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Biomedical subjects

D Watts

Publications and source records attributed to D Watts.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Environmental factors and nutritional status of rural children.

The nutritional status of school-aged children is a growing concern of health care professionals today. In collaboration with a Kellogg Project in the deep south, students from a large university school of nursing participated in a project to improve the nutritional status of rural school-aged children. The project goals focused on educating thd children about the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Guide Pyramid, reading nutritional labels and recognizing foods with high fat content, and the importance of exercise along with diet. The nursing students created a nutritional assessment tool to use with each child to determine their educational needs. The project involved lecture, interactive class discussion, and hands-on activities. Information from the assessment tool revealed that fast food and foods high in fat were the most popular with the children. After project completion, the posttest revealed an increase in cognitive knowledge of nutrition among all the children. In addition to this positive learning experience for the children, improving the health status of children in the community was an excellent educational opportunity for the nursing students.

Child↗
PubMed1995

Epidemiology of Norwalk virus during an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis aboard a US aircraft carrier.

A large outbreak of acute gastroenteritis occurred over a 5-week period aboard an aircraft carrier. The estimated cumulative attack rate was 13% among the 4,500-man crew. Eight percent of the crew sought medical attention, nearly all of whom missed 1 day or more of work. The risk of developing illness was 2 to 3 times greater for individuals living in more crowded sleeping quarters (> 50 persons per compartment). Occurrence of gastroenteritis was associated with a fourfold or more rise in Norwalk virus antibody levels, as measured by an enzyme-linked immunoassay utilizing a baculovirus expressed recombinant antigen. In addition, 27 nm Norwalk virus-like particles were visualized in two of six stools examined by immune electron microscopy. The presence of a low (< 1:50) or a high (> or = 1:6,400) pre-illness antibody level was associated with a lower incidence of illness. This investigation indicates that Norwalk virus can adversely impact operations of a military vessel and that crowding is a major risk factor in transmission.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1994

DNA-binding induces a major structural transition in a type I methyltransferase.

The type IC DNA methyltransferase M.EcoR124I is a complex multisubunit enzyme that recognizes the non-palindromic DNA sequence GAAN6RTCG. Small angle X-ray scattering has been used to investigate the solution structure of the methyltransferase and of complexes of the enzyme with unmethylated and hemimethylated 30 bp DNA duplexes containing the specific recognition sequence. A major change in the quaternary structure of the enzyme is observed following DNA binding, based on a decrease in the radius of gyration from 56 to 40 A and a reduction in the maximum dimension of the enzyme from 180 to 112 A. The structural transition observed is independent of the methylation state of the DNA. CD shows that there is no change in the secondary structure of the protein subunits when DNA is bound. In contrast, there is a large increase in the CD signal arising from the DNA, suggesting considerable structural distortion which may allow access to the bases targeted for methylation. We propose that DNA binding induces a large rotation of the two HsdM subunits towards the DNA, mediated by hinge bending domains in the specificity subunit HsdS.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Substrate recognition and selectivity in the type IC DNA modification methylase M.EcoR124I.

The type I DNA modification methylase M.EcoR124I binds sequence specifically to DNA and protects a 25bp fragment containing its cognate recognition sequence from digestion by exonuclease III. Using modified synthetic oligonucleotide duplexes we have investigated the catalytic properties of the methylase, and have established that a specific adenine on each strand of DNA is the site of methylation. We show that the rate of methylation of each adenine is increased at least 100 fold by prior methylation at the other site. However, this is accompanied by a significant decrease in the affinity of the methylase for these substrates according to competitive gel retardation assays. In contrast, methylation of an adenine in the recognition site which is not a target for the enzyme results in only a small decrease in both DNA binding affinity and rate of methylation by the enzyme.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1993

L-arginine administration normalizes pressure natriuresis in hypertensive Dahl rats.

A blunted pressure-natriuretic response characterizes hypertension in the Dahl salt-sensitive rat. Long-term L-arginine administration prevents hypertension in these animals. To determine if long-term L-arginine corrects the pressure-natriuretic response, we gave salt-sensitive rats on an 8% sodium diet L-arginine or vehicle daily for 3 weeks. Identically treated salt-resistant rats served as controls. After 3 weeks, acute pressure-natriuresis curves were determined. To control for hypertension-induced renal damage, we also examined pressure natriuresis in salt-sensitive rats after short-term L-arginine. Baseline mean arterial pressure was 158 +/- 3 mm Hg in vehicle-treated salt-sensitive rats and 127 +/- 3 mm Hg in chronically L-arginine-treated salt-sensitive rats. During alterations in perfusion pressure, renal blood flow was autoregulated in all groups. Glomerular filtration rate was autoregulated in salt-resistant rats and L-arginine-treated salt-sensitive rats but fell with decreasing pressure in vehicle-treated salt-sensitive rats. Sodium excretion was greater (P < .05) in L-arginine-treated than in vehicle-treated salt-sensitive rats and did not differ from salt-resistant rats at 100, 125, and 158 mm Hg. The slope of the pressure-natriuresis relation was greater (P < .05) in chronically L-arginine-treated than in vehicle-treated salt-sensitive rats. L-Arginine had no effect on natriuresis in salt-resistant rats. Thus, long-term L-arginine administration normalizes pressure-natriuretic responses in salt-sensitive rats. The effect is not due to the prevention of renal damage and is specific to the salt-sensitive strain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1993

Trends of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 infection in female prostitutes and males diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease in Djibouti, east Africa.

A cross-sectional serosurvey for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) was conducted during the first quarter of 1991 among high risk groups in Djibouti, East Africa, and compared with previous surveys in 1987, 1988, and 1990. The survey demonstrated evidence of HIV-1 infection in 36.0% (n = 292) of street prostitutes, 15.3% (n = 360) of prostitutes working as bar hostesses, and 10.4% (n = 193) of males diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease. By multivariate modeling, HIV-1 seropositivity in prostitutes was associated with Ethiopian nationality, working as a street prostitute, and residing in Djibouti for two years or less. We suggest that prostitution, particularly street prostitution, is a major route of HIV-1 transmission in Djibouti.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Community-based prevalence profile of arboviral, rickettsial, and Hantaan-like viral antibody in the Nile River Delta of Egypt.

To determine the current prevalence of antibody to arboviruses, rickettsiae, and hantaan-like viruses, a survey was carried out in the Nile River Valley of Egypt, one of the principal foci of the 1977-1978 Rift Valley fever (RVF) outbreak. Blood specimens were obtained from 915 persons representing 190 study households. Enzyme immunoassay testing showed that the overall prevalence of IgG antibody was 4% to sand fly fever Sicilian (SFS), 2% to sandfly fever Naples (SFN), 15% to RVF, 20% to West Nile, and 4% to Hantaan (HTN) viruses. Antibody was demonstrated among 32% of the same study subjects to Coxiella burnetii, 58% to Rickettsia typhi, and 32% to R. conorii. The prevalence of agent-specific antibody tended to increase with age. Particularly notable was the low prevalence of RVF infection in children born after the height of the RVF outbreak. No detectable antibodies were found in the population less than seven years of age and in only 3% of those 7-12 years old. In contrast, 26% of the study population 13-19 years old, who were young children and infants at the time of the outbreak, were found to have RVF antibodies, suggesting that the level of intensity associated with transmission decreased considerably following the documented 1977-1978 outbreak. Geometric mean titers (GMT) ranged from 139 for C. burnetii to 1,305 for RVF, and did not vary significantly by age, except for high titers for RVF in the 20-49-year-old age group. A significant upward trend in GMT was also noted when antibody was detected in the specimen for more than one phlebovirus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Integrating technology assessment into the capital budgeting process.

Technology assessment can help hospitals rank the importance of capital requests by providing crucial information both about existing equipment and about new equipment that has been requested. Integrating technology assessment into the capital budgeting process is the best way for hospitals to determine what equipment should be purchased each year.

Budgets↗
PubMed1991

Detecting fake-good and fake-bad MMPI-2 profiles.

This study examined the extent to which the validity scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) could identify subjects who were faking bad or faking good and differentiate between psychiatric patients and normal subjects who were faking bad. Subjects were 106 undergraduate college students and 50 psychiatric patients. Results indicate that the mean profiles and optimal cutoff scores resembled those previously reported for the original MMPI. Accurate identification of persons who were faking bad or faking good was achieved. It was possible to differentiate between the psychiatric patients and normal persons who were faking bad, but different cutoff scores were needed to differentiate between normals taking the test under standard instructions and those instructed to fake bad. Optimal cutoff scores were suggested.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

A waterborne outbreak of leptospirosis among United States military personnel in Okinawa, Japan.

A waterborne outbreak of leptospirosis occurred among US military personnel during September 1987, on the island of Okinawa, Japan. Micro-agglutination titres for leptospiral antigen of greater than or equal to 200 were detected in hospitalized adult males averaging 22.5 years of age with symptoms compatible with leptospirosis. Epidemiological findings revealed two case clusters distinguished by time and place of exposure. The overall attack rates among recreational swimmers and combat skills training participants were 467/1000 (7/15) and 183/1000 (15/82), respectively. Swallowing of water differentiated individuals with laboratory-confirmed infection from those with no infection, while water immersion alone did not appear to result in leptospiral infection. Additionally, subnormal rainfall may have contributed to the risk of exposure associated with this outbreak.

Adult↗