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Biomedical subjects

John Miles

Publications and source records attributed to John Miles.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Rest break interventions in stoop labor tasks.

Hand cultivation and harvest of agricultural products constitute strenuous physical tasks. Working with labor-management ergonomics committees in agricultural settings, the UC Agricultural Ergonomics Research Center (AERC) tested an experimental rest and recovery protocol for its impact on symptoms and productivity during two types of work tasks. The experimental condition consisted of adding a 5 min rest break to every working hour in which there was no other scheduled break (e.g., lunchtime). This resulted in an additional 20 min of rest per workday. We tested the intervention in two trials: Trial one compared workers (n=66) randomly assigned to an experimental or a control group during the harvest of commercial strawberries. Trial two utilized a cross-over design (n=16 pairs of workers) to compare experimental and control conditions while workers inserted bud grafts into young 18'' high citrus trees. For both trials, workers under the experimental condition reported significantly less severe symptoms than workers under control conditions. The order in which the intervention was given, however, appeared to result in variations in productivity. We conclude that the introduction of frequent, brief rest breaks may improve symptoms for workers engaged in strenuous work tasks.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Sensitive and specific detection of bovine immunodeficiency virus and bovine syncytial virus by 5' Taq nuclease assays with fluorescent 3' minor groove binder-DNA probes.

Sensitive assays are required to detect bovine retroviruses in donor cattle used for the in vivo preparation of Australian tick fever vaccines. 5' Taq nuclease assays using 3' minor groove binder DNA probes (TaqMan)MGB) were developed and compared to conventional PCR assays for the sensitive detection of bovine syncytial virus (BSV) and bovine immunodeficiency virus (BIV). Seven beef and dairy herds were screened to evaluate these tests. Comparative sensitivities of PCR tests were determined by testing log(10) dilutions of plasmids with inserts containing corresponding provirus sequences. Published PCR assays targeting BIV env sequences did not adequately amplify Australian BIV sequences. Pol sequences from Australian strains of BIV and BSV were used to design TaqMan MGB assays, which improved sensitivity 10-fold (BIV) and 100-fold (BSV), respectively, over conventional PCR tests. This is the first report of Australian sequences of BIV and BSV and the first 5' Taq nuclease assays described to detect these viruses. These methods could be applied to future studies requiring sensitive detection of these two bovine retroviruses.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Clinical efficacy of orlistat therapy in overweight and obese patients with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes: A 1-year randomized controlled trial.

UNLABELLED: OBJECTIVE; Weight loss improves glycemic control, lipid profiles, and blood pressure in patients with type 2 diabetes. However, successful long-term weight loss is difficult for these patients, particularly those treated with insulin. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of orlistat, a gastrointestinal lipase inhibitor, on weight loss, glycemic control, and cardiovascular risk factors in overweight or obese insulin-treated type 2 diabetic patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This study was a 1-year multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of orlistat (120 mg three times a day) or placebo combined with a reduced-calorie diet in overweight or obese adults (BMI 28-40 kg/m(2)) with type 2 diabetes treated with insulin alone or combined with oral agents, but with suboptimal metabolic control (HbA(1c) 7.5-12.0%). Outcome measurements included changes in body weight, glycemic control, blood pressure, and serum lipids. RESULTS; After 1 year, the orlistat group lost significantly more weight (-3.89 +/- 0.3% of baseline body weight, means +/- SE) than the placebo group (-1.27 +/- 0.3%, P < 0.001). Orlistat treatment, compared with placebo, produced greater decreases in HbA(1c) (-0.62 +/- 0.08 vs. -0.27 +/- 0.08%, P = 0.002), fasting serum glucose (-1.63 +/- 0.3 vs. -1.08 +/- 0.3 mmol/l, P = 0.02), and the required doses of insulin and other diabetic medications. Orlistat also produced greater improvements than placebo in serum total cholesterol (P = 0.0002) and LDL cholesterol concentrations (P = 0.001) and LDL/HDL ratio (P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS; Orlistat therapy produces clinically significant weight loss, with improvements in glycemic control and cardiovascular disease risk factors, in overweight or obese patients with type 2 diabetes who have suboptimal metabolic control with insulin therapy.

Anti-Obesity Agents↗
PubMed1990

Sensory and autonomic measurements in idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia before and after radiofrequency thermocoagulation: differentiation from some other causes of facial pain.

(1) Quantitative measurements of somatosensory thresholds and skin temperature were made before (24 cases), 3-5 days after (12 cases), and 6 months after (11 cases) successful radiofrequency thermocoagulation of the proximal root and gasserian ganglion in 24 cases of idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (TGN), 18 of whom had not previously undergone any interventional procedure; and in 3 cases of compressive non-TGN neural and 4 of non-neural facial pain at presentation. (2) There were no differences in somatosensory thresholds between the skin innervated by the affected divisions and the unaffected mirror-image areas in previously unoperated cases of TGN and non-neural facial pain ('atypical facial pain') prior to operative intervention; but there were significant differences in tactile (von Frey) thresholds in the cases of non-TGN facial pain of neural origin. (3) In TGN immediately after operation, thresholds for all modalities except cold sensation were significantly raised. Six months later, tactile and tragus pinch pain thresholds had returned to normal; but thresholds for warmth, hot pain, and pinprick remained elevated. However, in cases who had had previous procedures for TGN between 9 months and 5 years earlier, all thresholds except pinprick and possibly hot pain had returned to normal. (4) Prior to operation for TGN, the skin temperature in the affected division was significantly lower than that in the contralateral unaffected division, presumably due to vasoconstriction. In previously operated cases in whom TGN had re-appeared, cutaneous vasoconstriction was also demonstrated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Phantom limb pain treated by electrical stimulation.

Twenty patients suffering from phantom limb pain were assessed for suitability for treatment by electrical stimulator implant to the peripheral nerve or the spinal cord. Twelve were so treated and seven obtained excellent and three partial relief of pain. One patient maintains excellent relief of pain by trancutaneous electrical stimulation. Factors that might influence the responsiveness of pain to electrical stimulation and the qualitative results from such treatment are discussed.

Electric Stimulation↗
PubMed1978

Pituitary injection of alcohol for widespread cancer pain.

Moricca's technique of the pituitary injection of alcohol has been performed 155 times on 92 patients at the Centre for Pain Relief Walton Hospital, Liverpool. There were 4 post-operative death within the first week. The technique is considered to be an exceedingly useful method of relieving pain in patients suffering from widespread inoperable cancer. 40% of the patients treated had complete relief of their pain, half of these (20%) having complete relief for at least 4 months. 30% of the patients treated had some relief of pain and 30% had none. During injection, it was noted that Myodil injected before the alcohol spread along the pituitary stalk and the walls of the third ventricle. It eventually broke through into the third ventricle. It is postulated that the alcohol follows this route and the relief of pain is due to destruction of thalamic and hypothalamic nerve pathways.

Ethanol↗