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Biomedical subjects

S Edwards

Publications and source records attributed to S Edwards.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Investigating muscularity concerns in male body image: development of the Swansea Muscularity Attitudes Questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE: An investigation into muscularity concerns in males was carried out. METHOD: A series of questionnaires, containing items pertaining to attitudes and behavior relating to muscularity, were administered to normal male subjects. RESULTS: Factor analysis revealed two underlying constructs. The first reflected the desire to be muscular and and to such goal-oriented behaviors. The second reflected perceived positive attributes of muscularity, including feelings of masculinity, enhanced confidence, and greater attractiveness. Following preliminary studies, a final version of the Swansea Muscularity Attitudes Questionnaire was developed and administered to 303 normal male subjects. Factor analysis of these data confirmed the dual-construct model. The two subscales of this questionnaire (Drive for Muscularity and Positive Attributes of Muscularity) displayed high internal reliability. DISCUSSION: It is suggested that this questionnaire provides a tool that may be used to investigate further the relationship between muscularity concerns and body image issues in males.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Pressure pain thresholds of upper limb peripheral nerve trunks in asymptomatic subjects.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Palpation of peripheral nerve trunks has been advocated as a method of assessing the presence of hyperalgesic nerve tissue as a contributing factor to pain syndromes in musculoskeletal disorders of the upper quadrant. This study investigated, in the first instance, the pressure pain thresholds of the median, radial and ulnar nerve trunks of the upper limb in healthy, asymptomatic subjects. METHOD: Forty-five male and 50 female healthy volunteer subjects participated in this study which involved measurement of pressure pain thresholds by use of pressure algometry bilaterally over the three peripheral nerve trunks in the upper limbs. RESULTS: Pressure pain thresholds were shown to be lowest in the median nerve (p = 0.001) and lower in female subjects (p = 0.001). Laterality (p = 0.077) or the age of the subject (p = 0.254) did not significantly influence results. CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrated differences in pressure pain thresholds in the three nerve trunks of the upper limb. These findings should be taken into account when interpreting the findings of nerve palpation in musculoskeletal upper quadrant disorders.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Is dosage of physiotherapy a critical factor in deciding patterns of recovery from stroke: a pragmatic randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The best treatment and management of stroke patients has been shown to be in stroke units by multidisciplinary rehabilitation teams. Since the composition of stroke units differs it is important to know the extent to which the different components contribute to this results. Physiotherapy is one component of most rehabilitation teams and recent systematic reviews have shown that patients with stroke receiving more physiotherapy achieve more recovery from disability. However, information about the actual amounts of physiotherapy needed to achieve this result is not known. METHOD: A pragmatic, randomized, single-blind, controlled trial comparing recovery from disability in subjects receiving the current standard amount of 30 minutes' physiotherapy with those receiving double that amount (60 minutes). The study included measures of physical performance and function, psychological aspects of anxiety and depression, and perceived control over recovery. RESULTS: Some 114 subjects were recruited to the study; full six-week data are available for 104 subjects and six-month data for 93 subjects. Comparison of initial to six-week difference scores in the control and intervention groups of the whole sample did not show a significant difference. Scrutiny of the recovery curves of the whole sample showed that, in half the sample, three distinct patterns of recovery were demonstrated. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that doubling the physiotherapy time available for patients in a stroke unit will not provide a measurable benefit for all patients. The subgroup analysis of patterns of recovery must be regarded as speculative, but provides the basis for hypotheses about those likely to respond well to more intensive therapy.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2000

Localization to Xq27 of a susceptibility gene for testicular germ-cell tumours.

Testicular germ-cell tumours (TGCT) affect 1 in 500 men and are the most common cancer in males aged 15-40 in Western European populations. The incidence of TGCT has risen dramatically over the last century. Known risk factors for TGCT include a history of undescended testis (UDT), testicular dysgenesis, infertility, previously diagnosed TGCT (ref. 7) and a family history of the disease. Brothers of men with TGCT have an 8-10-fold risk of developing TGCT (refs 8,9), whereas the relative risk to fathers and sons is fourfold (ref. 9). This familial relative risk is much higher than that for most other types of cancer. We have collected samples from 134 families with two or more cases of TGCT, 87 of which are affected sibpairs. A genome-wide linkage search yielded a heterogeneity lod (hlod) score of 2.01 on chromosome Xq27 using all families compatible with X inheritance. We obtained a hlod score of 4.7 from families with at least one bilateral case, corresponding to a genome-wide significance level of P=0.034. The proportion of families with UDT linked to this locus was 73% compared with 26% of families without UDT (P=0.03). Our results provide evidence for a TGCT susceptibility gene on chromosome Xq27 that may also predispose to UDT.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

High risk genes predisposing to prostate cancer development-do they exist?

There is evidence for genetic predisposition to prostate cancer. However, prostate cancer genes have been more difficult to find than genes for some of the other common cancers, such as breast and colon cancer. The reasons for this are discussed in this article and it is now becoming clear that prostate cancer is probably due to multiple genes, many of which are moderate or low penetrance. The advances in the Human Genome Project and technology, especially that of robotics, will help to overcome these problems. Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases (2000) 3, 241-247

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

A pilot study of N-acetyl glucosamine, a nutritional substrate for glycosaminoglycan synthesis, in paediatric chronic inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND: The breakdown of glycosaminoglycans is an important consequence of inflammation at mucosal surfaces, and inhibition of metalloprotease activity may be effective in treating chronic inflammation. AIM: To report an alternative approach, using the nutriceutical agent N-acetyl glucosamine (GlcNAc), an amino-sugar directly incorporated into glycosaminoglycans and glycoproteins, as a substrate for tissue repair mechanisms. METHODS: GlcNAc (total daily dose 3-6 g) was administered orally as adjunct therapy to 12 children with severe treatment-resistant inflammatory bowel disease (10 Crohn's disease, 2 ulcerative colitis). Seven of these children suffered from symptomatic strictures. In addition, similar doses were administered rectally as sole therapy in nine children with distal ulcerative colitis or proctitis resistant to steroids and antibiotics. Where pre- and post-treatment biopsies were available (nine cases), histochemical assessment of epithelial and matrix glycosaminoglycans and GlcNAc residues was made. FINDINGS: Eight of the children given oral GlcNAc showed clear improvement, while four required resection. Of the children with symptomatic Crohn's stricture, only 3 of 7 have required surgery over a mean follow-up of > 2.5 years, and endoscopic or radiological improvement was detected in the others. Rectal administration induced remission in two cases, clear improvement in three and no effect in two. In all cases biopsied there was evidence of histological improvement, and a significant increase in epithelial and lamina propria glycosaminoglycans and intracellular GlcNAc. CONCLUSIONS: GlcNAc shows promise as an inexpensive and nontoxic treatment in chronic inflammatory bowel disease, with a mode of action which is distinct from conventional treatments. It may have the potential to be helpful in stricturing disease. However, controlled trials and an assessment of enteric-release preparations are required to confirm its efficacy and establish indications for use.

Acetylglucosamine↗
PubMed2000

Valsartan in acute myocardial infarction trial (VALIANT): rationale and design.

BACKGROUND: Survivors of acute myocardial infarction (MI) complicated by heart failure and/or resulting in left ventricular dysfunction are at heightened risk for subsequent death and major nonfatal cardiovascular events. Inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor has consistently been demonstrated to result in reductions in these risks by approximately 20%. The development of angiotensin II receptor blockers offers a new, more specific, and theoretically more complete pharmacologic mode to inhibit the adverse influence of angiotensin II. METHODS: Valsartan in Acute Myocardial Infarction (VALIANT) is a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, active controlled parallel group study comparing the efficacy and safety of long-term treatment with valsartan, captopril, and their combination in high-risk patients after MI. The trial is designed with 3 arms, giving equal statistical consideration to survival comparisons of captopril versus the angiotensin II receptor blocker valsartan, as well as the combination of captopril plus valsartan, compared with a proven effective dose of captopril. This 14,500-patient trial is designed with an 86% power to detect a 15% reduction in mortality rate with either use of valsartan compared with captopril. The trial encourages optimal individualization of other proven therapies in acute and chronic infarction, and the international patient body ensures good representation of multiple practice patterns. CONCLUSION: VALIANT is a large international investigative effort that will evaluate the role of valsartan in the management of patients with MI associated with heart failure and/or left ventricular dysfunction. The use of a proven dose of captopril and the comparator arms with valsartan alone or in combination with captopril provides a unique test of whether the angiotensin II receptor blocker can make an additional improvement in clinical outcomes beyond angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors.

Angiotensin II↗
PubMed2000

Evaluating the role of botulinum toxin in the management of focal hypertonia in adults.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of EMG guided botulinum toxin (BTX-A) on impairment and focal disability in adults presenting with focal hypertonia. METHODS: A prospective, randomised, double blind, placebo controlled, parallel group trial was carried out with standardised assessment before and at 3 week intervals until 12 weeks after injection, in patients with focal hypertonia affecting upper or lower limbs. Botulinum toxin or placebo was injected with EMG guidance after multidisciplinary assessment. The modified Ashworth scale of spasticity, percentage passive range of joint motion, subjective rating of problem severity, the Rivermead motor assessment scale, a timed 10 metre walk (lower limb patients), nine hole peg test (upper limb patients), and a modified goal attainment scale were used as outcome measures. The patients were 52 adults; 34 male, 18 female; mean age 40.31, range 16-79 years; mean duration of symptoms 35 months (range 3 months to 22 years). Diagnoses included cerebrovascular accidents (23), head injury (12), incomplete spinal cord injury (six), tumour (five), cerebral palsy (three), and anoxic episodes (three). RESULTS: For each variable an overall score for the treatment period was computed by summing the scores from the 3, 6, 9, and 12 week assessments. These overall scores were significantly better in the treated group for the Ashworth scale, percentage passive range of movement, Rivermead lower limb, and subjective rating of problem severity. The significant treatment effect on the Ashworth scale was seen on analysis of variance (ANOVA) at 3 weeks and the subjective rating of problem severity at 3 and 6 weeks. The goal attainment scale score in both groups was similar at 12 weeks. CONCLUSION: Selective use of botulinum toxin to weaken muscles can lead to a reduction in resistance to passive movement about a distal limb joint. This allows for improvements in passive range of movement and focal disability, particularly in patients presenting with focal spasticity of the lower limb.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Genes, themes and microarrays: using information retrieval for large-scale gene analysis.

The immense volume of data resulting from DNA microarray experiments, accompanied by an increase in the number of publications discussing gene-related discoveries, presents a major data analysis challenge. Current methods for genome-wide analysis of expression data typically rely on cluster analysis of gene expression patterns. Clustering indeed reveals potentially meaningful relationships among genes, but can not explain the underlying biological mechanisms. In an attempt to address this problem, we have developed a new approach for utilizing the literature in order to establish functional relationships among genes on a genome-wide scale. Our method is based on revealing coherent themes within the literature, using a similarity-based search in document space. Content-based relationships among abstracts are then translated into functional connections among genes. We describe preliminary experiments applying our algorithm to a database of documents discussing yeast genes. A comparison of the produced results with well-established yeast gene functions demonstrates the effectiveness of our approach.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Pulmonary autograft versus aortic homograft for rereplacement of the aortic valve: results from a subset of a prospective randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: The use of a pulmonary autograft for rereplacement of the aortic valve has both potential advantages and disadvantages. This study details the early results of a subset of patients enrolled in a prospective randomized trial comparing pulmonary autografts and aortic homografts who have had previous aortic valve replacements. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 47 patients who had undergone >/=1 previous aortic valve replacement were randomized to receive either a pulmonary autograft (24 patients aged 40+/-11 years) or an aortic homograft (23 patients aged 37+/-11 years) for rereplacement of the aortic valve. One early death occurred in the homograft group, and 1 late (7 months) death occurred in the autograft group. One patient who received a pulmonary autograft was reoperated on for inflammatory pulmonary stenosis. One patient in each group was reopened for bleeding (both within 24 hours). Two patients in the autograft group had postoperative neurological weakness; they fully recovered over 2 months. Hospital stay, blood loss, incidence of perioperative arrhythmia, and markers of coronary ischemia were similar between the 2 groups. At 6-month follow-up (range, 1 to 12 months), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter was similar in both groups (homografts, 5.0+/-0.9 cm; autografts, 5.2+/-0.6 cm; P=NS), and no patient in either group had significant aortic valve dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: Rereplacement of the aortic valve with a pulmonary autograft is feasible and safe in patients aged 14 to 60, regardless of their preoperative diagnosis or clinical condition.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Patient outcome and valve performance following a second aortic valve homograft replacement.

BACKGROUND: Homograft valves offer many advantages; however, there is concern about their use in second aortic valve replacement because of the complexity of the procedure and the possibility of accelerated degeneration. METHODS AND RESULTS: One hundred and forty-four patients underwent a second aortic homograft replacement between 1973 and 1997 (mean follow-up 6.5+/-5 years, range 1 to 20 years). Eighty-three were male, and 61 were female, aged 17 to 77 years, mean 49.0 years. All patients had undergone previous aortic valve replacement with a homograft. The indication for reoperation was aortic regurgitation in 75 patients (52.1%), aortic stenosis in 28 (19.4%), and mixed aortic valve disease in 41 (28.5%). Root replacement was performed in 54 patients (38%) and subcoronary in 90 (62.5%). Early mortality was 3.4%. The actuarial survival rate was 93% and 82% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. Freedom from tissue degeneration was 96% and 80% at 5 and 10 years, respectively, and freedom from reoperation was 97% and 82% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that a second aortic valve homograft replacement results in good early and long-term survival. Accelerated degeneration does not occur. Left ventricular performance is improved, and earlier surgery could further improve outcome, indicating that an aortic homograft is a safe, durable option for patients requiring a second aortic valve replacement.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Comparing thalamocortical and corticothalamic microstructure and spatial reciprocity in the macaque ventral posterolateral nucleus (VPLc) and medial pulvinar.

The detailed morphology of thalamocortical (TC) and corticothalamic (CT) pathways connecting the ventral posterolateral nucleus (VPLc) with the primary somatosensory cortex (areas 3b and 1) and the thalamic pulvinar with the posterior parietal cortex (primarily area 7a), was compared. Each pathway processes information relevant to directed reaching tasks, but whereas VPLc receives its major input from the spinal cord and external environment, the primary afferent to the pulvinar is cortical. Using combined tracer and thick fixed slice procedures, the soma/dendritic morphology of TC neuron populations (with known destination) was shown to be quantitatively similar within VPLc and the pulvinar. This implies that differences in information processing in VPLc (a primary relay) and the pulvinar (an integrative thalamic nucleus) are not defined by a distinctive TC morphology, but rather by the connections of these neuron populations. Two morphologically distinct types of CT axon were observed within the medial pulvinar and VPLc. The more common "Type E" were fine, had boutons en passant and diffuse terminal bifurcations ending in masses of tiny boutons. "Type R" axons were thicker, smooth, and terminated in localised clusters of large terminal boutons. Each type had a unique pattern of termination reflecting a distinct action on target neuron populations. The spatial relationship between TC distribution territories and CT terminal fields was examined within the medial pulvinar and VPLc by using anterograde and retrograde tracers injected together within cortical areas 7a, and 3b/1, respectively. Spatial overlap was incomplete within both thalamic nuclei. Our findings show a more complex relationship between TC and CT neuron populations than previously demonstrated.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1999

Immunolocalization of Na+/K(+)-ATPase in mitochondrion-rich cells of the atlantic hagfish (Myxine glutinosa) gill.

Using a monoclonal antibody for the alpha-subunit of the Na+/K(+)-ATPase, DASPEI (a vital mitochondria dye), and confocal laser scanning microscopy, the presence of Na+/K(+)-ATPase in mitochondrion-rich cells of the hagfish gill was confirmed. In addition, the level of Na+/K(+)-ATPase expression in the hagfish gill was compared to that of fishes with different osmoregulatory strategies (little skate, Raja erinacea and mummichog, Fundulus heteroclitus). Immunocytochemistry detected a high density of columnar cells expressing Na+/K(+)-ATPase in the afferent filamental epithelium. Positive cells were also found in the lamellar epithelium but at a much lower density. The distribution of DASPEI staining was similar to that of the Na+/K(+)-ATPase antibody, indicating that the enzyme is expressed in mitochondrion-rich cells. Immunoblot analysis confirmed the specificity of the antibody for the 97 kDa alpha-subunit of the enzyme. The immunoreactive band intensity for the Atlantic hagfish was similar to that of the little skate, but less than half that of the full-strength seawater mummichog. These results are discussed in relation to gill function in early craniates.

Animals↗