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Biomedical subjects

E Walker

Publications and source records attributed to E Walker.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Cytokine production and surface antigen expression by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in postmenopausal osteoporosis.

It was reported earlier that IL-1 production by cultured monocytes and the ratio of helper (CD4) to suppressor (CD8) lymphocytes in peripheral blood are different in osteoporotic compared to nonosteoporotic subjects. We examined these and several other parameters related to the biosynthetic activity and differentiation status of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in untreated osteoporotic postmenopausal women (age 65 +/- 7, n = 46), nonosteoporotic postmenopausal women (age 55 +/- 3, n = 20), and nonosteoporotic premenopausal women (age 37 +/- 7, n = 8), as defined by spine density. We found that unstimulated monocytes from osteoporotics did not produce detectable IL-1 beta as determined by ELISA. In addition, there were no significant differences between osteoporotics and nonosteoporotics in IL-1 beta or IFN-gamma production by PBMC stimulated with OKT3, a monoclonal antibody to the T cell-receptor complex. The proliferative response of lymphocytes to OKT3 was significantly less (p < 0.02) in osteoporotics compared to nonosteoporotic post- and premenopausal women; multiple-regression analysis, however, indicated that this difference was not due to bone density but to age. Flow cytometric analysis of PBMC revealed no difference between osteoporotics and nonosteoporotics in the distribution of 18 phenotypic subsets determined, including CD4- or CD8-positive lymphocytes or the ratio of CD4 to CD8 cells. Further, there was no correlation of the surface markers with bone density, the exceptions being the subsets expressing the CD3/CD56 and CD8/CD56 markers, which were inversely related to spine density in the osteoporotic women.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Interpersonal behavior of preschizophrenic children: a study of home-movies.

This study used an interpersonal coding scheme to compare the childhood behavior of adult-diagnosed schizophrenics and their nearest in age, normal sibling. Subjects consisted of 14 preschizophrenics (11 male and 3 female) and 14 sibling controls (8 male and 6 female) depicted in home movies between the ages of five and ten inclusive. Data were analyzed in two age groups: 5-7 vs. 8-10. Preschizophrenics were found to display more frequent negative affect between the ages of 5-7, but this difference disappeared in the 8-10 year age group. This finding is consistent with existing literature on affect development and represents the first directly observed evidence of developmental deviance in preschizophrenic subjects before the age of 11.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

An outbreak of echovirus type 4 infections and its implications for diagnosis and management in general practice.

Altogether, 133 patients with Echovirus type 4 infection were studied. Presenting illnesses and reasons for referral to hospital were analyzed. The reason for admission was commonly concern about meningitis, but also an unexplained rash or sore throat. More research is needed in general practice in order to clearly elucidate the spectrum of disease caused by Echoviruses.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

The effect of beta-adrenoreceptor agonists and antagonists on fructose absorption in man.

To explore the effect of beta-adrenoreceptor stimulation and blockade on the extraction of monosaccharide from the upper gut, we first established the malabsorption threshold in 26 normal volunteers using a series of test meals containing varying proportions of fructose and glucose. Incomplete small intestinal extraction and consequent arrival of carbohydrate into the caecum was identified by a rise in exhaled breath hydrogen concentration. The malabsorption threshold varied between individuals from 30 to 80 g fructose (median 40 g) but was reproducible within individuals, with 90% agreement of repeat studies. The malabsorption threshold for an individual was unrelated to body height (tau = 0.007, P > 0.05) or weight (tau = 0.003, P > 0.05) but correlated closely with time to onset of the breath hydrogen rise of a standard meal (tau = 0.70, P < 0.001). Administration of the beta-adrenoreceptor antagonist propranolol (160 mg) reduced the quantity of fructose required to exceed the malabsorption threshold from 45, 30-60 (median and range) to 40, 30-50 g (P = 0.03); administration of the beta-adrenoreceptor agonist isoprenaline (0.015 micrograms.kg/min) increased the quantity of fructose required to exceed the malabsorption threshold by 10 g (55 (50-90) g; P < 0.02). The effect of both drugs correlated closely with their transit effect (tau = 0.79, P < 0.01). A beta-adrenoreceptor mediated pathway thus appears to be capable of influencing the extraction of monosaccharide from the small intestine in normal subjects both under resting and stimulated conditions, probably acting via an effect on upper gastrointestinal motility.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗
PubMed1993

Cyclosporine A induced colitis and acquired selective IgA deficiency in a patient with juvenile chronic arthritis.

A 12-year-old girl with juvenile chronic arthritis was treated with cyclosporine A for recurrent uveitis. Two years later she presented with weight loss and diarrhea. Investigations suggested drug induced colitis. She improved after withdrawal of cyclosporine and her nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug. Symptoms recurred on rechallenge with cyclosporine. She has developed a progressive selective IgA deficiency which persists despite cessation of cyclosporine.

Arthritis, Juvenile↗
PubMed1993

Viral infections.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Antiviral Agents↗
PubMed1993

Comparison of image analysis and flow cytometric measurements of DNA content of canine transitional cell carcinomas.

The DNA content of neoplasms is generally determined by flow cytometry, but quantitative microscopic image analysis is an alternative technique for DNA quantification. To compare these two methods, the DNA content of 31 paraffin-embedded canine transitional cell carcinomas was measured by flow cytometry and image analysis. Interpretable data were available for 26 samples by flow cytometry and 27 samples by image analysis. For 23 neoplasms with interpretable data by both methods, a good correlation (r = .80, P < .001) was obtained between the DNA indices determined by flow cytometry and image analysis. Concordance of DNA ploidy classification was reached in 21 samples; however, for 4 samples an aneuploid cell population, usually tetraploid, was identified by image analysis and not by flow cytometry. Two samples also had aneuploid peaks by flow cytometry and not by image analysis. Although a good correlation was seen between the measurement of DNA content of paraffin-embedded canine tissue by image analysis and flow cytometry, this study did demonstrate that aneuploid cell populations can be missed by both methods and that image analysis was better than flow cytometry in the detection of aneuploid cell populations, particularly tetraploid ones, in samples with excessive cellular debris.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

In situ hybridization demonstrates the stability of mRNA in post-mortem rat tissues.

In situ hybridization was used to detect messenger RNA (mRNA) in a variety of rat tissues which were fixed in formalin either immediately after death or after a 24 h period of storage at 5 degrees C. A synthetic polydeoxythymidine [poly d(T)] oligonucleotide probe was used to demonstrate polyadenylated [poly (A)] mRNA in the small intestine, pancreas, liver, cerebellum, and pituitary. Of these tissues, only the liver showed a small reproducible reduction in hybridization signal following delayed fixation. Synthetic oligonucleotide probes complementary to albumin and pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) mRNAs were hybridized to liver and pituitary, respectively. There was no significant reduction in hybridization signal in post-mortem tissues. The results suggest that some mRNAs may be remarkably stable under certain post-mortem conditions and this should encourage the wider application of in situ hybridization techniques to post-mortem material.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Fumarylacetoacetase activity in cultured and non-cultured chorionic villus cells, and assay in two high-risk pregnancies.

We describe further development of the fumarylacetoacetase (FAA) assay for the prenatal diagnosis of tyrosinaemia type 1 using chorionic villus sampling (CVS). We have established a reference range for FAA activity in cultured villus cells and have confirmed previously reported data on the FAA activity in uncultured chorionic villus cells. This should allow confirmation of results using CVS, without the need for further invasive procedures. We report the FAA enzyme stability at -70 degrees C, +4 degrees C, and at room temperature, and we have shown no obvious difference in enzyme activity with gestational age. We have analysed cultured and non-cultured CVS activity of FAA in two pregnancies at risk of tyrosinaemia type 1. In both, the fetus was designated unaffected, and these results were confirmed postnatally.

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMed1992

The effect of alpha-1-adrenoreceptor agonist and antagonist administration on human upper gastrointestinal transit and motility.

To explore the role of alpha-1-adrenoreceptor-mediated pathways on human upper gut motor function in vivo, we studied the effects of the alpha-1-agonist phenylephrine and the alpha-1-antagonist thymoxamine on oro-caecal transit and antroduodenal motor activity. Transit was measured using a standard exhaled-breath hydrogen method, and motility was measured by intraluminal manometry. Oro-caecal transit was unaffected by 80 mg thymoxamine [median 63 min (range 35-164 min) vs. control, 65 min (range 30-155 min), P greater than 0.1]. However, phenylephrine (2.4 micrograms/kg/min) consistently delayed oro-caecal transit time to 103 min (50-215 min), P greater than 0.005. Co-administration of thymoxamine abolished this phenylephrine-induced delay. The mean amplitude of antral postprandial contractions was reduced by phenylephrine from 29 (13-37) to 10 (3-13) mmHg (P less than 0.02). In contrast, neither the pattern nor the mean inter-contraction interval was altered. Responses to phenylephrine in the duodenum were similar to those in the antrum, with reduction in amplitude from 12 (3-18) to 6 (5-13) mmHg without alteration in the pattern or interval between contractions. Nutrient transit through the upper gut can thus be inhibited via activation of an alpha-1-adrenoreceptor-mediated pathway. Failure of alpha-1-antagonist administration to alter oro-caecal transit suggests that this pathway is not tonically active, and it is therefore unlikely to play a major role in nutrient passage under normal circumstances.

Adrenergic alpha-Agonists↗