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Jennifer Brown

Publications and source records attributed to Jennifer Brown.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2026

Physical, chemical, and structural properties of human gastric organoid-derived mucus.

The gastric mucus layer protects the epithelium from gastric acid and ingested pathogens. However, studies of human gastric mucus have been limited due to poor accessibility of native human mucus and the abundance of contaminants in these samples. Here, we explored the potential of human gastric organoids as models for mucus production. Immunofluorescence staining confirmed that the organoids produced mucus containing MUC5AC and MUC6. The luminal mucus had viscoelastic properties similar to those of native human gastric mucus, as determined by particle tracking microrheology. To collect organoid-produced gastric mucus, termed bioengineered gastric mucus (BGM), organoids were cultured as monolayers at the air-liquid interface (ALI), and apically secreted mucus was harvested and analyzed by MUC5AC ELISA, proteomics, cryo-field emission scanning electron microscopy (CryoFE-SE), and rheometry. BGM contained high-molecular weight molecules also found in native gastric mucus. Proteomic analysis confirmed that BGM contained MUC5AC, MUC6, MUC1, and other stomach-specific molecules such as pepsin C, trefoil factor 2, and gastrokine. CryoFE-SE showed that both BGM and native mucus had a porous structure and a characteristic honeycomb scaffold. However, the viscosity of the BGM was generally lower than that of native human gastric mucus, and BGM failed to exhibit gelation at low pH. Collectively, these findings demonstrate the potential as well as some limitations of BGM as an accessible model system for human gastric mucus.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We demonstrate the structural and functional similarities of organoid-derived gastric mucus and native mucus collected from human patients. The bioengineered gastric mucus mimics its native counterpart in its proteomic profile and physical architecture. This work highlights the translational potential of organoid-derived mucus for functional investigations of the human gastric mucus layer.

Humans↗
PubMed2006

The role of drugs and alcohol in rape.

Alcohol and drugs have been inextricably linked with sexual assault. Media coverage has increasingly highlighted the health risks facing intoxicated women and more recently identified the risk of rape as an additional hazard. Using a sample of rape cases reported to the police between 1999 and 2004, this paper establishes that rapes involving intoxicants (alcohol and/or drugs) are distinguishable from those which do not. Further analysis discovered that the identity of the intoxicated parties (i.e. men, women, neither or both) is important in differentiating rapes. Results report differences by location of assault, victim offender relationship, victim and offender characteristics and offence behaviours. A consistent finding from the analysis is that the victim's state of sobriety or inebriation appears more significant than that of the offender. The implications for crime prevention and directions for future research are discussed.

Alcoholic Intoxication↗
PubMed2006

Late rapid deterioration after endoscopic third ventriculostomy: additional cases and review of the literature.

OBJECT: Late rapid deterioration after endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is a rare complication. The authors previously reported three deaths from three centers. Three other deaths and a patient who experienced rapid deterioration have also been reported. Following the death at the University of Toronto of an additional patient who underwent surgery elsewhere, they canvassed pediatric neurosurgeons in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia for additional cases. METHODS: An email was sent to the members of the Canadian Congress of Neurological Sciences who are pediatric neurosurgeons, to the pediatric neurosurgery email list of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, to the email list of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery, and to designated neurosurgeons in the United Kingdom, France, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Australia, who in turn contacted pediatric neurosurgeons in their countries. A data form was provided, and data from previously reported cases were extracted. Nine additional cases were identified, and the results were collated with those of the seven cases previously reported. Patient age at surgery ranged from 2 days to 13 years (mean 7.6 years). The most common causes of hydrocephalus were aqueductal stenosis in 50% of patients and tectal glioma in 25% of patients. The time to treatment failure ranged from 5 weeks to 7.8 years (mean 2.5 years). Thirteen patients died, one patient was in a vegetative state, one patient was mildly disabled, and one patient whose condition deteriorated outside the operating room was alive and well. In the 13 patients in whom the ventriculostomy site was visualized at autopsy or repeated endoscopy, the ventriculostomy was shown to be occluded. CONCLUSIONS: Late rapid deterioration is a rare but lethal complication of ETV. The mechanism is unclear, but deterioration can occur long after the ETV becomes occluded. Patients and caregivers should be counseled regarding this potential complication. An indwelling ventricular access device is an option for patients undergoing ETV.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Vaccination coverage survey versus administrative data in the assessment of mass yellow fever immunization in internally displaced persons--Liberia, 2004.

Yellow fever (YF) is a mosquito-borne vaccine-preventable disease with high mortality. In West Africa, low population immunity increases the risk of epidemic transmission. A cluster survey was conducted to determine the effectiveness of a mass immunization campaign using 17D YF vaccine in internally displaced person (IDP) camps following a reported outbreak of YF in Liberia in February 2004. Administrative data of vaccination coverage were reviewed. A cluster sample size was determined among 17,384 shelters using an 80% vaccination coverage threshold. A questionnaire eliciting demographic information, household size, and vaccination status was distributed to randomly selected IDPs. Data were analyzed to compare vaccination coverage rates of administrative versus survey data. Among 87,000 persons estimated living in IDP camps, administrative data recorded 49,395 (57%) YF vaccinated persons. A total of 237 IDPs were surveyed. Of survey respondents, 215 (91.9%, 95% CI 88.4-95.4) reported being vaccinated during the campaign and 196 (83.5%, 95% CI 78.6-88.5) possessed a valid campaign vaccination card. The median number of IDPs living in a shelter was 4 (range, 1-8) and 69,536 persons overall were estimated to be living in IDP camps. Coverage rates from a rapid survey exceeded 90% by self-report and 80% by evidence of a vaccination card, indicating that the YF immunization campaign was effective. Survey results suggested that administrative data overestimated the camp population by at least 20%. An emergency, mop-up vaccination campaign was avoided. Coverage surveys can be vital in the evaluation of emergency vaccination campaigns by influencing both imminent and future immunization strategies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Effect of a low-allergen maternal diet on colic among breastfed infants: a randomized, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: There is controversy regarding whether hypersensitivity to food proteins contributes to colic among breastfed infants. METHODS: A randomized, controlled trial of a low-allergen maternal diet was conducted among exclusively breastfed infants presenting with colic. In the active arm, mothers excluded cow's milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, and fish from their diet; mothers in the control group continued to consume these foods. Outcomes were assessed after 7 days, as the change in cry/fuss duration over 48 hours, with validated charts. The primary end point was a reduction in cry/fuss duration of > or =25% from baseline. Mothers also assessed the responses to diet with categorical and visual analog scales. RESULTS: Of 107 infants, 90 completed the trial (mean age: 5.7 weeks; range: 2.9-8.6 weeks; 54 male infants). Infants in both groups presented with significant distress (geometric mean: low-allergen group: 690 minutes per 48 hours; control group: 631 minutes per 48 hours). In follow-up assessments on days 8 and 9, there were significantly more responders in the low-allergen group (74% vs 37%), ie, an absolute risk reduction of 37% (95% confidence interval: 18-56%). Cry/fuss duration per 48 hours was reduced by a substantially greater amount in the low-allergen group; the adjusted geometric mean ratio was 0.79 (95% confidence interval: 0.63-0.97), ie, an average reduction of 21% (95% confidence interval: 3-37%). Mothers' subjective assessments of the responses to diet indicated little difference between the groups. CONCLUSION: Exclusion of allergenic foods from the maternal diet was associated with a reduction in distressed behavior among breastfed infants with colic presenting in the first 6 weeks of life.

Allergens↗
PubMed2004

A Nice development: The first joint meeting of the British and French Societies for Developmental Biology, 13-16th September, 2003, Nice, France.

Held this autumn on the beautiful Cote d'Azur, the first joint meeting of the BSDB and SFBD provided delegates with the perfect informal setting for discussion spanning a broad cross-section of Developmental Biology. Participants' interests were diverse, ranging from the implementation of genome-wide approaches aimed at identifying all the molecular components of cell proliferation, signalling, patterning, and morphogenesis, to those engaged in capturing mesmerising glimpses of the minute and intricate workings of the cell. The meeting considered a wide spectrum of model organisms, including the simple plant Arabidopsis, the invertebrates Dictyostelium, Caenorhabditis elegans, and Drosophila melanogaster, the ascidian Ciona intestinalis, and the vertebrates Xenopus, zebrafish, chick, and mouse. Such a diverse approach served to highlight both similarities and differences in the molecular mechanisms that govern embryonic development among different species. Here, we highlight a few aspects of the meeting that illustrate this point.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

A clinically useful method for evaluating lymphedema.

Lymphedema can be an unfortunate side effect of cancer treatment. It is a chronic condition that, if ignored, can lead to disfigurement, immobilization, and severe infections. Several methods for assessing lymphedema are used in clinical practice, and some of these methods are reported in the literature. Although these methods can be useful and provide meaningful data, they also can be time consuming, complicated, expensive, or difficult to communicate to patients or other healthcare providers. The comparative circumferential measurement method (CCMM) is easy to perform, requires only a tape measure and a calculator, and allows for use of the contralateral limb as a control. Results can be calculated immediately so that patients can be given prompt feedback. In clinical settings, CCMM is a simple, efficient, and meaningful technique for assessing lymphedema.

Anthropometry↗
PubMed2003

Prospective randomized clinical trial comparing patient-controlled intravenous analgesia with patient-controlled epidural analgesia after lumbar spinal fusion.

STUDY DESIGN: A prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial was conducted. OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) with that of patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) in terms of overall patient satisfaction with postoperative pain management after lumbar spine fusion. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: In numerous surgical disciplines, PCEA and PCA have proved to be effective methods of postoperative pain control. The literature states that with PCEA, less opioid use is required during the immediate postoperative period to maintain equivalent pain control compared to PCA. Continuous epidural infusion has been assessed in spine fusion patients, but PCEA has not been evaluated. Furthermore, this is the first prospective randomized clinical trial to assess overall patient satisfaction while stratifying patients for both anxiety level and preoperative opioid use. METHODS: For this study, 74 patients were assigned randomly to one of two treatment groups, with PCA and PCEA administered in a double-blind manner for a 3-day postoperative course. All the patients received both PCA and PCEA delivery systems. Assessment was by a blinded, independent observer. Overall patient satisfaction with pain management was assessed by a visual analog scale at the end of postoperative day 3. Secondary measures included: three scales from the Functional Independence Measure instrument; opioid quantity; side effects; and length of hospital stay. RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients were randomized to PCA, and 36 were randomized to PCEA. No baseline variable differences between the groups were observed. The results showed no difference between the groups on the following measures: overall patient satisfaction with pain management, ambulation, and length of stay. The PCA patients used significantly more opioid than the PCEA patients. CONCLUSIONS: Both postoperative analgesic regimens provided good overall patient satisfaction. The only clinical advantage of PCEA over PCA for spine fusion patients was the lower amount of opioid consumed, although the PCEA group experienced significantly more side effects than the PCA group. There were no other significant differences. Therefore, patient or physician preference could select either postoperative pain management delivery system.

Analgesia, Epidural↗
PubMed2003

Desmitis of the straight sesamoidean ligament in horses: 9 cases (1995-1997).

OBJECTIVE: To determine clinical signs, diagnostic findings, and outcome for horses with desmitis of the straight sesamoidean ligament (SSL) near its insertion on the middle phalanx. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 9 horses. PROCEDURE: Medical records were reviewed, and information on signalment, history, clinical signs, diagnostic findings, and treatment was obtained. Follow-up information was obtained through telephone conversations with owners. RESULTS: In all horses, the diagnosis was made by use of high-resolution ultrasonography. Seven horses had moderate lameness on initial examination; lameness was exacerbated in 6 horses following flexion of the distal limb joints. The cause of lameness could not be determined on the basis of clinical signs, and diagnostic local anesthesia was necessary to localize the source of lameness to the distal portion of the limb. Five horses had forelimb involvement (1 bilateral), and 4 had hind limb involvement (1 bilateral). Treatment consisted primarily of a 6-month rest and rehabilitation program. Six of the 9 horses were able to return to their intended use. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that injury to the SSL proximal to its insertion on the middle phalanx should be considered as a possible cause of lameness in horses, particularly performance horses, with lameness localized to the distal portion of the forelimb or hind limb that do not have any radiographic abnormalities. High-resolution ultrasonography was necessary to make the diagnosis. Horses with an acute injury appeared to have a reasonable chance of responding to treatment and returning to their intended use.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Application of enterococci antibiotic resistance patterns for contamination source identification at Huntington Beach, California.

Huntington Beach, California, one of the most popular surfing spots in the world, is plagued by sporadic, elevated levels of fecal bacteria. To assist with pollution source identification, we analyzed antibiotic resistance patterns (ARPs) of enterococci from four known sources (bird feces, urban runoff, coastal marsh sediment and sewage effluent from local sanitation district) and one unknown source (seawater) using seven antibiotics at four concentrations each. Of 2491 enterococci tested, all were resistant to at least one antibiotic at some level. Discriminant analysis indicated that the average correct classification rates for bird feces and urban runoff sources were above 80%. Sewage effluent contained mixed fecal sources. Sixty-four percent of the sewage isolates classified with the sewage category, while the other 35% of isolates were assigned evenly across the other three categories. When enterococci isolated from the seawater were classified using the known ARP database, it was evident that bird feces were the source of surf zone contamination on some days while the coastal salt marsh and sewage plume may have impacted the surf zone water quality to various degrees during other times.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Hepatitis C infection in African Americans: its natural history and histological progression.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this retrospective analysis was to determine the natural history of hepatitis C virus infection in African Americans versus non-African Americans by evaluating the clinical, virological, and histological findings. METHODS: We examined in a retrospective manner the demographics, mode of infection, virological features, and histological progression of HCV infection in African Americans versus non-African Americans. There were 355 patients who met criteria based on adequate liver biopsy specimens and exclusion of other hepatic diseases. RESULTS: African Americans (n = 112) were significantly more likely to be infected with genotype 1 virus (88%) than were non-African Americans (n = 243; 67%; p < or = 0.001). Baseline HCV RNA levels were similar, although baseline ALT values were significantly lower in African Americans (80.0 microl +/- 5.5 vs 112.1 microl +/- 6.2; p < or = 0.001). African Americans were significantly older at the time of presentation and were significantly more likely to be women (p < or = 0.02). In African Americans, there was a trend toward less cirrhosis (22% vs 30%; p < or = 0.1) and significantly less piecemeal necrosis on liver biopsy. Non-African Americans had significantly higher fibrosis scores, ALT values, and piecemeal necrosis ratings, and tended to progress more rapidly to cirrhosis. This difference in histological progression between the two groups was not explained by differences in alcohol consumption. CONCLUSION: The lower ALT, piecemeal necrosis scores, and slower progression of fibrosis in African Americans may reflect less immunological recognition of HCV-infected liver cells.

Black or African American↗