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Biomedical subjects

A Downie

Publications and source records attributed to A Downie.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Hepatitis C virus among genitourinary clinic attenders in Scotland: unlinked anonymous testing.

Our objective is to gauge the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies among a population at risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and, thus, the efficiency with which the virus is transmitted sexually. The investigators undertook an unlinked anonymous HCV antibody testing study of residual syphilis serology specimens taken from attenders of genitourinary clinics in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen during 1996/97. The results were linked to non-identifying risk information. Anti-HCV prevalences among non-injecting heterosexual men and women, and non-injecting homosexual/bisexual males ranged between 0 and 1.2%; the only exception to this was a 7.7% (4/52) prevalence among homosexual/bisexual males in Aberdeen. The overall anti-HCV prevalence for homosexual/bisexual males was 0.6% (4/668), for heterosexual males 0.8% (32/4135), for heterosexual females 0.3% (10/3035) and for injecting drug users 49% (72/148). Only 3 (all female) of the 46 non-injectors who were antibody positive were non-UK nationals or had lived abroad. HCV antibody positive injectors were less likely to have an acute STI and more likely to know their HCV status than non-injectors; no differences in these parameters were found between positive and negative non-injectors on anonymous HCV antibody testing. Our findings are in keeping with the prevailing view that HCV can be acquired through sexual intercourse but, for most people, the probability of this occurring is extremely low. Interventions to prevent the spread of HCV should be targeted mainly at injecting drug user (IDU) populations.

Female↗
PubMed1997

Interferon alfa-associated retinopathy.

Interferon alfa and its related compounds have been used for more than 10 years in the treatment of a number of conditions including viral illnesses, childhood hemangiomas, various cancers, and leukemia. The potential applications for this class of medication continue to grow. The use of interferon alfa in experimental protocols has also increased, thus making it more likely that new indications will be discovered. It is probable that primary care physicians will be called on to initiate therapy or will see patients being treated with interferon in their practice. We report the development of interferon-related retinopathy in a 43-year-old man while he was receiving experimental treatment with interferon alfa for hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infection. The vision loss was acute and only partially reversible. Interferon, its mechanism of action, and the past literature are briefly discussed.

Antiviral Agents↗
PubMed1995

Alarms and diversions: the biochemistry of development.

In considering biochemical aspects of development over a range of different organisms--plants, animals, fungi and bacteria--some ubiquitous themes emerge. Many of the regulatory mechanisms being discovered in higher organisms have already been found in yeast, and there are examples of similar mechanisms in bacteria, notably, analogies and even homologies in multistep cascades involving phosphorylation and negatively acting steps; interplay between development and the cell cycle; and emerging evidence that metabolic pathways can be important developmental agents. On the other hand, those topics that remain resolutely organism-specific may serve as a warning to those who tend to overgeneralize, or as the nucleus for the next generation of general insights.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Evaluation of a communication course for new hearing aid users.

A communication course for new hearing aid users, covering explanations of hearing loss and hearing aids, hearing tactics, lipreading and relaxation techniques in three 2 h sessions, was developed. The course was tested on groups of adults fitted with NHS post-aural hearing aids at the Audiology Clinic at the Royal South Hants Hospital. The course content, presentation, length and pace were evaluated by means of a questionnaire given at the end of the last session, and the effects on aid usage, satisfaction and benefit ratings were assessed by pre- and post-fitting questionnaires given to those who attended and to a matched group of control subjects. The course was offered to 41 men and 46 women. The acceptance rate was rather higher for women than for men, but attendance rates were similar for both sexes, men attending 33% and women 36% of the sessions offered. No relationship was observed between age or degree of hearing loss and rates of acceptance and attendance. All those who completed the evaluation questionnaire were satisfied with the content, length, pace and presentation of the course, and considered that it had helped them to understand and cope with their hearing loss. Most (28 out of 31) felt that they would use their aids more as a result of the course. However, their aid usage and ratings of benefit derived from the aids did not differ significantly from those of a matched group of controls who were not offered the course.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Gonorrhoea in Aberdeen: a serovar analysis.

The serotyping of gonococcal isolates has enabled detailed studies of the epidemiology of gonorrhoea in different geographical areas. This study reports the patterns of infection found in 1992 in Aberdeen and relates these to a variety of clinical parameters. 140 cases of gonorrhoea were isolated the majority of which belonged to one strain (lA-2) in contrast to the diversity of strains seen in other Scottish cities. Most isolates were highly sensitive to penicillin and only 3 penicillinase producing strains were found. A low rate of infections in homosexual men is reported again in contrast to the situation seen in other geographically close cities. Compared to the rest of Scotland Aberdeen has a high prevalence of gonorrhoea.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Experience of using vibrotactile aids with the profoundly deafened.

This is a summary of clinical experience and research findings gathered from using vibrotactile aids over 7 years. This interest grew from a research project to evaluate four wrist-worn vibrotactile aids for the rehabilitation of the profoundly deaf. To facilitate this, a training programme was developed to help patients get the most from the aid. Having found that the RNID/Summit Tam vibrotactile aid was the most appropriate, this has been fitted to over 50 patients. The results of the comparative trial, an evaluation of our methods and a discussion of our clinical experience using vibrotactile aids with profoundly deafened patients are presented.

Deafness↗
PubMed1993

Influence of exercise adherence level on modifiable coronary heart disease risk factors and functional-fitness levels in middle-aged men.

The study investigated the potential health benefits of two levels of short-term exercise intervention, compared with non-intervention, on selected modifiable coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors and functional fitness states in middle-aged men. All subjects underwent medical screening and signed informed consent before carrying out a standardized graded treadmill walk which required exercise up to 85% of age-predicted maximal heart rate. The results of the test were used together with musculoskeletal fitness assessments, for the prescription of a personalized exercise programme lasting 14 weeks. In all, 55 subjects were classified by adherence into high (HA, n = 20), low (LA, n = 19), or non-adherence (NA, n = 16) groups according to the degree of documented participation in the programme based on standard criteria (American College of Sports Medicine 1978, 1990). In addition, the respective groups of subjects were classified according to other modifiable and non-modifiable CHD risk factors and compared by self-reported levels of activity and sport involvement as well as perceived body weight classification. The results indicated that there were more comprehensive improvements in functional fitness including significant gains in aerobic endurance capacity, muscular endurance and flexibility in the HA group compared with the LA and NA groups. However, there was little or no change in the modifiable CHD risk factors in any of the respective groups, although anthropometric indices of weight, body mass index (BMI), skinfolds and waist:hips ratio tended to decrease in the HA and LA groups but increased marginally in the NA group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Coronary Disease↗
PubMed1992

A case of percutaneous industrial methanol toxicity.

Methanol (CH3OH) is a chemical feedstock of increasing importance as well as a commonly used solvent. In the early 1980s methanol production was introduced at a new petrochemical complex in the Saudi port of Jubail. A case is presented of a consultant supervising tank cleaning prior to methanol loading. He wore positive pressure breathing apparatus but no protective clothing. After 2-3 hours working in the confined space of the tank, he worked on deck and continued to wear his methanol-soaked clothing which eventually dried out. Visual symptoms of acute methanol toxicity presented some 8 hours after exposure. The appropriate treatment (with ethanol provided by the ship bond) was carried out in hospital and the individual recovered completely. Most reported cases of methanol toxicity are social in origin, arising from ingestion. This particular case, though unusual, does present some interesting lessons.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Comparison of direct immunofluorescent staining and an enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay for identifying Chlamydia trachomatis in cervical and urethral specimens.

A direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) stain (MicroTrak, Syva) and an enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (Chlamydiazyme, Abbott) were used to detect chlamydial infection in 179 cervical specimens and 56 specimens obtained from the female urethra. Chlamydiazyme, when compared with the DFA technique, revealed a high degree of correlation in these specimens (22 and 21 positive cervical specimens, respectively, and 7 each positive urethral specimens). Since both techniques are readily available, inexpensive and easy to perform, they should become valuable tools in the objective assessment of women at risk of this common and important sexually transmitted disease.

Cervix Uteri↗
PubMed1981

The prevalence of multiple sclerosis in the Outer Hebrides compared with north-east Scotland and the Orkney and Shetland Islands.

Multiple sclerosis has been reported to have a high prevalence in the Orkney and Shetland Islands and in Caithness in comparison with the highlands of Scotland and the Outer Hebrides-the Western Isles. For this reason a survey was undertaken in the Outer Hebrides and 25 probable and 30 probable and possible patients with multiple sclerosis were found. This is an increase from eight and 11 respectively found in 1954. The present prevalence rate of 97.3 per 100 000 for probable and possible multiple sclerosis is not significantly different from that found in a recent study in the Grampian region in north-east Scotland. Repeated studies in small populations generally show increasing prevalence of multiple sclerosis because some patients are missed in the earlier studies, and over a long period of time there may also be some increase in survival time. This increase has been found in the Orkney and Shetland Islands, in north-east Scotland, and also in the Outer Hebrides.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Dietary phytosterol inhibits the growth and metastasis of MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells grown in SCID mice.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of dietary phytosterols on the growth and metastasis of the human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell line xenografted in SCID mice. Two groups of animals were fed AIN-93G diet supplemented with 0.2% cholic acid and 2% sterol (cholesterol or phytosterol mixture) for 15 days before inoculation of the tumor into the right inguinal mammary fat pad. Tumor growth and food consumption were recorded weekly throughout the 8 weeks of the experiment. At the end of the experiment, the animals fed phytosterol had a 40% lower serum cholesterol and 20 and 30 fold higher serum beta-sitosterol and campesterol, respectively as compared to those fed cholesterol. There was no difference between the two groups in body weight and food consumption. However, the tumor size in animals fed phytosterols was 33% smaller (P < 0.03) and had 20% fewer metastases to lymph nodes and lungs than the cholesterol group. At termination, the tumor weight of the animals fed the phytosterol diet was also less (P < 0.07) than that of the cholesterol group. It is concluded that dietary phytosterols retard the growth and spread of breast cancer cells.

Animals↗