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Biomedical subjects

J Collis

Publications and source records attributed to J Collis.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Losartan, an angiotensin type 1 receptor antagonist, improves endothelial function in non-insulin-dependent diabetes.

OBJECTIVES: The present study examined the effect on forearm endothelial function of an angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist, losartan, in subjects with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). BACKGROUND: Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition with enalapril improves acetylcholine (ACh)-dependent endothelial function in patients with NIDDM. This could be mediated through angiotensin II and the type 1 receptor or could be due to inhibition of kininase II and a bradykinin preserving effect. It is therefore relevant to determine whether a type 1 receptor antagonist improves endothelial function. METHODS: The influence of losartan (50 mg daily for four weeks) on endothelium-dependent and independent vasodilator function was determined in 9 NIDDM subjects using a double-blinded placebo-controlled crossover protocol. Forearm blood flow was measured using strain-gauge plethysmography. RESULTS: Losartan significantly decreased infused arm vascular resistance in response to three incremental doses of intrabrachial acetylcholine (p < 0.05, ANOVA). The forearm blood flow ratio (flow in infused to noninfused arm) was also increased (p < 0.01). Responses to sodium nitroprusside and monomethyl arginine were not significantly changed. CONCLUSIONS: Losartan administration at 50 mg per day improved endothelium-dependent dilation of resistance vessels in patients with NIDDM. That is, blockade of the angiotensin II type 1 receptors improves endothelial function in NIDDM. At least some of the similarly beneficial effect of ACE inhibition is probably mediated also through the angiotensin II-type 1 receptor pathway. The use of a type 1 receptor antagonist seems a reasonable alternative to an ACE inhibitor to maintain endothelial function in NIDDM subjects.

Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists↗
PubMed2000

Combined aerobic and resistance exercise training improves functional capacity and strength in CHF.

This study examined the effect of a novel circuit weight training (CWT) program on cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, and body composition in 13 patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), using a prospective randomized crossover protocol. Peak exercise oxygen uptake (VO(2 peak)) increased after the 8-wk CWT program (19. 5 +/- 1.2 vs. 22.0 +/- 1.5 ml. kg(-1). min(-1), P < 0.01), as did exercise test duration (15.2 +/- 0.9 vs. 18.0 +/- 1.1 min, P < 0. 001). Submaximal exercise heart rate was lower after training at 60 and 80 W (121 +/- 3 vs. 134 +/- 5 beats/min, P < 0.01) as was rate pressure product, whereas ventilatory threshold increased, from 52 +/- 3 to 58 +/- 3% of VO(2 peak) (P < 0.05). CWT also increased maximal isotonic voluntary contractile strength for seven different muscle groups, from 392 to 462 kg (P = 0.001). CWT, an exercise prescription specifically targeting peripheral abnormalities in CHF, improves functional capacity and muscular strength in these patients.

Anthropometry↗
PubMed1991

Education. What school nurses want.

Drawing on her experiences as a tutor, June Collis focuses on the educational needs of school nurses in a period of development and change in the NHS. Noting practitioners' own perceptions of their changing needs, she highlights the need for more research into school nurse practice.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1989

Varieties of object constancy.

Three experiments are described in which two pictures of isolated man-made objects were presented in succession. The subjects' task was to decide, as rapidly as possible, whether the two pictured objects had the same name. With a stimulus-onset asynchrony (SOA) of above 200 msec two types of facilitation were observed: (1) the response latency was reduced if the pictures showed the same object, even though seen from different viewpoints (object benefit); (2) decision time was reduced further if the pictures showed the same object from the same angle of view (viewpoint benefit). These facilitation effects were not affected by projecting the pictures to different retinal locations. Significant benefits of both types were also obtained when the projected images differed in size. However, in these circumstances there was a small but significant performance decrement in matching two similar views of a single object, but not if the views were different. Conversely, the object benefit, but not the viewpoint benefit, was reduced when the SOA was only 100 msec. The data suggest the existence of (at least) two different visual codes, one non-retinotopic but viewer-centred, the other object-centred.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

The rib gap anomaly in partial or mosaic trisomy 8.

Gaps in the first ribs were observed in two children, one with partial and the other with mosaic trisomy for chromosome 8. The sign may be considered in conjunction with other features as a relative indication for chromosomal studies.

Bone and Bones↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Assessment of a recently introduced fluoroelastomeric soft lining material.

The clinical usefulness of soft denture-lining materials is well established. This laboratory-based comparative study of a heat-processed silicone (Molloplast-B) and a recently introduced fluoroelastomeric soft lining material (Novus) evaluated absorption behaviour in distilled water; the softness of the materials at different thicknesses, both dry and after immersion in water; and their compatibility with denture cleansers. A significant absorption of water, greater than 5% by weight, was displayed by Novus after 4 months' immersion. The softness of different thicknesses of Novus (up to 1.35 mm) increased significantly upon immersion over the same period when compared to Molloplast-B, which showed no change. Some surface degradation of Novus was evident upon exposure to denture cleansers that was not apparent with Molloplast-B.

Absorption↗