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Biomedical subjects

Susan Jones

Publications and source records attributed to Susan Jones.

46 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

Schizophrenia and functional polymorphisms in the MAOA and COMT genes: no evidence for association or epistasis.

Several lines of evidence suggest that psychosis is associated with altered dopaminergic neurotransmission. Dopamine is catabolized by monoamine oxidase (MAO) and catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT). We hypothesized that the genes encoding MAOA and COMT might contain genetic variation conferring increased risk to schizophrenia. In order to test this hypothesis, we genotyped the 941T > G and the promoter VNTR polymorphisms in the MAOA gene and the V158M COMT polymorphism in 346 DSMIV schizophrenics and 334 controls. We also genotyped the-287A > G COMT promoter polymorphism in 177 schizophrenics and 173 controls. No significant differences were found in allele or genotype frequencies between affecteds and controls for any of the polymorphisms. As both genes are involved in degrading catecholamines, we also sought evidence for additive and epistatic effects but none was observed. Our data, therefore, do not support the hypothesis that genetic variation in MAOA and COMT is involved individually or in combination in the etiology of schizophrenia.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Mechanism of action of the Escherichia coli phage shock protein PspA in repression of the AAA family transcription factor PspF.

The PspA protein, a negative regulator of the Escherichia coli phage shock psp operon, is produced when virulence factors are exported through secretins in many Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria and its homologue in plants, VIPP1, plays a critical role in thylakoid biogenesis, essential for photosynthesis. Activation of transcription by the enhancer-dependent bacterial sigma(54) containing RNA polymerase occurs through ATP hydrolysis-driven protein conformational changes enabled by activator proteins that belong to the large AAA(+) mechanochemical protein family. We show that PspA directly and specifically acts upon and binds to the AAA(+) domain of the PspF transcription activator. Interactions involving PspF and nucleotide are changed by the action of PspA. These changes and the complexes that form between PspF and PspA can explain how PspA exerts its negative effects upon transcription activated by PspF, and are of significance when considering how activities of other AAA(+) proteins might be controlled.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed2002

Food cravings and aversions during pregnancy: relationships with nausea and vomiting.

Food cravings and food aversions are common during pregnancy. A mechanism that may explain these changes in food preference is taste aversion learning. Accordingly, this study examined the temporal association between the first occurrences of nausea, vomiting, food cravings and food aversions during pregnancy. Ninety-nine women completed a questionnaire that asked about the occurrence, timing of first onset, duration, strength and targets of these symptoms. Nausea and vomiting were reported by 80% and 56% of the women, food cravings and aversions by 61% and 54% respectively. Although more women experienced both food cravings and aversions than either symptom alone, cravings and aversions were statistically unrelated. There was a significant positive correlation between week of onset of nausea and of aversions. In 60% of women reporting both nausea and food aversions, the first occurrence of each happened in the same week of pregnancy. No such association was found for cravings. These retrospective accounts provide good support for taste aversion learning as a mechanism for the development of some but not all food aversions during pregnancy. Prospective data are needed to confirm these temporal relationships and to assist understanding of the emergence of food cravings.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Characteristics of staffed community housing services for people with learning disabilities: a stratified random sample of statutory, voluntary and private agency provision.

Within the staffed housing model relatively little is known about the characteristics of different types of provider agency. Data on size, homeliness and physical integration of settings, organisational culture, working methods, staffing levels and resident characteristics, were collected on a stratified random sample of provision in South-West England and Wales. Provider agencies did not differ significantly on three of the four variables relating to residents' characteristics. Nor did they differ in terms of the homeliness or physical integration of settings. However, there were significant differences between providers on the important variables of working methods and staffing levels. Resident ability correlated with staffing levels and organisational culture, but not with staff working methods. The results and their implications are discussed in the context of other research which has used the same measures.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Stimulated production of vowel-like LX-waveforms and spectral damping in the absence of phonation.

Electrical impedance 'LX' waveforms measured across the neck at the thyroid level during phonation are known to be correlated with vocal fold movement. Changes in vocal fold contact are thought to be the cause of this phenomenon though emerging applications in radiotherapy indicate that changes in the configuration of both fold and neck tissues are correlated with LX waveform shape. In this paper it is shown that a two-stage tissue damping model with controlled bandpass and passive low pass components is consistent with evidence from gradually degraded, controlled phonation. In particular it is shown that an externally applied stimulus to the vertebral processes of the neck can produce similar impedance waveforms in the absence of phonation and hence no controlled fold contact. It is postulated that this is initial evidence suggesting that both pressure waves and vocal fold contact components contribute to the production of the classical 'LX' waveform.

Electric Impedance↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A clinical pathway for pediatric gastroenteritis.

Gastroenteritis is one of the most common reasons for hospitalization in the United States for children under the age of 5 years. Second only to respiratory problems, the cost of providing care for these children is estimated to exceed $2 billion dollars annually ( Burkhart, 1999; Prescilla, 2002). This article reviews the causes of gastroenteritis as well as the 1996 American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines for treatment of gastroenteritis. These guidelines and more recently published literature were used to develop a clinical pathway to improve the care of pediatric patients admitted to the hospital with gastroenteritis. The article discusses the importance of clinical pathways and the process of implementation of a pathway for pediatric gastroenteritis. Additionally, the article provides a parent teaching tool to address recurrent questions parents have related to home management of a child with gastroenteritis. Useful web sites for resource information related to gastroenteritis are provided as well.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Heat loss and continuous renal replacement therapy.

Because of the devastating consequences of thermal imbalance, it is imperative that nurses understand these concepts and apply them to the daily care of their patients. Heat loss, heat conservation, and heat generation interplay to maintain the narrow range that is considered optimal for human cellular function. These concepts factor into patients who are critically ill but are especially important for patients undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy. Many of these types of dialysis expose the individual patient's blood to room temperature dialysate via an extracorporeal circuit 24-hours a day, sometimes for several weeks at a time. Critical care and advanced practice nurses must understand the interplay of the processes of heat loss, conservation, and heat generation to ensure patients undergoing this therapy achieve maximum benefit with the fewest complications possible.

Acute Kidney Injury↗