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M T Moran

Publications and source records attributed to M T Moran.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Neural activation during frequency-memory performance.

Lesion studies have demonstrated that frequency memory, or memory for the frequency of occurrence, is associated with prefrontal and not temporal lobe lesions. This study examined neural activation during performance on a frequency-memory-judgment task and a recognition-memory task, both using words. Relative to a control task, the authors observed peaks of activation during frequency-memory performance in the left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (BA 45) and other areas typically associated with working memory (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, posterior parietal cortex). Recognition performance was associated with activation in the same left ventrolateral prefrontal location as was observed with frequency memory. When comparing activation during frequency memory with activation during recognition memory, the authors found a suppression of activation in the hippocampus bilaterally during frequency memory. This study supports a neuroanatomical distinction between frequency and recognition memory.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Pathologic gene expression in Gaucher disease: up-regulation of cysteine proteinases including osteoclastic cathepsin K.

Deficiency of lysosomal acid beta-glucosidase induces glycolipid storage in the macrophages of Gaucher disease but the pathways of multisystem tissue injury and destruction are unknown. To investigate the cognate molecular pathology of this inflammatory disorder, genes that were differentially expressed in spleen samples from a patient with Gaucher disease (Gaucher spleen) were isolated. Of 64 complementary DNA (cDNA) fragments sequenced from an enriched Gaucher cDNA library, 5 encode lysosomal proteins (cathepsins B, K, and S, alpha-fucosidase, and acid lipase), 10 encode other known proteins, and 2 represent novel sequences from human macrophage cell lines. Transcript abundance of the cathepsins, novel genes, pulmonary and activation-regulated chemokine (PARC), and NMB, a putative tumor suppressor gene, was greatly increased. Immunoblotting showed increased mature forms of all 3 cathepsins found in samples of Gaucher spleens. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed strong cathepsin B and K reactions in sinusoidal endothelium and Gaucher cells. The respective means, plus or minus SD, of cathepsin B, K, and S activities were 183 +/- 35, 97 +/- 39, and 91 +/- 45 nmol/min/mg protein in 4 Gaucher spleens, and 26 +/- 4, 10.5 +/- 2, and 4.0 +/- 2.1 nmol/min/mg protein in 3 control spleens. Plasma cathepsin B, K, and S activities were also elevated in Gaucher disease plasma (P <.001), but compared with control plasma samples, neither cathepsin B nor K activities were significantly elevated in 8 patients with nonglycosphingolipid lysosomal storage diseases or in 9 patients with other glycosphingolipidoses, which suggests disease specificity. All 3 cathepsin activities were increased 2-fold to 3-fold in Gaucher sera compared with control sera. In all 6 patients treated by enzyme replacement for 16-22 months, serum cathepsin activities decreased significantly (P <.01). Longitudinal studies confirmed the progressive reduction of proteinase activities during imiglucerase therapy but in 3 Gaucher patients with mild disease not so treated, serum cathepsin activities remained constant or increased during follow-up. Enhanced expression of cysteine proteinases may promote tissue destruction. Moreover, the first identification of aberrant cathepsin K expression in hematopoietic tissue other than osteoclasts implicates this protease in the breakdown of the matrix that characterizes lytic bone lesions in Gaucher disease. (Blood. 2000;96:1969-1978)

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Regulated expression of the rat medium chain hydrolase gene in transgenic rape seed.

Medium chain hydrolase (MCH) is an enzyme which regulates the chain length of fatty acid synthesis specifically in the mammary gland of the rat. During lactation, MCH interacts with fatty acid synthase (FAS) to cause premature release of acyl chains, thus providing medium chain fatty acids for synthesis of milk fat. In this study we have investigated the ability of rat MCH to interact with the phylogenetically more distant FAS structure present in plant systems and to cause a perturbation of fatty acid synthesis. In in vitro experiments, addition of purified MCH to rapeseed homogenates was found to cause a significant perturbation of fatty acid synthesis towards medium chain length products. The rat MCH gene was expressed in transgenic oilseed rape using a seed specific rape acyl carrier protein (ACP) promoter and a rape ACP plastid targeting sequence. Western analysis showed MCH protein to be present in transgenic seed and for its expression to be developmentally regulated in concert with storage lipid synthesis. The chimaeric preprotein was correctly processed and immunogold labelling studies confirmed MCH to be localized within plastid organelles. However, fatty acid analysis of oil from MCH-expressing rape seed showed no significant differences to that from control seed.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Primary care residency programme evaluation: an analysis of three resident cohorts.

The purpose of this study was to conduct a longitudinal evaluation of a university primary care (PC) medical residency programme and use the results to plan for future curriculum development. Overall performance and the ambulatory medical care of three consecutive resident cohorts training from 1982 to 1987 was assessed by attending physicians. PC residents' performance in ambulatory continuity practice was also compared to that of traditional residents' performance in 1985-86. The scoring profile of primary care attendings was compared to that of other attendings. Residents received lowest scores in diagnostic evaluation, leadership and administration. Their best evaluations were in medical care, personal attributes and communication. Two of the three primary care cohorts received lower medical care scores in ambulatory continuity practice compared to other rotations, but had higher overall scores in ambulatory continuity practice than did traditional residents in 1985-86. Primary care attendings gave lower scores to primary care residents than did other faculty.

Ambulatory Care↗
PubMed1988

Measuring medical residents' chart-documentation practices.

To determine the adequacy of medical history documentation, investigators videotaped 26 clinical interviews performed by medical residents in ambulatory practice, and the contents of each videotape were compared with the corresponding entries in the medical record. The residents recorded a little over half of all medical history information observed on the videotapes. Medical issues were more often documented than psychosocial or health behaviors. The residents in their second postgraduate year had the best documentation practices regardless of their residency track (primary-care or traditional track). Also, no difference was noted between the performances of primary-care internal medicine residents and traditional internal medicine residents. For one-quarter of the patients, less than 40 percent of the information that was present on the videotapes was documented in their charts. The residents documented more-severe illnesses better than less-severe ones and documented the medical histories of older patients better than the histories of younger ones. The residents' records of health behavior and psychosocial concerns were less complete for women patients. To improve chart documentation, members of both the attending and the house staffs should review videotapes and corresponding medical records of clinical encounters to help them investigate factors causing inadequate chart-documentation.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Health promotion beliefs and practices of fourth-year medical students.

Little is known about medical student beliefs about health promotion issues or about their prevention practices with patients. We administered a questionnaire about health promotion beliefs and practices to fourth-year medical students in a required course, "Preventive Medicine in Clinical Practice," at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. During a three-year period we surveyed 343 students. A majority of students believed that most of 23 health behaviors were of some importance to health promotion, and their responses were similar to those of practicing physicians in prior studies. Most students reported that they assessed preventive practices in their patients but did not feel well prepared to counsel patients about health issues. Students reported they were currently unsuccessful in modifying patient health behaviors and expressed limited optimism about future success in helping patients change health promotion behaviors with further training and support. There were no differences between students entering primary care specialties and other students. Information about medical student health promotion and disease prevention beliefs and practices can be applied in curriculum development.

Curriculum↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Coronary heart disease risk assessment.

A coronary heart disease (CHD) risk assessment was conducted on 883 patients enrolled in two primary-care rural practices in western Maryland to evaluate the relationship among presence of cardiovascular disease, major risk factors, and self-perception for CHD among the clients. Patients with preexisting cardiovascular disease other than peripheral vascular disease were more likely to perceive themselves at increased risk. However, 16% (39/246) regarded themselves to be at below average risk. These patients tended to have lower income, education, and anxiety levels. Nineteen percent of patients without preexisting cardiovascular diseases regarded themselves to be at above average risk. These patients tended to be disabled, unemployed, and have increased anxiety levels. Regardless of the presence or absence of preexisting cardiovascular disease, a patient's self-perceived risk was not altered significantly by the presence of one or more risk factors other than a positive family history of CHD. Based on Framingham risk profiles, 7.3% (29/395) of the white patients 35-74 years of age without preexisting cardiovascular disease had scores of 0.301 and above. Women had 1.4 times lower estimates of risk compared to men. The discrepancy that can occur between perceived and actual risk for CHD among a significant percentage of patients attending a primary-care rural practice underscores the importance of ascertaining both prior to prescribing risk reduction interventions.

Adolescent↗