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Biomedical subjects

A Ward

Publications and source records attributed to A Ward.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Fat-free mass is maintained in women following a moderate diet and exercise program.

Weight-loss programs usually result in fat-free mass (FFM) loss along with body-fat (BF) loss. This study examined which combination of diet + exercise would maintain FFM. Forty-four overweight, inactive women completed 20 wk of a randomized intervention: control (C, N = 6), diet only (D, N = 10), diet + cycling (DC, N = 8), diet + resistance training (DR, N = 11), or diet + resistance training + cycling (DRC, N = 9) group. FFM and %BF were determined from hydrostatic weighting. Exercise sessions were attended 3 d.wk-1, with a mean duration of 30 min per session. Caloric intake was reduced 628 kcal.d-1 (+/- 59). Chi squares and ANOVA showed no baseline differences between groups for socioeconomic status, age, body composition, aerobic capacity, or strength. One-way ANOVA of change with Student-Newman Keul multiple range post-hoc tests (P < 0.05) were used to analyze pre to post differences for %BF, body mass (BM), FFM, VO2max, and strength. D, DC, DR, and DRC lost significant BM (-3.7 to -5.4 kg) in comparison with C (+ 1.5 kg). All groups maintained FFM but only DRC significantly lowered %BF (-4.7%) in comparison with C. DRC and DC significantly increased VO2max. Strength 1RM (triceps extension, arm curl, leg extension, chest press) increased significantly for both DR and DRC. Results suggest that moderate levels of caloric restriction, aerobic cycle exercise, and/or resistance training are equally effective in maintaining FFM while encouraging body mass loss.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Training traditional birth attendants in Nigeria--the pictorial method.

High maternal mortality and morbidity rates are a challenge for all involved in the care of mothers and babies. One response takes the form of an educational programme led by professional midwives to teach traditional birth attendants to recognize risk conditions and improve their care of mothers and babies. Such a programme was organized as part of a Canadian-Nigerian safe motherhood initiative, and carried out in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.

Audiovisual Aids↗
PubMed1995

Detection of the heat-stable toxin coding gene (ST-gene) in enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli: development of a colour amplified PCR detection system.

Screening biological samples using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has obvious advantages compared with current molecular analytical methods based on gel electrophoresis and/or hybridisation, both of which are expensive and time-consuming, therefore the development of a PCR assay format that is applicable to large sample numbers and that can readily use equipment commonly found in diagnostic laboratories would be advantageous. This report describes the development of a colour amplified PCR detection system which is simple in design and could be universally applied to the detection of any DNA template. As an example, the system has been applied in the detection of the heat-stable toxin coding gene (ST-gene) from enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). The assay is sensitive, detecting 10 fg of a purified DNA template and 270 cfu of an ST-gene-positive ETEC strain.

Bacterial Toxins↗
PubMed1994

Disproportionate growth in mice with Igf-2 transgenes.

Injection transgenesis was used to study the long-term effects of excess insulin-like growth factor II on mouse growth and differentiation. By using a construct in which the coding region of the mouse insulin like growth factor II gene (Igf-2) was placed under the control of a keratin gene promoter, four transgenic lines were established, all of which displayed overgrowth of the skin as judged by wrinkling. In addition to high levels of expression in the skin, transgene transcripts were also present in the alimentary canal and uterus. At most of the sites of transgene expression the cell number (DNA content) was greatly increased, indicating a local action of the excess insulin-like growth factor II on cell multiplication. Adult total live weight was slightly increased and there was no macroscopic evidence of tumor formation. The characteristics of these transgenic mice indicate distinct local and systemic actions for insulin-like growth factor II.

Aging↗
PubMed1994

Complementary medicine in Europe.

Complementary or unconventional treatments are used by many doctors and other therapists throughout Europe. The major forms are acupuncture, homoeopathy, manual therapy or manipulation, and phytotherapy or herbal medicine. The relative popularity of therapies differs between countries, but public demand is strong and growing. Regulation of practitioners varies widely: in most countries only registered health professionals may practice, but in the United Kingdom practice is virtually unregulated. Germany and some Scandinavian countries have intermediate systems. Legal reforms are in progress in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. European institutions are starting to influence the development of complementary medicine. Harmonisation of training and regulation of practitioners is the challenge for the future.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1994

Discriminating translation of insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) during mouse embryogenesis.

The problem is to discover which of the promoters of the insulin-like growth factor-II gene stimulate the transcription of mRNA which is translated into protein. Three alternative leader exons are attached to the coding sequences in RNA transcribed from this gene in other systems, and it is mainly the paternal allele which is expressed in mouse development. Transcripts bearing each of the three leader exons were found in the RNA from the chorio-allantoic placenta, visceral yolk sac, and embryo, starting at 9.5 days. A varying proportion of one abundant transcript was disengaged from the polysomes at different days of development. This transcript was prefixed by the longest of the three alternative untranslated 5' leader exons (exon 2), and it was consistently associated with polysomes in the choroid plexus and leptomeninges of the brain. Many exon 2 transcripts were abbreviated by endonucleolytic cleavage and lacked a poly(A) tail. In contrast, the transcripts with the shortest leader (exon 3) were mainly displayed on polysomes at all the stages of development which were examined. During mouse development, the production of IGF-II protein must be partly controlled by the mechanisms which regulate translation.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Effects of hydration state on plasma testosterone, cortisol and catecholamine concentrations before and during mild exercise at elevated temperature.

This investigation examined the influence of pre-exercise hydration status, and water intake during low intensity exercise (5.6 km.h-1 at 5% gradient) in the heat (33 degrees C), on plasma testosterone (TEST), cortisol (CORT), adrenaline (A), and noradrenaline (NA) concentrations at baseline (BL), pre-exercise (PRE), and immediately (IP), 24 h (24 P), and 48 h postexercise (48 P). Ten active men participated in four experimental treatments. These treatments differed in pre-exercise hydration status [euhydrated or hypohydrated (HY, -3.8 (SD 0.7)% body mass)] and water intake during exercise (water ad libitum or no water intake during exercise, NW). There were no significant changes in TEST, CORT, or A concentrations with time (BL, PRE, IP, 24 P, and 48 P), or among treatments. However, significant increases from BL and PRE plasma NA concentrations were observed at IP during all four treatment conditions. In addition, HY+NW resulted in significantly higher plasma NA concentrations at IP compared to all other treatments. These results suggest that moderate levels of hypohydration during prolonged, low intensity exercise in the heat do not influence plasma TEST, CORT, or A concentrations. However, plasma NA appears to respond in a sensitive manner to these hydration and exercise stresses.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

High plasma insulin-like growth factor-II and low lipid content in transgenic mice: measurements of lipid metabolism.

Transgenic mice were made by introducing extra copies of the mouse insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) gene driven by the bovine keratin 10 promoter (BKVI). The adult plasma IGF-II levels were elevated at least three times in one line. In this line, there was a lower lipid content of both brown and white adipose depots at 2-4 months of age, and 40% less fat in the carcass at 7-9 months. The low lipid phenotype was not detected in the carcass at 2 weeks after birth. The lean characteristic was attributed to circulating IGF-II because the transgene was not expressed in fat. At 2-4 months of age, the transgenes oxidized more oral lipid, and less of this lipid was incorporated into the whole body and the epididymal fat. In contrast, the interscapular brown adipose tissue maintained lipid incorporation and lipoprotein lipase activity despite its reduced size. The altered activity of the brown adipose tissue may account for the gradual onset and persistence of the lean feature of the transgenic mice. There were no substantial changes in lipogenesis which could account for the low fat content. The plasma levels of IGF-I, insulin, glycerol, non-esterified fatty acids, triacylglycerols and glucose were not greatly changed and the pituitary GH content was within the normal range.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1994

Evidence for the involvement of oxygen-derived free radicals in ischaemia-reperfusion injury.

Six patients undergoing vascular reconstructive surgery were examined for evidence of oxygen-derived free radical (ORF) damage to the protein, immunoglobulin G (IgG). OFR damage was determined as an increase in the fluorescence (ex 360 nm em 454 nm) to ultraviolet absorption (280 nm) ratio of IgG, representing N-Formyl kynurenine and other as yet unidentified fluorophores. The IgG ratio was found to increase slightly during ischaemia and to undergo marked elevation upon reperfusion (275 +/- 405% baseline value at 40 min post-clamp; mean +/- sd). A high ratio was maintained post-reperfusion, even after 60 min reperfusion. Determination of thromboxane B2, (TXB2), leukotriene B4, (LTB4) and 6-keto prostaglandin F1 alpha, (PGF1a), revealed a decrease in their concentrations during ischaemia and a transient, marked increase on reperfusion. Only TXB2 concentrations were found to correlate with the IgG ratio (negative correlation, p < 0.05). No correlation was observed between von Willebrand antigen factor, a marker of endothelial cell damage and fluorescent IgG ratio. However, levels of the factor increased slightly during ischaemia and more sharply upon reperfusion. These preliminary results therefore suggest that a more likely source of the OFRs responsible for IgG damage is endothelial cell xanthine oxidase, rather than cyclo-oxygenase or lipoxygenase.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

The contribution of the undergraduate rural attachment to the learning of basic practical and emergency procedural skills.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of a four-week rural attachment on the knowledge and competency of medical students in basic practical and emergency procedures. DESIGN: A before and after comparison of self-reported level of competence in 72 basic, emergency, diagnostic and therapeutic procedural skills. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty-five final year medical students at the University of Western Australia in 1991. OUTCOME MEASURE: A student was considered competent if he or she claimed to be able to do a procedure either alone or with assistance. RESULTS: Over 50% of students were competent in 57 procedures after the attachment compared with 37 procedures before it. There were 26 procedures in which more than 20% of students increased their competence. CONCLUSION: A higher priority needs to be paid to the undergraduate teaching of procedural skills. Rural attachments can play an important part in training medical students in the practical skills required of interns.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Women, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and exercise.

Exercise is widely believed to induce favorable changes in the lipid profiles of women, particularly to increase the cardioprotective high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) fraction. A critical appraisal of the literature demonstrates that many research studies fail to consider potential confounders such as hormonal status and body composition. Although cross-sectional studies confirm that active women have higher HDL-C levels than sedentary women, intervention studies suggest that exercise training programs, in the absence of other interventions, do not cause HDL-C levels to rise appreciably in older women. High volumes of exercise may increase HDL-C levels in younger women. Exercise programs of moderate intensity appear to modify the HDL-C-lowering effects of a hypocaloric, fat-restricted diet.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Transactivation of mouse insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) gene promoters by the AP-1 complex.

The mouse insulin-like growth factor II gene (Igf2) is transcribed from three promoters (P1, P2 and P3), and is expressed in a tissue-specific and developmentally regulated fashion; however, little information is available on the transcription factors controlling Igf2 expression. The AP-1 complex is a transcription factor involved in the regulation of a variety of genes, including those encoding certain growth factors. We show that Igf2 P3 is transactivated by AP-1 in a transient expression assay, and that this effect is mediated through two non-consensus AP-1 binding sites characterised by DNA-protein interaction studies. Mutational analysis indicates these sites are required for AP-1 responsiveness and full promoter activity.

Animals↗