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Biomedical subjects

M Morrison

Publications and source records attributed to M Morrison.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Managing sacral pressure ulcers with hydrocolloid dressings: results of a controlled, clinical study.

One-hundred and three patients with Stage II and III sacral pressure ulcers were enrolled in a prospective, controlled, multi-center clinical study to evaluate and compare dressing performance, safety and efficacy. Fifty-two patients were randomized to treatment with a triangle-shaped hydrocolloid border dressing and 51 patients were randomized to a different, oval shape, hydrocolloid dressing. The majority of patients (70 percent) utilized a pressure reducing mattress or bed. Most ulcers were Stage II, had existed for < 1 month and exhibited no change utilizing previous treatments. Patients and wounds were similarly distributed among treatment groups. Patients in the oval dressing group were more likely to exhibit a product related adverse reaction resulting in discontinuation of treatment as compared to patients treated with the triangle border dressing (p = 0.057, Fisher's Exact Test). Wear time was longest for wounds dressed with the triangle dressing applied point down. Incontinence reduced the interval between dressing changes in both groups. Healing was more likely to occur in wounds dressed with the triangle border dressing. These ulcers showed a greater reduction in ulcer width as compared to wounds dressed with the oval dressing (p < 0.03, Fisher's Exact Test).

Aged↗

Short-term results of laryngeal framework surgery--thyroplasty type 1: A pilot study.

This article prospectively analyses 10 patients with a unilateral vocal cord paralysis who were nonrandomly selected for laryngeal framework surgery. Pre- and postoperative videolaryngoscopic, acoustic, and laryngeal airflow recordings of each patient's voice were taken and compared with the patient's own subjective analysis of his/her voice. Results indicate that laryngeal framework surgery using the surgical technique described in this paper gives a statistically and clinically improved voice in the short term.

Adult↗

The restriction endonuclease RflFII, isolated from Ruminococcus flavefaciens FD-1, recognizes the sequence 5'-AGTACT-3', and is inhibited by site-specific adenine methylation.

Molecular studies of the rumen bacterium Ruminococcus flavefaciens are constrained by the lack of stable gene transfer systems. We report here on the characterization of RflFII, a restriction endonuclease isolated from R. flavefaciens FD-1. The enzyme is an isoschizomer of ScaI, and cleavage of the DNA is blunt-ended, between the internal TA dinucleotide sequence of 5'-AGTACT-3'. Chromosomal DNA preparations were used to demonstrate that adenine methylation of DNA within the sequence 5'-GTAC-3' inhibits both RflFII and the restriction endonucleases RsaI and ScaI. Chromosomal DNA from R. flavefaciens FD-1 is also host modified to protect against cleavage by ScaI.

Adenine↗

Filgrastim fails to improve haemopoietic reconstitution following myeloablative chemotherapy and peripheral blood stem cell rescue.

The morbidity of high-dose chemotherapy has been considerably reduced by the use of autologous peripheral blood progenitor cell reinfusion. Most studies have used myeloid colony-stimulating factors after stem cell reinfusion, making it difficult to determine the relative contribution of each of these variables to the early recovery of blood cells. The financial implications of colony-stimulating factor use are an area of concern as dose intensification in chemosensitive malignancies is increasingly employed. We have studied 19 consecutive patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy with and without filgrastim (Amgen, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, G-CSF) after stem cell infusion to examine its effect on the kinetics of blood cell recovery, the complications of myelosuppression and the associated costs. Analysis of the two treatment groups reveals that administration of filgrastim 10 micrograms kg-1 day-1 following stem cell reinfusion does not further accelerate haemopoietic recovery, fails to reduce the incidence of neutropenic fever or antibiotic usage and significantly increases the cost of the procedure. The results of this study do not support the routine use of filgrastim after high-dose chemotherapy and peripheral blood stem cell reinfusion.

Adolescent↗

Multidimensional locus of control and attitudes toward mental illness.

University students (55 women and 37 men) participated in a study of the relationship between multidimensional locus of control and attitudes toward mental illness as measured by the five factors of the Opinions About Mental Illness scale. Semipartial correlations suggested that scores on multidimensional locus of control were related to scores on three of the five factors but that the pattern of relationships is subject to gender differences.

Adolescent↗

Asthma ski day: cold air sports safe with peak flow monitoring.

The Colorado Asthma Ski Day, an annual cross-country and alpine skiing event, encourages children with asthma to participate fully in outdoor winter sports. Since cold air and exercise can trigger bronchospasm, we examined the peak expiratory flow rates of 80 children who attended Asthma Ski Day 1992 or Asthma Ski Day 1993 to establish a safety profile for this event. Peak expiratory flow rates were measured prior to skiing, at lunchtime, and at the end of the day's activities. We asked the children to pretreat with their regular medications, as prescribed by their physicians, to use their bronchodilator inhalers p.r.n., and to report to our medical station if an episode of acute asthma occurred. The average age of the participants was 9.5 years, and the average baseline daytime peak flow rate was 100.03% of predicted. The average percent change in peak flow rates during the day was an increase of 5.00%. Our results demonstrate that with medical supervision, peak expiratory flow rate monitoring, and properly administered medications, peak flow rates can be stabilized and even improve during cold-weather exercise to an extent that safety concerns need not restrict children with asthma from engaging in exercise or cold-weather sports. The Colorado Asthma Ski Day can serve as a model event for other organizations that want to promote outdoor activities for children with asthma.

Adolescent↗

Synaptosomal amino acid release: effect of inhibiting protein phosphatases with okadaic acid.

The protein phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid was used to investigate the role of protein phosphatases in regulating the release of amino acids from synaptosomes. Okadaic acid increased the basal release of the amino acids glutamate, aspartate and GABA. The effect was specific in that taurine was not released by either KCl or okadaic acid and there was no synaptosomal lysis or change in ATP/ADP ratios in the presence of okadaic acid. The okadaic acid-stimulated release of amino acids was, however, only a small proportion of that produced by KCl depolarisation. Since okadaic acid raised synaptosomal protein phosphorylation levels to those equivalent to that produced by KCl depolarisation, it is unlikely therefore that there is a direct causal relationship between protein phosphorylation and the release of amino acids. Nevertheless, that release of amino acids from synaptosomes can be elevated under basal conditions by okadaic acid treatment does suggest that okadaic acid-sensitive protein phosphatases have a modulatory role in this process.

Amino Acids↗

Molecular cloning of the human kidney differentiation antigen gp160: human aminopeptidase A.

gp160 is a cell surface differentiation-related glycoprotein of 160 kDa expressed by epithelial cells of the glomerulus and proximal tubule cells of the human nephron but only by a subset of renal cell carcinomas (RCCs). We have reported that gp160 expression correlates with the resistance of cultured RCCs to the antiproliferative effects of alpha interferon, while lack of expression correlates with sensitivity to alpha interferon. In this study, we have purified gp160 protein, obtained partial sequences of random peptides, and isolated a full-length cDNA. The gp160 cDNA possesses 78% homology to the murine BP-1/6C3 antigen, a B-lymphocyte differentiation protein that exhibits aminopeptidase A (APA; EC 3.4.11.7) activity. Enzymatic assays on human RCC cell lines indicated a 100% concordance between APA activity and gp160 expression. APA activity of gp160-expressing RCC cells was increased or decreased by a panel of APA activators or inhibitors, respectively. Furthermore, anti-gp160 monoclonal antibodies immunoprecipitate APA activity from RCC cell lysates and selectively deplete APA activity from RCC cell extracts. These data indicate that the gp160 human kidney/RCC glycoprotein is human APA.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Partial purification and characterization of Ral8I, a class-IIS restriction endonuclease from Ruminococcus albus 8 which recognizes 5'-GGATC.

Heparin-agarose chromatography was used to isolate a restriction endonuclease (ENase) from the cellulolytic Gram+ anaerobe, Ruminococcus albus 8. The enzyme, Ral8I, was eluted from the column using 230-310 mM Na+. However, the preparation was active only with DNA substrates that were not Dam-methylated. Moreover, the restriction fragment pattern generated from simian virus 40 (SV40) DNA was not consistent with the expected number of Dam-methylation sites. Alignment of the Dam-methylation sites in SV40 DNA indicated that Ral8I may actually recognize the asymmetric sequence, GGATC. This was confirmed by nucleotide (nt) sequence analysis and, further, Ral8I was found to cause cleavage of the DNA approx. 5 nt downstream from the recognition sequence. Ral8I can therefore be classified as a type-IIS restriction endonuclease and is an isoschizomer of AlwI, BinI and BthII.

Animals↗

Identification and characterization of three genes that affect expression of ADH2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Using a new selection protocol we have identified and preliminarily characterized three new loci (ADR7, ADR8 and ADR9) which affect ADH2 (alcohol dehydrogenase isozyme II) expression. Mutants were selected which activate ADH2 expression in the presence of an over-expressed, normally inactive ADR1 allele. The mutants had very similar phenotypes with the exception that one was temperature sensitive for growth. In the absence of any ADR1 allele, the mutants allowed ADH2 to partially escape glucose repression. However, unlike wildtype strains deleted for ADR1, the mutants were able to efficiently derepress ADH2. The mutations allowed a small escape from glucose repression for secreted invertase, but had no effect on the glucose repression of isocitrate lyase or malate dehydrogenase. The mutations were shown to be nonallelic to a wide variety of previously characterized mutations, including mutations that affect other glucose-repressed enzymes.

Alcohol Dehydrogenase↗

Partial characterization of a DNA restriction endonuclease from Ruminococcus flavefaciens FD-1 and its inhibition by site-specific adenine methylation.

The principal DNA restriction-modification system of the cellulolytic ruminal bacterium Ruminococcus flavefaciens FD-1 is described. The restriction endonuclease RflFI could be separated from cell extracts by phosphocellulose and heparin-sepharose chromatography. Restriction enzyme digests utilizing RflFI alone or in combination with SalI, a restriction enzyme isolated from Streptomyces albus G, showed that the DNA sequence recognized by RflFI either overlapped or was the same as that recognized by SalI. DNA sequence analysis confirmed that RflFI was identical in activity to SalI, with the recognition sequence being 5'-GTCGAC-3' and cleavage occurring between G and T. Adenine methylation within this sequence can be catalyzed in vitro by TaqI methylase, and this inhibited the cleavage of plasmid DNA molecules by RflFI and SalI. Chromosomal DNA from R. flavefaciens FD-1 is also methylated within this DNA sequence because neither restriction endonuclease could degrade this DNA substrate. These findings provide a means to protect plasmid molecules from degradation prior to gene transfer experiments with R. flavefaciens FD-1.

Adenine↗

Childhood depression and conduct disorder: II. An analysis of family interaction patterns in the home.

Few researchers have assessed family interaction patterns associated with childhood depression, especially using observations in natural settings. We directly sampled the interaction patterns of families with depressed, conduct-disordered, mixed depressed-conduct-disordered, and comparison children ages 7-14 years in their homes during the evening meal. Observational measures were taken of positive and aversive behaviors and affect expression for both parents, the referred children, and their siblings. Results replicated previous research showing that conduct-disordered children express high levels of aversive behavior and anger and are part of a family system marked by conflict and aggression. The depressed children were exposed to maternal aversiveness but did not show any evidence of elevated levels of anger or aversiveness in their own behavior. Surprisingly, this was also true for the mixed-disorder children. High levels of depression in both groups of depressed children were associated with low levels of conflict and anger in family members. Overall, siblings showed very similar patterns of behavior, and were exposed to similar patterns of parental behavior, as the referred children. Results are discussed in terms of family models that emphasize the function of aggression and depression in the maintenance of child psychopathology.

Affect↗

Cyclosporine monitoring by fluorescence polarization immunoassay.

The monitoring of cyclosporine levels in whole blood and serum has become a routine procedure for the post-transplant management of immunosuppression. We have developed fluorescence polarization immunoassays for cyclosporine in whole blood and in serum using a monoclonal antibody. These assays are fast (20 determinations in less than 22 min), sensitive (25 micrograms/L for whole blood samples and 10 micrograms/L for serum samples), and precise (CV less than 7% in both assays). Cross-reactivities with AM1 (Metabolite 17) and AM4N (Metabolite 21) are less than 8.5 and 2.5%, respectively, for both assays.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗