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Biomedical subjects

W McMillan

Publications and source records attributed to W McMillan.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Gender and race distribution of dental graduates (1985-2004) and first year dental students (2000-2005) in South Africa.

This paper, written at the close of a decade of democracy in South Africa, sets out to analyse the demographic profile of dental graduates from 1985-2004 at the five Faculties/Schools of Dentistry in South Africa. A comparison of the profiles for the pre-democracy (1985-1994) and post-apartheid (1995-2004) periods has been made. The demographic profile of first year dental students from 2000-2005 is also presented. From 1985-1994, most dental graduates were male (79%), but this changed substantially from 1995-2004, with females comprising 46% of those graduating. In the pre-democracy period, more than three-quarters of all graduates were White (78%), decreasing to 46% in the post-apartheid period under review. Black graduates increased from 6% to 24% across the two study periods. Amongst the first year dental student intake from 2000-2005, females comprised 57%. There was an almost equal distribution across the White, Black and Asian groups. Dental faculties/schools have made important strides in transforming the demographic profile of their students. The percentage of Black graduates, however, needs to be significantly increased if it is to reflect the national population. Faculties/schools must further ensure that able students from working class background are identified and considered for acceptance into the undergraduate dental programme, and should then be offered the necessary academic and mentoring support to enable success.

Asian People↗
PubMed1999

Rapid, automated nucleic acid probe assays using silicon microstructures for nucleic acid concentration.

A system for rapid point-of-use nucleic acid (NA) analysis based on PCR techniques is described. The extraction and concentration of DNA from test samples has been accomplished utilizing silicon fluidic microchips with high surface-area-to-volume ratios. Short (500 bp) and medium size (48,000 bp) DNA have been captured, washed, and eluted using the silicon dioxide surfaces of these chips. Chaotropic (GuHCl) salt solutions were used as binding agents. Wash and elution agents consisted of ethanol-based solutions and water, respectively. DNA quantities approaching 40 ng/cm2 of binding area were captured from input solutions in the 100-1000 ng/mL concentration range. For dilute samples of interest for pathogen detection, PCR and gel electrophoresis were used to demonstrate extraction efficiencies of about 50 percent, and concentration factors of about 10x using bacteriophage lambda DNA as the target. Rapid, multichannel PCR thermal cycling modules with integrated solid-state detection components have also been demonstrated. These results confirm the viability of utilizing these components as elements of a compact, disposable cartridge system for the detection of NA in applications such as clinical diagnostics, biowarfare agent detection, food quality control, and environmental monitoring.

Automation↗
PubMed1989

What's new in otolaryngology?

The author discusses advances in the practice of otolaryngology, focusing on diagnosis and surgical techniques. New requirements for physicians are also discussed.

Humans↗
PubMed1989

Otolaryngologists stress education.

The author, an otolaryngologist in Ottumwa and president of the Iowa Academy of Otolaryngology, discusses that organization's goals and the current practice environment for otolaryngologists.

Humans↗
PubMed1985

Midazolam and diazepam compared as sedatives for outpatient surgery under local analgesia.

Patients who had given their informed consent took part in a study to compare the sedative properties of the new benzodiazepine, midazolam, with diazepam. The drugs were administered intravenously and the quality of sedation, profoundness of amnesia, and rate of recovery were examined. Both drugs provided good-quality sedation, with midazolam producing a significantly greater degree of amnesia. Psychomotor tests used to assess recovery showed that patient performance following exposure to either drug had returned to normal 2 hours postsedation. However, patients who had received diazepam were drowsier later in the day and during the night following sedation than those who received midazolam. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

A monoclonal antibody against basal cells of human epidermis. Potential use in the diagnosis of cervical neoplasia.

A murine monoclonal antibody was generated against human skin cells obtained from psoriatic plaques. The antibody, called VM-2, recognizes an epitope expressed on the basal cell layer of human skin and other epithelia. VM-2 also binds to cultured cells from a variety of human carcinomas including HeLa cervical carcinoma, A-431 vulvar carcinoma, A-549 lung alveolar carcinoma, and SCL-1 skin squamous cell carcinoma cells. In several primary human cell lines, including fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and cells from the hematopoietic lineage, the antigenic site recognized by VM-2 could not be detected. The cellular antigen when immunoprecipitated by VM-2 from both normal and transformed cells appears to be proteins of approximately 100,000 and 120,000 mol weight. In frozen sections from human tumor-containing tissues, VM-2 labels skin, cervical, and lung squamous carcinoma cells, as well as skin basal carcinoma cells. Malignant cells present in exfoliative smears from epidermoid invasive neoplasias of the cervix are also selectively recognized by VM-2 in distinction to normal squamous cervical cells. VM-2 is thus directed against an antigen associated with neoplastic cells when applied in selected sites of exfoliative cytology. This monoclonal antibody represents a new reagent that should prove useful in the diagnosis of cervical neoplasia.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Nursing auxiliaries: developing services for elderly people.

The establishment of a project to support and develop the role of nursing auxiliaries working with elderly people is described. Organised and run by two clinical facilitators, a variety of research methods, including interviews and non-participant observation of clinical practice, were used to establish baseline data. The interview information showed that there was general dissatisfaction among trained and untrained staff about the auxiliaries' roles, and clinical practice assessment of 206 auxiliaries demonstrated deficiencies in their communication, lifting and infection control techniques. Individual ward development and management of change plans were then set up and operated.

Aged↗