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Biomedical subjects

G Morris

Publications and source records attributed to G Morris.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Common errors in mass casualty management. Corrective actions for the prehospital provider.

Mass casualty incidents provide valuable lessons for the prehospital provider. A re-evaluation of large-scale rescue operations which require a complex network of agencies, communications, and on-scene triaging frequently exposes common weaknesses and errors. This article identifies these common errors and provides guidelines for more effective mass casualty management.

Disaster Planning↗
PubMed1986

Amino acid sequence of rat apolipoprotein A-II deduced from the nucleotide sequence of cloned cDNA.

A rat apolipoprotein A-II cDNA clone was isolated from a rat liver cDNA library by in situ hybridization of bacteriophage plaques using a 32P-labeled human apoA-II cDNA as a probe. The cDNA insert from this clone was characterized by DNA sequencing. The amino acid composition derived from the DNA sequence data matched well with that of rat apoA-II reported earlier (Herbert et al. 1974. J. Biol Chem. 249: 5718-5724), indicating that the cDNA insert coded for rat apoA-II. Further evidence was provided by a comparison of the amino acid sequence of rat apoA-II obtained here with that of human apoA-II (Brewer et al. 1972. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 69: 1304-1308). While the rat apoA-II cDNA insert did not code for the entire presegment, it had the same COOH-terminal residues of the presegment as well as the same prosegment (Ala-Leu-Val-Arg-Arg) as in human preproapoA-II, suggesting that rat apoA-II was also synthesized initially as preproapoA-II. Mature rat apoA-II contains 79 amino acids. Residue 6 of mature rat apoA-II is Asp, while it is Cys in human apoA-II, and this would account for the absence of dimeric forms of rat apoA-II in plasma. While the overall amino acid sequence homology between rat and human apoA-II is about 50%, the amphipathic alpha-helical structures, which are responsible for lipid-binding, seem to be conserved in the two proteins. The size of rat apoA-II mRNA was estimated to be about 600 nucleotides.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1985

Effects of neonatal treatment with 6-aminonicotinamide on basal and isoproterenol-stimulated ornithine decarboxylase activity in cerebellum of the development rat.

6-Aminonicotinamide (6-AN) is a nicotinic acid (vitamin B3) antagonist which, when administered to immature animals, has a profound influence on brain development. To explore the biochemical mechanisms which underlie these actions, we evaluated effects of 6-aminonicotinamide on ornithine decarboxylase, an enzyme involved in cellular replication and differentiation. The cerebellum of the neonatal rat was chosen for study because it represents a brain region which undergoes major maturational events postnatally. When given to neonatal rats, 6-aminonicotinamide (10 mg/kg, i.p., on days 1, 3, 5 and 7) caused a prompt and persistent inhibition of the enzyme well in advance of adverse effects on tissue weight or on general growth. In addition, the ability of the cerebellum to respond to trophic stimulation by a beta-adrenergic agonist, isoproterenol, was attenuated markedly. Assessment of cerebellar morphology indicated an early adverse effect of 6-AN on granule' cell division, resulting in eventual disruption of the characteristic laminar structure of this brain region. These data support the view that reduced ornithine decarboxylase activity and impairment of its reactivity to growth stimuli participate in the toxic effects of 6-aminonicotinamide on brain development.

6-Aminonicotinamide↗
PubMed1985

Typing of heat-stable and heat-labile antigens of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli by coagglutination.

A coagglutination system has been devised for typing heat-stable and heat-labile antigens of Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli. The use of protein A-positive Staphylococcus aureus cells carrying Campylobacter sp. serotype antibody and the treatment of Campylobacter sp. cells with DNase in the antigen suspension permitted rapid and specific coagglutination of rough (autoagglutinable) as well as smooth cultures. Cells of S. aureus were sensitized with Campylobacter sp. serotype antisera. Four to five types of sensitized S. aureus cells were pooled. A strain of Campylobacter sp. was first tested with the pools and then typed with the individual reagents of the reactive pool. After the described procedures, 68 serotype strains tested blindly as unknowns were correctly typed according to their heat-stable or heat-labile antigens. The two most commonly used typing schemes which are based separately on the heat-stable or the heat-labile antigens as assayed by passive hemagglutination and slide agglutination, respectively, can be utilized simultaneously in the coagglutination system for strain characterization. The coagglutination system is simple, yields results rapidly, conserves typing reagents, and offers the flexibility of formulating the pools of reagents according to the experimental design or the prevalence of serotypes in a geographic location. It should be a practical system for the typing of Campylobacter spp. in public health or clinical laboratories.

Agglutination Tests↗
PubMed1985

Beta-2 adrenergic control of ornithine decarboxylase activity in brain regions of the developing rat.

Development of brain tissue is thought to be regulated, in part, by biogenic amines. We examined the role of noradrenergic stimulation in regulation of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), an enzyme whose activity is obligatory for neuronal development and which has been used as a biochemical marker for cellular maturation. Intracisternal administration of adrenergic agonists produced a prompt increase in ODC in neonatal rat cerebellum, an effect mediated through beta-2 receptors: the rank order of activity was isoproterenol greater than epinephrine greater than norepinephrine greater than methoxamine; the effect could be blocked by propranolol but not phenoxybenzamine; and zinterol (a beta-2 selective agonist) was equipotent to isoproterenol whereas prenalterol (a beta-1 agonist) was ineffective. The elevation of ODC caused by adrenergic stimulation was cyclic AMP-dependent, as evidenced by: direct measurement of cyclic AMP levels after isoproterenol administration; comparisons of the dose-response curve for stimulation of cyclic AMP with that of ODC; examination of the time course of effect on the two variables; stimulation of ODC by administration of cyclic AMP analogs; demonstration of identical kinetic mechanisms for ODC stimulation by dibutyryl-cyclic AMP and isoproterenol; and potentiation of the actions of isoproterenol on both cyclic AMP and ODC by RO-201724, a specific inhibitor of phosphodiesterase. Examination of the ontogenetic pattern of phosphodiesterase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗
PubMed1983

Stimulation of ornithine decarboxylase by histamine or norepinephrine in brain regions of the developing rat: evidence for biogenic amines as trophic agents in neonatal brain development.

Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) initiates the synthesis of polyamines which play key roles in regulation of cellular development. Intracisternal administration of histamine or norepinephrine to developing rats produced age-dependent stimulation of ODC in brain. In cerebral cortex and ponsmedulla, stimulation by norepinephrine was demonstrable at postnatal day 7 and maximum stimulation occurred at about day 9. In contrast, cerebellum showed no initial reactivity to norepinephrine but still developed a large peak of response capability by day 9. In all 3 regions, the response declined rapidly thereafter during the period of major synaptogenesis of noradrenergic pathways. With histamine, none of the regions displayed ODC reactivity at 7 days postnatally; stimulation appeared by day 9, peaked at about day 11 and then declined rapidly. Thus, the trophic effect of histamine or norepinephrine toward ODC activity is present or develops postnatally and appears to terminate with synaptogenesis and onset of neurotransmitter properties of the amines.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1983

Bromo-DMA: the Australasian hallucinogen?

If the frequency of seizures by police of hallucinogens reflects the frequency with which various hallucinogens are ingested in Australasia, most toxic states resulting from hallucinogen abuse are due to Bromo-DMA and not to LSD as is commonly reported by the subjects. Two cases of intoxication with the new hallucinogen, Bromo-DMA, are reported. Both recovered within 24 hours following treatment with haloperidol.

DOM 2,5-Dimethoxy-4-Methylamphetamine↗
PubMed1982

Significance of tattoos in male psychiatric patients.

The study investigated the social background and current social stability of 45 tattooed males. Tattooed subjects compared to non-tattooed controls were more likely to report leaving home and school early, to report spending a period in a boys' institution and in prison, and showed greater current instability with regard to accommodation and employment. Tattoos were significantly associated with a current diagnosis of personality disorder and alcoholism and past treatment for drug abuse and parasuicide.

Adolescent↗