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Biomedical subjects

W G Smith

Publications and source records attributed to W G Smith.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1975

Evaluation of the clinical services of a regional mental health center.

A large midwest community-oriented regional mental health center reports a detailed methodology for evaluating the outcome effectiveness of clinical care for seriously disturbed mental patients. A controlled study of a 10% systematic sample of all public patients from a 10-county area compares the results obtained by traditional state hospitals with those of a new regional mental health center. The cohorts were followed for 3 full years. Outcomes were assessed in terms of social competence and economic cost to the patients and society. Although increased funds and staffing clearly improved the level of humanitarian care in all public institutions, no objective evidence was found that the community-oriented approach was superior in decreasing disability due to serious mental disorder. The study corroborated impressions that a relatively small proportion of persons entering mental hospitals tend to become chronically disabled and require large quantities of care-giving services. It is concluded that a period of consolidation and replanning is necessary in community psychiatry. It is suggested that early identification of potentially chronic patients, intensive social training, and specialized community living arrangements focused on this group might provide a break-through in rehabilitation of the mentally ill.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed1975

Illinois: Community mental health: a noble failure?

Two studies were made in the northwestern region of Illinois to determine if the community approach helped restore the social competence and reduce the build-up of chronically ill patients. In the first study there was no indication that community care was superior to that of a traditional state hospital. Seventy-four per cent of the patients in the sample, however, had a history of repeated hospitalizations. The second study evaluated only first-admission patients and found that community-oriented programs were more effective. Both the center and the hospital had some patients for whom neither system of care was more effective in preventing chronicity. The center has established several pilot projects for managing those chronic patients.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed1975

Colorimetric enzymatic determination of serum total carbon dioxide, as applied to the Vickers Multichannel 300 discrete analyzer.

Phosphoenolpyruvate carbosylase (EC 4.1.1.31) has been used in developing a simple, inexpensive colorimetric assay for serum total carbon dioxide in an open system. The oxaloacetate formed by the action of the enzyme on bicarbonate and phosphoenolpyruvate is measured by use of the diazonium salt of Fast Violet B. Interferences from billirubin, pyruvate, and drugs are negligible. Acetoacetate interference is significant only in highly ketotic samples, and a serum blank corrects for it. Serum protein interference is equivalent to 3.3 plus or minus 1.25 mmol of CO2 per liter and hence is sufficiently constant to be corrected for by use of a serum standard or serum blank. The method has been applied to the Vickers M-300 and D-300 systems and within-batch standard deviations of plus or minus 0.1 to plus or minus 0.6 mmol/liter have been observed. Excellent correlation with orthodox techniques has been obtained.

Acetoacetates↗
PubMed1973

Alterations in glycosaminoglycan metabolism in beta-aminopropionitrile-treated chick embryos.

1. Na(2) (35)SO(4), [1-(14)C]glucosamine and [1-(14)C]acetate were used as precursors of the sulphated glycosaminoglycans to study the biochemical effect of beta-aminopropionitrile in chick embryos. The incorporation of all three precursors was decreased in the treated embryos between days 7 and 10 of embryonic development. No inhibition of incorporation of these precursors occurred between days 16 and 20 of embryonic development at the dosages of beta-aminopropionitrile used. 2. beta-Aminopropionitrile treatment also decreased the amount of N-acetylhexosamines in the chick embryo and decreased the percentage of the hexosamine esterified by nucleotides. Respiration was decreased by homogenates prepared from treated embryos. Likewise, UDP-xylosyl- and UDP-galactosyl-transferase activities were decreased in treated embryos and cartilage from embryos and growing chicks. 3. The data suggest that beta-aminopropionitrile, in addition to the known lathyrogenic activity, either is or gives rise to a potent metabolic poison that interferes with basic cellular metabolism. The results are consistent with a decreased rate of ATP generation as an explanation for the decrease in glycosaminoglycan synthesis.

Acetates↗