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Biomedical subjects

D Sixsmith

Publications and source records attributed to D Sixsmith.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Doing it right the first time: quality improvement and the contaminant blood culture.

The aim of the project was to determine whether the rate of contaminant blood cultures could be reduced by using a team of dedicated phlebotomists. Comparisons were made between adult patients requiring blood cultures for suspected bacteremia on medical and surgical units before and after the introduction and withdrawal of a dedicated blood culture team. The results showed that a significant reduction in the contaminant blood culture rate was achieved by the blood culture team (P < 0.001; chi(2) test). Therefore, in our experience, the rate of contaminant blood cultures can be reduced in a teaching hospital by using a team of dedicated phlebotomists. Calculations made with our data and those published by others suggest that cost savings from reducing false-positive blood cultures are greater than the cost of the blood culture team.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Measurement of occupational stress in hospital settings: two validity studies of a measure of self-reported stress in medical emergency rooms.

The present study details the development of a stress scale for medical personnel. The Medical Personnel Stress Scale is a 48-item subjective stress measure capable of assessing both organizational and individual dimensions of stress. It demonstrated both the ability to discriminate between divergent medical emergency room organizations and to predict self reported on-the-job difficulties.

Emergency Service, Hospital↗
PubMed1981

The effect of punch tip geometry on powder movement during the tableting process.

Axial and radial powder movements during the tableting process have been studied using punches with various tip geometries. Radial powder movement has been shown to occur. Alteration of punch tip geometry did affect both axial and radial powder movement, the extent being dependent on the relative curvature of the punch tip. Addition of lubricant decreased relative axial movement but had little effect on radial movement.

Drug Compounding↗
PubMed1977

The effect of compression on some physical properties of microcrystalline cellulose powders.

Tablets have been prepared from previously characterized microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel) powders, using an instrumented single station tablet machine. The regenerated particle size was found to increase in compaction pressure. Compaction caused a slight initial decrease in B.E.T. surface area, followed by an increase mainly as a result of elastic recovery of the particles. The intra-particulate pore size distribution showed no change throughout the range of compaction pressures studied, demonstrating that the internal pores did not collapse. Measurement of the interparticulate porosity by mercury porosimetry, liquid penetration techniques and scanning electron microscopy showed a decrease in this parameter with increase in compaction pressure. The dissolution behaviour from the compacts showed in general a decreased rate with increase in compaction pressure, that from the cellulose grade PH 105 being slower than from the remaining grades.

1-Propanol↗
PubMed1977

The properties of tablets containing microcrystalline cellulose.

Tablets have been prepared from mixtures of microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel) and spray dried lactose. Tests on these showed that a maximum value of dissolution rate occurred as the percentage of the cellulose increased. This maximum was at 4% w/w for mixtures containing Avicel PH 101 and coincided with the point of maximum liquid penetration rate. With grade PH 105 this maximum was at 2% w/w and corresponded to the optimum balance between the opposing factors of disintegration and liquid penetration rate. Addition of up to 2% w/w magnesium stearate to the formulation containing 4% w/w PH 101 grade had little effect on pore structure, but decreased the dissolution rate by retarding water penetration. Similar concentrations of Carbowax 4000 caused no such decrease.

Cellulose↗