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Biomedical subjects

S J Moore

Publications and source records attributed to S J Moore.

34 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Health education quality assessment for public health clinics: responding to staff resistance.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control has developed and tested several quality assessment tools over the last 7 years to assess both the administration and direct delivery of patient education services. The most recent system covers three aspects of patient education: environment, materials and personal interaction. Practical assessment tools, methods of introducing them into clinic settings, and areas of possible resistance are discussed.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

Cytotoxic effects of singlet oxygen.

The toxic effects of gas-phase singlet oxygen, 1O2, on the ciliated respiratory epithelium of hamster trachea have been demonstrated. Tracheal explants treated with 1O2 showed a dose-dependent decrease in cilia beating frequency and focal ciliostasis. A statistically significant decrease in ciliary activity occurred at 1O2 concentrations as low as 154 ppb after a 2-hr exposure. Cytological alterations in the mucociliary epithelium were observed in explants exposed to 235 ppb 1O2 or greater. When cytotoxic effects were related to the time of exposure to 1O2, maximum effects occurred after a 4-hr exposure. In vitro recovery studies indicate that ciliary activity returned to normal between 4 and 8 hr after exposure.

Animals↗

Antidotal use of methemoglobin forming cyanide antagonists in concurrent carbon monoxide/cyanide intoxication.

An estimated 35% of all fire victims in the United States have toxicologically significant blood levels of CO and CN. However, the treatment of concurrent CO/CN intoxication has been paid scant attention. The suggestion has been made that these victims should be treated for CN poisoning. The current therapeutic management of CN poisoning in this country includes the utilization of two methemoglobin formers: amyl nitrite and sodium nitrite. This study was undertaken to determine if the administration of methemoglobin formers is advisable, as the victim is already suffering from O2 deprivation due to the presence of carboxyhemoglobin. Groups of 28 male ICR mice (22-24 g) were injected i.p. with 5.0 mg/kg of KCN and then were exposed immediately to 0.35% CO for 8.5 min in a dynamic inhalation chamber. Half of the animals were marked randomly for antidotal intervention, the other 14 animals acted as controls. Treatment of survivors with amyl nitrite (12 mg/l of chamber air) for 1 min increased mortality 43%, whereas treatment for 2 min resulted in a 59% increase in mortality. A 25% increase in mortality was noted among those animals treated with sodium nitrite (80 mg/kg i.p.), as compared to the nontreated control survivors. Treatment with dimethylaminophenol (49 mg/kg i.p.) did not statistically affect mortality.

Aminophenols↗

The effect of activity state upon the production of lethalities due to the inhalation of the toxic pyrolysis products of polyacrylonitrile.

Hydrogen cyanide is known to be produced upon the pyrolysis of the synthetic material polyacrylonitrile. Cyanide inhibits phosphorylation reactions, therefore, decreasing the amount of high energy bonds available for metabolic use. Since the energy requirements, as well as the respiratory minute volume, for an individual decrease with decreasing activity, it was of interest to investigate whether diminished physical activity would decrease the lethal potential of the pyrolysis products of polyacrylonitrile. In order to produce wide variations in physical activity, male ICR mice were pretreated with either 8.6 mg/kg dextroamphetamine sulfate ip 30 min prior to challenge, 75 mg/kg sodium pentobarbital ip 15 min prior to challenge, or 10 ml/kg of 70 proof ethyl alcohol ip 15 min prior to challenge. Control animals received injections of 10 ml/kg normal saline ip 15 min prior to challenge. Animals were subsequently challenged with the cooled/filtered smoke from the pyrolysis of polyacrylonitrile fibers at 660 C. Increased physical activity decreased the exposure time necessary to produce death. Animals pretreated with amphetamine appear to die more rapidly than control animals due to an increase in respiratory minute volume. Animals pretreated with sodium pentobarbital or ethanol appear to survive through long periods of exposure to the toxic gases due to both a decrease in minute volume and a decrease in energy utilization.

Acrylic Resins↗

Cellular retinoic acid-binding protein and its relationship to the biological activity of four synthetic retinoids in hamster tracheal organ culture.

The mechanism of action of retinoid in reversing keratinization in hamster trachea is yet unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine if cellular retinoic acid binding protein (CRABP) is present in tracheal epithelium following incubation in serum-free, vitamin A-deficient culture medium for 10 days, and if the effectiveness of a retinoid in reversing keratinization in organ culture is correlated with its ability to compete for CRABP sites. The cytosol prepared from tracheal cultures contained CRABP at a concentration of 2.61 pmoles per mg protein. Of the four retinoids with carboxyl end group selected for the study, two of the biological active retinoids competed for the CRABP sites. However, no correlation was observed between the biological activity of the inactive retinoids and their ability to associate with the CRABP sites. These results indicate that even though the action of retinoid may be mediated by retinoid binding protein, it cannot be used as a sole predicator of retinoid response in hamster trachea.

Animals↗

The efficacy of alpha-ketoglutaric acid in the antagonism of cyanide intoxication.

It has been reported that compounds containing carbonyl groups can readily react with cyanide. Pyruvic acid, an alpha-ketocarboxylic acid, has been shown to antagonize the lethal effects of cyanide. It is suggested that its mechanism of action rests in its ability to react with or "bind" cyanide. In this study, alpha-ketoglutaric acid, also an alpha-ketocarboxylic acid, was evaluated for its ability to counteract the lethal effects of cyanide. alpha-Ketoglutaric acid increased the LD50 value of cyanide (6.7 mg/kg) by a factor of five, a value statistically equivalent to that ascertained in mice pretreated with sodium thiosulfate and sodium nitrite. The combination of alpha-ketoglutaric acid and sodium thiosulfate increased the LD50 value of cyanide to 101 mg/kg. Addition of sodium nitrite to the alpha-ketoglutaric acid/sodium thiosulfate regimen increased the LD50 value of cyanide to 119 mg/kg. Unlike sodium nitrite, no induction of methemoglobin formation was observed with alpha-ketoglutaric acid pretreatment. It is apparent from these studies that the administration of alpha-ketoglutaric acid in conjunction with sodium thiosulfate resulted in fewer animal deaths than sodium nitrite and sodium thiosulfate without the dangerous formation of methemoglobin.

Animals↗

Synergistic lethality induced by the combination of carbon monoxide and cyanide.

Carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen cyanide are recognized pyrolytic products of plastic materials in fires. Lethal blood concentrations of CO and cyanide are found in fire victims and considered to be the cause of death. However, there are reports of fire victims with sublethal concentrations of both CO and cyanide and no other attributed reason for their deaths. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate lethality induced by low concentrations of CO and cyanide. Male ICR mice were used in these studies. Doses of potassium cyanide (4-9 mg/kg, i.p.) were administered to animals pretreated for 3 min with either air or CO (0.63-0.66%). From these data the LD50 value of potassium cyanide (KCN) was determined in these animals pretreated with either air or CO. A significantly lower LD50 value for KCN was found in CO-pretreated animals as compared to air-pretreated animals. In another series of experiments, animals were pretreated with either saline or KCN (1.00-6.35 mg/kg, i.p.) and then placed in the chamber containing a CO atmosphere (0.325-0.375%). Ten to 20% of saline-pretreated animals were dead at the end of the monitoring period. Sublethal doses of KCN (3.5-6.35 mg/kg, i.p.) produced a synergistic lethality as compared to the saline-pretreated animals. Blood was analyzed for CO and cyanide content to determine if there were any changes that could explain this augmented lethality. There was no difference in CO or cyanide blood concentrations between these treatment groups. From these data there was demonstrated a synergistic lethality induced by the combination of CO and cyanide that could not be explained by altered CO or cyanide blood concentrations.

Animals↗

Effects of cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate-elevating agents and retinoic acid on differentiation in retinoid-deficient tracheal cultures.

The ability of cyclic AMP-elevating agents to induce normal differentiation has been investigated in retinoid-deficient hamster tracheal epithelium in organ culture. Dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP) and other cAMP-regulating agents alone caused disappearance of keratin and regeneration of normal mucociliary epithelium in retinoid-deficient cultures. Incubation of retinoid-deficient cultures with dbcAMP, isoproterenol, and cholera toxin (CT) (without addition of exogenous retinoid) reversed keratinization in a dose-dependent manner. The ED50 of cultures treated with dbcAMP was 4 X 10(-6) M; ED50 of isoproterenol was 7 X 10(-5) M; and CT, 0.6 micrograms/ml. Phosphodiesterase inhibitors and other cAMP analogs were inactive. Dibutyryl cAMP in combination with theophylline enhanced normal differentiation. Retinoid-deficient tracheas pretreated for 20 h with 10(-9) M all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) responded to 10(-6) M dbcAMP by potentiating normal differentiation; this concentration of dbcAMP alone was inactive. Isoproterenol showed a similar response but to a lesser degree. These cAMP-elevating agents applied in combination with theophylline did not increase activity.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗

Level of aspiration and performance of chronic psychiatric patients on a simple motor task.

The level of aspiration and performance was examined for 25 male psychiatric inpatients whose mean age was 57.4 yr. and mean length of hospitalization was 23.6 yr. For a simple motor task involving flipping a plastic chip over a goal line, each patient expressed the ward and his personal pretask levels of aspiration, performed the task, and expressed his personal posttask aspiration. The expressions of both the ward and pretask levels of aspiration were less than the mean score of a nonhospitalized referent group. Both performance and posttask levels of aspiration were greater than the pretask level. More patients predicted they would perform worse than the other patients on the ward than predicted they would perform better. The patients appropriately shifted their levels of aspiration either up after success or down after failure. The results were discussed according to expectations from classical theory as well as findings with schizophrenics. Implications for further research were discussed.

Achievement↗

Growth stimulation of rat colonic cells in organ culture with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine.

The effects of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) on rat colonic mucosa were investigated in organ culture. Distal colonic mucosa separated from the muscle layers was cultured on a substrate of human fibrin foam. Exposure of colonic organ cultures to 0.1, 1.0, and 10.0 micrograms MNNG/ml of medium on a multiple discontinuous basis, e.g., every third day for 3 hr, produced significant carcinogen effects. [3H]Thymidine was incorporated throughout crypts and in surface epithelium of carcinogen-treated explants. Outgrowth of epithelioid cells into the fibrin foam matrix was observed in all treated explants 9 days after initial MNNG exposure. Control untreated cultures showed limited outgrowth. After 15 and 21 days in culture, epithelioid outgrowth was still observed in 1.0 microgram MNNG/ml-treated cultures.

Animals↗

Response of hamster trachea in organ culture to Mount St. Helens volcano ash.

The effects of Mount St. Helens volcanic ash on rings of hamster tracheal epithelium in organ culture were studied. Volcanic ash samples with mass median aerodynamic diameters (MMAD) of 7.7 micrometers and 1.6 micrometers caused markedly different alterations in the tracheal mucosa. Examination by SEM of the ventral epithelial surface of tissue from untreated control explants after 2 weeks in culture showed equal numbers of ciliated and microvillous cells. Examination by SEM of tracheas exposed to the smaller size particles revealed that ash concentrations as low as 1 microgram/ml increased mucous secretion after one 2-hr exposure. After four or nine 2-hr exposures, cells contained cilia that were short and blunt. Ciliary activity after these exposures showed a significant depression in beating frequency. Tracheal ring cultures exposed to the larger volcanic ash particles exhibited moderate cytomorphological changes after one 2-hr exposure at concentrations of 1, 10 and 100 micrograms/ml. As the number of exposures increased, most of the columnar cell layer was lost, resulting in exposure of the basal cells. After nine exposures at the two highest concentrations of ash (10 and 100 micrograms/ml), only a few ciliated cells were remaining. Statistically significant reductions in ciliary activity paralleled the epithelial damage. The degree of epithelial damage and changes in the cilia beating frequency were related to the dose and the number of exposures to the volcanic ash.

Animals↗

Organ culture of adult rat colonic mucosa on fibrin foam.

A system for maintaining adult rat colonic mucosa in organ culture for up to 28 days is described. Distal colonic mucosa physically separated from the muscle layers was cultured at 37 degrees C on a substrate of human fibrin foam in HEPES- and bicarbonate-buffered Waymouth's MB 752/1 medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, L-glutamine, bovine albumin, ascorbic acid, hydrocortisone, insulin, and ferrous sulfate; the optimal atmostphere for culture was 95% O2 and 5% CO2. Viability of explants was demonstrated by tissue morphology with light microscopy, incorporation of [3H]thymidine and [3H]leucine into DNA and protein, [14C]glucosamine and [3H]fucose incorporation, and glycoprotein synthesis. Two days after initiation of culture, degeneration of surface and crypt cells was observed. Secreted mucosubstances covered the explants. Explants maintained in 95% O2 retained a variable number of glandular crypts with normal columnar epithelium for 14 to 21 days in culture. At 28 days, explants contained a single layer of cuboidal surface epithelium and a rare cryptlike gland.

Animals↗

Surface characteristics of cultured adult rat colon using scanning electron microscopy.

The surface characteristics of cultured distal colonic mudosa from adult male Fischer 344 rats have been studied under the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Colonic mucosa, physically separated from the submucosa and muscle, was cultured on a matrix of human fibrin foam. The luminal surface of uncultured colonic mucosa formed repeating circular units of cells around individual crypt openings. After 2 days in organ culture, this normal arrangement of surface epithelium was lost. Circular arrangement of cells surrounding the crypts reappeared after 7 days in culture but did not show the well-demarcated crypt units. By 14 days in vitro fewer crypt units were seen; many of these showed a slightly convex contour. Organ cultures retained a variable number of glandular crypts after 21 to 28 days. Occasional epithelial cells were found attached to the interstitial surfaces of the fibrin foam. The organ culture system described appears to be applicable to experimental investigations into the direct effects of various substances on adult colonic epithelium.

Animals↗

Factors associated with the geographic variation of reported Chlamydia infection in Minnesota.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In Minnesota, physicians have been required to report cases of Chlamydia trachomatis infection since 1985. The distribution of reported cases suggests that there is substantial geographic variation in the rate of chlamydia infection. GOAL OF THIS STUDY: We conducted chlamydia screening at selected sites and a survey of primary care physicians in counties with high and low rates of reported chlamydia infection. We hypothesized that chlamydia infections are uniformly distributed in nonmetropolitan areas, and the geographic differences in reported cases can be attributed to variable testing and reporting practices by physicians. STUDY DESIGN: The number of reported female chlamydia cases per 1,000 women was calculated for each rural Minnesota county in 1990. Fourteen counties with high and low rates of reporting were selected for further investigation. From September to December 1991, universal chlamydia screening was carried out at 11 clinics serving patients in these counties. A questionnaire was mailed to all primary care physicians in these counties. RESULTS: In 1990, the rate of reported chlamydia cases was 4.7/100,000 and 0.1/100,000 for women living in the high-reporting and low-reporting counties, respectively. Chlamydia infection was present in 5.5% and 9.7% of women screened at selected clinics in high- and low-reporting counties, respectively. Physicians in high- and low-reporting counties did not differ significantly in terms of age, gender, number of pelvic exams, or frequency of chlamydia testing. However, physicians in high-reporting counties were significantly more likely to test for chlamydia when evaluating mucopurulent cervicitis or salpingitis, and they were more likely to test a woman whose sex partner had urethritis. Physicians in high-reporting counties were also more likely to have reported a case of chlamydia.

Adolescent↗