects (eg, toxic pneumonitis); hepatic veno-occlusive disease; and graft rejection. Postengraftment complications include viral, fungal, and protozoal infections; acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD); and pneumatosis intestinalis. Delayed complications include chronic GVHD and recurrence of cancer. As part of the follow-up team, radiologists should be familiar with clinical aspects of marrow transplantation and be alert for early, potential life-threatening complications.

Bone Marrow Transplantation↗
PubMed1991

Effects of fat on insulin-stimulated carbohydrate metabolism in normal men.

We have examined the onset and duration of the inhibitory effect of an intravenous infusion of lipid/heparin on total body carbohydrate and fat oxidation (by indirect calorimetry) and on glucose disappearance (with 6,6 D2-glucose and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) in healthy men during euglycemic hyperinsulinemia. Glycogen synthase activity and concentrations of acetyl-CoA, free CoA-SH, citrate, and glucose-6-phosphate were measured in muscle biopsies obtained before and after insulin/lipid and insulin/saline infusions. Lipid increased insulin-inhibited fat oxidation (+40%) and decreased insulin-stimulated carbohydrate oxidation (-63%) within 1 h. These changes were associated with an increase (+489%) in the muscle acetyl-CoA/free CoA-SH ratio. Glucose disappearance did not decrease until 2-4 h later (-55%). This decrease was associated with a decrease in muscle glycogen synthase fractional velocity (-82%). The muscle content of citrate and glucose-6-phosphate did not change. We concluded that, during hyperinsulinemia, lipid promptly replaced carbohydrate as fuel for oxidation in muscle and hours later inhibited glucose uptake, presumably by interfering with muscle glycogen formation.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Sex and genre on prime time.

Sexual activity is never explicitly represented on network television programs. Rather, realms of sexuality are suggested. These realms are represented differently according to the genre of the program; sitcoms explore the realm of the taboo, while nighttime soaps plumb the inevitable consequences of sexual activity. Detective shows display the sexual underworld. When a program shows sexuality from more than a generic perspective, it provides a more global representation and is also a more fruitful object of study.

Family↗
PubMed1991

Selection within and across populations in livestock improvement.

Genetic evaluations within and across populations (countries, breeds, herds) allow ranking on estimated genetic merit and selecting breeding individuals across populations. Selection within and across populations (combined selection) should by definition always be as good as, or better than, within-population selection, the limiting case. The advantage depends on the sizes of the populations, the number of populations, the initial genetic means, and the correspondence of the breeding objectives in the different populations, as measured by the genetic correlation for economic merit. The advantages of combined selection are evaluated deterministically for a simple case of selecting the best males for use across populations by using a common truncation line over the distributions of EBV for the different populations. Combined selection increases overall response rates in the cooperating populations. Where the initial genetic means are the same, small populations (100 males tested) benefit greatly from combined selection. Large populations (500 to 1,000 males tested) also benefit, but less. The results depend on the increased selection response to scale, response being approximately linear with the logarithm of the number tested. When the initial means differ, the genetically poorer population can catch up in three to five generations and then contribute to the increased responses with combined selection. When breeding objectives differ, selection usually gradually pulls the populations apart and they make less and less contribution to each other and finally become separate. These results have implications for breeding strategies. Their application would affect structures of populations and rates of genetic change possible by selection.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Indications for liver transplantation in pediatric patients.

Orthotopic liver transplantation has become a widely accepted therapy for children with end-stage liver disease. Several factors need to be kept in mind when advocating this procedure in pediatric patients. These include the following: (1) Liver transplantation is a high-risk procedure with a 10-15% mortality in the best of circumstances. (2) Recipients require long-term drug administration and have a potential for chronic disability. (3) The procedure is extremely expensive. (4) The long-term survival remains unknown. (5) Newer techniques and procedures need to be carefully evaluated. These factors, and the indications and contraindications for this procedure are discussed in this overview.

Child↗
PubMed1991

Stable bimodal response to cholinomimetic drugs in Alzheimer's disease. Brain mapping correlates.

We investigated quantitative EEG brain mapping as a physiologic marker of drug response while studying the stability of intersubject variability in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) who were receiving bethanechol through intracerebroventricular (ICV) shunts. Two of the patients had previously demonstrated cognitive and behavioral improvements on medication; the third had cognitive deterioration complicated by agitated depression. All three patients were reexamined in a dose-response paradigm. Serial brain mapping examinations were performed along with brief cognitive testing. All patients showed drug responses that were comparable with responses during their initial dose-response phase. There were strong linear correlations between global decreases in 2 to 6 Hz slow-wave activity and cognitive improvement. Brain mapping demonstrated that slowing decreased in magnitude and field with increasing dose until optimal dose was reached; with supra-optimal doses, the magnitude and field of the slowing increased dramatically. These results suggest that the quality of cholinomimetic drug responses are stable over time in individual patients, and that magnitude and pattern of slow-wave activity as measured by brain mapping may be useful in monitoring treatment with cholinomimetic agents.

Alzheimer Disease↗