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Biomedical subjects

G Chapman

Publications and source records attributed to G Chapman.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

The mouse homeobox gene, Gbx2: genomic organization and expression in pluripotent cells in vitro and in vivo.

The Gbx2 homeodomain is widely conserved in metazoans. We investigated the mouse Gbx2 locus by isolation and characterization of genomic clones and by physical localization to the genome. The Gbx2 gene contained a single intron that separated the proposed functional protein domains. This organization was conserved with human GBX2. Physical localization of Gbx2 to Chromosome 1C5-E1 indicated that the genomic relationship between the linked Gbx2 and En1 genes differs between mouse and human, making it unlikely to be of functional significance. We also extended the known expression pattern of Gbx2 beyond the gastrulation stage embryo and the developing CNS to pluripotent cells in vitro and in vivo. Gbx2 expression was demonstrated in undifferentiated embryonic stem cells but was downregulated in differentiated cell populations. In the embryo, Gbx2 expression was detected before primitive streak formation, in the inner cell mass of the preimplantation embryo. Gbx2 is therefore a candidate control gene for cell pluripotency and differentiation in the embryo.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A comparison of perspectives on prostate cancer: analysis of utility assessments of patients and physicians.

BACKGROUND: Quality-of-life considerations are important in metastatic prostate cancer. In this study, we interviewed physicians and patients about their assessments and expectations on quality of life as metastatic prostate cancer progresses. METHODS: Physicians and patients made utility assessments of three hypothetical health states for metastatic disease using the time trade-off technique. Scores were bounded on a scale from 0.0 (death) to 1.0 (perfect health). RESULTS: Patients rated each of the health states as less desirable than the physicians. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians and patients differ in their perspectives on expected quality of life with metastatic prostate cancer. Our results emphasize the need to assess patients' utilities directly.

Decision Making↗

Validation of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) in non-postnatal women.

This paper reports the validation of the EPDS against a Research Diagnostic Criteria diagnosis of Major and Minor depression. The EPDS was administered to non-postnatal women with older children (mean age of youngest child 3 years 9 months) and to postnatal women (baby aged 6 months). All who scored 9 or above and one third of low scorers were interviewed, using Goldberg's Clinical Interview Schedule. The study confirmed good user acceptability of the EPDS when administered as a postal questionnaire (92% response rate). The EPDS was found to have satisfactory sensitivity (79%) and specificity (85%). Our findings suggest that the EPDS take a place alongside other screening scales for depression in Community samples. It is proposed that when used in these settings it is referred to as the Edinburgh Depression Scale.

Depression, Postpartum↗

Malabsorption associated with surgical procedures and its treatment.

Signs and symptoms of malabsorption after surgical procedures can be subtle and recognized late. This article reviews some of the more common surgical procedures potentially associated with malabsorption and suggests techniques of nutrition intervention. Early recognition, and preferably preventative care, should result in improved patient outcome.

Gastrointestinal Diseases↗

An oncology patient's choice to forgo nonvolitional nutrition support: ethical considerations.

A 76-year-old patient with metastatic carcinoid tumor who had difficulty tolerating an oral diet and jejunostomy feedings became dehydrated and failed to thrive. His jejunostomy feeding regimen was manipulated to improve tolerance without success. Although his medical condition was untreatable, he was not considered terminally ill, and he was determined to be a reasonable candidate for home total parenteral nutrition (HTPN). However, he thought HTPN was an "excessive measure," and despite lengthy discussions with him by members of both the Hematology/Oncology and Nutrition Support services about the potential benefits of HTPN, he refused any further interventions involving nonvolitional nutrition support (jejunostomy feedings and HTPN). He was discharged to home receiving an oral diet as tolerated in the care of his family and hospice. This case illustrates the ethical considerations surrounding a patient's decision to forgo medical care that might prolong life.

Aged↗

Sequence and evolutionary conservation of the murine Gbx-2 homeobox gene.

The homeobox gene family is divided into classes based on similarity of sequence across the homeodomain. Representative members of discrete classes are often conserved widely throughout evolution and this can extend to their genomic organisation and biological function. In this paper we report the first complete cDNA sequence of a member of the GBX class of homeobox genes, the murine gene Gbx-2. Sequence comparisons indicate that this homeodomain class is highly conserved within vertebrates. The homeodomain differs at only three positions out of 60 and these can be used to subdivide the GBX class homeodomains into 2 sub-classes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Childbirth: life event or start of a long-term difficulty? Further data from the Stoke-on-Trent controlled study of postnatal depression.

BACKGROUND: This paper reports further data from the Stoke study of postnatal depression and examines whether psychosocial characteristics and symptom profiles differ between postnatal and control depression. METHOD: Two hundred and thirty-two postnatal and non-postnatal control women were screened with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; all high scorers and a sample of low scores were interviewed with the Standardised Psychiatric Interview and modified Social Maladjustment Schedule. Depression was diagnosed using the Research Diagnostic Criteria. RESULTS: Postnatal but not control depression was associated with a poor relationship with the woman's own mother and greater occupational instability. Depression in control women was associated with low income, having three or more children, performing manual work and occupational dissatisfaction, but postnatal depression was not. There were no differences in the symptom profiles of the postnatal and control women nor between early and late onset postnatal depression. CONCLUSION: Depression is a common and socially disabling disorder affecting mothers of young children. Postnatal depression is more contingent on acute biopsychosocial stresses caused by the arrival of a new family member. Depression in women with older children is more closely related to longer term social adversity.

Adult↗

Effects of enteral feeding products on survival from Escherichia coli peritonitis.

Male Fischer 344 rats were orally fed one of four diets (Osmolite HN, Alitraq, Impact, and Purina rodent chow). After 6 days, jejunal mucosal nitrogen content and thickness were normal in all groups. After 7 days, challenge with Escherichia coli intraperitoneally demonstrated no difference in survival for any dietary group. In a second study, acute protein-calorie malnutrition was induced by administering 5% dextrose orally for 10 days. Animals were refed for 7 days with one of the four diets. Serum albumin concentrations and intestinal mucosal nitrogen content and thickness returned to normal with each refeeding program. Challenge with E. coli after 7 days of refeeding, however, again demonstrated no difference in survival for any dietary group. Specialized enteral feeding products, containing additional amounts of arginine, glutamine, glutamate, RNA, and omega-3 fatty acids, are no more effective than a standard enteral feeding product or rat chow in maintaining intestinal anatomy or restoring anatomy following fasting. Furthermore, we found no survival advantage for the specialized products following E. coli peritonitis.

Animals↗

Plasma half-lives and bioavailability of human monoclonal Rh D antibodies BRAD-3 and BRAD-5 following intramuscular injection into Rh D-negative volunteers.

Two human MoAbs, BRAD-3 (an IgG3 anti-D) and BRAD-5 (an IgG1 anti-D), were produced from Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed B lymphoblastoid cell lines grown in hollow fibre bioreactors. Six Rh D-negative male volunteers were injected intramuscularly with anti-D; two received BRAD-3 (approx. 1500 micrograms, 2600 IU), two were given BRAD-5 (300 micrograms, 2000 IU), and two had polyclonal anti-D immunoglobulin (500 IU, approx. 100 micrograms anti-D). Levels of anti-D in plasma samples taken up to 42 days later were measured by a sensitive AutoAnalyser method. The half life of BRAD-5 (mean 22.2 days) was greater, and that of BRAD-3 (mean 10.2 days) less than that of polyclonal anti-D (mean 15.6 days). The bioavailability (plasma uptake) of the MoAbs (mean 33.9%) was less than that of the polyclonal anti-D (mean 60.3%). BRAD-3 and BRAD-5 may be suitable for use in antenatal and post-natal prophylaxis against Rh D haemolytic disease of the newborn.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Ovarian transposition in cervical cancer.

One hundred four premenopausal women, 42 years of age or less, with early stage carcinoma of the cervix had surgical management with ovarian retention. Eighty-two had ovarian transposition performed at the time of exploration for radical hysterectomy or staging lymphadenectomy because of known or possible need for radiation therapy. Twenty-two had radical hysterectomy and retained ovaries without transposition. Three patients, all in the transposed group, were lost to follow-up. Sixteen patients died of disease; all but 1 were in the transposed group. Twenty-four transposed patients received postoperative radiation therapy; 12 of these died of disease and all became climacteric prior to death. Only 4 (17%) transposed and radiated patients have continued ovarian function. Of the 58 patients with transposition who received no radiation, 9 of 51 survivors (17.6%) had subsequent oophorectomy for management of painful ovarian cysts at from 25 to 103 months (mean 46.8 months) after treatment. Sixty-seven percent still have ovarian pain and cysts requiring medical therapy. Therefore, only 53% retained ovarian function with no problems. Of the 22 patients whose ovaries were retained but not transposed 10% became climacteric at a mean of 84 months after treatment, and 21% have continued ovary-related pain or cysts at a mean of 32 months. Thus, 71% retained ovarian function and had no problems. The difference in ovarian survival between the transposed and radiated and the nontransposed nonradiated groups was significant (P < 0.001). Only 1 patient developed metastatic disease in the ovary at 17 months and 1 had a benign cystic teratoma at 62 months after treatment. We conclude that transposition is not successful in preserving ovarian function in patients who are likely to need radiation therapy and is, therefore, not indicated. Long-term follow-up is necessary to determine rates of continued ovarian function after surgery. The rate of subsequent malignancy is low.

Adult↗

A controlled study of the onset, duration and prevalence of postnatal depression.

In a two-stage screening procedure using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and Goldberg's Standardised Psychiatric Interview, 232 women six months after delivery were compared with control women individually matched for age, marital status and number of children, obtained from general practitioner lists, who were not pregnant nor had had a baby in the previous 12 months. No significant difference in the point prevalence of depression at six months was found between the postnatal (9.1%) and control women (8.2%) nor in the six-month period prevalence (13.8% postnatal, 13.4% controls), but a threefold higher rate of onset of depression was found within five weeks of childbirth. The possible explanations relate to the long duration of depression in women with young children, and the stressful effect of childbirth and its psychosocial sequelae.

Adolescent↗

Pleural pressure changes in dogs measured from suprasternal fossa movements.

Movements of the suprasternal fossa during spontaneous breathing monitored with the surface inductive plethysmograph (SIP) have been shown to reflect changes of intrapleural pressure in conscious humans. Calibration of this device in anesthetized intubated dogs was accomplished by adjusting the electrical gain of its analog waveform to be equivalent to changes of airway pressure during inspiratory efforts against an occluded airway. This procedure, denoted the occlusion test, was also used to identify the site of esophageal balloon catheter placement for its recording of intrapleural pressure deflections. The validity of SIP-derived estimates of inspiratory and expiratory pulmonary resistances and lung compliance was established by finding close agreement with measurements obtained with intraesophageal pressure changes during 1) unimpeded spontaneous breathing, 2) inspiratory resistive loading, 3) bronchoprovocation with aerosolized carbachol, 4) mechanical ventilatory modalities, and 5) induced pulmonary edema. Therefore, movements of the suprasternal fossa with respiration can be reliably transformed into quantitative or semiquantitative changes of intrapleural pressure in anesthetized intubated dogs during major alterations of pulmonary mechanics.

Airway Resistance↗

Isolation and propagation of endothelial cells derived from rheumatoid synovial microvasculature.

Synovial angiogenesis may play an important part in the destruction of articular cartilage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). As an important first step towards developing in vitro models of synovial angiogenesis, microvascular endothelial cells have been isolated, purified, and cultured from operative synovial specimens obtained from adult patients with RA.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

Evaluation of nutritional status.

Most of the methods used for nutritional assessment provide information regarding body composition abnormalities. In addition to clinical evaluation, straight-forward physical measurements (such as body weight, anthropometric measures) and biochemical or immunological determinations are used. Sophisticated laboratory measurements are, at present, useful primarily for research purposes. Based on the results of nutritional assessment, a diagnosis as to type of malnutrition (and its treatment) may be made. Nutritional assessment criteria are also used to evaluate the effectiveness of nutritional support.

Body Composition↗