scholarly journals A Sensitive, Specific, Solid-Phase Enzymeimmunoassay for Plasma Progesterone

Author(s):  
Brian G Joyce ◽  
Ann H Othick ◽  
Graham F Read ◽  
Diana Riad-Fahmy

A homologous enzymeimmunoassay (EIA) for plasma progesterone, using a horseradish peroxidase conjugate as enzyme label and an antiserum raised against a progesterone-11α-hemisuccinyl/BSA conjugate, is described. The antiserum was covalently linked to microcrystalline cellulose to facilitate separation of bound and free steroid; this solid-phase antiserum was stable for at least nine months when stored at 4°C. The freeze-dried enzyme label is also stable, having retained both enzymic and immunological activity for about four years. The EIA developed was specific and had the sensitivity (4·8 pg/tube) required for determining progesterone concentrations in plasma samples collected at any time during the menstrual cycle. EIA of plasma samples provided results which were in good agreement with a well validated radioimmunoassay (RIA). The specificity and inter- and intra-assay coefficients of variation in the EIA were strictly comparable with those of the RIA. The method described has been in use for two years and has been assessed in external quality assurance programmes established by the World Health Organization and the United Kingdom Department of Health and Social Security.

1996 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Thomas ◽  
Paul Wainwright

This paper brings together ideas from two perspectives on ethics and health promotion. A discussion of the ethical dimension of the health promotion practice of community nurses is set in the wider context of health policy, with particular reference to health gain and individual responsibility. It is widely held that nurses have a key role to play in health promotion and that this is particularly the case for nurses working in primary health care. This assumption is reinforced by policy documents from the World Health Organization, the Department of Health and statutory bodies such as the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting. The approach of many nurses to health promotion has tended on the one hand to be somewhat naive and on the other to be authoritarian and didactic; there has been little discussion in the nursing literature of the ethical aspects of health promotion. However, recent developments in nurse education, such as Project 2000 and the consequent changes to preregistration programmes, have resulted in increased attention to both ethics and health promotion within the curriculum.


1985 ◽  
Vol 53 (01) ◽  
pp. 051-055 ◽  
Author(s):  
P J Kerry ◽  
A D Curtis

SummaryAn international collaborative study was carried out to determine the suitability of freeze-dried preparations of β-TG and PF4 to serve as international standards, and to compare these materials with other purified preparations and with plasma samples. Although problems remain with the accurate measurement of these proteins, it has been demonstrated that common standards improve the precision of measurement by RIA and provide an essential foundation for future work into the effects of assay system differences.The World Health Organization established in 1984 the purified preparation of β-TG (83/501) and the purified preparation of PF4 (83/505) as International Standards, with assigned potencies of 500 International Units per ampoule and 400 International Units per ampoule, respectively.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 38030 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deivendran Kalirathinam ◽  
Raj Guruchandran ◽  
Prabhakar Subramani

The 2019 novel coronavirus officially named as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic by the World Health Organization, has spread to more than 180 countries. The ongoing global pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, spread to the United Kingdom (UK) in January 2020. Transmission within the UK was confirmed in February, leading to an epidemic with a rapid increase in cases in March. As on April 25- 2020, there have been 148,377 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the UK and 20,319 people with confirmed infection have died. Survival of critically ill patients is frequently associated with significant functional impairment and reduced health-related quality of life. Early physiotherapy and community rehabilitation of COVID-19 patients has recently been identified as an essential therapeutic tool and has become a crucial evidence-based component in the management of these patients. This comprehensive narrative review aims to describe recent progress in the application of physiotherapy management in COVID 19 patients. Assessment and evidence- based treatment of these patients should include prevention, reduction of adverse consequences in immobilization, and long-term impairment sequelae. A variety of techniques and modalities of early physiotherapy in intensive care unit are suggested by clinical research. They should be applied according to the stage of the disease, comorbidities, and patient’s level of cooperation.


Author(s):  
Pi-Fang Hsu ◽  
Wen-Chun Tsai ◽  
Chia-Wen Tsai

Recently, much of the world, including the World Health Organization, the European Union and many North American countries, have emphasized patient safety. Around the same time, Taiwan’s Department of Health (DOH) devoted a significant amount of resources to better the quality of medical treatment for their patients. This study explores perceptions of and attitudes towards patient safety among medical staff and patients in emergency departments. Analysis results indicate that medical staff and patients significantly differ in perceptions and attitudes. Results of this study provide a valuable reference for governmental authorities and hospital managers in formulating policies aimed at clarifying perceptions and attitudes regarding patient safety among medical staff and patients in emergency departments.


2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 231-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Nihlén Fahlquist

Background: Breastfeeding is currently strongly recommended by midwives and paediatricians, and the recommendations are based on documents provided by the World Health Organization and public health authorities worldwide. Research question: The underlying question is, how are non-breastfeeding mothers affected emotionally when informed that breastfeeding is the safest and healthiest option? Research design: The method used is an anonymous web-based qualitative survey exploring the narratives of non-breastfeeding mothers, published on Thesistools.com . The aim is to achieve qualitative knowledge about the emotions of non-breastfeeding mothers. Participants and research context: Participants were based in Sweden, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands and were selected through a purposeful sample. Ethical considerations: The online survey anonymizes responses automatically, and all respondents had to tick a box agreeing to be quoted anonymously in scientific articles. The study conforms to research ethics guidelines. Findings: Respondents describe how they were affected, and the following themes emerged in studying their descriptions: depression, anxiety and pain, feeling failed as a mother and woman, loss of freedom/feeling trapped, relief and guilt. Discussion: The themes are discussed against the background of the ethics of care and a theory of ethically responsible risk communication. Conclusion: Three conclusions are made. First, the message should become more empathetic. Second, information should be given in an attentive dialogue. Third, information providers should evaluate effects in a more inclusive way.


1972 ◽  
Vol 121 (560) ◽  
pp. 83-87
Author(s):  
Norman Kreitman

Over 70 years ago, Sibbald (1900) commented that the official statistics on suicide showed Scotland to have lower rates than England and Wales. It seems that Scotland has always been regarded as one of the countries with relatively few suicides. A recent World Health Organization publication (1968) commented on the official suicide rates in a sample of 20 different nations; among these Scotland ranked nineteenth in 1952–4. However, this picture appears to have been gradually changing over the last two decades, and the same W.H.O. publication, citing official statistics for the period 1961–3, quotes a value for Scotland which raises it to fifteenth in the list of 20 countries. Moreover, the Scottish rates and those for England and Wales have gradually come closer together over the last 20 years.The aim of this paper is to examine the trends in Scottish statistics for the last two decades and to compare the current suicide rates with those of the rest of the United Kingdom. All the data quoted are based on the publications of the Registrars General for Scotland and for England and Wales.


Author(s):  
Fariba Tabari

Stroke is the third largest cause of death and largest cause of adult disability in the United Kingdom and United States. The World Health Organization (WHO)[1] estimates 15 million people worldwide will have a stroke annually; this represents a major health burden. The purpose was to explore the nursing roles and functions in the Inpatient Neurorehabilitation of Stroke Patients.Method:In this review study, an online search among articles published from 2000 to 2016 was conducted through CINAHL, PubMed, Science Direct, Elsevier, SID, Iran Medex, Magiran and Google scholar databases using key words; “Inpatient Neurorehabilitation of Stroke Patients”, “Nursing Roles and Functions”. The protocol of York University Guide was used to select the articles.Results:In total, 15 articles were used from 40 articles that were initially obtained from the search, from which, 6 were Iranian articles and the rest were non-Iranian articles. The articles indicated that, nursing roles and functions in the Inpatient Neurorehabilitation of Stroke Patients can be divided into the factors related to patient role, interdisciplinary cooperation, feedback to the staff about the patient’s progress, to provide emotional Support for patients and relatives.Conclusions: The contribution that nurses with stroke rehabilitation skills can make to effective stroke care was understood. However, The nurse considers the individual’s needs  working collaboratively with the patient and their families to involve them in a meaningful way with decision making and their recovery.  


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manik Vohra ◽  
Anu Radha Sharma ◽  
Kapaettu Satyamoorthy ◽  
Padmalatha S Rai

Immunomodulatory and analgesic effects of dexamethasone are clinically well established, and this synthetic corticosteroid acts as an agonist of glucocorticoid receptors. Early results of the RECOVERY Trial from the United Kingdom and others suggest certain benefits of dexamethasone against COVID-19 chronic patients. The efforts have been acknowledged by World Health Organization with an interim guideline to use in patients with a severe and critical illness. The inherent genetic variations in genes such as CYP3A5, NR3C1, NR3C2, etc., involved in the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes may influence dexamethasone’s effects as an anti-inflammatory drug. Besides, the drug may influence transcriptome or metabolic changes in the individuals. In the present review, we summarize the reported genetic variations that impact dexamethasone response and discuss dexamethasone-induced changes in transcriptome and metabolome that may influence potential treatment outcome against COVID-19.


1981 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 1176-1179 ◽  
Author(s):  
B L Allman ◽  
F Short ◽  
V H James

Abstract We describe a fluoroimmunoassay for progesterone in serum or plasma. The assay involves use of an antiserum to progesterone-11-hemisuccinate and a labeled antigen prepared by linking fluoresceinamine to progesterone-3-carboxymethyloxime by use of a mixed-anhydride procedure. Serum or plasma samples are extracted with hexane. After incubation of a portion of the evaporated extract with antiserum and labeled antigen, antibody-bound and free antigen are separated and the fluorescence of the bound fraction is measured. Separation is effected either by using ammonium sulfate to precipitate liquid-phase antiserum or by using a solid-phase antiserum: antiserum covalently linked to magnetizable cellulose particles, which are separated with a magnet. With either separation technique, analytical recovery, linearity, and precision were acceptable and results compared satisfactorily with those obtained with a conventional radioimmunoassay. The solid-phase assay is more precise and more technically convenient, but the performance of both fluoroimmunoassays was adequate for clinical use in the detection of ovulation.


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