PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R Simpson

Publications and source records attributed to R Simpson.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

'I'm not picking up a heart-beat': experiences of sonographers giving bad news to women during ultrasound scans.

This study explores the experiences of obstetric sonographers imparting diagnostic information which may be considered 'bad news' to expectant mothers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine sonographers at two London Hospitals to elicit their experiences of giving bad news. Themes which emerged then formed the basis for a quantitative survey of 180 practising obstetric sonographers in England. Their perception of what constitutes 'bad news' was examined. It was found that sonographers were predominantly concerned with lack of time and the unpredictability of the patient's reaction when giving bad news. Staff working in settings where there was a clear protocol specifying how to proceed following disclosure of bad news experienced less stress than those working without such a protocol. These findings have implications for psychologists working with patients who suffer pregnancy loss who may consider provision of support and counselling skills training for sonographers.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Selective toxicity of MKT-077 to cancer cells is mediated by its binding to the hsp70 family protein mot-2 and reactivation of p53 function.

MKT-077, a cationic rhodacyanine dye analogue has been under preclinical cancer therapeutical trials because of its selective toxicity to cancer cells. Its cellular targets and mechanism of action remain poorly understood. Here we report that MKT-077 binds to an hsp70 family member, mortalin (mot-2), and abrogates its interactions with the tumor suppressor protein, p53. In cancer cells, but not in normal cells, MKT-077 induced release of wild-type p53 from cytoplasmically sequestered p53-mot-2 complexes and rescued its transcriptional activation function. Thus, MKT-077 may be particularly useful for therapy of cancers with wild-type p53.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed2000

Gastric acid secretion in cyclooxygenase-1 deficient mice.

BACKGROUND: Constitutive cyclooxygenase-1 enzyme synthesizes prostaglandins which are thought to play an important role in the functional integrity of the stomach gastric mucosa. Recently, it was shown that cyclooxygenase-1 deficient mutant mice did not develop spontaneous gastric pathology and appear less sensitive to indomethacin-induced gastric damage. AIM: To investigate gastric acid secretion in cyclooxygenase-1 deficient mutant mice. METHODS: The basal and histamine or isobutyl methylxanthine-stimulated acid secretion in stomachs of cyclooxygenase-1 deficient homozygous mice and the effect of indomethacin was compared with that of heterozygous and wild-type mice using isolated lumen perfused mouse stomachs, in organ baths, monitored by pH-electrodes. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the basal or histamine stimulated gastric acid secretion between wild-type or heterozygous or homozygous mice. However, isobutyl methylxanthine was more potent in the cyclooxygenase-1 deficient and heterozygous mice than in wild-type mice. Indomethacin, at concentrations below 1 mM, had no effect on either basal or histamine stimulated acid secretion in any of the mice populations. CONCLUSION: Gastric acid secretion is maintained without prostaglandin involvement in cyclooxygenase-1 deficient mice. The finding that basal and histamine-stimulated gastric acid secretion was similar in the cyclooxygenase-1 deficient, compared to wild-type mice is consistent with the lack of spontaneous gastric pathology in the cyclooxygenase-1 deficient mice.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗
PubMed2000

Relationships between environmental factors and lung function of asthmatic subjects in south east Queensland, Australia.

Few panel studies have investigated the relationships between air pollutants and air spora and lung function change in asthmatic subjects. This article examines the association of outdoor air pollutant concentrations and air spora with the decrease in lung function (measured by morning peak expiratory flow) of two groups of asthmatic subjects in the subtropical environment of South East Queensland, Australia. Lung function responses were stratified by age, allergy status, and location, and seasonal effects were examined. Allergy status and age were found to be important, with air pollutants such as ozone and particles associated with decreases in lung function in allergic individuals older than 15 years. Fungal spore counts were strongly associated with a decrease in lung function in allergic adults, especially in those over 54 years, only in seasons when these air spora peak. Analysis for the entire study period indicates that the effect of ozone on peak expiratory flow in the allergic group can sometimes be confounded by air spora effects, indicating that in a subtropical climate the impact of ozone on asthma severity can be accurately estimated only when the confounding effects of air spora are included.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

The losartan renal protection study--rationale, study design and baseline characteristics of RENAAL (Reduction of Endpoints in NIDDM with the Angiotensin II Antagonist Losartan).

The RENAAL Study is a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the renal protective effects of losartan in Type 2 diabetic patients with nephropathy. The study has enrolled 1513 patients and is expected to continue for 3.5 years after the last patient has been entered. Eligible patients must have a urinary albumin:creatinine ratio of at least 300 mg/g and serum creatinine between 1.3 to 3.0 mg/dL. Eligible hypertensive or normotensive patients are randomised to receive either losartan or placebo, in addition to their existing antihypertensive therapy. Medications that block angiotensin production or action, are excluded. The primary endpoint is a composite of the time to first event of doubling of serum creatinine, end-stage renal disease, or death; secondary endpoints include cardiovascular events, progression of renal disease, and changes in proteinuria; tertiary endpoints include quality of life, healthcare resource utilisation, and amputations. Patients include Caucasians (48.6%), Blacks (15.2%), Asians (16.7%), and Hispanics (18.2%). Baseline urinary albumin:creatinine ratio and serum creatinine levels average 1867 mg/g and 1.9 mg/dL, respectively. Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures are 153 and 82 mmHg, respectively. RENAAL will document whether blockade of the AII receptor with losartan produces clinical benefits in patients with Type 2 diabetes and nephropathy.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

[Evaluation of commercial UHT milk and optimization of industrial process].

From the nutrition al point of view milk is one of the most complete food in the diet of mammals. It contains nearly all the nutrients necessary to sustain life, but milk can deteriorate very easily, either by microbiological contamination or by biochemical reactions during processing and/or storage. The objective of this research study was to design a modified UHT treatment to achieve commercial sterilization and maximize the stabilization of the heat-treated product during storage. To search for a modified UHT process, a mathematical model coupled with an optimization routine (complex method) was developed. The mathematical model considers Kinetics for the inactivation of Bacillus stearothermophilus and several quality factors. To attain the objective function, several commercial UHT milk were analyzed and for the computer search the minimization of hydroxy methyl furfural (HMF) formation was considered and also including constraints for protease and lipase inactivation. The complex optimization procedure was implemented to search for the optimum modified UHT treatment.. One of the optimum modified UHT treatments was the combination of two pre-treatment (3.16 minutes at 62.30 degrees C and 6 minutes at 75 degrees C) in addition with a UHT treatment (0.75 s at 148.8 degrees C). This treatment attains the maximum product stability with a negligible effect on composition and color formation in the treated milk (HMF formation less than 3 mg/mL).

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Hypoglycemic prodrugs of 4-(2,2-dimethyl-1-oxopropyl)benzoic acid.

SAH 51-641 (1) is a potent hypoglycemic agent, which acts by inhibiting hepatic gluconeogenesis. It is a prodrug of 4-(2, 2-dimethyl-1-oxopropyl)benzoic acid (2) and 4-(2, 2-dimethyl-1-hydroxypropyl)benzoic acid (3), which sequester coenzyme A (CoA) in the mitochondria, and inhibits medium-chain acyltransferase. 1-3 and 4-tert-butylbenzoic acid all cause testicular degeneration in rats at pharmacologically active doses. 14b (FOX 988) is a prodrug of 3, which is metabolized in the liver at a rate sufficient enough to have hypoglycemic potency (an ED50 of 65 micromol/kg, 28 mg/kg/day, for glucose lowering), yet by avoiding significant escape of the metabolite 3 to the systemic circulation, it avoids the testicular toxicity at doses up to 1500 micromol/kg/day. 14b was selected for clinical studies.

Acetophenones↗
PubMed1999

Characteristics of rural dust events shown to impact on asthma severity in Brisbane, Australia.

Wind erosion in arid inland Australia leads to dust plumes which can pass over populated coastal areas in Eastern Australia, such as Brisbane. Such events can lead to concerns about respiratory health problems because they significantly increase the fine particle component of atmospheric aerosols. This paper examines the particulate characteristics of 11 dust events in Brisbane and associations with daily diary records (peak expiratory flow, symptoms) of people with asthma, and hospital emergency attendances for asthma during a number of seasons between 1992 and 1994. These dust events are frequently, but not always, characterised by higher particulate levels and higher ratios of fine to coarse particulates. The results indicate that a number of dust events were significantly associated with changes in asthma severity, but general relationships could not be determined. Given that the phenomenon of wind-blown dust is not isolated to the Australian continent, these findings raise important questions about the effects of wind-blown dust in other parts of the world.

Adolescent↗