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Biomedical subjects

R Batey

Publications and source records attributed to R Batey.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Dietary carbohydrate accelerates ethanol elimination, but does not alter hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase.

In naive animals the rate of ethanol elimination is dependent on the hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase activity. Carbohydrates have been shown to modify ethanol metabolism by a mechanism that has not been determined. In this study, adult female rats, fed chow diets supplemented with fructose or glucose in their drinking water for 10 days demonstrated significantly greater ethanol elimination rates (4.85 +/- 0.28 and 4.92 +/- 1.56 microM ethanol/min/g liver, respectively) than rats receiving water (3.65 +/- 0.29). The hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase activity of the fructose (1687 +/- 101 nM ethanol/min/g liver) and the glucose (1832 +/- 15)-supplemented rats were not significantly different from that of control rats (1845 +/- 160). Dietary carbohydrate supplementation, therefore, enhanced ethanol elimination, but did not alter the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase. Thus the changes in the ethanol elimination rate following carbohydrate loading were not the consequence of an alteration in hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase.

Alcohol Dehydrogenase↗
PubMed1992

Computer assisted quantitation of terminal hepatic vein connective tissue in the rat.

Computer assisted image analysis has been used to quantify the cellular and extracellular connective tissue component of rat liver terminal hepatic venules, in control animals and those exposed to 40% ethanol in drinking water. A significant relationship existed between the size of the terminal hepatic venule and the amount of connective tissue it contained in 14 of 15 controls and 17 of 18 ethanol exposed rats. Thickening of the terminal hepatic vein wall assessed to be present in ethanol treated rats by direct observation was confirmed by image analysis in all cases (p < 0.01). Significant differences between treated and control livers (p < 0.05) were detected by image analysis when not apparent to human observers. Sensitive quantitative assessment of terminal hepatic vein wall thickening was thus achieved by computerized analysis of liver sections.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Comparison of operator-specific and nonspecific DNA binding of the lambda cI repressor: [KCl] and pH effects.

The effects of proton and KCl activity on the nonspecific lambda cI repressor-DNA interactions and on the site-specific repressor-O(R) interactions were compared, in order to assess their roles in site specificity. The repressor-O(R) interactions were studied by using DNase I footprint titration. The Gibbs free energy changes for binding and for cooperativity were determined between 25 and 300 mM KCl, from individual-site isotherms for the binding of repressor to O(R) and to reduced-valency mutants. The proton-linked effects on repressor-O(R) interactions have been published [Senear, D. F., & Ackers, G. K. (1990) Biochemistry 29, 6568-6577; Senear, D. F., & Bolen, D. W. (1991) Methods Enzymol. (in press)]. Nonspecific binding was studied by using a nitrocellulose filter binding assay, which proved advantageous in this case, due to the relatively weak nonspecific binding, and precipitation of repressor-DNA complexes. Filter binding provided measurements at low binding density where precipitation did not occur. The data provide estimates of the Gibbs free energy changes for nonspecific, intrinsic binding, but not for cooperativity. The KCl concentration dependencies of the intrinsic binding constants indicate that ion release plays similar roles in distinguishing between the operators and in discriminating operator from nonoperator DNA. Binding to DNA is accompanied by net proton absorption. Near neutral pH, proton linkages to operator and nonoperator binding are the same. Differences at acid and at basic pH implicate the same ionizable repressor groups in distinguishing between the operators and in discriminating operator from nonoperator DNA. The results indicate similar overall modes of operator and nonoperator binding of repressor, but implicate indirect effects of DNA sequence as important contributors to sequence recognition.

Autoradiography↗
PubMed1991

High retention rates within a prospective study of heroin users.

The process of achieving a high retention rate of subjects in a 12-month prospective study of intravenous heroin users in Sydney, Australia is presented. Self-referred heroin users were compared with heroin users from a court diversion programme. The retention rates throughout the prospective study interview schedules were high, ranging from 69 to 83% of the original sample. No statistical differences were detected between the proportions located at each interview, indicating a high retention rate was maintained despite the passage of time. It is argued that contact with State services, i.e. Methadone Maintenance Programmes and the legal system, particularly the prison service, contributed to this high maintenance. It is speculated that the effectiveness of location strategies reflect prominent characteristics of the populations studied.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

The HIV dilemma.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1990

Heroin users seeking methadone treatment.

Seven hundred and sixty-seven patients applying to enter public methadone programmes in the western suburbs of Sydney underwent assessment in the Drug and Alcohol Unit at Westmead Hospital between 1986 and 1988. These patients had long histories of illicit drug use and most were involved in crime, prostitution and a drug subculture. Many abused multiple drugs, and almost all had been exposed to hepatitis B virus. However, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seropositivity rate was low. Methadone programmes, at least in Sydney's western suburbs, attract a very disadvantaged population for whom rehabilitation is likely to be a difficult, long-term process.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Serum levels of methadone in maintenance clients who persist in illicit drug use.

This study examined pharmacological factors contributing to persisting drug abuse by methadone maintenance clients. Three groups of clients, drawn from one treatment programme, were studied: persistent heroin users, persistent benzodiazepine users, and control subjects who were not using illicit drugs in addition to methadone. Persistent abusers mostly had high trough serum methadone levels, and their ongoing drug use appears to reflect a preference for a different drug effect rather than inadequate methadone dose. Several clients did have the expectation that methadone should prevent them from using other drugs; such expectations may diminish the effectiveness of treatment.

Anti-Anxiety Agents↗
PubMed1990

Criminality of heroin users presenting to an Australian hospital-based drug and alcohol unit.

The rates of criminality of two groups of heroin users presenting to Westmead Hospital were studied. Forty-seven heroin users referred by a structured court diversion scheme (DACAP) were compared with 45 self-referred heroin users. Demographic data, heroin use measures, non-narcotic drug use, and alcohol use were collected by semi-structured interview. Official records were used for measures of criminality. This provided a comprehensive profile of conviction and incarceration rates. Each sample was compared on the age at presentation, intensity and duration of heroin use, and presenting rates of criminality. Results demonstrated the DACAP sample was significantly less heroin involved at presentation with a marginally shorter history of use. Comparisons on criminality demonstrated no difference between samples on six measures. The DACAP group recorded significantly higher levels on two criminality measures, the reverse of what was hypothesized. It is suggested that the DACAP diversion scheme generates a distinct subpopulation of heroin users, characterized by younger age, lower education, less marital attachment, poorer employment history, earlier onset of antisocial behaviour and comparable criminality. Identifiable subpopulations of heroin users appear to be generated by the different referral sources: legal or health oriented. The utility of diverting a more criminally and socially dysfunctional group to treatment agencies is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Outpatient methadone programme for pregnant heroin using women.

A prospective study of pregnant narcotic users who attended the antenatal clinic at Westmead Hospital was undertaken to determine the practicality and safety of an outpatient methadone programme for these women. Forty-six women were commenced and managed on a methadone maintenance programme based at the Drug and Alcohol Clinic at Westmead Hospital (GROUP I), 12 women were maintained on long-term methadone therapy by outside prescribers (GROUP II), 12 women not on methadone continued to use heroin through the pregnancy (GROUP III), 14 women used heroin intermittently (GROUP IV). These were compared with a group of 52 women who were non-drug using (GROUP V). Women on the hospital based methadone programme had an earlier first antenatal clinic visit (p less than 0.001) than those women on outside methadone programmes or on heroin and had a longer pregnancy (p less than 0.001) than those women on heroin. The birth-weights on babies delivered to women on the Westmead Methadone Programme were significantly higher than those on babies born to women using heroin (p less than 0.05). A disappointing aspect of the study was a lower number of antenatal clinic visits (p less than 0.001) for all narcotic using women when compared with the comparison group. The outcome of the Westmead Methadone Programme women showed that better maternal and neonatal outcome followed entry into a hospital monitored methadone programme with attendant antenatal care.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

The detection of at-risk drinking in a teaching hospital.

We studied a sample of 302 inpatients from all medical and surgical wards of Westmead Hospital. Twenty-six per cent of patients (47% of men and 4% of women) were identified as past or current "at-risk" drinkers. Current drinkers preponderantly were male and were more likely to be admitted to hospital with trauma. Apart from trauma, alcohol-related disease was not diagnosed commonly, and most drinkers were admitted to hospital with diagnoses that were not related clearly to alcohol abuse. Hospital medical staff members appeared reluctant to address alcohol abuse; a low rate of alcohol problems was identified, and alcohol-related diseases appeared to be underdiagnosed.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1988

The use of serum methadone levels in patients receiving methadone maintenance.

Trough serum methadone concentration was measured in 43 patients under treatment for heroin addiction and complaining of withdrawal symptoms. Low serum levels were noted only in patients taking very low doses and in 10 patients who were concomitantly using enzyme-inducing drugs. The 27 patients in the maintenance program who had trough levels greater than 100 ng/ml were given no dose increase and were followed up prospectively. Alternate explanations for the patient's symptoms were well accepted in almost all cases, and subsequent performance in the treatment program appeared to be independent of serum level. We conclude that a trough serum level of 100 ng/ml is adequate for effective methadone maintenance. Measurement of serum levels can be a valuable intervention in patients with difficulties.

Dose-Response Relationship, Drug↗
PubMed1987

Alcohol consumption and the risk of alcohol related cirrhosis in women.

The risks in women of cirrhosis with a likely primary alcohol aetiology were estimated for various levels of alcohol consumption in a case-control study. Data were obtained from 41 women with a first diagnosis of cirrhosis who had no evidence of non-alcohol-related cirrhosis; three matched controls were interviewed for each case. Significant increases in the risk of cirrhosis were detected at levels of consumption between 41 and 60 g daily; above this level a dose-response relation was observed. The risk of cirrhosis did not appear to be influenced by other nutritional factors or history of liver disease or use of hepatotoxic drugs. One per cent of Australian women consume more than 40 g alcohol daily, yet more than 90% of women identified with cirrhosis consumed alcohol at this level. Preventive interventions to reduce alcohol consumption in the small group of women who consume more than 40 g daily have the potential to reduce substantially the incidence of alcohol related cirrhosis.

Adult↗