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Biomedical subjects

K Jones

Publications and source records attributed to K Jones.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Communicating about youth's sun exposure risk to soccer coaches and parents: a pilot study in Georgia.

Efforts to increase the sun-protective behaviors of children were extended to outdoor recreational sports and youth soccer settings in this study. The pretest results of a pilot survey of coaches (n = 12), parents (n = 50), and youths (n = 61) on eight soccer teams in south Georgia were used to guide the development of a health education program for coaches. In the pilot programs, half the coaches were trained to be involved in soccer-playing youths' sun protection by acting as positive role models and promoting sun protection to youths and their parents. The pilot demonstrated coaches' willingness to participate in sun protection promotion to youth: Youths indicated that coaches and parents were more likely to tell youths to wear sunscreen after the training than before, and coaches perceived getting youths to wear sunscreen to be less difficult than before.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Specialist palliative care and patients with noncancer diagnoses: the experience of a service.

This retrospective review was undertaken to identify the pattern of noncancer referrals to a specialist palliative care service, comprising a teaching hospital support team, home care, outpatients and inpatient hospice, over a 1-year period. Of 287 hospital ward referrals, 83 patients had a noncancer diagnosis (29%); they were referred predominantly for symptom control (92%), particularly of pain (84%). Of 130 outpatient referrals, 30 had a noncancer diagnosis (23%) and were also referred mainly for the management of pain (85%). Of 196 home care referrals, 18 had a noncancer diagnosis (9%); they tended to be referred for multiprofessional care of endstage disease. Of 421 hospice inpatient admissions, 17 were for patients with a noncancer diagnosis (4%) and were predominantly for respite care. These admissions accounted for 2% of occupied bed days. It is concluded that specialist palliative care skills are perceived to be transferable to patients with noncancer diagnoses. Resource implications focus on hospital and outpatient services, where shared care with medical teams is usual practice. Defining management goals at the outset is particularly important.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Immobilized lipoxygenase in a packed-bed column bioreactor: continuous oxygenation of linoleic acid.

The continuous oxygenation of linoleic acid (LA) by immobilized lipoxygenase (LOX) was studied. Enzymatic oxidation was carried out in a recirculating packed column reactor using immobilized LOX as the stationary phase and LA as the substrate. The column, when packed with LOX immobilized in either a calcium alginate sol-gel matrix or a phyllosilicate sol-gel matrix, is equivalent to five continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTRs). The reactor cascade was calculated from the residence-time distribution for the reactor. Based on mass-balance calculations, a set of mathematical equations for predicting the concentration of oxygenated product generated in each CSTR was calculated. Product formation in the packed column reactor was simulated and results calculated with the model were compared with the experimental results. The data indicated that product yield (hydroperoxyoctadecadienoic acid, HPOD) increased asymptotically with reaction time. Experimentally, when the bioreactor was packed with calcium alginate sol-gel-immobilized LOX, an initial linear increase in HPOD production with time was observed, but reached a steady state. For the bioreactor packed with phyllosilicate sol-gel-immobilized LOX, initial HPOD production increased more rapidly but reached a lower steady-state concentration. From these data, a simple computer simulation model was developed to determine the process kinetics of this reactor design.

Alginates↗
PubMed1999

Predictive value of a simple asthma morbidity index in a general practice population.

BACKGROUND: There is a need in primary care for simple asthma outcome measures that are valid in terms of their relationship with lung function and capable of predicting those patients for whom additional management is indicated. AIM: To assess the predictive validity of a revised asthma morbidity index in United Kingdom (UK) general practice. METHOD: Morbidity index and peak flow rate data were gathered from nine general practices over a three-month period. Two postal questionnaire surveys, one year apart, were conducted in one Tyneside general practice. Morbidity index data from 570 asthmatic patients were gathered in the first survey and used to predict morbidity over the next year. RESULTS: For 120 responders with low morbidity, mean peak flow as a percentage of the predicted value was 91% (SD = 21%); for 91 responders with medium morbidity, the percentage was 77% (SD = 21%); and for 90 responders with high morbidity, it was 63% (SD = 29%). Fifty-seven per cent of the morbidity index categories remained unchanged after 12 months. The relative risks of high morbidity for having any acute asthma attacks, more than four attacks, and needing oral steroids during a one year period were 2.88 (CI = 1.87 to 4.43), 2.52 (CI = 1.84 to 3.44) and 2.38 (CI = 1.70 to 3.33) respectively. CONCLUSION: The revised morbidity index is a simple and valid tool for the opportunistic surveillance of asthma in primary care.

Asthma↗
PubMed1999

Home blood pressure monitoring: its effect on the management of hypertension in general practice.

BACKGROUND: Ambulatory and home blood pressure monitoring have been shown to improve the management of hypertension. Either can be used to diagnose 'white coat hypertension' (WCH), which affects 10% to 20% of hypertensives and usually does not require drug treatment. Home monitoring has been used little in primary care. AIM: To investigate the use and acceptability of home monitoring, and to establish the incidence of WCH as diagnosed in a primary care setting. METHOD: Twenty practices were asked to monitor hypertensive patients, in particular those about to start drug treatment and those who were poorly controlled. RESULTS: A total of 660 patients were monitored. Sixty-four (27%) of the 236 untreated patients had WCH and no medication was started in 60 (94%) of this group. Forty-five (17%) of the 258 poorly-controlled patients had WCH and, of these, 34 (76%) continued with the same medication and 11 (24%) either reduced or stopped it. Compliance with recording was high. Questionnaires and focus groups with doctors and nurses showed that home monitoring represented a valuable enhancement of their management of hypertensive patients. Patients reported a high degree of interest and satisfaction with monitoring. CONCLUSIONS: Patients, doctors, and nurses found monitoring valuable, and found the instruments easy to use with few problems. The feasibility of screening for WCH with home blood pressure monitoring was demonstrated, and, for this specific purpose, it is recommended as the preferred alternative to ambulatory monitoring in primary care.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Dysregulated hematopoiesis and a progressive neurological disorder induced by expression of an activated form of the human common beta chain in transgenic mice.

Previously we described activating mutations of hbetac, the common signaling subunit of the receptors for the hematopoietic and inflammatory cytokines, GM-CSF, IL-3, and IL-5. The activated mutant, hbetacFIDelta, is able to confer growth factor-independent proliferation on the murine myeloid cell line FDC-P1, and on primary committed myeloid progenitors. We have used this activating mutation to study the effects of chronic cytokine receptor stimulation. Transgenic mice were produced carrying the hbetacFIDelta cDNA linked to the constitutive promoter derived from the phosphoglycerate kinase gene, PGK-1. Transgene expression was demonstrated in several tissues and functional activity of the mutant receptor was confirmed in hematopoietic tissues by the presence of granulocyte macrophage and macrophage colony-forming cells (CFU-GM and CFU-M) in the absence of added cytokines. All transgenic mice display a myeloproliferative disorder characterized by splenomegaly, erythrocytosis, and granulocytic and megakaryocytic hyperplasia. This disorder resembles the human disease polycythemia vera, suggesting that activating mutations in hbetac may play a role in the pathogenesis of this myeloproliferative disorder. In addition, these transgenic mice develop a sporadic, progressive neurological disease and display bilateral, symmetrical foci of necrosis in the white matter of brain stem associated with an accumulation of macrophages. Thus, chronic hbetac activation has the potential to contribute to pathological events in the central nervous system.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Detection of mRNAs and alternatively spliced transcripts of dopamine receptors in rat peripheral sensory and sympathetic ganglia.

The presence of mRNAs for dopamine receptor subtypes and dopamine transporter in rat peripheral sensory and sympathetic ganglia was investigated using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing. Dopamine D1, D2, D3, D5 receptor subtype mRNAs and dopamine transporter mRNA were detected in both superior cervical sympathetic ganglia (SCG) and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) in the rat; the expression of D4 mRNA was only detected in DRG. While two alternatively spliced isoforms of D2 were detected in both ganglia, the alternative splicing transcripts for D3 and D4 were only found in the DRG. These results are useful in further studying the roles of dopamine and the effects of dopaminergic agents in the peripheral nervous system.

Alternative Splicing↗
PubMed1998

Dermal uptake of solvents from the vapour phase: an experimental study in humans.

The control of exposure to hazardous substances in the workplace has traditionally focused on uptake via the inhalation route. Control of skin uptake has generally been considered for solids and liquids but the potential for uptake from vapours and gases has received relatively little attention. The current work was undertaken to establish a methodology to study the dermal uptake from vapours and to provide new and comparative information on a range of substance vapours. Groups of human volunteers were exposed to a small range of substances either 'whole body' or via the skin only. Substances (xylene, toluene, tetrahydrofuran [THF], methyl ethyl ketone [MEK] and 1-methoxypropan-2-ol [M2P]) were selected on the basis of their predicted dermal uptake from the vapour phase; their industrial use and potential for occupational exposure; the existence of a health-based occupational exposure limit; the availability of an analytical technique(s) for the substance and/or metabolite(s); and as representatives of chemical classes. Exposures were for four hours generally at the level of the UK Occupational Exposure Standard. Uptake was assessed by monitoring of parent or metabolite in blood, single breath or urine following exposure. Uptake of xylene, toluene and THF vapours via the skin under the conditions of this study was estimated to contribute around 1-2% of the body burden received following whole body (including inhalation) exposure. MEK showed more uptake via the skin, contributing around 3-3.5% of the body burden. Most dermal uptake was seen for the glycol ether M2P for which estimates of between 5-10% of whole body exposure body burden were obtained. The results of this and other studies indicate that uptake of vapours across the skin can occur but that for some substances (e.g., xylene, toluene, THF) this is likely to contribute little to the body burden. For other substances, such as the glycol ethers, skin uptake from vapours may be an important contributor to total uptake, particularly in situations where respiratory protective equipment is used to control inhalation exposure.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed1998

Context, composition and heterogeneity: using multilevel models in health research.

This paper considers the use of multilevel models in health research. Attention focuses on the structure and potential of such models and particular consideration is given to their use in elucidating the importance of contextual effects in relation to individual level social and demographic factors in understanding health outcomes, health-related behaviour and health service performance. Four graphical typologies are used to outline the questions that multilevel models can address and the paper illustrates their potential by drawing on published examples in a number of different research areas.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1998

Mortality variations in England and Wales between types of place: an analysis of the ONS longitudinal study. Office of National Statistics.

This study investigates the extent to which individuals, in England and Wales, in different types of place experience differential mortality once account is taken of personal (individual and household) social circumstances. Data comes from the Longitudinal Study of England and Wales of the Office of National Statistics, the respondents being a one percent national random sample of people aged between 25 and 74 at the 1971 census, followed until the end of 1985. For males and females separately, differences in mortality are found for the 36 types of Craig-Webber classification in models which include, at the individual level, a number of demographic and socio-economic variables (women being classified by their own occupation). In general, for both males and females, the same types of place have elevated or lowered mortality. For males a (cross-level) interaction exists between the proportion in the area in professional social classes and individual social class, the effects of individual social class being larger in areas containing a higher proportion of those in professional occupations. For females mortality is negatively related to the proportion of car-ownership in the area.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Seasonal variation of thermophilic campylobacters in lambs at slaughter.

A survey of the isolation rate and population size of thermophilic campylobacters in lambs at slaughter was carried out to determine the seasonal variation of thermophilic campylobacters in ovine hosts. Isolation rates determined by enrichment methods were always higher than those using direct plating onto selective agar and showed that Campylobacter could be isolated from 91.7% (n = 360) of samples from the small intestine of the lambs. Enumerations (MPN), done monthly over a 2-year period, averaged 4.00 log 10 (n = 1080, S.D. 0.16) campylobacters g-1 fresh weight (fw) intestinal contents with some samples giving values higher than 7 log MPN gfw-1. These results show that the prevalence of thermophilic campylobacters in sheep intended for slaughter is much higher than previously reported. Statistical analyses showed that there was a significant seasonal periodicity in the Campylobacter populations in the small intestines of lambs at slaughter (P = 0.004) but that there was no statistical relationship with environmental parameters such as minimum and maximum temperature, rainfall or hours of sunshine. In an analysis along the length of the intestinal tract of lambs, campylobacters were isolated from 80% of small intestine and 30% of rumen samples, but not from the true stomach, large intestine or caecal samples. A survey of sheep grazing on salt marsh, fell (upland) and farm pasture showed that the isolation rate of thermophilic campylobacters in fresh faeces was substantially lower (29.3% (n = 420)) than that from the small intestine of lambs at slaughter. No significant difference (> 0.05) was found between the isolation rate of campylobacters from faeces sampled in late spring/early summer and autumn, nor between the different types of grazing.

Abattoirs↗
PubMed1998

The colonization of turkeys by thermophilic campylobacters.

The rate at which five broods of turkey chicks became colonized by thermophilic campylobacters was investigated. Day-old chicks were normally free of campylobacters on arrival on the farm with colonization beginning within 7 d. The carriage rate was 100% by day 14 in three of the broods and by day 21 in the other two. Higher carriage rates were obtained with enrichment procedures than with direct plating. Two broods were investigated over an extended interval for the number of campylobacters shed in their faeces. In brood A, Campylobacters increased from day l to day 14 concomitant with increase in the carriage rate and in the number of chicks with diarrhoea. By day 39, when the birds were sold to other farms, the excretion rate had reached 6 x 10(7) campylobacters g-1 fresh faeces. Brood B. was monitored over 91 d and showed peaks in Campylobacter numbers on days 19 and 75, corresponding to peaks in the number of diarrhoeic samples. The introduction of new birds into the brood resulted in an increase in the Campylobacter population and in the number of birds with diarrhoea. Campylobacter jejuni was the only species isolated but comprised several different biotypes. Analysis of the number of campylobacters at different sites along the gastrointestinal tract of mature turkeys at slaughter showed that numbers increased with distance from the beak and were highest in the caeca.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Isolation of Campylobacter jejuni from groundwater.

A pollution event which occurred at a spring in the Arnside area of Cumbria provided an opportunity to investigate whether Campylobacter jejuni could be detected in groundwater. Hydrological evidence suggested that the source of contamination was a dairy farm situated within the hydrological catchment of the polluted spring. The microbiological quality of the polluted spring was monitored during intervals over the following 12 months and compared with others in the area. Campylobacter jejuni was isolated by filter enrichment of 500 ml and 100 ml filtered volumes of groundwater. It was not isolated in the absence of faecal indicator species. Some strains of Camp. jejuni from water had identical biotypes to strains isolated from the dairy herd. This paper reports the first isolation of Camp. jejuni from groundwater using cultural methods and supports the theory that groundwater may be a vehicle for Campylobacter transmission.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

The seasonal variation of thermophilic campylobacters in beef cattle, dairy cattle and calves.

The epidemiology of clinical cases of campylobacter in temperate climates shows a striking seasonality. In the search for a seasonal environmental reservoir changes in the carriage rate and population size of campylobacters in bovine hosts with time have been measured. Most probable number (MPN) methodology was used to enumerate thermophilic campylobacters in samples taken from the small intestines of beef cattle at slaughter and the fresh faeces of four dairy herds and new-born calves. Statistical analyses revealed significant evidence for seasonal periodicity in the data from dairy herds (P = 0.044). Not only was there a departure from constancy within a 12-month interval but these data revealed a true seasonality, that is, the same periodicity in numbers from one year to the next. Each herd had two peaks per year, in approximately spring and autumn. Peaks coincided in herds on neighbouring farms but those on farms in the north preceded those on farms in the south by 2 and 1 months, respectively (P = 0.0057). Intestinal carriage by beef cattle at slaughter was 89.4% (n = 360) with an average MPN campylobacters per gram fresh weight (MPN gfw-1) of 6.1 x 10(2). Average MPN gfw-1 in faeces from the dairy herds and calves were 69.9 (S.D. 3) and 3.3 x 10(4) (S.D. 1.7 x 10(2)). There was no evidence of seasonal periodicity in the size of the campylobacter population in beef cattle at slaughter. Calves were campylobacter free at birth but became colonized with a few days.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

High frequency of metronidazole resistance among strains of Campylobacter jejuni isolated from birds.

A total of 2157 strains of the enteropathogen Campylobacter jejuni were examined for resistance to metronidazole (5 mg l-1). High rates of metronidazole resistance, between 82 and 100%, were observed amongst strains of avian origin, including commercially reared broiler chickens (90.1%, n = 314) and turkeys (92%, n = 100), as well as wild birds sampled from farms and coastal environments, such as starlings (82%, n = 50), and gulls (100%, n = 20). In comparison, isolates from bovine and ovine ruminants were mostly susceptible to metronidazole, including beef cattle (17.3%, n = 653), dairy cows (19.5%, n = 251), grazing sheep (9.0%, n = 55) and lambs at slaughter (5.5%, n = 615). A moderate number of clinical isolates were resistant (62.8%, n = 99). Avian isolates had a higher average minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value (15 mg l-1) than cattle, lambs and clinical isolates (3 mg l-1). A June peak was observed in the percentage of metronidazole resistant strains isolated from beef cattle at slaughter. The induction of growth under aerobic and anaerobic conditions did not affect ability to grow in the presence of metronidazole among four test strains. The observations noted in this study indicate a host-phenotype relationship for which resistance to metronidazole may be a useful epidemiological marker.

Aerobiosis↗
PubMed1998

The scientific rediscovery of an ancient Chinese herbal medicine: Cordyceps sinensis: part I.

This review presents Cordyceps sinensis (Berk.) Sacc., a fungus highly valued in China as a tonic food and herbal medicine. The extant records show the continued use of C. sinensis is now centuries old. The major chemical, pharmacological, and toxicological studies on C. sinensis and the various derived, cultured, fermented mycelial products currently in use are reviewed from the English and Chinese literature. Preclinical in vitro and in vivo studies and clinical blinded or open-label trials in to date over 2000 patients are reviewed. These studies show the main activities of the fungus in oxygen-free radical scavenging, antisenescence, endocrine, hypolipidemic, antiatherosclerotic, and sexual function-restorative activities. The safety of the fungus, its effects on the nervous system, glucose metabolism, the respiratory, hepatic, cardiovascular, and immune systems, immunologic disease, inflammatory conditions, cancer, and diseases of the kidney will be reviewed in the second part of this article to be published in the winter issue of this journal.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

The scientific rediscovery of a precious ancient Chinese herbal regimen: Cordyceps sinensis: part II.

Cordyceps sinensis (Berk.) Sacc. is a time-honored tonic food and herbal medicine in China, where recent research has shown that many of its traditional uses may be viewed from the basis of pharmacological activities. The ongoing exploration of C. sinensis in its wild form and cultured, fermented mycelial products derived from it, are reviewed from English and Chinese literature. Part II concludes the series with a review of C. sinensis in preclinical in vitro and in vivo studies, and open-label and double-blinded clinical trials on the respiratory, renal, hepatic, cardiovascular, immunologic, and nervous systems, and its effects on cancer, glucose metabolism, inflammatory conditions, and toxicological studies. In Part I, which appeared in the Fall 1998 issue of this journal (4(3):289-303), we discussed the effects of C. sinensis on antisenescence, endocrine and sexual functions, atherosclerosis, hyperlipidemia, and free radicals.

Animals↗