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Biomedical subjects

J Taylor

Publications and source records attributed to J Taylor.

At least 631 records · Page 35Linked to original sources

Congenital lactic acidosis, alpha-ketoglutaric aciduria and variant form of maple syrup urine disease due to a single enzyme defect: dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase deficiency.

A 6-month-old girl with vomiting, hypotonia and motor retardation was found to have elevated blood lactate, pyruvate, and branched chain amino acids associated with ketoglutaric aciduria. The combination of a congenital lactic acidosis with a variant form of maple syrup urine disease and ketoglutaric aciduria suggested a defect of a single component, common to pyruvate dehydrogenase, to branched chain ketoacid dehydrogenase, and to alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase. Dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase is the common component (E3). The three enzyme activities and the E3 component activity were found to be reduced in liver and cultured fibroblasts, thus confirming that a single defect of this component can result in a multiple deficiency involving several oxidative decarboxylation reactions.

Acidosis↗

Diarrhoea in dairy calves reduced by feeding colostrum from cows vaccinated with rotavirus.

Forty-two dairy calves remained with their dams for two days after birth, and then were removed to a calf rearing shed. Calves were allocated to three groups for the next 14 days, and received twice daily either whole milk, whole milk with a 10 per cent supplement of pooled normal bovine colostrum or whole milk with 10 per cent supplement of colostrum from cows vaccinated with rotavirus. A natural outbreak of diarrhoea occurred, affecting 28 of the 42 calves. Feeding immune colostrum delayed the onset of diarrhoea, and reduced its incidence, duration and severity. Live weight gains were consequently improved. The group fed normal colostrum had diarrhoea intermediate in severity between that of control calves and those fed immune colostrum. The aetiology of the diarrhoea was complex, with calves excreting rotavirus, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and cryptosporidia.

Animals↗

Design and implementation of a prototype Human Protein Index.

This paper describes information-handling aspects of the TYCHO I analysis system (Clin, Chem. 27: 1807--1820, 1981), which analyzes two-dimensional electrophoresis gels, matches the individual protein spots with those in a reference pattern, and stores various information--including spot measurements, identifications, treatment profiles, set memberships, and comments--in a computerized database. This and additional information such as amino acid composition and cellular localization is then accessible from an interactive program that includes a pictorial user interface and presents much of the data in graphical form. Use of the TYCHO I system is illustrated by examples drawn from analyses of gel patterns from human leukocytes.

Blood Proteins↗

Isolation and characterization of C-reactive protein and serum amyloid P component in the rat.

C-reactive protein (RP) and serum amyloid P component (SAP) have been identified for the first time in rat serum and isolated by calcium-dependent affinity chromatography. Rat CRP closely resembled human CRP in its amino acid composition, in having five subunits per molecule and in its electron microscopic appearance as a pentameric annular disc. It differed, however, from all other mammalian CRP's characterised hitherto in being a glycoprotein bearing a single complex oligosaccharide on each polypeptide subunit. Furthermore one pair of tis subunits per molecule was linked by a interchain disulphide bridges whereas in other animals the subunits of both CRP and SAP are all non-covalently associated. The serum concentration of CRP in normal healthy laboratory rats and in specific pathogen-free rats was 300-600 micrograms/ml which is much greater than has been described in any other species and exceeds even maximal acute phase levels of CRP in man. Following injections of casein or croton oil, serum CRP levels rose to a maximum of about 900 micrograms/ml. Rat CRP bound to pneumococcal C-polysaccharide (CPS( but, in marked contrast to the behaviour of CRP from man, rabbit and marine teleost fish, it did not precipitate with CPS solutions, agglutinate CPS-coated sheep erythrocytes or initiate complement activation. Rat SAP, like SAP of other species, was a glycoprotein but unlike them it was composed only of a single pentameric disc not two such discs interacting face-to-face. The normal level of SAP in rat serum was 20-50 micrograms/ml, very similar to the levels seen in man, and it did not behave as an acute phase reactant in response to casein or croton-oil injections. In this respect it resembled human SAP but differed from murine SAP which is a major acute phase reactant.

Amino Acids↗

INfluence of biotin supplementation on sow reproductive efficiency.

A herd of 116 sows was divided into two groups. Animals in one group had their food supplemented with 1160 micrograms/day of biotin in pregnancy and 2320 micrograms/day in lactation, over a 12-month period. The other group served as a control. Those receiving biotin farrowed significantly more live pigs in parities 2 and 4 than in the control animals; the increase in parity 3 only just failed to reach significance. There was no consistent effect on the weaning to service internal although a significant difference (P = 0.05) was seen with the third litters.

Animals↗

Comparison of bluetongue type 20 with certain viruses of the bluetongue and Eubenangee serological groups of orbiviruses.

The genome of bluetongue virus type 20 consists of 10 segments of double-stranded RNA each of which contains unique sequences as determined by oligonucleotide mapping. The 10 polypeptide products of the virus genome were detected in virus-infected cells, and in pulse--chase experiments there was no secondary cleavage of the primary gene products. Using stringent conditions for RNA--RNA reassociation, no significant homology could be detected between the genomes of bluetongue type 20 isolated in Australia and representative serotypes isolated in other geographic regions. The results suggest sequence divergence between geographically isolated viruses and not the recent introduction of a bluetongue virus into Australia.

Base Sequence↗

Factors influencing survival after balloon atrial septostomy for complete transposition of great arteries.

Despite balloon atrial septostomy within the first days of life, some patients with complete transposition of the great arteries die before reaching elective definitive surgery in the second six months of life. To discover why, we analysed the fate of 144 patients who had balloon atrial septostomy after 1966, using a modified logrank survival test with multivariate capability. Patients were withdrawn "alive" on reaching definitive surgery. The following largely independent factors were associated with a statistically significant excess mortality: pulmonary hypertension, the presence and size of a ventricular septal defect of persistent ductus arteriosus, relative anaemia, absence of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, low arterial oxygen saturation, aortic stenosis and coarctation, and balloon atrial septostomy between 1 week and 1 month of life. Those of the above factors which can be determined at balloon atrial septostomy or at routine cardiac catheterisation at 3 months of age were then introduced into discriminant function analysis on survival to 6 months. Hence the probability of any individual patient dying in the first six months was calculated, allowing for these factors. This prediction was correct in 76 per cent of the patients studied. By offering earlier definitive correction to patients thus identified as being at high risk of premature death, it should prove possible to reduce overall mortality in transposition of the great arteries.

Age Factors↗

Castor bean allergens: evidence for distinct heat-labile and stable entities.

Castor beans contain one of the most potent allergens known to man. Previous studies suggested that these allergens are heat-stable; but our current data suggest that both heat-stable and labile allergens are present in castor bean extracts. The heat-labile allergen is of large molecular weight and is immunochemically distinct from the smaller molecular weight heat-stable allergen. Both allergens have different isoelectric points. These antigens may be clinically relevant since coffee workers sensitized to castor have IgE antibodies to both allergens.

Allergens↗

Computer recognition of ectocervical cells: image features.

Machine recognition of ectocervical cells has been achieved with good classification success by a number of research groups. Even though a substantial number of cell image features have been introduced, only a moderate number are required for classification. For them, definitions and measures of their discriminatory potential are presented.

Cell Nucleus↗

Treatment of proximal-third femur fractures with pins and thigh plaster.

Thirty patients with proximal third femur fractures were treated with pins-in-thigh plaster. Patients were divided into two groups: (1) acute (pins-in-plaster applied within one month after injury); and (2) late (pins-in-plaster applied later than one month ater injury). Patients in the acute group had application of pins-in-plaster inserted at an average of nine days after injury, and were treated in plaster for 9.4 weeks with union occurring at 10.7 weeks. Patients in the late group had application of pins-in-plaster an average of 13.3 weeks after injury, treatment in plaster for 7.7 weeks, and union at 21 weeks. Subtrochanteric fractures healed as rapidly as other areas of the femur when braced early. Twenty-five fractures demonstrated less than 2 cm of shortening and less than 10 degrees of varus. There were no nonunions. One patient developed a deep wound infection. Antibiotics were required in seven patients because of pin tract drainage, which ceased once the pins were removed. This method is indicated in active patients with comminuted or open fractures but neither in the elderly or senile patients, or in intertrochanteric-subtrochanteric fractures.

Adolescent↗