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Biomedical subjects

D Ruth

Publications and source records attributed to D Ruth.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Use of a hand-held, metered-dose aerosol delivery device to administer pirbuterol acetate to horses with 'heaves'.

Aerosol administration of bronchodilators to horses is recommended for treatment of certain airway diseases such as 'heaves'. We have developed a novel, hand-held, metered-dose inhaler and we sought to determine the bronchodilator efficacy of the beta 2 adrenoceptor agonist pirbuterol delivered by this device to horses affected with 'heaves'. To induce airway obstruction, 6 heaves-susceptible horses were stabled, bedded on straw and fed hay. When the maximum change in pleural pressure during tidal breathing (delta Pplmax) was greater than 20 cmH2O on 2 consecutive days, pulmonary function was measured before and 5, 10 and 30 min, as well as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 h after administration of aerosol pirbuterol. Pirbuterol was administered using a metered canister and the hand-held delivery device that was inserted into the left nostril. Either vehicle or pirbuterol acetate (400, 600, 800, 1200 or 1600 micrograms) was administered to each horse. Relief of airway obstruction indicated by changes in pulmonary function was observed within 5 min after administration of both vehicle and pirbuterol. Significant decreases in delta Pplmax and pulmonary resistance (RL) and an increase in dynamic compliance (Cdyn) persisted for the 7 h duration of the experiment. Comparison of the effect of vehicle and pirbuterol at each time period showed that pirbuterol decreased RL and delta Pplmax significantly for up to 1 h. The optimal dose was determined to be 600 micrograms. Immediate response to treatment, magnitude of drug effect and lack of side effects indicated that aerosol pirbuterol is an effective and safe bronchodilator in horses with 'heaves'. The hand-held, metered-dose aerosol delivery device was very convenient and extremely effective and is, therefore, recommended for delivery of therapeutic aerosols to horses.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1995

Expression of the CMS-associated urfS sequence in transgenic petunia and tobacco.

The expression of a 25 kDa protein, encoded by the fused mitochondrial pcf gene, is associated with cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) in petunia. To investigate the role of the 25 kDa protein in CMS we have transformed petunia and tobacco plants with constructs expressing a portion of the urfS sequence of the pcf cDNA which encodes the 25 kDa protein. The urfS sequence was fused with two different mitochondrial targeting sequences. The chimeric gene coding region was placed under the control of the CaMV 35S promoter or a tapetum-specific promoter. Expression of the PCF protein was obtained in mitochondria of transgenic petunia and tobacco plants, yet fertility of the plants was not affected. Analysis of the location of the urfS-encoded protein revealed that it fractionates primarily into the soluble fraction in the transgenic plants whereas the genuine 25 kDa protein is found primarily in the soluble fraction but also in the membrane portion of immature buds from CMS petunia plants. Fertile transgenic plants were obtained which expressed the 25 kDa protein in the tapetal layer of post-meiotic anthers, while CMS plants express the endogenous 25 kDa protein in both the tapetal layer and sporogenous tissue of pre-meiotic anthers.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

A survey of environmental and occupational health needs of GPs.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate general practitioners' experience of the nature and frequency of patient consultations about environmental health matters, and about preferred sources of information to assist in designing continuing medical educational programs in environmental and occupational health. STUDY DESIGN/PARTICIPANTS: 491 randomly selected Victorian GPs were mailed a 16-item questionnaire. RESULTS: 80% of GPs responded to the survey questionnaire. GPs reported that between 1% and 4% of consultations were environmental health related in their average caseload. The commonest environmental health concerns expressed by patients were allergy or chemical sensitivity, outdoor and indoor air quality, asbestos, and fears about exposure to environmental carcinogens. Significant differences in concerns were observed between rural, large town and urban GPs, reflecting the types of exposures encountered in those environments. Seventy-two per cent of GPs said they did not have enough access to information of environmental health, and 55% were prepared to undertake further educational activities. Preferred methods of education included journal articles, CHECK programs and clinical meetings. CONCLUSIONS: Most GPs see a need for further education and improved access to information and resources to manage patients' environmental health concerns. It is suggested a variety of avenues be utilised to meet the range of preferred ways of learning expressed by GPs.

Data Collection↗
PubMed1994

Patient drug education. Improving the working relationship between general practitioners and pharmacists.

Qualitative research with GPs, pharmacists and consumers explored their views of patients' needs for drug information, and perceived difficulties in communication between GPs, patients and pharmacists. Strategies suggested by participants for improving patient drug education were: guidelines for giving information on medication; conventions for writing the prescription; a referral mechanism from the pharmacist to the GP; distribution of patient education materials; professional bodies to reduce ethical and organisational barriers to inter professional communication; and the development of local networks and education programs.

Drug Information Services↗
PubMed1992

Randomised trial of three approaches for marketing smoking cessation programmes to Australian general practitioners.

OBJECTIVE: To compare three approaches for marketing a quit smoking intervention kit to general practitioners. DESIGN: Randomised trial of (a) personal delivery and presentation by an educational facilitator with a follow up visit six weeks later; (b) delivery to the receptionist by a friendly volunteer courier with a follow up phone call six weeks later, or (c) postal delivery with a follow up letter six weeks later. SETTING: Melbourne, Australia. SUBJECTS: 264 randomly selected general practitioners. DATA COLLECTION: A research assistant visited each doctor four months after delivery and measured use of components of the kit. A questionnaire measuring perceptions of aspects of the kit and its delivery was completed by doctors. Costs of each approach were calculated. RESULTS: Doctors receiving the educational facilitator approach were significantly more likely than those receiving the other two approaches to have seen the kit, to rate the method of delivery as engendering motivation to try the kit, to have used one of the "intensive intervention" components from the kit, to report that they found the kit less complicated, and to report greater knowledge of how to use the kit. There were no significant differences in use of "minimal intervention" components of the kit, ratings of overall acceptability of delivery, perceptions of cultural and structural barriers to using the kit, and ratings of the overall acceptability of the kit. The cost of the educational facilitator approach ($A142/doctor) was 24 times that of the mailed approach. The volunteer courier approach ($A14) was twice the cost of the mailed approach. CONCLUSION: Educational facilitators and volunteer couriers do not seem to be cost effective strategies for distributing smoking interventions.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Variation of macrophage migration by a factor from regional lymph node cells of breast cancer patients.

Using a standard heterologous assay in which lymphokines alter guinea pig peritoneal macrophage migration, it was found that regional lymph node cells (RLNCs) from patients with primary breast cancer elaborate soluble factors which variably affect such migration. Variation of migration resulted when soluble factors employed were obtained from different nodes in the same patient as well as from nodes from different patients. Some nodes from a patient elaborated migration inhibition factors (MIF) and other migration enhancing factors (MEF). The findings are in keeping with others obtained by us relative to the variation in lymphocyte transformation and thymidine uptake by RLNCs and further emphasize that all RLNs in patients with breast cancer are not biologically similar. They lend support to our previous hypothesis that the reason why some RLNs contain metastases and others do not is more likely due to biological differences than because of anatomical happenstance, i.e., transport of tumor cells to some nodes and not to others.

Adenocarcinoma↗