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Biomedical subjects

G Smith

Publications and source records attributed to G Smith.

At least 883 records · Page 49Linked to original sources

Intravenous diazoxide therapy in hypertensive crisis.

Ninety-one doses of diazoxide were administered intravenously to 41 patients with hypertensive crises. Diastolic blood pressure was reduced from an average of 139 to 98 mm Hg within 10 minutes. On the basis of a retrospective analysis of the response of diastolic blood pressure, it was possible to determine within 10 minutes of injection whether a second dose would be required. Therapy was judged to be effective in 38 of 41 patients; 35 percent of injections were ineffective. Concomitant administration of furosemide was not shown to have a beneficial antihypertensive effect. Mean blood urea nitrogen was 59.5 mg/100 ml initially and was not significantly different 2 weeks after therapy. None of the patients demonstrated clinical evidence of diazoxide-induced deterioration of coronary circulation. Electrocardiograms obtained 2 weeks after diazoxide therapy failed to show evidence of new ischemic changes. Only 9 percent of patients complained of side effects, and these were transient and relatively innocuous. It is concluded that diazoxide is both safe and efficacious in the management of hypertensive crises.

Adult↗

Failure to demonstrate effect of trace concentrations of nitrous oxide and halothane on psychomotor performance.

Progressive visual reaction times were measured before and after exposure of 10 subjects (anaesthetics or anaesthetic technicians) to either halothane 100-150 p.p.m. in air or air alone. There were no significant differences between the control and test situations. In a subsequent study of 15 psychology students using an audiovisual reaction time test, a tachistoscope and the Wechsler memory scale, there was no significant difference in the subjects' responses when breathing either air or a mixture of halothane 15 p.p.m. and nitrous oxide 500 p.p.m. in air (range: halothane 10.3-16.0 p.p.m., nitrous oxide 485-700 p.p.m.).

Adolescent↗

A comparison of the effect of three anaesthetic techniques on postoperative arterial oxygenation in the elderly.

Ninety patients (age range 49--99 yr) with a fracture of the neck of the femur were anaesthetized by a technique using halothane in oxygen in a closed circuit, halothane and 66% nitrous oxide in oxygen in a Magill circuit or artificial ventilation with 66% nitrous oxide in oxygen ("IPPV group"). In all three groups, there was a small decrease in PaO2 from an overall mean of 9.07 kPa before operation to 8.13 kPa at 60 min after anaesthesia. There was no significant difference between the groups in respect of the decrease; it was concluded that closed-circuit halothane in oxygen anaesthesia for this type of surgery was not accompanied by a significant degree of absorption collapse.

Aged↗

Do optical aberrations contribute to visual loss in strabismic amblyopia?

If aberrations contribute significantly to the decreased visual function of strabismic amblyopic eyes, one would predict that (1) the pupil size for optimum resolution should be smaller in the amblyopic than in the normal eyes, (2) increasing target contrast by a constant ratio should not compensate for defocus of an amblyopic eye, and (3) the contrast sensitivity of the amblyopic eye should improve when tested with a stimulus that bypasses the eye's optics. We tested these predictions, using contrast sensitivity techniques, and found no evidence that aberrations contribute to the amblyope's abnormality.

Amblyopia↗

Demonstration of cryoprecipitable immune complexes in pneumococcal pneumonia.

Cold-insoluble protein complexes (cryoprecipitates) can be found in the serum in a variety of infectious diseases. We studied serum cryoprecipitates isolated from three patients with pneumococcal pneumonia by counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CEP) and immunofluorescent technics for the presence of immune complexes. The cryoprecipitates and supernatant serum were tested for pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide (PCP) by CEP at 37 C and 56 C with the appropriate controls. Antibodies against PCP in the cryoprecipitates and the supernatant serum were detected as follows. Streptococcus pneumoniae from each case was fixed onto slides. The slides were incubated with each cryoprecipitate and supernatant serum at 37 C, and further incubated with fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated antisera to human IgG, IgM, and IgA. The slides were examined with an immunofluorescent microscope. PCP was demonstrated in all of the cryoprecipitates. IgG antibodies against PCP were detected in all of the cryoprecipitates, while IgM antibodies were detected in Cases 1 and 2, and IgA antibodies in Case 1 only. Complement components of C3 and C4 also were demonstrated in the cryoprecipitates by CEP. These findings suggest that some patients with pneumococcal pneumonia have cryoprecipitable-immune complexes consisting of PCP and its antibodies.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗

The comparability of dosage regimens of Lanoxin tablets and Lanoxicaps.

1 Twice daily administration of 0.25 mg digoxin tablets (Lanoxin) or of 0.2 mg digoxin in solution in soft gelatin capsules (Lanoxicaps) produced similar mean steady state plasma digoxin concentrations in ten healthy volunteers. Respective values were 1.07 +/- 0.075 and 0.95 +/- 0.048 ng ml-1. 2 During continued administration, peak plasma concentrations occurred earlier after capsules with a tendency to higher peak levels. However, area under curve determinations over 7 h were similar. 3 Approximately 10% less digoxin was recovered in urine collected in a 12 h dosage interval during the lower dosage administration of capsules. Mean percentage urinary recovery of administered dose was 57% for tablets and 65% for capsules. 4 The enhanced bioavailability of Lanoxicaps was associated with reduced between-subject variability in plasma concentration. 5 Lanoxicaps (0.2 mg) should be approximately equivalent in effect to digoxin tablets (0.25 mg) currently available in the United Kingdom, though improved consistency would be anticipated.

Adult↗

Structure of the normal rat larynx.

Recent studies have shown the rat larynx to be an important organ in the evaluation of irritancy of inhaled materials. Serial sections and scanning electron microscope observations have clarified its basic structure. In particular the cartilage pattern and the distribution of the epithelia lining the lumen have been determined. There are 2 specialised epithelia--stratified squamous (found in areas subject to wear) and ciliated pseudostratified columnar (which produces and transports mucus). Aways intervening between these is an unspecialised epithelium, the non-ciliated columnar. The marked variation in type of epithelium over a short distance within the larynx emphasises the need to take sections in the same plane when comparing different specimens.

Animals↗

Bacteroides: an unusual cause of breast abscess.

Three cases of breast abscess from which the non-sporing anaerobe Bacteroides was isolated are described. This organism has apparently not previously been reported as a cause of abscess in a breast without underlying malignancy.

Abscess↗

Hepatic adenoma associated with oral contraceptive use: an unusual clinical presentation.

A young woman who had taken contraceptive steroids for many years had the acute onset of abdominal pain because of central necrosis and hemorrhage into a hepatic adenoma. She had multiple lesions confined to one lobe of the liver. Persistent pyrexia and leukocytosis were also prominent clinical findings. She has had no evidence of recurrence of this problem during the seven years following right hepatic lobectomy. A review of the anabolic and contraceptive steroid-associated hepatic neoplasms is presented with comments directed toward the recognition of the critical clinical sequelae that can befall the patient with hepatic adenoma. Although all the patients in the steroid-treated group have tumors with benign and striking histologic similarity, microscopic evidence of malignant invasion of surrounding tissue is occassionally noted.

Adenoma↗

Institutional dependence is reversible.

A project is described whereby in 12 months, 105 long-stay psychiatric patients were able to be discharged to the homes of private individuals to become members of a 'family', to whom they were not related. The task necessitated a change in attitudes of the whole hospital staff--as resistance to change was encountered in staff at all levels. A consultant psychiatrist and a social worker interviewed all the long-stay patients in the wards and with the charge nurse decided whether they could live outside the hospital given an appropriate environment. In achieving success it was calculated that the time spent on interviews, assessing placements, discussing after-care and being available to answer the many enquiries from all concerned, amounted to 1 1/2 weeks work for each patient. However, this must be considered in relation to the hours spent by professional and other hospital staff over the years spent as an inpatient.

Aftercare↗

Whey protein.

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Amino Acids↗