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Biomedical subjects

M Clarke

Publications and source records attributed to M Clarke.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources

The elderly at home: indices of disability.

The physical status of all people aged 75 and over living in and around Melton Mowbray was assessed by the responses to a series of questions on the activities of daily living that the respondents could perform. Three methods of producing an index of disability from these separate questions are investigated: principal component analysis, Guttman scaling, and a variation of Guttman scaling known as severity grading. All the methods produced very similar rankings of persons, confirming the suggestion of Bebbington that the choice of scaling method is of little consequence. Two scales emerged: one measuring physical ability and the other the level of urinary and faecal incontinence.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Genetic analysis of malformations causing perinatal mortality.

An analysis of congenital malformations, other than neural tube defects, which have contributed to perinatal mortality in Leicestershire is presented for the years 1976 to 1982 inclusive. Chromosomal, single gene, or polygenic inheritance accounted for 67% of cases.

Chromosome Aberrations↗

Immunochemical analysis of the supramolecular structure of myosin in contractile cytoskeletons of Dictyostelium amoebae.

A collection of monoclonal antibodies against Dictyostelium myosin was screened to identify an antibody that could distinguish monomeric from polymeric myosin. An antibody was found that reacted only with monomeric myosin, provided that the antigen-antibody reaction was carried out in solution. This antibody was used in competition radioimmunoassays to probe the supramolecular structure of myosin in Triton-extracted cell models, or cytoskeletons, of Dictyostelium amoebae. The competition assay showed that, as isolated, cytoskeletal myosin was entirely filamentous, but could be converted to monomeric form by increasing the ionic strength of the surrounding buffer. As monomer, it remained associated with the cytoskeleton and could be cycled back to filament form by a second change of buffer. The ability of cytoskeletons to carry out ATP-dependent contraction was examined as a function of the assembly state of myosin. The results suggested that filamentous myosin is responsible for contraction of the cortical filament matrix.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Leatherwork: a possible hazard to reproduction.

A retrospective study was carried out aimed at eliciting the causes of perinatal death in Leicestershire between 1976 and 1982. Case notes were reviewed and the mothers interviewed in over 1000 cases. An analysis of maternal occupations showed that leatherworkers were at increased risk of having a perinatal death, particularly from congenital malformations and macerated stillbirths, even when compared with other manual workers in the same social class. The excess risk occurred in all towns of the county where leatherwork was undertaken. Further investigation is needed of the materials used in the leather industry in order to ensure that risks are minimised. Fecund women working in the industry should be informed of any residual risk if these findings are confirmed.

Congenital Abnormalities↗

Quantitative immunochemical studies of myosin in Dictyostelium discoideum.

We have isolated monoclonal antibodies against myosin from the eukaryotic microorganism Dictyostelium discoideum. Immunoblot analysis using chymotryptic fragments of myosin has shown that the 17 antibodies are directed against at least five different sites on the myosin heavy chain. Using an antibody (M342) that reacts with an epitope on the tail portion of the myosin molecule, we have developed an assay to quantitate myosin in whole cells and subcellular fractions. Samples are deposited on nitrocellulose paper using a filtration manifold and are probed with metabolically labeled M342 antibodies. The assay is rapid and sensitive; it permits the measurement of myosin even in crude cell lysates that contain detergent. By use of the filtration immunoassay, we have found that myosin constitutes 0.72% of the total protein in vegetative amoebae. We have also determined that Triton-resistant cell residues (cytoskeletons or cortical actin matrices) prepared in the absence of ATP contain nearly half of the cell's myosin. If ATP is present, 98% of that myosin is released, although actin levels do not diminish.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

The use of research reports in planning continuing education for trained nurses.

The number of research studies carried out in the United Kingdom by nurses is now quite considerable. As a result there are a number of areas which have been studied by several researchers using different methods and study populations but producing convergent findings in which confidence can be placed. In this paper it is argued that as well as contributing to the content of the knowledge transmitted during study days such findings can be used in the planning of continuing education programmes for trained nurses. Research studies in the following areas were chosen: the consumer's view of continuing education; the ward sister's management role; teaching and learning in the ward; and clinical practice. Findings are discussed and ways in which use can be made of them in continuing education are suggested.

Education, Nursing, Continuing↗

Urinary infection in adult men: a laboratory perspective.

During a 10-week period all mid-stream urine specimens from males aged 15 years and upwards, excluding hospital in-patients, with symptoms suggesting urinary tract infection were examined by techniques capable of detecting aerobes and fastidious organisms. Five hundred and eighty-five such specimens were received; 85% were sent by general practitioners and 182 were from men aged less than 45 years, indicating that urinary symptoms are commoner in young men than is usually believed and that diagnosis and treatment are usually undertaken by general practitioners. One hundred and seventy-nine specimens yielded aerobic pathogens and 140 yielded fastidious organisms; 70% of the former and 33% of the latter showed pyuria. Only 12% of the 196 specimens showing pyuria yielded a negative culture. The possibility of prostatic infection and its relevance to treatment are discussed. Some post-treatment data are presented.

Adolescent↗

High incidence of Meckel's syndrome in Gujarati Indians.

Five probable cases of Meckel's syndrome have been ascertained retrospectively through the Leicestershire Perinatal Mortality Survey for the years 1976 to 1982. All of these babies were born to Hindu parents originating from the Gujarat State in India, suggesting that Meckel's syndrome is particularly common among this ethnic group, with a gene frequency of approximately 0.028.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Structural and functional properties of calmodulin from the eukaryotic microorganism Dictyostelium discoideum.

Calmodulin was purified from the eukaryotic microorganism Dictyostelium discoideum and characterized in terms of its nearly complete primary structure and quantitative activator activity. The strategy for amino acid sequence analysis took advantage of the highly conserved structure of calmodulin and employed a new procedure for limited cleavage of calmodulin that uses a protease from mouse submaxillary gland. Fourteen amino acid sequence differences between Dictyostelium and bovine calmodulin were identified unequivocally, as well as an unmethylated lysine at residue 115 instead of N epsilon, N epsilon, N epsilon-trimethyllysine. Seven of the amino acid substitutions in Dictyostelium calmodulin are novel in that the residues at these positions are invariant in all calmodulin sequences previously examined, most notably an additional residue at the carboxy terminus. Comparison of the Dictyostelium calmodulin sequence with other calmodulin sequences shows that the region with the greatest extended sequence identity includes parts of the first and second structural domains and the interdomain region between domains 1 and 2. Dictyostelium calmodulin activated bovine brain cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase in a manner indistinguishable from that of bovine brain calmodulin. However, Dictyostelium calmodulin activated pea NAD kinase to a maximal level 4.6-fold greater than that produced by bovine brain calmodulin. This functional difference demonstrates the potential biological importance of the limited number of amino acid sequence differences between Dictyostelium calmodulin and other calmodulins and provides further insight into the structure, function, and evolution of the calmodulin family of proteins.

2',3'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases↗

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Computers↗

Stress and coping: constructs for nursing.

'Stress' is considered to be an important construct for consideration by nurses, as it helps in the understanding of the patients' responses to illness. In this paper there is an exploration of conditions under which stress may occur. 'Coping' is also discussed. Coping potentially reduces stress either by dealing with demands and stressors, or with their effects on the individual.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

The constructs 'stress' and 'coping' as a rationale for nursing activities.

In this paper the constructs 'stress' and 'coping' as defined in an earlier paper (Clarke 1984) are used as a perspective for the interpretation of disease processes. The second half of the paper is devoted to an examination of the nurse's role which is seen as concerned with helping patients in the reduction or avoidance of stress and the strengthening of coping. General hospital nursing and district nursing is analysed in greater depth than other types of nursing.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Overproduction of discoidin I by a temperature-sensitive motility mutant of Dictyostelium discoideum.

Dictyostelium discoideum MC2 is a temperature-sensitive motility mutant of AX3. Mutant cells are incapable of growth, phagocytosis, and migration under restrictive conditions (Kayman et al., J. Cell Biol. 92:705-711, 1982). We show here that at the restrictive temperature MC2 cells grown axenically or on bacteria synthesized excessive quantities of the lectin discoidin I. By two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and peptide mapping, the proteins overproduced by MC2 cells were indistinguishable from discoidin I synthesized at lower levels in AX3 cells. At least two of the three species of discoidin I were overproduced. This protein family constituted 9% of the total protein in cells that were incubated overnight at 27 degrees C in axenic medium. Although MC2 cells are defective in nutrient uptake under restrictive conditions, the overproduction of discoidin I did not appear to be part of a pleiotropic response to starvation. We propose that transcription of the coordinately regulated discoidin I genes is altered in mutant cells. This alteration may be related to the motility defects manifested by MC2.

Cell Movement↗