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Biomedical subjects

H G Smith

Publications and source records attributed to H G Smith.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Non-A, non-B hepatitis in West London.

Acute and convalescent sera from 368 patients drawn from a 3-year survey of viral hepatitis in West London were tested for radioimmunoassay for evidence of recent infection with hepatitis A or B and, if neither was found, antibody to Epstein-Barr (EB) virus and cytomegalovirus. In 215 patients (58%) there was evidence of hepatitis A, in 98 (27%) hepatitis B, and in 5 both A and B. 2 patients with evidence of recent EB virus infection were excluded, leaving 48 (13%) attributed to non-A, non-B hepatitis. This illness was milder than hepatitis B as judged by duration of jaundice and peak serum bilirubin alanine-aminotransferase levels. The ratio of men to women was 1.4 to 1, but there was an excess of women in their twenties, most of whom were single. Only one had received blood, and none was a drug addict.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Current concepts in the management of otitis media with effusion.

Otitis media with effusion is the leading cause of hearing loss in children. The pathogenesis of this disease process continues to be controversial. Diagnosis requires precise otoscopic evaluation coupled with audiometric investigation. Therapy has traditionally included medical and surgical regimens. Recent findings indicate that some basic changes may be required in both these therapeutic avenues. Aggressive therapeutic intervention may be required in patients presenting with complications of otitis media with effusion. Available information strongly indicates that a more intensified research effort must be undertaken to better identify and treat this difficult disease process.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1980

Immunoperoxidase localization of human papillomavirus in laryngeal papillomas.

Five antigenically distinct serotypes of human papillomavirus (HPV) cause various cutaneous verrucae with distinct clinical features. Laryngeal and other mucosal papillomas, also suspected to have a viral etiology, were examined for the presence of a genus-specific (common) antigen of HPV using a peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) technique. The primary antiserum used was reactive against laryngeal papillomas from 26 of 35 randomly selected patients (74%); overall, 49 of the 102 squamous papillomas stained were positive for HPV (48%). HPV antigen was not demonstrated within frankly dysplastic squamous cells. Nuclear localization of virus was confirmed by electron microscopy in 3 cases positive for HPV. PAP localization of HPV is rapid and more efficient than routine electron microscopy. Our data indicate a common pathogenesis for some papillomas and cutaneous verrucae and suggest a future role for immunohistochemistry in evaluating the epidemiology and pathobiology of laryngeal papillomatosis.

Antigens, Viral↗
PubMed1978

A three-year survey of viral hepatitis in West London.

During a total population survey of viral hepatitis in the London Boroughs of Hounslow, Richmond and Ealing, 784 patients were seen in three years from 1 March 1972 to 28 February 1975. A diagnosis of viral hepatitis was accepted in 489. The annual incidence was 24 per 100 000. 455 of the patients were tested for the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) by a radioimmunoassay technique and 93 (20%) of these were positive. The majority of the patients with type B hepatitis were in their third or fourth decades. None was under the age of 16. The male to female ratio among patients with hepatitis B was 2 to 1 in those under the age of 30 and 5 to 1 in those aged 30 and over. The seasonal distribution of viral hepatitis showed a peak in the spring, solely from an increased incidence of non-B hepatitis, and a second, smaller peak in the autumn. There was no appreciable clustering of patients except for one local outbreak in a housing estate during the first year affecting mainly children going to the same primary school, and their parents. Patients with hepatitis B had a longer pre-icteric illness (p less than 0.05), greater duration of jaundice (p less than 0.001) and higher peak levels of serum bilirubin (p less than 0.0005) and serum alanine amino transferase (A1T) (p less than 0.03) than patients with non-B hepatitis. The finding of the surface antigen was also associated with a higher frequency of skin rash (p less than 0.0005) and a greater duration of arthralgia (p less than 0.03). Among the HBsAg negative patients the incidence of arthralgia increased with age (p less than 0.0005). Abdominal pain (p less than 0.005) and vomiting (p less than 0.005) were more common in the young. The injection experience of patients with hepatitis B showed a high proportion of 'non-therapeutic' exposure such as drug addiction. Significantly more HBsAg positive men were single than in the local community (p less than 0.001) or among the HBsAg negative men (p less than 0.01). There was no significant difference between the proportions of single women among the antigen positive and negative patients. Many of the HBsAg positive single men were either known to be or strongly suspected of being homosexual. The ad subtype of the HBsAg was found more often in males (p less than 0.01), particularly over the age of 30. All eight drug addicts tested for subtype were ay, as were two non-addicted female consorts. The association between addiction and ay subtype was highly significant in the males (p less than 0.001). The ad subtype was found in all 11 of the admitted homosexual HBsAg positive men and in all but one of the 17 strongly suspected of being homosexual.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Light-activated calcium release from sonicated bovine retinal rod outer segment disks.

Calcium trapped within sonicated and resealed bovine rod outer segment disks is released upon light exposure with a stoichiometry of 0.75 +/- 0.05 calcium for each rhodopsin bleached. The amount of calcium liberated is proportional to the amount of bleaching in the range of 20 to 100% bleaching and is relatively insensitive to the internal trapped calcium concentration. The results are obtained using a flow system in which the disk membrane vesicles are adsorbed on glass particle supported by a filter. The external calcium is washed away and subsequent calcium release is monitored by collecting fractions of the effluent before, during, and after light exposure. Disks that are sonicated and allowed to reseal prior to incubation with 45Ca show no change in calcium efflux upon bleaching. The light-activated calcium release is also eliminated if disks sonicated in the presence of 45Ca are treated with a calcium ionophore prior to bleaching. The results demonstrate that the light-released calcium comes from the disks and not from the external disk surface. Lowering temperature to 3--4 degrees C surpresses the light-stimulated release, implicating a transition after the formation of metarhodopsin I in the transport process. The resluts suggest a model for the disk in which each bleached rhodopsin functions as a "one-shot carrier" to transport a single calcium ion across the membrane.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Regression of established intradermal tumors and lymph node metastases in guinea pigs after systemic transfer of immune lymphoid cells.

Strain-2 male guinea pigs with established intradermal (id) tumors and microscopic regional lymph node metastases were treated by systemic transfer of syngeneic peritoneal exudate (PE) cells from tumor-immune guinea pigs. This treatment produced complete regressions of established id tumor nodules (10-11 mm in diameter) and prevented the growth of lymph node metastases in 32 (80%) of the 40 treated animals. All untreated animals died with progressive id and lymphatic tumor growth. Lymph node tumor metastases that remained after id tumor excision were also suppressed by immune cell transfer. PE cells from guinea pigs immune to an antigenically distinct tumor line (line-1), BCG, or PE cells from nonimmune guinea pigs failed to produce tumor regression or prolongation of survival time. PE cells from allogeneic guinea pigs and from sheep immune to line-10 failed to transfer tumor immunity to strain-2 guinea pigs. The effectiveness of therapy was reduced by increasing the tumor burden or decreasing the number of transferred lymphoid cells. This study demonstrated that systemic transfer of cells from syngeneic immune donors could effectively eliminate tumors as well as early metastases.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Effects of jet aircraft noise on mental hospital admissions.

We study, in the vicinity of Los Angeles International Airport, the effect of jet noise on mental hospital admissions. The maximum noise area (where the maximum fly-over noise exceeds 90 dBA) shows a 29% increase in admissions over those of a corresponding control area, as like the target area as possible, except that in the control area jet noise is not a dominant factor. The results are similar to those of a previous study carried out near Heathrow Airport.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Alkyl glucosides as effective solubilizing agents for bovine rhodopsin. A comparison with several commonly used detergents.

The suitability of octyl and decyl-beta-D-glucoside as solubilizing agents for the bovine retinal rod outer segment disc membrane was investigated and compared to that of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide, N,N-dimethyldodecylamine oxide, Emulphogene BC-720 and digitonin. The properties measured included the thermal stability of rhodopsin, regenerability of bleached rhodopsin by addition of 11-cis-retinal, and the rate of denaturation of bleached rhodopsin as measured by changes in the ultraviolet CD spectrum. Denaturing tendencies of the detergents were also evaluated by observing their effects on the absorption and CD spectra of sperm whale metmyoglobin. Our results demonstrate that octyl glucoside is superior to the other detergents, with the possible exception of digitonin, by the above criteria. Unlike digitonin, however, octyl glucoside affords rapid solubilization of the disc membrane and is itself highly soluble. Decyl glucoside has properties equivalent or superior to octyl glucoside, but salts and buffers interfere with its ability to solubilize the disc membrane. The well defined chemical composition, ease of removal by dialysis, and non-denaturing properties of the alkyl glucosides make them attractive detergents for membrane research.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Humoral immunity to herpes simplex viral-induced antigens in smokers.

Antibodies to herpes simplex viral-induced antigens (HSVIA) were assayed by an indirect immunofluorescent technique in 93 regular cigarette smokers, 75 of whom also imbibed alcoholic beverages. Controls were 94 nonsmoking, nondrinking volunteers matched with the smoker for age and sex. IgA antibodies to HSVIA were detected six times more frequently in the sera of smokers than in nonsmoking controls, p less than .0005. IgG and IgM anti-HSVIA were detected with comparable frequencies in both groups, but the antibody titers were significantly higher in the smoking group than in controls, p less than .05. IgA anti-HSVIA was detected more frequently in smokers with 10 or more pack-years of cigarette exposure than in smokers with 10 or more pack-years of smoking (p less than .05) or in matched nonsmokers (p less than .02). IgA antibody titers to HSVIA were significantly higher in cigarette smokers who drank alcoholic beverages than in smokers who did not drink, p less than .025. This study demonstrates that cigarette smoking and the use of alcoholic beverages are associated with heightened humoral immunity to HSV-induced antigens in a population at high risk for development of squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck region.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1976

Viral-specific humoral immunity to herpes simplex-induced antigens in patients with squamous carcinoma of the head and neck.

Serum antibodies to herpes simplex virus-induced antigens (HSVIA) were quantitated in 122 patients with head and neck squamous carcinoma, 93 patients tumor-free after treatment for these malignant lesions, 27 patients with nonsquamous malignant lesions, 30 heavy smokers, and 36 nonsmokers. Serum IgA anti-HSVIA antibodies were detected in a greater percentage of sera of patients with squamous carcinoma (61 per cent), patients previously treated for these malignant lesions (56 per cent), and heavy smokers (57 per cent) than in patients with nonsquamous malignant lesions (11 per cent) or nonsmokers (8 per cent). Furthermore, titers of these antibodies were higher in patients with squamous carcinoma than in smokers. In patients tumor-free more than three years after treatment, the percentage of positive sera was significantly lower than that in untreated patients and in patients three years or less after treatment. This study demonstrates for the first time a high frequency of antibodies to HSV-induced antigens confined to subjects at high risk of developing head and neck squamous carcinoma and in patients with these malignancies as well as a correlation between the levels of these antibodies and clinical course after treatment.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1976

Suppression of tumor growth in strain 2 guinea pigs by xenogeneic antitumor antibody.

Line 10 hepatoma cells were incubated with antiserum specific against line 10 cells (RaL10) and then tested for growth in syngeneic Wright strain 2 guinea pigs. Palpable tumors appeared in only 11 of 23 animals inoculated id with 10(5) RaL10-treated tumor cells, compared with an incidence of 21 of 23 for nonimmune rabbit serum (NRS)-treated cells and 23 of 23 for cells treated with syngeneic guinea pig serum. Animals inoculated with RaL10-treated tumor cells did not develop systemic tumor immunity. The long-term survival of guinea pigs receiving RaL10-treated tumor cells iv was 6 of 12 with a dose of 10(5) cells and 8 of 11 with 10(4) cells. None of the animals receiving 10(4) or 10(5) control tumor cells treated with NRS survived. RaL10 antiserum was not toxic to line 10 tumor cells in vitro, but mediated tumor-specific cytolytic reactions in the presence of fresh guinea pig serum or on the addition of peritoneal exudate cells from nonimmunized syngeneic guinea pigs.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Forensic archaeology.

This presentation attempts to demonstrate the value of the use of improved methods in the excavation of buried bodies involved in a criminal investigation. Care in the removal of the skeleton and proper recording will document the interrelationship of all objects found in and around the grave and can, to a certain extent, recreate the event. Carelessness will result in evidence being irretrievably lost. The crime scene investigator's problem, arachaeologically, includes the nature of the remains, dating the time of burial, and techniques of excavation. Archaeological recovery techniques should be adopted in homicide investigation involving buried bodies.

Age Determination by Skeleton↗
PubMed1976

Naturally soluble tumor antigens from guinea pig hepatomas: isolation and partial characterization.

Naturally soluble tumor antigens were detected in the ascites fluid of guinea pigs bearing an ascites tumor and from exhausted tissue culture media of cultured tumor cells. Two antigenically distinct cell lines of diethylnitrosamine-induced strain-2 guinea pig hepatomas (line-10 and line-1) served as the source of tumor antigens. Tumor antigen activity was detected by four different techniques: immunodiffusion, inhibition of complement-mediated cytotoxicity, inhibition of membrane immunofluorescence, and delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity. With syngeneic tumor-specific antiserum, line-10 guinea pig tumor antigens were detected by immunofluorescence in the concentrated ascites and tissue culture fluids. With a xenogenic antiserum, demonstrated to be tumor specific, line-10 tumor antigens were detected not only in the concentrated ascites and tissue culture fluids but also in two of the partially purified fractions of these fluids. When the line-10 concentrated ascites and its fraction I were subjected to ultracentrifugation at 300,000 x G for 1 hr, the antigen activity was retained in the supernatant and thus by this criterion the tumor antigens detected in these samples are soluble. Immunodiffusion data indicate that more than one antigen is present in the line-10 system since three lines of precipitation were detected when line-10 concentrated ascites was reacted with the line-10 tumor-specific antiserum. In contrast to this, the line-10-concentrated tissue culture fluid displayed only one line of precipitation. Although tumor antigens could not be demonstrated in the other antigenically distinct tumor cell line, line-1, by immunodiffusion or inhibition of membrane immunofluorescence, inhibition of complement-mediated cytotoxicity was able to detect tumor antigens in the line-1 concentrated ascites and tissue culture fluids.

Animals↗