Progress in veterinary mycology.
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Animals↗
Biomedical subjects
J M Smith
Publications and source records attributed to J M Smith.
Effects of dietary fish oil on Rb+ efflux from aorta of stroke prone spontaneously hypertensive rats.
The effect of fish oil on potassium efflux and basal tension in aortas from stroke prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) was evaluated. Four-week-old male Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) and SHRSP were divided into two groups: one received a 5% corn oil diet; the other a 5% menhaden oil diet. After 15 weeks, mean systolic blood pressure (mm Hg) was reduced in SHRSP-fish (202 +/- 5) compared to SHRSP-corn (227 +/- 4). Systolic pressure of WKY-fish (146 +/- 3) was not different from WKY-corn (151 +/- 4). Potassium efflux was evaluated with the isotope 86Rb. Basal 86Rb efflux from aorta of SHRSP-corn was evaluated compared to WKY-corn. Diltiazem or sodium nitroprusside decreased 86Rb efflux and basal tension in SHRSP. Basal 86Rb efflux, tension, and the magnitude of this diltiazem- or nitroprusside-induced inhibition were decreased in SHRSP-fish. At maximal diltiazem or nitroprusside concentration, 86Rb efflux from both SHRSP dietary groups was similar but still greater than control aorta. The IC50 values for diltiazem or nitroprusside effects on 86Rb efflux and tension were not altered by diet in SHRSP. Qualitatively similar changes in basal 86Rb efflux and tension were noted in WKY-fish compared to WKY-corn. These experiments demonstrate that dietary fish oil supplementation decreased calcium-sensitive 86Rb efflux and basal tension in vascular smooth muscle and suggest that these changes may contribute to the concomitant antihypertensive effect of dietary fish oil in SHRSP.
Animals↗
Local activation variability during monomorphic ventricular tachycardia in the dog.
OBJECTIVE: The aim was to determine the beat to beat variability in local activation time during sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia in a canine model of experimental myocardial infarction. METHODS: A digital template matching algorithm was developed for detecting subtle beat to beat variability in local activation timing at each of multiple ventricular sites. Ten electrically induced sustained ventricular tachycardia episodes, mean cycle length 211 (SD 40) ms, were endocardially and epicardially mapped in mongrel dogs weighing 15-20 kg. Digitised data were analysed for beat to beat local activation time variability. Similar data recorded during ventricular pacing at comparable rates and during sinus rhythm served as controls. RESULTS: The overall mean variability of local activation time for all 10 ventricular tachycardias was 3.2(1.6) ms, range 1.8(1.1) ms to 4.7(2.8) ms, in contrast to the overall mean variability of 0.2(0.4) ms (p = 0.0001) for ventricular pacing and 0.7(0.6) ms (p = 0.0001) for sinus rhythm. Oscillations in local activation time manifested alternans type periodicity during seven of 10 ventricular tachycardias independent of any alternans in local electrogram morphology. CONCLUSIONS: During sustained, monomorphic ventricular tachycardia, beat to beat variability and alternans type oscillations in local activation time are common and may be an intrinsic property of re-entry since they are negligibly small during ventricular pacing.
Animals↗
Terminology of Staphylococcus aureus strains showing decreased susceptibility to methicillin.
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Bacterial Proteins↗
Reduced synthesis of tissue plasminogen activator by vascular endothelium during acute myocardial infarction.
We measured levels of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) antigen in 100 patients within six hours of the onset of acute myocardial infarction, in 34 patients with chronic angina but no recent infarction, and in 36 normal subjects. We also assayed von Willebrand factor in the acute patients and in the normal subjects. Measurements were repeated in 40 acute patients at three weeks after myocardial infarction. Although resting levels of t-PA antigen were not significantly different from normal during myocardial infarction, the capacity of the vascular endothelium to release t-PA after five minutes of venous occlusion was impaired (p less than 0.01). The acute phase vessel wall release of von Willebrand factor was increased during acute infarction (p less than 0.01). We conclude that impairment of t-PA production is associated with acute coronary thrombosis, although it is not possible to differentiate between a causative role or a secondary response due to exhaustion of the t-PA producing mechanism.
Adult↗
Hypophosphatasia: a family study involving a case diagnosed from gingival crevicular fluid.
Hypophosphatasia is an inherited disorder characterized by defective mineralization of the skeletal and dental structures of the body and deficient liver/bone/kidney alkaline phosphatase (L/B/K ALP) activity. There has been a tremendous advance in our knowledge of this condition over the last decade due to the advent of highly specific DNA probes and novel microanalytic techniques. The purpose of this paper is threefold: to review the dental aspects of current literature about this rare condition; to present a case (and family study) that was diagnosed in a 5-yr-old boy from 0.14 microliters of gingival crevicular fluid, using a new ultrasensitive chemiluminescent assay for the enzyme alkaline phosphatase; and to provide strong evidence for an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance.
Adamantane↗
Escherichia coli purB gene: cloning, nucleotide sequence, and regulation by purR.
Escherichia coli purB encodes adenylosuccinate lyase (ASL), the enzyme that catalyzes step 8 in the pathway for de novo synthesis of IMP and also the final reaction in the two-step sequence from IMP to AMP. Gene purB was cloned and found to encode an ASL protein of 435 amino acids having a calculated molecular weight of 49,225. E. coli ASL is homologous to the corresponding enzymes from Bacillus subtilis and chickens and also to fumarase from B. subtilis. Gene phoP is 232 bp downstream of purB. Gene purB is regulated threefold by the purine pool and purR. Transcriptional regulation of purB involves binding of the purine repressor to the 16-bp conserved pur regulon operator. The purB operator is 224 bp downstream of the transcription start site and overlaps codons 62 to 67 in the protein-coding sequence.
Adenosine Monophosphate↗
Detection of diacetyl (caramel odor) in presumptive identification of the "Streptococcus milleri" group.
The caramel odor associated with the "Streptococcus milleri" group was shown to be attributable to the formation of the metabolite diacetyl. Levels of diacetyl in the 22- to 200-mg/liter range were produced by 68 strains of the "S. milleri" group; apart from one strain of Streptococcus mutans, all 92 other strains of streptococci belonging to 12 species produced < 13 mg of diacetyl per liter. Quantitation of diacetyl levels from cultures of streptococci is suggested as a rapid presumptive test for the "S. milleri" group.
Candy↗
Several antecedent strategies in reduction of an environmentally destructive behavior.
The effects of response-specific prompts, prompts identifying long-term and short-term consequences, a combination of long-term and short-term consequences, and a combination of short-term consequences and response-specific prompts on the reduction of environmentally destructive lawn-walking were investigated. The response-specific prompt alone was effective, and its effectiveness was enhanced by the identification of short-term and long-term consequences; however, the mere identification of short-term and long-term consequences alone was not effective.
Behavior Therapy↗
Venous and arterial anomalies of the lower extremities diagnosed by duplex scanning.
The complex embryologic development of the vascular system often results in a myriad of clinically relevant anomalies. It has been stated that the classic anatomic venous pattern in the lower extremity is found in only 16 percent of patients. Previous studies on this topic are limited to isolated venous dissections or phlebography that lack complete anatomic detail. The recent introduction of high resolution duplex scanners for the assessment of veins of the lower extremity provides a unique opportunity to determine the incidence of anatomic variation. The current prospective study was done to identify venous or arterial anomalies apparent during routine duplex scanning of the lower extremity performed to rule out deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Limbs that had evidence of acute or chronic extensive DVT were excluded. Of 1,600 consecutive extremity scans, 946 extremities (59 percent) had no evidence of DVT. Of these, there were 43 patients with 64 anomalies in 57 extremities. The mean age of the group was 53.4 years. There were 24 women (55.8 percent) and 19 men (44.2 percent). There were 59 (92.2 percent) venous and five (7.8 percent) arterial anomalies. Duplication of the superficial femoral vein was the most common anomaly noted. Duplication of the deep femoral and popliteal vein was also noted. Unilateral anomalies were more common than bilateral anomalies, namely 67.4 versus 32.6 percent, respectively. Pain and swelling, common complaints in the patients with an anomaly, were noted in 71.4 and 45.7 percent, respectively. The frequency of deep venous anomalies of the lower extremities may be less than previously reported. Knowledge concerning the incidence and distribution of venous anomalies may lead to improved assessment and treatment of venous disease.
Adult↗
A comparison between commercial kits and conventional methods for enumeration of salivary mutans streptococci and lactobacilli.
Mutans streptococci (ms) and lactobacilli levels were determined by conventional and commercial dip-slide methods in three groups of young subjects, aged 5-6 years (93 subjects), 12-13 years (78 subjects) and 18-20 years (81 subjects). Using the same paraffin-stimulated saliva samples, ms and lactobacilli were estimated by conventional viable counts on modified mitis-salivarius agar (MSB) and Rogosa agar plates, and by inoculation of Dentocult SM and Dentocult LB dip-slides (Orion Diagnostica, Finland). The salivary ms and lactobacilli counts obtained from conventional agar plates were significantly correlated (P < 0.0001) with the dip-slide estimates of these organisms (Kendal Tau = 0.56, 0.71 respectively). Subjects in Group 2 showed the highest proportion (77 per cent) of individuals with salivary ms levels above 2.5 x 10(5) cfu/ml saliva; 99 per cent of that group had detectable levels of lactobacilli. Significantly different median salivary ms and lactobacilli levels were demonstrated between all groups except for lactobacilli levels between Groups 2 and 3. These dip-slide tests provided suitable and simple methods for screening salivary lactobacilli and ms levels which may have a useful role in the assessment of caries risk.
Adolescent↗
Ear infections and the Marlboro Man.
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American Speech-Language-Hearing Association↗
Barriers to cervical cytology screening in native women in British Columbia.
The British Columbia (BC) Cervical Cytology Screening Programme (CCSP), implemented since 1955, has resulted in a 75% decrease in both the mortality from and incidence of invasive squamous cervical carcinoma. However, despite this effect, the Native Indian population still present an overall mortality rate four times higher than that of the non-Native population. A demonstration project was initiated in four Native Indian Band communities of BC to determine the reasons underlying these findings. The participation patterns to the CCSP were investigated and revealed that the overall percentage of participation to the CCSP among Native Indian women was 30% lower than that of the non-Native population. Reasons for the under-participation to the CCSP were explored. A total of 36 women, 9 in each of the 4 communities, including current users, ex-users and never users, were interviewed. Reasons for not participating in the CCSP were due mainly to (1) the lack of knowledge about the Pap test and about its importance; (2) feelings of embarrassment and shamefulness; (3) lack of continuity of care due to the high turnover of physicians in the Native communities. Based on the study findings, a pilot CCSP clinic will be implemented in each community. In addition to taking cervical smears, this pilot project will include education sessions, notification about the results of the test, and recall for annual check up.
British Columbia↗
Bacterioferritins and ferritins are distantly related in evolution. Conservation of ferroxidase-centre residues.
Iron-storage proteins can be divided into two classes; the bacterioferritins and ferritins. In spite of many apparent structural and functional analogies, no significant amino acid sequence similarity has been detected previously. This report now reveals a distant evolutionary relationship between bacterioferritins and ferritins derived by 'Profile Analysis'. Optimum alignment of bacterioferritin and ferritin sequences suggests that key residues of the ferroxidase centres of ferritins are conserved in bacterioferritins.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Opportunistic mycoses--some priorities for the 90s.
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Antifungal Agents↗
Differential effects of oltipraz and its oxy-analogue on the viability of Schistosoma mansoni and the activity of glutathione S-transferase.
Adult worms of Schistosoma mansoni recovered from mice treated with oltipraz (OPZ) showed a significant diminution in their ability to reduce 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) to formazan, a measure of parasite viability. Incubation of glutathione S-transferase (GST) from S. mansoni with OPZ resulted in a time- and concentration-dependent inhibition of enzyme activity. RP 36,642 (an inactive oxy-derivative of OPZ) had a minimal effect on the viability of the worms and no effect on GST activity. The structural integrity of OPZ, particularly the thione sulphur, appears to be necessary for expression of the antischistosomal effects of the drug. OPZ-induced inhibition of GST was non-competitive with either reduced glutathione (GSH) or 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB), indicating that the drug is not a substrate for GST-catalysed conjugation reactions. In addition, the inhibition of GST could not be reversed by dialysis or repurification of the enzyme via a GSH-agarose affinity column. The effects of OPZ on GST activity could render the parasite vulnerable to damage by host-derived reactive oxygen species and aldehydic products of lipid peroxidation. The effects of OPZ on GST activity may play a role in the antischistosomal action of OPZ.
Animals↗
Physical, chemical and immunological properties of the bacterioferritins of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Azotobacter vinelandii.
The 70-amino-acid-residue N-terminal sequence of the bacterioferritin (BFR) of Azotobacter vinelandii was determined and shown to be highly similar to the N-terminal sequences of the Escherichia coli and Nitrobacter winogradskyi bacterioferritins. Electrophoretic and immunological analyses further indicate that the bacterioferritins of E. coli, A. vinelandii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are closely related. A novel, two-subunit assembly state that predominates over the 24-subunit form of BFR at low pH was demonstrated. The results indicate that the bacterioferritins form a family of proteins that are distinct from the ferritins of plants and animals.
Amino Acid Sequence↗