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Biomedical subjects

M Dillon

Publications and source records attributed to M Dillon.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Exclusion of the locus for autosomal recessive pseudohypoaldosteronism type 1 from the mineralocorticoid receptor gene region on human chromosome 4q by linkage analysis.

Pseudohypoaldosteronism type 1 (PHA1) is an uncommon inherited disorder characterized by salt-wasting in infancy arising from target organ unresponsiveness to mineralocorticoids. Clinical expression of the disease varies from severely affected infants who may die to apparently asymptomatic individuals. Inheritance is Mendelian and may be either autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive. A defect in the mineralocorticoid receptor has been implicated as a likely cause of PHA1. The gene for human mineralocorticoid receptor (MLR) has been cloned and physically mapped to human chromosome 4q31.1-31.2. The etiological role of MLR in autosomal recessive PHA1 was investigated by performing linkage analysis between PHA1 and three simple sequence length polymorphisms (D4S192, D4S1548, and D4S413) on chromosome 4q in 10 consanguineous families. Linkage analysis was carried out assuming autosomal recessive inheritance with full penetrance and zero phenocopy rate using the MLINK program for two-point analysis and the HOMOZ program for multipoint analysis. Lod scores of less than -2 were obtained over the whole region from D4S192 to D4S413 encompassing MLR. This provdes evidence against MLR as the site of mutations causing PHA1 in the majority of autosomal recessive families.

Alleles↗
PubMed1995

The American abortion debate: culture war or normal discourse?

This paper investigates whether James Hunter's culture war thesis is an apt characterization of the American abortion debate. The author focuses on three arguments central to Hunter's analysis: 1) that the abortion debate involves two paradigmatically opposed world views; 2) that debate about abortion, since it involves moral discourse, is structurally different than other political debates; and 3) that the new alignments in abortion politics are culturally significant. Examining existing research in each of these three domains, the author finds that the debate over abortion is more complex than suggested by Hunter. World views of pro-life and pro-choice activists, for example, share a commitment to some overlapping values; the argumentative structure of abortion discourse has a pattern rather similar to that of political debate more generally, and new alignments on abortion, such as that between the Catholic Church and the Southern Baptist Convention, do not displace historically embedded differences in symbolic resources and cultural orientation. As suggested by the author, it may be more helpful, therefore, to think of the abortion debate as an ongoing public conversation about America's cultural tradition and how it should be variously expressed in contemporary laws and practices.

Abortion, Induced↗
PubMed1994

Rapid increases in load of human immunodeficiency virus correlate with early disease progression and loss of CD4 cells in vertically infected infants.

The relationship between viral burden, timing of transmission, and clinical progression was investigated in 110 children at risk for vertical human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection using quantitative polymerase chain reaction, coculture, and immune complex-dissociated p24 antigen assay. In a cross-sectional study, the mean HIV DNA copy number in 19 symptomatic children was significantly higher than in 31 infected, asymptomatic children (420 +/- 125 vs. 87 +/- 78; P < .0001). In a second group of 8 vertically infected infants followed prospectively from birth, 4 defined as infected in utero showed a more rapid increase in virus load, an accelerated loss of CD4 cells, and early progression to symptomatic disease (3-12 weeks) compared with 4 children with late in utero or intrapartum transmission (10-31 months). These data suggest that a direct relationship exists between HIV replication, the timing of transmission and onset and progression of HIV disease in vertically infected children.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1994

Maternal serum screening in the Sioux Lookout Zone. Complicated test for an unspecified need.

We investigated whether the incidence of fetal abnormalities among patients in Sioux Lookout Zone differs from incidence elsewhere in Canada, whether First Nations people would agree to screening, how information could be disseminated, and what practical considerations would affect implementation. Incidence appears to be similar to elsewhere, but First Nations people's cultural and spiritual beliefs and the difficulty of taking action once results are confirmed make current screening programs inappropriate.

Chorionic Gonadotropin↗
PubMed1993

Risk of acquisition of genital herpes simplex virus type 2 in sex partners of persons with genital herpes: a prospective couple study.

In a prospective study of factors associated with genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 2 transmission in couples in whom 1 partner had clinical genital HSV and the other did not, 11 (19%) of the 57 history-negative partners had HSV-2 antibody by Western blot at entry. In follow-up (mean, 16 months) of 29 HSV-2-seronegative partners, overall 4 (14%) seroconverted compared with 3 (23%) of 13 HSV-1- and -2-seronegative partners and 1 (6%) of 16 HSV-1-seropositive partners. Since all seroconverters were women, the risk of transmission may be higher in HSV-seronegative women. No significant differences were found between HSV-2-seronegative partners and seroconverters regarding duration of relationships, number of partner recurrences, intercourse frequency, or contraceptive method. However, 2 seroconverters were exposed to lesions without barrier contraception. This study suggests that infection is commonly asymptomatic and that although the overall risk of genital HSV transmission in couples is low (10%/year), the risk may be significantly increased in women and in seronegative individuals.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Improved method for i.r. determination of the degree of N-acetylation of chitosan.

Three published i.r. absorption band ratios for determining the % N-acetylation of chitosan have been used to follow the rate of alkaline deacetylation of chitin. Only one, the A1655/A3450 ratio, gives the expected rate of deacetylation curve. Consideration of the various i.r. ratios has led to a new relationship, % N-acetylation = (A1655/A3450) x 115, where the absorbance of the amide I band at approximately 1655 cm-1 is determined using the baseline proposed previously. The values obtained using this proposed relationship agree closely with those obtained from dye adsorption measurements for chitosans having % N-acetylation values in the range 0-55%.

Acetylation↗
PubMed1991

Prevention of ultraviolet-light-induced herpes labialis by sunscreen.

Sunlight exposure is reported by some patients to precede onset of recurrent herpes labialis. Ultraviolet (UV) B light is known to be a stimulus for the reactivation of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections. We assessed the effect of a sunblocking agent on UV-light-induced reactivation of recurrent herpes labialis in a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. 38 patients were exposed on two separate occasions to four minimum erythema doses of UV light at an area of previous labial herpes recurrence. A solution containing sunscreen was applied to the lips before one exposure and a matched placebo before the other. After placebo and UV exposure, herpes labialis developed in 27 (71%) of the 38 patients, with a mean time to recurrence of 2.9 (SEM 0.2) days. In contrast, when sunscreen was applied before UV exposure, no lesions developed, but 1 of the 35 patients shed virus at the exposure site. We conclude that UV light is a potent stimulus for inducing reactivation of herpes labialis, and that application of sunscreen may be effective in the prevention of sunlight-induced recurrent infection.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Technology assessment in the Framingham Heart Study.

To assess the role of observational data bases in technology assessment, we examined 26 articles from the Framingham Heart Study that evaluated a technology, therapy, or predictive instrument. These assessments were grouped into four categories: (a) the study of a technology voluntarily in use by the cohort, (b) the application of an external technology to members of the cohort, (c) the use of the Framingham results to evaluate an unrelated assessment, and (d) the use of the results to validate predictive instruments from other studies. Factors that contribute to the ability of the study to assess voluntary and external technologies include long-term follow-up, a stable cohort, and storage of such nonnumeric data as cardiograms and blood samples. Framingham results have been used to determine outcome measures in later studies. Although the Framingham Study was not designed to assess a technology, we found that large-scale, observational data bases can and do contribute to technology assessment.

Cohort Studies↗
PubMed1989

A prospective study of the effects of acyclovir treatment on the HSV-2 lymphoproliferative response of persons with frequently recurring HSV-2 genital infections.

In a randomized double-blinded fashion, herpes simplex virus type 2 specific lymphocyte proliferation (HSV-2-LP) was studied in patients with frequently recurring genital HSV-2 who were administered daily suppressive oral acyclovir (S-ACV) or placebo and acyclovir for 5 d (PLC/ACV) with recurrences. The pretreatment HSV-2-LP of subjects was low compared with that of controls with infrequently recurring genital HSV-2 (54,000 vs. 110,000 cpm). The HSV-2-LP increased with both S-ACV and PLC/ACV (101,000 and 94,000 cpm, respectively). After treatment was stopped, the HSV-2-LP decreased in both groups (59,000 cpm). Similar data were seen in a subpopulation given a second year of S-ACV. HSV recurrences were reduced in the S-ACV but not in the PLC/ACV group. These data suggest that a low HSV-2-LP in untreated patients is associated with frequent recurrences of genital HSV; a reduction of viral antigens by suppression with ACV or early treatment of HSV recurrences augments the HSV-2-LP response; and the recurrence pattern is not modulated by the HSV-2-LP response.

Acyclovir↗
PubMed1987

Atypical mycobacteria causing pulmonary disease: rapid diagnosis using skin test profiles.

Purified protein derivatives (PPDs) prepared from M tuberculosis (PPD-S), M kansasii (PPD-Y), M scrofulaceum (PPD-G), M avium (PPD-A), M intracellulare (PPD-B), and M fortuitum (PPD-F) were used simultaneously as skin tests to elicit profiles of reactivity in patients with clinical pulmonary disease roentgenologically suggestive of mycobacteriosis. These profiles were useful in delineating the specific cause of mycobacterial disease weeks before bacteriologic confirmation by culture, and they provided a basis for early treatment. When bacteriologic confirmation was attained, the diagnosis suggested by skin testing was correct. Treatment regimens for non-M tuberculosis (atypical) mycobacterial disease varied: a two- to three-drug regimen in the treatment of M avium or M intracellulare disease was ineffective and inappropriate, whereas a five-drug regimen without surgical excision of residual disease produced good results. Combining surgical resection with the five-drug regimen before and after operation produced the best results, however, with all patients showing apparent cure.

Antitubercular Agents↗