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Biomedical subjects

S Gordon

Publications and source records attributed to S Gordon.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Long-term follow-up of older patients with iron deficiency anemia after a negative GI evaluation.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical outcome of a cohort of patients over the age of 50 yr with iron deficiency anemia in whom a source was not identified during a prior GI evaluation. METHODS: A cohort of 69 patients (43 men, 26 women) with a mean age of 68 yr (range 50-89 yr) who previously had a negative GI evaluation for documented iron deficiency anemia was followed for an average of 39 months (range 2-89 months). RESULTS: In 49 patients (71%), the iron deficiency anemia resolved. All remained stable during the follow-up period except five patients in whom iron deficiency recurred (from 18 months to 5 yr later). Subsequent GI evaluations were negative, and iron deficiency resolved with iron supplementation in all five patients. In 16 patients (23%), a mild chronic anemia persisted during the follow-up period. None of these patients required transfusions, and 12 of the 16 had concomitant medical illnesses that likely contributed to an anemia of chronic disease. Only four patients (6%) had a persistent anemia severe enough to require intermittent transfusions. However, in three of these patients, the anemia was likely secondary to chronic disease (chronic renal failure in two patients, metastatic carcinoma in one patient). Therefore, only one patient (1%) had consistent iron deficiency anemia severe enough to require intermittent transfusions, which was found to be secondary to duodenal angiodysplasia during a subsequent GI evaluation. CONCLUSION: The prognosis of iron deficiency anemia in older patients after a negative GI evaluation is favorable. The anemia resolves and remains stable in the majority of patients after iron replacement. Subsequent GI evaluations should be reserved for those patients whose anemia is refractory to iron replacement and in whom there are not concomitant medical illnesses contributing to an anemia of chronic disease.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Sounding the alarm.

Nurses need to continue broadcasting the dangers of shrinking RN-to- patient ratios. Here's some advice on how to do it convincingly.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Analysis of the allergenic composition of rat dust.

BACKGROUND: Allergy to rats is an important occupational health problem. The allergens of rat urine have been well defined but those in rat room dust, a potentially important source of inhalant exposure, have not. OBJECTIVE: To describe the allergens present in rat room dust and to identify a suitable marker protein which may be used to quantify airborne rat allergen. METHODS: Dust collected from the air-conditioning system (bulk dust, 'bd') and with an air sampler (airborne dust, 'ad') were analysed by radioallergosorbent test (RAST) inhibition, immunoblotting and immunoblot inhibition techniques and comparisons made with hair and urine extracts prepared from adult male Wistar rats. RESULTS: Extensive crossreactivity was found between the extracts by RAST inhibition under different experimental conditions. Dust was more potent as an inhibitor than other extracts. The immunoblotting patterns of both dusts were similar although 'ad' contained an allergen at 29 kDa not found in 'bd'. Forty-two sera from rat allergic subjects were used to identify 18 allergens in 'bd'. Three 'major' allergens were found; 100% of subjects had immunoglobulin (Ig)E to a 44 kDa allergen and 74% and 88% of subjects had IgE with bound to the 20.5 and 17 kDa allergens respectively. Immunoblot inhibition experiments identified the 17 kDa dust allergen as alpha 2u-globulin (Rat nI). CONCLUSIONS: Rat dust is a complex allergenic source. The 17 kDa dust allergen has immunological identity with Rat nI and is a suitable marker protein for the quantitation of airborne rat allergen.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed1996

What's happened to health care? A consumer's perspective.

Suzanne Gordon--author, journalist and vocal nurse advocate--has always been a strong supporter of nurses and nursing care. In this essay, based on personal experience and investigative reporting efforts, she addresses the "consumer's" perceptions, perspective and experience of health care in a restructured world.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Sialoadhesin (Sn) maps to mouse chromosome 2 and human chromosome 20 and is not linked to the other members of the sialoadhesin family, CD22, MAG, and CD33.

Sialoadhesin is a cell-cell interaction molecule expressed by subpopulations of tissue macrophages. It contains 17 immunoglobulin (Ig)-like domains and is structurally related to CD22, MAG, and CD33. These molecules establish a distinct family of sialic acid-dependent adhesion molecules, the sialoadhesin family. We have mapped the rodent sialoadhesin gene, Sn, to chromosome 2F-H1 by in situ hybridization (ISH) and shown linkage to Il1b and four other markers by backcross linkage analysis. We have also used ISH and a human-mouse somatic cell hybrid panel to localize the human sialoadhesin gene, SN, to the conserved syntenic region on human chromosome 20p13. This demonstrates that the sialoadhesin gene is not linked to the other members of the Sialoadhesin family, CD22, MAG, and CD33, which have been independently mapped to the distal region of mouse chromosome 7 and to human chromosome 19q13.1-3.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Association study of transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha) TaqI polymorphism and oral clefts: indication of gene-environment interaction in a population-based sample of infants with birth defects.

In this study of infants with isolated birth defects, 69 cleft palate only cases, 114 cleft lip with or without cleft palate cases, and 284 controls with noncleft birth defects (all born in Maryland between 1984 and 1992) were examined to test for associations among maternal exposures, genetic markers, and oral clefts. A significantly higher frequency of positive family history of birth defects among both groups of oral cleft cases compared with controls was seen in these data. While there was a modest increase in the less common C2 allele at the TaqI site in the transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha) locus among cleft palate only infants compared with the birth defect controls, the association appeared to reflect an underlying interaction between maternal smoking and infant genotype. This apparent gene-environment interaction was also found among those reporting no family history of any birth defect. Infants carrying the rarer C2 allele who were exposed to maternal smoking of 10 or fewer cigarettes per day showed a 6.16-fold increase in risk for cleft palate only (95% confidence interval 1.09-34.7), while similar infants whose mothers smoked more than 10 cigarettes per day showed an 8.69-fold higher risk (95% confidence interval 1.57-47.8). However, the dose-response relation was not significant.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Cardiac demands of heavy snow shoveling.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the physiologic responses to manual (shoveling) vs automated (electric snow thrower) snow removal in healthy, untrained men. DESIGN: Observational, controlled trial. SETTING: A community-based, acute care, teaching-research hospital. PARTICIPANTS: A volunteer sample of 10 apparently healthy untrained men (mean +/- SD age = 32.4 +/- 2.1 years) met all eligibility criteria and completed the study. INTERVENTION: Each subject cleared two 10 +/- 2-cm-high, 15-m-long tracts of heavy, wet snow in the cold (2 degrees C), using self-paced manual and automated methods, in random order, with 10- to 15-minute rest periods between each 10-minute bout of work. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen uptake, and perceived exertion during snow removal were compared with values obtained during maximal arm-ergometer and treadmill tests. RESULTS: Mean heart rate during shoveling was 154 and 173 beats per minute at 2 and 10 minutes, respectively, corresponding to 86% and 97% of maximal heart rate. Relative heart rate (percentage of maximal heart rate) during shoveling was inversely related to aerobic fitness (r = -0.65; P = .05). The highest heart rate and perceived exertion responses during shoveling, arm-ergometer, and treadmill testing were comparable. Systolic blood pressure during snow shoveling (198 +/- 17 mm Hg) was significantly greater (P < .003) than during arm ergometry or automated snow removal and slightly greater than during maximal treadmill testing (181 +/- 25 mm Hg). Oxygen uptake during shoveling was similar to that for arm ergometry (5.7 vs 6.3 metabolic equivalents), but lower than for treadmill testing (9.3 metabolic equivalents). Cardiorespiratory and perceived exertion responses were reduced during automated snow removal. CONCLUSION: Heavy snow shoveling elicits myocardial and aerobic demands that rival maximal treadmill and arm-ergometer testing in sedentary men. These responses may contribute to cardiovascular events reported after heavy snowfalls.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

The macrophage.

The macrophage plays an important role in host development and physiology, and in pathogenesis of many infectious, immunologic and degenerative disease processes. It displays marked heterogeneity of phenotype in different tissues, reflecting local interactions with other cell types, and contributes to host homeostasis through a varied repertoire of plasma membrane and secretory molecules. Upon isolation from the body it continues to express special, as well as general, features of cellular organisation and function, which make it a delight to study in cell culture.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Murine macrophage scavenger receptor: in vivo expression and function as receptor for macrophage adhesion in lymphoid and non-lymphoid organs.

Macrophage scavenger receptors are trimeric integral membrane glycoproteins which have been implicated in various macrophage functions including uptake of oxidized lipoprotein and the serum-dependent, divalent cation-independent adhesion of macrophages to tissue culture-treated plastic. In this study we have used a recently defined monoclonal antibody (2F8) which recognizes murine macrophage scavenger receptor, to explore its expression in lymphoid and non-lymphoid organs of the normal adult. Scavenger receptor was detected in the red pulp and marginal zone of normal adult mouse spleen, medulla of the thymus and subcapsular region of lymph nodes. Kupffer cells in the liver, alveolar macrophages in the lung and lamina propria macrophages in the gut all reacted with 2F8 monoclonal antibody. The antigen was not detected on any non-macrophage cells, with the exception of sinusoidal endothelial cells in the liver. In the spleen, lymph node and liver, scavenger receptor antigen expression was associated specifically with phagocytic cells which had taken up colloidal carbon. To examine macrophage adhesion in a context relevant to the interactions occurring within lymphoid and non-lymphoid organs, and the contribution of macrophage scavenger receptor to this adhesion, we designed an assay of macrophage adhesion to frozen tissue sections. Adhesion to most tissues was high and uniform in the absence of any chelating agents. The chelation of Ca2+ and Mg2+ revealed specific patterns of macrophage adhesion in lymphoid and non-lymphoid organs which was completely inhibited by 2F8. The ability of this antibody to block the EDTA-resistant adhesion correlated with tissue expression of the antigen in some tissues. Unlike adhesion to tissue culture-treated plastic, macrophage scavenger receptor-dependent adhesion of macrophages to frozen tissue sections did not exhibit an absolute requirement for exogenous fetal bovine serum indicating the presence of an endogenous ligand for scavenger receptor within the tissues. We propose that macrophage scavenger receptor is a candidate homing or retention molecule for macrophage localization within ligand-rich tissues.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Evaluation of a Lyme disease enzyme immunoassay using the 41-G fragment of flagellin.

An immunogenic region of the Borrelia burgdorferi flagellin encompassing amino acids 197-273 and designated 41-G was evaluated as an antigen in an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for Lyme disease on a routine basis in a reference laboratory. Sera that tested positive for Lyme disease by EIA using 41-G or the whole-cell Borrelia burgdorferi lysate as the antigen were also evaluated by immunoblot for reactivity with Borrelia burgdorferi, and the patient's clinical history was determined retrospectively by a questionnaire distributed to the referring physician. The sensitivity of the 41-G based EIA for the serologic diagnosis of Lyme disease, when compared with that of the Borrelia burgdorferi lysate EIA, was 70% (35 of 50). These data demonstrate that 41-G has utility as an antigen in EIA, although the sensitivity is at present less than that of the assay employing the Borrelia burgdorferi whole-cell lysate.

Antigens, Bacterial↗