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Biomedical subjects

G Smith

Publications and source records attributed to G Smith.

1,072 records · Page 60Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

In vitro autoantibody synthesis by anti-La(SSB) positive SLE patients and healthy controls.

In vitro production of anti-La(SSB) and anti-DNA antibodies by mononuclear cells (mnc) from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and healthy controls was measured using ELISA techniques. The SLE patients were divided into anti-La(SSB) positive and negative groups depending on Ouchterlony analysis of the serum. Both patient groups spontaneously produced raised levels of total IgG but not IgM compared to controls. Pokeweed mitogen (PWM) stimulated mnc from anti-La(SSB) positive SLE patients and controls gave good total IgM and IgG responses. In contrast the anti-La(SSB) negative group gave no IgG but did make an IgM response. Kinetic studies showed that 14 day cultures were essential to produce detectable amounts of specific autoantibodies which, with a few exceptions, were of IgM isotype. Low levels of anti-La(SSB) and anti-DNA were spontaneously produced by anti-La(SSB) positive SLE patients and controls. PWM stimulation at least doubled autoantibody synthesis in these two groups. The anti-La(SSB) negative SLE group gave similar responses although PWM induced autoantibody levels were reduced. ConA-induced suppressor cell assay showed that anti-La(SSB) positive SLE patients could form suppressor cells but not as effectively as controls. This group of SLE patients were more successful at suppressing IgG than IgM responses.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluating child protective services training: the participant action plan approach.

As part of protective services training, participants developed action plans-lists of practice behaviors or organizational changes they planned to carry out as a result of the training. A three-month follow-up indicated that a number of action items were successfully implemented, particularly in the areas of risk assessment and therapeutic interventions.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pituitary responsiveness to LH-RH during gestation and puerperium in the rhesus monkey.

Pituitary gonadotropin response to luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH; 150 micrograms, administered intravenously) was studied during pregnancy and the early postpartum period in rhesus monkeys. Challenge tests were performed approximately every three weeks during pregnancy and every two weeks after delivery, in breast-feeding and non breast-feeding animals. It was found that the response to the releasing factor was completely abolished as early as day 20 after conception. This absence of pituitary responsiveness to LH-RH continued throughout pregnancy. The return of the response during the puerperium occurred as early as day 15 post-delivery in non-breast-feeding monkeys, but remained abolished up of the response to LH-RH in FSH and LH concentration was observed, in that LH levels increased 70%-90%, whereas FSH levels increased only 20%-30%. Serum prolactin (PRL) levels in breast-feeding animals presented a slight increase the first week post-delivery and thereafter, and decreased gradually until they reached normal levels four weeks post-delivery. In contrast, concentrations of serum PRL in non-breast-feeding animals decreased abruptly to normal levels within the first week post-delivery. These results demonstrate that, due to its similarity to the human, the rhesus monkey is an excellent animal model in which to study pituitary function during pregnancy and the puerperium.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Albumin catabolic rate and protein-energy depletion.

Severe malnutrition was induced in New Zealand White rabbits by restricting dietary nitrogen and energy to 9.1 and 57.4% of normal intake, respectively. Albumin distribution and metabolism were then determined in these and in control animals. The fractional catabolic rate was reduced by 33.7% in the depleted animals, but there were no changes in the other distribution rate constants. In particular, we were unable to demonstrate a significant change in the relative distribution of albumin between the intravascular and extravascular spaces. In addition, albumin concentration in the depleted group only fell toward the end of the experiment. We conclude that, with acute severe malnutrition, plasma albumin concentration is maintained until late and is therefore not a good nutritional marker. Also, maintenance of intravascular albumin concentration is not at the expense of extravascular albumin.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The radiologic prediction of Alzheimer disease: the atrophic hippocampal formation.

PURPOSE: To test the hypothesis that atrophy of the hippocampal formation in nondemented elderly individuals would predict subsequent Alzheimer disease. METHOD: We studied 86 subjects at two time points, 4 years apart. At baseline all study subjects were nondemented and included 54 control subjects and 32 persons who had memory complaints and minimal cognitive impairments. All subjects received a CT scan using a protocol designed to image the perihippocampal cerebrospinal fluid (HCSF) accumulating in the fissures along the axis of the hippocampal formation. Blind to the clinical evaluations, we subjectively assessed the presence of HCSF at the baseline. Retrospectively, we examined the predicted association between baseline HCSF and clinical decline as determined across the two evaluations. RESULTS: At follow-up 25 of the 86 subjects had deteriorated and received the diagnosis of Alzheimer disease. Of the declining subjects, 23 came from the minimally impaired group, and 2 came from the control group. In the minimally impaired group the baseline HCSF measure had a sensitivity of 91% and a specificity of 89% as a predictor of decline. Both control subjects who deteriorated were also correctly identified at baseline. One of these two subjects died, and an autopsy confirmed the presence of Alzheimer disease. M(r) validation studies demonstrated that HCSF is quantitatively related to dilatation of the transverse fissure of Bichat and the choroidal and hippocampal fissures. CONCLUSION: Our findings strongly suggest that among persons with mild memory impairments, dilatation of the perihippocampal fissures is a useful radiologic marker for identifying the early features of Alzheimer disease.

Aged↗