John O'Mullane - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by John O'Mullane

Irish medical journal, 1983

British journal of biomedical science

Screening biological samples using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has obvious advantages com... more Screening biological samples using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has obvious advantages compared with current molecular analytical methods based on gel electrophoresis and/or hybridisation, both of which are expensive and time-consuming, therefore the development of a PCR assay format that is applicable to large sample numbers and that can readily use equipment commonly found in diagnostic laboratories would be advantageous. This report describes the development of a colour amplified PCR detection system which is simple in design and could be universally applied to the detection of any DNA template. As an example, the system has been applied in the detection of the heat-stable toxin coding gene (ST-gene) from enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). The assay is sensitive, detecting 10 fg of a purified DNA template and 270 cfu of an ST-gene-positive ETEC strain.

The Breast, 2013

Breast cancer is the cancer most commonly searched for on the internet. Our aim was to assess dai... more Breast cancer is the cancer most commonly searched for on the internet. Our aim was to assess daily new breast cancer related posting on the internet. We analyzed numbers of new daily posts for common cancers for one month and subsequently analyzed content of 1426 breast cancer related posts. We also assessed use of online discussion forums for breast cancer related dialogue. Breast related topics had significantly more posts per day compared to others (mean 66.7, p < 0.01). Most posts were on media sites (65.8%). Accuracy levels were high (87.5%) but significantly lower where posted on blogs and discussion forums (p < 0.001). Anonymous posts were common (55%) and less likely to be accurate (p < 0.001). Use of discussion forums has exponentially increased over the last five years (p < 0.001). The internet has become a primary forum within which health information, particularly relating to breast cancer, is both sought and shared. Increasingly information is provided by patients themselves.

The Breast, 2012

Studies show internet sourced information often has poor accuracy. However, it is rapidly becomin... more Studies show internet sourced information often has poor accuracy. However, it is rapidly becoming a major source of patient information. Our aim was to assess accuracy of breast cancer-related information on the internet.

PLoS ONE, 2013

Background: Chronic ulcers affect roughly 60,000 Irish people, at a total cost of J600,000,000, o... more Background: Chronic ulcers affect roughly 60,000 Irish people, at a total cost of J600,000,000, or J10,000 per patient annually. By virtue of their chronicity, these ulcers also contribute a significant burden to tertiary outpatient vascular clinics.

Irish Journal of Medical Science, 1995

This paper reports on three applications of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the pathology ... more This paper reports on three applications of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the pathology laboratory, cystic fibrosis carrier status investigation, Staphylococcus aureus identification and HLA-DQ alpha tissue typing. Allele specific PCR was used to detect the common cystic fibrosis mutation (delta F508) in an Irish family. The genomic status of each member was shown to be either heterozygous (carrier) or homozygous (affected) for the mutation, based on the resolution of allelic amplifications in an agarose gel. Five staphylococci were subjected to PCR designed to amplify a 137 bp DNA fragment from the S. aureus protein A gene (spa). Four isolates gave a coloured "dot-blot" positive signal, the fifth was negative. In the final application the HLA-DQ alpha region was amplified using DNA obtained from four unrelated individuals. Amplified DNA was tissue typed in a reverse "dot-blot" format. All individuals had unique HLA-DQ alpha types. These examples have been chosen to demonstrate the versatility of this technique and to illustrate some of its potential applications.

Irish journal of medical science, 2011

Lithium is a commonly prescribed pharmacological treatment for mood disorders. It is associated w... more Lithium is a commonly prescribed pharmacological treatment for mood disorders. It is associated with a number of side effects and potentially serious toxicity. To date, there is little data from Irish samples on the subject of Lithium toxicity.

Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, 2000

In 1997, the European Communities Confederation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EC... more In 1997, the European Communities Confederation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EC4) set up a Register for European Specialists in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. The operation of the Register is undertaken by a Register Commission (EC4RC). During the last 10 years more than 2000 specialists in clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine have joined the Register. In 2007 EC4 merged with the Federation

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 2012

Objective Obstetric cholestasis (OC) is a liver disorder characterised by pruritus and elevated s... more Objective Obstetric cholestasis (OC) is a liver disorder characterised by pruritus and elevated serum bile acids (SBA) that affects one in 200 pregnant women. It is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes such as premature delivery and stillbirth. Mild OC is defined as SBA levels of 10-39 lmol/l, and severe OC is defined by levels >40 lmol/l. SBA levels in normal pregnancy have not been investigated. We aimed to establish reference values for SBA in healthy pregnant women across different trimesters of pregnancy.

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2011

The global DNA methylation level were significantly increased in the placenta obtained from mothe... more The global DNA methylation level were significantly increased in the placenta obtained from mother carrying a KO and a KOM pups compared with the placentas from mother carrying WT and KOP pups (Figure). Placental weight was significantly decreased in the mother carrying KO pups compared with those carrying KOM, KOP and WT pups (pϽ0.05). CONCLUSIONS: An adverse uterine environment resulting from lack of nitric oxide, one of the regulators of utero-placental perfusion, results in global hypermethylation of placental DNA. These changes may well be involved in some of the mechanisms responsible for altered fetal programming. Understanding how the placenta mediates maternal influences is crucial in determining the mechanisms underlying the fetal origin of adult diseases.

PCR in Bioanalysis, 1998

... Detection of the Heat-Labile Toxin Coding Gene (LT-Gene) of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli ... more ... Detection of the Heat-Labile Toxin Coding Gene (LT-Gene) of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli Séamus Fanning, Deirdre O'Meara, Lesley Cotter, John O'Mullane, and Bartley Cryan ... Allow the molten agarose to cool before casting the gel (see Note 10). ...

Irish medical journal, 1983

British journal of biomedical science

Screening biological samples using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has obvious advantages com... more Screening biological samples using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has obvious advantages compared with current molecular analytical methods based on gel electrophoresis and/or hybridisation, both of which are expensive and time-consuming, therefore the development of a PCR assay format that is applicable to large sample numbers and that can readily use equipment commonly found in diagnostic laboratories would be advantageous. This report describes the development of a colour amplified PCR detection system which is simple in design and could be universally applied to the detection of any DNA template. As an example, the system has been applied in the detection of the heat-stable toxin coding gene (ST-gene) from enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). The assay is sensitive, detecting 10 fg of a purified DNA template and 270 cfu of an ST-gene-positive ETEC strain.

The Breast, 2013

Breast cancer is the cancer most commonly searched for on the internet. Our aim was to assess dai... more Breast cancer is the cancer most commonly searched for on the internet. Our aim was to assess daily new breast cancer related posting on the internet. We analyzed numbers of new daily posts for common cancers for one month and subsequently analyzed content of 1426 breast cancer related posts. We also assessed use of online discussion forums for breast cancer related dialogue. Breast related topics had significantly more posts per day compared to others (mean 66.7, p < 0.01). Most posts were on media sites (65.8%). Accuracy levels were high (87.5%) but significantly lower where posted on blogs and discussion forums (p < 0.001). Anonymous posts were common (55%) and less likely to be accurate (p < 0.001). Use of discussion forums has exponentially increased over the last five years (p < 0.001). The internet has become a primary forum within which health information, particularly relating to breast cancer, is both sought and shared. Increasingly information is provided by patients themselves.

The Breast, 2012

Studies show internet sourced information often has poor accuracy. However, it is rapidly becomin... more Studies show internet sourced information often has poor accuracy. However, it is rapidly becoming a major source of patient information. Our aim was to assess accuracy of breast cancer-related information on the internet.

PLoS ONE, 2013

Background: Chronic ulcers affect roughly 60,000 Irish people, at a total cost of J600,000,000, o... more Background: Chronic ulcers affect roughly 60,000 Irish people, at a total cost of J600,000,000, or J10,000 per patient annually. By virtue of their chronicity, these ulcers also contribute a significant burden to tertiary outpatient vascular clinics.

Irish Journal of Medical Science, 1995

This paper reports on three applications of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the pathology ... more This paper reports on three applications of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the pathology laboratory, cystic fibrosis carrier status investigation, Staphylococcus aureus identification and HLA-DQ alpha tissue typing. Allele specific PCR was used to detect the common cystic fibrosis mutation (delta F508) in an Irish family. The genomic status of each member was shown to be either heterozygous (carrier) or homozygous (affected) for the mutation, based on the resolution of allelic amplifications in an agarose gel. Five staphylococci were subjected to PCR designed to amplify a 137 bp DNA fragment from the S. aureus protein A gene (spa). Four isolates gave a coloured "dot-blot" positive signal, the fifth was negative. In the final application the HLA-DQ alpha region was amplified using DNA obtained from four unrelated individuals. Amplified DNA was tissue typed in a reverse "dot-blot" format. All individuals had unique HLA-DQ alpha types. These examples have been chosen to demonstrate the versatility of this technique and to illustrate some of its potential applications.

Irish journal of medical science, 2011

Lithium is a commonly prescribed pharmacological treatment for mood disorders. It is associated w... more Lithium is a commonly prescribed pharmacological treatment for mood disorders. It is associated with a number of side effects and potentially serious toxicity. To date, there is little data from Irish samples on the subject of Lithium toxicity.

Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, 2000

In 1997, the European Communities Confederation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EC... more In 1997, the European Communities Confederation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EC4) set up a Register for European Specialists in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. The operation of the Register is undertaken by a Register Commission (EC4RC). During the last 10 years more than 2000 specialists in clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine have joined the Register. In 2007 EC4 merged with the Federation

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 2012

Objective Obstetric cholestasis (OC) is a liver disorder characterised by pruritus and elevated s... more Objective Obstetric cholestasis (OC) is a liver disorder characterised by pruritus and elevated serum bile acids (SBA) that affects one in 200 pregnant women. It is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes such as premature delivery and stillbirth. Mild OC is defined as SBA levels of 10-39 lmol/l, and severe OC is defined by levels >40 lmol/l. SBA levels in normal pregnancy have not been investigated. We aimed to establish reference values for SBA in healthy pregnant women across different trimesters of pregnancy.

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2011

The global DNA methylation level were significantly increased in the placenta obtained from mothe... more The global DNA methylation level were significantly increased in the placenta obtained from mother carrying a KO and a KOM pups compared with the placentas from mother carrying WT and KOP pups (Figure). Placental weight was significantly decreased in the mother carrying KO pups compared with those carrying KOM, KOP and WT pups (pϽ0.05). CONCLUSIONS: An adverse uterine environment resulting from lack of nitric oxide, one of the regulators of utero-placental perfusion, results in global hypermethylation of placental DNA. These changes may well be involved in some of the mechanisms responsible for altered fetal programming. Understanding how the placenta mediates maternal influences is crucial in determining the mechanisms underlying the fetal origin of adult diseases.

PCR in Bioanalysis, 1998

... Detection of the Heat-Labile Toxin Coding Gene (LT-Gene) of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli ... more ... Detection of the Heat-Labile Toxin Coding Gene (LT-Gene) of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli Séamus Fanning, Deirdre O'Meara, Lesley Cotter, John O'Mullane, and Bartley Cryan ... Allow the molten agarose to cool before casting the gel (see Note 10). ...