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Biomedical subjects

M Porter

Publications and source records attributed to M Porter.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Differential hepatic and renal cholesterol levels in diabetes-prone BHE/cdb rats fed menhaden oil or beef tallow.

A series of experiments were conducted to determine whether the feeding of beef tallow compared with menhaden oil would affect renal cortex membrane composition, Na,K-ATPase activity, renal cholesterol uptake, and plasma lipoprotein cholesterol profile. BHE/cdb rats were used because they carry a genetic trait for non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and are prone to develop diabetic nephropathy. Beef tallow feeding resulted in an increase in HDL cholesterol and an increase in Na,K-ATPase activity. The different fats also affected the arachidonic acid content of the membrane but not the membrane cholesterol content. These diet effects may explain why the development of renal disease in beef tallow-fed rats is delayed when compared with rats fed an equivalent amount of menhaden oil.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Evaluating the workload of practice nurses: a study.

In 1990 and 1991, 67 practice nurses with a total of 12,725 consultations took part in a before and after study of health board attached and practice-employed nurse workload. The intervention of the New General Practitioner Contract (DoH 1989) and other primary care changes in April 1990 provided an opportunity to examine the process of care, and identify and changes in workload or differences in working patterns of attached and practice-employed nurses, as a result of these modifications. Practice-employed nurses initiated more of their own appointments following implementation of the New Contract and saw fewer GP referrals. Routing treatment room work had decreased for both groups of nurses in the second year. Both groups of nurses had also increased their level of therapeutic listening in the second year, but practice-employed nurses reported higher levels of therapeutic listening than their attached colleagues during both recording periods.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Diabetes mellitus induced by low-dose interleukin-2.

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a potent immunomodulator that has been associated with the clinical development of autoimmune disorders. However, diabetes mellitus has not been reported in patients treated with single-agent IL-2. We conducted a clinical trial of a protracted daily schedule of subcutaneously administered low-dose IL-2. A patient with advanced colorectal cancer, treated with 1.5 x 10(6) international units of IL-2 daily, developed insulin-requiring diabetes during therapy. Hyperglycemia improved during treatment interruption and recurred with reinstitution of IL-2. The diabetes in this patient developed in the context of T cell and natural killer cell expansion, and the presence of islet cell autoantibodies was documented. We postulate that, in this patient, IL-2 reversed the anergy of autoreactive T cells that had escaped clonal deletion. It is possible that prolonged daily exposure to immunomodulatory doses of IL-2 will result in the development of autoimmune phenomena not observed with other schedules of administration.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1996

Incidence and severity of injuries resulting from amateur boxing in Ireland.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence, pattern, and severity of injuries resulting from participation in amateur boxing. DESIGN: A prospective 5-month survey of injuries which occurred during competitive amateur boxing and training. SETTING: Amateur boxing competitions held in Dublin between November 1992 and March 1993, and the six largest amateur boxing clubs in Dublin. PARTICIPANTS: All the competitors in the tournaments and the > 16 year old members of the boxing clubs. INTERVENTIONS: Participation in competitive amateur bouts and/or boxing training. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence, pattern, and severity of injuries sustained in competition and training. RESULTS: The incidence of injuries in competition was 0.92 injuries per man-hour of play (or 0.7 injuries per boxer per year), while the incidence in training was 0.69 injuries per boxer per year. Cerebral injuries were reported only in competition, most of these being mild concussion. Hand, wrist and facial injuries were related to direct impact and occurred more frequently in competition than training, while injuries to other body parts were predominantly chronic and training-associated. Shoulder and knee injuries were the most debilitating injuries seen. CONCLUSIONS: The yearly risk of injury resulting from participation in amateur boxing is relatively low when compared with other sports. Cerebral injuries, which occur almost exclusively in competition, are predominantly mild concussions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

A population based survey of women's experience of the menopause.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the prevalence of, and degree of distress caused by, 15 symptoms commonly attributed to the menopause among a random sample of women aged 45 to 54, selected from the total population of a geographically defined area. DESIGN: Postal questionnaire survey. SETTING: Grampian Health Board area. PARTICIPANTS: Eight thousand women, aged 45 to 54, randomly selected from the Grampian Community Health Index. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported symptoms, including depression, and use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) among women of differing menopausal status. RESULTS: The response rate was 78%; 57% of respondents had experienced one or more of the 15 symptoms listed, but only 22% had found such symptoms a problem. Women's experience of classic vasomotor and atrophic symptoms varied according to menopausal status but experience of general somatic and psychological symptoms did not. Users of HRT and women whose menopause was iatrogenic found more symptoms a problem. CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms attributed to the menopause are common among women in the age group studied but often are not perceived as a problem. Among nonusers of HRT, only vasomotor and atrophic symptoms vary with menopausal status. Other somatic and psychological symptoms experienced by middle-aged women cannot be regarded as part of the same "menopausal syndrome'.

Anxiety↗
PubMed1996

Daily subcutaneous injection of low-dose interleukin 2 expands natural killer cells in vivo without significant toxicity.

We aimed to determine the toxicity and immunological effects of daily s.c. administered low-dose interleukin (IL) 2. Adult cancer patients received a single daily s.c. injection of IL-2 as outpatients for 90 consecutive days. Cohorts of four to nine patients were treated at escalating IL-2 dose levels until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was defined. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell phenotyping, IL-2 serum levels, and the presence of anti-IL-2 antibodies were investigated. Thirty-eight patients were treated at seven IL-2 dose levels ranging from 0.4 to 1.75 million International Units (mIU)/m2 daily. The MTD was 1.25 mIU/m2, with constitutional side effects, vomiting, and hyperglycemia dose limiting. Severe toxicity did not occur at or below the MTD, although mild local skin reaction and mild constitutional side effects were common. Objective tumor regressions were not observed during this Phase I trial. Low-dose IL-2 resulted in natural killer (NK) cell (CD3(-) CD56(+)) expansion at all dose levels. This effect was dose dependent (P < 0.01), ranging from a 154 to 530% increase over baseline. Peak NK levels were achieved at 6-8 weeks and sustained through 12 weeks of therapy. As predicted by in vitro studies of IL-2 receptor structure-activity relationships, the subset of NK cells that constitutively express high-affinity IL-2 receptors (CD3(-)CD56(bright+)) showed more profound dose-dependent expansion, with increases ranging from 368 to 2763% (P = 0.015). NK expansion occurred at peak IL-2 levels <10 pM (2.3 IU/ml). Three patients developed nonneutralizing anti-IL-2 antibodies. Thus, we concluded that selective expansion of NK cells may be achieved in vivo with daily s.c. injections of low-dose IL-2 with minimal toxicity.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Psychological response to cervical screening.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined the psychological costs of cervical screening, despite expressed concern over possible negative sequelae. METHODS: Seventy-five women with mild or moderately dyskaryotic smears, under cytological surveillance, 75 women referred for colposcopy after a first-ever abnormal smear showing severe dyskaryosis, and 75 controls with recent negative cytology were interviewed at home, and their psychological adjustment was assessed. RESULTS: Levels of distress were higher among women with an abnormal smear than among controls with a recent negative smear. Anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale range 0-21, "normal" range 0-7) was highest among those referred for colposcopy (mean 8.12, controls 5.88, P < 0.001); afterward, distress fell (mean 6.61, P < 0.001) but more problems of social adjustment were evident (surveillance vs controls, P < 0.01). High anxiety was associated with social maladjustment (colposcopy, P < 0.001; surveillance, P < 0.01) and negative feelings about the self (P < 0.05). Current anxiety was unrelated to knowledge about abnormal smears, but in the surveillance group was related to satisfaction with the explanation provided (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: A positive cervical smear may by psychologically traumatic for a significant minority of women, irrespective of management strategy.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1995

Scottish neonatal intensive care units; a study of staff and parental attitudes.

The study takes a three stage approach to review Scottish unit policies, staff views and parents experiences of visiting and involvement with their low birthweight infant (1,750 gm or less) in a sample of Scottish neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The study indicated that while most units had 'liberal' views regarding parental and family visiting some staff views were not in line with their unit policy and retained reservations about family visiting. Many parents reported visiting daily despite considerable 'social' and real costs. Unit differences emerged regarding the degree of parental involvement as measured by tasks carried out.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Manometric rhinometry: a new method of measuring nasal volume.

A new method of measuring the volume of the air space in the nose and sinuses is presented. We have called this method "manometric rhinometry." By closing off the nose anteriorly and posteriorly a closed space is created. A volume of air is then removed and the resultant pressure change is recorded. The original volume is calculated from the pressure change. Twenty adults have been investigated using this method. The volume recorded ranged from 78 to 198 ml (average: 138 ml). Test-retest analysis showed a correlation coefficient of 0.98. In addition, 24 children aged 4 to 12 years were examined. Their volumes were 43 to 198 ml. Test-retest analysis gave a correlation coefficient of 0.94. The significance of these findings is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

The "Buy-Max" mouthguard: oral, peri-oral and cerebral protection for contact sports.

Protective equipment plays an important role in the reduction of certain sports injuries. Mouthguards have been shown to reduce the number of orafacial and cerebral injuries in a variety of contact sports including rugby, hockey and boxing. The varieties of mouthguards available are discussed. The most effective, but also the most expensive, is the "Bimaxillary" mouthguard popularised by Chapman. It covers both dental arches and as the jaws are held in the position of heavy breathing, air flow is not impeded. The advantages and disadvantages of the various types of mouthguard are discussed.

Adolescent↗