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Biomedical subjects

K O'Sullivan

Publications and source records attributed to K O'Sullivan.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Diurnal trends in responses of blood plasma concentrations of glucose, insulin, and C-peptide following high- and low-fat meals and their relation to fat metabolism in healthy middle-aged volunteers.

An experiment was conducted in twelve healthy middle-aged volunteers, six of each sex, with a mean BMI of 27 kg/m2 to detect differences between morning and afternoon in postprandial blood glucose, insulin and C-peptide concentrations. These responses were measured following the consumption of isoenergetic meals that were high or low in fat content, at breakfast and at lunch. Over 4 d each subject received the high-carbohydrate (L, 5.5 g mixed fat/meal) and moderately high-fat (M, 33 g mixed fat/meal) breakfasts and lunches, in three combinations (LL, MM, LM), or they fasted at breakfast time and received a moderately high-fat lunch (NM), in three Latin squares. Each evening a standard meal was given. Plasma glucose, insulin and C-peptide responses were greater following L than M meals and within both MM and LL treatments insulin and C-peptide responses were greater following breakfast than following lunch. The incremental C-peptide response to a fatty lunch following a fast at breakfast time (NM) was similar to that to a fatty breakfast, but the incremental insulin response for the same comparison was marginally lower at lunch (P = 0.06). The relationship of C-peptide and insulin concentrations was assessed. Plasma glucose response to a fatty lunch was increased by a fatty breakfast. The relationships of these metabolic events with fat metabolism are discussed.

Blood Glucose↗

Evidence for a further enterotoxin complex produced by Bacillus cereus.

Out of 321 strains of Bacillus cereus from several sources and isolated in four different countries, 239 (74%) produced cytotoxins. Only 127 (53%) of the cytotoxic strains were positive for the B-component gene of the haemolysin BL (enterotoxin) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Western blots using antiserum produced against enterotoxin(s) gave positive results for 199 (83%) of the cytotoxic B. cereus strains. On closer examination of seven of the strains, involved in food poisoning, we found that two strains completely lacked the L2- and B-components (of the haemolysin BL), and two strains were negative for the B-component gene by PCR, but were positive for the L2-component. From our experiments we concluded that there is at least one enterotoxin complex in addition to the haemolysin BL enterotoxin and enterotoxin T.

Animals↗

International Nurses' Day.

International Nurses' Day 1996 was a day of national celebration. From the smallest nursing home to the largest regional hospital, activities took place which recognised the vital role nurses play in the provision of quality health care. Hospitals and health centre management planned varied activities as a recognition of the specialist work their nurses do as health care professionals. This year's International Nurses' Day took the theme 'Quality Care: Nurses Are the Difference'.

Australia↗

The Roadshow diary. Taree, Port Macquarie, Kempsey and Coffs Harbour 15-18 April.

In mid-April the Nurses' Roadshow '96 again took to the road, this time visiting north coast towns from Taree to Coffs Harbour. This trip saw the Roadshow staff and their material safely carried north in a Mitsubishi van sponsored by City Ford. The Association set up their stand, packed with legal and industrial information at Manning Base Hospital in Taree, Port Macquarie Base Hospital, Kempsey Hospital and Coffs Harbour Base Hospital. The Roadshow has become a demonstration of the Association's motto, "You care for all. Who cares for you? We do".

Community-Institutional Relations↗

Life in the universe: foundation for exciting multidisciplinary science activities for middle and elementary school classes.

Young students find extra-terrestrial life one of the most intriguing of all topics. A project funded by the National Science Foundation and NASA, and administered by the SETI Institute, is underway to devise science lessons for grades 3-9 that draw upon this fascination. The lessons are designed by teachers and persons with long experience at curriculum design, tested in classrooms, revised and retested. Six guides, each containing some 6-10 science lessons, will be finished by summer, 1994. The theme Life in the Universe lends itself naturally to integrated treatment of facts and concepts from many scientific disciplines. The lessons for two completed guides span the origin of planet systems, evolution of complex life, chemical makeup of life, astronomy, spectroscopy, continental drift, mathematics and SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence). All lessons are hands-on, interesting, and successful.

Adolescent↗

A comparison of bag mask and mouth mask ventilation in anaesthetised patients.

Anaesthetic residents used bag valve mask (BVM) or mouth mask (MM) ventilation, both with an O2 flow of 15 l min-1 to ventilate 30 ASA I or II anaesthetised patients for 4 min prior to endotracheal intubation. Mean nasopharyngeal O2 was higher with BVM (BVM 95% (S.D. 3%) MM 54% (S.D. 12%)). End tidal CO2 (ETCO2) was similar in both groups (ETCO2% at 4 min: BVM 4.65 (S.D. 0.84) MM 4.53 (S.D. 0.54)) but respiratory rate was faster with BVM (BVM 17 min-1 (S.D. 5) MM 12 min-1 (S.D. 4)). Peak (Paw) and mean (Paw) airway pressures were higher with MM and MM produced significant expiratory pressure [cmH2O: BVM Paw 16.7 (S.D. 5.3) Paw 4.2 (S.D. 2.1) MM: Paw 20.9 (S.D. 5.2) Paw 7.8 (S.D. 2.1)) minimum expiratory pressure: MM 2.4 (S.D. 1.1) BVM 0.2 (S.D. 0.4). Gastric insufflation was detected in two MM and two BVM patients. This tended to be more severe with MM ventilation. Although MM ventilation has some important disadvantages it can be used effectively by resuscitators with little or no experience in its use.

Adult↗

Postoperative nausea and vomiting: a comparison of anti-emetic drugs used alone or in combination.

Drugs with anti-emetic properties can exert their actions at more than one receptor site, histamine H1, muscarinic cholinergic or dopaminergic D2 receptors. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that a combination of drugs acting at different receptor sites in lower than standard doses would be at least as effective as a standard therapeutic dose of a single anti-emetic agent. A combination of droperidol, hyoscine and metoclopramide in subtherapeutic doses has been shown to be at least as effective as droperidol (1.25 mg) alone. In both groups there was a low incidence of emetic sequelae in the first 3 hours postoperatively.

Adult↗

Intraoperative cerebral ischaemia.

The brain is highly vulnerable to damage from even a brief imbalance of oxygen delivery and demand. Most cerebral hypoxic damage is reversible, but infarction and permanent brain damage may result.

Brain Ischemia↗

A follow-up study on alcoholics with and without co-existing affective disorder.

Three-hundred male alcoholics were selected from consecutive admissions to hospital. They were divided into three diagnostic sub-groups: primary alcoholics; alcoholics with unipolar affective disorder; and alcoholics with bipolar affective disorder. After three follow-up interviews over a 2-year period after hospital discharge, the three sub-groups reported differences in frequency of mood change, amount of treatment received, and hospital attendance, although there were no clear-cut differences in items associated with their alcoholism. There were, however, some indications that bipolar patients functioned at a better level during the follow-up period, particularly those who were older, had a previous history of longer periods of abstinence, and maintained more frequent contact with Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and their family doctor.

Adolescent↗

Depression and its treatment in alcoholics: a review.

The relationship between Affective Disorder and Alcoholism is complex and has been studied extensively. Increased rates of depression are reported in alcoholics and in families of alcoholics. Some studies report that drinking behaviour may be influenced by the coexistence of depressive disorder while others indicate that depressed mood has little impact on the course and treatment of alcoholism. Some people who are depressed turn to alcohol as a form of self-medication and many of these have positive results from it, both due to the pharmacological effects of the drug and the self-limiting nature of most depressive episodes. Those with more severe depression, however, are less likely to benefit in this way. Excessive alcohol taken under such circumstances results in diminishing returns; alcohol becomes more of a contributor to the problem than a solution to it. There is no convincing evidence that drugs including anti-depressants and lithium are effective in the treatment of depressed alcoholics, except for those minority of patients where the diagnosis of primary affective disorder can be established. In such cases the indications for lithium and anti-depressant usage are similar as for non alcoholics with affective disorder. Decisions about the choice of treatment to be offered the alcoholic must be made as quickly and as accurately as possible and can only be done after a careful assessment, which may include hospitalization. It is worth noting that the pharmacologically induced depression of heavy drinking and the depression associated with the withdrawal phase may be clinically similar to the depression of primary affective disorder.

Affect↗