PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Hannan

Publications and source records attributed to A Hannan.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

The challenge of embracing a smoke-free lifestyle: a neglected area in smoking cessation programs.

Relapse prevention theory and practice has focussed on teaching coping skills to deal with withdrawal and temptations to relapse with the result that treatments appear to be effective in reducing relapse over the short term, but not over the longer term. Once cravings subside ex-smokers face a further task of adjusting to a smoke-free lifestyle that involves learning to think and act like a non-smoker. To highlight this task, we operationalized a new conceptual framework that describes three tasks of quitting (the 3Ts): (i) making a quit attempt; (ii) learning to effectively deal with cravings and withdrawal; and (iii) adapting to a smoke-free lifestyle. This was introduced to the Quitline service in Victoria, Australia, in preparation for a randomized controlled trial aimed at testing whether a program of four to six extra callbacks could help ex-smokers with the third task and as a result reduce rates of relapse compared with Quitline's standard callback program. This paper describes the conceptual framework (focussing on the third task) and initial reactions to it from both Quitline advisors and callers. The conceptual framework is now integrated in the service and appears to have changed the way Quitline operates and the apparent expectations of its clients.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

FENS 2000--Federation of European Neuroscience Societies. 24-28 June 2000, Brighton, UK.

This meeting of the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS), hosted by the British Neuroscience Association (BNA), included a diverse range of neuroscience presentations including many of pharmacological relevance. The pharmacological characterization and mode of action of numerous drugs was presented, including IL-1ra, ARL-17477, zVAD-fmk, L-790984, CEP-1347, gacyclidine, NBI-30775, AWD-131-138, flumazenil, ondansetron, LY-367385, MPEP, and NBI-34060.

Journal Article↗

Subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis.

We report the case of a 13-year-old boy who presented with multiple swellings all over the body. His condition remained undiagnosed for over 3 years. Exophiala spinifera was recovered from pus drained from the swellings. We discuss the difficulties in the initial diagnosis and the ease of correct diagnosis once we had used special fungal stains.

Adolescent↗

Helicobacter pylori: isolation from gastric biopsy specimens.

Forty-two gastric biopsies, in two transport media, were homogenized and cultured on three media under micro-aerophilic conditions. Brain-heart infusion agar with a commercial antibiotic supplement (giving 10 mg vancomycin, 5 mg trimethoprim and 2500 i.u. polymixin per litre) yielded the best results. Ordinary chocolate (heated) human blood agar could be used in laboratories with limited resources. Growth was obtained in 4-6 days at 37 degrees C. All isolates were sensitive to metronidazole. The resistance to nalidixic acid and rapid urease production of Helicobacter pylori could be used to differentiate this species from Campylobacter spp. Indicator medium (brain-heart infusion broth with 7% human blood and 40 mg 2,3,5-triphenyletetrazolium chloride agar/litre) also proved useful in identification.

Culture Media↗

Effects of oral pantoprazole on 24-hour intragastric acidity and plasma gastrin profiles.

Pantoprazole selectively blocks gastric parietal cell H+,K(+)-ATPase. To define a dosage regimen for clinical trials we compared the effect of pantoprazole 40 and 60 mg daily on 24-h intragastric acidity and plasma gastrin concentrations using a double-blind, randomized, cross-over design. Eleven men took each of the three regimens (placebo, 40, 60 mg) for 5 days. On Day 5, 24-h pHmetry and plasma gastrin profile were performed. A consistent decrease in intragastric acidity with each dosage regimen was shown by a rise in 24-h median pH from 1.4 (1.2-1.8, IQR) on placebo to 2.3 (1.8-4.4, P = 0.0022) during pantoprazole 40 mg and to 3.5 (2.6-4.9, P = 0.0017) during 60 mg. Pantoprazole 40 and 60 mg maintained the intragastric pH above 3 for 33% and 58% of time, respectively, compared with 15% time with placebo. Twenty-four-hour integrated plasma gastrin concentration rose from 478 to 1798 and 1962 pmol.h/L, respectively. The drug was well tolerated. The decrease of acidity was dose related and should result in clinical efficacy similar to other antisecretory drugs. It is not known whether higher doses might abolish acid secretion. The optimal dose of pantoprazole is yet to be established.

2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles↗

Comparative in vitro activity of enoxacin and other fluoroquinolones against multi-resistant strains of Salmonella typhi.

The in vitro activities of enoxacin, lomefloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, and pefloxacin against 274 strains of Salmonella typhi isolated from suspected typhoid fever patients (137 multi-resistant strains and 137 strains sensitive to chloramphenicol, ampicillin and/or co-trimoxazole) were determined using disk diffusion and agar dilution techniques. In vitro, enoxacin was active against all tested strains with a MIC90 and inhibition zone size against multi-resistant strains of 0.12 mg/l and 34 mm diameter, respectively. Similar results were found with the other fluoroquinolones. Enoxacin and other fluoroquinolones may be the therapy of choice in cases of typhoid fever caused by organisms resistant to the standard therapy, chloramphenicol.

Ampicillin↗

Use of automatic computerised pump to maintain constant intragastric pH.

We used continuous variable rate infusions of famotidine in eight normal volunteers under fasting conditions to raise intragastric pH to 5.0. An intragastric glass electrode continuously monitored acidity and this information was automatically computed to regulate an intravenous infusion system (GastroJet). The computer was programmed to aim for pH 6.0, increasing and lowering infusion rates accordingly. Two regimens were compared with placebo (10 mg bolus followed by infusion or infusion of famotidine alone). Volunteers were admitted to an investigation ward and each study was preceded by a standard normal meal. Hydration was maintained with intravenous fluids. During placebo treatment the median pH was 1.5 and the pH was less than 5.0 for 98% of the time. All volunteers responded to famotidine but dosage requirements varied (range 41 mg to 126 mg). The median pH rose to 6.5 when infusions of famotidine followed boluses and to 6.6 when infusions alone were used - the pH was less than 5.0 for 20% and 16% of the time respectively (p less than 0.05 Wilcoxon compared with placebo). Mean drug use was greater with boluses (98 mg v 87 mg p = 0.03: paired Student's t test) and onset was not apparently faster. Blood famotidine concentrations followed infusion rate changes. Famotidine infused by GastroJet maintains a high fasting intragastric pH and priming boluses are probably unnecessary.

Adult↗

HLA frequencies in Pakistani population.

HLA frequencies on 1231 subjects from within the country, using methods employed by National Institute of Health, USA is reported. Pakistani population appears to be a mixture of an indigenous population with others particularly Orientals and Negroids. Relationship with Caucasians is not convincing.

Gene Frequency↗

In vitro activity of ofloxacin against 210 clinical isolates of typhoid salmonellae.

210 clinical isolates of typhoid salmonellae, cultivated from blood of patients with typhoid fever (108 strains of Salmonella typhi, 99 strains of Salmonella paratyphi A and three strains of Salmonella paratyphi B) as well as 266 random clinical isolates of Escherichia coli (n = 152), Klebsiella spp. (n = 51) and Proteus spp. (n = 63) were tested for susceptibility to ofloxacin, using an agar dilution method. All the typhoid salmonellae were found to be highly sensitive to ofloxacin with MICs ranging from 0.03 mg/l to 0.12 mg/l. The sensitivity pattern of enterobacteriaceae was comparable to data published internationally.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗