Biomedical subjects

Amy Lee

Publications and source records attributed to Amy Lee.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2003

Elevation of ceramide in serum lipoproteins during acute phase response in humans and mice: role of serine-palmitoyl transferase.

Recent studies have indicated that ceramide generated in the liver is secreted into the bloodstream as component of very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL). This manuscript investigates the effect of host acute phase response to inflammation on lipoprotein ceramide levels. In humans, two different patterns of responses were found. One group of volunteers experienced transient increases in serum ceramide at 1.5h after LPS administration. Second group showed prolonged increases that reached up to 10-fold above the basal level and continued for up to 24h. Increases in ceramide were found only in VLDL and LDL particles. LPS administration induced similar increases in mice. These increases were accompanied by activation of secreted sphingomyelinase in serum and serine-palmitoyl transferase in liver. ASMase knockout mice retained LPS-induced increases in serum ceramide, thus suggesting that the elevation of VLDL and LDL ceramide content is attributed at least in part to activation of de novo synthesis of ceramide in the liver.

Acute-Phase Proteins↗

PubMed2003

Drug excretion into breast milk--overview.

Breastfeeding is the optimal form of infant feeding for the first months of an infant's life, and the majority of healthy women initiate breastfeeding after the birth of their infant. However, women on medication may default to formula feeding or not taking their drug therapy for fear of exposing their infant to the medication through the breast milk. Although the majority of medications are considered to be compatible with breastfeeding, cases of significant infant toxicity exist, suggesting a case by case risk assessment to be made before the mother initiates breastfeeding or drug therapy. Unfortunately, current clinical risk assessment is often compromised by the paucity of data, as studies in breastfeeding women and their infants are ethically difficult to conduct. Circumventing the ethical constraints, approaches have been proposed to estimate drug excretion into milk from physicochemical characteristics of the drug, which diffuses through the mammary gland epithelia. However, as our understanding on drug transfer mechanisms increases, it has become abundantly clear that carrier-mediated processes are involved with excretion of a number of drugs into milk. This article provides an overview of the benefits of breastfeeding, the effect of medication use during breastfeeding on maternal decisions and infant health, and factors determining infant exposure to medication through the breast milk.

Breast Feeding↗

PubMed2003

The safety of St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) during breastfeeding.

BACKGROUND: We examined the safety of St. John's wort to nursing mothers and their infants. METHOD: A prospective, observational, cohort study was conducted. Thirty-three breastfeeding women receiving St. John's wort (Group 1) who contacted our teratogen/toxicant counseling service regarding the safety of St. John's wort during breastfeeding were followed up between May 1999 and April 2001. These women were compared with 101 disease-matched (Group 2) and 33 age- and parity-matched nondisease controls (Group 3). Information collected included maternal and neonatal demographics, breastfeeding duration, use of St. John's wort, maternal and infant adverse events, infant weight over the first year of life, and whether or not the mother experienced a decrease in lactation. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences found in maternal or infant demographics or maternal adverse events. Whereas only 1 infant each in Groups 2 and 3 was reported to be colicky, there were 2 cases of "colic," 2 of "drowsiness," and 1 of "lethargy" in Group 1 (p <.01; Group 1 vs. Group 2, p <.01; Group 1 vs. Group 3, p =.20). Although 3 of these women in Group 1 consulted their doctor, specific medical treatment was not required. No significant difference was observed in the frequency of maternal report of decreased milk production among the groups, nor was a difference found in infant weight over the first year of life. CONCLUSION: These results provide a framework for the management of breastfeeding women receiving St. John's wort.

Antidepressive Agents↗

PubMed2003

Conducting routine health surveillance checks for two year olds by group assessment.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether the routine health surveillance check for two-year-old children could be satisfactorily conducted with children and their parents in groups, rather than by the traditional one-to-one approach. METHOD: Over a period of one year, a total of 160 two-year-old children were seen with their parents at group assessment sessions lasting one hour. The maximum number of two year olds at each session was eight. Children with special needs were excluded. The children's play was supervised and observed by a nursery nurse and health visitor. They recorded when individual children demonstrated activities expected of a two year old as specified in the national parent-held Personal Child Health Record (PCHR). While the children played, another health visitor led a group discussion with the parents on health and safety issues identified by the PCHR as important for two year olds. The parents then had individual interviews with a health visitor to receive feedback about their child's assessment and to discuss any issues in confidence. RESULTS: Evaluation showed that the overwhelming number of parents were satisfied with the group assessment method of health surveillance for their two year olds. Although offered a choice of group or traditional one-to-one assessments, all opted for group assessment. Of those with previous experience of the traditional method, most preferred the group assessment. Many parents commented that the group discussion was reassuring in showing them that other parents had similar problems and helpful in enabling them to hear other parents' ways of coping. No child needed a follow-up because part of the assessment had not been completed. The group assessments proved a more effective use of scarce professional resources, freeing staff time for other activities. CONCLUSION: Group assessment for routine child health and development surveillance at the age of two years appears to be effective and received a high approval rating from parents. It offers a viable alternative to the traditional one-to-one surveillance interviews.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMed2002

Differential modulation of Ca(v)2.1 channels by calmodulin and Ca2+-binding protein 1.

Ca(v)2.1 channels, which mediate P/Q-type Ca2+ currents, undergo Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent inactivation and facilitation that can significantly alter synaptic efficacy. Here we report that the neuronal Ca2+-binding protein 1 (CaBP1) modulates Ca(v)2.1 channels in a manner that is markedly different from modulation by CaM. CaBP1 enhances inactivation, causes a depolarizing shift in the voltage dependence of activation, and does not support Ca2+-dependent facilitation of Ca(v)2.1 channels. These inhibitory effects of CaBP1 do not require Ca2+, but depend on the CaM-binding domain in the alpha1 subunit of Ca(v)2.1 channels (alpha12.1). CaBP1 binds to the CaM-binding domain, co-immunoprecipitates with alpha12.1 from transfected cells and brain extracts, and colocalizes with alpha12.1 in discrete microdomains of neurons in the hippocampus and cerebellum. Our results identify an interaction between Ca2+ channels and CaBP1 that may regulate Ca2+-dependent forms of synaptic plasticity by inhibiting Ca2+ influx into neurons.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Chronic constipation in overweight children.

BACKGROUND: Obesity and functional constipation seem to share a common biopsychosocial model of causation. Though chronic constipation can significantly affect the quality of life of an overweight child, this association has not been highlighted in the literature. The purpose of this study was to compare the proportion of overweight children among children with chronic constipation with a control group of children with normal bowel habits. METHODS: Retrospective chart review with a control population. One hundred one consecutive children 5-18 years of age referred to the Subspecialty Clinic for functional constipation were the study group. The control group consisted of 100 consecutive children from the general pediatric practice seen for physicals and minor illnesses. Children with a body mass index (BMI) of >85 percentile from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) 2000 chart were classified as overweight. RESULTS: The control and study groups were statistically comparable in mean age (10.97 +/- 3.83 years and 8.07 +/- 2.56 years, respectively) and gender ratio (58 males in each group). Thirty children in the control group and 44 in the study population were overweight (p < .05). Among children with chronic constipation, the group of overweight children was male predominant (70.45% vs 47.36%, p < .05), had increased incidence of psychological/behavioral problems (45.45% vs 22.8%, p < .05), and was more likely to fail treatment (40.9% vs 21.05%, p < .05). There was no significant difference in the clinical profile of constipation, such as mean duration of constipation before presentation, sex ratio, incidence of painful defecation, and soiling and frequency of defecation between these 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: There appears to be an association between chronic severe constipation and being overweight. Children with constipation are more likely to be overweight when compared with controls. Among children with chronic constipation, overweight individuals seem to constitute a distinct clinical group. This group is male predominant, has increased incidence of psychological/behavioral disorders, and is more likely to fail treatment.

Adolescent↗