Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

D Machin

Publications and source records attributed to D Machin.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

A randomised trial to evaluate the effect of infra-red stimulation of local trigger points, versus placebo, on the pain caused by cervical osteoarthrosis.

Claims have been made that local heat is particularly useful in treating osteoarthritis pain. This randomised trial evaluates the short term efficacy of local heat, on the pain caused by cervical osteoarthrosis. Two treatment groups were compared, one receiving mock TNS and the other heat from an infra-red gun (the IRS Medtec 100). Both the placebo and treatment groups received treatment on local tender trigger points. Each patient received four treatments. Pain was assessed before entry into the trial and after the completion of treatment; the parameters used for assessing pain were, analgesic intake, sleep disturbance due to pain and subjective pain score. Twenty-six patients were entered into the trial, twenty-five completed treatment. In the group receiving treatment from the infra-red gun (IRS Medtec 100) 75% obtained significant pain relief. In the group receiving mock TNS 31% obtained significant pain relief. A chi-squared test comparing these two groups give a P value of 0.07.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

A method of assessing the clinical effects of acupuncture.

This article describes a data handling system designed to assess the effects of acupuncture in some common diseases. The objectives of this system are to provide a simple, swift and practical method that can be effectively operated within the limits of a busy clinic. This would provide crude descriptive data that will be of use in itself as well as suggesting further ideas for more detailed research. The system is based on the use of simple questionnaires, these are formulated so that they can be used by the patients alone. An initial form is used to record basic patient data and then one of the five symptom group forms (pain, headache, indigestion, lower bowel disorder and breathlessness) is then used to evaluate the severity of any particular disease. All the questionnaires are based on similar criteria, such as drug intake, sleep disturbance due to the disease and patient's subjective evaluation of the severity of their disease. The symptom group forms are filled in by the patient at the beginning of treatment, at the end of treatment and after a three month follow-up period. The questionnaires have been piloted on some 300 patients, and have been found to be a valid and effective method of assessing treatment.

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed1981

Lymphocyte transformation to specific antigens associated with Crohn's disease.

Specific lymphocyte transformation to three micro-organisms that have been implicated in Crohn's disease was performed. These were Pseudomonas maltophilia, Mycobacterium kansasii and Rotavirus. No significant differences were observed for any of the antigens tested. Simultaneous testing of nonspecific stimulation by PHA also showed no difference between patients and controls. These results do not support an aetiological role for these organisms mediated by a purely cellular mechanism.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

The leucocyte alkaline phosphatase activity in mature neutrophils of different ages.

The marrow myeloid precursor cells of a haematologically normal patient were labelled by intravenous injection of tritiated thymidine. Young labelled segmented neutrophils were then released from the marrow into the blood by an injection of cortisol. These PMN had a significantly lower LAP activity than the older blood neutrophils. It is shown that within the morphologic boundaries of the segmented PMN, the cells are still in different stages of cytoplasmic maturation. In addition, labelled and unlabelled neutrophils showed a linear and parallel increase of LAP activity during the 24 h following cortisol injection. This observation suggests that the neutrophil prematurely released in the blood can mature into normal LAP=PMN and more generally that LAP activity of a blood neutrophil increases with time.

Aged↗
PubMed1980

Critical evaluation of lung scintigraphy in cystic fibrosis: study of 113 patients.

A long-term study has been performed on 285 lung perfusion scintigrams obtained from 113 patients with cystic fibrosis. Transverse and longitudinal comparisons with clinical and radiological scores, as well as retrospective analysis of the deceased patients, were the methods used in order to evaluate the importance of the scintigraphic images. It appears that lung scintigraphy is the best index of the regional lung impairment, and contributes, as does a chest radiograph, to the early detection of lung lesions, the two methods being complementary. The survival rate of CF patients reached 0.80 at 9 yr when initial scintigraphy was normal or only moderately impaired, but fell to 0.18 when severe lesions were seen on the first scintigrams.

Cystic Fibrosis↗
PubMed1980

Inhibition of RNA synthesis in murine ependymoblastoma by the combination of amphotericin B and 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-cyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea.

The aim of this study was to clarify the mechanism of the potentiation by amphotericin B (AMB) of 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-cyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea (CCNU) antineoplastic effects on s.c. murine ependymoblastoma. The effect of AMB on tumor cell permeability to CCNU labeled on the cyclohexyl moiety was studied. The radioactivity measured in ependymoblastoma 1, 6, 14, and 25 hr after i.m. injection of 10.4 microCi of 1-(2-chlorethyl)-3-[cyclohexyl-1-14C]cyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea per mouse was significantly higher (p less than 0.001) in the tumors of animals treated with AMB (25 mg/kg 10 hr prior to [14C]CCNU) as compared to controls. The effects of AMB and CCNU given separately or in combination on RNA and protein synthesis were studied by measuring the incorporation of [3H]uridine and [14C]leucine, respectively, into RNA and proteins. The administration of AMB (25 mg/kg) or CCNU (10 mg/kg) did not affect the incorporation of [3H]uridine measured 2 hr after the i.p. injection of 40 microCi of labeled precursor per mouse. On the other hand, the incorporation of [3H]uridine was significantly (p less than 0.001) inhibited in animals treated with AMB (25 mg/kg) followed 10 hr later by CCNU (10 mg/kg), as compared to animals receiving CCNU alone. The inhibition, which reached a maximum of about 35% 24 hr after the administration of CCNU, was not observed when AMB was given after CCNU. The inhibition of RNA synthesis was also observed in mice treated with AMB and cyclohexyl isocyanate (5.4 mg/kg), a degradation product of CCNU. Measurements of [14C]leucine incorporation showed that AMB did not increase the inhibition of protein synthesis produced by CCNU. These observations suggest that AMB increases the uptake of a cyclohexyl derivative arising from the degradation of CCNU. The increased uptake of this compound results in inhibition of RNA synthesis. This mechanism could account for the potentiation of the CCNU therapeutic effect produced by AMB, at least in murine ependymoblastoma.

Amphotericin B↗
PubMed1978

Effect of a nitrogen analog of tetrahydrocannabinol on cancer pain.

Two consecutive, randomized, double-blind trials were performed to test the analgesic properties of a synthetic nitrogen analog of tetrahydrocannabinol (NIB). In the first trial, the test preparation was superior to placebo and approximately equivalent to 50 mg of codeine phosphate. In the second study, the tetrahydrocannabinol analog was superior to placebo and to 50 mg secobarbital. NIB is not useful clinically because of the frequency of side effects.

Analgesics↗