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Biomedical subjects

Jessica Murray

Publications and source records attributed to Jessica Murray.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Endothelial function in HIV-infected persons.

BACKGROUND: Several reports have suggested an increased risk of coronary disease in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients receiving protease inhibitors (PIs). Impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation is a putative surrogate marker of coronary atherosclerotic disease. METHODS: The present study evaluated the effect of HIV infection and antiretroviral treatment on endothelial vasomotor function, by assessing brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD). A total of 75 HIV-infected patients were compared with 223 control subjects who were presumed to be HIV uninfected. RESULTS: HIV-infected patients had significantly impaired FMD, compared with control subjects (mean +/- SD, 7.3% +/- 4.4% vs. 11.1% +/- 6.3%; P < .0001). When adjustments were made for smoking status, sex, and body mass index, the difference between the 2 groups remained statistically significant (P < .01). In a cross-sectional analysis of the HIV-infected patients, we found significant associations between FMD and current injection drug use, hazardous drinking, HIV load, and alpha-high-density lipoprotein triglyceride levels, but not PI therapy. In a multivariate analysis, only current injection drug use and a lower alpha-high-density lipoprotein triglyceride level were significantly associated with FMD. CONCLUSIONS: HIV-infected patients have significant impairment of endothelial function, and this impairment is worse among those with elevated levels of HIV replication, particularly injection drug users.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Temporal changes in anthropometric measurements of idealized females and young women in general.

This study examined the temporal anthropometric changes in idealized female body images in the media (i.e., Playboy magazine Playmates of the Year, Miss America Pageant winners, and fashion models) and young women in general across eight decades. Overall, all anthropometric measures differed significantly over time. BMI for all women in the idealized groups tended to decline significantly over time, while the BMI for YoungWomen increased significantly. Models tended to have the smallest bust and hips, Playmates the largest bust, and young women in general the largest waist and hips. The general trend for all groups was to move from a less curvaceous body shape in the early part of the twentieth century to a more curvaceous shape at mid-century and returning to a less curvaceous shape at the end of the century. Idealized women have a body size unlike that of Young Women and the chasm between the media- defined ideal and reality is continuing to diverge.

Beauty↗
PubMed2002

Testing time-predictable earthquake recurrence by direct measurement of strain accumulation and release.

Probabilistic estimates of earthquake hazard use various models for the temporal distribution of earthquakes, including the 'time-predictable' recurrence model formulated by Shimazaki and Nakata (which incorporates the concept of elastic rebound described as early as 1910 by H. F. Reid). This model states that an earthquake occurs when the fault recovers the stress relieved in the most recent earthquake. Unlike time-independent models (for example, Poisson probability), the time-predictable model is thought to encompass some of the physics behind the earthquake cycle, in that earthquake probability increases with time. The time-predictable model is therefore often preferred when adequate data are available, and it is incorporated in hazard predictions for many earthquake-prone regions, including northern California, southern California, New Zealand and Japan. Here we show that the model fails in what should be an ideal locale for its application -- Parkfield, California. We estimate rigorous bounds on the predicted recurrence time of the magnitude approximately 6 1966 Parkfield earthquake through inversion of geodetic measurements and we show that, according to the time-predictable model, another earthquake should have occurred by 1987. The model's poor performance in a relatively simple tectonic setting does not bode well for its successful application to the many areas of the world characterized by complex fault interactions.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Barriers to quality end-of-life care in West Virginia ICU units: physicians' and nurses' prospectives.

Most deaths in West Virginia occur in hospitals and a high proportion take place in intensive care units (ICU). This study was undertaken to determine what West Virginia physicians and nurses treating patients in ICUs perceive to be the barriers to quality end-of-life care. A total of 626 physicians and nurses practicing in 28 hospitals completed surveys and the results showed that physicians and nurses agree the top three barriers are patient/family demands for all possible treatment; inadequate insurance coverage; and lack of health care professional education. The study indicated that the majority of physicians were satisfied with their end-of-life care skills. In addition, it showed that physicians referred an average of 10 patients to hospice in the preceding year and that they did not refer more patients because the patient or family did not accept that the patient was dying. Futher education of physicians, nurses and especially the public is needed to improve end-of-life care in West Virginia.

Adult↗