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Biomedical subjects

J Merchant

Publications and source records attributed to J Merchant.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Financial loss and suicidal ideation in a rural community sample.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence and correlates of suicidal ideation in a community-based rural sample. METHOD: The sample was a random sample of people living in a single county in Iowa. Participants aged 18 or older (n=1617) were asked about suicidal ideation in the past year as well as mood, alcohol use, social support, and stressful life events. RESULTS: About 8.2% of the sample reported suicidal ideation. Depressive symptoms, problems resulting from alcohol use, infrequent social contact and financial loss characterized the suicidal group. CONCLUSION: Depressive symptoms were the strongest correlate of suicidal ideation in this rural sample. In the multivariate analysis, financial loss rather than low income remained a significant correlate of suicidal ideation after controlling for depression. This suggests that change in financial status rather than chronic poverty poses a risk for suicidal ideation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Metal fume fever: a case report and literature review.

Metal fume fever is a relatively uncommon presentation to the emergency department. Resulting from inhalation of metal oxides, it presents as an acute, self-limiting, flu-like symptom complex often misdiagnosed as a viral illness. We report a case of a 26-year-old male presenting with metal fume fever 4 h after oxycutting galvanized steel. The literature is reviewed with respect to pathogenesis, the common presenting symptom complex, investigations and current accepted management of metal fume fever.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1997

Progress towards using recombinant myxoma virus as a vector for fertility control in rabbits.

The history of myxoma virus, its use in Australia as a mortality agent and the development of the virus as a vector for controlling fertility in wild rabbit populations in Australia is reviewed. Myxoma virus recombinants have been constructed to express model antigens. Four potential insertion sites in the genome have been identified and two have been used to construct single and double recombinant viruses expressing Escherichia coli enzymes beta-galactosidase and beta-glucuronidase. Another recombinant expressing an influenza virus haemagglutinin gene (A/PR8/34) induced high and sustained antibody responses following intradermal inoculation in rabbits. To demonstrate the potential of introducing a recombinant virus into wild rabbit populations, a virus containing a natural deletion was released at four field locations. Preliminary analysis of the data has shown that the introduced virus spread well on 3 of the 4 locations. The steps being taken to address the ethical and safety implications of the introduction of a recombinant virus into the field are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Accurate data: the basis of decision.

This article provides an overview of the process for obtaining accurate data. Information about organizing data collection, managing data, and communicating findings is given to assist nurses in developing and evaluating data used in practice and clinical nursing research.

Clinical Nursing Research↗
PubMed1992

Identification of a cis-regulatory element mediating somatostatin inhibition of epidermal growth factor-stimulated gastrin gene transcription.

Antral gastrin secretion and gene expression is inhibited by the paracrine release of somatostatin from antral D cells. Transforming growth factor-alpha and epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulate gastrin reporter gene constructs when transfected into pituitary GH4 cells. Somatostatin inhibits EGF stimulation of gastrin gene expression, which is in part mediated at the level of transcriptional regulation as somatostatin inhibits EGF stimulation of gastrin reporter gene constructs. Somatostatin inhibition was abolished by pertussis toxin, indicating somatostatin inhibits transcription through the inhibitory G protein Gi. Somatostatin inhibition was unaffected by vanadate and okadaic acid, implying this inhibitory pathway is mediated neither through phosphotyrosine phosphatases nor serine/threonine phosphatases, respectively. Gastrin reporter genes containing 82 base pairs of the 5'-flanking DNA were sufficient to confer both EGF responsiveness and inhibition by somatostatin in GH4 cells. However, transcription of a gastrin reporter gene construct containing only the EGF response element (GGGGCGGGGTGGGGGG), located at -68 to -53, was stimulated by EGF but was not inhibited by somatostatin. Thus, somatostatin inhibits EGF-stimulated gastrin gene transcription by a mechanism other than by interfering with cell signals elicited by the EGF receptor. Since the 82 GASCAT is inhibited by somatostatin, this result also implies that sequences adjacent to the EGF response element contain a cis-regulatory element mediating transcriptional inhibition by somatostatin. This cis-element was located using gastrin reporter genes comprising sequential segments of the human gastrin promoter sequence from the transcriptional start site to -82 in the 5'-flanking DNA. Gastrin oligonucleotide constructs lacking the D oligonucleotide (gatcCATATGGCAGGGTA), located at -82 to -69 in the 5'-flanking DNA, were not inhibited by somatostatin, indicating that a somatostatin inhibitory cis-element is located between -82 and -69 in the 5'-flanking DNA of the human gastrin promoter.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Task allocation: a case of resistance to change?

This article discusses the method of organising nursing work known as task allocation. Research suggests that, in spite of apparent changes in the philosophy of nursing care, task allocation persists. Possible reasons for this are discussed and some conditions necessary for the promotion of more individualised methods of organising care are suggested.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1989

The challenge of experiential methods in nursing education.

This paper examines the concept of experiential learning and its relevance for nurse education. The argument is advanced that experiential methods change the role of the teacher to that of facilitator and call into question traditional methods of assessment. Proposed changes in nurse education offer the opportunity to accept the challenge to innovate. Ideally changes should take place in the learning situation and in teaching and assessment methods. An ideal structure would allow more openness and comment from all levels of nursing and also from the client, that is the consumer of the nursing services.

Education, Nursing↗
PubMed1989

Milk composition in the red-necked wallaby, Macropus rufogriseus banksianus (Marsupialia).

1. Milk samples were collected throughout lactation from 10 captive red-necked wallabies. 2. The milk solids content increased throughout lactation and was accompanied by major changes in the relative proportions of protein, lipid and carbohydrate. 3. The carbohydrate fraction consisted of oligosaccharides in the first half of lactation but changed subsequently to monosaccharides. 4. The quantitative and qualitative changes observed were similar to those recorded for other macropodids.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Milk composition in the eastern quoll, Dasyurus viverrinus (Marsupialia:Dasyuridae).

The milk constituents of Dasyurus viverrinus, a carnivorous marsupial, exhibited major quantitative and qualitative changes during the course of lactation. The milk produced in the early stages of lactation was dilute, about 13-16% (w/w) solids before 3 weeks with carbohydrate representing the major fraction. In the latter stages of lactation the milk was concentrated, around 30% solids, and lipid was the predominant fraction. Palmitic acid was the major fatty acid present in early-stage milk but oleic acid became predominant in milk after 10 weeks post-partum. The changes in milk composition in D. viverrinus were similar to those described for the milks of herbivorous marsupials which therefore suggests that this pattern may be uniform throughout the Marsupialia.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Contribution of environmental fibers to respiratory cancer.

This article reviews studies of the carcinogenicity of mineral fibers, notably asbestos, and presents seven major recommendations for further research. Mineral fibers represent the greatest cause--after cigarette smoke--of respiratory cancer due to air pollutants. Past asbestos exposure may currently account for 2000 mesothelioma deaths per year and 4000 to 6000 lung cancer deaths per year. All major commercial types of asbestos (crocidolite, amosite, and chrysotile) can cause each of the major asbestos-related respiratory diseases. Lung cancers in asbestos-exposed individuals probably do not have a different distribution of histological types from that of non-asbestos-related lung cancers. Nonoccupational exposures are likely to be associated with malignant disease outcomes qualitatively similar to those associated with occupational exposures. Further investigations of fibers are needed to characterize the relationships among physicochemical properties, patterns of migration and clearance, dose, and adverse health effects. Transmission electron microscopy has been found to be the preferred method of analysis of environmental fibers. Relations among time factors (e.g., age at first exposure), dose, and risk for adverse health effects require analyses of existing and new epidemiologic studies of exposed cohorts. Concomitant exposure, behavioral factors, and host factors affecting susceptibility to asbestos should be identified.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed1984

Acute effects of the work environment on pulmonary functions of swine confinement workers.

A sample population of owner/operators of swine confinement production facilities (21 subjects in 21 different facilities) were tested by spirometry immediately before and after a 4-hr work period. These confinement workers had statistically significant decrements in flow rates ranging from 3.3% (mean FVC) to 11.9% (mean FEF25-75). The air within the work environment was sampled for particulates and gases during the exposure period. There was suggestive evidence for a dose-response association between environmental exposures to carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S). There was also some evidence for an additive relationship between smoking and work environment exposure on decline in lung function. The results of this study indicate that those working in swine confinement buildings experience irritation to the respiratory tract which is manifest by decreased flow rates. These findings suggest this exposure represents an emerging occupational health hazard. Further studies are warranted to assess the potential for chronic or irreversible damage to the respiratory tract.

Agricultural Workers' Diseases↗