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Biomedical subjects

G Atkinson

Publications and source records attributed to G Atkinson.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Longitudinal study of serum thyroid hormone levels during normal pregnancy.

We undertook a prospective longitudinal study of thyroid function in 60 normal pregnant women and measured serum concentrations of T4, triiodothyronine (T3), T-uptake, thyroxine binding globulin (TBG), free thyroxine index (FTI), free T4, albumin and thyrotropin (TSH). From these data we established reference ranges for each of these analytes for each trimester and examined the inter-relationships between laboratory measurements of thyroid function tests. We observed significant increases in serum concentrations of thyrotropin and decreases in free T4, assays commonly used as first line investigations of thyroid activity during pregnancy. However, the 95th centile intervals for both analytes remained within the reference range for nonpregnant women.

Female↗
PubMed1991

Unusual presentation of perforation of the gallbladder.

Perforation of the gallbladder is a known sequela of acalculus cholecystitis or trauma. A perforated gallbladder may be acute or chronic and can present with vague symptoms making the diagnosis difficult. With delayed recognition there is increased morbidity and mortality. The preoperative diagnosis requires an awareness of the symptoms and signs of acalculus cholecystitis as well as factors that predispose to the development of the diseased gallbladder. Awareness of the radiographic findings associated with a perforated gallbladder and acalculus cholecystitis is also important. The following is a case report of a child with a perforated gallbladder with a radiographic presentation not previously described. A review of the clinical pathogenesis and reported radiographic findings is also included.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1987

The health care payment environment: past, present and future.

Between 1965 and 1982, hospital costs per admission rose by some 690%. Factors that contributed to this inflationary trend and that caused payers to take drastic action are analyzed. The actions taken in the past and current proposals to control the rate of increase are reviewed. It is predicted that payment systems for other providers such as physicians and nursing homes will change in similar ways.

Cost Control↗
PubMed1979

Hospital cost per case: analyses using a statewide data system.

In this paper, we establish relationships between hospital cost per case and the independent variables; case mix complexity, case mix severity, factor input prices, and hospital characteristics. Two hundred and sixteen thousand discharges from Maryland's acute general hospitals are grouped into 383 Diagnostic Related Groups which are used to compute an information theoretic measure of case mix complexity. Multiple linear regression equations are developed which predict up to 88% of the variance of between-hospital cost per case. The most highly significant predictors of cost per case are complexity, patient age, proportion of high risk patients, average length of stay, and nonphysician salary levels. Two distinct groups of hospitals, metropolitan and rural, are defined and models are developed for each. We discuss the implications of these findings for the identification and regulation of unexpectedly high cost hospitals and for prospective cost per case reimbursement.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1979

The effect of alkaline earth cations on the release of histamine from rat peritoneal mast cells treated with compound 48/80 and peptide 401.

1 Extracellular calcium ions have a dual effect on the release of histamine from rat peritoneal mast cells treated with compound 48/80 and peptide 401. The release is either potentiated or inhibited according to the relative concentrations of ion and inducer.2 Strontium similarly potentiates the release produced by optimal concentrations of inducer but higher concentrations are required than in the case of calcium. Strontium is markedly less inhibitory than calcium.3 Mast cells may be depleted of intracellular calcium by incubation for short periods with the chelating agent, ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA). They thereby become unresponsive to compound 48/80 and peptide 401 unless calcium is reintroduced into the incubation medium. Strontium and barium, but not magnesium, will substitute for calcium in this system. Barium additionally produces a marked release of histamine even in the absence of inducer. Pretreatment with the ionophore A23187 similarly inhibits the subsequent response to peptide 401 in divalent cation-free medium. This inhibition is reversed on the reintroduction of calcium.4 Compound 48/80 and peptide 401 release histamine from mast cells incubated in isotonic sucrose in the complete absence of added metal ions. However, the corrected release under these conditions is potentiated by both mono and divalent cations.5 On the basis of these results, the possible mechanism of action of the basic releasing agents and their usefulness as models for studying histamine secretion is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Effects of 3-methylindole in cattle.

1 Rapid intravenous injection of 3-methylindole (3-MI) was shown to induce an anaphylactoid-like reaction in calves. 2 This was suggested by the reduction in response to a repeat dose of 3-MI, by the reduction of effects in the presence of antagonists to the putative mediators of anaphylaxis in cattle and by the production of signs similar to those seen in experimentally induced bovine anaphylaxis. 3 The plasma half-life of 3-MI was short (14.4 min) and, since absorption of 3-MI from the rumen is known to be slow, the extent of formation of 3-MI from L-tryptophan in the rumen would have to be substantial if 3-MI is to be considered the causative agent of 'fog fever', an acute respiratory distress syndrome seen in cattle.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Complexity and measurement of hypnotic susceptibility: a comment on Coe and Sarbin's alternative interpretation.

Coe and Sarbin's claim that a single role skill dimension accounts for individual differences in hypnotizability is not supported by an empirical analysis. We suggest that current measures of hypnotic susceptibility are not only factorially complex but contain a sizable nonhypnotic variance component. Implications for the assessment of "true" hypnotic susceptibility are discussed.

Female↗