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J D Millar

Publications and source records attributed to J D Millar.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

The right to know in the workplace. The moral dimension.

The makers of public policy cannot avoid the deep and often strident public controversy over the nature and scope of basic moral rights. There are persuasive defenders on both sides of the issue. Forging public policy in the absence of a broad public consensus is nothing more than the arbitrary imposition by government of some preferred, but not necessarily privileged, moral view. It hardly seems the legitimate role of a democratic government, even in the name of moral leadership, to so impose views that are deeply controversial and not capable of broad-based support by the population at large. It is better by far, for reasons of stable public policy, that we seek the painful path of building a general public consensus among the well-informed and well-meaning citizenry. If no such consensus can be achieved, then the law will, as a matter of necessity, settle the issue in the interest of the efficient discharge of general social functions. . .and that is really not a particularly unfortunate outcome.

Consumer Advocacy↗

Differences in results from in vivo and in vitro studies on the use-dependency of N-methylaspartate antagonism by MK-801 and other phencyclidine receptor ligands.

We have used microelectrophoretic and intravenous administration of drugs to rat spinal cord neurones in vivo and bath application to rat cortical wedges in vitro to evaluate MK-801 and other phencyclidine (PCP) receptor ligands as N-methylaspartate (NMA) antagonists, paying particular regard to the possible use-dependent nature of their action. MK-801, 0.1-0.5 mg/kg, was a selective and long-lasting NMA antagonist. We were unable to demonstrate significant use-dependent onset of antagonism of NMA by any of the drugs in vivo. Recovery, however, for MK-801 was use-dependent. In vitro there was a gradation with MK-801 being very use-dependent, followed by (PCP), cyclazocine and ketamine, the last showing little or no use-dependence. Results of experiments modulating the in vitro environment suggest that a significant difference between the in vitro and in vivo systems was temperature. Raising the temperature of the wedge chamber from 23 to 33 degrees C reduced the use-dependence of MK-801, and lowering the temperature to 13 degrees C increased the use-dependence of PCP. The mechanism of action of PCP receptor ligands is discussed in the light of these results.

Animals↗

Summary of "Proposed national strategies for the prevention of leading work-related diseases and injuries, Part 1".

Strategies for the prevention of leading occupational health problems have been proposed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). NIOSH prepared these strategies following publication in 1983 of its suggested list of ten leading work-related diseases and injuries. At a national symposium in 1985, occupational health experts from academia, organized labor, management, professional associations, and voluntary organizations conducted an in-depth evaluation of the prevention strategies for the first five conditions on the list: occupational lung diseases, musculoskeletal injuries, occupational cancers, severe occupational traumatic injuries, and occupational cardiovascular diseases. The strategies were then revised to incorporate improvements suggested at the symposium and were published in booklet form. A summary of the revised strategies is provided.

Accidents, Occupational↗

Metabolism, excretion, pharmacokinetics and tissue residues of phenylbutazone in the horse.

The pharmacokinetics, metabolism, excretion and tissue residues of phenylbutazone (PBZ) in the horse were studied following both intravenous and oral administration of the drug at a dose rate of 4.4 mg/kg. A 72-hour blood sampling schedule failed to demonstrate a third exponential phase; the plasma disposition following intravenous injection being described by a two compartment open model, with the following elimination phase parameters: beta = 0.13h-1, t1/2 beta = 5.46h, Vdarea = 0.141 1/kg and C1B = 17.9 ml/kg/h. The hydroxylated metabolites oxyphenbutazone (OPBZ) and gamma-hydroxyphenylbutazone (OHPBZ) were present in detectable concentrations in plasma for 72 and 24 h, respectively. After 36 h OPBZ concentrations exceeded plasma PBZ concentrations. In urine the principal metabolites were OPBZ and OHPBZ but smaller concentrations of another compound, probably gamma-hydroxyoxyphenbutazone (OHOPBZ), were also detected. The percentages of the administered dose recovered from urine were 30.7, 39.0 and 40.3 after 24, 48 and 72 h from the time of injection. Recovery of PBZ and its metabolites from urine was significantly reduced in the first 24 h after oral dosing when the horses had free access to hay, probably as a result of markedly delayed absorption, but this did not occur in animals deprived of food for a few hours before and after dosing. Determination of approximate values of urine/plasma (U/P) concentration ratios for PBZ and its metabolites relative to endogenous creatinine U/P concentration ratio suggested that PBZ was filtered in small amounts only because of the high degree of plasma protein binding and then excreted by diffusion trapping in the alkaline urine. Much higher U/P ratios were obtained for the hydroxylated derivatives, and one at least (OHPBZ) was secreted into urine.

Animals↗

Medical screening and biological monitoring for the effects of exposure in the workplace. Screening and monitoring: tools for prevention.

The mission of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is the prevention of work-related diseases and injuries. Medical screening and biological monitoring are recognized as important tools of prevention; however, the number of complex and sophisticated tests available has created new problems of choice in this field. Many of these tests have no relevance to preventing work-related diseases or injuries. To provide important guidelines in this area, NIOSH has identified the ten leading work-related diseases and injuries (Table 1). Several of these medical screening and biological monitoring techniques can be applied as tools for prevention. Within this framework, achieving the goal of preventing work-related diseases and injuries can be enhanced by collecting, analyzing, and interpreting information about occupational health problems.

Accidents, Occupational↗

Biochemical and haematological effects of a revised dosage schedule of phenylbutazone in horses.

Five pairs of matched horses were used to study the biochemical and haematological effects of a revised dosage schedule of phenylbutazone. One group of five horses received a phenylbutazone paste formulation daily for 12 days and a second group of five animals received a placebo preparation for a similar time. Some statistically significant differences were recorded from pretreatment levels in both groups of horses. These changes represented instability in baseline levels and could not be ascribed to phenylbutazone administration.

Animals↗