Biomedical subjects

E D Mitchell

Publications and source records attributed to E D Mitchell.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1998

Computer use by general practitioners in Scotland.

BACKGROUND: Despite the widespread adoption by general practitioners (GPs) of desktop computers, there has been very little evaluation of the way in which the computer is actually used during consultations and the way in which it affects patient satisfaction. AIM: To ascertain the extent to which the computer is used in the consultation and to investigate the possible relationship between computer use and patient satisfaction. METHOD: Six GPs completed a short questionnaire about the extent to which they use the computer during surgeries. Eighty-four consultations from the surgeries of these GPs were video recorded. Patient satisfaction data on these 84 patients were collected at the time of the surgery using the previously validated Consultation Satisfaction Questionnaire. RESULTS: All six GPs stated that they usually used the computer during consultations. However, video observation revealed that the computer was used in just 51% of surgeries. The proportion of time that the computer was used for varied from 0.03 to 0.4, with a mean value of 0.12. The commonest function for which the computer was used was prescribing. The consultations in which the computer was used (CU) were on average 148 seconds longer than the non-computerized consultations (NCU). There was no difference in patient satisfaction between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Despite this group of GPs having a self-declared interest in the use of computers, the extent to which the computer was used was much lower than expected from the GPs' self-reported use. This may be partly explained by the fact that using the computer takes up valuable time within the consultation and does not appear to contribute to patient satisfaction. If desktop computers are to be used to their full potential in general practice, more work is required to evaluate their impact on the consultation process itself.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1993

A method for the isolation of nuclear DNA from cotton (Gossypium) leaves.

Cotton leaves contain high levels of polyphenolic compounds that irreversibly interact with proteins and nucleic acids during DNA isolation. A procedure to isolate nuclear DNA from cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) has been developed. The method is based on the rapid initial isolation of nuclei in a glucose medium designed to stabilize nuclear structure and composition while preventing covalent interactions with polyphenolics. The resulting DNA is high in yield and purity and is suitable for Southern-blot hybridization analysis and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis.

Blotting, Southern↗

PubMed1993

Phase I/II trial of etoposide and carboplatin in extensive small-cell lung cancer. A report from the Cancer and Leukemia Group B.

Previously untreated extensive small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients with performance status 0-2 were treated with etoposide 200 mg/m2/day on days 1-3 and carboplatin doses of 50, 100, or 125 mg/m2/day on days 1-3 in a Phase I format. Among the ten eligible patients treated with 125 mg/m2/day of carboplatin, grade 3 or 4 infection occurred in six patients, grade 4 thrombocytopenia in four patients, and there was one death with myelosuppression. Thus, this dose was considered the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), and a Phase II trial was then conducted utilizing this treatment program. In the Phase II trials, 81% of the 48 eligible patients had grade 3 or 4 leukopenia, 76% had grade 3 or 4 thrombocytopenia, and 55% had grade 3 or 4 anemia. There were three (6%) toxic deaths from myelosuppression. The objective response rate was 63% (17% complete responders) with a median response duration of 6.2 months for complete responders and 6.4 months for partial responders. Median survival was 12 months. The MTD defined by this Phase I trial represents a 67-100% increase in etoposide and a 25% increase in carboplatin compared to prior studies. Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) plans to study further dose intensification of this regimen with colony-stimulating factors.

Adult↗

PubMed1987

Replication of cauliflower mosaic virus DNA in leaves and suspension culture protoplasts of cotton.

Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) replicated in protoplasts and in inoculated leaves of the non-host, cotton (Gossypium hirsutum, L.). Protoplasts prepared from suspension-cultured cotton cells were infected by incubation with liposome-encapsulated CaMV virions. During a 1-week culture period the amount of CaMV nucleic acid as detected by nucleic acid hybridization in the protoplasts increased significantly regardless of whether or not the protoplasts contained vacuoles. In leaves inoculated with CaMV virions or CaMV DNA, viral DNA sequences were found by leaf skeleton hybridization to be located in small circular areas. DNA extracted from ultracentrifugal pellets of homogenates of inoculated leaves contained circular, gapped CaMV DNA only when inocula contained CaMV virions, CaMV DNA, or partial nested dimer CaMV plasmid DNA. When plants had been heavily watered, the CaMV DNA recovered contained degraded CaMV DNA. The results suggest that the host range limitation for CaMV is not due to an inability to replicate or spread locally in inoculated leaves.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1984

The L-aspartate oxidase reported to be present in higher plants is actually glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase.

We previously reported (Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. (1983) 111, 188-193) that cotton callus cells contain an L-aspartate oxidase which requires an unidentified cofactor with an apparent molecular weight of 1,050. Further study has revealed that this report was in error. The enzyme is actually glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and the "cofactor" has been identified as alpha-ketoglutarate.

Amino Acid Oxidoreductases↗

PubMed1981

Control of phosphorylation and decarboxylation of mevalonic acid and its metabolites in cultured human fibroblasts and in rat liver in vivo.

The activity of mevalonate kinase and of mevalonate pyrophosphate decarboxylase in human skin fibroblasts grown in culture was increased when whole fetal calf serum in the incubation medium was replaced with lipid-deficient serum. The drug demecolcine interfered with low density lipoprotein binding by cells and increased sterol synthesis and activities of hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase and mevalonate kinase. In contrast to normal cells, fibroblasts from a patient with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia did not show any lower mevalonate kinase activity following incubation with whole serum compared with that in cells incubated with lipid-deficient serum. Insulin increased the activity of mevalonate kinase in fibroblasts. Livers of rats fed for 7 days with a diet containing 1% cholesterol showed reduced activity of mevalonate kinase and mevalonate phosphate kinase. These results are consistent with the possibility that enzymatic reactions other than those catalyzed by hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase may play a role in the physiological regulation of sterol synthesis in mammalian tissues.

Animals↗

PubMed1978