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Biomedical subjects

J H Edwards

Publications and source records attributed to J H Edwards.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

The value of twin surveys in the study of malformations.

Congenital malformations have been investigated in a consecutive series of 445 monozygotic twin pairs coming from two twin surveys numbering 1,424 pairs. Concordant malformations were found in 6 pairs, discordant in 20 pairs. The significance of these findings is briefly discussed. The methodology of the prospective twin studies is described. The diagnosis of zygosity is based on sex, structure of placental membranes, blood groups and enzyme systems of the blood and placenta.

Blood Group Antigens↗
PubMed1983

Allergy to inhaled egg material.

The use of a spray system to coat meat rolls with egg solution resulted in the development of asthmatic type symptoms in eight of thirteen workers exposed to the spray. Symptoms were severe in five workers, less severe in two, and one worker experienced vague symptoms. Even though precipitins were present in nine of the workers there were no pyrexial episodes nor influenza-like symptoms occurring some hours after inhaling the egg material to suggest extrinsic allergic alveolitis. All sera with precipitins reacted against an antigen in egg yolk, two sera only to this antigen but no precipitins to ovalbumin were detected. Lung function, X-ray and haematology provided no evidence that the inhalation of egg had lasting detrimental effects. There was no correlation between clinical response, skin testing, IgE levels and precipitins, hence, for each individual none of these parameters is predictive. However, collectively the results show sensitization and this has been confirmed by lack of symptoms when a different method of coating the pastry was adopted.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Grain exposure--symptoms and lung function.

Eighty dock workers handling grains and other cargoes were surveyed by respiratory and occupational questionnaires, spirometry, skin tests with common allergens and grain extracts, and serological tests. Sixty-nine of the men reported chest symptoms during exposure to barley dust and 13 men reported evening feverish episodes after handling barley. Symptoms were not related to smoking or atopic status. No gross deficits in lung function were detected. Six men handling barley and four handling non-dusty cargoes had their lung function measured over two working days. Falls in ventilatory capacity occurred in the six workers handling barley but not in the four handling non-dusty cargoes. Six previously unexposed subjects spent 2 h in a barley dust atmosphere of a silo and had lung function measured before and after the exposure. All subjects had falls in ventilatory capacity. In four these lasted 24 h or more and were associated with systemic symptoms. As with cotton dust the agent(s) responsible for symptoms from grain dust exposure remains uncertain. Our findings on the dock workers suggest that specific immunological responses are not involved.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Humidifier fever.

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Air Conditioning↗
PubMed1982

Carrier detection.

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Base Sequence↗
PubMed1981

Inhalation challenge and skin testing in farmer's lung.

An immunologic basis for episodes of farmer's lung is shown by the response of susceptible individuals to inhalation challenge with extracts of Micropolyspora faeni, the main sensitizing agent in moldy hay dust. However, if the complement-fixing capacity of the farmer's serum for M. faeni antigen is used as a quantitative assessment of sensitivity, it does not predict whether an individual will respond to inhalation challenge. A positive immediate skin test to M. faeni antigens was observed in all cases with over 40 CH50 consuming units of antibody per milliliter of serum. A similar correlation was seen between complement consumption and precipitins.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Inhalation challenge in humidifier fever.

When exposed to an amount of contaminated humidifier water roughly equivalent to that inhaled over an 8-hour period at their work place, four out of six subjects developed symptoms of humidifier fever. Two non-exposed subjects failed to react to the same challenge. Characteristic lung function, temperature and leucocyte changes were recorded; however, a fall in gas transfer previously reported was not seen. That the reaction was immunologically mediated and not due to endotoxin activity was shown by a negative pyrogen response in rabbits inoculated intravenously with concentrated humidifier water. The nature of the immune response has not as yet been evaluated but it does not reside with the ability of humidifier fever antigens to activate complement. Skin testing produced an immediate weal and flare in the four subjects with precipitins and may reflect the presence of short-term anaphylactic IgG antibody.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Organic dust diseases and endotoxins.

On the basis of available information it is not justifiable to conclude that endotoxins are responsible for extrinsic allergic alveolitis by biological activities that are associated with endotoxin properties per se. Endotoxin-like material has been found in materials associated with byssinosis, farmer's lung and sewage sludge disease and a case for their involvement in the aetiology of byssinosis and sewage sludge disease can be made out. However, endotoxin-like activity in farmer's lung is less important than the hypersensitivity reaction except possibly where heavy doses of mouldy hay dust are inhaled. The indirect role of endotoxin in promoting a hypersensitivity response, i.e. by adjuvant activity, etc., is undoubtedly more important than is its direct action in this disease.

Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic↗