Biomedical subjects

I Miller

Publications and source records attributed to I Miller.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1998

Distribution of sylvatic species of Trichinella in Estonia according to climate zones.

A survey on trichinellosis among sylvatic and domestic animals from Estonia revealed the presence of Trichinella nativa (Tn), Trichinella britovi (Tb), and Trichinella spiralis (Ts). Muscle samples were collected from 776 sylvatic and 1,086 domestic animals. Muscle larvae from 52 of the 74 positive samples were identified, using random-amplified polymorphic DNA analysis; 19 samples showed Tn, 27 samples Tb, and 4 samples Ts. A raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) and a red fox (Vulpes vulpes) were infected with both Tn and Tb. Of the 19 animals infected with Tn, 16 (84%) were collected from the central-eastern regions of the country, east of the isotherm -5 C in January. Of the 27 animals infected with Tb, 22 (81%) were collected from the western regions of the country, west of the isotherm -4 C in January. Trichinella spiralis seemed to be present only in a focus (a fur-bearing animal farm) on Hiiumaa Island. These results can be used to support the hypothesis of a relationship between the distribution of Tn and Tb and the environmental temperature; they are also indicative of the importance of long-term survival of muscle larvae in host carcasses in the life cycle of these 2 species. In Estonia, the isotherms -4 and -6 C in January could be considered a thermic barrier for the distribution of Tn and Tb, respectively.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Structural transitions of human serum albumin: an investigation using electrophoretic techniques.

The influence of pH and urea concentration on the electrophoretic mobility of native and reduced human serum albumin was evaluated by zonal electrophoresis across transverse urea gradients as well as by migration across transverse pH gradients in gels containing varying concentrations of urea. Exposure to urea results in a change of both pI and hydrodynamic volume of the albumin molecule. At acidic pH, the former effect is brought about by lower urea concentrations than the latter, as made evident by a biphasic denaturation curve; in alkaline buffers, all structural transitions occur at once, and a typical sigmoidal curve is observed. Below pH 6, the lower the pH, the lower the urea concentration causing albumin denaturation. For instance, in the presence of 3 M urea, below pH 5 > 95% of the protein is present in its denatured state, above pH 8 > 90% is in its native form, whereas in the 6.5-7.5 pH range the two components have similar abundance. Also, the reversibility of the transition between folding and unfolding depends upon pH, and is complete only above pH 6. After inclusion of beta-mercaptoethanol in the albumin sample the urea concentration required to bring about protein unfolding increases between pH 4 and 6 and decreases thereafter.

Electrophoresis↗

PubMed1997

Negative life events and time to recovery from episodes of bipolar disorder.

The authors of the current study examined the impact of severe negative life events on time to recovery from episodes of bipolar disorder. Although negative life events have been shown to influence relapse in bipolar disorder, research has not focused on life events and recovery in bipolar disorder. The authors recruited 67 individuals with bipolar disorder during hospitalization and conducted monthly assessments for at least 1 year. Individuals with severe negative life events took more than 3 times as long to achieve recovery as those without severe life events, and the impact of life events was not mediated by medication compliance. These results reveal that the psychosocial environment may play a much larger role in the course of bipolar disorder than previous biological models have suggested.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Sexual risk behaviors among rural women of childbearing age.

Given the morbidity and mortality associated with sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS, the increasing number of HIV/AIDS cases among heterosexual women, and the limited information regarding rural women's health, it is timely to holistically examine the determinants of sexual risk behavior(s) among rural women of childbearing age. Use of the Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior allows an integrated perspective of demographic characteristics, motivation, problem-solving, self-esteem, and sexual risk behaviors for this population. The 144 subjects in this study included 76 African American and 60 White women (average age 28.76 years, SD 6.58 years). Sexual risk behaviors were defined as more than one sex partner and (partner) not using a condom. African American women reported using condoms more than White women. Younger married women used condoms more than older married women.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

Quantitative assessment of blood inflow effects in functional MRI signals.

Functional MRI (fMRI) signal dependence on changes in blood flow velocities were analyzed for both conventional and echo-planar (EPI) gradient-echo pulse sequences. As the flow velocity increases, the fMRI signal increases monotonically in spoiled gradient-echo sequences, while the fMRI signal may increase or decrease in conventional refocused gradient-echo sequences. A larger flip angle generates a larger inflow contribution to the fMRI signal. For conventional gradient-echo sequences, the inflow contribution to the fMRI images is dominated by the cortical draining veins, while its effect on capillaries is generally small and may be negligible in the spoiled sequences. For EPI gradient-echo sequences, the contribution from inflow effects is relatively small, as compared with the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) contribution, to the fMRI signal, not only for capillaries but also for the cortical draining veins.

Blood Flow Velocity↗

PubMed1996

S-100 protein subunits in bovine oviduct epithelium: in situ distribution and changes during primary cell culture.

Cultures of bovine oviduct epithelial cells are widely used in co-culture systems to improve the results of in vitro fertilization. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the suitability of S-100 protein as a differentiation marker for bovine oviduct epithelial cells in vitro. The distribution of S-100 alpha and S-100 beta was examined immunohistochemically in bovine oviduct epithelium in situ and in primary cell cultures derived from it. Three segments of the Fallopian tube (isthmus, ampulla and fimbriae) were compared and analysed during different stages of the oestrus cycle (luteal phase and follicular phase). Ciliated and non-ciliated cells of the epithelium reacted with anti-S-100 alpha, S-100a (alpha beta) and S-100 beta antibodies, except for isthmic non-ciliated cells, which did not bind anti-S-100 beta or anti-S-100a (alpha beta). In addition, basal cells never showed immunoreactivity for S-100. In confluent monolayers of cultured oviduct epithelial cells, disappearance of reactivity for S-100 paralleled morphological signs of dedifferentiation (loss of cilia, cytoplasmic vacuolization). Free-floating oviduct epithelial cells, in contrast, retained morphological differentiation and still expressed S-100 antigen even after seven days in vitro. The immunohistochemical findings were confirmed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting. The results indicate that the presence of S-100 is closely connected to morphological differentiation and to the specific functional condition of bovine oviduct epithelial cells.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Comparison of methods for measuring albumin in peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis patients.

Serum albumin levels have been used extensively as an indicator of morbidity in patients with end-stage renal disease. Recent evidence suggests that albumin levels vary considerably in hemodialysis patients depending on the laboratory method used, but formulas for comparing albumin values by different methods have not been developed. We prospectively evaluated the effects of measuring albumin by three different methods on paired plasma and serum from 23 patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and 53 patients on chronic maintenance hemodialysis. Plasma and serum gave virtually identical results independent of method used. In CAPD patients, bromcresol green and nephelometry gave nearly identical albumin measurements through the entire range of plasma levels. In contrast, bromcresol purple gave values that were 9.9 percent +/- 1.3 percent lower (P < 0.05). Hemodialysis patients showed a similar pattern with close agreement between bromcresol green and nephelometry, but bromcresol purple gave lower albumin levels by 19.1 percent +/- 1.2 percent (P < 0.05). The discrepancy in albumin in CAPD patients was significantly less than in the hemodialysis patients (P < 0.05), suggesting that there were fewer interfering substances in the blood of CAPD patients than in hemodialysis patients. Linear regression analysis was used to develop simple formulas for comparing albumin values obtained by the different methods in CAPD and hemodialysis patients. These studies show that values for albumin in blood vary significantly by method of analysis in CAPD and hemodialysis patients. By the use of these formulas, it becomes possible to compare albumin values between centers using different methods for the purpose of quality management.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Sexual risk behavior among urban women of childbearing age: implications for clinical practice.

Cox's interaction model of client health behavior was used as an organizing framework to describe the demographic characteristics, motivation, problem-solving, self-esteem, and sexual risk behaviors among urban women of childbearing age (N = 125; average age = 32 years). Eighty-five percent of the women were African American. Sexual risk behaviors were defined as more than one sex partner and not using a condom. Eight women were at the highest risk in that they reported having more than one sex partner and not using condoms. Participants reported low self-esteem, intrinsic motivation, and adequate problem-solving abilities. Motivation scores were significantly different based on number of sex partners (t = 2.26, p = .03). Women with more than one partner had lower scores compared to women with only one partner. There was a significant variation in reported self-esteem among women who used condoms (t = 2.36; p = .22). Women who did not use condoms reported lower self-esteem than women who said that they used condoms.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Satellited 4q identified in amniotic fluid cells.

Extra material was identified on the distal long arm of a chromosome 4 in an amniotic fluid specimen sampled at 16.6 weeks of gestational age. There was no visible loss of material from chromosome 4, and no evidence for a balanced rearrangement. The primary counseling issue in this case was advanced maternal age. Ultrasound findings were normal, and family history was unremarkable. The identical 4qs chromosome was observed in cells from a paternal peripheral blood specimen and appeared to be an unbalanced rearrangement. This extra material was NOR positive in lymphocytes from the father, but was negative in the fetal amniocytes. Father's relatives were studied to verify the familial origin of this anomaly. In situ hybridization with both exon and intron sequences of ribosomal DNA demonstrated that ribosomal DNA is present at the terminus of the 4qs chromosome in the fetus, father, and paternal grandmother. This satellited 4q might have been derived from a translocation event that resulted in very little or no loss from the 4q and no specific phenotype. This derivative chromosome 4 has been inherited through at least 3 generations of phenotypically normal individuals.

Amniotic Fluid↗

PubMed1995

Forensics on wild animals: differentiation between otter and pheasant blood using electrophoretic methods.

Electrophoretic techniques were used to prove illegal hunting of a protected species as small amounts of dried blood stains could be clearly identified as of otter origin. Species differentiation between the otter (Lutra lutra) and pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) was based mainly on small differences in electrophoretic mobilities of the respective albumins and hemoglobins in one-dimensional separations. Additional differences in minor proteins of the two species were revealed by two-dimensional electrophoresis. Electrophoresis thus also proved to be a valuable tool for forensic purposes.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Two-dimensional electrophoresis for the study of blood/serum proteins of the otter, an endangered species.

Studies on serum/blood samples from European otters (Lutra lutra), a species under protection in most countries, were undertaken. Building of a two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) protein identification map was started, identifying serum proteins by pattern comparison with cat or human serum protein maps and by immunoblotting using cross-reacting antibodies against the respective human serum proteins. The capture of endangered species is very restricted, thus making fresh samples almost unavailable; most investigations therefore had to be performed on samples collected from animals found dead. Patterns obtained from specimens of this source were compared to the established pattern of serum proteins and of blood or liver cells. Some of the major differences observed can be explained by contamination with cellular proteins and/or the onset of lytic processes generating breakdown products, as shown by preliminary in vitro experiments. Better knowledge of "normal" serum protein patterns and interfering products will facilitate interpretation of data collected from samples with a less defined history.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Immuno-gold localization of hepatotoxins in cyanobacterial cells.

A polyclonal antibody against the potent hepatotoxic cyclic peptide microcystins and nodularins was used in conjunction with immuno-gold labelling to localize the toxins in three strains of cyanobacteria. Ultrastructurally, there were no major differences between unicellular Microcystis aeruginosa strain PCC 7820 (toxin-producing strain) and M. aeruginosa strain UTEX 2063 (non-toxin-producing strain), except that M. aeruginosa PCC 7820 cells had a sheath. The thickness of the sheath was about 12 nm and was distinguishable from the cell wall at the ultrastructural level only when the specimen was stained en bloc with uranyl acetate. Microcystins and nodularin were found in M. aeruginosa PCC 7820 and Nodularia spumigena strain L-575 respectively, but not in nontoxic M. aeroginosa UTEX 2063. In M. aeruginosa PCC 7820 cells, microcystin was found primarily in the thylakoid area and nucleoid, with smaller amounts in the cell wall and sheath. Only nonspecific labelling was found in other cellular inclusions, such as polyhedral bodies, cyanophycin granules and membrane-limited inclusions. In strain N. spumigena L-575, nodularin was found in both vegetative cells and heterocysts with a distribution similar to that in M. aeruginosa PCC 7820.

Bacterial Toxins↗

PubMed1995

Concurrent infection with sibling Trichinella species in a natural host.

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis of individual Trichinella muscle larvae, collected from several sylvatic and domestic animals in Estonia, revealed concurrent infection of a racoon dog with Trichinella nativa and Trichinella britovi. This finding provides strong support for their taxonomic ranking as sibling species. These 2 species appear uniformly distributed among sylvatic animals through Estonia, while Trichinella spiralis appears restricted to the domestic habitat.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Oncology education needs survey of registered nurses in Texas.

In response to the need to determine continuing education priorities in oncology nursing, the Nurse Oncology Education Program surveyed a geographically stratified random sample of Texas registered nurses concerning their oncology practices, perceived skill levels, and personal needs for training in 61 topics areas. The 378 respondents rated their skill levels low to medium, although 62% cared directly for patients with cancer. The highest-rated priorities for professional education were: legal issues, issues and trends in cancer care, investigational/new drug development, and bone marrow transplantation. Nurses employed in community settings and those living outside metropolitan areas tended to indicate the highest numbers of strong training needs. However, comparison of the needs for cancer prevention and detection education by regions showed that for none of the geographic regions was a high training need for cancer prevention and detection identified.

Clinical Competence↗

PubMed1995

Results of the DSM-IV mood disorders field trial.

OBJECTIVE: The DSM-IV mood disorders field trial, a multisite collaborative study, was designed to explore the reliability of a course-based diagnostic classification system for major depression, evaluate the symptom criteria for dysthymia, and explore the need for additional diagnostic categories for milder forms of mood disorder (e.g., minor and recurrent brief depression). METHOD: Five hundred twenty-four depressed subjects were recruited from inpatient, outpatient, and community settings at five sites and evaluated with structured interviews according to DSM-III and DSM-III-R criteria, with careful attention to longitudinal course. Within- and across-site interrater reliability studies and 6-month test-retest reliability studies were also conducted on subsets of the sample. RESULTS: For evaluations of major depression and dysthymia, intrasite reliability was good to excellent and intersite reliability was fair to good; 6-month test-retest reliability was fair for dysthymia and poor to fair for major depression. Interrater reliability for six course of illness specifiers was fair to good, and almost all subjects could be assigned to a specific type of course. CONCLUSIONS: The results supported the use of a course-based classification system for major depression. They also suggested that the content validity of the DSM-III-R symptom criteria for dysthymia could be improved by emphasizing cognitive and social/motivational symptoms, although such changes are unlikely to sharpen the distinction between dysthymia and major depression. Finally, 91% of the subjects met the criteria for current or lifetime major depression or dysthymia, suggesting that additional categories for milder forms of depression are not needed.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Dantrolene sodium protects against experimental ischemia and reperfusion damage to skeletal muscle.

The effect of 4 hours of ischemia followed by reperfusion for 1 hour has been studied in fully anesthetized rabbits. Muscles from the limb subjected to ischemia and reperfusion showed considerable ultrastructural damage, although the distribution of damage between muscles was not uniform (anterior tibialis > soleus > quadriceps). Damage to the muscle was associated with a significant increase in the concentration of some indicators of free radical-mediated processes (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and diene conjugates), although others (glutathione and protein sulfhydryl groups) were unchanged. Reperfused muscles also showed considerable changes in their calcium and sodium contents. Treatment of animals with dantrolene sodium (4 mg/hr) throughout the periods of ischemia and reperfusion was found to preserve the ultrastructural appearance of quadriceps, soleus and anterior tibialis muscles. No effect of dantrolene sodium on indicators of free radical activity or muscle cation content was seen.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Dietary supplementation with L-arginine in patients with breast cancer (> 4 cm) receiving multimodality treatment: report of a feasibility study.

L-Arginine has been shown, in human breast cancers, to increase protein synthesis and the number of cells in the growth phase of the cell cycle. L-Arginine, therefore, may potentiate the response of breast cancers to cell cycle-specific cytotoxic agents. This phase II pilot study assessed the clinical, radiological and pathological responses in 44 patients with breast cancers > 4 cm in diameter (46 tumours: T2, n = 6; T3, n = 22; T4, n = 19), who received oral L-arginine 30 g day-1 for 3 days prior to each cycle of CHOP chemotherapy, followed after 4-6 cycles by radiotherapy. Following this treatment, 95% of patients had a clinical response: complete response in 30% and partial response in 65%. Imaging, ultrasound and mammography revealed response rates of 91% and 76% respectively. Surgery was performed in 43 patients. Histological examination revealed that in 18% of cases there was no residual evidence of tumour. Furthermore, if residual tumour was identified, the degree of destruction was graded as 'severe' in 36% and 'moderate' in 30% of cases. Further studies are now required to evaluate the potential beneficial use of nutritional pharmacology in combination with existing treatment regimens.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Systemic hypersensitivity reaction to intravesical BCG.

BCGosis is a recognised complication of intravesical BCG immunotherapy for superficial bladder carcinoma. We present here a case of granulomatous hepatitis, pneumonitis and probable pericarditis resulting from an hypersensitivity reaction to intravesical BCG.

Aged↗