Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

C Kennedy

Publications and source records attributed to C Kennedy.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Examining television as an influence on children's health behaviors.

This article is a review of select empirical research studies examining television as an influence on children's health behaviors. The reader is first provided with an overview of the research on the role of television in children's lives. This is followed by an in-depth presentation of the research related to television content and its effect on risk-taking and the role of television commercials and their influence on nutrition and dietary behaviors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Effects of enactment by professional actors at encoding and retrieval.

This experiment investigated memory benefits similar to those found with subject-performed tasks (SPTs) but under widely differing circumstances. Almost all SPT research has shown that as long as enactment takes place at encoding, mode of recall (enactment vs. verbal recall) is immaterial. Using professional actors, the experimenters had previously shown (Noice & Noice, 1999) that movement that was not semantically congruent with the accompanying material produced enhanced recall at retrieval compared to a non-moving condition, a result that did not appear to be due to the fact that retrieval conditions closely resembled encoding conditions. Experiment 1 of the present study replicated and extended this finding, demonstrating that the effect can be found after a delay of five months with actors of varying age and experience, and that the enhancement is not dependent on physical context. Experiment 2 demonstrated that, even with purely verbal retrieval of material that had been equated for memorability, dialogue originally performed when the participants had been engaged in movement from place to place was better recalled than dialogue originally performed when the participants had remained in one location. Taken together, these results indicate that movement at retrieval is not necessary for the nonliteral enactment effect to occur, but that such movement can aid recall compared to a purely verbal mode of report.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

The utility of polysporin ointment in the eradication of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization: a pilot study.

We evaluated the efficacy of an ointment containing bacitracin, polymyxin B, and gramicidin for the eradication of colonization by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in 11 medical patients, 10 (91%) of whom had previously failed a 1-week course of topical mupirocin. Mupirocin resistance was documented in 5 (45%) of 11 patients. Successful decolonization was achieved in 9 (82%) of 11 patients (based on 2 months of follow-up).

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Characterization of a major cluster of nif, fix, and associated genes in a sugarcane endophyte, Acetobacter diazotrophicus.

A major 30.5-kb cluster of nif and associated genes of Acetobacter diazotrophicus (syn. Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus), a nitrogen-fixing endophyte of sugarcane, was sequenced and analyzed. This cluster represents the largest assembly of contiguous nif-fix and associated genes so far characterized in any diazotrophic bacterial species. Northern blots and promoter sequence analysis indicated that the genes are organized into eight transcriptional units. The overall arrangement of genes is most like that of the nif-fix cluster in Azospirillum brasilense, while the individual gene products are more similar to those in species of Rhizobiaceae or in Rhodobacter capsulatus.

Acetobacter↗
PubMed2000

A community-based approach to evaluation of health outcomes and costs for telepsychiatry in a rural population: preliminary results.

A pilot trial was established to support visiting psychiatric services and local public and private practitioners through the use of videoconferencing. The purpose of the trial was to determine whether people in the community received better health-care with telemedicine. A community-based approach was used to evaluate health outcomes, costs, utilization, accessibility, quality and needs for such services in a rural community in Queensland. Over a two-year period data were collected from 124 subjects who met the criteria of having a mental health problem or mental disorder. Nine further subjects refused to participate in the study. Only 32 subjects used videoconferencing to receive mental health services. Preliminary results did not show any significant improvements in wellbeing or quality of life, although the time span was relatively short. However, the results confirmed that the people were no worse off from a consumer or a practitioner perspective from using videoconferencing. Most consumers found that videoconferencing with a psychiatrist moderately or greatly helped them in managing their treatment, with 98% of them preferring to be offered videoconferencing in combination with local services. Overall, videoconferencing is a crucial part of enhancing psychiatry services in rural areas. However, it is not necessarily cost-effective for all consumers, general practitioners, psychiatrists, or the public mental health service.

Humans↗
PubMed2000

Telemedicine techniques can be used to facilitate the conduct of multicentre trials.

A multicentre randomized controlled trial was established in Pretoria, Bloemfontein and Edendale in South Africa, and coordinated from London. The purpose of the trial was to determine the efficacy of low-dose beta irradiation of glaucoma. Five communication modalities (telephone, fax, e-mail, videoconferencing and face-to-face meetings) were examined in terms of their benefits in a multicentre trial. The eight stages of the multicentre trial examined were: set-up and training, recruitment, standardization, patient management, data transmission, update and data dissemination, clinical follow-up and monitoring, and publication. On four-point Likert scales for rating the usefulness of the communication modalities at each of the eight stages of the trial (from 0 = not useful to 3 = very useful; maximum score 24) the telephone was given a total score of 10, fax 9, e-mail 13, videoconferencing 15 and face-to-face meetings 9. Telemedicine techniques offer considerable benefits in the coordination of multicentre trials by improving data collection, maintaining the efficacy and monitoring of trials, while potentially offering reduced costs in terms of travel and time. The realtime scrutiny of patient records helps to ensure data uniformity and completeness of data collection. Videoconferencing was most useful when considered as one of several communication tools that can be used to improve the effectiveness of a service or process.

Glaucoma↗
PubMed2000

ATP, an agonist at the rat P2Y(4) receptor, is an antagonist at the human P2Y(4) receptor.

The nucleotide selectivities of the human P2Y(4) (hP2Y(4)) and rat P2Y(4) (rP2Y(4)) receptor stably expressed in 1321N1 human astrocytoma cells were determined by measuring increases in intracellular [Ca(2+)] under conditions that minimized metabolism, bioconversion, and endogenous nucleotide release. In cells expressing the hP2Y(4) receptor, UTP, GTP, and ITP all increased intracellular [Ca(2+)] with a rank order of potency of UTP (0.55) > GTP (6.59) = ITP (7.38), (EC(50), microM). ATP, CTP, xanthine 5'-triphosphate (XTP), and diadenosine 5',5"'-P(1), P(4)-tetraphosphate (Ap(4)A), all at 100 microM, were inactive at the hP2Y(4) receptor. In cells expressing the rP2Y(4) receptor, all seven nucleotides increased intracellular [Ca(2+)] with similar maximal effects and a rank order of potency of UTP (0.20) > ATP (0. 51) > Ap(4)A (1.24) approximately ITP (1.82) approximately GTP (2. 28) > CTP (7.24) > XTP (22.9). Because ATP is inactive at the hP2Y(4) receptor, we assessed whether ATP displayed antagonist activity. When coapplied, ATP shifted the concentration-response curve to UTP rightward in a concentration-dependent manner, with no change in the maximal response. A Schild plot derived from these data gave a pA(2) value of 6.15 (K(B) = 708 nM) and a slope near unity. Additionally, CTP and Ap(4)A (each at 100 microM) inhibited the response to an EC(50) concentration of UTP by approximately 40 and approximately 50%, respectively, whereas XTP had no effect. The inhibitory effects of ATP, CTP, and Ap(4)A were reversible on washout. Thus, ATP is a potent agonist at the rP2Y(4) receptor but is a competitive antagonist with moderate potency at the hP2Y(4) receptor.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗
PubMed2000

Histone deacetylase inhibitors decrease proliferation and modulate cell cycle gene expression in normal mammary epithelial cells.

Full-term pregnancy early in reproductive life is protective against breast cancer in women. The protective effects of parity have variously been attributed to the differentiation that accompanies pregnancy and lactation, alterations in ovarian hormone receptor levels, and altered sensitivity to ovarian hormones. Butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid, induces differentiation in breast cancer cell lines and decreases hormone receptor expression. Butyrate also inhibits proliferation in breast cancer cell lines and modulates expression of key cell cycle-regulatory proteins including cyclin D1. Given these properties, butyrate could be considered a promising agent for breast cancer prevention. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effects of butyrate on normal human breast epithelial cells and to compare the effects of two stable butyrate derivatives with more favorable pharmacological properties: phenylacetate and its p.o. active precursor phenylbutyrate. Treatment with each agent resulted in concentration-dependent growth inhibition in a normal breast epithelial cell line and two breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231). Phenylbutyrate and butyrate inhibited proliferation to a similar extent, but phenylacetate was less effective in all of the cell lines. All three of the agents induced differentiation (accumulation of lipid droplets) in normal as well as in breast cancer cells and caused a decrease in estrogen receptor (ER) mRNA in MCF-7 cells. The butyrates decreased expression of cyclin D1, increased expression of p21(Waf1/Cip1), and hypophosphorylated pRB in the normal mammary epithelial cells. The effects on cyclin D1 expression correlated with the effects on cell proliferation, which suggests that modulation of cyclin D1 expression may underpin the antiproliferative effects of butyrates. We have shown that butyrate and butyrate-like agents are able to decrease proliferation and induce differentiation in normal breast cells as well as in malignant breast cells (ER-positive and ER-negative) and, as such, may be considered as candidate chemopreventative agents for women at high risk of developing breast cancer.

Anticarcinogenic Agents↗
PubMed1999

Standardized quantitative assessment of brain tumor survivors treated within clinical trials in childhood.

Important morbidity and impairment of life quality arises from both the primary pathology and therapeutic interventions in children with central nervous system (CNS) tumors. Standardized and systematic collection of morbidity data is a prerequisite of clinical trials in this field. The perception of the survivor is paramount in the determination of quality of life as this variable is dependent on the beholder. Comprehensive assessment of outcome following therapeutic intervention should evaluate this in parallel with other physical and psycho-social outcome parameters. A structured, simple schema for the evaluation of survivors of childhood CNS tumors is presented. It is intended to be easily applicable by clinicians within the everyday clinical setting. Information relating to pre- and post-operative states, function, health status and emotional and psychological well-being is collected at regular intervals from diagnosis. Re-integration into society and independence are evaluated. Children self-complete health-status assessments where appropriate. Evidence to support this is presented. The schema is intended to provide a basic framework for the monitoring of health status following treatment of CNS tumors in childhood. Regular assessments may identify individuals in need of more detailed investigation and further understanding of the evolution of morbidity in this cohort. Survivors' perception of the impact of documented dysfunction on their health-related quality of life will be determined. Optimization of the planning of future clinical service provision and therapies will result.

Brain Neoplasms↗
PubMed1999

Modulation of purinergic neurotransmission.

During the past 25 years ATP has become accepted as an important neurotransmitter at a wide variety of neuroeffector junctions, usually acting as a cotransmitter with NA, ACh, nitric oxide or a neuropeptide such as NPY or VIP. The details of the storage and release of ATP with its cotransmitters has yet to be resolved. However, recent studies indicate that there is more than one population of storage vesicles in the nerves, since the release of the various cotransmitters varies over time and can be differentially modulated by drugs. The subclassification of P2 receptors has advanced dramatically in the past few years due to the use of molecular biology methods allowing the cloning and expression of 14 different subclasses of P2 receptors, seven P2X and seven P2Y. Determination of the functional significance of the various receptor subtypes would be helped by the development of selective agonists and antagonists. The neurotransmitter action of ATP at visceral and vascular smooth muscle P2X receptors has been elucidated in considerable detail. ATP induces a transient inward current via ligand-gated channels, which produces EJPs, action potentials and a phasic contraction of the effector tissue. ATP's neurotransmitter actions appear to be curtailed by the action of ATPases. It has been assumed that this ATPase activity is due to membrane bound ecto-ATPases on the surface of the effector tissue, however, the recently identified soluble ATPase released during nerve stimulation could also be involved in inactivation of ATP. The relative importance of ecto-ATPase and the releasable ATPase is yet to be determined.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1999

Confirmation of the detection of HLA-A*0104N in a family: a PCR-SSP reaction for the allelic detection of HLA-A*0104N.

The allele A*0104N has been detected in a family with a patient requiring a bone marrow transplant. The allele was found as a consequence of a discrepant result when family members were typed using serology and polymerase chain reaction using sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP). Serological typing gave an apparent HLA-A 'blank' while PCR-SSP revealed the presence of an A*01 allele in three family members who were serologically negative for A1. Sequencing-based typing (SBT) was then used to establish that the allele was A*0104N. A PCR-SSP reaction was subsequently designed and used for the allelic detection of A*0104N. The study highlights the potential risks involved if molecular technology is used for typing, unless all non-expressed alleles are specifically detected.

Alleles↗
PubMed1999

The gene for hypotrichosis of Marie Unna maps between D8S258 and D8S298: exclusion of the hr gene by cDNA and genomic sequencing.

Hypotrichosis of Marie Unna (MU) is an autosomal dominant hair-loss disorder with onset in childhood. A genomewide search for the gene was performed in a large Dutch family using 400 fluorescent microsatellite markers. Linkage was detected with marker D8S258, and analysis of this family and a further British kindred with additional markers in the region gave a combined maximum two-point LOD score of 13.42, with D8S560. Informative recombinants placed the MU gene in a 2.4-cM interval between markers D8S258 and D8S298. Recently, recessive mutations in the hr gene were reported in families with congenital atrichia, and this gene was previously mapped close to the MU interval. By radiation-hybrid mapping, we placed the hr gene close to D8S298 but were unable to exclude it from the MU interval. This, with the existence of the semidominant murine hr allele, prompted us to perform mutation analysis for this gene. Full-length sequencing of hr cDNA obtained from an affected individual showed no mutations. Similarly, screening of all exons of the hr gene amplified from the genomic DNA of an affected individual revealed no mutations. Analysis of expressed sequences and positional cloning of the MU locus is underway.

Alopecia↗
PubMed1999

Training for telemedicine.

All technology requires training. Simply installing videoconferencing equipment in a hospital or health centre, and leaving the manufacturer's manual nearby, is not sufficient to encourage or maintain its use for telemedicine. Presenting clinicians and other users with thick policy and procedure documents to be read and understood is also not helpful. Following initial awareness raising about telemedicine and its potential, staff must be properly trained: not just in how to turn on the equipment but in how to use it effectively for consultation, education and administrative purposes. Training needs to be continual, especially where staff turnover is high. It should be practical, pitched at different levels, incorporated into mainstream activities such as orientation courses and staff development days wherever possible, and supplemented with clear, straightforward protocols and user-friendly instruction manuals.

Computer Communication Networks↗
PubMed1999

Identification, sequencing and structural analysis of a nifA-like gene of Acetobacter diazotrophicus.

A recombinant plasmid, pAD101, containing a DNA fragment of Acetobacter diazotrophicus strain PAL5 was isolated by its ability to restore Nif+ phenotype to a nifA- ntrC- double mutant of Azotobacter vinelandii. Hybridization with the nifA genes of Azospirillum brasilense located the nifA gene more precisely to specific fragments of pAD101. DNA sequencing of appropriate subclones of pAD101 revealed that the nifA gene was adjacent to the nifB gene in A. diazotrophicus, and the 5' end of the nifB gene was located downstream of the nitrogenase MoFe subunit gene, nifK. The deduced aminoacid sequence of A. diazotrophicus nifA and nifB gene were most similar to the NifA and NifB proteins of Azorhizobium caulinodans and Rhodobacter capsulatus, respectively. In addition, nucleotide sequences upstream of the A. diazotrophicus nifA-encoding region indicate features similar to those in the A. caulinodans nifA promoter region involved in O2 and fixed N regulation of nifA expression.

Acetobacter↗