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Biomedical subjects

J Jackson

Publications and source records attributed to J Jackson.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Anti-phagocyte antibodies and infection.

Autoantibodies specific to the cytoplasmic components of neutrophils and monocytes are associated with vasculitis and other idiopathic inflammatory disorders. In this study, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunofluorescence assays, sera from patients with acute and chronic infection were examined for the presence of anti-neutrophil and anti-monocyte antibodies: cystic fibrosis (n = 23), acute appendicitis (n = 22), tuberculosis (n = 26), acute gastroenteritis (n = 38), bronchiectasis (n = 9) and chronic granulomatous disease (n = 6). Sera from patients with Wegener's granulomatosis (n = 14), rheumatoid factor positive (n = 15) and healthy volunteers (n = 20) were used as positive and negative controls. In patients with chronic infection, using an ELISA assay, antibodies reactive with neutrophil or monocyte components (% reacting with monocyte components in parenthesis) were found in: 70% (39%) of patients with cystic fibrosis, 4% (38%) of patients with tuberculosis, 0% (33%) of patients with bronchiectasis and 0% (17%) of patients with chronic granulomatous disease. When these sera were examined using an immunofluorescence assay, all of the positive samples were found to react with the cytoplasmic component of neutrophils or monocytes. In patients with acute infection no antibodies (either IgG or IgM) were detected against neutrophils or monocytes. These findings imply that antibodies directed against neutrophil cytoplasmic components are predominantly associated with chronic pyogenic infection and antibodies specific to monocyte cytoplasmic components are predominantly associated with chronic granulomatous infection. This mirrors the findings in idiopathic inflammatory disease where anti-monocyte antibodies are associated with granulomatous disorders such as sarcoidosis, and anti-neutrophil antibodies are associated with neutrophilic disorders such as ulcerative colitis. These results suggest that chronic stimulation of phagocytes by infectious agents may result in the generation of a humoral response against phagocyte cytoplasmic components. This furthers our understanding of humoral immune responses against phagocytic cell components during infection.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1998

Occupation in lifestyle redesign: the Well Elderly Study Occupational Therapy Program.

This article describes an innovative preventive occupational therapy intervention for well older adults, the Well Elderly Treatment Program. In a previously reported large-scale randomized effectiveness study, this intervention was found to be highly successful in enhancing the physical and mental health, occupational functioning, and life satisfaction of multicultural, community-dwelling elders. In this article, the philosophical background, manner of development, topical content, methods of program delivery, and mechanisms underlying the program's positive effects are discussed, along with implications for occupational therapy practice. The treatment was based on application of occupational science theory and research and emphasized the therapeutic process of lifestyle redesign in enabling the participants to actively and strategically select an individualized pattern of personally satisfying and health-promoting occupations. The wide-ranging effectiveness of the program supports the occupational therapy profession's emphasis on occupation in affecting health and positions practitioners to extend their services to the realm of preventive interventions.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

The value of occupation as the core of treatment: Sandy's experience.

Since 1917, when the occupational therapy profession was first established, the therapeutic value of occupation has been questioned, researched, valorized, and even trivialized. This article discusses one typical occupation-centered treatment, namely a community outing, the shopping spree. The purpose is to articulate the value of occupation-centered intervention and particularly (a) its importance for building rapport between patient and therapist so that genuinely meaningful treatment can be carried out; (b) its role in providing opportunities for patients to imagine futures through felt meanings and future images; and (c) its integrative qualities with respect to identities and performance components.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Making cancer bearable: the Interlink Community Cancer Nurses model of supportive care.

Most cancer patients and their families experience the full impact of their diagnosis and the disruptions cancer brings to their lives in their own homes and communities. Access to supportive care programs within the community is critical if we are to assist these individuals in coping and adjusting to the realities of cancer. Interlink Community Cancer Nurses, a nonprofit nursing agency, provides supportive care across the continuum of cancer care from early diagnosis and treatment through to remission and/or palliative care through its independent model of supportive care delivered by expert oncology nurses. The program utilizes a unique, client-centred model of care delivery to ensure that needs are met, and to link patients to community services which promote their ability to meet the demands of cancer. Interlink's program of supportive care demonstrates that oncology nurses can make a significant impact on the outcomes of cancer for individuals and their families which may impact on cost, influence survival and enhance quality of life.

Community Health Nursing↗
PubMed1998

Endomysial antibody detection using human umbilical cord tissue as substrate: reactivity of cells in Wharton's jelly.

The measurement of immunoglobulin A (IgA) endomysial antibodies is now established as an important diagnostic test in gluten-sensitive disease. Monkey oesophagus is the commonly used tissue substrate, but it has been proposed that human umbilical cord tissue may be a suitable alternative for antibody detection. In this study, we report a modified method of examining endomysial antibody reactivity with cord tissue. This involves examination of antibody reactivity with cells in Wharton's jelly, and with umbilical cord blood vessel. A total of 370 patients being investigated for coeliac disease were studied and this diagnosis was established in 42. Endomysial antibodies were found in all 42 using umbilical cord tissue, and the test results were confirmed with monkey oesophagus substrate. In three of the remaining 328 non-coeliacs, a false-positive endomysial antibody test was noted and small intestine histology was normal in these patients. All positive sera were found to react with cells in Wharton's jelly, and reticular staining of blood vessels was also present. Examination for immunofluorescence in both Wharton's jelly and blood vessel components of cord tissue greatly simplified test interpretation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Characterisation of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody target antigens using electrophoresis and western blotting techniques.

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) are a family of autoantibodies which react with components of phagocytic cells, and are associated with vasculitis and other idiopathic inflammatory disorders. However, the antigenic targets of many of these autoantibodies have not been defined yet. In this study, sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and isoelectric focusing (IEF) were evaluated for characterising the antigenic specificity of unidentified ANCA. The uncharacterised sera included those from patients with ulcerative colitis (n = 21), Crohn's disease (n = 5), cystic fibrosis (n = 16) and sarcoidosis (n = 2). In addition, sera from patients with antibodies to the phagocytic enzymes proteinase 3 (PR3) (n = 11) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) (n = 5) were also included. The sub-cellular localisation of antigens was determined by testing sera against crude neutrophil extract and sub-cellular fractions consisting of azurophilic granules, specific granules and cytosolic, fractions using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). All sera reacted with the crude and azurophilic granule extracts. The native system of IEF followed by capillary immunoblotting successfully detected anti-PR3 and anti-MPO in azurophilic granule extracts. In contrast, SDS-PAGE Western blotting failed to detect any reactivity, either to PR3 or MPO, in the crude extract or azurophilic granule extract. However, the antibody specificity of patient sera with uncharacterised autoantibodies could not be detected by IEF/capillary immunoblotting or SDS-PAGE. This study showed that the sub-cellular azurophilic granules are the antigenic target of a variety of uncharacterised ANCA. It also showed that IEF characterised both anti-PR3 and anti-MPO but failed to detect other forms of ANCA. In contrast, the majority of common ANCA were not detected by SDS-PAGE.

Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic↗
PubMed1998

Cognition and the global Malaria Eradication Programme.

When making a decision involves the analysis of complex cause-effect relationships, experts are normally consulted to describe the best options available. The global Malaria Eradication Programme relied upon the advice of a small group of experienced malariologists; their counsel directed the most ambitious endeavour in the history of the World Health Organisation. In this essay 1 week to show how that group behaved with a single purpose and ultimately grew to be greater than the sum of its parts because of the control of knowledge. Each member of this epistemic community was willing to battle against malaria as soon as possible--forsaking research, traditional tools, and risking disastrous epidemics--because they believed that residual insecticides could progressively eradicate a disease that killed millions and sapped the lives of countless more. Alternative methods were ridiculed; and the epistemic community used their individual prestige to insert the DDT gospel into the technical forums of the WHO, and the power (and money) forums of the USA. Particular knowledge structures of the post-war decade nurtured a technical solution to malaria, and we shall explore how the WHO and the epistemic community could grow within this environment so compatible to their praxes.

DDT↗
PubMed1998

Leishmaniasis in the United States military.

Leishmaniasis is a recurrent health problem for the U.S. and other militaries. Health care workers may be unfamiliar with the risk factors, transmission, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of this disease. A team of highly trained specialists is required to properly manage service members with leishmaniasis. Such care is available only in a few medical centers. Although there are no prophylactic drugs to prevent this disease, control of insect populations and use of personal protection measures can minimize arthropod-related casualties. The impact of leishmaniasis on military operations and research initiatives to better prevent, diagnose, and treat infection are discussed.

Humans↗
PubMed1997

Determination of gentamicin in bovine milk using liquid chromatography with post-column derivatization and fluorescence detection.

A method capable of separating and quantifying the three major and one minor components of gentamicin in milk has been developed. The method is capable of detecting 15 ng/ml gentamicin, based on a total of the four components. Milk samples are centrifuged at 4 degrees C, the fat layer removed, and the samples deproteinated with 30% trichloracetic acid. After a second centrifugation, the supernatant is passed through a C18 solid-phase extraction column. The column is washed with water, water-methanol (50:50) and methanol. Ammonium hydroxide (16%) in methanol is used to elute the gentamicin. The eluent is evaporated to near dryness and taken up with water. An aliquot of the sample is then mixed with an ion-pairing reagent for chromatography. Separation is achieved using pentanesulfonic acid in a water-methanol mobile phase on a C18 reversed-phase column. The o-phthalaldehyde fluorescence derivatives of gentamicin are formed post-column and are detected with excitation at 340 nm and emission at 430 nm. The percent recovery of gentamicin averaged 72, 78 and 88% from milk samples fortified at 15, 30 and 60 ng/ml, respectively.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

The DFer gene of Drosophila melanogaster encodes two membrane-associated proteins that can both transform vertebrate cells.

The vertebrate gene FER encodes two protein-tyrosine kinases with molecular weights of 51,000 and 94,000 and distinctive aminotermini. The larger kinase is expressed ubiquitously among vertebrate tissues, whereas expression of the smaller kinase appears to be limited to spermatogenic cells in the testes. Here we show that Drosophila melanogaster contains an apparent ortholog of FER (DFer) that also produces two mRNAs by separate initiation of transcription, and two proteins with molecular weights of 45,000 and 92,000. Both proteins are in part loosely associated with cytoplasmic membranes. Both can transform avian and rodent cells with roughly equal potency, when expressed from retroviral vectors. Fusing the myristoylation signal from the SRC protein-tyrosine kinase to the aminoterminus of the DFer protein increased the strength of attachment to membranes but augmented transformation only marginally. The results provide the first demonstration of neoplastic transformation by a protein-tyrosine kinase of Drosophila and by FER from any species. The products of Drosophila and vertebrate FER may be part of similar signaling pathways in the two species.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1997

The complete sequences of the galago and rabbit beta-globin locus control regions: extended sequence and functional conservation outside the cores of DNase hypersensitive sites.

The locus control region (LCR) of mammalian beta-globin genes covers at least 17 kb at the 5' end of the gene cluster and has been implicated in chromatin domain opening, enhancement, and insulation from neighboring sequences. Functional dissection of the LCR has defined the minimal cores for four of the five major DNase hypersensitive sites (HSs) that mark this regulatory region. To examine fully the patterns of conserved sequences in the mammalian homologs to the beta-globin LCR, we determined the complete DNA sequence of the galago beta-globin LCR and completed previously unsequenced regions of the rabbit LCR. Simultaneous alignment of these sequences with the human, goat, and mouse LCRs revealed conserved sequences (phylogenetic footprints) detected using three largely independent methods. The most highly conserved segments are found both within the HS cores and in some but not all regions flanking the cores. These results argue for an extended pattern of well-conserved sequences, many of which lie outside the minimal cores, and we show that a key sequence required for domain opening by the region including HS3 maps about 1 kb 5' to the minimal core. Differential phylogenetic footprints, containing sequences conserved in nonhuman mammals but not in humans, are found primarily around HS3, consistent with some species-specific differences in function that may be important for differences in hemoglobin switching during development.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Rapid immunologic reconstitution following transplantation with mobilized peripheral blood stem cells as compared to bone marrow.

A majority of patients with intermediate or high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) who are treated with high-dose chemotherapy (HDT) and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation subsequently relapse. Until recently, transplantation was associated with high morbidity and mortality and the focus was on improving the safety of this procedure. However, the use of growth factors and other supportive measures has successfully reduced treatment mortality to less than 5%. Therefore, new strategies need to be developed to eliminate the growth of any occult tumor cells reinfused with the stem cell products and the tumor cells remaining in the patient. One approach is to improve the immune function of the patients by a more rapid immune reconstitution and augmentation of effector cell function. We report studies comparing immune recovery following HDT and autologous peripheral stem cell transplantation (PSCT) as compared to autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT). These studies examined patients with intermediate and high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) who were treated with HDT and PSCT (n = 56) or ABMT (n = 60). The PSCT patients had a significantly faster recovery of circulating monocytes (CD14+ cells), natural killer ((NK) CD56+) cells, T helper (CD4+) cells, TCR gamma/delta cells, and naive T lymphocytes (CD45RA+). Following ABMT there was a significantly more rapid increase in the frequency of T suppressor/effector (CD8+) cells, B (CD19+) cells, CD34+ cells, polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) and memory T lymphocytes (CD45RO+). The CD4:CD8 and CD45RA:CD45RO ratios were consistently higher in the PSCT group as compared to ABMT suggesting an improved ratio of T helper to T effector/suppressor cells and naive T cells. The differences in cellular phenotype translated into improved T cell function (PHA mitogenesis) and T cell help (pokeweed mitogenesis). In addition, there as an accelerated reconstitution of NK cell activity following PSCT as compared to ABMT. The more rapid reconstitution of NK and T cells in patients rescued with PSCT as compared to ABMT may contribute to an improved clinical outcome. Further, patients receiving a PSCT may be more responsive to adjuvant immunotherapy following transplantation.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Antibodies to beta2-glycoprotein I--a specific marker for the antiphospholipid syndrome.

The antiphospholipid syndrome is a disorder characterized by recurrent thrombosis and the presence of antibodies specific to phospholipids. However, the diagnosis of this syndrome is hampered by the lack of a specific laboratory test. In this study an ELISA for the measurement of antibodies to solid-phase beta2-glycoprotein I (beta2-GPI) was established and compared with anticardiolipin antibodies for diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome. Significantly elevated levels of antibodies to beta2-GPI were found in all patients with definite antiphospholipid syndrome (median = 91 AU). Marginally elevated levels of antibodies to beta2-GPI were observed in 5% of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE; median = 4 AU), 1% with stroke (median = 3 AU), 13% with infectious mononucleosis (median = 3 AU), 10% with HIV infection (median = 3 AU) and 8% with VDRL false-positive serology for syphilis (median = 4 AU), but not in patients with rheumatoid factor, syphilis or carotid artery stenosis. In contrast, significantly raised levels of anticardiolipin antibodies were observed in 100% of patients with definite antiphospholipid syndrome, 30% with SLE, 88% with HIV infection, 94% with syphilis, 62% with infectious mononucleosis, 9% with rheumatoid factor-positive sera, 74% VDRL false-positive serology for syphilis, 47% with stroke and 0% with carotid artery stenosis. This solid-phase assay for antibodies to beta2-GPI is highly specific for the antiphospholipid syndrome and represents an advance in the laboratory diagnosis of this disorder.

Antibodies, Anticardiolipin↗
PubMed1997

A prospective study to assess the effect of ambulatory teaching on patient satisfaction.

PURPOSE: To assess the effect of ambulatory teaching on patients' satisfaction. METHOD: In 1996, 103 adult patients presenting to the Walter Reed General Medicine Walk-in Clinic completed a patient-satisfaction questionnaire immediately following their visits, during which they were initially seen by a trainee (third-year medical student or intern) and then seen by a faculty preceptor. The questionnaire included five items from the validated Medical Outcomes Study (MOS)-9 questionnaire as well as two open-ended questions. Fourteen staff physicians, 13 students (49% of the visits), and 11 interns (51% of the visits) participated in the study. Satisfaction was analyzed by level of training, and the responses from the study patients were compared with the responses from 372 usual-care (i.e., non-teaching) patients from the same clinic, using the chi-squared test. RESULTS: The study patients were typically pleased with their encounters, rating their overall satisfaction as excellent (61%), very good (29%), or good (9%). Nearly two thirds of the patients rated their satisfaction with waiting time to be very good or excellent. Compared with the usual-care patients, the study patients reported equal or greater satisfaction for all five MOS-9 items. Ninety-five percent of the study patients said they would be willing to be seen by a trainee-staff team on future visits. There was no difference in patient satisfaction by trainee level. The study patients cited enhanced interaction (45%), enhanced education (34%), and improved care (26%) as benefits of trainee-involved care, and increased waiting time (18%) and worse care (5%) as drawbacks. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that ambulatory teaching does not adversely affect patient satisfaction, regardless of trainee level, and that patients who have been seen by trainee-staff teams are willing to experience such encounters again.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Nursing case management and its role in perinatal risk reduction: development, implementation, and evaluation of a culturally competent model for African American women.

The authors outline the need for comprehensive perinatal services management for African American pregnant women, based on social/environmental stressors, and propose a workable model for delivery of services based on case management principles. The implications of case management as an intervention to ameliorate these stressors are discussed. Data from 5 years of comprehensive case management are included to support the effectiveness of case management as an intervention among high-risk women. Steps utilized to develop, implement, and evaluate case management are also discussed.

Adolescent↗