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Biomedical subjects

M Grant

Publications and source records attributed to M Grant.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Insulin-like growth factors in amniotic fluid.

The concentrations of insulin-like growth factors I and II (IGF-I and IGF-II) in amniotic fluid were determined by specific immunoassays in 58 women. IGF-I concentrations were constant throughout gestation at approximately 20 ng/ml; the mean IGF-II concentration was 114 +/- 13 (+/- SE) ng/ml at the earliest period of gestation studied and remained unchanged at 26 to 33 weeks despite a greater than 50% decrease in amniotic fluid total protein. A precipitous decrease in IGF-II concentration occurred at term which was not explainable by alterations in total amniotic fluid protein concentration. The concentrations of IGF-I and IGF-II in amniotic fluid did not correlate with concentrations of these factors in maternal serum (r = 0.08 and 0.09, respectively). [125I]IGF-I and [125I]IGF-II, after incubation with amniotic fluid, bound to a 40-45 K protein (or proteins). A carrier protein of greater mol wt, as in serum, was not detected. These findings indicate that there is dynamic control of IGF in amniotic fluid during normal pregnancy.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMed1983

Myeloperoxidase activity in human gingival crevicular neutrophils.

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in neutrophil leucocytes from gingival crevicular exudate and peripheral venous blood was assayed both spectrophotometrically and cytochemically in 50 healthy subjects with and without clinically evident gingival inflammation. All blood neutrophil MPO levels were within the normal range; gingival neutrophil MPO levels were normal in all subjects with inflamed tissue but enzyme activity was not detected in approximately 50 per cent of those with no inflammation. There was positive correlation (p less than 0.0003) between the gingival index and MPO activity. The gingival crevice is an accessible example of a functional site in host defence and it may be that subpopulations of neutrophils are selectively sequestered into such areas in response to chemotactic stimuli.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Effect of two antibiotics on human granulocyte activities.

As part of a study of the effects of antibiotic therapy upon human phagocytes, ampicillin and cefaclor were each administered orally to nine healthy adult subjects in a single dose of 500 mg. There was a significant difference in their effects on neutrophil myeloperoxidase (MPO) (EC.1.11.1.7) activity (P less than 0.05) in that ampicillin depressed, but cefaclor enhanced, the measured enzyme activity. Concomitantly ampicillin decreased but cefaclor increased, the rate of phagocytosis of staphylococci, the effects of the two antibiotics also being significantly different (P less than 0.05). Direct measurements of intracellular killing of staphylococci did not change. In four patients with chronic bacterial infections who had low levels of neutrophil MPO activity, treatment with cefaclor led to a significant increase in the MPO levels to within the normal range. Three patients responded satisfactorily to cefaclor despite having previously filed to respond to antibiotics which were similarly active in vitro against the causative bacteria. These findings lead us to suggest that, in patients with chronic refractory infections, attention must be given to the effect of drugs on the host defences in addition to a careful choice of the most active antibacterial agent.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Homicidally aggressive young children: neuropsychiatric and experiential correlates.

Of 55 children admitted to a children's psychiatric service, 21 were homicidally aggressive. Psychiatric symptoms and diagnoses did not distinguish these children from the nonhomicidal children, but the homicidally aggressive children were significantly more likely to 1) have a father who behaved violently, often homicidally, 2) have had a seizure, 3) have attempted suicide, and 4) have a mother who had been hospitalized for a psychiatric disorder. The authors explore explanations for the contribution of these factors to juvenile violence.

Aggression↗
PubMed1982

Interaction between human neutrophils and group B streptococci (GBS) and group antigens, monitored by Luminol-dependent chemiluminescence.

Interaction between the five serotypes of GBS and human neutrophils was investigated using Luminol-dependent chemiluminescence. A considerable variation in response, and a variable dependence pre-opsonisation was demonstrated both for while bacteria and HCl-extracts. These preliminary results may have relevance to clinical infection with GBS and demonstrate hitherto unrecognised differences in the nature of "group-specific" antigen extracts from GBS serotypes.

Antigens, Bacterial↗