Biomedical subjects
R Watson
Publications and source records attributed to R Watson.
Risk factors for hepatitis C transmission in the Victorian population: a telephone survey.
OBJECTIVE: To measure knowledge and prevalences of risk factors for hepatitis C infection in the Victorian community. METHOD: Telephone survey of 757 Victorian householders aged 15+ years, March 1996. RESULTS: An estimated 2.2% of Victorians have injected illicit drugs; 4.8% have tattoos and 49.6% have skin piercings; 11.4% received a blood transfusion before screening for HCV was introduced; 10.9% have had a test for HCV antibody. A majority of respondents perceived sexual contact and receipt of a transfusion to be risks for HCV transmission. CONCLUSIONS: Risk factors associated with the spread of HCV are widespread in the Victorian community; however, the most important risk factor--injecting drug use--has low prevalence. Considerable uncertainty exists about risk factors for hepatitis C. IMPLICATIONS: A very small percentage of Victorians are injecting drug users and therefore at highest risk of hepatitis C infection, therefore transmission control programs can be efficiently focused on this group. The Victorian community needs to be better educated about risk factors for hepatitis C, in particular that transfusions and blood donations are safe.
Age-related left ventricular function in the mouse: analysis based on in vivo pressure-volume relationships.
Our study compared left ventricular (LV) function between senescent and young adult mice through in situ pressure-volume loop analysis. Two groups of mice (n = 9 each), 6-mo-old and 16-mo-old (senescent) mice, were anesthetized with urethan and alpha-chloralose, and their LV were instrumented with a Millar 1.4-Fr conductance micromanometer catheter for the acquisition of the pressure-volume loops. The senescent mice had a significantly decreased contractile function related to load-dependent parameters, including stroke volume index, ejection fraction, cardiac output index, stroke work index, and maximum derivative of change in systolic pressure over time. The load-independent parameters, preload recruitable stroke work and the slope (end-systolic volume elastance) of the end-systolic pressure-volume relationship, were significantly decreased in the senescent mice. Heart rate and arterial elastance were not different between the two groups; however, the ventricular-to-vascular coupling ratio (ratio of elastance of artery to end-systolic volume elastance) was increased by threefold in the senescent mice (P < 0. 001). Thus there were significant decreases in contractile function in the senescent mouse heart that appeared to be related to reduced mechanical efficiency but not related to arterial elastance.
The Drosophila GMII gene encodes a Golgi alpha-mannosidase II.
In this paper we show the organisation of the Drosophila gene encoding a Golgi alpha-mannosidase II. We demonstrate that it encodes a functional homologue of the mouse Golgi alpha-mannosidase II. The Drosophila and mouse cDNA sequences translate into amino acid sequences which show 41% identity and 61% similarity. Expression of the Drosophila GMII sequence in CHOP cells produces an enzyme which has mannosidase activity and is inhibited by swainsonine and by CuSO(4.) In cultured Drosophila cells and in Drosophila embryos, antibodies raised against a C-terminal peptide localise this product mainly to the Golgi apparatus as identified by cryo-immuno electron microscopy studies and by antibodies raised against known mammalian Golgi proteins. We discuss these results in terms of the possible use of dGMII as a Drosophila Golgi marker.
Diabetes management in a health maintenance organization. Efficacy of care management using cluster visits.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a cluster visit model led by a diabetes nurse educator for delivering outpatient care management to adult patients with poorly controlled diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This study involved a randomized controlled trial among patients of Kaiser Permanente's Pleasanton, CA, center who were aged 16-75 years and had either poor glycemic control (HbA1c > 8.5%) or no HbA1c test performed during the previous year. Intervention subjects received multidisciplinary outpatient diabetes care management delivered by a diabetes nurse educator, a psychologist, a nutritionist, and a pharmacist in cluster visit settings of 10-18 patients/month for 6 months. Outcomes included change (from baseline) in HbA1c levels; self-reported changes in self-care practices, self-efficacy, and satisfaction; and utilization of inpatient and outpatient health care. RESULTS: After the intervention, HbA1c levels declined by 1.3% in the intervention subjects versus 0.2% in the control subjects (P < 0.0001). Several self-care practices and several measures of self-efficacy improved significantly in the intervention group. Satisfaction with the program was high. Both hospital (P = 0.04) and outpatient (P < 0.01) utilization were significantly lower for intervention subjects after the program. CONCLUSIONS: A 6-month cluster visit group model of care for adults with diabetes improved glycemic control, self-efficacy, and patient satisfaction and resulted in a reduction in health care utilization after the program.
Nursing research conference organised by the Royal College of Nursing of the United Kingdom Research Society, held at Keele University, Keele, England, 23-25 April 1999.
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Chronic pain in older people: nursing aspects.
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Polycation-Exchanged Clays as Sorbents for Organic Pollutants: Influence of Layer Charge on Pollutant Sorption Capacity.
The uptake curves for the adsorption of a polycation ([CH2CH(OH)CH2N(CH3)2]n+n(Cl)n-n) onto a low iron Texas bentonite, WL, have been determined and compared with those onto two source smectites, SWy-1 and SAz-1. The polycation exhibited a marked affinity for all the smectite surfaces but polycation uptake was maximized on the fine fractions of Na+-WL. Variable temperature X-ray diffraction of the clay polycation complexes showed that the polycation was segregated into different interlayers at loadings below 30% of the CEC. The adsorption of benzene onto TMA+-exchanged SWy-1, SAz-1, and WL showed that, despite having a comparable layer charge to SWy-1, WL was as poor a sorbent for benzene as SAz-1, which has a much higher layer charge. The adsorption of p-nitrophenol (PNP) from aqueous solution onto the TMA+-exchanged sorbents exhibited the same trends, although a smaller amount was adsorbed due to the greater size of PNP. The amount of PNP adsorbed by polycation-treated SWy-1 depended upon the polycation loading, and PNP uptake maximized at loadings of 28 and 46 mg (g clay)-1. At higher loadings (80, 102, and 147 mg (g clay)-1) the uptake curves became linear and the PNP uptake decreased with increased polycation loading. No polycation-treated clay was as effective as TMA+-exchanged SWy-1 for the removal of PNP from water. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.
Cdc2 kinase directly phosphorylates the cis-Golgi matrix protein GM130 and is required for Golgi fragmentation in mitosis.
Mitotic fragmentation of the Golgi apparatus can be largely explained by disruption of the interaction between GM130 and the vesicle-docking protein p115. Here we identify a single serine (Ser-25) in GM130 as the key phosphorylated target and Cdc2 as the responsible kinase. MEK1, a component of the MAP kinase signaling pathway recently implicated in mitotic Golgi fragmentation, was not required for GM130 phosphorylation or mitotic fragmentation either in vitro or in vivo. We propose that Cdc2 is directly involved in mitotic Golgi fragmentation and that signaling via MEK1 is not required for this process.
Passive smoking is major threat.
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The effect of chronic retrovirus infection and immune dysfunction on the P-450-mediated activation of acetaminophen in mouse liver microsomes.
Acute viral infection has long been recognized to down-regulate cytochrome P-450 enzymes and subsequently to result in changes in the pharmacological and toxicological responses to xenobiotics. In our previous research, chronic retrovirus infection induced by inoculating a susceptible strain of mice with LP-BM5 murine leukaemia virus (MuLV) was found to suppress acetaminophen (APAP) induced liver injury. In the present study, we aimed to examine the influence of chronic retrovirus infection and its associated immune dysfunction on the activities of a number of cytochrome P-450 isozymes and the P-450-mediated activation of APAP in mouse liver microsomes. Liver microsomes prepared from female C57BL/6 mice at 8 and 16 weeks after LP-BM5 MuLV inoculation as well as from age-matched controls were used in the study. The catalytic activities of the cytochrome P-450 isozymes 1A family and 2E1, catalysts for the activation of APAP, were measured in different microsomal preparations using O-dealkylation of alkoxyresorufin homologues and oxidation of p-nitrophenol, respectively, as the metabolic markers. The formation of the reactive APAP metabolite trapped as glutathione conjugate in the microsomal preparations was also determined. We demonstrated that there were variable changes in total hepatic P-450 levels and in the activities of a number of P-450 isozymes in animals with chronic retrovirus infection and immune dysfunction. Such changes seemed to be dependent on the stage of the disease and to have resulted in increases or minimal changes in the rate of APAP activation in hepatic microsomes collected from this animal model. This suggests that the P-450-mediated activation of APAP was not down-regulated in animals with chronic retrovirus infection. Enhanced elimination of APAP by detoxification metabolic pathways is more likely to be responsible for the increased resistance to APAP-induced hepatotoxicity observed in our previous research in animals with chronic retrovirus infection.
Do healing abutments influence the outcome of implant treatment? A three-year multicenter study.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: It is not known if healing abutments replaced subsequently with permanent abutments adversely affect the soft tissues and marginal bone levels around dental implants. PURPOSE: This study evaluated the mucosal condition and marginal bone levels 3 years after placement of healing abutments in patients provided with fixed prostheses supported by Brånemark implants. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data were analyzed retrospectively from 117 patients treated at five centers in which 318 healing abutments were placed on maxillary and 112 on mandibular implants. A prospective 3-year appraisal with a specific protocol assessed the response of mucosal cuffs and marginal bone levels surrounding surviving implants. RESULTS: Exchange of abutments did not affect expected survival rates of implants (94% maxilla, 99% mandible) or produce mean levels of marginal bone loss greater than anticipated for the system. Mean marginal bone levels correlated significantly with the jaw. Most patients achieved good oral hygiene and favorable peri-implant soft tissue health. CONCLUSION: No evidence was found to suggest abutment exchange adversely affects outcome of implant treatment.
Caring in nursing: a multivariate analysis.
The dimensions underlying the perceptions of caring among nurses were investigated using the Edinburgh Caring Dimensions Inventory (CDI). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis techniques were used. While there was a general caring factor on which the majority of the items in the CDI loaded, there were two separable major dimensions to caring, namely 'psychosocial aspects' and 'professional and technical aspects'. In addition, two smaller dimensions were identified that were both related to self-giving, and it is postulated that these refer, respectively, to appropriate and inappropriate self-giving in nursing.
Publishing the results of factor analysis: interpretation and presentation.
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The leading edge. International Nursing Research Conference organized by the Royal College of Nursing of the United Kingdom Research Society at the James Watt Centre, Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland, 3-5 April 1998.
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Perceptions of caring among nurses: the influence of age and sex.
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History of the West of Scotland Plastic Surgery Unit: 1940-1986.
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