Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

S Taylor

Publications and source records attributed to S Taylor.

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

Body temperature and nesting behavior following influenza challenge in mice: effects of age.

We studied the interaction of age and influenza on core body temperature (Tc) of mice. Following influenza challenge, 2-mo-old female BALB/c mice demonstrated a significant fall in Tc. Female BALB/c mice 24 mo of age had lower baseline Tc than young mice and a larger fall in Tc post influenza challenge. We noted there were marked differences in nesting behavior between the young and aged mice. A nesting score was devised, and we found that at baseline, aged mice had a much lower score than young mice (15.6 +/- 7.4 vs. 24.7 +/- 0.3, P < 0.0001). Following influenza challenge, nesting behavior of young mice dropped considerably, while no significant change occurred in the behavior of aged mice. When mice were housed without bedding, there were significant decreases in Tc of young, but not aged mice. There was a further fall in Tc with influenza challenge in young mice. These data imply that nesting is an important mechanism for maintaining Tc in young mice, but alternative mechanisms are used by aged mice. The lower body temperatures in the aged mice are similar to studies in aging humans.

Aging↗
PubMed1996

Depressed mood and the incidence of Alzheimer's disease in the elderly living in the community.

BACKGROUND: It remains unclear whether depression increases the risk for dementia in the elderly. We evaluated the relationship between depressed mood at baseline and the incidence of dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease, in the elderly living in the community. METHODS: A total of 1070 elderly individuals, aged 60 years or older, were identified as part of a registry for dementia in the Washington Heights community of North Manhattan, NY. In a prospective, longitudinal design with follow-up for 1 to 5 years, annual physician evaluation and neuropsychological testing were used to assess levels of cognitive impairment and to diagnose dementia. Depressive symptoms were evaluated with the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. Based on clinical considerations and a validity study, a positive score for the depressed mood item was used in statistical analyses. To confirm the results, the total Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score was also evaluated as the "depression" variable. RESULTS: Of the 1070 subjects, 218 met criteria for dementia at baseline evaluation. In the 852 subjects without dementia, depressed mood was more common in individuals with greater cognitive impairment. In a follow-up study of 478 of these subjects without dementia (mean +/- SD, 2.54 +/- 1.12 years of follow-up), the effect of baseline depressed mood on the end-point diagnosis of dementia (93% had possible or probable Alzheimer's disease) was evaluated in a Cox proportional hazards model. Depressed mood at baseline was associated with an increased risk of incident dementia (relative risk, 2.94; 95% confidence interval, 1.76 to 4.91; P < .001). This effect remained after adjustment for age, gender, education, language of assessment, Blessed Memory Information and Concentration test scores, and Blessed Functional Activity Scale scores (relative risk, 2.05; 95% confidence interval, 1.16 to 3.62; P < .02). Similar results were obtained when the total Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score was used as the depression variable, with the use of the same covariates (relative risk, 1.07 per point interval; 95% confidence interval, 1.02 to 1.11; P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Depressed mood moderately increased the risk of developing dementia, primarily Alzheimer's disease. Whether depressed mood is a very early manifestation of Alzheimer's disease, or increases susceptibility through another mechanism, remains to be determined.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1996

The effects of hemispheric asymmetries and depression on the perception of emotion.

The present study investigated hemispheric asymmetries in the perception of positive and negative emotion. The moderating effect of depression on hemispheric asymmetries was also examined. Forty undergraduates were presented with happy and sad faces using a bilateral visual half-field design. Subjects were classified as depressed or nondepressed based on scores on the Beck Depression Inventory. For nondepressed subjects, a right hemisphere advantage emerged for the speed of processing open and close-mouth sad expressions. For depressed subjects a right hemisphere advantage emerged for the speed of processing open-mouth sad expressions. In addition, a right hemisphere advantage for accuracy in identifying sad expressions was found for all subjects. No visual field differences were found for processing happy expressions.

Affect↗
PubMed1996

Role of anxiety sensitivity in pain-related fear and avoidance.

Anxiety sensitivity (AS) is the fear of anxiety-related bodily sensations, arising from beliefs that the sensations have harmful consequences. There has been a good deal of research on the role of AS in anxiety disorders, and only recently have investigators begun to assess its role in other conditions. In a preliminary report, Asmundson and Norton (1995) found that chronic back-pain patients with high AS (n = 14), compared to those with lower AS (n = 56), reported greater pain-related fear, and tended to have greater avoidance. The present study further investigated the role of AS in pain-related fear and escape/avoidance. Patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain (N = 259) completed measures of AS, pain severity, and pain-related fear and escape/avoidance. Structural equation modeling supported the prediction that AS directly exacerbates fear of pain, even after controlling for the effects of pain severity on fear of pain. Support also was found for the prediction that AS indirectly promotes pain-related escape/avoidance via its influence on fear of pain. This indirect effect was significant even when controlling for the direct influence of pain severity on pain-related escape/avoidance. These results suggest that AS plays an important role in pain-related fear and escape/avoidance in people with chronic pain.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Meta-analysis of cognitive-behavioral treatments for social phobia.

A meta-analysis was conducted using 42 treatment-outcome trials for social phobia. Six conditions were compared: Waiting-list control, placebo, EXP (within-session exposure and homework exposure), CT (cognitive restructuring without exposure exercises), CT + EXP, and SST (social skills training). All interventions, including placebo, had larger effect sizes than that of the waiting-list control, and the interventions did not differ in drop-out proportions. Only CT + EXP yielded a significantly larger effect size than placebo. Effects of treatments tended to increase during the follow-up period. These results support the use of cognitive-behavioral treatments for social phobia, especially the use of CT + EXP.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗
PubMed1996

Development and validation of a reversed-phase liquid chromatographic method for analysis of aspirin and warfarin in a combination tablet formulation.

A stability-indicating liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous analysis of aspirin and warfarin in warfarin sodium/aspirin combination (DuP 647) tablets has been developed and validated. This paper presents linearity, accuracy, precision, robustness, recovery, limits of detection and quantitation, and cross-validation data. The method has been shown to be specific and stability-indicating, and to give results comparable to existing methods for the individual components. Solution stability has been optimized for routine analysis.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗
PubMed1996

Clinical outcome of a mandatory formulary switch for dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker therapy at a Veteran's Administration Medical Center.

Recently, changes in antihypertensive therapies with similar properties have been made based primarily on cost savings for hospital formularies. To assess blood pressure (BP) control and adverse side effects associated with a switch of patients on nifedipine GITS to felodipine at our Veteran's Administration Medical Center (VAMC), we prospectively studied physician records and patient-reported side effects (both from the medical record and patient questionnaires) in 127 hypertensive patients (70 +/- 10 years, 95% men, 88% nonblack, 44% with coronary disease) who underwent the forced switch in therapy. During the period of patient visits/chart review, physicians were unaware that the study was being conducted. A minimum of 2 months and two visits on each therapy was required for patient inclusion. The mean doses of nifedipine GITS and felodipine used were 55 +/- 24 mg/day and 8 +/- 2.6 mg/day, respectively. The use of supplemental antihypertensive agents was similar in both calcium channel blocker groups. Systolic BPs and heart rates were similar in patients taking the two drugs, and the diastolic BP was modestly lower in patients taking felodipine (78 +/- 10 mm Hg for felodipine and 80 +/- 10 mm Hg for nifedipine, P < .05). There were no differences in the incidence of side effects (both patient-reported and provider-reported) for the two antihypertensive therapies. These data demonstrate that in an hypertensive population followed in a VAMC, mandatory switching of stable dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker therapy did not result in any significant changes in short-term (2 to 3 months) BP control nor were adverse side effects different based on both physician- and patient- reported sources of information.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Anxiety sensitivity and depression: how are they related?

Anxiety sensitivity is the fear of anxiety-related bodily sensations, which arises from beliefs that the sensations have harmful somatic, psychological, or social consequences. Elevated anxiety sensitivity, as assessed by the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI), is associated with panic disorder. The present study investigated the relationship between anxiety sensitivity and depression. Participants were people with panic disorder (n = 52), major depression (n = 46), or both (n = 37). Mean ASI scores of each group were elevated, compared to published norms. Principal components analysis revealed 3 factors of anxiety sensitivity: (a) fear of publicly observable symptoms, (b) fear of loss of cognitive control, and (c) fear of bodily sensations. Factors 1 and 3 were correlated with anxiety-related measures but not with depression-related measures. Conversely, factor 2 was correlated with depression-related measures but not with anxiety-related measures.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Chylothorax: a complication of a left subclavian vein thrombosis.

The development of a chylothorax is a rare complication of a superior vena caval thrombosis. We describe a unique case of chylous pleural effusion occurring in a patient with an underlying lymphoma who had a Hickman-Broviac catheter and a left subclavian vein thrombosis. The effusion resolved after the initiation anticoagulant therapy. This potentially reversible cause of a pleural effusion needs to be considered in any patient with a central venous catheter who is undergoing treatment for an otherwise malignant disorder.

Abdominal Neoplasms↗
PubMed1996

Do community hospitals reduce the use of district general hospital inpatient beds?

Community hospitals have been supported by the general public and by professionals as one means of increasing choice between local, low technology, care and high technology care at the district general hospital. However, there is no information on the impact of community hospitals on district general hospital use subsequent to NHS and community care reforms. Examination of routinely gathered activity data in the Bath Health District revealed that availability of community hospital beds was associated with reduced use of central inpatient services in the city of Bath. The reduction was most apparent for medical and geriatric beds. Decrease in the use of surgical beds was small. However, total inpatient bed use (including central and community hospital beds) was higher in the population with access to community hospital beds. We conclude that community hospitals offer one option for accessible health care and, as such merit systematic evaluation of costs and benefits. This study presents some evidence that savings could be achieved through improved efficiency.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder due to proteolipid protein gene mutation in the mother of a man with Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease.

A 23-year-old man with Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease had a novel mutation, C344A (Thr115Lys), in exon 3 of the proteolipid protein gene (PLP) His mother, heterozygous for the mutation, developed progressive personality change and a gait disorder in her mid-20s. Her MRI at age 53 showed a diffuse severe leukodystrophy. This report extends the phenotypic range of disease due to PLP gene mutations to include adult-onset dementia in females.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Seasonal temperature acclimatisation of rainbow trout: cardiovascular and morphometric influences on maximal sustainable exercise level

Adult rainbow trout (mass 600-1500 g; length 40-44 cm) were held in the laboratory for up to 28 days at seasonally appropriate temperatures. The maximal sustainable aerobic exercise level (involving slow-twitch muscle activity alone) was determined by following muscle recruitment patterns using electromyography. The mean (&plusmn; s.e.m.) speeds recorded for maximal sustainable aerobic exercise were 0.52&plusmn;0.02, 0.81&plusmn;0.06 and 0.39&plusmn;0.02 BL s-1 (body lengths per second) for animals swimming at their acclimatisation temperatures of 4, 11 and 18 &deg;C, respectively. Thus, fish acclimatised to 11 &deg;C reached the highest maximal sustainable (purely aerobic) levels of exercise. They had similar stride lengths to the 4 &deg;C animals, but generated less thrust per stride, as indicated by increased tail-beat frequency. Acclimatisation to 4 &deg;C led to an increased mass of slow muscle and more effective tail beats (greater stride length at lower frequencies), relative to animals at higher temperatures. Fish acclimatised to 18 &deg;C had the lowest stride length and a reduced aerobic swimming capacity. Sustainable levels of aerobic exercise were reflected in unchanged values for mean heart rate and arterial blood pressure between rest and imposed, graded exercise. Radiolabelled microspheres were used to determine cardiac output (V.b) and regional blood flow distribution simultaneously in fish, both at rest and while swimming, for each acclimatisation temperature. Fish acclimatised to 11 &deg;C had the greatest scope for increasing V.b. This resulted in a significant hyperaemia in slow muscle upon exercise (10-fold increase), without an active redistribution of flow from other tissues. Maximum V.b at 18 &deg;C did not differ significantly from that at 11 &deg;C but, because resting V.b was higher, the scope was reduced and was similar to that found at 4 &deg;C. Specific blood flow to the active muscle was also reduced and this, together with decreased blood oxygen content and reduced slow muscle mass, may limit aerobic swimming performance at 18 &deg;C.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1996

Uptake of indium-111-labeled platelets and indium-111 oxine by murine kidneys after total-body irradiation.

Radiation nephropathy is a well-known late manifestation of renal irradiation in human beings and experimental animals. Its pathogenesis is unclear, but vascular injury may play a role. Endothelial cells have been demonstrated to manifest a variety of abnormalities within hours of exposure to radiation. In the present experiments mice were exposed to lethal doses of whole-body radiation, and the distribution of 111In-labeled platelets was evaluated during the first week after irradiation. The purpose was to determine if early abnormalities of endothelial cells would be manifested by altered sequestration of platelets in kidneys and other organs. It was found that the indium accumulated in the kidneys of irradiated mice to a greater extent than in nonirradiated mice, supporting the possibility of early vascular injury. In control experiments, administration of 111In-oxine was also followed by excessive accumulation of radioactivity in kidneys of irradiated mice, but the pattern of accumulation differed from that seen after injection of radiolabeled platelets. Renal hyperemia was not demonstrable with 51Cr-labeled red cells, renal vascular permeability was not detected with 125I-labeled albumin, and the pattern of renal uptake of plasma proteins labeled with 59Fe or 111In did not coincide with that seen from 111In administered as labeled platelets or oxine. Renal uptake of 111In-oxine was not associated with alterations in urinary or fecal excretion or an increase in total-body retention of the radioisotope. The findings are consistent with the notion that renal vascular injury at the time of irradiation results in accumulation of platelets or platelet constituents during the first week after total-body irradiation of mice.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Parents' opinions concerning possible causes of cerebral palsy.

This study surveys parents of children with cerebral palsy. The purpose of the study is to report the parents' opinions concerning possible causes of cerebral palsy. All parents of children with cerebral palsy who attended the United Cerebral Palsy centers in North Carolina were asked to respond to a survey concerning their opinions of possible causative factors related to cerebral palsy. Parents of children with cerebral palsy participating in this study reported agreement with several possible causative factors of cerebral palsy. Though the opinions of these parents largely reflect knowledge that is consistent with the literature, there is also confusion concerning some factors that have been associated with cerebral palsy. There is a need for more study of causative factors related to cerebral palsy.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Nutrition: an issue of concern for children with disabilities.

Children with special health care needs should be identified as early as possible. Nutritionists, educators, therapists, parents, primary care clinicians, should serve as interdisciplinary advocates for these children by planning through conversations, meetings, and individualized educational plan objectives to secure any needed services. Intervention services also can involve specialized techniques such as food preparation, stimulation of the eating process, and monitoring of specialized feedings (e.g., gastrostomy tubes). Intervention with children exhibiting special health needs should be interdisciplinary in nature, family centered, community based, and cognizant of cultural differences. Some of the intervention strategies for this population include screening and assessment, genetic counseling, support groups for families, financial counseling, transportation, legal services, day care, respite care, and assistance with special equipment [1].

Child↗
PubMed1996

Evaluation of the function of the human apolipoprotein B gene nuclear matrix association regions in transgenic mice.

The human apolipoprotein B (apoB) gene resides in a 47.5 kb DNasel-sensitive chromosomal domain in hepatic and intestinal cells, flanked by the 5' distal matrix association region (MAR) and the 3' proximal MAR. A third MAR, the 5' proximal MAR, is found only in transcriptionally active hepatic (HepG2) cells. Hepatic expression of the apoB gene requires a tissue-specific promoter (-898 to +121) and an enhancer from the second intron of the gene (+360 to +1064). A vector containing this portion of the gene linked to the beta-galactosidase reporter is sufficient for low level expression in the livers of transgenic mice. Expression in transgenic mice was increased when the promoter-enhancer beta-gal vector was flanked by MARs. The results were similar whether the 5' distal, the 5' proximal or the 3' proximal MARs were placed at both ends of the construct, or whether the construct was flanked by the 5' distal and the 3' MAR, suggesting that the apoB MARs play a role in gene expression in vivo. When the MAR-containing constructs were transiently transfected into HepG2 cells, the resulting beta-gal activities were similar to that of the construct lacking MARs, thus demonstrating that the MARs do not exhibit any enhancer activity. Recent experiments (Kalos, M., and R. E. K. Fournier. 1995. Mol. Cell. Biol. 15: 198-207) examining stable integration of some of our constructs into human and rat hepatoma transfectants suggest that in single and double copy transfectants, the apoB MARs behave as boundary "insulators", protecting the integrated transgenes against position effects regardless of their site of integration. However, multicopy transfectants are transcriptionally inactive and when the MARs are absent, expression of the transgenes drops to background levels. Our results to date with single and low-copy number transgenes do not support an insulator function for the apoB MARs, although they appear to be required to increase the levels of expression.

Animals↗