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Biomedical subjects

B Manning

Publications and source records attributed to B Manning.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

Assistive technology--behaviourally assisted.

In considering the recurrent problems involved in technology led initiatives within the public sector, this paper seeks to identify change management requirements needed to help avoid these latent pitfalls in the widespread introduction of Assistive Technology. It develops a change process approach based on current clinical psychology techniques used in assessing sources and level of resistance to behavioural change and applies them to managing effective benefits realisation.

Activities of Daily Living↗

The influence of subintimal angioplasty on level of amputation and limb salvage rates in lower limb critical ischaemia: a 15-year experience.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to assess the influence of subintimal angioplasty (SIA) on lower limb amputation rate and level in critically ischaemic limbs. METHODS: Between January 1989 and March 2004, 1268 patients were admitted for treatment of lower limb critical ischaemia. Eight hundred and twenty-nine patients underwent revascularisation (bypass 671 and angioplasty 158), while 439 patients had primary amputations. A retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained vascular registry was performed. Patients were divided into two groups, those who were admitted prior to the availability of subintimal angioplasty and those treated post-introduction of angioplasty. The two groups were compared with regards to age, sex, diabetes mellitus, ASA grade, Rutherford classification and level of disease. Outcome was assessed by the limb salvage rate, 30-day morbidity and mortality, and length of hospital stay. RESULTS: The average number of revascularisation increased with the introduction of subintimal angioplasty, from 53 to 96 per year (p<0.001). The overall limb salvage rate increased significantly from 42 to 70% (p<0.001). The cumulative limb salvage rate following revascularisation rose from 72 to 86% (p<0.001). The level of amputation (AKA:BKA) did not vary significantly. Thirty-day morbidity, mortality and length of hospital stay were significantly lower in the post-angioplasty group. CONCLUSIONS: Technical advances have resulted in a steadying of amputation numbers despite an ageing population.

Aged↗

Introducing handheld computing into a residency program: preliminary results from qualitative and quantitative inquiry.

Although published reports describe specific handheld computer applications in medical training, we know very little yet about how, and how well, handheld computing fits into the spectrum of information resources available for patient care and physician training. This paper reports preliminary quantitative and qualitative results from an evaluation study designed to track changes in computer usage patterns and computer-related attitudes before and after introduction of handheld computing. Pre-implementation differences between residents and faculty s usage patterns are interpreted in terms of a "work role" construct. We hypothesize that over time residents and faculty will adopt, adapt, or abandon handheld computing according to how, and how well, this technology supports their successful completion of work role-related tasks. This hypothesis will be tested in the second phase of this pre- and post-implementation study.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

The use of regenerable, affinity ligand-based surfaces for immunosensor applications.

The regeneration of antibody-binding surfaces is of major importance for re-usable sensor formats such as required for direct 'real-time' biosensing technologies and is often difficult to achieve. Antibodies commonly bind the antigen with high avidity and may themselves be sensitive to regeneration conditions. The interaction of polyclonal anti-chlorpyriphos antibody with an immobilised chlorpyriphos-ovalbumin (chlor-oval) conjugate and the interaction of soluble recombinant CD4 with covalently immobilised anti-CD4 IgG are presented in order to highlight these difficulties. Affinity-capture is suggested as an alternative format as it facilitates surface regeneration, directed immobilisation and the attainment of interaction progress curves that conform to the ideal pseudo-first-order kinetic interaction model. Protein A, protein G and polyclonal anti-mouse Fe-coated surfaces were used to observe the interaction of captured anti-GST monoclonal antibody with glutathione-s-transferase (GST). It was shown that a protein A affinity-capture surface produced ideal interaction progress curves while both protein G and polyclonal anti-mouse Fe resulted in systemic deviations.

Affinity Labels↗

Time of onset of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and genetic variation in the beta 3-adrenergic-receptor gene.

BACKGROUND: The beta 3-adrenergic receptor is expressed in visceral adipose tissue and is thought to contribute to the regulation of the resting metabolic rate and lipolysis. METHODS: To investigate whether mutations in the gene for the beta 3-adrenergic receptor predispose patients to obesity and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), we studied this gene in 10 Pima Indians by analysis of single-stranded conformational polymorphisms and dideoxy sequence analysis. Association studies were performed in 642 Pima subjects (390 with NIDDM and 252 without NIDDM). RESULTS: A missense mutation was identified in the gene for the beta 3-adrenergic receptor that results in the replacement of tryptophan by arginine (Trp64Arg) in the first intracellular loop of the receptor. This mutation was detected with allelic frequencies of 0.31 in Pima Indians, 0.13 in 62 Mexican Americans, 0.12 in 49 blacks, and 0.08 in 48 whites in the United States. Among Pimas, the frequency of the Trp64Arg mutation was similar in nondiabetic and diabetic subjects. However, in subjects homozygous for the mutation the mean (+/- SD) age at the onset of NIDDM was significantly lower (36 +/- 10 years) than in Trp64Arg heterozygotes (40 +/- 10 years) or normal homozygotes (41 +/- 11 years; P = 0.02). Furthermore, subjects with the mutation tended to have a lower adjusted resting metabolic rate (P = 0.14 by analysis of covariance). CONCLUSIONS: Pima subjects homozygous for the Trp64Arg beta 3-adrenergic-receptor mutation have an earlier onset of NIDDM and tend to have a lower resting metabolic rate. This mutation may accelerate the onset of NIDDM by altering the balance of energy metabolism in visceral adipose tissue.

Adult↗

Comparative neuromuscular blocking actions of levamisole and pyrantel-type anthelmintics on rat and gastrointestinal nematode somatic muscle.

The basis for the comparative toxicity to parasitic nematodes and their mammalian hosts of the anthelmintics levamisole, pyrantel, and several related analogs on somatic nicotinic cholinergic transmission was examined. Measurements of muscle contractility and membrane potential were made using the isolated hemidiaphragm preparation of the rat and isolated axial muscle segments from the gastrointestinal nematode Haemonchus contortus. Pyrantel caused a dose- and time-dependent reduction of nerve-evoked twitches in the rat diaphragm. These effects were exacerbated by increasing the frequency of phrenic nerve stimulation from 0.5 to 50 Hz. Levamisole was less potent and the onset of its effects slower than pyrantel. Neither drug significantly affected twitches evoked from d-tubocurarine-blocked preparations following direct stimulation of the diaphragm. Twitch depression was reversed by washing, but not by application of physostigmine. In H. contortus, both drugs stimulated a spastic contraction and sustained paralysis in the concentration range of 1-10 microM, mimicking the action of nicotine. Neither nicotinic nor muscarinic antagonists blocked these responses. Moreover, neither nicotinic antagonists nor muscarinic agonists or antagonists had any independent effect on contractility of the parasite muscle segments. The blocking actions of levamisole and pyrantel on H. contortus axial muscle were associated with membrane depolarization at the muscle. In the rat-isolated hemidiaphragm, pyrantel, but not levamisole, depolarized end-plate regions of muscle fibers. d-Tubocurarine blocked the depolarizing action of pyrantel but not levamisole on rat-isolated hemidiaphragm. In axial muscle fibers of H. contortus, d-tubocurarine did not block the depolarizing actions of pyrantel, levamisole, or nicotine. 3-Bromo and 3-amino derivatives of levamisole were equipotent with and mimicked the actions of the parent compound on H. contortus axial muscle contractility. In the rat preparation, the 3-bromo derivative was more potent than levamisole or 3-amino-levamisole. 3-Amino-levamisole, but not 3-bromo-levamisole, depolarized muscle end-plate membrane in the rat diaphragm. Results of the present study are consistent with the following conclusions: (a) both levamisole and pyrantel block contractility of nematode axial muscle by causing sustained depolarization of the muscle membrane; (b) both drugs block neuromuscular transmission at the mammalian neuromuscular junction but their mechanisms appear to differ; (c) levamisole and pyrantel are more potent blockers of neuromuscular transmission in H. contortus than in the rat. These results suggest that potentially important pharmacological differences exist between nematode and mammalian somatic nicotinic receptors.

Animals↗

Immunosensors in medical diagnostics--major hurdles to commercial success.

In the last few years the format of commercial immunoassays has dramatically changed. Automated instruments running up to 180 samples per hour and dry strip or film immunochemistry products are now available. These changes have been precipitated by the need for immunoassays that require less time and skill to perform. To date, no immunosensor technology has been successfully commercialized although a few are purported to be on the brink of being released for sale. Here, B. Manning and T. Maley evaluate the major factors affecting the success of immunosensors.

Biosensing Techniques↗

Syphilis in pregnant black women.

Serological tests for syphilis (with rapid plasma reagin) were performed in 2 767 women attending the antenatal clinic of King Edward VIII Hospital, Durban, for their first, booking visit. The test was repeated at the 36th week of pregnancy. A total of 152 women (5,5%) were assumed to have syphilis. In addition, 4 (11,8%) of 34 patients who were seronegative at less than 32 weeks of pregnancy had a positive serological test result at 36 weeks.

Black or African American↗

Lysine needs of rapidly growing turkeys from 12-22 weeks of age.

Two experiments were conducted with Large White male turkeys to investigate the lysine requirement from 12 to 22 weeks of age. Six pens of 20 turkeys were fed each of the experimental diets. In experiment 1, a basal diet containing wheat, meat meal, cottonseed meal and distillers dried grains with solubles was supplemented with four levels of L-lysine. Lysine at 4.27% of protein and 2.31 g./mcal. of metabolizable energy from 16 to 20 weeks of age, and 1.83 g. from 20 to 22 weeks of age was inadequate for optimum growth and feed efficiency (16-22 weeks). Supplementing the diet with lysine from soybean meal gave performance equivalent to synthetic lysine, indicating that it was fully available. Performance of turkeys fed a diet containing 88% triticale from 16 to 20 weeks of age, and 72% from 20 to 22 weeks of age was equivalent to that of turkeys fed a more complex ration with an equivalent level of lysine. In experiment 2, Large White male turkeys were fed a basal diet composed largely of triticale and soybean meal from 12 to 20 weeks of age with different levels of added lysine. From 12 to 16 weeks of age, 3.11 g. lysine/mcal. of M.E. (4.9% of protein) was adequate for optimum growth and feed efficiency. From 16-20 weeks of age 2.36 g. lysine/mcal. of M.E. (4.3% of protein) was adequate for optimum performance. Although the estimated requirement from 16 to 20 weeks of age based on the two experiments differs (perhaps because of differences in lysine availability), the results suggest that the current N.R.C. recommendation may be higher than necessary.

Age Factors↗

Chemotherapy, BCG, and serum from tumor-bearing mice: comparative effects on growth and spread of mouse Lewis lung cancer.

In 101 mice, Lewis lung tumor (25 mg apiece) was implanted subcutaneously in the right hind limb and the mice separated into various groups and protocols to test treatment with immunotherapeutic and chemotherapeutic agents. In those treated intralesionally with BCG, the growth of primary tumor was retarded (P smaller than or equal to .05). Tumor growth in animals treated with systemic BCG and serum from tumor-bearing mice was not different from controls. In 14 of 20 mice treated with chemotherapy (semustine and cyclophosphamide), there was no primary or metastatic growth (P smaller than or equal to .01). The observations show that this sort of systemic immunotherapy had no effect on mouse Lewis lung tumor, that intralesionally there was a retarding effect of BCG (although it did not influence metastases), and that this protocol of chemotherapy was strikingly effective.

Animals↗

Factors affecting the access of mitochondrial kynurenine aminotransferase to its substrates.

The kynurenine aminotransferase activity of isolated rat kidney mitochondria is enhanced several-fold by membrane disruption or by the addition of 1 mM CaCl2. The addition of CaCl2 can thus be used conveniently to obtain full expression of the mitochondrial enzyme activity. CaCl2 apparently stimulates the activity by facilitating the penetration of the mitochondrial inner membrane by the substrate, alpha-ketoglutarate. Consistent with this view, two inhibitors of dicarboxylate translocation, benzylmalonate and quinolinate, inhibited the activity of the isolated mitochondria but not that of the disrupted mitochondria. Both inhibitions were prevented at higher Ca++ concentrations, suggesting that thes compounds inhibit by complexing Ca++ needed for the translocation of alpha-ketoglutarate. This action of quinolinate may explain its ability to interfere in vivo with the mitochondrial translocation of dicarboxylates as reported by Spydevold et al.

2-Aminoadipic Acid↗