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Biomedical subjects

S Wilson

Publications and source records attributed to S Wilson.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Developing reciprocal trust in the caregiving relationship.

A summer camp for ventilator-dependent children provided a natural laboratory in which to explore the development of a caregiver-child relationship. The campers' routine treatments were "downplayed" to create a more "normal" camp experience while ensuring that the children had a safe environment and maintained a stable medical condition. Campers who normally had consistent home caregivers were observed as they were cared for by new caregivers. Using grounded theory methods, a model describing four types of relationships--tentative, familiar, mutually protective, and connected--was developed. Strategies used by caregiver-camper dyads to sustain a relationship or to progress to a more intense relationship were identified. Developing reciprocal trust was the basic social process that enabled the caregiver and child to reach the goal of becoming connected. Previous camp experience and caregiver contact had an impact on the initial degree of trust between camper and caregiver, and subsequently, it influenced the development of the relationship. This study provides important information about the role of trust in establishing effective caregiving relationships.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Effect of dental treatment on the lung function of children with asthma.

In this preliminary study, the authors evaluated whether dental treatment can trigger a reaction in the hyperactive airways of children with asthma, thereby affecting lung function. They also examined the variables, if any, that predict a change in lung function in relation to dental treatment. They tested the lung function of 57 6- to 18-year-old subjects with histories of active asthma, using spirometry before, immediately after and 30 minutes after routine dental treatment. Results revealed a statistically significant decrease (P < .05) in lung function and a clinically significant decrease in lung function in approximately 15 percent of the subjects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Improved retroperitoneal and gastrointestinal sonography using oral contrast agents in a porcine model.

OBJECTIVE: Abdominal sonography can be compromised by the presence of air within the scanning field. Gas-displacing oral contrast agents have the potential to improve the diagnostic yield of routine abdominal sonography. The purpose of this study was to investigate two oral contrast agents and water and to compare their ability to improve abdominal sonography with an unenhanced baseline study and each other in a porcine model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The acoustic properties of agent 1 (Oralex; Molecular Biosystems, San Diego, CA), a suspension of polydextrose in purified water; agent 2, a homemade agent (named BMW), a suspension of polysaccharide particles in water; and water were assessed in finger phantoms under laboratory conditions. Each solution was subsequently evaluated in 10 pigs, for a total of 30 animals. The bolus character, gas artifact, abdominal viscera, vessels, and gut wall were graded from 1 (nondiagnostic) to 5 (excellent) in the unenhanced and postcontrast states. Postcontrast grades were compared with unenhanced baseline grades using the Wilcoxon signed-rank correlation. Agents were compared with each other using the Mann-Whitney U test (Wilcoxon rank sum test). RESULTS: All three solutions were hypoechoic, were homogeneous, and showed minimal attenuation and backscatter. Both oral contrast agents had excellent bolus characteristics (agent 1, grade 5.0 +/- 0; agent 2, grade 4.6 +/- 0.5), displaced gas from the scanning field, and significantly improved visibility in all categories, particularly the gut. No difference in performance was found between agents 1 and agent 2. Water had poor bolus characteristics (grade 1.3 +/- 0.48) and did not improve visibility over baseline. CONCLUSION: The acoustic in vitro properties of agent 1 and agent 2 approach that of an ideal sonographic contrast agent. Both agents are superior to water in their improvement of direct visualization of the retroperitoneum and the gut in abdominal sonography in a porcine model.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1998

New hands reduce handicap.

PURPOSE: This case study concerns Mr AH, a 93 year old man who suffered bilateral traumatic transcarpal amputations at the age of 17. METHOD: His presentation and the prescription of cosmetic hand prostheses illustrate several interesting points. RESULTS: These include that advanced age and lengthy period since amputation do not preclude prosthetic provision. CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral upper limb amputees can lead long, productive and fulfilling lives and the psychological benefits of cosmetic prostheses are of primary concern in the upper limb amputee.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1998

The contribution of classical (beta1/2-) and atypical beta-adrenoceptors to the stimulation of human white adipocyte lipolysis and right atrial appendage contraction by novel beta3-adrenoceptor agonists of differing selectivities.

The role of beta3- and other putative atypical beta-adrenoceptors in human white adipocytes and right atrial appendage has been investigated using CGP 12177 and novel phenylethanolamine and aryloxypropanolamine beta3-adrenoceptor (beta3AR) agonists with varying intrinsic activities and selectivities for human cloned betaAR subtypes. The ability to demonstrate beta1/2AR antagonist-insensitive (beta3 or other atypical betaAR-mediated) responses to CGP 12177 was critically dependent on the albumin batch used to prepare and incubate the adipocytes. Four aryloxypropanolamine selective beta3AR agonists (SB-226552, SB-229432, SB-236923, SB-246982) consistently elicited beta1/2AR antagonist-insensitive lipolysis. However, a phenylethanolamine (SB-220646) that was a selective full beta3AR agonist elicited full lipolytic and inotropic responses that were sensitive to beta1/2AR antagonism, despite it having very low efficacies at cloned beta1- and beta2ARs. A component of the response to another phenylethanolamine selective beta3AR agonist (SB-215691) was insensitive to beta1/2AR antagonism in some experiments. Because no [corrected] novel aryloxypropanolamine had a beta1/2AR antagonist-insensitive inotropic effect, these results establish more firmly that beta3ARs mediate lipolysis in human white adipocytes, and suggest that putative 'beta4ARs' mediate inotropic responses to CGP 12177. The results also illustrate the difficulty of predicting from studies on cloned betaARs which betaARs will mediate responses to agonists in tissues that have a high number of beta1- and beta2ARs or a low number of beta3ARs.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1998

Fetal bilateral subdural haemorrhages. Prenatal diagnosis and spontaneous resolution by time of delivery.

We report a patient diagnosed prenatally on routine fetal ultrasound, at 30 weeks' gestation, with subdural haemorrhage. The mother had suffered a mild abdominal trauma and had Factor XI deficiency; however, both were felt to be aetiologically insignificant. Prenatal follow-up showed a complete resolution of the haematoma and no postnatal sequelae have been noted to date. The aetiologies and outcomes in the few previously reported cases are reviewed and compared with our case.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Cerebrospinal nematodiasis in a white-handed gibbon (Hylobates lar) due to Baylisascaris sp.

An adult white-handed gibbon (Hylobates lar) at a zoo in eastern Kansas was euthanized after developing a head tremor, generalized motor incoordination, and partial paresis of the right arm that persisted over 2 yr. Magnetic resonance imaging early in the course of the disease demonstrated a localized left frontal lobe cerebritis. Larvae morphologically consistent with a Baylisascaris species were seen in tissue sections of the cerebrum and cerebellum. Epizootiologic investigation, which included qualitative fecal flotations, evaluation of soil samples for nematode eggs, and necropsy examination of livetrapped raccoons (Procyon lotor), indicated that Baylisascaris procyonis was most likely to have caused the cerebrospinal nematodiasis in this gibbon.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Reciprocal regional changes in brain NPY receptor density during dietary restriction and dietary-induced obesity in the rat.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) potently induces feeding, reduces thermogenesis and induces obesity in rats when injected into the cerebral ventricles. Groups of male Wistar rats were either restricted to 60% of their normal daily food intake over 10 days or made obese by presenting them with a high-calorie diet rich in sugars and fat over 6 weeks. Food restricted rats lost up to 20% of their body weight, compared with control rats and had large reductions in their body fat mass. By contrast, rats with dietary-induced obesity weighed 26% more than controls due mainly to increased body fat mass. Quantitative receptor autoradiography demonstrated reduced [(125)I]PYY binding in the hypothalamic lateral (perifornical) and dorsal areas, hypothalamic ventromedial, arcuate and dorsomedial nuclei, hippocampal CA3 region, centromedial amygdaloid nucleus and thalamic paraventricular and reuniens nuclei in dietary restricted rats compared with controls. By contrast, regional [(125)I]PYY binding was significantly increased in hypothalamic lateral and dorsal areas, hypothalamic arcuate and dorsomedial nuclei, amygdaloid medial and centromedial nuclei, thalamic centromedial and paraventricular nuclei of dietary obese rats versus controls. Masking NPY Y1 receptors with 1 microM BIBP3226, a selective Y1 receptor antagonist, revealed that the changes in [(125)I]PYY binding in brains of food-restricted and dietary-obese rats were due to changes in BIBP3226-insensitive binding sites, presumably Y2 or Y5 NPY receptors. These data suggest that dietary-restriction stimulates NPY release resulting in down-regulation of NPY Y5 'feeding' and/or Y2 receptors and reduced BAT thermogenesis thereby providing an increased drive to eat to restore normal caloric intake whilst reducing thermogenesis in order to conserve fat reserves. By contrast, the up-regulation of NPY Y5 and/or Y2 receptors in dietary-induced obesity is consistent with inhibition of NPY release in the hypothalamus, amygdala and thalamus. Overall, we suggest that there is a regional increase in NPY release during negative energy balance, such as during food-restriction and a reduced regional release of NPY in positive energy balance, such as during hyperphagia associated with the development of obesity.

Amygdala↗
PubMed1997

Imagery of craving in opiate addicts undergoing detoxification.

Craving is a significant factor in opiate addiction that is associated with drug-dependence and in relapse to drug use after treatment. In order to better understand the psychological and physiological mechanisms of craving for opiates, we have developed an imagery-based procedure using personal verbal descriptions of craving in abstinent opiate addicts. Thirteen opiate addicts in detoxification were required to imagine and describe their craving experiences while autonomic measures of heart rate and arterial pressure were taken. Subjects displayed a significant increase in systolic blood pressure and heart rate while describing drug craving compared with neutral descriptions. Furthermore, an increase in systolic blood pressure during imagery of craving descriptions compared with neutral descriptions was observed. These results provide preliminary evidence that imagery is powerful in eliciting craving for opiates, as indicated by subjective ratings and autonomic measures. The implications of the results of this paper for the cue-exposure paradigm and contemporary models of addiction are being discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

A human gene encoding morphine modulating peptides related to NPFF and FMRFamide.

FMRFamide-related peptides have been isolated from both invertebrates and vertebrates and exhibit a wide range of biological effects in rats. We show here that in humans 2 FMRFamide-related peptides are encoded by a single gene expressed as a spliced mRNA. The larger predicted peptide (AGEGLNSQFWSLAAPQRFamide) differs from the peptide isolated from bovines (AGEGLSSPFWSLAAPQRFamide) by the substitutions of 2 amino acids. The shorter predicted peptide (NPSF, SQAFLFQPQRFamide) is 3 amino acids longer than the bovine 8 amino-acid NPFF (FLFQPQRFamide) or the human NPFF peptide isolated from serum [5], suggesting that the encoded protein is subject to cleavage by a tripeptidyl peptidase or by a novel processing mechanism. On rat spinal cord, the larger peptide is indistinguishable in activity from the equivalent bovine peptide whereas the smaller extended peptide is inactive.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1997

Isolation and characterization of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe rhp9 gene: a gene required for the DNA damage checkpoint but not the replication checkpoint.

Checkpoint controls exist in eukaryotic cells to ensure that cells do not enter mitosis in the presence of DNA damage or unreplicated chromosomes. In Schizosaccharomyces pombe many of the checkpoint genes analysed to date are required for both the DNA damage and the replication checkpoints, an exception being chk1 . We report here on the characterization of nine new methylmethane sulphonate (MMS)-sensitive S.pombe mutants, one of which is defective in the DNA damage checkpoint but not the replication checkpoint. We have cloned and sequenced the corresponding gene. The predicted protein is most similar to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rad9 protein, having 46% similarity and 26% identity. The S.pombe protein, which we have named Rhp9 (Rad9 homologue in S. pombe) on the basis of structural and phenotypic similarity, also contains motifs present in BRCA1 and 53BP1. Deletion of the gene is not lethal and results in a DNA damage checkpoint defect. Epistasis analysis with other S.pombe checkpoint mutants indicates that rhp9 acts in a process involving the checkpoint rad genes and that the rhp9 mutant is phenotypically very similar to chk1.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Methemoglobinemia associated with dapsone treatment in solid organ transplant recipients: a two-case report and review.

Dapsone, a sulfone antibiotic, has been increasingly used in solid-organ transplant recipients for the primary prevention of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, especially in patients with documented sulfa allergy. A known side effect of dapsone therapy, however, is methemoglobinemia, a condition leading to impaired tissue oxygen delivery. This report documents two cases of dapsone-induced methemoglobinemia in patients after solid organ transplantation with emphasis on the importance of clinical recognition and benefits of treatment. Further, the pathophysiology and causes of this condition are extensively reviewed.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Transplantation of fetal neocortex ameliorates sensorimotor and locomotor deficits following neonatal ischemic-hypoxic brain injury in rats.

Ischemic brain injury in neonates can result in the degeneration of cortical and subcortical areas of brain and is associated with neurologic deficits. One approach to restoring function in conditions of ischemic brain injury is the use of neural transplants to repair damaged connections. This approach has been shown to reestablish neural circuitry and to ameliorate associated motor deficits in models of neonatal sensorimotor cortex damage. In this study, we utilized the Rice et al. rodent model of neonatal ischemic-hypoxic (IH) brain injury to assess whether transplantation of fetal neocortical tissue can promote functional recovery in tests of sensorimotor and locomotor ability throughout development and as adults. We show that animals that received neocortical grafts 3 days following the IH injury performed significantly better as adults on two measures of motor ability, the Rota-Rod treadmill and apomorphine-induced rotations, than did control animals that received sham transplants after the IH injury. Transplants were identifiable in 72% of the animals 10-12 weeks after implantation. Histochemical studies revealed that while the transplanted tissue did not establish normal cortical cytoarchitecture, cells and fibers within the grafts stained for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d), choline acetyl transferase (ChAT), cholecystokinin (CCK), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). These results suggest that transplantation of fetal neocortical tissue following IH injury in the neonatal period is associated with amelioration of motor deficits and that the grafted tissue demonstrated a neurochemical phenotype that resembled normal neocortex. This approach warrants continued investigation in light of potential therapeutic uses.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Selective bowel decontamination in hospitalized patients awaiting liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Infection remains a major contributor to morbidity and mortality following orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Selective bowel decontamination (SBD) in hospitalized patients is one strategy for prophylaxis. METHODS: A retrospective case-control study was performed using 18 consecutive hospitalized patients receiving SBD prior to OLT during the period September 1995 to September 1996. Eighteen consecutive hospitalized patients without SBD transplanted during the period March 1995 to September 1995 served as a historical control group. RESULTS: Selective bowel decontamination was associated with a significantly decreased prevalence of positive cultures for gram-negative bacteria and fungi and reduced overall hospital charges. CONCLUSION: In hospitalized patients awaiting OLT, SBD is an effective prophylactic measure against infectious morbidity associated with gram-negative bacteria and fungi.

Adult↗