PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

S Milne

Publications and source records attributed to S Milne.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Large-scale sequence comparisons reveal unusually high levels of variation in the HLA-DQB1 locus in the class II region of the human MHC.

Comparison of genomic sequences flanking the HLA-DQB1 locus in the human MHC class II region reveals local sequence variation of up to 10%, which is the highest level of sequence variation found in the human genome so far. The variation is haplotype-specific and extends far beyond the transcriptional unit of the DQB1 gene, suggesting hitch-hiking along with functionally selected alleles as the most likely mechanism. All major insertions/deletions (indels) were found to be of retroviral origin and in the immediate upstream region of DQB1. Possible cis-acting effects of these indels on the transcriptional regulation of DQB1 are discussed.

Ataxin-1↗
PubMed1998

A retrospective epidemiological analysis of non-accidental head injury in children in Scotland over a 15 year period.

A retrospective analysis of the epidemiological characteristics of non-accidental head injury (NAHI) in children in Scotland over the last fifteen years from 1981 until March 1996 was performed. The information was provided by the Information and Statistics Division of the Scottish Health Service. The average incidence of NAHI calculated over this period was 0.04 cases per year per 1000 children under 5 years. Fifty-five per cent of all cases occurred in those children who were less than a year old. 41% of cases were inflicted by a parent but in 47% the perpetrator could not be identified. The mortality rate was found to be 2%. Non-accidental head injury cases identified using the ICD-9 coding classification system gives a surprisingly low incidence. This number is probably an underestimate and the reasons for this are discussed. A prospective epidemiological analysis of NAHI in children in Scotland is being undertaken to determine the true incidence.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

The natural decomposition of adipocere.

Adipocere is a waxy substance which sometimes forms from the adipose tissue of dead bodies, especially when they are under water. A disinterment in southern Ontario lead to the recovery of extensive adipocere from an interment which occurred in AD 1869. Subsequent laboratory research was designed to explore the conditions under which adipocere will disappear, the goal being to identify strategies for estimating a range of time since death in cases where adipocere is present. Varieties of aerobic or facultatively anaerobic microorganisms from the surface of the adipocere were separated and identified. In culture, the gram positive bacteria were able to degrade the adipocere. We propose that the persistence of adipocere is related to the exclusion of gram positive bacteria from the burial environment. The role of bacteria in adipocere formation and degradation must be understood before we can use the presence of adipocere to extrapolate information about the post-death interval.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1995

Sex differences in patients admitted to a regional secure unit.

The case notes of all admissions to a Regional Secure Unit over a 12-year period were examined. A higher proportion of females had a diagnosis of personality disorder. Women were less likely to have a prosecuted offence associated with admission but were more likely to be charged with fire-setting. Patients with personality disorder were more likely to be transferred to special hospitals. Women were nearly three times as likely as men to be transferred to maximum security and this was not accounted for by the excess of females with personality disorder. There was net movement of men out of special hospitals whereas the opposite was true for women. Possible explanations for this are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Physical morbidity in patients admitted to a private hospital for detoxification from alcohol.

A survey of patients admitted to a private hospital for detoxification from alcohol found similar levels of physical morbidity and withdrawal complications to a group admitted to a National Health Service alcohol treatment unit. Although private patients tended to be older than National Health Service patients, the two groups were similar on a number of other variables. The implications for those involved in the management of patients who abuse alcohol are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Long-term outcome of post-partum psychiatric illness requiring admission.

Among 65 women admitted to a mother and baby unit within 6 months post-partum, 53 were followed up for an average of 8.8 years. Women who had no previous history of psychiatric illness or who had experienced previous puerperal illness only, did significantly better at follow-up. The majority of these women had presented with a clinical picture of major depression. Past psychiatric history is confirmed as an important prognostic indicator in post-partum illnesses.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Suicide in Scotland 1988-1989. Psychiatric and physical morbidity according to primary care case notes.

BACKGROUND: The aim was to identify the amount of psychiatric and physical morbidity identified in suicide victims prior to death. METHOD: A survey was made of primary care records of Scottish suicide victims in the years 1988 and 1989. RESULTS: Less morbidity was encountered than in previous studies. Single persons and persons from lower socio-economic groups were less likely to have a diagnosis of depression. No association was found between physical and psychiatric morbidity. Depressed single persons and depressed persons from lower socio-economic groups were less likely to receive antidepressants. GPs prescribed lower dosages of antidepressants than psychiatrists. Patients receiving antidepressants were more likely to die by drug overdose. CONCLUSIONS: There are groups in whom depression may be being overlooked and others in whom depression could be treated more vigorously. There are risks in prescribing antidepressants which are potentially fatal in overdose.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed1994

Role of doctors in the prevention of suicide: the final consultation.

BACKGROUND: It is generally assumed that people committing suicide see their doctor shortly before their death, and consequently that enhancing doctors' psychiatric knowledge and interview skills might help prevent some suicides. AIM: A study was undertaken to determine the nature and timing of final contacts with medical practitioners by people committing suicide. METHOD: Adults dying by suicide in Scotland during 1988-89 were identified by the General Register Office for Scotland and their primary care case notes studied. RESULTS: Within this national sample, medical contact near to the time of the suicidal act was rare, except for those individuals who had a previous psychiatric history. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that medical practitioners, particularly those working in primary care, are not failing to detect and intervene in significant numbers of preventable suicides. Consequently, the likelihood of implementing successful suicide prevention strategies based within primary care is open to question. Greater awareness of the risk of eventual suicide in those with a previous history of psychiatric disorder may contribute to any future reduction in suicide rates.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Porphyrin induced calcium release from skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum.

Micromolar concentrations of the porphyrin mesotetra(4-N-methylpyridyl)porphine tetraiodide is shown to induce rapid release of Ca2+ from skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles. Porphyrin-induced Ca2+ release is stimulated by ATP (KdATP = 100 microM) and Ca2+ (KdCa = 1 microM) and is inhibited by Mg2+ (KI = 220 microM) and ruthenium red (KI = 7 nM). The porphyrin is also shown to stimulate high affinity [3H]ryanodine binding by decreasing the dissociation constant (kd) and increasing the binding capacity (Bmax). Moreover, in the presence of Mg2+, receptor binding is sensitized to activation by Ca2+, and porphyrin-stimulated channel activity is sensitized to activation by Ca2+. These observations show that porphyrin-induced Ca2+ release is due to a direct interaction with the Ca2+ release protein from sarcoplasmic reticulum.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1991

Physical morbidity in patients admitted for detoxification from alcohol.

A considerable level of physical morbidity (71.1% of cases) was found in 76 consecutive admissions to an alcoholism treatment unit. Sixteen patients (21.1%) developed complications during detoxification despite drug treatment. Complications were associated with a reported daily alcohol intake of greater than 35 units. The early detection and management of the physical complications of alcohol misuse remain important functions of alcoholism treatment units.

Adult↗