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Biomedical subjects

J Beesley

Publications and source records attributed to J Beesley.

30 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Cystic fibrosis: what do patients know, and what else would they like to know?

As the survival of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) improves, it becomes increasingly important to address such issues as employment, reproduction, and quality of life in adulthood. In this study, 22 patients and 20 parents completed a questionnaire about the natural history, treatment and genetics of cystic fibrosis. Patients and parents knew as much as each other about the natural history of cystic fibrosis. Patients under 13 knew significantly less about the genetics and treatment. All found probability questions about heredity difficult. All the patients indicated that they would like further information on the future and how they would cope, through CF literature, organized patient groups and, in adolescence, would prefer to obtain information from medical staff rather than parents. Patients had received considerable information about the disease and its treatment from parents and clinical staff, but few had discussed the day to day problems of living with cystic fibrosis. This study has identified specific areas of ignorance in patients with cystic fibrosis, areas that need addressing in view of the improved survival associated with this disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Characterization of Leishmania major antigen-liposomes that protect BALB/c mice against cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Leishmania major antigen-liposomes prepared as dehydration-rehydration vesicles (DRV) and composed of equimolar amounts of L-alpha-distearoyl phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol confer high-level host-protective immunity against virulent homologous challenge to susceptible BALB/c mice. Physical and antigenic characterization of these protective liposomes is described. Both empty and L. major antigen-DRV were multilamellate and heterogeneous in size, ranging from 0.10 to 2.00 microns. Although the liposomes were made by using a crude mixture of promastigote antigens, lipophosphoglycan covered the liposome surface; this was demonstrated by immunogold electron microscopy. Application of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blot (immunoblot) analysis revealed preferential entrapment of the 63-kilodalton promastigote protease (gp63) into the DRV. We suggest that our L. major antigen-DRV merit further study because of their preferential entrapment of these two host protective antigens together with their long in vivo half-life. In addition, this report illustrates that intravenous or subcutaneous immunization of BALB/c mice with the same limited subset of protective antigens, predominantly lipophosphoglycan and gp63, within DRV liposomes leads to either protection and low splenic interleukin-3 production or to nonprotection and high splenic interleukin-3 production, respectively. This was consistent with our hypothesis that differential antigen presentation after administration of the same immunogen by the intravenous or the subcutaneous route results in differential T-cell activation.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Pathogenesis of antigen-induced arthritis in mice deficient in neutrophil elastase and cathepsin G.

The contribution of neutrophil-derived elastase and cathepsin G to joint pathology has been examined in immune arthritis in the mouse. Neutrophils from beige mice are genetically deficient in lysosomal elastase and cathepsin G, but have normal levels of the acid hydrolases, beta-glucuronidase, and N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase. The development of antigen-induced arthritis in normal mice has been compared with that in beige mice. The pattern of synovitis (both leukocyte accumulation and plasma leakage) were indistinguishable in normal and beige mice. Cartilage proteoglycan depletion was quantified by measuring the decrease in safranin O staining intensity, and this, too, was unaltered in mice lacking elastase and cathepsin G. These results suggest that neutrophil elastase and cathepsin G do not contribute to these aspects of joint pathology in antigen-induced arthritis in the mouse.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Total-body protein turnover in parenterally fed neonates: effects of energy source studied by using [15N]glycine and [1-13C]leucine.

The effects of nonprotein energy source (ie, glucose only vs glucose and lipid) on nitrogen retention and total-body protein turnover were studied in 20 parenterally fed newborn infants. All infants received approximately 3 g amino acids and 80-90 kcal.kg body wt.d. Total-body protein synthesis was estimated by using three constant-infusion, end-product methods: enrichment of urinary urea and ammonia in response to a [15N]glycine label and exhaled carbon dioxide enrichment in response to a [1-13C]leucine label. No differences were seen in nitrogen retention between the two energy sources. The estimate of total-body protein turnover obtained from the 13C label was similar to that obtained with the [15N]urea label. No differences in turnover rates were observed between the two diet groups. Use of the glucose-plus-lipid fuel system enhanced energy storage and the reutilization of amino acid for protein synthesis.

Ammonia↗
PubMed1989

A comparison of the estimates of whole-body protein turnover in parenterally fed neonates obtained using three different end products.

Protein turnover rates in neonates have been calculated largely by measuring urinary [15N]urea enrichment following administration of [15N]glycine. Although ammonia has been increasingly recognized as an end product of nitrogen metabolism, in neonates it yields a different estimate of protein turnover than does urea. Comparisons of ammonia and urea end products in parenterally fed neonates have not previously been reported. A third and independent way of estimating protein turnover, developed for adults, is to use breath 13CO2 as an end product following administration of [1-13C]leucine. We therefore carried out simultaneous measurements of protein turnover in 10 parenterally fed neonates, using the three end products. The infants were clinically stable, weighed 2.6 +/- 0.2 kg, and received 3.1 +/- 0.2 g.kg-1.d-1 of amino acid, 2.2 +/- 0.1 g.kg-1.d-1 of lipids, and an energy intake of 90 +/- 4 kcal.kg-1.d-1 (1 kcal = 4.186 kJ). The turnover estimates derived from the 13CO2 and [15N]urea end products were very similar. The [15N]ammonia end product produced values approximately 66% (p less than 0.01) of the other two. We conclude that the ammonia and urea end products probably originate in different precursor pools. The similarity of the urea and breath carbon dioxide results helps validate the use of the urea end product in studying the nitrogen metabolism of parenterally fed neonates. Ideally in future studies two or more end products should be used, since they provide information about different aspects of the neonates' protein metabolism.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1987

Adrenal status during the first month of life in mature and premature human infants.

Measurements of 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) in blood collected onto filter paper after heel puncture by lancet and steroid metabolites in random collections of urine, were made in human infants born from 25 weeks of gestation onwards. The concentration of 17-OHP in blood eluted from filter paper samples was inversely related to both gestational age and birth weight. In mature infants, 17-OHP concentrations fell rapidly soon after birth, whereas concentrations remained high over the first month of life in infants born earlier than 33 weeks of gestation. Sulphated urinary steroids were identified as having a 3 beta-hydroxy-5-ene structure and although the pattern of excretion was similar in mature and premature infants, significantly higher concentrations were found in the premature group. Steroid metabolites normally present when concentrations of circulating 17-OHP are increased due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency were not detectable in urine samples collected from infants born prematurely. Where direct comparison of 17-OHP in blood spots and urinary steroid metabolites was possible, the concentrations of 17-OHP in blood samples paralleled 3 beta-hydroxy-5-ene steroid metabolites in urine. The results suggest that a circulating cross-reacting 3 beta-hydroxy-5-ene steroid may be responsible for increased concentrations of 17-OHP in infants born prematurely. Increased concentrations of both 17-OHP in blood spots and steroid sulphates in urine were associated with stress in premature, but not in more mature, infants suggesting that in infants born prematurely postnatal stress may delay adrenal maturation.

17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone↗
PubMed1986

In vivo properties of a cloned K88 adherence antigen determinant.

An Escherichia coli strain of serotype O9:K36:H19 harboring the K88 recombinant plasmid pMK005 was able to efficiently colonize the small bowel of young piglets after oral infection. The strain expressed K88 antigen in vivo, and bacteria were detected in close association with the surface of the intestinal villi. Mice infected orally or intravenously with attenuated Salmonella typhimurium SL3261 harboring pMK005 were well protected against subsequent challenge with the highly virulent S. typhimurium SL1344. Anti-K88 antibodies were detected in the serum of mice immunized with SL3261(pMK005).

Adhesins, Escherichia coli↗
PubMed1985

The effect of energy intake and expenditure on the recovery of 13CO2 in the parenterally fed neonate during a 4-hour primed constant infusion of NAH13CO3.

The use of 13CO2 excretion to measure the oxidation of 13CO2 labeled substrates is increasing as it is both noninvasive and lacks the radiation exposure associated with the use of 14C. No standards are available for 13CO2 recovery in breath from the bicarbonate pool in the neonate. A primed constant infusion of NaH13CO3 over 4 h was used with open circuit indirect calorimetry in 15 appropriate for gestational age newborn infants (gestational age 28-39 wk; postnatal age 2-52 days), on varying amounts of intravenous feeding (37-114 kcal X kg-1 X day-1). Following a bolus of 6.9 mumol X kg-1 of NaH13CO3, a maintenance infusion of 4.6 mumol X kg-1 X h-1 was started. The 13C enrichment in breath rose rapidly to reach a plateau by 90 min with less than 5% variation of the plateau. Recovery of the tracer in breath ranged from 69.6-83.5% and was significantly correlated with 1) energy intake (37-114 kcal X kg-1 X day-1); 2) metabolic rate (34.6-56.1 kcal X kg-1 X day-1); 3) VCO2 (4.86-7.43 ml X kg X -1 X min-1). There was no correlation with the level of protein or fat intake. We provide an equation that can be used to calculate the correction factor when doing constant infusion substrate oxidation studies with a 13C label in neonates.

Bicarbonates↗
PubMed1981

Case report. Clindamycin associated pseudomembranous colitis.

Pseudomembranous colitis is rare in children. We describe a case associated with clindamycin in which Clostridium difficile and its enterotoxin were isolated from the stool. Treatment with oral vancomycin brought about a prompt and complete recovery.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Measurement of corneal curvature in young and older normal subjects.

PURPOSE: A decrease in the vertex radius occurs with aging. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the degree of flattening from the vertex to the periphery of the cornea, ie, the surface profile, also changes with age. METHODS: A "p" value (a parameter that denotes the rate of flattening from the apex to the limbus) and vertex radius were measured in the horizontal meridian in a group of young and older subjects using the EyeSys videokeratoscope and the Topcon autokeratometer. RESULTS: With EyeSys data, horizontal vertex radius and p value were computed by means of plotting a graph of r2 (sagittal radius) versus y2 (perpendicular distance from the instrument optical axis). For Topcon data, previously derived equations were used. Mean vertex radii in the younger Topcon autokeratometer group was 7.91+/-0.31 and for the EyeSys videokeratoscope was 7.98+/-0.31. For the older group, Topcon mean vertex radii was 7.68+/-0.22 and EyeSys mean was 7.74+/-0.24. Mean p value in the younger group was 0.66+/-0.09 for the Topcon and 0.78+/-0.07 for the EyeSys. In the older group, mean vertex radii was 0.74+/-0.07 for the Topcon and 0.86+/-0.07 for the EyeSys. CONCLUSION: Vertex radius decreased with age, demonstrating a steepening of the cornea, and confirming previous results. The p value increases with age, indicating a shift toward a more spherical surface. The rate of change in the vertex radius and p value with age are predicted.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Quality management series. How we implemented TQM in our laboratory and our blood bank.

Our experience in laboratory and blood services at LDS Hospital within Intermountain Health Care (IHC) is evidence that the theories behind total quality management (TQM) can be implemented into daily work. Some of the changes and results we have seen are increased employee accountability, paradigm shifts, process improvements, assessment using tools and measurement, increased customer and employee satisfaction, and cost savings. Some areas of the new TQM culture that we have focused on and made tremendous strides in are education in continuous quality improvement (CQI), CQI teams, quality councils, vision setting, self-managed work groups, change of management style, and celebrating success. We have learned that changes in culture take time and patience; managers must be willing to change their style; the CQI process and tools must be used; building trust and aligning values are important; education is key; making mistakes is how we learn; a customer focus is vital; significant change follows finding root causes; and we must just do it and not worry about all the little details. To make the change to a TQM culture, an organization must have faith in its employees, educate them, and be customer focused!

Blood Banks↗