Biomedical subjects

Elaine Ferguson

Publications and source records attributed to Elaine Ferguson.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

Changes in the human mitochondrial genome after treatment of malignant disease.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is the only extrachromosomal DNA in human cells. The mitochondrial genome encodes essential information for the synthesis of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Inherited defects of this genome are an important cause of human disease. In addition, the mitochondrial genome seems to be particularly prone to DNA damage and acquired mutations may have a role in ageing, cancer and neurodegeneration. We wished to determine if radiotherapy and chemotherapy used in the treatment of cancer could induce changes in the mitochondrial genome. Such changes would be an important genetic marker of DNA damage and may explain some of the adverse effects of treatment. We studied samples from patients who had received radiotherapy and chemotherapy for point mutations within the mtDNA control region, and for large-scale deletions. In blood samples from patients, we found a significantly increased number of point mutations compared to the control subjects. In muscle biopsies from 7 of 8 patients whom had received whole body irradiation as well as chemotherapy, the level of a specific mtDNA deletion was significantly greater than in control subjects. Our studies have shown that in patients who have been treated for cancer there is an increased level of mtDNA damage.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Linear programming: a mathematical tool for analyzing and optimizing children's diets during the complementary feeding period.

During the complementary feeding period, children require a nutrient-dense diet to meet their high nutritional requirements. International interest exists in the promotion of affordable, nutritionally adequate complementary feeding diets based on locally available foods. In this context, two questions are often asked: 1) is it possible to design a diet suitable for the complementary feeding period using locally available food? and 2) if this is possible, what is the lowest-cost, nutritionally adequate diet available? These questions are usually answered using a "trial and error" approach. However, a more efficient and rigorous technique, based on linear programming, is also available. It has become more readily accessible with the advent of powerful personal computers. The purpose of this review, therefore, is to inform pediatricians and public health professionals about this tool. In this review, the basic principles of linear programming are briefly examined and some practical applications for formulating sound food-based nutritional recommendations in different contexts are explained. This review should facilitate the adoption of this technique by international health professionals.

Diet↗

PubMed2002

Linear and nonlinear programming to optimize the nutrient density of a population's diet: an example based on diets of preschool children in rural Malawi.

BACKGROUND: Food consumption surveys are often used to detect inadequate nutrient intakes but not to determine whether inadequate nutrient intakes are due to suboptimal use of locally available foods or to insufficient availability of nutrient-dense foods. OBJECTIVES: The objectives were to describe the use of linear programming as a method to design nutrient-adequate diets of optimal nutrient density and to identify the most stringent constraints in nutritional recommendations and food consumption patterns in a population's diet. DESIGN: This analysis was conducted with the use of food consumption data collected during 2 seasons from rural Malawian children aged 3-6 y. Linear programming was used to select diets based on local foods that satisfied a set of nutritional constraints while minimizing the total energy content of the diet. Additional constraints on daily intakes of foods and food groups were also introduced to ensure that the diets were compatible with local food patterns. The strength of the constraints was assessed by analyzing nonlinear programming sensitivity. RESULTS: In the harvest season, it was possible to satisfy nutritional recommendations with little departure from the local diet. In the nonharvest season, nutritional adequacy was impaired by the low availability of riboflavin- and zinc-rich animal or vegetable foods and by the high phytate content of other foods. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis suggests that nutrition education may help improve the diets of children in the harvest season, whereas changes in the range of available foods might be needed in the nonharvest season. Linear and nonlinear programming can be used to formulate recommendations with the use of data from local food consumption surveys.

Child↗

PubMed2002

'Leaving a mark'.

Biopsies by various means do have a risk of seeding tumour cells into the biopsy track. Even with fine needle and trocar techniques this has been proven to occur. By excising the biopsy track at the time of surgery this risk can be reduced. With needle and trocar techniques there might be little evidence of the puncture when the time of surgery takes place. We advocate using Indian ink to mark the biopsy site.

Biopsy, Needle↗