PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

G S Roberts

Publications and source records attributed to G S Roberts.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Between policy and practice: Japan's Silver Human Resource Centers as viewed from the inside.

The Silver Human Resource Centers (SHRC) were first established in 1980 to address the economic and psychological needs of Japan's growing numbers of senior citizens. The Centers, through which people are introduced to jobs in their locales and from which they receive remuneration for services performed, are by now well established throughout Japan. This article examines the gap between SHRC members' evaluations of the Centers and the Center guidelines, as stated in their published literature and in interviews with program administrators. The analysis is fourfold: (1) it explores the members' reasons for participating in the program; (2) it discusses their assessments of it; (3) it examines gender and social class differences in program planning and participation; and (4) it analyzes the Ministry of Labor's plan for new directions for the Centers. Although new policy directions do address many members' concerns, they do not attempt to question or change the status quo of the gendered division of labor in Japanese society.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Management of land and livestock contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls.

Investigations were conducted on several small neighbouring beef cattle and sheep farms that were found to be contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The residues detected contained about 62% w/w chlorine and soil concentrations ranged from 0.35 to 1.9 mg/kg. Beef cattle and sheep grazing the contaminated land had PCB concentrations in their fat of 0.3 to 1.7 mg/kg and 0.19 to 0.45 mg/kg, respectively. The concentration of PCBs in the caudal fat of cattle was 0.3 to 2 times the concentration of PCBs in the land they were grazing and was positively related to stocking rates. PCBs were present in milk fat from cattle at about the same concentration as in caudal fat, and lactation appeared to contribute to decontamination. Wool grease from sheep contained about 1 to 2 times the concentration of PCBs in subcutaneous fat. Calves of contaminated cows also became contaminated. The half-life for decontamination of PCBs in a group of 8 young female beef cattle was calculated at 13 months. PCBs were detected in pasture samples at concentrations ranging from less than 0.01 mg/kg to 0.12 mg/kg. However, PCBs were not detected in any sample of hay cut from these paddocks. In 4 sheep fed a sole ration of this hay, traces of PCBs were detected in their fat following 89 days of feeding. Grazing livestock for meat production on land contaminated with PCBs is not recommended because livestock readily acquire residues, and PCBs persist in soil and livestock for long periods. Grazing sheep for wool production on land contaminated with PCBs may be an option.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1984

Detection of cardiac dysrhythmias by continuous electrocardiographic recording in children undergoing cardiac surgery.

The incidence of dysrhythmias was studied using 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring in 65 consecutive cases of children undergoing cardiac surgery. Recordings were made prior to surgery and in the early (1-10 days) and late (3-12 months) post operative periods. Prior to surgery, 25% of the patients displayed supraventricular dysrhythmias (SVD) and 39% ventricular dysrhythmias (VD). Immediately following surgery a dramatic increase in incidence occurred in both SVD and VD. On late follow-up the frequency of ectopy decreased but not to pre-operative levels. Standard 12-lead ECG was much less sensitive than Holter monitoring, detecting less than 25% of all dysrhythmias. Assessment of preoperative rhythm status is necessary to properly interpret postoperative dysrhythmias. Twenty-four hour ambulatory ECG recording is essential for the detection and evaluation of dysrhythmias in children undergoing cardiac surgery.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

The emergency evacuation of a geriatrics hospital in Toxteth.

The evacuation of a 102-bed geriatrics hospital in the middle of the night and from the centre of a riot in Toxteth, Liverpool, is described, together with its effect on the patients involved. No increase in the mortality rate occurred during the six weeks following the evacuation, but a significant increase in morbidity was found. Specific recommendations are made for action to be taken should other city centre geriatrics hospitals need to be evacuated in similar circumstances.

Aged↗
PubMed1978

Inhibition of lower esophageal sphincter circular muscle by female sex hormones.

To determine the effect of estrogenic and progesteronic activity on lower esophageal sphincter (LES) circular muscle, studies were performed on 20 adult opossums. Does-response curves on circular smooth muscle strips from the LES were constructed for gastrin and acetylcholine alone, and with 17beta-estradiol and/or progesterone added. Each female hormone significantly decreased the maximal LES muscle responses to gastrin and acetylcholine. A combination of 17beta-estradiol and progesterone abolished the response to gastrin. In contrast, the male sex hormone, dihydrotestosterone, had no effect. In conclusion, administration of estrogen and progesteron, but not dihydrotestosterone, in vitro reduced LES muscle responses to gastrin and acetylcholine. These studies suggest that the female sex hormones can alter LES function and potentially may be of importance in the pathogenesis of heartburn of pregnancy.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1978

Altered lower esophageal sphincter function during early pregnancy.

To determine whether lower esophageal sphincter (LES) function was normal during early pregnancy, studies were performed in 8 pregnant women before and after abortion. Resting LES pressures were 22.1 +/- 2.4 and 22.6 +/- 2.3 mm Hg before and after abortion, respectively. During early pregnancy the LES pressure responses to pentagastrin were inhibited significantly. The LES responses to edrophonium and methacholine were decreased also. Finally, LES pressure responses to a protein meal were diminished in an additional 5 pregnant women. Serum concentrations of estrogen and progesterone were elevated during pregnancy, but the serum concentration of gastrin was unchanged. It can be concluded that in early pregnancy the basal LES pressure was within normal limits, but the LES pressure responses to hormonal, pharmacological and physiological stimulation were reduced (during demonstrated elevations of serum concentrations of estrogen and progesterone). These studies suggest that during early pregnancy, when no clinical symptoms of reflux are present, altered LES function may be demonstrated.

Abortion, Induced↗
PubMed1977

The lower esophageal sphincter as a barrier to gastroesophageal reflux.

UNLABELLED: To correlate lower esophageal (LES) pressure and gastroesophageal (GE) reflux, esophageal manometry and GE scintiscanning have been used to study 40 consecutive patients. Serial scintiscanning was performed as the GE pressure gradient was increased in increments. Reflux was calculated from the ratio of esophageal to gastric radioactivity. The relationship between GE reflux and LES pressure was inverse (r = 0.60, P less than 0.005). Two subgroups of 10 patients were studied further. After atropine, LES pressure decreased from 11.2 +/- 1.1 to 5.3 +/- 0.9 mm Hg (P less than 0.01) at 20 min. The GE reflux index increased from 8.3 +/- 2.1 to 13.4 +/- 2.2% (P less than .05). After bethanechol, LES pressure increased from 8.9 +/- 0.8 to 18.5 +/- 1.0 mm Hg (P less than 0.001) at 30 min. GE reflux decreased from 11.9 +/- 2.4 to 5.8 +/- 1.7% (P less than 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: first, GE reflux correlated with basal LES pressure by an inverse relationship; second, atropine decreased LES pressure and increased reflux; third, bethanechol increased LES pressure and decreased reflux. These data suggest that LES pressure is an important determinant of GE competence.

Atropine↗
PubMed1976

Gastroesophageal (GE) scintiscanning to detect and quantitate GE reflux.

To evaluate the gastroesophageal (GE) scintiscan, a technique which detects and quantitates GE reflux, 30 patients with heartburn and a positive acid-reflux test and 20 normal control subjects were studied. Conventional diagnostic tests including barium esophagography, fluoroscopy, esophagogastroscopy, esophageal biopsy, acid perfusion testing, and esophageal manometry were performed on each patient with GE reflux. None of these techniques was sufficiently sensitive in detecting GE reflux. In contrast, GE reflux was visualized by scintiscanning in 27 out of 30 (90%) of patients. The GE reflux index was significantly greater in reflux patients, 11.7 +/- 1.8%, compared to controls 2.7 +/- 0.3%. These studies suggest that GE scintiscanning can detect GE reflux accurately, rapidly, noninvasively, and with greater sensitivity than other diagnostic techniques. In addition, it can be employed to quantitate GE reflux.

Adult↗