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M Crawford

Publications and source records attributed to M Crawford.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Rangewide molecular structuring in the Utah sucker (Catostomus ardens).

The Utah sucker (Catostomus ardens) is endemic to the Bonneville Basin and the upper Snake River drainage in western North America, and is thought to hybridize with the federally endangered June sucker (Chasmistes liorus mictus) in Utah Lake (Bonneville Basin). Here we describe the discovery of a major subdivision in Utah suckers (4.5% mitochondrial sequence divergence) between the ancient Snake River drainage and the Bonneville Basin. This boundary has not previously been recognized in Utah suckers based on morphologic variation, but has been recently described in two endemic cyprinids in the region. Populations in valleys east of the Wasatch Mountains in Utah clustered with the Snake River populations, suggesting that these valleys may have had an ancient hydrologic connection to the Snake River. We also found evidence of population isolation within the Bonneville Basin, corresponding to two Pleistocene sub-basins of the ancient Lake Bonneville. In contrast, we found no molecular evidence for deep divergence between Utah suckers and June suckers in Utah Lake or for a history of hybridization between divergent lineages in that population, although we recognize that demographic events may have obscured this signal. These findings suggest that the morphological differences between Utah and June suckers in Utah Lake may be the result of strong, and relatively recent, ecological selection. In summary, morphological and molecular characters seem to vary along different axes in different portions of the range of this taxon, providing an interesting system for studying the contributions of neutral and adaptive variation to species diversity.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Immunoglobulin enhancer HS1,2 polymorphism: a new powerful anthropogenetic marker.

The human HS1,2 enhancer of the immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy chain 3' enhancer complex plays a central role in the regulation of Ig maturation and production. Four common alleles HS1,2-A*1, *2, *3, *4 are directly implicated with the transcription level and at least one of them, HS1, 2-A*2, seems to be related to immune disorders, such as coeliac disease, herpetiform dermatitis and Berger syndrome. Given their clinical significance it is of interest to know the distribution of HS1,2-A variants in populations from different continents, as well as to determine whether the polymorphism is associated to specific evolutionary factors. In this paper we report the distribution of the HS1,2-A polymorphism in 1098 individuals from various African, Asian and European populations. HS1,2-A*3 and HS1,2-A*4 alleles are at their highest frequencies among Africans, and HS1,2-A*2 is significantly lower in Africans in comparison with both Europeans and, to a lesser extent, Asians. Analysis of molecular variance of the allele frequencies indicates that the HS1,2-A polymorphism can be considered as a reliable anthropogenetic marker.

Asian People↗
PubMed2005

Voice recognition for radiology reporting: is it good enough?

AIM: To compare the efficiency and accuracy of radiology reports generated by voice recognition (VR) against the traditional tape dictation-transcription (DT) method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred and twenty previously reported computed radiography (CR) and cross-sectional imaging (CSI) examinations were separately entered into the Radiology Information System (RIS) using both VR and DT. The times taken and errors found in the reports were compared using univariate analyses based upon the sign-test, and a general linear model constructed to examine the mean differences between the two methods. RESULTS: There were significant reductions (p<0.001) in the mean difference in the reporting times using VR compared with DT for the two reporting methods assessed (CR, +67.4; CSI, +122.1s). There was a significant increase in the mean difference in the actual radiologist times using VR compared with DT in the CSI reports; -14.3s, p=0.037 (more experienced user); -13.7s, p=0.014 (less experienced user). There were significantly more total and major errors when using VR compared with DT for CR reports (-0.25 and -0.26, respectively), and in total errors for CSI (-0.75, p<0.001), but no difference in major errors (-0.16, p=0.168). Although there were significantly more errors with VR in the less experienced group of users (mean difference in total errors -0.90, and major errors -0.40, p<0.001), there was no significant difference in the more experienced (p=0.419 and p=0.814, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: VR is a viable reporting method for experienced users, with a quicker overall report production time (despite an increase in the radiologists' time) and a tendency to more errors for inexperienced users.

England↗
PubMed2005

Hazardous drinkers in the accident and emergency department--who attends an appointment with the alcohol health worker?

AIMS: To identify factors that predict attendance at a brief assessment and referral session among patients identified as hazardous drinkers while being treated in an accident and emergency department. METHODS: Patients presenting to an accident and emergency department (AED) were screened using the Paddington Alcohol Test (PAT). All patients identified as hazardous drinkers were given written information and offered an appointment with an alcohol health worker (AHW) to discuss their drinking. Data was collected on patients' age, gender, presenting condition, and alcohol consumption. Binary logistic regression was used to identify variables that predicted attendance at the appointment with the AHW among those who accepted advice. RESULTS: Patients who attended the appointment were older than those who did not. Those who believed their attendance in the AED was related to alcohol were also more likely to receive brief intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should explore patients' perceptions of the link between their alcohol consumption and AED attendance, and where appropriate emphasise the potential association.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

How many illnesses does one emergency department visit represent? Using a population-based telephone survey to estimate the syndromic multiplier.

INTRODUCTION: Syndromic surveillance monitors trends in nonspecific health indicator data to detect disease outbreaks in a timely manner; however, only a limited percentage of persons with mild illness might exhibit behaviors that could be detected by syndromic surveillance. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to 1) examine the demographic characteristics of New Yorkers with recent flu-like or diarrheal illness, 2) describe behaviors associated with having flu-like illness, and 3) estimate the citywide burden for selected illnesses by calculating the syndromic multiplier (i.e., the number of citywide illnesses represented by each visit to an emergency department [ED]). METHODS: A cross-sectional telephone survey of 2,433 adult residents of New York City (NYC) was conducted during March 19-March 31, 2003, and October 27-November 23, 2003. Respondents were asked about flu-like illness, behaviors related to flu-like illness, and diarrheal illness during the 30 days before the interview. Estimated numbers of citywide illnesses were compared with ED visits for flu-like and diarrheal illnesses that were recorded by the NYC syndromic surveillance system for the same periods. RESULTS: Every ED visit for flu-like illness represented approximately 60 illnesses among city residents; every visit for diarrheal illness represented approximately 251 illnesses. Among adults who reported a recent flu-like illness, 53.2% purchased over-the-counter (OTC) medications; 32.6% reported missing school or work; 29.1% visited a physician; 21.4% called a physician for advice; 8.8% visited an ED; and 3.8% called a nurse or health hotline for advice. Of those who reported multiple behaviors, respondents most commonly reported purchasing OTC medications as their first response to a flu-like illness. CONCLUSIONS: Population-based survey data can be used in conjunction with syndromic surveillance data to better understand the relation between nonspecific health indicators and the burden of certain illnesses in the community, and to assess the representativeness of different syndromic data sources.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Maintenance treatment with interferon for advanced ovarian cancer: results of the Northern and Yorkshire gynaecology group randomised phase III study.

A randomised phase III trial was conducted to assess the role of interferon-alpha (INFalpha) 2a as maintenance therapy following surgery and/or chemotherapy in patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma. Patients were randomised following initial surgery/chemotherapy to interferon-alpha 2a as 4.5 mega-units subcutaneously 3 days per week or to no further treatment. A total of 300 patients were randomised within the study between February 1990 and July 1997. No benefit for interferon maintenance was seen in terms of either overall or clinical event-free survival. We conclude that INF-alpha is not effective as a maintenance therapy in the management of women with ovarian cancer. The need for novel therapeutics or strategies to prevent the almost inevitable relapse of patients despite increasingly effective surgery and chemotherapy remains.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Intelligence and achievement of children referred following sexual abuse.

OBJECTIVE: Little is known about the prevalence of intellectual and academic problems in sexually abused children. Such problems may have significant implications for their management. This study examined the prevalence of such problems in a population of Australian children referred for sexual abuse evaluation. The study also assessed the clinical utility of the Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS) questionnaire as a screening tool for learning and developmental problems in this population. METHODS: Over a 12-month period, children referred for sexual abuse evaluation to the Mater Children's Hospital Child Protection Unit were enrolled and background demographic and abuse related data collected. The children then completed standardized psychometric assessments. Their parents completed Child Behavior Checklists (CBCL) and PEDS questionnaires. Day care providers and schoolteachers completed the corresponding Caregiver or Teacher Report Forms (TRF). RESULTS: A total of 21 of the 35 eligible children completed the assessment during the study period. Mean scores for intelligence and academic achievement were within the average range. However, three (14%) of the tested children were intellectually impaired and three (14%) showed academic underachievement. Sixty-two per cent of children had problems in the clinical range on the CBCL and 33% on the TRF. The PEDS showed a sensitivity of 64%, specificity of 60% with a positive predictive value of 77%. CONCLUSION: In this population of referred children, over one quarter showed problems with intellectual impairment or academic under achievement. Most of these children were not receiving learning support at school. A high index of suspicion is therefore required when assessing sexually abused children for comorbid intellectual and learning problems.

Achievement↗
PubMed2004

Patient characteristics and quality of life among a sample of Australian chronic pain clinic attendees.

BACKGROUND: Multidisciplinary chronic pain management programs have proliferated widely in recent decades. The clinical characteristics of patients attending these clinics are becoming the subject of increased research. Recent European data suggests that patients attending these clinics report very low quality of life. AIMS: The present study profiles an Australian population in terms of demographics, clinical characteristics and quality of life, as measured by the Short Form 36 Quality of Life Questionnaire (SF-36). METHODS: Data were collected prospectively from consecutive patients presenting to a multidisciplinary chronic pain clinic at a major Sydney metropolitan teaching-hospital. Cross-sectional analysis of demographic and clinical characteristics and quality of life were then undertaken. RESULTS: Descriptive analysis of demographics and clinical characteristics suggest a patient population group reporting significant pain severity and reduced quality of life. The comparison of SF-36 domain scores between clinic patients and Australian norm values indicates a greatly reduced score on all SF-36 domains for clinic patients. Pain clinic patients reported the most profound effect upon quality of life in the role physical, physical function and social function domains of the SF-36. Stepwise multiple regression indicated impaired coping ability and depressive disability as the most significant correlates of low quality of life. CONCLUSION: Patients who attend chronic pain clinics are likely to report low quality of life with an inability to cope. These findings suggest that future intervention research should explore the impacts of behavioural and self-management interventions. Psychological distress and ability to cope could be used as indices of improvement.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Hazardous drinkers in the accident and emergency department--who accepts advice?

AIMS: To identify factors that predict acceptance of brief advice among people consuming excessive alcohol in an accident and emergency (A&E) department. METHODS: Patients presenting to an A&E department were screened using the Paddington Alcohol Test. All patients identified as hazardous drinkers were offered advice about their drinking. Data were collected on patients' age, sex, presenting condition, and alcohol consumption. Binary logistic regression was used to identify variables that predicted acceptance of the offer of advice. RESULTS: The presenting condition, together with the total number of units consumed on a single occasion, predict the uptake of an offer of help. CONCLUSIONS: Patients identified as hazardous drinkers who present after a fall, head injury, or other accident are less likely to accept help. Clinicians should emphasise the potential relation between alcohol consumption and health related consequences to encourage the uptake of advice for these patients.

Accidental Falls↗
PubMed2003

Feasibility and compliance of automated measurement of quality of life in oncology practice.

PURPOSE: Systematic quality-of-life (QOL) assessment may have value in oncology practice by increasing awareness of a wide range of issues, possibly increasing detection of psychologic morbidity, social problems, and changes in physical status, and improving care and its outcomes. However, logistic problems are substantial. Automated systems solve many of these problems. We field-tested the feasibility and compliance that can be achieved using a computer touchscreen system in two consecutive studies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In study 1, a prospective cohort of 272 patients was offered QOL assessment at each clinic appointment for 6 months. In study 2, all patients (N = 1,291) were offered QOL assessment as part of clinic routine during a 12-week period. RESULTS: In study 1, 82% of patients agreed to take part, but over time, compliance was poor (median, 40%; mean, 43%) and deteriorated with longer follow-up. In study 2, the overall compliance was greatly increased (median, 100%; mean, 70%), and compliance was retained over multiple visits. In study 1, compliance was better in younger patients, males, and socially advantaged patients, but was not affected by the presence of depression or anxiety, or QOL. In the second study, building on experience in the first study, data collection and storage in the computer system was excellent, achieving 98% of collected data stored in one center. In general, patients were comfortable with the computers and the approach. Data collection on the wards was more difficult and less complete than in clinics, especially for patients undergoing acute admissions. CONCLUSION: Feasibility with higher compliance was demonstrated in study 2, in which the data collection was integrated into routine care, and can be improved with further technical initiatives and education of staff.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Thinking life is not worth living. A population survey of Great Britain.

BACKGROUND: "Saving lives: our healthier nation" includes a target to reduce the death rate from suicide. Thoughts of suicide and feeling life is not worth living might be the first step in a pathway that can end in completed suicide. This study aims to identify factors associated with feeling life is not worth living amongst the household population of Great Britain, and to assess the strength of these associations after taking account of an individual's level of psychiatric morbidity. METHODS: The 1993 OPCS National Psychiatric Morbidity Surveys of Great Britain assessed psychiatric morbidity using the Revised Clinical Interview Schedule amongst a stratified, clustered probability sample of 9830 subjects representative of the British private household population aged 16-64. RESULTS: Of the sample 0.8 % (95 % CI 0.6 %-1 %) had thoughts of suicide in the week before interview and 3.1 % (95 % CI 2.7 %-3.5 %) reported thoughts of life not worth living in the week before interview. Psychiatric morbidity was most strongly associated with such thoughts. Ethnicity, marital status and low social support were strongly associated with such thoughts after adjusting for age, sex and psychiatric morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: Reducing psychiatric morbidity in the population as a whole might also decrease the frequency of suicidal thoughts. Policies which improve social support at a population level might also have a large impact on prevalence of suicidal thoughts.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

MAGE-F1, a novel ubiquitously expressed member of the MAGE superfamily.

Most known members of the MAGE superfamily are expressed in tumors, testis and fetal tissues, which has been described as a cancer/testis or "CT" expression pattern. We have identified a novel member of this superfamily, MAGE-F1, which is expressed in all adult and fetal tissues tested. In addition to normal tissues, MAGE-F1 is expressed in many tumor types including ovarian, breast, cervical, melanoma and leukemia. MAGE-F1 is encoded on chromosome 3, identifying a sixth chromosomal location for a MAGE superfamily gene. The coding region of MAGE-F1 is contained within a single exon and includes a microsatellite repeat. Sequence analysis and expression profiles define a new class of ubiquitously expressed MAGE superfamily genes that includes MAGE-F1, MAGE-D1, MAGE-D2/JCL-1 and NDN. The finding that several MAGE genes are ubiquitously expressed suggests a role for MAGE encoded proteins in normal cell physiology. Furthermore, potential cross-reactivity to these ubiquitously expressed MAGE gene products should be considered in the design of MAGE-targeted immunotherapies for cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Analysis of postrevascularization syndrome after orthotopic liver transplantation: the experience of an Australian liver transplantation center.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: We investigated the causes and examined patient outcomes following the postrevascularization syndrome (PRS) during orthotopic liver transplantation (OLTx). METHODS: PRS was defined as a fall in the mean arterial pressure at 5 min after revascularization to less than 70% of the baseline and lasting for 5 min. Data from 100 adult patients who underwent OLTx between January 1998 and September 2000 were analyzed. Analyzed data included donor and recipient demographic data, recipient operative and postoperative courses, and recipient outcome. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients (29%) exhibited PRS during OLTx (PRS group). There was a higher incidence of older donors (>50 years) in the PRS group (48% vs 23%; P < 0.05). Postrevascularization hyperkalemia and metabolic acidosis were observed in both the PRS and non-PRS groups. Transaminase and lactate levels after revascularization were significantly higher in the PRS group ( P < 0.05). Alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase levels on day 7 tended to be higher in the PRS group; although the difference was not significant (p > or = 0.05). Serum creatinine was significantly elevated on day 7 in the PRS group ( P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that PRS following OLTx tended to be more common in liver allografts from older donors and was associated with posttransplantation liver and renal dysfunction.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Cell adhesion molecule expression in the cervix and myometrium during pregnancy and parturition.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the expression and localization of cell adhesion molecules intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), E-selectin, platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM), and vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM) in the cervix and myometrium during pregnancy and labor. METHODS: Biopsies of myometrium and cervix were obtained from non-pregnant women and from pregnant women before and after onset of spontaneous labor at term. Cell adhesion molecule mRNA expression was quantified using Northern blotting and cell adhesion molecule protein was localized using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: ICAM-1 mRNA was upregulated in the cervix (10-fold increase, P <.01) and myometrium (10.5-fold increase, P <.01) during labor. ICAM-1 was localized in the vascular endothelium and in leukocytes in the cervix and myometrium from all three groups of women. VCAM mRNA was upregulated in the cervix (2.5-fold increase, P <.01) during pregnancy and there was no further change during labor. VCAM localized weakly to the vascular endothelium in cervical and myometrial biopsies from pregnant and non-pregnant women. PECAM mRNA was significantly upregulated in myometrium during pregnancy (ninefold increase, P <.01) and did not change with the onset of labor. PECAM localized to the vascular endothelium in all cervical and myometrial biopsies and was identified on leukocytes. There were no significant changes in E-selectin mRNA expression in either tissue with pregnancy or parturition. CONCLUSION: Cell adhesion molecule expression changes in human cervix and myometrium during pregnancy and parturition. At least part of these changes are attributable to expression by leukocytes infiltrating these tissues.

Adult↗