PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Gavin

Publications and source records attributed to J Gavin.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Energy intakes of children with Crohn's disease treated with enteral nutrition as primary therapy.

BACKGROUND: Enteral nutrition (EN) is widely used and is effective in the treatment of children with Crohn's disease given as an exclusive feed for 6-8 weeks. Current dietetic practice during EN is to recommend an energy intake based on estimated average requirement (EAR) for energy for age. AIMS: To examine factors affecting energy intake and weight gain during EN in relation to disease site and nutritional status. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study examining energy intake and weight gain during the exclusive EN feeding period in 40 patients newly diagnosed with Crohn's in relation to EAR, nutritional status, disease site. RESULTS: All patients improved clinically and gained weight during EN with improvement in the CRP as a marker of the systemic inflammatory response. Energy intake was higher than EAR in 82% (33/40 patients), with the median 117.5% of EAR. Weight gain correlated with body mass index standard deviation score (P = 0.001) at start of treatment, but not energy intake or CRP. CONCLUSION: Estimated average requirement underestimates energy intakes in most children with newly diagnosed Crohn's disease. During EN, an energy intake in the range of 100-149% (median 117.5%) EAR for energy for age may be required. Energy balance studies in children with active disease are required.

Adolescent↗

Age/sex/location: uncovering the social cues in the development of online relationships.

Past research on online relationships has predominantly been concerned with how the quality of online relationships compares with offline relationships. This research has been more concerned with the medium itself than with the meanings that users construct around their interpersonal interactions within this medium. The current paper seeks to redress this imbalance by exploring the ways that available social cues are used to shape the meanings of online relationships. Sixty Internet users, ranging in age from 19-51 years, were interviewed about their online relationships. It was found that ideals that are important in traditional relationships, such as trust, honesty, and commitment are just as important in online relationships; however, the cues that signify these ideals vary.

Adolescent↗

Vascular disease prevention in patients with diabetes.

Prevention is the key to reducing the vascular sequelae of diabetes. Prevention starts with good glycaemic control and continues with a comprehensive programme of risk modification, such as lipid-lowering therapy, antihypertensive treatment, and improved lifestyle. With regard to lipid modification, agents such as statins may provide additional, non-lipid effects in both the diabetic and non-diabetic patient. This review discusses recent studies supporting risk reduction, available treatments, and recommendations applicable to the diabetic patient.

Arteriosclerosis↗

Observation of soft contact lens disinfection with fluorescent metabolic stains.

A rapid fluorescent staining method using a tetrazolium dye and propidium iodide for the in-use assessment of disinfection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms on soft contact lenses showed that 11 to 13% of cells on lenses remained actively respiring and recoverable by culture methods after 30 min of exposure to 3% hydrogen peroxide.

Biofilms↗

Dietary fibre and the occurrence of gut symptoms in cystic fibrosis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of currently recommended energy rich cystic fibrosis diets on fibre intake and to investigate the relationship between fibre intake and the occurrence of gut symptoms. METHOD: Prospective completion of non-weighed five day food diaries by 28 children with cystic fibrosis and comparison of mean daily fibre intake with age matched controls who did not have cystic fibrosis. Prospective completion of similar diaries to a total of 68 children with cystic fibrosis and comparison of fibre and lipase intake with the occurrence of gut symptoms. RESULTS: Mean daily fibre intake in children with cystic fibrosis was 7.00 g compared with 14.65 g in controls (p < 0.001). Mean daily fibre intake in eight patients troubled with moderate or severe abdominal pain was 0.144 g/kg. This was significantly lower (p < 0.01) than mean values for 22 patients with occasional but mild symptoms (0.249 g/kg) and 38 with no gut symptoms (0.312 g/kg). There was a trend towards higher pancreatic enzyme doses (lipase/kg/day) in children with abdominal pain. CONCLUSIONS: Currently recommended cystic fibrosis diets have a low fibre content. A low residue diet might be an important factor in the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal symptoms.

Abdominal Pain↗

Anti-oxidant therapy improves microvascular ultrastructure and perfusion in postischemic myocardium.

To determine the contribution of oxygen-derived free radicals to the changes in microvascular structure and function which follow reperfusion of ischemic myocardium, isolated perfused rat hearts were subjected to 15 or 45 min of global ischemia followed by 5 min of oxygenated reperfusion. Hearts were then fixed by perfusion with glutaraldehyde and perfused with nuclear track photographic emulsion to identify competent capillaries in scanning and transmission electron micrographs. Reperfusion after 15 min caused a significant reduction in the density of competent capillaries in the subendocardial third of the left ventricle, but this reduction was lessened but not eliminated by the addition of 0.61 mmole/liter desferrioxamine, but not by 60,000 U/liter superoxide dismutase plus 60,000 U/liter catalase, to the perfusate. After 45 min of ischemia both interventions prevented the myocyte swelling, endothelial cell changes, bleb formation, and reduction in microvascular lumina characteristic of unprotected reperfusion, but only desferrioxamine significantly improved microvascular competence. This suggests that the hydroxyl radical rather than superoxide and/or hydrogen peroxide has a pathogenic role, although desferrioxamine may have other effects as nonspecific chelator. Postischemic reductions in capillary function also occur in reversibly injured myocardium in the absence of structural abnormality. Preventing postischemic microvascular incompetence has the potential to minimize ischemic cell injury and to enhance repair following myocardial infarction, but it also may increase the risk of hemorrhage from venules.

Animals↗

Endothelin-3-induced microvascular incompetence and mitochondrial damage in rat myocardium.

1. To determine the possible role of an endothelin in the development of postischaemic microvascular incompetence, isolated buffer-perfused rat hearts were perfused with endothelin-3 (ET-3) in phosphate buffer. 2. ET-3 produced a reduction in coronary flow rate, heart rate and arrhythmia. There was a marked reduction in the density of competent capillaries, and the myocytes showed vacuolation and mitochondrial damage in regions where microvascular incompetence was most severe. 3. These results indicate that ET-3 can substantially reduce microvascular perfusion in the heart and can also cause damage to the myocyte.

Animals↗

Metabolic responses to exercise in young and older athletes and sedentary men.

This study evaluated the effects of aging and endurance training on the metabolic responses of trained and sedentary young (age 20-32 yr) and older (age 60-70 yr) men to exercise at the same relative exercise stress (70% of maximal O2 consumption). Plasma growth hormone concentrations at rest were similar in all four groups, but both older groups had an attenuated response to exercise. The older trained men appeared to have avoided the age-associated changes that were evident in their sedentary peers with respect to resting plasma insulin, C-peptide, and norepinephrine concentrations. Plasma glucagon concentrations were lower in both older subject groups at rest. Both sedentary groups decreased their plasma glucose concentrations and increased their plasma glucagon concentrations during exercise, whereas the trained groups had increases in their plasma glucose concentrations but had no change in their glucagon concentrations. Thus, although the concentrations of some hormones at rest and during submaximal exercise are unaffected by aging or by training, others are markedly altered by aging, training, or the interaction of the two. However, it appears that older healthy sedentary men undergo less physiological stress than young untrained men during submaximal exercise at the same relative exercise intensity, and they have no responses that would contraindicate their participation in exercise of the duration and intensity usually prescribed in exercise-training programs.

Adult↗

Effect of rapid normalization of plasma glucose levels on microvascular dysfunction and polyol metabolism in diabetic rats.

Effects of rapid normalization of plasma glucose levels (by insulin infused via Alzet pumps implanted intraperitoneally) on plasma insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) levels, granulation tissue polyol levels, and vascular permeation by 125I-labeled albumin were examined in male Sprague-Dawley rats with streptozocin-induced (60-65 mg/kg) diabetes. Two days after implantation of pumps, plasma insulin levels were twice normal levels and remained elevated (1.4-2.5 times normal) throughout the remainder of the study. Plasma glucose levels and granulation tissue polyol levels were normalized within 2 days after initiation of insulin treatment. Plasma IGF-I levels were significantly increased (2 times) by 2 days, but were not normalized until 7 days. In contrast, 125I-albumin permeation normalized at a much slower relatively linear rate and was still not completely normal after 14 days of insulin treatment. In view of 1) previous studies demonstrating that diabetes-induced increases in 125I-albumin permeation in this tissue are linked to increased metabolism of glucose to sorbitol and 2) the rapid normalization of tissue polyol levels in this study, the relatively linear rate of normalization of vascular permeability over 14 days in these studies suggests that impaired vascular barrier functional integrity in this model is mediated by structural and/or functional vascular alterations associated with sustained increased polyol metabolism rather than by increased polyol levels per se and/or by readily reversible functional and metabolic alterations associated with acute increases in polyol metabolism.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Community and job satisfactions: an argument for reciprocal influence based on the principle of stimulus generalization.

The principle of stimulus generalization provided the underlying argument for a test of hypotheses regarding the association of community and job satisfactions and a critique of related theory and research. Two-stage least squares (2SLS) analysis made possible the examination of reciprocal causation, a notion inherent in the theoretical argument. Data were obtained from 276 employees of a Western U.S. coal mine as part of a work attitudes survey. The 2SLS analysis indicated a significant impact of community satisfaction on job satisfaction and an effect of borderline significance of job on community satisfaction. Theory-based correlational comparisons were made on groups of employees residing in four distinct communities, high and low tenure groups, males and females, and different levels in the mine's hierarchy. The pattern of correlations was generally consistent with predictions, but significance tests for differences yielded equivocal support. When considered in the context of previous studies, the data upheld a reciprocal causal model and the explanatory principle of stimulus generalization for understanding the relation of community and job satisfactions. Sample characteristics necessitate cautious interpretation and the model per se might best be viewed as a heuristic framework for more definitive research.

Adult↗

Nea, new blood group antigen in Finland.

A previously unrecognized blood group antigen is described. The antigen was shown to be different from many rare blood group antigens, to be inherited as an autosomal dominant character and not to be closely linked to the established blood group systems nor to several other polymorphic markers of blood. The antigen is well developed at birth. About 5% of Finns have this antigen. In contrast only 1 donor in 502 Swiss blood donors and 2 unrelated donors in 395 Swedish blood donors were found to be positive for the antigen. The antigen is provisionally called Nea and the respective antibody anti-Nea. At least three Na(a+) blood units were given to a patient on different occasions before anti-Nea was detected in compatibility tests. Since the discovery of the first anti-Nea, three additional examples of this antibody have been identified in serum from multitransfused patients. Anti-Nea is capable of shortening the in vivo survival of transfused incompatible Ne(a+) cells.

Aged↗

Unusual XX/XY chimerism.

Apparently identical twin boys are both XX/XY and have two populations, A1 and B, of cells in their peripheral blood. Chimerism in somatic tissue outside the blood cells can be demonstrated in only one of the twins. From analysis of chromosomes and many gene markers the mechanism of origin of the unusual twins remains unclear.

ABO Blood-Group System↗