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Biomedical subjects

G Hill

Publications and source records attributed to G Hill.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Further evidence that the KIAA0319 gene confers susceptibility to developmental dyslexia.

The DYX2 locus on chromosome 6p22.2 is the most replicated region of linkage to developmental dyslexia (DD). Two candidate genes within this region have recently been implicated in the disorder: KIAA0319 and DCDC2. Variants within DCDC2 have shown association with DD in a US and a German sample. However, when we genotyped these specific variants in two large, independent UK samples, we obtained only weak, inconsistent evidence for their involvement in DD. Having previously found evidence that variation in the KIAA0319 gene confers susceptibility to DD, we sought to refine this genetic association by genotyping 36 additional SNPs in the gene. Nine SNPs, predominantly clustered around the first exon, showed the most significant association with DD in one or both UK samples, including rs3212236 in the 5' flanking region (P = 0.00003) and rs761100 in intron 1 (P = 0.0004). We have thus refined the region of association with developmental dyslexia to putative regulatory sequences around the first exon of the KIAA0319 gene, supporting the presence of functional mutations that could affect gene expression. Our data also suggests a possible interaction between KIAA0319 and DCDC2, which requires further testing.

5' Untranslated Regions↗
PubMed2006

Myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation for advanced stage multiple myeloma: very long-term follow up of a single center experience.

We aimed to review the long-term outcome of myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) performed for multiple myeloma (MM) at our institution. Records of all patients who received standard myeloablative allogeneic SCT for MM were retrospectively reviewed. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and event-free survival (EFS) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. In total 37 transplants had been performed. Median follow up post-SCT was 108 months (range: 33-148). The majority of patients suffered advanced stage disease and/or had received multiple prior therapies prior to SCT. Transplant-related mortality (TRM) at 100 days was 32%. Grades 2-4 acute graft-vs.-host disease (GVHD) occurred in 18 patients (49%), and extensive stage chronic GVHD in seven (28%) of 25 patients surviving greater than day 100. Median OS, PFS, and EFS were 28 months, 66 months and 13 months, respectively, with 5 year OS, PFS, and EFS 40%, 54% and 24%. Our results suggest that allogeneic SCT, even when performed in advanced stage, heavily pretreated MM, still results in long-term EFS in a significant minority of patients. Efforts should continue on alternative allogeneic SCT approaches to reduce the high early TRM rate associated with myeloablative conditioning.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Pharmaceutical care for elderly patients shared between community pharmacists and general practitioners: a randomised evaluation. RESPECT (Randomised Evaluation of Shared Prescribing for Elderly people in the Community over Time) [ISRCTN16932128].

BACKGROUND: This trial aims to investigate the effectiveness and cost implications of 'pharmaceutical care' provided by community pharmacists to elderly patients in the community. As the UK government has proposed that by 2004 pharmaceutical care services should extend nationwide, this provides an opportunity to evaluate the effect of pharmaceutical care for the elderly. DESIGN: The trial design is a randomised multiple interrupted time series. We aim to recruit 700 patients from about 20 general practices, each associated with about three community pharmacies, from each of the five Primary Care Trusts in North and East Yorkshire. We shall randomise the five resulting groups of practices, pharmacies and patients to begin pharmaceutical care in five successive phases. All five will act as controls until they receive the intervention in a random sequence. Until they receive training community pharmacists will provide their usual dispensing services and so act as controls. The community pharmacists and general practitioners will receive training in pharmaceutical care for the elderly. Once trained, community pharmacists will meet recruited patients, either in their pharmacies (in a consultation room or dispensary to preserve confidentiality) or at home. They will identify drug-related issues/problems, and design a pharmaceutical care plan in conjunction with both the GP and the patient. They will implement, monitor, and update this plan monthly. The primary outcome measure is the 'Medication Appropriateness Index'. Secondary measures include adverse events, quality of life, and patient knowledge and compliance. We shall also investigate the cost of pharmaceutical care to the NHS, to patients and to society as a whole.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Agent-based computational modeling of wounded epithelial cell monolayers.

Computational modeling of biological systems, or in silico biology, is an emerging tool for understanding structure and order in biological tissues. Computational models of the behavior of epithelial cells in monolayer cell culture have been developed and used to predict the healing characteristics of scratch wounds made to urothelial cell cultures maintained in low- and physiological [Ca2+] environments. Both computational models and in vitro experiments demonstrated that in low exogenous [Ca2+], the closure of 500-microm scratch wounds was achieved primarily by cell migration into the denuded area. The wound healing rate in low (0.09 mM) [Ca2+] was approximately twice as rapid as in physiological (2 mM) [Ca2+]. Computational modeling predicted that in cell cultures that are actively proliferating, no increase in the fraction of cells in the S-phase would be expected, and this conclusion was supported experimentally in vitro by bromodeoxyuridine incorporation assay. We have demonstrated that a simple rule-based model of cell behavior, incorporating rules relating to contact inhibition of proliferation and migration, is sufficient to qualitatively predict the calcium-dependent pattern of wound closure observed in vitro. Differences between the in vitro and in silico models suggest a role for wound-induced signaling events in urothelial cell cultures.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2003

Magnetotunneling spectroscopy of dilute Ga(AsN) quantum wells.

We use magnetotunneling spectroscopy to explore the admixing of the extended GaAs conduction band states with the localized N-impurity states in dilute GaAs(1-y)N(y) quantum wells. In our resonant tunneling diodes, electrons can tunnel into the N-induced E- and E+ subbands in a GaAs(1-y)N(y) quantum well layer, leading to resonant peaks in the current-voltage characteristics. By varying the magnetic field applied perpendicular to the current direction, we can tune an electron to tunnel into a given k state of the well; since the applied voltage tunes the energy, we can map out the form of the energy-momentum dispersion curves of E- and E+. The data reveal that for a small N content (approximately 0.1%) the E- and E+ subbands are highly nonparabolic and that the heavy effective mass E+ states have a significant Gamma-conduction band character even at k=0.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

Resistively detected nuclear magnetic resonance in the quantum hall regime: possible evidence for a Skyrme crystal.

Resistively detected nuclear magnetic resonance measurements have been performed on a high mobility heterostructure in the quantum Hall regime. At millikelvin temperatures the nuclear resonances are observed in the vicinity of various integer and fractional filling factors without previous dynamic nuclear polarization. Near nu = 1, the observed large enhancement of the resonance amplitude accompanied by a reduction of T1 strongly suggests a greatly increased coupling between the electronic and nuclear spin systems. This is consistent with the proposed coupling of the nuclear spin system to the Goldstone mode of the Skyrme crystal.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

An overview of the Canadian Study of Health and Aging.

The Canadian Study of Health and Aging is a multicenter, population-based cohort study of dementia with a sample of 10,263 participants aged 65 or over. Field work began in 1991, and a follow-up study was undertaken in 1996-97. The present article describes the origins and objectives of the study, provides an overview of its design, organization, and data collection methods, and offers a brief summary of the main results.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Study sampling in the Canadian Study of Health and Aging.

The Canadian Study of Health and Aging drew representative samples of people aged 65 or over from the community and institutions across Canada. The sample was designed to provide regional and national prevalence estimates for dementia by age and sex. Thirty-six sampling areas were used in a stratified cluster design with optimal allocation; sampling weights were developed to provide population estimates. The sample included 9,008 people aged 65 or over from the community, and 1,255 from institutions. This report describes the sampling procedures, the methods used to recruit people to the study and participation rates, the characteristics of the resulting sample, and the way in which sample weights should be used.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Data collected in the Canadian Study of Health and Aging.

The Canadian Study of Health and Aging collected data focusing on the epidemiology of dementia, using interviews and questionnaires, clinical and neuropsychological examinations, physical measurements and blood collection, and access to public records such as death certificates, from people 65 and over in community (N = 9,008) institutional settings (N = 1,255). The study produced 12 data sets, including community health interviews, clinical and neuropsychological assessments, risk factor questionnaires, and caregiver interviews. This report describes the data collection and processing procedures, summarizes the content of each data set, and outlines the information collected in sufficient detail to permit its suitability for secondary analyses to be scrutinized.

Aged↗