Search PubMedSearch

Biomedical subjects

A Grey

Publications and source records attributed to A Grey.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

Mechanisms of cortical bone loss from the metacarpal following digital amputation.

Immobilization bone loss, whether due to whole body immobilization or local causes, is associated with an initial rapid phase of trabecular bone loss, but the long-term effects of immobilization on cortical bone are not well described. We have studied metacarpal morphometry in 16 men who had undergone partial or complete traumatic digital amputations 4-71 years earlier. Noninvolved metacarpals from the affected and unaffected hands were used as controls. Cortical bone width was significantly reduced in the metacarpals proximal to the amputated digits (P = 0.001). In the 7 subjects who suffered amputation before the age of 19, the cortical bone deficit was primarily due to a reduction in the total width of the medullary shaft (P = 0.007), whereas medullary width was not changed. In these subjects the metacarpal was also significantly reduced in length, by a mean 2.9 mm (P = 0.35). In the 9 subjects who had their amputation after the age of 19, both a reduction in total width and an increase in medullary width (P = 0.017) accounted for the cortical bone deficit. The deficit in total width was related to the time since amputation (P = 0.008) and could be accounted for by loss of the normal age-related increase in total width (0.01 mm/year). We conclude that in this model of immobilization osteoporosis, the metacarpal proximal to the amputated digit demonstrates cortical osteopenia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult

The spiritual component of palliative care.

This article discusses the concept of spirituality within palliative care. It considers aspects of religion and creativity in relation to spirituality, which may be inter-related as well as being significant in their own right. The nurse's role within the interdisciplinary team is explored. The expertise required as well as the emotional effect on nurses offering spiritual support is described.

Attitude of Health Personnel

Inter- and intra-site heterogeneity in the expression of fetal-like phenotypic characteristics by gingival fibroblasts: potential significance for wound healing.

We have previously reported that fetal and adult skin fibroblasts display distinctive migratory phenotypes on 3-D collagen substrata and that these behavioural characteristics may be quantified by a function defined as the cell density migration index (CDMI). Subsequent work indicated that this difference in migratory phenotype was due to the production by fetal fibroblasts of a migration stimulating factor (MSF) that is not produced by normal adult skin fibroblasts. We now present data indicating that: (a) unselected fibroblasts obtained from 14/14 (100%) of adult gingival explants expressed fetal-like CDMI values compared to only 1/10 (10%) of similarly explanted paired skin cells; (b) 12/12 (100%) of these gingival fibroblast lines also produced detectable quantities of MSF compared to 0/9 (0%) of the tested skin cells; (c) by microdissection studies, gingival fibroblasts obtained from different anatomical microdomains consisted of behaviourally distinct subpopulations, with cells derived from the papillary tips (PAP fibroblasts) displaying fetal-like CDMI values and persistent MSF production, whilst cells obtained from the deeper reticular tissue (RET fibroblasts) were adult-like with respect to these two criteria; (d) PAP fibroblasts were also smaller and achieved higher saturation cell densities compared to paired RET cells; (e) PAP fibroblasts passaged in vitro underwent a fetal-to-adult phenotypic transition characterized by the adoption of various RET cell characteristics, including the acquisition of CDMI values falling within the adult range and cessation in MSF production; and (f) early passage PAP fibroblasts incubated in the presence of an affinity-purified anti-MSF rabbit polyclonal antibody were induced to alter their migratory phenotype and exhibited CDMI values falling within the adult range. Statistical analysis indicated a highly significant correlation between the expression of a fetal-like CDMI and production of MSF (P < 0.00001, using the Fisher exact contingency test). Taken together, these observations suggest that the production of MSF by PAP fibroblasts is responsible for their characteristically fetal-like migratory behaviour. The existence of such inter- and intra-site phenotypic heterogeneity in populations of skin and gingival fibroblasts is discussed in the context of fibroblast lineage relationships and the possible contribution of persistently fetal-like fibroblast subpopulations to connective tissue function in wound healing.

Adult

Selection of Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO-K1) with reduced glutamate and aspartate uptake.

Transport of L-[3H]glutamate into Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO-K1) was characterized and the results used to design a tritium suicide selection for cells with transport defects. Replicas of surviving colonies on polyester cloth disks were screened by autofluorography for reduced uptake and two mutant clones, Ed-A1 and Ed-B8, were obtained. Uptake of glutamate through a sodium-dependent system in both mutants was characterized by significant reductions in Vmax and increases in Km compared to parental cells, but their response to removal of extracellular sodium differed, suggesting distinct mutations in the two lines. The Vmax of aspartate uptake through this system was reduced in both mutants, to one-ninth in the case of Ed-B8. Glutamate uptake through a sodium-independent system was not altered in either mutant. Surprisingly, acid-soluble intracellular pools of several amino acids were higher in both mutants.

Animals

Enoxaparin prophylaxis for deep vein thrombosis in orthopaedic surgery.

Seventeen patients undergoing elective total hip or knee joint replacement were given enoxaparin prophylaxis against deep vein thrombosis. Four patients developed clinical evidence of deep vein thrombosis, confirmed by venography. Two patients developed disseminated intravascular coagulation.

Aged

Visions of body and soul.

Inspiration for the Sacred Mirrors emerged after I had a series of mystical experiences that caused me to redefine my view of consciousness and the self. I saw the body as not just a solid isolated object in a world of separate forms and existential anxiety, but more like a manifestation of primordial energy of awareness that was everywhere present.... I wanted my paintings to visually chart the spectrum of consciousness from material perception to spiritual insight, and to function, if possible, as symbolic portals to the mystical dimension.... The obvious way was to present a believable and almost hyper-real portrayal of the physical body and then seduce the viewer into the stranger mystical dimensions.

Consciousness

Characterization of O-linked oligosaccharide biosynthesis in cultured cells using paranitrophenyl alpha-D-GalNAc as an acceptor.

Aryl-N-acetyl-alpha-galactosaminides (aryl-GalNAc) are acceptor substrates for UDP-Gal:alpha-GalNAc beta 1-3 galactosyltransferase and, in vivo, aryl-GalNAc have been shown to inhibit O-linked oligosaccharide biosynthesis (Kuan et al., J. Biol. Chem. 264, 19271, 1989). Since aryl-GalNAc, appears to enter viable cells and serve as an acceptor for O-glycosylation enzymes, the recovery and characterization of the aryl-oligosaccharides from cell culture medium may reflect cellular pattems of O-glycosylation. To pursue this possibility, the following paranitrophenyl-linked oligosaccharide standards were enzymatically synthesized and characterized by 1H-NMR: Gal beta 1-3(GlcNAc beta 1-6)Gal-NAc alpha-pNp; Gal beta 1-3(Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-6)GalNAc alpha-pNp; SA alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-3(SA alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc,beta 1-6)GalNAc alpha-pNp; SA alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-3GalNAc alpha-pNp. As a model system, MDAY-D2 lymphoid tumour cells were cultured for various periods in medium containing 2 mM GalNAc alpha-pNp. The secreted aryl-oligosaccharides were separated by Biogel P2 chromatography and DEAE HPLC, followed by further fractionation of the disialyl oligosaccharides on an Ultrahydrogel HPLC column. Absorbance of the paranitrophenyl aryl constituent at 303 nm allowed detection at the 10 pmol level and provided a relatively specific means of following the oligosaccharides. MDAY-D2 cells produced disialylated aryl-oligosaccharides at a rate of 20 pmol/h/10(6) cells with a half-time of transit to the cell surface of 13.6 min, a rate consistent with their movement from the Golgi to the cell surface by bulk flow.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acetylglucosamine

Purification, characterization, and structural elucidation of the active moiety of the previously called "suppressor activating factor (SAF)".

Upon extensive purification of the serum-free supernatant produced by a mutant T cell line (6T-CEM), an immunosuppressive activity was found to reside in an oxidized product of spermine, spermine dialdehyde (SDA). The activity was purified to homogeneity from a serum-free supernatant by using gel filtration chromatography and reverse-phase C18 HPLC. Fast Atom Bombardment (FAB) mass spectral analysis revealed its MW to be 202 and Electron Impact (EI) analysis of the acetylated material identified the purified molecule to be spermine. In the presence of human or rodent plasma, spermine exhibited no immunosuppressive activity up to 2 mg/ml. However, when assayed in the presence of FCS, which contains polyamine oxidase (PAO), spermine is oxidized to its corresponding dialdehyde which is active at 0.1 microM/ml. We have previously described a high molecular weight suppressor activating factor (SAF) found in the serum-containing supernatant of the 6T-CEM cell line. Our preliminary biological data suggest that SDA is probably responsible for the immunosuppressive activities previously observed for the SAF. The strong affinity of SDA for proteins and thiocompounds may account for the apparent high MW previously reported for SAF.

Aldehydes

Simultaneous fractionation of four placental neutral glycosphingolipids with a continuous gradient.

We describe a method for isolating milligram quantities of the four neutral glycosphingolipids, glucocerebroside, lactosylceramide, traiosylceramide, and globoside, from human placental tissue. This procedure is carried out on a silicic acid column eluted with a continuous chloroform-methanol gradient (19:1 to 4:1); the four glycosphingolipids elute as separate fractions with no need for further separation. The method is simple, rapid, and yields sufficient material to use as analytical standards for several hundred runs. The lipids have been identified by NMR spectroscopy. Placental tissue is freely available in most centers and is an excellent untapped source for these compounds. Given that lactosylceramide is not commercially available and that triaosylceramide (ceramide trihexoside) cannot be obtained in a reliable state, this technique represents an effective solution to this dilemma.

Glycosphingolipids

Demonstration of heterogeneity of chick ovalbumin glycopeptides using 360-MHz proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Ovalbumin glycopeptides AC-C and AC-D at various stages of purification were studied by high-field proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR). In a homogeneous substance, the intensity of the various resonances appears in integral amounts, while subintegral intensities usually denote mixtures of structure. We show how 1H NMR can be used to nondestructively assay the purification of major components from mixtures. In glycopeptide AC-C we have spectroscopic evidence for the four different glycopeptide species, three of which have been described [Shepherd, V., & Montgomery, R. (1978) Carbohydr. Res. 61, 147; Tai, T., Yamashita, K., Ito, S., & Kobata, A. (1977) J. Biol. Chem. 252, 6687]. However, we did detect a fourth structure not previously reported. In glycopeptide AC-D, we have spectroscopic evidence for five different compounds, only two of which have been previously reported (Tai et al., 1977; Shepherd & Montgomery, 1978).

Animals

Breathless.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Dyspnea