Biomedical subjects

Jennifer E Graham

Publications and source records attributed to Jennifer E Graham.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Factors associated with depressed mood in chronic pain patients: the role of intrapersonal coping resources.

UNLABELLED: The purpose of this study was to examine processes through which chronic pain can result in depressed mood and to determine whether intrapersonal coping resources, namely high self-esteem and optimism, affect these processes. We hypothesized that pain severity contributes to depressed mood largely because pain interferes with involvement in important pursuits. We then examined whether intrapersonal resources are directly associated with pain severity, interference, and depressed mood and whether resources moderate associations between pain and interference or between interference and depressed mood. Structured interviews containing psychometrically robust measures were conducted with 141 outpatients of a university hospital-affiliated chronic pain center. As predicted, interference mediated much of the association between pain severity and depressed mood, and high resources were associated with less severe pain, less interference, and lower depressed mood. The association between pain severity and interference was stronger for people with high than people with low intrapersonal resources. The pattern of results that emerged from this study illustrates that intrapersonal coping resources may affect chronic pain patients through a variety of differentiated mechanisms. Pain severity appears to have greater adverse impact on the activity of people who possess highly positive self-views and outlook, but these resources are also associated with better emotional status. PERSPECTIVE: Pain had greater adverse impact on the activity of people with highly positive self-views and outlook, but these coping resources were also associated with better emotional status. Chronic pain sufferers with few resources may require different interventions than those with more positive views of themselves and the world around them.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed2006

Stress, age, and immune function: toward a lifespan approach.

Both aging processes and psychological stress affect the immune system: Each can dysregulate immune function with a potentially substantial impact on physical health. Worse, the effects of stress and age are interactive. Psychological stress can both mimic and exacerbate the effects of aging, with older adults often showing greater immunological impairment to stress than younger adults. In addition, stressful experiences very early in life can alter the responsiveness of the nervous system and immune system. We review the unique impact of aging and stress on immune function, followed by evidence of interactions between age and stress. Further, we suggest that prenatal or early life stress may increase the likelihood of maladaptive immune responses to stress in late life. An understanding of the interactive effects of stress and age is critical to efforts to determine underlying mechanisms, clarify the directionality of effects, and develop effective interventions in early and late life.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Hostility and pain are related to inflammation in older adults.

Chronically elevated systemic inflammation has a dramatic impact on health for older individuals. As stress-related responses, both hostility and pain perception may contribute to inflammation which in turn may maintain negative emotion and pain over time. We used structural equation modeling to examine the degree to which trait hostility and pain were uniquely associated with C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum IL-6 levels over a 6-year span in a sample of older adults. The sample included 113 present or former caregivers of a spouse with dementia and 101 non-caregivers. After accounting for depression, health behaviours, and other risk factors, which were also assessed longitudinally, pain and, to a lesser extent, hostility were uniquely associated with plasma levels of CRP but not IL-6. When examined separately, the association between pain and CRP was significant only for caregivers, while the association between hostility and CRP was comparable for the two groups. These findings suggest that hostility may play a role in a cycle of inflammation among older adults, and that pain may be particularly problematic for those under chronic stress. Our results also shed light on inflammation as a mechanism underlying the effects of hostility on cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2004

Rabbit wound management.

In conclusion, rabbits have a variety of common disease presentations that require wound management. Anatomic and physiologic characteristics should be kept in mind, as they may have influences upon the management of wounds. Many new topical medications and dressings have been designed that are routinely used in mammalian wound management cases and are potentially useful for rabbits. When topical medications are used in rabbits, care must be taken to ensure the medications are not ingested. In addition to topical therapies, surgical options such as flaps and skin grafts have been researched in rabbits. Many of the wound management concepts that are useful for dogs and cats should be considered when addressing rabbit wounds.

Administration, Cutaneous↗

PubMed2004

Current therapies in exotic animal oncology.

The majority of information on oncology therapies has been reported in humans, canine, and feline patients, and laboratory animals with experimentally induced tumors. A variety of treatments,including radiation therapy, chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, and others have been used with exotic animals. There are many species of exotic pets, and anatomic differences, as well as husbandry and nutritional requirements, must be taken into account to provide optimal care. By providing a broad overview of therapies and considerations for treatment, this article is intended to provide the practitioner with an overview of approach and options when addressing oncology cases in exotic animals.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Assessment of a caudal external thoracic artery axial pattern flap for treatment of sternal cutaneous wounds in birds.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the use of a caudal external thoracic artery axial pattern flap to treat sternal cutaneous wounds in birds. ANIMALS: 16 adult Japanese quail. PROCEDURE: A cutaneous defect in the region of the mid-sternum was surgically created in all quail. In 6 quail (group I), an axial pattern flap was created from the skin of the lateral aspect of the thorax and advanced over the sternal defect. In 8 quail (group II), a flap was similarly created and advanced but the flap vasculature was ligated. All quail were euthanatized at 14 days after surgery and had necropsies performed. Sections of the flap and the surrounding tissue were examined histologically to assess flap viability. RESULTS: All axial pattern flaps in group-I quail had 100% survival. In group II, mean percentage area of flap survival was 62.5%; mean area of necrosis and dermal fibrosis of flaps were significantly greater than that detected in group I. In flaps of group-II quail, neovascularization in the deep dermis and profound necrosis of the vascular plexus in the superficial dermis were observed. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results indicated that the caudal external thoracic artery axial pattern flap could be used successfully in the treatment of surgically created sternal cutaneous defects in quail with no signs of tissue necrosis or adverse effects overall. Use of this technique to treat self-mutilation syndromes or application after surgical debulking of tumors or other masses might be beneficial in many avian species.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Internal papillomatosis with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma in a peach-fronted conure (Aratinga aurea).

A 17-yr-old pet female peach-fronted conure (Aratinga aurea) was presented with the chief complaints of mild lethargy and weight loss with increased appetite. Antemortem diagnostics included complete blood count, plasma biochemistry, and radiography. Abnormal findings included elevated inflammatory parameters (hyperfibrinogenemia) and a space-occupying mass in the region of the liver. Histologic examination of a liver biopsy sample indicated bile duct hyperplasia leading to a presumptive diagnosis of hepatoxicosis. The bird initially showed moderate improvement with supportive care, but its condition declined 9 days after the liver biopsy. Supportive care was attempted a second time, but the bird did not improve and euthanasia was elected. Abnormal gross necropsy findings were confined to the liver, which contained multiple tan nodules that exuded yellowish fluid on cut section. Histopathologic examination revealed multicentric bile duct hyperplasia and cholangiocarcinoma as well as segmental papillary hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma in the proventriculus, ventriculus, and throughout the intestinal tract. This is the first report of concurrent internal papillomatosis, gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma, and cholangiocarcinoma in a peach-fronted conure.

Adenocarcinoma↗