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J C Simpson

Publications and source records attributed to J C Simpson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Playing conditions, player preparation and rugby injury: a case-control study.

This paper investigates the effect of player preparation, ground conditions and weather conditions upon the injury risk for Rugby Union players. A population-based case-control study was performed using a sample (n= 1043) of New Zealand Rugby Union players aged 16 y and above. Details concerning game preparation (warm-up and usual position), and ground and weather conditions (precipitation, wind and temperature) were obtained from the players. If players were injured during the season (n= 624) they were asked to provide details about the game in which they were last injured. Uninjured players (n= 419) provided details about the last game in which they played. Injuries were more likely to occur when games were played on hard grounds or in calm or warm conditions. Playing out of position and the duration of warming up did not significantly alter the risk of injury. When player preparation, ground and weather conditions, grade, age, playing position and rugby experience were simultaneously controlled for, hard ground and the absence of wind were associated with increased risk. The influence of these factors may be indirect, through adaptation to the conditions in which a game is played.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Tackling Rugby injury: lessons learned from the implementation of a five-year sports injury prevention program.

Rugby Union football is a very popular sport in New Zealand but of all the major sports played in that country, it has the highest reported incidence of injury. In 1995, a national rugby injury prevention program was instigated to address this problem. Known as Tackling Rugby Injury, this multifaceted program was implemented over a five-year period. The program was based on the results of a prospective cohort study of rugby injury, known as the Rugby Injury and Performance Project (RIPP), and was organised around seven themes, five relating to the prevention of injury: coaching, fitness, injury management, tackling, and foul play, and two relating to the implementation and evaluation of the program. The purpose of this paper is to describe the lessons learned from the implementation of Tackling Rugby Injury. Qualitative research methods were used to describe the process of implementation, including informant interviews, participant observation, and the scrutiny of written, visual and archival material. Among the lessons learned were the importance of basing injury prevention strategies on scientific evidence rather than popular belief, the difficulty in implementing complex interventions, the advantages of a formal agreement between partners in the implementation of a program, the central role played by coaches in promoting injury prevention strategies, and the value of describing the process of implementation as well as monitoring injury outcomes and changes in knowledge, attitudes and behaviour. It is hoped that other sports wishing to develop injury prevention programs can learn from this experience.

Athletic Injuries↗
PubMed2003

Examining child restraint use and barriers to their use: lessons from a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the suitability of four research methods to measure the rate of child restraint device (CRD) use and incorrect use in New Zealand and obtain data on barriers to CRD use. DESIGN AND SETTING: To assess the rates of CRD use among vehicles carrying children 8 years of age and under, two methods were piloted-namely, an unobtrusive observational survey and a short interview and close inspection. A self administered questionnaire and focus group interviews were also piloted to assess CRD use, reasons for use and non-use, and to obtain information on barriers to their use. Respondents to all methods except the focus groups were approached in supermarket car park sites at randomly selected times. Focus groups were established with parents identified through early childhood organisations. All methods were assessed on criteria related to efficiency, representativeness, and ability to obtain the necessary data. RESULTS: The observational survey provided a simple method for identifying rates of CRD use, while the self administered questionnaire obtained data on demographic characteristics and reported the installation and use/non-use of CRDs. The interview/inspection addressed all the questions of both the above methods and enabled incorrect CRD use to be examined. The focus groups provided the most meaningful information of all methods on barriers to CRD use. DISCUSSION: and conclusion: Advantages and limitations of these methods are discussed and some refinements of the original instruments are proposed. The interview/inspection and focus group methods were identified as being more appropriate for efficiently obtaining reliable data on CRD use and identification of barriers to CRD use.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed2001

The Spir actin organizers are involved in vesicle transport processes.

The p150-Spir protein, which was discovered as a phosphorylation target of the Jun N-terminal kinase, is an essential regulator of the polarization of the Drosophila oocyte. Spir proteins are highly conserved between species and belong to the family of Wiskott-Aldrich homology region 2 (WH2) proteins involved in actin organization. The C-terminal region of Spir encodes a zinc finger structure highly homologous to FYVE motifs. A region with high homology between the Spir family proteins is located adjacent (N-terminal) to the modified FYVE domain and is designated as "Spir-box." The Spir-box has sequence similarity to a region of rabphilin-3A, which mediates interaction with the small GTPase Rab3A. Coexpression of p150-Spir and green fluorescent protein-tagged Rab GTPases in NIH 3T3 cells revealed that the Spir protein colocalized specifically with the Rab11 GTPase, which is localized at the trans-Golgi network (TGN), post-Golgi vesicles, and the recycling endosome. The distinct Spir localization pattern was dependent on the integrity of the modified FYVE finger motif and the Spir-box. Overexpression of a mouse Spir-1 dominant interfering mutant strongly inhibited the transport of the vesicular stomatitis virus G (VSV G) protein to the plasma membrane. The viral protein was arrested in membrane structures, largely colocalizing with the TGN marker TGN46. Our findings that the Spir actin organizer is targeted to intracellular membrane structures by its modified FYVE zinc finger and is involved in vesicle transport processes provide a novel link between actin organization and intracellular transport.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed2001

Being in the right location at the right time.

Taking each coding sequence from the human genome in turn and identifying the subcellular localization of the corresponding protein would be a significant contribution to understanding the function of each of these genes and to deciphering functional networks. This article highlights current approaches aimed at achieving this goal.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Illuminating the human genome.

The identification and analysis of novel genes and their encoded protein products remains a vigorous area of research in biology today. Worldwide genomic and cDNA sequencing projects are now identifying new molecules every day and the need for methodologies to functionally characterise these proteins has never been greater. The distinct compartmental arrangement of eukaryotic cells helps define the processes which occur within or in proximity to these membranes, and as such provides one means of inferring protein function. We describe here some of the methods recently reported in the literature, which use the subcellular localisation of proteins as a first step towards their further characterisation.

Cytological Techniques↗
PubMed2001

Barriers to safe hot tap water: results from a national study of New Zealand plumbers.

INTRODUCTION: Many countries still have unacceptably high hospitalizations and deaths from scalds from hot tap water. Prevention strategies implemented in some countries may not work in others. Legislation aimed at changing environments that are conducive to hot tap water scalds may not be effective in many situations for a number of reasons, including lack of acceptability and practicality. METHOD: A qualitative study of a purposefully selected group of craftsman plumbers across New Zealand was conducted using a structured format with open ended questions. The questionnaire was administered by telephone. Information was sought on the opinions, knowledge, and practice of these plumbers regarding hot tap water safety in homes. RESULTS: Several barriers to hot tap water safety in homes were identified by the plumbers. These included common characteristics of homes with unsafe hot tap water, such as hot water systems heated by solid fuel, and public ignorance of hot tap water safety. Other factors that emerged from the analysis included a lack of knowledge by plumbers of the hazards of hot tap water, as well as a lack of importance given to hot tap water safety in their plumbing practice. Shower performance and the threat to health posed by legionella were prioritized over the prevention of hot tap water scalds. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study allow an understanding of the practical barriers to safe hot tap water and the context in which interventions have been applied, often unsuccessfully. This study suggests that plumbers can represent a barrier if they lack knowledge, skills, or commitment to hot tap water safety. Conversely, they represent a potential source of advocacy and practical expertise if well informed, skilled, and committed to hot tap water safety.

Accident Prevention↗
PubMed2000

Systematic subcellular localization of novel proteins identified by large-scale cDNA sequencing.

As a first step towards a more comprehensive functional characterization of cDNAs than bioinformatic analysis, which can only make functional predictions for about half of the cDNAs sequenced, we have developed and tested a strategy that allows their systematic and fast subcellular localization. We have used a novel cloning technology to rapidly generate N- and C-terminal green fluorescent protein fusions of cDNAs to examine the intracellular localizations of > 100 expressed fusion proteins in living cells. The entire analysis is suitable for automation, which will be important for scaling up throughput. For > 80% of these new proteins a clear intracellular localization to known structures or organelles could be determined. For the cDNAs where bioinformatic analyses were able to predict possible identities, the localization was able to support these predictions in 75% of cases. For those cDNAs where no homologies could be predicted, the localization data represent the first information.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

A national confidential enquiry into community acquired pneumonia deaths in young adults in England and Wales. British Thoracic Society Research Committee and Public Health Laboratory Service.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to describe the frequency, causal pathogens, management, and outcome of a population of young adults who died from community acquired pneumonia (CAP). METHODS: Pneumonia deaths in England and Wales in adults aged 15-44 were identified between September 1995 and August 1996. Patients with underlying chronic illness including HIV infection were excluded. Clinical details for each case were collected from the hospital and general practitioner records. RESULTS: Death from CAP was identified in 27 previously well young adults (1.2 per million population per year). Twenty were known to have consulted a GP for this illness. Nine received antibiotics before hospital admission. A causative pathogen was identified in 17 cases (Streptococcus pneumoniae in eight). Bacteraemia was present in seven. All patients who reached a hospital ward received antibiotics (69% within two hours of admission). The British Thoracic Society antibiotic guidelines for severe CAP were followed in only 10 cases. Cardiac arrest at home or on arrival at hospital occurred in six cases, one of whom was successfully resuscitated. Of the remaining 21 patients, 71% had two or more markers of severe CAP. All 22 who were admitted reached an intensive care unit, but 11 of these required transfer to another hospital for some aspect of intensive care. One third of patients died within 24 hours of presenting to the hospital. CONCLUSIONS: Death from CAP in previously fit young adults still occurs. While some deaths might be preventable by better patient management, most are unlikely to be preventable by current management practices.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Ricin A chain utilises the endoplasmic reticulum-associated protein degradation pathway to enter the cytosol of yeast.

Cytotoxic proteins such as ricin A chain (RTA) have target substrates in the cytosol and therefore have to reach this cellular compartment in order to act. RTA is thought to translocate into the cytosol from the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), although how it traverses the ER membrane has not been established. Using yeast mutants defective in various aspects of the ER-associated protein degradation (ERAD) pathway, we show that RTA introduced into the yeast ER subverts this pathway to enter the cytosol via the Sec61p translocon. A significant proportion of the exported RTA avoided proteasomal degradation. These data are consistent with the contention that the RTA component from ricin endocytosed by mammalian cells may likewise exploit ERAD to translocate into the cytosol.

Biological Transport↗
PubMed1999

Evidence for a COP-I-independent transport route from the Golgi complex to the endoplasmic reticulum.

The cytosolic coat-protein complex COP-I interacts with cytoplasmic 'retrieval' signals present in membrane proteins that cycle between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi complex, and is required for both anterograde and retrograde transport in the secretory pathway. Here we study the role of COP-I in Golgi-to-ER transport of several distinct marker molecules. Microinjection of anti-COP-I antibodies inhibits retrieval of the lectin-like molecule ERGIC-53 and of the KDEL receptor from the Golgi to the ER. Transport to the ER of protein toxins, which contain a sequence that is recognized by the KDEL receptor, is also inhibited. In contrast, microinjection of anti-COP-I antibodies or expression of a GTP-restricted Arf-1 mutant does not interfere with Golgi-to-ER transport of Shiga toxin/Shiga-like toxin-1 or with the apparent recycling to the ER of Golgi-resident glycosylation enzymes. Overexpression of a GDP-restricted mutant of Rab6 blocks transport to the ER of Shiga toxin/Shiga-like toxin-1 and glycosylation enzymes, but not of ERGIC-53, the KDEL receptor or KDEL-containing toxins. These data indicate the existence of at least two distinct pathways for Golgi-to-ER transport, one COP-I dependent and the other COP-I independent. The COP-I-independent pathway is specifically regulated by Rab6 and is used by Golgi glycosylation enzymes and Shiga toxin/Shiga-like toxin-1.

ADP-Ribosylation Factor 1↗
PubMed1999

Evaluating Tackling Rugby Injury: the pilot phase for monitoring injury.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the suitability of two previously unused data sources for monitoring rugby injury throughout New Zealand. METHOD: Interviews were conducted with respondents sampled from players registered with the Rugby Football Unions (RFUs) and players claiming for rugby injuries from the Accident Rehabilitation and Compensation Insurance Corporation (ACC) in Auckland and Dunedin. RESULTS: Of the 500 RFU players sampled, 63% were interviewed and of these 39 (12%) had been injured playing rugby union. Of the 456 ACC claimants sampled, 66% were interviewed and 265 (88%) had been injured playing rugby union. CONCLUSION: Identifying injured players through ACC claims was more efficient, both procedurally and because a smaller sample size was required to detect changes in incidence. IMPLICATIONS: With no routine surveillance of sports injury being undertaken, recording sporting codes in national injury surveillance systems would assist the monitoring of sports injury.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

The KDEL retrieval system is exploited by Pseudomonas exotoxin A, but not by Shiga-like toxin-1, during retrograde transport from the Golgi complex to the endoplasmic reticulum.

To investigate the role of the KDEL receptor in the retrieval of protein toxins to the mammalian cell endoplasmic reticulum (ER), lysozyme variants containing AARL or KDEL C-terminal tags, or the human KDEL receptor, have been expressed in toxin-treated COS 7 and HeLa cells. Expression of the lysozyme variants and the KDEL receptor was confirmed by immunofluorescence. When such cells were challenged with diphtheria toxin (DT) or Escherichia coli Shiga-like toxin 1 (SLT-1), there was no observable difference in their sensitivities as compared to cells which did not express these exogenous proteins. By contrast, the cytotoxicity of Pseudomonas exotoxin A (PE) is reduced by expressing lysozyme-KDEL, which causes a redistribution of the KDEL receptor from the Golgi complex to the ER, and cells are sensitised to this toxin when they express additional KDEL receptors. These data suggest that, in contrast to SLT-1, PE can exploit the KDEL receptor in order to reach the ER lumen where it is believed that membrane transfer to the cytosol occurs. This contention was confirmed by microinjecting into Vero cells antibodies raised against the cytoplasmically exposed tail of the KDEL receptor. Immunofluorescence confirmed that these antibodies prevented the retrograde transport of the KDEL receptor from the Golgi complex to the ER, and this in turn reduced the cytotoxicity of PE, but not that of SLT-1, to these cells.

ADP Ribose Transferases↗
PubMed1999

Comparative personal exposures to organic dusts and endotoxin.

The aims of the study were to provide valid comparative data for personal exposures to dust and endotoxins for different occupations and to calculate comparative data for the contamination of organic dusts with endotoxin. Nine different occupational settings were studied, drawn from the textile, agricultural and animal handling industries. Samples were collected by personal sampling techniques, using the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) sampling head, glass fibre filters and rechargeable sampling pumps. The dust exposures were calculated by gravimetric analysis and using the calculated volume of air sampled were expressed as mg/m3. Endotoxin exposures were measured using a simple water extraction from the collected dusts, followed by a quantitative turbidimetric assay. Results were expressed as ng/m3, using the calculated volume of air sampled. In addition, the levels of the contamination of dusts with endotoxin for individual industries were expressed as ng/mg of collected dust. Two hundred and fifty-nine samples, collected from 9 different industries and across 36 different sites were analysed. This represented a sampling rate of 25% for the total work force. The average sampling time was 4.62 h. For all the dusts collected, a significant correlation between the collected dust and endotoxin was seen (r = 0.7 and p < 0.001). The highest dust exposures occurred during cleaning activities (grain handling: 72.5 mg/m3). The individuals exposed to the highest median level of dust and endotoxin were the animal handlers (poultry handlers, dust: 11.53 mg/m3, endotoxin: 71,995 ng/m3). Weaving and mushroom cultivation had the lowest exposures for dust and endotoxins. The mostly highly contaminated dusts (median values expressed as ng of endotoxin per mg of collected dust) were found in the animal handling (poultry: 1,030 ng/mg, swine: 152 ng/mg) and cotton spinning (522 ng/mg) industries. Processing of cotton and wool fibres was found to reduce the levels of contamination of dusts with endotoxin. In the study, valid comparative data for personal exposures to organic dusts and endotoxins have been presented. The highest exposures were found amongst animal handlers and during cleaning activities. The results highlight that dust exposures are greater in a number of industries than the set exposure standards. In addition, endotoxin exposures are found to be greater than levels at which harmful effects have been demonstrated.

Agriculture↗
PubMed1998

Expression of mutant dynamin protects cells against diphtheria toxin but not against ricin.

Diphtheria toxin is believed to enter sensitive mammalian cells via receptor-mediated endocytosis from clathrin-coated pits, while ricin can enter via both clathrin-dependent and clathrin-independent endocytosis. The present study has confirmed this by determining the toxin sensitivity of COS-7y cells which were transiently overexpressing a trans dominant negative mutant of dynamin, a GTPase required for the budding of clathrin-coated vesicles from the plasma membrane. Cells overexpressing wild-type dynamin showed normal receptor-mediated endocytosis of transferrin and remained sensitive to both diphtheria toxin and ricin. Cells overexpressing a mutant dynamin defective in GTP binding and hydrolysis were unable to endocytose transferrin and were protected against diphtheria toxin, but they remained completely sensitive to ricin intoxication. Treating non-transfected cells or cells overexpressing mutant dynamin with nystatin caused a redistribution of the caveolae membrane marker protein VIP21-caveolin from the cell surface to intracellular locations, but did not affect their sensitivity to ricin. The redistribution of caveolin seen after nystatin treatment may reflect the disappearance of caveolae. If this is the case, caveolae are not responsible for the endocytosis of ricin. An alternative clathrin-independent route may operate for ricin, since cellular uptake, intracellular transport, and translocation into the cytosol remain unaffected when clathrin-dependent endocytosis is effectively blocked.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Educating future physicians for Ontario.

In 1987, Ontario's physicians conducted a strike, ultimately not successful, over the issue of "extra billing." The fact that the Ontario public did not support this action reflected a major gap between the profession's view of itself and the public's view of the profession. In 1990, the province's five medical schools launched a collaborative project to determine more specifically what the people of Ontario expect of their physicians, and how the programs that prepare future physicians should be changed in response. The authors report on the first five years of that ongoing project. Consumer groups were asked to state their views concerning the current roles of physicians, future trends that would affect these roles, changes in roles they wished to see, and suggestions for changes in medical education. Methods used included focus groups, key informant interviews, an extensive literature review, and surveys, including a survey of health professionals. Concurrently, inter-university working groups prepared tools and strategies for strengthening faculty development, assessing student performance, and preparing future leadership for Ontario's medical education system. Eight specific physician roles were identified: medical expert, communicator, collaborator, health advocate, learner, manager ("gatekeeper"), scholar, and "physician as person." Educational strategies to help medical students learn to assume these eight roles were then incorporated into the curricula of the five participating medical schools. The authors conclude that the project shows that it is feasible to learn specifically what society expects of its physicians, to integrate this knowledge into the process of medical education reform, and to implement major curriculum changes through a collaborative, multi-institutional consortium within a single geopolitical jurisdiction.

Consumer Behavior↗