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Biomedical subjects

J Morris

Publications and source records attributed to J Morris.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

A systematic review of the accuracy of ultrasound in the diagnosis of endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate transvaginal and transabdominal ultrasound scanning, with or without Doppler, as a diagnostic test for the accurate diagnosis of pelvic endometriosis. METHODS: The MEDLINE (1966-2001) and EMBASE (1980-2001) databases were searched for relevant studies, published in English. Only studies fulfilling predefined criteria were selected. An assessment of quality was made for each study, and data were then reanalyzed using likelihood ratios to determine the usefulness of the test. RESULTS: In total, 67 papers were identified using the search strategy, of which 17 described relevant studies. Of these, seven fulfilled the inclusion criteria. All seven related to the use of transvaginal gray-scale imaging in the diagnosis of ovarian endometriomata specifically, rather than endometriosis. The positive likelihood ratios ranged from 7.6 to 29.8, and the negative likelihood ratios ranged from 0.1 to 0.4. Confidence intervals were wide. One paper addressed the use of conventional color Doppler with ultrasound: the positive likelihood ratio was 1.2, with a negative likelihood ratio of 0.4. One paper assessed the use of color Doppler energy imaging, and showed a positive likelihood ratio of 33.5 and a negative likelihood ratio of 0.1. CONCLUSIONS: Transvaginal ultrasound appears to be a useful test both to make and to exclude the diagnosis of an ovarian endometrioma.

Endometriosis↗
PubMed2002

The effect of anticholinesterases on personality changes in Alzheimer's disease.

Anticholinesterases are known to be effective against cognitive and non-cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) but their effect on the personality changes in the disease is not known. This study examines the effect of anticholinesterase treatment on personality changes in AD. It involved the carers of patients with mild to moderate AD who were currently receiving anticholinesterases in south Manchester. The personality change was measured using the Brooks and McKinlay Personality Inventory. The carers were asked to complete the inventory for each of three periods in the patients' lives: before the onset of AD, after the diagnosis of AD but before starting anticholinesterases, and currently on anticholinesterases. Fifty-eight carers participated in the study. Personality became more negative (total score on the personality inventory became less) following the onset of AD (p < 0.001). Following anticholinesterase treatment, the total score on the personality inventory remained the same or increased in 23 (39%) patients. Scores on individual personality traits remained the same or increased in the majority of patients. In approximately one fifth of the patients, the traits 'does things himself', 'happy', 'calm' and 'cautious' showed improvement on anticholinesterases. The study confirms that personality changes are almost universal and negative in AD and suggests that anticholinesterases may have a positive effect. Further double blind prospective studies are needed to understand natural progression of personality changes in AD and to validate the findings of this study.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Oogenesis: Setting one sister above the rest.

Recent studies have revealed that the Par-1 protein, in addition to its established role in anterior-posterior patterning of the Drosophila oocyte, has both microtubule-dependent and microtubule-independent roles very early in oogenesis.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Dopamine supports sentence comprehension in Parkinson's Disease.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the role of dopamine in the executive resource component of sentence comprehension. METHODS: We studied sentence-picture matching in 20 right-handed, non-demented, native English speakers with mild Parkinson's disease (PD) when 'on' and 'off' their levodopa, taking into account disease duration to control for endogenous dopamine metabolism. We also administered a verbal working memory measure that does not involve specific grammatical manipulations. RESULTS: PD patients 'off' levodopa demonstrated a significant discrepancy in their comprehension of grammatically complex sentences compared to grammatically simpler sentences that was not evident when PD patients were 'on' levodopa. An error analysis demonstrated that impaired comprehension of grammatically complex sentences when 'off' levodopa was associated with poorer performance on foils requiring working memory resources. Performance on an independent measure of verbal working memory correlated only with comprehension of grammatically complex sentences during levodopa supplementation, but working memory according to this measure did not differ during 'on' and 'off' states. CONCLUSION: Dopamine supports the executive resources contributing to sentence comprehension in PD.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

High short-term mortality in hospitalized patients with advanced dementia: lack of benefit of tube feeding.

BACKGROUND: The influence of tube feeding on survival in hospitalized patients with advanced dementia is controversial. OBJECTIVE: To assess long-term survival in an inception cohort, incident tube feeding placement during the index hospitalization, and the influence of tube feeding on survival in this group of patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Ninety-nine hospitalized patients with advanced dementia and an available surrogate decision maker were followed up through and after the index hospitalization for mortality and placement of a feeding tube. Other variables measured included advance directive status, presence of a long-term primary care physician, level of involvement of the surrogate decision maker, admitting diagnosis, prior hospitalizations, comorbidities, and diagnosis related group diagnostic category. RESULTS: A new feeding tube was placed in 50% (51/99) of the study patients during the index hospitalization, 31% (31/99) left the hospital without a feeding tube, and 17% (17/99) were admitted with a feeding tube already in place. By stepwise logistic regression analysis, predictors of new feeding tube placement included African American ethnicity (odds ratio, 9.43; 95% confidence interval, 2.1-43.2) and residence in a nursing home (odds ratio, 4.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-2.5). Median survival of the 99 patients was 175 days. Eighty-five (85%) survived the index hospitalization, and 28 (28%) were still alive at last follow-up, a range of 1.3 to 4.2 years after enrollment in the study. Tube feeding was not associated with survival (P =.90). An admitting diagnosis of infection was associated with higher mortality (odds ratio, 1.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-3.6). CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of hospitalized patients with advanced dementia, risk of receiving a new feeding tube is high, associated with African American ethnicity, and prior residence in a nursing home, and has no measurable influence on survival. With or without a feeding tube, these patients have a 50% six-month median mortality.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Dental attendance in 1998 and implications for the future.

The 1998 survey of Adult Dental Health in the UK was carried out under the auspices of the Office of National Statistics together with the Universities of Birmingham, Dundee, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Wales. A key behavioural indicator in these decennial surveys is whether people say they go to a dentist for a regular dental check-up, an occasional dental check-up or only when they have trouble with their teeth. The proportion of dentate adults in the UK who report attending for regular dental check-ups has risen from 43% in 1978 to 59% in 1998. Older adults (over 55 years old) in 1998 were the most likely to say they attend for regular dental check-ups. Many younger adults (16-24) in 1998 said they went to a dentist less often than 5 years previously, they were also the least likely to say they attend for regular dental check-ups. Dental anxiety remains a problem for many dental patients but another factor of importance to many is their want to be involved in the treatment process and especially to be given an estimate of treatment costs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Impact of coronary heart disease on world leaders.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that from 1965 to 1996, coronary heart disease was a frequent natural cause of death among world leaders. OBJECTIVE: To assess incidence of and death from coronary heart disease among world leaders and to determine the effect of this disease on office-holding ability. DESIGN: Archive search of worldwide English-language and translated press and media reports from 1970 to 1999 for reference to coronary events. SETTING: U.S. federal government medical analytic unit. PARTICIPANTS: National principal decision makers in countries with populations greater than 250 000. MEASUREMENTS: Reports of angina, heart attack, myocardial infarction, and arrhythmia attributed to coronary artery disease; use of cardiac procedures; receipt of foreign care; death; and removal from office. RESULTS: 64 leaders had initial coronary heart disease events while holding their nation's highest office. Initial event rates decreased from the 1970s to the 1990s (1.9 events per 100 person-years vs. 1.1 events per 100 person-years). Survival, use of procedures, and receipt of foreign care increased over time. Most leaders who survived an acute event continued to function in office. CONCLUSIONS: Incidence of and death from coronary heart disease among office-holding world leaders has decreased over the past 30 years, possibly because of increased use of cardiac procedures. A coronary event in a world leader is unlikely to presage a change in government.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Factors affecting survival of elderly nursing home residents.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether the admission characteristics of nursing home residents predict mortality and to look for factors that account for different mortality rates between those homes. METHODS: A retrospective case note audit of the admission characteristics of residents in nursing homes registered with the Manchester Health Authority who died within a 12 month period and a group of current residents matched by age, sex and length of stay. Time between admission and death was examined using actuarial estimators of survival and factors predicting time between admission and death were examined using the proportional hazards model of Cox. Standardised mortality ratios (SMR) were calculated on each of the homes from the Office for National Statistics for Greater Manchester Metropolitan County. Logistic regression was used to assess those factors that predicted death at 1, 2 and 4 weeks and 3, 6 and twelve months after admission. RESULTS: Following admission the mean survival time was 5.9 years. There was a wide variation in the mortality ratio between the homes and five of the 32 studied had SMRs of over 7. Increasing age, male sex, poor appetite, sleep disturbance, build, place of admission from, history of malignancy and respiratory disease and the number of prescribed drugs were all found to be significant predictors of mortality. Malignancy, pressure sores, poor appetite and number of prescribed drugs predicted death with 4 weeks after admission. CONCLUSION: Some nursing homes have higher mortality rates than others although this was accounted for by the characteristics of the residents and not by any measurable characteristic of the nursing home environment.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2001

A framework for assessing the impact of the IPPC directive on the performance of the pig industry.

New European Union legislation on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) is being implemented in the United Kingdom, enacted by the Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999 and its statutory instruments, the Pollution Prevention and Control (England and Wales) Regulations 2000. This legislation incorporates previously unregulated installations in the food and intensive livestock sectors, such as pig installations above a given threshold size. IPPC requires that installations adopt Best Available Techniques and follow General Binding Rules of good practice in order to manage their environmental effects. IPPC has significant potential impacts for both the environmental and financial performance of the pig industry. In this context, the paper discusses the IPPC implementation process as it applies to the sector and presents a methodological framework for assessing the environmental and cost benefit implications of the new regulations.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2001

Gene transfer into baboon repopulating cells: A comparison of Flt-3 Ligand and megakaryocyte growth and development factor versus IL-3 during ex vivo transduction.

Oncoretroviral vectors require division of target cells for successful transduction. In the case of hematopoietic repopulating cells this can be achieved by cytokine stimulation using growth factor combinations which facilitate gene transfer and maintain engraftment. Interleukin-3 (IL-3) has been widely used in growth factor combinations, although more recent data in the mouse showed reduced engraftment in the presence of IL-3. Here, we used a competitive repopulation assay to study the influence of IL-3 and the early acting cytokines megakaryocyte growth and development factor (MGDF) and Flt3-ligand (Flt3-L) on gene transfer efficiency during ex vivo transduction of hematopoietic repopulating cells. In a direct comparison, baboon CD34-enriched cells were transduced on CH-296 fibronectin fragment in the presence of either IL-6, stem cell factor (SCF), Flt3-L, and MGDF or IL-3, IL-6, and SCF. Animals were followed for up to 55 weeks, and analysis of peripheral blood leukocytes by semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that both cytokine combinations achieved marking of repopulating cells. A trend toward increased gene marking, especially early after transplant (P = 0.06), was seen with the combination of IL-6, SCF, Flt3-L, and MGDF. However, the highest gene marking was achieved when IL-3 was combined with early acting cytokines, suggesting that the difference observed in this study was probably due to the addition of MGDF and Flt3-L and not due to a negative effect of IL-3 on engraftment.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Development of a bench station objective structured assessment of technical skills.

OBJECTIVE: We have previously shown that objective structured assessment of technical skills performed in an animal model was an innovative, reliable, and valid method of assessing surgical skills. Our goal was to develop a less costly bench station objective structured assessment of technical skills and to evaluate the feasibility, reliability, and validity of this exam. METHODS: A seven-station examination was administered to 24 residents. The tests included laparoscopic procedures (salpingostomy, intracorporeal knot tying, closure of port sites) and open abdominal procedures (subcuticular closure, bladder neck suspension, repair of enterotomy, abdominal wall closure). All tasks were performed using life-like surgical models. Residents were timed and assessed at each station using three methods of scoring: a task-specific checklist, a global rating scale, and a pass/fail grade. RESULTS: Assessment of construct validity, the ability of the test to discriminate among residency levels, found significant differences on the checklist, global rating scale, time for procedures, and pass/fail grade by level of training. Reliability indices calculated with Cronbach's alpha were 0.77 for the checklists and 0.94 for the global rating scale. Overall interrater reliability indices were 0.91 for the global rating scale and 0.92 for the checklists. Total cost for replaceable parts and facilities was $1900. CONCLUSION: The less costly and more portable bench station objective structured assessment of technical skills can reliably and validly assess the surgical skills of gynecology residents. This type of examination can be a useful tool to identify residents who need additional surgical instruction, provide remediation, and may become a mechanism to certify surgical skill competence.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Development of a highly sensitive nested RT-PCR method for Beet necrotic yellow vein virus detection.

A diagnostic test incorporating reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) was developed for the detection of Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV). The RT-PCR used the primers designed by (Henry et al., J. Virol. Methods 54 (1995)15) but refinements were made to the protocol including simplification of the extraction method, the use of standard reagents and adoption of a one-step procedure. None of these changes impaired sensitivity or specificity. The RT-PCR could also be used to amplify immunocaptured virus but this was slightly less sensitive than amplification from purified RNA. In nPCR, a second round of amplification was performed using primers, which produce a specific 326 base-pair product. Both RT-PCR and nPCR detected a range of 21 isolates collected from Europe, America and Asia (including A, B and P pathotypes) isolated from either sugar beet or Chenopodium quinoa. Neither assay produced PCR products using total RNA extracted from the roots of healthy sugar beet or beet infected with Beet soil-borne virus. However, the sensitivity of the nPCR was 1000 times greater than the standard RT-PCR. The reliability of the standard RT-PCR and nPCR was demonstrated using a range of cultivars collected from an infected field site. The use of the nPCR assay is recommended for applications where its improved sensitivity over standard RT-PCR is necessary, for example in the early detection of infection from bait-test soils and for quarantine and breeding purposes.

Chenopodiaceae↗
PubMed2001

Singer's formant in sopranos: fact or fiction?

Although it is generally agreed that the singer's formant (F(S)) is a prerequisite for successful stage performance, the results of this research do not support its presence in the soprano voices of trained female singers. Results are based on a recent investigation testing 10 advanced/professional sopranos in two groups singing sustained vowels at three frequencies: high (932 Hz), mid (622 Hz), and low (261 Hz). Spectrographic analysis shows that the nature of harmonic energy varies in relation to pitch. A resonance band somewhat resembling the tenor F(S) was usually evident in vowels sung at low and mid pitch. However, unlike the F(S) of typically less than 1 kHz bandwidth associated with tenors, sopranos singing similar pitches produced corresponding bandwidths which were significantly broader, usually at least 2-kHz wide. Vowels sung by sopranos at high-pitch levels exhibited strong fundamental frequency production with strong reinforcement of adjacent harmonics extending to 5 kHz and beyond. This type of production in essence nullifies the necessity for a typical F(S). Absence of the F(S) in strong soprano voices might also imply the adaptation of a sufficiently different overall vocal tract configuration, so that techniques geared to developing maximal projection should not be the same as those developed to maximize the F(S) in other voices.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

An essential protein-binding domain of nuclear RNase P RNA.

Eukaryotic RNase P and RNase MRP are endoribonucleases composed of RNA and protein subunits. The RNA subunits of each enzyme share substantial secondary structural features, and most of the protein subunits are shared between the two. One of the conserved RNA subdomains, designated P3, has previously been shown to be required for nucleolar localization. Phylogenetic sequence analysis suggests that the P3 domain interacts with one of the proteins common to RNase P and RNase MRP, a conclusion strengthened by an earlier observation that the essential domain can be interchanged between the two enzymes. To examine possible functions of the P3 domain, four conserved nucleotides in the P3 domain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNase P RNA (RPR1) were randomized to create a library of all possible sequence combinations at those positions. Selection of functional genes in vivo identified permissible variations, and viable clones that caused yeast to exhibit conditional growth phenotypes were tested for defects in RNase P RNA and tRNA biosynthesis. Under nonpermissive conditions, the mutants had reduced maturation of the RPR1 RNA precursor, an expected phenotype in cases where RNase P holoenzyme assembly is defective. This loss of RPR1 RNA maturation coincided, as expected, with a loss of pre-tRNA maturation characteristic of RNase P defects. To test whether mutations at the conserved positions inhibited interactions with a particular protein, specific binding of the individual protein subunits to the RNA subunit was tested in yeast using the three-hybrid system. Pop1p, the largest subunit shared by RNases P and MRP, bound specifically to RPR1 RNA and the isolated P3 domain, and this binding was eliminated by mutations at the conserved P3 residues. These results indicate that Pop1p interacts with the P3 domain common to RNases P and MRP, and that this interaction is critical in the maturation of RNase P holoenzyme.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2001

Ritonavir: an extraordinary example of conformational polymorphism.

PURPOSE: In the summer of 1998, Norvir semi-solid capsules supplies were threatened as a result of a new much less soluble crystal form of ritonavir. This report provides characterization of the two polymorphs and the structures and hydrogen bonding network for each form. METHODS: Ritonavir polymorphism was investigated using solid state spectroscopy and microscopy techniques including solid state NMR, Near Infrared Spectroscopy, powder X-ray Diffraction and Single crystal X-ray. A sensitive seed detection test was developed. RESULTS: Ritonavir polymorphs were thoroughly characterized and the structures determined. An unusual conformation was found for form II that results in a strong hydrogen bonding network A possible mechanism for heterogeneous nucleation of form II was investigated. CONCLUSIONS: Ritonavir was found to exhibit conformational polymorphism with two unique crystal lattices having significantly different solubility properties. Although the polymorph (form II) corresponding to the "cis" conformation is a more stable packing arrangement, nucleation, even in the presence of form II seeds, is energetically unfavored except in highly supersaturated solutions. The coincidence of a highly supersaturated solution and a probable heterogeneous nucleation by a degradation product resulted in the sudden appearance of the more stable form II polymorph.

Calorimetry, Differential Scanning↗
PubMed2001

Envelope fusion protein binding studies in an inducible model of retrovirus receptor expression and in CD34(+) cells emphasize limited transduction at low receptor levels.

Successful gene therapy for the treatment of heritable or acquired diseases typically requires high efficiency gene transfer and sustained transgene expression. Indirect evidence on the basis of RNA analysis and in vivo competitive repopulation experiments in animal models suggests a correlation between transduction efficiency and the abundance of retrovirus receptors on the hematopoietic target cell. However, transduction by oncoretroviral vectors is also subject to other factors such as target cell cycle status and the composition of the virus-containing medium, making it difficult to determine the level of receptor expression required for efficient transduction. In the present study we investigated the impact of receptor expression level on transduction by a vector with a gibbon ape leukemia virus (GALV) envelope protein in a tetracycline-inducible tissue culture model that allowed for the cell cycle-independent, regulated expression of the GALV receptor (Pit1) in otherwise non-susceptible NIH 3T3 cells. Up-regulation of receptor RNA expression by 4.5-fold resulted in a mean 150-fold increase in transduction efficiency. We then analyzed cell surface expression of the Pit1 receptor using a fusion protein consisting of GALV SU portion of the viral envelope protein linked to the human IgG Fc. These experiments showed that tetracycline-regulated receptor induction resulted in a dose-dependent increase in binding of fusion protein. At maximum induction fusion protein binding increased up to five-fold which paralleled the increase in RNA expression, and correlated with the improved transduction efficiency. Finally, studies of pseudotype-specific fusion protein binding to human CD34-enriched cells revealed increased expression of retrovirus receptors after cytokine stimulation, although overall receptor expression in CD34(+)cells remained lower than in fibroblast cell lines efficiently transduced by amphotropic and GALV vectors.

Antigens, CD34↗