Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Atkins

Publications and source records attributed to J Atkins.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Trauma in the workplace. An overview.

To attenuate the incidence of occupational deaths and injuries, which occur at a rate of approximately 25 deaths and 10,000 injuries daily, occupational health nurses must focus on injury control for the entire population of workers. Knowledge of the mechanics of injury and populations at risk for various types and severities of injuries is essential to developing injury prevention programs and appropriately responding to emergent injuries. The lack of a comprehensive and reliable surveillance method has been described as a major obstacle in evaluating the occupational injury problem, as well as measuring progress toward achievement of the 1990 Objectives in Occupational Safety and Health. Variations in the estimates have been attributed to different methodologies used in collecting surveillance data, including diverse definitions, inclusion criteria, and data sources. Lost workdays due to injuries reported for 1983 cost an estimated $33.4 billion in direct and indirect costs. Mining, construction, agriculture, and transportation are the most hazardous industries in terms of both fatalities and injuries. Activities appropriate for the occupational health nurse in preventing injury include retrospective analysis of injury patterns and costs, proactive inspection of the workplace for high risk factors, preplacement screening of workers, ergonomic analysis of jobs, evaluation of the type and use of personal protective equipment, provision of safety training, and collaboration with other agents of the firm in evaluating and designing injury reduction strategies and disaster plans.

Accidents, Occupational↗

Occupational health nursing research. June 1984 to June 1989.

Nurses have multiple research reports related to occupational health published in a variety of scientific journals. Studies by occupational health nurses that adhere to the rigors of the research process are needed in all areas of occupational health. Use of nursing models by occupational health nurse researchers would contribute to a definite body of scientific knowledge to guide occupational health nursing practice.

Humans↗

Mechanism of antihypertensive action of dilevalol compared with that of "cardioselective" beta-blocking agents.

The hemodynamic effects of dilevalol, a nonselective beta-adrenergic blocking agent with vasodilating properties, were evaluated in 34 hypertensive patients and compared with those of the "cardioselective" beta blockers atenolol and metoprolol in 21 patients. Hemodynamic measurements were obtained at baseline, after acute treatment (first dose) with dilevalol (400 mg) and atenolol (50 mg) or metoprolol (100 mg), and again after subchronic treatment with these agents. After both acute and subchronic treatment (mean daily dose 1,042 mg), dilevalol significantly reduced mean arterial pressure (MAP, p less than 0.0001), by significantly reducing systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI, p less than 0.001), and by not significantly altering cardiac index (CI). In contrast, atenolol and metoprolol significantly reduced MAP (p less than 0.002) by significantly reducing CI (p less than 0.0001), with a concomitant increase in SVRI (p less than 0.007). Heart rate (HR) was reduced significantly less (p less than 0.006) with dilevalol than with the cardioselective agents. Correlation of the decrease in MAP with other hemodynamic parameters revealed that the effects on MAP of acute treatment with the cardioselective drugs are related to a decrease in HR (r = 0.63, p = 0.002), whereas those of subchronic treatment are correlated to a decrease in CI (r = 0.59, p = 0.01). The decrease in MAP after acute and subchronic dilevalol treatment is correlated primarily with SVRI (r = 0.46 to 0.49, p less than 0.01) and only secondarily with HR (r = 0.34, p less than 0.05). Therefore, the main mechanism of antihypertensive action for dilevalol is vasodilation, in contrast to the cardioselective agents, which is beta blockade.

Adult↗

The biochemical and pathological changes produced by the intratracheal instillation of certain components of zinc-hexachloroethane smoke.

Zinc chloride which is formed by igniting a mixture of zinc oxide and hexachloroethane in the production of white smokes has been shown to produce oedema when given to rats as a single instillation. The oedematous reaction, as assessed by histopathology and measurements of alveolar surface protein in lavage fluid, is variable, dose-dependent, and maximal at 3 days but at sub-lethal doses it regresses after 7 days. The parent compound, zinc oxide, does not produce these effects. In some animals there is evidence of a fibrogenic response at 7 days post-exposure although it is currently unknown whether or not this effect is progressive.

Animals↗

Localization of transglutaminase activity in type II epithelial cell cultures and elevation of enzyme activity in lungs of rats instilled with quartz.

Transglutaminase activity, assessed by the incorporation of [14C]-putrescine into N-acetylated dephosphorylated beta-casein, was not detectable in sonicates of alveolar macrophages and fibroblasts but was located in all preparations of rat alveolar type II cells. Enzyme activity was induced in these cells up to 7 days in vitro but not stimulated further by the direct addition of quartz to the cultures. Transglutaminase activity in whole lung sonicates increased significantly after short-term exposure to DQ-12 quartz. An increase in the numbers of type II cells and subsequent release of activated transglutaminase, concomitant with a quartz-induced elevation in lung calcium levels and potential protein substrates, is likely to lead to an increase in protein crosslinking both in the alveolar space and interstitium.

Animals↗

Isolation, biochemical characterization, and culture of lung type II cells of the rat.

A method is described for the isolation of rat lung epithelial Type II cells using trypsin digestion of tissue to release cells for subsequent separation by Percoll gradient centrifugation. Both the concentration of trypsin and the age (body weight) of the rat affect the yield from primary digestion and the final number of Type II cells obtained. A lung weighing 1 g from a 200 g rat yields approximately 30 X 10(6) washed Type II cells (approximately 25% of the total estimated lung population). These cells have a plating efficiency of 40-50% after 48 h of culture. The cells have a high alkaline to acid phosphatase ratio (usually greater than 4.0) compared with that of alveolar macrophages (0.1) and accumulate putrescine by an active transport mechanism with an apparent KM between 8 and 14 microM. Together with studies of [3H]thymidine uptake into DNA, which is maximal between 48 and 72 h of culture, these quantitative measurements form a good basis for investigating the interactions between a number of chemical agents and Type II cells in vitro.

Aging↗

Silastic foam dressing in pinnaplasty.

Various forms of dressings, including proflavine wool, have been used traditionally for pinnaplasties. We report the use of Silastic Foam as a dressing in seven of our pinnaplasty cases. The advantages of Silastic Foam dressing over conventional dressings are mainly: Patient comfort. No change of dressing is required.

Ear, External↗

A potential systematic error in using lysivane as inhibitor in the measurement of amniotic fluid acetylcholinesterase by the Ellman method.

The measurement of low levels of cholinesterase or acetylcholinesterase by the Ellman method requires correction for a non-enzymatic increase in absorption at 412 millimicron that is due both to non-enzymatic hydrolysis of the acetylthiocholine substrate and to modification of the colour reagent. The rate of increase in absorption is dependent on temperature and pH. Addition of an acidic solution of lysivane to the assay solution for selective measurement of amniotic fluid acetylcholinesterase gives rise to a shift in pH; the use of methanol is suggested as an easier method of dissolving the inhibitor and does not affect the pH of the assay, obviating any need to redetermine the background absorption. There is, however, no improvement in ability of the method to predict pregnancies associated with neural-tube defects.

Acetylcholinesterase↗

Particulate acetylcholinesterase in amniotic fluid and its implications for neural tube defect screening.

Acetylcholinesterase activity in mid-trimester amniotic fluid has been determined by a quantitative spectrophotometric method and a qualitative electrophoretic technique in a limited (76 samples) retrospective study. Differential centrifugation studies on amniotic fluid from normal pregnancies demonstrated the presence of particle-associated acetylcholinesterase sedimenting only at relatively high centrifugal forces. It is postulated that this particle-associated activity was a contributory factor to an observed false-positive incidence of 6.6% when quantitative acetylcholinesterase measurement was used to discriminate between normal pregnancies and those associated with neural tube defects. Discrimination on the basis of electrophoretic analysis of acetylcholinesterase resulted in no misclassification of pregnancies. Particulate acetylcholinesterase would not be expected to influence the interpretation of the electrophoretic pattern due to its size-related exclusion from gel pores. The implication of these observations in the accurate prenatal diagnosis of neural tube defects is discussed.

Acetylcholinesterase↗

Dissecting aortic aneurysm involving a right-sided aortic arch.

In this case, the first reported instance of aortic dissection involving a right-sided arch, an anomalous fourth arch vessel, the left subclavian artery, arose from a congenital aortic diverticulum. This report emphasizes the need for precise anatomic definition with aortography to permit appropriate therapy when congenital anomalies of the aortic arch are complicated by dissecting hematoma.

Aortic Dissection↗