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Biomedical subjects

M Spinks

Publications and source records attributed to M Spinks.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Evaluation of Caribbean strains of Macrocyclops and Mesocyclops (Cyclopoida:Cyclopidae) as biological control tools for the dengue vector Aedes aegypti.

Fifteen Caribbean strains of copepods were assessed for their predation ability against mosquito larvae. Macrocyclops albidus from Nariva. Mesocyclops aspericornis from Oropouche, and Mesocyclops longisetus from E1 Socorro, Trinidad, were most effective against Aedes aegypti but not against Culex quinquefasciatus. Mesocyclops longisetus and Me. aspericornis prevented any mosquito survival over 25 wk of observation despite weekly challenges with Ae. aegypti. The copepods were tolerant to dosages of the insecticide temephos that are usually toxic to mosquito larvae. This indicated that copepods could be incorporated into an integrated control system. To determine whether pathogenic microbes might be introduced with copepods into drinking water, microbial studies were done on the copepods. These showed the presence of only Aeromonas sobria, Pseudomonas sp., Alcalignes sp., and gram-positive bacilli. Although none of these are highly pathogenic to humans, the application of these copepods has not yet been recommended for use in drinking water.

Aedes↗
PubMed1996

Risk assessment--is there a risk?

Mary Spinks is a health service consultant, retired regional nurse and former National Chairman of NATN. She was a member of the NATN Working Party which developed the Risk Assessment Guide (RAG), launched last year at the NATN Congress and now widely used in operating theatres in the UK. She has written this article to give guidance to those who are developing risk management principles in their own practice.

Humans↗
PubMed1985

Case report of prolactin and bipolar illness: a longitudinal study.

A longitudinal and naturalistic study of nine bipolar patients attending a lithium clinic during a six-month period was undertaken. Prolactin plasma levels and psychiatric symptoms were evaluated bi-weekly. Wide interindividual and intraindividual fluctuations were observed both in prolactin levels and psychiatric symptoms. The relationship between prolactin and affective episodes was found to be complex. In a few instances, sharp prolactin changes preceded behavioral modifications. Bipolar disorders, even if treated, appeared to be unstable conditions, from both the phenomenological and neuroendocrinological viewpoints.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Health attitudes and psychological distress in patients attending a lithium clinic.

Health attitudes and psychological distress were investigated in 50 patients attending a lithium clinic and in 50 normal controls. Patients receiving lithium treatment did not report more worry about illness, hypochondriacal attitudes, concern about pain, disease phobia and bodily preoccupations than normals, even though they took fewer precautions about their health and exhibited more self-rated psychological distress. Since most of the psychiatric patients were found to display more fears about illness and death than controls in other studies, this preliminary report may suggest that normal health attitudes are associated with lithium compliance in affective illness.

Adult↗