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Biomedical subjects

M Carter

Publications and source records attributed to M Carter.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Victoria's review of registration for health practitioners.

This article discusses some of the issues raised in the Interim Report of the current Review of Registration of Health Practitioners being conducted for the Victorian Health Department. The Report attempts to develop the framework in which the registration Boards will operate as part of a cohesive registration system. It proposed a mechanism and criteria for the registration of new groups as well as principles which can be applied to the ongoing review of each existing Board. The Review takes the perspective that registration of health practitioners carries with it both advantages and disadvantages for the general community. Under the proposed new system the controls exercised over health care providers by Registration Boards would be evaluated on the basis of to what extent the benefits to the public outweighed the potential costs. It is in this context that the Report addresses issues such as consumer complaints handling, registration of individual practitioners and controls over professional advertising and other business practices.

Certification↗
PubMed1988

Quantifying discontent in the nursing profession: a study of staff mobility in Victorian nursing homes.

Two problems facing the Australian health system are discontent within the nursing profession and matching limited resources to a growing aged population. It is argued in this paper that the solutions to these two problems can only be evaluated by quantifying the scale of the problem. Three measures are used to demonstrate how to measure the size of the problem: participation rates, staff turnover rates and proportion of permanent/casual staff. These three measures are useful to monitor both at a systems level and at the level of individual health services. The discussion refers in particular to staffing in Victorian geriatric nursing homes.

Geriatric Nursing↗
PubMed1987

Conventional reanastomosis versus laser welding of rat uterine horns.

In this study we compared conventional surgical techniques with those of low-power CO2 lasers (output 140 mW; spot size 0.4 mm) used to weld transected rat uterine horns. On one side a microanastomosis was made by standard surgical technique of 8-0 nylon; the other side was "welded" either after doing the anastomosis with 8-0 sutures or without any anastomotic sutures. Histologic sections obtained from rats' uteri treated with conventional and laser surgery showed that on the laser-treated sutured side there was less necrosis and inflammatory and giant cells. The animals that underwent laser welding without suturing had no necrosis, suppuration, or granulation; giant cells were not present. We conclude that in the tissue from the laser-treated animals, when compared with conventional and laser-with-suture surgery, histologic features indicate healing process by primary intention via an aseptic noninflammatory reaction.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Anti-complementary action of polymorphic "solubility forms" of particulate inulin.

Inulin crystallizes in a series of polymorphic forms with different solubility rates, ranging from one instantly soluble at 23 degrees C (beta 0(23) inulin) through a form soluble at 37 degrees C with a half-time of 8 min (alpha 8(37) inulin) to a form virtually insoluble at 37 degrees C (gamma inulin). All forms are interconvertible, the more soluble and unstable progressing on standing to less soluble and more stable forms, only reversible by complete solution followed by recrystallization. The end product is the stable gamma inulin, only formed by polymers greater than 8000 mol. wt. A method is given for preparing pure "gamma inulin for injection", comprising insoluble ovoids of less than 1 micron diameter free of soluble inulin and endotoxin. An assay developed for complement action by the alternative pathway showed that gamma inulin was the most potent activator polymorph, more active than killed S. aureus and zymosan. Dissolved inulin and the more soluble polymorphs were inactive and in a mixture hindered alternative pathway activation by the gamma form.

Chromatography, DEAE-Cellulose↗
PubMed1986

The anti-melanoma activity of inulin in mice.

Finely divided, insoluble inulin (gamma polymorph), given intraperitoneally (i.p.) to C57BL mice 1-3 days after i.p. B16 melanoma cells, very significantly increased their mean survival time (MST) in low doses (less than or equal to 40 and less than or equal to 100 micrograms/mouse in 50 and 80% of tests, respectively). The gamma inulin was pure and free of endotoxin and soluble inulin, and was developed as a potent reagent specific for activating the alternative pathway of complement (APC). Its antitumour action paralleled its in vitro APC activation, namely, both activities were sharply dose-dependent up to a threshold dose above which they were dose-independent; dissolved inulin was inactive in vitro and in vivo, decreased the MST of the mice and in a mixture antagonized the in vitro and in vivo activities of gamma inulin; the more soluble (alpha) polymorphs were active in proportion to their gamma content but the effects were blocked at higher doses presumably by dissolved inulin. In addition, depletion of host APC with cobra venom factor or inulin before giving B16 cells increased their malignancy and abrogated the subsequent antitumour action of gamma inulin. The minimum i.p. dose of gamma inulin found to activate serum APC in vivo was 50 micrograms (2.5 mg/kg), i.e. close to the minimum antitumour dose. These close correlations and the specificity of the reagent indicate that activation in vivo of the APC (cellular or humoral) is an important first contact in stimulating host antitumour defences in this mouse model.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Effect of measles virus antibodies on a measles SSPE virus persistently infected C6 rat glioma cell line.

Maintenance of measles (SSPE-Lec) virus persistently infected C6 rat glioma cells in medium containing polyclonal measles antiserum resulted in the loss of detectable expression of all measles virus proteins. Removal of these cells from antiserum, however, led to a re-expression of virus proteins and the production of infectious virus. Cloning of antibody-modulated non-expressing cells in the presence of antiserum showed that re-expression of virus proteins was not due to an incomplete curing process following the addition of antiserum, as a large number of non-expressing cell clones developed the capacity to express measles virus antigen at different periods after removal of antiserum. Irradiation of persistently infected cells to give a non-growing culture showed that modulation was not mediated by a selection and outgrowth of a small percentage of non-expressing cells originally present in the culture. Antibody directed against C6 membrane proteins did not lead to modulation and it was also shown that only monoclonal antibodies with neutralizing activity could affect intracellular antigen expression. Immunoglobulin Fab fragments with neutralizing activity also had modulating activity. Although all modulated cell clones were more susceptible to homologous virus infection than control C6 cells, it was not possible to rescue any defective measles virus which may have been maintained in the culture.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Neonatal pyruvate carboxylase deficiency with renal tubular acidosis and cystinuria.

This report concerns a patient with severe congenital lacticacidosis associated with proximal renal tubular acidosis and cystinuria. Enzyme studies with cultured skin fibroblasts obtained from the patient revealed zero pyruvate carboxylase activity, but propionyl-CoA carboxylase activity was normal. Administration of various vitamins in large amounts did not improve the clinical condition. In contrast, the patient began to thrive when her diet was supplemented with aspartic acid, asparagine, glutamic acid, and glutamine. The particular dietary treatment used and the biochemical findings merit consideration for management of future cases.

Acidosis↗
PubMed1982

Treatment of hyperargininaemia due to arginase deficiency with a chemically defined diet.

A brother and sister aged 11 and 17 years have been reported previously to have hyperargininaemia and arginase deficiency: they were treated with a semi-synthetic diet consisting of fat, carbohydrate, minerals, vitamins and essential amino acids in amounts equivalent to 0.55-0.65 g protein kg-1 day-1 for 2 years. Plasma arginine levels fell from 0.50-0.90 mumol/1 to 0.13-0.30 mumol/1 (normal range 0.02-0.15). Increased concentrations of arginine in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fell from 0.069-0.098 mumol/l to 0.040-0.056 mumol/l (normal mean +/- SD = 0.020 +/- 0.006). Dibasic aminoaciduria returned to normal within 1 week. Substitution of the keto-acid analogues of five essential amino acids in the formula lowered arginine concentrations further, but proved to be unpalatable. Urinary concentrations of orotic acid, uridine and uracil fell toward normal but remained increased, even when the plasma ammonia concentration was measured as normal. Both patients showed a stable clinical improvement.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Ultrasound of the prostate. Analysis of tissue texture and abnormalities.

Thirty-nine patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy, prostatic carcinoma, or prostatitis underwent ultrasonography using a transabdominal suprapubic approach. In both benign hypertrophy and prostatitis, the gland was enlarged and exhibited a homogeneous echo pattern, being hypoechoic in prostatitis and either hypo- or hyperechoic in hypertrophy. Carcinoma was characterized by focal areas of increased or decreased echogenicity with irregular margins. The various sonographic appearances are explained by correlation with the histological findings, and the advantages of the transabdominal approach are discussed. The authors suggest that widespread application of this technique will improve early detection of prostatic carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1980

Beginnings of the New York State Mental Hygiene Medical Review Board 1976-1980.

A review is provided of the organization and functions of the New York State Mental Hygiene Medical Review Board and the first 4 years of its investigative activities into sudden, unexpected, mysterious, or unnatural deaths among mental patients. In 4 years 384 such deaths have been investigated, among which natural causes, suicide, and accidents are the most common. Certain medical procedures, laws, and administrative methods have been changed due to findings of the Board.

Airway Obstruction↗
PubMed1979

Excretion and synthesis of basement membrane disaccharide units in Masugi nephritis.

During nephrotoxic nephritis in the rat, an increased urinary excretion of glucosyl-galactosyl hydroxylysine and of galactosyl-hydroxylysine has been observed in the autologous phase of the disease. This due mainly to an elevation of the polypeptide-bound fraction of these hydroxylysyl glucosides with a molecular weight over 1,000 daltons. The levels of both urinary hydroxylysyl glucosides were correlated with proteinuria. Their increased excretion appears to originate in the lysed glomerular basement membrane. At the same stage of nephrotoxic nephritis, an increased glucosyl transferase activity could be demonstrated in the isolated glomeruli, correlated with albuminuria, attesting a higher turn-over of the disaccharide units of the glomerular basement membrane.

Albuminuria↗