Biomedical subjects

M Milosavljevic

Publications and source records attributed to M Milosavljevic.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1999

The application of the continuum of care model in the re-configuration of nutrition and dietetics services.

The continuum of health care model can be used to improve service delivery. Within a hospital setting, finite resources are available. Service gaps must be identified, priorities established and resources re-distributed to meet these gaps. Using Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) tools, barriers to change were identified and a plan for improvement was formulated. Areas receiving disproportionate resources were identified and a more even resource allocation adopted. In an illustration of the success of strategic change, core services were not only maintained but also showed improved efficiency. The Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at Wollongong and Port Kembla Hospitals achieved an increase in dietetic services through a reorientation of current resources.

Continuity of Patient Care↗

PubMed1998

Cepstral distance measures of hormone concentration time series.

In this paper we present a class of time series distance measures based on the difference of their cepstral transformations. We emphasise the convenience of the proposed distance measure in the cases when the time series can be treated as output of a linear system driven with a quasi-periodic stochastic signals. In order to illustrate the cepstral time series distance measure we applied them in cluster and multidimensional scaling analysis of daily hormonal secretion fluctuation series taken from a group of patients before and after surgery.

Acromegaly↗

PubMed1997

Developing mortality patterns: robust modified generalized likelihood ratio algorithm for infant mortality rate change detection.

A new robust modified generalized likelihood ratio algorithm, which enables the changes of mortality rates to be detected automatically, is applied. The procedure is based on the calculation of discrimination function using robust least squares estimates of AR mortality rates residuals. The feasibility of the approach is demonstrated with experimental data concerning infant mortality rate in Serbia.

Algorithms↗

PubMed1989

A subfamily of bovine prolactin-related transcripts distinct from placental lactogen in the fetal placenta.

The placentae of many species express genes homologous to the pituitary hormones. In the bovine, two transcripts distinct from the pituitary hormones have been previously described: bovine placental lactogen (bPL) and bovine prolactin-related cDNA I (bPRCI). Here we provide evidence for a subfamily of prolactin-related transcripts quite different from bPL and the rodent placental homologues, which include proliferin and rat prolactin-related proteins. Bovine prolactin-related cDNAs II and III (bPRCII and bPRCIII) are about 75% similar in nucleotide sequence to one another and bPRCI, but only 56% similar to bPL, and about 45% to the rodent placental transcripts. The deduced amino acid sequences follow a similar pattern: they are about 60% similar to one another, but only about 35% similar to bPL as well as the predicted rodent placental proteins. mRNA levels corresponding to bPL, bPRCI, and bPRCIII in the fetal placenta show distinct patterns. The role of these predicted hormones during pregnancy remains to be determined.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1989

In situ localization of two prolactin-related messenger ribonucleic acids to binucleate cells of bovine placentomes.

The bovine fetal placenta expresses a family of PRL-related genes, consisting of the gene encoding bovine placental lactogen (bPL), and a diverse group of related genes, exemplified by bovine PRL-related cDNA I (bPRCI). bPL and the protein encoded by bPRCI are quite distinct from one another, predicting proteins only about 36% similar in amino acid sequence. To identify the cells responsible for the expression of bPL and bPRCI, in situ hybridization experiments were performed. 35S-Labeled RNA probes were prepared from the 3' regions of bPL and bPRCI and allowed to hybridize to frozen sections of bovine placentomes. Transcripts corresponding to bPL and bPRCI colocalized to fetal binucleate cells, which is consistent with the immunocytochemical localization of bPL. Signal from radiolabeled antisense strand probe was blocked by pretreatment of the sections with a 150-fold excess of unlabeled probe, but not by an excess of unlabeled probe prepared using the other cDNA as a template. This demonstrated that the signals observed were specific for bPL and bPRCI and that the two probes did not cross-hybridize at the stringency of our conditions. Radiolabeled sense strand probes yielded no signal. We conclude that the binucleate cells of the bovine placenta transcribe at least two members of the PRL gene family that may influence fetal development and maternal adaptation to pregnancy.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

Vagal postganglionic innervation of the canine sinoatrial node.

Differential, selective distribution of parasympathetic, postganglionic innervation to the atrioventricular nodal (AVN) region of the canine heart was recently described. Ablation of parasympathetic pathways to the AVN by disruption of the epicardial fat pad at the junction of the inferior vena cava and inferior left atrium did not interfere with normal vagal control of the sinoatrial node (SAN) function. In sharp contrast, surgical dissection of the fat pad overlying the right pulmonary vein-left atrial junction interrupted the major right and left vagal inputs to the SAN region. The pulmonary vein fat pad (PVFP) in the dog heart is triangular in shape with roughly equilateral dimensions of approximately 1 cm, its base extending from superior to inferior veins, and its apex extending nearly to the sinus nodal artery as it courses rostrally in the sulcus terminalis. Careful dissection of smaller fat pads around the circumference of the pulmonary veins and particularly over the rostral-dorsal surfaces of the right superior pulmonary vein and adjacent right atrium, completed SAN parasympathetic denervation. Care in making these dissections left the vagal supply to the AVN region essentially intact, and preserved the sympathetic supplies to both SAN and AVN regions. Autonomic ganglia, varying in size from 1 or 2 cells to 80-100 cells, were found scattered throughout the ventral PVFP (overlying and surrounding the right pulmonary vein-left atrial junction). The ganglia were generally imbedded in fatty connective tissue, although they commonly rested very close to, or were loosely surrounded by epicardial muscle. Ganglia were also found in smaller fat pads on the dorsal surfaces of the atrium between the azygos and the right superior pulmonary vein.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

Function of the Y optic nerve fibres in the cat: do they contribute to acuity and ability to discriminate fast motion?

1. A controlled pressure block has been applied to the optic nerve of the cat, sufficient to bring about degeneration of the axons of the large (Y) nerve fibres caudal to the block site. This degeneration has been monitored by means of implanted electrodes in optic nerve and tract which have shown a loss of the short-latency (t1) response 4-6 days after the block, and also by histological examination of the optic nerve. 2. Cats with one optic nerve blocked in this way have been used in behavioural experiments, one or other eye being covered during the tests. Tested via the blocked nerve, all cats with loss of only Y fibres could perform certain tests: the visual placing reaction, the blink reflex, the pupillary (light) reflex and simple manoeuvres such as walking a plank and jumping from table to floor. 3. When acuity was tested by means of the Mitchell jumping apparatus, cats with loss of only Y fibres showed the same acuity using either eye. This was true also of one cat in which many X fibres had also degenerated, as evidenced by a 55% loss of the medium-latency (t2) response, but in another cat with 90% loss of the t2 response acuity was reduced to about half-normal. 4. Ability to discriminate fast motion was tested by a modification of the Mitchell apparatus. All cats were able to discriminate the motion of an 11.5 deg spot up to a velocity of 6260 deg/s, whether using their normal eye or their affected eye. However, the loss of the Y fibres reduced the ability to discriminate fast motion, so that for any given level of contrast the velocity which could be discriminated was about two-thirds of the velocity discriminated using the normal eye. The ability of the cat to discriminate fast motion seems to be similar to that of the human. 5. These results suggest that there is no sharp restriction of function between the Y and X systems but instead considerable overlap. However, each system possesses specialized features giving it superiority in certain conditions.

Animals↗

PubMed1986

Parasympathetic ganglia innervating the canine atrioventricular nodal region.

Surgical disruption of the small (approximately 0.7 x 1.0 cm) epicardial fat pad situated at the junction of the inferior vena cava (IVC) and inferior surface of the left atrium (ILA) interrupts both right and left vagal input to the atrioventricular nodal (AVN) region of the canine heart. This intervention eliminates AV block during supramaximal stimulation of both cervical vagi, without interfering with sinus bradycardia normally associated with sinoatrial nodal (SAN) suppression. Independent modulation of SAN and AVN activities by the parasympathetic system is thereby revealed. Histology of the excised IVC-ILA fat pad reveals multiple well organized autonomic ganglia. These ganglia range from 2 to 80 cells per cluster and are associated with numerous nerve trunks. Individual ganglia are commonly surrounded by fatty connective tissue closely adjacent to epicardial muscle. They have not been found imbedded within atrial muscle and have been been found in or close to endocardial muscle layers. Other ganglia, imbedded in the fat pad overlying the posterior surface of the left atrium or in the atrioventricular groove, do not directly modulate A-V conduction. Surgical dissection around the extreme left or middle segments of the great cardiac vein and the coronary sinus failed to interrupt either left or right vagal input to the AVN region. Parasympathetic, preganglionic pathways to these AVN synapses do not, therefore, course from left to right along the atrioventricular groove. However, dissection around the extreme right portion of the coronary sinus at its penetration of the inferior interatrial septum, did interrupt vagal influences upon A-V conduction. Thus, numerous autonomic ganglia have been localized in the canine heart which serve as synaptic stations mediating both right and left vagal regulation of A-V conduction.

Adipose Tissue↗

PubMed1985

Overlap of segmental populations and axon collaterals in the thoracic sympathetic system of the cat.

Sympathetic preganglionic axons are known to branch in the sympathetic chain, i.e. extraspinally. The possibility that the axons may branch within the spinal cord (intraspinally) and exit through different roots has not been well examined. The purpose of this study was to determine if intraspinal collaterals exist in the distribution of preganglionic neurons innervating the stellate ganglion of the cat using the double-labeled retrograde fluorescent dye technique (Diamidino Yellow and Fast Blue). The right stellate ganglion of pentobarbital-anesthetized cats was isolated; the sympathetic chain was ligated in two places just caudal to the T2 white ramus and then sectioned between the ligatures. One fluorescent tracer was injected into the stellate ganglion; the complementary-colored tracer was injected into the sympathetic chain below the cut. After a 6-day survival time, frozen serial 40-micron sections of spinal cord segments T1-T4 were cut and mounted. The longitudinal distribution of dyes: indicated a segmental preganglionic organization and overlapped approximately 700 micron. However, no sympathetic preganglionic neurons were double-labeled with both dyes. Additional experiments demonstrated a small number of extraspinal preganglionic axon collaterals.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Selective vagal innervation of the heart.

Parasympathetic ganglia are imbedded (1) in the epicardial fat pad located on the posterior surface of the dog's heart and (2) immediately overlying the point of penetration by the coronary sinus into the interatrial septum. The fat pad is situated between the inferior vena cava and the inferior left atrium. It contains multiple encapsulated ganglia, each consisting of two to 80 separate cells, richly intermingled with neural elements. Destruction of these ganglia by surgical excision and/or phenol painting interrupts both right and left vagal inhibition of atrio-ventricular (A-V) conduction, without obviously altering vagal modulation of sinoatrial function. Excision or phenol destruction of the fat pad overlying the right pulmonary vein inlets to the left atrium interrupts both right and left vagal inhibition of sinoatrial function, again without interfering with vagal control of atrioventricular nodal function. Well organized, encapsulated autonomic ganglia are also found throughout this fat pad. These experiments thus identify and localize separate concentrations of ganglion cells which differentially modulate automaticity and A-V conduction in the canine heart.

Animals↗