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Biomedical subjects

P Wilson

Publications and source records attributed to P Wilson.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Randomised controlled trial of effect of Baby Check on use of health services in first 6 months of life.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of Baby Check, an illness scoring system for babies of 6 months or less, on parents' use of health services for their baby. DESIGN: Randomised controlled trial. SETTING: 13 general practices in Glasgow. SUBJECTS: 997 newly delivered mothers, randomised to receive either Baby Check and Play It Safe, an accident prevention leaflet (n=497), or Play It Safe alone (control group, n=500). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Data on consultations and referrals extracted from general practice notes after 6 months. RESULTS: At the time of recruitment, maternal characteristics were similar for both groups (mean maternal age 29 years; deprivation categories 6 and 1 in both groups; 424 (45%) mothers were primiparous). At 6 months, general practice notes were available for 467 (94%) of the Baby Check group and 468 (94%) of the control group. The number of general practitioner consultations did not differ between the groups: median number of consultations was 2 (interquartile range 1 to 4) in the Baby Check group, and 2 (1 to 3) in the control group. Use of out of hours services did not differ significantly between the two groups (86 v 85; P=0.93). CONCLUSION: Distributing Baby Check to an unselected group of mothers does not affect use of health services for infants up to 6 months of age.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Heterologous expression and functional characterization of a mouse renal organic anion transporter in mammalian cells.

Organic anion transporters play an essential role in eliminating a wide range of organic anions including endogenous compounds, xenobiotics, and their metabolites from kidney, thereby preventing their potentially toxic effects within the body. The goal of this study was to extend our previous study on the functional characterization and post-translational modification of a mouse kidney organic anion transporter (mOAT), in a mammalian cell system, COS-7 cells. The transporter-mediated p-aminohippurate (PAH) uptake was saturable, probenecid-sensitive, and inhibited by a wide range of organic anions including vitamins, anti-hypertensive drugs, anti-tumor drugs, and anti-inflammatory drugs. Tunicamycin, an inhibitor of asparagine-linked glycosylation, significantly inhibited the transport activity. Immunofluorescence provided evidence that most of the protein remained in the intracellular compartment in tunicamycin-treated cells. Diethyl pyrocarbonate (DEPC), a histidine residue-specific reagent, completely blocked PAH transport. The inhibitory effect by DEPC was significantly protected (90%) by pretreating the cells with excess unlabeled PAH, suggesting that the histidine residues may be close to the PAH binding sites. Finally, in situ mRNA localization was studied in postnatal mouse kidney. The expression was observed in proximal tubules throughout development. We conclude that COS-7 cells may be useful in pharmacological and molecular biological studies of this carrier. The carbohydrate moieties are necessary for the proper trafficking of mOAT to the plasma membrane, and histidine residues appear to be important for the transport function.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Ethanol exposure during the third trimester equivalent results in long-lasting decreased synaptic efficacy but not plasticity in the CA1 region of the rat hippocampus.

Fetal alcohol syndrome is a major cause of mental retardation. We investigated possible long-lasting effects of alcohol on the hippocampus using a model for human third trimester brain development. Treatment of neonatal rats with an ethanol vapor atmosphere of 39.4+/-2.6 mg ethanol/liter of air for 3 h a day from postnatal day 4 through 9 produced daily blood ethanol levels of 351+/-14 mg/dL. Separation control animals were removed from their mothers in parallel with the ethanol vapor treatment, while suckle controls were left to develop normally. We prepared hippocampal slices from these animals between postnatal days 45 and 60 and recorded extracellular responses to Schaffer collateral stimulation. The maximum population spike in the CA1 pyramidal region and population excitatory postsynaptic potentials in the stratum radiatum did not differ significantly between groups. However, slices prepared from ethanol-treated rats as opposed to separation and suckle controls required larger stimulus currents to produce normal postsynaptic responses. In addition, the ratio of the population excitatory postsynaptic potential (pEPSP) slope to the presynaptic volley was significantly reduced in ethanol-treated rats. Ethanol vapor-treated rats and separation control rats did not exhibit any significant changes in long-term potentiation or paired-pulse potentiation compared with normal suckle controls. These results suggest that early postnatal ethanol treatment produces a long-lasting reduction in synaptic efficacy but not plasticity.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1999

Abnormalities of imaged motor sequences in children with developmental coordination disorder.

The chronometry of real and imagined movements was investigated in a group of children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and a group of matched controls. The visually-guided pointing task was used to investigate the speed for accuracy trade-offs that occur as target size is varied for both real and imagined performance. In the control group, the speed for accuracy trade-off for both real and imagined performance conformed to Fitts' law. In the DCD group only real movements conformed to Fitts' law. This pattern of performance suggests that children with DCD have an impairment in the ability to generate internal representations of volitional movements. This may reflect part of a general impairment in the processing of efference copy in DCD.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1999

Intermittent clamping of suction drains in total hip replacement reduces postoperative blood loss: a randomized, controlled trial.

A randomized, controlled study of 54 patients (28 patients in the trial and 26 in the control group) who had primary total hip replacement was carried out. The 2 suction drains were clamped intermittently 55 minutes in each hour and released for 5 minutes in each hour for 6 hours postoperatively in the trial group. Free drainage was allowed in the control group. The difference in calculated total blood loss was significantly less in the trial group than in the control group (P < .05). Patients in the trial group received 13 fewer blood transfusions than the control group. No difference in wound drainage and wound healing was noted. Using ultrasound, it was also shown that the technique did not lead to hematoma formation.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

The impact of cultural and familial context on behavioral and emotional problems of preschool Latino children.

This study examined the impact of financial, cultural, and family variables on the incidence of behavioral and emotional problems in a group of two- and three-year-old Latino children. The vulnerability of these children to mental health problems stems from the many challenges faced by their families, especially those associated with acculturation and poverty. Results indicate that most problems experienced by the children were related to depression and social withdrawal. Children were at greatest risk whose parents had immigrated from Central America, whose families relied more extensively on internal coping strategies such as passive resignation, and whose parents were dissatisfied with their family's interactions.

Central America↗
PubMed1999

Ochratoxin A in dried vine fruit: method development and survey.

A method is described for the determination of concentrations of the mycotoxin ochratoxin A in dried vine fruits (currants, raisins and sultanas) using acidic methanolic extraction, immunoaffinity chromatography clean-up and HPLC determination. The limit of detection was estimated as 0.2 microgram/kg, and recoveries of 63-77% were achieved at 5 micrograms/kg. HPLC-mass spectrometric confirmation of the identity of ochratoxin was obtained. Ochratoxin A and aflatoxins were determined in 60 samples of retail dried vine fruits purchased in the United Kingdom. Ochratoxin A was found in excess of 0.2 microgram/kg in 19 of 20 currant, 17 of 20 sultana and 17 of 20 raisin samples examined, an overall incidence of 88%. The maximum level found was 53.6 micrograms/kg. No aflatoxin was found in any sample analysed, using a method with a detection limit of 0.2 microgram/kg for each of aflatoxin B1, B2, G1 and G2.

Aflatoxins↗
PubMed1999

Pronuclear orientation, polar body placement, and embryo quality after intracytoplasmic sperm injection and in-vitro fertilization: further evidence for polarity in human oocytes?

Three hypotheses were tested: (i) the distance between first and second polar bodies (PB) may relate to embryo morphology, (ii) that the orientation of pronuclei (PN) relative to PB may relate to embryo morphology, (iii) that the placement of a spermatozoon in a fixed plane relative to the first PB [intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)] may alter PN/PB orientation relative to in-vitro fertilization (IVF). A total of 251 two pronuclear (2PN) embryos (124 ICSI, 127 IVF) from 64 patients was studied. Angles were measured between the PN axis and the nearest PB (alpha), the furthest PB (beta), and between the two PB (gamma). On day 2, the morphological grades of embryos were recorded. gamma ranged from 0 to 150 degrees and was not significantly different for ICSI or IVF embryos of different grades; however, an unusual distribution of gamma suggested different populations of oocytes. The first hypothesis was rejected. alpha and beta ranged from 0 to 90 degrees : alpha did not relate significantly to embryo grade, but beta increased significantly with decreasing quality of ICSI embryos (P < 0.05) and the total group (P < 0.01), supporting hypothesis (ii). The difference in beta between ICSI and IVF embryos was not significant, so hypothesis (iii) was unproven. Significant differences between ICSI and IVF embryos in PN positions, irregular cleavage, and cleavage failure were noted.

Cell Nucleus↗
PubMed1999

Professional preparation of elementary teachers in Ohio: status of K-6 health education.

Improving the health status of children and youth depends to an extent on the adequate preparation of elementary teachers to teach health education. This survey: 1) examined the status of health education preparation that preservice elementary education majors receive from Ohio colleges and universities (n = 50); 2) determined the type of health education courses that Ohio colleges and universities require for elementary education majors; and 3) assessed the extent to which Ohio colleges and universities incorporate health and pedagogy-related content in their courses for elementary education majors. Results showed that 40 of the 50 institutions offered a health course. Twelve different textbooks were used in the courses. Coverage of course content ranged from much to none for 10 survey items ranging from the National Health Education Standards to the K-6 Health Instruction Responsibilities and Competencies.

Curriculum↗
PubMed1999

Metabolic acidosis regulates rat renal Na-Si cotransport activity.

Recently, we cloned a cDNA (NaSi-1) localized to rat renal proximal tubules and encoding the brush-border membrane (BBM) Na gradient-dependent inorganic sulfate (Si) transport protein (Na-Si cotransporter). The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of metabolic acidosis (MA) on Na-Si cotransport activity and NaSi-1 protein and mRNA expression. In rats with MA for 24 h (but not 6 or 12 h), there was a significant increase in the fractional excretion of Si, which was associated with a 2.4-fold decrease in BBM Na-Si cotransport activity. The decrease in Na-Si cotransport correlated with a 2.8-fold decrease in BBM NaSi-1 protein abundance and a 2.2-fold decrease in cortical NaSi-1 mRNA abundance. The inhibitory effect of MA on BBM Na-Si cotransport was also sustained in rats with chronic (10 days) MA. In addition, in Xenopus laevis oocytes injected with mRNA from kidney cortex, there was a significant reduction in the induced Na-Si cotransport in rats with MA compared with control rats, suggesting that MA causes a decrease in the abundance of functional mRNA encoding the NaSi-1 cotransporter. These findings indicate that MA reduces Si reabsorption by causing decreases in BBM Na-Si cotransport activity and that decreases in the expression of NaSi-1 protein and mRNA abundance, at least in part, play an important role in the inhibition of Na-Si cotransport activity during MA.

Acidosis↗
PubMed1999

Cutaneous receptive field organization in the ventral posterior nucleus of the thalamus in the common marmoset.

The organization of cutaneous receptive fields in the ventroposterior (VP) thalamus of the common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) was determined from single-unit recordings, and these data were correlated with the cytochrome oxidase (CO) histochemistry of the thalamus in the same animals. Under continuously maintained ketamine anesthesia, the receptive fields of a total of 192 single units were recorded from the right VP thalamus using 2 MOhms glass electrodes. After the receptive fields were mapped, the brains were reacted for CO histochemistry on 50-microm coronal frozen sections through the entire VP thalamus. The majority of units were localized to the CO-reactive regions that define the medial and lateral divisions of VP (VPm and VPl). Apart from the expected finding of the face being represented in VPm and the body in VPl, reconstructing the electrode tracks and unit locations in the histological sections revealed a general association between discrete regions of CO reactivity and the representation of specific body regions. Some low-threshold cutaneous units were apparently localized to VPi (the CO weak regions dorsal, ventral, and interdigitating with, the CO regions of VP). These VPi units were clearly part of the same representational map as the VPl and VPm units. We conclude that the low-threshold cutaneous receptive fields of the marmoset are organized in a single continuous representation of the contralateral body surface, and that this representation can most simply be interpreted as being folded or crumpled into the three-dimensional space of VP thalamus. The folded nature of the body map in VP may be related to the folded nature of VP as revealed by CO histochemistry.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Response of asymptomatic cytomegalovirus viraemia to oral ganciclovir 3 g/day or 6 g/day in HIV-infected patients.

Reactivation of cytomegalovirus (CMV) following immunosuppression may result in the development of CMV disease and is associated with an increased risk of death. CMV viraemia detected by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) precedes CMV disease in HIV-infected patients and identifies individuals at high risk of disease. Pre-emptive ganciclovir (GCV) therapy in patients who have evidence of CMV viraemia is effective in preventing disease. An open study was conducted to assess the response of CMV viraemia to oral GCV at a dose of 3 or 6 g/day for 28 days. HIV RNA was measured to determine if CMV inhibition affected HIV viral load. Fourteen patients were studied, three of whom entered both phases of the study. None of the patients had evidence of CMV disease at the time of entry into the trial; two patients developed CMV retinitis after completion of the trial. Oral GCV at both 3 and 6 g/day caused a decrease in CMV viral load in individual patients. However, a rebound in CMV viral load occurred in patients receiving the 3-g/day dose. None of the patients receiving oral GCV 3 g/day became PCR negative after 21 days compared with six of eight patients receiving 6 g/day. Five of eight patients (63%) receiving GCV 6 g/day were concurrently taking protease inhibitors compared with two of nine (22%) receiving 3 g/day. Ten patients remained PCR negative throughout follow up. No change was found in HIV viral load during receipt of GCV at either dose. Thus, oral GCV is effective in reducing CMV viral load, but a dose of 3 g/day is insufficiently potent for pre-emptive therapy.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗