Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M R Thomas

Publications and source records attributed to M R Thomas.

167 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of transthyretin as a monitor of protein-energy intake in preterm and sick neonatal infants.

In the past, weight and weight gain have been the two parameters used frequently in neonatal units to monitor nutrition among high-risk infants. Our investigation sought to assess how several anthropometric measures (weight, length, head circumference, arm:head circumference ratio, and tricep skinfold) and serum albumin, transthyretin, and transferrin concentrations reflect protein and energy intake. After monitoring 42 preterm and 40 sick infants over 3 consecutive weeks, we found that transthyretin concentration proved the only serum protein which accurately measured energy and protein intakes in less than 1 week from dietary manipulation. Among preterm infants, as protein and energy intakes rose, transthyretin concentration increased significantly (p less than 0.001). Preterm infants ingested 79 +/- 39 kcal/kg/day and 2.04 +/- 1.02 g protein/kg/day at the first assessment point after birth and rose to 103 +/- 34 kcal/kg/day and 2.64 +/- 0.94 g protein/kg/day. Likewise, transthyretin measured 10.83 +/- 3.91 mg/dl at the initial measurement and rose to 14.80 +/- 4.44 at the second measurement time. Although protein intakes measured slightly lower in the sick group, their intakes correlated to transthyretin concentration (assessment time 1, r = 0.39; time 2, r = 0.33; time 3, r = 0.33). Thus, transthyretin concentration in neonatal infants offers a rapid, accurate, and moderately inexpensive way to monitor protein-energy adequacy.

Dietary Proteins↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of clinical outcome after elective and "bail out" coronary stent insertion.

BACKGROUND: Coronary stents may be used electively during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) or as a "bail-out" device to treat abrupt or threatened vessel closure following PTCA. OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical outcome of elective and "bail-out" coronary stent insertion. DESIGN: A retrospective analysis of all patients receiving coronary stents. SETTING: Tertiary referral center performing over 400 PTCA procedures a year. PATIENTS: Fifty-six patients (42 male), mean age 57 (range = 32 to 78) years received 67 Palmaz-Schatz coronary stents. Forty-nine stents were deployed as "bail-out" in 41 patients (abrupt vessel closure in 15 and threatened vessel closure in 26) and 18 stents were deployed electively in 15 patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Myocardial infarction, repeat angiography, coronary artery bypass graft surgery and death. RESULTS: Stents were successfully deployed in 56/62 (90.3%) patients. In-hospital events were significantly more common in the "bail-out" group compared to the elective group. The in-hospital events, comparing the "bail-out" group versus the elective group, were as follows: Death 2/41 (4.9%) vs 0/15 (0%), coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) 8/41 (19.5%) vs 0/15 (0%), stent thrombosis 3/41 (7.3%) vs 0/15 (0%), and myocardial infarction 6/41 (14.6%) vs 1/15 (6.7%) respectively. After discharge no patient died or had CABG. One patient in the "bail-out" group had a myocardial infarct (late stent thrombosis). Two patients from each group had repeat angiography because of recurrent angina in the 6 month follow up period. CONCLUSION: "Bail-out" stenting has an increased incidence of in-hospital complications compared to elective procedures. If these short-term problems can be overcome however, the clinical events in the first 6 months after leaving hospital are low and similar to patients under-going elective procedures.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Current molecular methods for plant genome identification.

At least four molecular methods have been used for plant species and plant varietal identification. These include protein isoenzymes, restriction fragment length polymorphisms and more recently two alternate PCR-based procedures. One approach is based broadly on methods which amplify plant DNAs using short oligonucleotide primers to produce complex multibanded 'fingerprint' patterns. The method can be used on any plant, is relatively cheap and easy to set up, but has a number of technical limitations. A second approach is to isolate short tandem repeats (STRs) from a test plant, each example of which is locus-specific and may show length variation between individuals. Results from several STR loci will provide a genetic profile of plant variety. However, in comparison with random amplification methods STRs are costly to establish in both time and resources.

Biotechnology↗