Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Burns

Publications and source records attributed to J Burns.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

HIV/AIDS: impact on healing.

Human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) are leading chronic illnesses in many major cities worldwide. Frequently, people with HIV infection require surgery or develop chronic wounds. This paper summarizes the impact of HIV infection on body organs and systems and the effect of antiretroviral therapy as a basis for potential complications with wound care and healing. The authors also present research on wound healing in HIV-positive people undergoing operative procedures. Besides the physical effect of HIV infection on the person, clinicians must also realize psychosocial and economic effects of the disease when considering wound care. This paper also addresses care considerations for patients with HIV/AIDS in the inpatient, outpatient, and home care settings.

Anti-HIV Agents↗
PubMed2000

Diabetes information management systems. General practitioner and population reach.

AIM: To assess the extent to which Australian divisions of general practice are facilitating structured management of diabetes. METHOD: The study was conducted over a 12 month period (1998/1999) and involved two postal surveys of Australia's 123 divisions. RESULTS: In both surveys 53% of divisions were implementing a diabetes program, the main components being continuing education of general practitioners (GPs), establishment of information systems, use of guidelines and shared care. In the 30 divisions operating a program for more than 12 months there was a significant increase in the proportion of GPs registering patients (p = 0.03) and the population who were registered with diabetes (p < 0.001). In 43% of divisions, GP reach was greater than 50%. Population reach of more than 50% was achieved by only 17% of divisions. The larger the division, the lower the GP participation rate (p = 0.001) and the lower the population reach (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Strategies to facilitate adequate reach of programs in divisions with large populations warrant consideration. This may include the formation of subgroups and support for practices and divisions to implement structured evidence based care systems for the management of chronic diseases in general practice.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Sociodemographic and behavioural determinants of blood lead concentrations in children aged 11-13 years. The Port Pirie Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the determinants of blood lead concentration in children with long term environmental exposure to lead. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: The lead smelting town of Port Pirie, South Australia, and surrounding townships. PARTICIPANTS: 326 children born in and around Port Pirie, 1979-1982, followed up until age 11-13 years in 1993-1994. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Blood lead concentrations assessed at birth and at multiple ages up to 11-13 years; average lifetime blood lead concentration. RESULTS: Mean blood lead concentration rose sharply over the ages 6 to 15 months, reached a maximum around 2 years of age, and declined steadily as the children grew older. There was no difference in blood lead concentration between boys and girls until they reached the age of 11-13 years, when mean blood lead concentration in boys (8.4 micrograms/dL [0.41 mumol/L]) was slightly higher than in girls (7.5 micrograms/dL [0.36 mumol/L]). Residential area and father's employment site were the two variables most strongly predictive of a child's blood lead concentration at the end of primary school. Poorer-quality home environment was also found to be an independent contributor to blood lead concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Age-related factors, and possibly recent concerted efforts to decrease entry or re-entrainment of lead into the environment at Port Pirie, have resulted in most children in our study having blood lead concentrations below 10 micrograms/dL (0.48 mumol/L) at the end of their primary school years. Lead exposure during a child's early years remains an important contributor to average lifetime exposure.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1999

Cognitive distortions and blame attribution in sex offenders against adults and children.

OBJECTIVE: Sexual offenders tend to hold attitudes and beliefs which minimize and justify their offending behavior. It was hypothesized that distorted thinking supporting sexual offending and blame attribution would differ depending on the offence characteristics of different groups of sexual offenders. METHOD: Two groups of sexual offenders separated on the basis of the age of their victims (sex offenders against children, 36; sex offenders against adults, 30) were compared on measures of cognitive distortions relating to sex with children and rape and a measure of blame attribution which assesses external, mental element, and guilt feeling attributions. RESULTS: Child sexual offenders endorsed more cognitive distortions relating to sex with children, but there were no group differences in cognitive distortions relating to rape. Those who offended against adults reported more external attributions and child offenders reported more guilt feeling attributions. Mental element attribution related to alcohol intoxication and use of violence in the offence, but was not related to group differences. CONCLUSIONS: Results are interpreted as suggesting that child sex offenders support their offending by more enduring distorted cognitions, while those who offend against adults use blame attributions associated with the particular offence.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Perceived and physiological indicators of relaxation: as different as Mozart and Alice in chains.

The effects of listening to different types of music on perceived and physiological indicators of relaxation were evaluated. Fifty-six undergraduate students, 24 males and 32 females, mean age of 21, were randomly assigned to listen to classical, hard rock, self-selected relaxing music, or no music. Participants' relaxation level, skin temperature, muscle tension and heart rate were evaluated before and after exposure to a music condition. Analyses of variance using baseline measures as covariates indicated that skin temperature decreased for all conditions (p = 0.001) and the classical, self-selected relaxing music and no music groups reported significant increases in feelings of relaxation (p = 0.004). These results partially support the hypothesis that classical and self-selected relaxing music can increase perceptions of relaxation to a greater degree than listening to hard rock music. However, no differences were found between different types of music on physiological indicators of arousal. Implications for using music to reduce stress were discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Dietary flavonols protect diabetic human lymphocytes against oxidative damage to DNA.

Diabetic patients have reduced antioxidant defenses and suffer from an increased risk of free radical-mediated diseases such as coronary heart disease. Epidemiological evidence has suggested that antioxidant dietary flavonoids may protect against heart disease, but a biological effect has yet to be demonstrated directly in humans. In this study, 10 stable type 2 diabetic patients were treated for 2 weeks on a low-flavonol diet and for 2 weeks on the same diet supplemented with 76-110 mg of flavonols (mostly quercetin) provided by 400 g of onions (and tomato sauce) and six cups of tea daily. Freshly collected lymphocytes were subjected to standard oxidative challenge with hydrogen peroxide, and DNA damage was measured by single-cell gel electrophoresis. Fasting plasma flavonol concentrations (measured by high-performance liquid chromatography) were 5.6 +/- 2.9 ng/ml on the low-flavonol diet and increased 12-fold to 72.1 +/- 15.8 ng/ml on the high-flavonol diet (P < 0.001). Oxidative damage to lymphocyte DNA was 220 +/- 12 on an arbitrary scale of 0-400 U on the low-flavonol diet and 192 +/- 14 on the high-flavonol diet (P = 0.037). This decrease was not accounted for by any change in the measurements of diabetic control (fasting plasma glucose or fructosamine) or by any change in the plasma levels of known antioxidants, including vitamin C, carotenoids, alpha-tocopherol, urate, albumin, and bilirubin. In conclusion, we have shown a biological effect of potential medical importance that appears to be associated with the absorption of dietary flavonols.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Isolation of myelin basic protein-specific T cells predominantly from the memory T-cell compartment in multiple sclerosis.

Myelin antigen-reactive T cells have been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). Myelin-reactive T cells can be isolated from control subjects as well as individuals who have MS. Experimental models of MS indicate that recently stimulated, myelin-reactive T cells have greater encephalitogenic potential than resting T cells. Activation induces changes in T-cell surface antigens that may distinguish previously stimulated, memory T cells from naive T cells. Therefore, we examined 108 myelin basic protein (MBP)-reactive T-cell lines from 7 MS and 8 control subjects to determine whether MBP-reactive T cells originated in the memory T-cell subset or in the naive subset. Isotypes of CD45 were used that designate memory or naive T cells. In subjects having MS, 84% of the MBP-reactive T cells resided in the memory T-cell subset. However, in control subjects, only 13% of MBP-specific T cells originated from the memory T-cell subset. This result suggests that a substantial proportion of MBP-reactive T cells from some individuals with MS have been previously activated in vivo. This difference provides additional support for the hypothesis that myelin antigen-specific T cells are involved in the pathogenesis of MS.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Declining blood lead levels and changes in cognitive function during childhood: the Port Pirie Cohort Study.

CONTEXT: Many studies have found a significant inverse association between early exposure to environmental lead and cognitive function in childhood. Whether these effects are reversible when exposure is reduced is not clear. OBJECTIVE: To assess the reversibility of the apparent effects of lead on cognitive abilities in early childhood by testing whether declines in blood lead concentrations beyond the age of 2 years are associated with improvements in cognition. SETTING: Urban and rural communities surrounding a large lead smelter in Port Pirie, South Australia. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 375 children followed up from birth to the age of 11 to 13 years. DESIGN: Long-term prospective cohort study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The Bayley Mental Development Index at age 2 years, the McCarthy General Cognitive Index at age 4 years, and IQs from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale (revised version) at ages 7 and 11 to 13 years. RESULTS: Mean blood lead concentrations in the children decreased from 1.02 pmol/L (21 .2 microg/dL) at age 2 years to 0.38 micromol/L (7.9 microg/dL) at age 1 1 to 13 years, but cognitive scores in children whose blood lead concentration declined most were generally not improved relative to the scores of children whose blood lead levels declined least. Changes in IQ and declines in blood lead levels that occurred between the ages of 7 and 11 to 13 years (r= 0.12, P= .09) suggested slightly better cognition among children whose blood lead levels declined most. CONCLUSION: The cognitive deficits associated with exposure to environmental lead in early childhood appear to be only partially reversed by a subsequent decline in blood lead level.

Child↗
PubMed1998

Survey of the Free and Conjugated Myricetin and Quercetin Content of Red Wines of Different Geographical Origins.

Gradient reversed-phase HPLC was used to obtain quantitative estimates of the levels of free and conjugated myricetin and quercetin in 65 red wines from Italy, Chile, France, California, Australia, Bulgaria, Spain, Romania, New Zealand, Brazil, Morocco, and Hungary. The concentrations of total flavonols ranged from 4.6 to 41.6 mg L(-1). High total flavonol levels appear to be associated with the use of thick-skinned grape varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, with a high skin:volume ratio, which were left to ripen fully in sunny conditions before harvest and which were extracted efficiently by modern methods of vinification. Some Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon wines contained up to 40 mg of total flavonols L(-1), which was higher than the levels detected in Cabernet Sauvignon from France, California, and Australia. The flavonol content of 1989 and 1990 Cabernet Sauvignon from Bulgaria was <6 mg L(-1). Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir all contained consistently higher concentrations of flavonols than their counterparts from different geographical regions.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

Evidence for non-synchronous rotation of Europa. Galileo Imaging Team.

Non-synchronous rotation of Europa was predicted on theoretical grounds, by considering the orbitally averaged torque exerted by Jupiter on the satellite's tidal bulges. If Europa's orbit were circular, or the satellite were comprised of a frictionless fluid without tidal dissipation, this torque would average to zero. However, Europa has a small forced eccentricity e approximately 0.01 , generated by its dynamical interaction with Io and Ganymede, which should cause the equilibrium spin rate of the satellite to be slightly faster than synchronous. Recent gravity data suggest that there may be a permanent asymmetry in Europa's interior mass distribution which is large enough to offset the tidal torque; hence, if non-synchronous rotation is observed, the surface is probably decoupled from the interior by a subsurface layer of liquid or ductile ice. Non-synchronous rotation was invoked to explain Europa's global system of lineaments and an equatorial region of rifting seen in Voyager images. Here we report an analysis of the orientation and distribution of these surface features, based on initial observations made by the Galileo spacecraft. We find evidence that Europa spins faster than the synchronous rate (or did so in the past), consistent with the possibility of a global subsurface ocean.

Jupiter↗
PubMed1998

Implementing a clinical pathway for congestive heart failure: experiences at a teaching hospital.

Clinical pathways are processes of care that use a multidisciplinary team effort to move patients toward a designed outcome. This article details the challenges of a Quality Enhancement and Clinical Resource Management Team in designing and implementing a successful congestive heart failure pathway at a teaching hospital. Academic institutions have the resources as part of their research mission, to enhance the development of clinical pathways and assess their outcomes.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

Comparative magnetic resonance image-based evaluation of thalamotomy and pallidotomy lesion volumes.

Acute thalamotomy and pallidotomy lesion volumes based on magnetic resonance (MR) images were measured in 22 patients (11 thalamotomy and 11 pallidotomy patients). Thalamotomy inner lesion volumes (0.06 +/- 0.04 ml; thermocoagulative zone) were smaller than pallidotomy inner lesion volumes (0.14 +/- 0.08 ml) as determined using T(1)-weighted 3D-MPRAGE (1.5-mm slice spacing). Similar results were found using T(1)-weighted (6-mm slice spacing) image sets (0.09 +/- 0.05 ml, thalamotomy; 0.13 +/- 0.05 ml, pallidotomy). No differences were found when comparing thalamic or pallidal inner lesion volumes when the comparison was based on T(2) weighted images. Thalamotomy total lesion volumes (thermocoagulative and surrounding edematous zones) were less than pallidotomy total lesion volumes independent of the MR protocol. The difference in thalamotomy and pallidotomy lesion volumes is most likely based on the distance between each discrete lesion placed along the lesioning tracts. In 7 of 11 thalamotomies, this distance was 1 mm with the remaining having 2 mm between each discrete lesion. All pallidotomy discrete lesions were 2 mm apart. More overlap between discrete lesioning sites for thalamotomies is likely to produce reduced lesion volumes.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Lesion volume and clinical outcome in stereotactic pallidotomy and thalamotomy.

Postoperative lesion volume and clinical outcome were assessed in 19 Parkinson's disease (PD) patients who received posteroventral pallidotomy, and in 14 essential tremor (ET) patients who received ventrolateral thalamotomy. Before and after surgery, PD patients were evaluated using the Unified PD Rating Scale (UPDRS), and ET patients were evaluated using the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin (FTM) tremor rating scale. Inner and total lesion volumes were determined with postoperative MR imaging and three-dimensional data segmentation. Lesion volumes were compared to percent improvement in UPDRS and FTM scores, using Spearman's rank-order correlation test. No rank-order correlations were found between lesion volume and clinical improvement in either the PD or the ET patients. In performing stereotactic surgery for movement disorders, any lesion volume within a prescribed range may be equally effective in relieving symptoms associated with PD or ET.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

Panel discussion. Data needs in cancer.

A prospective, comprehensive outcomes database was recently initiated by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) after a 2-year study to test data collection methods and systems. It started with data on 400 patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer at five NCCN sites, and over the next 3 years is projected to grow to include more than 12,000 patients with common cancers treated at all eligible NCCN sites. Among the goals of the database are: 1) to establish the capability to select, analyze, and report patterns of care and outcomes; 2) to allow NCCN members to assess their compliance with NCCN clinical practice guidelines and benchmark their performance against the rest of the NCCN; 3) to establish a true databased continuous quality improvement program; 4) to support clinical disease-oriented research and methodologic studies; and 5) to provide the NCCN with a vehicle for forging partnerships with others in the health-care field, such as the pharmaceutical industry, regulatory agencies, and accrediting bodies. Many of those potential partners were represented on this panel. Panelists discussed the data needs of their organizations, what they are doing to meet those needs, and how a comprehensive database will ultimately help improve patient care.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Inhibition of HIV-1 infection by the beta-chemokine MDC.

CD8(+) T lymphocytes from individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus-type 1 (HIV-1) secrete a soluble activity that suppresses infection by HIV-1. A protein associated with this activity was purified from the culture supernatant of an immortalized CD8(+) T cell clone and identified as the beta-chemokine macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC). MDC suppressed infection of CD8(+) cell-depleted peripheral blood mononuclear cells by primary non-syncytium-inducing and syncytium-inducing isolates of HIV-1 and the T cell line-adapted isolate HIV-1IIIB. MDC was expressed in activated, but not resting, peripheral blood mononuclear cells and binds a receptor on activated primary T cells. These observations indicate that beta-chemokines are responsible for a major proportion of HIV-1-specific suppressor activity produced by primary T cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

High level expression of p27(kip1) and cyclin D1 in some human breast cancer cells: inverse correlation between the expression of p27(kip1) and degree of malignancy in human breast and colorectal cancers.

The expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27(kip1) in human tumors and normal tissues was investigated using a panel of novel anti-p27(kip1) mAbs. An inverse correlation between expression of p27(kip1) and cell proliferation was generally observed after analyzing its expression in 25 different normal human tissues. In some highly proliferative human breast cancer cells, however, high level p27(kip1) expression was seen, indicating the existence of a mechanism by which some growing tumor cells may tolerate this inhibitor of cell cycle progression. Detailed studies demonstrated a correlation between the high level expression of p27(kip1) and cyclin D1 in human breast cancer cells. There was also an inverse correlation between the expression of p27(kip1) and the degree of tumor malignancy in human breast and colorectal cancers, indicating that p27(kip1) may be a useful prognostic marker in these cancers.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗
PubMed1997

Conditionally replicating luciferase reporter phages: improved sensitivity for rapid detection and assessment of drug susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

TM4 is a lytic mycobacteriophage which infects mycobacteria of clinical importance. A luciferase reporter phage, phAE40, has been constructed from TM4 and was previously shown to be useful for the rapid detection and drug susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. However, the lytic nature of the phage results in a loss of detectable light output and limits the sensitivity of detection. We describe several strategies aimed at improving the luciferase activity generated by TM4 luciferase phages, including (i) varying the position of the luciferase gene in the phage genome, (ii) isolating host-range mutants of the phage, and (iii) introducing temperature-sensitive mutations in the phage such that it will not replicate at the infecting temperature. Several new phages generated by these methods show increased intensity of luciferase production compared to the first-generation reporter phage phAE40, and one phage, phAE88, also demonstrates an enhanced duration of luciferase activity. This has allowed the detection of as few as 120 BCG cells and the determination of drug susceptibilities of M. tuberculosis in as little as 1 day.

Bacteriological Techniques↗