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Biomedical subjects

J Bird

Publications and source records attributed to J Bird.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Perception and awareness of phonemes in phonologically impaired children.

Fourteen phonologically impaired children and 14 normally speaking controls were given tests of speech discrimination, in which they had to distinguish between similar phonemes, and tasks of rhyme judgement and matching words on the basis of their initial phoneme, which require the child to identify the same sounds across differing word contexts. Compared to the control group, children with phonological impairment were poor on the phoneme discrimination tasks, but there was wide variation in performance and seven of these children scored near ceiling levels. All children showed some ability to discriminate contrasts they could not produce. Substantial deficits were found in the ability of phonologically impaired children to identify phoneme constancy across differing word contexts. It is difficult to explain such findings in terms of impaired auditory discrimination. Results are discussed in relation to normal phonological development, and it is suggested that phonologically impaired children do not progress to the stage of analysing words at the level of the phoneme.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

TAN-1, the human homolog of the Drosophila notch gene, is broken by chromosomal translocations in T lymphoblastic neoplasms.

Previously we described joining of DNA in the beta T cell receptor gene to DNA of an uncharacterized locus in a t(7;9)(q34;q34.3) chromosomal translocation from a case of human T lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). We now show that the locus on chromosome 9 contains a gene highly homologous to the Drosophila gene Notch. Transcripts of the human gene, for which we propose the name TAN-1, and its murine counterpart are present in many normal human fetal and adult mouse tissues, but are most abundant in lymphoid tissues. In t(7;9)(q34;q34.3) translocations from three cases of T-ALL, the breakpoints occur within 100 bp of an intron in TAN-1, resulting in truncation of TAN-1 transcripts. These observations suggest that TAN-1 may be important for normal lymphocyte function and that alteration of TAN-1 may play a role in the pathogenesis of some T cell neoplasms.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Modified deoxyoligonucleotides stable to exonuclease degradation in serum.

Unmodified deoxyoligonucleotides are rapidly degraded in serum-containing medium. Utilizing internally labelled deoxyoligonucleotides the deoxyribonuclease profile for fetal calf serum and human serum was determined. It was found that the predominate nuclease activity in both systems was 3' exonuclease. Deoxyoligonucleotides are protected from exonuclease degradation in sera and cell media by simple terminal modifications that maintain high binding activity for the complementary DNA sequence.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1990

How do primary care residents manage patient non-adherence?

Managing patient non-adherence to prescribed regimens is a daunting challenge for the clinician. Although a variety of adherence management techniques have been proposed, we know little about what approaches are currently used in practice. This project studied adherence management techniques of 25 family medicine and internal medicine residents. We videotaped a 10 minute interview between the resident and a simulated patient with uncontrolled essential hypertension. We analyzed the videotapes using quantitative and qualitative methods and found the residents employed a variety of heterogeneous, unsystematic, and possibly ineffective compliance management techniques.

Clinical Protocols↗
PubMed1988

Continuing rearrangement but absence of somatic hypermutation in immunoglobulin genes of human B cell precursor leukemia.

Southern blot analyses revealed that cells from nearly 30% of childhood B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemias (ALLs) contained more than two rearranged, nongermline bands for Ig heavy chain genes. DNA corresponding to these bands was molecularly cloned from two cases which showed three and seven rearranged bands, respectively. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the cloned DNA demonstrated that each band represented different VDJ or DJ rearrangements. While the same DJ joints were shared by several rearrangements, different DJ joints were found in the majority of rearrangements, precluding V region substitution as an explanation for the multiplicity of heavy chain rearrangements in these leukemias. Most of the V region segments involved in these rearrangements were restricted to VH region families that have been shown previously to be preferentially rearranged in human fetal B lineage cells. Sequence analysis of multiple copies of the same VDJ rearrangements from different cells revealed no somatic mutation, a mechanism responsible for detection of extra rearranged Ig DNA bands in certain other B lineage tumors. The data suggest that in some cases of ALL Ig heavy chain genes begin and continue to rearrange de novo within the neoplastic B cell precursor populations derived from an original malignant cell transformed at a stem cell stage of differentiation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1988

Low-glycemic-index starchy foods in the diabetic diet.

Eight patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes underwent two 2-wk study periods in random order during which they were provided with carbohydrate foods with either a high or low glycemic index (GI). Over both high-GI and low-GI periods there were significant reductions in body weight, serum fructosamine, and cholesterol. Reductions in fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, and urinary c-peptide-to-creatinine ratio were significant only over the low-GI period despite a smaller mean weight loss. Reductions in triglyceride were significant only over the high-GI diet. Inclusion of low-GI foods into diets of patients with diabetes may be an additional measure that favorably influences carbohydrate metabolism without increasing insulin demand.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

Synthesis of new antiinflammatory steroidal 20-carboxamides: (20R)- and (20S)-21-(N-substituted amino)-11 beta,17,20-trihydroxy-3,21-dioxo-1,4- pregnadiene.

The synthesis and antiinflammatory activities of new steroidal 20-carboxamides, (20R)- and (20S)-21-(N-substituted amino)-11 beta,17,20-trihydroxy-3,21-dioxo-1,4-pregnadiene are described. These compounds were prepared from the respective isomer of 20-dihydroprednisolonic acid, (20R)- and (20S)-11 beta,17,20-trihydroxy-3-oxo-1,4-pregnadien-21-oic acid, by coupling with primary amines after the activation of the steroid acid with N,N1-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) and 1-hydroxybenzotriazole. Confirmation of the configurational assignment at C-20 of the 20-carboxamides was achieved by reduction of methyl (20R)- and (20S)-11 beta,17,20-trihydroxy-3-oxo-1,4-pregnadien-21-oate to the known stereochemistry at C-20 of (20R)- and (20S)-11 beta,17,20,21-tetrahydroxy-3-oxo-1,4-pregnadiene The topical antiinflammatory activities of these steroidal 20-carboxamides were assessed by the croton oil induced ear edema assay and their local and systemic antiinflammatory activities by the cotton pellet granuloma bioassay. Results of these investigations suggest a structure-activity relationship where carboxamide derivatives with the 20(R)-hydroxy configurations exhibit higher potency than those with the 20-(S)-hydroxy configurations. The amides of steroidal 21-oic acids with high local antiinflammatory potency exhibited systemic activities unlike the corresponding esters of steroidal 21-oic acids, which are devoid of systemic activities.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

The fragile-X syndrome in twin sisters.

Two mentally handicapped dizygotic twin sisters were found to possess the Fragile-X lesion. They showed different levels of cognitive deficit. The hypothesis that the level of cognitive function in female carriers of the Fragile-X lesion may be influenced by Lyonization is discussed. The mother of the twins was schizophrenic. Although she was an obligate carrier her psychosis was thought not to be causally connected with the Fragile-X status.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Topical anti-inflammatory activity of esters of steroid 21-oic acids.

Prednisolone derivatives, methyl 20 alpha- and 20 beta-dihydroprednisolonate and methyl 17,20 alpha- and 17,20 beta-acetonidodihydroprednisolonate have been evaluated for their topical anti-inflammatory activity in the croton oil induced ear edema test. The order of anti-inflammatory potency was prednisolone greater than methyl 17,20 alpha-acetonidodihydroprednisolonate greater than methyl 17,20 beta-acetonidodihydroprednisolonate greater than methyl 20 beta-dihydroprednisolonate greater than methyl 20 alpha-dihydroprednisolonate. This order was paralleled by the compounds' octanol-aqueous partition coefficients. Furthermore, after two consecutive days topical administration of an equipotent anti-inflammatory dose, only prednisolone significantly decreased plasma corticosterone levels and relative thymus weight, while the new steroid derivatives had no effect on these parameters, indicating their lack of systemic side effects.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1986

The effects of new local anti-inflammatory steroids on leucocyte migration and prostanoid liberation in rats.

The local anti-inflammatory potency of steroid-21-oate esters derived from prednisolone was determined by cotton pellet granuloma bioassay. The doses which inhibited granuloma formation by 50% (ID50) were: prednisolone, 0.5 mg/pellet; methyl 20 alpha-dihydroprednisolonate, 5.8 mg/pellet; methyl 20 beta-dihydroprednisolonate, 1.2 mg/pellet; methyl 17,20 alpha-acetonidodihydroprednisolonate, 6.0 mg/pellet. When administered at these equipotent local anti-inflammatory doses, only prednisolone depressed plasma corticosterone and promoted thymus involution. Prednisolone reduced neutrophil migration into saline-soaked polyester sponges and depressed the levels of 6-keto PGF1 alpha, PGE2 and elastase in the sponge-induced inflammatory exudate. Methyl 20 alpha- and 20 beta-dihydroprednisolonate had no effect on cell migration, but depressed the levels of 6-keto PGF1 alpha and elastase. The liberation of 6-keto PGF1 alpha, PGE2 and elastase and neutrophil migration were inhibited by methyl 17,20 alpha- and beta-acetonidodihydroprednisolonate, but the effect of the beta-epimer on cell migration was transient. These data suggest that steroid acid esters which have local and topical anti-inflammatory properties exert their effect in a similar fashion to glucocorticoids with a ketol side-chain (e.g. prednisolone) with respect to liberation of prostaglandins and lysosomal enzymes. However, their effect on neutrophil migration was variable, depending on their structural features. Furthermore, the systemic effects of these new derivatives were drastically reduced indicating that they may be of potential benefit in prolonged treatment.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

The modification of the oxidative metabolism of cells derived both locally and at distance from the site of an acute inflammatory reaction.

During an acute nonspecific inflammatory reaction initiated in the pleural cavity by a nondiffusible stimulus (calcium pyrophosphate crystals), the oxidative metabolism, as measured by chemiluminescence and superoxide release, of cells harvested from both the inflammatory site and at points distant from it was studied. The oxidative metabolism of peritoneal macrophages, obtained from rats undergoing an inflammatory reaction (pleurisy), demonstrated a transient decrease in activity compared with the resident population when using both zymosan and phorbol myristate acetate as stimulants. This metabolic unresponsiveness induced by inflammation may be related to the concomitant changes in the levels of prostacyclin in the peritoneal cavity. It should be emphasized that the peritoneal cellular composition or number did not change during these events. On the other hand alveolar macrophages from inflamed animals showed no significant changes in their superoxide production or chemiluminescence compared to controls. The precise reason for these inflammation-induced changes is unknown; however the acute nonspecific inflammatory reaction was able to modulate the oxidative metabolism of cells not only at the site of inflammation, but at points distant from it.

Acute Disease↗