PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

C Collins

Publications and source records attributed to C Collins.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Institutionalization of an elderly family member: reactions of spouse and nonspouse caregivers.

Although a prevalent clinical assumption is that the caregiver well-being improves following patient institutionalization, recent research challenges this assumption. In this article, the impact of patient institutionalization on the well-being of family caregivers is examined. Caregiver reaction, sense of general well-being and level of depression are compared pre- and postinstitutionalization and differences between spouse, adult child, and other caregivers are investigated.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Construction and characterization of plasmid libraries enriched in sequences from single human chromosomes.

Plasmid libraries enriched in sequences from single chromosome types have been constructed for all human chromosomes. This was accomplished by transferring inserts from the Charon 21A phage libraries constructed by the National Laboratory Gene Library Project into Bluescribe plasmids. Insert material freed by complete digestion of the phage libraries with HindIII or EcoRI was cloned into the corresponding sites in Bluescribe plasmids. The sizes of the Bluescribe library inserts determined by gel electrophoresis range from near 0 to approximately 6 kb. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with the plasmid libraries showed that all hybridize along both arms of the expected (target) chromosome type with varying intensity. However, the plasmid libraries for chromosomes 1, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18, and 20 hybridize weakly or not at all near the centromeres of the target chromosome types. The libraries for chromosomes 13, 14, 15, 21, and 22 cross-hybridize near the centromeres of all members of this group and hybridize weakly to the short arms of the target chromosomes. FISH with each library allows specific staining of the target chromosome type in metaphase spreads. The signals resulting from FISH with libraries for chromosomes 1, 4, 8, 9, 13, 14, 17, 18, 21, and Y are sufficiently intense to permit analysis in interphase nuclei. Examples of the use of these libraries for translocation detection, marker chromosome characterization, and interphase aneuploidy analysis are presented.

Chromosome Aberrations↗
PubMed1991

Identification of multiple CpG islands and associated conserved sequences in a candidate region for the Huntington disease gene.

The HD locus has been assigned to 4p16.3 distal to the DNA segment D4S10. However, the precise location of this gene is still unknown. At least three regions, together encompassing more than 3.5 Mb of DNA, can still be considered as candidate regions for the HD gene. Our efforts are directed toward the cloning and the complete characterization of one of these regions. Thus far we have cloned 460 kb of DNA in contiguously overlapping cosmids distal to D4S111 and have developed a detailed long-range restriction map orienting the contig within the terminal region of 4p16.3. We characterized 15 CpG-rich islands defined by tightly clustered rare cutter restriction sites for the enzymes NotI, BssHII, EagI, NruI, and SacII. In addition, we show that the sequences associated with the CpG-rich islands detect cross-species conservation. The detailed genetic analysis of the 460-kb contig provides a framework for the identification of genes, which can be assessed for the characteristics expected for the HD gene.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Knowledge and use of community services among family caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients.

The number of people with dementia residing within the community is steadily increasing. Community services can alleviate the burdens experienced by families, but are used infrequently by families of dementia patients. Caregivers (N = 93) of dementia patients were surveyed regarding their knowledge and use of community services. The most frequently used services were family support groups and home health aides. Overall, service use was low despite high levels of perceived availability of services. Older and less educated caregivers had higher levels of uncertainty about service availability. Depressed caregivers were less likely to know about service availability. Implications for practice and research are presented.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1991

Assessment of the attitudes of family caregivers toward community services.

Previous research has not taken into account the influence of attitudinal variables on the use of community services by dementia caregivers. The Community Service Attitude Inventory (CSAI) was developed to provide a measurement tool to further understanding of community service use by family caregivers. Testing of the CSAI revealed five distinct components of family attitudes toward use of community services.

Alzheimer Disease↗
PubMed1991

An unusual case using DNA polymorphisms to determine parentage of human remains.

The 2-year-old daughter of two farm laborers was reported missing while the farm owner was harvesting corn. Unidentifiable tissues and body parts were subsequently found admixed with silage. Samples of blood collected from the parents of the missing child as well as portions of the tissue recovered from the silage were subjected to analysis of DNA polymorphisms with probes usually used to identify paternity. In addition, allele-specific oligonucleotides were used to detect DNA polymorphism at the DQ alpha locus following DNA amplification using the polymerase chain reaction. In this case, the DNA results established that the tissue recovered from the silage was of human origin and confirmed the probable parentage of the two farm laborers.

Accidents↗
PubMed1991

Massive hemorrhagic functional adrenal adenoma histologically mimicking angiosarcoma. Report of a case with immunohistochemical study.

We report the case of a massive hemorrhagic/thrombosed functional adrenal adenoma, a very uncommon mass lesion of the adrenal gland. The lesion contained large areas that histologically mimicked the pattern of an angiosarcoma. Immunoperoxidase staining confirmed that the vascular lining cells were positive for vimentin and negative for three vascular markers (factor VIII antigen, Ulex europaeus agglutinin I, thrombomodulin), cytokeratin, keratin, epithelial membrane antigen, and S100 antigen. Endothelial immunohistochemical markers can be useful as a diagnostic adjunct in differentiating this type of reactive hemorrhagic/thrombotic lesion from angiosarcoma.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1991

Immunoreactive epitopes on an expressed recombinant flagellar protein of Borrelia burgdorferi.

A recombinant Borrelia burgdorferi flagellin protein expressed in Escherichia coli is bound by a murine monoclonal antiflagellin antibody (H9724) and by antibodies in the sera of patients with Lyme disease. Immunoreactive epitopes on the flagellar protein were identified by immunoblot analysis of antibody binding to expressed truncated flagellar proteins. The epitope recognized by the murine monoclonal antibody is within the central heterologous region of the flagellar protein (amino acids 90 to 266). However, antiflagellin antibodies in the sera of patients with Lyme arthritis bound an epitope entirely within, or whose conformation was partly formed by, the 90 NH2-terminal amino acids of the flagellar protein. The binding of antibodies in the sera of patients with Lyme arthritis to the NH2-terminal region of the flagellar protein, a region with sequence homology to the flagellar proteins of other bacterial species, suggests the possibility that antigenic mimicry contributes to the immunopathogenesis of Lyme disease. The fact that human antibodies bind to a highly conserved and hence shared portion of the flagellin reduces the specificity of serological assays for the diagnosis of Lyme disease which use the flagellar protein as antigen.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Reversed helper/suppressor T-lymphocyte ratio in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from patients with breast cancer and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.

Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) usually occurs in patients with hematologic malignancies and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Patients with solid tumors represent a very small fraction of the reported cases of PCP. Over an 18-month period, PCP was diagnosed in three patients who had received radiation and chemotherapy for breast cancer. In all three patients, there was no serologic or clinical evidence of AIDS. Direct staining of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) revealed Pneumocystis carinii, and cellular analysis of BAL revealed an increased percentage of lymphocytes with reversed helper/inducer:suppressor/cytotoxic T-cell (CD4:CD8) ratio. Because decreased CD4:CD8 ratio in BAL is commonly accepted as findings consistent with hypersensitivity pneumonitis and AIDS, we conclude that similar findings in patients without AIDS are not specific for hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and P. carinii should be ruled out in the appropriate clinical setting.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Treatment of relapsed non-Hodgkin's lymphomas with dexamethasone, high-dose cytarabine, and cisplatin before marrow transplantation.

Combination chemotherapy is capable of curing many patients with newly diagnosed intermediate- and high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL), but treatment of relapsed NHL remains problematic. Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) offers the best chance for disease-free survival, but interim chemotherapy is often necessary while awaiting BMT, especially for patients with bulky disease. We report here 39 patients (median age, 44 years) who failed primary therapy with doxorubicin-based regimens and subsequently were treated with one to six cycles of dexamethasone, 40 mg intravenous (IV) every day on days 1 to 4, cisplatin 100 mg/m2 by continuous infusion on day 1, and cytarabine 2 g/m2 IV every 12 hours x two doses on day 2 (DHAP) before the planned BMT. Histologies included 16 diffuse large-cell, six diffuse mixed, five diffuse small-cleaved, four lymphoblastic, and eight other. Twenty-eight patients had stage IV disease, 13 had B symptoms, and 20 had an elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Patients had been treated with a median of three previous chemotherapy regimens. Sixty-one percent of patients had high tumor burdens according to the MD Anderson criteria. Objective responses to DHAP were seen in 26 patients (67%) including nine complete responses (CRs) (23%) and 17 partial responses (PRs) (44%), and responses lasted a median of 7.5 months. Myelosuppression was the major toxicity, but there were no treatment-related deaths. To date, 17 patients have undergone subsequent BMT with a projected 3-year disease-free survival of 15%. We conclude that the DHAP regimen is effective short-term salvage therapy for relapsed NHL patients, but the long-term prognosis of multiply relapsed patients remains poor.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Linkage disequilibrium and modification of risk for Huntington disease.

The major limitation in performing predictive testing for Huntington disease (HD) is the unavailability of DNA from crucial family members. In our program approximately 20% (36/183) of persons have been excluded from predictive testing because of this reason. The major aim of this study was to examine whether data derived from linkage disequilibrium could modify risk analysis for persons at risk for HD. As a first step, we assessed whether the previously reported linkage disequilibrium between alleles recognized by probe pBS674E-D at locus D4S95 remained significant in a much larger data set. A total of 1,150 chromosomes from 622 individuals--200 affected and 422 unaffected--from 118 families were assessed. Significant haplotype association was detected with AccI and MboI RFLPs at the locus D4S95, with all the families (P = .00003), as well as for a subset from the United Kingdom (P = .0037). Data derived from linkage disequilibrium studies using D4S95 modifies the risk for HD, especially in persons of U.K. descent. Utilization of this approach for risk modification of HD awaits both validation of these data and additional information concerning ethnic-specific alleles at the D4S95 locus.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Florid papillomatosis of the nipple: a clinico-pathological surgical problem.

Adenoma or florid papillomatosis of the nipple is a rare, benign condition which resembles the clinical appearances of Paget's disease of the nipple and the histological appearances of papillary carcinoma of the breast. We describe a case which illustrates the pitfalls in diagnosis and proposes a safe management procedure for breast and nipple lesions.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1990

Characterization and organization of DNA sequences adjacent to the human telomere associated repeat (TTAGGG)n.

We present a strategy for the cloning of DNA sequences adjacent to the tandemly repeated DNA sequence (TTAGGG)n. Sequence analysis of 14 independently isolated clones revealed the presence of non-repetitive sequences immediately adjacent to or flanked by blocks of the simple repeat (TTAGGG)n. In addition, we provide sequence information on two previously undescribed tandemly repeated sequences, including a 9 bp repeat and a modification of the (TTAGGG)n repeat. Using different mapping approaches six sub-clones, free of the TTAGGG repeat, were assigned to a single human chromosome. Moreover, in situ hybridization mapped one of these subclones, G2 - 1H, definitively to the telomeric band on chromosome 4q. However, Bal 31 insensitivity suggests a location in a more subterminal region. All the (TTAGGG)n-adjacent unique sequences tested are highly conserved among primates but are not present in other mammalian species. Identification and mapping of TTAGGG-adjacent sequences will provide a refined insight into the genomic organization of the (TTAGGG)n repeat. The isolation of chromosome specific TTAGGG-adjacent sequences from subtelomeric regions of all human chromosomes will serve as important end points for the genetic maps and will be useful for the molecular characterization of chromosomal rearrangements involving telomeres.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Responses of elderly spouse caregivers.

In this paper three categories of variables were identified to predict spouses' reactions to caregiving roles: patient characteristics, the caregiving environment, and characteristics of the caregiver. Measures of these variables were administered to 159 spouse caregivers. Four domains of caregivers' responses were identified: negative emotional reactions, feelings of responsibility for the patient, feelings of abandonment by family, and impact of caregiving on daily schedules. These domains were influenced most by patient negative behaviors, physical health, and age, and by caregiver age, employment, and emotional status. Amount of assistance, affective support, and hours of care also were predictive of spouse responses.

Activities of Daily Living↗