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Biomedical subjects

E Willis

Publications and source records attributed to E Willis.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Chiropractic in Australia.

This paper analyzes the emergence of professional chiropractic in Australia. Drawing on the concept of legitimation, it aims to provide a sociological analysis of the evolution of chiropractic.

Australia↗
PubMed1990

Hierarchies, bureaucracies and professions. The Medicare Review. Part two.

This paper is both a personal account and an analysis of the Medicare Review (part 2) that took place in 1985-6, to which I acted as Consultant Adviser. It analyses health policy issues associated with the recent inquiry to consider expanding the Medicare Scheme to include the services of some paramedical occupations. It considers what took place, the history of events leading up to the Review, the complexities of the review process and issues of implementation as well as the wider context. The paper moves from the descriptive to the analytical level to explain and interpret the review process from both a sociological and social policy point of view. The relevance of the Review to public health is twofold: the development and application of a new methodology to evaluate complementary health modalities on one hand, and the role of the Review in promoting both the legitimacy of these occupations, and, from a public policy analysis viewpoint, cost containment, on the other.

Australia↗
PubMed1990

Efficacy of concomitant early summer treatment with fenbendazole and clorsulon against Fasciola hepatica and gastrointestinal nematodes in calves in Louisiana.

The efficacy, safety, and compatibility of fenbendazole (FBZ) and clorsulon (CLN) were tested after oral administration of label recommended and of higher (5x) dosage rates to calves naturally infected with gastrointestinal nematodes and Fasciola hepatica. Results for 42 calves allotted to 4 treatment groups indicated a similar efficacy against mature F hepatica by FBZ (5 mg/kg of body weight) and CLN (7 mg/kg) in a combined oral suspension, compared with CLN (7 mg/kg) alone (100 vs 99% reduction). A lesser efficacy was observed against immature flukes (88.6 and 84.9% reduction, respectively). Calves given 25 mg of FBZ/kg and 35 mg of CLN/kg had nearly complete reduction of both mature (99.6%) and immature flukes (99.1%). Fasciola egg counts were reduced by greater than 99.5% in all treated groups. Against Ostertagia ostertagi, the percentage of efficacy of the combined FBZ (5 mg/kg) and CLN (7 mg/kg) treatment was 94.3% against adults and 81.3% against inhibited larvae. Efficacy against all other nematodes was 100%, except against Cooperia spp adults (98.3%) and immature Oesaphagostomum radiatum (88.0%). At 5 x dosage rates for FBZ and CLN, percentage of removal of adults and inhibited larvae of O ostertagi was 99.3 and 99.0%, respectively, and 99 to 100% for other nematodes. Results indicate that FBZ and CLN are compatible when mixed together and administered as an oral suspension to cattle and that the efficacy is similar to that of the drugs individually. On the basis of further results, we suggest that summer treatment may be superior in preventive value for gastrointestinal nematodes and F hepatica, compared with spring treatment, because of seasonal infection dynamics of the major cattle parasites in Louisiana.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Chlamydia and the adolescent girl. The enzyme immunoassay as a screening tool.

To evaluate the enzyme immunoassay for Chlamydia detection in a population of sexually active urban adolescent girls, 100 endocervical screens using both immunoassay and tissue cell culture were performed. Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis was 35%, with more than two thirds of infected adolescents being asymptomatic. When compared with cell culture, the immunoassay was determined to have a sensitivity of 74%, a specificity of 98%, and positive and negative predictive values of 96% and 88%, respectively. Adolescents with false-negative immunoassay test results were more likely to lack evidence of cervical inflammation on examination and have lower-titer infections than their peers with positive results. When the immunoassay was matched against culture for test of cure after therapy, a 10% false-positive rate was found. We conclude that the immunoassay is a useful screening technique for detection of Chlamydia in high-risk adolescent populations; however, its limitations with respect to decreased sensitivity in asymptomatic girls and poor positive predictive value in the context of tests of cure must be appreciated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Technological innovation and the labour process in health care.

The process of technological innovation in health care is explored in this paper using labour process theory. Taking the specific case study of diagnostic imaging technology it argues for the utility of labour process theory for analysing the professional labour process as a means of delineating the social contexts in which technological innovation provides a means of empowering workers.

Health Policy↗
PubMed1988

A disinfectant delivery system for control of micro-organisms in urine collection bags.

We developed a formaldehyde delivery system for urine collection bags and evaluated its effectiveness in suppressing the growth of bacteria in simulated human urine. The system was composed of paraformaldehyde in a polymeric carrier. We determined that inoculation of small numbers of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in urinary bags with a continuous flow of synthetic urine (40-80 ml h-1) quickly gives rise to high levels of contamination. This single tablet delivery system, however, proved bacteriostatic or bactericidal for both organisms over the 10-day lifespan. The formaldehyde concentration in the synthetic urine was c. 90 micrograms ml-1 or more during tests.

Disinfection↗
PubMed1988

Doctoring in Australia: a view at the bicentenary.

Changes in the social position of physicians in Australia can best be explained by a modified concept of professional dominance. Although the traditional dominance of physicians within Australia's mixed system of public and private health care providers has declined since the 1960s, there is insufficient evidence to support claims that the profession is becoming "deprofessionalized" or "proletarianized." Assessment of physicians' changing position in terms of their autonomy, authority, and medical sovereignty indicates that they have not lost their medical dominance; rather, it has become more subtle and indirect. Future changes in the medical profession are likely to resemble those occurring in the United States as the profession responds to external constraints.

Australia↗
PubMed1985

Ultraviolet light stability of composite resins.

The ultraviolet light color stability of seven commercial composite resins was evaluated after 1, 8, and 15 days of exposure. Color differences between exposed and unexposed specimens stored for identical time periods were determined. Samples exposed to ultraviolet light showed large changes in Munsell Hue and Chroma, with smaller but significant changes in Value. Unexposed samples showed small changes in the Munsell components in some cases opposite those observed for the exposed samples. Statistical analysis showed that although significant color changes were observed, brands of composite resins could not be distinguished by length of storage in the dark. Time of exposure was a significant variable at 24 hours and 8 days. At 15 days a number of composite resins did not undergo additional significant color change. Scanning electron microscope showed a significant roughening of the surface of exposed composites with resin breakdown and exposure of the composite filler.

Chemical Phenomena↗
PubMed1983

Iatrogenic risks and financial costs of hospitalizing febrile infants.

We identified, by diagnostic categories, the iatrogenic and financial costs that arise from hospitalizing febrile infants 60 days of age or younger. Thirty-seven (19.5%) of all admissions resulted in 48 separate complications. Twenty-nine (60.4%) of these complications were preventable, and six complications (12.5%) occurred in infants who probably did not require hospitalization for therapy. Twenty-four (50%) of all complications resulted from intravenous therapy. In addition to the complications, 26 diagnostic misadventures were identified. The average length of hospitalization for all infants was 7.0 days, with a range of two to 28 days. The average cost of hospitalization in 1979-80 dollars was $2,130 per infant, with a range from $6,345 for those infants with bacterial meningitis to $1,480 for those infants with aseptic meningitis. On the average, 25.6% of the bill was for diagnostic studies and 8.3% for physician fees.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1983

Hospitalization v outpatient treatment of young, febrile infants.

Our medical center has an unwritten policy of admitting all febrile infants younger than 2 months of age. We studied this practice during a three-year period to determine what proportion of the febrile infants who came to the outpatient department were admitted. The characteristics of the infants who were not admitted were compared with those who were. The timing of and the infant's status at a subsequent visit for those not admitted were also identified. One hundred six (35%) of 303 encounters with young, febrile infants did not result in admissions. An infant was more likely to be admitted if he was male, younger than 30 days of age, and febrile (greater than 38.5 degrees C). None of the infants who were followed up as outpatients suffered morbidity that could be directly related to their not having been hospitalized.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1976

Simultaneous determination of pilocarpine and isopilocarpine in pharmaceutical preparations by liquid chromatography.

A liquid chromatographic assay method is described for the simultaneous determination of pilocarpine and isopilocarpine in pharmaceutical preparations. The method involves separation of the isomers on a high-resolution ion-exchange column, followed by detection of pilocarpine and isopilocarpine by UV absorption in the 217-nm region. The specificity of the method is such that pilocarpine and isopilocarpine can be assayed separately in the presence of one another and in the presence of the excipients commonly found in commercial pilocarpine solutions. Its sensitivity for isopilocarpine is at least 25 ppm (independent of the concentration of pilocarpine). In contrast, USP methods lack both specificity and sensitivity. It is concluded that this method is applicable to the routine analysis of commercial pilocarpine preparations and is an improvement over the official methods.

Chromatography↗
PubMed1975

Synthesis of d-pilocarpine-N-14CH3.

The total synthesis of d-pilocarpine specifically labeled as N-14CH3 is reported. dl-Homopilopic acid was prepared as a key intermediate and resolved into the d-enantiomer via the alpha-methylbenzylamine salt. The penultimate intermediate, 2-mercaptopilocarpine, was desulfurized by oxidation with dilute hydrogen peroxide, minimizing isomerization to isopilocarpine. Procedures for the analysis of pilocarpine-isopilocarpine mixtures by high-pressure liquid chromatography are also described.

4-Butyrolactone↗