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Biomedical subjects

R Borland

Publications and source records attributed to R Borland.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Virulence of Staphylococcus epidermidis in a mouse model: significance of extracellular slime.

The ability to produce large quantities of biofilm on solid surfaces in vitro is believed to distinguish potentially pathogenic strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis from commensals. Biofilm consists of staphylococcal cells encased in a matrix of extracellular polysaccharide (also referred to as slime), firmly adherent to each other and to the underlying surface structure. The association of slime with colonization of catheter surfaces in vivo has been examined extensively. Less attention has been paid to the contribution of slime to infections that occur in the absence of an inserted device. In a mouse model of subcutaneous infection without an implanted device 10 S. epidermidis strains (5 slime-positive, 5 slime-negative) produced abscesses; thus a foreign body is not essential for the expression of virulence by S. epidermidis. Biofilm-positive strains produced significantly more abscesses, that persisted longer than biofilm-negative strains. In these chronic infections, large numbers of staphylococci were associated with macrophages and viable staphylococci were cultured from specimens of pus collected at autopsy. Thus slime or components of slime appear to delay the clearance of S. epidermidis from host tissues, possibly by interfering with intracellular killing mechanisms. However, differences in the capacity to produce abscesses, within both the slime-positive and slime-negative groups, indicate that other factors also contribute to the virulence of S. epidermidis.

Abscess↗
PubMed1996

Do smokers want to quit?

In any year, about 40 per cent of smokers will have tried to stop smoking in the previous 12 months, and about the same proportion will intend to stop in the next three months. These figures do not indicate what proportion of smokers would rather not smoke. In 1993, 601 Victorian smokers were asked 'If you could quit painlessly would you quit smoking or would you continue to smoke?' The study found that 75 per cent of smokers said they would give up under those circumstances, and 13 per cent gave some other indication of interest in giving up. Only 12 per cent were not interested in stopping at present. The results suggest that most smokers are receptive to the idea of giving up, although they may be inhibited from taking action by the perceived difficulty of the task. Only a small proportion of smokers reject cessation messages outright.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Need to smoke in the context of workplace smoking bans.

BACKGROUND: Workplace smoking bans are now widespread in a number of countries and are generally well accepted by smokers. Little is known about smokers who do not cope well with smoking bans. METHOD: A survey of 669 smokers was conducted 2 years after the introduction of a workplace smoking ban. Variables associated with four different levels of need to smoke were examined. RESULTS: Nine percent reported experiencing a strong need to smoke at work, 26% a mild need, 45% occasional need, and 19% reported no need. Stronger need was related to (P < 0.01): an index of addiction (higher daily smoking rates and fewer minutes to first cigarette of the day), violating smoking bans, going outside to smoke more, reducing consumption less since the bans, being less approving of the ban, and seeing it as inconvenient, seeing smoking as having less disadvantages (cons) and more advantages (pros), being less ready to quit, lower in confidence of quitting, and having less intention to quit. All of the above effects persisted after controlling for addiction, and the index of addiction only had independent relationships with going outside to smoke, reducing consumption less since the bans, higher pros of smoking and lower self-efficacy (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: There is a small subgroup of smokers who have not adapted well to workplace smoking bans, as well as the much larger subset who report less difficulty. While nicotine addiction plays a role in perceived need to smoke, a number of potentially changeable cognitive characteristics were independently related to need. Workplace smoking policies and programs could take such characteristics into account in addressing the problems these smokers face.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Skin examination for signs of cancer.

Doctors sometimes examine or suggest examination of the skin for signs of skin cancer, and self-examination of the skin has been promoted in some public education materials. A representative sample of 590 residents of Victoria was asked whether they or their doctors had ever deliberately checked for signs of skin cancer, and whether their doctors had ever suggested such a check. Respondents also indicated their skin type by degree of freckling and propensity to sunburn. The results suggest that females have a higher level of skin awareness than males. People prone to sunburn and heavily freckled individuals were more likely to have checked their skin, and doctors were more likely to have suggested a check to highly freckled individuals. Self-examination, examination by a doctor and recommendations from doctors for self-examination were all positively associated with each other, indicating that a section of the population was identified by themselves or their doctors as being at risk, but this group was not well defined by the two indices of risk used in the survey.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Preference and requests for smoke-free dining.

This study looked at whether people prefer to sit in smoking or smoke-free areas when they go to cafés and restaurants. It also considered whether those who said they would prefer smoke-free dining made this known when booking or going to a restaurant. The sample was 2387 Victorians, randomly selected and interviewed in their own homes. Overall, 68 per cent of respondents said they would prefer a nonsmoking area, and only 11 per cent preferred a smoking area. Even among smokers, less than half (42 per cent) wanted to sit in a smoking area. Of those people who wanted smoke-free dining, only 45 per cent said they always made this known. The results demonstrate strong community desire for smoke-free dining, but also point to the need for restaurant managers or the dining public to take the initiative, or for legislative action to ensure the provision of smoke-free areas.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Illnesses that Australians most feared in 1986 and 1993.

This study identified illnesses Australians most feared getting, and determined whether there had been any changes between 1986 and 1993. An open-ended question about illnesses was embedded in an omnibus face-to-face survey of representative samples of Australians (1986, n = 1213; 1993, n = 1268). Cancer was by far the most feared illness, with over 60 per cent of first mentions and around 80 per cent of first or second mentions. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and heart disease were the only other illnesses mentioned by more than 10 per cent of the sample as the first or second most feared illness. There were no differences across time in first mentions of these illnesses, but cancer had more mentions overall in 1993. Concern about cancer may have increased over the seven years. Mentions of dementia and blindness also increased across the two surveys.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1993

The antimicrobial activity in vitro of chlorhexidine, a mixture of isothiazolinones ('Kathon' CG) and cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB).

Chlorehexidine, two 4% chlorhexidine antiseptic handwashes ('Bioprep' and 'Hibiclens'), cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and isothiazolinones ('Kathon') were tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus, Escherichia coli, Serratia marcescens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris and Candida albicans. The activities measured were the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum microbicidal concentration (MMC), rate of kill in water and broth, effect of organic soil, the development of microbial resistance on continuous exposure and agent bioavailability in media and formulation. 'Kathon' was the most active microbistatic agent showing maximal activity at low concentration, least inactivation by organic soil and media components and the lowest level of development of bacterial resistance. It was synergistic with chlorhexidine against S. marcescens and P. aeruginosa. Media, formulation components and organic soil affected the performance of chlorhexidine and CTAB. Chlorhexidine was more broadly active than CTAB but showed a greater reduction in activity in the presence of soil and engendered a greater level of bacterial resistance. It was more rapidly bactericidal to P. aeruginosa and S. marcescens than to S. aureus. Stable resistance to chlorhexidine and CTAB was developed by P. aeruginosa and S. marcescens, the latter showing the higher level of resistance. Chlorhexidine-resistant strains were also resistant to CTAB. The antiseptic formulations were more rapidly bactericidal than chlorhexidine alone but were otherwise of comparable activity. Mixtures of disinfectants, in particular a combination of chlorhexidine and a preservative level of 'Kathon', were more active than single disinfectants. The importance of standardization of media and test conditions and the use of chemically defined media for accurate and reproducible in-vitro testing of disinfectant activity is emphasized. Disinfection kinetics, expressed as time-kill curves, log reduction factors or decimal reduction times were shown to be valuable in differentiating microbistatic from microbicidal activity, showing the effects of dilution and soil on activity and indicating possible different mechanisms of action.

Anti-Infective Agents, Local↗
PubMed1993

Factors affecting the efficacy of a community-based quit smoking program.

Community-based Fresh Start courses have been running at local community centres throughout Victoria since February 1983. This paper describes the key features of this program and identifies the factors which relate to smoking cessation. Data were collected from 3298 participants who attended a program between February 1983 and June 1988. All participants were asked to complete three short questionnaires: on arrival at the course, at the conclusion of the course and a year after finishing the course. Although most participants had made previous unsuccessful quit attempts and perceived quitting to be difficult, attendance at the course had a major impact on their reported smoking. At the conclusion of the course at least 51% of participants had quit smoking and the remaining participants had reduced their smoking by an average of 50%. At the 1 year follow-up, at least 23% of participants were non-smokers and the remaining participants had reduced their smoking by an average of 21%. Successful quitting at the end of the course and at the 12 month follow-up was positively related to the number of sessions attended and the perceived likelihood of quitting, and negatively related to initial cigarette consumption.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Changes in sun-related attitudes and behaviours, and reduced sunburn prevalence in a population at high risk of melanoma.

This study aimed to determine trends in exposure to sunlight in the context of a melanoma prevention programme by monitoring the prevalence of sunburn and sun-related attitudes and behaviours. Telephone interviews were conducted in a baseline summer (December 1987 to February 1988) and two subsequent summers after the introduction of the SunSmart health promotion campaign. Interviewing a sample of 4,428 adult residents of the Australian city of Melbourne took place throughout summer on Monday evenings. Behavioural and sunburn data were reported for the previous weekend and relevant attitudinal data were collected. After adjusting for ambient ultraviolet radiation levels and temperature, survey month, age, sex and skin type, a significant reduction in sunburn was found. The crude proportion of sunburnt dropped from 11% to 10% to 7% over 3 years and the adjusted odds ratios (and 95% confidence intervals) were as follows: Year 1/Year 2; 0.75 (CI 0.57-0.99) and Year 1/Year 3; 0.59 (CI 0.43-0.81). Substantial attitudinal shifts occurred over the 3 years. Hat wearing increased significantly each year (19%, 26%, 29%), as did sunscreen use (12%, 18%, 21%). However, the trends in mean proportion of body surface area covered by clothing were less clear cut (0.67, 0.64, 0.71). It is concluded that melanoma risk factor exposure of populations can change fairly rapidly and that well-conducted health promotion campaigns can play a part in producing such change.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Regulation of slime production in Staphylococcus epidermidis by iron limitation.

Slime production by most strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis was enhanced by conditions of iron limitation produced by the addition of ethylenediamine-di-o-hydroxyphenol acetic acid to the growth medium. The density of the biofilm which formed on the base of microtiter plates was dependent on the degree of iron limitation, the stage of the growth cycle, and the nutritional state of the initial inoculum. One repeatedly slime-negative S. epidermidis strain, passaged in tryptic soya broth containing ethylenediamine-di-o-hydroxyphenol acetic acid, expressed high levels of slime after two passages. These observations suggest that iron limitation is one factor that regulates slime production by S. epidermidis. These findings could explain inconsistencies between the in vivo observation that biofilms invariably form on implanted catheters and the in vitro finding that some isolates from catheter-associated infection fail to produce slime.

In Vitro Techniques↗
PubMed1993

Doctors' advice to their patients about smoking.

OBJECTIVE: To examine people's perceptions of doctors' views on smoking, smokers' recall of doctors' advice about smoking, and the relationship between doctors' warnings about smoking and attempts to quit. DESIGN AND METHOD: Face-to-face interviews with a representative sample of Victorians in their own homes in September and October 1990. SAMPLE: 2357 Victorians aged 16 years and over. RESULTS: 1. 83 per cent of people perceive doctors in general to be against smoking, but only 55 per cent think their own doctor is. 2. 55 per cent of smokers reported their doctor had never advised them to quit smoking, and for 22 per cent this was despite recalling that the doctor had asked if they smoked. 3. Patients who had been advised to stop smoking were more likely to have attempted to quit (81%) than those to whom the doctor had said nothing (61%). 4. Patients who had been advised to cut down on their smoking, rather than to quit, were less likely to be planning a quit attempt (27%) than any others. CONCLUSION: Either doctors are failing to warn many of their patients about smoking or the advice is not being given in a manner that makes it memorable.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Protection from environmental tobacco smoke in California. The case for a smoke-free workplace.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the extent of exposure of nonsmoking indoor workers to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) according to type of work-site smoking policy, work area, workplace size, and demographic characteristics. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: Participants included 7162 adult, nonsmoking, indoor workers who were interviewed as part of the 1990 California Tobacco Survey. Respondents were asked whether anyone had smoked in their work area within the past 2 weeks. RESULTS: An estimated 2.2 million California nonsmokers were exposed to tobacco smoke at indoor work sites in 1990. Nonsmoker exposure to ETS was 9.3% for those working in a smoke-free worksite, 23.2% for those working where there was only a work-area restriction, 46.7% for those working where there was a policy that did not include the work area, and 51.4% for those working where there was no work-site smoking policy. After adjustment for type of work area (eg, office, open area), workplace size, and demographic factors, it was determined that nonsmokers working where there was only a work-area ban were 2.8 times more likely to be exposed to ETS than those working in a smoke-free work site. In workplaces with no policy or a policy not covering the work area, nonsmokers were over eight times more likely to be exposed to ETS than those who worked in a smoke-free work site. Nonsmokers who were 18 to 24 years of age, male, or Hispanic, and those with less than a high school education had more exposure to ETS. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that adequate protection of nonsmokers from ETS exposure requires a smoke-free work site.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Experimental reproduction of porcine proliferative enteritis.

A campylobacter-like bacterium, isolated from the terminal ileum of a pig with porcine proliferative enteritis (PPE), was used to initiate PPE in healthy crossbred pigs. Post-mortem examinations of pigs infected orally with the bacterium revealed thickening of the terminal ileum, haemorrhage within the ileum, degeneration of ileal villi and large quantities of bile and mucous in the ileal contents. Histopathological examination revealed that the terminal ileum, ileo-caecal valve and caecum from infected pigs had partial or total loss of mucous membrane, hyperplasia of the crypt and glandular epithelial cells, campylobacter-like organisms in and around the Peyers' patches and lymphoid aggregates in the mucosa. The causative organism was re-isolated from the intestinal specimens of infected animals post-mortem. In control animals, kept under the same conditions, no evidence of abnormality was observed in the terminal ileum, ileo-caecal valve or caecum.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Melanoma prevention: behavioral and nonbehavioral factors in sunburn among an Australian urban population.

BACKGROUND: To determine the independent contribution of behavioral factors to the occurrence of sunburn, sun protection behavior was assessed over 13 successive summer weekends in a total of 1,655 adults in Melbourne, Australia. METHODS: Telephone survey respondents provided detailed accounts of activities engaged in, time spent outside, and hat, clothing, and sunscreen coverage in the 4 hr around the solar midday on both weekend days, as well as skin type, sociodemographic descriptors, and degree of sunburn experienced. Independent measures of atmospheric temperature and ambient ultraviolet radiation (UVR) were added to individual records. RESULTS: The (mostly recreational) weekend sunburn in this urban sample was strongly associated with UVR, as expected. Temperature at 3 PM, sensitive skin type, youthfulness, and being male were also independently associated with sunburn. After all other predictors were controlled for, the body exposure index (which took into account time outside and hat, clothing, and sunscreen coverage) made a strong independent contribution to the explanation of sunburn (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: It was concluded that behavior change strategies to prevent malignant melanoma of the skin are warranted.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

A study of phenotypic variation of Staphylococcus epidermidis using Congo red agar.

This study examines a series of phenotypic variants of Staphylococcus epidermidis that were generated from a pair of parent variants, isolated from valvular tissue of a patient with prosthetic valve endocarditis. The variants were initially classified by examining their colonial morphology on Congo red agar. In addition to differences in Congo red binding and colonial morphology, they differed in the expression of several surface components and enzymes. Despite these phenotypic differences, all variants had the same restriction endonuclease profile of plasmid DNA. Examination of a collection of clinical isolates demonstrated that phenotypic variation is a common property of S. epidermidis. The ability to express different combinations of surface components and enzymes could contribute to the virulence of S. epidermidis strains by enabling these organisms to colonize a range of diverse environments.

Agar↗
PubMed1992

Public knowledge about characteristics of moles and melanomas.

In a study aiming to determine public knowledge about moles and melanomas 590 residents of Victoria aged 14 and over were interviewed in a face-to-face household survey. The majority believed that moles were primarily raised lesions. Recognition of the term melanoma was high (91 per cent), but many held misconceptions about key characteristics. Many thought an early melanoma was raised (20 per cent) or could be raised (42 per cent), compared with only 10 per cent who thought it was flat. Fifty per cent of respondents thought being ugly was a common characteristic. In response to photographs of skin lesions, a late melanoma, seborrhoeic keratosis and a squamous cell carcinoma were most likely to be identified as needing to be seen by a doctor, while a normal raised mole and two early melanomas were least likely. The data suggest that a large proportion of the community have misconceptions about the early signs of melanoma. Education programs are needed to inform the public that most early melanomas are flat. Strategies which might confuse this message, such as likening melanoma to moles, should be avoided.

Adolescent↗