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Biomedical subjects

S Wood

Publications and source records attributed to S Wood.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Risk factors for hearing disorders: epidemiologic evidence of change over time in the UK.

The prevalence** of all bilateral sensorineural hearing impairments of at least 40 dB HL was assessed by a retrospective ascertainment study to be about 1.2 children per 1000 births per annum, over the period 1983-1988. This prevalence was highly variable over year and region of the study. For all profound (at least 95 dB HL) impairments, the prevalence was 1 in 2703 children per birth cohort. The contribution of acquired impairments and inter-region transfers after birth was not trivial, being over 25 percent for the profound impairments. The proportion of the bilateral moderately profoundly hearing impaired who might have been in the neonatal intensive care unit, have a family history of childhood deafness, or craniofacial anomaly recognizable prior to maternity discharge was 64 percent. Changes in the relative distribution of the etiology of hearing impairment seem to have taken place since the EC 1969 birth cohort study. These changes should have considerable impact on the planning of services for hearing-impaired children and child health surveillance in general.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1995

Specializing in nursing: nephrology certification and recertification: benefits and barriers.

The diversity and complexity of nephrology is increasing and specialized knowledge and skills are required to practise this subspeciality. As a result, specialization and certification by the Canadian Nurses' Association (CNA) in nephrology nursing has become a reality. Specialization benefits patients, nurses and employers by ensuring high professional standards, providing an increased sense of professional achievement and innovative ways of providing quality care. Maintaining these high standards requires continuing education and recertification. A number of educational opportunities meet these needs. Recognition of speciality services would motivate more nurses to commit to nephrology certification. Specialization demands a greater commitment from the health care system, but provides significant dividends to both the health care system and the patient.

Canada↗
PubMed1994

Integrated mapping analysis of the Werner syndrome region of chromosome 8.

The Werner syndrome locus (WRN) is located at 8p11-p12. To facilitate eventual cloning of the WRN gene, a 10,000-rad radiation-reduced hybrid (RH) cell panel was generated to map genetic markers, sequence-tagged sites (STSs), and genes in this region. A hamster cell line carrying an intact human chromosome 8 was fused with another hamster cell line. Two sets of hybrid cell panels from 2 separate fusions were generated; each panel consisted of 50 independent clones; 33 and 34 cell lines from the 2 fusions retained human chromsome material as determined by inter-Alu PCR. The combined panel was genotyped for 52 markers spanning the entire chromosome, including 10 genes, 29 anonymous polymorphic loci, and 13 STSs. Seventeen of these markers have not been previously described. Markers near the centromere were retained at a higher frequency than more distal markers. Fluorescence in situ hybridization was also used to localize and order a subset of the markers. A RH map of the WRN region was constructed using a maximum likelihood method, giving the following most likely order: D8S131-D8S339 (GSR)-D8S124-D8S278-D8S259-(D8S71)-D8S283- D8S87-D8S105-D8S135 (FGFR1)-D8S135PB-D8S255-ANK1. A genetic map of 15 short tandem repeat polymorphic loci in the WRN region was also constructed. The marker orders from the genetic and RH maps were consistent. In addition, an integrated map of 24 loci in the WRN region was generated using information from both genetic and RH mapping methods. A 1000:1 framework map for 6 loci (LPL-D8S136-D8S137-D8S87-FGFR1-ANK1) was determined by genetic mapping, and the resulting locus order was fixed during analysis of the RH genotype data. The resulting integrated map contained more markers than could confidently be ordered by either genetic or RH mapping alone.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1994

A survey of actinic keratoses among paraquat production workers and a nonexposed friend reference group.

Follow-up on two reports of an excess of keratoses among paraquat production workers was conducted to evaluate the contribution of occupational exposures to the prevalence of keratoses among workers in a paraquat production plant in Texas. A cross-sectional study design was used to compare the prevalence of keratoses among current workers to an age, race, and sex frequency-matched group of their friends who had never worked at the plant. The analysis is based on 112 workers and 232 friends. Exposure, outcome, and covariables used in the analyses were obtained from an interview questionnaire, dermatology exam, and company records. Overall, the prevalence proportion of the presence of any actinic keratoses among workers and friends was similar (0.30 and 0.28, respectively). Among high cumulative exposed workers, the prevalence of any actinic keratoses was 0.40 compared to 0.20 among low-exposed workers and 0.28 among friends. These results were further explored using a multiple logistic regression approach to adjust for known risk and possibly confounding variables. Statistically significant high risks of actinic keratoses were demonstrated for freckling before age 16 years, older age, suntanning behaviors, occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and Fitzpatrick skin type. There was no significant contribution of overall exposure status (worker vs. friend). Similar to the crude analysis, the odds of actinic keratoses of high-exposed workers compared to friends was 1.9 (confidence interval [CI] = 0.9-4.2) whereas the comparable odds ratio for low-exposed workers vs. friends was 0.6 (CI = 0.2-1.7). These data do not demonstrate an excess of actinic keratoses overall nor any consistent increase in the odds of keratoses with an increase in plant exposure level.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Mesenchymal chondrosarcoma of the maxilla.

We report, to our knowledge, the 10th recorded case of mesenchymal chondrosarcoma (MC) occurring in the maxilla. Our case is the youngest person reported with a tumour in this location. The prognosis for cure is poor with a high incidence of local recurrence as well as metastases. Treatment is based on radical surgery. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy have a adjuvant role but additional experience with this tumour is required to define the most efficacious treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Cervical pregnancy following in vitro fertilization: evacuation after uterine artery embolization with subsequent successful intrauterine pregnancy.

A case is described in which a cervical pregnancy followed in vitro fertilization. Treatment was delayed at the request of the patient until the second trimester, and was successfully managed by preoperative bilateral angiographic uterine artery occlusion, surgical evacuation, and postoperative balloon tamponade. Subsequent embryo transfer of previously cryopreserved embryos resulted in a normal intrauterine pregnancy and delivery without complications. This case highlights the need for awareness of cervical pregnancy following in vitro fertilization and the success of management which preserves fertility.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Ethanol consumption and early murine retrovirus infection influence liver, heart, and muscle levels of iron, zinc, and copper in C57BL/6 mice.

The relative and combined roles of ethanol and murine acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (MAIDS) on the mineral status (Fe, Zn, and Cu) of liver (storage site), heart, muscle (nutrient mobile sites) were investigated. C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to four groups: (a) uninfected mice fed isocaloric, adequate nutrient diet (NRC), (b) uninfected mice fed the NRC diet with 25% of energy derived from ethanol, (c) LP-BM5 retrovirus-infected mice fed the isocaloric NRC diet, and (d) retrovirus-infected mice fed the NRC diet with 25% of its energy derived from ethanol. The levels of Cu and Zn levels in the liver did not significantly change as a result of ethanol consumption. However hepatic Zn concentration was increased significantly in retrovirus-infected mice. This may be correlated to the increase in their liver weight. Ethanol administration significantly increased Fe concentration in the liver, yet significantly decreased concentration of Cu in the heart. Retrovirus infection alone, which had not proceeded to murine AIDS, resulted in a significant increase in heart Cu and Zn concentration as compared with uninfected mice. Retrovirus infection in C57BL/6 mice significantly increased Fe and Zn level/g of muscle. Early retrovirus infection alters tissue micronutrient levels, and may thus contribute to immunological changes.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed1994

Prospective studies of cerebral perfusion and cognitive testing among elderly normal volunteers and patients with ischemic vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

To compare longitudinal changes of cerebral perfusion (CBF) and cognitive status in two common forms of dementia in the elderly, 42 patients with ischemic vascular dementia (IVD), 44 patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT), and 120 elderly normal volunteers were evaluated prospectively over a mean interval of 3.35 years. Subjects were at least age sixty, (mean age 71.1). Mean bihemispheric cerebral blood flow and cognitive test scores of control subjects were significantly higher than those of both demented groups at entry and remained so. After adjustment for initial CBF, course over time was similar for all groups. Group variability was similar for CBF but not for cognition. Both IVD and DAT patients were more variable than controls but similar to each other. Throughout, DAT patients showed greater cognitive impairments than IVD patients. Cognitive impairments stabilized among IVD patients treated by control of risk factors, antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy but declined progressively among DAT patients.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1994

Computer-administered visual analogue mood scales: rapid and valid assessment of mood in HIV positive individuals.

Studies of cognition in patients with the human immunodeficiency virus must take into account the effects of mood. Standardised mood-rating questionnaires are oftentimes consuming and fatiguing for such patients and so may be omitted from experiments. Visual analogue rating scales for affective state are rapidly administered and are quite acceptable to subjects. In 64 HIV seropositive homosexual or bisexual males, measures of anxiety and depression derived from two computer-administered visual analogue scales were compared with anxiety and depression ratings from the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression. Analogue ratings of anxiety correlated .80 with STAI State anxiety and .58 with STAI Trait anxiety measures and analogue ratings of depression correlated .78 with CES-Depression measures. Analogue ratings may differentiate situational anxiety and depression more effectively and so are valid tools in assessment of anxiety and depression in HIV seropositive subjects. These may be of particular value when limitations of time or patient illness require a rapid assessment of mood variables in neuropsychiatric research.

AIDS Dementia Complex↗
PubMed1994

Short report: detection of Entamoeba histolytica and E. dispar directly in stool.

Current diagnosis of Entamoeba histolytica infection requires the direct microscopic identification of the parasite, a technique that is insensitive and cannot distinguish pathogenic E. histolytica from noninvasive E. dispar. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) antigen detection tests were developed to distinguish E. histolytica from E. dispar infection in stool specimens. The ELISA result for E. histolytica antigen was positive in 26 of 27 E. histolytica-positive stool specimens, three of 25 E. dispar-positive stools, and one of 30 stools with other or no intestinal parasites, giving a specificity and sensitivity for the detection of E. histolytica infection of 93% and 96%, respectively. The assay result used to detect both E. dispar and E. histolytica was positive in 26 of 27 E. histolytica-positive stools, 19 of 25 E. dispar-positive stools, and one of 30 stools negative by microscopy and culture for Entamoeba, giving a specificity and sensitivity of 97% and 87%, respectively. Because these ELISAs can be completed in several hours, they offer promise as rapid and sensitive means of detecting amebic infection.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

The unfolding and attempted refolding of the bacterial chaperone protein groEL (cpn60).

The unfolding of the bacterial chaperone protein groEL (cpn60) in solutions of guanidinium chloride (GdnHCl) has been studied. From the results of CD, fluorescence and light scattering, it is clear that major structural transitions in the protein occur over the range 1.0-1.5 M GdnHCl. The ATPase activity of the protein is lost at lower concentrations (0.75 M). After denaturation in concentrations of GdnHCl above 1.5 M, removal of the denaturing agent by dialysis results in very nearly complete regain of secondary structure (as judged by CD), but not the regain of correct tertiary or quaternary structure, or ATPase activity. The product was shown to be very sensitive to proteolysis by thermolysin, unlike the native protein, and not to show enhanced binding of ANS, a characteristic property of the 'molten globule' state of proteins. The results are discussed in relation to current information concerning the assembly of the groEL protein.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1993

Support for founder effect for two lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene mutations in French Canadians by analysis of GT microsatellites flanking the LPL gene.

Mutations in the human lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene are one of the major causes of familial chylomicronemia. We have characterized two polymorphic GT microsatellites flanking this gene. Two LPL mutations that are extremely frequent in French Canadians appear to be in complete linkage disequilibrium with specific LPL microsatellite haplotypes indicating a founder effect within this population.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Diagnosis of pathogenic Entamoeba histolytica infection using a stool ELISA based on monoclonal antibodies to the galactose-specific adhesin.

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) directed against pathogen-specific epitopes of the galactose adhesin of Entamoeba histolytica were used in an ELISA to detect antigen from pathogenic E. histolytica. Single stool specimens from 74 patients in Bangladesh were used. The ELISA for pathogenic E. histolytica was positive in all 12 stool specimens with pathogenic amebae subsequently cultured, in no stool specimens with nonpathogenic E. histolytica and in 2 of 40 stools with other or no intestinal parasites detected. Specificity and sensitivity of the assay for pathogenic E. histolytica were 97% and 100%, respectively. These preliminary data offer promise for an ELISA using MAbs to the galactose adhesin as a rapid and sensitive means to detect the presence of pathogenic E. histolytica infection in stool specimens.

Animals↗