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Biomedical subjects

M P Taylor

Publications and source records attributed to M P Taylor.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Soiling and decay of N.M.E.P. limestone tablets.

The British National Materials Exposure Programme (N.M.E.P.) ran from 1987 to 1995 and involved exposure of a range of materials samples (including tablets of Monks Park and Portland Limestones) at over 20 sites around Britain for 1-, 2-, 4- and 8-year periods, under known climate and pollution conditions. Deterioration of the limestone tablets has previously been recorded in terms of weight change, contents of soluble salts, and visual soiling. In the present study samples from exposed and sheltered positions at Wells, Bolsover and Lough Navar have been studied using a spectrophotometer, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to investigate the distribution and nature of particulate material and its role in soiling and decay. Clearly, recognisable pollutant particles such as perforated cenospheres, are only rarely present. Organisms and organic remains, including filamentous microorganisms and pollen grains, are widely distributed. At each site, soiling has different characteristics in terms of composition and change over time related in part to differences in climate and pollution histories. There is no general link between degree of soiling and amount of decay (in terms of surface recession) as the nature of decay is a key influence on the relation between soiling and decay.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Sex differences in osmotic regulation of AVP and renal sodium handling.

To determine sex differences in osmoregulation of arginine vasopressin (AVP) and body water, we studied eight men (24 +/- 1 yr) and eight women (29 +/- 2 yr) during 3% NaCl infusion [hypertonic saline infusion (HSI); 120 min, 0.1 ml. kg body wt(-1). min(-1)]. Subjects then drank 15 ml/kg body wt over 30 min followed by 60 min of rest. Women were studied in the early follicular (F; 16.1 +/- 2.8 pg/ml plasma 17beta-estradiol and 0.6 +/- 0.1 ng/ml plasma progesterone) and midluteal (L; 80.6 +/- 11.4 pg/ml plasma 17beta-estradiol and 12.7 +/- 0.7 ng/ml plasma progesterone) menstrual phases. Basal plasma osmolality was higher in F (286 +/- 1 mosmol/kgH(2)O) and in men (289 +/- 1 mosmol/kgH(2)O) compared with L (280 +/- 1 mosmol/kgH(2)O, P < 0.05). Neither menstrual phase nor gender affected basal plasma AVP concentration (P([AVP]); 1.7 +/- 4, 1.9 +/- 0.4, and 2.2 +/- 0.5 pg/ml for F, L, and men, respectively). The plasma osmolality threshold for AVP release was lowest in L (x-intercept, 263 +/- 3 mosmol/kgH(2)O, P < 0.05) compared with F (273 +/- 2 mosmol/kgH(2)O) and men (270 +/- 4 mosmol/kgH(2)O) during HSI. Men had greater P([AVP])-plasma osmolality slopes (i.e., sensitivity) compared with F and L (slopes = 0.14 +/- 0.04, 0.09 +/- 0.01, and 0.24 +/- 0.07 for F, L, and men, respectively, P < 0.05). Despite similar Na+-regulating hormone responses, men excreted less Na+ during HSI (0.7 +/- 0.1, 0.7 +/- 0.1, and 0.5 +/- 0.1 meq/kg body wt for F, L, and men, respectively, P < 0.05). Furthermore, men had greater systolic blood pressure (119 +/- 5, 119 +/- 5, and 132 +/- 3 mmHg for F, L, and men, respectively, P < 0.05) than F and L. Our data indicate greater sensitivity in P([AVP]) response to changes in plasma osmolality as the primary difference between men and women during HSI. In men, this greater sensitivity was associated with an increase in systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure during HSI, most likely due to a shift in the pressure-natriuresis curve.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Which elderly depressed patients remain well on maintenance interpersonal psychotherapy alone?: report from the Pittsburgh study of maintenance therapies in late-life depression.

The aim of this study was to identify elderly depressed patients who can remain well on maintenance Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) alone, after discontinuation of antidepressant medication. Using Cox proportional hazards models, increased severity of depression at pretreatment was associated with increased recurrence rates, to an extent greater in patients maintained on monthly IPT than in those maintained on nortriptyline. The long-term response to maintenance IPT was correctly identified in 20/25 cases by a pretreatment Hamilton score of > or = 20. Fourteen of sixteen patients with pretreatment scores of > or = 20 experienced recurrence of major depression on maintenance IPT, while 6/9 patients with pretreatment scores of less than 20 did not. (Fisher exact P = .01). The same pattern of recurrence in relation to severity was not evident in maintenance placebo, nortriptyline, or combination treatment. In addition, Hamilton scores during continuation treatment were lower (< or = 7) among those who remained well on maintenance IPT than among those who had recurrences. Elderly patients whose depressions are milder at baseline and who show excellent symptomatic remission during acute and continuation therapy may be good candidates for monthly maintenance IPT after initial successful treatment with antidepressant medication and psychotherapy.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1999

EEG sleep measures in later-life bereavement depression. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled evaluation of nortriptyline.

The authors examined 1) effects of nortriptyline (NT) on electroencephalographic (EEG) sleep measures in elderly patients with bereavement-related depression in remission under randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled conditions, and 2) the effects of clinical remission on sleep after discontinuation of medication. Subjects were classified as responders to placebo (n = 9) or NT (n = 18) and had EEG sleep studies at three time-points: before treatment (T1), remitted on medication or placebo (T2), and remitted off medication or placebo (T3). As compared with placebo, NT was differentially associated with decreases in REM sleep time and percent and increases in REM sleep density (T2). No changes in EEG sleep measures occurred in placebo responders. REM sleep measures in NT responders reverted to T1 levels after T3, with persistence of robust clinical remission and normal subjective sleep quality. These data suggest that NT alters REM sleep, but that EEG sleep characteristics in bereavement-related depression persist into remission.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

General practice based physiotherapy: its use and effect on referrals to hospital orthopaedics and rheumatology outpatient departments.

BACKGROUND: In November 1992, a pilot scheme was established in Doncaster to provide an on-site physiotherapy service in six non-fundholding general practices covering a population of approximately 44,000 people. AIM: The aim of the pilot scheme was to transfer a hospital-based physiotherapy service, to which general practitioners had direct access, to a primary care setting and to reduce referrals to an orthopaedics outpatient department. METHOD: Use of physiotherapy services and referrals to orthopaedics and rheumatology before and during the first year of the scheme were monitored. Comparisons were made with data over the same time periods for general practices that were not in the scheme. The location of management of patients referred to physiotherapy was monitored for an eight-month period during the scheme. RESULTS: In the first year the scheme had a utilization rate of 31 per 1000 patients in the participating practices, representing a 164% increase over the hospital-based physiotherapy utilization rate for the year prior to the scheme. Eight per cent of physiotherapy patients received hospital-based treatment during the scheme. Changes in hospital outpatient referral rates attributable to the scheme were reductions of 8% to the orthopaedics department and 17% to the rheumatology department. CONCLUSION: The increase in the use of the physiotherapy service was possibly caused, in part, by general practitioners sending patients to on-site physiotherapy who previously would have been referred to orthopaedics and, largely, by an increase in the treatment of patients who previously would not have been referred to hospital. Physiotherapy based in general practice can be a substitute for hospital-based physiotherapy and can contribute to a reduction in referrals to orthopaedics and rheumatology outpatient departments. However, it can result in an increase in use of physiotherapy services.

Family Practice↗
PubMed1994

A district epilepsy service, with community-based specialist liaison nurses and guidelines for shared care.

In order to improve epilepsy services, Doncaster Hospital doctors and general practitioners agreed upon a collaborative approach. A district epilepsy service was inaugurated around specialist services based in a hospital clinic. Guidelines were produced to clarify respective roles and to assist non-specialist hospital doctors and general practitioners in epilepsy management. A novel feature of the new service was the appointment of a community-based specialist liaison nurse. The new service is perceived to be effective, and the contribution of the specialist nurse to represent an important advance in epilepsy care. It has been possible to supervise complicated changes in medication successfully at home with a reduction in the need to attend clinic or GP. Counselling and support for patients and families, previously lacking, has been a major contribution. Evaluation to determine the extent to which the service meets the needs of those in the local population with epilepsy is planned. This document describes the first 5 years of the service and the scope and content of the specialist liaison nurse's role.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Gentle chemical deoxygenation of hemoglobin solutions.

Dithionite is often used to deoxygenate aqueous solutions because it reacts readily with oxygen. However, milder reducing agents, that do not ordinarily react readily with oxygen, may do so in the presence of an appropriate redox catalyst. We show that dithiothreitol reacts rapidly with oxygen in concentrated hemoglobin solutions to produce a mixture of deoxy-, met- and sulf-hemoglobin. The reaction in neutral phosphate buffer is not significantly affected by superoxide dismutase, benzoate or EDTA. However, addition of catalase or horseradish peroxidase decreases the proportions of met- and sulf-hemoglobin produced. We conclude that both hemoglobin and horse radish peroxidase accept dithiothreitol as the reducing substrate in heme catalyzed reactions with their respective oxidizing substrates (dioxygen and hydrogen peroxide). As a result, deoxy-hemoglobin suitable for physical studies can be prepared with a combination of a stoichiometric excess of dithiothreitol and a catalytic amount of horse radish peroxidase.

Benzoates↗
PubMed1987

Epilepsy in a Doncaster practice: audit and change over eight years.

The results of active management and the findings of repeated audits of epilepsy care over the period 1978-86 in a general practice are described. It was found that about one-fifth of epileptic patients continued to have frequent seizures, usually complex partial, about half had few seizures, and many with mild epilepsy remitted early.By 1980 attempts to reduce polypharmacy, change treatment and achieve optimal use of anticonvulsant drugs in epileptic patients with frequent seizures or side effects had led to an overall improvement in seizure control in 27%, a reduction of polypharmacy in 24% and an improvement in well-being in many patients. Subsequently it proved possible to maintain this improvement, to achieve similar results in epileptic patients joining the practice and to avoid misdiagnosis and polypharmacy in newly diagnosed patients.General practitioners can make a considerable contribution to the care of patients with epilepsy but improved overall care requires better collaboration between neurologists and other clinicians. A district epilepsy service, based on a local clinic, which actively pursues a collaborative approach is suggested as the model for providing optimum care to epilepsy patients.

Anticonvulsants↗
PubMed1982

Human hepatic methionine biosynthesis. Purification and characterization of betaine:homocysteine S-methyltransferase.

Human hepatic betaine:homocysteine S-methyltransferase has been purified to apparent homogeneity after a 250-fold separation. The isolation required the presence of homocysteine and a product of the reaction, dimethylglycine, in order to stabilize the protein. An apparent molecular weight of 270,000 was determined by calibrated gel filtration. A single peptide chain of Mr = 45,000 was found by calibrated sodium dodecyl sulfate-acrylamide gel electrophoresis, suggesting that the native protein is a hexamer of identical subunits. The enzyme is stable at pH values greater than 5.5. No effect of EDTA was observed on the activity of the enzyme. In the absence of thiol reagents, the hexameric protein appeared to polymerize to integral aggregates. Isovalerate and 3,3-dimethylbutyrate, analogs of dimethylglycine and betaine, respectively, are good inhibitors of the enzyme. The inhibitions are competitive with respect to betaine, indicating that a positive charge is not required for binding at the betaine/dimethylglycine site. These findings are similar to those reported for acetylcholine esterase where the neutral analogs of choline show good binding to that enzyme. The binding site for betaine/dimethylglycine may exist in two states, one permitting the binding of a positively charged group and the other a neutral group.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1977

Continuing education for general practice--a learning system.

A learning system for continuing education for general practitioners is described and illustrated by examples from educational programmes held in Doncaster. The work that needs to be done by organizers in planning, organizing, implementing, and evaluating educational programmes is outlined. I hope that this will help other organizers of continuing education.

Education, Medical, Continuing↗