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Biomedical subjects

R M Davis

Publications and source records attributed to R M Davis.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Irradiated versus fumigated spices in sausage.

The efficacy of gamma radiation and ethylene oxide fumigation as decontaminating treatments for spices used in sausages was compared. Microbial loads of sausages containing irradiated, fumigated or non-treated spices were examined over three intervals of time. No significant differences between microbial loads of Mexican sausages containing irradiated spices (10 kGy) verses ethylene oxide-treated spices were found. Mexican sausages containing treated spices had significantly lower yeast, mould and spore counts than control sausages. After 8 weeks of storage, only the microbial loads of control sausages suggested spoilage. No discernable differences in treatment efficacy were noted with respect to yeast, mould and spore counts in Italian sausages.

Food Handling↗
PubMed1993

An electronic medical record that helps care for patients with HIV infection.

We have built a clinical workstation to help doctors and nurses care for patients with HIV infection. This knowledge-based medical record system provides medication alerts, reminders about primary care, and on-line information to support the care of patients with HIV infection. We are conducting a controlled clinical trial of this computer system in a single practice setting, which consists of 18 staff physicians, 13 nurses, and 113 residents, who cooperatively practice in four teams. Two teams of physicians are assigned to an intervention group and two teams to a control group. This paper reports preliminary results from the first year of study, January 15, 1992, through January 14, 1993. During this period 274 patients with HIV infection were followed by the general medical practice--130 in a control group and 144 in an intervention group. Physicians in the intervention group more rapidly and more completely followed primary care guidelines than did physicians in the control group. Patients in the intervention group had 2476 ambulatory or emergency visits (17.2 visits per patient) compared with 1882 visits (14.5 visits per patient) for the control patients (p < 0.01). There were 101 hospitalizations for 51 patients in the intervention group (an admission rate of 0.7) compared with 104 admissions for 54 patients in the control group (an admission rate of 0.8) (p = NS). There were 8 deaths in the intervention group (5.6%) compared with 13 (10%) in the control group (p = NS).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Artificial Intelligence↗
PubMed1992

Morphological differentiation and proteoglycan synthesis regulate Alzheimer amyloid precursor protein processing in PC-12 and human astrocyte cultures.

A morphologically differentiated strain of rat pheochromocytoma (PC-12H) metabolically labeled with [35S]methionine and incubated with a phorbol ester displayed reduced 140-kDa and increased 15 kDa bands relative to cells incubated without phorbol ester after immunoprecipitation with antisera elicited by the C-terminal peptide of the Alzheimer amyloid precursor protein (APP). These bands correspond to glycosylated full length APP and a C-terminal fragment previously reported by Anderson et al. (Neurosci. Lett. 120:126-128, 1991) to result from a cleavage within the amyloidotic A4 region of APP, which releases a 120 kDa extracellular fragment. The 15 kDa fragment, not immunoprecipitated with an antisera elicited by the N-terminal portion of A4 amyloid, is nonamyloidogenic. Incubation of these cells with p-nitrophenylxyloside, known to inhibit proteoglycan formation, also increased this nonamyloidogenic cleavage of APP. In contrast to these results, an undifferentiated low passage PC-12-L strain constitutively displayed rapid nonamyloidogenic APP cleavage. Incubation of PC-12-L with phorbol ester did not affect the relative abundance of 140 or 15 kDa bands. Growth of PC-12-L with 7 S NGF or dibutyryl cAMP resulted in increased morphological differentiation and decreased APP cleavage which was now phorbol-inducible. Similar analyses of dividing and senescent human astrocytes and normal and F-AD fibroblasts indicate 5-fold lower rates of mid-A4 APP cleavage. Phorbol esters decreased the 140 kDa APP band without affecting the intensity of the 15 kDa band in these cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor↗
PubMed1991

Comparison of intraocular lens fixation techniques performed during penetrating keratoplasty.

We reviewed the charts of 41 patients who had undergone penetrating keratoplasty, anterior vitrectomy, and placement or exchange of an intraocular lens during a two-year period with a median follow-up time of 15 months (range, five to 26 months). The median preoperative visual acuity was 20/400 (range, 20/40 to hand motions). The median postoperative visual acuity was 20/70 (range, 20/25 to hand motions). Of 41 corneal grafts, 38 (93%) remained clear. New intraocular lenses were inserted by anterior chamber, iris, or transscleral fixation. The median visual acuity was 20/70 for the anterior chamber lens group, 20/100 for the iris fixation group, and 20/70 for the transscleral fixation group. Analysis of variance demonstrated no significant difference by type of fixation in postoperative visual acuity, central corneal thickness, and intraocular pressure.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Assessing community interventions to reduce smoking.

Few major, community-based antismoking programs have undergone specific evaluation in developed countries; the number is even lower in developing countries. Yet not all evaluation need be elaborate, expensive, or overly time-consuming. Data on tobacco trade, import and export, taxation, mortality, and morbidity may already exist within government departments and can be used for evaluation. Published information from the tobacco industry may be obtained easily in trade journals and annual reports. Universities and international and overseas national health agencies may offer information, assistance, and expertise. Indirect evaluation of the importance of any particular antismoking intervention can be measured by how strongly the tobacco industry opposes that measure.

Community Participation↗
PubMed1991

Isolation and characterization of a new human microsporidian, Encephalitozoon hellem (n. sp.), from three AIDS patients with keratoconjunctivitis.

A new human microsporidian was isolated from cultures of Madin-Darby canine kidney cells incubated with conjunctival scrapings or corneal tissues from three AIDS patients with keratoconjunctivitis. The three isolates were morphologically similar to Encephalitozoon cuniculi. The spores averaged 1 x 1.5-2.0 microns, had six to eight polar filament coils, displayed monokaryotic nuclei, and possessed relatively thick endospores with irregularly shaped exospores. Organisms developed within a parasitophorous vacuole. By SDS-PAGE analysis, the three isolates appeared to be identical but were different from E. cuniculi. Identical banding patterns on Western blots of the three isolates were expressed by each patient's serum. By Western immunoblotting, murine antisera to E. cuniculi reacted to several antigens of the new AIDS-related microsporidian, whereas murine antisera bound weakly to Nosema corneum. The name Encephalitozoon hellem (n. sp.) is proposed to identify this new human microsporidian.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1991

Ciliary sulcus anatomical dimensions.

Trans-scleral ciliary sulcus and iris suture fixation of posterior chamber intraocular lenses (IOLs) in eyes without posterior capsular support are techniques gaining wider acceptance. Primary indications are IOL exchange in pseudophakic bullous keratopathy and secondary IOL insertion in aphakia. Accurate placement of the posterior chamber lens loops within the ciliary sulcus is based on knowledge of ciliary sulcus anatomy. Nineteen postmortem eyes were sectioned in the coronal plane to expose the posterior iris border and the ciliary body. Ciliary sulcus diameters were measured, and the mean diameter was 11.0 +/- 0.37 mm. The mean limbus-ciliary sulcus distance was then measured by passing 26-gauge needles through the ciliary sulcus and sclera. The mean limbus-ciliary sulcus distance was 0.9 mm. These measurements may guide ophthalmic surgeons in choosing appropriate IOL designs for IOL exchange or secondary IOL procedures.

Ciliary Body↗