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Biomedical subjects

D Smiley

Publications and source records attributed to D Smiley.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Attraction of two lacewing species to volatiles produced by host plants and aphid prey.

It is well documented that host-related odors enable many species of parasitoids and predatory insects to locate their prey and prey habitats. This study reports the first characterization of prey and prey host odor reception in two species of lacewings, Chrysoperla carnea (Say) and Chrysopa oculata L. 2-Phenylethanol, one of the volatiles emitted from their prey's host plants (alfalfa and corn) evoked a significant EAG response from antennae of C. carnea. Traps baited with this compound attracted high numbers of adult C. carnea, which were predominantly females. One of the sex pheromone components (1R,4aS,7S,7aR)-nepetalactol of an aphid species, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) attracted only C. oculata adults. Single sensillum recordings showed that the olfactory neurons of C. carnea responded to both 2-phenylethanol and aphid sex pheromone components, but those of C. oculata only responded to the latter.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Physiology: does gut hormone PYY3-36 decrease food intake in rodents?

Batterham et al. report that the gut peptide hormone PYY3-36 decreases food intake and body-weight gain in rodents, a discovery that has been heralded as potentially offering a new therapy for obesity. However, we have been unable to replicate their results. Although the reasons for this discrepancy remain undetermined, an effective anti-obesity drug ultimately must produce its effects across a range of situations. The fact that the findings of Batterham et al. cannot easily be replicated calls into question the potential value of an anti-obesity approach that is based on administration of PYY3-36.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Development of an internally quenched fluorescent substrate and a continuous fluorimetric assay for Streptococcus pneumoniae signal peptidase I.

Signal peptidase (SPase) I is responsible for the cleavage of signal peptides of many secreted proteins in bacteria and serves as a potential target for the development of novel antibacterial agents due to its unique physiological and biochemical properties. In this paper, we describe a novel fluorogenic substrate, KLTFGTVK(Abz)PVQAIAGY(NO2)EWL, in which 2-aminobenzoic acid (Abz) and 3-nitrotyrosine (Y(NO2)) were used as the fluorescent donor and acceptor, respectively. The substrate can be cleaved by both Streptococcus pneumoniae and Escherichia coli SPase I. Upon cleavage of the fluorogenic substrate by SPase I, the fluorescent intensity increases and can be monitored continuously by spectrofluorometer. Kinetic analysis with S. pneumoniae SPase I demonstrated that the K(m) value for the substrate is 118.1 microM, and the k(cat) value is 0.032 s(-1). Mass spectrometric analysis and peptide sequencing of the two cleaved products confirmed that the cleavage occurs specifically at the predicted site. More interestingly, the positively charged lysine in the N-terminus of the substrate was demonstrated to be important for effective cleavage. Phospholipids were found to stimulate the cleavage reaction. This stimulation by phospholipids is dependent upon the N-terminal charge of the substrate, indicating that the interaction of the positively charged substrate with anionic phospholipids is important for maintaining the substrate in certain conformation for cleavage. The substrate and assay described here can be readily automated and utilized for the identification of potential antibacterial agents.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Distal hypospadias repair without stents: is it better?

We previously reported the results of the meatal based flap urethroplasty (Mathieu) for distal hypospadias repair. Of 49 patients in whom stents were left indwelling for 2 to 5 days meatal stenosis developed in 1 and there were no fistulas. In view of these good results and to decrease postoperative discomfort from bladder spasms, we performed 37 consecutive meatal based flap repairs without stents. Seven patients (19%) had urinary retention requiring catheterization several hours after surgery, of whom 3 had had a caudal block and 4 a penile block with 0.25% bupivacaine for postoperative pain control. In 5 patients (14%) a urethrocutaneous fistula developed, which required surgical repair. Of the patients with a fistula 2 were also among those who presented with urinary retention and 1 had concomitant meatal stenosis. One child had meatal stenosis only, requiring a meatoplasty after failed dilations. Subsequently, of another 16 children who underwent the Mathieu repair with stents a urethrocutaneous fistula and meatal stenosis developed in 1 (6.2%) and 15 patients had no complications. Overall of 65 patients in whom a stent was used 3 (4.6%) had complications, in contrast with a complication rate of 18.9% in the unstented group, representing a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). The stent obviates urinary retention, which was unrelated to the type of anesthetic block used, and minimizes the incidence of fistula and stenosis. We conclude that the use of a multiperforated silicone urethral stent is advantageous for the outcome of this operation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Spontaneous group B Salmonella enteritidis peritonitis in cirrhotic ascites and acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

Salmonella represents an infrequent cause of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in cirrhotic ascites. A cirrhotic patient, an alcoholic and former intravenous drug abuser, developed spontaneous group B Salmonella enteritidis (undetermined serotype) bacterial peritonitis. The isolation of this pathogen, a common cause of bacteremia in acquired immune deficiency syndrome, led to the serological determination of infection with human immune deficiency virus (HIV).

Ascites↗
PubMed1983

Assortative mating for major affective disorder.

The families of 26 married bipolar manic depressives were examined in detail. The rate of affective disorder in their spouses, and the parents and siblings of their spouses, was ascertained. The prevalence of affective disorder among the parents and siblings and of the spouses of age- and social class-matched schizophrenics and well controls was also ascertained. Finally, the prevalence of affective and other psychiatric disorders in the adult offspring of the bipolar probands was ascertained and related to the presence or absence of affective disorder in the spouse. We did not find clear evidence of assortative mating for major affective disorder, although dual mating for affective disorder had the expected result of increasing the risk for affective disorder in the adult offspring.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed1983

Affective disorder, paranatal and educational factors in the offspring of bipolar manic-depressives.

Fifty-five of the 58 adult offspring of 17 bipolar manic-depressives were studied. Fifty-three were interviewed and some data were available on the two who had committed suicide. A detailed educational history and pregnancy and birth (paranatal) history were obtained and were corroborated by records where available. Thirty-two percent of the offspring met RDC criteria for major affective disorder, and 13 percent for minor affective disorder. Paranatal and educational problems, separately and together, were not associated with an enhanced risk to affective disorder, however they were significantly associated with an earlier onset to affective disorder. This association may be partly due to a relatively lower IQ among the early onset subjects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Educational achievement, IQ and affective disorder in the adult offspring of bipolar manic-depressives.

An educational history, corroborated by records where available, was obtained on 54 of the 58 adult offspring of 17 bipolar manic-depressives. The offspring were also interviewed and psychiatric status was ascertained. Primary and other affective disorder in the offspring was not associated with a lower IQ or lower ultimate educational attainment than that of the remaining offspring. There was a trend towards increased educational failure in the offspring with primary affective disorder, but they were as likely as other offspring who had failed to have resumed their education at a later date. III offspring with any form of school failure had a significantly earlier onset of their psychiatric illness, although school failure could not be shown to be a part of an early symptom complex.

Achievement↗
PubMed1981

Two equine true hermaphrodites with 64,XX/64,XY and 63,XO/64,XY chimerism.

The karyotypes of a Welsh pony and a Standardbred were 64,XX/64,XY and 63,XO/64,XY respectively. Both intersexes were true hermaphrodites with bilateral ovotestes. Neither intersex showed stallion-like behaviour. Each one had an underdeveloped penis, bilateral seminal vesicles and uterine tissue. It would appear that the chimerism in these equine intersexes resulted from double fertilization or fusion of blastocysts. Mosaicism in the Standardbred is a possibility, resulting from loss of a Y chromosome by anaphase lag in an early embryonic XY cell.

Animals↗