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Biomedical subjects

D Carson

Publications and source records attributed to D Carson.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Comparative studies to determine the efficiency of 6 methylpurine deoxyriboside to detect cell culture mycoplasmas.

Studies were performed to compare three methods to detect mycoplasmal infection of cell cultures. The methods included microbiological assay by inoculation into broth and onto agar with anaerobic incubation, fluorescent DNA staining by Hoechst 33258, and mycoplasmal mediated cytotoxicity by 6 methylpurine deoxyriboside (6MPDR). Fluorescent DNA staining and 6MPDR assays were performed in an indicator cell culture system. A total of 2589 cell cultures were assayed. Mycoplasmas were detected in 174, an incidence of 6.7%. Species isolated were: Acholeplasma laidlawii, Mycoplasma orale, M. arginini, M. hyorhinis, M. fermentans, M. pirum, and M. pneumoniae. In separate studies, 6MPDR also detected infection with Spiroplasma mirum when this organism was deliberately inoculated into cell cultures. The efficiencies of microbiological testing, fluorescent DNA assays, and 6MPDR were 43.1, 98.8, and 97.1%, respectively.

Bisbenzimidazole↗
PubMed1986

Amino acid sequence of a light chain variable region of a human rheumatoid factor of the Wa idiotypic group, in part predicted by its reactivity with antipeptide antibodies.

Antipeptide antisera were raised to the second and third complementarity-determining regions of the light chain derived from a human monoclonal IgM (Sie) which had antigammaglobulin activity and belonged to the Wa cross-reactive idiotypic group of human rheumatoid factors, two of whose members (Sie, Wo1) had been previously sequenced in our laboratory (Andrews and Capra, Biochemistry 20, 5816-5822, 1981). These antisera were found to react with the light chain of another human monoclonal IgM (Go1) that shared the Wa idiotype while antipeptide antisera made to the third CDR of the Sie heavy chain failed to react. The amino acid sequence of the variable region of the Go1 light chain was found to be highly homologous to the light chain of Sie from which the synthetic peptides were derived, particularly in the framework regions and the second and third CDR. This study illustrates that antipeptide antisera are valuable and specific probes for determining the relationship between molecules which exhibit similar antigen binding or idiotypic specificities and, furthermore, such antisera are able to predict amino acid sequences with surprising precision.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1985

Doctors in the witness box.

The aim of this paper is not to show how medical witnesses can play tricks on lawyers but to try to help show how doctors and others can remain in control of their evidence. If the courts are to obtain the best information to make the best decisions then they will not be helped by witnesses unable to say what they mean.

Communication↗
PubMed1984

Home-based oral rehydration therapy in rural Zimbabwe.

A study was carried out in four rural areas of Zimbabwe to assess the acceptability, feasibility and accuracy of sugar-salt solutions and to investigate the action taken during a recalled episode of diarrhoea in a child. Only 5% of respondents gave the child a sugar-salt solution at home during the described illness yet a majority (52%) claimed knowledge of oral rehydration techniques. A great variety of recipes were described; 46% of respondents knew a recipe for a solution containing sugar and salt and 12% were able to describe the standard recipe for sugar-salt solutions. Those who knew a recipe for a sugar-salt solution were asked to prepare a sample for chemical analysis; of those who prepared a sample, 26% prepared a solution having both sucrose and sodium concentrations within the safe and effective ranges. Surprisingly therefore, 12% (26% X 46%) of rural adults were able to prepare a safe and effective oral rehydration solution, despite the fact that there is as yet no concerted programme for the promotion of home-based oral rehydration therapy in Zimbabwe. The standard method of preparation was taught to all respondents who had no previous knowledge of sugar-salt solutions. Recall of the standard method was good; after a period of 11 to 26 days 64% of respondents remembered the correct recipe and 84% prepared a solution having both sucrose and sodium concentrations in the safe and effective ranges. 92% of all households had a teaspoon, sugar and salt and 88% had all the required items: a 750 ml bottle, a teaspoon, sugar and salt. It is concluded that home-based oral rehydration therapy using sugar-salt solutions is an acceptable and feasible strategy for the early management of acute diarrhoea in rural Zimbabwe.

Child↗
PubMed1984

The immune response to Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen: conformational and structural features of antibody binding to synthetic peptides.

Naturally developing human antibodies to the Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen recognize synthetic peptides containing sequences from the unusual glycine-alanine region of this protein. We tested antibody binding to a series of peptides of from five to 20 amino acids in length. Peptides as small as seven amino acids could bind but optimal results required chain lengths of 15. Binding was extremely sensitive to small changes in the length and sequence of the peptide, and also to the temp of the reaction. The changes can be ascribed to two factors: (1) deletion of the site of antigen binding and (2) loss of peptide secondary structure.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1984

Perceptions of childhood diarrhoea and its treatment in rural Zimbabwe.

In the course of a study on the acceptability and feasibility of home-based oral rehydration therapy in rural Zimbabwe, information was collected on attitudes and beliefs about diarrhoea and on action taken in response to an episode of diarrhoea in a child. Diarrhoea was found to be a perceived threat at community and family level and numerous possible causes of diarrhoea were described which were assigned to two broad classes: (1) 'physical' causes, such as a polluted environment, diet and teething and (2) 'social and spiritual' causes such as those associated with a depressed fontanelle. These domains were not, however, mutually exclusive; 76% of the described episodes of diarrhoea were attributed to 'physical' causes, 15% to 'social and spiritual' causes and 8% to a combination of both. Reported utilization rates of the formal health services were unexpectedly high. In contrast, we recorded a low demand for indigenous herbalists (n'angas). Home management was common and comprised the administration of indigenous herbal remedies, of sugar and salt solutions, of over-the-counter drugs or of enemas. These remedies were given on their own or alongside the treatment prescribed by a health worker. A number of variables were examined to assess their influence on health-seeking behaviour: perceived cause and severity of the illness, socio-demographic characteristics of the respondent or child and accessibility of the health services.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Automatic and expectancy-based priming effects in a digit naming task.

In a voice reaction time task, subjects named target digits that were horizontally flanked by noise digits or by a neutral symbol (#). For the control subjects, the noise digits were uncorrelated with the target digit, whereas for three experimental groups, the value of the noise digit predicted the target digit by an arithmetic rule (target = noise, target = noise + 1, target = noise - 1) on 75% of the trials. Patterns of reaction time facilitation and inhibition relative to the control condition among the four subject groups illustrated differing time courses of involuntary and expectancy-based priming. For prediction rules requiring an arithmetic transformation (expect N = 1 and expect N - 1), responses to predicted targets were slowed by response competition at short stimulus-onset asynchrony (SOAs) but greatly facilitated by expectancy at longer SOAs.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Environmental effects on urinary volumes, biochemical constituents and their inter-relation.

This study has found low 24-h urine volumes in British expatriates in Saudi Arabia and suggests the possibility of urate stone formation in spite of the air-conditioned environment in which they were living. Urine volume was shown to be significantly correlated with calcium excretion in both sexes and to urate and sodium in males. Differences in 24-h urine concentrations of some but not all constituents between British-born subjects living in Britain and Saudi Arabia have been demonstrated.

Adult↗