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Biomedical subjects

J D Mortimer

Publications and source records attributed to J D Mortimer.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

Copper toxicosis in sibling ferrets.

Two sexually intact female silver-shaded domestic ferret siblings from different litters were examined because of CNS depression and lethargy. Ferret 1 was dehydrated and hypothermic, whereas ferret 2 was icteric and febrile and had serum bilirubin concentration > 12.0 mg/dl and BUN of 59 mg/dl. Despite supportive treatment, the ferrets died within days of evaluation. On necropsy, ferret 1 had chronic hepatopathy, with diffuse vacuolation of hepatocytes. In ferret 2, the liver had centrilobular degeneration and necrosis, and hemoglobinuric nephrosis was evident, with hemoglobin in the renal tubules. In both ferrets, Kupffer's cells and macrophages contained eosinophilic material in the cytoplasm. Special staining revealed copper pigment in hepatocytes and phagocytic cells in both livers. Analysis of liver specimens revealed 850 and 700 ppm of copper in ferrets 1 and 2, respectively. Copper values > 200 ppm in liver are considered evidence of toxicosis in most animal species. Copper toxicosis was diagnosed on the basis of the findings from histologic examination of the liver and high hepatic copper values. Lack of related illness in 11 other ferrets in the same environment and fed the same diet, plus sibling relationship and same phenotypic coat color in the affected ferrets, suggested that these ferrets had an inherited defect in their ability to metabolize normal amounts of ingested copper.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

1991 outlook: progress will require partnerships, improved productivity--roundtable discussion.

To address the myriad problems and challenges in the next year, the operative word will be partnership. That's according to members of Modern Healthcare's editorial advisory board in their discussion of the healthcare industry in 1991. The experts see the need for hospitals, physicians and the business community to team up to control costs, solve staffing woes and take initial steps toward healthcare reform.

Efficiency↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Beyond cost: 'responsible purchasing' of managed care by employers.

We explore the extent of "responsible purchasing" by employers--the degree to which employers collect and use nonfinancial information in selecting and managing employee health plans. Most firms believe that they have some responsibility for assessing the quality of the health plans they offer. Some pay attention to plan characteristics such as the ability to provide adequate access to providers and services and scores on enrollee satisfaction surveys. A more limited but still notable number of firms take specific actions based on responsible purchasing information. Because of countervailing pressures, however, it is not clear whether or not the firms most involved in responsible purchasing are signaling a developing trend.

Attitude to Health↗