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Biomedical subjects

G Robinson

Publications and source records attributed to G Robinson.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

12-hour shifts: job satisfaction of nurses.

A before and after study was carried out amongst staff of 10 wards of a county hospital before and after the introduction of a 12-hour shift system for nurses. The purpose was to investigate the impact of the shift system on job satisfaction. Some 320 nurses covering all qualified and unqualified grades were surveyed using a standard job satisfaction attitude scale. It was found that under the 12-hour shift both intrinsic and extrinsic factors of job satisfaction had been detrimentally affected. Considerable dissatisfaction was expressed about hours of work, conditions of work and the impact of the shift on domestic and social arrangements. The vast majority (83%) reported that they did not want to go on working the shift and there was support for the view that recruitment to nursing would be adversely affected by the shift.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Pharmacology of CP-99,994; a nonpeptide antagonist of the tachykinin neurokinin-1 receptor.

(+)-(2S,3S)-3-(2-methoxybenzylamino)-2-phenylpiperidine (CP-99,994) binds selectively and with high affinity (Ki = 0.25 nM) to neurokinin (NK)-1 tachykinin receptors in a human cell line and in guinea pigs where it acts as an antagonist as evidenced by its blockade of substance P-induced excitation of locus coeruleus neurons in vitro. Subcutaneously administered CP-99,994 antagonized locomotor activity in guinea pigs induced by intraventricular infusion of [Sar9,Met(O2)11]-substance P (50 micrograms) with an ID50 = 0.59 mg/kg, indicating that CP-99,994 penetrates into the central nervous system. Orally administered CP-99,994 potently blocked (ID50 = 4 mg/kg) the leakage of Evans blue dye into trachea and bronchi elicited by exposure of guinea pigs to aerosol capsaicin (1 mM). CP-99,994 has reduced affinity (IC50 = 3 microM) for the L-type calcium channel in contrast to CP-96,345 (IC50 = 27 nM) an earlier nonpeptide antagonist. Thus, CP-99,994 represents an important pharmacological tool for investigating the physiological role of substance P and a potentially novel therapeutic agent for treating a variety of diseases.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Case management for special populations. Moving beyond categorical distinctions.

Case management has evolved as a flexible, pragmatic, and compassionate strategy for improving client access and care continuity within fragmented systems of health and social services. The first-generation case management programs have been designed for various settings that serve different "target" populations with varying social, medical, and psychological needs. This proliferation of categorical case management programs is a mixed blessing. While a categorical focus reflects both historical and public financing priorities, it creates a potentially duplicative and inefficient system in an era of limited resources. As the federal government assumes a more substantial role in supporting case management, greater attention is being given to accountability--demonstrating value-added benefits and identifying best practices for structuring case management. The essential first step is reaching agreement on two critical dimensions of case management, major goals and essential services. This article, based on a review of the literature, examines the extent to which seemingly disparate programs for special populations share common attributes, and thus present opportunities for structuring client-focused rather than categorical case management programs. The authors seek to stimulate a dialogue that would lead to specification of common goals and essential services, and a cross-cutting framework for designing client-focused case management programs.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Attitudes towards practice nurses--survey of a sample of general practitioners in England and Wales.

Practice nursing has expanded rapidly since the 1990 contract for general practitioners. In 1990, a national survey was undertaken of the attitudes of a random sample of general practitioners towards practice nurses. Responses to the postal questionnaire were received from 41.9% of the 4800 general practitioners sampled. Of the responding general practitioners, 90.0% were satisfied with the role of the practice nurse within their practice. To fulfil the requirements of the 1990 contract for general practitioners 50.7% had created a new nursing post, and 83.1% had expanded the role of nurses already employed; 89.7% wished to see further expansion of the practice nurse's role. However, lack of space was the factor most frequently reported as limiting the expansion of the practice nurse's role, mentioned by 76.0% of general practitioners. Only 43.7% of general practitioners recognized lack of opportunities for practice nurse training as a hindrance to role expansion. The key to managing the expansion of the role of the practice nurse lies in the provision of resources and in training. A pressing need exists for a national training scheme based in general practice.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1992

Luteinizing hormone response to oxytocin is steroid-dependent.

Oxytocin-induced LH release from dispersed rat anterior pituitary cells in vitro was shown to be dependent on the steroidal environment. Preincubation of anterior pituitary cells with estradiol for 48 h enhanced the subsequent LH response to oxytocin (p less than 0.001). Maximal sensitization was observed with estradiol at 1 nM. Release of LH induced by oxytocin was inhibited in the presence of progesterone or to a greater extent in the presence of equimolar testosterone. Complete suppression of oxytocin-induced LH secretion occurred with 1 nM progesterone. Incubation of hemipituitaries with oxytocin revealed that the pituitary was sensitive in vitro to oxytocin at proestrus (p less than 0.05) but not at other stages of the cycle. The results indicate that there is altered sensitivity to oxytocin of the pituitary at different stages of the estrous cycle. Therefore activity of the neuropeptide in vivo might be modulated by steroids.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Oxytocin stimulates LH production by the anterior pituitary gland of the rat.

Gonadotrophin-releasing activity of oxytocin has previously been demonstrated in vitro and in vivo. This study investigated whether oxytocin is also able to induce LH accumulation in pituitary cells. Following trypsin digestion and mechanical dispersion, pituitary cells from female rats were incubated with oxytocin (100 nmol/l) for 24 h. LH release stimulated by oxytocin increased (P less than 0.001) progressively during the incubation indicating a different secretory pattern from the more rapid but less sustained secretion stimulated by gonadotrophin-releasing hormone. Oxytocin also enhanced (P less than 0.01) total LH accumulation in the incubation system (released plus cell contents) which was apparent after 7-11 h of stimulation. The release of LH stimulated by oxytocin was reduced by the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide (10 mumol/l). However, cycloheximide did not completely block oxytocin-stimulated LH release; there remained some LH release above that seen in nonstimulated controls (P less than 0.01) revealing the presence of a cycloheximide-resistant component in the release mechanism. Furthermore, accumulation of total LH in 24 h incubations was suppressed (P less than 0.01) by cycloheximide. The advancement in LH release which oxytocin has been shown to induce in vivo in pro-oestrous rats was accompanied by an early reduction of pituitary LH stores. However, the fall normally observed in LH content during the surge was markedly attenuated by the oxytocin treatment. Thus, loss of pituitary LH stores was less in oxytocin-treated rats than in saline-treated controls, even though net LH release into plasma was increased. Therefore, oxytocin stimulated the replenishment of LH stores.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Increased postnatal growth rates of offspring after antiestrogen treatment of rat dams during pregnancy.

The effects of administration of estradiol antiserum to pregnant rats on birth weight, subsequent growth velocity, carcass composition, and reproductive performance of their offspring were examined. Treated rats were injected i.p. with a potent antiestradiol serum on d 12 of gestation, whereas control rats received a similar injection of normal sheep serum. The pups from the treated rats were 12.2% heavier at birth than those from control rats (P less than .01) and had a greater postnatal growth rate (P less than .05). Chemical analysis of body composition at 56 d of age revealed that there was a tendency for female offspring from treated rats to exhibit carcass characteristics (such as increased percentage of body fat) that were more similar to those of normal male rats than to those of normal female rats. Neither onset of puberty nor reproductive performance was affected by the treatment. These results indicate that treatment of rats during pregnancy with antiestradiol may have potential as a technique for increasing postnatal growth rates.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Procoagulant changes induced by oral contraceptives are balanced by an increased fibrinolytic tendency.

Oral contraceptives caused increased fibrinogen, FVII, FX, and fibrinolysis. The latter was associated with elevated FXII and PKK, while C1-INH was decreased, ATIII and alpha 2M were unchanged; it could not be accounted for by changes in t-PA, u-PA, PAI, plasminogen, alpha 2-AP, proteins C or S. HCII and alpha 1-PI were increased and may regulate the availability of thrombin and FXIa. The increased FXII/PKK dependent fibrinolytic potential and HCII may offset any increase in thrombin generation, while alpha 1-PI limits intrinsic coagulation.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Educational activities on wards under 12 hour shifts.

Interest in 12 hour nursing shifts has renewed in response to demands for improved cost effectiveness in the NHS. But the effects of the shift on nursing education are unclear. A repeated measures study was conducted, using activity analysis to record patterns of nursing and educational behaviour under a 12 hour as compared to an 8 hour shift. Lower levels of ward based education occur under the 12 hour shift. Students pair up with trained staff less. Rather they work alone or with other students more. They also have less contact with patients than under an 8 hour shift.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1991

Identification of a secretory IgA receptor on breast-milk macrophages: evidence for specific activation via these receptors.

Binding of secretory IgA (sIgA) to human milk macrophages was identified by rosette formation with sIgA-sensitized indicator cells and competitive inhibition binding studies with [125I]-sIgA. Macrophages formed rosettes with sIgA-sensitized sheep red blood cells that were inhibited by sIgA (87%) but not IgG. Both IgA1 and IgA2 inhibited sIgA-sensitized sheep red blood cell rosette formation. Rosette formation was completely inhibited by galactose, partially inhibited by asialofetuin, and unaffected by mannose. [125I]-labeled sIgA binding to macrophages reached a plateau after 60 min, was dependent on the number of macrophages in culture, and was specifically inhibited by unlabeled sIgA. Incubation of macrophage monolayers with increasing concentrations of sIgA-anti-IgA immune complexes resulted in a progressive increase in the oxidative burst and increased secretion of prostaglandins. These studies indicate that human milk macrophages have a receptor for sIgA and that activation of these macrophages may occur via these receptors.

Asialoglycoproteins↗
PubMed1991

Oxytocin influences preovulatory follicular development and advances ovulation in rats.

Oxytocin has been shown to advance gonadotropin secretion in pro-estrus rats. The effects that oxytocin-induced changes have on the ovary were investigated in this study. Oxytocin administered to rats at proestrus 09.00 h, 10.00 h and 11.00 h advanced follicular growth, progesterone secretion, and the time of ovulation. However, both treated and control groups of rats ovulated similar numbers of oocytes and the oocytes released were of similar fertility. Because oxytocin has been shown to induce early LH and FSH release the effects of oxytocin administration on the ovary were possibly an indirect action involving the pituitary. The results of this investigation indicate that exogenous oxytocin alters the timing but not the fertility of periovulatory events.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Human recombinant GM-CSF in allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for leukaemia: double-blind placebo controlled trial.

A double-blind randomised trial compared 20 patients with leukaemia receiving human recombinant granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM CSF), with 20 patients receiving placebo for 14 days after allogeneic matched sibling bone marrow transplantation. The median neutrophil count at 14 days was significantly higher in the GM CSF group (1.90 vs. 0.46 x 10(9)/l). The duration of hospital stay, the number of antibiotic days, and the number of fever days was the same for both patient groups. The lymphocyte count was significantly higher in the GM-CSF group than in the placebo group between days 10 and 15 after transplantation. The GM-CSF group had lower haemoglobin concentrations and platelets counts, and higher plasma urea creatinine and bilirubin, than the placebo group. There was no evidence that GM CSF was associated with a greater incidence of leukaemic relapse.

Bone Marrow Transplantation↗
PubMed1990

AST:ALT ratios.

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Alanine Transaminase↗