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Biomedical subjects

J Andrews

Publications and source records attributed to J Andrews.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Bridging bronchus and posterior left pulmonary artery: a unique association.

A 6-month-old female with a lifelong history of respiratory distress became increasingly difficult to manage and required right upper and middle pulmonary lobectomies for worsening emphysema and mediastinal shift. The postoperative course was stormy and confusing and the patient died despite emergency tracheostomy. The autopsy disclosed an anomalous bronchus to the right lower lobe, originating from the left mainstem bronchus. In addition, the left main pulmonary artery was positioned posterior to the left mainstem bronchus. Two other cases of bridging bronchus have been reported, but the association with posterior left pulmonary artery has not been described.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Synovial membrane-cartilage interactions--the role of serine proteinase inhibitors in interleukin-1 mediated degradation of articular damage.

Using a peritoneal macrophage/articular cartilage co-culture system, it was shown that the serine proteinase inhibitor derived from human articular cartilage modulated the release of 35S-labelled proteoglycan into media in a concentration dependent manner. Since the cartilage inhibitor fractions used were free of metallo-proteinase and cysteine proteinase inhibitory activity, but strongly inhibited serine proteinases, it was suggested that such enzymes may be implicated in the activation of latent metallo-proteoglycanases produced by chondrocytes on exposure to IL-1.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Lack of relationship between serum gp70 levels and the severity of systemic lupus erythematosus in MRL/l mice.

In the MRL/l mouse, gp70 apparently plays a role as an autoantigen in the development of SLE. However, while gp70 may be an important pathogenetic element, it is not essential to MRL SLE, since elimination of most of the serum gp70 and virtually all of the immune complex gp70 from MRL/l-low gp70 congenic lines had no observable effect on the course or nature of the disease. Thus, while gp70 in the MRL/l mouse appears to be a convenient autoantigenic target when present in significant levels, in its absence the host appears capable of directing its aberrant immunologic responsiveness elsewhere with undiminished pathogenicity.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

The effects of recent oral contraceptive use on the outcome of pregnancy.

Of 10479 singleton pregnancies in South Glamorgan between January 1974 and June 1976, 27.3% occurred in women who had used oral contraceptives in the 3 months prior to their last menstrual period (users) and 72.7% occurred in women who had not used oral contraception during the same period (non-users). Significantly more users gained weight excessively. Oral contraceptive use increased the likelihood of uncertain dates and post-maturity. The incidence of neural tube defects was higher among children born to users, although the overall perinatal outcome was not adversely affected. The sex distribution of the offspring was the same in both groups.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗
PubMed1986

The role of a functionally distinct IgM anti-type III pneumococcal polysaccharide (SIII) in low-dose paralysis to SIII in mice.

Prior treatment (priming) with a weakly immunogenic dose of Type III pneumococcal polysaccharide (SIII) results in the development of an antigen-specific state of unresponsiveness termed low-dose paralysis which is believed to be mediated by suppressor T cells. The present findings show that the passive administration of functionally distinct non-complement-fixing (NCF) IgM anti-SIII antibodies either in monoclonal form or from protein-A absorbed immune serum could significantly suppress the direct plaque-forming cell (PFC) response to an immunogenic dose of SIII administered concurrently. The degree of suppression was comparable with that induced by low-dose paralysis. Low-dose paralysis was consistently induced in athymic (nude) mice 4 days, but not 3 days, after priming with a low dose of SIII, and was associated with the delayed appearance of NCF-IgM anti-SIII in the serum of athymic mice. In contrast, low-dose paralysis was readily induced in normal BALB/c mice 3 days after priming when NCF-IgM anti-SIII antibodies were present. Comparable inhibiton of the direct anti-SIII PFC response was observed when Concanavalin A (Con A) or NCF-IgM anti-SIII serum was administered with SIII antigen. That Con A and NCF-IgM anti-SIII together did not produce additive suppression was attributed to the adsorption of NCF-IgM anti-SIII antibodies to Con A. Complement-dependent single radial haemolysis mediated by CF hybrid IgM/A or CF-IgM anti-SIII serum was blocked by monoclonal NCF-IgM or IgA anti-SIII antibodies and indicated that each of the antibodies was specific for the same SIII-determinant. Evidence is presented to show that low-dose paralysis in the CF-IgM response to SIII is not mediated by suppressor T cells but can be attributed to highly avid NCF-IgM anti-SIII antibodies, formed preferentially to low doses of SIII, being able to reduce the immunogenicity of SIII administered subsequently. We propose that low-dose paralysis to SIII is the result of an immunobiological function of highly avid NCF-IgM anti-SIII antibodies which not only confer resistance against capsulated pneumococci but preferentially bind soluble SIII-antigen to reduce its immunogenicity and thereby protect specific CF-IgM positive B cells from being rendered tolerant by direct contact with higher doses of SIII antigen.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

A recommended approach to the evaluation of human rabies exposure in an acute-care hospital.

It is important to minimize the costs and risks associated with unnecessary prophylaxis of health care workers. We studied the process of providing rabies postexposure prophylaxis following the 24-day hospitalization of a rabies-infected patient. Of 209 persons who cared for the patient, only 12 (6%) reported high-risk contact, and treatment was recommended for them. Unnecessary prophylaxis was limited to 35 persons (18%) who did not report high-risk contacts but who requested treatment because of their uncertainty about the degree of exposure. These persons, however, spent significantly more time with the patient compared with persons who did not request treatment. Maintaining strict isolation precautions when rabies is being considered, educating employees about the risks of transmission in this setting, carefully documenting exposures, and adhering to the guidelines for postexposure prophylaxis may help reduce excessive prophylaxis of health care workers.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

The variability of fetal breathing movements in normal human fetuses at term.

With the use of a B-scan phase-locked tracking system, 108 observations of fetal breathing were performed on 97 normal antenatal patients at term. One hundred thirty-three recorded segments of fetal breathing movements were obtained. Breath-to-breath variability was analyzed in 79 segments and expressed as a coefficient of variability. The mean coefficient of variability was 28.6% +/- 13.2%, and a histogram plot revealed a normal distribution. All fetuses had normal antepartum testing and all Apgar scores and neonatal courses were normal. The potential application of human fetal breathing variability as a test for fetal health is discussed.

Female↗
PubMed1985

Treatment of scaphoid nonunion by volar inlay distal radius bone graft.

Volar inlay corticocancellous bone grafting is an accepted method of treatment for symptomatic nonunion of the carpal scaphoid. Performance of this procedure with a radial graft without styloidectomy yields results comparable to those obtained with iliac grafting. This permits the operation to be performed through a single incision. The elimination of the need for iliac dissection avoids morbidity associated with the iliac exposure.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Nucleotide sequence of the dihydrofolate reductase gene of methotrexate-resistant Lactobacillus casei.

The nucleotide sequence of the dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene of a methotrexate-resistant strain of Lactobacillus casei, which is the source of DHFR for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies, has been determined. The derived amino acid sequence differs from that obtained by protein sequencing by the presence of aspartic acid instead of asparagine at position 8 and proline instead of leucine at position 90. The nucleotide sequences of 320-bp 5' and 335-bp 3' flanking regions of this gene have also been determined.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1985

Final step of phosphatidic Acid synthesis in pea chloroplasts occurs in the inner envelope membrane.

The second enzyme of phosphatidic acid synthesis from glycerol-3-phosphate, 1-acylglycerophospate acyltransferase, was localized to the inner envelope membrane of pea chloroplasts. The activity of this enzyme was measured by both a coupled enzyme assay and a direct enzyme assay. Using the coupled enzyme assay, phosphatidic acid phosphatase was also localized to the inner envelope membrane, although this enzyme has very low activity in pea chloroplasts. The addition of UDP-galactose to unfractionated pea chloroplast envelope preparations did not result in significant conversion of newly synthesized diacylglycerol to monogalactosyldiacylglycerol. Thus, the envelope synthesized phosphatidic acid may not be involved in galactolipid synthesis in pea chloroplasts.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1985

Phosphatidylglycerol synthesis in pea chloroplasts: pathway and localization.

Isolated intact pea chloroplasts synthesized phosphatidylglycerol from either [(14)C]acetate or [(14)C]glycerol 3-phosphate. Both time-course and pulse-chase labeling studies demonstrated a precursor-product relationship between newly synthesized phosphatidic acid and newly synthesized phosphatidylglycerol.The synthesis both of CDP-diacylglycerol from exogenous phosphatidic acid and CTP, and of phosphatidylglycerol from exogenous CDP-diacylglycerol and glycerol 3-phosphate, could be assayed in fractions obtained from disrupted chloroplasts. Moreover, the enzymes catalyzing these reactions were localized in the inner envelope membrane. Exogenous phosphatidic acid was incorporated into phosphatidylglycerol, but only following its incorporation into CDP-diacylglycerol. Finally, radio-active phosphatidic acid synthesized in the envelope membranes from [(14)C]palmitoyl-ACP and 1-oleoyl-glycerol 3-phosphate was sequentially incorporated into labeled CDP-diacylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol upon the addition of appropriate substrates and cofactors. Thus, we have demonstrated that (a) the synthesis of phosphatidylglycerol in chloroplasts occurs by the pathway: phosphatidic acid --> CDP-diacylglycerol -->--> phosphatidylglycerol, and (b) phosphatidylglycerol synthesis is located in the inner envelope membrane.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1985

The in vitro antibacterial activity of ceftriaxone in comparison with nine other antibiotics.

The results of a large three centre co-ordinated study into the in vitro susceptibility of bacterial clinical pathogens showed no significant evidence of regional variation within the U.K. towards the 10 antibiotics examined. The newer cephalosporins were highly potent and superior to other antibiotics against the Enterobacteriaceae, with ceftriaxone and cefotaxime the most potent. Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, gentamicin was the most active, followed by ceftazidime, piperacillin and ceftriaxone; cefotetan was the least active. Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus albus were most susceptible to cefuroxime and gentamicin, though most were also susceptible to ceftriaxone, cefotaxime and cefoxitin. Streptococcus (Groups A and B), Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria spp. were susceptible to most agents other than gentamicin, but ceftriaxone and cefotaxime were overall the most potent. Ceftriaxone was the most active agent against Haemophilus influenzae. The newer agents were variable and relatively poor against anaerobes and only amoxycillin and piperacillin were significantly active against Streptococcus faecalis. The overall resistance level to the third generation cephalosporins was low.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1984

Prolonged pregnancy: surveillance of the fetus and the neonate and the course of labor and delivery.

The perinatal events in 184 term control pregnancies and 129 prolonged pregnancies were prospectively compared. Fetal surveillance consisted of weekly biophysical profile testing. Thirty-two infants were dysmature, and 10 of these had advanced dysmaturity. The incidence of advanced dysmaturity rose quickly after 44 weeks. This group was at greater risk for fetal distress, lower Apgar scores, and emergency cesarean section. The combination of oligohydramnios, a suboptimal nonstress test, and a low profile score was highly predictive of a neonate with advanced dysmaturity. In the control pregnancies, the rate of induction of labor was 13.81% compared with 39.84% in the prolonged pregnancies. The induced labor group had a 51.32% cesarean section rate. Our approach to prolonged pregnancy consists of elective induction of labor when the cervix is favorable and biweekly profile testing when it is not; however, the high incidence of advanced dysmaturity after 44 weeks warrants delivery.

Apgar Score↗