Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Dunne

Publications and source records attributed to M Dunne.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Leukocyte esterase dipstick as a rapid screening test for vaginitis and cervicitis.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess the ability of vaginal and cervical leukocyte esterase (LE) dipstick to detect vaginitis and cervicitis. DESIGN: A prospective, cross-sectional study to assess the ability of the LE dipstick of vaginal secretions to detect trichomonads, candida, and bacterial vaginosis and the LE dipstick of vaginal and cervical secretions to detect gonococcal and chlamydia infection and polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs). SETTING: An inner-city shelter facility clinic. PARTICIPANTS: 183 sexually active, nonmenstruating females aged 13-21 years (Mean = 17.7, SD = 1.98 years): 47% black, 40% white, and 11% Hispanic. OUTCOME MEASURES: Sensitivity (SN), specificity (SP), positive and negative predictive values (PVP, PVN), with 95% confidence intervals, of vaginal and cervical LE dipstick > or = trace in detecting vaginal and cervical infections. RESULTS: A positive vaginal LE had a moderately high SN and PVN but poor SP and PVP in detecting trichomonas and candida vaginitis and bacterial vaginosis. A positive vaginal and cervical LE had a high SN and PVN but poor SP and PVP in detecting gonorrhea and chlamydia infection. A positive cervical LE had a moderate SN and low SP in detecting PMNs on Gram stain. CONCLUSIONS: The LE dipstick of vaginal and cervical secretions was only a moderately good screening test for vaginal infection but a good screening test for cervical infection.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Activation of ATP-dependent K+ channels and inhibition of insulin release: effect of BPDZ 62.

The present study was undertaken to characterize the effects of BPDZ 62, an original pyridothiadiazine derivative structurally related to both diazoxide and pinacidil, on ionic and secretory events in the rat pancreatic islet cells. BPDZ 62 increased the rate of 86Rb outflow from islets perfused in the presence or absence of extracellular glucose. These effects persisted in the absence of extracellular Ca++ but were abolished by glibenclamide. Such data support the view that BPDZ 2 activates ATP-sensitive K+ (K(ATP)) channels. This proposal was substantiated by the finding that the drug enhanced the flow of current through K(ATP) channels in excised inside-out membrane patches. BPDZ 62 markedly decreased 45Ca uptake, 45Ca outflow and insulin output from islets incubated in the presence of 16.7 mM glucose. By contrast, the drug did not affect the increase in 45Ca outflow and 45Ca uptake mediated by K+ depolarization. In single B cells, BPDZ 62 inhibited the glucose but not the KCl-induced rise in [Ca++]i. It is concluded that the inhibitory effect of BPDZ 62 on the insulin-releasing process results from the activation of K(ATP) channels leading to a decrease in Ca++ influx and [Ca++]i. Last, BPDZ 62 was shown to be five times more potent than diazoxide at inhibiting the insulin-releasing process. This suggests that BPDZ 62 could be a valuable pharmacological tool for further characterization of B-cell K(ATP) channels.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1995

Prophylaxis of Plasmodium falciparum malaria with azithromycin administered to volunteers.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether azithromycin, 250 mg/d, is effective prophylaxis for liver infection or for both liver and subsequent blood infection with Plasmodium falciparum. DESIGN: Controlled phase II trial with two cohorts entered sequentially. SETTING: Clinical trials center of Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, D.C. PATIENTS: Each of the two cohorts consisted of 12 normal adult volunteers who had not had malaria during the previous 2 years: 10 who received azithromycin prophylaxis and 2 controls who did not received treatment. INTERVENTION: For cohort 1, prophylactic efficacy against liver infection alone during the initial 7 days of the infection was determined by loading participants with azithromycin before challenge with P. falciparum-infected mosquitoes on day 0 and by then giving the drug for 7 days after the challenge. The regimen was 500 mg on day 14 before the challenge, followed by 250 mg/d from day 13 before the challenge through day 7 after the challenge. For cohort 2, prophylactic efficacy against both the liver infection and the subsequent blood infection was determined by continuing drug administration for 28 days after the challenge. MEASUREMENTS: Plasmodium falciparum infection was diagnosed through peripheral blood smears obtained up to 70 days after challenge. Malarial symptoms and adverse drug reactions were also monitored. RESULTS: In cohort 1, 4 of 10 volunteers who received azithromycin prophylaxis (40%) did not develop parasitemia. In cohort 2, none of the 10 volunteers receiving azithromycin prophylaxis (100%) developed parasitemia. For each cohort, both control volunteers became parasitemic on days 9 through 13 after the challenge. Adverse drug reactions were few and mild. CONCLUSIONS: In this model, prophylaxis with azithromycin (250 mg/d) was partially effective against liver parasites and completely successful against the combination of liver and blood parasites. These data suggest that azithromycin has the potential to be an effective, well-tolerated clinical prophylactic agent for P. falciparum malaria.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Feminist identities and preferred strategies for advancing women's positive self-concept.

This study was an attempt to (a) determine the generalizability of the American-based Feminist Identity Development Scale (FIDS; Bargad & Hyde, 1991) to female students in a New Zealand university and (b) examine the relationship between feminist identities (as measured by the FIDS) and preferred strategies for advancing women's self-concept. Female undergraduate university students (N = 145) were given the FIDS and a self-concept strategy questionnaire. The factor structure of the FIDS was replicated for four of the five stages reported by Bargad and Hyde. Failure to replicate the remaining stage (revelation) was attributed to differences in the sample populations and the wording of the subscale. Positive correlations were found between the early stage of feminist identity development and individual-oriented self-concept strategies and also between the late stage of feminist identity development and group-oriented self-concept strategies. These results suggest that as a woman's feminist identity develops, the strategies for advancing that self-concept change from individual- to group-oriented ones.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Oral vaccination with an attenuated Salmonella typhimurium strain expressing Borrelia burgdorferi OspA prevents murine Lyme borreliosis.

Borrelia burgdorferi is the causative agent of Lyme disease. In the mouse model, protection is correlated with the development of antibodies to a major outer surface protein, OspA. In this study, we expressed OspA in an attenuated strain of Salmonella typhimurium and tested the efficacy of the transformed strain in protecting against disease. We show that mice inoculated by gavage developed high titers of anti-OspA antibodies and were protected against an intradermal challenge with the spirochete.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1994

Concepts of normal bereavement.

This study used a 25-item questionnaire to examine the perceptions of 128 people with a close interest in bereavement and its literature. The study is part of a project to identify key aspects and the bereavement process. Subjects were asked to rate their perceptions of key bereavement phenomena with regards their frequency in the acute and later stages of bereavement. Descriptive results are presented and discussed, and a profile of phenomena perceived to be common to both stages is outlined.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1994

Fully automated assay for the determination of GR117289X in human plasma using mixed mode solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection.

GR117289X, 3-(3-Bromo-2-[2-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)-phenyl]-bezofuran-5-yl methyl)-2-butyl- 5-chloro-3H-imidazole-4-carboxylic acid, 1, is an angiotensin II receptor antagonist. A sensitive, accurate and precise assay for the determination of 1 in human plasma and validation data is described. The assay consists of a novel solid-phase extraction using Certify II followed by a reversed-phase gradient HPLC separation with UV detection. The extraction procedure has been fully automated by a Zymate XP robot and linked on-line to the HPLC system. The analytical range for the assay is 5-250 ng ml-1 over which the assay is linear and specific for 1 with respect to endogenous plasma components and its tetrazole N2 glucuronide, the major circulating metabolite 2. For the fully automated procedure the intra-assay data indicate a maximum bias and coefficient of variation across the calibration range of +8.0 and 9.4%, respectively. The inter-assay data indicate a maximum bias and coefficient of variation across the calibration range of +8.0 and 11.1%, respectively. The extraction efficiency of the assay was approximately 75%. Both a manual and fully automated assay were applied to the analysis of 1 in plasma of volunteers from a number of clinical studies. The assay has been shown to be robust in sustained use over several months.

Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists↗
PubMed1994

Determinants of condom use by Australian secondary school students.

PURPOSE: To identify factors that are associated with condom use to aid in the understanding of how to change the behavior of those young people who have sex without using condoms. METHODS: The article reports data from 932 sexually active grade 10-12 students from a sample of 72 public secondary schools in seven Australian states and territories. The data were collected using a cross-sectional, self-report questionnaire. RESULTS: Boys were more likely than girls to report that a condom was used the last time they had sex. For boys and girls, communication with a partner about avoiding infection with HIV/STDs, the belief that more peers use condoms, and a higher perceived risk of becoming infected with HIV/STDs were associated with using a condom, as was lower knowledge of STDs. The use of oral contraception and the unavailability of condoms were reported by the students as prominent reasons for non-use of condoms. Number of sexual partners in the past year and type of relationship with partner on the most recent occasion were not associated with condom use. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents are more concerned with unwanted pregnancy than with disease prevention. School students more at risk are not more likely to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves from HIV/STDs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Asbestos-induced injury to cultured human pulmonary epithelial-like cells: role of neutrophil elastase.

The mechanisms responsible for asbestos-induced pulmonary epithelial cell cytotoxicity, especially oxidant-independent mechanisms, are not established. We determined whether human polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) proteases contribute to asbestos-induced damage to human pulmonary epithelial-like cells (PECs) assessed using an in vitro chromium-51 release assay. Serine antiproteases, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and alpha 1-antitrypsin, each ameliorated PEC injury induced by amosite asbestos and PMNs. A role for a specific proteinase, human neutrophil elastase (HNE), is supported by the facts that (1) asbestos increased HNE release assessed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique (1.7 +/- 0.5 vs. 2.8 +/- 0.5 micrograms/ml; P < .025), (2) purified HNE or porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE) each alone caused PEC detachment, (3) asbestos plus either HNE or PPE caused PEC lysis similar to that mediated by asbestos and PMNs, and (4) cationic agents released from PMNs were unlikely to be involved because polyanions did not ameliorate injury resulting from asbestos and PMNs. Compared to elastase, cathepsin G caused less PEC detachment and negligible augmentation in asbestos-induced PEC lysis. Asbestos increased the association of 125I-labeled elastase with PECs nearly 50-fold compared with PPE alone (14.4% vs. 0.3%, respectively; P < .01) and nearly 10-fold compared with another particle, opsonized zymosan. We conclude that PMN-derived proteases, especially elastase, may contribute to asbestos-induced lung damage by augmenting pulmonary epithelial cell injury.

Asbestos↗
PubMed1993

Young women and alcohol: psychosocial factors associated with their own drinking, their fathers' drinking, and both.

Psychosocial factors associated with young women's own alcohol consumption, and that of their fathers, were assessed in a sample of 231 females (mean age: 18.0 years) from the Hunter Region, NSW, Australia. Consistent with prior research, we found some evidence of poorer adjustment in girls who drank heavily and among daughters of high drinkers. In addition, we found that the "psychosocial profiles" associated with girls' and fathers' drinking were quite different, which argues against a simple additive model which might predict poorer adjustment in high drinking daughters of high drinking men. One interesting finding was that discordance between girls' and fathers' drinking patterns was independently related to some psychosocial problems.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1992

A high-risk community study of paternal alcohol consumption and adolescents' psychosocial characteristics.

A prospective community study looked at drinking behavior and biopsychosocial correlates of adolescents (in years 9 and 10 and again in years 11 and 12 at 23 high schools) and their parents. Heavy drinkers were compared to nil/low drinkers. Sons were more likely to drink heavily if fathers drank heavily and mothers who drank heavily were more likely to cohabit with heavy drinkers. Differences in psychological characteristics and home environment were defined in regard to heavy drinking fathers and drinking sons. Difficulty in settling disagreements and reduced time spent with family were the main correlates associated with drinking by both boys who did not necessarily have a heavy drinking father and those who did.

Adolescent↗