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Biomedical subjects

C Smith

Publications and source records attributed to C Smith.

At least 613 records · Page 34Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Characterization of Caramel Colours I, II and III.

Groups of representative samples of Caramel Colours I, II, and III were characterized in order to assess the compositional uniformity within each class and to determine differences between each class. Compositional uniformity within each class was demonstrated by fractionation of the caramel samples and analysis by UV and visible absorbance, HPLC and chemical analysis. Although there was overlap between certain parameters of one or more caramel colour classes, the overall 'fingerprint' for each class, based on several different parameters, was distinctly unique. Such parameters included net ionic charge, absorbance properties, nitrogen and sulphur content, specific low molecular weight compounds and HPLC profiles. HPLC analysis revealed unique profiles within each class and distinct differences between classes. The data presented here for Caramel Colours I, II, and III, and elsewhere for Caramel Colour IV, indicate that each of the four classes can be considered as separate and that, throughout each class, the samples characterized constitute a homologous series of mixtures in terms of chemical composition.

Candy↗
PubMed1992

Development of specifications for caramel colours.

Specifications have been developed to define each of the four classes of caramel colour. The specifications were based on analysis of a large database generated during the course of characterization studies of each of the classes. A series of simple and practical tests was developed for the analysis of caramel colour samples to ensure conformity to the specifications.

Candy↗
PubMed1992

Protection by albumin against the pro-oxidant actions of phenolic dietary components.

Synthetic and natural phenolic compounds are increasingly used in food preservation. Carnosol and carnosic acid (active components of rosemary extract), flavonoids (morin, quercetin, fisetin, myricetin), other plant phenolics (gossypol) and propyl gallate may protect lipids against oxidative damage but have the potential to increase damage to non-lipid constituents of foods, such as carbohydrates and DNA. Thus, in the presence of ferric EDTA and H2O2, they can form highly reactive hydroxyl radicals that can degrade the sugar deoxyribose and/or accelerate DNA degradation by means of a ferric-bleomycin complex. Human and bovine serum albumin afford considerable protection against damage to deoxyribose and DNA mediated by the above reactions. It is suggested that, given the fortification of foods with iron and EDTA and the use of phenolic substances as 'antioxidant' food additives, the addition of albumin might afford some protection.

Abietanes↗
PubMed1992

Chromosomal mapping of the human annexin IV (ANX4) gene.

Annexin IV (placental anticoagulant protein II) is a member of the annexin or lipocortin family of calcium-dependent phospholipid-binding proteins. A cDNA for human annexin IV was isolated from a placental library that is 675 bases longer in the 3' untranslated region than previously reported, indicating the existence of alternative mRNA processing for this gene. Genomic Southern blotting with a cDNA probe indicated a gene size of 18-56 kb. Primers developed for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) allowed amplification of a 1.6-kb portion of the ANX4 gene. DNA sequence analysis showed that this PCR product contained a single intron with exon-intron boundaries in exactly the same position as in the mouse annexin I and annexin II genes. PCR analysis of a somatic cell hybrid panel mapped the ANX4 gene to chromosome 2, and in situ hybridization with a cDNA probe showed a unique locus for ANX4 at 2p13. This study provides further evidence that genes for the annexins are dispersed throughout the genome but are similar in size and exon-intron organization.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Longitudinal analysis of a two-component model of the memory deficit in Alzheimer's disease.

The memory deficit in Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been characterized as consisting of multiple components. The purpose of this study was to confirm the utility of a two-process model, and to examine changes in the nature and extent of the neuropsychological deficits after a one-year interval. The results replicate the initial observation that the memory loss in AD can be described as consisting of a focal amnesic syndrome and a dysexecutive syndrome characterized by failure of rapid information processing and search of both episodic and semantic memory. One year after the initial observation, all dysexecutive patients and the majority of the amnesic patients had become non-focal. No patient developed a dysexecutive syndrome, but 18 patients developed amnesic syndromes. These results suggest that, like other aspects of the cognitive deficits of AD, the memory loss is multifactorial. These results have implications for understanding the pathophysiology of AD, and for designing pharmacotherapeutic intervention.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Retroviral vector-mediated gene transfer into hematopoietic cells: prospects and issues.

Gene therapy is a developing technology that may allow the treatment of a variety of congenital and acquired genetic disorders as well as infectious diseases through the introduction of exogenous genetic material into relevant cellular populations. Currently, the most effective method for gene transfer into cells of the hematopoietic system is with retroviral vectors. Appropriate cellular targets for gene transfer include totipotent hematopoietic stem cells as well as long-lived lineage committed cells such as T lymphocytes. Although retroviral vector-mediated gene transfer into totipotent stem cells and subsequent long-term expression of transduced genetic material in stem cell progeny has been observed in murine bone marrow transplantation experiments, similar observations have not been made in clinically relevant large-animal models. A number of recent advances in gene delivery systems, purification of stem cells, defining extramedullary sources of stem cells, characterizing the biologic processes that regulate the proliferation and developmental potential of stem cells, and construction of more effective models for assessing stem cells, may result in improvements in gene transfer into large animal and human totipotent stem cells.

Gene Expression↗
PubMed1992

IV fluids and minor gynaecological surgery: effect on recovery from anaesthesia.

This study has examined the effect of hydration on immediate recovery from anaesthesia in two groups of 15 patients undergoing therapeutic abortion. A standard anaesthetic technique was administered. Patients in group I received no preoperative fluid; those in group II received, before anaesthesia, 20 ml kg-1 of 4% glucose and 0.18% saline. Recovery was assessed using two tests of psychomotor function: a reaction time test and a letter cancellation task. Subjective symptoms were assessed with a questionnaire. There was a significant decrease in reaction time after operation (both motor and reaction times) in group I (no fluids), but not in group II (fluids). There were no significant between-group differences in objective tests or subjective measures. Thus we could not demonstrate any obvious benefit of i.v. fluid administration. Approximately 500 patients would be required to have an 80% chance of establishing a statistically significant between group difference.

Abortion, Therapeutic↗
PubMed1992

Evaluation of new anti-infective drugs for the treatment of infective endocarditis. Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Food and Drug Administration.

These guidelines describe the design and implementation of clinical trials to assess the safety and efficacy of anti-infective drugs for the treatment of infective endocarditis. Identification and enrollment of patients in clinical trials is based on a modification of traditional criteria. To accrue a sufficient number of patients, only those with streptococcal or staphylococcal endocarditis should be included in studies. Results of treatment with approved drugs allow for projection of expected bacteriologic cure rates and survival rates. Prospective randomized, double-blind studies are recommended. These guidelines are based on the premise that future protocols may include shorter courses of therapy, combinations of drugs, or progression from parenteral to oral therapy. Clinical response is judged as cure, failure, or indeterminate; there is no "improved" category. Microbiologic response is categorized as eradication, persistence, or relapse. When a patient has shown no clinical evidence of active disease for a protracted period, there may be no need to perform a posttreatment blood culture; for such patients, the microbiologic response is termed presumptive eradication. Several months of follow-up may be necessary to detect late relapses.

Anti-Infective Agents↗
PubMed1992

Parents attitudinal and social influences on childhood vaccination.

The study examined beliefs and attitudes towards pertussis (and other) vaccinations in three groups of caregivers; those who had fully vaccinated a target child against pertussis (FV; n = 85), those whose child partially completed the course (PV; n = 70) and those who refused to have their child receive the pertussis vaccination (NV; n = 73). The NV group reported significantly more concern over long-term health problems as a result of pertussis vaccination, a lower risk of catching pertussis if not immunized and attached a lower importance to pertussis vaccination than either of the other two. They also rated their child as more likely to develop pertussis if immunized than those in the FV group. The NV group also reported a greater risk perception for some other vaccinations (e.g. mumps, rubella and measles) than the other groups. The implications for health education are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus of semisynthetic injectable streptogramins: RP 59500 and related compounds.

Pristinamycin displays unique antibacterial properties due to the synergy between its two components, pristinamycin I and pristinamycin II. Because this antibiotic is not water-soluble, its administration is restricted to the oral route, and its therapeutic potential is thereby limited. Novel water-soluble derivatives of the naturally-occurring antibiotic pristinamycin were obtained by modifications of its two major components. The modifications included regioselective and stereoselective substitution alpha to the carbonyl group in the 4-oxo-pipecolic acid residue of pristinamycin IA (PIA) and stereoselective conjugate addition to the double bond of the dehydroproline ring in pristinamycin IIA (PIIA). We report here the in-vitro and in-vivo activities of some representative water-soluble derivatives of pristinamycin IA and pristinamycin IIA against Staphylococcus aureus reference strains, sensitive or resistant to methicillin and/or macrolides.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Validation of a patient satisfaction system in the United Kingdom.

This paper describes the results from a study to assess the validity of a patient satisfaction system used extensively in the United Kingdom. The study involved over 700 interviews with patients. The face, content, discriminant and construct validity have been tested. The discriminant and construct validity were judged to be satisfactory and there was some evidence of face validity. The results suggest that this system has the ability to reveal differences in satisfaction between hospitals. The findings from the study are being used to modify the questionnaire design in order to improve the system's ability to indicate which aspects of the service require improvement.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Psychopathology in anorexia nervosa and depression.

It has been hypothesized that anorexia nervosa is characterized by ineffectiveness, interpersonal distrust, and lack of interoceptive awareness. The Eating Disorder Inventory differentiates patients with anorexia nervosa from weight-preoccupied women on the basis of these subscales. To test further the specificity of these characteristics to anorexia nervosa, the Eating Disorder Inventory scores of 20 adolescent girls diagnosed with anorexia nervosa were compared with those of 21 girls with major depression and 21 girls with both anorexia nervosa and depression. Analyses of variance and discriminant function analysis revealed no significant differences in the scores of the three groups. By 2-year followup, subjects initially diagnosed with only anorexia nervosa showed less psychopathology than those with an additional diagnosis of depression. These findings raise further questions about the overlap between depression and anorexia nervosa and leave open the question of characteristic psychological features in anorexia nervosa.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Adolescent drug use in Wales.

As part of a larger survey of health-related behaviours, 2239 15-16-year-olds in Wales provided information on their use of eight different types of drugs. Key findings indicate that just over a fifth of this age group report to having tried drugs at some time, while a tenth say they have done so within the past month. The most frequently reported substances were marijuana, solvents and glue, and psilocybin. Few of the young people reported multiple or regular drug use. The prevalence of drug use was higher for pupils from single parent families, and more boys than girls reported using psilocybin. The reliability and validity of self-report data are discussed, and the implications of the findings for health education programmes considered.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

The use of DNA probes to examine the distribution of subgingival species in subjects with different levels of periodontal destruction.

The present investigation examined the distribution of 14 subgingival species at a total of 2299 sites in 90 subjects with different levels of periodontal destruction. Subgingival plaque samples taken from the mesial aspect of each tooth were anaerobically dispersed, diluted and plated on non selective media. After anaerobic incubation, colonies were lifted to nylon filters and specific species detected using digoxygenin-labeled whole chromosomal DNA probes. The mean total viable count for all sites in all subjects was 8.3 x 10(6). The probes accounted for an average of 27.8% of the total viable count. The % of subjects in which each species was detected was as follows; V. parvula, 98; B. intermedius I, 98; S. sanguis II, 96; B. intermedius II, 95; C. ochracea, 94; B. gingivalis, 91; S. sanguis I, 85; W. recta, 83; F. nucleatum ss. vincentii, 82; S. intermedius, 80; B. forsythus, 76; P. micros, 74; A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype a, 62 and A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype b, 52. The % of sites colonized by each of the 14 test species varied considerably within different subjects. The median number of sites colonized by different species ranged from 3.6% for A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype b to 43.5% for V. parvula. In half the subjects, the mean % of the total viable counts for each of the test species was less than 4%. When subjects were divided on the basis of % of sites at baseline with greater than 3 mm attachment loss, the 14 probes accounted for 29.9% of the microbiota in the localized disease group and 25% in the widespread disease group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗