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Biomedical subjects

G Dunn

Publications and source records attributed to G Dunn.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

The effect of sequences in the 5' non-coding region on the replication of polioviruses in the human gut.

The genomic sequences of a portion of the 5' non-coding region of polioviruses excreted by recipients of the Sabin vaccine strains of poliovirus were examined. It was found that in all three types a residue changed in the course of excretion to give a sequence representing the consensus of poliovirus sequences. For type 1 this residue was at position 481, which altered in half the vaccines, for type 2 it was at position 480, which altered in all vaccinees and for type 3 it was at position 472 in all vaccinees, as previously reported. Other vaccine strains unrelated to the Sabin strains but used in limited vaccination programmes did not have such changing residues. It was concluded that these regions indicated sequences that were strongly selected during replication in the human gut. Such sequences were further defined by examination of strains of poliovirus unrelated to the vaccine strains, the sequences of which may be expected to vary at less stringently defined regions.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

The diagnosis of childhood hyperactivity. A U.S.-U.K. cross-national study of DSM-III and ICD-9.

The unequal prevalence of hyperactivity in Britain and the U.S. was investigated with a cross-national diagnostic study. Case histories of 6-11-yr-old boys were evaluated by British and American research teams as well as British and American clinician panels using both ICD-9 and DSM-III. Interrater agreement was acceptably high only for the specially trained research teams. ICD-9 generated fewer diagnoses of Hyperkinetic Syndrome than did DSM-III of Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity. The difference was greatest for U.K. clinicians. Diagnostic scheme and clinician training both contribute to the difference in reported rates.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗
PubMed1988

An examination of experimental design in relation to receptor binding assays.

1. Real and computer-simulated data were used to examine the efficiency of designs for receptor binding assays. 2. Initially, several different concentrations of [3H]-ketanserin were used in receptor binding studies, using membrane preparations from rat cerebral cortex to establish the form of the binding curves and to investigate the relationship between the variance of the binding measurements and their means. 3. The data showed that the specific binding could be modelled by a simple rectangular hyperbola, and were consistent with the assumption that the binding measurements have a constant coefficient of variation (0.1). 4. Computer-simulated data, with a coefficient of variation of 0.1, were then used to look at the precision of estimates of KD and Bmax obtained through the use of assay designs based on replicate incubations at two radioligand concentrations, or through the use of a geometric sequence of 5-7 radioligand concentrations. In each case, the influence of varying amounts (3.8-50%) of non-specific binding at KD on the precision of these estimates was monitored. 5. The results (a) illustrate the problems which arise in the analysis of receptor binding data when there are relatively high amounts of non-specific binding in combination with a constant coefficient of variation, (b) calculate the errors involved and (c) quantitate the relative merits of 2, 5, 6 and 7 point saturation curves in the estimation of Bmax and KD.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

The significance of residual mediastinal abnormality on the chest radiograph following treatment for Hodgkin's disease.

The chest radiographs (CXRs) of 110 patients with mediastinal Hodgkin's disease (HD) were reviewed to determine the incidence, degree, and significance of mediastinal abnormalities following treatment. Residual mediastinal abnormalities were defined as either minimal or measurable, and occurred in 64% of all patients at the completion of treatment, but were more common in those with bulky mediastinal disease at presentation (40 of 48, 83%). Fifty-one patients with a mediastinal abnormality at the end of treatment had follow-up films available. Partial or complete regression of the abnormality occurred by 1 year in 30 of these patients (59%). Over a median follow-up of 80.5 months, there were more relapses (13 of 70, 19%) in patients with residual abnormalities following treatment than in those where the mediastinum was considered normal (four of 40, 10%). Measurable abnormality was associated with a higher relapse rate (six of 25, 24%) than minimal abnormality (seven of 45, 16%), but none of these differences were statistically significant. the subsequent relapse rate for patients with persisting abnormality at 1 year was 14%, compared with 17% for patients in whom regression had occurred and 14% in whom the mediastinum had always been considered normal. Considering the whole group, the presence of a mediastinal abnormality following treatment did not predict for relapse, but for the 34 patients treated by chemotherapy (CTR) alone, a residual abnormality was associated with a significantly higher relapse rate (P = .029). We conclude that following mediastinal radiotherapy (XRT) administered either alone or combined with CTR, residual mediastinal abnormalities do not indicate the need for further treatment. However, following CTR alone, such abnormalities may signify persisting disease and we recommend that XRT be considered for these patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Intertypic genomic rearrangements of poliovirus strains in vaccinees.

In vivo intertypic RNA recombination has previously been observed in excreted type 3 poliovirus isolates from a normal asymptomatic primary vaccinee. This study examines isolates from additional primary vaccinees to determine whether intertypic recombination is a general occurrence in excreted polioviruses. T1 RNase oligonucleotide finger-printing and limited dideoxy primer extension RNA sequencing demonstrated no evidence of intertypic recombination among type 1 or type 2 excreted strains. However, vaccinees excreting type 3 strains for long periods of time eventually produced recombinant strains involving either type 1 or type 2 poliovirus. Moreover, a characteristic time course of appearance of excreted type 3 intertypic recombinant polioviruses was established. Type 3/type 1 and type 3/type 2 recombinant strains appeared at Days 10-11 with a single crossover site in the gene for nonstructural protein 2C. Type 3/type 2/type 3 complex recombinant strains with an additional crossover site in the polymerase gene replaced type 3/type 2 strains at approximately Day 28. A significant portion of the genome of the type 3 Sabin vaccine strain is thus replaced during long-term excretion by vaccinees, and the appearance of some genomic arrangements coincided with a base deletion at the 3' terminus.

Feces↗
PubMed1987

Studies on the attenuation of the Sabin type 3 oral polio vaccine.

The genetic basis of attenuation of the poliovirus type 3 vaccine strain P3/Leon 12a1b has been investigated by comparing the nucleotide sequence of this strain with that of its neurovirulent progenitor P3/Leon/37 and by constructing recombinants between these two viruses using infectious cDNAs. Preliminary results suggest that attenuation is caused by just two point mutations, one occurring in the 5' non-coding region and the other causing an amino acid change in coat protein VP3.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1987

Tiapride in the long-term management of alcoholics of anxious or depressive temperament.

Thirty-two chemically dependent alcoholics with significant levels of anxiety or depression were admitted to a double-blind randomised study in which the effect of the substituted benzamide tiapride was compared with that of placebo over a 6-month period. Twenty patients completed the study. Assessments included relevant biochemical and haematological tests, drinking levels and associated behaviour, expressed satisfaction with various areas of life, the Crown-Crisp Experimental Index of neurotic symptoms and questionnaires on self-esteem and alcohol dependence. The results indicated that in comparison with the placebo group, patients treated with tiapride drank less and had longer periods of abstinence. This was associated with improvements in laboratory tests, reduction in neurotic symptoms, gains in self-esteem and increased levels of expressed satisfaction with life situation. The drug was well tolerated and no deleterious effects were noted, suggesting its potential usefulness for this patient group.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Patterns of psychiatric diagnosis in general practice: the Second National Morbidity Survey.

Multidimensional scaling, in the form of principal coordinates analysis and two-way correspondence analysis, is used to illustrate inter-practice variation in patterns of psychiatric diagnoses provided by data from the longitudinal file of the Second National Morbidity Survey. The results strongly support the view that general practitioners' diagnostic habits should be validated before their records are used to provide data on 'official' estimates of psychiatric morbidity. It is recommended that, whatever the quality of the data, large tables of official socio-economic or medical statistics should be supplemented by graphical summaries, as they quite often are in France.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗
PubMed1986

Memory selectivity and unilateral cerebral dysfunction.

The relative speed of recall of pleasant and unpleasant experiences was investigated in patients with unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy and after unilateral temporal lobectomy. Indications have been obtained that right, but not left, temporal lobe dysfunction may impair hedonic aspects of memory selectivity.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Sleep problems in handicapped children: a preliminary study.

Data are reported from an exploratory study looking at the prevalence of sleep problems (broken sleep and limited hours of sleep) in a population of handicapped children. Some degree of difficulty occurred in over a third of the population. There were strong associations with age, a range of serious daytime behavioural difficulties and indices of family stress. Some support for distinct subgroups (night waking, limited hours) was obtained. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Construction of poliovirus intertypic recombinants by use of cDNA.

We investigated the use of infectious cDNA for the production of poliovirus type 1-type 3 recombinants. One such recombinant virus was produced, but a second construct involving the transfer of part of the capsid protein region was not infectious. Our results suggest that the approach may prove valuable but that not all cDNA constructs will give rise to viable viruses.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1983

Longitudinal records of anxiety and depression in general practice: the Second National Morbidity Survey.

This paper analyses patterns of episodes of anxiety and depression as recorded by 22 general practices which took part in the Second National Morbidity Survey (RCGP, 1980). The data comprise 6 years' records. Simple Markov chains are fitted to each age-group of men and women, and the inter-practice variation in the resulting parameter estimates are compared, using Andrews' plots and principal components plots. The implications for the presentation and interpretation of data from large-scale morbidity surveys are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

An outbreak of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infection in a small indoor breeding colony of red-bellied (Saguinus labiatus) tamarins.

A spontaneous outbreak of yersiniosis caused by Yersinia pseudotuberculosis serotype IIB occurred in a small indoor breeding colony of red-bellied tamarins (Saguinus labiatus) during the winter of 1981. Of 35 monkeys at risk 6 died of an acute or subacute infection over a period of 23 days. Clinical signs were anorexia, weakness, listlessness and depression. The disease was characterized by focal necrosis of the liver, spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes, ulcerative enteritis, and the presence of colonies of Gram-negative bacilli in the lesions. Y. pseudotuberculosis was isolated from the liver, spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes and kidney but not from the blood, lung or intestine. Contaminated food was believed to be the source of infection.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Self-assessment of health: an exploration of the effects of physical and psychological symptoms.

The clinician has no objective criteria of good health; he is likely to identify its presence only in the absence of disease and dysfunction. Yet the layman is able to give a global assessment of his own health as good, average or poor. The present paper explores the correlates of self-assessment of health in a large community sample and, by the use of two linear models, describes the effects of age, sex, reported symptoms, and long-standing illness on self-rated health status. It is suggested that global ratings are influenced by age and sex and by the experience of both physical and psychological symptoms, and that there are no interactive effects between symptoms and the demographic variables.

Adolescent↗