Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to S E Thomas.
In 1979 the College of Health Service Administrators arranged for a survey to be undertaken to ascertain the composition of Boards of Management of hospitals. In 1984 it was decided to undertake another survey in order to investigate if there had been any changes to the composition of the Boards of Management as a result of changes in their appointment system. This study is an analysis of the comparative data found in those surveys.
With the introduction of Medicare came new regulations, one of which was the 3B certificate or thirty-five day rule. Under this rule medical practitioners must certify that in-patients will be in need of acute care, otherwise the patient is classified as a Nursing Home Type patient. Acute hospitals are finding an increasing number of beds filled with Nursing Home Type patients. This study examines the characteristics of such patients in comparison with other long stay patients and the implications this has for the acute hospital.
Diagnosis-Related Groups have been introduced as a reimbursement system in the United States. They may also be used as a highly effective management tool. Hospital administrators must be aware of the overall impact such a system may have on the organisation and management of the hospital.
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A colony of nude (BALB/c/Nu/Nu) mice has been established and used to produce and study transplantable tumour lines derived from spontaneously occurring canine mammary neoplasms. Four primary tumours of differing morphological types were studied. Two were adenocarcinomas (MS306 and PD6014) with varying degrees of differentiation, the third (F5010) was a complex adenocarcinoma composed of both stromal and epithelial elements and the fourth (V5500) was a fibrosarcoma. Tumour fragments were implanted into the subcutaneous tissue of 4- to 6-week-old mice and resulted in tumour growth in each case. There was a latent period of 1 month for tumours PD6014, F5010 and V5500 and of 3 months for tumour MS306 before tumour growth ensured. After serial transplantation this period decreased to 1-2 weeks for the first 3 tumours and to 6 weeks for the last. After the initial lag period, tumour volume increased logarithmically in all cases with doubling times of 6-20 days. Each tumour line has been passaged through 3 serial transplantations with 3 of the tumours retaining their original histological appearance whilst the fourth became slightly more dedifferentiated.
Proteins binding oestradiol with high affinity and low capacity have been characterised and quantitated in 4 newly established canine mammary tumour lines, MS306, V5500, F5010 and PD6014, maintained in nude mice. These receptor proteins, specific for oestrogens, were found in all the tumour lines, both in initial implants and all subsequent passages. Receptors had equilibrium dissociation constants for oestradiol in the range of 33-210 pM, and sedimentation coefficients of 4 S and 8 S.
DNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity has been studied in isolated nuclei from canine mammary tumours. Initial experiments showed high levels of RNase activity in this tissue; accordingly, routine assays were terminated before loss of acid-precipitable radioactivity was evident. RNA polymerase A and B activity in isolated nuclei were shown to be increased by addition of receptor-containing cytosol previously incubated with oestradiol-17 beta, dihydrotestosterone or R5020. Where no receptor was present, as measured by saturation binding assays and sucrose density gradient analysis, there was no corresponding increase in polymerase activity. The steroid antagonists tamoxifen and cyproterone did not elicit any response even when their corresponding steroids produced a 1- to 2-fold stimulation of polymerase activity. Steroid-induced effects proved to be dose-dependent, with half maximal responses for oestradiol-17 beta 8 X 10(-8)M, R5020 2 X 10(-6)M and dihydrotestosterone 9 X 10(-6)M.
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Some observations are recorded on blood parasites of sable antelopes. Blood smears of 124 of these antelopes from South Africa and Zimbabwe were examined and 7 were found to be positive for a Babesia sp., identified as Babesia irvinesmithi Martinaglia 1936. A total of 70 of the smears were positive for theilerial piroplasms, while 1 smear had macroschizonts (with cytomeres) and microschizonts of a Theileria (= Cytauxzoon) sp. One blood smear was positive for an Anaplasma sp. Attempts to isolate the Babesia sp. by subinoculating blood from sable to splenectomized and intact sable and splenectomized cattle were unsuccessful. Attempts to infect sable with Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina were likewise unsuccessful. Theilerial piroplasms reached high levels in a splenectomized sable but could not be transmitted with blood to cattle. The Anaplasma sp. was found to be infective for sheep but not for cattle.
Engorged adult female ticks submitted from farms in South Africa were routinely screened for protozoan parasites by examination of haemolymph smears. An unidentified Babesia sp. was found in Hyalomma marginatum rufipes and its transmission to susceptible cattle was achieved both biologically (tick feeding) and mechanically (injection of infected blood). Attempts to transmit this species to susceptible rabbits and a horse using similar methods did not produce evidence of infection. This Babesia sp. was of low pathogenicity, even in splenectomized cattle. Morphologically, intra-erythrocytic piroplasms and merozoites in tick haemolymph resembled other bovine Babesia spp. in many respects. Although it could be classified as a large Babesia, it was intermediate in size between the other species.
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The effectiveness of lasalocid as a coccidiostat in wool producing feedlot lambs was investigated. Significantly lower (P less than 0,001) oocyst numbers were obtained with the lasalocid diet as opposed to the controls receiving no lasalocid. No significant differences were found with regard to wool growth and related properties such as staple length, crimp, fibre thickness, clean yield and clean wool weight. The lasalocid diet improved the efficiency of feed utilization by 6%.
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The rate of haem degradation in aqueous pyridine shows a saturation dependence on O2 concentration. CO competitively inhibits the reaction. This is evidence for formation of an iron-O2 complex and is consistent with an intramolecular pathway for haem degradation.
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