Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Mooney

Publications and source records attributed to J Mooney.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Optimizing enrichment conditions for the isolation of Escherichia coli O157 in soils by immunomagnetic separation.

AIMS: To compare a range of enrichment broths and enrichment temperatures for the isolation of Escherichia coli O157 by immunomagnetic separation (IMS) from sandy, loam and clay soils. METHODS AND RESULTS: Soils were spiked with cocktails of four atoxigenic strains of E. coli O157 and four strains of commensal E. coli. The organisms were stressed by subjecting soils to cycles of freeze/thawing, followed by drying at 20 degrees C for up to 4 days. Nine enrichment broths were trialled based on buffered peptone water, tryptone soya broths and EC broths supplemented with a range of selective additions. Enrichments were incubated for 6 h and assessed by target recovery after IMS on cefixime tellurite sorbitol MacConkey agar (CTSMAC) incubated at 37 degrees C for 24 h. A comparison of enrichment temperatures (37 and 42 degrees C) was also performed. Buffered peptone water (with or without vancomycin) and tryptone soya broth (with or without novobiocin) gave significant increases in recovery of E. coli O157 compared to others tested. In addition, broths incubated at 42 degrees C were superior to those at 37 degrees C for the recovery of E. coli O157. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study showed that sub-lethally damaged E. coli O157 surviving in soil can be sensitive to antimicrobial additions. The choice and concentration of these additions is vitally important to optimize target recovery. Some IMS protocols, established for the isolation of E. coli O157, may be unsuitable for the examination of soil samples.

Bacteriological Techniques↗
PubMed2001

Abnormal immunoglobulin subclass patterns in women with a history of recurrent miscarriage.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether IgG subclass patterns differed between nonpregnant women, healthy pregnant women, and pregnant women with a history of recurrent miscarriage. DESIGN: Controlled clinical study. SETTING: An academic setting. PATIENT(S): Group 1 was comprised of 10 nonpregnant women, group 2 of 10 healthy pregnant women, group 3 of eight pregnant women with a history of recurrent miscarriage and whose pregnancies on this occasion went to term, and group 4 of 10 women with a history of recurrent miscarriage whose pregnancies again failed later in the first trimester. INTERVENTION(S): None of the patients received any medication. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Serum levels of total IgG and IgG 1, 2, 3, and 4. RESULT(S): The results obtained showed that normal pregnancy was associated with a significant increase in total IgG production and an increase in IgG subclasses 1, 2, and 3. Women with a history of miscarriage, but who had a successful pregnancy on this occasion, showed a similar pattern of IgG subclasses. Women with a history of miscarriage and whose pregnancy again ended in miscarriage showed a different IgG subclass pattern. CONCLUSION(S): Pregnancies that ended in miscarriage showed a different pattern of IgG subclasses than those that continued to term. The changes seen in immunoglobulin patterns could be linked to changes in cytokine production.

Abortion, Habitual↗
PubMed2001

Changes in subgingival microflora and humoral immune response following periodontal therapy.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of scaling and root planing (SRP) on the microflora and humoral immune response in adult periodontitis. MATERIALS & METHODS: Clinical measurements, subgingival plaque samples, gingival crevicular fluid and sera were taken from 4 sites in 28 adult periodontitis patients before and after SRP. Polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the presence of A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. gingivalis, B. forsythus, P. intermedia, and T. denticola. ELISA was used to investigate the systemic and local antibody titres to these organisms, and thiocyanate dissociation for the determination of serum antibody avidity. RESULTS: SRP produced a good clinical improvement. On a subject basis there was little significant change in the microflora. However, on a site basis, there were significant reductions in P. intermedia, B. forsythus and T. denticola. There was little change in systemic and local antibody titres following SRP, although there was a significant reduction in antibody avidity to P. gingivalis and P. intermedia CONCLUSION: Post-therapy clinical improvement was associated with a reduction in bacterial prevalence, but statistical significance was only reached at a site level and this microbial reduction was not significant for all organisms. No significant post-therapy effects on the humoral immune response were noted other than a reduced antibody avidity to P. gingivalis and P. intermedia. The lack of a clear pattern in the humoral immune response may reflect a failure of the host response to produce adequate levels of biologically functional antibodies, and complex interactions between the subgingival flora and the host response.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Humoral immune response in early-onset periodontitis: influence of smoking.

Sixty-five patients with generalised early-onset periodontitis (G-EOP) (age range 16-42 years, 32 smokers and 33 non-smokers) were assessed for antibody titres and avidity to a panel of five suspected periodontal pathogens (Porphyromonas gingivalis, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Prevotella intermedia, Treponema denticola and Bacteroides forsythus). Thirty-four of these patients were untreated (17 smokers and 17 non-smokers), and thirty-one were in the maintenance phase of periodontal therapy (15 smokers and 16 non-smokers). Previous studies have investigated the effect of smoking on IgG levels in periodontitis patients in the context of the more extensive periodontal destruction seen in smokers. Based on this literature our hypothesis was that smokers would have depressed serum IgG levels directed against recognised periodontal pathogens compared with non-smokers. Antibody titres were measured by ELISA deploying fixed whole cells as coating. The IgG response was detected with biotin-anti-human IgG and avidin-peroxidase; avidity was determined by elution with ammonium thiocyanate. Median titres to A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. intermedia and T. denticola were significantly lower in maintenance patient smokers (p= 0.02, 0.02 and 0.002 respectively) but not in untreated patients. Avidity to P. gingivalis was also lower in smoking maintenance patients (p = 0.003) but not in untreated patients. These findings may imply some interruption of immune maturation in smokers following periodontal treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Clusterin expression in adult human normal and osteoarthritic articular cartilage.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the expression pattern of clusterin in adult human normal and osteoarthritic cartilage. METHODS: Clusterin mRNA expression in adult human normal and osteoarthritic cartilage was investigated by analysis of cDNA libraries, TaqMan quantitative RT-PCR, microarray and in situ hybridization. RESULTS: Sequence analysis of ESTs from adult human normal and osteoarthritic cartilage cDNA libraries demonstrated that the abundance of clusterin in these libraries was equivalent to genes which have been more commonly associated with cartilage. To examine tissue distribution, TaqMan Quantitative PCR analysis was performed using RNA from a panel of individual normal tissues. Clusterin was expressed at significant levels in cartilage, brain, liver, and pancreas. The expression of clusterin mRNA was up-regulated in early osteoarthritic vs normal cartilage when analysed by microarray analysis. Using in situ hybridization, chondrocytes of normal cartilage expressed moderate levels of clusterin. Upper mid-zone chondrocytes in cartilage with early stages of osteoarthritic disease expressed high levels of clusterin mRNA. In advanced osteoarthritic cartilage, the overall expression of clusterin was reduced. CONCLUSION: The induction of clusterin has been associated with a variety of disease states where it appears to provide a cytoprotective effect. The increased expression of clusterin mRNA in the early stages of osteoarthritis (OA) may reflect an attempt by the chondrocytes to protect and repair the tissue. In contrast, the decrease in clusterin mRNA in the advanced osteoarthritic cartilage accompanies the final degenerative stages of the disease. An understanding of the expression of clusterin in osteoarthritis may allow consideration of this protein as a marker for cartilage changes in this chronic degenerative condition.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

A cluster randomized controlled trial of a dental health education program for 10-year-old children.

OBJECTIVE: Using a cluster randomized trial, this study tested the effectiveness of a dental health education program designed to improve the oral hygiene and dental knowledge of 10-year-old children. METHODS: Thirty-two primary schools in the northwest of England participated. After a baseline assessment of plaque and the completion of a dental knowledge questionnaire by the children, the schools were allocated randomly to active or control groups. Children in schools allocated to the active group received the dental health program, which consisted of four one-hour lessons. After four months the children were examined clinically and scored for plaque, and a second questionnaire was administered. The schools in the control group were then allocated randomly to receive the program or not over the following three months, the program being withdrawn from the schools who initially received it. A further assessment of plaque was made and a questionnaire administered seven months after the baseline of the study. RESULTS: The active groups had 20 percent and 17 percent lower mean plaque scores than the control group at four and seven months (P < .001). The children's knowledge of which type of toothbrush should be used and the role of disclosing tablets improved in the initial test group when compared with the control group and this was retained over the second part of the study. CONCLUSION: The children receiving the program had significantly lower mean plaque scores and greater knowledge about toothbrushes and disclosing tablets than the control children who had not received the program.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1999

Thyroid antibody titer and avidity in patients with recurrent miscarriage.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the titer and avidity of the thyroid peroxidase antibody differs between pregnant women in their first trimester who have a history of recurrent miscarriage and whose pregnancies continue to term and those whose pregnancies fail again later in the first trimester. DESIGN: Controlled clinical study. SETTING: Healthy volunteers in an academic research environment. PATIENT(S): Pregnant women in their first trimester who had a history of recurrent miscarriage (> or = 3 miscarriages) and who were known to be positive for the thyroid peroxidase antibody. INTERVENTION(S): None of the patients received any medication. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Thyroid peroxidase antibody titer and avidity (i.e., the net binding strength between antibody and antigen). RESULT(S): At the time of presentation, thyroid peroxidase antibody titer and avidity was significantly higher in those women who later miscarried compared with those whose pregnancies continued. In those whose pregnancies continued to term, titer and avidity declined as the pregnancy progressed. CONCLUSION(S): Autoimmunity plays a role in recurrent miscarriage. Among a group of patients who had had recurrent miscarriages, there appeared to be differences in the humoral response to the pregnancy between those whose pregnancies continued to term and those whose pregnancies failed again.

Abortion, Habitual↗
PubMed1999

Differences in the inflammatory response in young and old human subjects during the course of experimental gingivitis.

The aim of the present experiment was to study changes in (i) the composition of the inflammatory cell infiltrates and (ii) levels of alpha 2-macroglobulin, lactoferrin and IgG subclasses in gingival crevicular fluid in young and old individuals during 3 weeks of plaque formation. To establish healthy gingival conditions, all subjects received professional tooth cleaning during a 4 week pre-experimental period. The experimental sites included the mesio-palatal, palatal, and disto-palatal surfaces of all teeth present in the 15...25 tooth region. At baseline (day 0) assessments of plaque and gingivitis, microbial sampling and gingival fluid assessment were performed and one gingival biopsy harvested from each subject. Following the baseline examination, the participants abolished mechanical tooth cleaning measures in the palatal and approximal surfaces of 15...25. The clinical examination and the gingival fluid measurement were repeated on days 7, 14 and 21 of no oral hygiene. The microbiological sampling and the biopsy procedure were repeated on days 7 and 21. The gingival crevicular fluid samples harvested from the old individuals had higher levels of alpha 2-macroglobulin and IgG3 compared to young subjects. The immunohistochemical analyses of the biopsies demonstrated that the gingival lesion representing the old individuals harbored a higher proportion of B-cells and a lower density of PMN cells compared to the infiltrate in the young group of subjects. It is suggested that differences exist in the inflammatory response to de novo plaque formation in young and old individuals.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

A model to assess age-related changes in two-point discrimination of plantar skin.

A device was constructed to assess two-point discrimination in the plantar skin of younger, middle-aged, and older adults. The device consisted of paired filaments, each delivering a tip force of 4.56 log units (equivalent to 3.63 g), at a fixed distance apart. Statistical analysis showed significant differences in two-point discrimination accuracy between these groups of subjects. Younger subjects showed greater accuracy of plantar two-point discrimination than either middle-aged or older subjects, with an apparent inverse linear relationship between subject age and plantar two-point discrimination ability. A model to assess age-related changes in two-point discrimination is presented.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Extrapleural solitary fibrous tumor: a clinicopathologic study of 24 cases.

Solitary fibrous tumors (SFTs), rare in extrapleural sites, can present difficulties in diagnosis at these locations. From the files of the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, we accessed 24 cases of extrapleural SFT (14 females, 10 males, ages 19 to 85 yr) obtained for clinical, histologic, immunohistochemical, and follow-up findings. Tumor locations included the head and neck (n = 12), the abdomen (n = 10), and the extremities (n = 2). Tumors were 2 to 25 cm in greatest dimension (mean, 8.2 cm) and were well circumscribed or encapsulated. Histologic features were typical of their pleural counterparts, e.g., bland spindle cells with some hypercellular areas and myxoid to hyalinized backgrounds. A hemangiopericytic vascular pattern was present in 19 cases and prominent in 11. Mitotic activity ranged from 0 to 4 counts per 10 high-power fields. Necrosis was seen in two cases. Focally increased cellularity was seen in seven cases and margins were positive in another seven cases. Spindle cells were positive for vimentin (19 of 19) and CD34 (18 of 20), and negative for cytokeratin (0 of 19). Fibroblastic differentiation was present in the three cases studied by electron microscopy. Flow cytometry in three cases revealed diploid cell populations. Follow-up for 19 cases (9 to 99 mo) revealed no evidence of metastasis, although one patient had residual tumor after an incomplete excision, and one patient died of unrelated causes. Histologic findings such as mitotic counts, necrosis, cellularity, and marginal status were not associated with outcome. We conclude that extrapleural SFTs are clinically and histologically similar to their pleural counterparts. Although the length of clinical follow-up was short (mean follow-up, 41.4 mo), recognizing these lesions is important because they typically follow an indolent clinical course if completely excised. Although CD34 is nonspecific, it is usually positive in SFTs and may aid in their diagnosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Unusual features of serous neoplasms of low malignant potential during pregnancy.

Ten serous neoplasms of low malignant potential (LMP) resected during pregnancy were found in the files of the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (UTMDACC). Microscopically, all tumors had marked epithelial proliferation with abundant eosinophilic cells, and eight had intraluminal mucin. Multiple areas of microinvasion were found in eight cases. Additional unusual features were found in three cases. One patient presented with a serous LMP tumor in a supraclavicular lymph node. After resection of an ovarian serous LMP tumor, she was treated with chemotherapy and is without evidence of disease after 21 years. One patient had tumor resected at 24 weeks of gestation and at 2 months postpartum. Marked regression of the epithelial proliferation, the number of eosinophilic cells, and the amount of mucin was seen in the second specimen. Another patient had multiple peritoneal nodules at cesarean section, one of which was biopsied and diagnosed as a primary serous LMP of the peritoneum with multiple areas of microinvasion. Two months later a diagnostic laparoscopy was performed and no residual disease was found. All patients are alive with no evidence of disease. In summary, serous LMP tumors during pregnancy have microscopic and clinical features suggesting aggressive behavior; however, these features appear to regress at the termination of the pregnancy.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

IgG and IgA subclass mRNA-bearing plasma cells in periodontitis gingival tissue and immunoglobulin levels in the gingival crevicular fluid.

The humoral immune response, especially the production of IgG and IgA, is considered to have a protective role in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease, but the precise mechanisms are still unknown. In order to determine local IgG and IgA production, we investigated the presence of human IgG and IgA subclass mRNA-bearing plasma cells within periodontal tissue by in situ hybridization using digoxigenin-labelled oligonucleotide probes in 24 gingival biopsy samples (pocket depth > or = 5 mm) which were obtained from eight patients with adult periodontitis. Furthermore, we examined IgG and IgA subclass proteins and digested IgA1 Fab portions in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF), corresponding to the sites from which the tissues were taken, by ELISA. IgG and IgA subclass mRNA-expressing cells were detected in all serial formalin-fixed/paraffin-embedded gingival tissue sections sampled. Plasma cells showed strong cytoplasmic staining with a high contrast and a good retention of morphology with these probes. IgG1 mRNA-expressing cells were predominant (mean 63%) and IgG2 mRNA-expressing cells were present at around 23% of total IgG plasma cells, while IgG3 and IgG4 mRNA-expressing cells were present to a much lesser extent (3% and 10%, respectively). Similar proportions of IgG subclass proteins in GCF were detected, which were also consistent with 'normal' serum levels. In terms of IgA subclass, IgA1 mRNA-positive cells were predominant (mean 65.1%, P < 0.001). In contrast, IgA2 protein in the GCF samples were detected at higher concentrations than IgA1 (P < 0.001). The ratio of total IgG to IgA mRNA-positive plasma cells was approximately 7.5:1. There was a good correlation between the amounts of IgG subclass proteins in GCF and the number of IgG subclass mRNA-positive cells in the same sites, but not between IgA subclass proteins and the number of IgA subclass mRNA-positive cells. These data suggest that IgG and IgA subclass proteins can be locally produced in the periodontitis gingiva. In addition, as we detected IgA1 Fab fragments in GCF, this is further confirmation that secreted IgA1 protein in GCF may be digested by periodontal bacteria.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Levels of specific immunoglobulin G to Porphyromonas gingivalis in gingival crevicular fluid are related to site disease status.

Titers of immunoglobulin G (IgG) directed against Porphyromonas gingivalis in gingival crevicular fluid of 40 periodontitis patients were measured at three sites in each patient (healthy, gingivitis and periodontitis) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. When paired analyses were performed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, periodontitis sites were found to have lower median titers than gingivitis sites. Both systemic and locally-produced antibodies contribute to the overall gingival crevicular fluid antibody profile. Albumin, in contrast, is derived only from serum, and thus this protein serves as an indicator of serum contribution to gingival crevicular fluid. Correction was therefore made for systemic input to the gingival crevicular fluid IgG profile by expressing the results per unit of albumin. When this was done, periodontitis sites were also found to have significantly lower antibody levels than gingivitis sites. These findings suggest that a failure of local antibody production or reduction in quantities, by, for example, degradation by bacterial proteases, may contribute to the change from a gingivitis to a periodontitis lesion.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Crevicular fluid and serum IgG subclasses and corresponding mRNA expressing plasma cells in periodontitis lesions.

Recent reports suggest that specific serum IgG subclasses are a feature of several forms of periodontitis. GCF antibodies are both serum-derived and locally produced by the abundant plasma cells of the diseased periodontal tissue. Previous work has shown that crevicular fluid (GCF) levels of IgG may be reduced in active and deep periodontal pockets when compared to other sites in chronic periodontitis patients (7). These findings, and more recent findings for IgA levels in GCF (5), suggest that GCF immunoglobulins may indicate "high risk" sites for periodontitis. In these studies, the relative distribution of IgG isotypes was not investigated, nor was the relative contribution of local and serum antibodies to the GCF immunoglobulin profile. Therefore, more precise investigation of the tissue distribution of local gingival IgG subclass producing plasma cells and their protein levels in the GCF from the same sites and in serum, was undertaken.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Effects of treatment on gingival crevicular collagenase, stromelysin and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases and their ability to predict response to treatment.

Fibroblast collagenase (FIB-CL) and stromelysin (SL) are members of a family of enzymes which are capable of degrading most of the extracellular matrix macromolecules. Extracellular control of these enzymes is performed by tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP). During healing, inflammation and normal tissue turnover, levels of MMPs and TIMP will change. The effect of treatment on the levels of FIB-CL, SL and TIMP as well as their ability, at baseline, to predict the outcome of therapy was investigated. 21 patients each provided 8 gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) samples from sites with probing depths > or = 4 mm. Clinical recordings and GCF sampling were performed at 3 time points. Assays for SL, FIB-CL and TIMP were performed by a sandwich ELISA. Attachment level changes were detected by the "tolerance method". The ability of the GCF constituents to predict the response to treatment was assessed by comparing pre-treatment levels between sites which did or did not show attachment gain after therapy. Although no GCF constituents could reliably predict the response to treatment, SL reduced significantly (p = 0.029) after the hygiene phase of therapy. In addition, both SL and TIMP levels showed a highly significant reduction at follow-up visit (p = 0.003 and p = 0.005 respectively). Thus, SL and TIMP levels are reduced by treatment, but these GCF proteins do not appear to have an ability to predict treatment outcome from baseline.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Detection of stable and active periodontitis sites by clinical assessment and gingival crevicular acute-phase protein levels.

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether incipient periodontal disease breakdown could be associated with changes in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) acute-phase protein levels. In addition, the potential of clinical indices to act as predictors of significant attachment level (AL) change was investigated. AL measurements were taken at baseline and 3 months using the Florida Probe stent handpiece from a total of 384 sites in 38 patients. The average standard deviation of duplicate AL measurements was 0.423. When the tolerance method was used to detect significant AL change, 3.9% of the sites lost attachment. When a less stringent criterion of AL change of > or = 1 mm was used 9.9% of the sites lost attachment during the 3-month period. With the exception of probing depth, baseline clinical parameters failed to predict AL change. Fourteen active periodontitis sites that demonstrated significant attachment loss were paired to stable periodontitis sites within the same patient. The levels of four acute-phase proteins, namely alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2-M), alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1-AT), transferrin (TF) and lactoferrin (LF), and also albumin (Alb) were assessed in the same gingival crevicular fluid sample using sandwich ELISAs. Results were expressed either as ng/30 s and ng/microgram Alb. Acute-phase protein levels in GCF failed to differentiate between active and stable periodontitis sites at baseline. In conclusion, the degree of gingival inflammation of the tissues adjacent to the crevice/pocket seems to influence the levels of protease inhibitors and iron-binding proteins in GCF to a greater extent than probing attachment loss.

Acute-Phase Proteins↗