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Biomedical subjects

D Shapcott

Publications and source records attributed to D Shapcott.

50 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Pyruvate metabolism in Friedreich's ataxia.

Friedreich's ataxia patients show evidence of an abnormally elevated and prolonged response of pyruvate and lactate to a glucose load, with normal fasting levels. However, ther is a bimodal distribution of this response with high and low pyruvate responders. This trait appears to be determined genetically, However, although in vivo tests suggest low oxidation of pyruvate, we were unable to confirm any in vitro impairment of each of the components of the pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) complex. We conclude that the defect is in the metabolic regulation of PDH, probably at the E3 (lipoamide dehydrogenase) step.

Alanine Transaminase↗

Vitamin E and C levels in infants during the first year of life.

The considerably lower vitamin E level found in cord blood and in newborns at birth than those found in the venous blood of mothers at delivery are not yet fully explained. In a group of 217 not selected newborns, we attempted to establish the relation between vitamin E and C levels at delivery and the changes during the first year of life. The mean serum vitamin E level rose from 0.37 mg/ml at 3 days to 0.80 mg/100 ml at 6 months and to 0.72 mg/100 ml at 12 months. On the other hand vitamin C mean levels lowered from 0.93 mg/100 ml in cord blood to 0.77 mg/100 ml at 6 months and to 0.73 mg/100 ml at 12 months. The rise of vitamin E values could be explained by the early use of infant solid foods with high vitamin and mineral content and by the increase of serum lipoproteins. Except at 3 days after delivery there were no individual values of serum vitamin E below the acceptable 0.35 mg/100 ml limit. However, serum vitamin C levels compatible with a moderate risk were very often observed, i.e., in 27.1% of infants at 6 months and in 30.5% at 1 year. Thus, vitamin E intake in infants was satisfactory with the usual diet but not vitamin C for which blood levels were not adequate. In view of these findings it appears necessary to evaluate periodically the vitamin E as well as vitamin C status in the infant population.

Age Factors↗

Vitamins C and E in spontaneous abortion.

A group of 50 spontaneously aborting women was compared with the same number of pregnant women whose pregnancies terminated uneventfully. Biochemical parameters were studied and particular attention was paid to the vitamin C and E levels in both groups. A significantly higher percentage of aborting women had individual values of serum alpha-tocopherol above the 0.50 mg/100 ml normal limit. There was no significant difference in overall frequency distribution of vitamin C values in both groups. However, at the end of the first trimester the mean values of vitamin C were significantly higher in the aborting group. This could not be interpreted as an evidence of causal association.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗

The measurement of Rivotril in whole blood by gas liquid chromatography.

Rivotril is extracted from blood into an organic solvent mixture, Mogadon, (Nitrazepam) is used as internal standard. The drugs are then back-extracted into acid which is heated to produce the corresponding benzophenones. These are extracted into benzene and separated by gas liquid chromatography with electron capture detection.

Benzodiazepinones↗

The isolation of glucose tolerance factors from brewer's yeast and their relation to chromium.

A new dietary factor, the glucose tolerance factor (GTF), was reported in 1957 that improved impaired glucose tolerance in rats. Most studies on GTF have used brewer's yeast as the starting material, and it has been postulated that the active material is a low-mol wt organic complex containing Cr3+. It seemed thus important to isolate an active GTF from chromium-rich yeast (228 ppm Cr) obtained by incubation with chromium and to compare each fraction with corresponding ones from untreated yeast (0.48 ppm Cr). We developed an isolation and purification procedure by fractionation of yeast extract on an anion and cation exchange resin, and tested the GTF activity (glucose oxidation) on rat adipocytes. PIXE (proton-induced X-ray emission) was used to measure the chromium content of the individual fraction. Individual fractions with GTF activity did not differ between Cr-rich and Cr-deficient yeast, and there was no relationship between Cr content and GTF activity. This does not support the hypothesis that chromium is an obligatory constituent of the GTF, assuming that GTF is a unique substance.

Adipose Tissue↗