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Biomedical subjects

A Sullivan

Publications and source records attributed to A Sullivan.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Comparison of two BACTEC anaerobic culture media for recovery of anaerobic bacteria.

A selection of 22 anaerobic isolates, originally recovered from sterile body sites or wounds, was cultured in parallel in BACTEC anaerobic NR7A and lytic 37A bottles supplemented with volunteer human blood. The overall detection rate was 95% for the 37A medium and 75% for the NR7A medium (P = 0.003). The growth indices were consistently higher in the 37A bottles, and a positive result occurred sooner in the 37A medium in 11 of the 32 bottles positive in both media. In an analysis of patient specimens, the NR7A bottle had a 14% false-positive rate compared with 3% for the 37A bottle. The increase in recovery, coupled with the decrease in false-positive readings, make the lytic 37A bottle more efficacious than the NR7A bottle as an anaerobic culture medium.

Bacteria, Anaerobic↗
PubMed1993

Prognostic significance of transient ST segment changes after coronary artery bypass surgery: a long-term (4-10 year) follow up study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the long-term (four to 10 years) prognostic significance of transient ST segment changes on ambulatory ST segment monitoring after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). PATIENTS AND METHODS: 76 patients (67 men, nine women) underwent CABG between 1982 and 1984 (n = 31) and between 1987 and 1988 (n = 45) and at a mean age of 57. All underwent 48 hours of ambulatory ST segment monitoring at a mean of 19 weeks after surgery. The results were available for assessment. All general practitioners were contacted and patients' notes reviewed. Patients were contacted by telephone. Details were recorded of intervening events (acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina, need for further revascularisation, and deaths). Event free survival curves were produced for those with and without transient ST segment changes during routine postoperative ambulatory ST segment monitoring. RESULTS: During 3213 hours of monitoring after CABG, 21 (27.6%) of 76 patients had transient ST segment changes, of which 70% were silent. Over a mean 70 month follow up period, patients with such ischaemic changes were no more likely to have either an objective (myocardial infarction or cardiac death) or subjective (unstable angina or another revascularisation) event than those patients without ischaemic changes. This finding was the same in patients operated on between 1987 and 1988 and between 1982 and 1984. CONCLUSIONS: Although ambulatory ST segment monitoring is becoming increasingly popular in some countries as a routine investigation for ischaemia in various coronary subgroups, the findings of such an investigation, when performed after CABG, do not help to identify a subgroup more likely to have an adverse outcome during up to 10 years of follow up. There seems to be no reason to perform this investigation after surgery, and particularly to refer patients for reinvestigation because of the detection of predominantly silent ST segment changes of uncertain relevance.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Bias and variability in blood pressure measurement with ambulatory recorders.

This study sought to determine whether patient characteristics such as age, sex, blood pressure, and pulse pressure differently affect the accuracy of an oscillometric (SpaceLabs 90207) and a microphonic (TM2420 version 7) blood pressure monitor. Blood pressure recorded by two oscillometric and two microphonic ambulatory monitors was compared with simultaneous readings by two pairs of trained, blinded observers using random-zero sphygmomanometry. One hundred and eighteen subjects (53 men and 65 women, aged 17 to 94 years; systolic pressure, 89 to 211 mm Hg; diastolic, 44 to 116 mm Hg) were studied. There were no significant differences within each observer pair or between the two observer pairs as well as no correlation between interobserver differences and patient characteristics. The differences between the monitor and trained observers' readings were 2.8 +/- 9.9 mm Hg systolic and 3.9 +/- 6.8 mm Hg diastolic for the SpaceLabs and 5.0 +/- 5.2 mm Hg systolic and 3.4 +/- 6.1 mm Hg diastolic for the TM2420. Patient characteristics that predicted measurement error were defined by multiple regression. For oscillometry, systolic measurement error was highly correlated with systolic pressure, pulse pressure, and subject age. The diastolic error was significantly correlated with pulse pressure, diastolic pressure, and subject sex. For the oscillometric monitor, patient characteristics accounted for 36.6% of the variation of the systolic error and 34.7% of the variation of the diastolic error. For the microphonic monitor, only age correlated with diastolic error, and no significant correlations were seen with systolic error. Patient characteristics accounted for only 1.2% of the systolic and 8.9% of the diastolic error.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

The high cost of hospital trauma care: an analysis of hospital length of stay, injury severity score, case mix index, and reimbursement-to-cost ratio.

We conducted a study to evaluate reimbursement characteristics for an urban hospital providing a high volume of trauma care. Complete clinical and financial data for 209 trauma patients admitted to the Bronx Municipal Hospital Center during September 1990 were entered into a trauma registry. Patients were categorized into three groups. Group 1 fulfilled criteria for reimbursement using the New York State Major Diagnostic Category 25 (NYSMDC 25) for trauma. Group 2 patients fulfilled New York City Emergency Medical Service 911 criteria for transport to a level 1 trauma center. Group 3 patients did not fit either category. Analysis included age, race, sex, length of stay, injury severity score, case mix index, payer source, and reimbursement-to-cost ratio. Of the patients studied, 77.5% were men. Hispanic, African-American, and white patients constituted 40.2%, 26.3%, and 17.2%, respectively, of the study population. The payer mix was 36.6% Medicaid; 20.8% self-pay; 19.1% no fault; 9.6% Blue Cross; 5.5% Medicare; 5% commercial; and 3.3% other. The study demonstrated that criteria for group 1 and group 2 define patients who constitute a distinct clinical group by injury severity score. As expected, the length of stay and case mix index were significantly higher for group 1, but they did not differ between group 2 and group 3. Group 1 was a small proportion (7.7%) of trauma patients admitted to the Bronx Municipal Hospital Center level 1 trauma center. Trauma admissions were treated at a net loss, with a projected high annual deficit of $5.3 million.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Migration of erythrosin-labelled saliva during unilateral chewing in man.

The aim was to monitor the distribution of erythrosin-labelled saliva around the mouth during normal, unilateral chewing on gum. Thirty-one subjects chewed chewing-gum containing erythrosin on the preferred side for 5 min. The mouth was examined and the distribution of the dye recorded on standardized charts. The dye was present mainly ipsilateral to the chewing side. Although the dye did cross the mid-line, it was rarely present in the contralateral premolar and molar regions.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

The association of menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause with recurrent oral aphthous stomatitis: a review and critique.

OBJECTIVE: To examine critically the postulated associations between recurrent aphthous stomatitis and the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause, and to determine why such associations had been accepted previously in the absence of convincing evidence. DATA SOURCES: We used MEDLINE data base searches in 1988 and 1991 to identify all articles since 1966 referring to estrogen, progesterone, menstruation, menstrual cycle, menopause, or pregnancy, and to aphthous stomatitis. Similar searches were carried out in the Index to Dental Literature for the period 1942-1991, and in MEDLINE on CD-ROM in 1991. Articles uncovered were examined for further appropriate references in the 50-year period 1942-1991. We excluded letters, abstracts, and articles in journals that are not peer-reviewed. METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION: We discovered one retrospective study on aphthous ulceration and ovarian hormones, eight prospective studies, three uncontrolled trials on the use of hormones in aphthous stomatitis, one controlled trial, and four review papers. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Each paper was carefully read, in translation where necessary, and opinions and findings were critically examined for source, authenticity, and statistical analysis. Each paper was also examined critically in terms of its review and acceptance of previous papers. The papers were too diverse in nature to permit a structured criticism. CONCLUSIONS: No associations have been established between aphthous stomatitis and the premenstrual period, pregnancy, or menopause. No properly designed study has shown a therapeutic effect of ovarian hormones on aphthous stomatitis. Reasons for this lack and the need for large-scale studies are identified.

Female↗
PubMed1990

Mothers' views on the ages of onset for four childhood disorders.

The mothers of 120 consecutive children in our outpatient clinic were asked a series of questions about their views on the ages at which their children became deviant. The symptoms of autism were the earliest noted at 15 months. Those with symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or conduct disorder plus ADHD, did not separate by age of onset. The mean for both groups was the fourth year of life. Children with conduct disorder alone had a putative age of onset of six years.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗
PubMed1990

Changes in spine length during and after seated whole-body vibration.

The authors examined the relation between exposure to seated whole-body vibration (WBV) and an increase in the loss of height of the spine over and above normal diurnal changes. A device for measuring sitting height is described (SD, 1.4 mm for repeated measures). The mean change in body height (diurnal reduction) during two normal days in five men aged 23 to 25 years was 10.6 mm, (SD, 3.2 mm). On the third day, the change in sitting height was measured before and after vertical vibration (5 Hz with a peak-to-peak amplitude of 3 mm, and peak acceleration less than 2 m/s2) and again at the end of the day. The mean reduction in sitting height over the half hour of vibration exposure was 9.0 mm versus less than 1 mm for the control condition. The mean height loss over the third day (the day of 30 minutes of vibration exposure) was only 3.6 mm (compared with 10.6 mm lost over a control day with no vibration exposure). Hence, exposure to vibration increased the creep response in all subjects during exposure but, at the end of the day, there was a recovery in height, such that subjects were taller at the end of the day of vibration exposure. It is hypothesized that this "rebound" effect is due to an inflammatory response in the spine.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Correlation between caries incidence and secretion rate/buffer capacity of stimulated whole saliva in 5-7-year-old children matched for lactobacillus count and gingival state.

The correlation between caries incidence and secretion rate/buffer capacity of stimulated whole saliva was studied in 87 children over the period from 5 to 7 years of age. Coefficients of correlation were calculated in subgroups homogenized with regard to lactobacillus count and gingival state. The highest value for saliva secretion rate was found in the subgroup with favourable values of the factors used for matching (r = 0.07). For buffer capacity the highest value was found in the corresponding subgroup (r = -0.31). The caries differences between groups with less favourable and favourable values of the salivary variables were also determined after elimination of the modifying effects of lactobacillus count and gingival state. The percentage difference varied between 20 and 26. It was concluded that the saliva secretion rate and buffer capacity of saliva have a weak connection with caries incidence at this age.

Buffers↗
PubMed1989

Correlation between child caries incidence and S. mutans/lactobacilli in saliva after correction for confounding factors.

The correlation between caries incidence and Streptococcus mutans/lactobacilli in saliva was studied in two different age groups, followed from ages 5 to 7 and from 12 to 14. The coefficients of correlation were computed before and after correction for the confounding effect of oral hygiene and the alternative bacteria. The best value for S. mutans was found for the total material in the younger age group (r = 0.24). For lactobacilli the best value was found for the total materials and in the subgroup with less favorable oral hygiene and S. mutans count in the older age group (r = 0.18). The connection between caries incidence and these bacteria was shown to be weak at the individual level, particularly after correction for confounding. The caries differences at group level between subgroups with less favorable and favorable counts of the bacteria were also checked after correction for confounders. The "reduction" figures for S. mutans varied between 23 and 63% and for lactobacilli between 8 and 37% in the two sets of material.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1989

Systematic analysis of gingival state and salivary variables as predictors of caries from 5 to 7 years of age.

The aim was to assess the caries predictive ability of gingival state, salivary counts of lactobacilli and S. mutans, salivary secretion rate and buffer capacity of the saliva from the ages of 5 to 7 yr. The material comprised 105 children who were examined once a year. All available screening levels were systematically tested for the single variables as well as for combinations of two or three variables. The screening levels were set where the highest possible sensitivity and specificity were reached simultaneously. The predictive values for positive and negative tests were then calculated. The S. mutans count turned out to have the best combination of sensitivity (0.41) and specificity (0.83). The single variables gingival state and S. mutans had constant screening levels, while the values for lactobacilli and buffer capacity varied. The saliva secretion rate could not be measured at 5 yr of age. Systematic analyses of predictive ability of combinations of two or three variables were then performed and did not result in any clinically significant improvements of the predictive ability. The observed low predictive ability might be explained by the fact that 1) many children changed their habits during the period of investigation and 2) they were examined and treated once a year according to their individual needs, which meant variations in conservative as well as in preventive treatment.

Buffers↗
PubMed1988

Characterization of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) receptor in K562 erythroleukemia cells; evidence for a biological function for the type II IGF receptor.

Erythroleukemia cells (K562) were found to bind insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) about 10 times as much as IGF-I, insulin and human growth hormone. The specific binding of IGF-II increased as a function of cell number in a range of 0.5-6 X 10(6) cell/ml. Kinetic studies revealed that binding was time and temperature dependent and showed a broad pH optimum. Specificity studies showed no inhibition of 125I-IGF-II binding by insulin or unrelated peptide hormones. The half-maximal inhibition of 125I-IGF-II binding to K562 cells was achieved at 87 and 28 ng/ml of IGF-I and IGF-II respectively. However, the addition of 7.5 and 1.7 ng/ml of unlabeled IGF-I and IGF-II respectively increased the binding of 125I-IGF-II by 55%. This 'hook' effect was greatly reduced when K562 cell membranes were used. Scatchard analysis of IGF-II binding showed a comparable equilibrium constant with either intact cells (Ka = 8.9 X 10(8) M-1) or microsomal membranes (Ka = 5.4 X 10(8) M-1). Cross-linking studies indicated that both 125I-IGF-II and 125I-IGF-I bound to an entity of 215 kDa which increased to 260 kDa under reducing conditions. Both IGF-I and II stimulated 3H-thymidine incorporation into K562 cells whereas insulin was without effect. These data show that both IGF-I and II bind predominantly to a type II-IGF receptor in K562 cells. Since both peptides stimulate 3H-thymidine incorporation in these cells it is possible that the type II-IGF receptor is mediating an anabolic biological response in these cells.

Cell Line↗
PubMed1986

Evidence that endogenous enkephalins produce delta-opiate receptor mediated neuronal inhibitions in rat dorsal horn.

Kelatorphan, a full inhibitor of aminopeptidases, enkephalinase and dipeptidylaminopeptidase, enzymes which degrade the enkephalins, produced inhibitions (around 50%) of dorsal horn C fibre evoked responses in the rat, following local application. The inhibitions were reversed by the selective delta-opiate receptor antagonists ICI 174,864. Furthermore the inhibitions produced by two doses of Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-MePhe-Gly-ol (DAGO), a potent selective mu-opiate receptor agonist, were not altered in the presence of kelatorphan, so demonstrating an additive effect of the mu-agonist and the enzyme inhibitor. The inhibitions produced by the enzyme inhibitor would seem due to an increased availability of endogenous opioids, presumably the enkephalins which act via the delta-opiate receptor.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis in experimental iron overload.

Significant increases in prolyl hydroxylase activity, a key enzyme in the collagen biosynthetic pathway, were noted in the hepatic homogenates of iron-loaded animals as compared to controls. The increase in prolyl hydroxylase activity was seen without any light microscopic histologic evidence of cell necrosis or accumulation of collagen in the livers from the iron-loaded animals. However, utilizing electron microscopy, collagen fibrils were demonstrated immediately adjacent to the hepatocytes in the iron-loaded animals but not the controls. No fibroblasts or inflammatory cells were noted in this area. There was no evidence of damage to the subcellular organelles of the iron-loaded hepatocytes. The hydroxyproline content of the iron-loaded livers was also shown to be increased. These experimental studies in conjunction with clinical observations described below suggest that in vivo iron overload may have a primary effect on stimulating collagen synthesis by hepatocytes.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Enhancement of human myeloid stem cell growth in vitro.

Human myeloid stem cell growth in agar was enhanced by the addition of human plasma, red-cell lysate, hemin, and beta-mercaptoethanol to the culture system. Using conditioned media from a human T-cell or leukocyte-conditioned media as a source of colony-stimulating activity, the number of colonies was increased due to enhancement by an average of 54%. Analysis of colony types indicated that over 80% of the increase in colony number at eight days was due to granulocytic colony growth. Light density marrow cells cultured with enhancing agents produced colony levels of approximately 12-27 CFU-C/2 x 10(3) cells.

Clone Cells↗