Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Frank Waller.
The increasing use of single use medical devices is being driven by a growing awareness of iatrogenic (from the Greek; caused by the doctor) and nosocomial infections. Public health perceptions relating to transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, specifically variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis B are high on the political agenda and a matter of concern to healthcare professionals.
An early auxin-induced gene was isolated from rice (Oryza sativa L. subsp. japonica cv Nihonmasari) coleoptiles by a fluorescent-labeled differential display screen. The full-length gene contains conserved domains characteristic for the cytochrome p450 superfamily. This gene, designated as CYP87A3, was weakly expressed in dark-grown coleoptiles but was up-regulated rapidly and transiently when coleoptile segments were incubated in 5 microm indole-3-acetic acid. This induction by auxin could not be suppressed by cycloheximide. Depletion of segments from endogenous auxin reduced the amount of CYP87A3 transcripts. The CYP87A3 transcript level was rapidly, although transiently, up-regulated in response to light as well. The observed pattern of gene regulation might indicate a role in the suppression of auxin-induced coleoptile growth. The role of CYP87A3 is discussed with respect to auxin signaling in the regulation of coleoptile growth.
We screened for auxin-induced genes with an expression correlated to the auxin-induced growth response from rice coleoptiles by fluorescent differential display. A rice homologue of the auxin response factor (ARF) family of transcriptional regulators, OsARF1, was identified. An OsARF1:GFP fusion protein was localized to the nucleus. Steady-state levels of OsARF1 mRNA correlated positively with auxin-dependent differential growth: gravitropic stimulation enhanced the amount of OsARF1 transcript in the lower, faster-growing flank accompanied by a decrease in the upper flank of gravitropically stimulated rice coleoptiles. Exogenous auxin up-regulated the steady-state level of OsARF1 mRNA within 15-30 min. This up-regulation is independent of de novo protein synthesis. Thus, OsARF1 is the first ARF that classifies as an early auxin-responsive gene. The observed auxin-dependent regulation comprises a new level of regulation in auxin-induced gene expression and is discussed as a possible feedback mechanism in plant growth control.
Decontamination has moved into the top ranks of healthcare issues. In this article, Frank Waller highlights the need for strict adherence to decontamination and sterilisation procedures at all perioperative levels. He demonstrates how apparently minor operations can have serious consequences for both the patient and for perioperative staff where decontamination and sterilisation are inadequate.