Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

D Brooks

Publications and source records attributed to D Brooks.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Trazodone--a comparison of single night-time and divided daily dosage regimens.

The antidepressant efficacy, influence on sleep variables and incidence of side-effects of trazodone (100-400 mg daily), given either as a single night-time dose or thrice daily, were compared in a double-blind, 4 week, parallel group, multicentre hospital study. Of 56 patients who entered the study, full data was available for 37, of whom 20 took the medication at night and the other 17 received divided doses during the day. The results showed equivalent therapeutic efficacy for the two dosage regimens and tolerance was good in both groups. For onset and also duration of sleep, significantly more patients in the single night-time group improved than worsened in response. Both groups of patients tended to report a more satisfying sleep and greater freshness on waking, although these latter effects were not statistically significant. For the group taking trazodone thrice daily, there was a trend for more complaints of side-effects, particularly dry mouth, headache and drowsiness which led to more of these patients requiring modification of dosage. Thus trazodone appears to have clinically useful sedative properties. It has relatively few side-effects and these are generally reduced by giving a single dose at night.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Delineation of serologically distinct monomorphic determinants of human MHC class II antigens: evidence of heterogeneity in their topographical distribution.

Three monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), FMC4, FMC14 and FMC15, which react with invariant sites of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II (Ia-like) molecules were studied in various serological assays. Sequential immunodepletion experiments show that all three epitopes are present on the same class II molecules. However, a minor subset may exist which does not express epitope 15. In competitive binding assays, using several different B-lymphoblastoid cell lines (B-LCLs), e.g. BRISTOL-8 8392, B-85, RAJI, 8866, CESS-B and LD-B, FMC4 did not block the binding of FMC14, or FMC15, and vice versa. In contrast, mutual inhibition was observed between FMC14 and FMC15. Furthermore, pairwise combinations of saturating amounts of FMC4 + FMC14 and FMC4 + FMC15 gave additive binding whilst FMC14 + FMC15 did not. These results demonstrate that epitopes 4 and 14/15 are spatially distinct; 14 and 15 on the other hand appear to be spatially related. However, contrary to this partial and reciprocal inhibition was consistently observed between FMC4 and FMC14 on two other LCLs, namely DAUDI and BALM-2. Furthermore, on certain cells, FMC14 and FMC15 show markedly disparate binding. Taken together, these observations indicate that the juxtaposition of certain epitopes on class II antigens can vary according to the cell type. This demonstrates a hitherto unreported heterogeneity of antigenic determinants and of their topographical distribution on the class II molecule.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Sarcoidosis of the hand--report of two cases.

Sarcoidosis occurring as an isolated manifestation in the hand can pose a diagnostic problem. Skin, muscle, tendon sheath, and bone may be affected. The unusual clinical picture and operative findings are often misleading and malignancy may be suspected. Two cases of isolated involvement of bone and muscle are described.

Amputation, Surgical↗
PubMed1983

The reactivity of a monoclonal antibody against cells of the monocyte-macrophage series in sections of normal and inflamed human tissues.

FMC-17a monoclonal antibody reactive with peripheral blood monocytes was used to identify cells of monocyte origin in sections of normal and inflamed human tissues. FMC-17 + ve cells were found in all samples tested. The distribution, HLA-DR staining characteristics, and enzyme profiles (ACP and ATPase) of FMC-17 + ve cells indicated that interdigitating (dendritic) cells, Langerhans cells, tissue histiocytes, and the classical inflammatory phagocytic macrophages belonged to the reactive population. The antigen recognized by this antibody was found on monocytic and promonocytic cells in bone marrow, yet appeared to be lost following activation in the later stages of inflammatory conditions. Further studies are necessary to elucidate at what stage in the differentiation/maturation pathway the antigen is acquired and again whether or not FMC-17--ve cells are an activated or degenerating population.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Robert Jones Lecture, 1979. The reconstructive surgery of flaccid paralysis.

A flaccid paralysis results from damage to any part of the lower motor neurone, from destruction of the anterior horn cell by poliomyelitis to injury of the peripheral axon by trauma or disease. Reconstructive surgery can do much to alleviate the residual paralysis. The indications and timing for surgery are considered. Certain well-tried operative techniques are described, from tendon transplantation to arthrodeses of joints, and the relative merits of each procedure are evaluated and placed in perspective.

Arthrodesis↗
PubMed1981

Towards the reality of the primary health care team: an educational approach.

We report our assessment of a study day on the primary health care team for trainee general practitioners, student health visitors and student district nurses. We found that insufficient attention has been given to helping learners co-operate with other disciplines in delivering primary health care and consider that team members need to acquire skills which will help them to communicate with their colleagues. We suggest that the training practice with its defined population should be the training base for district nurses and health visitors.

Education, Medical↗
PubMed1980

Sexual spheroid formation in Volvox carteri f. nagariensis lyengar induced by phenolic extracts.

Substances extracted with a phenolic reagent mixture form spheroids of volvox carteri f. nagariensis have been shown to induce the formation of sexual spheroids. Analysis of the cultures from which the phenolic extracts were prepared implicated the glycoprotein sex hormone as the inducing substance present in potent extracts. Phenolic extracts were shown to interact with calf-thymus histones such that, when the two were mixed, the extract-histone complex formed and the induction potency increased 100-fold or more. Assays of both effects are described. Differences in the physical properties and activities of the sex hormone present in male sexual fluids and the inducing substance in phenolic extracts are discussed with reference to some effects the extraction process may have on the inducer.

Chlorophyta↗
PubMed1979

In vitro investigation of autoantibody-secreting peritoneal cells and their regulation.

A high proportion of peritoneal cells from untreated mice, after 4--5 days in culture, develop into plaque-forming cells against bromelain-treated mouse red blood cells. The number of plaque-forming cells was increased significantly by exposing the peritoneal cells to ammonium chloride to lyse red blood cells before culture. Conversely, the increase was significantly inhibited by adding before culture untreated or bromelain-treated sheep or mouse red blood cells. Treated or untreated horse or rat red blood cells did not inhibit the increase. Treating peritoneal cells or subpopulations of peritoneal cells with anti-theta serum and complement before culture caused a significant increase in the number of plaque-forming cells against bromelain-treated red blood cells after 3--4 days of culture. Various procedures were used to fractionate peritoneal cells into B-cell enriched and B-cell depleted subpopulations before culture and after culture, to investigate whether some of the plaque-forming cells could be attributed to phagocytic cells. Generally, changes in the number of plaque-forming cells against bromelain-treated mouse red blood cells paralleled changes in B-cells. In some experiments the proportion of plaque-forming cells observed represented up to 85% of the B-cells present. The results suggest that the high level of autoreactivity is due to antibody production by B-cells and that phagocytic cells are not forming spurious plaques. Further, it appears that the autoimmunity is regulated by T-cells and can also be inhibited by mouse RBC.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

If I were a dean...

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1977

Cell wall and morphological changes induced by temperature shift in Bacillus subtilis cell wall mutants.

Bacillus subtilis RUB1012 and RUB1013 have the following phenotype when grown at 45 degrees C: no growth on tryptose blood agar base, growth as clumps of spheres in broth culture, a slow autolysis rate, and a low proportion of teichoic acid to peptidoglycan. Revertants of strain RUB1012 (RUB2032, RUB2012, and RUB2042) that could grow on tryptose blood agar base were isolated. Each revertant had a different proportion of teichoic acid to peptidoglycan. The nanomoles of phosphorus per milligram of cell wall at the nonpermissive temperature were 141, 160, 236, and 541 for strain RUB1012 and revertants RUB2032, 2012, and 2042, respectively, as compared with 1,100 for the parent strain. With most bacteriophage tested, plating efficiency was related to the amount of glucosylated teichoic acid. Scanning electron microscopy was used to study strain RUB2032 during a shift from growth at 30 degrees C to growth at 45 degrees C. The change from rod to sphere began with the thickening of the cylindrical portion of the cell. Caps of the cells appeared to be immune to the thickening process. During growth, the cells became progressively shorter and thicker, and cell separation was inhibited. When cells of strain RUB2032 were shifted from growth at 45 degrees C to growth at 30 degrees C, accumulation of an amorphous material on the outer surfaces of the cells preceded the change from sphere to rod morphology. Cells remained clumped, with rods appearing at the periphery of the clumps. Analysis by DNA-mediated transformation and PBS1-mediated transduction indicated that strains RUB1012 and RUB1013 have multiple mutations mapping in the same region as other cell wall mutations.

Bacillus subtilis↗
PubMed1977

Listening levels through hearing aids: a difference of opinion.

The present authors find it impossible to compare their work with that of Powell & Tucker (Scand Audiol 5, 167, 1976) due to the lack of original data in the latter paper. The present authors papers were not written with the prime view of presenting predictive values but of reporting data on hearing aid users. The predictive value of our results has been largely and not very carefully inferred by Powell & Tucker. The predictive values of gain or output may be inferred from current research and the Powell & Tucker paper confirms the previous work rather than repudiates it. It is obvious that research workers should co-operate in using clearly stated methods and publishing original data in their papers. Furthermore it is important that the terminology used is of a standard form--or if not, that each new term is clearly defined.

Auditory Threshold↗
PubMed1977

Symptomatic urinary infection in childhood: presentation during a four-year study in general practice and significance and outcome at seven years.

Thirty-eight children (12 boys and 26 girls) with symptomatic urinary infection have been studied in general practice. Patients were collected over a four-year period and we report an incidence of urinary infection according to Kass's criterion of 7.7 per 1,000 girls at risk per year and 3.8 per 1,000 boys at risk per year. Eighty-four per cent of the children had symptoms which suggested an origin in the genitourinary tract. Proteus infection was found in five of the boys and only one of the girls. At the end of the four-year study period follow-up had taken place over a mean period of 25 months and recurrent infection had been demonstrated in four boys and 12 girls. All the children had an excretion urogram and two children, both girls, were found to have pyelonephritic scarring. Twelve children with recurrent infection were investigated for vesicoureteric reflux, which was found only in the two children with scarring. At seven years 31 of the children remained in the practice and, with a mean follow-up of 42 months, no significant alteration in the figures for recurrent infection was demonstrated. Guidelines are suggested for the management of childhood urinary infection in general practice.

Adolescent↗