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Biomedical subjects

C L Johnson

Publications and source records attributed to C L Johnson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Calibration of projector lens distortions.

The distortions introduced into high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) images by the projector lens system are an important source of systematic error for quantitative displacement and strain determination. Using geometric phase analysis of images of perfect crystals, we measured these errors for two different transmission electron microscopes. Local magnification varies by as much as 5%, and rotation can reach 2 degrees across a typical image. Our experimental results are compared with theory, and optical pincushion and spiral distortion coefficients are determined. A method for calibrating and removing these distortions is presented that enables quantification to 0.1% strain and 0.1 degrees rotation across the whole field of view. This calibration is also critical for the accurate measurement of local lattice parameters from HRTEM images.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

Sustaining community living of the very old: medical and service issues.

The unprecedented prolongation of life in the United States has been accompanied by increased numbers of disabled people in their 80s and 90s, who have high needs for health care and social services. The paper reports longitudinal findings on 150 individuals, 85 years and older. Over three years, their functioning on activities of daily living significantly declined at the same time that they continued to described their health as good and to report contentment about their life. Families were active in sustaining community living of the oldest old, but those most at risk of institutionalization were the childless. Over time, 48% of the survivors stayed functionally fit, while 28% became increasingly disabled and dependent and 24% remained stable at a high level of disability. The means by which the oldest old coped with their disabilities include practical steps in simplifying their environment and narrowing their social world. They also used cognitive regulation by modifying their health beliefs and delimiting those areas over which they could exert a sense of control.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

A note on the emission of nitrogen oxides from silage in opened bunker silos.

The evolution of NOx from grass and maize silages was measured using chemiluminescence in samples kept in airtight containers, in the silos and in a 750 kg mass removed to a mixer waggon. Measurements were made on the grass and maize silos in two consecutive years. The results show that there is continuous evolution of NOx after silos have been opened and that high concentrations persist in the mass which are rapidly released on agitation at the feed-out. The maximum recorded concentrations of NO and NO2 were 1985 and 152 ppbv respectively. These values are orders of magnitude greater than for rural background levels and exceed the maximum hourly exposure of 50 ppbv for NO2 recommended by the UK expert panel for quality standards.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2002

Body composition estimates from NHANES III bioelectrical impedance data.

BACKGROUND: Body composition estimates for the US population are important in order to analyze trends in obesity, sarcopenia and other weight-related health conditions. National body composition estimates have not previously been available. OBJECTIVE: To use transformed bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) data in sex-specific, multicomponent model-derived prediction formulae, to estimate total body water (TBW), fat-free mass (FFM), total body fat (TBF), and percentage body fat (%BF) using a nationally representative sample of the US population. DESIGN: Anthropometric and BIA data were from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III; 1988-1994). Sex-specific BIA prediction equations developed for this study were applied to the NHANES data, and mean values for TBW, FFM, TBF and %BF were estimated for selected age, sex and racial-ethnic groups. RESULTS: Among the non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and Mexican-American participants aged 12-80 y examined in NHANES III, 15 912 had data available for weight, stature and BIA resistance measures. Males had higher mean TBW and FFM than did females, regardless of age or racial-ethnic status. Mean TBW and FFM increased from the adolescent years to mid-adulthood and declined in older adult age groups. Females had higher mean TBF and %BF estimates than males at each age group. Mean TBF also increased with older age groups to approximately 60 y of age after which it decreased. CONCLUSIONS: These mean body composition estimates for TBW, FFM, TBF and %BF based upon NHANES III BIA data provide a descriptive reference for non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks and Mexican Americans in the US population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Replication of Chilo iridescent virus in the cotton boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, and development of an infectivity assay.

The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, is a devastating pest of cotton. Chemical pesticides are problematic due to relative lack of target specificity and resistance. Microbial pesticides may provide viable alternatives because of their narrow host range. Chilo iridescent virus (CIV) is the type species for genus Iridovirus, family Iridoviridae: large, icosahedral cytoplasmic viruses containing a double-stranded DNA genome. Earlier work suggested that CIV replicated in the boll weevil; however, efficiency or production of infectious virus was not established. We showed that CIV undergoes a productive cycle in A. grandis. CIV DNA levels in boll weevil pupae increased significantly from 0 to 3 days post infection. Moreover, virogenic stromata and complete virus particles were observed in the cytoplasm by 7 days. An endpoint dilution assay using viral DNA replication as indicator suggested a 10(5)-fold increase in infectious virus titer over 7 days. This is the first such demonstration in larval infections with genus Iridovirus. Our study establishes that CIV undergoes a productive cycle in the boll weevil and provides an important and useful model system for replication at the organismal level. These results have important implications for the potential of CIV and its components in boll weevil control.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Involvement of protein kinase C-delta in DNA damage-induced apoptosis.

We have previously shown that the protein kinase C (PKC) signal transduction pathway regulates cell death by the DNA damaging agent cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (cDDP). In the present study we have investigated how PKC influences the sequence of events that are triggered by cDDP-induced DNA damage. cDDP caused activation of caspases-8, -9, -3, -7 and cleavage of PKCdelta. Rottlerin, a selective inhibitor of novel PKCdelta, blocked activation of caspases, proteolytic activation of PKCdelta and cell death induced by cDDP. In contrast, Gö 6976, an inhibitor of conventional PKCalpha and betaI, did not prevent cDDP-induced caspase activation and cDDP cytotoxicity. In HeLa cells, PKCdelta was distributed both in the cytosol and heavy membrane (HM) fraction containing mitochondria. While caspase-8 was primarily cytosolic, a small amount of caspases-9, -7 and -3 could be detected in the HM fraction. cDDP caused a time-dependent increase in Cytochrome c release from the mitochondria and processing of both cytosolic and membrane-associated caspases, as well as proteolytic cleavage of PKCdelta. Rottlerin attenuated late but not early release of Cytochrome c by cDDP. It, however, inhibited activation of caspases and proteolytic cleavage of PKCdelta in both cytosolic and HM fractions. The antiapoptotic effect of rottlerin was evident when it was added together with or following cDDP addition but not when added after cDDP was removed from the medium. Thus, the PKCdelta inhibitor acts at an early stage of the cDDP-induced cell death pathway that precedes caspase activation.

Acetophenones↗
PubMed2001

Prevalence of overweight in US children: comparison of US growth charts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with other reference values for body mass index.

BACKGROUND: Several different sets of reference body mass index (BMI) values are available to define overweight in children. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare the prevalence of overweight in US children calculated with 3 sets of reference BMI values: the revised growth charts of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC-US growth charts), international standards proposed by Cole et al, and values developed by Must et al. DESIGN: Data for children and adolescents came from cross-sectional nationally representative US surveys: cycles II and III of the National Health Examination Survey (1963-1965 and 1966-1970) and the first, second, and third National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys: NHANES I (1971-1974), II (1976-1980), and III (1988-1994). The reference values of Cole et al equivalent to a BMI of 25 were compared with the 85th percentiles from the other 2 methods; the values equivalent to a BMI of 30 were compared with the 95th percentiles. RESULTS: The 3 methods gave similar but not identical results. The reference values of Cole et al gave lower estimates than did the CDC-US growth charts for young children but higher estimates for older children. The reference values of Must et al gave much higher prevalences for younger girls than did the other 2 methods. CONCLUSIONS: Differences between methods were related to differences in data sets, smoothing methods, and theoretical approaches. All 3 methods are based on statistical criteria and incorporate arbitrary assumptions. These methods should be used cautiously, with awareness of the possible limitations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Functional genomic, biochemical, and genetic characterization of the Salmonella pduO gene, an ATP:cob(I)alamin adenosyltransferase gene.

Salmonella enterica degrades 1,2-propanediol by a pathway dependent on coenzyme B12 (adenosylcobalamin [AdoCb1]). Previous studies showed that 1,2-propanediol utilization (pdu) genes include those for the conversion of inactive cobalamins, such as vitamin B12, to AdoCbl. However, the specific genes involved were not identified. Here we show that the pduO gene encodes a protein with ATP:cob(I)alamin adenosyltransferase activity. The main role of this protein is apparently the conversion of inactive cobalamins to AdoCbl for 1,2-propanediol degradation. Genetic tests showed that the function of the pduO gene was partially replaced by the cobA gene (a known ATP:corrinoid adenosyltransferase) but that optimal growth of S. enterica on 1,2-propanediol required a functional pduO gene. Growth studies showed that cobA pduO double mutants were unable to grow on 1,2-propanediol minimal medium supplemented with vitamin B(12) but were capable of growth on similar medium supplemented with AdoCbl. The pduO gene was cloned into a T7 expression vector. The PduO protein was overexpressed, partially purified, and, using an improved assay procedure, shown to have cob(I)alamin adenosyltransferase activity. Analysis of the genomic context of genes encoding PduO and related proteins indicated that particular adenosyltransferases tend to be specialized for particular AdoCbl-dependent enzymes or for the de novo synthesis of AdoCbl. Such analyses also indicated that PduO is a bifunctional enzyme. The possibility that genes of unknown function proximal to adenosyltransferase homologues represent previously unidentified AdoCbl-dependent enzymes is discussed.

Adenosine↗
PubMed2000

Comprehensive analysis of the acute toxicities induced by systemic administration of cationic lipid:plasmid DNA complexes in mice.

A major limitation associated with systemic administration of cationic lipid:plasmid DNA (pDNA) complexes is the vector toxicity at the doses necessary to produce therapeutically relevant levels of transgene expression. Systematic evaluation of these toxicities has revealed that mice injected intravenously with cationic lipid:pDNA complexes develop significant, dose-dependent hematologic and serologic changes typified by profound leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and elevated levels of serum transaminases indicative of hepatocellular necrosis. Vector administration also induced a potent inflammatory response characterized by complement activation and the induction of the cytokines IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-12. These toxicities were found to be transient, resolving with different kinetics to pretreatment levels by 14 days posttreatment. The toxic syndrome observed was independent of the cationic lipid:pDNA ratio, the cationic lipid species, and the level of transgene expression attained. Mechanistic studies determined that neither the complement cascade nor TNF-alpha were key mediators in the development of these characteristic toxicities. Administration of equivalent doses of the individual vector components revealed that cationic liposomes or pDNA alone did not generate the toxic responses observed with cationic lipid:pDNA complexes. Only moderate leukopenia was associated with administration of cationic liposomes or pDNA alone, while only mild thrombocytopenia was noted in pDNA-treated animals. These results establish a panel of objective parameters that can be used to quantify the acute toxicities resulting from systemic administration of cationic lipid:pDNA complexes, which in turn provides a means to compare the therapeutic indices of these vectors.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

CDC growth charts: United States.

OBJECTIVES: This report presents the revised growth charts for the United States. It summarizes the history of the 1977 National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) growth charts, reasons for the revision, data sources and statistical procedures used, and major features of the revised charts. METHODS: Data from five national health examination surveys collected from 1963 to 1994 and five supplementary data sources were combined to establish an analytic growth chart data set. A variety of statistical procedures were used to produce smoothed percentile curves for infants (from birth to 36 months) and older children (from 2 to 20 years), using a two-stage approach. Initial curve smoothing for selected major percentiles was accomplished with various parametric and nonparametric procedures. In the second stage, a normalization procedure was used to generate z-scores that closely match the smoothed percentile curves. RESULTS: The 14 NCHS growth charts were revised and new body mass index-for-age (BMI-for-age) charts were created for boys and girls (http://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts). The growth percentile curves for infants and children are based primarily on national survey data. Use of national data ensures a smooth transition from the charts for infants to those for older children. These data better represent the racial/ethnic diversity and the size and growth patterns of combined breast- and formula-fed infants in the United States. New features include addition of the 3rd and 97th percentiles for all charts and extension of all charts for children and adolescents to age 20 years. CONCLUSION: Created with improved data and statistical curve smoothing procedures, the United States growth charts represent an enhanced instrument to evaluate the size and growth of infants and children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Internal structure and early thermal evolution of Mars from Mars Global Surveyor topography and gravity.

Topography and gravity measured by the Mars Global Surveyor have enabled determination of the global crust and upper mantle structure of Mars. The planet displays two distinct crustal zones that do not correlate globally with the geologic dichotomy: a region of crust that thins progressively from south to north and encompasses much of the southern highlands and Tharsis province and a region of approximately uniform crustal thickness that includes the northern lowlands and Arabia Terra. The strength of the lithosphere beneath the ancient southern highlands suggests that the northern hemisphere was a locus of high heat flow early in martian history. The thickness of the elastic lithosphere increases with time of loading in the northern plains and Tharsis. The northern lowlands contain structures interpreted as large buried channels that are consistent with northward transport of water and sediment to the lowlands before the end of northern hemisphere resurfacing.

Atmosphere↗
PubMed2000

Serum ferritin and death from all causes and cardiovascular disease: the NHANES II Mortality Study. National Health and Nutrition Examination Study.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the association between serum ferritin and death from all causes, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), CHD and myocardial infarction (MI). Positive body iron stores have been proposed as a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD). While most epidemiologic studies using serum ferritin and other measures of body iron stores have not found an association between iron and heart disease risk, the hypothesis remains controversial. As a result, we examined the relationship of serum ferritin, the principle blood measure of body iron stores, to risk of death in a cohort with a standardized exam and long follow-up. METHODS: The baseline data for this prospective cohort study were collected in 1976-1980 as part of the second National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES II) with mortality follow-up using the National Death Index (NDI) through December 31, 1992. The analytic sample (n = 1604) consisted of 128 black men, 658 white men, 100 black women and 718 white women 45-74 years of age at baseline who, based on self-reported data, were free of coronary heart disease at baseline and had no missing data. The main outcome measures were the relative risk of death for persons with serum ferritin levels: <50 microg/L; or 100-199 microg/L; or > or =200 microg/L was compared to persons with serum ferritin levels of 50-99 microg/L adjusted for possible confounding using the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: Most of the deaths were among white men (n = 254) and women (n = 168). There were relatively few deaths among black men (n = 50) and too few in women (n = 23) to reliably model. The largest number of CVD (n = 119), CHD (n = 82), and MI (n = 49) deaths were in white men while there were 69 CVD, 45 CHD and 13 MI deaths in white women. Black men with a serum ferritin level of <50 microg/L had a significantly higher adjusted risk of death from all causes (RR = 3.1 with 95% confidence limits of 1.5-6.5). There were no other statistically significant associations for all causes mortality for the other three race/sex groups. Additionally, there were no statistically significant associations between serum ferritin and any of the cardiovascular endpoints for any of the groups. There was an apparent but nonsignificant u-shaped association between serum ferritin and all causes mortality in black men and between serum ferritin and CVD death in white women. However, in both cases very wide confidence limits preclude further interpretation. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the results do not support the hypothesis that positive body iron stores, as measured by serum ferritin, are associated with an increased risk of CVD, CHD or MI death or between serum ferritin and all causes mortality. Most of the research to date with serum ferritin has been conducted in European men or in European American men. Our results are consistent with the primarily negative results for that race/sex group. More research is needed in women and minority groups, including an explanation of why such an association would exist in these groups but not in white men before an association can be established in them.

Black or African American↗
PubMed2000

Analysis of factors influencing the comparison of homocysteine values between the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and NHANES 1999+.

Two important changes occurred in the time between the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) (1991-1994) and the later survey (NHANES 1999+) regarding total homocysteine (tHcy), i.e., a change in matrix from serum to plasma and a change in analytical methods. The goals of this study were to determine the magnitude of potential differences between plasma and serum with regard to tHcy concentrations, and between the two analytical methods used in these surveys. Optimally prepared plasma, serum allowed to clot for 30 and 60 min at room temperature and serum allowed to clot for 30 and 60 min and subjected to four freeze-thaw cycles, prepared from blood samples collected from 30 healthy people, were analyzed by both methods. Serum samples had significantly higher tHcy concentrations than plasma samples, and the difference increased with longer clotting time. Freeze-thaw cycles had little or no effect on the variability or bias in the serum sample results. The tHcy results produced by the two analytical methods were significantly different, but consistent across sample types. On average, the results of the method used in NHANES III were lower by 0.64 micromol/L; however, the relative bias varied with tHcy concentration. The tHcy results determined in surplus serum from NHANES III overestimated tHcy concentrations by approximately 10% compared with optimally prepared plasma. The average method bias was 6% between the two analytical methods. On the basis of changes in matrix and methodology, direct comparison of tHcy results between the two surveys is inappropriate.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Serum total homocysteine concentration is related to self-reported heart attack or stroke history among men and women in the NHANES III.

High circulating total homocysteine (tHcy) concentration, which is influenced by folate and vitamin B-12 status, is a suspected cause of cardiovascular events. This relation has been investigated in both case-control and prospective studies but has not been evaluated for different sex x age subgroups of the general U.S. population. We used data on adult (i.e., aged > or =40 y) male (n = 1097) and female (n = 1107) participants in the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, excluding diabetics and those supplemented with estrogen, vitamins or minerals, to evaluate the association between serum tHcy concentration and self-report of heart attack or stroke. After adjustment for age, race-ethnicity, smoking, blood pressure, blood pressure medication, body mass index and serum concentrations of creatinine and cholesterol, past events were reported 2.4 (95% confidence interval 1.0-5.5) times as often by men with tHcy concentration of >12 micromol/L as by men with lower values. The odds ratio for women was 2.6 (95% confidence interval 1.1-6.6) after adjustment for the same factors plus menopausal status. A stronger relation in men aged < or =60 y compared with older men may help reconcile conflicting results of earlier studies.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Diffusion and perfusion magnetic resonance imaging in childhood stroke.

Two magnetic resonance imaging techniques, diffusion and perfusion imaging, are being used increasingly for evaluation of pathophysiology of stroke. This article introduces these techniques and reports some initial studies using these approaches, together with conventional T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, for investigation of childhood stroke. It is shown that the combination of T2-weighted and diffusion images can provide information about the timing of stroke events in childhood, and perfusion imaging can detect abnormalities not visible by other magnetic resonance imaging techniques. These magnetic resonance methods therefore should play an important role in investigation of children with stroke and could be of particular value in studies of at-risk populations of children such as those with sickle cell disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Hippocampal volume and everyday memory in children of very low birth weight.

Children born preterm and of very low birth weight have an increased incidence of learning difficulties, but little is known about the specific nature of their cognitive deficits and the underlying neuropathology. We hypothesized that their vulnerability to hypoxic, metabolic, and nutritional insults would lead to reduced hippocampal volumes and to deficits in memory because of the role of the hippocampus in this domain of cognition. Neuropsychological and magnetic resonance imaging methods were used to investigate this hypothesis in adolescents born preterm (< or = 30 wk gestation, n = 11) or full-term (n = 8). The preterm group had significantly smaller hippocampal volumes bilaterally, despite equivalent head size, and showed specific deficits in certain aspects of everyday memory, both on objective testing and as indicated by parental questionnaires. The preterm group also had a specific deficit in numeracy. The reduced hippocampal volumes and deficits in everyday memory have previously been unrecognized, but their prevalence in a group of neurologically normal children is striking.

Adolescent↗