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Biomedical subjects

N Christie

Publications and source records attributed to N Christie.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Intimate partner sexual abuse among women on methadone.

This article reports findings on the prevalence and correlates of intimate partner sexual abuse (using the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale) among a sample of women in methadone treatment in New York City. Results indicate that, during the course of the intimate relationship, approximately 15% of women had experienced intimate partner sexual assault and 47% were sexually assaulted and/or coerced. Nine percent had experienced intimate partner sexual assault and 38% intimate partner sexual coercion in the past year of the relationship. Bivariate analyses revealed that women who were sexually abused in the 12 months prior to the interview tended also to be physically abused by intimate partners. Women who were unemployed, poor, crack-cocaine or injecting-drug users, and were physically and/or sexually abused as children, were at increased risk of experiencing intimate partner sexual abuse in adulthood. In multivariate models, only extreme poverty and sexual abuse in childhood emerged as risk factors for intimate partner sexual abuse in adulthood.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Minimally invasive surgical staging for esophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma is increasing in the United States, and the 5-year survival rate is dismal. Preliminary data suggest that conventional imaging is inaccurate in staging esophageal cancer and could limit accurate assessment of new treatments. The objective of this study was to compare minimally invasive surgical staging (MIS) with conventional imaging for staging esophageal cancer. METHODS: Patients with potentially resectable esophageal cancer were eligible. Staging by conventional methods used computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest and abdomen, and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), whereas MIS used laparoscopy and videothoracoscopy. Conventional staging results were compared to those from MIS. RESULTS: In 53 patients, the following stages were assigned by CT scan and EUS: carcinoma in situ (CIS; n = 1), I (n = 1), II (n = 23), III (n = 20), IV (n = 8). In 17 patients (32.1%), MIS demonstrated inaccuracies in the conventional imaging, reassigning a lower stage in 10 patients and a more advanced stage in 7 patients. CONCLUSIONS: In 32.1% of patients with esophageal cancer, MIS changed the stage originally assigned by CT scan and EUS. Therefore, MIS should be applied to evaluate the accuracy of new noninvasive imaging methods and to assess new therapies for esophageal cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2000

Primary structure of the sialodacryoadenitis virus genome: sequence of the structural-protein region and its application for differential diagnosis.

Sialodacryoadenitis virus (SDAV) is a coronavirus that is commonly found in laboratory rats and that causes sialodacryoadenitis and respiratory illness. We cloned and sequenced the 3' terminal 9.8 kb of the genomic RNA and analyzed the structure of the viral genome. As with mouse hepatitis coronaviruses (MHVs), the SDAV genome was able to code for a spike protein, a small membrane protein, a membrane-associated protein, and a nucleocapsid protein. In addition, the hemagglutinin-esterase gene capable of encoding a protein of 439 amino acids (aa) was identified. The putative functional site for acetylesterase activity was present in the HE protein as Phe-Gly-Asp-Ser (FGDS), suggesting that the SDAV HE protein might have retained the esterase activity. Immediately upstream of the HE gene and downstream of the polymerase 1b gene, the NS2 nonstructural-protein gene was identified with a coding capacity of 274 aa. A motif of UCUAAAC was identified as a potential transcription signal for subgenomic mRNA synthesis. Large insertions of 172, 127, and 44 aa were detected in the N-terminal half of the predicted S protein of SDAV when its sequence was compared to the sequences of MHV 2, MHV JHM, and MHV A59, respectively. The sequence information on the SDAV S-protein gene was applied to a differential diagnostic PCR to detect and distinguish the rat coronavirus from mouse coronaviruses. This is the first report on the comprehensive genetic information of any rat coronavirus.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Postoperative portable chest radiographs: optimum use in thoracic surgery.

PURPOSE: Daily portable chest radiographs are routinely ordered in many institutions after thoracic surgery. Our purpose was to assess the efficacy and cost of this practice and to determine the optimum use of postoperative x-ray studies. METHODS: A prospective review of all portable chest x-ray films after 100 consecutive elective thoracotomies (DRG 75) was conducted. Each x-ray study initiated a three-part survey. First, the surgeon listed whether the x-ray study was routine and the anticipated management had it not been available. The radiologist then interpreted and scored the x-ray study as follows: negative, expected findings; A, minor findings necessitating no intervention; B, minor findings necessitating intervention; or C, major findings necessitating intervention. Finally, the x-ray film and the interpretation were returned to the surgeon. Any interventions necessitated by the x-ray study were recorded. RESULTS: In 6 months, 99 patients underwent 82 pulmonary resections and 18 other major procedures. In the postoperative period, 769 portable chest x-ray studies were ordered, median five per patient (range 2 to 49). Of these, 731 (95%) were routine and 38 (5%), nonroutine. Severity scores were as follows: negative in 106 (13.8%), A in 558 (72.5%), B in 59 (7.7%), and C in 46 (6.0%). X-ray findings altered management in 43 of 769 studies (5.6%): in 33 routine (4.5%), in 10 nonroutine (26.3%), in 13 A (2.3%), in 22 B (37.3%), and in 8 C (17.4%). CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that routine daily portable chest x-ray studies have a minimal impact on management. It is, in fact, nonroutine x-ray studies that more often alter management. Had routine portable chest x-ray studies, which cost $114 each in our institution, been limited to one immediately after the operation, only 133 such studies (100 routine and 33 nonroutine) would have been needed in the care of these patients. Elimination of 636 (82.7%) x-ray studies reduces the cost of care by $725 per patient ($286,000 annually). For major thoracic procedures, it is safe, efficacious, and cost effective to eliminate routine postoperative portable chest x-ray studies and order nonroutine portable studies only when clinically indicated.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Angiotensin receptor antagonists and ACE inhibitors.

BACKGROUND: ACE inhibitors are valuable and effective drugs in the treatment of hypertension, heart failure, myocardial infarction and nephropathy. Angiotensin receptor antagonists, which have recently been introduced into clinical practice, have the potential to replace ACE inhibitor therapy in many patients. OBJECTIVE: To review the mechanisms of action, indications and side effects of ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor antagonists and to highlight similarities and differences between the two drug classes. DISCUSSION: Angiotensin receptor antagonists have the theoretical advantage of being more effective in blocking the effects of angiotensin II at angiotensin type I receptors. The potential disadvantage of not potentiating bradykinin may be compensated by the unopposed action of angiotensin II on vascular angiotensin type II receptors, which appear to mediate similar beneficial cardiovascular effects to bradykinin. Angiotensin II receptor antagonists have a lower incidence of adverse effects than ACE inhibitors as they do not produce cough and appear much less likely to produce angioedema. Although ACE inhibitors are the most commonly prescribed antihypertensive drug class in Australia, they are underused for the treatment of heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction following myocardial infarction. Angiotensin receptor antagonists may become alternative therapies to ACE inhibitors in these disorders. However, at present they are only indicated for the treatment of hypertension.

Angiotensin I↗
PubMed1995

Posttranscriptional regulation of macrophage tissue factor expression by antioxidants.

Tissue factor (TF) expression by cells of monocyte/macrophage lineage represents an important mechanism underlying the initiation of fibrin deposition at sites of extravascular inflammation. Recent evidence suggests a role for oxidant stress in the signalling pathway of various cell types by virtue of its ability to induce DNA binding of various transcription factors, including nuclear factor kappa B and AP-1. The effect of antioxidant treatment on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced TF expression was examined in murine peritoneal macrophages and human monocytes. Both pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate, an oxidant scavenger, and N-acetyl-cysteine, a precursor of the endogenous antioxidant glutathione, inhibited stimulation of macrophage procoagulant activity by LPS. Northern blot analysis showed that neither of these agents reduced LPS-stimulated TF mRNA accumulation, thereby suggesting a posttranscriptional mechanism for the effect. Immunofluorescence studies of human monocytes using polyclonal anti-TF antibody showed that N-acetyl-cysteine treatment prevented the characteristic plasmalemmal localization of TF antigen that occurs in response to LPS. Western blot analysis showed that N-acetyl-cysteine reduced the accumulation of the 47-kD mature glycoprotein in LPS-treated cells, a finding consistent with the results of the immunofluorescence studies. Furthermore, these conditions did not result in an accumulation of the less mature forms of TF. When considered together, these data suggest that antioxidants exert their effects by impairing translation and/or by causing degradation of newly translated protein. The effect of antioxidants on tumor necrosis factor appeared to be species specific, with no effect on LPS-induced tumor necrosis factor in murine cells, but with inhibition in human monocytes. The posttranscriptional effect of antioxidants on TF expression data suggests a novel mechanism whereby these agents might modulate monocyte/macrophage activation.

Acetylcysteine↗
PubMed1993

Promoting activity in the elderly through interdisciplinary linkages.

Interdisciplinary collaboration helped a group of health care providers plan, implement, and evaluate an exercise program for sedentary older adults in a long-term care facility. The program, designed as a research study, can be implemented by paraprofessional care givers with minimal supervision. The synergy resulting from collaboration between the investigator and colleagues in the practice arena was the cornerstone of the program's success. This paper describes the results of a Sit and Get Fit exercise program, a project funded by The University of Akron.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Reliable thirty-hour lung preservation by donor lung hyperinflation.

We examined the hypothesis that the degree of inflation of the lungs at the time of harvest may have an important role in postpreservation function. Lungs of donor dogs randomly assigned to groups 1 (n = 5) and 2 (n = 5) were ventilated with large tidal volumes (tidal volume, 25 ml/kg; positive end-expiratory pressure, 5 cm H2O; respiratory rate, 12 breaths/min, inspired oxygen fraction 1.0) and were inflated to 30 cm H2O for 15 seconds before pulmonary artery flush and again immediately before tracheal crossclamping. In group 3 (n = 5) donor lungs were normally ventilated (tidal volume, 12.5 ml/kg, positive end-expiratory pressure 0 cm H2O; respiratory rate 12 breaths/min, inspired oxygen fraction, 1.0) and were not hyperinflated before pulmonary artery flushing; the trachea was crossclamped at end-inspiration. In groups 1 and 3 a large bolus (25 micrograms/kg) of prostaglandin E1 was injected into the pulmonary artery before flushing and was also added to the pulmonary artery flush solution (500 micrograms/L). A rapid (approximately 50 seconds), high-volume mm Hg), hypothermic (4 degrees C) pulmonary artery flush was performed in all hypothermic (4 degrees C) pulmonary artery flush was performed in all groups with modified Euro-Collins solution. Heart-lung blocks were stored at 4 degrees C for approximately 29 hours before left single lung allografting. An inflatable cuff was placed around the recipient right pulmonary artery, allowing independent study of the transplanted lung. Hyperinflated lungs harvested with or without prostaglandin E1 provided equivalently excellent early posttransplant function (arterial oxygen tension [mean +/- standard deviation]: group 1; 503 +/- 45, vs group 2; 529 +/- 150 mm Hg; inspired oxygen fraction 1.0). Mean arterial oxygen tension was significantly lower in group 3 (116 +/- 78 mm Hg) than in either groups 1 or 2 (p < 0.0002 for either comparison). Copious reperfusion pulmonary edema was a constant feature in group 3 but was not seen in groups 1 and 2. All 10 recipients in groups 1 and 2 survived the 3-day assessment period without difficulty; two of the five recipients in group 3 died during initial unilateral perfusion of the transplanted lung. Donor hyperventilation and inflation to 30 cm H2O before hypothermic storage can help provide excellent posttransplantation lung function after 30-hour preservation, with or without prostaglandin E1 pretreatment. We speculate that this improvement may be due to effects of increased lung volume on pulmonary vascular tone and/or surfactant metabolism.

Alprostadil↗
PubMed1990

Variant Philadelphia translocations in chronic myeloid leukemia: correlation with cancer breakpoints, fragile sites and oncogenes.

Four cases of variant Philadelphia (Ph1) translocations were found in 72 patients (5.5%) with Ph1-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). One previously unreported case was a simple variant translocation, namely, 46,XY,t(11;17)(q13;p13),t(17;22)(q25;q22); 46,XY,t(1;21)(q32;q11),t(11;17)(q13;p13), t(17;22)(q25;q11). Complex variant translocations were observed in three cases, namely, 46,XY,t(5;9;22)(q31;q34;q11),46,XX,t(8;9;22) (q22;q34;q11) and 46,XX,t(9;15;22) (q34;q15;q11). The chromosomal breakpoints in the cases of variant Ph1 translocations were the following: 1q32, 5q31, 8q22, 11q13, 15q15, 17p13, 17q25 and 21q11. Eight of the eight (100%) breakpoints were located in Giemsa-negative bands. Furthermore, seven of the eight (87%) variant Ph1 breakpoints correspond to the breakpoints present in consistent cancer arrangements. Three of the eight (38%) correspond to fragile sites and four of the eight (50%) correspond to oncogenes.

Genetic Variation↗
PubMed1988

Chromosome analysis in chorionic villi samples from the first trimester elective terminations.

Chorionic villi sampling (CVS) has become a first trimester alternative to amniocentesis for prenatal diagnosis. The cytogenetic findings in 150 experimental samples are presented. The ages of the mothers ranged from 12 to 35 years, but the majority of them were 18 and 19 years of age. Various parameters of culturing and processing the samples in order to improve the method, were investigated. Short term incubation for 48 h was the method routinely employed in processing the biopsies for cytogenetic analysis. In the first series of 100 cases one mosaic case (46,XX/45,X), one Robertsonian translocation (13;14), one marker chromosome and one fragment were found. The foetal tissues were not analysed for chromosomes. In the second series of 50 samples, one case of mosaicism was found in the chorionic villi (46,XX/47,XX, 18q-), but this abnormality was absent in the foetal tissue. One variant inv(9) was observed in the foetal tissue as well as in the chorionic villi. In all other cases the karyotypes from the chorionic villi samples matched those of the corresponding foetal samples. There was no maternal contamination in this series of 50 samples. The discrepancies in the cytogenetic results from other investigators are discussed.

Chorionic Villi↗
PubMed1985

Effect of a fibrin(ogen)-derived vasoactive peptide on polymorphonuclear leukocyte emigration.

A vasoactive peptide known to increase vascular permeability and corresponding to residues 30-43 of the human fibrinogen B beta-chain induced polymorphonuclear leukocyte emigration in rabbit skin in vivo. The leukocyte emigration was much stronger after 2 h than after 0.5 h. Addition of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) did not influence the chemotactic activity, which might possibly be explained by a known PGI2 releasing capacity of this peptide. PGE2 enhanced the leukocyte emigration due to leukotriene B4.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

A case of de novo trisomy 12p syndrome.

We described a case of complete trisomy 12p syndrome (non-mosaic) originating de novo in a first born child to healthy 26 year old nonconsanguineous parents. The 12p syndrome has been confirmed by clinical, cytogenetic and gene dosage studies.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1981

The effect of gamma irradiation of human cells and somatic cell hybridization on sister chromatid exchange frequencies in the hamster chromosomes of hamster-human hybrid lines.

Sister chromatid exchange (SCE) frequency was studied in human/hamster hybrid lines in which the human cells had been exposed to gamma irradiation at doses of 0, 10, 20, and 40 grays. A higher SCE frequency was found in the hamster chromosomes in the hybrid lines than was found in the hamster parental cell line CHW1103. There was also a dose-dependent increase of SCE frequency in the unirradiated hamster chromosomes in the hybrid lines in which the human parental cells had been irradiated.

Animals↗