Lisa Anderson-Shaw - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Lisa Anderson-Shaw

PLOS ONE, 2015

Malignant glioma is characterised by a rapid growth rate and high capacity for invasive infiltrat... more Malignant glioma is characterised by a rapid growth rate and high capacity for invasive infiltration to surrounding brain tissue; hence, diagnosis and treatment is difficult and patient survival is poor. Aptamers contribute a promising and unique technology for the in vitro imaging of live cells and tissues, with a potentially bright future in clinical diagnostics and therapeutics for malignant glioma. The binding selectivity, uptake capacity and binding target of two DNA aptamers, SA43 and SA44, were investigated in glioma cells and patient tissues. The binding assay showed that SA43 and SA44 bound with strong affinity (K d , 21.56 ± 4.60 nM and K d , 21.11 ± 3.30 nM respectively) to the target U87MG cells. Quantitative analysis by flow cytometry showed that the aptamers were able to actively internalise in U87MG and 1321N1 glioma cells compared to the non-cancerous and non-glioma cell types. Confocal microscopy confirmed staining in the cytoplasm, and co-localisation studies with endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus and lysosomal markers suggested internalisation and compartmentalisation within the endomembrane system. Both aptamers selectively bound to Ku 70 and Ku 80 DNA repair proteins as determined by aptoprecipitation (AP) followed by mass spectrometry analysis and confirmation by Western blot. In addition, aptohistochemical (AHC) staining on paraffin embedded, formalin fixed patient tissues revealed that the binding selectivity was significantly higher for SA43 aptamer in glioma tissues (grade I, II, III and IV) compared to the non-cancerous tissues, whereas SA44 did not show selectivity towards glioma tissues. The results indicate that SA43 aptamer can differentiate between glioma and non-cancerous cells and tissues and therefore, shows promise for histological diagnosis of glioma.

Prehospital and disaster medicine

In an epidemic situation or large-scale disaster, medical and human resources may be stretched to... more In an epidemic situation or large-scale disaster, medical and human resources may be stretched to the point of exhaustion. Appropriate planning must incorporate plans of action that minimize public health morbidity and mortality while maximizing the appropriate use of medical and human healthcare resources. While the current novel H1N1 influenza has spread throughout the world, the severity of this strain of influenza appears to be relatively less virulent and lethal compared to the 1918 influenza pandemic. However, the presence of this new influenza strain has reignited interest in pandemic planning. Amongst other necessary resources needed to combat pandemic influenza, a major medical resource concern is the limited number of mechanical ventilators that would be available to be used to treat ill patients. Recent reported cases of avian influenza suggest that mechanical ventilation will be required for the successful recovery of many individuals ill with this strain of virus. Howev...

The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy, Jan 8, 2015

It is not fully understood why inhibiting ATP synthesis in Mycobacterium species leads to death i... more It is not fully understood why inhibiting ATP synthesis in Mycobacterium species leads to death in non-replicating cells. We investigated the bactericidal mode of action of the anti-tubercular F1Fo-ATP synthase inhibitor bedaquiline (Sirturo™) in order to further understand the lethality of ATP synthase inhibition. Mycobacterium smegmatis strains were used for all the experiments. Growth and survival during a bedaquiline challenge were performed in multiple media types. A time-course microarray was performed during initial bedaquiline challenge in minimal medium. Oxygen consumption and proton-motive force measurements were performed on whole cells and inverted membrane vesicles, respectively. A killing of 3 log10 cfu/mL was achieved 4-fold more quickly in minimal medium (a glycerol carbon source) versus rich medium (LB with Tween 80) during bedaquiline challenge. Assessing the accelerated killing condition, we identified a transcriptional remodelling of metabolism that was consisten...

PLoS ONE, 2013

Early development in humans is characterised by low and variable embryonic viability, reflected i... more Early development in humans is characterised by low and variable embryonic viability, reflected in low fecundity and high rates of miscarriage, relative to other mammals. Data from assisted reproduction programmes provides additional evidence that this is largely mediated at the level of embryonic competence and is highly heterogeneous among embryos. Understanding the basis of this heterogeneity has important implications in a number of areas including: the regulation of early human development, disorders of pregnancy, assisted reproduction programmes, the long term health of children which may be programmed in early development, and the molecular basis of pluripotency in human stem cell populations. We have therefore investigated global gene expression profiles using polyAPCR amplification and microarray technology applied to individual human oocytes and 4-cell and blastocyst stage embryos. In order to explore the basis of any variability in detail, each developmental stage is replicated in triplicate. Our data show that although transcript profiles are highly stage-specific, within each stage they are relatively variable. We describe expression of a number of gene families and pathways including apoptosis, cell cycle and amino acid metabolism, which are variably expressed and may be reflective of embryonic developmental competence. Overall, our data suggest that heterogeneity in human embryo developmental competence is reflected in global transcript profiles, and that the vast majority of existing human embryo gene expression data based on pooled oocytes and embryos need to be reinterpreted.

Trials, 2008

Study design and methods of the BoTULS trial: a randomised controlled trial to evaluate the clini... more Study design and methods of the BoTULS trial: a randomised controlled trial to evaluate the clinical effect and cost effectiveness of treating upper limb spasticity due to stroke with botulinum toxin type A Abstract Background: Following a stroke, 55-75% of patients experience upper limb problems in the longer term. Upper limb spasticity may cause pain, deformity and reduced function, affecting mood and independence. Botulinum toxin is used increasingly to treat focal spasticity, but its impact on upper limb function after stroke is unclear.

Toxins, 2012

Stroke imposes significant burdens on health services and society, and as such there is a growing... more Stroke imposes significant burdens on health services and society, and as such there is a growing need to assess the cost-effectiveness of stroke treatment to ensure maximum benefit is derived from limited resources. This study compared the cost-effectiveness of treating post-stroke upper limb spasticity with botulinum toxin type A plus an upper limb therapy programme against the therapy programme alone. Data on resource use and health outcomes were prospectively collected for 333 patients with post-stroke upper limb spasticity taking part in a randomized trial and combined to estimate the incremental cost per quality adjusted life year (QALY) gained of botulinum

Reproduction, 2012

Identification and characterisation of differentially regulated genes in preimplantation human em... more Identification and characterisation of differentially regulated genes in preimplantation human embryonic development are required to improve embryo quality and pregnancy rates in IVF. In this study, we examined expression of a number of genes known to be critical for early development and compared expression profiles in individual preimplantation human embryos to establish any differences in gene expression in fresh compared to frozen-thawed embryos used routinely in IVF. We analysed expression of 19 genes by cDNA amplification followed by quantitative real-time PCR in a panel of 44 fresh and frozen-thawed human preimplantation embryos. Fresh embryos were obtained from surplus early cleavage stage embryos and frozen-thawed embryos from cryopreserved 2PN embryos. Our aim was to determine differences in gene expression between fresh and frozen-thawed human embryos, but we also identified differences in developmental expression patterns for particular genes. We show that overall gene expression among embryos of the same stage is highly variable and our results indicate that expression levels between groups did differ and differences in expression of individual genes was detected. Our results show that gene expression from frozen-thawed embryos is more consistent when compared with fresh, suggesting that cryopreserved embryos may represent a reliable source for studying the molecular events underpinning early human embryo development.

Molecular Neurobiology, 2014

The need for glioma biomarkers with improved sensitivity and specificity has sparked research int... more The need for glioma biomarkers with improved sensitivity and specificity has sparked research into short non-coding RNA known as microRNA (miRNA). Altered miRNA biogenesis and expression in glioma plays a vital role in important signaling pathways associated with a range of tumor characteristics including gliomagenesis, invasion, and malignancy. This review will discuss current research into the role of miRNA in glioma and altered miRNA expression in biofluids as candidate biomarkers with a particular focus on glioblastoma, the most malignant form of glioma. The isolation and characterization of miRNA using cellular and molecular biology techniques from the circulation of glioma patients could potentially be used for improved diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment decisions. We aim to highlight the links between research into miRNA function, their use as biomarkers, and how these biomarkers can be used to predict response to therapy. Furthermore, increased understanding of miRNA in glioma biology through biomarker research has led to the development of miRNA therapeutics which could restore normal miRNA expression and function and improve the prognosis of glioma patients. A panel of important miRNA biomarkers for glioma in various biofluids discovered to date has been summarized here. There is still a need, however, to standardize techniques for biomarker characterization to bring us closer to clinically relevant miRNA-based diagnostic and therapeutic signatures. A clinically validated biomarker panel has potential to improve time to diagnosis, predicting response to treatment and ultimately the prognosis of glioma patients.

Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 1982

In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Animal, 2010

The metanephros is formed from the reciprocal inductive interaction of two precursor tissues, the... more The metanephros is formed from the reciprocal inductive interaction of two precursor tissues, the metanephric mesenchyme (MM) and the ureteric bud (UB). The UB induces MM to condense and differentiate forming the glomerulus and renal tubules, whilst the MM induces the UB to differentiate into the collecting tubules of the mature nephron. Uninduced MM is considered the progenitor cell population of the developing metanephros because of its potential to differentiate into more renal cell types than the UB. Previous studies have identified the phenotype of renal precursor cells; however, expression of candidate marker genes have not been analysed in other tissues of the murine embryo. We have assayed up to 19 candidate genes in eight embryonic tissues at five gestation stages of the mouse embryo to identify markers definitively expressed by renal cells during metanephric induction and markers developmentally regulated during kidney maturation. We then analysed their expression in other developing tissues. Results show Dcn, Hoxc9, Mest, Wt1 and Ywhaq were expressed at moderate to high levels during the window of metanephric specification and early differentiation (E10.5-E12.5 dpc), and Hoxc9, Ren1 and Wt1 expression was characteristic of mature renal cells. We demonstrated Cd24a, Cdh11, Mest, Scd2 and Sim2 were regulated during brain development, and Scd2, Cd24a and Sip1 expression was enriched in developing liver. These markers may be useful negative markers of kidney development. Use of a combination of highly expressed and negative markers may aid in the identification and removal of non-renal cells from heterogeneous populations of differentiating stem cells.

In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Animal, 2010

We report here the derivation of two new human embryonic stem cell lines, Man-1 and Man-2, and th... more We report here the derivation of two new human embryonic stem cell lines, Man-1 and Man-2, and their full characterization as novel pluripotent stem cell lines. Man-1 was derived from an embryo surplus to requirement from routine IVF, while Man-2 was obtained from an oocyte classified as failed to fertilise and subsequently chemically activated. We report the characterisation of pluripotency and the differentiation potential of these lines. Work is in progress to establish novel methods of stem cell derivation and culture, which will avoid the use of xenobiotics and be relevant to clinical production of human embryonic stem cell lines. Both newly derived human embryonic stem cell lines will be available for the research community from the UK Stem Cell Bank

Emergency Medicine Journal, 2013

Developmental Psychology, 1985

In order to investigate the relationship between infants' visual and tactual explora... more In order to investigate the relationship between infants' visual and tactual exploration, the looking and touching responses of 6-month-olds to objects only visually or tactually novel were observed. Infants were familiarized with an object of a given color and temperature and ...

Perception & Psychophysics, 1986

The ability of infants to perceive three-dimensional structure from transformations of linear per... more The ability of infants to perceive three-dimensional structure from transformations of linear perspective was investigated in two studies. Infants were habituated to the pattern oflinear perspective transformations corresponding to a particular three-dimensional object, and their relative preference for that object as compared with a different three-dimensional object was assessed both before and after habituation. The habituation displays showed the distorting shadow cast by a rotating object and therefore provided only transformations of linear perspective as information specifying three-dimensional form. The preand posttest displays involved the actual threedimensional objects and provided binocular, shading, and texture information specifying threedimensional form, but did not provide informative transformations oflinear perspective. In Study 1, 6-month-olds showed changes in preference from pre-to posttest that were related to the identity of the object whose shadow they had seen during habituation; 4-month-olds, however, did not show preference changes related to the habituation object. In Study 2, rhythm information that may have served as a basis for responding in Study 1 was eliminated from the test displays. Sixmonth-olds again showed changes in preference that were dependent on their habituation experience. It is concluded that, by 6 months of age, infants are able to perceive object structure from the isolated cue of transformations of linear perspective. The findings are discussed with reference to infants' three-dimensional form perception based on other cues and also with reference to the emergence of certain spatially related moter activities.

The Journal of clinical ethics, 2006

The Journal of clinical ethics, 2005

The impact of chronic illness on patients has been discussed exten- sively, but little attention ... more The impact of chronic illness on patients has been discussed exten- sively, but little attention has been paid to the reverse situation: the need for patients who have been chronically ill since childhood to adjust to health and normality in adulthood. Drawing upon the narratives of two adults with childhood onset diseases, this paper provides a new perspective about the

JONA's Healthcare Law, Ethics, and Regulation, 2010

Clinical ethics consultants are increasingly called upon to give counsel in the clinical arena on... more Clinical ethics consultants are increasingly called upon to give counsel in the clinical arena on issues including but not limited to withdrawal or withholding of specific medical treatments, assisting minors and mentally impaired patients with care decisions, working with difficult patients and families, identifying appropriate surrogate decision makers, and executing advance directives and end-of-life decisions. Often, the consultant may need to convene the ethics committee members to review and provide feedback for a given case. This process may be difficult to schedule in a timely way because of member's clinical and other work-related obligations. To this end, the University of Illinois Medical Center in Chicago has set up a unique Web board to facilitate ongoing case discussions via a secured, password-protected ethics committee online forum. This allows for real-time review by all ethics committee members. We will explain our online process as well as discuss our clinical case experiences.

PLOS ONE, 2015

Malignant glioma is characterised by a rapid growth rate and high capacity for invasive infiltrat... more Malignant glioma is characterised by a rapid growth rate and high capacity for invasive infiltration to surrounding brain tissue; hence, diagnosis and treatment is difficult and patient survival is poor. Aptamers contribute a promising and unique technology for the in vitro imaging of live cells and tissues, with a potentially bright future in clinical diagnostics and therapeutics for malignant glioma. The binding selectivity, uptake capacity and binding target of two DNA aptamers, SA43 and SA44, were investigated in glioma cells and patient tissues. The binding assay showed that SA43 and SA44 bound with strong affinity (K d , 21.56 ± 4.60 nM and K d , 21.11 ± 3.30 nM respectively) to the target U87MG cells. Quantitative analysis by flow cytometry showed that the aptamers were able to actively internalise in U87MG and 1321N1 glioma cells compared to the non-cancerous and non-glioma cell types. Confocal microscopy confirmed staining in the cytoplasm, and co-localisation studies with endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus and lysosomal markers suggested internalisation and compartmentalisation within the endomembrane system. Both aptamers selectively bound to Ku 70 and Ku 80 DNA repair proteins as determined by aptoprecipitation (AP) followed by mass spectrometry analysis and confirmation by Western blot. In addition, aptohistochemical (AHC) staining on paraffin embedded, formalin fixed patient tissues revealed that the binding selectivity was significantly higher for SA43 aptamer in glioma tissues (grade I, II, III and IV) compared to the non-cancerous tissues, whereas SA44 did not show selectivity towards glioma tissues. The results indicate that SA43 aptamer can differentiate between glioma and non-cancerous cells and tissues and therefore, shows promise for histological diagnosis of glioma.

Prehospital and disaster medicine

In an epidemic situation or large-scale disaster, medical and human resources may be stretched to... more In an epidemic situation or large-scale disaster, medical and human resources may be stretched to the point of exhaustion. Appropriate planning must incorporate plans of action that minimize public health morbidity and mortality while maximizing the appropriate use of medical and human healthcare resources. While the current novel H1N1 influenza has spread throughout the world, the severity of this strain of influenza appears to be relatively less virulent and lethal compared to the 1918 influenza pandemic. However, the presence of this new influenza strain has reignited interest in pandemic planning. Amongst other necessary resources needed to combat pandemic influenza, a major medical resource concern is the limited number of mechanical ventilators that would be available to be used to treat ill patients. Recent reported cases of avian influenza suggest that mechanical ventilation will be required for the successful recovery of many individuals ill with this strain of virus. Howev...

The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy, Jan 8, 2015

It is not fully understood why inhibiting ATP synthesis in Mycobacterium species leads to death i... more It is not fully understood why inhibiting ATP synthesis in Mycobacterium species leads to death in non-replicating cells. We investigated the bactericidal mode of action of the anti-tubercular F1Fo-ATP synthase inhibitor bedaquiline (Sirturo™) in order to further understand the lethality of ATP synthase inhibition. Mycobacterium smegmatis strains were used for all the experiments. Growth and survival during a bedaquiline challenge were performed in multiple media types. A time-course microarray was performed during initial bedaquiline challenge in minimal medium. Oxygen consumption and proton-motive force measurements were performed on whole cells and inverted membrane vesicles, respectively. A killing of 3 log10 cfu/mL was achieved 4-fold more quickly in minimal medium (a glycerol carbon source) versus rich medium (LB with Tween 80) during bedaquiline challenge. Assessing the accelerated killing condition, we identified a transcriptional remodelling of metabolism that was consisten...

PLoS ONE, 2013

Early development in humans is characterised by low and variable embryonic viability, reflected i... more Early development in humans is characterised by low and variable embryonic viability, reflected in low fecundity and high rates of miscarriage, relative to other mammals. Data from assisted reproduction programmes provides additional evidence that this is largely mediated at the level of embryonic competence and is highly heterogeneous among embryos. Understanding the basis of this heterogeneity has important implications in a number of areas including: the regulation of early human development, disorders of pregnancy, assisted reproduction programmes, the long term health of children which may be programmed in early development, and the molecular basis of pluripotency in human stem cell populations. We have therefore investigated global gene expression profiles using polyAPCR amplification and microarray technology applied to individual human oocytes and 4-cell and blastocyst stage embryos. In order to explore the basis of any variability in detail, each developmental stage is replicated in triplicate. Our data show that although transcript profiles are highly stage-specific, within each stage they are relatively variable. We describe expression of a number of gene families and pathways including apoptosis, cell cycle and amino acid metabolism, which are variably expressed and may be reflective of embryonic developmental competence. Overall, our data suggest that heterogeneity in human embryo developmental competence is reflected in global transcript profiles, and that the vast majority of existing human embryo gene expression data based on pooled oocytes and embryos need to be reinterpreted.

Trials, 2008

Study design and methods of the BoTULS trial: a randomised controlled trial to evaluate the clini... more Study design and methods of the BoTULS trial: a randomised controlled trial to evaluate the clinical effect and cost effectiveness of treating upper limb spasticity due to stroke with botulinum toxin type A Abstract Background: Following a stroke, 55-75% of patients experience upper limb problems in the longer term. Upper limb spasticity may cause pain, deformity and reduced function, affecting mood and independence. Botulinum toxin is used increasingly to treat focal spasticity, but its impact on upper limb function after stroke is unclear.

Toxins, 2012

Stroke imposes significant burdens on health services and society, and as such there is a growing... more Stroke imposes significant burdens on health services and society, and as such there is a growing need to assess the cost-effectiveness of stroke treatment to ensure maximum benefit is derived from limited resources. This study compared the cost-effectiveness of treating post-stroke upper limb spasticity with botulinum toxin type A plus an upper limb therapy programme against the therapy programme alone. Data on resource use and health outcomes were prospectively collected for 333 patients with post-stroke upper limb spasticity taking part in a randomized trial and combined to estimate the incremental cost per quality adjusted life year (QALY) gained of botulinum

Reproduction, 2012

Identification and characterisation of differentially regulated genes in preimplantation human em... more Identification and characterisation of differentially regulated genes in preimplantation human embryonic development are required to improve embryo quality and pregnancy rates in IVF. In this study, we examined expression of a number of genes known to be critical for early development and compared expression profiles in individual preimplantation human embryos to establish any differences in gene expression in fresh compared to frozen-thawed embryos used routinely in IVF. We analysed expression of 19 genes by cDNA amplification followed by quantitative real-time PCR in a panel of 44 fresh and frozen-thawed human preimplantation embryos. Fresh embryos were obtained from surplus early cleavage stage embryos and frozen-thawed embryos from cryopreserved 2PN embryos. Our aim was to determine differences in gene expression between fresh and frozen-thawed human embryos, but we also identified differences in developmental expression patterns for particular genes. We show that overall gene expression among embryos of the same stage is highly variable and our results indicate that expression levels between groups did differ and differences in expression of individual genes was detected. Our results show that gene expression from frozen-thawed embryos is more consistent when compared with fresh, suggesting that cryopreserved embryos may represent a reliable source for studying the molecular events underpinning early human embryo development.

Molecular Neurobiology, 2014

The need for glioma biomarkers with improved sensitivity and specificity has sparked research int... more The need for glioma biomarkers with improved sensitivity and specificity has sparked research into short non-coding RNA known as microRNA (miRNA). Altered miRNA biogenesis and expression in glioma plays a vital role in important signaling pathways associated with a range of tumor characteristics including gliomagenesis, invasion, and malignancy. This review will discuss current research into the role of miRNA in glioma and altered miRNA expression in biofluids as candidate biomarkers with a particular focus on glioblastoma, the most malignant form of glioma. The isolation and characterization of miRNA using cellular and molecular biology techniques from the circulation of glioma patients could potentially be used for improved diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment decisions. We aim to highlight the links between research into miRNA function, their use as biomarkers, and how these biomarkers can be used to predict response to therapy. Furthermore, increased understanding of miRNA in glioma biology through biomarker research has led to the development of miRNA therapeutics which could restore normal miRNA expression and function and improve the prognosis of glioma patients. A panel of important miRNA biomarkers for glioma in various biofluids discovered to date has been summarized here. There is still a need, however, to standardize techniques for biomarker characterization to bring us closer to clinically relevant miRNA-based diagnostic and therapeutic signatures. A clinically validated biomarker panel has potential to improve time to diagnosis, predicting response to treatment and ultimately the prognosis of glioma patients.

Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 1982

In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Animal, 2010

The metanephros is formed from the reciprocal inductive interaction of two precursor tissues, the... more The metanephros is formed from the reciprocal inductive interaction of two precursor tissues, the metanephric mesenchyme (MM) and the ureteric bud (UB). The UB induces MM to condense and differentiate forming the glomerulus and renal tubules, whilst the MM induces the UB to differentiate into the collecting tubules of the mature nephron. Uninduced MM is considered the progenitor cell population of the developing metanephros because of its potential to differentiate into more renal cell types than the UB. Previous studies have identified the phenotype of renal precursor cells; however, expression of candidate marker genes have not been analysed in other tissues of the murine embryo. We have assayed up to 19 candidate genes in eight embryonic tissues at five gestation stages of the mouse embryo to identify markers definitively expressed by renal cells during metanephric induction and markers developmentally regulated during kidney maturation. We then analysed their expression in other developing tissues. Results show Dcn, Hoxc9, Mest, Wt1 and Ywhaq were expressed at moderate to high levels during the window of metanephric specification and early differentiation (E10.5-E12.5 dpc), and Hoxc9, Ren1 and Wt1 expression was characteristic of mature renal cells. We demonstrated Cd24a, Cdh11, Mest, Scd2 and Sim2 were regulated during brain development, and Scd2, Cd24a and Sip1 expression was enriched in developing liver. These markers may be useful negative markers of kidney development. Use of a combination of highly expressed and negative markers may aid in the identification and removal of non-renal cells from heterogeneous populations of differentiating stem cells.

In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Animal, 2010

We report here the derivation of two new human embryonic stem cell lines, Man-1 and Man-2, and th... more We report here the derivation of two new human embryonic stem cell lines, Man-1 and Man-2, and their full characterization as novel pluripotent stem cell lines. Man-1 was derived from an embryo surplus to requirement from routine IVF, while Man-2 was obtained from an oocyte classified as failed to fertilise and subsequently chemically activated. We report the characterisation of pluripotency and the differentiation potential of these lines. Work is in progress to establish novel methods of stem cell derivation and culture, which will avoid the use of xenobiotics and be relevant to clinical production of human embryonic stem cell lines. Both newly derived human embryonic stem cell lines will be available for the research community from the UK Stem Cell Bank

Emergency Medicine Journal, 2013

Developmental Psychology, 1985

In order to investigate the relationship between infants' visual and tactual explora... more In order to investigate the relationship between infants' visual and tactual exploration, the looking and touching responses of 6-month-olds to objects only visually or tactually novel were observed. Infants were familiarized with an object of a given color and temperature and ...

Perception & Psychophysics, 1986

The ability of infants to perceive three-dimensional structure from transformations of linear per... more The ability of infants to perceive three-dimensional structure from transformations of linear perspective was investigated in two studies. Infants were habituated to the pattern oflinear perspective transformations corresponding to a particular three-dimensional object, and their relative preference for that object as compared with a different three-dimensional object was assessed both before and after habituation. The habituation displays showed the distorting shadow cast by a rotating object and therefore provided only transformations of linear perspective as information specifying three-dimensional form. The preand posttest displays involved the actual threedimensional objects and provided binocular, shading, and texture information specifying threedimensional form, but did not provide informative transformations oflinear perspective. In Study 1, 6-month-olds showed changes in preference from pre-to posttest that were related to the identity of the object whose shadow they had seen during habituation; 4-month-olds, however, did not show preference changes related to the habituation object. In Study 2, rhythm information that may have served as a basis for responding in Study 1 was eliminated from the test displays. Sixmonth-olds again showed changes in preference that were dependent on their habituation experience. It is concluded that, by 6 months of age, infants are able to perceive object structure from the isolated cue of transformations of linear perspective. The findings are discussed with reference to infants' three-dimensional form perception based on other cues and also with reference to the emergence of certain spatially related moter activities.

The Journal of clinical ethics, 2006

The Journal of clinical ethics, 2005

The impact of chronic illness on patients has been discussed exten- sively, but little attention ... more The impact of chronic illness on patients has been discussed exten- sively, but little attention has been paid to the reverse situation: the need for patients who have been chronically ill since childhood to adjust to health and normality in adulthood. Drawing upon the narratives of two adults with childhood onset diseases, this paper provides a new perspective about the

JONA's Healthcare Law, Ethics, and Regulation, 2010

Clinical ethics consultants are increasingly called upon to give counsel in the clinical arena on... more Clinical ethics consultants are increasingly called upon to give counsel in the clinical arena on issues including but not limited to withdrawal or withholding of specific medical treatments, assisting minors and mentally impaired patients with care decisions, working with difficult patients and families, identifying appropriate surrogate decision makers, and executing advance directives and end-of-life decisions. Often, the consultant may need to convene the ethics committee members to review and provide feedback for a given case. This process may be difficult to schedule in a timely way because of member's clinical and other work-related obligations. To this end, the University of Illinois Medical Center in Chicago has set up a unique Web board to facilitate ongoing case discussions via a secured, password-protected ethics committee online forum. This allows for real-time review by all ethics committee members. We will explain our online process as well as discuss our clinical case experiences.