Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to E Naylor.
Human influenza pandemics commonly arise by genetic reassortment between human and avian viruses in pigs. Yet global developments in aquaculture--the so-called 'Blue Revolution'--will mean increased co-location of people, ducks and pigs.
The best general hypothesis for the control of 'spontaneous' tidal and daily patterns of behaviour in coastal animals postulates an endogenous physiological pacemaker system which generates approximate periodicity, together with environmental adjustment of the clock(s) to local time. Free-running endogenous rhythms of circatidal, circadian, circasemilunar and circalunar periodicity have been demonstrated in a number of species in constant laboratory conditions, in some cases clarifying hitherto poorly understood aspects of the behavioural repertoire of animals in the sea. Entrainment of circatidal rhythmicity has been demonstrated using cycles of simulated tidal variables such as temperature, hydrostatic pressure, salinity and wave action. The crab Carcinus shows increased locomotor activity after changes of salinity (halokinesis); responses to 34% salinity entrain the endogenous clock, but responses to salinities above or below 34% are purely exogenous and do not persist in constant conditions after entrainment. Phase responsiveness of circatidal rhythms to pulses of tidal variables has been demonstrated in several species; phase response curves show marked differences from those of circadian rhythms. The endogenous basis of tidal and diel behaviour in marine molluscs and crustaceans involves matching spontaneous rhythms of neuroelectrical activity. Also, in decapod crustaceans a peptidic neurodepressing hormone (NDH) modulates neuroelectrical and behavioural rhythmicity. NDH is produced rhythmically in the eyestalk neurosecretory complex, perhaps partly under the control of other clock components elsewhere in the CNS. The physiological basis of circasemilunar, lunar (and annual) rhythms of behaviour has not been studied, but studies of synchronization of these rhythms have been undertaken. In some localities it has been shown experimentally that light intensities equivalent to moonlight are sufficient to entrain such rhythms. In other localities where moonlight is a less reliable cue the relative timing of tidal and daily variables has been shown to be important. So far there is no evidence that synchronization is achieved by absolute differences between tidal variables at neap and spring tides.
Hyperphenylalaninemia due to a biopterin synthesis defect was detected in an infant with decreased biopterin and increased neopterin levels in plasma and urine. Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) administration normalized plasma phenylalanine levels. CSF biopterin and neurotransmitter metabolite levels were normal and with the infant's normal growth and development suggest that the defect in biopterin synthesis did not affect CNS biopterin metabolism. Comparison of plasma and urine pterin levels from this patient with levels reported in patients who have neurologic complications fails to reveal differences that would distinguish patients at risk for neurologic problems. CSF pterin and neurotransmitter levels may correlate with neurologic function in these patients. CSF pterin and neurotransmitter determinations should be performed prior to initiation of neurotransmitter precursor and BH4 replacement therapies in patients who were determined to have biopterin synthesis defect(s).
A brother and sister aged 11 and 17 years have been reported previously to have hyperargininaemia and arginase deficiency: they were treated with a semi-synthetic diet consisting of fat, carbohydrate, minerals, vitamins and essential amino acids in amounts equivalent to 0.55-0.65 g protein kg-1 day-1 for 2 years. Plasma arginine levels fell from 0.50-0.90 mumol/1 to 0.13-0.30 mumol/1 (normal range 0.02-0.15). Increased concentrations of arginine in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fell from 0.069-0.098 mumol/l to 0.040-0.056 mumol/l (normal mean +/- SD = 0.020 +/- 0.006). Dibasic aminoaciduria returned to normal within 1 week. Substitution of the keto-acid analogues of five essential amino acids in the formula lowered arginine concentrations further, but proved to be unpalatable. Urinary concentrations of orotic acid, uridine and uracil fell toward normal but remained increased, even when the plasma ammonia concentration was measured as normal. Both patients showed a stable clinical improvement.
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