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Biomedical subjects

V Taylor

Publications and source records attributed to V Taylor.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Expression and developmental regulation of Ehk-1, a neuronal Elk-like receptor tyrosine kinase in brain.

Protein tyrosine kinases are pivotal in central nervous tissue development and maintenance. Here we focus on the expression of Ehk-1, a novel Elk-related receptor tyrosine kinase. Ehk-1 gene expression is observed in the developing and adult central nervous system and is highly regulated throughout development at both the messenger RNA and protein levels. Three messenger RNA transcripts of 8.5, 5.9 and 5.1 kb are detectable in the rat brain and a variety of splice possibilities have been identified. However, a major protein species of around M(r) 120,000 predominates throughout development. Ehk-1 messenger RNA and protein levels are highest in the first postnatal week. By in situ messenger RNA hybridization the gene is expressed by all neurons of the adult brain, but mostly in the hippocampus, cerebral cortex and large neurons of the deep cerebellar nuclei, as well as the Purkinje and granular cells of the cerebellum. At earlier stages of development, transcripts are most prominent in the periventricular germinal layers of the brain. Immunohistochemistry reveals a pronounced membrane associated protein expression in immature neurons. In the adult animal, peak reactivity was found in the neuropil with sparing of most perikarya. The spatial and temporal pattern of ehk-1 gene expression suggests a role in both the development and maintenance of differentiated neurons of the central nervous system.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Postcardiac catheterization time-in-bed study: enhancing patient comfort through nursing research.

Cardiac catheterization has become a routine diagnostic procedure. Little has been written about standards for nursing care related to bed rest postcatheterization. The purpose of this experimental study was to determine whether there was a significant difference in incidence of bleeding from catheter insertion site between those patients who remained in bed for 12 hours and those who remained in bed for 6 hours post-procedure. There was no significant difference between the two groups. Postprocedure bed rest was reduced from 12 to 6 hours in this tertiary care medical center. Decreasing time in bed reduced cost and patient discomfort.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Anaesthesia and tuberous sclerosis.

The anaesthetic management of a patient with tuberous sclerosis undergoing two-stage scoliosis surgery is described. The patient suffered from severe mental retardation, seizures and facial angiofibromas. General anaesthesia using isoflurane and nitrous oxide in oxygen, supplemented with opioid analgesia and hydralazine, and labetalol to induce hypotension, appeared to be satisfactory. Postoperative recovery was delayed and complicated by pleural effusion, sputum retention and mild seizures. Tuberous sclerosis is an autosomal dominant disease well known for its neurocutaneous manifestations. Other organs such as the heart, lungs and kidneys may be involved. The potential problems in the anaesthetic management of a patient with tuberous sclerosis are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

A breast cancer screening educational intervention targeting medical office staff.

There is persistent evidence that breast cancer screening techniques remain under-utilized. While physicians cite lack of time as a barrier to the provision of preventive services, nurses and other medical office staff are in an ideal position to educate women and motivate adherence to screening recommendations. This paper describes the design, implementation and process evaluation of a breast cancer screening educational program targeting primary care medical office staff. This intervention was conducted in two Washington State counties as part of a larger community organization study. The PRECEDE model, educational outreach principles and focus groups were used to guide the program development. Consistent with 'academic detailing' concepts, the sessions were delivered at health care facilities. The program included a review of breast cancer-related data and screening methods, an overview of the nurse's role as a 'change agent' and breast self-examination instructor, and a discussion of women's barriers to mammography. Community-level penetration was relatively high, with sessions being completed by approximately 50% of the eligible staff. Overall, participants were positive about the value of the program. Medical office-based educational sessions have the potential of reaching a large proportion of primary health care workers and increasing disease prevention in communities.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1993

Protein kinases expressed in aggregating brain cell cultures during myelination.

Serum-free aggregating rat brain cell cultures provide sufficient cell surface and paracrine interactions between neurons and glial cells for compact myelination. We are interested in the part played in these signalling pathways by protein kinases and have used a PCR cDNA cloning approach to catalogue the protein kinase genes expressed by these cultures. 8 transmembrane protein kinases were identified: IGF1-R, trk B, bFGF-R, c-met, Tyro2, Tyro1, Tyro4 and a novel eck-related gene. The first 4 are receptors for ligands with known trophic functions. Tyro2 is a novel gene related to the EGF-R. The latter 3 belong to the eck gene family of more than 8 highly related putative receptors for, as yet, unknown ligands. 8 cDNAs for intracellular protein kinases were also isolated including 3 novel genes. Ongoing studies are investigating whether these proteins contribute to myelination and/or could be used as therapeutic targets in demyelinating diseases.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Racial misclassification of Native Americans in a surveillance, epidemiology, and end results cancer registry.

BACKGROUND: The cancer incidence for all sites has been reported to be lower in Native Americans than in White Americans. Concerns have been expressed, however, that the observed low incidence may be a result of inaccurate reporting of race. PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to investigate the extent to which racial misclassification may contribute to the observed low cancer incidence among Native Americans. METHODS: A registry of individuals eligible to receive medical services funded by the Indian Health Service was linked by computer to the Puget Sound Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cancer registry. RESULTS: Only 137 (60%) of the patients with invasive cancer registered with the Indian Health Service and for whom race was recorded were identified as Native Americans in the SEER registry. Similarly, 55 (69%) of 80 in situ cervical cancer case patients were classified as Native American. A strong association was observed between Native-American blood quantum level and racial misclassification. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that the observed low cancer incidence in Native Americans relative to Whites in the northwest United States is at least partially attributable to racial misclassification in the SEER cancer registry.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Mammography quality assurance in Washington State.

Poor mammography quality control results in the loss of important diagnostic information. Several organizations and agencies recommend or require that mammography quality assurance procedures include the periodic evaluation of equipment. The objective of this study was to assess compliance with published guidelines pertaining to the monitoring of mammography equipment. One hundred eighty-four Washington state mammography facilities were surveyed by mail during late 1989 and early 1990. The response rate was 71%. A large proportion of facilities was not complying with published guidelines concerning the frequency of evaluation of processor parameters and phantom image quality. Results suggest that many facilities were not in compliance with American College of Radiology recommendations concerning annual system evaluation by a physicist. The results of this study reinforce the importance of establishing minimum quality assurance standards and indicate a need for more mammography quality assurance technologist training.

Equipment and Supplies↗
PubMed1992

Risk factors for coronary heart disease: a study in inner London.

A survey was carried out among 281 men and women aged between 30 and 64 years randomly selected from five general practices located in the inner London borough of Tower Hamlets, to determine the prevalence of risk factors for coronary heart disease. Smoking and obesity were both more pronounced in Tower Hamlets than in comparable national studies: 51% of men and 44% of women were smokers and 57% of these were smoking 20 or more cigarettes per day. A body mass index of 30 or more was present in 18% of men and 10% of women and a body mass index of 25 or more in 71% of men and 49% of women. Two or more risk factors for coronary heart disease (smoking and/or hypertension and/or raised cholesterol levels) were present in 25% of men and 22% of women. For every person known by their general practitioner to have established cardiovascular disease, there were an additional two people also at risk on the basis of multiple risk factors. In this inner city population the prevalence of cardiovascular risk, for women as well as men, has major resource and organizational implications for primary care. A strategy for change requires action based on graded multiple risks for both men and women.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Radioiodinated CGP 42112A: a novel high affinity and highly selective ligand for the characterization of angiotensin AT2 receptors.

CGP 42112A, a potent angiotensin AT2 receptor selective ligand, was radio-iodinated and its binding characteristics compared with those of [125I]angiotensin II. In human myometrium (only AT2 expressed), binding was saturable (Kd 1.03 x 10(-10) M; Bmax 807 fmol/mg) and reversible (K+1 1.89 x 10(8) M-1.min-1; K-1 3.77 x 10(-3) min-1). The order of potency of a number of peptides and non-peptides was the same as when [125I] angiotensin II was used as tracer. No specific binding could be detected on membranes from vascular smooth muscle cells (only AT1 expressed). In rat adrenal glomerulosa membranes (mixed AT1/AT2), [125I]CGP 42112A bound only to AT2. [125I]CGP 42112A can therefore be used as a specific probe for AT2 receptors and will be especially useful in tissues where other subtypes are also present.

Angiotensin II↗
PubMed1991

Angiotensin II AT2 receptors do not interact with guanine nucleotide binding proteins.

We have studied the effect of GTP gamma S on the affinity and binding kinetics of angiotensin II in plasma membrane particulate prepared from tissues expressing either only AT1 (human renal artery smooth muscle cells), only AT2 (human myometrium and bovine cerebellar cortex) or both angiotensin II receptor subtypes (rat adrenal glomerulosa). We also examined the ability of angiotensin II to stimulate GTP gamma[35S] incorporation in these membrane preparations. In contrast to its effects on angiotensin II binding to the AT1 receptor, GTP gamma S does not affect binding parameters to the AT2 receptor. Moreover, in tissues expressing solely AT2 receptors, angiotensin II was unable to induce GTP gamma[35S] incorporation. These findings indicate that AT2 receptors do not interact with G-proteins and that angiotensin II must therefore mediate some of its effects through G-protein-independent mechanisms.

Angiotensin II↗
PubMed1991

Maternal smoking and placenta previa.

We conducted a case-control study of the relation between smoking and placenta previa, using Washington State birth certificate data from 1984 through 1987. The study population was comprised of live, singleton births to women whose pregnancies were complicated by placenta previa (N = 598) and randomly selected controls (N = 2,422) from the same time period. We used logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI). Maternal smoking approximately doubled the risk of placenta previa after adjustment for the confounding effect of maternal age (OR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.7-2.5).

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Determination of phosphatidylcholine and disaturated phosphatidylcholine content in lung surfactant by high performance liquid chromatography.

A rapid isocratic method for determining the total phosphatidylcholine and disaturated phosphatidylcholine levels in lung surfactant preparations by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is described. The analysis was performed on a 3.9 x 300 mm mu-Porasil column with detection by refractive index. The lipids were eluted with a solvent system of chloroform-acetonitrile-methanol-water-85% phosphoric acid 650:650:500:130:2 (v/v/v/v/v). A 4.6 x 30 mm silica guard column was used in place of an injector loop which served as a sample concentrator and purifier. Phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylglycerol, all known components of lung surfactants, were eluted from the loop column and were prevented from reaching the analytical column. Sphingomyelin and lysophosphatidylcholine elute later than the phosphatidylcholines on the analytical column. The method was developed so that phosphatidylcholines elute as a single peak regardless of the fatty acid chain length (C12-C20). When the sample was first oxidized with a potassium permanganate-potassium metaperiodate solution, and potentially interfering oxidation products were removed by extraction into a basic aqueous phase, then only the disaturated phosphatidylcholines were analyzed.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Cardiorespiratory function in 16 full-term infants with sudden infant death syndrome.

Twenty-four-hour tape recordings of ECG and breathing movements from 16 term infants (greater than or equal to 37 weeks' gestation) who subsequently died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) were compared with recordings from surviving infants from the same populations. Apneic pauses of varying durations, periodic and regular breathing patterns, heart and respiratory rates during regular breathing were measured. Only one of 16 full-term infants with SIDS had findings outside the range of age-matched control infants (an excess of periodic breathing patterns and an absence of regular breathing). When the first recordings of each of infants who died of SIDS, except one who had cyanotic episodes prior to death, were compared to recordings of survivors (six for each case) closely matched for age, gestation, and weight at birth, no differences in breathing patterns or heart or respiratory rates during regular breathing could be demonstrated. These particular measurements of cardiorespiratory function were, therefore, unable to identify the majority of full-term infants at risk for SIDS.

Apnea↗
PubMed1984

Complete rectal prolapse: repair by a simple technique.

A simple technique for the repair of complete rectal prolapse is described, and the results assessed. The method involves posterior rectopexy, suturing the rectum to the sacrum with paired interrupted linen sutures, thus avoiding the insertion of sheets of foreign material. The operation is suitable for all ages, and the minimal pelvic dissection required facilitates its use in high risk patients. The procedure was carried out in 23 patients, aged between 14 and 88, with a follow up period of between 2 months and 6.5 years. There was one postoperative death. The operation has a low morbidity and mortality, and the majority of the patients are now totally asymptomatic. There have been no recurrences of the complete rectal prolapse.

Adolescent↗