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Biomedical subjects

R Kinsman

Publications and source records attributed to R Kinsman.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Genes encoding proteins homologous to halobacterial Gvps N, J, K, F & L are located downstream of gvpC in the cyanobacterium Anabaena flos-aquae.

Only two gas vesicle genes have been previously identified in the cyanobacteria, gvpA and gvpC, both of which encode structural gas vesicle proteins. Analysis of the nucleotide sequence immediately downstream of gvpC in the cyanobacterium Anabaena flos-aquae has revealed the presence of 4 ORFs (open reading frames) the products of which share significant homology with a number of the gene products derived from halobacterial gvp gene clusters. In halobacteria the gas vesicle gene clusters consist of 14 genes involved in gas vesicle synthesis and assembly. The product of Anabaena ORF 1, located immediately downstream of gvpC is homologous to halobacterial GvpNs. For the remaining ORFs the predicted gene products show homology to both GvpJ and GvpA for ORF 2, to GvpK and GvpA for ORF 3, and to both GvpF and GvpL for ORF 4.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

A scale for predicting nonphysiological contributions to pain.

BACKGROUND: Waddell and colleagues have identified a series of nonorganic signs which may appear in low back pain patients. The occurrence of these signs helps predict nonphysiological factors in the etiology of the pain. This study describes the development of the Waddell Equivalency Scale (WES) which elicits comparable information from patients with pain at other sites. METHODS: One hundred fifty patients presenting to a comprehensive pain clinic with low back pain were evaluated by physicians for Waddell signs and by psychologists using the Pain Presentation Inventory (PPI) developed by Psychometric Designs Inc. From three scales of the PPI, correlation, analysis of variance and multiple regression identified a formula which predicted Waddell signs from the PPI. The study was replicated on a new sample of 150 patients with almost identical results. The two samples were combined, again with highly similar results. An interpretive scheme was devised for use of the WES scale. RESULTS: The WES score derived from three scales of the PPI predicts the number of Waddell signs elicited from low back pain patients. Since it comes from a paper-and-pencil test rather than a physical examination, it can be used with patients whose pain locus is other than the back. CONCLUSIONS: Behavioral expectations and treatment plans, à la Waddell, can now be applied to patients with other than low back pain. Clinical application of the WES information over a variety of pain populations will be required to determine the parameters of its usefulness.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

GvpCs with reduced numbers of repeating sequence elements bind to and strengthen cyanobacterial gas vesicles.

We have previously shown that the gas-vesicle protein GvpC is present on the outer surface of the gas vesicle, can be reversibly removed and rebound to the surface, and increases the critical collapse pressure of the gas vesicle. The GvpC molecule, which contains five partially conserved repeats of 33 amino acids (33-RR) sandwiched between 18 N-terminal and 10 C-terminal amino acids, is present in a ratio of 1:25 with the GvpA molecule, which forms the ribs of the gas vesicle. By using recombinant techniques we have now made modified versions of GvpC that contain only the first two, three or four of the 33-amino-acid repeats. All of these proteins bind to and strengthen gas vesicles that have been stripped of their native GvpC. Recombinant proteins containing three or four repeats bind in amounts that give the same ratio of 33-RR:GvpA (i.e. 1:5) as the native protein, and they restore much of the strength of the gas vesicle; the protein containing only two repeats binds at a lower ratio (1:7.7), however, and restores less of the strength. Ancestral proteins with only two, three or four of the 33-amino-acid repeats would have been functional in strengthening the gas vesicle but the progressive increase in number of repeats would have provided strength with increased efficiency.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Methane and carbon dioxide emissions from dairy cows in full lactation monitored over a six-month period.

Methane and CO2 emissions from a herd of 118 lactating cows were measured directly by continuous monitoring with an infrared gas analyzer from 24 gas sampling locations. A total of 112 d of gas output was recorded between June 1993 and November 1993. Recordings were integrated at .5-h intervals, so that there were 48 data points for each 24-h period. The mean 24-h CH4 emission per cow was 587 +/- 61.3 L; the range was 436 to 721 L. The mean 24-h CO2 emission per cow was 6137 +/- 505 L, and the range was 5032 to 7427 L. These values were not corrected for gas emissions from stored manure, which contributed 5.8 and 6.1%, respectively, to CH4 and CO2 output under conditions of this experiment.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

A Pain Rating Scale and a Pain Behavior Checklist for clinical use: development, norms, and the consistency score.

A Pain Rating Scale [PRS] and a Pain Behavior Checklist [PBC] were developed for use during a clinical pain interview. Norms were based on 395 chronic pain patients referred for pain management. The PRS obtained ratings of present pain, and worst and least pain during the previous 30 days. The PBC recorded 16 pain behaviors during the 45- to 60-min interview. Normative data were given for seven measures: (1) worst pain rating, past month; (2) least pain rating, past month; (3) present pain rating; (4) difference between worst and least pain ratings; (5) pain behavior score; (6) total pain score (based on Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 5), and (7) consistency score. The consistency score reflects the agreement (or discrepancy) between the pain behavior and present pain ratings. A moderate overall relationship was found between pain behavior and present pain ratings (r = 0.46, p < 0.001). The frequency of good agreement between pain behavior and present pain ratings was unaffected by sex, race, age, pain site, type of injury, duration of pain, legal representation, and evaluating psychologist; but it varied markedly with conscious symptom magnification. Patients seen as consciously exaggerating pain (n = 127) gave higher pain ratings (all p values < 0.001); and had frequent (64.6%) discrepancies between their pain report and pain behavior compared to others (14.2%). The report of present pain was unrelated to pain behavior for conscious exaggerators (r = 0.04, NS); in contrast there was a moderately high relationship for other patients (r = 0.68, p < 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1989

Multidimensional analysis of peak pain symptoms and experiences.

Peak pain symptoms and experiences were explored within a group of 243 intractable pain patients seen consecutively at a pain clinic. Using a 5-point scale, patients rated the frequency with which 99 symptom adjectives occurred when their pain was at its worst. Key cluster analysis identified 11 reliable, conceptually clear symptom clusters: Four affective symptom categories, Angry Depression, Diminished Drive, Intropunitive Depression and Anxiety, describing emotional states concomitant with peak pain; two somatic symptom categories, Ecto-Pain and Endo-Pain, describing surface and deep bodily pain, respectively; and five additional symptom categories including Cognitive Dysfunction, Sleep Disturbance, Fatigue, Withdrawal and Disequilibrium. Among the affective symptom clusters, symptoms of Angry Depression were reported to occur frequently by 32% of the patients while only 11% reported the frequent occurrence of Intropunitive Depression. For the somatic symptom clusters, 25 and 52% reported the frequent occurrence of Ecto-Pain and Endo-Pain, respectively. Pain reports measured by Ecto-Pain and Endo-Pain were nearly independent of all other symptom categories. The results suggest that the experiential context of pain differs widely among intractable pain patients. The study derived a Pain Symptom Checklist to measure each symptom cluster as one way to identify coping styles among chronic pain patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Compliance of patients with asthma with an experimental aerosolized medication: implications for controlled clinical trials.

A Nebulizer Chronolog, a portable device that houses a standard nebulizer canister, was used in a unique method to measure compliance with aerosolized medication. Each actuation is tabulated to within 4 minutes of the actual time of usage and can subsequently be displayed in a day-hour-minute format. Of the 19 patients studied for 12 weeks with a cromolyn-like agent, appropriate usage four times a day ranged from 4.3% to 94.8%. Underusage exceeded overusage and ranged from 5.2% to 95% of the study days. Younger subjects and male subjects were less likely to use the aerosol appropriately. Patients failed to write the truth in their diaries with overreporting of appropriate usage more than 50% of the times. Lack of compliance with aerosolized medication represents an important medical issue for the physicians caring for patients with asthma. The Nebulizer Chronolog elicits new insight into the disparity between reported and observed compliance.

Adolescent↗