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Biomedical subjects

A Griffiths

Publications and source records attributed to A Griffiths.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

IV fluids and minor gynaecological surgery: effect on recovery from anaesthesia.

This study has examined the effect of hydration on immediate recovery from anaesthesia in two groups of 15 patients undergoing therapeutic abortion. A standard anaesthetic technique was administered. Patients in group I received no preoperative fluid; those in group II received, before anaesthesia, 20 ml kg-1 of 4% glucose and 0.18% saline. Recovery was assessed using two tests of psychomotor function: a reaction time test and a letter cancellation task. Subjective symptoms were assessed with a questionnaire. There was a significant decrease in reaction time after operation (both motor and reaction times) in group I (no fluids), but not in group II (fluids). There were no significant between-group differences in objective tests or subjective measures. Thus we could not demonstrate any obvious benefit of i.v. fluid administration. Approximately 500 patients would be required to have an 80% chance of establishing a statistically significant between group difference.

Abortion, Therapeutic↗
PubMed1992

Cardiopulmonary transplantation service establishment in the 1990s: Australia--a developing country?

1. A National Transplantation Service has been established at the Alfred Hospital performing more than 50 transplants per year. 2. Increased access to transplantation technology has facilitated an improvement in national population servicing from 2.7 to 6.2 transplants per million population per year. National funding of A$4.062 million per year has been secured. 3. Basic research into organ preservation has facilitated transcontinental organ procurement. 4. An active lung transplantation program has been established synchronous with the cardiac transplant service activities. 5. MCS program establishment has paralleled clinical transplantation activities. 6. Budget management and cost containment has been achieved through rationalisation of management protocols.

Australia↗
PubMed1991

Temporal mapping of the differentiation pathway of the murine erythroleukemia cell.

These studies are concerned with "mapping" the temporal order of the precommitment events in the differentiation pathway of the Friend erythroleukemia cell. We have used a single-block procedure in which a differentiation-specific inhibitor of a temperature-sensitive (ts) differentiation-defective mutation was used to block the differentiation program. Later, the block was removed, differentiation was allowed to proceed, and the time required to reach a reference marker was monitored. These studies have indicated that the mutations tsC2GP1 and tsB5A, the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor 3-aminobenzamide, and the glucocorticoid hormone dexamethasone blocked functions which are required just prior to commitment. We have also used a double-block procedure involving two consecutive restrictive conditions, which suggests that the 3-aminobenzamide- and tsC2GP1-blocked functions constitute a part of a sequentially ordered pathway leading to terminal differentiation. The convergence of the 3-aminobenzamide, dexamethasone, and ts mutational blocks just prior to commitment suggests that the blocked functions may be part of a major control mechanism for commitment. In these studies, we have introduced a cytochalasin B-based assay to monitor commitment. The use of cytochalasin B permits a direct assay for commitment and obviates the need for colony-forming assays using semisolid medium, which have inherent problems such as efficiency of plating.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Non-steroidal follicular factors attenuate the self-priming action of gonadotropin-releasing hormone on the pituitary gonadotroph.

Pituitary glands of pro-oestrous and oestrous rats were perifused in series with isolated ovarian follicles and the luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) responses to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) were measured. Pituitary glands from pro-oestrous rats, perifused with the effluent medium from isolated preovulatory follicles, showed a significant reduction in the self-priming effect of GnRH as observed from the typical biphasic LH response to a continuous GnRH challenge. The initial FSH response to GnRH was also reduced. A similar trend was seen in the LH responses of pituitary glands from oestrous rats but results were not significant; there was no parallel reduction in FSH release. It is unlikely that the attenuation of GnRH self-priming was due to the steroids released by the isolated follicles. LH responses of pro-oestrous pituitaries, perifused with medium containing 200 pg oestradiol/ml, 5 ng progesterone/ml or 200 pg testosterone/ml were similar to paired controls as were the responses when all three steroids were added to the perifusing media at identical concentrations. Furthermore, when steroids were charcoal extracted from the effluent medium of perifused isolated follicles the biological activity of this medium in attenuating GnRH self-priming was not destroyed. Finally, the effects of purified bovine inhibin and steroid-free human follicular fluid (hFF) on LH responses were compared. Purified inhibin at a concentration of 20 or 50 ng/ml perifusing medium had no effect on GnRH-stimulated LH release although GnRH-stimulated FSH secretion was significantly reduced toward the end of an extended perifusing period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Acrodermatitis enteropathica with normal serum zinc levels: diagnostic value of small bowel biopsy and essential fatty acid determination.

We report a patient with acrodermatitis enteropathica and a normal serum zinc level in whom the diagnosis was confirmed by plasma phospholipid fatty acid and a small bowel biopsy response to oral zinc therapy. Acrodermatitis enteropathica is a rare autosomal recessive condition of zinc deficiency characterised by chronic diarrhoea associated with failure to thrive, periorificial dermatitis and alopecia, susceptibility to infections and behavioural changes. Diagnosis is usually established by reduced serum zinc levels (classical acrodermatitis enteropathica). Paneth cell abnormalities on electron microscope of a small bowel biopsy can be supportive. A few cases with the typical picture of acrodermatitis enteropathica without hypozincaemia (variant acrodermatitis enteropathica) have been described. The diagnosis of variant acrodermatitis enteropathica to date has been based on an entirely empiric, but nonetheless convincing clinical response to oral zinc therapy. Laboratory aids to diagnosis have been lacking.

Acrodermatitis↗
PubMed1988

Cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis of health services: the methodology and its application.

This methodological review seeks to explain the different levels of economic analysis, whose nature and use are often ill understood. These include analyses of cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit. A numerical practical example of the cost-effectiveness of a breast cancer screening programme is used to demonstrate the techniques used in practice and the types of problems and questions which may occur. The paper concludes that the development of epidemiological and economic models can make a significant contribution to the analysis of the complex inter-relationships which prevail in the health services, and to the identification of aspects crucial for research and decision-making concerning intervention strategies and evaluation of preventive programmes.

Cost-Benefit Analysis↗