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Biomedical subjects

R A Ellis

Publications and source records attributed to R A Ellis.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

Benign fibrous pleural tumor with elevation of insulin-like growth factor and hypoglycemia.

We have reported the case of a 69-year-old woman with a hugh benign fibrous tumor of the left pleura and hypoglycemic seizures. Increased preoperative levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF II) were present; insulin level was low and plasma levels of somatomedin C were normal. After resection of the 2,400 gm tumor, blood sugar level has remained normal, and IGF II has fallen to normal limits. This appears to be the first reported case documenting elevated serum IGF II in association with a benign fibrous pleural tumor.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Development time, oviposition activity and onset of diapause in Culex tarsalis, Culex restuans and Culiseta inornata in southern Manitoba.

Development times and survival of immatures and reproductive diapause of adult females of Culex tarsalis, Cx. restuans and Culiseta inornata were investigated from hatching to adult emergence at 15, 20 and 25 degrees C in the laboratory and at natural temperatures and photoperiods in southern Manitoba. Based on patterns of oviposition in artificial pools operated from mid-April to the end of September and development time of the immature stages, 3 generations of Cx. tarsalis, Cx. restuans and Cs. inornata were possible in 1980 and 1981. In 1981, 70% of field-reared Cx. tarsalis females emerging in mid-August were in diapause. Field-reared Cx. restuans and Cs. inornata entered reproductive diapause 2-3 weeks later than Cx. tarsalis.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

An evaluation of a communication skills course for health visitor students.

This paper presents part of the findings of an extensive empirical evaluation of a communication skills training programme for health visitor students. The programme was designed to develop the health visitors' ability to communicate with clients. A wide range of interpersonal skills were addressed and the training format involved skill analysis, roleplay practice and video-recorded feedback. The method of evaluation included an appraisal of the health visitors' social behaviour in a roleplay of a home-visit to a pregnant client. Data were collected, both before and following training, in an attempt to assess changes in trainee behaviour. The analysis took the form of a detailed frequency measurement of behavioural elements of health visitor performance, and a global rating of social competence by independent judges. Results of the analyses indicated that 14 out of the 20 behavioural variables changed in the desired direction. Thus, for example, following training the health visitors used significantly more open questions and verbal encouragers, and significantly fewer multiple questions and interruptions when communicating with the client. They were also rated significantly higher on the rating scale for social competence following training. These findings would seem to suggest that the training programme had a considerable degree of success. The findings are discussed in terms of the implications for development of health visitors' social skills, the need for more sophisticated measures of social behaviour and for the formulation of a model of competent professional practice in this area.

Communication↗
PubMed1976

Localization of ouabain-sensitive, potassium-dependent nitrophenyl phosphatase in the rectal gland of the spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias.

Tissue from the digitiform rectal gland of the spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias, was fixed briefly by formaldehyde perfusion and studied for the specificity and localization of p-nitrophenyl phosphatase (NPP'ase) activity. The enzymatic activity was K+-dependent (56%) and ouabain-sensitive (67%-inhibition). The electron-dense reaction product (SrPO4) of the cytochemical reaction (Ernst, 1972b) was localized along the inner surfaces of the basolateral membranes of the secretory cells. It was absent from mitochondria nuclei, vesicles, and other organelles. The luminal surface of the secretory cells was slightly reactive. On the basis of (1) this pattern of localization for the sodium transport system, (2) the presence of extensive intercellular labyrinthine channels (Bulger, 1963) that would facilitate "standing gradients" (Diamond and Bossert, 1968), and (3) the specific distribution of the energy-providing mitochondria, we conclude that the concentration and electrochemical gradients recorded from the secreting gland (Hayslett et al., 1974) are maintained across the domains of the basolateral surfaces of the secretory cells.

4-Nitrophenylphosphatase↗
PubMed1975

Clinical studies with a new steroid--fluorometholone.

Thirty-four cases of uveitis, 26 anterior and 8 posterior, showed elevated intraocular pressure in 25 cases during treatment with local steroids as well as systemic steroids. The patients were treated with drugs to reduce the IOP, but this was not accomplished until the local steroids were stopped. Then a good anti-inflammatory response was obtained with fluorometholone, without further increase of the IOP during the whole treatment. Two cases of episcleritis and one case of allergic conjunctivitis that responded very well to local steroids but showed an increase of the intraocular pressure were treated with fluorometholone. The same anti-inflammatory response was obtained without any increase of the IOP. In our small series, a new steroid has been reviewed. No double-blind studies were done, and the series was not well controlled. But this preliminary result shows that fluorometholone can control inflammation in cases of uveitis, episcleritis, and allergic conjunctivitis as well as other steroids, but without increase of the IOP.

Conjunctivitis↗
PubMed1971

The fine structure of cockroach campaniform sensilla.

Campaniform sensilla on cockroach legs provide a good model system for the study of mechanoreceptive sensory transduction. This paper describes the structure of campaniform sensilla on the cockroach tibia as revealed by light- and electron-microscopy. Campaniform sensilla are proprioceptive mechanoreceptors associated with the exoskeleton. The function of each sensillum centers around a single primary sense cell, a large bipolar neuron whose 40 micro-wide cell body is available for electrophysiological investigation with intracellular microelectrodes. Its axon travels to the central nervous system; its dendrite gives rise to a modified cilium which is associated with the cuticle. The tip of the 20 micro-long dendrite contains a basal body, from which arises a 9 + 0 connecting cilium. This cilium passes through a canal in the cuticle, and expands in diameter to become the sensory process, a membrane-limited bundle of 350-1000 parallel microtubules. The tip of the sensory process is firmly attached to a thin cap of exocuticle; mechanical depression of this cap, which probably occurs during walking movements, effectively stimulates the sensillum. The hypothesis is presented that the microtubules of the sensory process play an important role in mechanoelectric transduction in cockroach campaniform sensilla.

Animals↗
PubMed1969

The development of surface specialization in the secretory epithelium of the avian salt gland in response to osmotic stress.

Cell surface specialization, a characteristic common to most ion-transporting epithelia, was studied in the salt (nasal) gland of the domestic duck in relation to osmotic stress. Three days after hatching, experimental ducklings were given 1% NaCl to drink for 12 hr and freshwater for the remainder of each day. Control ducklings were maintained exclusively on freshwater. The fine structure of the secretory epithelium was examined on various days of the regimen. The nasal gland epithelium of the secretory lobule is composed of several types of cells. Peripheral cells, lying at the blind ends of the branched secretory tubules, are similar in both control and experimental animals at all stages of glandular development. These generative cells contain few mitochondria and have nearly smooth cell surfaces. Partially specialized secretory cells predominate in the secretory tubules of control animals and appear as transitional cells in the tubular epithelium of salt-stressed animals. These cells contain few mitochondria and bear short folds along their lateral cell surfaces. Fully specialized cells dominate the secretory epithelium of osmotically stressed ducklings. The lateral and basal surfaces of these cells are deeply folded, forming complex intra- and extracellular compartments. This vast increase in absorptive surface area is paralleled by an increase in the number of mitochondria that pack the basal compartments. The development of this fully specialized cell is correlated with the marked increase in (Na(+)-K(+))-ATPase activity in the glands of osmotically stressed birds.

Animals↗