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Biomedical subjects

M Bain

Publications and source records attributed to M Bain.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Obstetric complications and affective psychoses. Two case-control studies based on structured obstetric records.

BACKGROUND: Unlike schizophrenia, little interest has been taken in the incidence of obstetric complications in affective psychoses. AIMS: To find out whether obstetric complications are more common in affective psychoses than matched controls. METHOD: Two hundred and seventeen probands with an in-patient diagnosis of affective psychosis who had been born in Scotland in 1971-74, and a further 84 born in 1975-78, were closely matched with controls and the incidence of obstetric complications in the two compared using obstetric data recorded in a set format shortly after birth. RESULTS: Abnormal presentation of the foetus was the only complication significantly more common in the affective probands in the 1971-74 birth cohort and artificial rupture of the membranes was the only event more common in the probands in the 1975-78 cohort. Both are probably chance findings. CONCLUSION: It is unlikely that the incidence of obstetric complications is raised in people with affective psychoses of early onset.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Community and hospital outcome from ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm within the catchment area of a regional vascular surgical service.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine patterns of referral, management, and outcome of patients with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (RAAA) within the catchment area of this regional vascular unit (RVU). METHODS: Referral, management, and outcome data regarding 972 consecutive patients admitted to the hospital or certified deceased in the community because of RAAA between January 1, 1989, and December 31, 1995, were retrieved from prospectively gathered computerized national and local databases. RESULTS: Of 381 (39.2%) patients admitted to this unit, 316 (82.9%) underwent surgery, and of those, 188 (59.5%) survived. There was no significant difference in overall mortality between patients who were admitted directly to this unit (152 of 310, 49%) and those who were transferred from elsewhere (41 of 71, 58%). Surgical patients traveled significantly farther to the RVU than nonsurgical patients (P <.001), but there was no significant difference in traveling distance between surgical patients who survived and those who did not. Of 372 (38%) patients who were admitted to other units and not transferred, 24 (6.4%) underwent surgery and 14 (3.8%) survived. Of 972 patients, the overall community mortality from RAAA was 770 (79%). CONCLUSION: Transferring patients from outlying units did not appear to prejudice operative outcome in this RVU. However, less than half of all RAAA patients were transferred, and only a small minority of those not transferred underwent surgery. Although the overall community mortality from RAAA was similar to that reported in earlier studies from other regions and countries where centralization has not occurred, centralization of vascular surgical services may be associated with an inappropriately low operation and survival rate for those patients who are not transferred to the regional center. The effect of centralization on the community outcome of emergent vascular surgical conditions requires further investigation.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Vascular surgical society of great britain and ireland: long-term survival following repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm in patients over 75 years of age

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have indicated that patients over the age of 75 years have an increased in-hospital mortality rate following repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). The long-term survival of this patient group has not been reported previously, even though this information may have a strong influence on the decision to operate. METHODS: Interrogation of a prospective database identified 272 patients aged 75 years or over (median age 78 (range 75-93) years) admitted between 1983 and 1995. Long-term patient survival data and survival curves for an age- and sex-matched population were obtained from the General Register Office through the Information and Statistics Division. RESULTS: Sixty-nine (25 per cent) of the 272 patients did not undergo operation. Eighty-eight (43 per cent) of the 203 patients who had surgery died within the same hospital admission. The 1-, 5- and 10-year survival rates for the remaining 115 patients (median age 77 (range 75-85) years) were 88, 59 and 26 per cent respectively, at a median follow-up of 54 (range 1-157) months. The median life expectancy for this patient group was 69 months. These data are comparable to those of an age- and sex-matched population. CONCLUSION: Many patients over the age of 75 years who present with ruptured AAA are considered unfit for surgery. These data demonstrate that, even in this elderly population, survivors of ruptured AAA repair enjoy a near-normal life expectancy.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1999

Organic matrix composition and ultrastructure of eggshell: a comparative study.

1. The avian eggshell is a biomineralised composite ceramic consisting of calcium carbonate embedded in an organic matrix. Matrix components are supposed to be involved in the control of mineralisation, crystallographic texture and biomechanical properties of eggshell. 2. The structure and eggshell matrix composition of various domesticated bird species were compared to gain insight into the universality of the eggshell mineralisation process. 3. The SDS-PAGE profiles of soluble eggshell matrix were specific within groups of birds (a: laying hen, breeder hen, quail, pheasant and possibly turkey; b: guinea fowl; c: duck and goose) but some of the protein bands were common to all groups. 4. Analogies between species were confirmed by Western blotting using hen protein antibodies. Ovocleidin-17 (OC-17) and ovalbumin were revealed in all species (except quail for OC-17). Lysozyme was present only in hen eggshell. Another egg white protein: ovotransferrin showed a positive signal in hens, turkey and quail. Osteopontin was observed in laying and breeder hens and quail. 5. Different proteoglycans were localised to discrete regions within the eggshell. Dermatan sulphate was observed within the matrix of the calcified shell of all species except quail which contained chondroitin-6-sulfate. Keratan sulphate was observed in mammillary bodies of breeder and laying hen, quail, pheasant and turkey while chondroitin sulphate was also present in guinea fowl and duck. 6. The general structural organisation of the different avian eggshells was similar but specific differences were observed in the ultrastructure of the mammillary layer. Species of the same taxonomic family could be grouped according to their structural analogies: breeder hen, turkey and pheasant resembled that of the domestic fowl. Guinea fowl was unique. Goose and duck were quite similar with large and confluent mammillary bodies. 7. Some matrix components are therefore common to eggshells of various species but more information is needed to relate differences in matrix composition between taxonomic groups with differences in ultrastructure.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Regulation of PSP/reg in rat pancreas: immediate and steady-state adaptation to different diets.

Pancreatic stone protein/reg protein (PSP/reg) is a secretory pancreatic protein of hitherto unknown function. It is precursor to a spontaneously precipitating peptide called pancreatic thread protein, which is found in protein plugs within the pancreatic ductal system. Increasing PSP/reg concentrations in pancreatic juice might augment the risk of intraductal plug formation and therefore be a condition predisposing to chronic pancreatitis. Malnutrition is associated with a high incidence of chronic pancreatitis in tropical countries. In a diet study with rats, we tested the hypothesis that protein malnutrition leads to increased PSP/reg concentrations in pancreatic juice. A highly sensitive and reliable enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for rat PSP/reg was newly established. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were allocated to three nearly isocaloric experimental diets, which contained 0, 45, or 82% casein, respectively, or to a control diet (22% casein). We evaluated PSP/reg expression under these four dietary conditions on the RNA and on the protein level, performing a time-course study over a period of 28 days. Our results demonstrate that PSP/reg expression is not increased because of a protein-deficient diet if investigated under steady-state conditions. After a temporary increase in PSP/reg levels due to a carbohydrate-deficient high-protein diet, we could not find signs of a diet-dependent regulation of this protein. The regulation of PSP/reg thus differs from that of most other pancreatic secretory proteins. Our findings contradict earlier reports that had drawn conclusions based solely on messenger RNA levels.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1999

Exploring the experience of type 2 diabetes in urban aboriginal people.

The experience of diabetes among urban Aboriginal people (status and non-status Indians) was explored through a qualitative study. Because researchers have focused almost exclusively on Aboriginal people living on reserves or in isolated rural communities in Canada, this study conducted face-to-face interviews with participants (n = 20) living in the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba. The data generated 3 themes: diabetes as an omnipresent and uncontrollable disease; beyond high sugar: diabetes revealed in bodily damage; and the good, the bad, and the unhelpful: interactions with health-care providers. Findings from this study and previous research support the existence of a pan-Aboriginal model of diabetes. This contemporary cultural stance appears to transcend geography and has implications for the prevention and treatment approaches used in programs and health services for Aboriginal people living with diabetes.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1998

Geographical inequality in the provision of carotid endarterectomy in Scotland. Scottish Vascular Audit Group.

BACKGROUND: Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is a proven method of stroke prevention in patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic high-grade internal carotid artery stenosis. This study examined whether site of residence affects access to CEA in Scotland. METHODS: Scottish Morbidity Record hospital discharge data were collected by the Information and Statistics Division of the National Health Service in Scotland and analysed for the interval 1 January 1989 to 31 December 1995. The number of CEAs performed in the hospitals of each of the 15 regional Health Boards, and CEA rate per 100000 population resident in each Health Board region, were determined. RESULTS: In 1989, 65 CEAs were performed in the hospitals of five Health Boards and in 1995, 431 CEAs were performed in nine Health Boards. In 1989, the CEA rate per 100000 resident population varied between 0 (four regions) and 4 (one region), with one region significantly different from Scotland as a whole (P<0.001). In 1995, the CEA rate varied between 0 (two regions) and 19 (one region), with two regions significantly different from Scotland as a whole (P< 0.01). CONCLUSION: Despite a sixfold increase in the number of CEAs being performed, and a rise in the number of centres performing CEA, there is increasing geographical inequality in the provision of CEA in Scotland.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Neonatal mortality amongst Scottish preterm singleton births (1985-1994).

OBJECTIVE: To provide a valid estimate of singleton neonatal mortality based on birthweight and gestational age at delivery. DESIGN: Record linkage of maternity data and neonatal mortality data. SETTING: Scotland, UK. POPULATION: All singleton preterm deliveries from 24 to 36 weeks inclusive between 1985 and 1994. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Neonatal death. RESULTS: There were 625,646 liveborn singleton deliveries over the study period, of which 33,912 were preterm (5.4%). The overall neonatal mortality in the preterm group was 41/1000 and the data have been presented by both gestational age and birthweight. The neonatal mortality rate fell with advancing gestation from 795/1000 live births at 24 weeks to 9/1000 live births at 36 weeks and was higher at the extremes of birthweight for a given gestational age. There was a significant increase in the proportion of babies delivered iatrogenically over the study period (chi test for trend P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This is the largest recent series to consider neonatal mortality using both birthweight and gestational age. These figures will be of use in obstetric management when elective preterm delivery is considered, and for providing prognostic guidance following preterm delivery.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Epstein-Barr virus EBNA3C represses Cp, the major promoter for EBNA expression, but has no effect on the promoter of the cell gene CD21.

EBNA3C is a potent repressor of transcription when bound to DNA as a fusion with the DNA binding domain (DBD) of GALA. A survey of promoters has revealed that the wild-type, unfused EBNA3C can specifically repress expression from reporter plasmids containing the Epstein-Barr virus Cp latency-associated promoter. Repression of Cp activity required amino acids 207 to 368, which encompasses a region resembling a basic DBD adjacent to a leucine zipper DNA binding motif and a site which binds to the cellular factor CBF1/RBP-Jkappa. However, amino acids 207 to 368 are dispensable when the protein is bound to DNA as a fusion with the GAL4 DBD, thus implicating this region in DNA binding. Mutation of the CBF1/RBP-Jkappa binding site in EBNA3C abrogated repression, strongly suggesting that CBF1/RBP-Jkappa is necessary for targeting the viral protein to Cp. Consistent with this result, mutation of the EBNA2 response element (a CBF1/RBP-Jkappa binding site) in Cp also prevented significant repression. In addition, amino acids 346 to 543, which were previously defined as important for the repressor activity of the GAL4-EBNA3C fusion proteins, also appear to be necessary for the repression of Cp. Since repression by these fusions was not observed in all cell types, it seems likely that EBNA3C either depends on a corepressor which may interact with amino acids 346 to 543 or is modified in a cell-specific manner in order to repress. These data are consistent with EBNA3C contributing to the regulation of EBNA expression in latently infected B cells through CBF1/RBP-Jkappa and another factor, but this need not directly involve EBNA2. Finally, although it has been reported that EBNA3C can upregulate CD21 in some B cells, we were unable to demonstrate any effect of EBNA3C on reporter plasmids which contain the CD21 promoter.

B-Lymphocytes↗
PubMed1996

Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen (EBNA)3C is an immortalizing oncoprotein with similar properties to adenovirus E1A and papillomavirus E7.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) requires six genes to efficiently immortalize human B cells. We have shown that one of these, EBNA3C, can cooperate with activated (Ha-)ras in co-transfection assays to immortalize and transform rat embryo fibroblasts (REFs). EBNA3C also augmented transformation by (Ha-)ras and a mutant p53 to a similar extent as human papilloma virus E7. As with E7 this effect was not inhibited by cotransfection with the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CDKI), a p16INK4A, which can normally activate the retinoblastoma protein (pRb) and induce growth arrest. Also like E7/ras and E1A/ras transformed cells the EBNA3C/ras transformants are very susceptible to apoptotic cell death. In vitro EBNA3C binds to pRb in a manner which is dependent on the integrity of the pocket domain; this suggests that EBNA3C, even though it lacks the LXCXE pRb binding motif found in E7 and E1A, may interact with pRb in vivo. We conclude that EBNA3C functions as an oncoprotein which directs cell cycle progression through the G1 phase restriction point when conditions might signal arrest. For the first time this demonstrates that EBV encodes a protein, functionally but not necessarily mechanistically, similar to the pRb-neutralizing nuclear antigens encoded by the 'small' DNA tumor viruses.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Soluble matrix of hen's eggshell extracts changes in vitro the rate of calcium carbonate precipitation and crystal morphology.

1. Extra and intramineral eggshell matrix proteins were solubilised before and after demineralisation by sequential extractions using guanidine hydrochloride and EDTA. 2. The intramineral electrophoretic profile of SDS-PAGE showed the presence of 80, 66, 43, 36 and 15 kDa bands with a predominance of a 17 kDa band. In the extramineral part, the major protein was the 15 kDa band. 3. The introduction of intramineral extract to a metastable solution of calcium carbonate delayed the rate of crystal growth. The delay in the rate of precipitation was elicited by a single fraction (MW 50-80 kDa), isolated by gel filtration chromatography, of eggshell extracts. Extramineral extracts had no effect. 4. Addition in vitro of intramineral eggshell extracts modified the morphology of calcite; the crystals aggregated and showed irregular surfaces. 5. These observations suggest that constituents of the eggshell matrix are involved in the control of calcite growth and crytallographic structure of the hen's eggshell.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 3C is a powerful repressor of transcription when tethered to DNA.

The expression of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigen 3C (EBNA3C) is essential for the activation and immortalization of human B lymphocytes by EBV. EBNA3C consists of 992 amino acids and includes a potential bZIP motif and regions rich in acidic, proline, and glutamine residues. Thus, EBNA3C resembles several trans regulators of gene expression. It has recently been shown that a fragment of EBNA3C can activate reporter gene expression when fused to the DNA-binding domain of GAL4 (D. Marshall and C. Sample, J. Virol. 69:3624-3630,1995). Although EBNA3C binds DNA, a specific site for EBNA3C binding has not been identified; to test the ability of full-length EBNA3C to regulate transcription, EBNA3C (amino acids 11 to 992) was fused to the DNA-binding domain of GAL4. We show that this fusion protein does not transactivate but rather is a potent repressor of reporter gene expression. Repression is dependent on the dose of GAL4-EBNA3C and on the presence of GAL4-binding sites within reporter plasmids. Repression is not restricted to B cells nor is it species or promoter specific. Repression is independent of the location of the GAL4-binding sites relative to the transcription start site. A fragment of EBNA3C (amino acids 280 to 525) which represses expression in a manner which is nearly identical to that of the full-length protein has been identified; this fragment is rich in acidic and proline residues. A second, less potent repressor region located C terminal to amino acids 280 to 525 has also been identified; this domain is rich in proline and glutamine residues. We also show binding of EBNA3C, in vitro, to the TATA-binding protein component of TFIID, and this suggests a mechanism by which EBNA3C may communicate with the basal transcription complex.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1996

Cancer in older persons in Scotland.

BACKGROUND: The average age in many populations in increasing. As the risk of most epithelial cancers increases with age, numbers of people with cancer can also be expected to grow. METHODS: Incidence data from the Scottish Cancer Registry for the period 1981-1990 were used to examine the size of the cancer burden in those aged 75 years and over. The future burden of cancer in Scotland was estimated by applying current age specific rates to population projections. Cancer survival in older cancer patients in Scotland was examined and comparisons made with other selected countries. The place of treatment of people under and over 75 in Scotland was investigated. RESULTS: Approximately 30% of the total cancer burden in Scotland and other countries occurs in the elderly. The total number of incident cases in Scotland in those aged 75 and over is estimated to rise by approximately 60% in males and 20% in females by 2029. A decline in survival is seen with increasing age. Older people with cancer in Scotland are less likely to be treated outwit their area of residence and are more likely to be admitted to institutions which admit small numbers of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Cancer in older persons contributes a significant proportion of the overall cancer burden. The burden of cancer in the elderly is likely to grow. More work needs to be done characterising cancer and its treatment in older persons.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Successful heart transplantation from a victim of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Heart transplantation has become a highly successful, life-saving treatment for a number of otherwise fatal heart diseases. A major limiting factor in the growth of transplantation surgery has been the relative lack of suitable donor organs, and the appropriate criteria for selection of donor organs have been a topic of significant interest. Despite relatively favorable survival rates in the few patients who have received organs from victims of many types of poisonings and drug overdoses, patients dying of toxicologic causes are not usually considered suitable organ donors. Some centers routinely reject such individuals. Criteria for donor selection continue to be vague, unclear, or nonexistent in regard to organ transplantation from victims of all types of poisoning and toxic exposures. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a ubiquitous poison, and although victims of CO poisoning have occasionally served as suitable organ donors, heart transplantation in this scenario is still a very rare event. We describe the successful transplantation of the heart from a CO poisoning victim--to our knowledge, only the third such transplantation. Because the emergency department is a critical site for organ procurement, emergency physicians must be aware that patients dying of CO exposure may be acceptable organ donors.

Adult↗