Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Gilbert

Publications and source records attributed to J Gilbert.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources

Ileal pH in cystic fibrosis.

In cystic fibrosis jejunal hyperacidity has an adverse effect on lipid digestion. It is not known whether hyperacidity extends to the ileum. We have studied pH through the whole length of the small bowel in 42 normal and 6 cystic fibrosis subjects by means of pH-sensitive radiotelemetry capsules. In cystic fibrosis subjects the time spent below pH 6.0 was significantly greater during the 1st h in the small bowel than in normal subjects. In the rest of the small bowel the pH remained above 6.0 in both groups. The recordings in the cystic fibrosis group did not show the clear distinction between ileum and colon which is seen in normal subjects. In cystic fibrosis low pH conditions are confined to the proximal small intestine. There is adequate time at optimal pH in the small bowel for dissolution of enzyme supplements and assimilation of nutrients.

Adult↗

Osteoblasts increase their rate of division and align in response to cyclic, mechanical tension in vitro.

Bone adapts to physical deformation in vivo, yet the mechanism of the adaptive process remains unknown. One reason for this perplexity has been the difficulty in examining the effects of a well-defined deformation regimen on individual bone cells. With the utilization of novel, flexible-bottomed cell culture plates, one can study the effects of cyclic strain on the morphologic and biochemical adaptations of individual osteoblasts in vitro. Avian, calvarial osteoblast-like cells, from passes 2-5, responded to cyclic strain, by increasing their rates of DNA synthesis and cell division during the first 72 h after initiation of a continuous deformation regimen comprised of 3 cycles per min of 0-24% elongation. In addition, within hours after initiation of the deformation regimen, cells oriented 90 degrees to the applied strain field at the periphery of the culture plate in the region of maximum strain and elongation.

Animals↗

A new probe for the diagnosis of myotonic muscular dystrophy.

Myotonic muscular dystrophy (DM) is the most common muscular dystrophy, affecting adults as well as children. It is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait and is characterized by variable expressivity and late age-of-onset. Linkage studies have established the locus on chromosome 19. In order to identify tightly linked probes for diagnosis as well as to define in detail the DM gene region, chromosome 19 libraries were constructed and screened for restriction fragment length polymorphisms tightly linked to DM. A genomic clone, LDR152 (D19S19), was isolated that is tightly linked to DM; recombination fraction = 0.0 (95% confidence limits 0.0-0.03); lod score, 15.4.

Adult↗

A quantitative analysis of blood-brain barrier ultrastructure in the aging human.

The unique ultrastructure of brain endothelial cells restricts nonspecific leakage of blood-borne molecules across the blood-brain barrier (bbb). Human barrier ultrastructure has not been studied extensively because of the rapid ultrastructural degeneration that takes place after death. We have obtained living, structurally normal neocortex and underlying white matter at biopsy from patients of various ages, and have quantitated ultrastructural features that are associated with the bbb so that we could characterize human barrier ultrastructure and determine whether it changes with age. We found that gray matter capillaries have thinner walls than white matter capillaries, and that during aging white matter capillary walls became thinner until they approached the dimensions of those in gray matter. Thinning is due to loss of pericytes and thinning of the endothelial cytoplasm. The mitochondrial density was found to be higher in gray matter than in white matter, but this is a consequence of there being a smaller cytoplasmic volume and not more (or larger) mitochondria. The mitochondrial population did not change with age. Presumptive nonspecific permeability routes (endothelial vesicles, junctional gaps) did not change with age; therefore we found no morphological substrate for increased nonspecific bbb permeability in the aging human. The loss of pericytes, however, suggests that the bbb in the elderly may be less able to compensate for transient leaks.

Aging↗

Studies on the metabolism of deoxynivalenol in the rat.

The metabolism and tissue distribution of [14C]deoxynivalenol have been studied in male PVG rats. Following administration of a single oral 10-mg/kg dose, radioactivity excreted in the urine and faeces accounted, respectively, for 25 and 64% of the administered dose within 96 hr. Less than 0.15% of the dose was detected in the respired air. Very little radioactivity appeared to be retained in any of the tissues examined after 96 hr. HPLC separation of several urinary and faecal metabolites was achieved on a reversed-phase column, using two different elution systems, one at neutral pH and one acidified. Two of the major non-polar HPLC peaks were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry as unchanged deoxynivalenol and 3 alpha,7 alpha,15-trihydroxytrichothec-9,12-dien-8-one.

Animals↗

Intravenous sedation for cataract surgery.

Fifty-five unpremedicated outpatients scheduled for cataract surgery were randomly allocated to receive either a fixed dose of nalbuphine and methohexitone or fentanyl and diazepam administered in a dose adjusted to produce the required sedative effect. Statistical analysis revealed no difference between groups with regard to immediate side effects, intra-ocular pressure or postoperative nausea or vomiting. Recovery time from administration of the sedative until compliance with simple commands was significantly longer in the nalbuphine/morphine group (89 vs 196 seconds) but this was not felt to be of clinical importance. This combination was better in terms of sedation at the time of insertion of the nerve blocks, lack of recall of insertion of the nerve block, incidence of intra-operative complications, surgeon's assessment of operating conditions and patient acceptability. This fixed dose by weight drug combination for intravenous sedation should be applied widely.

Adolescent↗

Critical care management of the patient with acute spinal cord injury.

The critical care management of acute injury to the cervical spinal cord is discussed from the perspective of the pathophysiology of the injury process and its ramifications. Emphasis is placed upon resolution of cardiovascular derangements, spinal cord resuscitation, and respiratory support utilizing practical therapeutic interventions.

Acute Disease↗

Method for the analysis in maize of the Fusarium mycotoxin moniliformin employing ion-pairing extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography.

The Fusarium mycotoxin moniliformin (hydroxycyclobutenedione) has been determined in maize using a novel method with a recovery of 70-80% at 400-1600 micrograms/kg and 60% at the detection limit of 100 micrograms/kg. The method requires extraction of the toxin into aqueous tetra-n-butylammonium hydroxide and removal of cations from this solution by ion-exchange chromatography. Following clean-up by partitioning against dichloromethane, further quaternary ammonium reagent was added to the aqueous phase which was absorbed onto a hydrophilic matrix and the tetra-n-butylammonium moniliformate ion pair extracted into dichloromethane. After evaporation of the organic eluent, the residue was dissolved in aqueous sodium chloride and moniliformin quantitated by ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. A batch of five samples may be analysed in 5-6 h including the chromatographic determination.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

Comparison and critical evaluation of six published extraction and clean-up procedures for aflatoxin M1 in liquid milk.

A practical evaluation has been carried out of six previously published extraction and clean-up methods for aflatoxin M1 in liquid milk. The procedures evaluated incorporated the most widely used stages of clean-up including solvent extraction and silica gel chromatographic clean-up, selective solvent extraction of the extracted residue, the use of deproteination prior to hydrophilic column liquid-liquid partition or solvent extraction and the use of pre-packed reversed-phase cartridges for the direct extraction of aflatoxin M1 from the milk. Analysis times for each method, recoveries and relative costs are reported together with fluorescence high-performance liquid chromatography chromatograms, obtained under identical conditions to compare the relative cleanliness of the final extracts produced by each method. A pre-packed reversed phase cartridge method was shown to be the most satisfactory in terms of speed, cost and cleanliness of the final residue.

Aflatoxin M1↗

Elevated gamma-aminobutyric acid level in striatal but not extrastriatal brain regions in Parkinson's disease: correlation with striatal dopamine loss.

We measured the concentration of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamic acid, and o-phosphoethanolamine in autopsied brain of 9 patients who died with idiopathic Parkinson's disease and 10 control subjects. In the control striatum GABA showed an uneven rostrocaudal distribution pattern with rostral subdivisions containing about 40 to 50% higher levels. When compared with controls, GABA concentrations in Parkinson's disease striatum were generally elevated. The GABA elevation was most pronounced in the caudal subdivision of the putamen; this striatal subdivision also showed the most severe dopamine loss. We observed in the caudal putamen a significant negative correlation between the (elevated) GABA and (reduced) dopamine levels (the latter expressed as the sum of dopamine plus 3-methoxytyramine). Milder nonsignificant elevations of GABA levels were observed in intermediate and rostral putamen followed by the caudate head subdivisions. GABA levels were normal in all extrastriatal brain areas examined. Striatal glutamic acid levels were markedly elevated in 3 of the 9 patients with Parkinson's disease. We suggest that the altered GABA metabolism in the striatum, especially the putamen, is consequent to the nigrostriatal deficiency in this disorder. This secondary change in striatal GABA function is likely to contribute to the basal ganglia dysfunction produced by the striatal dopamine loss and thus may be related to certain aspects of parkinsonian symptomatology.

Brain Chemistry↗

Screening, confirmation, and quantification of sulphonamide residues in pig kidney by tandem mass spectrometry of crude extracts.

Collisionally activated dissociation mass spectra, observed with a hybrid tandem instrument, of the chemical ionization protonated molecular ions of sulphonamide drugs have been used as the basis of a rapid screening procedure for these drugs in crude extracts of pig's kidney by scanning to detect the parents of a characteristic daughter fragment. Extracts were introduced without chromatography by a moving belt interface. Detection limits of 0.1 mg/kg were achieved. Confirmation was made by obtaining daughter ion spectra of the protonated molecular ions. Multiple reaction monitoring with a stable isotope analogue as internal standard permitted the quantification of targeted compounds with high sensitivity and precision.

Animals↗