Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Jolly

Publications and source records attributed to J Jolly.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Subsequent obstetric performance related to primary mode of delivery.

OBJECTIVE: To relate subsequent obstetric performance with primary mode of delivery. DESIGN: Postal questionnaire survey of women who delivered their first child five years ago. SETTING: Huddersfield Royal Infirmary. POPULATION: Women who were delivered of their first baby in 1991: 250 by normal vaginal delivery; 250 by instrumental vaginal delivery; and 250 by caesarean section. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Answers to fixed choice questions on fear of future childbirth, number of subsequent children and reasons for no further children. RESULTS: The response rate was 64%. Overall, 222 (46.6%) women were initially frightened about future childbirth. According to mode of delivery: 93 (57.1%) after instrumental vaginal; 79 (47.9%) after caesarean section; and 50 (33.8%) after normal vaginal delivery. Five years after the primary delivery, 99 women (20.8%) were still frightened about future childbirth: instrumental vaginal group 41 (25.2%); caesarean section group 43 (26.1%); and normal vaginal group 15 (10.1%). In the group of women who were delivered by caesarean section 13% more women had not had a second child after five years compared with the normal vaginal delivery group ((P < 0.03, relative risk 1.46 (1.07-1.99)). In the group of women who had a vaginal instrumental delivery 6% more had not had a second child after five years compared with normal vaginal delivery group. Of the women who had no further children, 30% who had caesarean section and 28% vaginal instrumental delivery had involuntary infertility. CONCLUSIONS: Caesarean section or vaginal instrumental delivery leaves many mothers frightened about future childbirth. Primary caesarean section and to some extent vaginal instrumental delivery is associated with an increased risk of voluntary and involuntary infertility.

Adolescent↗

Redox regulation of apoptosis in interleukin-3-dependent haemopoietic cells: absence of alteration in both mitochondrial membrane potential (delta psi(m)) and free radical production during apoptosis induced by IL3 withdrawal.

Apoptosis in haemopoietic cells has been linked to the production of free radicals and reduction in mitochondrial transmembrane potential, delta psi(m). We have found that apoptosis in murine IL3-dependent haemopoietic cells induced by IL3 withdrawal lowers a principal source of anti-oxidant (reduced glutathione) but does not increase free radicals nor affect delta psi(m). Increased free radicals are, however, produced during IL3 signalling. Artificially increasing intracellular free radicals by depleting internal glutathione mimics IL3 signalling in that cells maintain shape and are transiently stimulated into S-phase in the absence of IL3. Conversely, depletion of free radicals by anti-oxidants accelerates apoptosis both in the presence and absence of IL3. Our studies suggest that redox conditions rather than free radicals or mitochondrial membrane potential per se may play a significant role in maintaining cell and replicative integrity, and in determining apoptosis in haemopoietic cells.

Apoptosis↗

Ambient-temperature-stable molecular biology reagents.

We have processed biological materials to generate several reagents that are ambient temperature stable and ready to use. Stabilized biomolecules in a glassy matrix of carbohydrate polymers offer water-soluble reagents for complex molecular biology applications. This approach is particularly useful for reagent systems composed of enzymes, nucleotides and other components dispensed in single-use aliquots. Reconstitution of the glassy matrix delivers buffered enzymes and/or nucleotides for restriction, modification, sequencing and/or amplification of nucleic acids. These ambient-temperature-stable reagents allow a high level of reproducibility as they minimize the potential for pipetting errors. They also provide advantages in shipping, storage and subsequent handling. Added convenience includes elimination of setup time, cross contamination and refrigeration. Applications of ambient-temperature-stable biological reagents for routine molecular biology methods are presented.

Biotechnology↗

Fast gel electrophoresis to analyze DNA-protein interactions.

A rapid method for electrophoresis of DNA-protein complexes is described. Popular "gel-shift" assays are performed using Pharmacia PhastSystem with its convenience of pre-cast gels and buffer strips and microprocessor-controlled high-resolution separation. Using this system, the products of a DNA binding reaction (DNA-protein complexes) can be separated from "free" DNA in less than one hour. DNA fragments as well as oligonucleotides have been used as targets with partially purified extracts containing sequence-specific DNA binding proteins. We present here a comparison of results of gel-shift assays obtained by conventional techniques and by our rapid "PhastShift" method which reduces the time, effort and technical expertise necessary to obtain reproducible results.

Antigens, Viral↗

Methicillin resistance in staphylococci: an evaluation of conditions for detection.

Ninety-four strains of coagulase positive staphylococci and 73 strains of coagulase negative staphylococci were tested for their susceptibility to methicillin, using agar dilution and disc diffusion techniques with Diagnostic Sensitivity Test agar (DST) and DST supplemented with salt, incubated at 30 degrees C and 37 degrees C. Disc diffusion on salt-incorporated DST at 30 degrees C was most reliable for detecting methicillin resistance in both types of staphylococci. The agar dilution methods were particularly poor for detecting resistance with coagulase negative staphylococci. The simultaneous testing of coagulase positive and negative staphylococci by this method indicated the need for both DST and salt-incorporated DST agar plates, incubated at 30 degrees C. However, sensitive strains should still be tested by disc diffusion for confirmation.

Coagulase↗

Contralateral compensation with knee impairment.

Knee motion of four healthy teenagers was unilaterally impaired by means of cast braces. Computerized analysis from video recording of walking was used to study the compensatory effects and to compare them with six patients. Restricted knee flexion caused little change in stance-phase knee motion on the restricted side. The unimpaired knee displayed exaggerated stance phase flexion and phase shifts, which in turn produced pelvic vaulting. The forces on the braces were high. Impairments to extension produced bilateral crouch without loss of flexion extension patterns within the limits of the impairment. Fatigue was more prominent than with blocks to flexion. Circumduction was found to be overrated as a compensation for stiff-leggedness. Lateral shift to the well side, combined with freezing of the well-side stance adduction, was a frequently used effective clearance mechanism. Phasic changes in motion of many body parts may combine to produce low-level pelvic displacement, especially when clinical weakness is present. Shortened stride length is the most sensitive indicator of this phenomenon. Graphs of individual joint motion do not easily convey the important phasic relationships that are fundamental to that motion and to the interpretation of its effects. Stick figures were better for analysis of this aspect of motion analysis, even though they are more subjective.

Adolescent↗

Purification of a uridine-specific acid nuclease from chicken liver by fast protein liquid chromatography.

A rapid purification procedure for a novel uridine-specific nuclease from chicken liver based on the Pharmacia fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) system is presented. The purification was achieved by applying crude extract to a Mono S cation-exchange column equilibrated with 10 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 6.0). The enzyme was eluted in 20 min with a potassium chloride gradient at a flow-rate of 2 ml/min. The enzyme was then chromatographed on a Superose 12 size-exclusion column in less than 1 h at a flow-rate of 0.5 ml/min (Kav = 0.77). The enzyme was re-chromatographed on a second Mono S column to concentrate the protein. The uridine-specific nuclease hydrolyzed poly(U) and Escherichia coli 5S RNA. Poly(A) was hydrolyzed by the nuclease less efficiently (about 10% of the poly(U) activity). No hydrolysis was detected with poly(C), poly(G), poly(dT) or poly(dA) as substrate. The speed with which each purification step could be carried out facilitated the determination of optimal chromatographic conditions. We found that the resolution of the Mono S and Superose 12 columns was superior to that of conventional ion exchangers and size-exclusion columns respectively.

Animals↗

Vasculitis in a patient receiving naproxen.

A case is described of a 44-years-old woman who developed cutaneous vasculitis, nephritis and paralytic ileus after three years' treatment with naproxen. All these features were thought to be attributable to a naproxen induced vasculitis and all resolved spontaneously after the drug was stopped.

Adult↗

Some immunological and haematological aspects of human cyclic neutropenia.

In addition to standard peripheral blood cell counts, sequential studies have been made of changes in the T-lymphocyte population and in the serum titres of the presumptive humoral regulators of haematopoiesis, Colony Stimulating Activity (CSA) and Erythroid Stimulating Activity (ESA), in a young woman with cyclic neutropenia (CN). In addition, serum immunoglobulins, C3 and total complement levels and serum protein concentrations were determined on several occasions during the study. Similar tests were done concomitantly on a haematologically normal, age and sex-matched control. Cell counts on peripheral blood from the subject with CN demonstrated a clearly defined periodicity in neutrophil and monocyte concentrations and equivocal fluctuations in reticulocyte numbers. There was no evidence of periodicity in the lymphocyte concentrations and the T-lymphocyte population appeared functionally normal. Spontaneous incorporation of tritiated thymidine into peripheral blood cells showed a highly significant correlation with the monocyte count, suggesting that these cells were responsible for the radioisotope uptake. CSA titres were elevated on all occasions tested and showed no evidence of periodicity. ESA showed some evidence of cycling with elevated levels being observed during the periods of neutropenia. Serum complement levels were within the normal range but all classes of immunoglobulins were elevated and albumin levels were depressed.

Adult↗

The incidence of mosquitoes feeding on mothers and babies at Kisumu, Kenya.

Blood fed mosquitoes were collected inside four bed nets in which mother/child pairs, having different haptoglobin types, slept. The bloodmeals were analysed by gradient gel electrophoresis to determine on which person the mosquitoes had fed. The results suggest that the mothers are fed on much more than babies by both Anopheles gambiae s.l. and Culex fatigans. In one hut at least 15.2 per cent of the mosquitoes had taken all or part of their bloodmeal elsewhere. A greater number of double feeds were detected from engorged Cx. fatigans (12.6%) than An. gambiae s.l. (2.7%).

Anopheles↗

The red blood cell esterase D polymorphism in Europe and Asia.

Several regional series from Britain and 3 Asian series were typed for the Esterase D polymorphism. It was found that haemolysates up to 5 years old could be reliably typed when prepared from washed anticoagulated red blood cells. Lysates prepared from blood clots do not retain Esterase D activity quite as well. The Manx population has higher Esterase D 2 gene frequencies than neighbouring populations. A Nepalese population exhibits the highest Esterase D 2 gene frequency so far recorded. The other series presented supplement or confirm results already published.

Asia, Western↗