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Biomedical subjects

L McReynolds

Publications and source records attributed to L McReynolds.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System: policy and program applications.

To monitor behaviors which place adolescents at increased risk for premature morbidity and mortality, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) developed the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS). The YRBSS measures six categories of behaviors: behaviors that contribute to unintentional and intentional injuries; tobacco use; alcohol and other drug use; sexual behaviors that contribute to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection; dietary behaviors; and physical activity. This article summarizes how some education agencies, in collaboration with health agencies, community agencies, school boards, parents, and youth are using YRBSS data to describe risk behaviors, create awareness, set program goals, develop programs, support health-related legislation, and seek funding.

Adolescent

A sensitive serodiagnostic test for onchocerciasis using a cocktail of recombinant antigens.

A specific serodiagnostic test for onchocerciasis has been a priority objective of the World Health Organization. Fragments of cDNA encoding Onchocerca volvulus antigens selected on the basis of their specificity for this parasite were subcloned into a protein purification and expression system. No individual recombinant antigen showed a high sensitivity in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay because of heterogeneity in the response of O. volvulus-infected individuals. However, a cocktail of three recombinant proteins showed 96% sensitivity with 100% specificity, compared with 99% sensitivity and only 59% specificity against a crude O. volvulus extract. The sensitivity of detection of individual antigens varied between sera taken from individuals from different geographic areas infected with O. volvulus, but when used as a cocktail, all but one of the microfilaria-positive individuals from all the geographic areas studied were detected. Recombinant probes provide a practical basis for specific diagnostic tests for helminth infections.

Africa

The natural ovalbumin gene contains seven intervening sequences.

EcoRI fragments of the natural ovalbumin gene were cloned and studied by hybridisation with mature ovalbumin mRNA, electron microscopy, restriction enzyme mapping and limited sequence analysis. The structural gene sequences coding for ovalbumin were found to be separated into eight sequentially orientated pieces by seven intervening sequences of various lengths.

Animals

Sequence of chicken ovalbumin mRNA.

The complete sequence of chicken ovalbumin mRNA is presented; it is 1,859 residues long, excluding its terminal 'cap' and poly(A). The region coding for ovalbumin lies close to the 'cap' but is separated from the poly(A) by an extensive 3' noncoding region of 637 nucleotides which may have no function that is precisely dependent on its sequence.

Amino Acid Sequence

Coordinate regulation of protein synthesis and messenger RNA content during growth arrest of suspension Chinese hamster ovary cells.

We have found Chinese Hamster Ovary cells, cultured in suspension, are subject to growth control by serum. When suspended in medium containing 0.5% serum the cells becomes reversibly arrested in the beginning of the G1 phase of the cell cycle and can be maintained in this viable, nonproliferating state for several days. This system was used to examine the regulation of protein synthesis with growth rate. In particular, the experiments addressed the question whether mRNA content is the principal controlling factor determining the rate of protein synthesis. The rate of leucine incorporation in resting cells in low serum is 2-to 2.5-fold lower than that of cells growing in 10% serum. The steady-state number of cytoplasmic poly A (+) RNA molecules shows a proportional decrease, consistent with it being a determining factor controlling the rate of protein synthesis. Furthermore, the rate of production of poly A (+) and poly A (-) RNA appears to be regulated coordinately. Regulation of the rate of initiation of translation would result in fewer ribosomes bound per active message and/or a lower proportion of total mRNA's being active. Our measurements indicate that the fraction of cytoplasmic poly A (+) mRNA in polyribosomes and the relative degree of loading of each active poly A(+) mRNA with ribosomes is the same in resting and growing cells. Thus these cells resemble 3T6 and translational control does not appear to be an important part of the change in protein synthetic rate with teh state of growth.

Animals