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Biomedical subjects

M Howes

Publications and source records attributed to M Howes.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

An international outbreak of salmonellosis associated with raw almonds contaminated with a rare phage type of Salmonella enteritidis.

During the winter of 2000 to 2001, an outbreak due to Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) phage type 30 (PT30), a rare strain, was detected in Canada. The ensuing investigation involved Canadian and American public health and food regulatory agencies and an academic research laboratory. Enhanced laboratory surveillance, including phage typing and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, was used to identify cases. Case questionnaires were administered to collect information about food and environmental exposures. A case-control study with 16 matched case-control pairs was conducted to test the hypothesis of an association between raw whole almond consumption and infection. Almond samples were collected from case homes, retail outlets, and the implicated processor, and environmental samples were collected from processing equipment and associated farms for microbiological testing. One hundred sixty-eight laboratory-confirmed cases of SE PT30 infection (157 in Canada, 11 in the United States) were identified between October 2000 and July 2001. The case-control study identified raw whole almonds as the source of infection (odds ration, 21.1; 95% confidence interval, 3.6 to infinity). SE PT30 was detected in raw whole natural almonds collected from home, retail, distribution, and warehouse sources and from environmental swabs of processing equipment and associated farmers' orchards. The frequent and prolonged recovery of this specific organism from a large agricultural area was an unexpected finding and may indicate significant diffuse contamination on these farms. Identification of almonds as the source of a foodborne outbreak is a previously undocumented finding, leading to a North American recall of this product and a review of current industry practices.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Self, intentionality, and immunological explanation.

In this paper I propose that there are a number of conceptual reasons to preserve self-concepts in immunology. First, I contend that immunological language, including self-terminology, is neither genuinely anthropomorphic, nor perniciously teleological. Furthermore, although teleology associated with future-directed purposive intent is clearly inappropriate in biological contexts, a special type of teleology, intentionality-as-aboutness, needs to be present if there is to be functional explanation in immunology. Second, based on an analogy with the human self, a self comprised of both non-specific innate functions and somatic self-representation, I claim that self-terminology is very appropriate in immunological contexts. Finally, given the appropriateness of self-concepts in immunology, I suggest that the most satisfactory conceptual structure for self-nonself discrimination probably includes both innate and somatic mechanisms.

Humans↗
PubMed1997

Design of a summary screen for an ICU patient data management system.

The paper describes a used-centred design for the summary screen of a computerised ICU patient data management system (PDMS). The screen also forms the resting state display, or default screen, and provides the principal navigation tool to other functionality within the system. The design process identified the most frequent potential users of this screen to be the nurses. Their tasks and the information resources required to perform them were analysed. The analysis identified that the nurses' main task of planning and implementing patient care required an awareness of a set of physiological parameters which provided an overview of the patient's general condition. Novel formats are proposed for displaying the trends in physiological parameters and these have been incorporated into a proposed screen design. These display formats have been evaluated by ICU nurses; they were adjudged to be clear, relevant, easy to learn and simple to use. Nurses considered the content of the screen, and the display formats used, to be suitable for maintaining an awareness of a patient's state during routine patient management.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗
PubMed1994

A study using working DRGs to examine variations in length of stay.

The results of a working DRG utilisation review study conducted at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney in 1992 are described. The project aimed to allocate a working DRG to Cardiology and Orthopaedic patients. Working DRGs are defined as DRGs allocated on admission based on the presenting problem or provisional diagnosis. Patients were then concurrently reviewed until discharge. Actual length of stay (LOS) of patients was compared to the LOS predicted by the working DRG. Results indicated that a utilisation review program using a working DRG can predict a LOS reasonably well for large groups of patients but not for individual patients and that St Vincent's is a comparatively efficient provider of Cardiology and Orthopaedic Services. The paper describes the study design, methods and results. Medical Record Managers played an integral role in the preparation phase, design of the study, day to day coordination and analysis of results. Medical Record Managers' participation in the study is highlighted in this paper.

Cardiology Service, Hospital↗
PubMed1994

Fidelity of nucleic acid amplification with avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase and T7 RNA polymerase.

The Nucleic Acid Sequence-Based Amplification (NASBA) process involves alternate steps of DNA synthesis from an RNA template and RNA synthesis from a DNA template, using avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) reverse transcriptase and T7 RNA polymerase, respectively. The overall fidelity of the amplification process was determined by sequence analysis of cloned DNA products of NASBA reactions. An error frequency of less than 0.3% was observed in cloned DNA products from two different segments of the HIV-1 gag gene. Partial substitution of GTP with ITP in the NASBA reaction did not significantly change the fidelity of the process. An error rate of 2 x 10(-4) was calculated for the combined effects of both polymerases.

Avian Myeloblastosis Virus↗
PubMed1993

Early childhood memories: accuracy and affect.

Subjects were asked to report the earliest memories of their lives. Where possible, the memory protocols were submitted to adults present at the time of the original episode for possible confirmation. The majority of memories were characterized by distinct emotion, with a higher count of negative than of positive emotion. The majority of memories proved accurate, with confirmation operating at as high a level in the case of positive or emotionally neutral memories as of negative memories. General memory content showed no differential patterns across negative and positive memories. Thus claims that infantile memories are powered uniquely by trauma, and/or routinely include distortions, were not supported. Evidence was found that some memories recalled as emotionally bland by the subject had involved an originally emotional episode.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Mycobacterial brain abscess possibly due to bacille Calmette-Guérin in an immunocompromised child.

Disseminated infection with bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is rare, even in immunocompromised patients who receive BCG injections as immunotherapy or immunization. When such infection occurs, it is usually in patients with decreased cellular immunity. A 6-year-old Caucasian girl who was receiving maintenance chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia presented with symptoms of meningitis. A temporal-lobe biopsy revealed acid-fast bacilli that were identified as Mycobacterium bovis BCG. Neither the patient nor any family members had been immunized previously. Appropriate therapy resulted in a complete recovery.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1992

The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) a sequence serves as a cleavage/packaging signal but does not drive recombinational genome isomerization when it is inserted into the HSV-2 genome.

We inserted the terminal repeat (a sequence) of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) strain KOS into the tk gene of HSV-2 strain HG52 in order to assess the ability of the HSV-1 a sequence to provoke genome isomerization events in an HSV-2 background. We found that the HSV-1 a sequence was cleaved by the HSV-2 cleavage/packaging machinery to give rise to novel genomic termini. However, the HSV-1 a sequence did not detectably recombine with the HSV-2 a sequence. These results demonstrate that the viral DNA cleavage/packaging system contributes to a subset of genome isomerization events and indicate that the additional recombinational inversion events that occur during infection require sequence homology between the recombination partners.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Assessing quality of life in patients treated for advanced head and neck cancer.

A pilot study was undertaken to determine which measures of Quality of Life (QL) would be of most use in the follow-up of patients participating in clinical trials of treatments for head and neck cancer. A total of 96 non-randomized patients who had been treated for head and neck cancer either by surgery (three patients), radiotherapy (54 patients), or combined modality therapy (39 patients) completed a detailed questionnaire assessing a wide range of QL parameters. All participating patients were clinically disease-free. It was found that questions relating to quality of speech, ability to eat, levels of energy and activity, and aspects of psychological wellbeing detected the largest effects on QL. The level of QL impairment was consistently greater in those patients treated by surgery plus radiotherapy as compared to those treated by radiotherapy alone. Eleven patients were interviewed in their own homes and the findings generally supported the conclusions drawn from the questionnaire responses. The interviews also demonstrated that impairment of arm movement amongst some surgically treated patients detracted from QL by causing difficulties in performing everyday selfcare and domestic tasks. This study has provided the basis for a QL assessment to be incorporated into a randomized trial of radiotherapy alone versus surgery plus radiotherapy in the treatment of advanced head and neck cancer. The findings suggest that QL impairment is greater for patients who have surgery in addition to radiotherapy as primary treatment but this may be acceptable if a clear survival advantage is demonstrated.

Combined Modality Therapy↗
PubMed1990

Sequence requirements for DNA rearrangements induced by the terminal repeat of herpes simplex virus type 1 KOS DNA.

We investigated the sequence requirements for the site-specific DNA cleavages and recombinational genome isomerization events driven by the terminal repeat or a sequence of herpes simplex virus type 1 KOS DNA by inserting a series of mutated a sequences into the thymidine kinase locus in the intact viral genome. Our results indicate that sequences located at both extremities of the a sequence contribute to these events. Deletions entering from the Ub side of the a sequence progressively reduced the frequency of DNA rearrangements, and further deletion of the internal DR2 repeat array had an additional inhibitory effect. This deletion series allowed us to map the pac1 site-specific DNA cleavage signal specifying the S-terminal cleavage to a sequence that is conserved among herpesvirus genomes. Constructs lacking this signal were unable to directly specify the S-terminal cleavage event but retained a reduced ability to give rise to S termini following recombination with intact a sequences. Deletions entering from the Uc side demonstrated that the copy of direct repeat 1 located adjacent to the Uc region plays an important role in the DNA rearrangements induced by the a sequence: mutants lacking this sequence displayed a reduced frequency of novel terminal and recombinational inversion fragments, and further deletions of the Uc region had a relatively minor additional effect. By using a construct in which site-specific cleavage was directed to heterologous DNA sequences, we found that the recombination events leading to genome segment inversion did not occur at the sites of DNA cleavage used by the cleavage-packaging machinery. This observation, coupled with the finding that completely nonoverlapping portions of the a sequence retained detectable recombinational activity, suggests that inter-a recombination does not occur by cleavage-ligation at a single specific site in herpes simplex virus type 1 strain KOS. The mutational sensitivity of the extremities of the a sequence leads us to hypothesize that the site-specific DNA breaks induced by the cleavage-packaging system stimulate the initiation of recombination.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Of mice and men--data capture in the clinical environment.

We have considered the problem of data capture in the critical care area. Review of previous work on the use of alternative input devices for speed and accuracy of data entry yields conflicting information but suggests that requirements depend on input task, data type and skill of the user. We have performed comparative studies of the QWERTY keybord, cursor control keys, mouse and graphics tablet for data entry in two intensive therapy unit (ITU) environments. The graphics tablet proved overall the best of the devices studied. We report the potential applications of this type of input device.

Computer Systems↗
PubMed1987

Simplified acetylcysteine-alkali digestion-decontamination procedure for isolation of mycobacteria from clinical specimens.

During our attempts to reevaluate and improve mycobacteriology laboratory procedures, we found that isolation of mycobacteria from undecontaminated specimens through the use of selective media was unrewarding and that specimen decontamination was an essential step. A reevaluation of the N-acetyl-L-cysteine-sodium hydroxide (NALC-NaOH) decontamination procedure (G. P. Kubica, W. E. Dye, M. L. Cohn, and G. Middlebrook, Am. Rev. Respir. Dis. 87:775-779, 1963) indicated that this method could be simplified and shortened without affecting the isolation rate or growth and without increasing the contamination rate. The modified NALC-NaOH procedure effectively combines the decontamination step with the concentration step: specimens are mixed with the NALC-NaOH solution on a Vortex mixer and, without any waiting or addition of buffer or water to the digested specimens, centrifuged at 3,000 X g for 15 min, and the sediment is suspended in phosphate buffer (pH 5.3). The modified method is simpler, faster, and safer than the original procedure, and the reduced manipulation is also likely to minimize the chance for cross-contamination in sequential specimen processing. The total alkali exposure time in the modified NALC-NaOH method should be kept to a minimum; if necessary or feasible, the concentration of NaOH in the digestion solution may be reduced from the usual strength of 2% to about 1.5% to compensate for the longer alkali exposure time in the modified method to maintain the isolation rate or to improve it.

Acetylcysteine↗
PubMed1983

Mycobacterium chelonei: report of a case of septicemia and review of the literature.

Mycobacterium chelonei was originally included in group IV of Runyon's classification of "anonymous" or "atypical" mycobacteria. Although a frequent contaminant without clinical significance, this organism has definite pathogenic potential. A compromised host with M. chelonei septicemia and disseminated candidiasis is described. A review of the literature on M. chelonei human infections is also presented.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed1982

A deficiency in the repair of UV and gamma-ray damaged DNA in fibroblasts from Cockayne's syndrome.

The host-cell reactivation of V antigen production for irradiated adenovirus was examined in fibroblasts from 5 unrelated patients with Cockayne's syndrome (CS) and 2 CS heterozygotes. The fibroblast cultures were infected with either irradiated or non-irradiated adenovirus and subsequently examined for the presence of viral structural antigens using immunofluorescent staining. All CS-homozygous strains showed a reduced host-cell reactivation (HCR) of this viral function for both UV-and gamma-irradiated virus. For UV-irradiation of the virus, D37 values expressed as a percentage of that obtained on normal strains, ranged from 14 to 35%. For gamma-irradiation of the virus these values ranged from 61 to 80%. These results indicate some defect in the repair of both UV- and gamma-ray-induced DNA damage for CS. 1 CS-heterozygote strain tested also showed a reduced HCR for UV-irradiated adenovirus intermediate between that of the patient strain and normal, whereas another CS-heterozygote strain showed apparently normal HCR level.

Adenoviruses, Human↗
PubMed1979

Decreased repair of gamma-irradiated adenovirus in Xeroderma pigmentosum fibroblasts.

The ability of gamma-irradiated adenovirus to produce viral structural antigens (Vag) was examined in several normal and Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) fibroblast strains. The fibroblast cultures were infected with either irradiated or nonirradiated adenovirus and at 48 hours after infection, cells were examined for the presence of Vag using immunofluorescent staining. Survival of Vag synthesis for gamma-irradiated adenovirus had a D37 value of 47 +/- 4 x 10(4) rad following the infection of seven normal fibroblast strains. The survival of this viral function was found to be significantly less following infection of the XP strains. D37 values for Vag synthesis expressed as a percentage of that obtained on normal strains were obtained for a representative strain from each of the XP complementation groups: group A, 57 per cent; group B, 61 per cent; group C, 61 per cent, group D, 59 per cent; group E, 73 per cent; and variant, 75 per cent. These results indicate that XP cells have a reduced repair capacity for some type of gamma-ray-induced DNA damage.

Adenoviridae↗