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Biomedical subjects

A Barnes

Publications and source records attributed to A Barnes.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Ventilatory standards for clinically well aboriginal adults.

OBJECTIVE: To obtain reference standards for ventilatory function of clinically well Australian Aboriginal adults. DESIGN: A cross-sectional assessment of the population of a North Queensland Aboriginal community. SETTING: A specialist clinical and public health service. The measurements were made with the cooperation of the local primary health care centre. PARTICIPANTS: The 288 study subjects included over 70% of Aboriginal adults residing in an isolated Cape York community. Those with known respiratory disease, abnormal chest x-ray findings, positive loose cough sign, abnormal lung signs or inability to perform the ventilatory tests satisfactorily were excluded; 229 persons (80%) remained for analysis. Smoking was prevalent in both men (85%) and women (76%). As in most other studies producing reference values for lung function, smokers were not excluded. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Age, standing height in bare feet and sitting height were recorded. Ventilatory measurements included forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and maximum mid-expiratory flow (MMEF) which is also known as the forced expiratory flow (FEF 25%-75%). RESULTS: Standing height, age and sex were the major determinants of ventilatory function. Sitting height was not a good predictor. Ventilatory values differed significantly from those expected for Europeans: Aboriginal lung volumes were much smaller (by about 25%) and fell much faster with age. The age-related decrease in lung function was less in smokers. CONCLUSION: The smoking effect may reflect the operation of differential survival or other selective factors and has been noted in some other ethnic groups. Although previous studies have yielded some ventilatory function data on Aborigines, we report the first population-based reference values expected for clinically well adults. The information will be useful to clinicians and public health workers.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Immune responses to dietary antigens in gluten-sensitive enteropathy of Irish setters.

This study examined whether increased intestinal permeability in Irish setters with gluten-sensitive enteropathy was associated with altered immune responses to ingested antigens, and whether a humoral immune response to gluten is involved in the pathogenesis of the condition. Affected setters reared on a wheat-containing diet were compared with littermates reared on a cereal-free diet and age-matched control setters. Measurement of serum immunoglobulins revealed increased serum IgA concentrations in affected dogs. Antibody responses to a variety of dietary antigens were measured by ELISA. Antibody levels to ovalbumin, collagen I and II and soya were not significantly different from normal dogs. Anti-gliadin antibody concentrations were lower in affected dogs than controls, and correlated with immune complex formation as assessed by C1q binding. The study suggested a modified immune response in dogs with increased intestinal permeability, although there was no major systemic antibody response to dietary antigens.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Risk factors for the transmission of diarrhoea in children: a case-control study in rural Malaysia.

In response to a recorded increasing incidence of diarrhoea in Tumpat District, Malaysia, a case-control study was performed to identify modifiable risk factors for the transmission of diarrhoea, in children aged 4-59 months. Ninety-eight pairs of children, matched on age and sex, were recruited prospectively from health centres. Exposure status was determined during a home visit. Interviewers were 'blinded' as to the disease status of each child. Odds ratios were measured through matched pair analysis and conditional logistic regression. Risk factors for diarrhoea identified were: reported--drinking of unboiled water, storage of cooked food before consumption and bottle feeding; and observations--animals inside the house and absence of washing water in latrines. Water quality, source of drinking water, reported hand washing behaviour, indiscriminate defecation by children, cup use and the absence of a functional latrine were not associated with diarrhoea. Nonsignificant associations were found for: accessibility of washing water source, type of water storage container and use of fly covers for food.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1991

Relative IgA deficiency and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in German shepherd dogs.

Serum immunoglobulin concentrations and densities of IgA-producing immunocytes in intestinal mucosa were compared in a group of clinically healthy dogs of various breeds, a group of clinically healthy German shepherd dogs, and a group of German shepherds with bacterial overgrowth in the proximal small intestine. Serum concentrations of IgA, but not IgM or IgG, were significantly lower in the clinically healthy German shepherd dogs than in other purebreed and mixbreed dogs, indicating that production of IgA by gut-associated lymphoid tissue might be relatively low in this breed. However, densities of IgA-producing cells were not significantly different comparing these two groups, suggesting that any impairment of mucosal IgA production is more likely to be related to defective synthesis or secretion of IgA than to reduced numbers of IgA-producing immunocytes. Comparable findings in German shepherd dogs with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth provided further indirect evidence that local immunity might be defective in this breed, since these luminal bacteria would be expected to stimulate mucosal IgA production. However, it is not clear whether such a defect is directly responsible for the overgrowth, or whether there is an indirect relationship between defective local immunity and bacterial overgrowth in German shepherd dogs.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Determination of UVA protection factors by means of immediate pigment darkening in normal skin.

A method is described for screening potentially useful photoprotective agents against UVA radiation by the use of immediate pigment darkening as an end point. Threshold doses of immediate pigment darkening showed a log normal distribution and the response was found to obey dose-reciprocity at irradiance levels below 50 mW/cm2. With this procedure, several marketed sunscreens containing benzophenone-3 as the only UVA absorber were found to have poor UVA protection factors, whereas those containing combinations of benzophenone-3 and butyl methoxydibenzoyl methane or melanin were more effective. There was no correlation between the sun protection factor cited on the label and the calculated immediate pigment darkening-protection factor.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

An evaluation of the user acceptability of chlorhexidine handwash formulations.

Four similar-looking preparations containing 4% chlorhexidine ('Hibiscrub', Surgiscrub', 'Uniscrub', 'Macrocide') were compared in a single-blind, randomized study in a group of 73 volunteers. The volunteers washed their hands with each preparation ten times over 9 h, one preparation day-1 on each of four days over two weeks. The acceptability of the agents was assessed using visual analogue scales which were analysed by paired t-test. There were marked differences between the products. 'Uniscrub' smelled worse (P less than 0.003) and felt worse than the others (P less than 0.003). 'Hibiscrub' lathered well but 'Macrocide' was found easiest to rinse off. 'Hibiscrub' and 'Surgiscrub' were the least irritant and had the best visual appearance. Despite apparent similarities, these chlorhexidine formulations varied in acceptability to users.

Chlorhexidine↗
PubMed1991

Influence of anesthesiology residents' noncognitive skills on the occurrence of critical incidents and the residents' overall clinical performances.

The authors examined residents' clinical performances in five anesthesiology departments in U.S. teaching hospitals. The data were organized by daily use of the Clinical Anesthesia System of Evaluation, which categorizes and quantifies the narrative comments of faculty. The study was designed to identify predictor categories (particular performance characteristics of residents) for the residents' overall performances and their scores in handling critical incidents (those incidents that could or would have caused significant morbidity or mortality had faculty not intervened). More than 9,000 comments made by 163 faculty about 45 residents were analyzed. Residents' noncognitive skills that were predictors of overall performance were Conscientiousness, Management, Confidence, Critical Incidents, and Knowledge. Conscientiousness and Composure predicted two-thirds of the variability in critical incidents' scores. Path analysis verified causal relationships between the hypothesized predictors and critical incidents. For the residents studied, inadequate noncognitive performance in some areas was a powerful (p less than .0005) predictor of overall clinical performance and was related to the occurrence of critical incidents.

Anesthesiology↗
PubMed1991

A typhus-like illness caused by acute HIV seroconversion.

A patient is described in whom an acute human immunodeficiency virus seroconversion illness occurred following a trip to southern Africa. The presentation was strikingly similar to that of African tick typhus and could only be distinguished by serological testing.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

The prevalence of naturally acquired multiple infections of Wuchereria bancrofti and human malarias in anophelines.

Malaria and filaria infection rates were determined for anopheline mosquitoes collected whilst biting and resting in village houses in Papua New Guinea. The number of anophelines infected with both parasites was greater than expected from the infection rates of each parasite and this difference was significant in resting collections. The excess of multiply infected mosquitoes is probably a result of a vector population composed of individuals with differing numbers of opportunities to become infected. Malaria-positive Anopheles punctulatus from resting catches had a significantly greater number of Stage 3 Wuchereria bancrofti larvae than malaria-negative mosquitoes. However, multiply infected mosquitoes appear to suffer greater mortality than non-infected or singly infected mosquitoes when the filarial worm reaches the third stage. Any potential increase in transmission resulting from multiple infections is thereby offset by a greater mortality rate in these mosquitoes.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Predictive value of cyclosporin A level for efficacy or renal dysfunction in psoriasis.

Cyclosporin A (CyA) trough (pre-dose) levels were measured in whole blood with a radioimmunoassay (RIA) using specific monoclonal antibody in 193 patients receiving CyA for the treatment of psoriasis. These patients received either CyA 2.5 mg/kg/day (n = 134) or 5 mg/kg/day (n = 59). In addition, a subgroup of 94 patients also had CyA trough levels measured using a non-specific polyclonal RIA. Within each CyA dose group, no difference was detected between mean CyA trough levels in relation to success or failure nor to the presence or absence of renal dysfunction with the use of either the specific or non-specific RIA. Based on the experience in transplantation, CyA thresholds of 100 and 200 ng/ml (specific) were selected for the assessment of efficacy and renal dysfunction. The success rate was higher by 10-15% when the CyA level was above, rather than below, 100 ng/ml in both the CyA 2.5 mg and 5 mg/kg/day groups. A slightly increased incidence of renal dysfunction was only found in the 5 mg/kg/day group when the CyA level was above 200 ng/ml. Because of its low predictive value, measurement of the level of CyA was not particularly useful for monitoring patients with psoriasis treated with low-dose CyA.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Variations in malaria transmission rates are not related to anopheline survivorship per feeding cycle.

Anopheline survivorship, vectorial capacity, and mosquito infection probability estimates from mosquito infection rates were determined 4 times in 1 year in a Papua New Guinea village. Estimates of survivorship over the length of the extrinsic incubation period differed significantly during the year. However, survivorship per feeding cycle, individual mosquito vectorial capacity, and mosquito infection probability did not vary significantly. Estimates of these parameters were then compared to estimates of survivorship, individual vectorial capacity, and mosquito infection probability in mosquito populations in other villages in the study area. Since survivorship per feeding cycle did not vary significantly among the mosquito populations in these villages, changes in malaria transmission potential can be better gauged from estimates of survivorship over the length of the extrinsic incubation period. However, as measurements of relative inoculation rates are easier to perform and have been related to parasite prevalences in children in this area, estimates of inoculation rates are a preferred option for estimating malaria transmission in the Madang area of Papua New Guinea.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Transfusion practice in the private hospital.

Recognition that human immunodeficiency virus could be transmitted by blood transfusion has brought the practice of transfusion medicine into the public consciousness with great force. Patients are informed about the dangers of receiving a blood transfusion and are expressing their preferences about the source of the blood they may receive and the conditions under which they may receive it. Government, blood bank organizations, and physicians are responding to the public demand for a safe blood supply. As a result, profound changes are underway in hospital blood donor services, transfusion service inventory controls, and patient transfusion practices. A much more bureaucratic and complex system has emerged. Providing help to patients and physicians as they struggle to cope with the vicissitudes of this confusing new transfusion medicine is the role of the medical director of the hospital blood bank.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1988

Factors influencing silhouette trap captures of the blackfly Austrosimulium bancrofti in Queensland, Australia.

Three silhouette traps of novel design were used to investigate the trap finding ability of female Austrosimulium bancrofti (Taylor) (Diptera: Simuliidae) in southeast Queensland. The traps were 'upright', 'elongate' or 'square' in shape. Five highly significant factors: hour after sunrise, temperature, relative humidity, trap shape and distance between traps, were included in a model which generated fitted estimates of flies captured under defined conditions. The rate of increase and the level of maximum capture rate indicated that the elongate trap captured the highest numbers of blackflies. An interaction between hour after sunrise and temperature suggests a strong endogenous modification of trap finding activity. Numbers captured increased with increasing distance between traps and decreasing relative humidity. The importance of these results in understanding behaviour of A. bancrofti is discussed.

Animals↗